《New Life : A Second Chance》


 Chapter 1 - Prologue

    Kylie was having trouble breathing.


    Every single breath that she took was painful, and it felt like there was a sharp knife slicing her throat and stabbing her heart each time she took a breath.


    She needed air, but she couldn''t breathe properly.


    So she tried to take slow, shallow breaths in the insane hope that the pain would be less.


    It wasn''t.


    Tears pricked her eyes, flowing down her fair face, washing away the grime that had accumulated on it. Despair filled her heart, for she knew that there was absolutely no other way out of this other than the inevitable end.


    The floor was cold, and hard, making her body ache even more as the cold seemed to seep right into her bones. Maybe that was due to the excessive blood loss, caused mainly from the wide, open gash on her skull. It was a miracle her brain wasn''t splattered all over the floor.


    The perpetrator had been careful and meticulous.


    Each slash and each cut was precise to cause deep gashes of pain yet not deep enough to cause immediate death.


    The blood was flowing out of that open wound, trickling down over her face and mixing with her tears.


    Kylie couldn''t move anymore, and she could feel the wetness upon her head. The pool of blood grew in front of her eyes and she watched it with morbid fascination as it grew bigger. She couldn''t move anymore, and she felt her body grow even colder, her breath even more ragged.


    Dark, black dress shoes came into her line of sight, stepping on that pool of blood. Kylie felt her hair being pulled and her head lifted up a bit as a harsh voice rasped above her head, "Where''s the thumbdrive?! Where did you put it?!"


    Kylie looked at him ... or at least, tried to.


    One eye was already swollen shut and the other could barely open.


    The man''s dark, cold eyes bore into her and he saw that sense of defeat upon her face and he rejoiced inside. Finally, she was broken. Finally, he could get what information he wanted.


    He saw her lips tremble as she struggled to say something. She then coughed harshly, blood spurting out as she took more deep breaths to calm down.


    She then closed her eyes, and whispered feebly, "It''s ¡­ it''s ¡­"


    The man brought his ear closer to her lips to catch her words, only to be met with a snarl and a sharp pain.


    Kylie had managed one final burst of energy and bit hard on his ear. She hardly had any strength, and it was not enough to bite it off (much to her chagrin), but it was enough to cause him to curse and smash her head back onto the floor.


    Kylie''s entire body racked with pain, her head feeling like a jackhammer was playing yankee-doodle on it. She could feel her consciousness fading slowly, despite the pain. She fought hard to stay awake, but failed, her eyes rolling at the back of her head as she fainted.


    Images of her life passed by in her mind, finally ending with her two beautiful children smiling at her. Seeing this, she felt as if her entire soul was screaming in despair and denial.


    "Nooooo!! My babies ¡­ my poor babies! They are still so young. They still need me. I can''t die. I can''t . I can''t!! I''m so sorry my babies ..."


    Those were her last thoughts as tears trickled down her face, hardly seen amongst the blood and gore.


    She could no longer feel pain, and thus, there was no reaction other than a broken body being beaten even further.


    The man continued to kick her chest and face in anger for several more minutes before he finally stopped. Beating a dead horse wasn''t any fun. He stepped on the body, pushing it to face upwards and sneered at the dead eye looking back at him.


    Straightening his shirt, he rubbed his hands on his pants. It looks like he would need to burn these clothes now. He then glanced around the room, watching his men ransacking the place but not finding anything. They had wasted enough time, and it wouldn''t be long before they came back.


    "Enough!" he shouted angrily, "Just burn everything down!" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thumbdrive had to be hidden somewhere here. If they couldn''t find it, then the next best thing is to make sure it was completely destroyed. He watched with cold eyes as his men took out their lighters and started lighting up the curtains. One saw that he had taken out a cigarette, and went to light it up.


    Seeing the flames becoming bigger, the man grunted in satisfaction before turning on his heels and going out. He didn''t even spare a glance at the bloody, broken body that was left behind, slowly being burned together with the rest of the room ¡­ and eventually, the house.


    -----***--------****--------


    Kylie awoke in darkness. Rather, her consciousness awoke.


    "I''m alive?" she wondered, but quickly dispelled that thought.


    She couldn''t be alive. She knew she had died. So was this the afterlife? Or the space after death? She didn''t know what it was, other than it being so completely dark.


    Where was the renowned light at the end of the tunnel thing? Wasn''t that was what all those ''return from the dead'' people always talked about? She tried to open her eyes but she couldn''t. Heck, did she even have eyes?


    She tried to move, but nothing happened.


    She tried to take a breath, but there was no familiar moving sensation of air entering the chest.


    It was as if all senses had been cut out. She couldn''t see. She couldn''t hear. She couldn''t feel anything. Logically, when one is being deprived of all senses, one should be in a state of complete panic. Yet, she wasn''t.


    What was this?


    Kylie couldn''t fathom why she would be so calm like this.


    Perhaps it was due to the fact that despite the strangeness of the whole thing, she just felt safe. She felt like she was cocooned like a precious being in this floating sac of gooey fluids. It was such a weird, yet comforting feeling.


    There was also this rhythmic sound.


    Well, not that she could actually hear the sound. It was more like, she could feel it. Thump thump ¡­ thump thump ¡­ it was steady. It was constant. It was rather hypnotic. The sound lulled Kylie to sleep (if you could call it that). It wasn''t that she fell asleep like she had done when alive, but just that her consciousness seem to fade.


    Kylie found herself to be in this regular state of consciousness, then not.


    She didn''t know how long it was but it was during one of those conscious moments that Kylie appeared to have realised something.


    At each conscious moment, there had been some changes. It had been slight at first so she had missed it.


    However, after several times of this, Kylie began to realise that she was ¡­ growing.


    Not growing up but in actual fact, growing limbs.


    From just feeling like she was floating, to feeling like there were things she could move. Not much at first as it felt like simple stumps. Then those stumps became longer and eventually, she could feel like she could now form a small fist.


    It was at that point, when she formed the fist, that Kylie had an epiphany.


    She was a fetus in the womb.

 Chapter 2 - New Discoveries (Part I) - Is That A ...??!

    Kylie was a fetus. A fetus growing inside someone''s womb.


    Ever since she realised what was happening, her brain seemed to go into overdrive. This was so much like all those reincarnation novels she read when she was younger. Although it was into one of the less popular type i.e. instead of transmigrating into the body of a person who had been pitifully wronged and died, she had entered into a newly formed life. Reborn, so to speak.


    Kylie started thinking. Amazingly enough, she could do that even though her brain was still forming. Was this a side effect? All those novels had the transmigrated or reborn soul have some sort of cheat. They were transported into a body that was thought to be a waste but was in actual fact, a unique body that would speed up cultivation. Even those that were reborn, could use their vast experience from their previous life to get a head start in the new life. Gathering qi and all that jazz.


    Her? Kylie sighed mentally. There was no way she was going to be a super human of some sort. Life had been very mediocre. She had been an average student, who didn''t quite excel but wasn''t too bad. She studied hard, did well enough and so forth. So what about this new life? Perhaps she could get a head start since she had vast experience as an adult before. Primary school would be a breeze. Kylie chuckled at that thought. Imagine. A genius in primary school but becomes a dud in secondary school.


    Still, that was for later. Much later. Based from her own experience as a mother in her previous life, Kylie knew that it would be a long time more before she would be born. From the looks of what had been formed so far, she was just about 3 months old in the womb. There is some basic external shape, some brain functions and a heartbeat. Barely 4 inches long, she''s like a tiny spec inside the womb.


    Kylie remembered an old-wives tale that a soul is breathed into the foetus in the third month. In other words, one only became ''alive'' then, and before that, one was only a body of cells. If this was anything to go by, guess that old-wives tale wasn''t just a saying. Science could never prove the existence of a ''soul'' - that was too abstract and inconclusive.


    Kylie wondered briefly which soul was supposed to have been breathed into this little wonder of creation. Did she replace an original soul or was she meant to be reborn? Was being reborn the true ending of death? If that was so, why didn''t she remember her past life in her previous life? Or was that her first life?


    Then again, it didn''t make sense for if being reborn endlessly was the thing, wouldn''t more people be aware of it? Or was this awareness of hers a fluke? A mistake? Kylie just got a headache thinking of it. There was no way for her finding out the truth, so there was no point in thinking about it any further. Was there any point to all of that anyway?


    Right now, the main thing was the time she had left before being born. There were another 6 more months to go. 6 more months of floating in this endless sea of darkness. Just the thought of it made her groan internally. She was going to be SO bored. Unlike all those novels that she had read, she didn''t have any knowledge of any martial arts or had cultivated Qi or whatnot.


    Kylie checked herself internally, wondering if there was anything new or different about herself. Nope. Nothing. She didn''t suddenly develop a sixth sense to be able to "see" inside herself and all she could feel was ¡­ growth, Things being formed. Floating.


    Kylie sighed. This body of hers is a normal human being and being able to cultivate is merely fiction. As a last attempt, Kylie even tried to call out, her tiny mouth opening yet no sound coming out. Mentally, she called out, "Hello? Hello? Anybody there? System? Guide? Whatever?" She paused and waited before calling out again, "Hellooooooooo??"


    Silence.


    Zilch. Nothing. She sighed yet again. This sighing thing is getting addictive.


    Kylie began taking stock of her options. She is going to be reborn. She had another chance at life. How many people wished they could have gone back in time and do things differently? Kylie had thought of such things before but also knew that her choices in life had made her who she was. So changing it would mean a different her. So did this now mean she can do those things she wished she did before? In getting a second chance at life, she had a choice. Live as she did before, or be more daring and explore.


    Not just that ... Kylie''s heart wrenched in pain when she thought of what she had left behind. Rather, who she had left behind. How are they now? What are they doing now? Are they safe? Are they ... coping?


    Kylie made up her mind. There were so many uncertainties about what life would be like after she was born. She had the here and now. Six months of floating about without any sense of time.


    Amazingly, Kylie found that her memories of her past life were as clear as day. When she thought about it, she realised that her life had always been mediocre. She had been a normal person, with a normal background. She shifted through her memories, and it appeared in her mind like some mini movie. It was a strange thing, but she shrugged it aside as being something normal for a fetus. Not like she knew what was normal, but anything right now was regarded as such!


    Science could not fathom the mind, and who knows? Maybe something like the Baby Geniuses movie was actually right! Wait. Did that mean she''s going to be a blubbering idiot after 2 years old? Kylie shuddered. Focus. Focus. Think of this NOW. She went back to thinking about her past life.


    In her previous life, Kylie wasn''t smart but she wasn''t dumb either. What she was, was hardworking. She made up for her shortcomings by working twice ¨C or even three times what other people would have done. She had an okay family life as well. It wasn''t abusive, and there was the typical strife of all families.


    Kylie continued to think about her past. The mini-movie played in her mind as she watched her watching her "life" from a child until an adult. Things she never remembered before were as clear as day in her mind then. Looking at her life as a third person really gave her a whole new perspective. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her parents had raised her and her two siblings as well as could be, taking into account the circumstances. They weren''t rich but they had enough. Her parents weren''t the emotional type either. The "I love you" statements or hugging were alien concepts but one did not feel hate. You knew they loved you, but it just wasn''t said.


    Mother was a petite woman, and fierce. She was strict and had raised them with an iron rod. Not literally, though a belt or a rattan cane would be used as a form of punishment. No slippers though. A slight pinch by twisting the back of the hand or the side was also another form of discipline, normally given in public places but done without anyone else any the wiser. Rules were to be followed. There were strict protocols.


    Kylie flinched at such scenes, even though she wasn''t going through them at the moment. Such punishments weren''t really painful as it never left a mark on their skin, though it did sting. She still didn''t like seeing the scenes though. Still, she had never felt hate either from her family or towards them, and it didn''t affect her negatively like some of the research had often said to cause.


    Yes, yes. All sorts of reports and psychological research were done about the detrimental effects of physical punishments were still in high debate during her time, and Asian mothers or parents were labeled as abusers by the Western side of the globe.


    Still, she didn''t become some sort of deranged, self-conscious or what-not person because of it. Despite that, it didn''t mean she believed in using such methods on her own children. Kylie shook her head at that random thought and focused on watching her past life again.


    Father was tall and dashing, but always working. He had left the disciplining and raising of kids to Mother. It was only in the later years of his life that he tried to reconnect with the family, and Kylie felt closest to him than her own mother. Kylie smiled at that thought. She never truly lacked anything, though there were no luxuries, she had everything that was needed. The only thing she wished she had, was some sort of connection with her own mother.


    Her own mother never truly understood her, and thus, Kylie always felt something was missing. She didn''t hate her mother and she DID love her mother ... but she honestly could not say whether such love was the love borne for a mother. If her mother had died before she did, would she shed any tears? Kylie could not say.


    Kylie sighed yet again. When she thought of her previous life, and as those memories flashed through, she realised one depressing thing. She didn''t suffer from life ¡­ but she hadn''t truly experienced life either. Everything went as if it was programmed. School. Graduate. Job. Get married. Have kids. Grow old. Die. Well, other than the growing old bit, everything went by smoothly. Like routine.


    In short, boring.


    Kylie felt that the only time she felt alive was when she gave birth. No, not ''alive'' but more like, ''of value''? Her children had given her a sense of belonging, which no one could take away. She felt needed and was loved unconditionally. That may sound strange, but that''s how it was. Her parents loved her, but she always felt it had a condition: be good.


    Her husband loved her, but it was the slow-not-showing-anything-more type of love. With her kids, though. They accepted her wholeheartedly and loved her no matter what. Her life had been theirs from the moment they were born, and she would have done anything to ensure their well-being.


    Hence, the thumbdrive incident.


    Kylie jerked at that thought and the scene in her mind shifted to the incident. Of how she discovered a discrepancy in the company accounts. How their most trusted relative was working in the background. Worse, of the underground connection that he had and used the company to ''clean'' some things for them. It had taken her months of quiet surveillance before gathering all the evidence that she could. The thumbdrive contained all of that.


    There is nothing she could do about it now. The intense feeling of regret of her previous life didn''t get less. In fact, it was just as strong if not stronger. It wasn''t that she regretted her past actions. Rather, she regretted not being clever enough at not being caught.


    To have been caught, then hounded, tortured and eventually killed just for that. A brief moment of heroism, something she had never done in her entire life which got her killed in the end. She didn''t think it was such a serious matter that it would have warranted her death.


    Now that she thought about it, it was strange. What was so serious and special about the data she had? Was there something more? Something worth killing for, obviously. Now Kylie was afraid. Afraid for her children''s life. What if they went after them instead to find the thumb drive? Would they also kill them for it?


    Kylie had no idea that the house had been burned down, but she knew that they would have never have found the thumbdrive. Simply because it wasn''t in the house at all. It was at the most unlikely spot, thus, the safest spot since no one would have considered that possibility.


    However, though they would be safe from people harming them in an attempt to find the thumbdrive, they weren''t safe from the snake in the grass. Until they grew up though, they may still be safe. She hoped so. She prayed that it all boils over and nothing comes up from it anymore.


    With that, Kylie began to think even more. She was filled with resolve. She needed to be better this time round. She needed to be cleverer. First, she needed to know the time frame after being born. Would it be right after her death or several hundred years later? If it was the latter, then there was nothing she could do. If it was the former, however, then she needed to improve herself.


    Kylie began thinking hard. Since she actually managed to retain her memories, it meant that she had an advantage early in life. She would work harder than ever and use the first few years to nurture herself. Be something more than she had been before.


    Still, she was worried.


    She may get away easily during the first few years of school, it''s a whole new ball game once you enter secondary school. The subjects the kids are exposed to nowadays are horrible ¡­ Kylie shuddered. Despite that, her resolve did not waver. She will work hard. She had to. She had her kids to think about.


    Kylie decided to use the time she had in the womb to do some mental exercises. Keep the mind active. Keep the brain that''s developing, working. Maybe even get those brain wires more active and she would become a genius! After all, it is said that humans only use a small percentage of their brains. Imagine if they could access everything. It would be like the movie Lucy. Wouldn''t that be awesome?? Not the ending though. Just the abilities!


    Kylie snickered to herself. Yeah. Right. Like that would happen. With that thought, Kylie got down to business.

 Chapter 3 - New Discoveries (Part II) - Is That A ...??!

    Now that Kylie had decided what to do while floating around endlessly in this cocoon for the next six months, she found her mental state to be far calmer than before. She was already calm, actually, but now she was also at peace.


    Kylie started to think back on her first school days. She decided to play all her school days in slow motion, thinking of picking up and revising on all the lessons that she had taken before. Kylie found it very surprising that she actually enjoyed revisiting her school days. She chose to start from secondary school, as primary school lessons were rather basic. It was like watching everything in HD! She was there, yet not there.


    Kylie looked upon the scenes as they flashed by. As she watched her younger self of her past life in her school uniform, going to school and attending classes, it felt all so surreal. It wasn''t just the lessons but her interactions with her schoolmates and teachers. She saw things about herself that she didn''t realise then, but was made all so clear now.


    Kylie mused as she watched herself not really interacting much with her schoolmates. She had been more content in keeping to herself, yet she wasn''t a total outcast as she would join in for class activities. It was more of the fact that she never really put herself out there.


    That could have been partially due to her strict parents that never allowed her out of the house other than for school; though it was also partly due to her own introvert nature. Kylie figured that her new life should mean a new person : she would no longer be in the sidelines but also in the thick of it. You only lived once ... no, wait. That wasn''t right since she''s going to be reborn.


    Live life to the fullest, as if it''s your last day.


    That will be her mantra for now. Not many people would have this second chance at Life, and she aimed to do more. Live more. Be more. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another thing that Kylie discovered was that she actually understood all her lessons easily. Her brain was like a sponge that absorbed everything she saw, and she hardly needed any time to think about it. Additional Maths that had her pulling her hair out and a subject she could never pass before, was now as easy as simple addition. It was only some basic formula. Physics? What used to be something that had her crying her eyes out in memorizing the tables and sequences now appeared as simple as following a recipe.


    Although puzzled at first, Kylie figured it was most likely due to the fact that although her brain was still being formed, it carried the knowledge and experience of her previous life. It was the most plausible explanation that she had.


    Well. It was the only explanation she could come up with. It''s not like someone is going to tell her it is wrong. The point is .. ENJOY IT. So this is what it felt like to be clever or know what you''re doing. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction was something that could not be described.


    Since everything was so much easier to grasp and comprehend, Kylie actually found it all exhilarating. It was actually FUN! She didn''t just replay her school lessons, she also recalled all the shows and documentaries that she used to watch in her previous life. Not only was she able to remember and re-learn the old things, but she also discovered to her utter delight that she could learn new things as well!


    This was something she stumbled across when she decided to ''rest'' for a while. She had been an avid fan of watching Anime and also Korean and Chinese Dramas, and on a whim, chose to spend some time re-watching her favourite shows and movies like Naruto, Goblin and Love O2O.


    At first, she was reading the subtitles until a few episodes later, she realised that she actually understood their speech. Her eyes widened at that (figuratively speaking) and it was as if a light bulb switched on in her head. The only regret she had was that she didn''t watch many foreign films in their original language before, so she could not pick up yet another language.


    Still, knowing English, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean and Cantonese was pretty good already. Kylie giggled to herself, thinking how amazing she would be growing up.


    You''ve got to forgive her for her self-inflated ego at the moment. Having lived a life of mediocrity, and now that there is a possibility of her being an ''elite'' was so mind-boggling and exhilarating to the senses and heart. Kylie enjoyed this all, basking in the enjoyment of the learning process and gaining new knowledge.


    After another month had passed, and the fetus developed more.


    Kylie was now 4 months old. She decided to ''exercise'' her body to take a break from the constant studying. She had eyelids now, though it still couldn''t be opened. Fingernails and the reproductive organs were formed. With more bodily functions and parts having been formed, Kylie began to feel something wasn''t quite right.


    A bit alarmed, she decided to give herself a whole body check. It wasn''t that she felt sick, but rather, her whole body felt weird in a strange way. She couldn''t quite pinpoint what it was. It just was ¡­ Kylie shrugged and started.


    She opened and closed her mouth, imitating a yawn. Lips and mouth ok. Check.


    She moved her neck a bit, to the left and right. Neck ok. Check.


    She moved each finger of both hands. 10 small movements. Fingers, check.


    She closed and opened her hands, making a fist and letting go. Joints, check.


    She wiggled her toes, counting them slowly. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. Toes ... it was a struggle at first, but finally .... check.


    She moved both of her arms up and down slowly, bending and straightening them. Arms, check.


    She bent her knees and stretched them. She then closed her legs together ¡­ and that''s when she felt something. It felt like there was a small, soft, squishy ¡­ No. It couldn''t be. Kylie''s brain was telling her what it was but she couldn''t accept it. No, it couldn''t be. Seriously. No. Is that really a ¡­?!


    Kylie gulped.


    With her heart seemingly pounding hard and rapidly, Kylie slowly opened and closed her legs again. Doing it in slow motion this time, as if it would make what she felt an illusion. This time it would be different. It was all her imagination. She closed my thighs together, almost squeezing them together tightly.


    The lump in her throat got bigger.


    Yup. There was no doubt about it.


    There was something in between her legs.


    Oh God.


    "I''m a boy?!!"

 Chapter 4 - Another Discovery

    "I''m a boy?!"


    It took quite some time for Kylie to process this. Her brain was going into overdrive as she went into shock. This was unexpected. Completely. Totally.


    As if to confirm it even further, Kylie kept opening and closing her legs, just to feel that squiggly bit. Her arms were not formed well enough to actually enable her to reach down and touch it for confirmation, so she could only do this exercise repeatedly until she calmed down.


    This time, she was going to be a boy. A guy. With that dangly bit in-between the legs.


    As her mind adjusted to the new discovery, Kylie felt rather relieved. Relief that she was going to be reborn as a male, rather than transmigrating into a male body. Adapting would have been SO much harder then. She could imagine the shock people would have at this supposed waste of a man (all stories had the ''old'' life being useless) become even more of a waste when ''he'' starts to be more effeminate.


    If she had transmigrated into a country that was open-minded and that such things were rather normal, it would be fine but if not ... Kylie shuddered to think of what she would have had to do to become a ''real'' man.


    After the initial shock had subsided, Kylie found that she was not as panicked as she thought she would be. The fact that she could accept the reality that she was going to live life in the complete opposite gender as her previous life may sound unreal, but that''s the way she was.


    It was a trait of hers, that had been developed in her previous life, and somehow, it became a much stronger trait in this life. When there are things that could not be changed, then she would simply adapt to it and accept it wholeheartedly.


    Of course, it goes without saying that if it could be changed then she would work hard to do so. Since this wasn''t (short of taking reconstructive surgery), then she would just deal with it.


    Kylie shrugged mentally. Actually, this was going to be interesting.


    If Kylie was to be perfectly honest, she had always wondered how it would be like to be a boy. Perhaps it was due to her being so untypically female.


    A tomboy that was more comfortable in jeans, climbing trees and mixing with boys rather than dressing up. Make-up and dresses? Puh-lease. Plus, the drama of girls had been beyond her. She couldn''t understand what was so fun about it. Even as an adult, wearing heels and skirts had never been an option. Sneakers or flat shoes, and jeans were her outfits. Of course, that was only the outward appearance.


    Internally? Kylie admits that she did go goo-goo-ga-ga over any hot boys when she was a growing up. She also enjoyed being pampered and looked after as well. So it wasn''t like she felt she was a guy living in a woman''s body.


    Kylie had no real complaints about being a woman, other than having to be more ''girly'', so to speak. She did not normally act within society''s ''acceptable perceptions or expectations of a woman''.


    Kylie began to think even more, digging up old memories and feelings.


    If one was to be brutally honest, another aspect in which she had been so untypically female was by the fact that she enjoyed physical intimacy greatly. "Not typical" simply by society''s standards, that is. Women having such a high s*x drive was frowned upon by society and labelled as either sluts or loose. It was different for me. Men could have a high s*x drive and even have had multiple partners and would only be viewed as ''normal''.


    Kylie sighed internally yet again.


    Even her husband couldn''t truly fulfil her, and it was really, really weird to be the one who initiated bedroom activities most of the time. It was also extremely exhausting mentally, and eats up at your self-esteem.


    Kylie began to feel she was weird and there was something wrong; and worse of all, that she was not desirable. If it wasn''t for the fact that her husband would eventually give in to her seduction, she would have thought he was repulsed by her.


    Kylie laughed bitterly at the memory of her friends who would complain that their husbands "always wanted it" and they felt "like a piece of meat" sometimes, yet in her case, it was the other way around. No one could understand her feelings and she couldn''t even voice them out.


    Even that one time that she did, she had gotten this lecture about how inappropriate she was. Kylie rolled her eyes at that memory, as that particular scene flashed again in front of her. Times like this, her HD movie rerun capabilities wasn''t quite welcomed.


    Kylie''s thoughts churned through so many of her past memories, and she remembered her conflicted feelings during those times. Thinking of how it had been before. It wasn''t that she had been unhappy as a woman, but it couldn''t be denied that she wasn''t truly fulfilled as one. But did this mean she could live as a man and be truly fulfilled?


    Maybe that was why she was being reborn as a guy this time around. Her soul had been split into two genders, and she was now given this incredible chance to live both sides of the spectrum.


    Thinking of it this way ¡­ she couldn''t help but be excited. Life certainly is going to be so very interesting, and she aimed to live it to the fullest. There is no "what ifs" and "if only". There is only the here, and now. Embrace what you are given and soar with it.


    Kylie smiled to herself, feeling contented.


    *** ---------****** --------------------


    Another month had passed, Kylie is now five months old. Muscles have developed and she could now exercise them. Soft hair has started to grow on her head, and she wondered briefly whether it would be curly, wavy or plain straight up coarse hair. She giggled at that thought.


    She started imagining what sort of hairstyles she would like to sport as a guy. A crew cut at the back, with the top being long and wavy a bit? Standard crew cut? Maybe like those Korean idol guys - so long as the fringe didn''t cover her eyes, of course. That would be ideal, but it all depended on her genes then. Whether she would have soft or coarse hair. Wavy or straight hair.


    Since she could move about now, she decided to do so. Staying in one position all the time was rather boring. It was comfortable but boring. With more muscles, it needed exercise and proper movements. She didn''t want to hurt the woman who was carrying her, but moving was essential. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So Kylie began to do it gradually. She stretched a bit and found the space in the womb to be extremely small. What used to be just a sensation of floating in goo, was now akin to being in a tight space.


    Kylie was puzzled at this. Well, she certainly was growing, but shouldn''t she still be small enough to have more space in the womb? Perhaps her new Mother is a small person like she had been before?


    Kylie was worried for a while, as she remembered how much difficulty she had in the final trimester due to her small size. She hoped she wasn''t causing too much of a discomfort for Mother as she moved about.


    It was some time before Kylie actually managed to make a 180 degrees turn from her previous position. She mentally patted herself on the back for doing it without too much of a grunt of pain from Mother.


    Although Kylie''s hearing hadn''t fully developed yet, she could still make out some sounds. She felt that Mother most likely enjoyed the movements she made, as there were some excited voices whenever she did so.


    Sometimes, Kylie could feel a soft, pressing motion on the points that she stretched out. She smiled to herself, imagining that her new Father must be touching Mother''s stomach, enjoying feeling the movement.


    Kylie had been so engrossed in listening and trying to make out the words that she didn''t realise at first that something was touching her hand. When she did, she was shocked and gasped internally. Kylie moved her fingers and felt that the touch sensation disappear. She then started to reach out, groping and searching blindly, before finding something that felt like a ball with small bumbs.


    Kylie kept on exploring the bumpy ball and eventually held on to it. She couldn''t quite make out what it was that she was holding, but she had a very good idea what it could be. Was it just her imagination? Was she actually holding the umbilical cord?


    Kylie shook that thought out. This did not feel like a cord at all and there was no way she could be in a position to touch it. Her eyelids hadn''t developed yet, so there was no way for Kylie to open her eyes to see what was in front of her. Instead, she moved her head forward, and closer to "it" ¡­ and then bumped her head on it.


    Kylie gasped again when she finally realised what it was.


    She wasn''t alone.


    She had a twin.

 Chapter 5 - Getting To Know You

    Kylie had a twin.


    A twin.


    She had another "her" with her, sharing this space. Sharing her life.


    That thought kept going round and round in her head. It was good that her heart was developing strongly. Otherwise, Kylie was sure that she would most likely have had a heart attack over the consecutive discoveries in the past few months.


    First, she was a floating blob. Second, ''she'' is going to be a boy. Finally, now, she is a twin.


    Was it an identical twin? Another boy that looked exactly like her and would share the same DNA? Or would they be fraternal twins? Two boys sharing a birthday but not looking the same. Perhaps her twin wouldn''t even be a boy but is a girl instead?


    After discovering that she wasn''t alone, Kylie was suddenly reluctant to move back to her original position. In fact, her twin appeared to feel the same way. Once they had started holding hands - in a manner of speaking, and as best as one could when both parties were encompassed in a gooey sac - one of them would always actively seek the other out.


    When they weren''t touching in some way, there was this intense sense of loss that made both of them feel a pang of intense sadness. A feeling of calmness and peace would envelop both of their entire being each time they held each other''s hand or at least had their bodies touching each other.


    Kylie wondered whether this was the famed twin connection? It also explained, to a certain degree, the sense of loneliness and sadness that she had been experiencing before.


    Initially, she had put it all down to her being all alone in complete darkness after suffering an unjust death, but could it also have been due to the fact that her ''soul'' knew about the twin that she had not met yet? Was it a combination of both factors?


    Kylie doubted that any developing fetus would have had some sort of consciousness like she had, so the sense of desolation and loneliness wouldn''t have been apparent to them. Whatever it was, the past exercise of studying and learning paled in comparison with spending time with her twin. She didn''t slack off from her ''studies'', but now she could study with company.


    ****------ ****


    Another month passed, and Kylie and twin were now both 6 months old. By now, their eyelids were fully developed and they could open their eyes. As if on cue, both of them did so at the same time and they stared unblinkingly at each other. Even though the womb did not have lights fitted into it and it was still so very dark; they could somehow ''see'' or sense each other. They knew that both had opened their eyes at the same time and were looking at each other. Their eyes couldn''t see, but their hearts did. It was enough.


    Peace. Contentment.


    Kylie was so happy. With her twin, she felt an unbreakable bond and connection that filled her soul with such peace and happiness that could not be explained. The pain of what she experienced in her past life dulled and she would simply cherish the feelings that were being invoked by being with her twin. It healed her scarred heart, and Kylie would find herself smiling more often now. It didn''t mean that she had forgotten and that there was no pain when she thought about her past, but she could actually face it without feeling like she would be consumed by regret, pain, and fear.


    ****** --------- ******* -------


    At 7 months, they could finally make out the sounds that they had been hearing constantly and regularly for the past month. It turns out that Mother had been reading to them every day. Simple books, as if teaching one to read or speak. Mother would also put headphones on her stomach and the womb would be filled with classical music.


    From inside the womb, it wasn''t as if they could really make out the melody or the nuances of the music. It was more like a vibration that went up and down with the music. Kylie imagined that this was how the hearing impaired ''listened'' to music.


    It was the beat that they heard, rather than the actual music itself. It was different for Kylie, however, as she knew the music score and thus, could figure out and actually imagine the music that was being played.


    Kylie remembered reading up in her previous life about some research whereby playing classical music to the unborn fetus would stimulate the brain of the fetus and encourage intelligence. Kylie figured out that Mother was trying it out and that it didn''t do any harm. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, other than this wave of displeasure that Kylie seemed to sense being emitting from her twin. Kylie guessed that if she could see in the dark, she would have seen her twin having a frown upon her/his face.


    Kylie grinned at that. To her twin, the beats were just that. Beats. Who wouldn''t be bored to death from it, even though it was rather unique in its own way? Their mother''s heartbeat was much more soothing to hear than the dunnn dun dunnnnn weeeeee of classical tones.


    Yet, it was because of this classical music that Kylie found out yet another interesting fact. In retrospect, perhaps this discovery was the greatest thing of all.


    As Beethovan''s Moonlight Sonata started playing for the umpteenth time, and the usual wave of displeasure started coming out, Kylie heard distinctively in her mind, a small, tiny voice saying, "NOT AGAIN !".


    Kylie stopped breathing. Well, ok. They didn''t breathe yet but you get the idea. Her eyeballs went from left to right, and she turned quicker than normal as she faced her twin. Although she couldn''t see it clearly, she could definitely feel her twin''s sac shaking a bit. Laughing out loud at her reaction, no doubt.


    "Wait, what? That''s you? I can hear you? IN MY MIND?!"


    Kylie could almost see the mental eye roll as her twin responded, "No. It''s your imagi-naaaaation"


    "Like Spongebob, huh?" Kylie said wryly.


    "Huh? Who?"


    "Nevermind," Kylie responded. She listened to the voice, but could not make out the gender. Not that she cared, really, but it was curious that there was no unique ''voice'' in her head. When her twin spoke, it was as if Kylie just heard it in her own voice.


    "Since when could you do this?" Kylie continued to ask, "Why didn''t you do it earlier? Wait. HOW are you doing it? How can you speak so well? Ok wait. Does that even matter? Heck, I am also able to talk mentally to you. Is this a superpower? Or a twin power? Oh Gosh. This is all so confusing and mind-boggling."


    "You really talk a lot, don''t you?" her twin replied, a smirk in the voice.


    "Well, I HAVE been living in silence for the past 7 months. I think this is still short," Kylie replied, snorting.


    Kylie''s twin giggled again.


    All the why, and how-this-is-happening wasn''t important anymore. Kylie enjoyed the interaction and the rest of the time in the womb wouldn''t be so boring anymore.


    For the remaining months, Kylie and her twin were talking almost non-stop, only stopping when Mother began reading and whenever they fell ''asleep''.


    Kylie also began teaching her twin some basic school syllabus. Although her twin couldn''t "see" her memories like Kylie could, it was enough for Kylie to simply tell her the basics. Her twin never questioned her, and simply learned it. Kylie did, however, told her twin that she was an old soul. Kylie regarded her twin as being the other half of her soul, and there should not be any major secrets between them.


    In the final month, both of them started to move downwards. In a ready position to be born. Being upside down was a bit strange, and it had been hard initially to do so since there was the two of them. But by working together, they managed to do it with the least amount of fuss.


    As the time got nearer to ''exit'' time, and the contractions had begun, Kylie suddenly asked her twin, "Eh. Are you a girl or a boy?"


    "You''re only asking me that now??"


    "Didn''t seem important then," Kylie replied, shrugging her shoulders.


    "So why is it important now?" asked her twin curiously.


    "For the order of birth," Kylie explained, "I do not know what sort of society we''re going to be born in, but generally, boys are more important as a first-born. Even though we''re twins, and if you''re a girl, then I should go out first since I''m a boy."


    "What if I am a boy?"


    "Then you go first," Kylie replied. It didn''t matter to her if she was first or second, so long as the first was a boy. Her twin was her other half, so she wasn''t worried at all about being sidelined.


    Kylie''s twin giggled, then replied, "No. You should go first and be the older brother. You''re so bossy anyway."


    Kylie shrugged, "HEY!!"


    Kylie was going to say something more, but then she felt the water bag that protected them in the womb, broke. She felt the push and she quickly went down more while her twin moved upwards a bit.


    "See you on the outside!!" Kylie managed to shout before she got stuck in the passage-way out.

 Chapter 6 - Time To Be Born

    "See you on the outside!!" Kylie managed to shout before she got stuck in the passage-way out.


    Kylie felt a huge pressure at first upon her head, as the soft part at the top of her head was pushed in to accommodate going through the narrow passage way. Kylie closed her eyes instinctively, to shield them from the pressure and the bright light that would naturally come.


    It was a struggle at first, and she could hear screams and shouts with the doctor telling her Mother to push. Kylie could feel the pressure push her through once more.


    Once her shoulders got through, it was like she popped out. From total darkness, bright lights burned into her eyelids and she shut them tighter. She took her first breath of air and wailed in protest. From being in a warm, safe place, she was out in the cold, bright place.


    "It''s a boy!!" The doctor yelled, as he then cut the umbilical cord, and made a neat tie.


    He handed Kylie to the waiting nurse before turning back and saying, "One down, another to go. Push! You can do it!"


    Kylie was wailing non-stop, as the nurse wrapped her up, weighed her then cleaned off the muck before wrapping her again in a clean blanket. Kylie was hardly paying any attention to all of this and was anxiously waiting for the birth of her twin. She stopped for a while to listen anxiously, then started crying out again in agitation for the lack of sound.


    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she heard the doctor shout, "YES! It''s a girl!!" as another wail pierced the air.


    Kylie stopped wailing for a while. "A girl?! Darn twin. Wanting to surprise me even until then, huh?"


    **********


    The nurse was holding on to a small baby, swaddled in a blue blanket as she watched her fellow nurse taking the other baby to be weighed, cleaned and wrapped. Both of the babies were crying non-stop and was brought to the waiting new parents whose faces beamed with pride.


    The small, petite woman looked utterly worn out as she waited. Her dark hair was wet, sticking to her face as she watched the two nurses with her babies. Beside her was a good-looking young man, who had the face of wonder and tears in his eyes as he looked at the two small bundles being carried over.


    He was holding onto his wife''s hand at that time, and slowly let go as he reached over to take one into his arms. He gazed into the wailing baby''s face with a smile, cooing and rocking him as he brought his son over to his beloved wife. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other nurse placed the baby wrapped in a pink blanket beside the mother, under the crook of her arm. The couple looked at each other, then at the wailing babies in their hands. Initially, they were so full of awe and love for their babies that even the red, crying faces were beautiful.


    However, even after rocking them and soothing them, their cries did not stop. In fact, it was getting louder. They seem to struggle in the blanket that swaddled them, as if they were uncomfortable.


    The new parents looked at each other in worry. Were they in pain? Was something wrong? The doctors looked on quietly for a minute, observing the situation before deciding that something might be wrong. They didn''t want to alarm the new parents, however, so he signaled towards the attentive nurses who then came over to take the babies.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Smith, let us take the babies for now. They need to be fed."


    "No, I want to breastfeed them," said the woman in determination.


    The nurses nodded, and explained, "Do not worry. We will not bottle feed them but will give them some milk with a spoon first. This is so that they don''t get used to the bottle and refuse to be breastfed. For now, however, you''re too exhausted to feed or pump any milk, so we will care for them first. Once you have recovered, you can start feeding them yourself."


    The man patted the woman''s hand, and said softly, "Listen to them, honey. It''s okay."


    The woman nodded, agreeing reluctantly, her eyes showing displeasure nonetheless. The man then went closer to kiss his wife on the forehead, when at that moment, the twins bumped into each other. Each already had a hand out and their hands quickly grabbed the other, holding on tightly and they went quiet.


    The sudden silence in the whole room made everyone look at the entire scene in shock. Even the doctors had never seen such a phenomenon. Perhaps it was all a coincidence, and the babies holding on to each other''s hand was a mere reflex action.


    Shaking out of their stupor, the nurses then took the babies. This caused their held hands to be separated, and they started wailing again. This time, even louder than ever before. The nurses brought the babies together, and once they touched, they were quiet again.


    "Put them together," Patrick, the father of the twin instructed. The nurses nodded and did as was told. Once the babies were lying down, they turned towards each other instinctively and held hands again.


    "We have two beautiful children," Patrick said as he faced his wife, Delilah.


    "Two very special children," she agreed, not realising that her words carried far more truth than she ever realised. For now, it was enough to see that the strong bond between the twins was truly special and wonderful.


    "What are their names?" asked the Head nurse


    "Kyle and Kayla," answered Patrick.


    Kylie, or rather, Kyle, listened and was contented. It was close enough to her ¡­ no, his previous life''s name. He must start thinking of himself as a male now, and needed to put his previous life as a woman aside. He opened his eyes slowly, to look at his new sister. She also opened her eyes slowly at that time, and they looked at each other with a smile.


    "Hi brother"


    "Hi sister"


    A sense of fierce protectiveness suddenly came over Kyle, and he knew, without a doubt, that he would die rather than have her ever feel any sense of pain. He was first shaken at this strong feeling and was surprised. He had thought that the feelings of a mother over her child was strong, but this feeling that he had for his sister went beyond that.


    He looked at her clear blue eyes, soft curly hair, silky soft skin and sporting such a sweet, adorable smile on those small pink lips. He could see how long her eyelashes were, and that cute button nose. Even at one day old, she was already a looker.


    Fine, he could be biased but he didn''t think so. Kyle could imagine how she''d be like when she grew older. He thought of all the boys that would be chasing after her, and how none of them would be worthy. Kay is too pure and good for any horny boy.


    Kyle grit his gums together, not liking the thought.


    The air in the room became cold suddenly, and Patrick became worried. He looked at his babies and took another small blanket to put over them, tucking them in together. It actually felt like the cold was even more intense in their cradle, and he frowned.


    He looked up at the central air-conditioning and decided to move his babies cradle to another spot. He would need to talk to the Director of the hospital about this. Such a cold environment isn''t suitable for newborns!


    Kay giggled in his mind, catching his mood, "Careful Brother. That Killing Aura isn''t suitable for a one-day old baby. You''ll freeze everyone here."


    Kyle snorted, replying, "No one would attribute it to me" but he still calmed down and retracted his aura.


    He didn''t think it would manifest in such a way, however. Guess when one feels intensely about something, it is somehow manifest externally. Weird. What Kyle did not realise, however, that it wasn''t really a normal thing for anyone to do - be it an adult, let alone a baby.


    The room''s temperature became comfortable again, and Patrick shook his head, putting it down to a slight malfunction of the air-conditioning at that moment. He was still unhappy but decided not to mention it anymore.


    They wouldn''t be staying in this hospital for long anyway and once discharged, the house would be a far better place to be. The nursery was already ready, including the two nannies for the babies, and caretaker for Delilah during the confinement period.


    The cold, big house is going to be filled with new life.


    Patrick smiled at the thought, and kissed his wife''s forehead again, wiping the hair away from her face. She was asleep now, and he didn''t want to disturb her. The pregnancy had only been possible after years of fertility treatment.


    Delilah was also of small build, so carrying twins had placed a heavy burden on her small frame. She had even spent the last five months in bed as she had suffered some spotting. Yet, despite it all, she had gone through it all with a smile, and hardly a complaint. He felt truly blessed and appreciated all that she had been through.


    He held her hand, and watched his babies slowly close their eyes and fall asleep.


    Life is good.

 Chapter 7 - Six Years Later

    In the garden, two young children were playing chess with each other. A boy, and a girl, sitting on the bench, were staring intensely at the chess board in front of them.


    The boy had silky black hair that framed an oval shaped face. From the side, one could see the sharp jawline that accentuated his features even more, as striking blue eyes looked through long lashes onto pieces on the chess board.


    He pursed his lips, before breaking into a small smile, which revealed a dimple on his left cheek. He made a move and said smugly, "Checkmate."


    His chess partner puffed up her cheeks, making her delicate features even more cute than it was. Her soft, wavy black hair reached just below her shoulders, and it framed her heart shaped face perfectly. Her pink lips were put out in a pout, while her blue eyes looked at him in indignation. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s not fair!" she huffed, crossing her arms.


    "What''s not fair?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.


    "You distracted me and made that move," she complained, pointing an accusing finger at him.


    Kyle laughed and leaned over the chess board, "Is it my fault that you''re so easily distracted?"


    Kay leaned over as well, touching her forehead to his and replied, "It''s not that I''m easily distracted but it''s that you''re just too bad!!"


    Kyle laughed, the sound reverting all around. Those who heard the laugh couldn''t help but smile in response. His laughter was contagious, full of life and joy that one simply felt happy upon hearing it. If one was to look at the laughing boy, they would also be taking a sharp breath inwards as it transformed his already striking features even more blindingly handsome.


    His features were delicate yet masculine, and though one could describe him as beautiful, no one would mistake that as being feminine. His eyes had a sharp look, although right now it was twinkling as he laughed and looked at the girl across him adoringly.


    There was also this rather kingly and noble aura that he emitted, which was somehow fitting on him. In most cases, adults were often caught speechless at seeing that type of aura from a mere six year old, and they took note of this extraordinary boy. Not all were with kind thoughts, however, for some viewed him as a potential threat in the future.


    The smile that radiated from Kyle''s face after his laugh was only bestowed upon Kay. It wasn''t that he didn''t smile at other people, but somehow, the smile that is given to Kay appeared special. Even his parents noticed it, though they couldn''t quite pinpoint what was the difference between the smile he gives Kay, and the one he gives others.


    Even the smile to them, his own parents. It wasn''t the same. Kay knew the answer of course, but she wouldn''t have told them if they had asked. The answer was quite simple. His smile to others were fake as he smiled for the sake of smiling. He smiled when he was content. He smiled to ease the atmosphere. He .. simply smiled.


    It was still a lovely smile, truth be told, but it wasn''t the same. When he smiled to others, he looked handsome. When he smiled to Kay, however, it was breathtaking. For when he smiled to Kay, it reflected in his eyes and his face softened. For her, his smile was unguarded and free, showing his bottomless love and complete trust.


    Kay looked at her brother adoringly, a ghost of a smile on her face. Every time he smiled at her like that, she would melt and find herself doing anything he asked. It wasn''t fair! He knew he had that effect on her!


    Just because he was her twin, who knew every single thing about her and understood her like no one ever could, did NOT mean he could manipulate her like that! Even though he was the only one that would never let her down, whether consciously or not, did NOT mean he had the upper hand!


    Kyle''s smile widened even further as Kay pouted cutely as those thoughts ran through her head. He could guess quite accurately what made her pout like that. Despite the fact that they could communicate telepathically, it did not mean they could read each other''s mind. Even if they could, they wouldn''t. That was the level of trust that they had for each other.


    Upon seeing that blinding smile, Kay shouted, while pointing her finger at him again, "You''re doing it again!!"


    Kay then squished his cheeks hard, making his lips pucker up and then proceeded to pinch them hard. Seeing the slight twitch that Kyle gave made her let go quickly, regretting giving him the slight pain. Not that it was really painful, but she still regretted it. She then kissed both his cheeks then looked at him with a small pout, asking for forgiveness.


    Kyle laughed again, patted her head and they both sat down before resetting the chess board again.


    Patrick and Delilah watched this scene from afar, a smile on their lips. The twins had been inseparable since birth, and shared everything together. Truth be told, even though Delilah was happy that they were so close, she was also a bit worried.


    Kyle tended to be quite over-protective over his sister. He would glare at any boy that was overly friendly with Kay, respond curtly to any adult who kept gushing and pinching Kay''s cheeks and would even growl at strangers that would stop and pat her head. Kay would happily follow her brother around, and seemed to welcome hiding behind his shield. Which, in turn, made him even more protective.


    Kay wasn''t any better either. Although she didn''t act as aggressively like Kyle did, the fact that she would never leave his side made it slightly difficult for others to approach him. He would be indulging her, and making sure she was well taken care off, and would not truly be listening to other people as they talked to him. Though he wasn''t rude, and his replies were proper, it was quite apparent that he wasn''t giving them his attention 100%.


    Kay, did, however, have one thing that she did not like and that was when girls would surround Kyle trying to get his attention. They would even try to be friendly with her, just to get closer to Kyle. During those times, Kay would seem to stick like glue to Kyle. She would act all clingy and drag Kyle away when any girl tried to talk to him and would be pouting silently by his side if he paid any attention to anyone else but her.


    Kyle indulged her and would give her that heart-melting smile for everything that she did. He would only give a short response to whoever was talking to him, then take her hand and walk away. Kay would then be so happy that she practically skipped away. Sometimes, she would turn around and give a smug look at whoever was watching them.


    It was like a vicious cycle. Each twin feeding each other''s actions.


    Delilah bit her lips in worry. They lived in their own worlds, and for each other. How good can that be?


    What Delilah didn''t know was that it wasn''t that the twins were possessive, but they were actually protective of each other.


    Kay didn''t like strangers who would often come and gush over her as it made her feel uncomfortable. Adults tended to think it was fine to rub her head and pinch her cheeks. Worse, some even were so bold enough as to try and pick her up!


    Kay was too gentle to reject them, so the duty fell onto Kyle. Luckily Kyle was always there to protect her and no one ever dared to touch her freely. Kyle knew who Kay was comfortable with, and thus, he didn''t stop them.


    However, people were under the impression that one needed Kyle''s permission when one wanted to be close to Kay. They never knew that it was Kay''s own desire and needs, and only Kyle understood it without any words needed to be said.


    As for Kyle, he couldn''t stand the girls who, in his words, ''were like endless chirping birds pecking at him'' and always trying to cling on to him for one reason or another. Although he could be curt and to the point with adults, Kyle found that he could not be so with such young girls.


    After all, although he looked like a kid, his mind and heart wasn''t one. Kyle knew that the girls didn''t mean anything bad by it, but it still made him uncomfortable. Thus, the duty fell onto Kay to shield him from vultures.


    Kyle was truly grateful for this, and would often show his appreciation by patting her head or kissing her forehead. Kay loved such actions from Kyle, and she would smile contentedly whenever he did so.


    If people didn''t know that they were twins, they actually looked like a loving couple. This was what worried Delilah even more. She couldn''t help such thoughts and was intensely worried that such care and devotion could lead to ... something else.

 Chapter 8 - Worries

    One couldn''t really blame Delilah for her fear. Incest, though not spoken of, is something that was real. Just because you''re siblings did not mean it could never happen. It''s precisely because the parents would never expect it, that it can happen right under their noses.


    Delilah had been active in social work during her school days, and thus, had been exposed to the hidden, darker side of society. One case that hit her quite badly was of a young girl, made pregnant by her brother. The said girl had run away as the family blamed her for seducing her own brother when in reality, it was the other way round. In the end, the girl committed suicide.


    Delilah shuddered at that memory. Due to that experience, it made her view the innocent interactions between the siblings as something more. As a first time mother, she didn''t have any yardstick to follow. All of her friends had kids, but none had twins. The normal sibling rivalry or fights that her friends'' would talk about, never happened with Kyle and Kay. That fueled her fear even more.


    Luckily Patrick was there to stabilize her. He would not allow her to separate the twins, or let her make them do different things, and apart from each other. He viewed them as they were: innocent young children. As such, her fears did not cause undue hardship on her kids and she vowed to observe intensely. For now. If there was ANY possibility of the line being crossed, Patrick or no Patrick, the kids would be separated.


    One thing Delilah had to admit was that her children were exceptionally bright. They hardly gave her any problems as they were growing up. The only problem they had given was the fact that they didn''t talk until they were two years old. They were in their own world most of the time, either speaking in twin-speech with each other (a language only the two of them knew), or was silent yet would understand each other perfectly. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With other people, they''d just gesture to things they wanted or gave hand signals about what it was they were trying to say. Delilah was at her wits end and was about to send them to a specialist when the both of them suddenly started speaking. In complete sentences. Without a lisp or ''baby talk''. In fact, they spoke both English and French.


    The parents were shocked to the core, then realised that they had picked up the language simply by listening to their nannies speaking it as they were growing up. Of course, unknown to them, Kyle also knew Korean, Japanese and Mandarin. He wouldn''t reveal that to them at all, of course. Would probably give them a heart attack if he did.


    Delilah was extremely proud of them, and she loved them immensely; but she was still worried for them. The more Delilah thought about it, the more she became worried. It wasn''t just the possibility of incest occurring in the future, but it was also their exclusivity with each other that was a problem. They were each other''s world, and tended to exclude others from it.


    It was fine for now but what would happen when they entered school? And as adults? Delilah rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Patrick noticed the gesture, and worriedly asked her as he rubbed her temples, "Migraine coming? Do you need your medication?"


    Delilah gave him a soft smile, shaking her head, "No, it''s okay. I was just thinking too much."


    He looked at where she was gazing, and could guess what she was worried about. He frowned for a while, and patted the back of her hand before putting it around her waist, pulling her closer.


    "Don''t worry," he said with more confidence than he felt, "They are still young, and not yet exposed to the world. For now, their entire world is each other. I''m sure once they start school, things will be different."


    "I hope so," Delilah whispered as she continued to watch them. They were so engrossed in the game, and each other, that going there seemed to be intruding. It was this exact sense of exclusivity that made her so worried. Did they even need her when they had each other? She couldn''t help but also feel a bit ... jealous.


    *** ------ *** -----


    Kyle took a pawn and moved it one square above. His back was to his parents and he appeared to be paying full attention to Kay, who seemed to be pondering on her next move.


    "Are they still watching?" Kyle asked telepathically.


    Kay''s facial expression didn''t change at all as she took a quick peek secretly. Taking her knight, she made a move as nodded, replying, "We should start the next phase now."


    Kyle nodded in agreement.


    There were so many things that needed to be done, and they had to do it carefully. They needed to stand out in order to gain more yet not too much that it would cause unrest. It was because they showed high intelligence that their parents provided more resources to learn, and indulged in whatever they wanted. That made it easier for them as well.


    They would be starting school next year, and needed a firmer foundation before they entered. Being smart was not enough. They also needed to be strong. Now that they were six, they could openly begin learning self-defence.


    "I don''t think Mother would agree to me learning though," sighed Kay.


    Kyle grinned, "Of course not! You''re a delicate flower that can''t even handle a bruise. Go through martial arts training?"


    Kay rolled her eyes, which was not seen by their parents as Kyle chose to move at that moment, blocking her from their sight. "Yeah, right. If Mother ever found out what you put me through the past year, she''d probably have a heart attack."


    "Oh come on." Kyle responded, poking her cheek, "That was half the fun".


    Kay slapped the offending finger, and pinched his nose in return and smiled.


    "Though I must admit, I didn''t think you''d be so suited for it," Kyle said, rubbing his chin as if contemplating the next move.


    "Pffft. As if," retorted Kay, switching to twin speech, "You know me the best, and you looked through all those manuals. Finding the most suitable art for me was child''s play for you. Oh wait. You ARE a child."


    Kyle snarled a bit, "Can''t wait to grow older though. Acting my age all the time can be so tiring,"


    Kay laughed, then ruffled that silky hair of his. "There, there. Be a good boy and act your age, okay? Rubbing your chin like that makes you look like an old man, too. You wouldn''t want to be committed for being abnormal now, would you? Then Mom and Dad would only have little old normal me to keep them company."


    Kyle laughed so hard at that, holding his stomach as he looked at her, tears in his eyes, "You? Normal? What 6-year old knows how to pick locks, scale walls and throw knives with unerring accuracy?"


    Kay put one hand on her waist and pointed a finger at him, retorting, "More normal than another 6-year-old who can shoot a gun AND know ninjutsu just from the Internet! IN A YEAR!"


    "That''s because I''m smart," Kyle replied with a smirk.


    "No, that''s because you''re a freak," huffed Kay.


    "We''re twins, so we''re both freaks" Kyle replied back, grinning while making his eyebrows go up and down comically.


    Kay stomped her feet, grabbed the chess board. She ignored the chess pieces that flew as she picked it up. She then proceeded to whack Kyle''s head with it. Kyle didn''t dodge, even though he could have done so easily. He did, however, hold his hands up to pretend trying to stop her.


    Kay threw the board away and ran to Patrick. Kyle quickly followed, and Kay quickly hid behind Patrick, her body being shielded partially by their Father.


    When Kyle reached them, Patrick looked at him and asked sternly, "So what did you do now?"


    Kyle looked at his father, his eyes wide as if hurt, putting a hand on his chest, "Me? What makes you think it was me?"


    "It''s always you," Patrick answered solemnly.


    Kay''s lips twitched in amusement at that, but she quickly hid it before their parents saw it. She turned her innocent face towards her father and said happily, "Father knows me best!" and hugged him. She then turned to face Kyle and stuck out her tongue at him.


    "Yes, my little Princess," Patrick said indulgently as he picked her up and hugged her.


    Kyle sighed, and looked helplessly at his mother. She merely smiled, patting Kay''s head. "You''re the elder brother, so it''s your duty to give in to her."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow at that. They were twins, and of the same age yet he''s supposed to be the elder brother? Well, yeah, he was but still, that logic wasn''t logical. He didn''t say it though.


    However, Kyle began frowning as he saw his father not letting Kay down. What was wrong with his clueless Father? Kay was already six years old; much too old to be carried like a baby and she certainly didn''t act like one.


    Patrick just happened to turn his head at that moment, catching that expression of displeasure on Kyle''s face. Patrick did NOT like that look.

 Chapter 9 - Ninjutsu??!

    Kay saw the interraction between her father and twin. Noticing the expression that was forming on her father''s face, she quickly diverted his attention by putting her two small hands on his cheeks and turned his head towards her. Giving him a breathtaking angelic smile, she then kissed both cheeks. Patrick was startled, but smiled stupidly at Kay as he kissed her forehead.


    "I want to go down now, Daddy," Kay said sweetly, then whispered in his ear, "I am a big girl now."


    Patrick nodded, and realised belatedly that Kay really was a big girl now. Even though to him, she will always be his little princess, he knew he had to stop babying her ... well, maybe not right now. He quickly convinced himself that all Father''s would spoil their baby girls. He was no exception!


    As Kay''s feet touched the ground, she then gave a quick hug to her father. As she was still small, she could only hug his long legs, with the top of her head reaching his thigh. Kay then went over to Kyle, smacking him playfully on the shoulder.


    Kay knew Kyle had been starting to get annoyed at their father for treating her like a baby, so she quickly acted to diffuse the situation. The last thing she wanted was to let Kyle''s cold aura seep out, making their parents misunderstand Kyle''s mood.


    It was bad enough that their father noticed his frown. It would be worse if they could sense the cold aura later. She worried for him. While it was true that Kyle was VERY protective over her, it wasn''t to the extent of being irrational to his own parents. It was just that his consideration of her own feelings tended to be misunderstood. He felt strongly for her, that''s all.


    Kyle realised his mistake the moment Kay started acting cutely to their father. He stole a glance at his mother, and sighed. He saw how she was looking at the both of them and he regretted his lapse in judgment. Again. Although his head told him to be more reserved, his heart and emotions couldn''t be stifled.


    His feelings for his sister was deep, and it wasn''t as if he could simply ignore them. It was worse for him as not only is Kay his twin, he had been a mother in "her" previous life. The connection between the two of them went beyond the normal sibling or twin ties. Kay was, figuratively speaking, his other half. She completed him. To have someone truly understand you, without words, and love you unconditionally is something one can only dream about but may never get in their lifetime.


    Kyle had experienced unconditional love from "her" kids in the previous life, but never did "she" have that one person who understood her truly. Here, he did. The bond between him and Kay was strong, and it was pure. They loved each other, but they weren''t in love with each other.


    So, while he knew of his mother''s fears, it was something that he couldn''t avoid or stop her from having. Of course, he tried his best not to go overboard with his actions lest it added fuel to her misconceptions. Still it was hard. Very hard. It was like asking you not the breathe, or not jump in shock when someone scares you. It''s instinctive. It was ingrained into his bones!


    So, Kay had to reel him in occasionally. His connection with his sister wasn''t something he could explain to his mother either, for she would never truly understand. She would most likely think he didn''t know, and play the ''parent card''.


    You know, the one that parents will look at you with that sense of superiority, for they are older, and had more experience. Anything you say will be brushed aside as having no merit. Though is mother knew he was intelligent, she still regarded him as being ''dumb'' in social matters. He couldn''t really tell her that he wasn''t ignorant in that aspect either now could he?


    Still, Kyle could help but feel that his mother was really paranoid. They were only six, and any feelings between kids this young would truly be innocent. They haven''t reached puberty yet, when the hormones can cause one to mature physically, but also feel things that ... weren''t quite so innocent anymore. Kyle felt that his mother was imposing adult values on kid''s innocence.


    Furthermore, they were twins. The bond is undeniable and cannot be broken, nor tainted by something as stupid as desire or lust. For their own mother to suspect something other than sibling love REALLY did rub him the wrong way. Yes, he admitted that he was rather miffed and slightly offended.


    Still, despite it all, he found that he couldn''t really hate or dislike his mother for her fears. That was just how she is, and he figured that it''s far better to have a loving (yet paranoid) mother than one who didn''t care and ignored them.


    For now, there were other things to consider. Kyle took a deep breath, then looked at his mother in all seriousness as he said, "Mother, I want to learn ninjutsu".


    Delilah''s eye bulged wide open and she took a long look at her son. What? Ninjutsu? He wants to be a ninja?? Had he been watching too much Naruto? Did he think throwing those stars thingy and climbing trees quickly were for real?


    She stared at Kyle. Kyle had never really acted like a child his age. Kay did, but not Kyle. Never Kyle. The twins were like ying and yang, fire and ice. Kay was the fresh, angelic and playful child while Kyle was the serious, responsible and mature child.


    If Kay was the one that had asked, she would have laughed it off and take it as a joke. Kyle ... for Kyle to ask, he was serious. Dead serious.


    Delilah hesitated, unsure of what to say. All this while, she had been under the impression that the art of the ninja was a make-believe martial arts. Only seen in the movies or cartoons. Yet, if Kyle asked for it, it must exist.


    Delilah took a deep breath and asked, "Why?"


    "Many reasons. To get fit. To be strong. I can''t rely on bodyguards all the time, and once we go to school, there are many factors that are beyond our control," Kyle explained slowly, looking at his mother in the eye, "Right now, I am a moving target. WE are moving targets."


    Delilah then looked at her daughter, who was now holding Kyle''s hand tightly in hers. Kay was looking at her innocently, and those big wide eyes seemed to be pleading with her. Kyle, on the other hand, merely looked at her with a steady and unblinking gaze.


    Delilah turned towards her husband, seeking his opinion and approval. He nodded, and taking a deep breath, Delilah turned back to face the both of them. Seeing their resolute gazes, she still couldn''t help but ask further, "Why ninjutsu? Why not karate? Kung fu?"


    "Ninjutsu is an art of stealth," Kyle replied, "and its martial arts also have methods of escape. This would be useful in a kidnapping situation."


    Delilah nodded, understanding, then turned to Kay, "Don''t you want to learn as well?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The twins were shocked at this. This was something completely unexpected as their mother had never truly allowed Kay to be ... more ''boyish'', so to speak. Perhaps their mother was adapting and becoming more modern? Who knows.


    Kay scrunched up her face, and shook her head, "No thank you, Mummy. It doesn''t sound like fun."


    Delilah was relieved. She had asked the question as a test, to see if Kay would insist on it as well just to be with her brother. After all, they seemed to do everything together. This would be their first time doing activities apart! Delilah danced a little dance in her heart.


    So even though Delilah felt that Kyle was too young to learn, and that he did NOT need to take up martial arts (they had bodyguards, for heaven''s sake), she was more than happy now.


    "In that case, okay," Delilah said.


    Kay was jumping up and down happily, and rushed to hug her mother. "Thank you, Mummy" she gushed with a sweet smile before she ran back to Kyle and held back his hand. Kyle simply smiled dotingly at her. The way Kay acted, it was as if she was the one being given something.


    ''Step one done,'' thought Kyle to himself, mentally checking off one item from the list. "Now on to the next step''


    Kyle then reached into his pocket to take out a piece of paper. He handed it over to his parents. Patrick took it curiously, asking, "What is this?" as he opened it up. In it, he noted that there was a name and an address.


    "That is whom I would like as my instructor," Kyle stated firmly.

 Chapter 10 - Plans

    "Master Shifu?" Delilah read out the name. Seeing the address, they noted that it wasn''t in their district. Heck, it wasn''t even in their country.


    Kyle knew that this step would be hard, but it was crucial. There were a few forms of ninjutsu, but there was only one pure from that is passed within the family of the original ninjas. The art is not taught openly to outsiders, but is passed from Father to Son. Ninjutsu wasn''t just martial arts. It was tactics, espionage, camouflage ... and assassinations. They were the spies from ancient times, the shadow behind the samurais.


    Master Shifu was one such descendant, but he had no living son. Master Shifu used to teach the ''normal'' ninjutsu, but had stopped after the death of his only son several years ago. Kyle knew it would not be easy, but Kay and himself had started several things in motion just for this day. If all goes well, he would have Master Shifu in the next month.


    "Why?" Patrick asked his son seriously.


    "Because I believe he''s the best," Kyle responded, and gave them another piece of paper. This time, it listed Master Shifu''s achievements and personal history.


    By now, Delilah and Patrick were quite used to Kyle''s abnormal intelligence, and took the list without question. They nodded in satisfaction. With their family background, and Mother''s temperament, getting the best is the only thing that they would be satisfied with.


    "Fine," they said.


    Kyle and Kay smiled. Phase One up and running.


    *** --- *** ---


    Later that night, after dinner, Kyle and Kay were on their bunk beds in the bedroom. They had been sharing a room since their birth, and the only difference being their furniture being changed as they grew. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason they had bunk beds instead of two single beds was actually due to their Mother. She felt it was ''safer'' if it wasn''t so easy to access each other''s bed. Like, seriously? It''s not like the bunk beds couldn''t accommodate two people if they really wanted to.


    There were many occasions that they still slept together on one bed, as Kay would feel much more relaxed and happy to be hugging her brother like a bolster as she slept. Kyle, too, felt more at peace to be able to have her near him.


    Still, they kept up appearances. Wouldn''t want Mother to get a heart attack now, would they? So, Kyle would normally get down from the bunk in the middle of the night to sleep with Kay, then return to his own bed before their nannies came to wake them up.


    Right now, Kay was sitting on her bed while Kyle was at the desk, surfing the Net. She looked at his side profile, his face illuminated by the computer screen. Kay tilted her head, as she observed him going through the sites quickly for information. She can''t believe such an amazing individual was her twin. She''s rather fortunate, for she felt without him, her life would have been pretty dull.


    Kyle had exposed her to so many wonderous things and information that everyday passed by quickly and full of excitement. However, all this would end soon. Once they started school the following year, there would be another dimension to the plans that they had been preparing since birth. Okay, so it was Kyle who had been preparing it since birth. Kay simply followed happily.


    She knew that Kyle had a past life, and things to settle from it. Kay lay down on her pillow, thinking of the future as her eyes slowly fluttered close. She sent a telepathic ''good night'' message to Kyle before succumbing to Dreamland.


    **** ---- **** ----


    Kyle stopped his research for a while upon hearing the goodnight, and turned to look at the sleeping Kay. He smiled, though he was a bit sad in his heart. Was it fair of him to subject her to the path that he was taking? She never complained, and followed everything he said and did without question.


    He knew that he couldn''t stop wanting to solve the issue of his past life, and everything he did now was in preparation of that. He did, at first, wanted to shield Kay from it. He didn''t want Kay to be caught up in this like he was. She has her own life, which was THIS life.


    Kay wouldn''t have it. When she found out about it, she actually threw a tantrum and stopped speaking to him. Getting the silent treatment is bad, but getting it from your twin was worse. It wasn''t just the "not speaking" part, but it was the fact that you suddenly had no one to connect with. When you have that intense connection since birth (well, okay, even before birth), and then it''s gone - it''s actually painful.


    Worse, Kyle knew that Kay was suffering as well. Yet, no matter how much he tried to persuade her, cajole her and butter her up, nothing worked. Until he finally relented and said yes. He could handle it if it was only him in pain, but it was intensified with seeing her struggling as well. He couldn''t do it.


    Kyle turned back to the computer screen, reading the latest information about Rex Industries that his informant sent him. His informant didn''t know he was a 6 year old, of course, and he never will - despite the fact that the informant was a formidable hacker. Kyle wasn''t a hacker ... but Kay was. She had the sort of mind that could grasp those codings so well. Kyle could do some basic hacking, but nothing in the realm of Kay. So even though the information that he was reading is something Kay could have obtained as well, Kay didn''t have the time to do so. Outsourcing was the best.


    Kyle remembered the first time he started making plans.


    ***--- ***


    Flashback, 5 years ago


    Kyle was frustrated. Extremely. He looked at his tiny hands, and tiny legs and mentally cursed their weakness. He still couldn''t walk yet. His leg muscles hadn''t developed fully yet. He hated crawling. The carpet burns! Urgh. Being a one-year old sucks. Big time.


    Kyle looked up at the calender on the wall again. The first thing that made him shocked when he had been born, was the date. He had assumed he was reborn right after he died. He was wrong. So wrong. It wasn''t even the future. He had actually gone back in time, and was in a completely different continent. Literally halfway across "her" past life''s location.


    Was this part of the whole Master Plan? To enable him to do what must be done? But he''s a baby right now! No matter what, there was nothing he could do to warn "her". Even if ''she'' had such a warning, why would ''she'' take it seriously?


    Today is actually ''her'' graduation day. A year after that, ''she'' met the man who would be her husband. They got married three years later. Then, their first child in the 2nd year of marriage, and the second one two years later. Ten years after that ... she dies. So he actually has 19 years to build a solid foundation, find out what truly happened, create connections and then ... then... pick up the pieces of ''her'' life.


    Well, considering he can do jack squat while a toddler, essentially he only has 16 years? Kyle figured he could start doing something by the time he is 3 years old. The earlier, the better. Right now though, nothing. He glared at his useless feet. Can''t even get up from this stupid position, and I want to get revenge? Hah.


    Not once did Kyle think of ''saving'' herself from her fate. That would be like killing himself right now. Then where would Kay be? He already viewed his past life as just that. The past. It was already set in stone and he did not want to change anything. The butterfly effect would be too horrible and unpredictable.


    Kyle and Kay spent nearly one year just talking about it with each other. That was the real reason why they only didn''t speak until they were two. Once they were two, they started meticulously planning their steps, one at a time. The plan had gone through a lot of changes before they were finally satisfied with it. That took another year.


    Truth be told, Kyle was flabbergasted to discover that his twin''s mind was sharp, and that she was highly intelligent. He had his past life as a reason, but Kay? Could it be due to the fact that he stimulated it when they were in the womb? Was it possible that she was accessing more than 10% of the brain?


    It was only conjecture, but it appeared to be the most plausible explanation right now. Especially when one considered the fact that their Mother wasn''t a genius (research shows that intelligence comes from the mother, you see).


    Whatever it was, it was truly a boon for them. Kay had the more analytical mind, and had a knack for numbers and figures. Hence, coding was the natural progression. Kyle, on the other hand, was more skilled in management and things related to it. It was perfect, as the family''s fortune was based on business. Marketing, share prices and the like were things which he could comprehend easily.


    The plans that were made had these skills used to the max. With such a foundation, Kyle was confident. With Kay by his side, he had everything he could need for success.

 Chapter 11 - Master Shifu (Part I)

    Kyle''s thoughts shifted back to the present, and giving his sister one last look, he turned back work. He clicked several times and typed a few commands as he navigated to find out more on Rex Industries.


    Rex Industries is the company that is owned by the family of his previous life. He had never really paid any attention to it then, for he had only been a company secretary to one of the managers. At that time, only the job was important but not the actual running of the company.


    Now, however, he had to observe its growth properly. When did Rex Industries suddenly get derailed and be connected to the Underground? There had to be some signs. This was what he was looking for. He needed to know how it worked in order for the plan to run smoothly. They had planned for so many things, and he didn''t want it to fail just because they didn''t understand the target properly.


    Phase One of "Operation Master Shifu" is nearly complete.


    Kyle picked up the "Operation Master Shifu" File from the box of file titled, "Skills". There were 6 box files in total: Skills, Agents, Funding, Underground, Allies and Connections. In each box file were plastic files, with the label "Operation [So-and-So]". In short, there were 6 main areas that Kyle was focusing on, and each area had its plans on how to achieve it.


    Phase One of Operation Master Shifu involved getting Master Shifu. Phase Two involved learning from Master Shifu. Phase Three ... was still in the works, as it depended on whether Kyle successfully managed to get the inheritance. He couldn''t plan on what he didn''t know he would learn now, could he?


    Kyle then took the small paper file within that plastic file. That was the file that contained data on Master Shifu. Although Kyle already knew the data that was contained in it, and although he now had a photographic memory ... he still like to actually see the data whenever he could, rather than it being played out in his mind. He also enjoyed flipping through physical pages rather than scrolling through the computer screen.


    There was just something magical about touching a book, or flipping through pages. The smell of paper, the touch of paper ... Kyle shook his head. He was getting distracted now.


    Reading the details again, he looked at the picture of Master Shifu. It showed a wizened old man, his head full of white hair that was unkempt and was slightly below the shoulder. He was sitting at a road side stall, drinking beer straight from the bottle. His back was stooped down as if it could not bear the weight of the world any longer, and one leg was up on the stool as if it didn''t care about anything. He gave a rather pitiful figure.


    There was another picture, this time it zoomed closer, and focused on his face. . His dark eyes was rather empty, with sadness mirrored within it. Although his face was full of wrinkles, it couldn''t hide the fact that the face had been rather handsome when he had been in his prime. Even now, if he actually cleaned up, he would look dignified rather than ... "old".


    Master Shifu was a highly skilled martial artist, and had worked for the Government in Country J. Although the official title was a simple ''military advisor'', he was actually one of the main forces behind the elite secret guards. Just like the ninjas had been the hidden dagger in the olden days, so was Master Shifu.


    He was also a tactical genius, though he never took credit for them. He often attributed it to his team, and that it was a team effort, but everyone who had eyes would know the truth.


    Kay somehow managed to get classified information about Master Shifu''s exploits, which also included the operation that cause his only son''s death. In the report, and unknown to Master Shifu, it was actually an assassination. Worse, from the ''higher ups''.


    Although Master Shifu''s loyalty was unquestionable, they did not trust him fully. He was just too powerful, and too popular. They didn''t kill Master Shifu as that would have raised too many questions, and his son would have done all that he could to find out the truth. Thus, the hit was ordered to kill Master Shifu''s heart and have him retreat voluntarily.


    It worked. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was said that Master Shifu was so devastated by it and that he blamed himself entirely for his son''s death. His wife apparently also blamed him and left him, leaving him alone to wallow in regret and self-blame. His son had been his whole world, and he never recovered from that event.


    Kyle clenched his teeth and almost banged the table but managed to stop in time when he remembered Kay was sleeping. No matter how many times he read the report, he couldn''t help the intense emotion that welled up within him.


    He hated those responsible immensely. Master Shifu had dedicated his entire life for them, and what did he get in return? Pain. Abandonment. It mirrored his previous life so much that he felt like Master Shifu was a soul mate. Not of the romantic kind, of course.


    Kyle flipped through the files containing the information of all those responsible for the ''hit''. This was what he was going to use to get through to Master Shifu. In fact, he had already sent several messages in the past few months to Master Shifu, hinting at the fact that his son''s death wasn''t an accident. Once it appeared that he was starting to believe it and his interest was at its peak, Kyle''s representative in Country J actually met up with Master Shifu.


    It didn''t take long to convince Master Shifu about the truth of the incident. Kyle smiled as he recalled the video conferencing that had occurred between him, Kay and Master Shifu just three weeks ago.


    At that time, it was Agent Oreo that had been deployed to Country J to negotiate with Master Shifu. Agent Oreo was an ex-military personnel that was part of Kyle''s Infiltration Team. He had been their first hire, two years ago. Kyle managed to get him on board simply by saving his family, and he is now one of their most loyal man. Still, that is a story for another day.


    The funny thing was, Agent Oreo accepted his handle without question, despite it being a cookie. The buff, scarred face man did not mind being called "Oreo". Kay was responsible for that. Kay''s choice of code names for their Infiltration Team was rather unique, but fitting. She had said, that the Infiltration Team is like a cookie, "Now you see it, now you don''t". So everyone in the Infiltration Team had cookie names.


    When Agent Oreo visited Master Shifu, it was at the latter''s house. Agent Oreo was dressed casually, in T-shirt and jeans, so as to avoid raising any queries. Master Shifu watched the middle-aged, dark skinned muscular man typing on the keyboard of the laptop, his face devoid of any expression.


    "Sir, I have arrived," Oreo said to the computer screen. A deep voice responded, "Good. Clear?"


    "Clear, Sir," replied Oreo before turning the laptop around and showed it to Master Shifu.


    Master Shifu looked at the dark screen, and could barely make out the outline of two figures. The face could not be discerned at all, but he could make out from the body shape that the individual was a young man in a suit. Behind him was a young lady, who had a hand on the young man''s shoulder.


    "Master Shifu, it is an honour," began the young man, "I am sorry I cannot show you our faces, but the less you know, the better."


    Master Shifu nodded in understanding. The young man in front of him continued, "You can just call me J, while my associate is K and our organisation is known as MIB."


    "J", was of course, Kyle and "K" was Kay. What Master Shifu was looking at wasn''t really them, of course, but a digitally mastered figures of themselves. The voice synthesizer also gave them adult sounding voices, so no one knew that the real people were only toddlers. With it being so dark, Master Shifu wouldn''t have known that he wasn''t looking at real people.


    Kyle then proceeded to give further details about the whole incident, showing proof of the people''s involvement. As Master Shifu''s listened, his face changed visibly, anger evident upon it.


    "I know you want revenge, and I can help you get it," said Kyle, "Are you interested?"


    "Why? Why would you want to do that for me?" Master Shifu asked.


    "For what you can do for me in return," Kyle responded simply.


    Master Shifu looked at him with wide eyes, not believing what could he, a drunken old man, could possibly offer the young man? Even from this short exchange, Master Shifu could tell that the person in front of him was not ordinary. His intuition told him so. It was the same for the lady behind him, even though she never said anything.


    The two weren''t simple. What could they possibly want from him?

 Chapter 12 - Master Shifu (Part II)

    Master Shifu waited, wondering what worth he could possibly have for the power couple in front.


    "I have found a protege, who will take over MIB in the future," said Kyle, "And I want you to train him. If he is worthy, then make him the successor of your art."


    Master Shifu shook at that, and felt it wasn''t too bad. The martial arts he had taught wasn''t so unique and he was about to nod when he then heard the next words that sent chills down his bone.


    "A true successor."


    At that, Master Shifu couldn''t sit still anymore. He stood up, pointed a finger at the screen and he gasped out loud, "TRUE SUCCESSOR?!!" How did this young man know about that? About the Family Art that was only passed down from Father to Son? Thoughts of his own son flashed through his mind.


    His beloved son, his flesh-and-blood, was supposed to inherit it all. He had already begun passing down the art, though it wasn''t complete yet. His son, cut down in the prime of his life, could not continue on. It was unfair! And this young man wanted to steal that legacy away from his son?!


    "You think this is a game? Do you think the Art is something that can be given away so easily? That it is so easily bought?!" he snarled.


    Kyle let Master Shifu go on his tirade. He had expected this reaction. It was only natural. He simply let Master Shifu go on and on, letting out the anger and dissatisfaction that he had been piling up inside.


    After noticing Master Shifu calm down slightly, Kyle then responded before Master Shifu got his second wind. "No. Your Family Art is invaluable and undeniably precious," Kyle began, "And it would be a shame for it to die with you. You have no more descendants, and that was through the despicable acts of those whom you had placed your complete trust and loyalty to."


    Master Shifu''s breath began ragged, his eyes that were once listless seemed to spark lightning in it as he glared at the computer screen. Kyle was unfazed and continued, knowing that the anger wasn''t directed at him. Well, not fully anyway.


    "Your legacy can continue. Your Family will not die, it can continue. Your enemies wanted to wipe you out, but with this, you won''t be."


    "Think about it. Not only will you be able to get rid of the traitors, their descendants will continue to be monitored by the one who receives your legacy. You need a successor. It''s not feasible nor logical for you to have another son, but I can provide you with one," Kyle persuaded, "If he is worthy, you can adopt him through the family rites. He can enter your clan, and effectively be your son. Wouldn''t that suit your purpose?"


    "And if he isn''t worthy?" asked Master Shifu.


    "Then so be it," Kyle replied, leaning back on the chair. "Whether he succeeds or not, I will still uphold my promise and help you get your revenge."


    Kyle waited, as Master Shifu thought about it. His face changed from the earlier anger, to contemplation, to hope then uncertainty. Finally, he sat down and frowned as he asked, "I don''t have to choose him if I don''t want to, but you''ll still help me? I can set the test as according to my Family''s Standards?"


    "Yes," replied Kyle.


    "Why should I believe you?" Master Shifu asked.


    He was skeptical. After all, he didn''t know this "J". Even if he didn''t impart the secret skills, the knowledge and effort that is expanded is not simple. And if he DID decide to do so, who is to say that this "J" wouldn''t stab him in the back either?


    "Oreo," was all Kyle said.


    Puzzled, Master Shifu looked up at the man in front of him. He had a file in his hands, and he silently handed it over. Master Shifu took it, flipped it open and his eyes went wide.


    "For free," said Kyle, "As a sign of good faith. Even if you don''t agree to this transaction, the deed is already done."


    Tears formed within Master Shifu''s eyes before it trickled down his cheeks.


    Master Shifu didn''t say anything as he placed down the file, opened. On it, was a single page. It had the picture and information of one of the man responsible for his son''s death. Big, red letters of "deceased"was chopped on it, along with several pictures of the said person''s "accident".


    "Furthermore," Kyle said, "Proof of all the illegal activities of his family has been handed to the authorities. Their assets are frozen, pending trial. It isn''t a stretch to say that most of the family will be behind bars, their fortunes reversed. In short, the family has been eliminated."


    "Thank you," began Master Shifu. He then straightened his back, and with a firm resolved, he said, "I agree."


    No matter what, "J" had done a good deed for him. He had to return kindness with kindness. At the very least, he would teach this young protege of "J". If the protege was as "J" said, then the Family Art would not die. That would be something to look forward to.


    "Good. Oreo will update you," said Kyle as he terminated the connection.


    ~~* Master Shifu''s perspective after the meeting *~~


    Master Shifu looked at the black screen and Oreo then took back the laptop, closing it. Master Shifu observed the quiet man, who didn''t seem to speak. His actions were meticulous, and careful as he took the laptop and placed it back into his bag.


    "Now, we need to clean up," said Oreo.


    "Clean up?" queried Master Shifu. He then followed the gaze of Oreo who just looked around him, and then at him. Now that his mind had cleared a bit, and his life has some purpose again, his eyes began to see clearly.


    His house was a mess. There were empty soju and beer bottles all over the place. Rubbish strewn here and there, dirty dishes in the sink and dirty laundry scattered about. As for himself, he can''t even remember when was the last time he actually bathed or brushed his hair, and his clothes had some food stains from God knows when. There was a pungent ordour emitting from somewhere and when he sniffed his armpit ... he almost fainted.


    "Clean up," agreed Master Shifu.


    It took Oreo about two weeks to get everything done. He was very efficient. He not only cleaned the place, but he also fixed it up. There were also new clothes bought for Master Shifu, of which Oreo just said solemnly, "A Welcome gift. For the Master."


    It was customary that there would be a token gift given once a Master accepted a disciple. However, J''s protege wasn''t his disciple yet, and his face scrunched up a bit at that. Was J forcing him to accept? Was the earlier promise a lie?


    Oreo noticed the expression on Master Shifu''s face and he explained slowly, "For accepting the job. Nothing more."


    At first, Master Shifu was doubtful. Was he overthinking it? However, as time went by, he got to know a little bit about "J" through Oreo''s eyes. He could tell how much the man admired his boss, and it was real admiration and respect. It wasn''t something feigned, or something borne from riches. It was genuine.


    Once, Master Shifu jokingly said, "You sound like you''d die for him, the way you talk about him."


    At that, Oreo just smiled, looked at Master Shifu in the eye and said unhesitatingly, "I would."


    From that, Master Shifu''s impression of "J" improved, and he became increasingly curious about this ''protoge'' of his. "J" appeared to have a discerning eye, if Oreo was anything to go by. Such steadfast loyalty was hard to come by, more so in this time and age. His own experience made him even more wary of such fake people, but he could tell Oreo was the real deal.


    Master Shifu acknowledged that his own weakness was that he would often see the good in people. It wasn''t that he was naive, but rather, he didn''t expand much effort to seeing the ''bigger'' picture. He was only concerned about those around him. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His intuition was good but unfortunately, it was useless against those hidden in the dark. Which was why he had failed his son so miserably. As a result, he didn''t trust anyone anymore, and finding some ''light'' at the end of the tunnel warmed his heart. These people seemed trustworthy indeed.


    Oreo proceeded to explain to him that the protege was the son of the Smiths, a rather powerful and influential family in Country TZ. The Smiths were devoted to their two children, and would most likely come personally to ask him to mentor their son.


    One thing that Oreo warned Master Shifu sternly about was that his existence, and their son''s status, was not known to the Smiths. They were completely oblivious and needs to remain that way. Although curious, Master Shifu understood and did not press further for an explanation.


    **** Back to Present ****


    Kyle switched off the computer. He then kept the files back into their boxes, and placed them in the locked, hidden compartment in their closet. After that, he brushed his teeth, switched off the lights and went to bed. Kay, still asleep, nonetheless turned over and hugged him. Kyle smiled as he stroked her back and slowly fell asleep.

 Chapter 13 - First Day Of School (Part I)

    A year later


    It was a big day. It was their first day in school. A real school. A school that was outside of the house.


    In their entire 7 years of life, before this day, they had always been cooped up at home. On the really rare occasions that they were allowed out, it was always with a whole team of bodyguards. You can''t really do or see much when they had to be encircled by those darn bodyguards wherever they went.


    Imagine being two short kids walking about and all they could really see were the butts of the bodyguards walking in front of them.


    They were squeezed together so tight with only the most minimal of a gap in between each guard made Kyle think they were tied together by an invisible string or something.


    Going to the zoo? It was like a circus. Instead of being able to see the animals, they were the ones that were being looked at and being pointed at.


    Going shopping? Puh-lease. People had to avoid their weird circle formation of people and that caused inconvenience.


    In the end, it wasn''t enjoyable at all, so what was the point then of going out?


    Their house was being fitted with all the latest gadgets and electronics such as a huge-screen television, game consoles, a small movie theatre (just for the family), a kitchen that had a 24hr chef on standby to meet their every demand, a comprehensive library with children books and encyclopedias and even a huge backyard. Also, they had each other so they weren''t lonely ¡­


    But it still wasn''t the same as actually going outside.


    Which was why this morning, at the God-earthly morning time of 5am, Kay was busy jumping about and skipping around Kyle. Though it appeared like she was merely playing around, it certainly took a lot of energy and endurance to be able to continue that repetitive action for 20 mins.


    She could hardly contain her excitement but she didn''t disturb Kyle in his morning routine. As for Kyle, he wasn''t really bothered by the bundle of energy going around him. He had on a peaceful expression on his face as he focused on his morning routine exercises.


    He started with some warming up, followed by push-ups, sit-ups, and the horse stance. He then did about 15 minutes of ninjutsu patterns, concentrating and channeling his energy, making sure that each punch and kick was done with a burst of power.


    As it was early morning, he merely synchronised each punch and kick with a short burst of hiss through his teeth, rather than a shout. Both still used power that he took from his gut.


    These were the basic patterns that Master Shifu had told him to do, and he incorporated them into his morning exercises. Master Shifu believed in forming a firm foundation, and these repetitive actions would become instinctive.


    Kyle had actually started some basic psychomotor and stretching exercises since he was two years old to hone his reflexes, develop better motor skills and flexibility. From the age of four, he slowly started adding resistance exercises to develop strength and endurance; and upgraded the stretching exercises to gymnastic movements such as flips and somersaults.


    As his body was still growing, he knew how to listen to his body and not push himself too much, and he would not be doing any weight lifting until his teens. Doing any such weight lifting would only stunt his growth and that was not something he wanted.


    For now, he does about 2 hours of exercises daily which were spaced out during the day. In fact, other than his daily morning routine of 30 minutes, his exercises were actually designed to look like play so that his parents wouldn''t suspect anything amiss.


    Climbing trees, swimming, playing tennis (small version, of course) all appeared ''normal'' but was in reality, to him ¨C exercises. Since he started ninjutsu classes, of course the exercises were incorporated as well but while before he did them secretly, he could practice them openly in the backyard. As a result, Kyle was very fit for a boy of his age, with fast reflexes.


    Kay wasn''t that far behind either.


    She wasn''t as dedicated as Kyle in exercising but she did more than a normal 6 year old would. She preferred the more flexible routine and Kyle developed a gymnastic type exercise for her. Thus, she was also extremely flexible and nimble; which often was translated and seen in the way she walked.


    It appeared like a natural inborn grace, and people never realised that it wasn''t so much an innate ability but an ability born from practice. Nothing is actually ever easy but people never see the work: they only see the result and puts it down to it being "natural".


    After the last sit-up, Kyle took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged. He looked at Kay''s grinning face that was mere inches away from his, and closed his eyes again. He took several deep, long breaths.


    Soon, he heard her asking impatiently, "Aren''t you done yet?"


    Kyle opened an eye, tilted his head a bit then replied, "No-pe" while making a popping sound at the end.


    Kay rolled her eyes, knowing that he was lying purposely. She knew his routine by heart, and he was deliberately being slower than usual to tease her.


    She then grinned, her dimples more pronounced as she took the face towel she was holding and rubbed it on his face.


    Kyle laughed, took the towel and wiped the rest of his face and neck of sweat.


    Kay clapped her hands happily and grabbed his hand after he finished wiping the sweat off, and dragged him over to the bathroom. "Quick! Quick!! Bathe and get ready!!"


    Kyle smiled, letting her drag him along. Kay was such a bundle of sunshine that Kyle couldn''t help but dote on her even more.


    She was so pure and innocent, taking everything around her with such a fresh and sweet outlook that it refreshed his soul in a way that could not be explained.


    Since Kyle was mentally an old person, he had found it extremely taxing and mentally exhausting to act like a toddler all the time. Kay was like the sun for him.


    She would shine on him and make him feel happy again, enabling him to view the world through brighter eyes rather than having the darkness within his heart consume him. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was his lifeline, literally, and she was what kept him sane as they were growing up. Kyle shuddered to think what his life would be like without her. He couldn''t think of it at all.


    He didn''t want to think of it at all.


    So his sense of protectiveness wasn''t an act. It may have started from the twin connection and strengthened from the maternal instincts of his previous life, but it was honed and solidified by Kay herself.


    He wanted to protect this angel, so that she never loses her innocence but at the same time, not coddle her that she would wilt should he not be beside her. He wanted the best for her, and any boy who would want to woo her would also need to go through him.


    It was a miracle that she would unconditionally accept all that he taught her without losing such innocence. So people naturally would only see her outer fa?ade of gentle sunshine, not knowing the sharp glint of steel that was concealed underneath. She was his hidden sword, his strength.


    Kay dumped the towels in his hands and pushed him into the bathroom. The bathtub was already filled with slightly hot water and the usual mineral concoction they had created after experimenting a bit.


    As Kyle lowered his aching body into the water, he could smell the slight lavender scent emitting from the water. The minerals soothed his tired muscles and relaxed them, so he lay there for about 20 minutes before finally scrubbing himself with a loofah.


    Getting up, he rinsed himself then walked out of the bathtub. Dripping wet, he took one towel to wrap around his waist. Just as he secured it, Kay suddenly burst into the bathroom. Kyle''s hand stopped, and if this was a manga, there would be a sweat drop on his face.


    He looked at her, an eyebrow raised, but she was oblivious to his gaze. Her innocent smiling face showed her lack of awareness. Kyle shook his head and mentally smacked his forehead. Of course, she would be unaware. She was only seven years old, and his twin for goodness sake. Seeing her brother naked wasn''t something she would think was wrong.


    He shook his head at that. He''s going to have to slowly teach her that it wasn''t normal, especially since they''re going to school now. Being exposed and learning how to interact with other people will certainly be beneficial to her.


    He shuddered to think if she started following boys to the bathroom or something ...

 Chapter 14 - First Day Of School (Part II)

    Kyle took another towel and started to wipe his chest and then his hair. Kay completely ignored what he was doing as she shouted happily, "Kyle!! KYLE!!"


    She made one twirl in the bathroom, the skirt billowing along with her movements and flowing down naturally when she stopped. She then smiled widely at him, asking, uniform, "How do I look??"


    "Very beautiful," he answered honestly as he hung the towel he was holding around his neck.


    Kyle looked at his sister and pursed his lips. With her dark hair in twin ponytails, her red lips parting in a dazzling smile and her fair skin glowing, she looked like she was wearing a party dress rather than a boring school uniform.


    Sure, one could hardly say that the Retsu Primary School uniform was boring. In fact, it had one of the better styles in the country even though it was a simple design. All private schools appeared to be competing about it or something, Kyle thought wryly.


    The school uniform that Kay was wearing was a white collared blouse with intricate lace designs on the collar and sleeves, matched with a dark navy blue skirt that flared a little around the knee. There was also a small blue ribbon tied around the collar, held together with a silver emblem which was embossed with the school logo. A name tag was pinned on the left side of the blouse, just above the heart. It was white name tag, with silver borders and her name, "Kayla" embossed on it in silver.


    Kay smiled happily and handed him his school uniform, which was on a hanger. The male version was a simple white collared shirt, dark navy blue pants and a navy blue tie with the school emblem sewn in silver right at the bottom of the tie.


    Kyle took the uniform, thanked her with a kiss on the cheek then shooed her out. She turned around and skipped out, and Kyle locked the door this time. He reached over to the drawer under the sink and pulled out his underwear. At least he didn''t need to go out again just to get it.


    Kyle looked at himself in the mirror, and sighed. Seven years old. Luckily he occupied his time with so many things. Otherwise, he would have been bored to death or feel like killing himself having to act like a toddler. Even now, the thought of entering school with screaming kids and going through the syllabus made him shudder.


    He took a deep breath and began putting on his school uniform. At least, Kay was excited about it, so he would latch onto that. Initially, he thought he would form some ties during primary school days but he quickly brushed that thought aside.


    People tend to change, somehow, after puberty and he wasn''t going to risk forming a bond only to have it crash and burn for some stupid reason. It wasn''t to say that one couldn''t form a close bond, but that the risk of failure was quite high. So, taking that into consideration, the Allies Plan would only begin once they started secondary school. For now, it was focused on strengthening their foundation. Skills and money.


    He took one last look at himself in the bathroom mirror after he dressed. Running a hand through his hair, the pinned his own name tag on before walking out of the bathroom. Kay gasped at the sight.


    Kyle may be her brother, but she wasn''t blind to the dashing figure he cut out for himself, even at 7 years old. His hair was cut short from the back and sides, but he had slightly more hair on the top. He parted his hair on the left and had a slight wavy fringe that covered a part of his forehead just above the right eyebrow. His eyebrows were shaped well and dark, while his strikingly blue eyes were clear and sharp.


    He had skin that any girl would be jealous off and a dimple that would be seen on his left side whenever he smiled. That added to his charm even more, and Kay was glad that he didn''t smile often. Otherwise, he''s going to cause lots of heartbreak or something. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay giggled to herself and Kyle raised an eyebrow at that, "What?" he asked.


    "Nothing," she said as she took his hand, "Let''s go have breakfast".


    "Ok", he said, walking with her as they headed off to the door.


    Just as they reached it, the door opened to reveal their AuPair, Ms. Sophie. Upon seeing them, she put her hands at her mouth and exclaimed with tears in her eyes, "My oh my," she exclaimed with tears in her eyes, "Ma petite are all grown up now."


    Kyle rolled his eyes while Kay did a curtsy. Ms. Sophie was a young 20-year-old French lady, an AuPair that their parents had hired last year to replace their nannies. Now that they were all ''grown-up'', so to speak, Delilah felt that they needed a companion to teach and guide them, rather than one who mothered them.


    Their parents had decided on Ms. Sophie after going through several intensive interviews and felt that Ms. Sophie was the best fit. "Your parents are already downstairs," Sophie said, "Come, let''s go and join them for breakfast."


    Kyle and Kay followed, hand-in-hand, to the Dining Room. Sophie opened the large doors to the Dining room, and they followed her inside. There were clinking and clanking noises of cutlery, an indication that their parents had just started to be served breakfast when they walked in.


    Upon them entering though, everything became silent suddenly. You could hear a pin drop at that moment. Then suddenly, there were gasps and shouts of wonder and excitement.


    "Oh! Oh! Daddy! Just look at them!!" sniffed Delilah, dapping the edge of her eyes with the napkin then waved her hands at them. She then placed her hands on her chest, smiling widely. Patrick merely smiled at his kids, giving them a curt nod.


    Kyle just gave another eye roll at his mother''s melodramatic exclamation. They went to their designated seats to the left of their father while Sophie sat across them. As an au-pair, Sophie''s position was higher than the staff in the house. She was considered part of the family, albeit distantly. Thus, she would join them for meals and any holidays that they went for (full paid, of course).


    There were two maids stationed at the head of the table, who then promptly came over to place scrambled eggs, buttered toast sliced like triangles and sausages. Kay promptly gave Kyle her sausages, even though she could have just refused them when it was plated. She didn''t like sausages. She just liked giving him her food and watch him eat it. Everyone indulged her little quirk. That was why they were only given one sausage, rather than the customary two.


    After finishing their breakfast, Kyle and Kay went to pay their respect to their father before heading out. Delilah quickly ushered them to the car and accompanied them for their first day in school. Sophie sat in the front with the driver while their mother sat at the back with them.


    Kay was in the middle, busily chatting away to her mother in excitement as she gushed about what they would do and the people they would meet. Kyle was quiet, looking outside as he pondered on this new phase of life that they were going through.


    Thoughts of his own primary school years were still fresh in his mind, along with the memories of his previous life when he sent his own two children for their first day in school. His heart clenched a bit at the memory and his eyes misted over for a while before he calmed himself down.


    This was the year that the first one would be born. In May, to be exact. At this moment, ''she'' was already in her second trimester and just getting over her morning sickness. Although ''she'' would only die many years later, to Kyle, those things were already in the past.


    He couldn''t help but think of the two children that he had left behind. The future that his soon-to-be-born children will experience. If he could do it, he would have formed some sort of friendship or connection before that event. Then, he could be the one to help them through their grief.


    It wasn''t possible now. They were not only too young (not to mention ''her'' kids aren''t born yet), they were in different continents. How could they meet?


    Kyle remembered the frustrations he felt when trying to come up with a plausible plan to form a friendship with the kids of his previous life. If it was up to him, it would be upon their birth but logically and realistically, that was impossible.


    This waiting and the sense of helplessness was something he hated. It made him remember the time of his first death and that intense feeling of despair that overwhelmed him when he couldn''t do anything. Couldn''t fight back. Couldn''t win.


    Kyle turned his head away and bit his lips as he felt tears threatening to form. He was both angry, and sad at the same time and he couldn''t control hiding what he was feeling now. This won''t do. He can''t let Mother see him like this.


    He had to calm down.

 Chapter 15 - First Day Of School (Part III)

    Kyle had to calm down.


    As he took several deep breaths while looking out the window, Kyle felt familiar warm hands holding his and squeezing it softly. Kyle smiled at that, feeling the warmth of her hand seep into him and he calmed down.


    Kyle knew she worried for him, and he was immensely grateful that she never tried to do more than just comfort him. Unlike their Mother, who would act all concerned ... and even resentful if they didn''t confide in her. To avoid making his own mother feel useless or unloved, he chose to hide any negative feelings from her. As as result, he just appeared to be a child without worries.


    The school gate came into view, and Kyle had managed to settle his emotions by then. Their sporty black BMW was merely one of many such cars in the area, so it didn''t garner much attention. However, the moment Kyle stepped out, people did stop to stare.


    There was this air of cold nobility that seemed to seep out of him which caught their attention. They couldn''t see his face yet as he had come out looking down at his uniform. His back was straight, and his dark hair seemed to wave as if caressed by the wind. They waited curiously as they watched him brush his sleeves and then straighten his uniform. Finally, he looked up.


    Even parents took a sharp intake of breath at the strikingly handsome face. It seemed as if all the best features were placed onto one person, and it didn''t seem fair. The silky smooth fair skin, striking blue eyes, sharp nose and jawline let the people think ... if he looked like this at 7 years old, what would he look like once puberty hits?


    While the parents were flabbergasted, there were mixed reactions from the other students. Many girls were thanking their lucky stars for starting school that year, and prayed that they would be in the same class. Some girls were thinking of making friends with the ''junior'' and be his ''big sister''.


    The boys, on the other hand, were either viewing him as a threat to their position in school or were thinking of ways to be his friend. Just like in any other school, there was already an ''established'' and recognised ''top'' and it looked like that position will be usurped easily by this new boy.


    The current ''King'' was in his fourth year, and he looked at the new boy with interest. Granted, he was striking but it took more than just looks to be on the unofficial list. For all you know, he could be a total klutz or dumb. You needed the whole package. He walked into school, not really bothered about the whole thing.


    Just as everyone thought that the new boy was going to walk over to the school, he turned and held out his hand towards the inside of the car. They then saw this delicate, dainty hand taking it and an angel alighting from the car.


    If they thought that the shock from the previous ''revelation'' was bad, this one was perhaps worse. Every movement from the girl was like watching a dance, as she came out of the car with his help. Girls at that age either looked cute, or sweet, but she looked like a delicate beauty which would shake the world even more in the future. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl looked up at him and gave this dazzling smile that had all the boys clutch their chest for some reason. The boy returned the smile, making his features even more dreamy-like and revealing his dimple. The girls wanted to swoon. Some even wanted to run over and pinch those cheeks, or gaze at the face at close distance.


    As they stood side-by-side, even the sun appeared to lend a helping hand to the picturesque scene. It softly illuminated them from behind, giving them a seemingly ethereal glow. Everyone blinked a few times, and some even rubbed their eyes. The two of them looked like they had walked out of a painting at that moment.


    One girl in particular, felt highly dissatisfied. She had a face that one would call pretty, and delicate. Although at the moment, the expression on her face spoiled it all. She was busy glaring at the two who had just arrived, who had stolen all the attention away from her. HER. How dare they?


    She was the princess of the family. She was the most beautiful one of all. Everyone doted on her and always said she was special. She was destined to be the next Queen of the school. She had already envisioned conquering the school and ruling it with her posse. But now? Despite her anger though, she could not deny that the two in front of her were striking.


    Cute? Adorable? Normal adjectives that would be used to describe 7 year olds were somehow lacking when it came to them. It wasn''t that they weren''t cute, or adorable, but it was as if there was something more.


    The girl clenched her teeth and her hands were closed into tight fists. Only she was worthy to stand next to that boy. It should be her that was walking through the gates with him holding her hand. Not that .... that ... stupid girl. Before she showed up, everyone had been buttering up to her, but now, they were all gawking at the two in front of them.


    The school teacher stationed at the gate was shocked at the sight. Were kids getting more and more mature earlier nowadays? A couple even at the tender age of 7 years old?


    Cold sweat started forming on his forehead when he started thinking of his own daughter, barely 2 years old. He definitely was not going to let some weird boy take his little girl so soon.


    The teacher glared towards the two children and noted the expensive car. A frown flashed across his face as he thought that parents of the kids were obviously uneducated despite being rich. How could they let their young children be so uninhibited like that? Coming to school together and acting so lovey-dovey. He snorted in disdain.


    Just then, Delilah and Sophie, who had just alighted from the car, joined them. Their driver drove off to park elsewhere, so as not to block the entrance for others. He would then wait for them to finish registering before sending Delilah and Sophie back.


    Delilah patted Kay''s shoulder and Kay looked up at her mother. Nodding, they started to move together to enter the school.


    As the group headed towards the gate, the teacher plastered a smile on his face despite the dissatisfaction he had in his heart towards them. No matter what, he couldn''t show his displeasure since most of the parents here had powerful backgrounds. He wasn''t stupid. Well, not THAT stupid anyway.


    His eyes darted to their name tags. Kyle and Kay. He would find out which class they were in and keep an eye on them. Such behaviour cannot be encouraged. They were here to learn, not fool around.


    They family at him as they walked by and he nodded. As they passed him by, he heard the boy say to the girl, "See, Kay. We can''t hold hands now that we''re in school. Otherwise, you''ll get people giving us that expression like the teacher over we passed by just now."


    The teacher''s face blanched at that. He thought he had covered it quite well but he pretended that he didn''t hear them. Still, he strained his ears to hear more.


    Kay pouted when she heard him say that, and figured that Kyle said it out loud instead of mind-speaking it for a reason. He had a point to make, so she played along and asked, "What do you mean, brother? Why is it wrong to hold your hand? Did I do something wrong?"


    Kyle patted her hand and simply said, "Oh, no, no. You didn''t do anything wrong. The problem is that some narrow minded people tend to be judgemental and twist things to mean something else. Even on innocent primary school kids like us! See, a simple act of holding hands can be twisted to mean something completely different when the person is a pervert."


    The teacher''s eyes bulged at that and he couldn''t resist to turn back and look at them. At first, he was shocked at the vocabulary the child was using, and then at the meaning behind the words. His eyes caught Kyle who had turned his head as well. He could see the disdain in the child''s eyes, staring him down. The teacher gulped, actually feeling intimidated and quickly turned back to greet the parents and students walking in.


    Inwardly, however, the teacher bristled at the arrogance of the kid. Kyle huh. Just you wait. No matter what, he is a teacher! Every student needs to show respect! He will make it his life mission to beat ¡­ er, teach the kid some manners.


    The teacher then plastered another smile on his face as he continued to welcome the new throng of people walking through the gate.

 Chapter 16 - First Friend

    The entire exchange was heard by a few people, and the words uttered by a seemingly innocent boy made a few a bit uncomfortable. Delilah had kept quiet during the entire exchange, and smiled to herself.


    Patting Kyle on the shoulder, she then said to them, "Kyle is right about one thing though. You shouldn''t hold hands in school. Try to be more independent, Kay. You can''t rely on your brother all the time."


    Kay sighed, and let go of Kyle''s hand but he didn''t loosen his grip. Instead, he gave her hand a squeeze and said, "At least until we get to class". Then, in mind-speech, he said "and you know you can depend on me. Always."


    Kay brightened up at that and hugged Kyle. Well, hugged him as best as she could with one hand being held by him. Truth be told, the whole school experience was rather scary. She had only been inside, with her family and Kyle.


    Now, there were a whole load of people all around them. A lot of them kept looking at them, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable so holding Kyle''s hand gave her some courage. She wasn''t used to being the center of attention and it felt ... weird. At this time, she actually missed that circle of bodyguards that would shield them whenever they went out.


    "You''ll be fine," assured Kyle confidently.


    For Kyle, this was nothing but Kay had yet to learn how to be sociable. Being cooped up all this time did not help in her social development, so Kyle was relieved that his mother agreed to sending them to school.


    Initially, Delilah had felt that being home schooled was enough since they were both so bright. What is the point of going to school and be ''dumbed down''? They already knew so much more than what the school could provide, after all. What they needed was more knowledge, not less.


    Luckily, their father managed to change her mind.


    Life wasn''t about being in a cocoon, but to be able to adapt and live within society. That included knowing how to interact, and behave, with people. Those were skills that cannot be taught, but learned. They did meet a lot of people while growing up but they were all adults. The rules were different. One is always polite, followed the rules and the adults would be careful around you. Your peers, however, had no such restrictions.


    As Kyle and Kay walked towards the main notice board, a pair of eyes were looking at them in excitement. It was a boy who had just arrived and was lucky enough to catch the exchange between Kyle and the teacher at the gate.


    The boy was 7 years old, with dark hair and hazel eyes. Right now, those eyes were open wide as he looked at Kyle''s straight back walking away. His heart was beating excitedly, his eyes glistening and his face broke into a great, big smile.


    He could hardly contain his excitement as he turned to the middle-aged man in a butler suit next to him. "Did you see that, Sebastian? Did you? Wasn''t he just so awesome?!"


    "Yes, Young Master Tan," replied Sebastian, his face hardly showing any expression though inwardly, he was pleased. Looks like his young charge will not cause any trouble in school. Earlier, he had been reluctant to go and even tried to fake a fever by putting his thermometer into a glass of hot water.


    Having failed that, he was bundled into the car by his mother. Not satisfied with the whole thing, he had been complaining non-stop throughout the journey to school. Now, however, all of that stopped as he gawked on ahead.


    "I found him," he whispered under his breath as his steps became faster towards the direction where Kyle had headed.


    "I''m sorry Young Master Tan. What did you say?" asked the butler politely, following beside him.


    "Oh, nothing, nothing," Xing Han (Tan Xing Han) replied, "I was just thinking out loud. Let''s see which one is my class!" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, Young Master Tan," responded the butler stoically.


    Xing Han rolled his eyes in his head, "Sebastian. If you''re going to act and talk like a robot, you don''t need to send me to school anymore."


    "Yes, Young Master Tan," responded the butler automatically, and quickly changed it when he saw the way Xing Han''s eyes slit narrower to glare at him, "Sorry, Young Master Tan. I mean, yes, will do Young Master Tan." The butler then raised the edges of his lips upwards, trying to smile but it looked like a grimace instead.


    Xing Han sighed, knowing that getting Sebastian to call him Xing Han was not within his ''programming''. His attempt to look less robotic, however, was appreciated. So Xing Han patted Sebastian on the arm and said, "Good good. Keep on trying!"


    Sebastian nodded, and gave a slightly better smile at that. To those observing, it looked like Sebastian was the child and Xing Han was the elder. Xing Han then ran to the notice board excitedly with Sebastian simply picking up the pace and catching up with Xing Han in no time.


    The area of registration was set up at the Auditorium, where they would normally have their assemblies in the morning. On the stage were several rows of table set up side-by-side. A teacher was at each table, and two chairs were set up in front of each table. Below the stage, were four huge notice boards which contained the list of students in the school and their respective classes.


    Returning students were crowded around those notice boards, trying to see which class they were assigned to for that year. As for the new students, they were required to register themselves at the desk on stage.


    Kyle and Kay sat down on the chairs while Delilah and Sophie stood behind them.


    "Name?" asked the teacher, not looking up.


    Kyle frowned a bit at the teacher''s rudeness. Couldn''t he even be bothered to look and greet them, at least? Kyle looked at his name tag and replied respectfully nonetheless "Kyle and Kayla Smith, Teacher Micheal."


    At that, the teacher looked at them apologetically, "I''m sorry for not greeting you earlier. Things have been so hectic," Teacher Micheal explained as he looked at Kyle and Kay, then at Delilah and Sophie behind them.


    Kyle merely smiled in response, nodding while Delilah answered, "We understand. I am Delilah, this is Sophie and these are my two children."


    Teacher Micheal looked for their names on the list and said, "Ah. Here it is. Kyle Smith, 1 Van Goh. Kayla Smith, 1 Kahlo."


    Kay''s lips trembled a bit at that, "What? We''re not in the same class?"


    Teacher Micheal looked at Kay kindly, explaining, "The school does not encourage relatives to be in the same class. You need to meet new people, not stick to the people that you already know."


    Kay looked at Kyle in slight panic, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly, "Don''t worry, Kay. You''ll be fine! Remember, I''m just but a thought away."


    To others, that sounded normal - Kyle simply telling Kay he is nearby. Kay knew that he meant it literally, and her rapidly beating heart quietened down. That''s right! Just because they weren''t together physically, didn''t mean they weren''t together.


    Kay nodded, biting her lower lip. Yes. She can do this. She needed to be stronger for Kyle. Heck, she is a throwing knife expert!! Co-leader of MIB! She can do this! It''s only primary school!!


    Delilah rubbed Kay''s shoulder reassuringly, and Kay took a deep breath.


    Teacher Micheal then gave each of them the school map, the time table, rule book and a list of all their teacher''s names and contact. They thanked Teacher Micheal before heading off the stage.


    Kyle perused the school map briefly. He noted the position of all Class 1 in the school, and their names. There were six classes for each year, and each class was named after famous figures.


    The first year classes were named after artists, the second year classes were named after musicians, the third year classes were named after inventors, the fourth year classes were named after scientists, the fifth year classes were named after doctors and the final year classes were named after Nobel Prize winners.


    The six classes of Primary 1 were thus (Vincent) Van Gogh, (Pablo) Picasso, Rembrandt, (Frida) Kahlo, Michelangelo and (Claude) Monet.


    Kyle was surprised that Frida Kahlo was listed as well since the painter was female. She was well-known in Mexico and although she did have some international reputation, it wasn''t in the same standard as the rest. Kyle was, however, happy that the school did acknowledge female figures as well, which was rather different from most schools at the time.


    Suddenly, his thought process was broken by a boy who came over to them excitedly, asking Kyle, "Which class did you get? I am in 1 Van Goh? What about you? And you?" He turned towards Kay, "Are you in the same class as him? Or a different one? I hope I''m in your class though," he continued on at high speed as he looked at Kyle expectantly.


    Kyle turned to look at the bundle of energy that was talking non-stop like a bullet train. Would this boy by their first friend?

 Chapter 17 - Bullet Train Xing Han

    The bullet-train boy paused for a while as he took a deep breath when suddenly, there was a slight cough made by the man beside him.


    "Oh! OH!" shouted the boy, putting a hand on his mouth, "Just where are my manners? I''m sorry! So so sorry! I was just so excited! So excited to meet you! I..."


    Another discreet cough made the boy stop suddenly, bowing to everyone as he said, "Hello. I''m Tan Xing Han. "Nice to meet all of you; Auntie, Big Sister."


    Kyle''s lips twitched. This boy certainly was a bundle of energy.


    "I''m Kyle, and this is my twin sister Kayla," responded Kyle, introducing themselves.


    "Twin? Twin sister?! OH MY GOSH. THAT IS SO COOL!!" gushed Xing Han, looking at the both of them, peering intently at their faces.


    "You don''t really look the same though. Are you really twins?"


    Kay giggled, "We''re not identical twins, silly."


    "But I thought you''d still look like each other ... just, you know? He would look like the male version of you, and you would look like the female version of him? And if you were to dress up like him, people would think you''re him and if he dressed up like you, they''d think he was you?" said Xing Han, genuinely confused.


    "What? You think this is like ''You''re Beautiful''*?" Kyle asked, his eyebrow raised.


    "Isn''t it?" Xing Han asked, his eyes wide open.


    Kay laughed at that, then shyly hid her face behind Kyle''s arm. Xing Han thought that was so cute and was gawking at her actions while Kyle smiled at Kay. It was obvious that she was warming up to the innocent bullet train.


    Kyle turned back his attention to Xing Han, and replied, "No, that''s rarely the case. The likelihood of fraternal twins of different genders looking alike is slim. We''re like normal siblings, only were born at the same time."


    "Liar," muttered Kay, "You came out two minutes before me."


    Kyle rolled his eyes, rubbing her head, "Fine, fine. I''m older by 2 minutes. Happy?"


    Kay nodded then turned to Xing Han as she said, "You can call me Kay!! You''re my first new friend here."


    Xing Han''s eyes went wide at that, with his lips in an "O" position before he took a bow to the amusement of the two again, "WOW WOW. I''m honoured to be your first friend! You''re my first friend too. Isn''t it amazing? This must be fate ¡­ Wait, no. You''re not my first since I talked to Kyle first. So second and Kyle was first. Er .. wait. I just said you''re my friend. Are you? You never said! You ARE my friend, right, Kyle?"


    Kyle''s mouth twitched at that as he watched the boy''s many reactions in that short amount of time as he started talking with such speed.


    First, it was excitement, then joy, then awe, then shock, fear, and then nervousness.


    Xing Han was now looking at Kyle with wide eyes, then his eyes darted nervously to the right and left when Kyle didn''t answer immediately.


    He shifted his feet nervously, as he then mumbled, "Mum warned me about this. She said to slow down. She was right. I should slow down. I talk too fast. I shouldn''t assume. I ..."


    He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He gulped and looked up, and locked eyes with Kyle''s eyes.


    Kyle''s striking blue eyes were clear, with a tinge of amusement as his head nodded.


    Kyle then smiled, gave Xing Han''s shoulder a few pats while then taking his hand and gave it a firm grip and a shake.


    "Yes, nice to meet you, first friend Xing Han," Kyle replied.


    Xing Han''s face broke into a huge smile, as he clasped Kyle''s hand with both of his and started shaking it up and down in excitement.


    "Yes! Yes! First friend Kyle!" and then he turned to the man beside him, still shaking Kyle''s hand as he continued to say excitedly, "Look Sebastian! My first friend! Kyle!! I have a friend now, and his name is Kyle!!"


    "Yes, Young Master Tan," replied the stone-faced man, "Perhaps he would like his hand back now, though, Young Master Tan?"


    Xing Han gasped, and dropped Kyle''s hand like a hot potato! "Oh my gosh. I''m so sorry! I was just so excited!"


    Kyle waved his worries away, and Kay walked up to him as well, "Yes, nice to meet you too, Xing Han."


    Xing Han was relieved. He was right about Kyle. No one ever treated him nicely like this. They would normally make fun of him or ignore him because he talked too much. Kyle was different. He actually treated him like a normal human being!


    Xing Han decided there and then.


    Kyle is THE one. His best friend for life. Best friends forever and ever and ever. BFFEAE?


    Xing Han shook his head. Anyway, Kyle is the one who will be his best friend from now till the end of time! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They will go through thick and thin, and he will help Kyle protect Kay! That is what brothers do! Xing Han promised in his heart, looking at both of them with a huge smile on his face.


    "So which class are you in?" Kay asked.


    "OH!" Xing Han realised that was the first question he had asked, but things got slightly derailed. Looking hesitantly on his paper, he said, "Van Goh?"


    "That''s the same as Kyle!" said Kay unhappily,? "That''s not fair! My first friend isn''t in my class."


    She pouted, and hung on to Kyle''s arm.


    "Be good," Kyle admonished her gently.


    "Yes, yes! Don''t worry!" comforted Xing Han, "See, our classes are not that far apart. Just shout and I''ll come running right over if there is anything! Like Superman! Save the Day!"


    Kyle grinned at that, looking at Xing Han as the latter was busy trying to comfort Kay. Xing Han was certainly ... unique. Harmless for now. He''s going to have to do a background check on this boy before they get any deeper.


    One can''t be too careful.


    ***---***---


    Delilah, Sophie and Sebastian watched the three children in shock.


    Delilah couldn''t believe that Kyle didn''t look like he was going to kill this Xing Han even though he was gushing over Kay.


    In fact, Kyle was even smiling at him! What was this? Kyle wasn''t going to tear Kay away from the boy? This alone made Delilah happy that she relented to Patrick''s urging on letting them attend school.


    Sophie, who was quite used to the type of smiles that Kyle gave, realised that the smile that was on Kyle''s face right now was different from any other type of smile that he had shown all this while.


    It wasn''t a polite smile that he gave to adults, or just that perfunctory smile just for the sake of smiling. It was a genuine, indulgent smile. Not like what he gave to Kay, of course, but still, it was new!


    And it was devastating.


    It made her realise how dangerous the young one is going to be when he grows up and mature. She took a mental note to change a few things in their daily teaching. He has to learn how to treat women and be a good gentleman.


    Sebastian was the most shocked one of all because there had never been anyone of Xing Han''s age that could tolerate Xing Han''s rather boisterous and forceful behaviour.


    Add that tendency of his to just keep on talking non-stop without taking a breath, many kids would steer clear away from him.


    Madam had been trying to get Xing Han to slow down so that he could adapt better, but now it looked like not one ¨C but two ¨C people could actually keep up with him and accept him as he is.


    All three adults looked at the three children, eyes misting over as they thought of the new adventure that they would get into.


    No longer would their world be just their own, but include a new person.


    Little did any of them realise, that that was the beginning of a friendship that would last the test of time.


    The school bell rang at that moment, and an announcement was made, "All parents and unrelated personnel are invited to exit the premises. All parents are invited to exit the premises. School will begin in 10 minutes."


    Delilah hugged and kissed Kay, but refrained from doing so with Kyle. She didn''t want to embarrass him in front of the whole school.


    Xing Han nodded and waved to Sebastian, who nodded in return and turned to leave.


    Delilah would keep looking back a few times before finally leaving through the gates.


    At that point, some prefects came and guided the new students to their respective lines in the hall where the first assembly of the year would begin.


    Kay gave him a final hug before she followed the prefect that would lead her to a different line, while Kyle and Xing Han followed another to theirs.


    Kyle sighed, as he stood up straight and listened to the first speech and announcement of the school year.


    And so it begins.


    Six years of dull, boring lessons.

 Chapter 18 - Graduation Day (Part I)

    It was the last day of school, and the day that Year 6 students would graduate. They would be leaving this primary school days behind and enter secondary school the following year, entering the first step into adulthood.


    There were many students crying silently at the side, watching one particular group of strikingly handsome and beautiful people gathered together. There were five of them, four boys and one girl. It wasn''t that all five of them were perfect specimens of human beings; in fact, if one was to scrutinize their faces properly, a couple could actually be described as average looking.


    It''s just that .. there was something about them. Be it individually, or when they were together (though they felt the impact far more when they were all together). It was the way they carried themselves. Their overall demeanor, or aura, that set them apart from everyone else. From the way they walked, to the way they talked ... there was just something.


    The kids were too young to recognize that what the group had was charisma. It was innate, and so ingrained within themselves that it just captivated people. As if they were hypnotized. Then again, even if the kids knew what it was, it wasn''t like they could resist it. If this was the entertainment circle, that aura / charisma would have been noted as the elusive "X-Factor" that would transform a normal singer, into a diva / idol.


    The group that they were staring at intensely were their seniors, and this is their last year. No longer would they be able to sneak glances at them as they walked by their classes. No longer can they watch the boys as they played football and basketball. No longer can they brag and hold their heads up high when people found out they were from Retsu Primary School, THE school that had THAT group. Well, they okay, so they could still brag about it but after this ... it would be as Retsu''s history, rather than the present. No longer can they be smug over the fact that they could see them everyday!


    Their eyes settled on each person in the group.


    Xing Han: the clown of the group. His dark hair sported the buzz cut, though it had more hair on the top than the normal military style. His round and fair face always had on his signature smile, though most of the time those thin lips would be moving rapidly as he never seems to stop talking. He wasn''t fat, but he wasn''t slim either. He had the sort of body shape that you feel like hugging for comfort. There was a slight shadow of a mustache over his lips, which just seem to add on to this image of a smart yet doting brother. He was what you''d call "cute and adorable".


    Sam, the youngest of the group. Due to his high intelligence, he was allowed to enter school a year early. His had rimless glasses, which didn''t quite hide the sharp hazel eyes behind it. His light brown hair was curly, and it looked like instant noodles before it is cooked. Tall and lanky, his pants would normally be slightly shorter and show a bit of his ankle, while his signature pen would be stuffed at the back of his pants pocket, its shape barely seen through the jacket. Yet, despite him acting and dressing up like a nerd ... visually ... he wasn''t the typical nerd. He was the rare kind: a hot nerd.


    Muhammad Ali, or Ali, the exchange student from Country SA. Olive skinned and dark wavy hair that reached just above the collar his dark eyes seemed to be lazy and unconcerned. He was quite laid back, and was the sporty type, with his body starting to show some form of muscle even at that young age. There was also an air of nobility from him, though it wasn''t as pronounced as one other person. He was, in short, the cool one.


    The Alpha Male. The undisputed leader of the group. The one that made all the girls just sigh whenever he passed by, some even almost fainting should he look at them and some even cried silent tears if he smiled at them. He seemed to embody all that the girls envision, and more.


    With his silky dark hair framing the perfectly sculptured face that was accentuated even further with that sharp jawline ... those intense blue eyes which seemed to be the colour of the deepest blue ocean one could drown in, peeking through thick lashes ... those full, cherry red lips that was always ready with a smile ... that deep dimple that appeared on the right cheek whenever he did ...


    The girls sighed again when they saw him laughing with the group, transforming that already breath taking face into something .. er, well, more breathtaking. They took out their handkerchief and started to wipe the tears that were forming in their eyes.


    After this ceremony, they wouldn''t be able to see this anymore. The thought was heart breaking. All eyes were focused on his graduation jacket, and those shining, silver buttons. It was tradition that the graduating seniors would give away their silver buttons to the juniors closest to them, but there were only 6 buttons in total ... and there were hundreds of students aiming for it.


    "Kyle," Ali said, putting a hand around his shoulder, "Are you sure you''re going to survive this?" he asked, indicating with a flick of his head at all those people that were staring intensely at them.


    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I have all of you as my meat shields. What could go wrong?"


    "Urgh," all three groaned.


    Kay smacked Kyle on the arm, admonishing him, "Behave, dear brother. They''re always having to cover for you all these years, and this IS our final day here. Let our juniors have some sort of memory."


    "KAAAAAYYYYYY!!" shouted all three as turned towards her, "You''re the only one who understands us!!" shouted Xing Han dramatically, followed by Ali, who put his hand over his heart, saying "Our angel!!". Sam nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose while declaring, "Saviour!!"


    Upon hearing a growl coming from behind them, Xing Han quickly ran behind Kay and peeked from above her head, pointing a finger at Kyle, "Protect us from that evil doer of handsomeness!!"


    Kay laughed, the sound lifting everyone''s spirit as they watched their angel approach her brother. Her steps were graceful, and fluid, like she was gliding on air. It was mesmerizing to watch.


    As expected, Kay blossomed as she grew up. Both Kay and Kyle had hit puberty relatively early at 11 years old. Although that age was something that was increasingly becoming more common now in other countries, it was still considered early in their own.


    Thus, most of the kids found it fascinating when Kyle''s voice broke, occasionally sounding high pitched before it finally settled down to the current level. He lost the baby fat on his face, transforming the handsome, sharp jawlined cherubic face to the sharp, sculptured vision right now. He began to develop more muscles, and though not pronounced, it was still visible each time he carried something.


    As for Kay, she found it more uncomfortable to have to go through the dreaded ''Auntie'' every month, and having to wear a bra. As her chest started growing, she noticed the looks the boys gave her were more ... intense than usual. Luckily, she had at least one of her four guys around her most of the time, effectively deterring any random boy from approaching her. Her delicate beauty seemed to mature into of a more ethereal nature.


    The scariest thing? They were still growing, which meant that their looks would only be getting better. Just the thought even made the teachers nearby sweat. Just thinking of them entering secondary school, with rampaging hormonal boys and easily distracted girls ... it was like throwing meat into a den of hungry lions. They were SO glad that they were primary school teachers!


    "Come on, big brother," Kay said sweetly, "It''s not like you''re going to need the uniform anymore after this."


    Kyle flinched, "You''re not seriously suggesting I let myself be mobbed and molested by girls trying to get my buttons, do you?!"


    "Nah," replied Kay, "Just throw the jacket to one side and run in the other direction."


    "You know, that''s not a bad suggestion," Kyle said, smiling.


    Especially since he could outrun anyone ... and hide if he needed to. Master Shifu''s training and lessons the past six years had honed his skills to a level that he never thought possible. Well, he dreamed of it but didn''t think it was possible.


    "Come on, it''s time," said Kay. "Shall we?" she asked the group. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They stopped for a while, looking around them with a soft look in their eyes. The past six years had truly been fantastic. This was where they grew up, made lifelong friends ... and a few enemies ... basically, precious memories. Smiling wistfully, they smiled and nodded.


    They then walked towards the Assembly Hall for the last time.

 Chapter 19 - Graduation Day (Part II)

    The Assembly Hall was decorated simply for the Graduation Event.


    The hall was filled with chairs neatly arranged inside, able to accommodate not only every student in the school, but also 2 guests of each graduating student. On stage was a podium right in the middle, with the school emblem on it. There were chairs on the right and left of the podium, where all the teachers of the final year students were seated. Three single sofas were directly behind the podium, which seated the Principal and the two Vice-Principals. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All along the hall walls were banners and balloons of blue and silver. On the right side of the hall, above the banner and balloons, were huge posters of the Top Five Academic Students of the Graduating Year. Normally, it would be the Top Three there but this year, there was a tie for both Position #2 and #3. Thus, there were 5 of them.


    Yup, you guessed it. From left to right, in order of ranking was Kyle, Kay and Sam (in one frame), Xing Han and Ali (in one frame as well). They all looked so smart and dashing in their school uniform and jacket. One couldn''t help but think that they looked like CEOs of companies rather than 12 year olds. In fact, it looked like Kyle was the Head CEO and the others were his subordinates.


    On the other side of the hall were the pictures of the Top Sporting Students of the Graduating Year, which comprised of those who was the top scorer in the field of football, basketball, chess, science and debates. The school didn''t just emphasize physical sports, but also those of the ''intellectual'' kind (not meaning to say that physical sports were for the slightly less intelligent people, mind you).


    Yup, you guessed it again. It was the five of them. Again. From left to right, it was Ali (football), Kyle (basketball), Kay (chess), Sam (science) and Xing Han (debates). Each of them were smiling, holding on to something that was representing the sports they were the top at, while was wearing the official sports uniform.


    Hence, Ali was in his football jersey while posing with his left foot (his striking foot) on a football, and one hand on his waist. He flashed a toothy smile with one eyebrow raised at the camera. Various football trophies were on the ground, arranged neatly on the left and right side of Ali.


    Kyle had his body facing the left, with his head turned towards the camera. He had a slight smile on his face, and the sleeveless basketball jersey showed off his firm muscles on his arm that was bent upwards, as he twirled a basketball on a finger (of course, you can''t see the basketball twirling in the picture). At the bottom of the picture, were the words, "State Champion".


    Kay was in a white, short sleeved T-Shirt that had the school emblem on the front, and its sleeve full of the chess pieces patterns on it. She was holding up a small chess board with the chess pieces laid out on it. On her neck, were several gold medals representing the competitions that she had won.


    Sam was in a long white lab coat that covered a light blue shirt and black pants. Several pens were sticking out of the pocket of his shirt. He was holding up the AI robot that he created at the International Science Fair, and on the robot was a blue ribbon which had #First on it.


    Xing Han was in a black 3-piece suit, holding up a trophy that he had won at the State Level Debate Championship. It was but one of the many debating competitions that he won, as could be seen from the various trophies in the background.


    Behind the podium, on the stage, were the pictures of the TOP student of the school. The one who achieved the best overall results, both in academics and sports, in the past six years. This was THE award. The best of the best.


    Previously, it had always been difficult to decide who it would be. It is easy to establish who are the top academic scorers and who are the top scorers in sports : but finding one who had both was difficult. What sort of ratio do you decide as the basis? Which has higher emphasis? Is a person who excels academically but was dismal in sports, be better than one who was average in both academics and sports? Each year, making a decision gave the Principal and his Vice-Principals a headache.


    This year, however, it was easy. All the candidates were the top scorers in their respective sports and were also the top academic students. Thus, it went without saying that the Top Student was Kyle. So, Kyle''s huge picture was plastered once again, in all its glory, at the wall on stage.


    There were mixed feelings by the guests who attended. Seeing the same faces over and over again throughout the Hall left a slightly sour taste in their mouth. It wasn''t that their kids weren''t good, but that those five were abnormal. Hopefully, their own kids can shine in their new school and leave the shadows of these Elite Five.


    No one, other than the Principle in charge, knew where the Elite Five were going after graduation. It was a request by the Elite Five themselves, as they didn''t want people choosing that school just because they went there. It wasn''t that they were narcissistic or egoistical, but that it was a fact. Many didn''t want to put down their choices until the last minute, hoping that they would be able to get information before choosing.


    The Elite Five had already decided not to be split up, and they wanted to continue studying together until they graduated from University. Then, they''re either going to be working together in the same place, or working together in collaboration.


    Kyle was quiet in his seat as he started thinking of the future plans and what had been achieved during the past 6 years. It was truly a miracle that he managed to find such good allies and friends here. He didn''t think that it would actually be possible but it was as if everything just fell into place.


    Xing Han had been the first, followed by Ali then Sam.


    Xing Han had stuck to Kyle since that first day, and for some reason that Kyle couldn''t fathom, would always stand up for him or do things for him without being asked. At first, Kyle was suspicious of his motives, but as time went by, Kyle could see the sincerity behind every action that Xing Han did. Despite that, Kyle still didn''t trust him 100%.


    It was the same with the others. With Ali and Sam, he became friends with them after he defended them from some bullies. Ali was a Muslim, and had strict dietary requirements. Although the school would cater to his needs, he didn''t insist on it. Instead, he chose to bring his own lunches everyday. Ali was small for his age at that time, and Kyle happened to come across a scene of him being bullied by some other students.


    He saw Ali''s lunch box thrown to one side, the food scattered all over as the kids jeered at him. They said some rather hurtful words, making fun of him and some would even stomp on the food that was on the ground. Ali just stood there, staring at the ground without a word. One particular boy, who was bigger than the rest, was about to hit Ali at the back of the head when he felt his arm being held back.


    He was about to shout at the person when he realised that it was Kyle. Even then, Kyle already had a reputation of one who should not be messed with. There were rumours that when angered, Kyle wouldn''t even spare a girl.


    The dismal fate of one particular girl who kept bullying his sister was just one instance. The girl had regarded herself as the Queen, and hated Kay to the core. Kyle never physically hit the girl, but he did get rid of all the boys that were her lackeys. All of her supporters distanced themselves from her one by one, and though no one knew what truly happened, the girl became an emotional wreck. She had to transfer out of school because she was so terrified of Kyle.


    So, now, the Big Bully was looking at Kyle. Like any big bully that meets a stronger person ... he turned tail and ran. The others weren''t far behind either. Kyle watched them go, then went to help Ali pick up the pieces of his spoilt food. They threw it away, then he got Ali a vegetarian sandwich. Since then, they were inseparable.


    Sam''s story was similar, though in his case, he was ostracized because of his young age. It wasn''t because people were deliberately being mean, but they couldn''t get along with him. Some were, of course, envious and didn''t like this young brat being the top in their class. Kyle''s maternal instinct of his previous life kicked in, and he took Sam under his wing. Like a chick, Sam then never left his side as well.


    Kyle was actually still cautious and did not want to rely on these people. He couldn''t trust them yet.


    It was in their Third Year when the incident happened. The event that changed their lives and bounded them to each other, forever.

 Chapter 20 - *Flashback*

    Kyle can never forget the day. The day that changed their lives forever, and created a bond that could never be broken. It happened in their Third Year of School. It was the School Festival, and everyone was busy with the activities and setting up the classrooms.


    Each class was re-arranged and set up to showcase their work. Their tables and desks were taken out to create space, leaving only a few chairs lined up against the wall. The left of the wall contained a small bio-data of the students in the class, which comprised of their names and list of achievements. It ranged from their academic achievements, to their extra curricular activities.


    Yes, it was that competitive even at such a young age. Every student in the school were not the average person, and such competitiveness was expected and honed from young. Otherwise, how would they survive once they were ''let loose to the world''?


    Several tables were set up in the middle of the classrooms as well, showcasing their various school projects. One contained a 3D structure of the school, one had posters detailing research conducted (in Kyle''s case, it was on Shakespeare) and so forth. Parents were going around ooo-hing and aaahiing over everything, though there were a few that frowned - obviously displeased at their own child''s achievements. Rather, lack of it.


    Kyle''s bio was normally the one that they would be compared with, and Kyle tsked at that. Each child is different. It''s fine if you use it as motivation, but not as a means to degrade another and scold them for failing to meet expectations.


    It was during this hectic moment, when the school was full of people, that a group of people managed to enter without notice. Actually, one couldn''t really blame the security of the school as the said people were well dressed and blended in quite well. They mingled with the crowd, hardly being noticed as being out of place as they split up and was often seen talking to a child or two.


    Kyle was the Class Monitor, and was responsible to oversee everything. The class teacher was there, of course, but essentially Kyle was to help explain the projects and showcased items to the parents who came. If they were parents of his classmates, he wouldn''t bother, but there were parents of students from other classes as well.


    It was during one explanation that Kyle''s face suddenly went white. The parent noticed, and before he could ask, Kyle dashed out of the classroom. Xing Han saw this and quickly ran after Kyle as well.


    Xing Han found that he couldn''t keep up with Kyle and was in disbelief. Although he had ran out when Kyle did, he couldn''t see Kyle anywhere. He ran around the corridors frantically, looking for Kyle in each class. In his desperate search, he came across Sam and Ali, who then joined him in the search.


    It took them some time to finally find him, and when they did, they were shocked. In one of the quieter areas of the school as it wasn''t part of the School Festival, Kyle was fighting some adults around a dark tinted car. He was obviously wounded, but did not stop as he deftly threw some quick punches and skilled kicks towards the three people that surrounded him.


    There were already three adults on the floor, unconscious. They could also see the back door of the car was slightly ajar, and they could just see a fair leg wearing their school''s shoes, not moving on the back seat.


    It took them half a minute to figure out what was going on. The one in the car must be Kay, and Kyle was trying to stop them. Although he managed to subdue three villains, it could be seen that Kyle was having trouble with the final three. In the end, no matter how skillful Kyle was, he was still only 9 years old. The adults were bigger and could hit harder. It was perhaps a matter of time before Kyle would be overcome.


    Without hesitation, all three started shouting and running at full speed towards them. The sound shocked the people in front, distracting them, and in that moment, it allowed Kyle to kick one guy''s knee caps, smash the head and stomp on his back before leaping back. He wasn''t fast enough, as he felt his head being hit hard.


    His vision blurred, but he gritted his teeth and ignored the pain. He was about to give a side kick when suddenly the target moved unexpectedly. Kyle managed to make out Xing Han''s round figure latched onto the guy''s legs. This caused the person to lose his balance a bit. The guy smashed his fist down at the side of Xing Han''s head, but other than a grunt, Xing Han didn''t let go. In fact, he opened his mouth wide and took a big bite of the guy''s leg.


    The guy roared in pain, and grabbed onto Xing Han''s hair, pulling it up. Xing Han couldn''t hold on and let go due to the pain. The guy then threw Xing Han hard onto the ground. Just as he was about to kick him, he felt his stomach being hit, then as he doubled over in instinctive pain, his neck was kicked. He fell back, clutching his throat before his eyes rolled to the back of his head.


    Although worried about Xing Han, Kyle still had to deal with the last man standing that were being attacked by Sam and Ali. Kyle felt a lump at the back of his throat when he saw the guy taking out a knife to slash at his friends. Kyle ran as best as he could, despite the sharp pain that accompanied each breath that he took.


    As Sam and Ali were in the way, Kyle couldn''t get a good enough position to be able to help quickly. He watched helplessly as his friends were slashed. By the time he managed to grab the wrist that held the knife, Ali had been stabbed once in the thigh, and he was writhing on the floor, clutching his bloodied thigh in pain.


    Seeing this, Kyle experienced flashbacks of his past life and how he had been tortured filled his mind. Angered, the adrenaline rush gave him strength beyond a normal 9 year old, and he managed to hold on to the wrist as he twisted it to face towards the man. He pushed with all his strength, and the knife went into the guy''s stomach easily. Kyle then twisted it, making the wound bigger before letting go. The man was looking at Kyle in shock, not believing such a young boy was not only skillful, but so ruthless.


    Just as the man fell down, there were shouts in the distance, and sounds of feet rushing over to them. Kyle turned, seeing several security guards rushing. Relieved, Kyle turned towards the car but before he could take a step, he fainted.


    When he awoke, he found himself in the hospital, being hugged tightly as he lay down. He opened his eyes, and saw that it was Kay holding on to him for dear life, her eyes red. When she saw that he was awake, she started sobbing again, and hugged him tighter.


    "Urgh", Kyle grunted in pain and Kay quickly let go.


    "I''m sorry Kyle, I''m so sorry! It''s all my fault," she started, but Kyle put his finger on her lips.


    "Ssssh," he said, "It''s nobody''s fault other that those stupid fools. Just be quiet and hug me. I''ll heal faster."


    Kay nodded, sniffing and stayed still. Soon, her steady breathing indicated she had fallen asleep. Kyle figured she must have spent the whole night awake, worrying about him. He kissed her forehead.


    At that moment, the hospital door opened and Kyle saw his mother walk in. When she saw that he was awake, she rushed over immediately, gingerly touching him.


    "How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Do you want me to get them to increase the pain killer dosage?"


    Delilah''s heart was in pain, seeing her son all bandaged up in bed. He had a slight concussion, split lips and some broken ribs. Doctors told her that it was lucky he was so healthy and his body was strong. Otherwise, the injuries would have been worse. Delilah and Patrick had turned the school upside down, angered that such a thing could happen.


    "How are my friends?" Kyle asked, worried.


    Kyle found out that the other three had been treated at the hospital as well. His parents had footed the bill as thanks for their bravery. Sam was the least injured, while Xing Han had some broken teeth and Ali was in the adjoining room. The wound on his leg wasn''t serious, but he was being kept for a day for observation.


    Kyle listened to it all, warmth spreading in his heart. Those three had unhesitatingly rushed in to help, without any care about their own lives. It was obviously dangerous, yet they didn''t falter. Kyle knew there and then. Those were his brothers for life. He could never repay them for what they had done. If it wasn''t for them, he would have lost Kay.


    He looked at his sister, intense relief filling his heart. Losing her would be like losing half of his soul. Did this mean he loved his children less? Kyle shook his head, and regretted it when the pain hit. Closing his eyes, he decided that wasn''t important. It wasn''t a competition.


    What is important is that he is alive, Kay is safe.


    And he had three new brothers. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 21 - Graduation Day (Part III)

    Kyle''s thought came back to the present. Every time he thought of that day, his heart would still beat rapidly in fear. The people responsible for the attempted kidnapping had long been dealt with by MIB, but the fear still lingered. It emphasized yet again how weak he was. No matter how good the preparations, no matter how hard he worked, one thing could not be changed. He was still a kid. He was severely limited by the young body. Having the skills but not the strength was useless.


    Kyle couldn''t wait to grow up and be stronger. At this moment, he was even more glad to have been reborn as a guy. With a male body, he had the opportunity to develop muscles, and be strong physically. He had hated the fact that he couldn''t fight back in his previous life. True, if he was skilled in martial arts then, he would have been able to handle the men. That is, if he was skilled enough. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, that sense of helplessness and weakness was something he hated and was one of the main reasons why he could push himself so much in this life. Furthermore, as a guy, there were more opportunities open to him. Well, not so much as "more" but rather "much easier".


    As a former woman, he was well aware that women can be as good as men and in some cases, even be better. However, an undeniable fact is that for women, they are constantly fighting against the flow to reach the top, whereas for a man, they''d just go with the flow. So women had to fight harder, and longer, to reach the same level as a man. Kyle wasn''t stupid and not use whatever opportunities or advantage that he had as a man.


    Just then, the Principal announced, "Now, I invite Kyle Smith, the TOP Student of Retsu Primary School, will say a few words."


    Loud clapping sounded as Kyle stood up, straightened his jacket and walked up to the stage. He stood at the podium, looked at everyone in the Hall, and gave a dazzling smile. Audible sighs could be heard, especially from the students at the far back. The seating arrangements were as such that the top scorers were in the first row, followed by the Y6 students and their guests, Y5 students and so forth.


    "Thank you, Principal Troy," began Kyle. "My parents chose Retsu Primary School as it was reputed to be the best in the Nation." Loud claps and whoops whoops were heard from this, and Kyle stopped for a while for the noise to stop before continuing.


    "And for good reason. I have learned, and experienced many, many things in these past 6 years. However, my most invaluable lesson wasn''t what was taught in class, or by the experienced and dedicated teachers."


    Kyle looked at the crowd, turning his head left and right as his eyes swept the whole Hall, "But what I gained from all of you. My friends. My juniors. The parents of my friends. My parents."


    Kyle''s eyes softened as he settled on the front row, "My sister and brothers."


    He looked up again, "You have made me what I am today. Your support, your love, your comradeship. I would not be here if I didn''t have you. We push each other, we go up together and we go down together. Each and every one of us are the backbones of Retsu Primary School.


    I have heard some grumblings that when this batch leaves, Retsu will fail. Those naysayers are foolish. BLIND!! This batch isn''t Retsu. ALL of us are Retsu, and Retsu is all of us. As each batch leaves, a new batch comes and further strengthens Retsu. The spirit of Retsu lives on strong!!


    "I LOVE YOU ALL!!"


    Cheers erupted, several girls crying. Some cherished their delusional moment of having Kyle saying "I love you" ... the "all" part was conveniently deleted from their memories, of course. Dreams are dreams, after all.


    Kyle walked out to the middle of the stage, made a formal bow to his the Principal and Vice Principals, the teachers on both sides before bowing to the crowd. Then, flashing a dazzling smile, he moonwalked off the stage.


    His friends were waiting for him at the bottom, tackling him. His hair was messed up, and in front of the whole crowd, they began stripping him. Xing Han and Ali held him while Sam took off his jacket, waving it above his head. Then Ali locked Kyle''s arms behind him while Xing Han unbuckled his belt and slid it off easily. When Xing Han then reached for the buttons on Kyle''s shirt, Kyle kicked out, almost hitting Xing Han in the stomach.


    Everyone was flabbergasted, watching the whole scene unfold in shock. No one moved, for some reason, probably because no one thought the "Elite Five" (minus the girl) could act so rowdy. Before anyone could react, however, Kyle leaned forward a bit, released an arm and flipped Ali over his head. He then turned around and ran, but not before Xing Han managed to grab his shirt.


    The sound of a shirt tearing and buttons flying snapped everyone out of their stupor. The lucky ones could catch a glimpse of Kyle''s abs, peeking through the open shirt. Kyle dashed out of the hall, right out the nearest door while Sam shouted at the top of his voice, "AFTER HIM!! TRADITION MUST BE FULFILLED!!"


    Chaos erupted. Parents were bewildered, and remained in their seats while the students rushed out in a frenzied manner. Though it may appear like a stampede, the crowd was actually still quite civilised. No one pushed and forced their way through. Instead, they ran out like a start of a structured marathon. A whole crowd just pushing forward but no jostling or crazed people fighting to be ahead.


    The tradition that Sam was talking about was the dunking of the Top Student in the Fountain at the center of Retsu''s Main Building. No one thought that it would be done this year, for no one dared to touch Kyle. No one, except for the members of the Elite Five, of course.


    Kyle ran quickly, getting a head start as no one expected him to suddenly dash out. He shook his head. He''s going to get back at those three soon enough. Glancing back briefly, Kyle saw the whole crowd rushing at him and he picked up his pace. It''s bad enough that they had planned to dunk him, it''s worse that they had partially stripped him. Tradition was to be dunked fully clothed!!


    Just as he rounded a corner of a building, he took the opportunity to be away from prying eyes to suddenly scale up from the edge of the building. He jumped onto a window sill, using the momentum to reach the window sill above. He pulled himself up easily, opened the window and slipped in. He just barely managed to close the window when thundering feet stampeded below.


    Kyle turned, to see one bespectacled girl gaping at him, her mouth wide open. Of all days, it was THIS day that she had been late to school. She couldn''t get into the Assembly Hall to watch the graduation, earning her intense regret and she was wallowing in sadness in her classroom. Who would have thought, that the vision of loveliness would tumble into the room at that moment, hiding under the window.


    When he turned, she could see his usually immaculate hair all messed up but yet, he still looked so dashing. His shirt was wide open, revealing the tight, taught abdominal muscles that was always hidden underneath his clothes. She was already 11, still young to be innocent but old enough to appreciate the opposite gender''s body. She gulped.


    Kyle gave a smile, and put a finger on his lips.


    She nodded, wide eyed and felt that being late today was the best thing ever.


    Of course, Kyle still got caught in the end. No matter how good he was at hiding, he couldn''t do it indefinitely when the whole school was looking for him. That, and the fact that Kay told the others where he was hiding.


    So while Kyle was being led towards the Fountain, Kyle glared at Kay who looked at him with innocent eyes. Kyle''s hands and legs were then grabbed by Sam and Xing Han, who then started swinging him towards the fountain.


    With a "heeave-ho!!", Kyle was thrown into the fountain and everyone cheered.


    Kyle sat up, brushing the wet hair away from his eyes. Flashes from camera phones were going like crazy, as they couldn''t get enough of him. It was so ... perfectly picturesque. As he sat there, his hair wet and droplets of water falling down that perfectly sculptured face, his shirt sticking to his body ... At that moment, he didn''t look like a 12 year old.


    With a sudden grin, Kyle then began splashing the water towards the three stooges, who protested loudly. Kyle even stood up and started kicking water all around, effectively wetting anyone within range. Someone then had the bright idea of taking a hose from a nearby building and started retaliating. People started screaming, and laughing and jumping into the fountain.


    And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how the Greatest Water Fight began, the stories of it being passed down into Retsu''s Primary School as being one of the greatest event that graced the normally rigid school.

 Chapter 22 - Kato

    Three days later.


    Master Shifu was busy observing Kyle, who was shirtless and doing the horse stance. He walked around him, looking at the position and then he would suddenly kick at the back of Kyle''s leg. Kyle didn''t flinch. Satisfied, Master Shifu then jumped up and landed right on Kyle''s shoulders.


    Kyle grunted, but didn''t budge. Master Shifu bent down, staring at Kyle''s face upside down. He then started running on the spot, with each step down pressing upon Kyle''s shoulder even more. Kyle''s stance shifted down a little bit on the 20th stomp and Master Shifu tsked.


    Jumping off, Master Shifu rapped at the top of Kyle''s head. "Is that the best you can do?"


    "No, Master Shifu," Kyle replied respectfully, "But you gained weight."


    "Cheeky brat," grumbled Master Shifu, rapping the top of Kyle''s head even more, "Now go and spar with them."


    Master Shifu watched as Kyle jogged over to the sparring mat. He had to admit, he was satisfied with Kyle''s performance. He had shown great aptitude to the basics of the art, and his head seemed to seep all the knowledge and skills like a sponge. His mind was sharp, his senses were keen and his passion undeniable.


    Master Shifu sighed, thinking of his own deceased son. He grudgingly admitted that Kyle was better than his son in this aspect. Master Shifu continued watching as Kyle first sparred with those of his same build, then bigger. Finally, to fight several at the same time. The men had been hired muscle, and were paid highly to be beaten up. The men were from various backgrounds, with differing styles of fighting.


    Ever since D-Day, Kyle had been training like a demon. Theory and sparring safely wasn''t satisfactory anymore. He needed real experience. Thus, the sparring was upgraded into the form that it is right now. As of last year, when Kyle entered puberty, Master Shifu had started another programme.


    Like Batman, Kyle''s duty was to infiltrate the seedier parts of town, save people and leave. Sometimes he was allowed to go out in the open and beat up the criminals in public (with his face hidden, of course), sometimes he was required to use stealth (enter their HQ or living quarters and). Kyle learned the basic rule of the street as well : Never show mercy.


    It didn''t take long for Kyle to get a street name: Ice. Kyle wore coloured contacts whenever he went out, but instead of opting for a less striking colour, he merely chose the type of contacts that lightened his own blue eyes. As a result, instead of deep blue sea colour, it was striking light blue. He hardly talked, he was cold, and he finished off his enemies quickly. "Ice" appeared fitting.


    Master Shifu decided that today, was the day.


    Calling Kyle over, Kyle first bowed as thanks to his sparring partners that were groaning on the floor. They waved at him, and he came over to Master Shifu and waited patiently.


    "Kyle," Master Shifu began slowly, then sighed. Resolving himself, Master Shifu looked at Kyle straight in the eyes and continued, "Kyle Kato Smith. Do you accept?"


    Kyle''s eyes widened. Kato was Master Shifu''s true name, carrying the name of the original ninja. It was said that Kato Danzo was his ancestor, a ninja that specialised in the art of illusion. It was Kato Danzo that gave ninjas the reputation of having magical powers.


    Kyle immediately went down on his knees and kowtowed three times. "Disciple greets Master Kato."


    Master Shifu/Kato patted Kyle''s head, tears in his eyes. "Good, good. From now, the real training begins."


    "Yes, Master," Kyle answered, getting up.


    Kato Dazai was his Master''s full name. However, the "Kato" name was not used, nor ever stated unless it was within the other ninja clans. By giving the Kato name to Kyle, it meant that Kyle was a successor of the Kato Art. Officially, he is still Kyle Smith. On the super-secret ninja clan ancestry list, however, Kyle''s name had been inserted under the ''Kato'' Clan.


    When Master Shifu decided that the day before, he was a bit heavy hearted to do so. He looked at the greyed out name next to Kyle, and softly caressing it. "Son, meet your brother." he whispered, "May he break the curse that seems our Family is under." There is a saying amongst the ninjas : A competent Ninja cannot be loved by his Master. Their ancestor, Kato Danzo, had been betrayed by his Master, just like he had been betrayed by his.


    Wiping the tears from his eyes, Master Shifu rolled up the scroll and submitted it. The other clans would get its notification within 24 hours, and that was the time he told Kyle of his decision.


    *** --- *** ---


    Kay was inside her bedroom, busy tapping away at her keyboard. She was busy strengthening the security of the MIB system, not taking things for granted. The more jobs she took online, the more she had to be careful. Lots of people were trying to track her, or at least, find out who "K", the top hacker in the country, was. Kay would take the jobs more as a reason to hone her skills rather than for the money (though additional money is still nice), and she would avoid any criminal activities. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Okay, that was not true. She would participate in deep web activities as well, and hack into government secure bases - but it was not to cause harm to innocents. Gathering information that would allow another to obtain justice, put corrupt individuals to jail and blackmailing blackmailers were just a bit of the things she did. So, she was still breaking the law - but she wasn''t doing any crime by her own definition.


    Kay leaned back on her chair, satisfied after putting in the last code. She looked around and sighed. Her bedroom was decorated simply, her bed was littered with several soft toys : a dolpin, a cat, one small husky, one bigger husky and a long caterpillar that served as her bolster. Ever since they hit puberty, she had to stay in a seperate bedroom than Kyle. His room was just across hers, however, but she still felt lonely. Thus, she need all the toys to surround her as she slept, the slight pressure of the toys giving her some sense of comfort.


    Still, she missed him. R


    Right now, he would be training with Master Shifu. When he had first arrived, he was rather harsh but soon succumbed to their charms. Still, he didn''t make any decision at letting Kyle be his successor. Despite that, Kyle was calm and stated that so long as Master Shifu didn''t leave, they had a chance. He was patient and he knew it would take some time.


    Kay snorted as she smashed the keys in frustration. Time, my foot. It has been 6 years now. What else could he be waiting for? Couldn''t he see how awesome her brother was? Hah. He should be begging for someone as fantastic as her brother to learn his art.


    Her eyes darted over the screen, seeing the information flashing by as her fingers flew across the keyboard. The money in their Swiss Bank accounts were steadily increasing, despite the expenses they had to incur for the maintenance and upkeep of MIB and its employees.


    Stocks were up, investments were good. Bitcoins sold off at an unprecedented profit and people were still trying to buy it up, unaware that the time it boomed had long gone. It''s still good source of money, but it wouldn''t make anyone instant millionaires. Not anymore, that is. Kay was certainly glad that they now had people who would manage their money for them, and all she had to do was simply stare at the lovely amount in their accounts. That was something she enjoyed doing everyday.


    Sure, their family was rich but it was the Family Money. This. This was their own money. Earned. Money money money. MY MONEY. Kay giggled. The sense of security and happiness from seeing it was priceless. In fact, the high spec computer she was using was actually bought with her own money. Her parents thought it was a ''normal'' computer that was only a few thousand ... not knowing that it had been modified by parts that Kay obtained herself. Its capabilities and value was not "just" a few thousand.


    In fact, everything that Kyle and Kay owned were mainly "wolf in sheep''s clothing", like they were. On the outside, it (and they) appeared normal but its contents were completely different. It was akin to a spy movie, but with cooler gadgets. Previously, while still in primary school, they never used the items but things will change now that they are entering secondary school. They were going to be slightly more active now, but it all had to happen right under the noses of everyone else.


    Kay laughed a bit when she thought of the movie "MIB". Kyle had told her about the movie before it came out, and had actually imitated it to a certain degree. Not just their items were hidden gadgets, their rooms also contained hidden compartments to house a few hidden things. It wasn''t easy to build it in without their parents or the household knowing, but they managed somehow.


    ''Secondary school is going to be fun'', Kay thought to herself. The Second Phase begins.

 Chapter 23 - The Move

    Sakura Academy. It wasn''t the top secondary school in the Nation, and it was in State S, about 100 miles away from Kyle and Kay''s home. As Kyle and Kay arrived, Delilah couldn''t help but complain again.


    "Why did you guys have to choose a school so far away? And it isn''t even the top academy!" she moaned out loud as she looked at the building. Sure, it was pretty enough and there actually were Sakura trees planted all around.


    Kyle remained silent, not bothering to explain. There was no way he could reveal to her that Sakura Academy was the one of the schools that had an exchange programme with Country C, the place where he lived as Kylie. Out of the schools that had such an exchange programme, Sakura Academy was the top performing school.


    It wasn''t a bad school, truly, and it had a good solid base. As long as you obtained good grades here, they could apply to any Top Universities in the Nation, and that was more important. This school served two purposes : as a connection to create a link or relationship with Kylie''s children, and to live in the dorms. They needed to step up on their plans, and being cooped up at home while being constantly monitored at home made it difficult.


    In preparation for this move, MIB had a branch office set up nearby. Of course, to other people, it appeared like a normal convenience store, but underground, it had the operations room. It was already fully equipped with what they needed, and Agent Oreo was the Head of the Sakura Branch.


    Master Shifu had also moved here, and the Smiths provided him with housing that "just happened" to be next door to the MIB branch office. One could access the underground operations room from Master Shifu''s house as well. All had been planned, and today this part of the plan was set in motion.


    "Look, it''s not too late to change your mind, Kyle," Delilah tried to persuade him, "Just say the words and I''ll settle the matter as quick as you can snap your fingers!" She looked at him with big, pleading eyes.


    "Auuuww, Mum," Kay came over, hugging her, "We''re not THAT far away, you know. We''ll still see each other during every semester break." And then leaning closer, she whispered, "Perhaps it''s time for you guys to give us siblings, right?"


    "Oh, you!!" Delilah replied.


    "Don''t worry, Mum," Kyle assured her. "We''ll be fine. I just want to experience a whole lot of things. We''ll still be going to Preston University later." Preston University was THE University. The elite of elite, and highly prestigious. The only reason why Delilah had agreed to this was because she had lost the bet. She promised him he could go to any secondary school he wanted so long as he was the top student at Retsu. She just never imagined that he would choose ... this.


    At first, she refused, not caring that she was breaking her promise. She didn''t think it was wrong to put her foot down if it meant securing his future. Coming here was a step down, in her opinion. However, Kyle managed to negotiate with her and said that he would be going to Preston University in the end. Eventually, she relented.


    "Remember," she warned, pointing a finger at him, "The deal was that you must be #1 all the time. Otherwise, we''re pulling you out."


    "Yes, Mum," Kyle said obediently. If this had been him in his previous life, he never would have agreed to such a ridiculous requirement. There was no way he could ever be #1. Here, however, it was not only possible but not a problem.


    "Come on," he said, urging them forward. "We have to register at the dorm before going to school. We don''t have much time."


    The Opening Ceremony was going to begin in two hours, and they still needed to register with the Dorm Head, find their way in the dorm, change to their school uniform and head to school.


    Kyle and Kay were living in the dorms, and they were sharing a room with another. Each dorm had several types of shared accommodations : two-to a room, three to a room and finally, four to a room. Other than the two of them, everyone else had already moved in. It was the rule that one had to be living in the dorms at least a day before school began.


    As for Kyle and Kay, however ... their father actually managed to get permission for their stuff to be delivered and unpacked by other people the day before. It was the school rule that those living in the dorms had to move in at least a day before school began.


    When everyone else had their parents or relatives helping them move their stuff in, and then they themselves had to unpack ... there was a whole team of people moving in the dorms for them. People watched in amazement as two white vans arrived, and at least four people from each van alighted. With quick precision, the goods were unloaded, unpacked into the respective dorm, everything arranged neatly inside (clothes were placed in the closet, the bed was made, the books were arranged on shelves etc) within an hour.


    The team had not only asked which side of the room was available before unloading everything, they even helped the current occupants with their things. So, while other people were looking in disdain (and intense jealousy) over the obviously preferential treatment that the two unknown students were getting, their actual roomates reserved judgment. If the people working for them were nice, the actual people couldn''t be that bad now, could they?


    Everyone in the dorm knew that the "rich spoilt brats" would be arriving that day and were intensely curious about who they were. So when Kyle and Kay arrived, there were several people already in the lobby, talking loudly ... "lounging" ... but in actual reality, stretching their necks out, waiting.


    The dorm building was actually two rather large apartment block buildings facing each other and being connected via the lobby on the first floor. In other words, the entire dorm building was a U shape. The left "U" was the boys block and the right "U" was the girl''s block. There was only one entrance to both buildings, and as they passed through the glass door, they noticed a rather stern looking matron behind the desk while the spacious resting area were full of other students.


    "Ah. You must be the Smiths," she said kindly, getting up, "I am Matron Camillia". Despite her rather strict appearance, she had a kind voice . . . which they could hear so clearly suddenly when the noise around them just stopped. It was rather surreal. At first, you felt like you had walked into a wet market with all the sounds and noises all around and then ... nothing.


    Delilah smiled back and nodded, shaking her hand while introducing Kyle and Kay. They both greeted her politely and shook her hand as well. Kyle and Kay then turned to look wonderingly at the other students who suddenly went all quiet, then back at each other. The shocked expressions on their faces were priceless. Some even had a big open "O" which had yet to close.


    The moment Kyle and Kay turned their gazes away form them, the loud whispering started.


    "Omigosh migosh ... no it can''t be, can it?!" squealed one girl under her breath, grabbing the arm of her friend nearby, "I must be dreaming. That''s it. Yes, a dream..." her friend was mumbling, dazed. Three girls were holding on to each other, jumping about like kangaroos but trying to be as quiet as possible.


    Another girl was going "THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" while spreading her arms above in gratitude. Only she knew who she was thanking at that moment. Not that anyone cared. Everyone basically forgot about their disdain at the "rich spoilt brats". Rather, they were busy taking some shots in secret (cuz the Matron was very particular about privacy) and posting it online.


    "Guess who''s living in the same dorm as I am?"


    "My dreams come true. I can die happy," another posted.


    "Not in my wildest dream. Ever."


    Similar posts were popping up. One girl, who had managed to get quite a good side profile of Kyle, posted it on the school student''s website, with the caption #GuessWho? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The boys who were there just sat down, smiling. Goofy smile, mind you. Well, at least their reaction was better.


    Suddenly, one voice was heard asking clearly, but hesitatingly, "Er, who are they?"


    As if on cue, every single head turned towards the girl, their eyes incredulous. The girl shrank back a bit at their intense gaze, her eyes blinking rapidly. Did she ask something strange? She turned to look back at the people that had caused the entire lounge to act crazy.


    As she glanced up, she noticed that the boy had also turned, and was looking at her curiously. Time seemed to stop still for her, as his intense blue eyes seem to bore into her. As she stood there, frozen, while her heart was beating rapidly, he suddenly smiled, waved at her and turned to follow the Matron up to his dorm room.


    The spell broken, she then realised everyone was still staring at her. Though this time, some of the gazes from the girls weren''t so nice.

 Chapter 24 - Roommates

    The girl''s name was Sarah.


    She was a rather petite girl at only 5 feet tall, and of Chinese descent. Her hair was dark, cut in a bob style that framed her slightly round shaped face, reaching her shoulders. She had recently moved to the country when her father got transferred. Hence, her ignorance of the Smith Twins and the Elite Five.


    Her father made her attend Sakura Academy, and to live in the dorms as he didn''t have time to truly take care of her. Her mother had passed on the year before, and her father still found it difficult to handle his grief - and hers. So he did the next best thing. He let someone else do the ''taking care of''.


    Sarah didn''t know anyone yet from the dorm, and she had merely come down to try to make some new friends before school began. Her roommate hadn''t arrived yet, and she had no idea when that would be. Initially, Sarah tried to make some friends the night before, but found that most hung out with their respective roommates. She didn''t have the courage yet to break the ice, and thus, she had hoped to be more successful at the lounge.


    That was another reason why she hadn''t known that one of the new arrivals was her new roommate. And she couldn''t have guessed that her innocent question would have caused such a reaction!


    "Which hole did you crawl out from, not to know them?" asked one, snorting. She felt that Sarah''s question was purely an act seeking attention - which worked, since Kyle actually looked at her and smiled! At .. at this little thing! Jealousy burned inside of her.


    Sarah gulped, not knowing how to respond or why the animosity was being directed at her.


    "Oh come on, Janice," said another, "It''s obvious it has to be from some backwater village. Just look at her clothes!" They both then peeled in laughter.


    Sarah looked down at her T-shirt and jeans. Sneakers. What? What was wrong with them? It was clean, and comfortable. She looked at the two girls. They were dressed in jeans as well, but had on heels and a blouse. Sarah shrugged, not bothered. She didn''t know why these girls were being so nasty, but she really couldn''t be bothered.


    As they were laughing, Sarah then walked away.


    "Oh look, the little mouse is running away!" said Janice and Sarah frowned, but didn''t look back. She went to the lift that would take her to dorm room, thinking that it would be better for her to just wait in the room until it was time to attend school. Making friends can wait another day. Today was just too exhausting.


    Sarah got off her floor and walked to her dorm room. It was then that she realised there was quite a crowd in the corridor. "Excuse me, excuse me," she said as she squeezed through whenever she could. The crowd was even denser nearer to her dorm room, and she couldn''t quite push through anymore.


    One girl in front of her turned back and said, "Stop pushing!"


    "I''m sorry! But I just want to get to my room. Can you please move aside?" Sarah pleaded.


    The girl harrumphed, then replied, "Yeah, right. Give me another excuse. You just want to get to see him better, isn''t it?"


    "Huh? See who?" Sarah asked, puzzled.


    Before the other girl could reply, Matron''s clear voice was heard, "Sarah? Is that you? Come here, child."


    "Excuse me, Matron Camillia is calling me," insisted Sarah to the girl in front. The girl had no choice but to make a way through since the Matron called her.


    Sarah''s entire gaze was on the people around her, and on the floor as she slowly made her way through. She loudly let out the breath that she didn''t realise she had been holding, with a ''phew'' and she gave one last glance behind her, mumbling, ''crazy people blocking the corridor''.


    She froze when she heard a slight laugh in front of her and her head whipped back in front, her eyes seeing a chest right in front of her. She then looked up, and was greeted by the same intense blue eyes she had locked eyes with in the lobby.


    "Hi," she squeaked out, and he laughed again, louder this time, causing the girls around to just sigh.


    "Hi," he said, "The name''s Kyle. And you must be Sarah, my sister''s roommate."


    "Sister?" Sarah repeated then when the words clicked, her eyes brightened, "Roommate?" Sarah turned to her room, looking in. There, she saw a girl taking out several soft toys from a bag and arranging it lovingly on the bed.


    "Kayla!" shouted Kyle at the doorway, "Your roomie Sarah is here!"


    Kayla turned, and Sarah gasped. Even to her, she found Kayla''s beauty breath taking. Kayla came rushing over excitedly, grabbing both of Sarah''s hands, saying, "Hi roomie! Call me Kay!"


    "Erm, okay. I''m Sarah," Sarah replied then mentally knocked her forehead. Of course Kay would already know that, since her own brother told her already.


    "I''m sure we''re going to be good friends!" Kay smiled, letting her hands go. Kay then turned to look at her brother, saying, "Get lost, Kyle. You''re creating a disturbance here."


    Kyle rolled his eyes upwards, gave her a two finger salute while leaning on the door frame, "Gotcha sis. Getting lost. See yah." Kyle then looked behind Kay, shouting, "Mum! Leaving now. Send Dad my regards."


    Delilah just smiled and waved him off. Before turning away, Kyle smiled at Sarah, saying, "Nice meeting you."


    Then he turned, and saw that the corridor was blocked. The Matron just glared at the girls and they parted, taking deep breaths as Kyle walked by. No one dared to actually reach out to touch him, and they looked on dreamily as he entered the lift and out of sight. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Delilah frowned, not liking the way the girls acting. When the said girls saw the mother of their dream boat walk out and stare at them, they quickly looked down and suddenly found things to do elsewhere. Getting on the bad side of their potential mother-in-law would not be a good start.


    ***---***---


    Kyle went down the lift to the ground floor, then walked across the main area to the lift on the opposite side. This lift would take him to his dorm room. He looked at the keycard in his hand, remembering Matron''s words, "Your room is B1209, which means it''s on the 12th floor, Wing B. It''s to the left of the lift."


    Reaching his door, Kyle looked at the number plate on the door, and the empty name slots that were at the right side of the door. Kyle was curious at that. Wasn''t his roommate already settled in? Kyle shrugged, and inserted the keycard into the slot at the door handle. Just as he pushed down the handle, his ears detected some slight movement inside.


    Instinctively, Kyle went on high-alert. The room was dark, and there was just enough light that filtered through the closed curtains that he could make out the vague shape of the room. Kyle pretended not to have heard anything, and walked in without missing a beat.


    The moment he closed the door behind him, he sensed some movement on his left. Just by taking one small step to the side and twisting his waist slightly, he avoided the lumbering figure that had reached out to him. The said figure couldn''t stop in time, stumbled and crashed onto the floor.


    Kyle flipped the switch on, illuminating the room. On the floor, sat Xing Han who stared up at Kyle, aggrieved.


    "Damn it Kyle!! Why did you move so fast?!"


    Kyle smirked, reached out a hand and pulled Xing Han up, "What are you doing here? I thought you''re not staying in the dorms?"


    "What ? ME? Not staying in the dorms? What would you do without me, your best friend forever and ever and ever?! We''re going to be the best roommates! Ever! We''ll do everything together! Ah! I''m so excited just thinking about it!"


    "Wait. YOU''RE my roommate?"


    "Yeah, isn''t this just Fate?" Xing Han grinned, "We''re meant for each other!" He reached over to give Kyle a hug and Kyle prevented him, his hand on Xing Han''s forehead.


    Kyle was 5''8", and taller than Xing Han by 2", and he so he just managed to keep Xing Han from coming closer, "Whoa, down boy. And what do you mean, Fate? I distinctively remember my roommate''s name is Gerald."


    Xing Han stopped, gave him an innocent look and replied, "Gerald? Oh ... he suddenly realised that I would be a better roommate."


    "Xing. Han," Kyle said in a low voice, enunciating each word clearly and slowly while putting down his hand.


    "Ah, relax Kyle," Xing Han said while walking to his side of the room, "Gerald is now the owner of two limited edition sets of Rianna''s photo album. Sexy edition, mind you."


    Kyle sighed, and walked over to his closet, taking out his school uniform. Unlike Retsu, the Sakura Academy''s uniform was the standard secondary school set. A short sleeve white collared shirt, black pants. The school emblem was on a pin, to be pinned on the pocket that was on the left of the shirt. Kyle walked into the bathroom, and Xing Han teased him, "What? Shy?"


    Kyle grinned back, as he walked in then just before closing the door, he said, "I just didn''t want you to drool over my ripped body."


    Xing Han made a gagging motion as the door closed.

 Chapter 25 - An Old ’Friend’?

    The fact that the Smiths Twins were at Sakura Academy had already been spread and people were waiting impatiently at the school gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. When they saw a bespectacled lanky boy walking in with an olive skinned Asian boy, the almost fainted in excitement. It was amazing enough that the twins were here, but the other two members of the Elite Five were as well?


    Right now, the Sakura Academy students were thanking their lucky stars, while those who weren''t there, cursed. There were even a few that had worked hard to get to the top school in the Nation, only to find out that the Elite Five weren''t there. But at Sakura Academy. SAKURA ACADEMY?!


    Of course, not everyone was that ridiculous to choose a school based entirely on their friends rather than the school itself ... ok, fine. Can''t be denied that most do since friends are very important while school appears to be the same wherever they go. If one can''t have their friends with them, school would be boring, right?


    Sam and Ali took out their phones and Sam started texting, "We''re here. Where the heck are you guys? Can you be any slower??"


    ''Not my fault'' - Xing Han.


    ''You know. Women''. *rolls eyes emoji*- Kyle


    *Kay added Sarah


    ''Men just drown in powder or cologne. Women actually bathe''- Kay - ''Oh, and everyone. Meet Sarah. She''s my roomie!''


    ''Hi'' - Sarah


    ''Is she cute?'' - Sam


    ''Very. Don''t bully her''- Kay


    "KAY!" Sarah shouted in embarrassment, as they headed down to the lobby. Kay just grinned. They met Kyle and Xing Han, who had been waiting for some time and headed towards the school. It would only be a five minute walk, so they didn''t really hurry.


    Out of all the people that were eagerly waiting to see if the entire Elite Five would be there, there was one that wasn''t quite so happy. It was a rather pretty girl, with her brown curly locks tied up in a ponytail. Right now, her hazel eyes were tinged with worry as she looked at Sam and Ali, recognizing them for who they were.


    She bit her lips as she stood there, looking down at phone which showed the school website and Kyle''s face was plastered all over the forums. Her heart was in a mess. The young boy that she had fallen hard for all those years ago, had grown even more outstanding. Such a friendly, angelic face ... but she knew, behind that seemingly innocent face, there was darkness simmering below the surface. A darkness that could erupt at any moment.


    If only she hadn''t been so arrogant and stupid, full of herself - would she have been a friend of theirs? Now, it was too late. What she had done was unforgivable, and it was only right that Kyle had acted the way he did. She had hurt his precious sister, and when he found out, he went ballistic.


    It was then that she discovered the other side of Kyle. He had never touched her, but the threat was enough. To a young 9 year old ... seeing those cold eyes staring at her, his voice low yet dripping with anger and disgust, his hands almost at her throat ... she had no doubt that he would have done what he said he would.


    He hadn''t been kidding.


    She can still remember that event as if it was yesterday. She had felt that Kyle was too close to his sister, and for some reason, she had been convinced that if Kay was out of the way, she could swoop in and take that place. Get some people to kidnap Kay. Kyle goes limp with worry. She comes in and comforts him. He falls for her. Perfect plan, see?


    How was she to know just how far he would go for his sister? He practically almost died! She regretted it then, but only because he had been hurt. She had felt no guilt over what Kay had gone through. She had also been too overconfident that anyone would know that she was behind it. It had been her trusted butler who did everything and he had always been discreet.


    Yet, Kyle still found out. When she saw Kyle near the gym, she was surprised and excited. He looked up, saw her and actually smiled.


    "Sophia, I need to talk to you," he said in his hypnotising voice.


    Sophia shook her head at the memory. She had been so excited and nervous that she practically flew over. She had been feeling rather down the past few days, as her friends were suddenly always busy with something. With this, though, she began to feel rather smug and proud. When she got back, she would brag about this, and they would be green with envy for not being with her at that time. Her naive little mind didn''t even realise that they started drifting away from her around the time after the failed kidnapping event.


    She had eagerly followed him into a secluded area of the school, nervous but not scared. However, the moment they were out of sight, he suddenly stopped and turned, closing the distance between them in a flash. Janice had been startled, and stepped back, feeling the wooden shed wall behind her. At first, she thought this would be that famous kabedon pose, but even then, it felt strange. There was this ... feeling. Her body was reacting in fear, not nervousness.


    She was confused. Completely. Why was there this rather oppressive aura around? It was akin to the feeling when one walked into a cemetery in the middle of the night. Her heart was beating rapidly, as if something was going to jump out at her. It wasn''t until she looked up and saw those cold, cold eyes seething with anger that she realised why her body was reacting in such a way. He hadn''t even touched her, and was a foot away, but she still felt her knees weakening.


    "K-Kyle?" she stammered, blinking and biting her lips.


    He took a step closer, not breaking eye contact with her as he said, "If you ever. EVER. do anything to Kay again, I will make sure you''ll regret it for the rest of your life."


    His voice had been cold. So cold. His eyes not having the usual warmth that everyone knew him for. Then suddenly, he moved - so swiftly that she didn''t see the whole thing but felt something flash by beside her ear. All she heard was the sound of the wind followed by a sudden loud smash and then he was back in position again.


    Sophia turned her head in fear, and saw a big, gaping hole at the fence right beside where her head was. She looked back at him in total fear, while he said, his hand in a fist which suddenly moved again, but this time, it stopped about an inch from her nose, "Next time, I won''t stop."


    Sophia''s knees buckled then, and she fell into a heap on the ground, tears streaming down her face. Kyle didn''t even look at her as he turned away and walked off, not looking back. She curled up into a ball, shaking, and she bawled her eyes out. She didn''t know how long she cried, but when she finally stopped, her mind was cleared up.


    She had been so scared that she developed a fever, and was recuperating at home for a week. She had nightmares after that for long, long time. She also used that as an excuse to transfer, saying that she saw a ghost. So she never went back to the school ever since the incident. She couldn''t.


    Sophia''s attention snapped back to the present when she heard the girls around her screaming softly. She looked up and saw that Kyle had arrived. Kay and Xing Han were with him, along with a girl she didn''t recognise. Sam and Ali rushed at the girl and the girl actually shrank back like a little rabbit while smiling shyly. Sophia saw Kay hitting the two boys on the chest before all of them headed off into the Hall.


    As she watched the group go, Sophia sighed.


    In truth, Sophia didn''t harbour any grudges towards them. In fact, she was grateful. That had been a traumatizing wake-up call, but it certainly made her realise that she had been a total spoilt brat. Sometimes it takes a huge event like that to make one change.


    For Sophia, instead of wallowing in anger and thoughts of revenge, she became more self aware. She may have transferred schools, but she always kept track of the Elite Five. She saw how much they achieved, and how tight they were as friends. They were the ones with power, or rather, would grow into power. Their own power.


    As for herself, she always used borrowed power. She had always flaunted her parents'' wealth and power to get what she wanted, and everyone always indulged her. No one dared to go against her as her parents would punish them otherwise. It wasn''t rocket science to figure out why she had been like that before.


    If it wasn''t for Kyle, she would probably have turned out to be the most selfish and spoilt prima donna that felt that the world owed her everything. A destructive person. She was already down that path when Kyle smashed it, creating a new one. She chose to take a different path, and she was glad for it.


    "Sophia? What are you doing? Come on!" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She turned, to see Ren rushing up at her, "We''re going to be late if you keep spacing out like that. Come on!" Sophia followed Ren, deep in thought.

 Chapter 26 - Trouble Brewing

    As the Elite Five + 1 walked into the Hall, Kay mind-spoke to Kyle, [Did you see her?]


    [Sophia? Of course. We knew she''d be here] Kyle responded.


    [Are you still mad at her?] she asked curiously.


    [Nah] Kyle replied.


    Which was true. One thing Kyle learned in his second life was not to waste his time in bearing grudges. His style was to settle the problem, then let it go. There was absolutely no point in investing time and thought into things that have been settled. Of course, the condition was the situation WAS settled.


    [Trent confirms that she has already changed] Kyle explained.


    Kay nodded. [Master Shifu''s mind control is truly frightening. Have you mastered it yet?]


    Kyle sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as they sat down at their allocated seating, and admitted, [Not quite yet. It''s hard. Give me 100 push-ups anytime! No! Even 1000 push-ups wouldn''t be this hard! This mental skill is so draining and hard to grasp!]


    The Art that the Kato Clan specialised in was hypnotism. Well, that was the basics of it. It had many uses, and many ways to use. The most basic skill was putting their targets to sleep, with the most advance skill being mind control. Kyle had been so impressed that he actually said to Master Shifu who had just started explaining the art to him, "You mean, like in Shallow Hal?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Master Shifu had been so miffed, and Kyle got one huge bump on the head from the ''gentle'' tap of Master Shifu''s cane. "The concept is barely there, and the execution? HAH!! Amateurish! Stupid! What you will learn is the true, subtle art of it. Don''t EVER compare our sacred art with Hollywood fantasies!"


    Kyle grimaced. Luckily he didn''t mention ''Now you see me''. He would have gotten two bumps on the head then. Maybe three, for good measure.


    After just one day, however, Kyle found out how truly naive his perception had been about the Art. There is already the concept of hypnotism used by psychiatrists (slightly controversial, I might add), but not only was that form of hypnotism the most mildest from, it was done with the use of an external stimulant aid with the subject being compliant.


    Kyle, however, had to do it without the other party even knowing he was doing it. He barely manages the first form - mind control? That would probably take years! The subtle move of the body, the way the voice is used, the words that would be uttered ... he required to use such minute details and movements to execute the art.


    At that time, so many years ago, Master Shifu had personally stepped in to settle the issue. Trent is Sophia''s butler - the person that she trusted the most, and the one responsible for anything Sophia wanted done. They needed to keep an eye on Sophia, and the best thing was to take control of Trent. It wasn''t really making him into a robot, but ... was actually, way cooler.


    Trent doesn''t even remember that he had been hypnotised. They had captured him, Master Shifu did his hocus pocus (Kyle would get 10 bumps on the head for that), and Trent returned to work like normal, none the wiser. However, everyday, before sleeping, Trent would be using a tablet that they had given him to send an email report to Kyle. The email would be encrypted, sent and all traces deleted.


    Trent would also use the tablet to call using a secured line using the tablet if there was anything that needed to be reported immediately. Trent believed he had bought the tablet as a birthday gift to himself, and the line was via a hidden encrypted link in it. Thus, no one would accidentally stumble upon the secured line.


    Throughout the 4 years since the incident, Sophia had changed drastically and was no longer a threat. Thus, Trent was left as is, to continue monitoring the situation and the task of reading the daily reports fell to MIB. Kyle would only be informed of any unusual incidences.


    When the Principal stood up, everyone stopped talking and the Hall fell into silence. The principal was a woman, her brown hair tinged with some silver lines, all neatly packed in a tight bun. She wore a grey suit with a pencil skirt, and she seemingly gazed at everyone in the hall through her black squared rim glasses. She stood there for a while, looking left and right, before her eyes fell on Kyle for a good, long minute as her lips pressed into a thin line.


    Kyle frowned the moment she turned her gaze away from him, and Kay asked in indignation. [What''s her problem??]


    [No idea. Background checks cleared her. To be safe, place her under surveillance. We wouldn''t want her to be our stumbling block for our plans].


    They had many things to execute through the school, and it would truly be troublesome if the Principal didn''t play along. The report indicated that though the Principal was stern, she was fair. However, that glance of hers earlier gave Kyle the impression that she might not be as fair as she portrayed. Only time would tell.


    "Welcome back, returning students and welcome, to our new students," the Principal began, "to our beloved and esteemed Sakura Academy!! I am Principal Dobbins.


    "We are a school that emphasizes on education. Prestige. Hard work. Integrity.


    "This is a school that rewards real hard work. YOUR own hard work and effort. Your background, your wealth, your power means nothing if you do not work for it. Our educators have impeccable integrity and will not be influenced by your background, or how popular you are.


    "ALSO! I would like to remind all new students!! Your past glorious achievements are nothing now. Everything is wiped clean. What you had achieved before this was just child''s play. Now, we are actually in secondary school where you will learn real topics. Real subjects."


    She paused for a while and people were starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. It was bad enough that she ridiculed their previous school education, but her words seem to be directed particularly to the Elite Five. It may appear that she was telling them that life in secondary school would be much tougher, but in reality, everyone could understand that she was mocking those who actually did well. Worse, she didn''t believe that their achievements were the result of their hard work but through underhanded methods.


    Those that had been from Retsu Primary School were seething inside. They knew that their former school wasn''t that laid back, and they had seen how the Elite Five had worked hard. Was Principal Dobbins blind? Cracked in the head?


    There were some within the school that were nodding their heads, agreeing with the twisted thoughts of the Principal. Obviously, the Elite Five''s achievements were too mind boggling. People were more than happy to put other people down, and their jealousy which was fueled by their sense of self-inflated worth just added to their belief.


    Kyle just sat there, then leaned back as he looked at Principal Dobbins. As she was on a higher platform, it looked like she was literally looking down at him. She gave a slight sneer as she continued, "Some of you may think you''re so great just because of some trophies obtained when you were kids. Here, you will be treated like adults and not pampered. We regard ALL of you as the future of the Nation, and will not tolerate any form of Princess Syndrome or idol fantasies."


    She then nodded at a person at the side, and the projector flashed on behind her. On the screen, it showed the school website forum where Kyle''s pics were posted everywhere.


    "This is an example of idol fantasies. I will only allow this ONCE because you are all new here. However, these things are not going to be tolerated in the future. This is a SCHOOL OF LEARNING, not some idol worshipping concert.


    "If I find any disruptive behaviour in these learned halls of this school, I will not hesitate to punish all those involved. This is your first, and last warning."


    She deliberately turned her head to look at Kyle and his group of friends. Sarah cringed into her seat even more, but Kyle wasn''t fazed. Principal Dobbins didn''t like the look on Kyle''s face ... rather, that uncaring and laid back attitude he gave out.


    She refused to believe that this pretty boy from such a rich family could actually be as great as it was claimed. Obviously, he had loads of people willingly doing the work for him, and he simply reaped the benefits. He was a playboy, through and through, and it was her sacred duty to ensure that none of the girls in this school would fall down the road of no return.


    Principal Dobbins then ended the speech, but Kyle was hardly listening by then. Though he appeared unfazed, inside, he was pissed. He could see the obvious disdain that she openly showed in her expression when she looked at him. She was an educator, for goodness sake! She was hardly being professional and one of his top hates was when people judged others without knowing the person first.


    ''So that''s how it is, huh?'' he thought to himself, ''Bring it on, b*tch.''

 Chapter 27 - Let The Games Begin

    People milled out of the Hall, to go to their respective classes, all quiet and subdued. Some whispered and pointed at the Elite Five, but all did not dare to take pictures or make a commotion anymore.


    Kyle ignored all of that as he looked at his schedule and class position. The five of them were all split up, probably due to Principal Dobbins actions. Each class was actually based on the performance from their previous school and by logic, all five of them should have been in the same class. Yet, not only were they split up, Kyle was placed in 1E, traditionally the ''bottom'' class, so to speak and none of them were in the ''elite'' class, 1A.


    The excuse given was that this year, all first year students would not be divided by their final test performance of their previous school as the standards of the various schools were not uniform. Hence, it would not be fair. Instead, students were divided randomly and would only be streamed in their second year.


    Kyle knew it was all a load of bull. Just from the list of students in each class, he could tell that generally, other than them - the results of the students were the same. He had already done his research into everyone that would be their schoolmates in the first year, so he had a pretty good idea of their performance.


    The other Elite Five weren''t happy, obviously, but Kyle just smiled at them. He put his arms around Xing Han and Sam, the two who were the most vocal of all, "Relax guys. This is just the first battle. She thinks she has us allllll figured out. So let''s play with her for a while, why don''t we?"


    Sam smirked, asking, "So what are you thinking?"


    "Here, only the final examination results determines the streaming for the following year," Kyle hinted.


    Xing Han snorted, "Easy peasy."


    "But what about your mum, Kyle?" asked Ali, "Didn''t she set that #1 rule thing?"


    Kyle laughed, and took his arms off their shoulders, "She said #1 in the school every year, not in every exam."


    Kyle then turned to Sarah, saying, "Sorry, Sarah. Looks like Principal Dobbins has against us. You should probably not hang out with us in case you get labeled just by association." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sarah shook her head vehemently, "No. I wouldn''t do that! It''s okay. I can handle it. You''re all so nice!"


    "She gives a bad name to the elf kind!" Xing Han suddenly declared.


    "What on EARTH are you talking about?!" asked Sam in exasperation.


    "You know, Dobbins. Dobby. Doesn''t she sound like she''s a descendant of Dobby? Dobby is such a cute little house elf though, while she ..."


    Xing Han didn''t finish the sentence after Sam smacked the back of his head while Sarah giggled.


    "Just remember, guys. Don''t fail. Below average or barely passing is just fine," Kyle said, "Your choice. Just make sure the finals will be a big bang."


    Everyone nodded, and then separated and headed to their respective classes.


    **--**--**--


    Sam found 1B quite easily. He figured he was placed here since he was the youngest amongst the Elite Five so he supposedly must be the brightest one among the lot. Luckily, he didn''t look like he was a year younger than everyone else and was already taller than most of them. His height was thanks to his 6''8" tall grandfather, while his slim physique was due to his mum. Unfortunately, with both together, at 6 feet, he looked like a pole.


    Not that he really minded. After all, it just added to the ''nerd'' look that he had going. Or were nerds generally short? Well, he was already a hot nerd, so being a tall hot nerd was okay as well. He already attracted quite a number of girls that seem to gravitate towards him as he sat down. He sighed inwardly but put on a warm smile as he greeted his new classmates.


    **--**--**--


    Sarah walked in 1C together with Xing Han, and promptly sat down right next to him. When he saw this, he looked at her and asked, "Are you sure about this?"


    She blinked, tilted her head and asked genuinely, "Sure about what?"


    "Sitting next to me," he said, and giving the class a quick look before he leaned forward to say softly, "Not only would you be targeted by jealous girls who are awed by my awesomeness, but the teachers may think you''re one of us."


    Sarah shrugged, taking out the pencil box from her bag and placed it on her desk. She took out a pen and ruler, arranging it just the way she liked it. "First, I you are my friend. Second, we''re in secondary school now. No one is that petty to think badly of me just by sitting next to you. Third, I''m sure even the Principal will have second thoughts once she gets to know you."


    Xing Han looked at her, amazed. Was there really someone that pure ... no, naive ... still in this world? One just needed to look around to see several glances of displeasure being directed at her right now. Not to mention the way Principal Dobbins had talked earlier, it was blatantly obvious that she had deep rooted prejudices and issues that wouldn''t just ''go away'' by knowing him better.


    She looked back at him with a smile, completely oblivious and Xing Han raised his hands, saying, "Fine, you win. You''re right. But remember, make sure you always talk to me if you face any trouble, okay?"


    "No problem-mo," Sarah answered, giving an A-ok sign with her fingers. "Don''t worry, Xing Han. Nothing bad will happen."


    Xing Han scratched his head, and decided that he would keep a very close eye on this clueless girl. If left to her own devices, she''d probably just drown or something.


    **--**--**--


    When Kay walked into 1D, all eyes fell on her. She smiled sweetly at everyone as she passed by, and many boys stood up to offer her the seat next to theirs. Some even went as far as pushing off the person who had sat there before.


    Kay shook her head politely at all their offers, and chose an empty seat in the middle of the class. The front row was completely filled, as well as the back row. Everyone knows that the best place to escape the teacher''s eyes would be the front and last row, and the worst would be the middle row to the back. Teachers are often misguided to the concept that the front row are full of the studious people, thus, pay less attention to them. The back row would be the trouble makers, and teachers tend to avoid those as well as they only want to finish the syllabus within the time frame.


    In order to be able to look at the entire class, the teacher would focus on the middle row in general - hence, those right in the middle would be under the scrutiny of the teachers most of the time. That was why, when Kay entered, there were still some empty spots in the middle of the class.


    Everyone watched as she gracefully sat down, then smiled at the girl that was sitting there, "Hi, I''m Kay. What''s your name?"


    "Ayra," she answered, pushing her spectacles up her nose, shaking Kay''s hand, "Nice to meet you."


    "Likewise," Kay replied, "I hope we can be good friends."


    "I''d like that," she replied.


    Two rows behind them, were Janice and Belinda - the two girls who had made fun of Sarah back at the Dorm Lounge.


    "LUCKY!" whispered Belinda to Janice, nudging her. Janice nodded, thrilled and grinning widely. It would have been better if Kyle had been there, but this was the next best thing. Kay was his twin sister and best of all, they lived at the same dorm. There would be many, MANY opportunities to get close and then, through her, get Kyle. Janice''s smiled widely, thinking of this, already lost in dreamland where Kyle was taking her out on a date.


    **--**--**--


    Ali''s entrance was perhaps the least dramatic among the lot. Other than the fact that he was a member of the Elite Five, no one was really bothered with him. They had looked up expectantly when he walked into 1E, and then their faces fell in acute disappointment when they saw that it was him.


    Most girls were interested in the idol Kyle, the guys wanted angelic Kay, the ones who liked nerds wanted Sam and even Xing Han was the type that were chased after by those who liked the ''older brother'' vibe. Him? With his olive skin and curly hair, he was struck off the list of most people.


    Ali wasn''t bothered by all of this, as he was quite used to it. People tend to worship fair skinned people, and darker skinned people like him ... not so. Only the Elite Five members treated him normally, and he cherished that immensely. He flung his bag at the desk at the far back, sat down, leaned back and promptly closed his eyes. He didn''t notice a pair of eyes looking intently at him.


    Sophia bit her lower lip, something she did whenever she was nervous, as she turned to look at Ali. As much as she wanted to be friends, she was too ashamed and scared to do so.


    **--**--**--


    When Kyle walked into 1F, the extremely noisy class suddenly became pin-drop silent. No one ... and I mean no one ... in their wildest dream would have thought that Kyle would be in their class. Every single person''s gaze were on him, no one really daring to go up to him to talk to him as he sauntered in and walked right to the back.


    Kyle gave a dazzling smile at the guy who was sitting at the corner and asked, "Do you mind if I take this seat?"


    The guy just stammered, picked up his books and went, "G-g-g-go ahead!" and quickly found another seat further in front.


    ''Wow,'' thought Kyle to himself, ''That went far easier than I thought.'' He sat down, propped his chin on his hand and smiled.


    Let the games begin.

 Chapter 28 - Mrs Doolittle

    The school bell soon rang, signaling the start of the first lesson. A rather matron looking woman, taking short, brisk steps walked into 1F and headed straight to her desk in front of the class. She ignored the noisy class, then dumped her books onto the table with a loud bang, prompting everyone to silence.


    "Good morning everyone," she greeted them.


    "Good morning Teacher," chorused everyone in return.


    "I am Mrs. Doolittle," she began and then stopped, upon hearing a sudden snort from behind. She looked back, her eyes in a slit as she glared at each and every student that was sitting in the last row but could only see eyes giving her their fullest attention to her.


    She gave them one last glare then continued, "I will be your Class Teacher for the year, and I run a tight ship around here. No hanky panky and we will get along just fine."


    She paused for a dramatic effect, and gave what would be known among her students as ''The Glare'' and said sternly, "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"


    "Yes, Teacher Doolittle," chorused the class obediently.


    Satisfied, she sat down and started calling names from the attendance sheet. When she reached Kyle''s name, she paused, then looked up to stare at him in the face. Kyle looked back at her innocently, not showing any expression as he said, "Present". She appeared like she was going to say something, as her mouth opened once then she looked back down at the paper again and called the next name.


    Kyle smirked. It was bad enough that he couldn''t hold back the snort of laughter upon hearing her name, it was taking all his will power not to laugh out loud again. He knew all the names of the teachers in the school, of course, but it still never failed to amuse him. To actually have a teacher with that name just made him want to laugh all the time. To think that she turned out to be his Class Teacher is seriously going to test his willpower all year long.


    Mrs Doolittle taught history, and as her dry and monotonous voice droned on and on ... it lulled Kyle to sleep. He couldn''t help it. It was rather hypnotic, really. Kyle hadn''t had much sleep lately, and last night had been exhausting. Master Shifu had sent him on an assassination mission, and it had taken longer than usual. The target was much more skilled than he had originally thought, causing him to take more drastic measures.


    He had been severely reprimanded by Master Shifu after that. Kyle knew he was at fault for being overconfident, something that slowly crept up on him since he had been able to handle every target easily all this time. He had already been warned by Master Shifu of this danger, and though Kyle listened, he didn''t quite get it until last night. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, being pushed like that and forcing him to go all out caused his skills to notch up a bit. He felt he had been rather stagnant lately, and figured this must be the ''bottleneck'' those wuxia novel characters were always facing when advancing. It''s until you were in a real life-and-death situation would your skills be executed properly.


    So there he was, slightly drooling with his head laid back when a sudden sharp sound echoed throughout the class. Jolted awake, Kyle stood up shouting, "Reporting for duty SIR!" Everyone burst out laughing, and Kyle blinked several times, wiped the drool from the side of his face and smiled sheepishly at Mrs Doolittle while saying, "I mean, Reporting for duty, Teacher Doolittle!"


    The girls sighed as they watched Kyle. He looked so dreamy with his sleepy look, making his eyes appear more misty and gorgeous. Even his drool was cute, and when he smiled sheepishly, with his head tilted to the side a bit and making his dimple more pronounced, they melted even more.


    "Good, good," she began, rapping the ruler that she had used to smack the table in front of Kyle, "Good, good. You dare sleep in my class, Kyle Smith. Go and squat outside the class with these books on your head!!" She then placed three heavy history text books in his arms. Kyle took those books without a word, walked out and did as he was told while thinking, ''What is this? Kindergarten?''


    Kyle found this whole thing ridiculous, and knew that she was punishing him in this manner just to cause him pain and embarrassment. She probably thought that he was so self-conscious of his image, that having him struggling there while people walked by would be devastating to his ego.


    Kyle scoffed. He was used to doing the horse stance with Master Shifu dancing on top of his shoulders, so what was this measly thing? As for image? What image? He didn''t really care about it, but didn''t mean he wouldn''t utilise his looks to get a certain advantage. Feed the masses, so to speak.


    Word got round to the fact that Idol Kyle was squatting in outside 1F''s classroom and suddenly, students just had to go to the bathroom - that just happened to be beside 1F. Sure, there were closer bathrooms but who wanted to go there? In the end, Kyle would flash his signature dazzling smile to anyone who walked by, sometimes raising his eyebrows comically which caused the giggling girls to giggle even more before running away.


    Kyle found that this was WAY more fun than listening to the monotone drone inside. Maybe he should fall asleep again in her class. He would occasionally shift his weight, while clenching the leg muscles and going on his tiptoes. This would help in blood circulation, so that his legs wouldn''t fall asleep while being in that position for so long.


    When Teacher Doolittle came out 45 minutes later, she was bitterly disappointed. Instead of seeing a red faced, worn out boy with his legs shaking (or his butt on the floor), she found that he hardly broke a sweat. In fact, he stood up at her command, returned the books to her and walked back into class without any visible discomfort. She gritted her teeth.


    Looks like the punishment needs to be tougher the next time round, Mrs Doolittle thought to herself. She was sure there would be a next time. Boys like that were always trouble and only invited trouble. She shared the same sentiment as the Principal, which was why she was appointed as 1F''s Class Teacher. Walking away, she headed to the Principal''s office to make her report.


    The rest of the day went by uneventfully. The other Teachers basically ignored Kyle, and Kyle basically ignored them. As expected of an "F" class, the enthusiasm of the teachers that taught the class left a lot to be desired. Kyle figured that the reputation of Sakura''s Academy was based entirely on the elite class, or at least the top three classes. The resources and best teachers probably went there. He would need to compare notes with the others to see how they fared.


    Kyle also sneered at the thought of the Principal sending him here. With such awful teaching going on, how would the ''bottom classes'' ever go up then? True, most of them around him right now were not really interested in learning but he figured that if the teachers could engage them and make the lessons interesting, they would turn things around.


    Instead, the apathy of the teachers created the disinterest in the students, then made the teachers feel more apathetic. It was quite pathetic, really. For Kyle, he didn''t need to attend classes to do well but most of these students do. Their future seemed to be sealed already, and that wouldn''t do. Kyle tapped his finger on the desk, thinking that there something needs to be done. This school needed a revamp in some places.


    The most major obstacle, of course, was the Principal. That, however, was to be the finale.


    At the end of the day, Kyle went over to 1D to pick up Kay. As expected, he caused quite a bit of commotion as he stood by the doorway, peering in. Kay knew he had arrived without even needing to look up, due to the twittering of birds .. er, girls ... all around her.


    "Coming, brother. Hold on a sec," she said as began placing her books in her bag. Kyle walked over and took the books from her hand, putting them into her bag. He swung it casually over his shoulder, and onto his own school bag. Sakura Academy didn''t have lockers like Retsu Primary School did, so they had to bring the required books for whatever subject they had that day.


    "I can carry that," Kay insisted, reaching out for the bag.


    Kyle took her hand, shaking his head, "It''s heavy."


    "Exactly. You can''t carry both our bags," Kay insisted and tried to release his hand and take her bag. Kyle just held on her hand tighter, refusing to let go. At that moment, all the girls wanted to be Kay''s hand and all the guys wanted to be Kyle''s hand.


    "Come on," Kyle said as he turned, bringing her along, "Be good. Don''t be stubborn."


    Kay pouted, causing many boys'' faces to flush beet red and their hearts quicken even more. Some even found difficulty in breathing and had to sit back down. She just looked so adorable and cute that they wanted to rush over and dote on her even more. There was a collective sigh in the whole class after the Smith twins went out.


    Life is good, thought the students of 1D.

 Chapter 29 - Signing Up

    Kyle and Kay walked to the school entrance, and sat at a nearby bench for the others. School hours were 8am till 4pm, filled with lessons in the morning, then either extra-curricular activities or studying time in the library, in the evening. Today, however, school ended at 1pm as there were no extra-curricular activities yet. Being the first day, everyone was required to sign up.


    "So which clubs are you signing up for?" Kay asked as she looked around her, swinging her legs as they sat on the bench.


    "Basketball, definitely," began Kyle, "Football and running."


    Kay arched her eyebrows, looked at the scheduling of the club activities then said, "Which means not a single day free for study time at the library?" Basketball and football had activities twice a week (Monday & Wednesday, Tuesday & Thursday respectively) while running was on Friday.


    Kyle grinned, his eyes twinkling, "Oh dearie me. Really? I did NOT know that."


    Kay snorted, then retorted, "You''re really going all out to annoy Principal Dobbins, huh?"


    "Why, my dear sister. I''m just a decadent playboy that knows nothing except playing. Who wants to waste time studying?"


    "Will you be okay? You already have your training sessions with Master Shifu at night," Kay asked worriedly.


    Kyle couldn''t help but pat her head, then rub her back in assurance, "Don''t worry. I sleep during the day in class."


    "Except for Doolittle''s class," Kay reminded him.


    "Oh ya. For hers, I get to play outside," Kyle smirked, "So how was class today?"


    "It''s okay. As usual, girls swarming over to chummy with me because of you. They''re pretty harmless, but take note of Janice and her sidekick, Belinda."


    "Janice and Belinda. Gotcha," Kyle replied, and recalled the information about them from his memory bank. The photographic memory really comes in handy for things like this. A lot of people are under the misconception that a person with a photographic memory would be a genius. No. Having this gift only gave you the ability to have the library at your fingertips. Awesome, but useless if you did not understand what you were reading nor be able to apply it.


    It''s similar to an open book test. Will you score 100% just because the textbook is opened beside you? Hardly. You would need to understand the question, analyse it to see what it was asking for, know where the information you wanted was, and then use your understanding to explain it. Of course, a lot of memorization is needed for exams like the year and name for History, but that would only help a little bit. Imagine flipping through the pages of your textbook, frantically looking for the information, reading it and then trying to figure out what it meant.


    Kyle was fortunate that he could actually understand all the complex stuff that he read up, no matter how advanced. It would take longer for the latter, of course, but as long as he studied diligently, he would grasp the concept. Kyle loved this part of his brain in this life. He didn''t question why it was so efficient. He was only more than happy for it. In his previous life, he had to slowly digest the information and keep asking around for an explanation about it ... and then had to spend hours just trying to remember the content and its context. In this life, he learned twice the amount in half the time.


    Yes, he was THAT good.


    Right now, he didn''t need much brain power to recall the information on Janice and Belinda. He noted that there was nothing particularly outstanding about their background and no red flags raised based on their past history or actions. Thus, he chucked them out of his mind. Kay''s warning thus meant that the two girls were going to be more annoying than the normal flies that buzzed around them, and would most likely resort to tricks.


    He hated tricks. He was a straight forward person then, he is a straight forward person now. All those games that people play - more so women, for some reason - was truly annoying.


    "Kay! Fancy seeing you here," the voice of that annoying person he had been thinking about was heard, and Kyle saw Janice walk over with Belinda in tow beside her.


    [Speak of the devil] commented Kyle, not looking in their direction at all [And why is she surprised to see you in school? Right in front of the school exit? Is she an idiot? Can''t she think of a better line? ]


    Kay''s smile did not falter and she managed not to laugh out loud. Instead, she looked at the two approaching girls and said, "Hi ... and you are...?"


    Janice smile faltered a bit, but she quickly recovered, "Janice. And this is Belinda. We''re in the same class."


    "OH!" Kay replied, putting a hand over her open mouth, "I''m so sorry. There were just so many girls around that I didn''t realise. I''m so embarrassed." She patted her cheeks, and for good measure, a slight pink blush could be seen on her fair cheeks.


    Janice waved her hand in front of her face, saying quickly, "No no no. It''s not your fault. It is our first day and there were really so many new faces."


    Kay gave a sweet smile, nodding, "Yes, yes. I''m sorry, nonetheless. I''ll remember next time, don''t worry."


    Janice was smiling, but she was starting to get impatient. Kyle was just sitting there, not paying any attention to the two of them as she conversed with Kay. In fact, he was busy looking everywhere else BUT them. Wasn''t Kay going to introduce the two of them? Just when Janice was about to take the initiative to introduce herself, when Kyle suddenly jumped up, waving madly while shouting, "Over here!"


    Before she could react, Kyle just looked back at Kay and urged her, "Come on, Kay" and ran off. The moment had passed.


    Kay apologetically said to Janice, "I have to go now. Nice meeting you. See you tomorrow."


    Janice smiled as she watched them go, but inwardly, she was seething. Her eyes were also seeing red when she noticed that short, dark bob haired girl among the Elite Five. She clenched her hands into a tight fist, and turned around, while hissing at Belinda, "Let''s go."


    Belinda nodded obediently, tagging along faithfully behind her.


    "KYYYLLLEEEEE"


    Kyle arched an eyebrow, seeing Xing Han rush over to him with his arms wide open as if to envelop him in a hug. Unexpectedly, Kyle didn''t move and Xing Han actually did manage to wrap his arms around Kyle, trapping his arms to his side at the same time. In fact, it was so unexpected that Xing Han actually let go and looked at Kyle straight in the eye, "Okay, who are you and what did you do to Kyle?"


    Kyle laughed, rapping his forehead, "Just this once. For old times sake."


    "OH NO!" Xing Han exclaimed, and tried to hug Kyle again. Kyle sidestepped him and kicked him in the butt as he passed by, making Xing Han stumble and almost fall. Kyle didn''t wait and ran off with Xing Han quickly chasing after him. Sam and Ali looked at each other for a while, then Ali gave a big whoop, joined in. Sam just watched them go.


    "Kids," he scoffed as he watched Ali catching up and overtaking Xing Han. Xing Han, unhappy, grabbed Ali''s shirt as he ran by and both nearly fell. Kyle just got further and further, laughing away. People were watching the sight, not knowing what to do but wishing they could join chasing after Kyle. It was amazing to see how fast Kyle was, and how he managed to weave in and out of people who were in the way effortlessly. It was so fluid, as if he wasn''t even running at top speed.


    Kyle made a complete stop suddenly at one booth, and the person sitting there taking names sat back in shock.


    "Kyle Smith, First Year. I want to join," he declared, smiling widely. Although he had been running for some time, he wasn''t really out of breath and his face was slightly glowing with a thin sheen of sweat. The guy at the booth just shook his head. Even after that workout, he could still look like he just had a stroll or something. Nothing seemed out of place. Life was truly unfair.


    The guy just pushed a piece of paper to him, that already had several names on it, "Here. Name, address and number." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he saw Kyle hesitating, he asked, "Is there a problem?"


    "Well, senior ... is it possible for me to just exchange numbers with the Captain or something and not leave my details?"


    The guy frowned, but before he could ask further, Ali and Xing Han had managed to catch up, smashing into Kyle''s back.


    They took one glance at the form and Xing Han explained quickly, "If Kyle was to put down his personal details there, it''s most likely you''ll be mobbed for it! It''ll get stolen!! And Kyle will never get to use his phone ever again. The last time his number got leaked, it would''t stop ringing with messages and calls. It was a nightmare I tell you, a nightmare!! Can you imagine, there were over 1000 messages in just one night and there was even one time ..."


    The guy put up his hand to stop Xing Han before he started rambling again, "Ok, ok. I got it. Fine. Here," he said, handing Kyle his phone. "Call your phone. I''m Lee, the Captain."


    "Ok, Captain Lee!" Kyle smiled broadly, and did as he was told.


    "There will be a tryout next week. We only have 5 spots, as that is when the seniors are going to graduate. 2pm. Court C. Be on time," he warned.


    Kyle grinned, and rushed to find the booth for Football and Running. The moment he left, Captain Lee saw a whole group of girls rushing forward to the Basketball Booth wanting to be the manager. He rubbed the space between his eyebrows. This ... was going to be a headache.

 Chapter 30 - New Couple?

    Sam, Sarah and Kay were walking leisurely to the booths, and saw the commotion that the other three were making.


    "Is it always like that, wherever Kyle goes?" Sarah asked in awe, her eyes blinking rapidly.


    "Yeah," answered Sam, "He''s like a walking disaster."


    "Poor Kyle," Sarah sighed, "It must be so hard for him. Even though he looks unaffected, it can''t be easy living like that. It''s as if his life is in a fishbowl, always under scrutiny."


    Kay turned to face her in surprise at her sense of observation and empathy. Sarah didn''t see it, however, as she was busy looking at Kyle with a worried look on her face.


    This was the first time Kay heard someone actually trying to understand Kyle, and to view things from his point of view. People tend to think that Kyle was the type of person that thrived on the attention that was thrown upon him. Actually, it was no surprise people would think that as Kyle would sometimes act to instigate it even more. However, it was just that. An act.


    Kay had actually asked him about it before. She was already feeling the pressure of all the gazes upon her by the boys, but most of the time, they kept their distance. They were either too scared, or too polite to do anything untoward. Perhaps it was because she was a girl, and viewed as a delicate flower.


    It wasn''t the same for Kyle, as he was a guy.


    It was as if the ''protection'' she enjoyed, was not afforded to Kyle. Also, girls somehow tended to be more vocal and quite forward in their attempts to grab his attention. Only the shy ones kept their distance, but most were bold about it. Kyle couldn''t be rough or harsh with them because ... they were girls. The double standards weren''t helpful to him in this instance.


    Kay thought about the time she had asked him that same question Sarah raised.


    They had been lying on their backs in the backyard at night. They were looking at the stars in the sky, twinkling brightly among the dark backdrop. It was serene, and quiet, unlike the normal chaotic situation outside. So she asked him, "How do you deal with it, brother?"


    Kyle didn''t need to ask what she meant, and she knew he understood. He didn''t answer immediately, and she patiently waited for his answer.


    "There are many things in life that you can''t control, like what people say or do. But you can control how you react to it. I can either get irritated and complain about it, or I can simply accept it and go along with it. I choose the latter.


    Kyle then turned to look at her, touching her face as he smiled, "And I have you with me, keeping me sane and grounded."


    He looked back at the sky, deep in thought as he continued, "I don''t take it seriously either. It''s a good distraction, I suppose. Harmless. So long as they do not cross the line, I guess I''ll just enjoy the attention and let them worship me for the perfect being as I am."


    Kay smacked him then, then came closer and snuggled up to him. He indulged her and put his hand under her neck, kissing her on the head and pulling her closer to him. Kay loved it when he hugged her like that. She felt so safe and protected. She figured that all those girls were right about one thing though. Kyle IS perfect. She is certainly going to find it hard to find a guy that would be at par with him. He set the bar too high!!


    Kay''s thoughts came back to the present, as she looked at Sarah. She wondered if Sarah could actually be the one who would thaw her brother''s heart. He literally spent his whole life just planning and executing the plan to save his two children from his previous life, and never truly formed any relationships. A sister and brothers can never replace a beloved.


    Kay decided to observe Sarah closely. This girl could be her future sister-in-law.


    ***---***---


    Kyle was now at the football booth stand, and Ali looked at him. "You want to sign up for this as well?"


    "Why? Scared of the competition?"


    "Pfffffft. Hardly," Ali retorted, putting down his name. Kyle did the same and told the girl that was manning the booth that he could be contacted via Ali. She didn''t protest, simply nodding her head in a daze. She hardly heard what he was saying, as her internal monologue was going, ''oh dear oh dear oh dear oh my. It''s Kyle. Kyle. oh dear oh dear oh dear oh my. I''m so glad that I''m the manager here. oh dear oh dear oh dear oh my. I get to see him close up twice a week. oh dear oh dear oh dear oh my. I''m gonna diiieeeeeeee''


    "What are you signing up for, Xing Han? Debates again?" Kyle asked.


    "Nu-uh," Xing Han retorted. "That''s in the past. I am going to explore my inner sportsman! I am going to show them that I can do physical sports as well! I am strong! I am .."


    "So, what is it already?" Ali asked, cutting in.


    "Tennis," he replied smugly.


    Kyle and Ali both turned their heads at the same time to look at Xing Han. "Wh-a-at?" he huffed, puffing his chest out.


    Kyle didn''t say a thing but simply looked at Xing Han, from top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Then, he pinched Xing Han''s baby face fat cheeks, squeezed the slight flab under the arm and then messed up the hair as he patted the head.


    "There, there," Kyle said comfortingly, "It''s okay. You don''t have to try so hard."


    Ali nodded in agreement, "Yes, not everyone can have this God-given Body like us."


    And with that, both Kyle and Ali struck a pose.


    Kyle flexed his arm muscles as he ran his fingers through his hair while Ali placed an arm on Kyle''s shoulder while putting his chin on the fist of his other hand. Both poses didn''t look too ostentatious, but it was enough to hint of their taut body just from the show of their tight arm muscles.


    "Aaargh!!" Xing Han screamed out loud, smacking the both of them squarely in the chest. They both pretended to double over in pain before Kyle hooked Xing Han''s neck with his arm.


    "Come on," he said as he pulled him over, "You''re fine the way you are, Xing Han. Embrace your cuteness. Just choose what you love to do."


    Xing Han grumbled but conceded.


    He thought of changing his image a bit in secondary school. From the ''dependable older brother'' to a ''hot sportsman'' or something. Deep down, though, he knew that it wasn''t possible. He had that face that just screamed "friend" rather than "hot", and nothing could change that.


    Even with all the dieting and exercise, he couldn''t be as lean as Sam or as muscular as Ali or Kyle. He wasn''t as fit either ... he just loved food too much and was just too lazy to exercise everyday.


    "Fine, fine," he said, signing up.


    When he got up, he gave a huge smile to Kyle. Only Kyle truly knew him, as was evident from the art booth he had brought him to. He had never truly revealed his passion for drawing, and it was something that his family didn''t quite agree on. It wasn''t even okay as a hobby, as they saw it was a waste of time. If it was up to him, he would venture into the world of an illustrator, creating and designing things.


    Xing Han suddenly turned and gave Kyle a tight hug, and Kyle tried unsuccessfully to push him away by the shoulders. Xing Han just squeezed tighter, shaking his head. He was too emotional and touched at that moment, for only Kyle would indulge him and speak right to his heart. Kyle gave up, looked in resignation towards Ali, who pretended not to see anything, whistling away.


    The reason why Kyle didn''t have the heart to really push Xing Han away was because he knew that Xing Han needed this sort of release. He bottled up everything so deeply, and only appeared to be bubbly. He came from a family that was very strict and was very sparse with their emotions. Kind of like how his previous life family had been like before, but worse. Xing Han was to be the Heir, and there were expectations. In his entire life, he never lived for himself.


    Everything was calculated and designed for him, and he merely needed to follow. Even this action of Xing Han, to come to Sakura Academy, was at a great cost - and with great manipulation. This was the first time Xing Han could do something that he, himself, wanted to do without having to give up something in order to get it. In the end, Kyle just patted him on the head until he calmed down.


    Xing Han pulled away, sniffling, and rubbed Kyle''s shirt as it was stained with his tears. Kyle smiled, indicating that it was okay, and Xing Han gave a rather huge grin in return as he looked up.


    To the eyes of everyone else, however, it looked completely different. It appeared like Xing Han was caressing Kyle''s chest lovingly, after exchanging a loving hug. All sorts of thoughts flashed through everybody''s mind. Was there something there that they didn''t realise before? Kyle not only allowed the hug, but after that, the both of them were exchanging tender looks of loving smiles?


    Some hearts were broken, some were blossoming at this scene. The interactions between the two were undeniably sweet. Even the image of those two fits. One was the ultra cool idol, while the other was the sweet, adorable kid. Suddenly, everything that had happened between the two of them was seen with new eyes, and in a new light.


    And so, new rumours began.


    S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 31 - Devious Plans

    The rumours spread like wildfire. It told of a secret couple that had been hidden so well before, was finally coming out in the open. The events that occurred on that day became more and more exaggerated each time it was retold. By the next day, the story that was going around was that Kyle and Xing Han had a forbidden love story that had blossomed when they were young, which finally came to light that fateful day when they couldn''t hold back their feelings for each other anymore.


    The rumours had been circulating and gaining momentum, and though it generally died down after about two months or so, it didn''t go away. At that moment, the so-called affected ''couple'' were having breakfast in the cafeteria with the Elite Five minus for Ali and plus Sarah. Ali lived closeby, so he didn''t need to stay at the dorms.


    "How are things?" Kay asked her brother as she cut some bacon before putting it delicately into her mouth.


    Sarah was sitting beside Kay, on her left. She was eating her bowl of cereal quietly, not daring to look up. Sarah had always been the ''odd-one-out'' in her previous school, so hanging out with such a popular group took some getting used to. However, even though she was being more comfortable around them, she couldn''t quite keep calm when it involved Kyle. Sarah put it down to her being completely affected by his devastatingly good looks.


    Kyle shrugged as he bit into his burger, ignoring the sauce dripping down his chin. Kay sighed, took a napkin and wiped is chin clean.


    "Same-o, same-o," Kyle answered in between bites, "Only now, I have guys hitting on me."


    Sarah couldn''t help but choke a bit on that, and she started coughing. Kay patted her back to help, "Sounds troublesome."


    "Nah," Kyle assured her, taking a gulp of milk, "They''re okay. They''re just being ... more suggestive, testing the waters. Trying to see how deep are my feelings for Xing Han here. It''s the girls that are becoming more annoying though. They feel the need to want to ''fix'' me, so to speak."


    "How come no girl is coming to try and ''fix'' me?" complained Xing Han, who was stabbing his scrambled eggs with a vengeance.


    Sam laughed, and replied, "Probably because they think it''s okay if it''s you, but not if it''s Kyle. I mean, come on. Look at him. Waste those superior genes?"


    [Seriously, Kyle, are you okay with all of this?]


    Kyle popped the last piece of burger into his mouth, and picked up the second one. He found that his appetite was more than before, what with the additional physical activities that he goes through now. He was now an official member in the Basketball team, the Football team and (long distance) running. He had passed all the preliminaries with ease, and had to attend training everyday. Master Shifu didn''t lessen his training at night either, saying that the additional exercise was beneficial since he was having his growth spurt.


    But darn, did his body hurt. Having those muscles tear again and again so as to develop the muscles was no joke. Boys may have it "easier" to shape their bodies through exercise, but it sure was not easy and dang painful. Girls were kinda stuck with their body shape, and any form of exercise would only make them fitter and slim, but would not create bigger boobs or longer legs. For guys, all that was needed was a solid body and a six-pack to get the girls drooling. Okay, and a handsome face didn''t hurt but the body sealed the deal.


    Darn hard work though.


    He bit into his second burger, and replied, [Can''t do anything about it, Kay. Let them be. They''ll think what they want to think and I''m not going to treat Xing Han any differently]


    [But will it cause trouble? You know Principal Dobbins is keeping a tighter watch on you.]


    Kyle wanted to snort, but that would make the burger he was chewing go up his nose so he refrained himself. [I''m not doing anything illegal or wrong. I won''t do anything to her but it doesn''t mean I won''t retaliate if she''s unreasonable]


    [Okay Kyle. The report on her is almost complete, by the way. I also found a few things about her that you can use if you need to]


    [Thanks Kay. You''re the best]


    [I know]


    This time, Kyle did snort and yes, he started choking. His eyes watering, he quickly tried to cough it out, and blew his nose repeatedly. A small piece of chewed up burger flew out his nose and landed right next to Kay''s bacon.


    "Euw Kyle! That''s so disgusting!" Kay exclaimed, pushing the offending meat away from her precious bacon.


    A few tables away, Janice and her group of friends were watching Kyle and his friends eating. They had been stalking them since the start of school, but other than the occasional ''hi'' and class stuff, Janice did not manage to get past first base to get to Kyle.


    "Do you think it''s true? Is Kyle and Xing Han really a couple?" asked Belinda as she watched the group laughing together.


    "I think so! Think about it," whispered Lilah, lowering her head, "Kyle is hot, with a solid body and have SO many girls throwing themselves at him. Yet, he doesn''t give them any attention. He has never been seen with a girl before and is always hanging out with the Elite Five guys. In fact, out of those Elite Five, Xing Han has always been the closest to Kyle. They were low key before, and must have been hiding their relationship but now that they are away from home ... "


    She looked at her friends, acting all wise as she summarized all the ''evidence''. "In fact, I heard that Xing Han wasn''t even his original roommate."


    Janice finished her orange juice, crushed the empty paper cup, and threw it aside angrily, "I refuse to believe it. He can''t be gay. He just can''t be!"


    She looked at everyone squarely in the eyes, "Even if he is, I''ll just show him just how good it can be with a girl as compared to guys."


    Belinda and Lilah looked at her with wide open eyes and an "O" expression. Janice was one of those that matured early, and was already a B cup. She decided to be more pro-active and use her feminine charm on the hormonally charged boy. No boy can resist her when she put her mind to it.


    "Great idea Janice! Only you can do it!" encouraged Belinda, clapping her hands excitedly. She had seen how Janice got a lot of boys to do her bidding, just for a few smiles and promises. Kyle would fall very soon, and very hard, was Belinda''s opinion.


    "What are you going to do?" asked Lilah excitedly.


    "First, we''ve got to create a great scandal. Everyone is swayed by the fact that Kyle is gay just because he hasn''t been seen with a woman. How would people react if people found out that Kyle had been caught with a girl?"


    "WHAT?!" gasped Belinda loudly. "WHO?!"


    "SSSSHHH!!" Janice hurriedly shushed her, "It''s not real, stupid! I''m asking what would people''s reaction be?"


    "Of course that would kill the gay rumour," thought Lilah, "But what would the purpose of all of that be?"


    "First, to kill the gay rumour, of course. Or at least, create doubt of its authenticity. Secondly, Kyle being the gentleman he is, would feel bad about the girl in the rumour. I''m sure he''d go and try to clarify it or apologize to her. After all, her reputation would be shot."


    "Er ... I still don''t get it," Belinda said in confusion, her face all scrunched up while she was trying to keep up.


    "That girl would be me, silly girl. I''ll be all coy and helpless, sad beyond reproach for such slander. Kyle swoops down and comforts me. Bam. I have him in my clutches!" explained Janice with a smile.


    "But but ... what if he doesn''t come to help you?" asked Lilah, "Wouldn''t your reputation be ruined for nothing?"


    "Puh-lease. Who are you talking to? If he doesn''t, then I''ll just make it as if Xing Han spread the rumours out of jealousy. That would push a wedge between them and I''ll swoop in and comfort him for his best friend''s ''betrayal''. Two victims comforting each other, see?"


    "Wow, Janice. You thought of everything!" gushed Belinda in awe.


    "Naturally," Janice answered with a smile.


    At a nearby table, unknown to them, Sophia had heard everything. It wasn''t so much that Janice''s voice was loud, but that Sophia had purposely eavesdropped the moment she heard Kyle''s name. She strained her ears, and managed to catch the entire plan that they were hatching. Sophia looked at Kyle''s table in worry, and wondered if she should warn them.


    Would they believe her?


    While she hesitated, she saw that Kyle and his group had finished eating. She quickly finished her breakfast, bade goodbye to Ren and went to class. She was still thinking hard about it, so deep in thought that she didn''t look where she was going. She bumped into something, lost her balance and was about to fall when strong arms held her steady.


    She looked up to thank the person and also apologize, but she suddenly froze. It was Ali. So she just stood there, unblinking and stunned while Ali merely smiled and said softly, "Be careful. You could hurt yourself." When he turned, Sophia could have sworn that she saw a brief flash of hurt in his eyes and she felt guiltier than ever.


    He took a step when she reached out and grabbed his arm. Surprised, he turned and she managed to stammer, "I-I-I''m sorry! And thank you!!" She bowed, her face beet red as she quickly ran to her seat.


    Ali was surprised, and smiled softly to himself as he walked over to his own seat. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 32 - Hidden Tiger

    Ali spent the rest of the day looking Sophia. She was by the window, three rows in front of him to his left. Her hair was illuminated by the morning sun, and unlike most girls, she didn''t shy away from the rays by closing the curtains. She seemed to bask in it, smiling as she looked out occasionally while the teacher droned on in front.


    Initially, when she had stared at him unblinkingly before, he had thought she was repulsed by his touch when he had saved her from falling. Although he repeatedly told himself that it didn''t matter what other people thought or how they viewed him, he was still human.


    It still hurt. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t blame her nor bear her any grudges, so he was simply going to let go quickly and walk off. It was only when she rushed to him to apologize, and thank him with her face tomato-red did he realise it wasn''t disdain earlier, but extreme embarrassment. Seeing such a cute reaction from such a fair and pretty girl, to him ... was a novelty.


    His interest in her grew. In truth, she had caught his eye from the very first day of class. At first, it was because there was something really familiar about her but he couldn''t quite put his finger on it. Because of that, he would be observing her and trying to figure out just where he had seen her before. He was sure he would have remembered such a pretty girl, so he was frustrated when nothing came to mind.


    As time passed by, Ali found that watching her in class was a pleasant past time. She was pretty, so of course it was easy on the eyes but it was more than that. She was genuinely a rather nice girl. She would help around without being asked, was polite and cheerful, did her class duties with diligence when it fell on her turn and was generally well liked by everyone.


    Unlike him, of course. He didn''t really do anything but people tended to avoid him. There were some who did try to make friends with him but he could tell that it was for who he hung out with and not for him. Thus, he never really bothered with them. Eventually, people avoided him and he was the lone wolf in class.


    Naturally, he noticed that Sophia was one of those that had never approached him either. Not that he really blamed her for it, as he was a guy and sitting in the back row. Since he was not approachable, why should she take the initiative to come over? Why would anybody, for that matter? She didn''t deliberately ignore him, but she didn''t make an effort to get to know him either. He, himself, was well aware that he didn''t mix so the lack of interaction was really no one''s fault but his own. For the first time, however, he felt like he did want to make an effort this time.


    Ali noticed one thing different about Sophia today. He could tell from the way she would furrow her eyebrows, or appear deep in thought, that something was bothering her. As curious as he was, he couldn''t do anything as he wasn''t close to her at all. If he approached her to ask, she''d probably run away faster than a speeding bullet. Wouldn''t a personal question from a stranger make you think he was a stalker?


    Ok, fine. He was a stalker.


    But a harmless and nice one.


    Ali sighed, and thought of various possible scenarios and the best possible means to approach her without scaring her off. He leaned back, the chair being balanced on the back two legs as he stared at the ceiling, thinking hard. His attention got distracted a bit when he stared at the ceiling. Seriously, the ceiling needed paint, and the janitor needed to do his work properly. He could see the cobwebs at the corner of the room and several dust bunnies stuck on it.


    "Erm ... Ali?" came a tentative voice on his left.


    Ali was so shocked when he heard that all to familiar voice that he lost his balance and the chair tilted back, and fell with a huge crash. He just barely saved the back of his head by instinctively bringing it up as he fell backwards. His back still hurt though, and his body jarred from the impact. As he lay there dazedly for a while, his legs hanging in the air with his arms spread wide open, the whole room erupted in laughter.


    "OH MY GOD! I''M SO SORRY!!"


    Ali looked up and saw the extremely worried face of Sophia, her hands on her mouth as she crouched down to gingerly touch him. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"


    Her gentle hands were touching the back of his head softly, as if trying to see if he had a bump or something while her eyes were starting to tear up. Ali just lay there, shocked senseless for while as he simply allowed her gentle investigations on the state of his head.


    He was trying very, very, VERY hard not to stare at her chest that was looming quite close to his face as she leaned forward to inspect the back of his head. Then that vision of loveliness was replaced by her worried face, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Ali blinked, finally snapping out of his stupor and grabbed her wrist that was on his head gently but firmly. Her fingers stopped moving, but was still entangled in his hair.


    "I''m fine," he managed to squeak out. Clearing his throat, he swallowed and let go of her wrist as he said while getting up, "Don''t worry."


    Sophia felt like she could just die. ''Just shoot me,'' she groaned internally. First, she had smashed into him early in the morning. Then, she nearly smashed his head open by startling him. Now, she was running her hand through his hair so freely. It was only when his strong hand wrapped around her wrist that she realised how intimate she had been, running her hand all over his head and through his hair. Remembering how soft his hair was and how close she had been, made her blush.


    She coughed to cover her embarrassment, standing up and held out her hand to help him up. He waved the kind gesture away, assuring her that it was okay. Putting the chair back in position, he smiled at her to ease her worry and asked, "Sorry for scaring you like that. What''s up?"


    "Oh," she said, then hesitated. She could feel the gazes at her back, well aware that everyone in class was curious and now listening in as well. So she leaned forward and said in a low voice, "Can I see you after school? At the Blues Corner. There''s something I need to tell you."


    Ali''s eyes went slightly wide, and Sophia suddenly realised what she said, and how it sounded. After school. Need to talk. Blues Corner, one of the more quieter areas in the school.


    "No no! It''s not a confession! I really need to tell you something!" she quickly said, rapidly waving her hands about in front of her. The last thing she needed was a misunderstanding!


    "Sure," Ali replied with a smile and then the bell rang. It was amusing to see how flustered she could become and how red her face was. Even her ears were red.


    Sophia didn''t reply, but turned and rushed back to her seat before the teacher entered. She quickly took out the textbook and opening it, hid her blushing face behind it. She knew, from how hot her face felt, that she must be bright red by now. Her desk partner was nudging her, whispering and asking her what was going on. Sophia just shook her head, indicating that she didn''t want to talk about it. Her desk mate persisted for a while, but had to stop when the teacher came into class.


    Ali''s gaze continued to stay on her long after class started.


    **--**--


    When the school bell to end the last class rang, Ali didn''t get up from his seat until the class was emptied out. He wanted to give Sophia time to reach Blues Corner first, and he would go there in due time. Not too late, though but just enough time so that people won''t notice anything weird. He didn''t want anyone to make up rumours about her.


    As he walked through the door, he found that there were three guys standing right outside staring at him. He ignored them, pretending that he didn''t know that they had stayed back for him. As he walked by, he felt a hand on his shoulder and he stopped, looked at that hand and its owner before asking, "What?" while pushing that hand away.


    "Don''t start getting weird ideas just because Sophia was nice enough to pay you any attention," the guy whom Ali recognised as Hank said.


    "Weird ideas?" sneered Ali, "The only one who has any weird ideas here is you. I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Ali turned to walk away, making Hank grit his teeth in anger. He sent a punch to the back of Ali''s head, but Ali merely leaned to the side, grabbed the fist as it flew by the side of his head and twisted the arm. Hank yelled out in pain, and found himself on the knees while Ali locked the twisted arm behind his back and pressed down.


    The other two were going to come and try help, but Ali merely pressed more pressure on the twist, making Hank smash his hand on the floor in pain.


    "Tell your lackeys to back off, or I''ll break your arm." Ali hissed.


    Hank managed to stammer out the words through clenched teeth and the others did his bidding. Ali gave one last twist, pushed Hank forward and glared at the others, "Let this be a warning. I don''t fight, but it doesn''t mean that I can''t - or won''t. You''d better hope there is no next time."


    Hank and the others looked on as Ali walked away. Never in their life did they think that the mild mannered boy that didn''t cause any ripples in class, was a tiger in disguise.

 Chapter 33 - Revelations

    Ali hurried on. The short altercation took a bit of his time, and he had a promise to keep.


    Sophia was waiting nervously at the Blues Corner. It was called as such due to the blue table and chairs, which were littered around at the corner of the building. This part of the school was normally used for discussions during class sessions, but after classes, it was practically deserted. Everyone would be having their lunch right now, then would be heading either to the library for their study session, or at their club activities. Who would want to waste time hanging out here? Which was why Sophia felt it was the best place to meet up to talk.


    She looked at her watch worriedly, scared that Ali would not be coming. It already had taken all of her courage to approach him, and if he didn''t turn up, she doubted that she ever would be able to do it again. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard some footsteps approaching, and saw that it was Ali.


    Sophia got up from the chair she had been sitting on, and he walked over. Before she could say anything though, he handed her an chicken sandwich and a bottle of orange juice before sitting down. He took out another from his bag and began munching while she looked at him in a daze.


    "You have club activities after this, right? So you should eat. You can tell me while you eat, no problem," Ali commented, patting the seat that she had vacated.


    Sophia sat down, and unwrapped the sandwich. She took a bite, and thanked him. They ate in silence for a while, Ali not pushing her for anything and waiting for her to begin herself. He could tell that she was nervous, so he thought it would be easier for her to gather her thoughts as they ate. About a minute later, Sophia began to tell him what she had overheard at the cafeteria. Hesitant at first, then slowly gathering more courage as she went on.


    Ali listened, and nodded slowly as he continued eating. Taking a swig of his orange juice, he crumpled the empty sandwich wrapper and said, "You should tell Kyle this yourself."


    Horror entered her eyes and she shook her head.


    "No no no, please," Sophia pleaded, "I can''t. Please, you tell him. Warn him."


    "Why are you so scared to tell him? He won''t bite," Ali assured her.


    Sophia put down her half-finished sandwich, and bit her lips, while thinking hard. Ali was curious, but didn''t press the issue. Lunch time was almost up, so Ali got up to go. However, just as he stood up, Sophia took a deep breath and told him, "Please tell Kyle I''m sorry,"


    "Huh?"


    Sophia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She mentally psyched herself up, telling herself that she could do this. She had vowed to change, and change she did but she would need to face this demon first. She motioned for Ali to sit back down again.


    "And I am sorry to you as well, Ali," Sophia said, nervously biting her lips again. She always did this, when she was thinking hard, when she was nervous, when she was scared.


    "For..?"


    "4 years ago ... with Kay ... that ... was ... my fault," Sophia said slowly, finding each word hard to say, "I''m so sorry, Ali. I know it''ll hardly make up for what I had done, but I truly am sorry."


    She looked up and saw that he was shocked, and not saying anything. Gathering her stuff and the unfinished sandwich, she said to him as she got up, "I understand that you''d not want to be friends with me because of it."


    Just as she was about to leave, Ali grabbed her arm, stopping her.


    "That''s in the past," Ali told her, "I admit, I was shocked but now I realise why you looked so familiar. You were from my old school."


    Letting her go, he then told her, "Kyle never told us that you were the one behind it all. He simply told us that he found out who it was, but it was all settled. So you see, to him, it''s history. Thus, to the rest of us, it never was an issue."


    Sophia''s tears flowed freely then, and Ali couldn''t help but hug her. She stiffened at first, but then relaxed and continued crying for a while. It was as if the knot in her chest finally came undone and she felt free. She still felt she would need to apologize to everyone personally, but with Ali''s words, there was a huge sense of relief.


    **--**--**--


    Ali rushed over for football practice, and saw that Kyle was already there, warming up. He slipped over to the locker room to change before joining Kyle and paired up with him for the stretching exercises. That was the time Ali told him what Sophia had shared with him.


    Kyle''s face frowned in annoyance upon finding that out. Looks like Janice went from being ''harmless'' to ''super annoying and deserving to be put down''.


    [Kay, I need you to do something for me] He then proceeded to give her a summary of what Janice was planning to do, and what outlined what Kay needed to do.


    Kay, who was in the library at that moment, furrowed her eyebrows as she listened to what Kyle wanted done.


    [No problem, but I''ll need a day or two to set it up]


    [Okay] Kyle responded, getting up and did the basic dribbling exercises that the Coach had set up [While waiting for that to be put in place, get MIB to monitor the situation manually. Wouldn''t want her to slip through the net before everything is up and running.]


    [On it] Kay assured him, closing the textbook that she had been reading. Getting up, she returned it to the shelf and told the others that she wasn''t feeling well and needed to go back to the dorm. Sarah wanted to follow her at first, but Kay told her that she was fine. Just needed to sleep it off.


    When Kay reached her dorm, she took out her laptop and quickly began to work.


    **--**--**--


    Later that night, Kyle was busy studying the documents that Kay had sent. In it, was information on Principal Dobbin''s rather unique method of ensuring the school maintained it''s top 5 position. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t unusual for students to drop out, or transfer - so Kyle had not placed much stock in that the first time the school was investigated. Turns out each and every one of those students had low scores, which brought down the overall aggregate. Seems like the reason for them leaving the school wasn''t as innocent as one first thought.


    Kyle felt he had been really careless. It wasn''t a serious situation now, and easily rectifiable, but it could have been.


    Truth be told, Kyle couldn''t really be blamed. He had so much information to shift through everyday, on top of going to school, so just how would he know what are the sort of things that needed further investigations on? He didn''t have unlimited resources, or time, and had to focus on the more pressing matters. Sometimes one would make mistakes or have a lapse in judgment. Right now, he just had to learn from it and figure out how to improve the system so that this wouldn''t happen again. Finding that balance was difficult, but important.


    After securing all the information in his head, Kyle deleted the documents and erased all of its digital traces. No one would be able to retrieve it anymore, but he could easily reproduce the information when needed. He no longer kept physical evidence like before, as it was too risky to keep such information in a place that he couldn''t personally monitor all the time. Call him paranoid, but that was partly due to the events of his past life. Since he had the capabilities of not forgetting things, he''d use it to the fullest.


    This has certainly been a day full of revelations.


    Just as he closed the laptop, Xing Han came out of the bathroom. A towel was wrapped around his waist, but his bare chest still had droplets of water while his hair was dripping wet. Kyle frowned at that, and said, "Why didn''t you dry up properly before coming out?"


    Xing Han mumbled something while rummaging through his closet. Kyle sighed, took the towel that he hung at the back of his chair and started rubbing Xing Han''s hair dry. "HEY! Stop that!!" Xing Han cried out, flailing his arms about but Kyle ignore him. Being taller was helpful, for he simply applied more pressure while rubbing the towel vigorously on Xing Han''s head and pushing forward. Xing Han couldn''t move much, as Kyle was right behind him and it took all his strength just to stand up.


    Finally the intense rubbing stopped, and Kyle wrapped the towel around his shoulder, while growling sternly, "Stop being a baby. You can catch a cold walking around wet like that right after a shower." The room was air conditioned after all.


    Xing Han stuck out his tongue at Kyle, who promptly whacked him at the back of his head. Xing Han retaliated by jumping onto Kyle, smashing straight into him. Kyle could have dodged easily, but it would have meant that they would crash onto the table that was behind him. That, in turn, would have meant his laptop would be in danger as well.


    Kyle stumbled under the weight, and twisted a bit to the side so as not to fall onto the table. Unfortunately, Xing Han the klutz got his feet entangled with Kyle''s and they lost their footing. Both them smashed loudly to the floor, with Xing Han falling right on top of Kyle. The towel around Xing Han''s waist got loose, the knot at the side untying. Xing Han had also spread out his arms to the side, in an attempt to break the fall - and brushed against Kyle''s shirt on the side, pushing it up. Kyle, in the meantime, had his hands on Xing Han''s bare chest, holding him up and preventing him from squashing him flatter than a pancake.


    Both of them groaned in pain for a while, and at that moment, the door to their dorm suddenly opened. Xing Han and Kyle turned their head to stare at the door at the same time.


    It was Jack, their next door neighbour.

 Chapter 34 - Mission Impossible?

    ? Warning: Slight disturbing scene in the middle ?


    Jack stood frozen at the door. He didn''t know what to do now. He had heard the loud crash earlier and in a panic, he entered the room without knocking. He had visions of a fight or something going on, but the sight in front of him was not what he had been expecting. At all.


    The words stuck at the back of his throat.


    "You didn''t lock the door?" asked Kyle as he turned to stare at Xing Han with a frown.


    Although the doorknob needed a keycard, it also had a unique function that allowed it to be unlocked. Hence, the keycard wasn''t needed to open the door. Xing Han had unlocked it earlier as he had some stuff to bring in, and didn''t want to keep on using the keycard to open the door.


    "I didn''t think anyone would come in and disturb us," replied Xing Han, knowing that Kyle hated people walking in their room without knocking. The lack of respect for privacy and treating their dorm as a common room wasn''t nice.


    Jack got even more nervous when he heard them talking. The words they uttered made it seem obvious that Jack had intruded on something. The rumours that he had heard the other day filled his mind to the brim. He blinked his eyes rapidly, taking in every single thing in front of him in stages ...


    Kyle was lying helpless on the ground with a half-naked Xing Han on top of him. Xing Han''s hair was utterly messed up, giving him the impression that there had been some intense foreplay while his towel had already exposed his fair legs. Xing Han''s face was merely inches away from Kyle''s flushed face, making Jack think that he''d walked in on them kissing before this. Xing Han''s hands were even up the side of Kyle''s shirt ... him ''possessively'' on top of Kyle ... his legs in between Kyle''s .... As these scenes exploded in Jack''s mind, he couldn''t help one silly thought: Kyle was bottom??!


    Jack gulped, and slowly backed away, not saying a word, and telling himself that he would never. Ever. walk in again even no matter how loud the crashes were. He flipped the switch at the door to activate the keylock again as he backtracked out and closed the door.


    Kyle pushed Xing Han off, saying, "Dang it Xing Han. You''re heavy."


    "Wonder what''s wrong with Jack," mused Xing Han, holding on to his towel as he got up. He went to his closet and took out a T-shirt and pajama pants, putting them on quickly.


    "Who knows?" shrugged Kyle, getting into bed, "Who cares?"


    Xing Han agreed, switched off the lights and promptly fell asleep.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Two hours later, Kyle was at Master Shifu''s house. As normal, he would have 4 hours of sleep and then head off to Master Shifu for four hours of training then back to the dorm by 6am. Luckily, not only was Xing Han sleeps early, he was a deep sleeper, so Kyle could slip off easily each night by 2am each night.


    Right now, Kyle was staring at Master Shifu, his eyes wide open.


    "You want me to do what?" he asked again, tilting his head.


    Master Shifu smacked Kyle''s head with his cane. Kyle rubbed his head, thinking that he should burn that cane one day. It''s not like Master Shifu needed it. He just kept using it to hit him with it.


    "Have you gone deaf all of a sudden?" Master Shifu asked, rapping Kyle''s head several more times, "Is anybody home? Sounds pretty empty to me."


    Kyle just stood there as he took the hits, his mind actually deep in thought. He didn''t dodge them because he''d get worse if he did; and it wasn''t really painful anyway. This mission though. Was he ready? He felt it like it was mission impossible right now. He knew that this step was inevitable, but he wasn''t sure if, when push comes to shove - whether he could actually do it.


    Assassinate someone.


    Sure, he had ordered several hits already through MIB. Having someone killed didn''t go against his conscience because well, they deserved it. Even if they were prosecuted under the law, it would have been an inevitable outcome. Kyle was simply shortening the process.


    However, having someone killed and actually doing the hit were two different things. On the outside, he was a guy that was supposedly tough and solid ... but inside? He was still very much Kylie. After all, he had lived over 30 years as a rather timid woman who had never even hit someone and now, he had to kill someone?


    Kyle found that living as a guy for the past 13 years did change his personality a lot: partly due to his nature, partly due to the way he was brought up. He was much more open, confident and definitely much braver. His soul was stronger after being bathed in blood, but was it enough? Guess today''s mission would determine that.


    Master Shifu sighed, and put down his cane. Looking at Kyle squarely in the eyes, he said seriously, "All the previous missions were simply a starting point for this, and this is merely a starting point for what''s really coming next."


    ''And even if you fail, it''ll be a lesson learned. A painful lesson, but at least it won''t result in death,'' thought Master Shifu to himself, but be truly believed Kyle was ready. Yet, there was still a slight sliver of doubt and fear as well. He had been absolutely confident that his first son was ready as well and he had been horribly wrong. It didn''t matter that the death was a result of betrayal, the end results were still the same: he had failed his son.


    Kyle stood up straighter, his back ramrod straight. He thought of his children, waiting for him even though they didn''t know it yet. He thought of the future that awaited them. He thought of the danger that they would be in. He knew he had to be stronger physically, better mentally, tougher at heart. He steeled himself, went down on one knee, head bowed with an arm behind him and the other straight with his fist on the floor.


    "I hear, and I obey," Kyle said solemnly.


    "You have one hour," Master Shifu said, "Go."


    Kyle nodded, got up and quickly rushed off, blending into the night. For this mission, he was actually geared up like the ninjas of ancient times. The only part of his body that was exposed was his eyes, and even then, he had deliberately darkened the skin around it and wore black contact lenses. Having fair skin and blue eyes wasn''t exactly a good thing as a ninja.


    His target was a 40-year old man named Samson Johnson. He was only a pimp but had the disgusting hobby of enjoying the pleasures of the flesh with kids, specifically those who were around 8 years old. Boys, girls - it didn''t matter. He relished in their tears and cries of pain whenever he ravaged them for the first time. No child ever survived his ''special attention'' either. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle knew that Master Shifu had chosen this target for several reasons, one of them being the fact that Kyle would be more prepared to kill such a scumbag. He also knew that there could be a possibility in the future whereby the lines may not be so clear anymore, but the hit would still need to be done.


    Kyle had reached the target''s house. It was an apartment block and Samson''s location was the penthouse. Kyle took out the hand grappling hooks from the pouch by his side and wore them on his hands. The hooks were actually shaped like metal claws, and worn like gloves; and upon wearing them, it looked like the metal claws were extensions of his hands. His eyes surveyed the side of the walls, taking note of all the nooks and crannies before nimbly climbing up the wall like Spiderman.


    Since no one would expect someone to actually scale the walls like so, the security was extremely lax. Kyle avoided all the lighted areas and reached the penthouse easily. He silently cut open a small hole in the window using a special tool that resembled a drawing compass. However, instead of a pencil, there was a sharp blade at the tip and instead of the metal point, it was like a suction cup. So he could cut an opening, and the cut piece would be pulled out without falling. Through the hole, Kyle unlocked the latch, opened the window slightly and slipped in quietly. He then closed the window and headed to the bathroom.


    The blueprint of the room flashed in his mind once again as he made his move. He hadn''t entered Samson''s bedroom immediately, as that was too well secured. Instead, from the bathroom, Kyle pushed aside the opening in the ceiling and entered the space between the ceiling and roof. He silently made his way to Samson''s bedroom and using his tools again, made a small hole to peer through.


    The sight made him disgusted as Samson?was busy spanking a small child while having his way with him. The child was already unconscious, blood coming out from various wounds and his private parts but that didn''t stop Samson who was grunting as he kept thrusting hard. Kyle had to close his eyes and took several deep breaths to calm himself down. Losing his mind would not end well, and this was part of his test as well. A ninja must always maintain his cool, and take the most opportune moment to strike, no matter what was happening.


    Thus, Kyle had to steel his heart at the scene in front of him and waited patiently until Samson was done. Kicking the child''s body off the bed, he shouted at his men who were outside to get rid of the boy. Kyle could see the child''s chest still moving, so he knew that he was still alive but wondered for how long it would be. Death was probably better than the sort of life that the poor child had to undergo here.


    Kyle''s eyes glinted with a resolve that had never been there before. As the images of what the child had been subjected to flashed through, with the thoughts of what the child had been feeling and thinking while being tortured like that ... and then, finally, the laughing faces of his own children ...


    A switch flipped in his mind.

 Chapter 35 - Goodbye

    Kyle felt an unprecendented calmness that could not be explained.


    His earlier nervousness, anger and even disgust just dissapeared. In fact, he felt no emotion whatsoever. No fear even. His heart was beating so evenly, as if he was asleep. In this state, everying became crystal clear and he noticed every single movement and motion around him. Everything was crystal clear and had entered into a state of utter peace. It was as if his body was a robot, and he was merely watching everything through its eyes.


    He waited patiently, hardly moving as he continued watching Samuel. The latter took out some drugs, possibly cocain ... and proceeded to snort it up his nose after lining the white powder on a glass counter. As Samuel threw his head back after taking the drug up his nose, Kyle made his move.


    Kyle had already been in position the moment he saw Samuel take out the drugs. A small 3" blowpipe was positioned through the small opening, a poisoned dart already at the tip of his tongue. The moment Samuel threw his head back, Kyle blew into the pipe. The dart flew forward quickly, and accurately entered Samuel''s mouth and down his throat.


    Samuel coughed, and frowned, feeling something small entering. His eyes started watering and he cursed at the fly that had flown in. What bad luck. Just as he was getting back his breath, intense pain racked his entire body. His mouth started frothing, and he gurgled, grasping his throat but could not making a sound.


    Kyle watched this scene without for a second, hardly feeling anything and even whispered a soft, "Goodbye". Not waiting for the death that would come, he took the cut-out hold, taping the cover back into the hole. At one glance, no one would know that there had been a hole there at all. Kyle escaped the penthouse, silently, before anyone even knew what had happened.


    ***---***---


    Master Shifu sat there, looking intently at Kyle that had returned. Truth be told, he had actually followed Kyle and was prepared to come in and help should the situation go out of hand. However, not only did Kyle execute the mission properly, he had been shocked to have seen the state of mind and body Kyle showed upon exiting the penthouse. Those precise movements, the emotionless eyes, the steady breathing ... all pointed to one thing, and one thing only.


    The State of Zen.


    The most illusive and coveted state every ninja strived to achieve. It was something even the Masters may not achieve in their lifetime. The closest they could get was Pseudo Zen - almost similar, but not perfect. There will be times when their emotions could seep in and affect them. The State of Zen, however, meant that one is cut off from all emotions completely and thus, distractions. The margin of error when being in such a state is next to zero. One not only had to have peace of mind, but to be able to maintain that clarity and state throughout. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Kyle in front of him was normal now, and Master Shifu wondered what sort of secret this Kyle had. There was a theory, the optimum method of achieving the State of Zen was to have a strong soul and fortitude. For that, it would require years of hardship, or something that was so profoundly traumatic, to be able to temper such a soul. Kyle, a 13 year old rich boy that had the love of the family : what sort of experience that he had gone through then??


    Master Shifu was mystified, but didn''t question Kyle about it.


    "You failed the mission," Master Shifu said solemly, "It took more than an hour."


    "Yes, Master," Kyle replied, not protesting. He had been over the time limit by a mere 10 minutes, but it was still over the time limit. He knew that there will be occassions when one would need to execute the mission exactly within the time frame, or the window of escape or opportunity would be lost. No matter the reason, he hadn''t fulfilled the mission properly. The choice he should have made was either choose a faster method of execution, or leave before the time was up and come again at another time. Instead, he had chosen to stay, observe and kill as he didn''t want the man to live again.


    The thing was, while he had wasted time in his thoughts after observing Samuel, once he entered that weird state - he knew. He began meticulously calculating the risk and dangers, and weighed the consequences of leaving, and staying. He came to the conclusion that the best choice was to stay and execute him there and then.


    "Good," said Master Shifu, "You passed."


    Kyle looked up in surprise.


    "The most difficult thing in any mission is not in its execution, but in deciding what is the best method for execution. You had your instructions and normally, one is expected to follow without question," explained Master Shifu, "But more often than not, being able to determine and decide the best course of action when things change is the more important matter."


    He looked at Kyle squarely in the eye, "And you achieved that, and more."


    Kyle knew what Master Shifu was referring to. The weird state he had been in. He was more efficient, more clear and felt so powerful at the same time. Yet, not so overconfident that he was going to kill everyone in the room and rescue the kid. The normal Kyle wanted to go and take the kid away from that Hell hole, but the ''weird'' Kyle knew that it wasn''t the best choice. So, he left.


    Right now, he felt a pang of regret but he knew it was for the best overall. He could have been caught, as the situation would have been way over his head. He was good, but he wasn''t Superman. He would most likely have died, and nothing would have been achieved. Knowing it, and accepting it, were two different things however. If he had been ''normal'' then, would he have made the correct choice? He honestly couldn''t say.


    "Go back now," Master Shifu said, "Tomorrow, you don''t have to come for training. Instead, go through today''s mission and train yourself."


    Kyle nodded, "Yes, Master Shifu" then left to go back to the dorm.


    **--***--**


    Kyle was under the shower, letting the water hit his head and flow down as he leaned forward with his hands on the wall. At this time, his photographic memory was a pain. Images of the small boy kept going through his mind and he gritted his teeth. His body shivered, not because he was cold of the water pouring on him, but of the cold that invaded his heart.


    Taking a deep breath, he thought of the state he had been earlier. How did he achieve it? Thinking back, he reaslied it was born out of his intense desire to punish Samuel for what he was doing. Wait. No, it wasn''t just that ... it was a combination of things. Kyle took several more breaths, thinking back of what he had been feeling, what he had been thinking and then ... the switch flipped again.


    He stood up straight, ignoring the water that was pouring into his eyes as he looked at his hands. He looked around, noticing every single movement around him. The water droplets, the dust particles in the air, the sound of the water going down the drain ... all of it was clear as day as if it was being played in slow motion, one at a time. His heart was beating rythmatically, and the pain of the earlier memories became nothing.


    Nodding his head, he took several deep breaths again and turned back to normal. He did this for a couple more times, and each time, he could enter that state much more easily. However, he noticed that after coming out of the state, he would be exhausted. He figured it must be because all of his senses were intensified, putting more strain on his body. He took note of it, and knew that he couldn''t maintain the state indefinately. In the meantime, he needed to figure out if he could actually strengthen himself so that the state can be maintained longer.


    Kyle finished his shower quickly, and tiredly walked back into the room. Xing Han was still snoring away, so Kyle threw his damp towel right on top of Xing Han''s face"Wake up, sleepy head"


    Xing Han jolted awake, and threw the wet towel away in disgust, "You seriously need to get a better method of waking me up," he complained.


    "Sure," Kyle replied with a smile, "I could always pour water on you instead. Oh wait! how about THIS revolutionary idea? "


    "What?" asked Xing Han suspiciously.


    "Actually getting up by yourself!"


    Xing Han didn''t answer, but merely grumbled as he staggered out of bed. Kyle watched him go, then sat down at his desk. He sighed, thinking of what happened earlier, and in the bathroom. He felt that the feeling was similar to what Po, in Kung Fu Panda, had when achieving ''Inner Peace'' ... yet at the same time, it wasn''t. Yes, it was "peace", in a way but it was more than that. Kyle couldn''t quite place his finger on it. He shrugged mentally and decided to ignore it. He wasn''t the philosophical type anyway. As long as he knew the state, and how to get to it then everything else wasn''t important.


    He went to put on his school uniform while thinking. After Xing Han was ready, they both headed to the cafeteria. Kyle''s eyes scanned the place and quickly found Kay and Sarah. Sam was in line, so Xing Han went to join him in queueing up. No one questioned it when Xing Han was really cutting in line by standing next to Sam (don''t do this, folks) as everyone was used to the fact that either one would be ''holding the line for the other''.


    Kyle sat in front of Kay as usual, who then pushed a tray of food to him. Kay always got Kyle his breakfast, as Kyle caused too much of a commotion when he stood in line. So Kay would come earlier, get his breakfast and wait for them to arrive.


    As Kyle sat down, Kay looked at him with a slight frown on her delicate face. Despite the smile on his face, she knew something was wrong.

 Chapter 36 - First Step

    Kyle grinned when he saw what was on the tray that Kay had gotten for him. They were all his favourites : sausages, eggs and mashed potatoes, with pancakes.


    "Oh man, Kay," gushed Kyle, digging in, "You''re the best!!"


    Kay watched him eat with gusto, then asked worriedly, [Is everything alright Kyle?]


    Kyle was about to take a bite from his sausage when Kay asked that, and she noticed the slight pause before he continued. Chewing while taking a gulp of milk, he replied nonchalantly, [Sure]


    Kay was silent for a while, then softly, the hurt evident in her voice [Don''t lie to me Kyle]


    Kyle chewed slowly, not looking up and instead, turned to look behind him at Xing Han and Sam. They had just reached the cafeteria lady and was busy piling up their tray with food. He then turned to face her, seeing the sadness and hurt in her eyes. His gaze went back down to the plate in front of him and he continued eating.


    [I''m fine. I''m dealing with it]


    Kay knew that he had gone on his first kill mission, and she was worried that taking another person''s life would cause him trauma. What Kay didn''t know was that the act itself wasn''t what affected him, but rather the guilt that he felt burdened with by the choices he had made. The fate of the child he left behind haunted him, and he was well aware that the child was most likely not alive anymore. At least, the vile monster was already dead and would not be hurting any more innocents after this. That, at least, assuaged the guilt in his heart a little bit.


    Still, this was something he had to bear on his own. There was nothing Kay could do. Kyle placed the memory into a little box and tucked it far away in the corner of his mind. A single, lone box representing a burden he had to bear forever. Kyle felt that this was just the beginning. His first ''sin'', so to speak. Little did he know at that time, how prophetic those thoughts actually were.


    Kay felt her phone vibrate and took out her phone from her pocket. Placing her thumbprint on it, she frowned slightly before showing Kyle the screen. He nodded, and finished up the last piece of pancake when Xing Han arrived.


    "YOU''VE FINISHED ALREADY?!" Xing Han exclaimed as he sat down.


    "Slowpoke," Kyle answered, as he got up. "Sorry, have something to do in class first. Let''s go to Kayu for dinner later."


    Kayu was a well known restaurant franchise which had traditional Southern Indian-Muslim food, which had various forms of food comprising of rice and its accompanying dishes. Kyle loved eating there, as it was also a well known franchise in Country M, where he had lived before. Kay didn''t quite like the heavy food of rice, so Kyle wouldn''t go as often as he''d like.


    Xing Han brightened up, "Sure! I''ll let Ali know. Sarah, you coming?"


    This would be their first time eating out of campus, and Sarah was nervous but she nodded. She had heard about Kayu, and wanted to go and try it out but not many people actually liked rice. She nodded eagerly.


    Just as Kyle headed out the cafeteria doors, the place became noisier than usual. There were multiple sounds of notifications going all over the place, and people were busy looking at their handphones. Soon, heads were turning and looking about, some even pointing towards the door while saying something.


    "What''s going on?" Sam wondered out loud.


    Sarah''s eyes were also glued to her phone, her hand on her mouth. Everyone looked at her, and her hands started trembling as she said in a shaking voice, "The school forum exploded."


    "Exploded? What do you mean?" Kay asked, even though she already knew the answer. She took the phone from Sarah, then her fingers were seen going up and down the screen. She pursed her lips. "Kyle isn''t going to like this."


    [It''s started] Kay sent to Kyle [And what horrible photoshop skills. Still, it is convincing enough, I suppose]


    Kyle''s laughter echoed in her mind as he answered, [Bring it on. This is going to be fun]


    Sam took the phone, and Xing Han leaned over to look as Sam scrolled down the post. There was a post, with some pictures of a guy and girl together, in rather ... compromising positions. It wasn''t too explicit as they were still fully clothed, but it was obvious that the couple were engaged in some rather passionate moments.


    There were captions such as #secretloveaffair #notsoinnocent #unmasked S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uh-oh," Xing Han grumbled, tucking into his food, "Principal Dobbins isn''t going to like this."


    Although the pictures (5 in total) didn''t have the faces of the couple shown clearly, there was no doubt in their minds who the guy was. If there had only been one picture, it may have been difficult but with five ... One had the guy in Retsu Primary School uniform on, one showed his side profile that indicated a sharp jawline and distinctive hairstyle, one had him in Retsu''s basketball uniform, one had his face partially covered by the girl''s back but his blue eyes was seen clearly and the last one had him walking with his head turned but his Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch was clearly seen on the wrist.


    It was Kyle.


    The girl was unrecognisable, but she had quite a distinctive bag with her in each picture. Thus, it meant it was the same girl. The bag was very familiar, too. It took some time for people to figure it out, but some were already suspected something.


    Janice, in the meantime, had been in the cafeteria when all the hoo-ha started. She waited for nearly 15 minutes before trying to ''sneak'' away. At first, people didn''t bother paying her any attention but when they saw her hunching forward and trying to hide a bag under her arm ... they stopped and looked closer. It was THE BAG!


    Janice ''hurriedly'' ran away in ''fear''.


    **--**--**--


    Back in the classroom, Kyle was busy scrolling through the forum on his phone. He appeared unfazed as the comments became more and more outrages. Some called him a pervert at such a young age, a lolicon (he laughed at that. He''s supposed to be 12 in the picture - so did that make the girl 8 or something?), a wolf in disguise. You name it, he got it.


    Yet, there were some who vehemently defended him, saying that it was normal. Some were also lamenting at him being taken.


    One thing was for sure, though. Not a single post was kind towards the girl. Apparently, she had ''stolen'' the prince that was public property. He was supposed to be enjoyed by all at a distance and not be monopolized by only one. Kyle stopped at the latest post that came up. This was the one that he had been waiting for.


    The post that ''identified'' the mysterious girl.


    Janice Williams.


    No need to guess who was the genius poster that identified her.


    [It''s Belinda] Kay confirmed, reporting to him what MIB had dug out.


    The poster, GossipQueen had posted a picture of Janice with that bag, leaving the cafeteria and how she was trying to hide it from everyone. As a result, when Janice entered her classroom, she found people''s eyes staring at her. On the outside, it looked like she was scared and nervous but on the inside, she was smirking and reveling in the attention. Even if the attention wasn''t exactly positive. She walked in slowly, giving furtive glances towards Kay.


    To her consternation, she found that Kay wasn''t even looking up. She was busy flipping through a text book, a pencil in her hand and making some small notes on the side as she was reading. When Janice passed by her desk, she deliberately tripped, and grabbed onto Kay''s desk to steady herself. Kay tilted her head to the side, looking at Janice and smiling sweetly, asking, "Are you ok?"


    Janice gave her a pitiful look, but before she could say anything, Kay simply patted her hand that was on the desk and said consolingly, "Luckily the desk broke your fall. Try to be more careful next time, okay?"


    Kay then turned back to reading her book and Janice got up, unable to say anything. Why wasn''t Kay acting according to the script? Shouldn''t she be upset, or worried about her brother? About her, the supposed victim? Didn''t Belinda already identify her as the one in the picture? What was going on?


    Just as she walked away, however, she heard Ayra ask Kay, "Since when did Kyle hook up with Janice?"


    "What are you talking about?" Kay asked, her face full of puzzlement.


    "Kyle and Janice!" hissed Ayra.


    "What about Kyle and Janice?"


    Exasperated, Ayra said, "You know, Kyle and Janice! About them being a couple!"


    Kay shrugged, seemingly uninterested as she returned to reading her book, "Kyle''s never been with any girl, let alone Janice."


    Although Kay''s voice was low, it was still clear and a lot of people heard what she said. Ayra was looking at Kay in complete shock, hardly believing that the school gossip was true. Kyle is a player! Even after all that evidence, they''re denying that there was anything going on between the two! The whisperings started, and people were giving furtive glances at Janice.


    Janice played it up even more. Thank goodness Ayra was there to push the matter out in the open! Janice gave the typical ''I-have-been-wronged'' look, as she wiped her eyes dainty with a handkerchief, and looked forlornly at Kay''s back. When the school bell rang marking the start of the first class, everyone''s attention went to the front. The class teacher was walking in, so silence descended.


    Just as the teacher opened her mouth to say something, a bell chime sounded over the intercom, signaling that an announcement was going to be made.


    "Will Kyle Smith and Janice Williams come to the Principal''s Office right now"

 Chapter 37 - Apathy

    Kyle was already waiting outside Principal Dobbins'' office when Janice arrived. She looked awkwardly at him, tears glistening in her eyes as she sat down next to him.


    [What a white lotus act] commented Kyle. [Must admit, she''s one of the better ones]


    [Behave, Kyle] Kay replied with a giggle [Well, the previous ones were all kids, you know. Janice probably perfected her skills just for you]


    Janice began sniffling beside him, ''trying'' not to make any loud noises but would occasionally look at him sneakily while dabbing her eyes. Finally, unable to stand Kyle ignoring her, she turned to look at him with the most pitiful face she could muster, and ask, "Doesn''t it bother you?"


    Kyle leaned back on the wall, placed his right leg''s ankle on his left knee, then replied with a smile, "Why should it? At least being called to the Principal''s office lets me off Doolittle''s class" He leaned over slightly to her, whispering, "Between you and me, I''d rather sit here than there. Her classes are boring to the max and never fails to put me to sleep!"


    Janice looked at Kyle with wide eyes. First, it was Kay. Now, it''s Kyle. What was wrong with these twins? Why aren''t they following the script? Why are they completely unbothered by the rumours? Even fueling it? When Kay had declared that Kyle never got with anyone, it made his reputation even worse. Once that got out, the forum will probably explode again. Yet, here he was ... completely unaffected by it all.


    Worse, even if he was not bothered by it all, what about her? Why isn''t he worried about her, who''s obviously upset by it all? The victim in all of this? Is he truly a jerk then and wouldn''t do anything? No comforting a beautiful lady who is crying by his side?


    "You''re not scared of Principal Dobbins?" she asked tentatively. She felt everything Kyle said was so weird.


    "That old fart that looks like she ties her hair too tight until her face looks like it''s stretched?" Kyle snorted. "Why should I be scared of her?"


    "I wish I could be like you," she said in a low voice, "I''m scared at what she''ll do, especially after that warning"


    Kyle shrugged, saying, "Worrying over something you can''t change does nothing but give you wrinkles and grey hair. That''s probably why Dobbins look like she''s a dried up old prune."


    He looked at his watch and noticed that 10 minutes had already passed. He crossed his arms, leaned his head back and then closed his eyes, promptly falling asleep. It wasn''t a deep sleep, however, as his subconscious was aware of the sounds around him. It was enough to give him some respite from the girl beside him and relax his mind.


    Kyle really was exhausted, what with the intense mission last night, and him experimenting entering that weird state this morning. Then, having to maintain vigilance and a chirpy expression in the morning as if nothing was any different really took a toll on him now. Since Principal Dobbins was dragging the situation, Kyle felt that there was no reason for him to fuel her peverse desire to see them squirm.


    So the best thing? Is not to react. Apathy. Its effects is priceless. It seriously gets those bullies into a hissy-fit when their jabs or snide remarks has absolutely no effect. Kyle couldn''t help but smile a bit at that thought, as he drifted into dreamland. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kyle! What is going on?"


    Kyle opened his eyes to see the fuming glare of his mother, her hands on her hips.


    Kyle stretched, cricked his neck and shrugged while getting up, "Your guess as good as mine. Must be serious to have called you up."


    Just then, Principal Dobbin''s personal assistant, Mrs Van, walked up to them and said, "The Principal will see you now."


    Janice, Kyle and Delilah walked in. Principal Dobbins was sitting at her desk, a large table that Kyle supposed was meant to be imposing. Principal Dobbins looked up as they walked in, looking up from the laptop that she had been using. She didn''t give a greeting, nor a smile, and while still seated, gestured for them to sit down. There were two chairs right in front of the desk, so Janice and Delilah sat down while Kyle stood behind his mother.


    Principal Dobbins pushed her glasses up her nose, and said, "Thank you for coming, Mrs Smith. The matter before us is very serious."


    "And what matter is that?" Delilah asked, crossing her legs. Her opinion of the Principal already lowered when the former did not bother to show basic courtesy by standing up to greet her as she walked in. She was a parent, and not some delinquent child that came to be scolded.


    From the principal''s attitude, however, Delialh could tell that the person in front of her did have some attitude problem. Even her ''thank you for coming'' were perfunctory words said without any sincere feelings behind it. Principal Dobbins didn''t think of the effort it took for Delilah to cancel all her appointments, and rush over upon receiving the call.


    "It''s a pity Mr Smith could not be here," Principal Dobbins said with a frown, "But I guess we''ll just have to make do."


    Delilah and Kyle''s face darkened at that, but Principal Dobbins didn''t notice anything, her focus on the laptop screen in front of her. She had not even bothered to set the laptop aside, and as her eyes were perusing the screen, she said, "This hallowed halls is a sacred place of learning. And your son''s indiscreet and indecent behaviour is not what this school is all about. He has tarnished this school''s reputation!!"


    At that, with a huff, she looked up at Delilah. Delilah''s eyes narrowed, and leaning forward, she asked, while enunciating each word clearly as if she was talking to a three year old, "And just what did he do to deserve such scathing comments from such an esteemed person of learning?"


    Principal Dobbins missed the sarcastic undertone when Delilah said ''esteemed'', and she puffed up her chest as she turned the laptop around to show Delilah the forum post.


    "So?" Delilah asked, as she read the post and the first few replies to it.


    Principal Dobbins sneered, as she said, "Looks like the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree, I see."


    Turning the laptop back to face her, she gave this rather superior expression and continued. "We focus on studying, and learning. This," she said as she gestured to the laptop screen, "Is not what we want in a student."


    "I agree," said Delilah, leaning back, "One should be using the school forum to discuss academic life, or studies and not partake in mindless gossip and rumours. And I repeat. Just what did Kyle do to deserve such scathing comments from such an esteemed person of learning?"


    Principal Dobbins looked at her in surprise, "Isn''t it obvious?!"


    "If it was, why would I be asking you?" Delilah shot back.


    "This! This!!" Principal Dobbins repeated, her hands wildly flaying about at the computer screen.


    "Again, so?" Delilah asked calmly, "If all you can do is simply give vague accusations, degrading comments and belittling my son, how on Earth did you get to be a Principal? Is it beyond your capabilities to actually explain and tell me just what. my. son. did?"


    Delilah deliberately emphasised the last few words, leaning forward and staring at Principal Dobbins straight in the eye. Kyle cheered at his mum inwardly. She may look like she''s all soft and gooey but she was no pushover. Kyle was already seething inside at the way the old hag was treating his mum, but it looks like his mum had everything under control. He didn''t want to cause more trouble anyway, so he kept quiet, smirking while standing politely behind his mother.


    Principal Dobbins did not miss that self-satisfied smirk of Kyle''s, and it got her blood boiling again. This mother-and-son pair really was a piece of work. No wonder Kyle was so spoilt and rotten. His mother let him get away with everything! Even when that forum post was clear about the disgusting behaviour of her son, she saw nothing wrong with it!


    "In our school," began Principal Dobbins, "we emphasize on learning. This school comprises of well educated students and ..."


    "Yes, yes .. sacred halls of learning. Studious people. yadda-yadda-yadda. Will you get to the point?" Delilah interrupted her. Since Principal Dobbins wasn''t showing her any respect, Delilah saw no need for her to be polite either.


    Principal Dobbins bristled, and finally lost it as she said loudly, "We do NOT CONDONE such immoral behaviour as is shown in the pictures!!"


    "Well, that''s your perogative since it''s your school''s website," said Delilah, "And why is that a concern for me? And what has that got to do with Kyle?"


    Principal Dobbins couldn''t believe how dense Delilah Smith was and she said scathingly, "It''s YOUR son that is in those pictures! HE is the one doing such immoral acts! Of course it has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR SON!! LOOK! He even got this poor innocent child in the mix! Her reputation has been completely and utterly destroyed because of these pictures!!"


    Principal Dobbins'' chest heaved up and down after her slight outburst. Delilah, who remained calm throughout, turned to look at the silently crying girl beside her. Then, she looked up at Kyle who shrugged, then back at the Principa.


    "So you are telling me," Delilah began, "That these five blurry pictures of a couple is Kyle and this girl? That somehow, despite the fact that the faces have not been captured, it is undeniably him? On what basis did you come to this conclusion? Even the poster himself did not name Kyle. The replies are all conjecture and speculations, which they are now shouting is the truth."


    Delilah may have just glanced at the forum post, but she was a quick reader and knew what was basically said, "So basically, you''ve concluded that these images are pictures of Kyle based entirely on accusations of the people posting."


    She leaned forward and asked seriously, "Tell me, Principal Dobbins. Are you blind, or just demented?"

 Chapter 38 - SuperMum

    The room was silent and Principal Dobbins mouth opened and shut like a fish. Kyle''s smirk turned into a smile. His mum is awesome.


    "How dare you!" Principal Dobbins finally spluttered after gathering her wits, and Delilah put up a hand to silence her. She smiled, and said, "I dare. Why shouldn''t I dare?"


    "Unlike you, I have ample evidence to suggest that you''re most likely demented," she began, as she then put up her forefinger, "One. You concluded that the person in the pictures is Kyle even though the face was never shown."


    Putting up two fingers, "Two. The post was made at 7.30am, became viral in one hour, and without even finding out the truth of the matter, you called me at 8.45am stating that Kyle had committed an unpardonable crime."


    "Three. Kyle is the victim here, as the one who was defamed. Yet instead of defending him, you are prosecuting him."


    "Four. The pictures clearly indicated events happened prior to entering Sakura Academy. In two pictures, the said person was in Retsu Primary School outfits. Why is Sakura Academy making such a fuss about their reputation when it isn''t even their student in the picture?"


    "Five. It is quite clear that the school forum was used to spread malicious rumours, but instead of taking it down immediately to lessen the impact, you left it up. Does your school not maintain its own website? What was the person-in-charge doing?"


    "And finally. This post - and its accusations - have attracted the attention of the media already. Since you failed to take down the post in time, the Sakura Academy''s name is being brought down to the mud. Not because of the said person in the post, but by your own lack of good sense and mismanagement."


    "So tell me, Principal Dobbins. Do your actions not point to the fact that you''re demented? Oh wait. No. That''s wrong, my mistake. It should be retarded."


    Principal Dobbins bristled, but could not retort. Her mind was in a mess. It was true. She had been so incensed that, before she could gather more information, she had immediately called up Kyle''s parents. She hadn''t called Janice''s parents as Janice was a victim. She refused to believe that Kyle wasn''t the one in the picture, but she had nothing in her hands right now to refute and argue with Mrs Smith.


    In the end, Principal Dobbins retreated. There was no point continuing the fight if she did not have the ammunition. She will gather them and then shoot that smug look off their faces. With that thought in mind, Principal Dobbins stood up, straightened her clothes.


    "The matters you have stated are being dealt with as we speak," she lied, keeping a straight face and mentally checking the list that needed to be done, "I did not want to delay the matter and have things get worse. Believe me, I will get to the bottom of this and the culprits will be punished. Expulsion at the very least."


    Delilah got up, and still managed to appear like she was looking down at Principal Dobbins and said, "I can''t believe you would waste my time over something as unsubstantiated like this. I hope there will not be a next time."


    "Rest assured, Mrs Smith," said Principal Dobbins unperturbed, "There won''t be"


    **--**--**


    The moment they stepped out of the office, Kyle hugged his mum, saying "You were awesome there, Mum! I hereby dub you SuperMum!!"


    Throughout the entire thing, Janice was squirming in her seat and could do nothing but simply look aggrieved. As they all walked out of the Principal''s office, Delilah turned to Janice and said kindly, "Chin up, girl. This matter will be cleared soon. If you''re facing any problems, just look for Kyle here."


    YES!! Janice shouted in her mind, for what she wanted finally happened - even if it was not the way she had imagined it to be. She turned towards Kyle, saying softly, "Sorry for the trouble, Kyle."


    Kyle just looked at her and smiled kindly, making Janice melt at that perfect face being so close and having him smile. At her. Only her. Her mind blanked out.


    NOOoooOOOooo ... wailed Kyle in his mind ... but it was expected. The calling of his mother had not been within his calculations, but the moment he found out it was done, he made the adjustments to his plans as he stood behind her in the Principal''s office. He knew his mother''s caring and over protective nature, so the fact that she had dumped Janice''s safety onto him was no surprise. He would have been shocked if his mum had ignored the sniffling baby.


    He was just groaning over the fact that he now had this leech who would latch onto him. Shivers ran down his spine just at the thought. It didn''t help that Kay was laughing uncontrollably in his mind, not sparing him any thought as she sent that tinkling laugh. Outwardly, he had to maintain a straight face, and winced when his mum hit him at the back of his head.


    "Focus Kyle! Did you hear what I said?"


    "Yes, dear mother," Kyle said, "Be kind to Janice. Study hard. Be good. No nonsense or you''re grounded."


    Delilah harumphed at Kyle''s summary of her 10 minute lecture, still not satisfied. However, before she could start on another tirade, Kyle quickly took both her hands in his and kissing her on the forehead, he said, "Gotta go, Mum. We still have classes to attend."


    "Fine. Go," she said, waving him off.


    "Thanks Mum!" Kyle shouted as he gave his mum a quick hug, and dashed off as if he had the bats of hell chasing him, leaving a speechless Janice behind. Other than that smile he gave her earlier, he had not even talked to her or acknowledged her in any way. Janice could do nothing but trail listlessly after him, and headed back to her own class, thinking of many other ways to get closer to him.


    **--**--**--


    The day passed by uneventfully ... well, if you consider the various furtive glances, increased whisperings that abruptly stopped when he walked by, fingers pointing indiscreetly at his back as uneventful, that is. Kyle wasn''t bothered by all of it. In fact, he felt those things were like pesky flies buzzing around him. Annoying, but can be ignored. He was, after all, mentally 40 ... no wait. His mind wandered, and he realised that the numbers was not right.


    He started counting in his head. Kylie died at 40 years old, and Kyle has lived for 13 years. So essentially, he is 53 years old. Kyle had to admit. He looks pretty darn good for a 53 year old person. He laughed at his own stupid, random thoughts.


    Kyle quickly got up when the school bell for the last class rang, and headed straight for basketball practice. He needed some physical activity to get rid of this frustration that was piling up. He wasn''t bothered by the things people were saying, but he was rather bored with it all. No, to be accurate. He was upset about how shallow people''s hearts were.


    He sighed, waking into the locker room. As bad as they were, he was worse since he enjoyed playing them like a violin on a string, and using his popularity to control the flow. It was ... fun. It was like a hobby of his, to instigate certain situations and fanning them. He had always been boring in his previous life, and this was harmless fun.


    Kyle smiled to himself. Today is going to be another fun day at practice. He had been working hard after all, so he needed a break. Kyle placed his duffel bag in his locker, then proceeded to take off his shirt. Instead of crumpling it and throwing it into the locker like any normal boy, he folded it and placed it nicely.


    "Kyle, I swear. You''re so neat that I''d say you''re a girl."


    Kyle didn''t turn, took off his pants to reveal the shorts he wore underneath. He then folded his pants neatly and placed it in the locker, and took out his jersey that was hanging inside. "Oh please Darren. That''s stereotyping. As if girls are so neat."


    Darren took Kyle by the shoulder, turning him around and gesturing the whole place with one long sweep of his hand, "Look. Compare your locker, with ... that"


    Kyle shrugged, pushing off Darren''s arm that was across his shoulder and wore his jersey. Every single locker that was opened had all sorts of stuff that were just crammed inside. Some clothes were also littered on the floor, with people stepping on them.


    "I just don''t like my clothes wrinkled. I have an image to maintain, you know." Kyle replied, closing his locker door and twisting the lock combination.


    "Speaking of image ... " Darren leaned closer, "You ol dog you. Come on, tell me. How many girls have you done it with?"


    Kyle gave an exaggerated look, put a hand on his chest and gasped, "Darren! What sort of guy do you think I am?" Then, with a slight pause, Kyle smiled mysteriously, "I never kiss and tell, you know. But seriously, I''ve been a good boy. Never kissed a girl even, except for my mum and sis."


    Darren watched Kyle walk off to court, and smiled, nodding knowingly.


    "Yeah, riiiiiiight," he said and jerked his chin at another teammate nearby, "We believe him, right?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As usual, when Kyle walked out, the bleachers were full of girls just sitting there, watching the practice. Despite the rumours going around, the crowd did not diminish. Kyle ignored them as usual, and started doing warm-ups as per instructions. After about 20 minutes of basic dribbling and passing of the ball, the coach called them all in front.


    "Ok. We''ll do a practice run. Split up into two teams" he commanded, handing over 5 red vests to Captain Lee. "Seniors vs juniors". The guys looked at each other and split into huge grins. After the last match, they were itching to compete against each other again. The seniors wanted to put the juniors down a peg or two, while the juniors wanted to show that the new blood will take over the old.


    Captain Lee twirled the basketball on his finger as he pointed to all the juniors in front of him. He then took his thumb and made a slitting motion across his throat before giving them the thumbs down.


    Kyle, the captain of the juniors for this match, snorted, brushing his nose ala Bruce Lee style. The other four members stood behind Kyle in a semi-circle, perfectly imitating Kyle''s nose brush at the same time.


    The Coach blew the whistle.

 Chapter 39 - Fanning The Flames

    The match was intense, with each team seemingly dominating the court the moment the ball gets into their hands. The coach was busy shouting out instructions and criticisms throughout the game. Girls in the bleachers were screaming silently in their hearts upon seeing Kyle''s intense concentration as he played.


    One scene, however, almost made the court get flooded with blood.


    Everyone was slightly out of breath, their jersey''s sticking to their bodies which were drenched in sweat. Kyle was no exception, his hair wet with the sweat dripping down his face. Many girls were itching to provide him with a towel at that moment, as they gripped the towels that they had stitched some motifs and Kyle''s name on it. They couldn''t, though, as it was in the middle of the match.


    As for Kyle, he was finding the sweat irritating, as it tended to fall into his eyes, stinging it. Thus, without thinking deeply into it, he pulled the collar of his jersey to wipe his face of the sweat. The girls went silent as they watched the jersey get pulled up, exposing five inches of Kyle''s skin above his navel. The fine, fair soft skin and well defined abdominal muscles was a sight for sore eyes.


    Phones were frantically whipped out, but all too soon, that vision of loveliness disappeared. Some found that they suddenly developed nose bleeds, while some found their throats dry due to their mouths being wide open.


    [You did that on purpose, didn''t you?]


    A ghost of a smile flitted across Kyle''s face. He quickly noted Kay sitting at the far corner of the bleachers. [You''ve got to entertain the masses, don''t you? Too much?]


    [Next time, take longer to wipe your darn face of yours. It''s too shameless!]


    [Next time, I might take the top off then]


    Kay snorted. [You''re beyond redemption, Kyle.]


    Kyle laughed, as he took control of the ball. Jumping up, he scored a 3-pointer easily as the buzzer sounded. Cheers and woots were heard throughout as the juniors all high fived. With that shot, they had won the friendly match. Kyle had purposely kept the last shot until the end, letting the others have their play as well. With his accuracy and precision, he could actually steal the ball easily and land the ball in the basket from any angle and distance, but wouldn''t do so. After all, his skills had to be within the ''believable'' range.


    With that, everyone started cleaning up. Kyle jogged over to the stands, under the fervent looks of everyone. He rushed up to where Kay was sitting, and squatted down. As Sarah was on the outer of the stands beside Kay, Kyle was actually squatting next to Sarah. He even was leaning over a bit to get closer to Kay, without actually touching Sarah.


    Sarah was trying very hard to breathe properly. This was actually the first time Kyle was so close to her. She could even feel his body heat and see the sweat glistening on his head. When he had leaned forward a bit towards Kay, Sarah''s eyes darted to see his collarbone and down ... Sarah closed her eyes tightly. She was getting perverted.


    When she opened her eyes again, she saw that Kyle had taken a hand towel from Kay and was busy wiping the back of his neck. "10mins, tops," said Kyle, "I just need to take a quick shower."


    "Please use soap this time," Kay said, waving him away, "You stink."


    Kyle then turned to Sarah, and whispered in her ear, "Excuse me a bit". She cringed, frozen, while he took her hand and moved her aside. Then he went closer to Kay who got up and was vainly trying to edge away even more, her hand in front of her, "Kyle ... stay. Down boy. Down!! .... KYLE! Don''t you DARE!!" Kay couldn''t move further away as there were people in the next seat, who obviously wasn''t going to move if it meant Kyle would get closer to them.


    Kyle had his arms wide open, a puppy dog hurt look on his face as he took a step closer, "I just want to hug my dear lovely sister ... and she doesn''t want me."


    Everyone was screaming in their hearts ... ME ME ME ... hug me!!


    Kay pinched her nose and placing a hand on his chest, she pushed him. Or at least, tried to. Kyle wouldn''t budge but instead raised his eyebrows up and down comically. He then raised his hands up in the air as if in surrender, "Okay, okay. I geddit. 10 mins."


    Just as Kay was about to sit back down, thinking it was safe, Kyle gave her a quick hug and ran off.


    "Ew euw eeewwww" Kay was grimacing, taking out some wet wipes from her bag and sat back down. She proceeded to wipe her arms and neck, not realising how a group of boys to her left at the next aisle were suddenly focused on her every movement. However, just as their thoughts were straying into certain unmentionable territory, one of them suddenly got smashed backwards into the chair. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His friends jumped in their chairs, only to see their friend holding his head, a reddish bump forming on his forehead. They then saw a basketball bouncing down the aisle, and looked to the court. There was a smiling Kyle, but one could feel the chill in that grin of his. He had one basketball in his hand, which he was tossing up and down in the air.


    "Ooops, my bad," Kyle said, "My hand slipped." He then turned to look at a girl who was sitting just two rows above, and smiling sweetly this time, he said, "Can you please pass me that ball?"


    The girl blushed, looked down and saw that the basketball had landed right next to her feet. She bent down, retrieved the ball and went down to hand the ball over to Kyle. As Kyle took the ball, he then grabbed her hand gently, turning it over and kissed at the back of it, "Thank you, dear lady."


    She clutched her hand close to her chest, her eyes wide open as Kyle turned to walk away. The feeling of Kyle''s lips on it replaying over and over in her mind.


    Kay watched all of this with a scoff, seeing how the girl was most likely not going to wash her hands ever again.


    [You''re REALLY enjoying this, aren''t you? If I didn''t know any better, I''d think you''d have an ulterior motive when making up this ''Fanning the Flames'' plan]


    Kyle grinned to himself. Although there wasn''t an ulterior motive, he had to admit, he was enjoying it far more than he thought he would. He had lived an extremely mundane life before, and school was basically just study study and more studying. He had never been in the ''popular'' group or even the ''geek'' group. Just the ''loner and no one remembered'' group.


    Now, however, he was in a position that he had only read in novels. Not just the ''popular'' group, but the top in the popular group. Since he never did take these things seriously, it was more like a game to him. ''Fanning the flames'' meant just that : since Janice had started the rumour that he was involved with a girl, and further gave Principal Dobbins the conviction that he was such a playboy destined to ruin girls ... he was going to fan that small flame.


    However, he would be controlling the flame and not have it burn the way they wanted. They wanted to malign him? Fine. He was going to bring on the charm. Give the girls some "unintentional" eye candy, be a gentleman, be an openly loving and protective brother, and an all round nice guy. The more positive the image, the more the rumours will turn into another direction. Of course, you will still have those dissenting views but they would be negligible.


    The power of the fangirls can be devastating.


    **--**--


    Kyle did take only 10 minutes, and found all of them already waiting for him outside the gym. Flinging his arms around Ali and Xing Han''s shoulders, he grinned widely, "Let''s go!!"


    "FOOOOOOOODDD!!" shouted Ali and Xing Han together, throwing their hands up in the air. Kyle laughed, his face brightening everything around him.


    It was a 20 minute walk to Kayu, and everyone''s eyes turned towards the rather eye catching group as they walked in. Kyle eagerly went to the food display area, his mouth drooling when he saw the assortment of dishes piled up there. There was a rice that had reddish and slightly yellow tinge known as bryiani rice. Then fish curry, lamb curry, chicken and fish fried in spices, fried cabbages, fried beansprouts, fried brinjal and pickled vegetables.


    "Boss!!" Kyle shouted, naturally adopting the common form of address used in Country M. The Southern Indian guy behind the counter was taken aback at first, staring at this obviously non-Asian boy who was smiling and acting all naturally. He smiled, finding it rather heart warming to have something more familiar in this place.


    "What do you want?" he asked politely, standing while waiting for Kyle''s order.


    "White rice," Kyle began then started pointing at various dishes "lamb curry, no gravy please. Fried chicken, drumstick portion. Cabbage .. brinjal .. ah ah. Those pickled vegetables. Don''t forget the papadom! Fish gravy all over."


    "Wah ... you know how to eat nasi kandar, good good." the guy said, smiling widely.


    Everyone looked at the pile of food on Kyle''s plate. He blinked repeatedly at them, grinned and headed back to the table.


    Kay just shook her head at that, and told him, "I ordered plain water for you already".


    "Thanks," mumbled Kyle, eating while using his hand. Sarah was shocked at this and Kyle explained, "It''s the only way to eat this. Otherwise, you''d lose out on the experience and taste!"


    The table soon got rowdy with all of them laughing and joking about while eating. Kyle relished such moments, basking in the warmth of friends and family.


    "Ali? Is that you?" a voice sounded from behind them.

 Chapter 40 - Love?

    Kyle, Sam and Xing Han turned towards the voice whilst the rest looked up.


    "Oh, hey Aminah," greeted Kyle, after swallowing what was in his mouth, "Join us?"


    "Hi Kyle," Aminah replied with a smile, "No thanks. I''m here with my friends and we''re just about to go back."


    Kyle leaned a bit to the side, and saw about 4 girls behind Aminah, whispering and giggling at each other. Kyle gave a big smile to them, waving his dirty hand and turned back to his food. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hold on," Ali said, getting up. He headed to the sink and washed his hand before joining Aminah. They walked over a bit further away and started talking.


    "Who''s Aminah?" asked Sarah curiously.


    "Ali''s fiancee," answered Xing Han, "Or at least, one of the possible candidates."


    "FIANCEE?!! But but but ... Ali''s only 13!" gasped Sarah.


    "So? I have one, too," replied Xing Han nonchalantly, "It''s quite common with us actually. Even Kyle has one, or is about to. And Aminah isn''t his fiancee ... yet. She''s ..what? Candidate #5?"


    "3," corrected Kyle, "#5 is Fatima."


    Sarah''s head was spinning. She also looked wide-eyed at Xing Han, "Wait. Hold up. Ali has several candidates as a possible fiancee, and you have a fiancee ... why is this normal again?"


    "It''s normal for them," said Sam, "First, we have Ali who is the only heir of the MA Oil Conglomerates in Country SA. He has 6 sisters, but he''s the only son. Under their law, everything falls onto the son to carry on the family trade. Arranged marriages between powerful families are quite common to strengthen ties. He has 10 candidates to choose from, and they''re supposed to get to know each other first before Ali makes at choice when he turns 16."


    Sam then pointed at Xing Han, "This person, on the other hand, has no choice. His fiancee was determined upon birth and he hasn''t even met the person yet."


    "I HAVE TOO!" protested Xing Han, "Once. When I was six. She was cute but snobbish. Then again, she was only five."


    Sam then pointed towards Kyle, which made Sarah''s heart wince a bit to realise that he was on the list as well, "Kyle here is probably the luckiest of the lot, depending on how you look at it. Some say Ali is the luckiest as he has 10 to choose from, but I digress. Kyle is to get engaged by 16 as well, to be married at 20 and produce many many babies."


    Kyle grunted, ignoring Sam who was giving out their life stories, focusing on his food.


    [Sam talks too much sometimes]


    He didn''t like being reminded of this and chose to ignore it for the time being. A bad move, he admitted but he had much more important things to do and achieve. Getting married was at the bottom of the list.


    [Well, you''re going to have to face this in 3 years time, you know] Kay chided him. [This is the one thing you haven''t truly planned for yet. You should, before it''s too late.]


    Kyle winced, knowing that Kay was right but still chose to ignore it. [Will deal with it when the time comes. What will happen, will happen]


    "So who is Kyle''s fiancee?" Sarah asked, her voice hitching a little.


    "Ah, that''s the best part," Sam said with a smile, making a dramatic spread of his arms, "No one and everyone."


    "Huh?"


    "His parents told him to find someone by himself. If he hasn''t found one yet by the time he is 16, then they will choose for him," Sam revealed with a flourish.


    Sarah gasped ... and so did several other people from nearby tables. They had been listening intently throughout and was utterly excited upon learning this extremely juicy gossip. Their fingers began typing furiously, as they texted their friends.


    "So the pictures were true? Kyle was looking for a wife? And Janice is a possible candidate?"


    Kyle almost splurted out the last mouthful of rice that he had in his mouth. He seriously should learn not to be eating when things were being revealed. Having food go up your nose isn''t fun. Give him Master Shifu''s training anytime.


    "No, Sarah," Kay said in a lowered voice, "Kyle hasn''t found anyone yet, and he wouldn''t be playing around with girl''s feelings at all. Those pictures were fake."


    "Then why don''t you clear your name?"


    "People will believe what they want to believe," said Kyle, "If they had wanted to know the truth, all they needed to do was ask me directly. Yet, no one did and simply assumed."


    Sarah bit her bottom lip nervously, "Maybe they were scared to ask? Because they weren''t close to you or anything like that ..."


    "Like you were?" Kyle said with a smile. Sarah blushed, lowering her head. Kyle found that action to be utterly adorable and he couldn''t help but ruffle her hair with his clean hand.


    "You can always ask me anything, Sarah. We''re friends, aren''t we? Friends do not need to be shy with each other."


    Ali came back at that time then, and saw that Kyle had finished eating already, "Sorry about that."


    "No worries, my dear boy," Kyle retorted, "I haven''t gone for seconds yet."


    "How on Earth can you eat like that and still look like THAT?" complained Xing Han.


    "Genes, dear boy. Genes," replied Kyle, "That, and lots and lots of exercise. The only exercise you do is when you brush your teeth."


    **--**--**--


    After they were done, Ali''s driver came around to pick him up. Sam hitched a ride with him while the others walked back to the dorms. Kyle looked up at the night sky, admiring the endless darkness with its twinkling stars. It was a clear night, and everything actually looked peaceful and serene.


    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" said Sarah breathlessly as she looked up at the sky as well, "Sometimes I lie down on my back and look at the night sky and I wonder about the seemingly infinite galaxy out there."


    Kyle tiled this head, looking at Sarah. She didn''t notice him looking, as she was busy smiling serenely at the night sky. Her eyes seem to glisten like the stars itself as she basked in the sight. As such, her foot hit an uneven part of the ground and she stumbled. She was about to fall when she felt strong arms catch her. She blushed deep red when she felt that arm was actually right across her chest.


    Kyle, who had been walking beside Sarah, had instinctively reached out his left arm to break her fall. He was successful in preventing her from falling onto the floor, but it also meant that she had fallen straight onto his arm. He mentally cursed himself when he felt two soft buns pressing on his forearm. He should have aimed lower, so that he would have captured her waist, but with his height, he had miscalculated.


    Now he couldn''t move because to do so, meant that she would either fall or he would be rubbing himself on her. So he kept still and waited for her to steady herself and lean back. Once she did, he took back his arm and said, "Be careful"


    He purposely pretended not to have noticed anything, not wanting to embarrass Sarah further. He could see the tips of her ears being beet red, and he didn''t know what he could say to diffuse the situation either. No one else had seen it, and if he said anything, people would realise something and that would be even worse.


    That was the first time he had felt a girl''s boobs in this life. Then again, it''s not like he was feeling up girls'' boobs in his past life either. He shook his head at the nonsensical thoughts that invaded his mind. As they continued their walk, and the others were talking, Kyle was deep in thought.


    Sam''s revelation about his fiancee, or his search for one, was actually planned although not in that manner. Aminah turning up was a bonus, and Sam managed to somehow slip out the information neatly. They had known that some group of people had followed them out to Kayu, and so, he needed people to continue fanning the flames into a certain direction. What he did NOT expect Sam to add on was about the many many babies part.


    Kay had taken that opportunity to remind him - yet again - of his responsibilities to the Family. His planning and work that was geared towards his past life, could not mean that he ignores his current life. As the sole heir, he had a responsibility to carry on the Family name and business. Kay would not only be taking her husband''s name, but she would also be the Madam of her husband''s family and business. Thus, it fell onto Kyle - not only to ''produce heirs'' but also to choose a wife that would be able to stand strongly beside him.


    Kyle had a headache thinking of all of this. Love? It wasn''t because he didn''t want to find someone, to love and be loved ... the problem, however, is that he has found himself incapable of loving anyone right now. To be more accurate, he cannot see himself falling in love with anyone. He loves a lot of people: his parents, sister and his blood brothers. But falling in love? He wants to, really, but ... strangely enough, he found that he couldn''t.


    In his previous life, although he found love late in life, he had his normal phase of having crushes - be it on classmates or boybands. In this life, however, nothing. He thought boys that were going through puberty would be so hormonally charged and sexually curious that most of their actions would be dictated by their little brother. Stereotype much? He didn''t know better then, and if he was anything to go by as a boy in this life, then his impression of teen boys was drastically wrong.


    Or was it just him? He had absolutely no interest. Kyle shook his head and felt that he still had time. He was only 13. Perhaps, given time, he would figure it out and like he told Kay. What will happen, will happen.


    Only time would tell.

 Chapter 41 - Trouble Brewing

    The days passed by. Days turned to weeks, and weeks into months. Before they knew it, the mid year exams had come upon them. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Elite Five were at the school lawn, studying. Well, truth be told, only Kay was studying. Okay. Fine. Kay was flipping through the books. She already knew the topics well, but felt she had to make some show of actual studying. The boys, however, were busy fooling around and generally making loud noises.


    Kyle, Sam and Ali were playing frisbee while Xing Han ... well, he was trying to keep up. As usual, Kyle and Ali were making it like a competition, with making jumps and flips while throwing. Sam wasn''t bad, despite him being a ''nerd'' although he opted out on any fancy moves. Xing Han had slight difficulty in running after the frisbee that Kyle tended to deliberately throw either higher, or slightly further away from Xing Han.


    It was tough love, you see. Kyle wanted Xing Han to exercise more. It wasn''t much; he didn''t throw it *that* far away. Xing Han, however, had enough exercise and decided to take a rest. He jogged over to Kay, who was sitting on a mat several metres away.


    "So, what is your aim this time, Kay?" asked Xing Han curiously, sitting down next to her and peering over her shoulder to the book she was looking at.


    "Haven''t decided yet," Kay confessed, "I don''t have to do badly, but I am not sure if I want to be #1 now just to have Kyle topple me at the end of the year."


    "Then just be #2 throughout," Xing Han suggested.


    "It''s not that easy to do, you know. I know what to do to be #1, but what about #2? Is there someone in this school that will ace everything? Or just have several As? So just what should my score be? It''s so difficult!" Kay complained.


    Kyle plopped down, putting his head on Kay''s lap while looking up at her. Kay raised her arms up, protesting, "Kyle! You''re all sweaty and stuff."


    "Fine," he said getting up. He then took off his T-shirt, ignoring the kyaaaaa screams nearby and proceeded to wipe himself with it. Then, he reached for his bag, giving another vision of his firm chest and hard-rock abs to anyone who was interested to look. Taking out a clean T-shirt, he proceeded to put it on.


    "Happy?" he said, before plopping back down on Kay''s lap.


    "How am I supposed to read if you''re on my lap anyway?"


    "Just a few minutes, Kay. I''m tired," Kyle asked, giving her a puppy look.


    Kay sighed, and didn''t answer but didn''t push him off either. She just raised her book higher to read. Ali came over and leaned his back on Kay''s back, saying, "Lean on me. It''ll be easier."


    Sam and Xing Han then lay down on their backs, to Kay''s left and right respectively. "It''s not fair that Kyle gets a soft pillow while we have this hard ground," Xing Han was saying.


    "Get your own sister then," Kyle retorted, snuggling his head onto Kay''s lap more, "This one is mine. No touch touch."


    Kay smiled indulgently at Kyle, and looked at both Xing Han and Sam beside her, and the strong Ali behind her. She noticed their eyes getting heavier, and it wasn''t long before all three were snoring away. She ruffled all of their hairs, and asked Ali, "Are you okay?"


    Silence.


    Turns out Ali had somehow fallen asleep as well. It shouldn''t have been a surprise though since he seemed to have perfected sleeping in a sitting position in class quite well. Kay sighed, but let it be. Times like these were precious.


    Janice was watching the whole scene with intense jealousy. She should have been there with them! Kyle would have used her lap as a pillow! But noooooo ... instead, she was forced to just watch them from afar like any of the other girls. She didn''t know just what went wrong.


    It had started off so beautifully, too. The forum post had burst, depicting Kyle as being a player at such a young age (even though the pictures clearly showed that the girl was the same in all of them). No one truly knew what Kyle was like, as he had always kept a low profile - other than his achievements, nothing else was known. So people were quick to believe that Kyle was capable of such things. They were aghast at the fact that a 12 year old could be so bold as to hug and even kiss a girl.


    However, just as Janice managed to play the victim card and garner Kyle''s protection (from his mum, no less), a new rumour spread about which seemed to ''explain'' the pictures. Kyle was looking for a bride. So the pictures seemed to indicate that perhaps, that girl was "the one". People were also seeing more of Kyle, and more people were talking about him and how he acted : an outgoing, friendly guy. He flirts, but he never crossed the line. A flirty gentleman, that''s what he was.


    So people started being swayed by the fact that the pictures were not what it appeared to be at first. It wasn''t a playboy playing around with different girls and getting them ruined ... but rather, a boy desperately looking for ''the one'' before he is forced into marriage.


    Janice was now finding that her earlier protests of it being her in the picture backfiring on her, as she could not now say that it is her. People believed that no one in their right mind would want to deny a relationship with Kyle, so it had to be the truth. Kay herself said there was nothing between Kyle and Janice. When Kay had first said it, people thought it meant Kyle had many girls - but in reality, Kay was affirming that it wasn''t Janice but someone else, and they didn''t want that someone else to misunderstand. (Of course, the last part being something they thought up of themselves). The icing on the cake? Kyle doesn''t kiss-and-tell. So he was protecting the girl''s reputation.


    The once negative news became positive. Their respect for Kyle rose up. Of course, there were still some people who didn''t believe it all, and felt it was Kyle hyping it up. Their voices were drowned though, and people just felt that they were sour grapes.


    So Janice was unhappy. Very, very unhappy. She stomped her foot in frustration for the umpteenth time, biting into her sandwich savagely. Nothing she had planned was working out the way she wanted. Other than that brief moment at the Principle''s Office, Kyle had never given her any attention. She had somehow managed to always join Kay when she was walking back to the dorms, but Kyle was either not with them or he was busy talking to Xing Han instead.


    She hated Xing Han. Even now, he was lying down so closely to Kyle. She wished she could bite his head off. She bit into the sandwich again, tearing at it while imagining she had chomped off Xing Han''s head and was pulling it off his shoulders. The chewy meat let her continue her thoughts of her actually chewing on some brain matter or flesh. It gave her immense satisfaction just visualising it.


    Belinda was watching Janice''s angry face as she ate, shuddering. She didn''t know why, but the way Janice was eating her simple steak sandwich didn''t seem right somehow. That glint in her eye, that chomp of anger, that smirk as she was chewing ... Belinda shuddered again. It sent chills down her spine.


    **--**--**


    Principal Dobbins wasn''t having a fun time either. She perused the documents in front of her in frustration.


    "Nothing?" she grumbled, "How can there be NOTHING at all?!"


    She kept flipping through the pile of papers, thinking she may have missed something. But, no. Every single one of those papers had pictures and news about Kyle Smith. Yet, there was nothing negative in any of them. Okay, yes, there were but all were just rumours or unsubstantiated comments. There were no such scandalous pictures of him with any girl, and any news about him with a girl turned out to be fake.


    After those scathing remarks from Delilah, Principal Dobbins wanted to make sure that what she would gather, would be undeniable and concrete. She went through the papers again, and frowned. No one could be this perfect. What were the fangirls doing anyway? All those shots, and sneak pictures, and not a single one that could show the ''real'' him?


    She snorted. This picture showed Kyle playing tag with Xing Han. That picture had him playing basketball with his teammates. Another picture showed Kyle being sandwiched in a hug by his team, celebrating a win. Yet another was of Kyle smiling with his sister. And another showed Kyle with the Elite Five eating, everyone laughing while Kyle was leaning away from Xing Han. All of these pictures were like this. Useless!! Why, in fact, he was practically either with his sister, or the other members of the Elite Five. Especially that Xing Han ...


    Principal Dobbins'' fingers paused, her eyes flashing as a sudden realisation hit her. Xing Han ... she frantically looked at all the pictures again, this time focusing on those that had Xing Han in them. The more she gathered, the more she smiled.


    "Bingo," she said with a satisfied smile, as she picked out three pictures and placed them side-by-side. "I got you."

 Chapter 42 - Hidden Danger

    Principal Dobbins was happy, and she was humming a happy tune as she surveyed the mess on her table. What was once a huge chore of having to go through so many pictures of Kyle, was now a source of joy.


    Leaning back on her chair, she gave a sigh of relief. She compiled some pictures and tapped the table with her index finger as she thought of her next move. Was now the best time to reveal these pictures? Or after the exams? Or perhaps, once the results were out? Perhaps she should wait for the person she hired to take pictures of Kyle to give more, now that she had a specific aspect in mind.


    She smiled then, pursing her lips as she thought of all the things she was going to say. She relished at the thought of seeing the shocked look on Kyle''s face for having his secret revealed. Face-slapping that Delilah Smith would also be so satisfying. She wanted concrete evidence, right? Hah. She''s going to get a whole load of wonderful pictures as evidence.


    Still, now was not the best time to make a move yet. Kyle''s reputation and popularity was going up, so she had to time the big revelation just right. The higher they stand, the harder they fall.


    Having made her decision, Principal Dobbins opened her desk drawer. She then took the pictures that she had carefully selected and placed them into an envelope. She sealed it and placed it into her drawer, under some files. She caressed the file a bit, thinking of the envelope that held such dark secrets and smiled again. She then tidied up her desk and dumped the rest of the pictures into her wastebasket. She locked her drawer, kept the key securely and decided to treat herself to her favourite meal. She deserved it.


    **--**--**--


    "What are you watching, Kyle?" asked a sleepy Xing Han beside him. Kyle had woken up some time ago, and was busy looking at some video on his phone.


    "Ah, nothing much," replied Kyle, switching it off and placing the phone in his pocket before Xing Han could see what it was, "Just some stupid thriller movie. Nothing exciting."


    Xing Han got up, stretched and woke up the others. "It''s getting dark. Anyone for burger?!!"


    Kyle got up from Kay''s lap, and helped Kay up. Her legs had fallen asleep, though, so Kyle had to hold her up by the waist to steady her. She put her arm around Kyle''s shoulder, leaning on him while she stomped her feet several times.


    "Eeeee. It feels like thousands of ants crawling all over," complained Kay, "You owe me pillow tax." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fine," replied Kyle, swooping down and placed his arm under her knees, and the other around her shoulder; into the famous Princess Carry. "Take this as interest then. I''ll pay the tax some other time."


    "Kyle! I can walk!" said Kay in embarrassment.


    "You''re getting lighter," Kyle commented, ignoring her, "We need to fatten you up."


    "I eat just fine," Kay replied, "It''s not anyone who can eat like a horse like you do."


    "Ah, but it all goes into muscle!" Kyle replied with a smirk, flexing his biceps more as he carried her. Gagging sounds were heard all around them, with Xing Han even pretending putting a finger down his throat.


    "Ah. Jealousy is not a pretty thing to see," Kyle tsked at them.


    "It''s better than being a shameless show-off person," retorted Ali, "Isn''t that right, Sam?"


    Sam is the quiet one in the group, not really mixing with their antics and shenanigans. Yet, he didn''t seem out of place amongst them. Guess there had to be one sane person in the group to balance it out. Sam, upon being asked this, looked at the three of them and pushed his glasses up his nose.


    "Both are equally bad," he replied with a straight face, "I am the only male in the group that is perfection."


    Everyone groaned then roared with laughter, while Kay giggled in Kyle''s arms. Everyone was watching the entire scene in intense jealousy, especially seeing how Kyle was carrying his sister. The way he held her close, as if she was the most precious thing in the world, and the way his eyes softened whenever he looked down on her.


    Ah. Their hearts melted. Yet, in pain. If Kyle was that way with his sister that he loved, what about the girl that wins his heart? They could just die imagining it!


    **--**--**


    The exams came and went, and many cheers were heard when the last paper was finished. They would have a two week break, and many were going home for the holidays.


    "Are you going back, Kyle?" asked Charmaine, one of Kyle''s classmates.


    "Nah," he replied, "My parents are in Country I right now, so there''s no point going home if they''re not around. I''ll be staying with my Uncle though."


    Kyle was actually referring to Master Shifu, but it would be too troublesome to explain the relationship between them. And he didn''t want anyone to know that he was taking martial arts anyway.


    "Oh!! Where is your uncle staying?" she asked, as she sat down and listened intently. If it was anywhere near, she could ... ''accidentally'' ... pass by and bump into him. She got all excited just thinking about it.


    "Oh, just ... eh, what about you? Aren''t you going back home? I''m sure your parents miss you a lot," Kyle said, diverting the question, "After all, you''re so nice so I''m sure you''re a filial daughter."


    Chairmaine blushed, and was glad that it couldn''t be seen from her face. Flustered, she stammered, "Ah .. yes, I''m going back home."


    "How many siblings do you have?" Kyle asked, even though he already knew everything about her. And just like that, he controlled the conversation and she began telling him all sorts of things. He kept up with the appropriate look of wonder and smile, making comments and jokes once in a while. Soon, they were joined by Charmaine''s friends, then the other classmates. The longer they talked, the bigger the crowd became and the more Kyle poured out the charm.


    [Looks like you''re having a whale of a time]


    [Heeeeeeeellllllpppppppp] Kyle wailed in his mind while maintaining his smile [Another minute of this and I will seriously die. Each second, I can feel my brain cells crying out and dying a poor, lonely death]


    [Oh come on, it can''t be THAT bad] Kay mused.


    [Really? REALLY?] Kyle huffed mentally [I have seen 30 flicks of the hair, 50 dips of the chest to show off their cleavage, 10 unbuttoning of the top button of their shirts, coy dewy looks in the eyes, god-knows-how-many licks of the lips as if they are all dehydrated and several accidental brushes of their boobs on various parts of my body!! How on Earth are 13-year-olds this brazen? Heck, how come there are so many girls sprouting chests all over the place??]


    [Seriously] continued Kyle, [If my daughter turns out like this, I am seriously going to have to teach her a lesson or two]


    [Er, you''re a guy now Kyle and have absolutely no relation to her at all AND she''s only five this year.]


    [I don''t care] Kyle huffed, holding back a shiver as a girl just happened to brush against him back, crushing a couple of developing soft orbs on it [Save me, damn it]


    [Auw ... is that how you ask for help?]


    Kyle gritted his teeth [Oh, my lovely maiden sister of virtue, kindly save your innocent and helpless brother from these vixens of torture]


    [I''ll think about it]


    [KAAAAYYYYYY]


    "Brother? Are you in here?" came a melodious voice from the doorway. Kyle shot up, smiling even wider and making the girls around them sigh. Though he smiled at them a lot, it was so different from how he smiled at his sister. It wasn''t fair. They were also disappointed that it meant he was leaving them now.


    "Gotta go, everyone," Kyle said as he picked up his slingbag, "See you after the break!"


    He practically ran over to Kay, and took her bag from her, slinging it over his shoulder and own bag. [Come on, let''s go let''s go .. before they recharge!]


    Kay giggled again, enjoying Kyle''s discomfort. He was usually so calm and collected, so it was a huge bonus to see this side of him.


    "Look! Look!" Kyle was saying, showing her his forearm, "The hairs are still standing!"


    Kay looked. Indeed. They were. "What are you? Spiderman? Is that your spider sense tingling?"


    "Ha ha. Very funny," Kyle said, shuddering when he recalled the experience. It was just the two of them this time, walking back to the dorm. The others had things to do, in terms of packing and finalising stuff before going home.


    [Seriously though, brother. Are you repulsed by girls?] Kay asked curiously. Since it was a very private matter, talking out loud would be inappropriate.


    Kyle frowned, thinking deeply about it. This really did concern him and it might turn out to be a huge issue in the future. After all, he was the heir to the throne, so to speak. He had been pushing it aside, and not thinking about it, but he knew that Kay was getting more concerned for him. The more he ignored it, the more she was worried. So he felt he had to start being serious about it now.


    [Honestly ... it''s hard to explain. I''m not repulsed in the way that you mean. They''re okay, I guess. I just can''t stand their forwardness.]


    [You don''t get turned on when they''re rubbing themselves on you and flinging themselves as if saying ''take me!!''?]


    [KAY!] Kyle gasped, [Since when did my pure, innocent sister be so .... so ...]


    [Normal? Please, brother. I''m sure even you were not naive and innocent at 13 in your last life]


    [True. But still!! KAY!!]


    [Answer the question, dear big brother. Does Kyle Jr stand at attention or not?]


    Gah! Kyle cursed in his mind. He knew his sister wasn''t innocent like that, but somehow, knowing it and listening to it were two different things. By then, they had reached the dorm. Kyle hurriedly gave Kay her bag and ran off to the boy''s elevator. Luckily, one was already there and open, and he quickly squeezed in. He waved at her as the door closed.


    [Wimp] she laughed at him.

 Chapter 43 - Setting The Foundation

    That night, Kyle and Kay had already moved into Master Shifu''s house. Kyle was cooking dinner, something that shocked the heck out of Master Shifu. He was extremely worried about the sort of food that Kyle would produce, but decided to encourage him. He was sitting in the living room, seemingly watching television when in reality, he was psyching himself up.


    ''Must be supportive. Will eat everything with a smile'' was his mantra that night. Kay was setting up the table, and it wasn''t long before she came up to him and politely said, "Master Shifu, dinner is ready"


    He grunted, steeled himself and walked to the dining table.


    On it, he saw a simple dish: spaghetti, bolognese sauce, potato salad on top of a bed of fresh salad leaves. "Oh? Western?" he said as he sat down.


    "Yeah," replied Kyle, "just a simple dish today. I can cook rice next time but not any dishes from Country J. Maybe cabbage rolls, but that''s about it" Kyle''s forte was Country M''s food and pasta, as the latter was something he loved a lot in his previous life.


    "We''ll take turns then," said Master Shifu as he picked up his utensils. Kay helpfully put some spaghetti and sauce in his plate and handed it over.


    "Thanks, Kay," Kyle replied as he took the plate she gave him. He waited until she had sat down with her own plate and together, they started eating. Master Shifu was surprised at the taste, as it didn''t taste as ''tomato-y'' as he thought it would.


    As if sensing his thoughts, Kyle said, "I don''t like the heavy taste of tomato either, so I stir-fried some chili paste after caramelizing the onions. Gives it that extra kick, don''t you think?"


    Master Shifu nodded, taking more. If this was an indication of Kyle''s skill in cooking, he is thinking that he''ll be getting fat soon.


    That night, Kyle was sitting cross legged in the living room, which had been changed to their training room. All of the furniture in the house was specially made to save space. In the living room, the flat screen tv was on the wall, and there was a modular sofa known as the Sofista set. It had a sofa, armchair and a chaise lounge - and all three pieces could be put together like pieces of a puzzle to create one big sofa. The two chairs fit under the sofa, and their backrests become armrests.


    Of course, it was Kyle''s duty to put all the furniture into its ''compact'' mode before training began. He simply put together the Sofista set against the wall, then pushed the long rectangular table into itself, making it only a quarter of the original length. He then pushed it down, and just like your ironing board legs, it folded into itself. Picking it up, he placed it on top of the sofa.


    There was no mission to conduct today, though lately, Kyle noticed that Master Shifu had only been giving him the ''normal'' training. Just being the vigilante "Ice" and beating up the small fry. Kyle was told that he needed to strengthen his mental state first and focus on sharpening his hypnotism skill. The State of Zen was draining, and Master Shifu did not want him to go into that state until he was stronger.


    So for now, it was the boring meditation practice. Kyle preferred to go out and use his fists, for he found it exhilarating. He could understand why Robin from that horrible Netflix rendition of Teen Titans was feeling. Using fists was good! Bam bam bam ...


    WHACK!!


    Kyle''s head fell forward with and he rubbed the back of his head with a frown.


    "Concentrate, you darn child!" Master Shifu scolded him.


    Kyle took a deep breath, "Yes, Master Shifu" and tried to focus again.


    **--**--**--


    While Kyle was busy training, Kay was next door at the MIB basement, sitting in front of her computer and flipping through some files. Agent Oreo only knew Kay and Kyle as the two proteges that MIB leaders had chosen and were grooming. The room that Kay was currently in had been made specifically for her and was equipped with the latest equipment and full of various security measures.


    Since Kay doesn''t have a photogenic memory like Kyle, she had to rely on files instead. Like Kyle, however, she did not trust the computer to store such important information. No matter how good she was, there will always be someone better. By living by that credo, they managed to scrape by.


    Right now, she was studying the file on Kyle''s kids. Rather, his future kids and what were the plans that they were making. The file was labeled "KIIIDhere", which Kay had initially found puzzling.


    She remembered the time when she asked him about it. Seeing the weird label, she thought that Kyle didn''t know how to spell "KID". When she asked, he didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he just gave that stupid, mysterious smile with his eyes getting glazed off - which indicated him thinking of a distant memory ... and all he said at first was, "It''s a secret."


    "What?! Even for me?!" Kay pouted.


    Kyle laughed, "Of course not, silly. KIIIDhere was the handle of someone I knew before in my previous life. Someone that I met online, and had given me motivation and joy; who''s words of encouragement pushed me forward. So, it''s an appropriate label for the file for my kids. KIIIDhere represents inspiration, and that is what my kids are to me."


    Kay nodded in understanding. She wished she could have met this "KIIIDhere" but Kyle said he never knew the real person. It was just a handle online, and they had never met. Like any online acquaintances, life happened, less time online which meant the connection faded and they soon lost touch over time. The touch that was left behind though, never faded.


    She shook her head back from the memory and came back to the present. Kay thought it was such a pity. If they knew who this "KIIIDhere" was, they could probably get to know the person now. They could have become real friends rather than just a memory. A beautiful one, but still, just a memory. She sighed.


    Looking at the file again, Kay reached for her phone and dialed a number on the secured phone. Anyone who tried to trace the call would get bounced to several dummy locations, and even if they persisted, she would have stopped the call within 10 minutes. It would normally take about 12 minutes to track the line, if they were good.


    The call was picked up within the second ring. "Yes, Ms K?"


    "Henrika," Kay said, and the voice scrambler changed her voice several octaves lower, "What''s the latest on Subject S?"


    "Subject S has entered primary school and is adjusting well. He enrolled at the school, just as you said. Qiu is his homeroom teacher"


    "Good," Kay said in approval.


    Subject S was, of course, Kyle''s son. He was seven that year, and just entered Primary 1. Subject D would be entering pre-school the following year. Qiu was their people, and this was the first step in establishing a closer connection. Kyle had managed to recruit him while he had just wanted to enter the Teacher''s Training Academy. Kyle actually remembered that Qiu was his son''s first teacher in school, and did some background research on him.


    Kyle had proposed a win-win situation for Qiu : a full scholarship to the Academy and Qiu was to work with him for 6 years in return. Those 6 years were, "coincidentally" the time Kyle''s son would be schooling in Primary School. Basically, Qiu''s duty was to keep an eye out on Kyle''s son, and ensure that he was safe.


    Kay remembered the day when they had been planning all of this. Kyle actually had a headache the first time they were talking about it. Kay was also confused a bit, but since she didn''t understand most of it, it didn''t really bother her. She was only 2 at that time after all, so even though she had been a bright baby, she was not an adult nor a genius like Kyle. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why Kyle had such a headache was because he said he distinctively remembered that Qiu was his son''s homeroom teacher, and had been his favourite. Qiu had always been there for him, and basically was his ''parent in school''. Kyle had asked Kay, "Do you think Qiu was like that because of what I am planning to do now, or he was already like that and I don''t need to do anything? Is this the proper timeline? I would have experienced everything I would be planning to do ... aarrgh! It''s so confusing!"


    In the end, they decided to just follow their hearts and not their head. Who knew what truly happened in time travel? Especially when you went back in time? So, they will do what they want to do, and hope for the best.


    "Mari? What about Subject D?" Kay asked, knowing that the phone was on speaker.


    Mari gave a short 2 min report on Kyle''s daughter, and everything was as it should be. Kyle''s ability to recall things easily made their job easier. Still, Kay did not want to take things for granted. Anything could happen and she wanted to make sure everything was still the same as it should be.


    "Good," Kay stated again, "Continue to monitor the situation".


    "Understood," Henrika and Mari said in unison before ending the call.


    Henrika and Mari were the "Mary Poppins" Agents. There were three of them, and these two had normal names, unlike the Infiltration Agents that had biscuits for their handles (remember Agent Oreo?). Oh. Except for the third Mary Poppins Agent: Agent Minimi. She insisted on that handle herself, saying something about babies being a "mini me". They were responsible to monitor Kyle''s children, but never to interfere in anything. The Mary Poppins Agents found their tasks to be extremely puzzling, but didn''t question it.


    Kay closed the file and walked out, heading towards the living room.

 Chapter 44 - Looming Danger

    When Kay entered the living room, her eyes almost bulged out. She quickly covered her mouth, stopping the scream that almost came out. Master Shifu had pierced Kyle''s palm with a sword. Kyle''s palm was upwards, and the sword in Master Shifu''s hand had struck it, and she could see the blade protruding all the way through.


    Strangely, there was no blood, and slowly, Master Shifu pulled out the blade. She cringed as she watched Kyle''s skin being pulled along with the movement of the sword. Once the sword had been taken out fully, Master Shifu went up to Kyle and inspected his palm. He looked at it palm up and started poking it, then turned it over and felt around the bones.


    "Good," Master Shifu praised him, "You managed to twist your hand in time and avoid directed the blade to go through the bones. Your control is much better, but you need to practice your speed. At this rate, you''re not even at David''s level."


    "David? Who''s David?" asked Kay curiously as she walked over to them.


    "David Blaine," answered Kyle, "You know, that master magician who levitates and such. He''s actually a descendant of the branch family."


    "Using the sacred art to do magic," scoffed Master Shifu, "At least he doesn''t have the full legacy. Otherwise, who knows what he would be doing."


    "So you''re telling me that you would be able to do all that David does? THE David Blaine?!" Kay gasped out.


    "Yes ... and no," said Kyle, flexing his hand, "I would be able to do more than what he does. He can have an ice pick pierce his palm, but I can have a sword do so. And not only on the palm, but on any part of the body."


    He twisted his shoulders around while wincing, "Still gotta work on the shoulders though. Still hurts like Hell when it pierces through."


    Kay shuddered, "But how do you do it? I''ve always thought it was mere illusions but it really looks like it goes through!"


    Kyle smiled, ruffled her hair, and said solemnly, "Sorry, Kay. Trade secret."


    "Yeah, yeah. Okay. Don''t worry. I understand," Kay said.


    Kyle stroked her right cheek, then produced an earring, seemingly out of nowhere. She looked at it, then touched her left ear and found her earring missing. "How ..."


    He took her hand, put it in her palm and kissed her cheek, "Trade secret."


    **--**--**--


    That''s how the two weeks went for Kyle and Kay. They used the time to catch up on MIB matters, keep tabs on Kyle''s past life kids, while Kyle also had to train his sleight of hand, sharpen his illusionist skills and control the Zen State. Master Shifu was slightly worried over the exhaustion that would befall Kyle each time he entered the said state, and had taken the time to experiment on Kyle properly.


    They needed to know how long he could be in the state, and how long it took for him to recuperate. There were no data on this aspect, and even calls to the other Ninja Clans yielded no results. Of course, they also had to be careful and not reveal that their query was because of Kyle. Rather, they stated that it was for Kyle. That is, being a ''new'' ninja (and not born into the family), he had a lot of history to learn. Master Shifu did not want anyone to know, as Kyle was still in the ''infant'' stage and thus, would be vulnerable and weak if someone decided that Kyle was too dangerous to let grow.


    Master Shifu had, admittedly, become a bit paranoid and had a tendency to be a ''conspiracy theorist''. Not that you could really blame him, considering how trusting he had been before. Kyle found it funny sometimes, but he felt that being cautious was far better than not. The ninja world was something that he had absolutely no idea about, and thus, had to tread carefully. He relied on Master Shifu for this, and put up with being a guinea pig. It was for his own good, after all.


    The testing and experimentation were extremely tedious, however. It''s like the situation when you''re trying to find out what sort of food you are allergic to. It''s entirely a process by elimination: he would go into the Zen state for 5 minutes, then increase it for 1 minute each time. Same with the recovery process. He would also need to explain and record what sort of feeling he felt when in a weakened state.


    Master Shifu even attacked him when he was in such a state, so as to know what were the weaknesses and capabilities. As such, the two weeks that passed by was filled with LOTS of aches and pain, but at least he had a better idea of what he could - and could not - do.


    As for the others?


    Ali had to go back to Country SA and spend the entire 2 weeks with his potential brides. 12 days, 10 girls (Not taking into account the 2 days of traveling he would do to go from campus to house and back). He had to go on dates with 2 girls a day for five days: for brunch and dinner. For the remaining 2 days, it would be group outings with the entire family : 5 families each day. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were staying at his parents'' house, so as to enable the ''fostering of ties'' between the families. Ali seriously felt like he was in ''The Bachelor'', and would occasionally think there was a hidden camera somewhere. How he wished things were simple, like back in school. With simple yet interesting girls like Sophia.


    The girls that he had to entertain were all pretty nice girls, but somehow ... there was just something lacking. He couldn''t quite pinpoint what it was. Perhaps it''s because they were not truly listening to him when he would tell them things about school? Not like Sophia, who would always be laughing or responding to whatever he told her. She was truly interested in what he was saying, and would talk about her own experiences as well.


    Or maybe it was because they only asked about the company, or what they expect from the marriage but never did they actually ask him ... about him. Not like Sophia, who was fascinated with his thoughts and dreams. Her eyes would sparkle with excitement, her lips always curved into a smile and her head tilted slightly as she listened. He found it utterly fascinating.


    Ali thought that the girls here were just ... boring. Beautiful, intelligent, yes. But boring. Felt so one dimensional. Not like Sophia, who was so lively and bright. She was like a shining star in a dark night, and although Ali never quite realised it, he always had a wisp of a smile each time he thought about her. Silly fool.


    As for Xing Han - he had to sit through 2 weeks of his parents being on his back the entire time. His mother kept criticizing him on his weight and had him on a diet. He could cry when he thought of roast meat and burgers and nasi biryani. Instead, it was high protein and low carbohydrate diet, with lots of fluids and fruits in between. He was also forced to jog each morning with his mother, who would shout at him to hurry up as he struggled to keep up with her pace.


    His father would drag him to the company and he had to work there like a dog everyday. He would need to follow his father to all the meetings and learn from it; then he had to give an overall report of the meeting and his impressions. He would be given files and told to settle it, and he struggled to figure out its contents. Each night, before bed, he would be severely reprimanded by his father who would point out each and every one of his mistakes for the day.


    He endured it all, for he knew that he needed to be better in the company, sharper and more efficient. It would have helped if people actually showed him what was needed but he never blamed anyone. Kyle had always risen to the occasion, and would never blame other people. He''d look at the situation, find ways to improve and just did it. Xing Han wanted to emulate his role model, and thus, would never complain. Little did he know that this act of his impressed his father immensely; but of course. His father never showed it. He was the Head of the Household and could not afford to show favouritism or any sort of emotion, really.


    Perhaps Sam was the only one that had a ''normal'' break. He didn''t stay in the dorms, so it just meant he didn''t go to school. His mother was happy to have him around the whole day and basically just pampered him senseless. So he just did things that he liked, such as building stuff and continue to do his experiments. Sam quite enjoyed his two weeks of complete rest and relaxation.


    During the entire holiday period, the Elite Five never called up each other as they knew that (other than Sam), their hours were pretty unpredictable. So, rather than accidentally disturbing anyone, they felt that it was best to just keep to their texting instead. All of them missed each other and couldn''t wait to get back to school.


    Principal Dobbins couldn''t wait for them to come back to school either. She felt that the best time for her to drop the bomb was when the school results were announced. Looking at the results in her hand, she wasn''t surprised to see that Kyle was nearly at the bottom. Not just of his class, but in the entire school!


    So his popularity meant nothing here at Sakura Academy, Principal Dobbins thought proudly. It made her job so much easier and this was going to be the most epic moment of her life. All those other kids that she managed to get rid of, were just small fries. Other than the occasional one or two close friends, no one really thought about them after they had left.


    Kyle was a big shot. So people WILL talk. Principal Dobbins smiled at the thought causing Kyle''s reputation to be shattered.


    She couldn''t wait for school to reopen indeed.

 Chapter 45 - The Start Of The End?

    Kyle and Kay were having their last dinner with Master Shifu before they returned back to the dorms. For this occasion, Master Shifu had insisted on doing the cooking. Kind of as a ''sending off'' celebration. He shooed them away from the kitchen and forbade them from stepping into it. He had made a line across the entrance with his cane, then used it to point at them, while saying sternly, "Both of you do NOT cross this line. Not for any reason whatsoever. DO YOU HEAR ME?"


    "We hear and obey, oh Master," Kyle answered, putting his palms together and taking a bow.


    "Cheeky brat," mumbled Master Shifu but when he turned, he smiled. He was going to miss having the two of them in the house. It had been so much more livelier. He sighed, thinking of how it had been before his son had died. It wasn''t like this, as he had been so busy with work and hardly came home. When he did, things weren''t bad but it wasn''t exactly warm like a family setting.


    He had loved his wife - and if he was honest, he still did - but he wasn''t open about his feelings. Perhaps, if he had been, they wouldn''t have divorced. He had taken all the blame and hurt within himself, shutting her out and didn''t offer any support to her either. He had failed his son, and through his grief, he had failed her. She was now remarried, and though it had shattered him when he first found out about it, he was truly happy for her.


    She deserved someone who could love her the way she should be loved.


    He sniffed a bit, blaming the onions he was cutting at that moment. Shaking his thoughts out of the past, he began cooking.


    Kyle and Kay were in the living room, "watching" television. Some sort of movie was on, and they were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. They weren''t sitting on the sofa, but chose to sit on the floor and leaned on the sofa.


    [How are things, Kyle?] Kay asked, as she snuggled closer to him, leaning on his shoulder. Kyle put an arm around her shoulder, bringing her close and letting her head settle comfortably on him. Kyle knew that Kay had picked up on his unstable emotions that he had been under for the past few days, but she had not asked him then. She waited for him to talk to her, but he guessed she couldn''t wait anymore and directly asked him.


    [Things are fine, Kay. Don''t worry]


    [I can''t help BUT worry when you shut me out like that] Kay complained, snuggling more into his chest, [don''t you trust me?]


    Kyle sighed, and kissed the top of her head while rubbing her shoulder [It''s not a matter of trust, Kay. You know that I trust you with my life.]


    [And you know I''m not talking about you putting your life in my hands, Kyle. Talk to me. You can''t just bear it all by yourself]


    Kyle leaned back on the sofa, his eyebrows scrunching as an intense car chase scene was shown on television. Tom Cruise was in a car, with his partner, as they rushed to catch a terrorist that had a briefcase controlling device. The television emitted loud crashing sounds and he felt that the sounds reflected the chaos that he was feeling inside.


    [There are some things that one just have to bear it by themselves, Kay] Kyle explained, and she listened intently, [If talking about it would help ease the pain, believe me, Kay. You would be the first person I turn to. But right now, it''s not a matter of struggling through the feelings but rather, dealing with it.]


    He hugged her closer, saying, [Just ... being like this already calms me. That is all I need right now, Kay. Trust me.]


    Kay nodded, and they just sat there silently. Neither saying a word and Kay was appeased. She was worried that he didn''t want to burden her with his dark thoughts; but now that she knew that it wasn''t the case, she was content.


    As for Kyle, he breathed in Kay''s unique lavender scent and did feel calmer. This bond he had with his sister was so pure and free from any sexual connotations that it felt surreal. They were two pieces of a whole, despite the fact that they weren''t identical twins. Their feelings for each other was beyond sibling love, but it wasn''t romantic love at all. It was a bond that could never be severed and no one could ever hope to try and come inbetween them.


    He wasn''t sure if anyone could actually understand that, and he knew that his mother still worried about them. They were worried that they were more than just ''siblings'' (which they were, but not in the way their parents thought), or whether their bond would repulse anyone to get close to them. The fact that neither he nor Kay ever showed any interest in anyone made their parent worry even more. So, actually, that was the real reason why they had set the "get engaged by 18" rule. They wanted to push them to think of people other than each other.


    Kyle took a deep breath and sighed. His emotions *was* very unsettled right now and he knew he had to learn to control that better. Kyle was proud of the fact that he can control his emotions pretty well, as he truly wasn''t bothered by all the drama and things around. He could handle anything thrown at him ... but don''t touch his bottom line. He had four triggers: his sister and kids, his brothers and his parents.


    Yes, in that order (sorry Mum and Dad). His eyes narrowed as he thought back of some things, and held Kay tighter.


    "Kyle! Kay! Dinner!!" shouted Master Shifu from the dining table.


    "Coming!" both of them cried in unison and hurriedly went to join Master Shifu to eat.


    **--**--**


    Ali was at the back yard, being the perfect host. He greeted everyone politely, he gave each of his 10 bride candidates a gift and always had a smile on his face. When the clock struck 11pm, and as the last family went out the door and through the gates ... he ran up to his room. Throwing off his clothes and chucking them to one corner, he groaned as he flung himself on the bed.


    That. Had. To. Be. The. WORST. Holiday. EVER.


    When he imagined that he would need to go through this at each school break until he chose his bride made him put the pillow over his head. Not a single person stood out from the rest, and not a single person piqued his interest. His parents had tried to get some sort of answer from him, and when he couldn''t give one, they just patted his shoulder with a smile.


    When he thought of what his father had said : "It''s okay. You''re still young and getting to know them. You still have time" and his mother, "Just choose the nicest one. You can always fall in love after marriage. Like what happened between your father and me"


    He buried himself deeper into his pillow. He couldn''t wait to see the others again and cleanse his mind of all of this nonsense.


    **--**--**--


    Xing Han was at the airport, hugging his mum who was busy crying and telling him to keep to his diet and keep exercising. His dad was just standing sternly at the side, and awkwardly patted him on the shoulder when his flight was called.


    "Remember. Study hard. You carry the Tan name."


    "Yes, Father," Xing Han said seriously. He picked up his hand luggage and walked into the lounge as he gave a final farewell to his parents. The moment they were out of sight, he broke into a huge smile and ran.


    **--**--***--


    The next day


    It was the first day of school. The once quiet area was now bursting with people. Everyone was waiting for all their friends at the school gate so that they could enter the Hall together. Kyle, Kay, Xing Han, and Sarah were already waiting, with Xing Han complaining constantly to Kyle about the torture he had to go through during the holidays.


    Finally, Kyle put his hand over Xing Han''s mouth and said, "Enough. Now that you''re back, you can eat to your heart''s content."


    Xing Han rubbed his belly, "You hear that? Soon, we can have meat. Burger. Steak. OOooooh"


    Ali came running to them, glomping on Kyle as he then ruffled Xing Han''s hair. "Man, is it SO GOOD to see you guys!!"


    Sam just sauntered in quietly, and nodded as he said, "Indeed."


    "Come on then, " urged Kyle, "Time for Principal Dobbins ''inspirational'' speech"


    "It''s weird though," commented Xing Han.


    "What is?" asked Sam


    "There seem to be some news reporters around this time," he replied, pointing at some news van outside the school gates, "Is there some sort of special announcement that''s going to be made?"


    "We''ll know when we go in, wouldn''t we?" said Kyle.


    Xing Han shrugged, and so they all went in.


    Principal Dobbins was smiling from ear to ear, as she looked at the back row of the Hall and saw the four reporters there. She had called them over, hinting to them that she was going to reveal a huge secret about one of the Sakura Academy student. When they heard it was about Kyle, they just had to come.


    Kyle was a mysterious enigma. His reputation seemed impeccable, and his parents shielded them from any news being reported about them. The fact that this Principal, from a rather normal school, would dare to drop the bomb meant that she was confident in the news she held. The impact is probably going to be so huge that no matter what the Smiths did, the damage would already be done. So they came. Mainly out of curiosity, and also to see just how good a scoop they were going to get. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Principal Dobbins hugged a sealed brown envelope close to her chest. Looking at her watch, she stood up straight and walked onto the stage. The smile on Principal Dobbins face grew wider.


    It was time. The start of the End.

 Chapter 46 - Hate Speech

    *This chapter has words that are meant to be provocative and hateful. Kindly skip if it makes you uncomfortable. Skipping it won''t disrupt the flow of the story*


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kyle watched as Principal Dobbins walked onto the stage, that huge and ridiculous smile on her face. As she reached the podium, she did ''that thing'' just like the last time: looking at the hall with her nose in the air.


    Unlike the previous time, however, there was a projector on the stage. It was an old style projector machine whereby one would place their notes facedown on it, and the projector will display it to the screen in front of it. Kyle could recognise such an old machine as he had first used such equipment in his past life. In this day and age, however, people were more used to more high tech equipment so there were lots of curious glances at the ''strange machine''.


    Principal Dobbins took a deep breath and began.


    "Welcome back, students, to our beloved and esteemed Sakura Academy, a school that emphasizes on education. Prestige. Hard work. Integrity."


    "Isn''t that the same start as the last time?" queried Xing Han, leaning closer to Kyle and whispering to him. Kyle nodded and noticed how Principal Dobbin''s eyes narrowed as she looked at the two of them.


    "We are a prestigious school, and we do not welcome deviants and trouble makers."


    She paused for dramatic effect, as she took off her glasses and wiped them. She sighed loudly, as if she was thinking of something so serious and sad. She put her glasses back on and continued, "Unfortunately, we now have in our midst, people who are an abomination to Mankind. A scourge of society. In fact, to call them ''people'' is being nice."


    Everyone was shocked, their breath caught in their throat. What the heck was Principal Dobbins talking about? Kyle''s face was impassive, as he continued to observe the Principal. Kay was curious, and turned her head to look at Kyle, but could not get anything from his expression.


    [Kyle? Do you know what''s going on?]


    [I may have an idea about it] Kyle confessed [But don''t worry. We''ll just see how far she''s going to go with this]


    "Gays," Principal Dobbins began, and shuddered visibly, "The worst of Mankind. We should evolve to be better, and not degrade ourselves to such base behaviour. God made Adam and Eve, and not Adam and Steve!!" Principal Dobbins said, banging her hand on the table, "To think that anyone, let alone you children, be engaged in such dirty, immoral and unnatural behaviour means you are beyond redemption!


    "Even animals don''t have sex with the same gender! Nature itself abhors such and rejects it. So these two ... boys ... are worse than animals."


    "Kyle and Xing Han," she said and the entire Hall gasped out loud as she looked at both of them with disdain, "Both of you are an embarrassment. An embarrassment to society. A failure to your parents. A disgrace of this school. You have dirtied this hallowed halls of learning with your contemptuous behaviour. To think that the rumour about the both of you being a couple is not just a rumour. It is a fact!"


    Xing Han stood up angrily, unable to contain his anger anymore. Pointing a finger at Principal Dobbins, he shouted, "What the hell are you talking about, you old hag?!"


    "See? Look at that, children," Principal Dobbins said, as she pointed at a red-faced, fuming Xing Hand, "How uncouth and rude this ... thing ... is. Has no sense of decency at all!"


    "You have been fooled by the fake act that Kyle has been putting on. He pretends to like girls, even making up that story about him looking for a bride. Posting pictures of him with girls. Flirting. ALL LIES!"


    "Haven''t you noticed how Kyle and Xing Han are always together? Neither of them actually have girlfriends, even though they are so popular? And if Kyle was truly looking for a bride, why is he still without a girlfriend?"


    "You have all been blinded!"


    "AND LOOK!" She said, waving a piece of paper, "Further proof of how their degenerative behaviour has resulted in their life. I have here with me, their mid-term test results. Both of them are almost at the bottom of the school! THE WHOLE SCHOOL!! This just proves how their unnatural activities have poisoned their minds and destroyed any sense of propriety."


    Kay jumped up this time, boiling with anger. She was about to say something when Kyle just placed his hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down. She turned to him with aggrieved eyes, but he simply smiled, shook his head and she pouted. Crossing her arms across her chest, she sat back down with a huff.


    Kyle could also see how the other members of the Elite Five were raring to go as well, so it was time for him to step in. They fidgeted in their seats when they saw Kyle standing, and Kay sitting back down. Kyle turned to face Principal Dobbins, who was sneering while looking down at them. The red-faced Xing Han, the dissatisfied expressions on Kay and the other Elite Five, the pale face of Sarah. All were such a lovely sight to her.


    "Are you quite done yet? Are you actually having fun, standing up there and maligning our characters so freely?" Kyle asked slowly, but clearly.


    "Hah? Maligning? Your characters?" Principal Dobbins scoffed, "You don''t have characters to malign."


    "Seriously?" Kyle said, raising an eyebrow, "You are the Principal and we are but students. Yet, you have been cursing us non-stop from the beginning. Are you even an educator?"


    "Of course I am!" Principal Dobbins spluttered. She was not used to the students talking back, as they had always turned turtle and kept quiet. She narrowed her eyes. This Kyle was just as outspoken as his mother, but she was ready for him. No matter what, SHE was the adult here. There was no way he could out-talk her.


    "I am your Principal! You are but a snotty brat that still smells of your mother''s milk, while I have lived and experienced far more than your measely 13 years of life. Just look at you. Only 13 yet muscular, always wearing V-necks and tight shirts when you''re not in school uniform. Even your haircut. It''s not the typical male haircut at all!


    "I have seen your kind countless of times and all of them. I can recognise you people easily. So useless. Dredge of society. Scum of the Earth. So brazen to commit such atrocities. Just look at yourself. It''s so obvious that you''re gay. So blind to your faults!" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle pointed to himself, "I? I am blind to my faults? And what faults would that be?"


    "Are you deaf? Have you not been listening?" Principal Dobbins demanded, looking aghast, then looked at the entire hall, "See, my students. THIS is further proof how your brain rots when you engage in shameful activities. I would like all of you to stop associating yourselves with them, lest you get pulled down the mud along with them."


    "You''ve been happily standing there, flinging accusations to the both of us, painting us to be such evil people? There are TWO things wrong with that. First, we''re not gay. Second, even if we were, what''s so wrong about that?!"


    Principal Dobbins waved her hand at him, exasperated as she shouted in near hysterics, "Did you hear that? DID YOU HEAR THAT? What is wrong with being gay?! Haven''t you been listening at all? It''s unnatural! It''s not normal! And with your popularity, are you going to drag everyone else down the road to Hell like you?!"


    Kyle turned to face everyone in the Hall. He was in the front row, and he bowed slightly to everyone. "I do not know why Principal Dobbins hates me, and why she has been targetting me from the moment I enrolled here. She had constantly been accusing me of many things and even called my mother to the office once. Now, she is saying all these hateful words to me, and calling me many degrading names. Is this what you want as your Principal? To guide you to hate?"


    Principal Dobbins spluttered, and banged the podium loudly, making almost everyone jump in shock. "You evil boy, you! Since when am I guiding them to hate?"


    He turned to face her, "Are you not? I haven''t even done anything yet you''re telling everyone that I am evil. Just where did this hatred of yours come from?"


    "It is hatred borne out of common sense and decency," she huffed, puffing out her chest. She pointed a finger at Kyle and said with a sneer, "Would anyone talk nicely to a murderer? That''s what you are. A murderer of acceptable societal norms! You will corrupt the pure, innocent minds of my students. For that, you and Xing Han are expelled!!"


    Gasps were heard throughout.


    "Expelled? Based on what grounds?" Kyle demanded.


    "Inappropriate behaviour!" Principal Dobbins stated, and started quoting the school rules, "Anyone who is guilty of inappropriate behaviour which is unsuitable as a student, will be promptly expelled."


    "So you can just accuse anyone of inappropriate behaviour and expel people? Just what sort of inappropriate behaviour that Xing Han and I have been guilty of? Where is your proof?"


    "My proof? You want to see proof? I will SHOW you proof!!" Principal Dobbins said smugly. She had been waiting for this moment. Did he think she was stupid? When she had failed to produce proof the last time when Delilah had demanded it, did he think that she wouldn''t have been prepared this time around?


    Clutching the envelope in her hands, she walked over to the projector. She tore it open, took out a picture and slammed in face down onto the glass panel.


    "This is your proof!!"


    Principal Dobbins face Kyle smugly, her arms crossed across her chest as the picture was amplified and shown clearly behind her.


    The entire hall was silent.

 Chapter 47 - Retribution

    The entire hall was silent, shocked beyond belief.


    From the start, Principal Dobbins had been verbally attacking Kyle and Xing Han. She had been calling them all sorts of names and making derogatory comments as she ''revealed'' that they were homose*uals. Now, she was standing smugly on stage as she showed them ''undeniable'' proof of Kyle and Xing Han''s ''crime''.


    "I can see how everyone is shocked. The should be! Two half naked boys hugging each other so intimately! It''s disgusting!"


    "I think that''s quite enough, Principal Dobbins," a deep baritone voice was heard. Principal Dobbins snapped her head up, and saw a man in a grey suit standing at the entrance of the Hall. She was dumbfounded.


    "Mr Robins? What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes wide in surprise. Mr Robins was the District Representative who was in charge of the school''s administration. Every school was under the purview of a specific District Office, which is dependent upon its locality and in each District Office would have a team responsible for school management. Mr Dobbins was the Head of that team. Simply put, Mr Robbins was her ''boss''.


    Mr Robins was quiet, and started walking towards the stage, his steps even and steady. He stood at the podium and introduced himself, "Good morning everyone. I am Robins Grey, the District Representative of Sakura Academy. I would like to apologize to everyone ... " and he looked at Kyle and Xing Han, "but most of all towards Kyle and Xing Han, for having to endure such treatment. I was a bit late in arriving, so I could not stop this sooner."


    He then looked back at everyone in the Hall, "I hereby am announcing that Principal Dobbins is relieved from her position, effective immediately. The Vice Principal will take over temporarily until a new appointment for a Principal is made."


    Principal Dobbins stood there, her mouth gaping open and then shutting, then opened again. What just happened"?


    "But Mr Robins! You can''t do this! I didn''t do anything wrong!" she protested, her eyes wild as she pointed at Kyle and Xing Han, "It''s those two abominations! They''re the ones who are at fault here!"


    "BE QUIET!" Mr Robins roared and she stepped back, gulping nervously but was still not satisfied.


    As she was about to protest again, Mr Robins pointed to the picture that was screened on stage, "It is bad enough that you''ve been inciting hate and hostility towards two young boys, you are basing it on your own sense of prejudice! You have been so blinded by your hate that you''ve started making things up!"


    Principal Dobbins was shocked. Was he blind? Why did he say she was blind? She turned towards the picture, intending to point out what was so blatantly obvious when she stopped. Wait. That was not the picture she had picked. No, it was, but it was different.


    On the projector screen, it was the scene of a swimming pool. Xing Han and Kyle were in the pool, and the water reached up to their waist. They were bare-chested and hugging while laughing. In the background, you could see Sam and Ali - also hugging each other by the waist - as they were holding water balloons and running towards Kyle and Xing Han. It could be seen clearly that Sam''s left leg was tied to Ali''s right leg, and they were holding on to each other for support. Kay was seen at the lifeguard post, a bullhorn in her hands as she appeared to be egging on Sam and Ali.


    It was quite obvious that the whole picture showed a friendly game being played at the swimming pool. Sam and Ali were probably chasing after Kyle and Xing Han, who escaped into the pool. From the looks of it, Kyle and Xing Han''s legs were most likely tied together as well, hence the hugging aspect.


    Principal Dobbins was flabbergasted. Just what happened? It was true that that was the picture which she had chosen, but she had actually cut out everyone else from the picture. So the picture would have been only of the laughing Kyle and Xing Han hugging each other while being half naked. On its own, it was a very damning picture.


    She quickly looked through all the pictures in the envelope, her face pale. She didn''t know what happened. In each and every picture, everything seemed to have been restored. No longer did it show irrefutable evidence of inappropriate behaviour between two boys. Instead, it all appeared like harmless fun.


    Principal Dobbins was livid. She just knew that those two were homosexuals. They just hid it very well. She had cut out the pictures because it was the only way to show them the truth. Only she could see it clearly, while everyone else would have been blinded and sidetracked by the background. That was why she had cut them out. It was to make it clearer. And she was right. Everyone was blind!! How could they not see something so obvious?! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You are no longer fit to be an educator of young minds, Ms. Dobbins. We are here to guide, not preach. We are here to help them expand their minds, not limit it. We are here to help them find their way, not impose our own views on them. You, Ms. Dobbins, have not only failed as an educator, but you have also failed as a decent human being." Mr. Robins was saying.


    He faced the hall again, and looked specifically to the Elite Five members, "To have such poisonous words being flung at young, impressionable youths is a crime. Youths of tomorrow, I hope you learn from this. What you say today, can have an impact that you cannot imagine. We have freedom of speech, but it does not mean it allows you to ignore basic, common decency. Respect. Tolerance. These are essential."


    "Remember, never be like Ms. Dobbins. Such narrow-minded hatred only serves to twist your own thoughts. She can turn such a harmonious, warm scene between close friends into something twisted and shameful. Never be like that."


    Without another word, Ms. Dobbins walked off the stage and back to her office to pack up. She did not want to meet anyone and locked her door while doing the packing. All the while, her head was spinning in confusion and anger. Confusion as to what happened to the pictures, and anger over people who were too self-righteous and blind to see the evils that the boys would bring.


    "Just you wait," Dobbins said angrily as she packed, "You are all going to regret your decision! I was the only one that protected this school from such low-lives and underachievers. Without me, this school would have long gone down the gutter. Hah. By then, it would be too late for you. I wouldn''t come back even if you begged on your knees! Burn down to the ground! Imagine, if I hadn''t kicked out Samuel, would we have reached the top ten in the district? So what if he didn''t really steal the money? His scores were atrocious! And Ren. Such a troubled boy with a troubled family. There was no way such a child would ever amount to anything! Framing him for trying to steal the exam answers was so easy. Oh, and how could I forget Gerry? She ..."


    And thus, for the entire three hours she spent packing, she was listing out all the ''glorious deeds'' she had done over the years.


    **--**--**


    The reporters were grinning. It was true. There was a scoop, but not what they thought it would be. Who would have thought that such an esteemed Principal would have stooped to such means? They hurriedly went back to their office, itching to start writing.


    Mr. Robins went down the stage and personally shook the hands of Kyle and Xing Han, apologizing profusely. Though it wasn''t him that had said the words, he felt responsible that these boys were subjected to such unfair treatment. Kyle and Xing Han smiled widely, assuring him that everything was okay.


    Mr. Robins smiled, satisfied when he saw how unaffected they were. He then left, thinking that it was a good thing he had rushed over. He needed to berate his secretary, however. Apparently, there had been an anonymous tip for him last night that Principal Dobbins was going to do something inappropriate this morning during Assembly. However, his secretary hadn''t treated it seriously and neglected to tell him. In fact, he only found out about it by accident when he saw the note in his trashcan. He noticed little things like this, as he knew the trashcan had been empty when he left the day before. Curious, he picked up the note and frowned.


    He was frowning again now. It was not up to his secretary to decide what was to be passed to him, and what was not. He shuddered to think what would have happened if he had not arrived on time. Back at the District Office, a man suddenly shivered, feeling like someone had walked over his grave. He shook his head, then walked into Mr. Robbin''s office, placing some files on top of the desk for his perusal.


    **--**--**--


    That night, Kyle slipped into the Principal''s office. Silently, he opened the first drawer and reaching underneath, took out a bugging device to check that it was in good working condition. He continued his checks on his pieces of equipment in the room: one listening device from behind a painting across the room, the bug hidden in the receiver of the phone on the desk, and the three hidden cameras.


    Each camera showed a different angle of the room, and together with the two listening devices, he could see and hear everything. It was through this that Kyle found out about Dobbins'' plans [remember the ''movie'' Kyle had been watching while on Kay''s lap?]


    Over the duration of the holidays, Kyle had been monitoring Dobbins. He had examined the pictures in the envelope and managed to find the original pictures. He replaced them and put everything back as if nothing had been disturbed. He had known she called up the news reporters for the Assembly, so he had dropped a tip to Mr. Robins.


    This was the reason why he had been so moody the past few days before school reopened. He had been angry that Dobbins would drag Xing Han into the whole mess. Kyle sniggered as he slipped out of the room. If she thought being fired was the worst thing to happen, she couldn''t be more wrong.


    **--**--


    In the office of Robins Grey, a thick folder labeled ''Principal Dobbins'' was laid neatly on his desk, with a white thumb drive glistening on it. When Robins came in the next morning, his face darkened considerably upon reading the files in the folder.

 Chapter 48 - *Author’s Note*

    Hi my lovely readers,


    First, I just wanted to thank everyone who is reading this novel, for your support.


    When I first started this, it was partly due to the NovelFire''s Writing Prompt #51, and partly due to the dreams of writing that I always had but was too scared to actually do it. [Didn''t win the writing prompt or even get a mention even though there as no winner for #3-#5 place. Felt rather depressed about it. sigh]


    Anyway, I was like a little kid, always checking (every day) the votes and number of people who added this novel into their library. Each time it went up, I was ecstatic. You cannot imagine how it feels when your writing is validated. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Actually, I was first surprised that there WERE people who added this novel - amazes me how you even find it among the thousands of novels out there! So the ''adding'' part was great .. and when there were actual voting, it was surreal. (¡ä???¨F)


    The first few votes were from my RL friends - and shamelessly, myself - to boost me up. The moment there were others who voted, my RL friends stopped. Not because they didn''t support me, but knew I was quite content with the current ones already. They''re the ones who have to listen to me gushing and getting all excited, too.


    For those who have been with me from Day 1 (that is, when I first started the novel) and for those who just found this novel, I thank you once again.


    There are silent supporters that do not comment much (or at all) but continues to vote.


    Then, there are those who comment regularly and vote.


    All give me immense pleasure and happiness - so much so, that I had one chapter written as a tribute to the top five. Everyone needs a muse, and motivation to write. If no one likes your novel, then it saps you and makes you question yourself.


    So, I truly do appreciate all your comments and feedbacks. One of my greatest fear was boring my readers to death, hence I tended to skip through some of the developments in their lives. Truth be told, I''m more of a romance / supernatural kind of person, and was thinking readers would be more interested in the romantic relationship and revenge part more. So, I skipped their baby years and primary school life.


    After the feedback by Dis77 and KIIIDhere [Now known as KIIID] in the previous chapter, (and DWarden45 few chapters before this) however, I realised that perhaps there are readers who do not mind it. In fact, would even like it, or have a longer novel. Initially, this was meant to be rather short. Maybe less than 80 chapters? Now, however, I have changed my mind, Thank you, DWarden45, Dis77 and KIIID. I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback.


    Thus, I will drop the time skip and focus more on the ''slice of life'' aspect. The pace will be MUCH slower after this as I develop their lives and such.


    This novel will generally be a mix of romance and revenge. The focus will initially be on the development of Elite Five''s love lives (or lack of it). Of course, there will always be some mention of Kyle''s kids and all, but essentially, the main aspect would be the relationships. The ''Relationship Arc'' is going to be there until the end and may be such a huge part that this novel can be thought of as ''romance'' instead.


    ''Action'' scenes are also scattered around.


    Then, as they grow older, the revenge arc comes and gets mixed in.


    ?? Update : 28 April 2019 ??


    Basic outline has been moved to Auxillary Chapter. It will be updated periodically after each volume is completed.


    Thank you once again for your feedback, patience and for reading this novel. Love to all.


    (??3??)


    yeah, KIIID also influenced me with all the emoticons. (??^???^??)

 Chapter 49 - Punishment

    In the office of Robins Grey, a thick folder labeled ''Principal Dobbins'' was laid neatly on his desk, with a white thumb drive glistening on it. When Robins came in the next morning, his face darkened considerably upon reading the files in the folder.


    When he had first opened the folder, the first thing he saw as a single A4 size white paper with one sentence, in bold:


    "Herein lies the deeds of Principal Dobbins. I trust you to do what is right."


    He flipped the paper and saw what appeared to be curriculum vitae of some kids. There was a photo of a child (presumably a Sakura Academy student) placed at the top center of the page. The name would be right under the photo, then a brief description of what had occurred and what Principal Dobbins had done.


    Samuel Wang - Expelled


    Reason: Stole $1000 from Student Council''s funds. (date and amount highlighted in yellow)


    Fact: At the time of supposed theft, Samuel Wang was absent. He was working at K-Mart, covering for a friend who had fallen sick.


    Evidence: A photo from a security camera was clipped on the paper, clearly showing the date and time, and Samuel''s face.


    Ren Xi - Expelled


    Reason: Stole Physics exam answers. Papers found in his schoolbag.


    Fact: Circumstantial evidence. No one saw the deed, and the papers were kept in a locked drawer in a locked room. The door was unlocked and drawer opened yet no proof or explanation as to how it came to be that way.


    Gerry Hale - Expelled


    Reason: Stole $500 from Student Council Funds (date and amount highlighted in yellow)


    Fact: Unsubstantiated and not verified. Accused by a fellow classmate. Money never recovered.


    And the list went on. Robins didn''t count the number, but from a rough guess, it was no less than 30. All of them appeared to be trumped up charges, or that Dobbins had never truly investigated the matter. She deemed the culprits guilty from the start, ignoring their pleas of innocence.


    However, as bad as it was going through the list of students, the last page made him shiver. Dobbins'' bank statement had been printed out, and several transactions were highlighted. When he checked it with the list of students, he realised that the dates coincided with the time the money had been stolen from the Student Council AND the amount was the same as what had been reported stolen.


    Coincidence?


    Robins picked up his phone, looked through the contacts and made a call to his good ''ol friend, Chief Pooh.


    **--**--**--


    Kyle was in trouble.


    They were at the park, and Kyle was made to sit down at the bench while the rest of the Elite Five were standing in front of him, staring at him. Xing Han was pouting and had his arms crossed on his chest. Kay was looking at him with eyes glistening with tears. Ali was growling at him, his foot tapping on the ground. Sam was ... well, just Sam as he held his head up slightly higher and looked down at Kyle.


    They had all agreed to meet up at the park after class activities, and Kyle was the second one to arrive. Kay was already there, smiling at him but he noticed her lips were trembling. As if holding back some tears. Worried, he rushed over and grabbed her arms but she began hitting him on the chest. "Kyle, you meanie!!" she shouted clearly.


    Kyle was perplexed and opened his mouth to ask when he felt hands fall heavily on his shoulders. A lightbulb moment happened when he saw the ghost of a smile on Kay''s lips before she turned to face Xing Han who came beside her. He was looking at her worriedly, and she sniffed softly. Kyle was pushed forward, and made to sit on the bench.


    That was the scene right now.


    "Explain," demanded Ali.


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Explain? Explain what?" He looked at them with wide, innocent eyes.


    "Don''t give me that!" growled Ali, taking a step closer. He leaned down and pointed a finger on Kyle''s nose while his other hand pointed at Kay. Kay was still sniffling, her head on Xing Han''s shoulder. Xing Han was glaring at Kyle now while rubbing her back to comfort her.


    "What did you do to make her cry?!" Ali shouted at Kyle''s face.


    "Unforgivable," muttered Sam.


    "Nothing!" Kyle protested, putting his hands up.


    "Nothing? Nothing? How can it be nothing when she''s crying like that?!" Ali put up a leg on the bench, to the right of Kyle. He placed one hand on his waist and another on his leg.


    "Oh come on, Ali!" protested Kyle, "She''s faking it! There are no tears even!"


    Xing Han scoffed, "Still denying it, I see." He gingerly took Kay''s hand, and led her to sit down on the bench as well - but farther away from Kyle. Kay was dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief, looking down aggrieved.


    Xing Han, Ali, and Sam looked at each other. As if on cue, they nodded. Kyle had a bad feeling about this. He quickly tried to get up but Ali was faster. He put his hands on both of Kyle''s shoulders, preventing him from getting up. Kyle kicked out, tripping Ali. Just as Ali stumbled, Kyle shot up but was quickly tackled by Xing Han.


    Kyle fell to the side, and Xing Han quickly sat on Kyle''s back. He then leaned over and grabbed both of Kyle''s legs. Sam also promptly jumped onto Kyle, and the sudden weight on his back made Kyle "ooomph" out. Sam grabbed both of Kyle''s arms and twisted them around his back.


    No matter how hard Kyle struggled, he couldn''t get the two guys off his back. He could hear Ali''s maniacal laughter getting closer, and Kyle said desperately, "Ali ... don''t you dare."


    Ali came close, leaned down and put his face right next to Kyle''s as he said, "You made our Angel cry, Kyle. You must be punished." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I did not, damn it!"


    Ali tsked and patted Kyle''s head. He got up and walked over to Kyle''s legs.


    "So long as our Angel sheds a tear, that person gets punished," Sam said stoically.


    Kay watched this entire scene with a smile hidden behind her handkerchief. Serves Kyle right for not telling her what he had planned for Principal Dobbins. He had known everything and had the counter measures, but he did not tell her about it! She had been so worried, and so angry at the horrible things she said at her brother.


    The anger she felt then was akin to the anger she felt now. Kyle was too much. How dare he hide this from her? So, he had to be taught a lesson. Of course, why dirty her hands when she had her knights who would do it for her? All that was needed was just perfect timing, sad face, and tears.


    "ALI! NO!" Kyle shouted, "DON''T YOU DARE!" He twisted his head and could see where Ali was heading, fear gripping his heart.


    Ali just snickered, walked over and grabbed Kyle''s shoe. He took it off, then his face had a slight grimace as he said to Kyle, "Man, Kyle. When was the last time you washed your socks? Ew"


    Kyle was trying hard to kick Ali, but Xing Han went to sit on his legs. At that moment, Kyle regretted deeply not forcing Xing Han to continue the exercise regime he had been under during the school holidays. It had only been two days, but just those two days of gorging all his favourite food had made all the weight he lost, return.


    This dude was heavy. It normally does not take a lot of effort to lift up your leg when in a lying position, but if you had a rock like Xing Han sitting right on his calf ... it was near impossible to do so. Kyle still tried, however, but hardly managed to move even an inch.


    Ali slowly took off Kyle''s socks with the tip of his fingers and threw it aside in disdain. Then, grabbing a tuft of grass in his fist, he pulled. Several blades of soft carpet grass were now in his hands. Ah, this park is perfect. They had carpet grass, which was so much better for what he needed to do.


    Grabbing Kyle''s ankle, and gripping it tightly, he moved the blades of grass slowly and lightly over the sole of Kyle''s feet.


    " Ga-aaaa ... HAHAHAHAHA .... STOP ... HAHAHAHA ... AHHHHH ... HAHAHAHAHA"


    Kyle couldn''t even lift up his head anymore, all manner of strength leaving him. Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Kyle has a weakness. He is very, very ticklish right at the soles of his feet. You can try any other part of his body - his waist, or even his armpits - and he is completely unaffected. His feet, however, was a different story. Just a small brush and he becomes mush.


    "So someone made our Angel cry," ... swish went the blades of grass.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"


    "And he won''t admit it".... swish it went again


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"


    "Looks like someone has been a bad, bad boy," swish swish swish


    After 10 minutes of this torture, they finally let him go. Kyle was now out of breath and his face streaked with tears. He turned and lay on his back, putting an arm over his eyes, and another was clutching his stomach, "Y-you ... *gasp* ... guys ... are ... so ... cruel"


    His abdominal muscles hurt so much right now. Though he did exercises to tone his abs, laughing also gives an internal workout through exercising the diaphragm, contracting the abs. However, unlike when he exercises, he didn''t warm up and he couldn''t pace himself. Laughing excessively like this meant continuous exercise which he had no control over and his muscles were pushed to the limit.


    Kay walked over, sat down next to Kyle who was breathing heavily and patted his stomach hard. Kyle''s face twisted in pain, but he didn''t say anything. Kay looked up at her three knights and said with a bright smile, "Thank you. I feel so much better now."


    [Don''t do that again, Kyle] said Kay, her voice tinged with real sadness this time, [I was really hurt]


    Kyle uncovered his eyes and took her hand in his. He pulled it lightly, and she turned to face him. He looked at her straight in the eyes and said, "I''m sorry, Kay. I won''t do it again"


    Kay sniffed and bent down to hug Kyle.


    "Our work is done," said Ali proudly, then looked at his hands in disdain, "Now I need to wash my hands. Kyle''s socks really stink."

 Chapter 50 - Bodyguards

    After the punishment that the Elite Five meted on Kyle, they all went to have dinner together. They didn''t go anywhere fancy, but just at the street food at the food trucks near the park. Kyle found it quite fascinating. The food truck first came about a few years back, but now it had boomed and you could find it anywhere.


    A food truck is basically a large vehicle that was equipped with an onboard kitchen to cook and sell food. It''s like a moving restaurant. The trucks were not fixed in one location, but would move about. They did have their regular locations, but unless you were a resident of the said area, you wouldn''t know where the food trucks would be. However, there were some that were well organised in the sense that there was an actual venue venues where the food trucks would congregate. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, one such venue was here. It was actually one of the carpark for the park. A rectangular shapped area at the right of the park entrance. By day, it was a car park. By 5 pm, however, one section of the car park was cordoned off and the food trucks would enter and start setting up. The area was rectangular shaped, and there were 8 trucks in total. Thus, 4 trucks were lined up in a row, vertically and opposite of the other 4 trucks (so the four trucks were actually on the longer side of the rectangle).


    By 6 pm, the area was open for business. In the middle of the rectangle, rows of foldable tables and chairs were set up. Each table could seat 2 people, but anyone was free to move them about.


    "I wonder which trucks are here this month," Xing Han said, rubbing his hands in excitement. The place was rented out to the food truck owners on a monthly basis, so there will be differences and varieties each month. There were the ''regulars'' that never changed, but there would sometimes be 2 or 3 different ones as well.


    Xing Han ran off to check, while the others found a place to sit. Ali and Sam took two nearby tables and chair, and placed them together.


    "I''ll go get yours, Kay," said Kyle as he looked all around, "What do you feel like?"


    "Olio," she answered, "and some BBQ meat, if there''s any."


    "Gotcha," Kyle replied.


    "You guys go ahead," Kay insisted to Sam and Ali, who had sat down next to her, "I will hold the fort."


    "Are you sure you''ll be okay all alone?" Sam asked.


    Kay patted him on the shoulder and waved her hands about, "It''s an open, public place. What could happen? Don''t worry. Go," Kay insisted.


    Kay watched them go, and smiled to herself. She made quite a picture sitting there, with her hair being blown softly in the wind. She was just in jeans and T-shirt, yet it seemed like she was wearing the most expensive designer label. She made the words ''clothes maketh the man'' to mean the exact opposite ... it is not the clothes, but the person wearing them. Right now, she appeared like a fairy as she looked in front of her, a soft smile upon her delicate face.


    Her reverie was broken when two guys suddenly sat beside her, one on her left and the other on her right. Two more sat in front of her, smiling as they stared at her unabashedly. They looked to be about 17 years old, all trying to look tough and menacing. Kay couldn''t help but laugh inside at that.


    "Hey beautiful," breathed the one on her right as he leaned close to her, "What''s a chick like you doing all alone here? Let big brother here show you a good time."


    Kay leaned back, her face contorted in disgust. "Euw. No. And I am not alone. Now shoo, before they come back."


    "Whatever for? Just means all the more for us, isn''t it?" he guffawed, eliciting more laughter from the other boys around her.


    Kay didn''t move to get up, for she knew that they would simply stop her movements. After all, they had surrounded her for a reason. She wasn''t scared, of course, but she was annoyed.


    "Believe me, boys," she said, emphasising on the "boys" part, "If you don''t get out of my face in 10 seconds, you are going to be thrown out of here. If you''re lucky, in one piece."


    The boys laughed even louder, and the one on the left tried to reach out a hand to touch her cheek when he found his arm being held firmly. "You touch her, you die," a voice sounded from behind him.


    Kay smirked, putting her chin on her palm as she said sweetly, "Ooops. Did I say 10 seconds? My bad."


    Everyone of them turned to look at the owner of the voice, to find to their amusement, a young boy of only 13 threatening them. Granted, he was tall and well built - but he was alone. One of them was more than enough to smash him to a pulp.


    "You alright sis?" Kyle asked, turning towards Kay, not saying her name on purpose.


    "Fine and dandy, brother," she replied with a smile.


    "Brother? Why, little bro, come on," said the guy whose wrist was held tightly by Kyle. He had been trying vainly to get free, but somehow, he couldn''t. He didn''t want to lose face, however, so he made it seem like he wasn''t even trying. Inwardly though, he was getting nervous. Something didn''t seem right.


    "We''re just here for a good time. We''ll just leave with your sister here, and return her soon enough, okay?" the guy prattled on. The moment the words left his lips, the air in the area suddenly felt cold. As if it dropped several degrees in temperature. Which was strange, for there was no wind.


    Kay forward and said, "Hoo-boy. Well, I would say it was nice knowing you boys, but it wasn''t. Have a pleasant flight."


    Before they knew what was happening, the guy that had been mouthing off had his head banged loudly on the table. Kyle had grabbed a fist of the guy''s hair, then smashed the desk with the guy''s face. As it was a foldable table, it wasn''t stable, so Kyle did not let go of the guy''s head at all before proceeding to bang on it again with the guy''s face.


    The guy was seeing stars and couldn''t focus. Kyle took that moment to fling him backwards, but not before hitting several nerves along the guy''s neck and arms. The latter movements had been very quick, his fingers and hand in a blur and was too fast for the naked eye to catch it. No one saw what he had done. All they saw was him smashing the guy''s head on the table twice then flinging him back. The guy was unconscious.


    Such fast hand movements is common amongst magicians, for that is their secret to all the illusions that happens. Kyle used the same technique, and the spots he hit were acupuncture points. Essentially, it knocked the dude out. Although this sounded like it took a long time, it was actually just a few seconds and the others were still just staring at him with their mouths open.


    "Next?" Kyle said, as he stood up and glared at them.


    The sounds of knuckles being cracked were also heard behind Kyle. Sam, Ali and Xing Han had returned, and Ali was busy cracking his knuckles and neck as he walked beside Kyle. "Kyle. Buddy. We left for a second and you''re having all the fun by your lonesome?" Ali said with an evil grin, placing his arm around Kyle''s shoulder.


    "Fun? That guy folded in seconds. I haven''t even warmed up yet," Kyle said with a scoff. He turned back to look at the unconscious fellow as he continued, "See. His bones aren''t broken and no blood spilled."


    Ali nodded in agreement, "Not completely true. His nose is broken, I think. But true, true. That wasn''t fun at all. No struggle. No screaming either."


    The remaining guys were staring at them, frozen. Four young boys, dressed like normal students, yet the way they stood there ... two of them were quite imposing and muscular, talking about beating up people like it was an everyday thing. Two more behind them looked pretty harmless - one was rather heavyset with lots of food being held precariously yet preciously in his arms. The other one appeared like a nerd but somehow, had a rather sharp look in his eye. One thing was the same though: all four had menacing expressions on them, their eyes seemingly devoid of any emotion but intense coldness. Everyone shivered.


    They had already seen how quick and ruthless the first one had been, and they did not want to see what the others were like. The one that Kyle had knocked out just happened to have been their strongest fighter, and the rest of them were ... well, wimps. They acted all brave and strong but were actually just weak. It was always their fighter that intimidated people in the first move, and everyone cowered. Who knew that the tables would be turned on them and they were defeated in one move?


    Without batting an eyelid, all of them quickly become subservient and started apologizing profusely, "Sorry Boss! Sorry! We were blind! Let us off, please!!"


    Kyle flicked his head towards the unconscious guy and said, "Get him, and beat it."


    They quickly took their boss, two of them supporting him on their shoulders before running off, not looking back. Only when they had run quite a distance away did the boys sit back down.


    "Really, Kay?"


    "It''s not MY fault!" pouted Kay, taking the spaghetti olio that Kyle handed to her. Ali and Sam were busy taking the piles of food from Xing Han''s hands. The food Kyle had gotten earlier had been placed at the far side of the table, just before he grabbed the stupid guy''s wrist.


    "You can''t be left alone anymore," muttered Kyle, biting onto his burger, "You''re like a fire that these troublesome moths fly over ... just to get burned."


    Kyle then glared at Ali, saying, "This is YOUR fault."


    "Yeah, yeah," Ali said in between mouthfuls, "My bad. Shouldn''t have listened to Kay. I''ll be on guard duty for the month."


    "Two months," Kyle replied, "We''ll rotate after that"


    Kay groaned.

 Chapter 51 - Future Plans

    Kay groaned. She loved the Elite Five, she did but to have them by her side all the time? It was too much!


    "Don''t you think that''s kinda overdoing it, brother?" she asked, looking at him with pleading eyes.


    Kyle wasn''t moved, "It''s okay at the school grounds, but you''re not to walk back to the dorms alone. If outside, one of us will always be with you."


    "B-but .." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No ifs, ands or buts," said Kyle firmly, "These pesky bugs are only going to get worse. We have to nip it in the bud!"


    Kay poked at her spaghetti angrily. "Then how the heck am I going to even get a boyfriend? You''ll scare them all away!"


    "If they could be scared off by us, then he doesn''t deserve to be your boyfriend," said Sam quietly.


    Kay sighed, "Do you honestly think anyone could actually hold up against any of you?"


    They all looked at her and grinned. "Of course not," they all chorused together.


    "That''s why they''re not worthy," said Xing Han firmly.


    "I''ll never find a boyfriend at this rate," Kay muttered darkly under her breath. Then she looked at all of them. She should be mad, but she couldn''t be. They were all acting out of concern for her, and she couldn''t really blame them for it. They were overprotective over her, particularly after the kidnapping incident during their primary school life.


    Though it was much better now than it was the first year after the incident, Kay is getting the feeling that it''s going to be much worse after this. Kyle, being Kyle, tended to smother her sometimes. She didn''t really mind it, but she noticed that she was slowly starting to feel dissatisfied with it. It wasn''t much, but she wasn''t as carefree about it as before. Still, she didn''t voice anything out as they weren''t doing anything wrong and she felt guilty for not properly appreciating their concern.


    "Did you hear about what happened to Principal Dobbins?" asked Sam, "Oh wait. No, it should be Ms Dobbins. She isn''t a Principal anymore."


    "No," replied Xing Han, "What happened?"


    "Apparently, she got arrested,"


    "What?! No way!" Ali exclaimed.


    "Yes way," replied Sam seriously.


    "For what? Was she doing drugs or something?" asked Xing Han curiously.


    "From what I heard, there were a whole lot of things. Misappropriation of public funds, for one. The police are still investigating, but they apparently have enough for at least one charge to stick. That''s why she has been arrested now. They didn''t want her escaping or something," said Sam.


    "How do you know all this? It''s not in the papers, is it?" asked Ali.


    Sam looked at him and scoffed, "You know that I plan to specialise in media communications after this. Gathering news and information is just a basic skill."


    "True, true," agreed Xing Han, nodding. "What about the rest of you guys? Decided yet?"


    "We''re only in Form 1, Xing Han," said Ali, "We''re only required to decide in our third year, before going into either the Pure science route, or the arts route."


    Xing Han just looked at him, and waved his fork about, "Don''t try and fool me, Ali. You have your path paved already for you." Then, taking a deep sigh, "Like me."


    "Then why ask?" questioned Ali.


    "Who knows? Some miracle happened and something changed?" Xing Han said wistfully, "One can dream, right?"


    "Yeah, well, I''m definitely taking the Pure science route," said Ali.


    Xing Han almost dropped his fork, "What? WHY? I thought you had to take over your family''s business? So why isn''t it arts route, then into business?"


    Ali looked at him weirdly, "Why should I learn about business, when the business is about oil? I need to know about oil, its properties, how its extracted and so forth. You can''t sell if you don''t know your product. I can learn about business from my family and I have been doing that since young. What happens if the oil rig breaks down?"


    "Don''t you have experts already in that field?" Xing Han asked again.


    "Of course," Ali said, "But not knowing anything at all and relying on said person entirely isn''t right either. I leave the dirty work to them, but I would still need to understand the reports being made, right?"


    Xing Han waved his fork again at him, "You''re so smart"


    "Of course," Ali replied nonchantly, "And stop waving that fork in front of me already!"


    "It''s just business management for me, though," Xing Han said with a sigh, "Nothing fancy schamancy about it. What about you, Kyle? Business management as well?"


    "Yup-puh", Kyle replied, popping the "p" sound, "Only Kay gets to do whatever she likes, and she hasn''t decided yet."


    "There are pros and cons for having your path set out for you, actually," said Kay, "You guys already have a secure job waiting for you. Though it may not be what you love or what-not, but it''s set. Many of us don''t know yet, or can even be sure of having a job at the end of it. Maybe we won''t even end up in the job we studied for!"


    "At least Sam has already decided," Kay sighed, "I seriously don''t know yet. I like many things, but in the end, I may not actually be able to work in that field."


    "Why ever not?" demanded Ali.


    "You should know it better than anyone, Ali," said Kay, "As modern as we are now, my family has very old ties. There''s still this concept of ''girl follows husband'' rule. What if my husband doesn''t approve?"


    "Pah," Ali scoffed, waving his fork around, "That''s why you have US! We will filter those stupid dudes and only those who is willing to let you be who you wanna be, will pass through."


    "It''ll only work now, during secondary school," reminded Kay, "We''re all going to different Universities later."


    All five faces went crestfallen then. Thinking about it, it was quite depressing. Should they just change everything and try to enter the same University? They knew how absurd that thought was. Even getting their parents to agree to this school was hard enough, but University? That determined the value of their degree. Xing Han had already ''sold his soul'' to his parents for this reprieve of 5 years at Sakura Academy.


    Luckily Kyle was also doing business management. Going to the same University wouldn''t be wrong, as he would be going to the top University. Xing Han brightened up at that and attacked his food with gusto once again.


    Xing Han''s actions seem to break the others from their melancholic thoughts, and they started teasing Xing Han again. This jovial mood followed them all the way back until they finished and went their seperate ways home. Ali and Sam got their rides back, while Kay, Kyle and Xing Han walked back to the dorms. Kyle waited until Kay got on the lift before heading up with Xing Han.


    Once back at the dorms, they took turns to shower and then got ready for bed. Kyle pulled his blanket up to his chest, but stuck one foot out. Xing Han always found that strange, even though Kyle explained that it was too hot to have the blanket on yet too cold not to. Xing Han never found the need to have the blanket anyway, as it was nice and cooling as it was.


    He waited until Kyle settled in before switching off the lights.


    Xing Han couldn''t sleep though. In fact, ever since the Opening Assembly the other day, Xing Han had been having trouble sleeping. His thoughts were quite bothered by what had been said. His parents were extremely strict and very conservative. If they had heard about what Dobbins had said, they''d probably have a heart attack, or disown him.


    He had constantly been thinking of how he acts around Kyle. Kyle was his very first friend, and the only one that had truly accepted him whole hearted even though he either bored people to death, or annoyed them to death. Kyle was patient, indulging and although he acted annoyed once in a while, Xing Han knew that Kyle didn''t mean it.


    Xing Han tried to change. He truly did. He knew that his behaviour might have been okay when he was younger, but now that he''s older and in secondary school, he is supposed to be more matured. He didn''t talk as fast as he used to, but he was still quite emotional. He couldn''t help it. He tried dieting, but loved food too much. He tried exercising, but getting out of breath so much wasn''t fun. He tried to be more macho, but people would just look at him weirdly.


    Kyle was his idol. Kyle was the sort of person ... the sort of man ... he wanted to be. Tall, strong, dependable. Okay, so maybe he can''t control the height part but strength?Kyle was always confident and he exuded this air of masculinity that would shame some adults. If Kyle was like this at 13, what is he going to be like when he is 18? Or when he goes into the working world?


    Xing Han groaned into his pillow. The brain was willing but the flesh was weak. He felt like he was being left behind. Kyle seemed to soar while he seems to stumble along. That''s why he put all his effort into learning at his father''s company during the holidays. He learned a lot, and the experience truly made him more alive. He was lucky in that aspect. He did like the business, and what he was to take over. Even though it felt like the path was set for him, it was a path that he liked.


    A little voice protested in his mind and Xing Han quashed it. His love for art was just that. A hobby. It wouldn''t make him any money, and he had responsibilities to carry on. How could he abandon everything just for his own selfish desires?


    He was brought up much better than that. He was not an unfilial child. His parents may be strict, but they loved him. They raised him up from young and provided him with the best. He couldn''t then turn around and slap them in the face, could he? Each time he felt some sense of unhappiness or dissatisfaction, he would think of his family and then that feeling would go away. The guilt overrode everything else.


    The thoughts were driving him insane.


    "Kyle? You awake?" Xing Han whispered. If Kyle had fallen asleep, he didn''t want his question to wake him up!

 Chapter 52 - Xing Han’s Fears

    Kyle was barely asleep when he heard Xing Han whisper out, calling out o him.


    "Yeah," he replied, "What''s up?"


    "Am I ... " Xing Han began, then stopped. He tried again, "Do you feel ... no, I mean, am I holding you back?"


    "HAH?!" Kyle exclaimed, "Where did that come from all of the sudden?"


    Kyle heard Xing Han give a huge sigh, and some movements on the bed were heard. Obviously, he was restless and trying to figure out what to say what was on his mind.


    "It''s just that ... well, I was just thinking of what Principal Dobbins had said the other day," Xing Han explained, his voice soft, "The more I think about it, the more I wonder. She''s right about one thing. I''m always clinging on to you."


    "So? What''s wrong with that? Aren''t we best friends?"


    "Yeah, but it got me thinking," Xing Hand said, turning in bed and lying down on his back. The room was dark, so Kyle couldn''t see his expression, "Since Primary School, they labeled us as the Elite Five but really, what am I compared to all of you guys? I need to work doubly hard to get the results that all of you seem to get so easily. And and ..."


    "And?" Kyle prompted gently.


    "Well. Let''s face it. Every single one of you guys is good looking. Ali has this exotic prince look with a muscle-bound body. Sam may be aloof, but somehow, that cold awkwardness seems to make girls melt. Let''s not even start about you. I could go on for 30 minutes and still not finish."


    "The three of you are popular in your own ways and have your own fan base or something. As for me? I''m always the one that people go to, to get to you guys. They''re always looking at me as this big brother type figure, but never a romantic type figure. I''m not exactly "man" material?"


    "What nonsense are you spouting now?" Kyle said in exasperation, "There is no such thing as a "man" material. That''s just some vague concept society has imposed. Real men don''t cry. Real men toughen up. blah blah blah. All rubbish."


    "My parents firmly believe it to be though," Xing Han said with a sigh, "All my life it''s been about what I can or cannot do, how to act and how to talk. I was even belted once for speaking in a ''girl''s voice''. I don''t even know what that means!!"


    "I learned though. I learned how to act properly in front of my family, especially my parents. It''s only with you guys that I can be myself. Perhaps all that acting at home makes me extra ... I don''t know. Clingy? Soft? How do people view me? This gentle round giant or something?"


    "And I''m sure Principal Dobbins isn''t the only one that thinks in such a skewed way. I''m just ruining your reputation! I''m bringing you down! People will look down on you just because of me. Because I''m not a real man, people start assuming things. I''m like this soft excuse for a man that just hangs and clings on to you and ... "


    "ENOUGH," Kyle said sternly, not too loud but loud enough to penetrate his ramblings. Once Xing Han gets really upset, his bullet train persona comes out.


    He didn''t stop though. He must have been really upset, "It doesn''t help that you haven''t even looked interested with a girl but always hang out with me! They''re saying bad things about you, Kyle. Because of me. I''m so useless ... *sniffle* ... look, I''m even tearing up and men don''t cry."


    "Urgh, honestly, Xing Han!" Kyle said exasperatingly, and he sat up in his bed, running his hand through his hair, "First, you''re human so cry all you want. Second, we''re only THIRTEEN, for goodness sake! Yeah, sure, I have all these girls flinging themselves at me but gah. They''re only thirteen!"


    Kyle couldn''t say anything more than repeat that same thing. He couldn''t quite tell Xing Han that his mind was not only of a 40-year-old, but it was also of a woman. He hardly would get interested in kids who were pretending to be women. Heck, he didn''t even know if he was interested in women. He wasn''t interested in men either. Well, not yet so he didn''t know which way he swung at the moment. All he knows is that everyone was just kids in his eyes. One thing he knew for sure, was that he was not a pedophile.


    He took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall, "I find all this love thing to be pure nonsense right now. Mum and Dad are already pressuring me to find someone and darn it. What sane parent is actually asking their barely teen son to go forth and find a bride? The more they pressure me, the more uninterested I am. Just look at Ali. He has 10 gorgeous girls to choose from and yet, he''s not jumping around in excitement, is he?"


    "Right now, all I want to do is just enjoy my school life. I just want to have fun. I enjoy your company, and we get along just fine. Who cares what other people think?!"Kyle demanded, slapping his knee.


    "I care," Xing Han said with a sniff, "You''re my bestest best friend, Kyle. I don''t like it when people think badly of you just because of me."


    "Stupid fool," admonished Kyle, "You can''t stop what people say or think. The only thing that you should be focusing on is what the people who matter think."


    "Well, my parents'' matter," Xing Han replied, switching the topic, "And I can''t even be myself in front of them. I feel like I''m just a product of what they want, not a person of who I am."


    "I''m sorry, Xing Han," Kyle said with regret.


    This was one thing that was beyond his capabilities to talk about or understand. You can''t change the mindset of someone, and you can''t fight against the perceptions of society. The only thing you can do is navigate yourself through it to the best of your abilities, and wear a titanium suit of armour against all those judging eyes.


    Kyle really, truly, was not bothered by what other people thought or said, as he had been through it before and managed to rise to the occasion. It wasn''t easy and he had to go through some intense pain first. It was worse for Xing Han, for he was a really sensitive person who felt things deeply. How could he equip himself to stand against the tide? It''s like asking a bunny to face a roaring tiger. The effects are worse when it involves the people who mean the world to you. Sometimes, other people can bad mouth you and you''re not affected but when it''s your own parent ...


    "I know how you feel, but that is not something I can help you with. All I can do is just be a listening ear," Kyle continued, "If you just need to vent, or have someone to bash to, I''m here. Anytime."


    "I know," Xing Han replied, "I''ve always known, but hearing you say it means a lot to me."


    "Silly fool," Kyle scolded gently, "You''re a great guy as you are, Xing Han. Even if your parents can''t see it, we all do. So even if you can''t be yourself with them, you always have us to fall back on to go crazy all you want."


    "After all. We''re brothers for life. Brothers from a different mother, but brothers nonetheless."


    Xing Han took a deep, long breath, then said, "Yeah. I''m lucky for that. At least you''re lucky that you''re the perfect son. Your parents must be so proud of you."


    "Hah, hardly," Kyle retorted.


    Xing Han was surprised, "What do you mean?"


    "The grass is always greener on the other side, Xing Han. My parents may not be as conservative as yours but they do have tradition and what-not to follow. Hence, there''s a lot of pressure on me to fulfill those responsibilities"


    "Yeah, I know but you''re the genius son who excels in everything. So what''s the problem?"


    "No one is perfect and seriously, my parents think I''m a robot or something. I didn''t talk until I was two. I am too close to Kay. I don''t have a life. Yadda-yadda-yadda. There is always something to pick on. You can go home with straight As or something, and they still find something wrong. Right now, they keep asking me whether I''ve found a girlfriend yet."


    Xing Han''s eyes widened in the dark, "Whoa. so much pressure. They REALLY want their grandkids, huh? So chop chop Kyle. The clock is ticking. Ali and I practically have a wife already. You''re being left behind."


    Kyle threw his extra pillow at Xing Han''s bed, accurately hitting him even though it was dark, "Ah, I still have four years you know," Kyle scoffed. "I''m not going to lie to myself or to anyone else. I am not going to just pick a girl simply to sow my seeds. But I guess you''re right about one thing. I do need to get out more. Meet more people. Who knows? There might be someone out there just waiting for me."


    "I''m sure there is, Kyle," Xing Han said confidently, hugging Kyle''s pillow like a bolster.


    "Yeah, I hope so," Kyle replied, laying back down on the bed, "Now go to sleep, fool."


    "Goodnight Kyle," Xing Han mumbled, his voice already sounding sleepy.


    "G''night. Sleep tight, don''t let the bed bugs bite," Kyle replied and smiled when he heard Xing Han''s soft snoring. It hadn''t even been one minute and he had already fallen asleep. Kyle closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep too.


    S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 53 - La Selle School

    The next day, there was a huge commotion in school. Turns out that the exchange students had arrived.


    It was certainly a day of excitement for everyone. Every year, the Student Council would put up a notice in February, whereby one can apply for the programme. In April, 45 shortlisted candidates would have to go for an interview. Then, a week before the mid-term exams, the finalised name list of 15 students would be released. These lucky students would then start leaving for their respective school in the second week of the mid-term break. They would familiarise themselves in their new environment before school reopened.


    Since the programme was only open to 15 final year students, and you can imagine how fierce the competition was. There were only 15 spots, yet 100 final year students. When Principal Dobbins was in charge, there wasn''t much anticipation or mystery as to who would be chosen. Only the top 15 students would go. So, even if you''re good in sports, or did well at the interview, you wouldn''t be able to go. Still, people kept on trying in the vain hopes that it might be different that year.


    The student exchange programme was exactly as what its name suggests: a programme whereby the students from the participating schools would join the other schools for a term. There were three schools that Sakura Academy had a MoU* with: Abacus High School in Country C, Mamamia in Country I and LaSelle in Country M. Five students from each school will go to each of the other three schools.


    In other words, 15 Sakura Academy students would be chosen for the student exchange programme, with 5 going to Abacus High School, 5 to Mamamia and 5 to LaSelle. In return, 5 students from each of those schools would come to Sakura Academy. Thus, 15 Sakura Students go out, and 15 students from the three different schools come in.


    They would attend classes like normal, and whatever subjects or credits that were obtained in the other school would be accepted and used in their own school. Essentially, you''re attending classes like normal, but in a different school. The best thing? It was all fully sponsored.


    The students would also be staying either with a foster family, or the dorms; depending on which school that they were attending. Abacus High School and Mamamia offered foster families to take care of the students, whereas LaSelle provided dorms.


    This was the main reason why Kyle had chosen Sakura Academy. To be specific, it''s because of LaSelle School in Country M. It just so happened that LaSelle school was in the same vicinity as Kyle''s past life, so he could use the time there to get to know his kids before ''she'' died. What were the chances that out of all the schools in Country M, it would be LaSelle? It was actually his ''brother'' school.


    Kyle watched with interest as the boys from LaSelle waved and smiled as they entered their classroom. LaSelle is an all boys school, and Kyle had attended an all girls school. Both of their schools were close by, thus LaSelle was "theirs". There was another girl''s school further away and were regarded as their bitter enemies and rivals. Any girl from THAT school who dared to date a boy from "their" school ... well, you get the idea.


    Kyle laughed inwardly when those memories came up. Being in a co-ed school was so much better. Girls can have lots of drama and back stabbing, and quite possessive or territorial over what they deemed to be ''theirs''. Then again, girls in an all-girls school tended to be much more open about their thoughts and how they acted. Here, in a co-ed school, they seemed even more coy and manipulative. Of course, there were exceptions but it was something Kyle noticed. Then again, he was a guy now, so perhaps that''s how girls have always been?


    He shook his head. It''s beyond him anyway. He hadn''t been a typical girl then and he definately wasn''t one now. Did he need to be bothered about how the female mind worked? While he had better understanding of the female psyche, he admitted that he was hardly an expert. He had just a better advantage than other guys in understanding women and perhaps a better resistance to their charms.


    Right now, Kyle had one term to make some connection with the LaSelle schoolboys. He wanted to ensure that he had his networking in place before he, himself, went in the final year. He had absolute faith that he would be able to go, as he would be making the next 4 years at Sakura Academy gearing towards that goal. What was important now is to be able to set the foundation to do so.


    The first step would be to join the Student Council. They were the ones in charge of organising the student exchange programme, while working hand-in-hand with the Principal. Previously, there wasn''t much of a chance with Principal Dobbins in charge but now that she was out of the way .. Kyle smiled to himself. He had already planned to get rid of her to smoothen his path, and he had to thank her for making it easier for him. By latching on and playing on her prejudice and hatred, he managed to oust her faster than he anticipated.


    Initially, all he wanted to do was get her fired but, well. She dug her own grave long ago, so now she had to sleep in it. In the file he had given Robins, he didn''t provide all the evidence needed. This was because Robins and the police had to get it themsevles, as according to the tenents of the law. Anything he gave would not be admissible in the court of law, and would only result in the charges being dropped. Kyle didn''t want that, so he only provided the details for them to work on.


    The only exception he had was the bank account details. He knew that Robins couldn''t use that bank statement, but unless he had some concrete evidence to show of Dobbins crime, the likelihood of Robins checking up on it was slim. Kyle couldn''t take that chance. This way, Robins could get the evidence himself and then put Dobbins away for a long, long time. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Defaming a student or expelling them wasn''t a crime but misappropriation of public funds was. The money that the Student Council held was funded by the District Office on a yearly basis, and they worked according to the budget given. Every single cent had to be accounted for. Dobbins had simply been too greedy .. and stupid. Why bank in the money when she could have just used it without leaving any trails? Kyle figured that she was that confident in never being caught. As the saying goes, "The pitcher goes so often to the well that it is broken at last."#


    Kyle walked Kay to her class before heading off to his. As he walked away, he couldn''t help but ask worriedly, [You sure about this though, Kay?]


    [Of course, dear brother. Are you backing out now?]


    [No, but ... well, heck. I know we agreed that we should use the most optimum method, but this still rubs me the wrong way] he admitted wryly.


    [Honey traps are the best, and you know it. 17 year old boys, fresh for the picking]


    Kyle shuddered [Please, Kay. When you talk like that, I get goosebumps. The imagery is quite unsettling]


    [Hey, be nice. If you can use the honey game to get those hearts in the girl''s eyes, so can I. Equal opportunities, remember.]


    [I know, I know] Kyle muttered [I KNOW I promised you ... but somehow .. urgh. I can only promise I won''t punch them in the faces. But if they step over the boundaries, you know you can''t stop me then]


    [Oh, come on big brother. This will be fun. I''ve been itching to try out the moves and see those hearts in their eyes]


    [Again, too much information] Kyle grimaced [Let me keep on thinking that my sister is still this sweet, adorable innocent angel ... ]


    Kay laughed, making her classmates look at her weirdly. She looked up at them, raising a hand, apologizing "Sorry, sorry. Was thinking of something that happened last night." Luckily the teacher hadn''t entered yet.


    [I''m supposed to be the angel on the streets but the devil in the sheets]


    [KAY!!] Kyle groaned, entering his class with a frown. That illicited some weird looks from his classmates but he didn''t care. He hung his bag behind his seat and plopped his butt down.


    [I''m just making you face the situation, dear brother] Kay answered innocently [Otherwise, I can imagine you coming over and ruin the whole thing just because the plan is working]


    Kyle put his head down on the table, his forehead hitting the desk [Gah. I''ll try.]


    [You can''t just TRY.]


    Kyle gritted his teeth [Fine. Fine. I won''t interfere]


    [Good boy]


    Kyle started banging his head on the desk, making everyone stare at him even more. No one dared to ask what was going on, however, as there seemed to be this dark cloud hanging over Kyle''s head. Kyle, in the meantime, was deeply regretting ever coming up with this plan. It sounded oh so great before, especially when they were two years old ... but he never thought that his feelings for his sister and her wellbeing would go beyond normal.


    He admitted he wasn''t normal. His sense of protectiveness for Kay wasn''t something he could control really. Most of the time, instinct took over and the emotions clouded his judgment. Despite all the training Master Shifu gave him - when it came to Kay, it went POOF. If there was a boy that gave a lustful look, he''d hit them. If a boy somehow brushed against her, he''d hit them. If someone made her cry, he''d hit them. If she was hurt, he''d panic.


    Kyle groaned. ''I''m dead'', he thought to himself.

 Chapter 54 - Plans

    The plan was simple.


    LaSelle was an all boys school. The boys that were here were all 17 years old and probably having the time of their lives to have girls for classmates. Kay''s role was to get at least one of those boys interested and form contact. From there, they''ll start having connections with LaSelle students.


    Although the boys would graduate from the school, they would still have a close bond with their former alumni. Thus, Kay would still be able to garner information about the school and use them further when the time came in the future.


    Now, you might be thinking it''s weird: 17-year-olds with a 13-year-old? That''s like cradle snatching, right? Upper secondary school students wouldn''t hook up with the lower secondary school students.* It''s like the unwritten rule: don''t touch the ''babies''. However, it''s not always the case. There have been relationships formed and it turned out pretty well.


    In Kay''s case, though, it wasn''t that she was going to try and form any sort of relationship. Rather, it was to get to know them. She wouldn''t lead them on in terms of feelings, but she definitely would be using them. The next question you''ll probably be asking is ... why Kay? Why not the other guys? Wouldn''t they be in a better position to get close to them?


    The truth was, no. The exchange students are 17, and would view 13-year-olds as babies. They wouldn''t really find much in common, so breaking the ice - let alone getting along well - would be difficult. Operation Honey Trap had a higher chance of success.


    Kay was actually looking forward to this VERY much.


    Her brother and her knights tended to block out most of the guy''s attempts to get to know her. This way, she would be killing two birds with one stone. She can get to have more male friends AND she can see whether she could actively charm the guys. According to Kyle, the movements need to be subtle, as if it was all natural.


    First, she would need to investigate their personalities. Different boys have different likes. There would be some basic similarities, but overall, there would be something that would stand out more for each boy. Since she wasn''t planning to make them fall in love with her, it made things a bit harder - and easier. Depending on how you look at it. What made it tough was that she had to get their interest to be long-lasting, rather than something that they would stop once they went back to Country M.


    She had just one term to set the bait, wait for the bite then reel in the line.


    There was only one problem. Kay frowned as she put her chin on her hand, thinking hard. From what happened earlier, Kay could see that these four boys would not make it easy for her to perform and may even be a hindrance. Worse, she suspected that Kyle may not be keen on activating Operation Honey Trap.


    She did NOT want that to happen.


    Kay felt that she needed to have some contingency plans in case Kyle decided to pull the plug. Could she actually do it without their knowledge? Ali was her so-called bodyguard now and he was taking his ''duties'' so seriously due to the last incident. So there would be a need to get him to be held back from performing his ''duties''. Not just Ali, but Kyle as well since he''s the one that seems to lead the over-protectiveness.


    As she was thinking hard, pursing her lips and tapping the table in consternation, an idea started forming in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she thought that it was possible. Then she started smiling. How could she be so dense? She didn''t need to do this all alone, right? She spent the rest of the day planning her diversion methods.


    **--**--**--


    That night, as Kay was brushing her hair in front of her mirror, she casually asked Sarah, "Do you know Sophia, from 1E?"


    Sarah, who was reading a novel on her bed, replied while flipping a page, "Yeah, kinda. We''re not that close though."


    "I need your help," Kay said, turning to face Sarah.


    Sarah looked up, curious. "Of course, anything. What is it?"


    "I need to talk to her, but without Ali knowing. This is of the utmost importance," Kay stressed, "So could you meet up with her during break and tell her that I need to talk to her? To meet me in the girl''s toilet on the 1st floor of Wing A at 3pm."


    "The ... toilet?" Sarah looked at her strangely.


    "It''s the ONLY place I can be sure that Ali won''t be around. Heck, any of the guys! I seriously need to talk to her, but if I go and approach her, Ali would know," Kay said in seeming distress. She placed her hands together and looked at Sarah with pleading eyes.


    "I know this is a very strange request, but it''s really important," Kay said.


    "O-kay," Sarah replied, putting down her book, "What''s it all about though? If I may ask?"


    Kay started playing with her hair, her cheeks having a slight blush as she looked at the floor. "Promise you won''t tell anyone?"


    Sarah gasped, coming over, kneeled down and held Kay''s hands in her own. She looked up, feeling that Kay looked so cute blushing like that. A suspicion played in her mind, but she didn''t voice it out. Instead, she said, "OF COURSE I wouldn''t! You''re my good friend! My roommate! I wouldn''t betray you! May what you say never pass these lips of mine."


    Kay giggled and squeezed Sarah''s hands. Then she opened her mouth to say something, then stopped. She cleared her throat and tried again, "You ... know the exchange students, right?"


    "Uh-huh," Sarah replied with a smile. Looks like her suspicions were correct.


    "And ... well ... there''s ... there''s this guy from LaSelle that is kinda cute," Kay stammered, blushing even more. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uh-huh," Sarah said, her face splitting into a big grin this time.


    "But .. but you know how those boys are! My stupid brother and those "brothers" of his," she said, while putting up two fingers up and down, signaling quotation marks in the air.


    She sighed deeply, getting up and pacing the room as she said agitatedly, "If they even knew I was interested in any guy, they''d likely either punch him or something."


    Kay plopping herself on her bed, placing her hand over her eyes dramatically, "I''ll never be able to meet ANYone if they are like this!"


    Sarah nodded, agreeing, "But why Sophia? And what has that got to do with Ali?" Sarah came over and sat on the bed, next to Kay who was lying down.


    "Well ... you see, the other day, some wanna-be bad boys were hitting on me. So my stupid brother declared that I could never be left alone so one of them would always be with me. It''s Ali''s "duty" this time. So, I need him to be distracted a bit," she said sheepishly, "And I noticed that Ali hangs out with Sophia quite often, so it''s safe to say that they are close friends."


    "I see, I see," Sarah said, thinking about it, "Wait wait ... so how does that work? Do you think Ali would really get distracted by Sophia? It''s not like they''re going out together or something."


    "It''s not so much a distraction, as it is a diversion. I just need a little bit of breathing space and time by myself so that I can ... get to know him better."


    "You really think that will work?" Sarah asked dubiously, "Ali looks like he''s taking his role pretty seriously."


    "I KNOW!" Kay said in exasperation, banging her hands on the bed, "It''s annoying sometimes. I mean, I get their concern but honestly, they''ve got to loosen the reins a bit, don''t you think?


    "I agree, but this is going to be tough," Sarah replied, thinking, "Ali is hard enough, but what about your brother? Isn''t he worse?"


    "Oh, not really," Kay said, shaking her hand in front of her. "Since Ali is the one assigned to me, Kyle would probably be busy with his club activities. You know how he can get."


    Sarah tapped her chin, then shook her head, "It''s too risky. You never know what or where he can be because of the club activities. Imagine if you manage to get Ali off your back to meet up with the guy, and then you bump into Kyle! How horrible would that be?"


    Kay sat up, crossing her arms across her chest, "You know ... that is true. ARGH!" She plopped down on the bed once more, took her, "That''s it. You''re right. It''s too risky. I shouldn''t do anything. Thanks anyway."


    Sarah turned to look at Kay, who was now hugging Rex, a three foot long husky stuffed toy. Her face looked so sad that Sarah''s heart lurched. She then smiled when she got a great idea, "Hey, how about I keep an eye on Kyle? If he gets out of practice or goes near your area, I''ll text you."


    Kay''s face brightened, and she peeked at Sarah through the gap in Rex''s neck, then she frowned and shook her head, "No, I can''t ask you to do that. But thanks anyway."


    Sarah looked at Kay angrily, "You want to ask Sophia to help you, but you won''t accept my help? I thought we were friends!"


    Kay threw Rex aside and grabbed Sarah''s hands, "We are friends! It''s not that I don''t want your help ... but ... now that I think about it more, it''s just asking too much from you guys. I hardly know Sophia, and you''re Kyle''s friend too. What would happen if Kyle found out?"


    Sarah patted Kay''s hands and said, "Don''t worry! I can hide very well. He won''t know anything. You also need my help to convince Sophia, don''t you?"


    Kay appeared to ponder on it and Sarah pushed further, "If you don''t try, then how will you know? Are you going to be under their thumb all the time?"


    With a resolute face, Kay nodded and said, "Yes, you are right! Okay! Let''s do it!"


    Kay hugged Sarah, "Thank you."


    Sarah hugged her back, and said, "Anytime, Kay. Anytime. I know you''d do the same for me."


    "In a heartbeat!" Kay responded.


    Sarah then went to her own bed and switched off the lights. Kay switched off the lights on her side as well and the room fell into darkness. Kay was lying down on her side, facing in the direction of Sarah''s bed. Silently, she apologized to Sarah.


    While Kay was happy that her plan had worked, she was a little sad. Sad that she had to lie and put on an act, and manipulate Sarah into offering to help with Kyle. Most of all, Kay deeply regrets that she was not able to tell Sarah the whole truth. Although it was true that Kay needed the help, she didn''t quite like how she got it.


    Then again ... it''s what she was trained for, wasn''t it?

 Chapter 55 - Rebellion

    The next day, Kay found that her plan started slightly earlier than she had expected. She didn''t plan it, but she was quick enough to adapt. She was at the cafeteria and lining up to take her breakfast, along with Kyle''s, as usual. Sarah was beside her, chatting away while Kay was fiddling with her phone.


    When it was her turn, Kay smiled brightly at the server, saying, "Morning Mrs Ling."


    "Morning, Kay honey. What will it be?"


    Kay took a quick glance at all the food displayed and thought for a second and said, "I''d like two scops of mash potatoes, two sausages, three pancakes and .... ah! Eggs Benedict and one slice of toast, please."


    It was at that moment she heard someone gasp and started coughing as if was choking or something, behind her. She turned and was surprised to see it was a LaSelle student. He was of average height, thin lips that were in an "O" position and his hazel eyes were wide open. The guy was looking at her and her small frame, then back at the pile of food the server placed on her tray.


    She giggled, putting her eyes down softly, her long lashes covering her eyes as her cheeks tinged pink. She took her tray and was about to leave before she turned back to say softly, just enough for the guy to hear before quickly rushing to the cashier, "It''s for my brother."


    "What''ll it be, boy?" came a rough voice in front of the guy.


    He blinked for a second, then got back down to Earth. He had been shocked at first to hear what the young girl in front of him had ordered, but he was even more shocked when she turned around. It was a fairy! He was sure of it. And when she giggled, the soft sound hit his heart like little drumbeats. When she blushed, she looked even more adorable than ever. When she said it was for her brother, her voice was like sweet bells chiming.


    He grinned then and quickly gave his order. As soon as he paid, he quickly scanned the cafeteria, looking for the Fairy. His eyes brightened when he saw her sitting down at a table near the window, and there were still two empty seats around her. He stood there for a while, taking long and deep breaths as he mentally told himself, "You can do it, Jason. It''s just a girl. She won''t bite. Just a girl, just a girl ... no! She''s a Fairy! A GIRL. YOU CAN DO IT."


    People passing by him were giving him strange looks. What was this guy doing, standing in the middle of the place, and just kept nodding his head. They ignored him, though and left him alone. He was completely oblivious to all of this as he kept on with his inner monologue. Just as he managed to calm down and was about to walk over, he saw two boys come by the table. A rather plump boy and ... an extremely good looking boy. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To his consternation, the good looking one sat down next to his Fairy, while the heavier set one went to line up. He gritted his teeth. He had been too late. He promptly sat down at the nearest chair and couldn''t keep his eyes off that table. Who was that guy? Her boyfriend? They certainly look chummy. He gnashed his teeth to see the boy kiss his Fairy on the cheek, then broke into a huge grin when he saw her push the tray of food she got earlier to him.


    So, he was her brother.


    This, this is good.


    He turned his head when he heard the girls at the same table was sighing. It was only then that he realised he had sat down without even asking the people who were sitting there if the seat was free. "Oh, I''m sorry! I just sat down here."


    "No, it''s okay," said the girl beside him, "Janice isn''t here today."


    "That''s good," he replied, nodding then looked back at the table in front of him.


    "I''m Belinda, and you are?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry! Again. Sorry, I mean ..." he stammered. He took a deep breath and tried again, "I''m Jason. LaSelle exchange student"


    They shook hands and Belinda leaned over, making Jason tilt to the side a bit. He really wasn''t used to being around girls but was trying very hard to act normal. "I see that you''re interested in the Smith twins?"


    "Twins?"


    "Yeah, Kay and Kyle Smith. They''re quite famous around here, as you can tell. Just look around you. More than half of the people here are looking at their table."


    Jason looked around. She was right. His heart dropped. Of course, his Fairy would be popular. He started chewing while listening to the extremely talkative Belinda, who was giving all sorts of rumours about the twins. As he listened, he became more and more depressed. The Elite Five? He had to go through such a wall?


    Just as he was thinking of giving up, his Fairy looked up and they locked eyes. He almost dropped his fork as she then gave him a smile before turning back to talk to her brother.


    The heck with it. He''s going for it. He started eating with gusto again.


    Kay smiled to herself as she noticed how the guy had been watching them intently since getting their food. It looks like this one was interested, though she hardly did anything. Looks like he was the type that liked the shy, sweet type but he was also a bit shy himself. So he needed some encouragement to give him hope that he had a chance. From the way he was acting, Kay felt that she was on the right track.


    "What are you thinking about?" asked Kyle inbetween mouthfuls of food.


    Kay looked at him and shook her head. Taking out her handkerchief, she wiped the corner of his mouth that had ketchup on it.


    "Can''t you even eat properly?" she admonished him.


    He shrugged, shoveling more food in his mouth. [Why? All the food goes straight in anyway. As Kylie, I hardly had any appetite and ate like a bird. Girls weren''t supposed to eat a lot either. Now, however, I can eat to my heart''s content and still not gain weight. How awesome is that?! Anyway, I have YOU to nag me, right?]


    [I do not nag]


    [You do too,] Kyle insisted.


    [I do not]


    [Do, too]


    Ok, you get the idea. This went on for some time before finally, Kyle said firmly, [Anyway, I''ve decided. We''re dropping Operation Honey Trap. It''s too risky]


    [No. I can do it, Kyle]


    Kyle gave her a look, his eyes serious as he said again, "Kay. No. Drop it"


    Kay''s bottom lip quivered, but Kyle didn''t budge. She grabbed her stuff on the table, standing up angrily. Through gritted teeth, she said to Sarah, "I''ll be going first."


    "Ka-" Kyle began, reaching out for her hand but she smacked it away and walked off in a huff. Kyle sighed and got up to go after her when he felt Sarah''s dainty hand on his. He turned to see her wide innocent eyes looking at him and her shaking her head.


    "You stay and finish your breakfast. I''ll go and talk to her."


    Kyle looked at Kay''s retreating back, rigid and she was practically stomping as she walked out. When Kay''s like this, she would ignore him so he felt Sarah was right. He sat back down and said, "Thanks, Sarah."


    Sarah nodded and quickly went after Kay. Xing Han came then and looked around confusedly at the empty table. "What did I miss?"


    **--**--**--


    Jason quickly got up, threw the rest of his unfinished food and left the tray at the designated area. He jogged over to where Kay was heading, slowing down as he got closer. He quickened his steps then called out hesitantly, "Erm, excuse me?"


    Kay slowed down, turned and tilted her head as she smiled at the guy, "Yes?"


    He got closer, to stand beside her as he then said, "Hi, sorry. I''m new here. Jason from LaSelle School."


    "Ah yes," Kay replied, nodding, "One of our exchange students. How do you find Sakura Academy?"


    "It''s great so far and it''s getting better by the minute," he said, looking at her. Kay looked at him quizzingly, and he stuttered a bit before continuing, "Anyway! I''m still finding my way around and am a bit lost. Do you know where is 5B?"


    "Yeah, sure. I''ll take you there," Kay said sweetly, "I''m Kay by the way. This is Sarah."


    "Nice to meet you," he said to the both of them, though his eyes seemed to stay focused on Kay. Kay smiled a bit at that and looked away, and Jason could see the slight tinge of red around her cheeks. He couldn''t help but be more captivated. Sarah looked at the both of them, her eyebrows raised a bit then gave a knowing smile.


    "I''ve gotta go and see Sophia before class," she said, "So I''ll see you later Kay."


    Kay watched Sarah go to the left, which was where the lower secondary classes were while she headed towards her right, where the upper secondary classes were. If one was to view the shape of the building from the top, and standing in front of the cafeteria, you would see it was an "n" shape. The top of the "n" was the administrative block which housed the Principal''s office on the ground floor and the teacher''s lounge and rooms on the second and third floor.


    To the left was the Cherry Wing, that had the lower secondary classes and to its right was Blossom Wing, the upper secondary classes. Right in the space of the "n" was the school field. Each floor housed one year, so the first two floors of Cherry Wing were Form 1 and Form 2 classes respectively, and the third floor had the science labs and Student Council office. The Blossom Wing had 3 floors, with each floor housing only the classrooms.


    The founder did not want the upper and lower secondary students to be segregated, so that was why they shared a field and cafeteria, plus the labs that were used by the upper secondary were in the Cherry Wing.


    As Kay walked Jason to his class, she was actually feeling slightly nervous. This was the first time she was disobeying Kyle. She felt like she was rebelling. It felt both great ... and scary.

 Chapter 56 - Sisterhood

    As Jason walked beside Kay, he was mentally kicking himself. She must think he was a fool, or that he was being so obvious about his interest in her. The layout of the school wasn''t complicated at all, so how on Earth could he be lost? All he had to do was turn right and BAM! The building is RIGHT THERE! His Fairy must be thinking that he''s crazy. No, a fool. No, a stupid crazy fool. Argh.


    Jason didn''t realise the myriad of expression that was going on his face. Kay looked in utter fascination as it went pale, then red, then pale and she wondered if it would actually go green like it is described in some novels. It didn''t. Still, it was funny to see. She couldn''t help the giggle that escaped her lips, and Jason turned to face her and he grimaced.


    "It''s obvious, isn''t it?" he asked, ashamed.


    Kay looked at him in innocent puzzlement, and asked, "What''s obvious?"


    He gestured towards Blossom Wing, and said, "That I knew where my classroom was but just wanted to talk to you?"


    "Oh, that!" giggled Kay again, "I just thought you were trying to make new friends and that was the first thing that popped in your mind. Isn''t it?"


    He grinned, feeling relieved. He was worried that his forwardness may scare her off, so he was glad that it wasn''t the case. So he just nodded happily.


    "I think you''re very brave to do so," Kay said, "If I was suddenly placed in a new place, a new school and only four others from my own school ... I wouldn''t know what to do, really." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s nothing, really!" he said, waving his arms in front of him, "If you ever came to LaSelle, I''m sure you wouldn''t have ANY trouble making new friends!"


    "No! That''s not true. I''m just ... too shy. I have Sarah and I''m always with my brothers, so I''m not lonely but ... well, it''s hard to explain. I''ll be so lost," Kay said, her eyes misting over as she seemed to be thinking of something.


    "Don''t you worry! If you ever come to LaSelle, you''ll have me to help you!" Jason said, his chest puffing up in front.


    Kay smiled and hit him on the arm playfully, "You''ll be long gone by then, silly. But I thank you for the thought." Kay sighed, swinging her arms beside her.


    "How about this?" Jason asked, as they reached Blossom Wing, "I can help you make friends! Why not get to know the other guys in my school that are here? Then you can slowly build up your confidence. It''s easy!"


    Kay stopped at the entrance, and pursed her lips, before saying, "I''ll have to think about it. You''re really sweet to offer, but it sounds so scary."


    "Okay, no problem," Jason said, not wanting to pressure her and scare her away, "Thanks for the walk. Hmmmm ... Actually, perhaps I should walk you back to your class?"


    "No, it''s okay" Kay said quickly. Kyle would be finishing up breakfast right about now, and she didn''t want him to see her with Jason. "You should go into class earlier and get to know your classmates before class starts. Hope you enjoy Sakura Academy."


    Jason nodded, but didn''t go in immediately. He stood there, watching her walk away with a smile on his face. He couldn''t help but admire the way her hips swayed as she walked. It was like she was gliding rather than walking. After she entered Cherry Wing and he couldn''t see her anymore, he walked in and headed to his classroom.


    As Kay walked towards Cherry Wing, she was feeling extremely happy and smug. With hardly any effort, she had managed to get one LaSelle boy interested AND there was an open chance for her to get to know the others as well. Kyle thought this was risky? Hah. Since they were born, she had been following whatever he said happily, as he was much older. Not physically, but mentally. So she relied on him and loved his protection. He made everything fun and she loved him so much that whatever he asked, she would do without question.


    However, it''s different now. It''s not like she doesn''t love her brother anymore. On the contrary, their bond is unbreakable. It''s just that KAy felt that Kyle was still treating her like a little girl. Kyle needs to know that she is all grown up now. She isn''t some weak little girl but she is K! Co-leader of MIB! One of the best hackers in the country! She will prove to Kyle that she can do this. Even if it meant going behind his back. It was the only way to open his eyes!


    Kay walked resolutely to class, a smile on her face.


    **--**--**--


    Kay decided to have lunch in the classroom as she didn''t want to see Kyle. She had asked Sarah to get some sandwiches for her and was flipping through the homework set for the day. She jumped when she suddenly felt someone behind her, then had put his head on her shoulder.


    [Are you still mad at me?]


    Kay ignored him, flipping the pages as if there wasn''t anyone there.


    Kyle bent down and hugged her from behind ... which wasn''t comfortable, bearing in mind he had to hug the chair as well. She continued to ignore him and he snuggled into her neck, rubbing his head on her cheek [Come on Kay ...]


    [Will you let me do Operation Honey Trap?]


    [No]


    She took the book and hit Kyle''s head with it. Kyle sighed, squatted by her side and looked at her seriously, "Ask anything else, but not this. I just have a bad feeling about it."


    "It''s just you being over-protective! I can do this. Please, Kyle?" Kay begged, looking at him with her puppy-dog look.


    Kyle shook his head firmly, "No."


    Kay was surprised. Kyle always gave in whenever she gave him that look but he was so firm today? Was there really something risky about all of this? Just why was he so worried? What could happen, really? She started to feel some doubt about the path she was taking, but when she thought about how easy it had been with Jason ... she couldn''t help but feel that Kyle WAS thinking too much into this.


    Perhaps Kyle''s sense of protectiveness is slowly getting out of control. Always hovering, always checking up on her. Having one pair of parents is enough, but with Kyle around, it made it seem like she''s under surveillance 24/7. The slight doubt that was stirring in her got washed away when she thought of Jason.


    Kay pressed her lips tightly together, turned the other way so that she wasn''t facing Kyle and said, "Fine. Got it. Go away."


    Kyle took a deep, deep breath and rubbed the space between his eyebrows. Kay was being especially stubborn right now. Childish, too. Kyle had to keep telling himself to calm down and be patient. She had always been so obedient and never questioned him before. Now? Kay was only 13 years old so did this mean that she had entered the infamous rebellious phase?


    He didn''t have much experience in that, as his son was 13 when he died. Kyle searched his memories quickly and confirmed that there had not been any problems then. Perhaps it hadn''t started yet, or his son never talked to him about it? He didn''t know. Right now, all Kyle knew was that he had to repeat the mantra that Kay is still young. Previously, all he had to do was cuddle up to her and she would give in - or he would give in, since she never really demanded things that were excessive.


    "Fine, Fine," Kyle said in resignation, "I got it. I''m really sorry, Kay, but I won''t change my mind on this."


    Kay didn''t answer and waited until she heard his footsteps leave the room. She turned to take a peek and once she confirmed that he was gone, she let out the breath that she didn''t know she was holding. Kay rested her chin on her hand, feeling quite upset. This was the first time that she really argued with Kyle ... if you could call it an argument. Perhaps, a disagreement? Whatever it you called it, the result was still the same: they were quarrelling.


    Was she being petty? She didn''t think so. The more Kyle refused to compromise, the more Kay was determined to prove him wrong. Well, they were twins - the stubbornness was rather prominent. Kay could act in front of many people, but she couldn''t with Kyle. Hence, she just could not pretend that she wasn''t upset and act normal. Kyle would know anyway. She knew she had to settle her own feelings and reconcile with Kyle before he gets suspicious or starts monitoring her from the shadows.


    Sarah came then, handing her the sandwich. Kay thanked her profusely, apologizing for the trouble. "It''s okay, Kay; but how long are you going to avoid your brother?"


    "I don''t know," Kay mumbled, biting into her sandwich, "I shouldn''t, I know but I just ... eeee. Every time I look at him right now, I just feel like smacking him. He was here just now but I couldn''t do it."


    "But what did he DO? All I saw at the cafeteria was him telling you no. What was that all about?" Sarah asked curiously.


    Kay waved her hand in front of her, thinking fast, "I just said that I wanted to get to know the exchange students. That''s all."


    Well, it was true, wasn''t it? Kay didn''t feel guilty about the white lie as the essence was still the same. Operation Honey Trap was the operation to get to know the LaSelle students, and Kyle quashed it. Same difference.


    "Well, I got to Sophia. She actually looked a bit frightened at first when I said you wanted to talk to her privately, but she agreed. So she''ll be at the spot 5 minutes before time," Sarah told her, then asked seriously, "Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "Yes," Kay said firmly, "Are you changing your mind?"


    Sarah shook her head, "No matter what you want to do, I''ve got your back. I just wanted to make sure you''re sure."


    Kay felt all warm inside. Sarah was really nice. Kay felt that the Elite Five brothers were great, but nothing could beat Sisterhood.

 Chapter 57 - Cold Storage

    After lunch, Kay headed to the library. She found Ali waiting for her outside the classroom, leaning against the wall opposite the door. He stood up straight the moment she walked out and noticed how unhappy Kay appeared.


    "What are you doing here?" Kay demanded.


    "Guard duty," he replied, standing up straight and walking over.


    Kay put up her hand to stop him, saying, "Didn''t Kyle say that the school grounds were okay? It''s only when walking back to the dorms and being outside."


    Ali shook his head, explaining, "Change of plans. The school grounds would normally be fine, but we now have 15 strangers here."


    Kay''s frown got deeper. Did Kyle suspect? She shook her head, dispelling the thought. It couldn''t be. It''s probably just Kyle being stupidly overprotective again.


    "Oh, come on," Kay protested, "They are all at Blossom Wing, aren''t they?"


    "We share a cafeteria, library, and field, don''t we? Not to mention that their science labs are at the top floor here," Ali said patiently.


    Kay rolled her eyes, "Fine. Whatever."


    Ali took Kay''s bag, and walked by her side. He looked at her slightly pouting face and smiled. Nudging her shoulder playfully. "Oh, come on Kay, lighten up. You have this handsome prince next to you. The girls would be SO jealous!"


    For better effect, Ali started making those poses that men make to show off their muscles. A giggle escaped her lips when she saw how ridiculous Ali was being. He smiled, then patted her shoulder, saying, "We''re just worried about you. You honestly do not know how you can attract these boys to you. Sakura boys are fine as they''re ... well, they know better since there''s us. The new kids though ..."


    "Yeah, yeah," Kay said dismissively, "You guys just worry too much. I''ll be fine!"


    Ali shook his head and didn''t say anything else. Honestly, he was on the fence about this one. He didn''t think Kay would be any danger in school but it wasn''t to say that the new boys weren''t a threat. Kyle was, perhaps, being a tad too paranoid but it was his sister after all. Having them looking at her in a certain way rubbed him the wrong way as well, what more for Kyle. As his bro, he wouldn''t argue with Kyle when he saw how worried Kyle was.


    Changing the subject, he asked, "So how long is Kyle going to be in cold storage this time?"


    "Humph," Kay replied, tossing her hair as she looked at him, "I haven''t decided yet. Maybe forever?"


    Ali gasped, putting a hand over his heart, "I''ll get the resuscitation team ready! According to Xing Han, Kyle was like ... ants in his pants sort of thing during breakfast. And lunch? Hah. You can''t believe how frantic Kyle was earlier during lunch time. His face was like this" and Ali gave this dark, frowning and worried look, "when he came to see me"


    "Good," Kay answered, "Serves him right for being so stubborn."


    Ali sighed. The Smith twins were both stubborn. Being caught in the middle wasn''t easy. They walked to the library in silence after that. Kay sat down with some of her classmates, and started going through the subjects of the day and made notes. Ali simply sat at another table, as he was only there to accompany her and not jot down every single thing she said or did. It was his study period as well, so he started doing his homework.


    At 2.45pm, Kay got up and stopped by Ali''s table to tell him that she was going to the bathroom. He nodded, and left his bag in place and followed her. She glared at him, saying, "It''s the bathroom, silly. What could happen?"


    "You said the same thing at the food truck the other time," Ali replied, his face impassive.


    Kay pressed her lips tightly together and couldn''t refute his point, "Fine, but be warned. It''s #2, okay? No comments."


    Ali grinned and then took out his phone, "I''m well prepared!"


    When Kay reached the girl''s bathroom, Ali waited outside. He leaned on the wall and started playing PubG. Kay entered, and was relieved to see that Sophia and Sarah were already there. However, what surprised her was that Sophia looked rather nervous. Before Kay could say anything, Sophia suddenly bowed and apologized.


    "I''m so sorry! So sorry!!" she kept saying while bowing.


    Sarah quickly tried to shush her while Kay tried to stop her bowing in a panic. Ali was right outside. She stopped, listened and breathed a sigh of relief when there didn''t seem to be any movement. "Please, keep it down! Ali is right outside! We wouldn''t want him to start worrying or wondering now, would we?"


    Sophia shook her head, eyes wide.


    "And what are you apologizing for anyway?" Kay asked.


    "You mean ... you didn''t ask to see me about that?" Sophia asked.


    "About what?" Kay asked again


    "Um, er ..." Sophia stumbled with her words. She had been so sure that Kay had found out about her involvement and was now here to confront her. She had thought of personally apologizing before but somehow, never quite got round to it. Ali never brought it up again either. It seems that she had been thinking about it too much but the guilt she had been carrying was still there.


    So, after thinking about it and taking a deep breath, Sophia explained, "I was responsible for that incident in primary school."


    Kay blinked, surprised, "You?" Actually, she had already known since it was MIB that handled the matter, but pretended not to.


    "What incident?" asked Sarah curiously.


    "Oh, nothing much, Sarah," replied Kay before Sophia could, "Just some misunderstanding, and it was so long ago." Turning to face Sophia, Kay said, "Everything is all good now, isn''t it?"


    "Still, I am sorry," Sophia replied and bowed again.


    "Okay, okay, I got it," Kay said, "How about this. I need your help and we''ll call it even. Would that help ease your guilt?"


    Sophia''s eyes went wide and she nodded. She always felt that just by saying ''I''m sorry'' wasn''t enough. She had hurt Kay and her brother, and in the end, she had benefited from the lesson given. She had always carried that guilt in her heart and her actions were more like atonement for her past sins. Still, it didn''t feel right since it wasn''t directed at the people she had hurt.


    Kay then explained to Sophia about her ''crush'' on a LaSelle boy, how overprotective the Elite Five boys were, about Ali being her bodyguard and her plans on getting to know the LaSelle boy better. After about ten minutes, Sophia nodded, "No problem. I''ll think of something to distract Ali, but what about the other Elite Five members?"


    "It''s not going to be every day," Kay said, "But on those times when I need a decoy or a diversion, I''ll contact you a few days in advance."


    "Sounds good, but I''m not sure how to go about this," Sophia replied, thinking hard, "I mean, we''ve just met and all that so it might seem strange if I suddenly do something or I may do things wrongly."


    "Yes, so why don''t we have a study group each week?" Sarah suggested, "I could be the one who brings you into the group and we can use that time to plan stuff together."


    After discussing a bit longer, everything was finalised. Kay was happy. "Remember, no one is to know about this. Just us three. I can''t have someone spilling the beans to Kyle later on - just to get on his good side."


    Both Sarah and Sophia did a zipping motion on their lips and smiled. Kay returned the smile and said, "I''ll go first. It should be safe for you guys to go out after 3 minutes or so."


    They gave her an OK sign and Kay went to wash her hands. She took some toilet paper to wipe them and walked out.


    "Done?" Ali looked up as Kay walked out.


    "Duh," Kay replied, her palms up and then she patted his cheeks.


    "Dang, Kay. That''s cold!" Ali shouted.


    "So warm them up for me then!" Kay said with a smile. Ali took her hands off his cheeks and held them in his, blowing hot air into them while rubbing them at the same time.


    "Better?" he asked, as he looked at her tenderly.


    "Much," she replied, taking back her hands and they walked back to the library.


    Sophia waited another minute before walking out and caught a glimpse of Kay walking side-by-side with Ali. Although she couldn''t see the earlier interactions between Kay and Ali, she could imagine it. Though she knew that Ali and Kay were part of the Elite Five and how they treated Kay like their princess ... knowing it, and hearing it were two different things.


    For some reason, her heart clutched a bit listening to it. She was wise enough to know that it was jealousy but she had absolutely no idea whey she should be feeling that way. Ali was a good friend and nothing more. Perhaps it''s because she never really had that sort of friendship with anyone. That closeness. Sophia sighed.


    **--**--**--


    That night, Kyle was scratching his head and trying to figure out what to do next. Kay wasn''t responding to his mental calls and there was nothing he could do about it. This was the longest time he was put in cold storage. He wasn''t going to back down, though, since he felt that he was in the right. He sighed, then got up from the bed as he looked at the time. He hadn''t had any sleep and it was already time to head over to Master Shifu''s place. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He groaned silently to himself and slipped out the window after donning his dark outfit. His mind was on Kay so much, though, that he made a few mistakes and slipped several times. Cursing in his mind, he tried to concentrate again but failed. Finally, giving up, he went into Zen Mode. It was the only way he could reach Master Shifu''s place in one piece.


    Being in cold storage wasn''t fun.

 Chapter 58 - Thawing Out?

    Kyle managed to reach Master Shifu''s place easily. However, one look at him and Master Shifu started knocking him on the head with his cane. Kyle didn''t really feel any pain, as Zen mode muted such sensitivity - which was probably why Master Shifu was really having a go at it.


    "What''s up with you, you brat?" he shouted at Kyle and knocked on his head a few more times before he stopped, "That small escape from the dorms and you''re in Zen Mode?"


    Kyle turned it off and immediately felt the residue of pain on his head and the normal feeling of weakness after.


    "You''re in no state of mind to do any training today," Master Shifu said, "In fact, take the whole week off until you settle what it is that is bothering you. For now, just do the normal exercises and go back."


    Kyle nodded and sat down, crossing his legs while rubbing his head. He was so lost in thought that he jumped a bit when he felt strong hands on his head, massaging it. Kyle let down his arms and let Master Shifu do his magic.


    "Kyle," he said softly, "It''s been nearly 7 years now that I''ve been teaching and training you. I have never asked the reason for it, nor have I ever questioned it. I am not asking now but I am asking you..."


    Kyle held his breath, as he listened intently while Master Shifu gathered his thoughts, "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, Master Shifu," Kyle replied immediately, "My revenge is not yet complete and until then, I do not dare slack. I do not know if my path is required, but I do know that I would regret it if I am unable to fight when needed."


    "Then, what about after your revenge is complete?" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When that is done, only then will I think about it," Kyle replied resolutely. Kyle truly did not know if he really did need such specialised skills, but he wanted to be prepared at all cost. Being strong also exhilarated him, for he had been so weak before. He was in control, even if he did not know what the future held for him. All he knew is that he had to be strong.


    Well, he also had to admit that he felt really good when he could beat up people. Sometimes Kyle wondered if that aspect of him had always been there, or was it only after he was reborn? What would he have been like, if he had lived life differently before?


    Master Shifu finished his massage, and patted Kyle on the shoulders. "Go. I want you to rest, but do not slack on your exercises."


    Kyle stood up, bowed in respect and left swiftly. Master Shifu''s question made him think again about the path he had set out for himself and he was grateful for it. Grateful, for it ignited his passion again. Being reborn wasn''t as peachy as what the novels he read before seemed to indicate. Yeah, sure, there was the whole ''get more powerful'' and ''improve yourself'' part ... but it neglected to cover the fact that his past was the past while he had a life in the present. Then again, his situation was unique, he supposed. Those novels only talked about going back in time of their current lives, or they were reborn in a completely different life/world.


    He shook his head, concentrating on the path ahead. He was thinking too much lately, and it was most likely because he didn''t have Kay at the moment.


    **--**--**--


    Kay was in no hurry to execute her plans.


    Since she could not use the Operation Honey Trap that had been planned before, she had to make an entirely new plan, taking into account that she had managed to initiate the first contact with Jason. She also had to include the Elite Five variables and the roles Sarah and Sophia were to play. One thing she had learned from Kyle was that each plan must be laid out as much as possible, and to go through it several times.


    She renamed the Operation simply as "Operation Kay". It was sort of a sign for her. A new beginning. It wasn''t just that the operation was to get to know the LaSelle boys, but it was an operation for her to come out of her shell. To be more specific, out of Kyle''s shadow.


    This was the first operation she would be conducting solo. From start until finish, there would be no Kyle and there would be no input from Kyle. Kay needed to make sure that this plan was perfect so that she could then shove it into Kyle''s face at the end of it. With a smug, satisfied look. Just the thought itself made her all giddy and happy.


    So for the past month, that was what she focused on each night in her room. She didn''t even seek Sarah''s opinion because there were minute details in it which would showcase the skills she learned from young. It had always been that Kyle would be the more outgoing one and be the one that was the target, so to speak.


    She would be the hidden one, that would help him with all the information and such. Getting information didn''t only mean the hacking part, but also using her natural charms as a woman. Men tended to treat women lightly and if you press the buttons correctly, they would reveal things that they normally wouldn''t.


    You know the saying, ''Behind every great man, is a great woman''. That''s what she was to be for Kyle.


    At first, she had been so excited when Kyle laid out the concept to her. It sounded nice and it started off great: you are the reason that the man can do great things. Just because you''re in the shadows, it didn''t mean that you''re any less. Two units that were one: that is what being a twin was as well. She didn''t see Kyle''s achievements or what he was doing as something he did by himself and he never said what he did was only by his own efforts. He always acknowledged her and what she did.


    But Kay now felt that she wanted to shine more. No, that''s not exactly it. It''s more of wanting to stand side-by-side with Kyle openly. Of course, if she was better than Kyle, then why not? It''s not like a woman can''t be better than a man. However, it couldn''t be denied that as a man, he could do much more than her so why go through the trouble?


    Kay shook her head in annoyance. Her thoughts were going haywire. She didn''t think she was better than Kyle, but she didn''t think she was worse. She didn''t want to be hidden but she didn''t want it to be so open either. She wanted to be more active but she wanted efficiency as well - why should she struggle to break through when Kyle could do it better and faster?


    Kay felt like a headache was coming on.


    Whatever it was, one thing was clear: she didn''t want Kyle to be the only one making all the plans. She wanted to be more active in that sense. As for the other things, she will take it one day at a time. Operation Kay was crucial to get Kyle to give her more responsibilities; to acknowledge that she wasn''t just good in doing what needed to be done, but that she could also be able to actually make decisions!


    Kay turned back to her file, which had gotten quite thick by now. In it, were information on all of the LaSelle boys and any sort of information she could get about their personalities. As they were only 17, there wasn''t much that she could dig out except for their school records and any sort of reports from newspapers. She did look through the social media accounts but she was also well aware of the fact that it may not truly depict their personalities.


    Still, at least she did have some basic idea. Best of all, they didn''t have any criminal records so it was something. When she summarised it down, she admitted that it wasn''t much but it still gave her some basic idea of what would work and what wouldn''t.


    1. Jason - Only child. Never had a girlfriend. Shy but nothing stands out. Nerd, according to some reports. Rich family. Likes to show off things and what he does. Popular.


    2. Frank - Eldest brother of 3 other siblings. The jock. Football player for the school. Popular and has had many girlfriends from the sister school (and rival sister school). Average income family. Low profile, seems family oriented.


    3. Zachary - Middle child, 2 other siblings. Outgoing, friendly. Has a girlfriend. Average income family. Appears to like outdoor stuff like rock climbing.


    4. Ahmad - Youngest in the family of four. Shy, quiet and reserved. Average school scores, not a jock at all. Rich family. Has a love for books.


    5. Trent - Youngest in the family of five. Outgoing, sociable. Average income family. Loves clubbing.


    So far, she only had contact with Jason and since that first day, she hadn''t seen him yet. However, she made sure to ''accidentally'' be within his sight during certain times of the day. As she was still making her plans to execute, she did not jump the gun to try and develop the friendship further. It was enough to have him see her and remind him that she was there, to pique his interest. If he took the initiative to come over, then it would be different but with Ali around most of the time, he always held back.


    Kay found that interesting, and jotted it down for further consideration. During this time, Kay had also formed a study group with Sarah and Sophia. Ali didn''t find it strange and took it to be normal to have three giggling girls in the library. When they studied, they studied. When they rested, they giggled. Ali just watched from distance.


    After a month, Kay finally felt that it was time to put her plan into action. As for Kyle, you''re probably wondering ... has he thawed out yet, right?

 Chapter 59 - Reconciliation

    The ultimate question: Is Kyle still in cold storage, or has he thawed out?


    Of course, he has thawed out. No matter how angry Kay was, Kyle was still her twin. She did, however, left him to stew for a few days before she decided that enough was enough. Her mood was considerably lighter after she started making her plans in secret, which actually was a huge reason why she could stop resenting Kyle for canceling Operation Honey Trap.


    It was on the sixth day since their fight and everyone was on edge. The mood at the cafeteria was somber and people were wondering when things would get back to normal. The Smith twins didn''t have breakfast together anymore as Kay never turned up. It was always Kyle sitting all by his lonesome at their usual table, waiting.


    Okay, he wasn''t really alone. Xing Han was there, eating away as usual and cracking his jokes as usual but Kyle''s face never changed. He would eat, but he would be staring at the entrance as if waiting for someone. Everyone knew who he was waiting for, but she never turned up. He would also just eat from Xing Han''s plate - which wasn''t much, and only what Xing Han forced him to take.


    People were getting worried about this. The moody Kyle wasn''t fun. Though, some girls found it fascinating to see his depressed face and felt like they wanted to go over and hug him. They didn''t dare to, however, for that dark cloud that seemed to hang over his head seemed like it could burst any moment.


    Even in class, Kyle would hardly talk and kept to himself. People generally left him alone as anyone who did try to talk to him would just get one-syllable responses if they were lucky. Like "uh", "ya", "maybe", "no". If they weren''t, then just a roll of the eyes or a shrug. Worst case is when he doesn''t even answer, as if he didn''t hear a thing.


    So on that sixth day since D-Day, when Kay walked into the cafeteria, there was an audible sigh of relief heard. Kay came earlier than usual, and when she went to line up, everyone in front of her gave their spot to her. Kay blinked in surprise, wondering what was going on but couldn''t say anything as they just gave way and wouldn''t get back in line until she took their spot.


    She reached the serving lady immediately, and greeted her as usual, "Morning Mrs. Ling."


    "Ah, Kay sweetheart," the kind old lady said as she looked at her. Then, unexpectedly, she waved the ladle that was in her hand and pointed at Kay''s nose, "It''s not good to fight for so long. Kyle has hardly eaten this past week."


    Kay''s face crumbled at that and she bit her lower lip. "What do you mean, Mrs. Ling?"


    "That poor boy just sits there," Mrs. Ling explained, pointing at her usual table, "and just waits. I don''t even see him for dinner!"


    She stared at Kay, and Kay felt a bit worried. It was at that moment that she suddenly realised that she had, perhaps, been slightly cruel. She didn''t think her silent treatment would result in Kyle not eating properly. Kyle had always been the ''perfect'' person, who is much older than he appears so she never really had to take care of him. He was the one who always took care of her and she had relied on him completely. She didn''t think he would neglect his health just because they fought.


    "It''s not that bad, is it Mrs. Ling?" asked Kay hesitantly.


    "You see for yourself," Mrs. Ling said with a huff, "He''s all skin and bones now! Going around with this dopey look, too."


    Kay was shocked and even if Mrs. Ling was exaggerating, she still took it to heart. Kay immediately ordered more than normal and all of it was Kyle''s favourite. Mashed potatoes, hash browns, sausages, scrambled eggs, baked beans, fried rice, and french toast. It was so much that it needed two trays. Kay was going to take one at a time, but suddenly, two pairs of hands reached out and carried them.


    "We''ll help," they said. Kay turned to see some unfamiliar boys, and she thanked them profusely. They took the trays to her usual table as she paid, and they left before she could say anything else. Sarah came by then, with a bowl of cereal and sat down.


    "Why is everyone being so strange today?" Kay asked as she took some eggs.


    "They''re just glad you''re here," Sarah explained, "Kyle really has been ... well, un-Kyle like." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you mean?" Kay asked, looking at Sarah.


    Sarah started ticking off things from her finger one at a time, "He would sit here for hours, just waiting for you to show up. He wasn''t eating properly, so sometimes Xing Han would literally force feed him. He was so moody during football and basketball practice that he was benched. He either scowls at people or grunts. Shall I go on?"


    Kay looked at Sarah with her eyes wide in shock, "Why didn''t you tell me?!"


    Sarah stared at her, her mouth agape, "Kay. Really. Each time I tried, you''d just shut me out. The moment the name ''Kyle'' came out of my lips, you just closed your ears. What could I do?"


    Kay looked down in guilt. Sarah was right.


    She had been so annoyed at Kyle that she didn''t want to hear anything related to him in case she weakened her resolve. Little did she know how badly he had been affected. She knew he was upset, but not to this extent! She stood up worriedly and was just about to call out to him mentally when she heard quick footsteps approaching their table. She turned, to see Kyle running like a speeding bullet and crashed into her.


    Well, I say crashed but in actual fact, it was Kyle rushing up to her and hugging her tightly. One minute, she had just turned and saw him and the next, her face was smashed into his chest and was being held tight. She could hear the rapid beating of his heart, the tightness of his hug and utter regret filled her heart. She brought her arms up and hugged him tightly back, too.


    They stood there, not moving and tuned out everything else.


    All Kyle felt right now was complete peace, as he held Kay tightly and breathed in her scent. He had been so frantic and full of worry, yet he didn''t push. He almost caved in as well as to the Operation Honey Trap, but he managed to hold it in. If he gave in now, when he felt so strongly about it, what about next time? What if something happened if he went against his gut feeling?


    But it had been torture. Absolute torture. It was bad enough when he had been disciplining his kids but he had the ''I am your mother'' card. This time, he didn''t have anything to rely on other than his strong feelings of protectiveness over Kay. Wasn''t it enough? Couldn''t she understand? Why was she being so difficult? Should he give in? These were just some of the thoughts that went through his mind for the entire week. It drove him crazy.


    He knew people were worried, more so Xing Han, but he just couldn''t snap out of it. He had no appetite, he was worried, he was upset. Eating was just chewing and swallowing, and he took enough not to starve. Sometimes Xing Han would push some food onto his lips and he would open his mouth mechanically and take a bite. Thinking about it, he was lucky to have had Xing Han on his case the entire time.


    Finally, after perhaps 5 minutes of them just hugging, Kay pushed him away. At least, tried to. Kyle was still holding on to her tightly, his cheek on her head. She leaned her had back, forcing him to put up his own head and look at her. She brought up a hand to his cheek and said, "You''re so much thinner now."


    Kyle shrugged.


    Putting her hands on his chest, she chided him, "Come on, eat."


    Kyle felt a hand on his shoulder and turning, saw that it was Ali. Although Ali didn''t stay in the dorms, for the past few days, he had come to school earlier just to accompany Kyle at the cafeteria. Sam was already at the table as well, munching on a sandwich.


    "Come on, Kyle. Just take what you can. Take the sweet things first, and let your stomach settle a bit before taking the rest. Slowly eat. Your stomach has been empty for so long, it''s not good to shock it," Ali advised. As he fasts for a whole day during the Ramadhan month, he is well versed in knowing how to tackle eating after fasting.


    Kay nodded and Kyle finally let Kay go.


    [I''m sorry, brother]


    Kyle didn''t answer but simply smiled sweetly at her as he sat down and started chewing the food slowly. He started with the french toast, dripped with honey, and found that it was edible. He followed Ali''s advice and ate slowly. Occasionally, he would feed Kay as well and she would smile at him as he did so.


    Kay watched him eat, and felt relieved. She was sorry for what he had gone through, but she was not sorry for Operation Kay. That was that, this was this. She vowed not to use the silent treatment again and to be more mindful of Kyle. He may be an adult but this truly showed that he was much more vulnerable than he let on.


    She felt she had failed as a sister.


    Meanwhile, unknown to both of them, there were being watched by a pair of eyes that were being filled with envy.

 Chapter 60 - New Principal

    *Back to present*


    Today was the day that Kay was going to start Step One: Deepening Friendship.


    Today, it was Xing Han that was on ''duty'' as Ali had football practice. Kay and Sarah decided that instead of spending their study time at the library, they were going to watch the football practice. As support for Ali and Kyle who were practicing for the inter-school match that would be held after the finals. Well, that was what they told Xing Han anyway.


    In reality, it was also a chance to meet up with Jason, who was also practicing with them. He wasn''t part of the team, but they allowed him to join their practice sessions. Every exchange student had to be active in the extra-curricular activities as well, you see. Kay knew that it was risky to do this, but it was also the best move. You know what they say about hiding something in plain sight?


    This was Kay''s move and she would have a safe, legitimate reason for knowing Jason. Kay was also well aware of the fact that Kyle would have a good chance of getting to know Jason as well through football, but she also knew that she had a better chance of developing a stronger friendship. Seniors tended to ignore or not take the first year''s seriously, you see, unless they truly did ''click'' ... or had an ulterior motive.


    Kay didn''t doubt that Kyle would have made plans of his own to replace Operation Honey Trap, and she deliberately did not ask him about his alternative plans since it did not involve her. She wanted to compete with him. Operation Kay vs Operation What-ever-of-Kyle''s. She will use this to prove to him that she is as good as him, if not better - at least, in some aspects.


    When they arrived at the field, Kyle was surprised to see them there. As they walked to the stands, Kay told Xing Han, "I''ll be here with Sarah the whole time Kyle''s in practice. So you can go back or go to the library. I''ll just walk back with Kyle."


    "Hey," protested Xing Han, "Have you forgotten that I stay with Kyle as well? Staying with you here or going off wouldn''t change a thing."


    Kay smiled as she sat down, with Sarah on her right and Xing Han sat on her left, "It isn''t that, Xing Han. I''m sure you have stuff to do as well. Why don''t you go and do them while we are sitting here? Then we can always meet up after Kyle''s practice and have dinner together."


    Xing Han thought about it and nodded, "Yeah, I do have that report to do ... need to check up a few things at the library. Alright then. See you later?"


    "Sure, Xing Han. I''ll be good and stay right here," Kay said with a sweet smile. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sarah almost choked beside her but managed to keep it down and Xing Han didn''t realise a thing. Xing Han went down and shouted to Kyle who was dribbling, "KYLE! Going back to the library! See you at 5!"


    Kyle waved, indicating he heard and was okay with it. He glanced up and saw Kay at the stands with Sarah, and she waved at him. [Dribble that ball properly!!]


    Kyle laughed, shook his head and continued.


    Kay watched Kyle for a while, then, without moving her head, her eyes drifted to where Jason was. He was at the other end of the field, taking turns to kick the ball to the goalkeeper. He hadn''t noticed that she was there yet, as his back had been to her the entire time. Kay was content with that, for she couldn''t talk to him anyway with Kyle around. So far, so good.


    What Kay didn''t know was that, in fact, Jason DID realise that she was there. He had known from the moment she had entered near the field. He just pretended not to have known for he didn''t want Ogre Kyle to suspect anything. He was getting impatient that his Fairy didn''t contact him to take him up on the offer to get to know the other LaSelle boys - yet, he was quite happy that they didn''t know her yet. He had been the first to have seen her and the first to have talked to her so he felt he had the first dibs on knowing her better.


    Jason felt frustrated though that he couldn''t get to meet up with her since then. He would always catch a glimpse of her before and after class, and he slowly learned her routine. Most of the time she didn''t see him but he was fine with that as he could stare at her unabashedly. He was careful not to be caught by that dark-skinned guy who was always with her though.


    He was also getting more and more annoyed at Ogre Kyle who was so close to her even though he knew that the latter was her brother. Although he could have gotten to know Kay through Kyle, he had a feeling that Kyle may not be so receptive to that thought. He had been quietly observing them as well for the past month and she was never alone. In fact, he was the happiest during that one week that the twins were not on speaking terms.


    It was his turn again and Jason jogged up to the ball. This time, he kicked it much harder than normal out of annoyance when he remembered the time the twins were hugging. It was too damn long and they looked too damn intimate. If ... no, when ... he got closer to Kay, he is going to make sure that the siblings won''t be doing such close things again. She would have him, and Kyle should step back.


    After practice was over, Jason deliberately stayed back to ''help'' pick up the scattered balls and cones. This was actually the job for the football manager, but he insisted while saying that he should help in return since he''s just there for the few months. They let him since he was so firm about it. However, the moment Kyle went off the field to bathe and change, Jason stopped picking up any balls and walked up to the stands.


    "Hey, Kay. We meet again," said Jason politely with a smile.


    "Oh, Jason," Kay replied with a soft, shy smile, "How have you been? Enjoying Sakura Academy so far?"


    "It''s nice," Jason commented, sitting down next to her. Looking at her in the eyes, he then said, "Though it''s much nicer now."


    Kay blushed, looking down then turned her head away to look at the field. In her mind though, she was cringing at the cheesy pick-up line. Still, it meant that her efforts of constantly being within his sights every day were working. She even deliberately did the same thing each day so that he would know her ''routine''. Sure enough, she soon did not need to ''accidentally'' pass by just as he walked out of Blossom Wing or when he was heading to the cafeteria.


    "Sorry, you should be going now. My brother will be out soon," Kay said apologetically.


    "Why should I go if he does?" Jason asked with a frown. Though he did plan to leave before Kyle came out, he didn''t like it when Kay actually told him to go.


    He watched with interest as she bit her bottom lip, then she leaned forward to explain to him, "My brother can be a bit over-protective. So ... erm, well."


    Jason gave a displeased expression, and then sighed, "But he can''t stop you from making friends, can he?"


    Kay looked troubled then said, "Look, how about this. I have another study session at the library in two days time. Why don''t we meet then?"


    "Two days, huh?" Jason said, thinking about his schedule, "Sure. It''s a date."


    "It''s not a date!" Kay hissed, her voice low, her cheeks red.


    Jason just smiled then asked for her phone. Puzzled, she gave it to him and he called his phone and gave it back to her. "There. It would make planning things easier," he explained. Kay saved his number and Jason gave her a huge smile before he jogged back down the stands.


    ***--***---***---


    That night, back at the dorms, Sarah was brushing her hair and thinking, "Kay, is Jason the one you have a crush on?"


    "We-ll ... I don''t know if it''s a crush, but I do want to get to know him more. Doesn''t he seem nice?"


    "I don''t know," Sarah admitted. "It''s too soon to tell. But he doesn''t seem to like Kyle ..."


    "Who would, if that stubborn fool is blocking the path to getting to know me?" queried Kay.


    "I know, I know," Sarah commented, agreeing. Yet, as she continued to brush her hair, she couldn''t help but think: if you wanted to get the sister, why are you avoiding the brother? And a twin, no less. A caring, dependable and handsome twin who practically broke down when his sister ignored him. Such a sweet, sensitive yet strong man. Sarah didn''t realise the smile she had on her face when she started thinking about Kyle.


    **--**--


    The next day, there was an unexpected announcement. It was during the second period when the bell chimes sounded, indicating a public announcement was to be made. All the teachers stopped their lessons and everyone quietened down as they waited for it to be made.


    "Good morning everyone, this is Acting Principal Hannah speaking. I am pleased to announce that our new Principal, Mr. Godric Gryffindor, will officially start tomorrow. There will not be any lessons in the first period as there will be a special morning assembly at that time to welcome Principal Godric. Thank you."


    Kyle leaned back in his chair with interest.


    [Will get MIB to do a background check on new Principal] Kay sent to Kyle


    [Great. I''ll need to report by tonight.]


    Kay groaned. MIB could do the basic groundwork check at in that time, but it would be on her to get the dirt, [Short notice much?]


    Kyle just laughed [As always].

 Chapter 61 - Plans Unfolding

    Everyone was quite excited about the morning assembly. Alright, fine. The students were just happy that there wasn''t any class. Still, there were a lot of curious people that was interested to hear what the Principal had to say.


    Kyle was one of them. According to the reports given to him that night, Principal Godric was quite well known. Five years ago, he had turned a troubled school into a high academic achievement school. Kyle was impressed at the fact that Mr. Robins managed to get Principal Godric to agree to take over this school.


    Even though the both of them were good friends, Principal Godric wouldn''t drop things just to help out Mr Robins. There must be something that Sakura Academy had that was of interest to Principal Godric. This was what Kyle was interested to get to know.


    A rather suave man in a beige suit walked onto the stage and stood firmly at the podium. Just his bearing alone made Kyle smile, for it seemed to demand respect. Would he ever have such a bearing? Perhaps when his body became an adult.


    "Good morning every one of Sakura Academy. I am your new Principal, Godric."


    He paused as everyone started clapping their hands. After it died down, he nodded and took a deep breath, "I have the reputation of being strict, and a rule breaker. A game changer. Someone who does not abide by the norms of society. I am sure you''re all worried about this."


    He could see some of the students nodding as well as the teachers who were seated in the front row in front of him. He didn''t have the teachers on stage behind him like Principal Dobbins, for he wanted to look at them and see their reactions. He also wanted them to know that the teachers, like the students, also needed his guidance. They weren''t just the force behind him, but also the force ahead of him. Symbolic, really.


    "I am here to tell you ... that it''s all true."


    Surprised gasps were heard. "I do not sugar coat things. I tell it to you straight. I am not here to molly coddle you or to hold your hand, but I am here to shape you up into the best that you can be! YOU are the future of society and YOU are the ones that will carry it forward. We are here to guide you, to help you but ultimately, you''re the ones who will need to walk that path."


    "Are you willing to walk that path with me?" he demanded from the crowd.


    While the response wasn''t quite enthusiastic, it was still positive. Principal Godric just smiled, nodding his head, "A good start. Dismal to some perhaps, but I see the positiveness from it. There are some of you who are willing."


    "I also understand from that the previous Principal might have been a little heavy-handed," he said and some snickered at that, "but that is the past. We are for the future. We will build up from that and carry forth. To achieve this ..."


    He paused for dramatic effect, looking up at the ceiling and finally pointing a finger at all of them, sweeping his hands to cover the entire hall, "requires ALL of your efforts. Yes, you students ... and teachers!"


    The teachers eyes opened at this, wondering where this was going.


    "Today, there will NOT be any classes at all," he started when the whole hall erupted in great shouts of joy and people jumped up whooping. He knocked on the podium loudly to get their attention, waited until the sat down before he continued, "because we''ll be having a test." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone shouted again, this time in dismay and groans were heard. Principal Godric, however, seemed to be having the time of his life as he started laughing whole heartedly, "I really love the energy of this school! All of you are fantastic!!"


    Everyone was flabbergasted. This ... this was new. They were making a whole heck of a lot of noise, and even interrupted the speech the Principal was making yet he wasn''t angry? That alone made them all sit down with their backs straight, now truly interested as they listened to him further.


    "The test I have is a simple one. It is a test to be completed in 3 hours, and it covers a whole lot of things. From general knowledge, to academic subjects and ... a few personality type questions. I want each of you to answer to the best of your abilities. Do NOT copy or ask what your friend is writing for the results is important."


    "The test is designed specially to gauge your level of understanding and method of learning. There is no pass or fail in this test. So long as you answer truthfully, you will only benefit from it. The teachers as well will have to do special tests. Their tests will be different from yours, but the purpose is the same. To find out what your strengths and weaknesses are."


    This sounded very interesting, Kyle thought to himself. He could guess where the Principal was heading with this, but he wasn''t 100% sure. He waited in excitement as he listened further. Was he going to do what he thinks he will? If so, then it would truly be a complete revamp of the school system but if implemented properly, it would definitely propel the school up. It required a massive amount of groundwork and changes to the structure.


    "First, I am getting rid of these stupid naming of classes. ABCDEF? What is that?? How demoralising it is to be in Class F?? I will abolish that and replace it with names of flowers! We are Sakura Academy, right? So we shall have flowers instead. Nice, pretty flowers. I will put up a list of 26 names and ALL OF YOU ... will vote on your favourite 6. The top 6 will then be the names of your class.


    "Secondly! Each class will be based on how you scored for your test. But wait! Didn''t I say one cannot fail or pass the test? It''s simple. Each class is unique and catered to house those who are similar. You can have people who are great at drawing but sucks at memorising. You can have people who are geniuses at memorising but suck at understanding. Things like that," Principal Godric was explaining, and he was getting more and more excited.


    "Pssst. Kyle," said Xing Han next to him, "Can a Principal say ''suck'' ?"


    Kyle laughed and leaned towards Xing Han, "A Principal can say whatever he wants. He did say he''s a rule breaker, right?"


    Xing Han pursed his lips, nodding his head. "You''re right, so right."


    "Teachers have had a tough time trying to adjust their teaching style and methods for different type of students in each class. In my method, each class will have the same type of students with the same type of learning style. So the teacher''s assigned to that class will teach specifically to cater to their strengths, and help guide them in their weaknesses."


    "Teachers will go through special training throughout the year, and yes, this will take some time to truly get it all ironed out. We are the first school to be doing this and if successful, the system will be implemented in other schools as well! So your feedback and efforts will also help other generations and other schools, and not just you."


    Principal Godric was looking so excited and animated as he finished with, "We have the full support of the District Office and all the training will be fully funded. We have one year to show them the results and I am sure we will be able to show vast improvement. Are you as excited as I am??"


    Kyle looked at the rest of the guys, and raised his eyebrows up and down comically, "What say you, guys?"


    "Hell, yeah!" shouted Ali. On cue, the four of them stood up with their hands up in the air shouting, "HELL YEAH!"


    Principal Godric was taken aback for a while but then broke into a huge grin. Kyle turned back to the rest of the students and giving them his most winning smile, he asked them, "Doesn''t this sound great? Come on! Let''s show Principal Godric our support!"


    Kay got up too, holding on to Kyle as she smiled at him and she raised her hands too. Kyle looked at her tenderly and then smiled sweetly at Sarah who stood up also. The wave then began, small at first then became a huge tidal wave as more and more students stood up and started waving their arms in the air.


    Principal Godric smiled widely at the scene and took note of the fact that this overwhelmingly positive acceptance to his plan was mainly due to the young boy that had stood up first. He silently observed him and made a mental note to keep an eye on him.


    **--**--**--


    After the assembly was over, everyone filled back to their classrooms. There were a lot of things that needed to be done. Classes for the day were all canceled, but would need to be replaced on another day. Some of the teachers were grumbling about this, feeling that it should not be dropped on them all of the sudden. They had made their teaching plans, and now everything was going haywire.


    As unhappy as they were, however, they couldn''t help but be hopeful that the grand plan the new Principal was making, would bear fruit. Some were pessimistic and felt that it was too ambitious and was risking the future of the kids. One year of trial? What would happen then? What if they failed? All sorts of questions went through their mind.

 Chapter 62 - Undercover

    Kyle found the test quite interesting.


    [Are you really going to be doing the test properly, brother?]


    Kyle sat there in class, staring at the paper and smiled.


    [Of course. Dobbins is out, and we need a good foundation for the future. You should, too, since you''re still not sure what you''re going to do after this. Perhaps Godric will help you in that regards.]


    They had all agreed after the assembly that to do their best for the test but Kay was wondering whether Kyle was really serious or planning something else.


    [Okay] Kay agreed and proceeded to answer quickly.


    The paper was divided into five parts. The first part had basic questions on the subjects that they took. The second part had questions based on general knowledge. The third part had questions on how they studied and what were the problems they faced in studying. It also asked them what were their hobbies and favourite things to do in their pastime.


    It was the last two parts that Kyle found most interesting. One appeared to be simple scenario based questions and what would you do in those situations. You know, like if your mother and significant other was drowning, who would you save first? That sort of thing. It was obviously a psychological type question to determine your state of mind and depth of thought.


    The last part had 30 questions that were rather tricky and seemingly not make sense.


    For example:


    1. What letter should appear next in this sequence: L K J H?


    2. Which four letter word can be attached to the beginning of the following words to form five longer words? "Age - Width - It - Stand - Wagon"


    3. Replace the blanks in this sentence with two three letter words. The same three letters must be used for both words. What are they? "The woman decided to _______ a well-known firm of solicitors to _____ for compensation"


    There were even diagram type questions.


    Kyle''s lips went up in a slight smirk. He suspected that these questions were to test their IQ. ''Let''s just see what are his plans,'' Kyle mused to himself as he answered them easily.


    After the tests that the students took, the teachers had to take theirs as well. Kyle had no idea what were the contents of the paper, but from the look of concentration on the teacher''s faces as they did it made Kyle laugh a bit inside. The students didn''t have any classes and were supposed to take a break before the club activities, but Kyle couldn''t help but sneak in and take a peek at the teachers doing their tests.


    Kyle and Ali were both crouching and giggling as they peered through the small opening of the door. Xing Han was at the dorms after walking Kay back while Sam was at the library. She also told Kyle that she would not be going for her club activities as she wanted to do some more digging on Godric. After Dobbins, she said that she wanted to make sure that there were no stones unturned.


    In reality, however, Kay was going to meet up with Jason. Jason had texted her after the test and asked her if she was free later. After a slight hesitation, she agreed but warned him that she needed to sneak out first. They arranged to meet up at the Blues Corner. It was out of the way, but not that secluded. Kay didn''t want a crowd in case word got back to Kyle, but she didn''t want a place that was devoid of people either.


    Sarah was sitting at the field, ''drawing'' when in actual fact she was keeping an eye out at the entrance of Cherry Wing. She knew Kyle was there and she needed to make sure when he came out so that she could warn Kay. Her phone was right by her side, with Kay''s number on speed dial.


    Meanwhile, Kay disguised herself in her room before heading out. She took a brunette wig that was in a short bob cut and put it on. She then wore a face mask and hazel eyes contacts. Taking out her bag under the bed, she took out some clothes that she had never worn before and put it on top of her current clothes. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay was dressed in a simple white blouse and blue jeans but had taken out an oversized black jersey with laces and a flowered flared skirt that reached up to her ankles. She folded the tip of her jeans up so that it was hidden under the skirt. Though she was sure that none of the Elite Five remembered what sort of clothes she actually has, she was sure that they had an inkling of what she does like to wear.


    Gaudy big floral patterns are one of them that she avoided at all cost. Kay was worried that Xing Han might either be loitering at the lobby or worse, walking about. Thus, the disguise would help avoid any suspicion or unwanted eyes. She quickly made sure she was fine then walked out hurriedly toward Blues Corner.


    As she reached the place, she saw that Jason was already there. There were also some other people around so Kay quickly ducked into a nearby bathroom and took off the outer layers. She didn''t'' take out the wig but she did put on sunglasses. The folded the clothes and placed them in a waterproof bag. She then opened the toilet seat tank and taped the clothes under the cover before replacing it.


    Kay found herself feeling all excited over what she was doing. All this time, she was always doing the missions with Kyle but this time, it was all by herself. It was quite exciting, sneaking out and being on edge like this. The adrenalin was pumping and she figured this must be something like how Kyle feels each time he goes out on a mission as "Ice". Doing all these undercover stuff was more fun than being "K" that was always in the shadows. She gave one last look in the mirror before heading out.


    "Hi, waiting for someone?" Kay asked as she reached Jason, deliberately lowering her voice.


    "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," he replied with a smile and looked up to see if Kay would arrive.


    She came closer and whispered in her real voice, "Maybe she has already arrived?"


    Jason''s eyes widened, then he looked down at her and asked softly in disbelief, "Kay?"


    Kay giggled and nodded, "It''s better to be safe than sorry. If my brother found out, I might get grounded."


    Jason didn''t say anything to that as yet, for he knew how close the Smith Twins were. However, he made an internal vow that he would drive a wedge between them so that he could get even closer to his Fairy. Still, he put on a smile as if it didn''t bother him and he said, as if worried, "Are you sure about this, then?"


    Kay tilted her head and smiled, even though he couldn''t see it due to her face mask, "Of course. I''m not doing anything wrong, am I? You''re just going to teach me how to make friends!"


    Jason almost jerked back at that as he mentally hit himself in the head. Of course, she would be thinking that. She didn''t know that he was interested in her in another way ... and he didn''t want to get her to know other people as yet. Still, he pretended to ponder as he tapped his finger onto his chin. "Well, so long as you''re sure ..."


    Kay nodded vigorously.


    "But we should ease into it slowly," Jason said, "You practice with me first and then we''ll take it a notch higher after you''re more comfortable."


    Jason gave a brief smile even though inwardly, he was making a merry dance. If he played his cards right, he would be able to see Kay more often in secret. No other guy would be able to see her sweet smile, or listen to her angelic voice, or be privy to her cute little gestures. His Fairy was unique and was for private viewing only.


    The fact that she was willing to go behind her brother''s back also made it easier for him. In fact, he started feeling pretty good about it for it showed to him how she was putting him above her own brother. So what if the Smith Twins were close. This move of hers was obvious proof that she was actually placing him above her brother. His chest swelled at that thought, and all sorts of plans and dreams started in his mind.


    "Let''s go somewhere less crowded," Jason suggested but Kay shook her head.


    "No, I think it''s fine if it''s around here," Kay said as she turned and gestured around her. Jason''s eyes flashed a bit in annoyance but she didn''t catch it as she was twirling around. By the time she turned back to face him, the expression was gone. "I need to get used to being around people, too, isn''t it?"


    Kay tilted her head (as a habit of hers whenever she''s thinking) as she observed Jason, her eyes full of innocence. Though she didn''t think Jason was dangerous, she wasn''t foolish enough to go somewhere with him all alone. Less crowded? It wasn''t that crowded here, so Kay wasn''t comfortable with his suggestion. She had to make it sound innocent, though, for she didn''t want him to think she didn''t trust him. Which she didn''t, of course - but he couldn''t know that.


    Jason gave a bright smile and said, "Sure, of course. Let''s go to there though."


    Kay turned to see that he gestured to a spot at the lawn, underneath the shade of a huge tree. "Sure, that looks perfect!"


    They walked side-by-side to the location, with Jason trying very, very hard not to reach out and hold her hand.

 Chapter 63 - Unexpected Variables

    The weeks passed by quite uneventfully. At least, to Kay''s standards.


    She would meet up with Jason once in a while and he gives her this whole show of telling her how to approach people, how to talk to people, how to smile and so forth. Yet, he didn''t seem to make any move to actually introduce her to his friends from LaSelle.


    Kay took it slowly and found that no matter what she did, he didn''t seem to want to move from the current situation. It was getting frustrating. What was initially fun and games with her sneaking out in disguise, having Sophia distract Ali and Sarah keeping an eye out for Kyle ... became boring and tedious.


    Kay wanted to actually implement her plans on the others without Jason''s help but she instinctively felt that it might not be well received by Jason. If she failed in garnering some interest with the other four boys and cause a fall-out with Jason, she would have lost everything. She also suspected that Jason may sabotage her efforts, so she was treading carefully on that point. Operation Kay actually had several options, based on some variables but none of it was based on an uncooperative and possible sabotagist. So, Kay felt that the best option was to get Jason''s cooperation and willingness. Which he didn''t appear to be willing to give. Yet.


    Though it did seem to mess up with her timeline, it wasn''t critical. Kay felt that she would observe him a bit more before changing her plans. One thing Kay did realise was that she could plan all she wanted but the human mind and psyche was a bit too unpredictable. Times like this Kay wondered how Kyle managed to manipulate so many people while her success rate wasn''t as high. She could with Sarah - but then again, that could be because she already knew Sarah personally.


    Kay was good enough to admit her weakness. She could normally control a situation by seamlessly guiding a person towards a particular direction, but this would depend a lot on her own comprehension of the person''s personality. Learning it from paper was completely different than what she imagined.


    Jason was easy enough to ''control'' but Kay found his manner of thinking to be different than what she expected. She could garner his interest, she could get him to talk but when it came to getting to know other people, he''d clam up or divert the topic. Kay suspected that he wasn''t comfortable yet with ''sharing'' her, but he had been a gentleman and very kind towards her. Thus, she wasn''t too worried about it. She would continue to monitor the situation and decide later on. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jason was an unexpected variable that she didn''t like.


    **--**--**--


    Principal Godric was looking at a bunch of papers on his desk. His face showed intense concentration. There were 30 pieces of paper lined up neatly on his desk, with the first page being the name and background of the student. He tapped his fingers on the table, looking at each and every single paper before settling - yet again - on one particular paper.


    Kyle Smith.


    He shook his head, not believing the scores achieved. He had read the answers given on the psychological aspect and the MENSA questions. The answers he had given to the first part showed maturity in thinking that was unheard of in a 13-year-old. In fact, it appeared as if it was by a person who had gone through a lot in life.


    The MENSA questions were all answered correctly. Each and every single one. Although it wasn''t a true MENSA type of test, it was close enough to give a general idea of the level of intelligence in the person taking the test. The questions for this last part was also different for each year, as it was catered to their age group.


    If one was to take the MENSA iq test, the person would have to do two tests. The first test consists of 50 questions and test-takers are given 12 minutes to complete as many questions as they can. The second test consists of seven sections. What these seven sections consist of, however, was not quite well known but it ranged considerably.


    As Principal Godric stared at the picture of Kyle, various questions went through his mind. What was this boy doing in this school and not the top school? His parents certainly could afford it. Why did he do so badly in the last assessment?


    So many questions, no answers. None that made sense anyway. Principal Godric sighed and picked up another piece of paper from the pile.


    Kayla Smith.


    Her scores for the psychological test wasn''t as high as Kyle''s, but it still showed a person with a stronger sense of deep thinking and maturity. Her MENSA scores were also high but it wasn''t a perfect score like Kyle''s.


    He picked up three other pieces of paper and laid all five side by side. The Elite Five. It looks like their primary school reputation wasn''t just for show. It was the real deal. The top 30 scorers in the school were there on his table, and these 5 were in the top ten, with the top scorer being Kyle.


    Principal Godric didn''t expect this. He had plans for the top students, but he had never expected the best-of-the-best being a first year. He needed to make a few adjustments now. Despite that, he was quite excited as this school had so much more potential than the previous school. It also made his plans to revamp the school system even more plausible.


    Kyle was an unexpected variable that Principle Godric was excited about.


    **--**--**--


    "So, the best thing to do to get to know someone better is to talk about their interests," Jason was saying while smiling.


    Kay listened while internally groaning. It wasn''t the first time that Jason gave this really obvious tip, but he seemed oblivious to his repeated ''lessons''.


    "Yes, like you like football and games," Kay replied, "So to keep the conversation going, I should dig more to find out your favourite teams, or games and go back to research on them so that I have more material to talk about."


    "Exactly!" Jason said with a wide smile, "So do you know what team I like?"


    Kay nodded, "Of course. If it''s the World Cup, it would be Team State BB but otherwise, it''s MC City Team."


    "Correct! Do you know my favourite team member? And who I idolise most of all? Which captain?"


    Kay, with extreme patience, said them all correctly. Then, with a sweet smile, she said, "So! Am I ready now? Shall we go and practice on your friends?"


    "Of course, of course," Jason said and Kay''s eyes brightened up. A flash of annoyance went through his eyes but it disappeared before Kay realised it.


    "But not today. They''re busy."


    "Oh," Kay replied in disappointment. "When then?"


    "I''ll text you," Jason said. "Soon, I promise."


    "Okay," Kay said, letting it go. If she persisted, it would annoy him and he''d just shut down and go into his man cave. As Kay watched him then go talking all about his past glories in Country M - again - Kay made a mental note. Jason needed to be struck off the list now. This was going nowhere and she needed to slowly cut off from him.


    So for the next few days, Kay would not respond as quickly to his texts, citing that she was busy. Kay would also be hanging out with Kyle more often and openly, making sure that it was seen by Jason once in a while. Jason continued to text her everyday, but now she would respond several hours late and would be short and to the point.


    Kay also texted Jason to let him know that she would be busy for the next few weeks, as she needed to study and catch up on all her work that had been piling up. She also told Sophia and Sarah that she was putting things on hold as her crush wasn''t as what she thought he''d be. They all gave sympathetic words of wisdom, which generally meant badmouthing men and how there were no good guys anymore. Oh, except for the Elite Five, of course.


    From her studies of Jason, she knew that Jason wouldn''t give up quickly but his ego was also huge. She would need to manipulate him to make him stop texting her or give up on her so that she could start the next move. Kay hoped that her lack of communication and enthusiasm would make him lose interest, so she made sure that her responses to him were always polite but would never take the initiative to ask any questions or text him first.


    Jason was getting impatient. He didn''t like the fact that Kay seemed to be meeting him less and less. Worse, she was putting Kyle back as someone important. She gave the excuse that Kyle was getting suspicious. That she couldn''t sneak out anymore. He didn''t believe that. He felt that she was distancing herself from him. He couldn''t let that happen.


    He had to stop it before it was too late.


    ''What are you doing?'' he texted Kay that night.


    ''Nothing much. Just revising today''s lesson'' Kay text back almost immediately. Jason smiled at this, feeling slightly happier as it meant she was not ignoring him. He was still important.


    ''Can I see you tomorrow? It''s quite important'' Jason''s fingers were trembling as he sent that text and he stared at the screen as he waited for her response. She had turned down the past couple of times he had asked to meet and he wondered what her response was.


    After two agonizing long minutes, she finally texted back, ''Okay. 3pm at the library.''


    ''No, not the library. Gym.''


    Kay frowned when she saw the text. She looked at the time table for club activities and saw that there should be gymnastic practice then. It should be ok then, as it wouldn''t be deserted. She needed to settle this once and for all. The next phase of Operation Kay should start - without Jason.


    ''Okay.''


    Jason smiled to himself. Perfect.

 Chapter 64 - Danger (R: Mild)

    ? Content Warning: certain scenes may be disturbing to some. You have been warned. ?


    The next day, Kay was at the library as usual and started her work. She was in her study group and they were all diligently doing their own work for the time being. At 2.35pm, she got up and told Sarah that she was heading out for a while.


    "Okay," Sarah nodded, concentrating on the intricate maths question in front of her. Her face was all scrunched up as she chewed the bottom of her pencil.


    Kay smiled at that sight. Sarah looked like a cute little beaver like that. Kay didn''t bother clearing up her things, but she did arrange them nicely to one side to indicate that she would be back. She then quickly went to the gym, wondering what Jason wanted to talk about.


    As she neared the gym, Kay couldn''t help but feel slightly apprehensive. There was supposed to be gymnastic practice but the doors appeared closed from a distance. Usually, a door or two would be open as the ventilation in the gym was not so good after the air conditioning broke down and the fans were not sufficient to cool down the area.


    Her steps slowed down when she reached the gym but she didn''t stop. Instead of trying to open the doors, she took out her phone to check her messages and to text Jason. She was in front of the gym but at the corner of the building and she was so engrossed in unlocking her phone that she did not realise there was a shadow on her left.


    Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed her by the waist from behind and a cloth was placed over her mouth and nose. Shocked, Kay dropped her phone and struggled to kick the guy as her hands reached out to the hand that was covering her face. She recognise the smell immediately. Chloroform. The moment she did, she had held her breath but she knew she couldn''t hold it for long but she wanted to delay the time as long as possible.


    Unlike what they showed in the movies, one does not get knocked out upon one whiff. It would take at least five minutes before one falls unconscious. Kay didn''t have much time and she needed to delay for as long as possible.


    [KYLE! SOS! GYM!]


    Kay didn''t need to think twice. She didn''t care if Kyle blasted her for putting herself in danger nor did she bother over the fact that there was a possibility Kyle would find out about Operation Kay. Flashes of the kidnapping attempt during primary school went through her mind and she didn''t want a repeat of that. Who was it though? What did they want? What happened to Jason?


    All of these thoughts went through her mind as she struggled and the person behind her grunted when she managed to land a kick on his shin.


    [KAY!] Kyle''s voice was frantic in her mind [HANG ON!]


    She was about to answer when a familiar voice rasped in her ear, "Gah, why is it taking so long?"


    Kay''s eyes widened. Jason?


    Kay couldn''t hold her breath anymore and the strong smell assaulted her nose. Due to her constant struggling, she was breathing in heavier than normal. Jason was also pressing the cloth on her face even harder, perhaps in an attempt to make the chloroform work faster. Whatever it was, it did make her extremely dizzy and weak. She was having trouble breathing now, and took even deeper breaths which just made her dizzier.


    She couldn''t struggle as much and Jason took that opportunity to drag her behind to the tool shed that was nearby. The moment they entered, he closed and quickly locked the door. The place was dark with a little bit of light streaming in through the window.


    [Kyle ... tool shed...] Kay''s voice as getting weaker, even in her mind as Jason then smashed her onto the wall. Her head knocked back and she began to see stars. The cloth was removed from her face and she could see his face right in front of her.


    He had an expression that she never had seen before. There was anger, confusion ... but most of all, she could see lust. Kay shuddered and Jason, upon feeling that, got even more excited. He pressed himself against her body, one leg inbetween hers and trapping her against the wall. Kay tried to push him off, but her hands were like cotton on his firm figure.


    "Kay, Kay, Kay, My Fairy Kay" he breathed, sniffing her neck, "How could you ignore me for so long?"


    "Ja-Jason .." Kay stammered, feeling her hairs rise up as he ran his hands over her back, then feeling wet kisses on her neck, "Wha-wha- ... please, stop this,"


    Jason''s hands cupped her buttocks, and he pressed her closer to him, "Do you feel that? Do you feel what you do to me??!"


    Kay gulped. His hard-on was quite obvious, pressed upon her thigh and she shuddered, even more, when he licked her neck.


    "Jason, please..."


    "Oh yes, baby. I''m certainly going to please you," he said before capturing her lips with his own.


    Kay pressed her lips together, tears forming in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t get him off. She could take out a target from a distance but she never took martial arts. Close combat was not in her list of skills at all. Her knife was hidden at the sole of her shoes, and she could not get to it to stab him. She didn''t have any weapons on her clothes as she was in school and it had to be well concealed.


    Jason was sloppily kissing her, slobbering all over her lips and face.


    [Kyle! Hurry!!]


    [I''M COMING!!]


    Kay knew Kyle would take at least 8 minutes to reach the gym, as he was at the other end of the school. It would take normal people about 20 minutes, and 12 minutes if they ran. How long has it been already? It felt like hours although Kay knew it could only be 2 minutes or so. She felt Jason''s hands squeezing and kneading her buttocks, making her feel disgusted. More so when he kept rubbing his bulging crotch over her thigh. Even though she was wearing jeans, feeling his hands and bulge was disgusting.


    She breathed a sigh of relief when his hands left her buttocks and he leaned back a bit, giving her a bit of reprieve from having to feel him on her body. She looked at him in anger but all he saw was a disheveled woman begging for his touch. He had to comply, didn''t he? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pressing his legs onto her lower half and pinning her against the wall, his hands went to the front of her blouse and started to unbutton it. Kay panicked and quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him but that only fueled his desire, making him then just rip them open. The buttons flew out and her beautiful twin peaks were exposed to his eyes.


    The only problem was that they were covered. That beautiful plumpness should not be restrained. He grabbed the cups and forced them down, exposing the pink nipples amidst snowy white mountain peaks. He groaned, feeling his crotch get even harder as he took one adorable pink sweetness into his mouth while the other was being ravaged by his hand.


    Kay screamed at him, clutching his hair and trying to get him off. She even managed to pull out several strands of it before he looked up angrily. He took her hands in his, and held them beside her. "Why did you have to do that for?" he said accusingly at her, "Now I''m going to have to be a bit rough. But don''t worry ..."


    He said as he came closer, "You''ll enjoy it very much."


    Kay spit at him and he just laughed. Wiping the spit off his face, he licked his lips while staring at her. She used that time to slap him but he managed to grab her hand again and this time, he turned her over and banged her hard onto the wall. One hand held her hands behind her back and another pressed her head to the wall.


    Kay couldn''t move, with her cheeks pressed onto the wall and her exposed breasts feeling the harsh wood. When she felt the hand behind her head let go, she leaned back quickly in the hopes of knocking his head but all she got was his shoulder. He laughed at her weak attempts and pressed his body against her again. She heard a belt buckle being released and a zip sound and she gulped. She knew that that meant.


    Then, his hands went to the front of her jeans button and she struggled like crazy but it was of no use. He was like a rock behind her and her struggles were like hitting cotton. Nothing. She felt his hands unbuttoning the jeans and unzipping it before it slid inside her panties and touched her in a place that had never been touched by anyone before. "NOOOOO" she screamed.


    "Oh baby," Jason breathed into her ear as his fingers started moving, "It won''t be long now. Be patient. We need to get you nice and wet first."


    Kay whimpered, tears streaming down her face. She couldn''t even close her legs together as his own leg was inbetween. He spread her legs wider from behind, which allowed his fingers to assault her even more. She could hear his heavy breathing in her ear as he continued to slobber all over at her neck. He was even grinding himself on her back and she could feel his horrible thing pressing against her.


    [Kyle....] Kay sobbed.


    Was he going to be too late?

 Chapter 65 - Break

    Jason was getting so excited. This beautiful Fairy of his would be his soon. Truly and completely, his. Once they joined, no one else can come inbetween. When his fingers touched her pink bud, he almost ejaculated. When his fingers slid around and felt the wetness at her cave, he almost lost it. He couldn''t wait to rip down her pants and thrust himself right into her warm, waiting cave. Her mouth may be saying no, but her body was accepting him completely. This proved that she wanted him. That she was his to take. That she was always waiting for him to do this.


    He ignored the fact that he was forcing himself on her, lost in his delusion of desire and possessiveness. Just as his finger was about to enter into her cave, a loud crashing sound erupted from beside them. Shocked and annoyed, he turned towards the sound and was frozen for a minute.


    Kyle was standing at the opened doorway, the door that he had kicked open actually been kicked off the hinges. His eyes were wide opened and full of fury as he took in the scene in front of him. His beloved sister was pressed against the wall by a half-naked ape who had his hands where it should not be.


    Before Jason could react, Kyle was already beside him. He grabbed that offending invasive hand with one hand and with the other proceeded to punch Jason in the face. As Jason reeled a bit from the force of the punch, Kyle had pulled Jason''s hand out of Kay''s panties and broke the wrist. Jason howled in pain, clutching that wrist and staggering to gain some foothold since his pants were halfway down his legs.


    Kyle gave a roundhouse kick to his face and he fell onto the ground, with his manhood still standing up straight in the air. Kyle turned to Kay immediately, who then hugged him while sobbing. He held her for a while, patting her back then gently pushed her aside. He straightened her clothes, gently zipping and buttoning her jeans after restoring the bra cups to cover her exposed breasts. He took off his shirt and draped it over her shoulders, kissing her on the forehead and wiping her tears.


    [Be strong for me right now, okay? I need to settle something]


    Kay sniffed, holding onto Kyle''s shirt tightly around her as she leaned on the wall behind her. She then sat down, her legs too weak to allow her to stand any longer. Kyle looked at her worriedly for a while then after making sure she was steady, Kyle turned towards Jason.


    He looked with anger filled eyes as he saw the douchebag whimpering in pain and trying to pull up his pants. As he only had one hand, it was taking far longer than it normally would. Kyle was angry. Angrier than he had ever been in his life. When he heard the distress call from Kay, his heart went up to his throat. He had never heard such panic and fear and he rushed over quickly. He barely managed to tell Ali that Kay was in trouble at the tool shed near the gym before he disappeared.


    Jason looked at the Ogre ... no, the Devil coming at him. When he first saw Kyle, he saw him as a harmless boy. As time went by, he was jealous of the closeness he had with Kay but other than feeling that Kyle was an annoying fly, there was nothing else. Now, however, Kyle looked like an Avenging Devil ready to deliver punishment.


    Kyle kicked him at the side of his head, knocking some teeth out in the process, and made him fall to the side. Kyle then kicked him again to make him fall on his back and then he stepped on his chest. Jason groaned, feeling like his ribs were broken from that seemingly small step. He already felt that he must have a concussion, and there was a metallic taste in his mouth. He spit out a mouthful of blood and a couple of teeth that had been knocked out earlier.


    Who was this guy?! screamed Jason in his head. This boy was only 13 yet when Jason saw his eyes piercing at him, his heart went cold. He couldn''t move. He was shaking. When he saw the supposedly little boy lean down, his hand on the leg that was on him, he couldn''t control his bladder and peed himself.


    Kyle watched unemotionally as a small fountain of pee flew up and fall back down, thoroughly wetting Jason and his pants. Not caring of the mess and the stink of urine, Kyle grabbed Jason''s semi-hard manhood tightly in his hand and actually started stroking it gently. Jason''s eyes flew wide open, his mind not able to comprehend what was happening but couldn''t help his body from responding. What had been slowly going soft was now growing harder.


    He bit his lips to stop himself from groaning out loud and Kyle nonchantly hit some spots on Jason''s body. When Kyle''s hands started moving about in a rather weird way right on its tip, Jason bulked and tried to get up. Strangely enough, not only could he not move but he could not say a word. Nothing came out from his mouth and he started to panic. What was happening??


    "We can''t have people come and investigate what''s happening and disturb us before I am done now, can we?" Kyle said with a smirk when he saw Jason looking at him in a panic.


    Jason''s mind went blank. It was Kyle? Kyle did that? What did he do?


    Then he saw a slow smile forming on Kyle''s lips. Jason''s heart started beating rapidly for that smile seemed to ooze pure evil and his eyes appeared dead. Just then, there was a loud popping sound and he felt pain like never before. It filled his entire body and he screamed. Or tried to. His face contorted in extreme pain, his mouth wide open with a silent scream and the intense pain knocked him unconscious.


    Kyle looked at the unmoving ape and opened his hand and let go. He had, while looking straight into Jason''s eyes, twisted the offending piece of meat. The loud popping sound was him breaking it.* The skin was not broken, but the veins inside were.


    "You won''t be needing this anymore," Kyle said to the unmoving body.


    Kyle wiped his hands on Jason''s shirt. It still stunk of urine but Kyle didn''t care. The anger in his heart was only slightly appeased.


    At that moment, Ali had reached the tool shed and took the whole scene in one glance. The crying Kay in one corner with Kyle''s shirt and the shirtless Kyle letting go of someone''s manhood that now looked quite broken.


    Ali roared in anger as well, rushing towards the unconscious guy on the ground. Kyle put up his hand, shaking his head. "No, this one is mine."


    Ali screeched to a stop, unsatisfied. He looked at Kyle with aggrieved eyes but Kyle was adamant. Kyle looked at him squarely in the eyes and enunciated again, "MINE."


    Ali stared at Kyle for a while. There was this air of fierceness that he had never seen before on Kyle and Ali nodded, relenting. There were times when you can insist, and there are times when you need to step back. Right now, the fury that was within Kyle had not yet been appeased. Ali said a silent prayer for the condemned soul ... hey, he was still human. Jason already looked half dead and his punishment wasn''t even over yet.


    So Ali went over to Kay, who just lay there while rubbing herself. He wanted to hug her but wasn''t sure if she would be willing to, considering what she had gone through. He came closer and sat beside her, not touching her. She felt his presence and knew that he was worried about her. So she turned to face him, trying to smile. When he opened up his arms, she went into it.


    "Please take Kay to Master Shifu''s place," Kyle said to Ali. Kyle knew that Kay wasn''t in any mood to meet anyone right now so Master Shifu''s house was the next best thing. Ali nodded, and turned around while Kay wore Kyle''s shirt properly. She took off her torn shirt first but had difficulty trying to button up the shirt because her hands were shaking too much. Kyle came over and helped, while she kept looking down.


    "Sorry for the stink," Kyle said. Once done, he kissed the top of her head.


    [I''ll come over as soon as possible. I need to settle this thing first]


    Kay nodded, and whimpered a bit.


    [It''s not your fault, Kay.]


    Kyle took her in his arms, careful not to touch her with his tainted hand. He held her tightly as she buried her face in his chest, finding some comfort in his warmth, smell and the sound of his heartbeat. Kyle could feel the wetness on his chest as Kay cried silently, and he just held her until she managed to calm down.


    Kay regretted everything. If she hadn''t been so bullheaded and overconfident, she wouldn''t have been alone. If she hadn''t been hiding the meetings from Kyle, he would have known about this meet-up. He would have been around or nearby and Jason wouldn''t have been able to even drag her into the tool shed.


    [No matter what, Kay. It''s not your fault. No one should think they have a right to do what they did.]


    Kay heard him but she still felt guilty.


    [I''m so sorry, Kay]


    [You saved me. Why are you sorry?]


    [The fact that you hid this from me makes it my fault] Kyle said with regret, his heart feeling like it was being crushed. She had never hidden things from him and for her to do so was his fault. He pushed her to this corner. He failed to notice so many things. She got hurt because of him. He was angry at Jason, but he was angrier at himself. Though he had been in time and it could have been worse, she still suffered.


    Kay looked up at Kyle, held his face in her hands and said firmly, "It''s not your fault Kyle"


    Both of them looked at each other, both of them full of guilt and blame for the other.


    [We''ll talk about this later] Kyle promised.


    Kay nodded and Kyle let go. She walked over to the waiting Ali, leaning on him. As they walked out through the open doorway, she gave one last look at the boy on the ground, her heart in a mess. There was no ounce of sympathy towards him and she shuddered when she remembered what he had done to her. Ali put his hand on her waist and Kay felt relief. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She could still feel Jason''s hands and lips and crotch all over her body, and she felt so dirty; yet Ali''s gentle treatment made her feel warm inside. She was glad that his touch didn''t make her feel repulsed and though it didn''t make the dirty feeling completely disappear, it kept the dark thoughts at bay.


    Holding her head up high, she walked out.

 Chapter 66 - Jason’s Fate

    Ali took Kay to Master Shifu in silence.


    He held Kay tightly to him as he took her to Master Shifu, his arms wrapped around her waist as they walked. Inside, he was shimmering in anger while his other hand was clenched in a tight fist. He wanted nothing more than to punch that pig in the face until his own mother couldn''t recognise him. He wanted to smash every bone in that sorry excuse for a human being. He then remembered the weird angle a certain part of the body was ...


    Ali shuddered. He was furious at the guy but any man would shudder to see what Kyle had done to the most important body part. The pain when one was kicked there was mind-boggling enough but to have it bent like that - it must be beyond words. Ali knew, no matter what he could imagine doing to the guy would be nothing compared to what Kyle would be doing. The broken pole was just the start.


    Master Shifu was waiting at the door for them. Ali had already called in advance and he didn''t say a thing. Kay went straight to her room, wanting to bathe as quickly as possible. Ali went to the living room and started texting the others. Master Shifu went back to the kitchen and continued broiling the soup.


    Kay took off her clothes quickly and except for Kyle''s shirt, she threw everything into the rubbish bin. She entered the bathroom and switched on the shower, making it as hot as she could stand. She felt the water hit her face, stinging it and she welcomed the pain. She rubbed her face and lips, remembering those sloppy kisses. She rubbed her ears roughly, remembering the heavy breathing and lips on it. She rubbed every single part of her body, hoping to rub off the feeling of his touch.


    She took the shower gel and her loofah. She kept on washing herself, scrubbing her entire body over and over again. Her snowy white skin was now all pink and slightly reddish with the rough scrubbing but she didn''t realise this. All she knew was that she still didn''t feel clean enough. She didn''t know how long she had been scrubbing herself raw, but she eventually stopped and just sat down in the shower, letting the water fall upon her as she cried again.


    Kyle arrived at Master Shifu''s house about two hours later. Ali, Sam, and Xing Han were all in the living room with Master Shifu. Ali''s eyebrows shot up in surprise - not because Kyle had changed into a different outfit than before but because Kyle''s eyes were a different colour. It was obvious he was wearing contact lenses and they were all curious but didn''t ask.


    "Kay''s still in her room," Sam said, looking at her closed door, "She hasn''t replied to our knocks."


    Kyle nodded and went straight there. He entered after knocking a few times and found the room dark. Flipping on the switch, he saw that she wasn''t in and her clothes were in the bin. He could hear the shower in the bathroom, so he knocked, "Kay?"


    She didn''t respond.


    [Kay?]


    Nothing.


    [I''m coming in]


    He entered and the sight crushed him. She was just sitting there, her legs brought up to her chest and her forehead was leaning on her knees. The shower was simply falling on her and she wasn''t moving. Her skin was so red from the heat and scrubbing, and puckered up for being under the water for so long.


    Kyle took a towel, switched off the shower and wrapped her in it. He carried her gently into the room and she just lay there in his arms like a baby. He placed her on the bed and went to get more towels. He made her sit up and secured the towel around her. Then, he wrapped her hair in a towel before using another towel to gently tap her dry.


    Kay let him do so and was starting to feel warm again from his gentle care. As he went to dry her face, she took his hand and pressed her cheeks on it.


    [You''re the only one who''s always been there for me]


    [And I will always be, Kay] Kyle replied, tilting her face to make her look at him and she saw the pain deep in his eyes.


    [I''m sorry for failing to protect you] Kyle said, his own eyes watering and Kay''s heart lurched at that. With her thumbs, she wiped his eyes before the tears fell.


    [I told you that it''s not your fault, Kyle] Kay said firmly, squishing his face.


    [It is] Kyle replied, shaking his head [I made you feel ... worthless when you are not. I made you have to feel like you had to prove yourself. I made you need to hide from me. From ME.]


    Both of them took a deep breath, each caught up in their own sense of pain and guilt. Without another word, Kyle went behind Kay and started unwrapping the towel on her head. He gently started drying her hair and then slowly combed it.


    Neither said anything anymore, as words couldn''t cover the situation. They understood each other. Neither blamed the other but only themselves. Both felt bad for the pain inflicted on the other and ... in a way, that was slowly healing the both of them as well. As traumatic as the experience was for Kay, Kyle''s gentle care for her was slowly but surely helping ease the pain. It was not to say that she was rid of it but she was finding strength in his presence to fight the negative feelings inside.


    "What happened to Jason?" Kay asked softly, forcing herself to speak. She looked up at the dressing table mirror in front of her and could see Kyle''s expression when she asked the question.


    There was a slight smirk forming at the corner of his left lips before he said, "Oh, let''s just say that he''s going to be busy the next few days."


    Kyle''s smirk became a grin when he thought of what Jason was going through right now and what he''s going to be facing for the next four days.


    *A couple of hours earlier*


    After Kyle made sure that Kay was gone, Kyle turned towards the unconscious thing on the floor. He took off Jason''s pants and underwear, which was soaked and stained with the urine. He then took off Jason''s shirt, tying it around Jason''s waist and between his legs like a diaper before hoisting him up onto his shoulder. It wasn''t going to be easy getting him out unseen, but not impossible. It would be better to wait until dark but Kyle did not want to leave Kay alone for long. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He pushed Jason out the window at the back of the tool shed and climbed out. Just a few feet away was the back of the school wall. Taking out his belt, Kyle pulled out the buckle and a long, thin wire was attached to it as it. As he pulled, the wire unraveled from the linings of the belt. He then flipped the buckle and pressed a small button, releasing a lever and three claws that had been curled in to form the buckle extended out. It was now a grappling hook.


    Kyle then took off his pants and was left only in his knee-length tights. Luckily he had intended to go swimming later, so he just wore these instead of his usual boxers. Turning his pants inside out, he tore out a pocket and unfolded it, revealing it to be a square cloth that he used to tie as a mask over his nose and mouth. He tore out the second pocket and did the same for Jason.


    He then tore the pants into two, right in the middle. It was also folded a bit so when he unfolded it, the length of the two parts became longer. He then took Jason on his back, and slipped Jason''s arms over his shoulders, tying them together. The other was used to tie behind Jason''s back and Kyle''s stomach.


    This was to ensure that Kyle could run and maintain his speed without having to worry about dropping Jason. It''s going to be tough enough getting out and if he was seen, the last thing he wanted to do was people see recognising him. Having to carry this full grown man in a diaper on his back is bad enough.


    Throwing the grappling hook over the wall and onto the tree outside, Kyle took a deep breath. He needed extra strength for this so without another thought, entered Zen Mode. He climbed over the wall, startling a few birds and rushed quickly to the nearest alleyway. Luckily, there weren''t many people around and those that he DID pass by ... quickly ran off and pretended not to have seen anything. All the better.


    Once he was in the hidden areas of the alleyway, he dumped Jason on the ground. He grabbed a change of clothes in a hidden area that he put for emergencies, which he was really grateful for now. It took him about 20 minutes to change, pick up Jason and rush to his next destination: Diamond Club.


    Kyle knocked on the steel door, rapping it in a certain code. A pair of eyes were revealed through a small slit in the door and Kyle said, "Venice Yam". The slit closed and the door opened. No one batted an eyelid to see this figure entering with a diaper man on his back.


    "Where''s Rat?" Kyle asked.


    The guy at the door jerked his head in one direction and Kyle nodded. Entering through the door, a small, fat man with beady eyes sat behind a table and glared at Kyle, who now pulled down the bandana over his face.


    "Ice," he rasped out, "Whadda ya want?"


    "I have a present for you," Kyle said, dumping Jason down.


    The guy''s eyebrows shot up and walked over, inspecting Jason, "He''s broken."


    Kyle shrugged, "He touched someone he shouldn''t have. His a** is fine, though. Virgin. He''s yours for four days."


    The guy''s eyes shone, as he looked at Jason''s youthful face and firm body. He started licking his lips and he smiled.


    "Do you like them screaming or not?" Kyle asked.


    "Definitely, screaming."


    Kyle nodded, pressed a few points in Jason''s body and asked again, "Able to move or not? Would you prefer to break him yourself?"


    The guy pondered deeply, "I''ll just drug him to make him weak and break him. Four days, huh?"


    Kyle continued to press a few other spots and patted Jason''s face. "Yes, any longer and the police may step up the search. After four days, use Plan S to get rid of him. I''ll do the rest."


    Rat nodded, his eyes staring hungrily on Jason and he started scratching his own crotch. "I owe you one, Ice."


    Kyle patted him on the shoulder, "No, you don''t. You''re doing me a favour. So we''re even."


    Kyle walked out then, while two burly men came in to take Jason away. Kyle saw Jason just about to wake up and as his eyes fluttered open dazedly, all he saw before being held tightly in the arms was the cold gaze of Kyle on him, that evil smirk on his face.


    "Enjoy" Kyle whispered as Jason passed him.


    Jason screamed.

 Chapter 67 - Healing

    Kay and Kyle took one week off from school, on the pretext that there was a family emergency. Master Shifu had been registered as their guardian and he had personally come to the school to submit the leave application. Principal Godric was worried and had been burning to ask why, but it was too personal a reason and he wasn''t close to them. So he had to swallow the words in his throat and show his concern.


    As a result of their leave, Principal Godric also delayed the announcement for the new school revamp as there was one particular person he needed to talk to first. He didn''t like to force people, though he could be quite heavy handed on things he felt passionately about. He watched Master Shifu go out and shelved the idea for a while.


    At least it meant he had been given more time to focus on the logistics. Principal Godric was an opportunist and one who would always try to see things in a positive light. Although he was the type to go in with guns-ablazing, he wouldn''t be doing so without some proper planning.


    No one, except the Elite Five, knew that the Smith Twins were actually at Master Shifu''s house. The more that people knew, the more likely it was for them to know something had happened to Kay and that was something no one wanted. Kay just wanted to stay among her family and heal, rather than have to explain herself to other people. As close as she was to Sarah, it wasn''t the same as how she was with the Elite Five and Master Shifu. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the first two days, Kay seemed to revert back to being a child, always clinging on to Kyle as if she was seeking comfort. He would indulge her whims and pamper her endlessly. At night, they would sleep together as it was the only way that she could feel safe. Kyle was her bolster, just like when they were younger, as she hugged him tightly.


    She would have nightmares and whimper at times but the moment Kyle hugged her close, she would calm down and fall back asleep. Kyle''s heart was so pained at all of this. Kay was too young to experience such a thing. He had tried to protect her but he failed. He wished he could turn back time again and smash Jason''s face before he even harboured such thoughts about Kay. She''s only 13, for fu** sake!


    Worse, he hadn''t even equipped her with the most basic skills to defend herself. He had been blind in that aspect, always thinking that they would be together and he''d be there to protect her. She hadn''t shown any interest in learning any martial arts before so he never insisted, and he regretted that.


    On the second night, as Kay cuddled to Kyle on the bed, Kyle finally had the courage to ask her, "Do you want your memories of that day to be erased?"


    Kay didn''t have to think about it as she shook her head vehemently, her hair flying in Kyle''s face. "No."


    "But-"


    "No buts. At first, I did think about asking, really but then ... well, I have always believed that everything happens for a reason. You were reborn for a reason. You were reborn as my twin for a reason. No matter how bitter the experience was, there is a reason for it. I have to learn from it and be stronger for it. If I forget it, the pain might be gone but so would the things I gained from it."


    "Things you gained?" Kyle asked curiously, "Like what?"


    Kay snuggled closer to Kyle, burying her head in the crook of his neck as she answered, "Our bond, for one. It''s something that I don''t think about or even wonder about because it''s as natural and a part of me as breathing. You don''t think about how you breathe, you just do. But our twin bond is rather unique, I would think. You''re my twin yet not my twin. Your mind is different and you have a past but I don''t."


    Kay took a deep breath as she tried to articulate her thoughts, "It was getting a bit frustrating without me realising it. I felt as if we were drifting apart as we grew older. It made me frantic and my desire to prove myself stemmed from there."


    Her voice trailed softer as she said barely in a whispter but Kyle heard it nonetheless, "I didn''t want to be left behind."


    Kyle rubbed her back comfortingly and sighed, "I get you. I took it for granted as well. When I think about it, I guess ... when we were younger, it was easier. I was the older one and you depended on me and followed me around like a little chick. Basically, clinging and clucking. "


    "HEY!" Kay protested, smacking his chest. Kay felt his chest shake as he laughed and she hugged him tighter.


    "But you''re not a little chick anymore. I lost sight of that. I kept seeing you as someone that needed protecting. I STILL want to protect you but I also know that you need to be you."


    "I don''t want to be in the shadows, Kyle," Kay stated, "I want to be by your side. I want to be your sword or shield, whichever it is - just like how you are for me."


    Kyle took a deep breath and felt conflicted.


    There was one thing about being reborn that is never touched or talked about. What makes a person who they are? When a baby is born, they are an empty sheet of paper but the foundation is there. Their characteristics are taken from their parents: intelligence is inherited from the mother and emotions are inherited from the father.* However, the environment and their experiences will also shape the person so it does not mean that the child will be a carbon copy of their parents. The basics were from them but the end result is not.


    So for Kyle - he had his own views and beliefs already from his past 40 years of life. As a woman. Things he learned, things he experienced. In this life, it was different. He was more prone to anger as compared to before and there was no doubt that he is much more intelligent. Partly due to his mother''s genetics and partly due to the reborn aspect.


    So Kyle isn''t the same as Kylie. It''s like ... Kylie was the vanilla sponge cake mix but then, the chocolate mix of Kyle was stirred in. However, the chocolate mix did not overpower the vanilla mix. Instead, it became a pattern within like a marble cake. When you cut a slice, you may get more chocolate or vanilla.


    That was what Kyle found life was like. At times, he felt more like Kylie when it came to how he treated Kay. He imposed his own views and thoughts about how to take advantage and go ahead in life as a woman yet it may not be the best path for Kay. It may have been for him then, but it was not the same for Kay. She has a different temperament and a different background.


    He needed to let her find out for herself. There were many times he acted more like a mother rather than a brother. It was this incident that made him realise this and he knew, as they grew older, it would only be more difficult for him to reconcile "Kyle" and "Kylie". He had to focus on his current life and the future from that, and not let his past life interfere. The main thing was: to be Kay''s support and guide. To help, not dictate. To show, not decide.


    In short, to let go.


    Kyle groaned.


    It will be hard. He has to look at her properly and see the woman she is becoming. One thing he won''t change or even try to stop is how he feels whenever Kay is involved. That surge of anger to punch someone who hurt her. That feeling of protectiveness to ensure that she is kept safe. The intense happiness whenever he sees her smile. He can''t help that part and he knew that was ''Kyle'' and twin bond. It was ''Kylie'' that needed to be suppressed.


    "Okay, Kay. We will work together to be together," Kyle said.


    Kay listened to his voice which seemed to become more mesmerizing somehow and she was feeling so relaxed with his voice and hands massaging her head. She heard him say in her ear as she fell asleep, "May the pain and disgust of Jason''s act be a memory."


    Kay mumbled something and went into deep sleep.


    As Kyle watched Kay''s eyelids grow heavier until it slowly closed and she fell into a deep sleep, he whispered as he kissed her forehead, ''I''m sorry, Kay. Just this once to help you bear with the pain.'' He would be lying if he said he did it just for her. It was for him, as well. He died a little bit each time she cried in her sleep, each time he saw her tremble when the memories came, each time she clung to him.


    He hugged her tight, his eyelashes wet with unshed tears. If she hated him for the hypnosis, then so be it. He wouldn''t tell her about it anyway but he would be prepared if she found out.


    He didn''t erase her memories, but simply gave her an additional layer of protection. Each time she thought about the day, the pain she may feel would be muted or less. It''s like when a person hits you lightly, you would feel the pain but you can bear it. That''s what Kyle had done. He didn''t stop the punch but he made the force of the punch, less.


    That night, Kay didn''t have nightmares.

 Chapter 68 - Return

    The next day, when the other Elite Five came to visit, Sam told them that Jason''s disappearance had finally been discovered.


    All this time, his absence was covered up by his roommate, who was under the impression that Jason was out partying. Well, that was what ''Jason'' had told him on the first night he didn''t come back. Kyle, disguising his voice to sound like Jason, had called up the roomate and begged him to cover up for him for a few days as he wanted to hang out with some friends he made.


    The roommate agreed against his better judgment and in honour of the ''bro-code''. He lied to the class teacher and said that Jason was unwell and recuperated in the room. However, on the third day, when the roommate was out, Matron had gone in to check up on Jason as she was worried about his health. When there was no response, she had Jason''s homeroom teacher check out the room.


    All hell broke loose. The Principal was livid. A missing persons report was made to the police immediately as this involved an exchange student. The school had a responsibility to ensure that all their students were safe and sound. The school also conducted their own investigation, in addition to the police themselves.


    The roommate was in deep trouble for the cover up and he cursed Jason deep in his heart. ''Jason'' said that he would be back soon but three days? He was actually thinking of confessing but the longer it took, the harder it was. He kept hoping Jason would show up.


    On the fourth day, a huge commotion erupted.


    A jewelry store was broken into. The alarm blasted and the police went to the scene quickly. When the police arrived, shots were fired at them from inside the store through the window. A gunfight began. When things settled down, the police rushed into the store only to find it empty - save for one person that was on the ground, bleeding from a shot in the shoulder.


    He was groaning in pain, seemingly delirious as his eyes were glazed over and he was mumbling non-stop but no one could understand what he was saying. The ambulance came and took him away. The surgery took a couple of hours, as the bullet was lodged deep and it had to be conducted without general anesthesia. There were unknown drugs in his system and they couldn''t wait to get it tested before removing the bullet.


    When the doctor came out, he was shaking his head. Turns out that the criminal was a victim of the new drug in the street, Drug X. It was highly addictive and if taken in excess, can cause brain damage. The criminal now had the mind of a 4-year-old and would not be of any help. The police took his fingerprints to try and find out his identity. When his fingerprints went through the system, it was found to be a match to several heists that had been done in the past four days.


    Worse, it also matched a missing person''s report.


    Kay watched the news about Jason without any emotions. The news was full of it. How an exchange student sneaked out and caused trouble. The more the reporters dug, the more ''dirt'' they found. He had started hanging out with the wrong crowd and eventually became addicted to Drug X. Started stealing to fund his habit. Now, a wreck. His parents came flying in, crying and hysterical but they couldn''t blame anyone.


    Initially, they wanted to sue the school because it failed to protect their child. Then, it was found that Jason was the one who duped the system, slipping out and using various ways to avoid the school. He had hid his habit quite well until the last few days when his money started to run out. His parents remembered how ''Jason'' had called them asking for more money and they refused, saying that he had more than enough. Now they realised why he had no more money.


    In the end, they flew back with a damaged child. He was harmless but useless.


    "He won''t be hurting anyone in the future," Kyle replied as he switched off the television.


    Kay bit her lips. As much as she hated Jason, she couldn''t help but think that it was her inept attempt at getting to know him that gave him the wrong idea. Was it her fault that he tried that?


    Kyle seemed to know what was on her mind when he brought her closer to him, kissing her on the top of her head, saying, "Get that stupid thought out of your head, Kay. He tried to **** you. There is NO excuse for that. No is no. He went beyond that. He already had that thought of controlling you and owning you in such a way. If not you, it would have been someone else."


    Kyle shrugged, "I just saved the world from a monster and his parents got back their innocent little boy." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle snorted. Jason still got it easy in his books. After all, he only suffered for four days and is now in dreamland, never to be hurt again. If he could have left Jason there forever, he would have but it would have left a huge blemish on the school and his parents would never know what happened to their child. He couldn''t have that.


    After the week was up, Kay was ready to get back to school. Kay was grateful that she had Kyle to depend on and the bond they shared. She knew that most people would take months, if not years, to get over the trauma. It wasn''t that she had forgotten it, but she found that she could now face it without shivering. She also didn''t have nightmares because of her being able to accept it.


    Kay also requested Kyle to teach her self defence and he refused. She was angry at first, until Kyle explained that his martial arts were not suited for her small frame. He suggested Wing Chun, which was martial arts that had been developed by a woman and it did utilise pressure points. Thus, the art focused on utilising the woman''s physique to overpower a stronger opponent. Softness and performance in a relaxed manner are the fundamentals of Wing Chun.


    It''s not to say that a man cannot learn Wing Chun, but the benefits of a woman learning it are better. For example, a woman''s dainty hand and fingers would be better equipped to deal blows towards an opponent who was stronger and bigger than them as compared to the bigger hands and fingers of a man towards another man. A man has more bulk and muscle, as compared to a woman who can execute the moves better. Quick hand movements and strong legs were its strengths as well, which was way better art for a woman than most other martial arts.


    After listening to Kyle''s explanation, she agreed. Finding an instructor though, would take time.


    On the first day back, Kyle and Kay were swamped with calls of concern and (as according to Kyle, ''tweets'' aka girls talking in high squeaky voices). Having to put on a plastic smile and talk to the birds were rather taxing so when an announcement was made over the PA system for Kyle to go to the Principal''s Office, he practically ran there.


    Once inside, however, it was as if Principal Godric and Kyle were having a staring contest. Kyle went in after being called then sat down. Since then, the principal just kept looking at him then at the paper in his hands. Then back at him and pursed his lips. Then back at the paper. He opened his mouth once or twice then stopped, looking back at the paper.


    Kyle found this funny.


    He could have just asked the Principal what was going on but decided it was funnier to just sit there and wait. Whatever it was that the Principal wanted to say must be difficult for he seemed to keep changing his mind.


    Finally, after about 6 minutes of this, the Principal put down the paper and sighed. He rubbed his forehead and started tapping his chin.


    "I can do it, Sir," Kyle said.


    The Principal''s eyes shot wide open and he stared at Kyle, "You can? Really?"


    He was about to get up and shake Kyle''s hand when he suddenly stopped, "Wait. You can do what?" he asked, staring at Kyle.


    Kyle smiled, "Whatever it is you want to ask me but somehow can''t seem to?"


    "Then how do you know you can do it?"


    "Because you trusted my data enough to think that I can, but my young appearance made you hesitate," Kyle explained, hitting the nail on the head.


    Principal Godric''s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air and Kyle''s smile became a grin. Godric leaned back in his chair with a sigh and picked up the paper with Kyle''s data again then up at Kyle''s fresh young face. His new plan involved the young man in front of him quite extensively, so he was hesitant. Data is one thing but capabilities? When push comes to shove, could he really do it?


    He looked at Kyle''s confident and steady gaze. He drummed the table with his fingers, thinking hard. He then hit his hand hard on the table and stood up, saying while extending his hand towards Kyle, "By Golly! I''ll do it! We''ll do it! Welcome aboard, son!!"


    Kyle stood up as well and shook his hand firmly then smiled again as he asked, "What am I getting on, Sir?"


    Principal Godric rubbed his hands with glee and showed Kyle a file. Opening it, Kyle flipped through the pages and raised his eyebrows at him.


    "This is ambitious indeed," Kyle commented, as he lay down the file on the table, "I''m in."

 Chapter 69 - Sage Class

    Principal Godric watched in amazement as Kyle put down the thick file on the table.


    "Eh? Did you finish reading it already? Didn''t you just flip the pages around?"


    Kyle shrugged. "I have photographic memory," he explained, not caring to keep it a secret from the Principal. After all, he wanted the Principal to trust and rely on him so sharing something unknown would start the foundation.


    "That''s ... not in the records," the principal mumbled.


    "Of course not," Kyle said, "I never told anyone before."


    "Then why me?"


    "If we''re to make this work, we need to work together. I can''t have you doubting my abilities and this is the quickest way to get the foundation done."


    "Just having a photogenic memory isn''t enough," the principal stated.


    "Yes, but it''s a good start," Kyle pointed out, "Besides, I have you to guide me."


    Principal Godric grinned. He liked this kid. He was good and he knew his abilities but he wasn''t arrogant about it. Godric slammed the table again.


    "Good! Let us begin!"


    **--**--


    A couple of weeks later, the Principal made a surprising announcement during morning assembly. It had been two months since they had all taken the tests, so people were wondering what was happening. None of the teachers knew and they were all curious as to what was the future plans the new principal was making.


    "I am sure everyone is dying of curiosity to know what your results are, correct?" was the first thing that Principal Godric asked when he reached the podium. The hall erupted with a resounding "yes!"


    "Things are still in the initial stages, but after going through all your results, we have finally managed to group every student in every year as according to your capabilities. We shall group you into these 6 types: visual learners, verbal ie linguistic learners, kinesthetic learners, logical learners, interpersonal and intrapersonal learners."


    Everyone looked confused and the Principal laughed, "Don''t worry about these labels or how we''re dividing everyone. Just know that we are narrowing it down to 6 types. There are actually 9 types but we''ll not go into that."


    "These 6 categories are the ones of the highest type. Of course, the logistics can be difficult as we can have 40 logical learners but only 3 verbal learners. That is MY problem to solve of course. What YOUR focus is on, is that the teaching style will be specially tailored to the type of learner you are."


    "There will be 6 classes for each year. Each class catered for the learner types - which can also be a mixed one. The names of these six classes are the top 6 votes: Rose, Snowdrop,? Tulips, Orchids, Daffodils, and Lotus."


    "However, there has been one slight change to my original plan. All of this is due to the fact that unexpectedly, the scores obtained was beyond anyone''s imagination. Their results showed that they shouldn''t be confined to the syllabus of the year that they are in. They must be given wings to soar! So, we shall have ONE accelerated class. The best of the best."


    "Sage Class."


    Godric took out the herb and waved it about.


    "Since Sage Class is an accelerated class, it cannot be named after a flower like the normal classes. It has to be different. So, I chose a herb. A herb that has medicinal properties - like the class that will be the healing balm to the education system here."


    "Sage. Sage means wisdom and immortality. I found the name to be the most fitting name for the most unique class. Don''t you agree?"


    Everyone nodded.


    "You might be wondering now. I said I was abolishing streaming. So what about this Sage class, right? Wouldn''t anyone in the class be the elite? Why should they have such a superior status while the others are just normal? What''s so special about them? Why should that class be on top of the food chain. How can that be fair? Right? "


    Godric could see people nodding in agreement.


    "Well, get over it."


    People gasped. Huh? What?


    "Let me ask you first. Is it fair that someone who can do advanced mathematical equations have to be in a class that is studying basic arithmetic?"


    "Is it fair that someone who can create complex AI programmes be forced to sit in a computer lab to learn basic coding?"


    "Is it fair that someone who can draw lifelike portraits or landscapes sit in an art class that teaches the basics of shading and colour?"


    "Quite frankly, THAT isn''t fair."


    "THAT is what Sage Class will be for."


    "Like I had said, there will only be ONE Sage Class. Did that not tell you that the entry requirements are not simple? It will only have exceptional individuals who would only be dragged down in normal classes. So long as there is ONE person who qualifies, the Sage Class will exist. If there isn''t, then it will die. There is no maximum limit"


    "Anyone can be in this class so long as they pass the special exam. This exam can be taken at any time, so long as you want to. All of you have already taken the test, but if you feel like you want to do it again, then, by all means, do. So long as you have the capabilities to, you can do it."


    Everyone gasped at this. It sounded ... so illustrious and so hard at the same time!


    He paused to let that sink in, "If you can''t cut it, don''t do it. Simple as that. The world out there is cruel. It''s competitive. It''s a reality. School keeps you safe. It is intended to nurture you and build you up before letting you out. However, there are some of you who have the potential to soar faster, to face the pressure sooner. Should I hold you back then?"


    "My main goal is to cater to YOUR abilities, and to further strengthen YOUR capabilities. If you are already above the norm, why should you have to conform to the norm?"


    "Not getting in Sage Class doesn''t mean you''re dumb but getting in Sage Class does mean you''re abnormal. A genius even. If you can''t cut it in after getting in and want to join the normal classes, you can. Leaving Sage Class doesn''t mean you''re a failure, but that you recognise your limits and want more guidance."


    "Sage Class will not be conducted like a normal class and it can comprise of people from various years. It will be a class that has only one teacher - me - but I am only the one who will show you the way. The ones who are actually doing the teaching is yourself."


    People were puzzled at that and the Principal didn''t elaborate further, ending it by saying, "Just know this. Whoever is in Sage Class are all exceptional individuals that the school recognises. Anyone in the normal class will have a chance to enter it - IF you want to. Some may not, and that is okay."


    "What you need to know is this. Essentially, the school is about learning. It is about YOU improving yourself. To be the best that you can be. That is the mindset you should have and Sage Class is the goal you want to achieve. Focus on yourself and focus on always making yourself better."


    Everyone was quiet upon hearing this.


    "Now," Principal Godric began, as he straightened up his tie and smoothen down his suit, "The new division of normal classes will begin next year so as to make the transition easier. The Sage Class, however, will start from today. Out of the entire school, only 10 qualified and I have their names right here. These are the students who made it through the special questions in the final segment of your test." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone sat up straight upon hearing this. Who were the 10 people?


    "Note that you are the pioneer batch and you will be on trial for the remainder of this year. At the end of the year, you will be given a choice as to whether you want to continue or not. Every student of Sage Class will have this probationary trial period. When I call your names, please come up the stage. These are in alphabetical order, and not based on their results so please don''t start speculating," Principal Godric stressed.


    Everyone nodded and waited.


    Beatrice Chan


    Kay Smith


    Kyle Smith


    Ingrid Mikealson


    Muhammad Ali Bakhtiar


    Natasha Kinsky


    Samuel Johnson


    Stanley Cole


    Terence Hill


    Tan Xing Han


    As each name was called out, gasps were heard and some even had tears in their eyes. They couldn''t believe that they were called. Everyone couldn''t help but notice that all members of the Elite Five were up there and they remembered their low scores - especially Kyle and Xing Han''s. It looked like they had been playing around then.


    "One final announcement"


    There was more??


    "There will no longer be students electing the Student Council Members. The Student Council President and Vice President will be the two top students of Sage Class. The rest will be decided and chosen by them. The current Student Council will run as normal but will have the future President and Vice President in it as well. They will use this time to study the current student council and learn from it. The new team will begin next year."


    "Future Vice President, Beatrice Chan and Future President, Kyle Smith. From now, you need to focus on and prioritize Student Council matters. You decide what club activities need to be dropped."


    Beatrice and Kyle nodded, and they looked at each other. Kyle gave her a three finger salute, and she gave him a perfunctory smile.

 Chapter 70 - Beatrice

    After school, Kyle started packing up to go to the Student Council Room when a small commotion started at the door. He looked up, to see that it was Beatrice just standing there looking at him. One of his classmates was in front of her, waving her hand in front of her face, but Beatrice ignored her completely.


    Kyle knew that Beatrice was a rather quiet person. Though ''quiet'' was a very mild way to describe her. According to her past school records, Beatrice was kinda like a ''shut-in'', but outside. She kept to herself, hardly talked to people and did not mix. Kyle suspected that Beatrice''s mind worked in different way and she just didn''t mix because she could not get along with others - and vice versa. The fact that she was here, to meet him, was an indication that she was opening up to him.


    Principal Godric had been worried about putting Beatrice in the Student Council due to her social ineptness but Kyle felt it would be a great opportunity for her. Being an eccentric genius was good and all but you still needed to be able to mix with human beings. She''s in her third year now, so it mean that she would have another 2 years here before ''going out'' into the world more. Kyle was confident that he could help her in these two years.


    Why was he bothering so much, you may ask?


    Guess that''s the Kylie kicking in. When he had gone through her records before, he was already intrigued by this #1 student in the school. He had felt that it was a huge pity that such a smart girl was so hidden in the school. Normally, the #1 student would be popular and even in the Student Council but nope. She was like a ghost in the wind. If she didn''t step up, her potential may get drowned by society.


    It would be such a waste! Her mother must be so frantic!


    Yeah, that was Kylie side kicking in. So now, with Principal Godric''s revamp, it gave Kyle a chance to meet Beatrice and hopefully, help her at the same time. The fact that Beatrice was there, waiting for him, meant he made the right guess.


    "Beatrice! Hold up," Kyle shouted cheerfully, and the girls in front of Beatrice had to be nice. Initially, they were getting annoyed at this stoic person in front of their class as they knew she would be standing side-by-side with Kyle from now on. So they had wanted to get to know her, and perhaps get more chances to hang out with Kyle.


    Who knew that this robot girl would not only ignore them, she kept staring at Kyle! Her eyes unblinking and to their mind, staking her claim on him or something. It made them extremely annoyed and they were just about to pounce on her (figuratively speaking, of course) when Kyle''s voice shot out.


    Their angry expressions immediately became soft and gentle as they smiled and turned to look at Kyle. Beatrice''s eye twitched. Her gaze did not break from Kyle who was quickly flinging his bag over his shoulder and giving everyone that Colgate-dazzling smile. This. This was the boy that was the top scorer? That actually got higher than her in the test?


    Beatrice couldn''t believe it. How can someone that looks like THAT beat her? She scrutinized him from head to toe, from his perfect hair to his flawless skin, his impeccable posture, firm and muscular body frame, those dazzling even and white teeth ... that boy looked more like a modal than a genius student!


    Did she miss something?


    A guy who could be a top student should look more like ... like Spencer Reid* or Samuel Johnson. Although Beatrice preferred the ''nerd'' look, it did not mean that she was blind to the fact that Kyle Smith was an extremely good looking guy. He just wasn''t to her taste. From the looks of it, he was a player as well. She may have not liked what the former Principal Dobbins had said about Kyle and Xing Han, but she did agree initially in the first speech.


    Beatrice didn''t quite like the tone that had been used, but the words made sense. Could such a person actually be the top student? He''s so popular. He''s so good looking. One only needed to look at how the girls were acting in this class alone. It further proved the fact that they would be willing to do anything to get in his good graces - so actually, doing his work for him wasn''t a far fetched idea.


    The result of the special test, however, certainly disproved it. Kyle is smart. Super smart.


    Beatrice just found it hard to believe.


    One cannot really blame Beatrice for her prejudice. Kyle had been right about one thing: Beatrice has high IQ. However, unlike Kyle who had his past life to guide him, Beatrice didn''t. She was born in a normal low-income family of average intelligence. She was an only child and her parents didn''t have any yardstick to judge her on. She showed her high intelligence from a very young age and understood many things on her own.


    They were proud of her, and praised her endlessly. This, of course, would cause jealousy among other people each time Beatrice''s mother bragged about Beatrice. Beatrice''s mother is a simple woman. She was really proud of her daugther that was so much smarter than her and she just wanted to tell the whole world. She would tell anyone who was willing (or not) to listen.


    However, she did not realise that whenever she did so, people were jealous. They couldn''t quite stand it whenever they had to listen to all those achievements and worse, they couldn''t show off their own kids in the same field. No one could beat Beatrice. So what could they do? Brag about their kids in other ways, of course.


    Beatrice was a plain girl. With her coarse hair tied in braids and thick rimmed glasses, wearing hand-me-down clothes, she was not a match to all the other ''princess'' girls in the neighbourhood. So, whenever the mother bragged about her, the ones listening would then say things such as "Oh, at least she is clever!" and "Well, you know, since she''s so plain looking, she has to be good at something."


    No matter how smart you are, when you are fed with such lines since young, you start believing it. You get brainwashed. So Beatrice grew up believing that her plain looks were ''in exchange'' for her IQ. She never really took care of herself either, thinking that it was of no use since beauty was only skin deep. What is the point of putting on make-up or things like that if you don''t know the value of Pi? Or how the release of carbon monoxide is slowly thinning the ozone layer and causing a spike in skin cancer?


    So, Beatrice firmly believed that no one could be really good looking AND smart. When she had first heard about Kyle''s achievements in Retsu Primary School, she didn''t know about his good looks. She was only interested in the results. So when she saw Kyle being pointed out during the first day at Sakura Academy, she was shocked.


    When his dismal results were released, she was relieved. It turns out that Principal Dobbins was correct.


    Her perceptions however, were firmly smashed on the day the Principal called her up the week before. Even now, she''s still reeling over the revelation and she is having trouble accepting everything that she had believed in for the past 15 years.


    **A week earlier**


    ''Ding-ding-dong-do''


    ''Will Beatrice Chan from Class 3A please come to the Principal''s Office''


    ''Ding-ding-dong-do''


    The moment the announcement was made, everyone turned to look at Beatrice. Beatrice''s eye twitched. She knew she didn''t do anything wrong, but the way everyone turned and looked at her made her feel as if she did. Worse, she could tell from the curious look in their eyes that they, too, thought she had done something.


    The teacher looked at Beatrice who stood up and waved her off before she continued teaching. Beatrice walked steadily, wondering what was up. She was quickly ushered into the Principal''s office and sat down primly.


    Principal Godric had a thick file on his table and he was holding another small folder in his hands. He laid it down and looked at her with a smile.


    "Congratulations, Beatrice," he began, "You are one of our top scorers for the special test we had."


    Naturally, thought Beatrice. This was not a surprise.


    "In fact, I have decided to make the two top scorers the next President and Vice President of the Student Council. Do you agree to be in the Student Council?"


    Beatrice sat up straight, shaking her head, "I''m sorry, Principal. I am afraid I have to decline."


    "Why is that?" he asked with a smile. In truth, he knew she wouldn''t be willing but he had to hear it from her. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am not suited to be in the Student Council," she said.


    "According to your results, you are more than qualified," Principal Godric pointed out.


    "It''s not a matter of qualifications, Sir," Beatrice explained, wondering why Principal Godric would not know something so basic, "One must also have the charisma and the student pull to lead the Student Council."


    "Of course, I agree," he said, nodding.


    "Sir, I only like to study and do work. I don''t even mind administrative work. I am meticulous and detailed, and would be able to organise things properly," Beatrice stated and the grin on Principal Godric''s face widened. Beatrice''s eye twitched at that.


    Something felt out of place but she carried on, "But I do not have the charisma and ability to rally people to do something. I know myself and I know how people view me."


    "I see," Principal Godric said slowly, then looked at her straight in the eye again as he continued, "According to what you said, you''re more than suited to be in the Student Council."


    Beatrice''s eyes bulged. Was this man not listening to her? Did he just gloss over all that she said?


    "Sir, with all due respect, I am hardly the person to be the President," she said, "Vice President, maybe but definitely not the President."


    "Perfect," he said, getting up and extended his hand for a handshake, "Welcome aboard, Vice President Beatrice."


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 71 - Student Council

    "Huh?"


    Beatrice looked at the outstretched hand in front of her and the words ringing in her ears. Vice President? Many things went through her mind now in a flash. All the things she said were her basically listing out the skills needed to be a good Vice President and she had, in the end, agreed to be the Vice President.


    But could the top scorer be downgraded to be the Vice President? The Principal didn''t look like one who would change it simply because she refused the President''s post, would he?


    Wait.


    Principal Godric never said it was the President''s post. He just said she was one of the top scorers and he kept on saying ''Student Council''. She had automatically assumed she was the top scorer and the position offered was the President seat. In her long speech and argument to refuse the position of the President, she laid herself as the perfect candidate for the Vice President.


    Principal Godric waved his outstretched hand and she took it reluctantly. She was not one to back down out of a promise, once made. Now she was shocked. If she is the Vice President, who is the President?


    Principal Godric couldn''t believe how smoothly that went. This tactic had been suggested by Kyle and it worked far better than he ever thought it would be. Beatrice was a recluse and she would never have agreed to be in the student council and Godric wasn''t the type to force the issue. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle, however, suggested that he make the offer vague and then let Beatrice carry on talking. In fact, he said that she, herself, would offer to be the Vice President and when she did, Godric was to accept. Godric was hesitant and thought the plan was very far fetched but Kyle just smiled and asked him to just try it out. Godric knew that Kyle was right about the likelihood of Beatrice rejecting the offer was high, but he didn''t think the plan was feasible.


    Still, he did it in the end. After all, there was no loss for doing it and Beatrice''s involvement in the Student Council would be important for its future. If the tactic didn''t work, then so be it. They''ll figure out another candidate.


    "Sir, if I may ask," she said as they both sat down, "Who is the President?"


    Principal Godric gave her a paper and she looked at it. There was no name on the paper, but the results of the test were laid out there. Her eyes bulged wide open. There was someone who scored a perfect on it? How was that possible? Her hands started to tremble a bit and she lifted her head to ask when Principal Godric answered.


    "Kyle Smith"


    Her mouth hung open wide. Her brain shut down for a second.


    Wait. No. It couldn''t be. He didn''t say ... he couldn''t have said ...


    "Yes, it is Kyle Smith. The same first-year student who was at the bottom of the list in the mid-term examinations."


    How could someone who was at the bottom now be the top??


    "Actually, Kyle bombed the mid-terms on purpose. Apparently, he didn''t like Principal Dobbins."


    What? No way.


    "Yes, way," Godric said seriously..


    Beatrice was just sitting there, staring at Principal Godric.


    It was as if Principal Godric could read her mind.


    Principal Godric laughed, and said, "No, I can''t read your mind. You''re actually saying it out loud."


    Beatrice closed her mouth quickly. She was in such a state of shock that she never realised she was stating what was on her mind.


    "I don''t blame you for not believing it," Principal Godric replied, "I saw Kyle earlier. When he told me the reason, I was shocked beyond belief." Godric was actually flabbergasted when Kyle told him that and he was truly glad that Kyle liked him enough to do the test properly. Otherwise, he would have lost out on a gem.


    "He ... he bombed it on purpose?" Beatrice couldn''t imagine doing such a thing just for fun. Exams were her whole life and she took it very seriously. Yet, he bombed it just because he didn''t like the Principal? What sort of nonsensical excuse was that? How could he play around with his future like that? Or was he so confident about his skills that this mid-term test was nothing in the overall picture? If that was the case, wouldn''t that meant that he truly calculated everything?


    She was utterly confused. It was hard to reconcile her belief about smarts and looks. Now, not only was there a good looking person who is smart, he was so smart that he could even afford to play around with his exam results? She didn''t know what to think. All she knew was that she had to keep a very close eye on Kyle.


    And that''s why she''s now at the door of Kyle''s classroom, waiting for him. He just bounced over to her like it was a natural thing to do: her, waiting for him. Her eye twitched slightly at that.


    "Hey, it''s nice of you to come over," Kyle said with a smile as he walked side-by-side with the silent Beatrice, "Isn''t this exciting? Student Council. Man, what a ride it''s going to be."


    "You think it''s going to be easy?" Beatrice asked, her eye twitching again. She hated that quirk of hers. When she sees something she doesn''t like or disapprove of, her right eye would twitch. Perhaps that developed when she learned to control her facial expressions to show indifference.


    She learned quickly that any displeasure on her face only resulted in more insults or comments. She found that too taxing to deal with. The more she restrained herself, the more the eye twitched. Unknown to her, Kyle found that extremely cute and funny. His lips curled into a half smile while he thought of ways to make that eye twitched more.


    One thing he noticed was that she was an extremely serious person. They were like ying and yang. Fire and ice? Nah, perhaps the last one wasn''t such a good analogy since he''d like them to be at odd with each other despite their differences. He''ll be the chirpy carefree guy while she will be his intense, serious side-kick.


    Of course, there were things to do first before they officially took over the Student Council.


    When they reached the Student Council room, they entered without knocking. Kyle didn''t think it was necessary since they were part of the Council after all. However, as soon as he stepped in, a loud shout of "HEY!" resounded and something flew at him.


    Instinctively, Kyle caught it in his hand and found it to be a book. A thick book at that.


    He glared at the guy who threw it, who glared at him back (though there was a bit of a shock in his eyes). Without another word, Kyle quickly threw it back at him, with force, and the guy hurriedly caught it. As the book fell into his hands, his face scrunching a bit and he dropped the book quickly, his palms red.


    "You could have hurt someone!" the guy blasted, rubbing his hands.


    "Oh? Really?" Kyle said, looking at him as if he was an idiot, "I was just returning what you threw at me in the first place. At least you had warning."


    The guy was going to say something more when another person put up his hand and said, "Enough, Claude."


    Claude sat down, grumbling.


    "Sorry about that," the other guy said as he looked at them, "Claude gets jumpy when people walk in without knocking."


    Kyle''s eyebrow went up and Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    "So that gives him a right to seriously injure someone?" Kyle muttered out loud as he sat down. The others just stared at him as he did so, "No wonder the Student Council isn''t what it used to be."


    "Now look here, you -" Claude started again but Hank put up his hand again.


    "So you think you''re all that just because you got First in the test?" Hank said with a sneer.


    Kyle leaned back on the chair and looked at Hank with a smile, "No, I don''t think that."


    Hank and Claude snickered until Kyle said, "I know that."


    "Your arrogance is astounding," Hank said, shaking his head, "You''re supposed to be here to learn from us but what''s this? Instead of respecting us, you''re being so rude."


    "Respect is earned, not demanded," Kyle pointed out, "And the moment that book came flying at me, so did any respect I may have had for any of you."


    "You entered without knocking! That''s an obvious sign of disrespect!!" Claude shouted.


    "Do YOU knock when you come in?" Kyle asked in return.


    "Of course not! I''m the Vice President!"


    "And I''m the future President and a member of the Student Council. And even if I wasn''t," Kyle continued, "What right do YOU have to throw something like that to someone walking through? Are you a thug?"


    "I don''t think I like your attitude," Hank said, "No matter what, I am still the President right now, not you. Without us to guide you, you''ll be lost. You need us but we don''t need you. Without us, you''re nothing and when you take over next year, everyone will see that you''re nothing."


    Kyle threw his head back and laughed, then suddenly stopped as he looked at them. He sat up straight, his playful demeanor suddenly gone and a coldness entered his eyes as he stared at the both of them. Claude and Hank suddenly felt their hearts hammering in their chest, their indignance and anger at having this fresh-nose snot kid taking over their duties fly out the window.


    Why did they feel like their souls were slowly flying away ...?

 Chapter 72 - Clearing The Air

    Kyle just sat there, looking at them both and didn''t say a word for a full minute. Then he gave a slight smirk, the right lip was slightly curled upwards a bit and revealed his dimple. Somehow, that image in front of them didn''t quite fit. A cute dimple on a handsome face with eyes was oozing with coldness.


    "I? Need you?" Kyle asked, raising his head a bit to look at them, "Without you, I would know nothing?"


    Kyle raised one finger, then shook it left and right, "On the contrary my dear Mr. President. The same President who had the Student Coucil collect donations to give to a dummy organisation created by his own cousin."


    Hank''s face went pale.


    "Or how about the contract for the Fair last year was awarded to your family, Claude, even though it was overpriced by 50%? Such shabby sub-standard products, too."


    Now Claude''s face went pale.


    "And let''s not forget the .."


    "ALRIGHT!" Hank said quickly, putting up his hands in front of him, "What do you want?"


    Kyle blinked rapidly at him and said innocently, "Me? What do I want? Simple. I want nothing more than to get the police here to haul all your sorry ass to jail where you can rot and be the lovely toys of the lonely men in there."


    "But ..." Kyle sighed dramatically. "Principal Godric doesn''t agree. Being the stupidly soft-hearted person that he is, he actually believes it was all due to the bad influence of Ms. Dobbins and you were just misled and gullible."


    "So, to compromise, here I am," Kyle said with his arms wide open, "Oh, and Beatrice too, of course."


    "Did you really think I''m here for YOU to guide me?" Kyle smiled, "With what you had done, and what I had scored on the special test, it was more than enough to have me replace you immediately. Ah, but that was not to be."


    Kyle sighed again, more dramatically than before, "All of that lovely speech the Principal gave about you guiding me and all that was pure bullsh*t. That was simply a cover story to everyone, to save face. Your face, that is. Actually, we are here as your official replacements while both of you, " Kyle said pointing to Claude and Hank, "are to be our lackeys."


    "Us? Lackeys to you?!" shouted Claude, banging the table. Sure, Kyle is pretty scary and convincing right now, but what could this boy really do? They just needed to lay low for a while.


    "Yes. Lackeys," Kyle replied, hardly perturbed, "Well, okay. I''ll be nice. Assistants."


    "It''s quite simple, really. Assistants or Entertainers," Kyle continued.


    The two guys looked at him in confusion. What? Kyle now wanted them to be idols?


    Beatrice, who had kept quiet all this time and was standing just beside Kyle, rolled her eyes internally. How could those two actually be the Student Council top two members?


    "Entertainers for the thugs in jail," Beatrice said evenly, wondering why she even felt the urge to explain.


    Claude and Hank took a few seconds to process that while Kyle grinned wider. He turned to look at her and frowned, "Why are you still standing? Sit, sit!" he said, while pulling out the chair beside him. Beatrice looked at him and without another word, sat down with her back straight.


    Kyle nonchantly placed his arm on the back of Beatrice''s chair while leaning back.


    "See, this is MY right-hand man ... er, woman. Er, no. Person." Kyle said then turned to Beatrice, "Sorry about that, but you know what I mean."


    He turned back to face Hank and Claude, "Anyway, as I was saying, THIS is my trusted right-hand person. We are like Ceaser and Cleopatra! Oh, minus the relationship part ... like Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand! Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt! Michelle and Barack Obama! Bonnie and Clyde!"


    "Bonnie and Clyde were criminals, Kyle," Beatrice argued. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh yeah. Right. But they were still so cool, don''t ya think?" Kyle asked with a wink. Beatrice''s eye twitched and Kyle grinned.


    "Get to the point, will you," Claude said through gritted teeth.


    "Ah, patience is a virtue, didn''t ya know?" Kyle countered, not really bothered and grinned at them. "Wasn''t it clear enough?"


    Kyle turned to Beatrice, "I was quite clear, wasn''t I?"


    "Crystal," agreed Beatrice.


    "See?" Kyle replied, looking back at them, with one of his eyebrow raised.


    Kyle was feeling quite happy right now. Beatrice was truly a great fit with him and she got into the groove quite quickly. Beatrice had not known about them taking over the Student Council and what Kyle was going to do and yet, she supported him silently. Even better, she could even carry on the conversation as if they were a team long formed. His instinct about her had been correct.


    "Fine, fine, I''ll explain since the both of you seem to have trouble comprehending such a simple and basic concept," Kyle said as Hank and Claude appeared to still be confused, "Beatrice and I will be the ones running the Student Council but to everyone else, it would be you guys. You will do what we tell you and help when we need you. Otherwise, I just need to call the police and have both of you arrested."


    "Understand this," Kyle said in serious mode now, sitting up properly and taking his hand off the back of Beatrice''s chair.


    "I know you got away with a lot of things because you had Dobbins backing you. She is gone now. Fini. Kaput. You have NOTHING but the grace of the Principal Godric keeping me at bay. He has decided to give you one last chance to redeem yourself. Prove your worth in the last few months and your records will be clean. You can enter college with a nice, sparkling certificate of wonderful achievements as members of the Student Council."


    "Or..."


    "You can have your future as the best toys of men be fulfilled."


    "As for me?" Kyle snorted, "I find Principal Godric to be really, really naive."


    "But, what can I do? He''s the Principal." Kyle said with resignation, putting two hands up in the air as if in surrender.


    A slow smile then started forming on Kyle''s face as he leaned back on the chair and tilted it on two legs as he said, "I just hope you prove him wrong. I would REALLY, REALLY love it to have you prove him wrong."


    Hank and Claude gulped. For some reason, that seemingly innocent 13-year-old didn''t look so innocent anymore. He looked like the Devil himself sitting on his throne and looking down at his lowly subjects. They had absolutely no doubt that Kyle would do what he threatened and was waiting for them to mess up.


    As for Beatrice, well ... she was just in total shock. From the moment they walked in through that door until now, all she could do simply go with the flow as Kyle dominated the entire room and situation. She responded when he asked and she actually agreed with his actions. She was appalled to find out what the two had been up to and she felt that jail was the best place for them.


    Right now, to Hank and Claude, they looked at the two with wide eyes and an aggrieved heart. More so for Claude, who was of a more fiery temperament. He could not stand the fact that these juniors had his future in their hands. He clenched his teeth and though outwardly, he showed as if he was accepting the change, he was not happy about it.


    Hank was much more rationale and he realised that this was a golden opportunity for him to repent. He didn''t like the fact that Kyle had threatened him but he was also aware that he was still safe. The moment he found out that Dobbins had been arrested, he had been living on tenterhooks. Will they find out what he had done? Would they come for him next?


    "How do we know that our slate will be wiped clean after this?" Hank asked.


    "You don''t," Kyle replied straightforwardly, "You only have our word for it that we won''t pursue the matter. So long as I am President or Godric is Principal, the matter will never be raised. You can breathe easy after seven years, when the records are destroyed as according to standard ISO procedure."


    "You want us to have this hanging over our heads for seven years?!" Claude asked in disbelief.


    "What?" Kyle asked back, "You want it to be forever? I can do that."


    Hank restrained Claude and shook his head at him, "Be reasonable, Claude. They could have had us out the moment we were found out. We don''t have any bargaining power."


    Kyle smiled, "See? That''s why Hank''s the President. He has a good head on his shoulders. Normally."


    Hank couldn''t rebut that. Kyle was right. In reality, the money he had siphoned from the fund had just been that one time but it was still a criminal act. If caught, he would be in jail for several years and the scholarship he secured to University Y would be cancelled. This was his final year and everything hinged on it. He had been foolish, greedy and stupid.


    That one mistake had cost him more than he ever thought at the time. For a mere $3,000 he then became Dobbins slave. She had also used that as blackmail over him to help her do things within the school. He had been party to some of the students being framed and eventually expelled. Luckily, he had done all of that in his capacity as a Student Council President, so it couldn''t really be said to be wrong. Even though he lied about their character and kept pushing or supporting the move to have them expelled.


    "But wouldn''t Dobbins reveal all of this to the police or in court? Wouldn''t we still be in trouble?" Hank asked worriedly. After all, Dobbins had always used it against him.


    "What you had done, is not connected at all to what she is being charged for. Even if she starts talking about it or accusing you of those crimes, the police wouldn''t follow up on it. They are more interested in finding out whether what she''s accused of is true. They can''t investigate unless there is a formal report or complaint by the School," Kyle explained.


    "Now that we have cleared the air and that is out of the way, shall we start again?" Kyle said, sitting back up properly.

 Chapter 73 - Student Council Revamp

    Things at the Student Council went by smoothly after that. The other members were the Denise the Treasurer, Francis the Secretary and Liam the Marketing Officer. The latter was a unique aspect of Sakura Academy, whereby the person would be responsible to source for funding and advertise whatever activities that were done. Something akin to a Liason Officer.


    The other three members had been instructed to stay away while Hank and Claude had ''taught'' the new members a lesson. Little did they know that it was the other way around. Kyle had already did his background on the three and they were relatively clean. Although they had been ''pro'' Dobbins, they had not been involved in any of the activities Dobbins had been up to. She didn''t trust anyone easily and preferred those that she could control.


    Although the other members didn''t quite know what had gone down, they did realise something was different. For one thing, Hank appeared much calmer these days - whereas Claude was a bit more ... sulky? He wasn''t as vocal or temperamental as before and would often just either sit sullenly in one corner or not show up. Many felt this to be a good change as they didn''t like his rather volatile fiery moods.


    Throughout the rest of the year, the Student Council went through several changes.


    One of the things that saw a rather immediate change was that the Student Council room was much livelier than before. This was because the other members of the Elite Five would often come round and hang out at the room rather than the library during their free time.


    At first, it had been annoying as they had gotten used to the fact that the Student Council room was their ''exclusive'' domain but as time went by, they welcomed the rather warm atmosphere that was slowly filling up the room. Although it had to be said that Beatrice also found the lively room to be a bit uncomfortable at first.


    Beatrice wasn''t used to such an atmosphere since she was basically a loner and no one else in her class really included her in anything. Here, however, the Elite Five presence not only warmed up the whole place but the way they interacted with each other seemed to pull everyone else in as well. It was not to say that she suddenly developed a warm and outgoing nature, but she was able to sit among them without having her eye twitch.


    Lastly, they also found that their work was suddenly easier. Kay reorganised the files and Sam created a system that allowed Denise the Treasurer to find information and past records easily. Ali''s father had donated some equipment and they now had their own printer and scanner, along with an upgraded computer and several laptops for official use.


    As for Xing Han ... well, he was the clown of the group really. He did, help by having his father''s company pledging to donate money for the next project, and several other companies that had a connection with Xing Han''s father also expressed their interest for future projects. Liam the Marketing Officer was overjoyed at having more contacts and added the names and their pledges into his records.


    Beatrice worked together with Francis the Secretary to find out the past records and activities of the Student Council, often helping out in clarifying the minutes and making a timeline of all the major activities so that it would not be left out.


    Basically, it was only Kyle that appeared to do nothing. He would come in, hang around and order people around but did nothing on his own. Only the Elite Five knew how much work Kyle had done in the background but which he did not want it to be known. He preferred to be low key.


    It was Kyle that asked Sam to create the programme and showed him what was required. Sam would not have been able to come up with such a perfect system if he did not know what data was required and what needed to be achieved. Only one who knew how the Student Council worked would be able to provide the necessary details. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Kyle who had persuaded Ali and Xing Han''s parents about the donation and pledge by giving them a detailed proposal of their future plans and what their contributions would do to benefit not only the Student Council but also their companies. This proposal had also been sent to the other companies that had expressed their interest to help out. Although it was Ali and Xing Han that helped Kyle meet up with the top people in the company, it was Kyle that did all the detailed work to make it a success. No company would be willing to make such a pledge or donation simply because they were asked.


    To Kyle, it didn''t matter that his work was not known to the others. It was enough that those who knew, did know. The Principal and the Elite Five knew and he couldn''t be bothered about the other members of the Student Council. After all, he hardly knew them and they would be replaced by the end of the year anyway. What was important was what was achieved, rather than who actually did most of the work.


    One of the final jobs to be completed before the end of the year was to select the new Student Council members. Liam had already advertised the position and it was up to Kyle and Beatrice to narrow down the choices and call up the shortlisted candidates for an interview.


    Kyle handed three boxes of applications to Beatrice with a smile as he said, "Look Vice-President! It''s for you!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched and she glared at him, "You DO realise that 99% of these applications are most likely girls who want to work next to you, don''t you?"


    "Re-aa-lly?" Kyle gasped, "I didn''t know that!"


    Kay smacked the back of Kyle''s head with a rolled-up magazine as she walked passed him and Xing Han laughed out loud. Ali just smirked while Sam ignored the whole lot of them, as he sat there reading a book by Myke Predko on ''Programming Robot Controllers''. It was a book detailing some advanced software and programming guides for the robot. He was using it as a basis to build up on the current robot he was building.


    Beatrice looked at the big boxes, then at Kyle and frowned again, "I can''t possibly go through all of that alone!"


    "I''ll help," said Sam unexpectedly.


    Beatrice jumped a bit at that for she had not expected him to say anything. Truth be told, she was actually extremely nervous whenever Sam was around although her face never showed it. Sam was smart, good looking and not as loud as the others. She found that he had quite a calming presence, which was a refreshing change to the other Elite Five members. She even found it weird that he was in the group in the first place.


    She also found that it was rather ironic that she would be nervous around his calming presence yet calm around the loud members. She sighed, wondering what was wrong with her that she could feel that way when Sam was so much younger than her. It should be that she is the older and more matured one yet somehow, Sam didn''t appear his age. Her cousin-sister was his age and would be attending Sakura Academy next year yet the difference in temperament was so obvious.


    "Thanks, Samuel" said Beatrice.


    "It''s Sam," he corrected.


    Beatrice shook her head. Sam had told her many times to call him by his nickname but somehow, she couldn''t. Even though they were classmates in Sage Class and she saw him often in the Student Council, she still found it difficult to use his nickname. She needed to be more professional and adult. Samuel was his given name and Samuel is what she''ll call him.


    Sam saw that she would not change her mind and he sighed internally. Maybe by working together, she''ll loosen up and start calling him Sam. Having his full name being called all the time made him think he was some young master or something. It was so stiff and formal! Yet, he couldn''t force someone to change just because he didn''t like it. He could try, but he wouldn''t force it.


    "Just choose the most suitable candidates for Treasurer and Secretary," said Kyle, "We already have a Marketing-slash-Liason Officer."


    "We do?" said Beatrice in surprise, "How come I do not know about this?"


    "Er, well, I am telling you now," Kyle said with a smile, giving her that dazzling Colgate Smile of his.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched and she said, "Don''t give me that. The normal procedure is to short-list it and have the interview."


    "Well, ye-e-es, ordinarily I would agree but this is a special case," Kyle said.


    "Why is it a special case? Is she your girlfriend or something?" Beatrice demanded, frowning.


    "Girlfriend? I don''t have a girlfriend," said Kyle, shaking his hand in front of him, then he looked in the far distance as he sighed dramatically, "I have yet to find that special someone. That someone who would complete me. The one that would fill my lonely soul and warm my heart. Until then, I guess this supreme creature that is me just have to continue looking and suffer by going out with lots and lots of girls until I find THE one."


    "Ah, the tragedy," said Kyle, with a forlorn look on his face, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.


    Xing Han and Ali gagged while Sam snorted. Kay just rolled her eyes and didn''t say a thing, typing away at the computer.


    "Be serious, Kyle," said Beatrice.


    "But you asked about my girlfriend!" Kyle protested then smiled and said quickly as he saw that she was about to lose it, "It''s actually the person who tied with you for the second place."


    "What?!" Beatrice said, astonished, "Who was it? Then why was I chosen as the Vice-President and not her?"


    "First, why not you and secondly, said person is a he."


    "Okay, fine. He. Still doesn''t answer my question. I mean, if we both had the same results, then why me as Vice-President and not him, and vice-versa?"


    "Simple. He may be smart but he''s completely hopeless in what you''re strong at, that is being meticulous and detailed in planning while you are hopeless at what he''s strong at which is talking and making contacts with people. So ta-dah!" Kyle explained.


    Beatrice nodded, understanding and agreeing, "I see. So who is it?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Kyle said with surprise.


    "Me," replied Sam.

 Chapter 74 - The Selection Process

    "YOU?!" Beatrice nearly shouted. Sam simply looked at her without any reaction and she was embarrassed over her outburst. Clearing her throat, she apologized, "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to shout. I was just surprised."


    However, when thinking about it, she shouldn''t have been so surprised. After all, Sam had skipped a grade in primary school and was actually a year younger than Kyle. Added to that, she always saw him reading advance books on programming and robotics, which meant that his intelligence was far higher than most people. He also fits into her pre-conceived mentality of what a smart person should look like.


    So just why was she surprised to find out that he scored the same as her? That was something that she found puzzling once she thought about it. Why hadn''t she considered it before?


    "Why else do you think he even offered to help you choose?" Kyle asked, "That boy would never do anything that he didn''t need to."


    Sam nodded as he took a box and opened it.


    Kay placed a shredder next to him and he thanked her, then plugged it in.


    "It''s quite simple. First filter - they need to be in the top 50 in school. Student Council duties are not easy and we need smart people who can balance studies and club duties."


    "Second: applications by third and fourth years require experience. If they have never had any sort of experience in the area they are applying for, then reject them. What makes them think the Student Council is a place to train them? So those that apply for the Treasurer''s position must have taken accounting as a subject in class while the Secretary position requires one who has been a manager for any club activities."


    "Applications by second years is a bit tricky. They would not have taken accounting yet as that is a third year subject in the non-science stream and being managers at the second year is a bit stretching it. Though it is possible. So we need to widen the net. Their maths scores must be high to be in the Treasurer''s position while English is the benchmark for being a secretary. Jotting down notes and so forth can be taught."


    "As for applications by first years? Haish. That is the toughest. Only those that were in the top 20 of the last mid-term will be looked at, with the scores in Maths and English being As."


    "So stringent? What if there are no candidates left?" asked Beatrice.


    "We''ll cross that bridge if it comes to that," said Kyle.


    Beatrice looked at the shredder, "So should we not shred the rejects just in case?"


    "No," Kyle said firmly, "If they don''t meet the minimum criteria, there is no point looking at their applications again. It''s only two positions out of three boxes of applications. It can''t be THAT bad, can it?"


    **Several hours later**


    "Oh. Apparently, it can be that bad," Kyle mused as he looked at the lone piece of paper that was left.


    "I TOLD you that we shouldn''t have shredded the rejects," Beatrice said, quietly enjoying Kyle''s predicament.


    Kyle sighed and leaned back on the chair, tilted his head and closed his eyes. He had actually flipped through all of the applications before handing it over to Beatrice but he didn''t process them as yet. He ignored the first and second-year applications and only focused on the third and fourth years.


    It was going to be tedious and he had hoped that Beatrice and Sam would have been able to find better candidates based on the initial screening. This time, he merely focused on high scores for Maths and some sort of basic club duties. Picking those out and then picking the top 9 wasn''t easy. It''s just that he really didn''t think the results would have been so dismal. His own fault for being so over-confident.


    "Francis, please jot down these names and call them for an interview," Kyle called out. Francis acknowledged it and Kyle began prattling about 10 names, which also included the name on that lone piece of paper Beatrice had given.


    Beatrice was about to say something when she felt someone tapping on her shoulder. She turned and gulped when she saw Sam''s face is quite close to her. She just noticed how long his eyelashes were and how smooth his skin was and despite his young age, he was actually the same height as her. She had to keep reminding herself that he was only 12 years old and she severely chastised herself for getting so affected by such a young kid.


    Sam then leaned in closer, making her heart beat even faster as he whispered, "Kyle always has a back-up plan. Those names he''s listing out are the applicants that had been rejected previously, so he probably lowered it a bit for this." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But what about all that ''if they do not meet the minimum criteria'' speech then? So he is back-tracking on his words now?" Beatrice asked while she stared at Kyle and taking deep breaths. She felt really stupid right now to be so jittery next to Sam.


    Beatrice looked Kyle in disbelief. If Kyle could have done it all by himself, why even bother to get them to go through it? However, after observing how tired Kyle looked just for those few minutes of ''work'', Beatrice realised that whatever he did, had been extremely taxing on him. Kyle probably would not have done it if he could avoid it.


    "You guys handle the interview," Kyle said tiredly, rubbing his forehead. Kay came over and started massaging his head and he leaned back on the chair, tilting his head to make it easier for her.


    [Thanks Kay]


    Kay just smiled. Beatrice watched all of this with a slightly envious heart. As an only child, she didn''t have such a bond with a sibling. Though she did have her cousin-sister, it wasn''t the same. Her cousin-sister didn''t live together with her family but when they did meet, it was wonderful. She couldn''t wait for her cousin-sister to attend the school next year, even though it meant that they would only be together for a year. It was better than the current situation.


    "Are they always like that?" Beatrice asked Sam without looking at him.


    Sam had sat down by then and picked up his book again. He glanced up to see what Beatrice was talking about and he shrugged, "Isn''t everyone?" He grew up watching how those two interacted with each other and felt it was a normal thing. He didn''t have that close a relationship with his siblings but then again, he wasn''t a twin.


    "I wouldn''t know," admitted Beatrice, "I don''t have any siblings. Do you?"


    Sam put down his book and looked at Beatrice, who then turned away. He noticed with interest that her ears were a bit red and wondered what happened.


    Beatrice found that she couldn''t seem to be able to talk to Samuel if she was looking at him. Even though the latter wore glasses, his eyes seem to pierce into her and see deep within her and that flustered her. She felt like she was a little girl, giddy for some reason.


    She seriously could not understand why she was so affected by him. Granted, she was not used to being around people and even talking to them but it was different with Samuel. She wasn''t like this with the others.


    Beatrice looked at Kyle who looked like he was in pure bliss while his head was being massaged. She had no trouble talking to him although he always did manage to push her buttons for some reason. Perhaps it''s because he was constantly teasing her that she found it easy - and almost natural - to get along with him. If you could call that getting along, that is.


    She looked at Kay who was patiently massaging her brother''s head, hardly looking tired or fed-up for having to do such a thing. True, she did it without asking but still, it was a mystery to her that Kay would just do it willingly without a question. She knew many girls and all of them - other than her cousin-sister, of course - were these irritating species that seemed to have nothing on their minds other than boys. Lately, it''s always been about Kyle most of the time.


    Of course, Kay wouldn''t be interested in Kyle like the others so perhaps that''s why Beatrice found her behaviour bearable. Then again, why wasn''t she interested in any guys when she could have anyone? Even Beatrice could see how beautiful Kay was. Yet, she wasn''t arrogant or act all coy like. It was a mystery.


    Ali and Xing Han were both easy going, in their own ways. Ali didn''t seem to be bothered by anything and just treated everyone the same while Xing Han was like a lovable teddy bear. Beatrice often found herself wanting to pet him for some reason. Or feed him.


    So why did Samuel invoke a totally different reaction from her? Was it because he appeared much more matured than his actual age? Her mind couldn''t quite grasp the difference of what a 12-year is like and what Samuel is like. It wasn''t a creepy thing but just ... weird. Could it be because he was what she considered hot, while the others were just ''mainstream'' hot?


    BUT HE IS ONLY TWELVE! Beatrice felt like hitting her head on the table at this point. She felt like a pedophile. Would appreciating the beauty of a person and being affected by it meant that she was a craddle snatcher? It wasn''t that she liked him in that way but she cannot deny he did affect her in some way. She felt so confused.


    All of this went through her mind very quickly and she thought that the best way to overcome this strange state she is in every time she talked to him, was to get to know him better. After all, he''s her classmate and he''ll be in the Student Council next year. She couldn''t keep on being so jittery facing him, right?


    As for Sam, he found this all so fascinating. This was the first time that Beatrice was actually initiating a conversation with him, despite the fact that they were classmates. He could tell how hard she was trying and he felt she was really cute to do so - red tip ears and all. He could still remember the first day that Sage Class was formed. It was about two days after the initial announcement had been made.


    **Flashback**

 Chapter 75 - Sage Class First Day

    **Flashback**


    The Sage Class was located at the Administrative Building and on the same floor as the Principal''s Office. Since it was a special class that comprised of both lower and upper secondary students, it was felt that it was best that its location was not in either Cherry or Blossom Wing.


    It also made it easier for the Principal to monitor the students. Ideally, it would have been near the library but there was no empty classrooms nearby so this location was its next best place.


    Sage Classroom was truly unique.


    First, it was as big as two classrooms combined. It did not have a teacher''s desk and whiteboard in front with rows of tables and chairs of the students facing the front. Instead, it had 10 L-shaped desks and office-type swivel chairs scattered around the room. There was a computer on top of each desk and on its right, a 3 tier bookshelf on it and right underneath, a small cabinet.


    These desks were actually on the outer parts of the classroom while the middle had beanbags on a carpet. In front of the classroom were a small sink, a water dispenser, fridge, microwave oven, and a kettle. There were 11 sets of cutlery (spoon, forks, knife, chopsticks etc), plates, bowls and cups. It was like a mini apartment-slash-office.


    When everyone first entered the classroom, they thought they had entered the wrong room. THIS was a classroom?


    After checking the big sign over the doors that proudly proclaimed ''Sage Class'', all of them entered eagerly. There wasn''t much of a fight over the tables and the Elite Five let the others choose first before taking theirs.


    The Elite Five were the only first-year students who were childhood friends and obviously close, so things were a bit awkward at first since the other five were practically strangers to everyone else. After everyone had chosen their seats, they were looking at each other awkwardly until Kyle flopped onto the beanbags and shouted, "This is the LIFE!"


    Ali and Xing Han looked at each other and without another word, plopped right next to Kyle while Sam just sat down properly.


    Kyle pulled Kay''s hand and she fell inbetween his legs. He put his arms around her waist from behind (as she fell with her back facing him) and his chin on her shoulder. He grinned as he looked up towards the rather shocked and frozen members of Sage Class.


    "As you know, I''m Kyle and this is my twin sister, Kayla," Kyle said, "And to set the record straight, we''re very close and this is normal. If you find it weird ... tough. Get used to it."


    Kyle figured that with such exceptionally intelligent people, he wasn''t going to beat around the bush with them. The last thing he wanted was to pretend around them about how he acted with Kay and he did not want to have to put up with any weird looks and so forth.


    Kay smacked Kyle''s head and pinched his nose hard.


    "OW KAY!" Kyle shouted, rubbing his now reddish nose, "Why did you do that for?"


    "Don''t be such a bully," Kay admonish him then she looked at the others while giving her sweet smile, "Nice to meet everyone. I hope we can get along."


    "Muhammad Ali, but you can call me Ali!"


    "Xing Han, best friend of Kyle here," said Xing Han with a wave.


    Kyle turned to him with a smirk, "What sort of introduction is that?!"


    "Hey, I need to declare it! BFFs!!" Xing Han replied with a huff.


    "What? Do you think we''re still in Primary school? As if they''re going to steal me away or something!" Kyle said then his eyes went wide open before he quickly disentangled himself from Kay to escape. Alas, he was too late.


    Xing Han tackled Kyle, who then fell and he sat on Kyle while starting to mess up Kyle''s hair. Kyle put up his hands to tickle him but Xing Han held it in and rubbed his hands even more on Kyle''s hair.


    "Sam," said Sam curtly then looked at the wrestling pair in front of him, "That''s another normal thing, by the way. You can ignore the little kids there."


    Xing Han and Kyle stopped ''fighting'' then stared at Sam, before laughing and getting up, "Hey! You''re the youngest among us, you know. Your 12th birthday is only next week!!"


    Sam snorted while the others were shocked again. Kay used her fingers to help smoothen back Kyle''s hair while she explained that Sam had skipped a grade in Primary school so he was a year younger. When Beatrice heard this, she was flabbergasted. He neither looked like a pre-teen nor acted like one. If they hadn''t said it, she wouldn''t have known!


    "It''s only my biological age, not my mental age" Sam countered, "And to think the next President of the Student Council is so .... I don''t know?"


    "Playful? Cute? Adorable?" Kyle said helpfully.


    "Childish," Sam replied.


    "But a cute childish President," said Kyle with a grin.


    Sam rolled his eyes while fixing his glasses then they all looked at the others to introduce themselves as well.


    "Ingrid, 3rd year"


    "Natasha, 4th year. Next year is my final year," she said sadly as she looked around her. If only Principal Godric had come sooner. She could have enjoyed this class for longer.


    "Stanley, but please call me Stan. 3rd year."


    "Terence, or Trent. 2nd year," said the only second year in the group. He had felt rather out of place at first but after seeing Kyle''s antics, he began to feel more comfortable. Perhaps his new classmates wouldn''t be so bad after all.


    "Beatrice, third year," said Beatrice curtly, and unlike the others, was not smiling. She found the whole scene to be completely new and utterly inappropriate behaviour for the Elite students of Sakura Academy.


    Kyle saw Beatrice''s eye twitch and he grinned. Beatrice just couldn''t quite reconcile the Kyle she was looking at right now, with the Kyle that had effectively taken down the previous Student Council. Was he like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Which was the ''real'' Kyle? Either way, both ''Kyles'' was rather intriguing though this Kyle was slightly more annoying.


    Just then, Principal Godric came in and everyone got up. He waved his arms about, indicating that they could continue whatever they were doing.


    "Well, nice to see everyone settling down," Principal Godric said as he stood there, "What do you think about the room?"


    Everyone clapped with a smile. Godric was happy. The room had been designed by him, with some great feedback from Kyle. The concept was self-learning and thus, there need not be any teachers monitoring them. Each desk was an ''island'' on its own so that they could conduct their own research comfortably.


    Of course, all work and no play would not be conducive, so there were the ''lounge'' area and a small place for them to be able to eat and have snacks. He had even wanted to put in a television but Kyle said it was a waste of money. There was always Netflix if they truly wanted a break and watch something.


    "The idea of Sage Class is simple," Principal Godric began, "To get into a good University after you graduate. All of you are more than qualified to already obtain good grades in the O-Levels*, so that path is rather set. What you should do is to pad up your CV# so that your future is much more secure and bright."


    "Thus, on top of ensuring that you keep up with the finals, you can do your own research and work. Kyle is the Class Representative, so if you need any materials or even a mentor, you go see him. He''ll get it done. It''s part of his duties as the President of the Student Council as well," Principal Godric explained.


    All eyes - except the Elite Five, of course - went straight to Kyle who then just gave a grin and a victory smile.


    That person was in charge? Although skeptical, they took it in their strides. Among all of them, Beatrice was the one that could adapt the best although she was also the quietest. The others took some time to accept Kyle as their ''leader'' - or rather, as someone to turn to should they reach a stumbling block. After all, how could you rely on someone so much younger than you?


    However, Kyle slowly convinced them throughout the time they were together, starting with organising Sam''s surprise birthday party. Now, you might think that doing such a thing was quite simple, right?


    The thing is, Kyle managed to not only get food, but he had also done it within five days. Plus, everything was sponsored by the people who provided the food AND he actually sneaked it all in without anyone the wiser!


    Not only was Sam surprised, but the others were also. When they (that is, Natasha, Trent, Ingrid, Beatrice and Stanley) first entered Sage Class, they just looked at their decorated classroom in shock. When did the long table full of food come? When did the balloons and ribbons be put up?


    Kyle was just bouncing around those party poppers on their table while Ali''s face was turning blue with all the blowing he was doing on the balloon. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wha-a-" Beatrice stammered.


    "Sssssssh," Kyle said, "Quickly, close the door. It''s Sam''s birthday today."


    "How-"


    "Sssssssh," Kyle whispered again, "It''s a secret."


    Kay and Xing Han were in charge of stalling Sam, so the moment he walked through the door, they all shouted, "SURPRISE!!" then started popping the streamers. Sam just stood there, unmoving while the streamers covered him.


    The celebration lasted for a few hours, and it also served as a good way to break the ice among all of them. The thing is, as Sam sat among them and watched everyone warming up, he noticed that Beatrice was still rather stiff. She did sit with them but she never initiated any conversation and merely listened to the others being rather boisterous.


    Then again, who was he to judge when he, himself, tended to be quiet? Perhaps she was like him who just liked to sit back and experience everything.

 Chapter 76 - Observing Beatrice

    **Back to present**


    Thinking about the rather quiet and ''keep-to-herself-most-of-the-time'' classmate, Sam looked at Beatrice who was waiting for his response to her question.


    "Siblings?" he repeated, then replied, "I have three brothers and one sister."


    "Wow!" Beatrice exclaimed, surprised, "How old are they?"


    "12"


    "Which one?"


    "All of them," he replied seriously.


    "You have quadruplet siblings?!" Beatrice gasped and was completely amazed. His parents had him one year after having four at once? How on Earth did his parents handle it?


    Sam didn''t answer as he looked at her, then at the others in the class. Something then clicked in her mind and she frowned.


    "You''re talking about the other Elite Five, aren''t you?"


    Sam tilted his head and Beatrice could feel her eye twitch. How could he lie to her like that?


    "I didn''t lie," Sam said quietly with conviction to her unspoken words as he looked at the Elite Five, "They are my siblings, just of a different mother and father. We have a bond that is as strong, if not stronger, than blood."


    Beatrice was silent at that as she observed his serious face and she felt a bit ashamed. It was true. How could she simplify such a relationship between them? Just because they were not blood-related, did not mean that they couldn''t see or regard each other as siblings.


    "I''m sorry," Beatrice said.


    Sam replied, "There''s nothing to be sorry about. It''s a common misconception."


    "Still, I shouldn''t have jumped to conclusions and assumed you were lying," explained Beatrice.


    Sam was pleasantly surprised. He found out something about Beatrice from this. He had known she was a very ''straight'' person - that is, following things by the book and tended to do things extremely formal-like. She was also a person who was open to her own mistakes and willing to own up to them. His respect and admiration for her grew.


    "It''s okay," Sam said, "I am truly lucky to have them. Otherwise, I''d be pretty lonely. What about you? Any siblings?"


    "No," Beatrice replied softly, "But I do have a cousin-sister that I''m very close to. I wish she was my real sister so that we can be together more."


    "Oh?"


    "Yeah," Beatrice said with a smile on her face. Beatrice rarely smiled and when she did, it transformed her rather strict looking face into something softer.


    "Tell me about her," Sam encouraged, wanting to know more about this person that could make Beatrice give that expression. She seemed like she was willing to share but still shrank back to her shell after that initial start.


    "Her name is Betty and she was actually named after me," Beatrice said, "But my Aunt didn''t want it to be exact. So we practically grew up together since our mothers are so close. If it wasn''t for Betty, I guess I would be quite anti-social."


    Beatrice stopped for a while and appreciated that Sam did not snicker or something like that. She knew that she was actually quite a hermit and didn''t mix around but she never quite saw herself as being ''anti-social''. It was more like because she never found anyone who she really liked to mix with. All the topics or things they talked about were alien to her. What latest idol? What trendy music? What fashion?


    Until now.


    Well, other than the rather childish antics Kyle would often get up to, things were rather surreal in Sage Class. People actually understood her and were actually interested in the things she was passionate about. She also found their own research fascinating and it was all mind-boggling. To think that she would be with these amazing people for the rest of her school life was truly exciting.


    As Sam listened to Beatrice talking (which was the most he had EVER heard her talk), Sam found that he had a lot in common with Beatrice. In terms of personality, that is.


    Both of them were quiet and preferred to just ''absorb'' the atmosphere. Both of them only talked when needed to. Both of them got caught up whenever they got involved in a project or subject that they were passionate about.


    However, that was the extent of their similarities. While Beatrice tended to shy away from things, Sam was the type that wouldn''t mind staying in the thick of it. While Beatrice seemed uncomfortable sometimes when Kyle got up to his antics, Sam actually enjoyed it silently. Then again, that could be due to the fact that Sam grew up with the silly people by his side while Beatrice had no one.


    Would Beatrice be more like him if she had friends like he had growing up?


    Sam found Beatrice to be utterly fascinating and he started to study her. Don''t get me wrong. It was a fascination born out of finding something unique that he wanted to decipher. He saw in her, a person that he could have been and he wondered what were the things that make her tick. Could she change? Would she change?


    Sam''s love for robotics and building things were borne out of his insatiable appetite to take things apart and understanding how it works, then making it better. At this point, you might be wondering why Sam was intending to pursue mass communications rather than robotics, right? It''s quite simple. He viewed them both to be something of a similar concept: the pursuit of finding out information and analysing them. Putting his thoughts into something concrete.


    With mass communications, however, it was much more complex and challenging than robotics. The former dealt with the unpredictable human factor. Robotics was much more structured and there weren''t many variables to it. It couldn''t surprise you. Sam was more fascinated with the unpredictability of human nature, even though it confused him. Robotics was a hobby and it helped calm him when dealing with the intricacies of human nature.


    So Beatrice was one of those that he wanted to observe.


    Beatrice noticed Sam''s quiet gaze on her and it made her even more flustered. She had never had anyone show any interest in her before, let alone a guy. A hot guy. No, a little kid. A KID. Beatrice realised that she needs to be more comfortable with people, especially those that she found attractive. Otherwise, how is she going to cope when she graduates here?


    To cover her nervousness, she began talking more about Betty.


    "Betty is actually your age, Samuel," Beatrice began...


    "Sam," he corrected automatically.


    Beatrice carried on, seemingly oblivious to his statement, "She''ll be coming here to Sakura Academy next year and I can hardly wait!" Her face was aglow with happiness even as she thought about it.


    "I''ve even already applied to Matron to have her as my roommate next year. I hope it gets approved as normally first years are bunked together," Beatrice said worriedly.


    "Don''t worry. It won''t be a problem," Sam assured her, "That''s not a rule but rather, an in-house policy. It was based on the concept that first years would be more comfortable with each other and to avoid potential bullying. In your case, you''d be the perfect candidate to ease the first year in and you would not bully her."


    "How do you know all this?" Beatrice asked curiously.


    "Read about it," Sam dismissed it easily, "When Xing Han wanted to be Kyle''s roommate, we had to go through the rules to make sure it could be done. After all, Kyle already had a roommate at that time."


    "Oh, I see," Beatrice nodded.


    "But what is she like? Betty, I mean," Sam prodded.


    "She''s the opposite of me," Beatrice said with a sigh, "Sometimes I wonder why we get along so well when that is the case."


    Sam shrugged, "What is there to wonder about? Just go with the flow. Relish it. Look at me and the other Elite Five. I''m not exactly of the same mold now, am I?"


    "You are. In a way," Beatrice said in disagreement, "The five of you have some similarities with each other in one way or another. Besides the fact that all of you are smart, that is."


    "Okay, wait. This isn''t about me. You were going to tell me about Betty?" Sam gently guided them back to the initial topic.


    "Well, for one thing, she''s a really cheerful person," Beatrice started.


    "Like Xing Han?" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice pondered on that, "Yes, you could say that. She''s bright and cheery while I am dark and moody."


    "I think the term is ''serious and contemplative'', Beatrice"


    "She''s not booksmart like me, but she''s really smart about people. She is the one who would always warn me about people and to be wary of certain things. She''s always protecting me," Beatrice said with a smile.


    "There was one time that she stood up to this guy that I had befriended. He was actually befriending me to do his homework and at that time, I was too young and stupid to realise. I thought I was helping him study but instead, was giving him all the answers."


    Beatrice chuckled at the memory and Sam was surprised at that. He had NEVER heard her laugh before.


    "Imagine this tiny 6-year-old kid, shouting and scolding a 10-year-old boy. He couldn''t even retaliate because she was so small and he had an image as the ''good boy'' to uphold. It was then that I realised how naive I am and how even a 6-year-old knew better. I found it was better to just be by myself rather than get so embroiled in the drama of Life and People," Beatrice confessed.


    She was surprised herself for saying the last bit but somehow, it came out before she could stop it. She was then so embarrassed that she coughed and got up quickly, smoothing her skirt.


    "I think we should get about preparing the questions for the interview," Beatrice said and went to get some pen and paper.


    Sam just watched her go, silently observing and making mental notes.

 Chapter 77 - The Interview (Part I)

    Liam posted the notice about the interview session and it created quite a havoc in the school. The notice board was actually a small The notice had the bold big words: S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    20** STUDENT COUNCIL INTERVIEW


    Congratulations on the shortlisted candidates. Kindly attend the interview session that will be held:


    Day: TODAY


    Time: 2.30pm


    Venue: Student Council Room"


    There were ten names listed right below the announcement. Everyone eagerly crowded behind Liam to try and look at the list of 10 names. There were many people who wailed at it when they saw that their names were not listed. Janice was among them and she gritted her teeth.


    She had not given up hope in trying to get Kyle to notice her, even though her last scheme failed. This was another attempt at her getting to work next to him but instead, she wasn''t even shortlisted!


    "This is NOT FAIR!" complained Janice loudly as Liam was putting up the notice, "Why aren''t there any first or second years short-listed? I have plenty of experience!!"


    To be fair, she did. She was a secretary in several clubs during her Primary School days, so she had been convinced that she would have been shortlisted. What happened?


    Liam just shrugged as he closed the sliding door of the notice board, and locking it up. "I''m just the messenger. You''re going to have to ask the President about that."


    "Oh, I will!" muttered Janice as she turned around. Belinda quickly hurried after her, not wanting to be left behind.


    When class ended at 1.30pm, Janice went straight to the Student Council room and barged in. She was too caught up in her indignant fury to realise how rude she was being. Hank and Claude were already there, as they had a free period earlier. Both jumped a little when the door banged open but they hardly showed any expression.


    Claude''s hand twitched and held on tightly to the book next to him when he saw this she-demon baby walking in, her feet almost stomping on the floor. Hank just looked up at the girl who walked in and went back to reading the documents in front of him.


    Janice stood at the front of the table, huffing and slammed her hand on the table.


    "Why aren''t there any first or second years shortlisted for the interview?" Janice demanded, "I am sure some of us qualified. Like me!"


    Hank calmly put down the document he was holding, looked around except at Janice then scratched his head. He turned to Claude and asked, "Did you hear something?"


    Claude grinned, tapping his fingers on the book beside him as he replied, "Hear what?"


    "I thought so," Hank said and picked up the documents in front of him to read again, "Must be my imagination."


    Indignant, Janice pounded on the table repeatedly, "HEY! DON''T IGNORE ME!"


    At that moment, Kyle walked in and Janice suddenly stopped. Hank saw her furious face turning into a demure one and he nearly dropped the document he was holding. Claude didn''t bother hiding his amazement as he stared at Janice.


    "Oh, hi Kyle," Janice said sweetly.


    Kyle took in the scene of two shell-shocked men looking at the back of an extremely innocent looking girl and immediately guessed that she suddenly became a genteel girl when he came in. He pretended not to have noticed their expression and gave his famous dazzling Colgate Smile to Janice.


    "Hi Janice," he said and Janice nearly fainted. Her heart was palpitating to hear her name com out of those lips. He actually remembered her name! He smiled at her! He obviously thinks well of her. Luckily she decided to come and ask. All of this must have been a misunderstanding and it was the President that cut them all out.


    "About the short-listed candidates," Janice began, with her face looking worried.


    Kyle snapped his fingers and went, "Ah-hah! Yes! Liam put up the notice this morning, didn''t he?"


    Janice nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes he did. I was wondering if there was some mistake?"


    "Mistake?" Kyle asked as he looked at her in innocent puzzlement.


    "Erm, well, you see ..." Janice began, wondering how to phrase the words without sounding like she was desperate or whiny.


    "She''s probably wondering why her name is not listed," Beatrice helpfully supplied.


    Janice glared at Beatrice, her face flushed with either anger or embarrassment, Kyle couldn''t tell. He opted that it was more likely the former as she was trying hard to look demure.


    He, on the other hand, was trying very hard to contain the smirk that was threatening to come out so instead, he turned to look at Hank to mask his expression and asked, "Is that true, Mr. President? She wanted to ask about her name not being listed?"


    Hank shrugged as he looked at Kyle, "I wouldn''t know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business and doing work when I *thought* I heard something but nope. No one said anything."


    Claude grinned then helpfully carried on, "There was this rather loud screeching sound earlier though. Like a banshee. It couldn''t have been you, could it?"


    Janice stood there, unable to say a word as she felt her brain freeze. She couldn''t think of what to say when the President and Vice-President didn''t seem to even acknowledge her presence. Worse, they hinted that she was so horrible earlier! It wasn''t her, but them! How could they be so rude as to ignore her completely like that? But how was she going to explain this to Kyle?


    She turned to look at Kyle imploringly, making the most innocent expression that she could, "I - I guess I entered too quiet earlier so they didn''t realise that I had come in ..."


    Claude laughed out loud at that and Janice stumbled over her words. Claude thought he was bad, but he never realised that there could be someone that was so shameless! It was so obvious that she was trying to wheedle her way into Kyle''s good graces. He had to admit, the way she looked right now, one would think she was pure and innocent. This was the first time Claude actually managed to witness the infamous White Lotus Act.


    It was funny.


    Beatrice watched it all with a curious gaze. She could tell quite clearly how much the flirtatious girl was trying to ensnare Kyle with her cutesy-helpless look and coquettish smile. She wondered if Kyle would get caught in it.


    Upon one glance at Kyle''s wide-eyed innocent look, however, Beatrice knew the truth. If Janice was a white lotus, Kyle was a ... scheming snake? No, he looked too innocent to be described as a snake.


    Suddenly, the phrase from Macbeth came into her mind : ''Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent underneath it''.* Yes, that described Kyle to a T.


    "Ah yes, that''s a pity," Kyle lamented, his face appearing sad, "When someone with such presence such as yourself was not seen."


    Beatrice smirked inwardly as Janice appeared elated as she nodded. Didn''t the silly girl realise Kyle had just insulted her, albeit in a very subtle manner? One could either take it as meaning that she was a person who demanded attention yet was ignored or someone who had too high an opinion of herself yet hardly gave any impression to anyone around.


    "As for the shortlisted candidates, then I''m glad to tell you that there are no mistakes," Kyle said with a flourish of his hands, "Only those shortlisted candidates made the cut."


    "But why aren''t there anyone from the first or second years?" insisted Janice.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Kyle asked with a raised eyebrow, "We only chose the top 10. It just so happened that no one from the first or second year was good enough."


    "But -" Janice began, but when she looked at Kyle gazing at her intently, she gulped. His handsome face, smiling at her with that cute dimple appearing, and his gaze is so expectant like she was a good, innocent girl that she was trying to show herself to be ... she just couldn''t say it. The words died in her throat. If she persisted, then wouldn''t she appear to be whiny? She didn''t want him to think she was whiny.


    So she swallowed her original words then gave a rather depressed look, "I understand. I''m sorry to have bothered you. I will try again next year."


    "That would be great!" Kyle said, dazzling her with a million-watt smile that was bigger than his usual dazzling Colgate smile.


    Janice was momentarily blinded and she walked out in a daze, her earlier displeasure vanishing after having been bathed in the brilliant light of Kyle''s smile.


    "I''ll be waiting!" Kyle said cheerfully as Janice walked out the door. As the door closed behind her, Kyle looked at Beatrice, who just stared at him.


    "What? It got rid of her with minimum fuss, didn''t it?" Kyle responded innocently.


    Beatrice just shook her head, knowing that she would have to put up with this for the next year or so. She wondered briefly if it would get worse as the years go by, as Kyle grew up. Right now, it was unlikely that the seniors would pay much attention to him due to his age but later on? Beatrice was actually glad that she was a third year then. She wouldn''t be around during the worst drama then.


    "SO!!" Kyle said, clapping his hands together, "All ready to do the interview?"


    "As ready as I''ll ever be," Beatrice answered, "Are you sure you''re not going to sit in as well?"


    Kyle grinned.

 Chapter 78 - The Interview (Part II)

    Beatrice was going through the interview questions when Sam walked in. He looked at her serious face and looked at the questions in her hand.


    "Haven''t we gone through those already?" he asked curiously.


    The questions were simple and were rather open-ended. Both of them agreed that they would have some basic questions to start the ball rolling, then essentially question them based on the answers given.


    What was essential was that the questions would not be too rigidly followed. The objective was to get a gist of their characters and whether they would be suitable for the post that was being offered. Thus, the top of the list first had what they were looking for:


    1. Secretary : eye for detail / able to take down minutes accurately / organised


    2. Treasurer : basic maths / integrity / meticulous


    The basic questions would be:


    (a) Why do you think you would be a good Secretary /Treasurer? / What does it take to be a good Secretary / Treasurer? / what skills are required to be a good Secretary / Treasurer ? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (b) Why do you want to be a Secretary / Treasurer?


    (c) What is the latest novel that you have read? Summarise it / what is your favourite scene and why?


    On top of that, they would be giving a short test to the more promising interviewees i.e. the secretary-to-be would need to jot down minutes that Beatrice and Sam would be role-playing while the treasurer-to-be would need to do basic accounting from a list of finances they had.


    The trick lay in being able to bring out the skills of the other person. Even though the questions seem to be something straight-forward and easily memorised, candidates would not normally be prepared for them to be questioned on their answers. It went beyond what they prepared for and that brought out their true personality.


    "What is it that you''re really worried about?" Sam asked. He observed Beatrice when he asked the question and noticed that she jerked a bit, as if surprised that he figured something out. That made Sam more confident that it wasn''t the questions. So what was it?


    Beatrice finally put down the paper and faced him, saying seriously, "I think Kyle is up to something."


    "Up to something? Like what?"


    "I don''t know. I have been trying to figure that out myself," Beatrice confessed.


    "So why do you think that he''s up to something? Is it related to this interview?"


    "Yes. When I asked him whether he was sure that he didn''t want to participate in the interview, he just ... smiled. It wasn''t just any smile ... it was THAT smile," Beatrice tried to explain.


    "What smile?" Sam prodded.


    "Like he was up to something," Beatrice replied.


    "There''s such a smile?!"


    Beatrice actually named all of Kyle''s smiles. There was the Colgate Smile, that he used to dazzle people. There was the Million-Dollar-Watt Smile that she saw for the first time earlier today with Janice. There was the Joker Smile, that he used just before he face-slapped someone. Then, there was his Macbeth smile, that gave him a totally innocent appearance but in truth, he was scheming something.


    She couldn''t tell Sam that Kyle gave the Macbeth smile now, could she? So she just nodded.


    Sam nodded his head then shrugged. "If he is going to do something, then he will. We''ll just conduct the interview as normal."


    Beatrice nodded but still felt uneasy.


    **--**--**--**--


    2.15pm


    Francis took note of the candidates who showed up for the interview. There were ten chairs lined up against the wall outside the Student Council room entrance and all the shortlisted candidates were sitting there. As expected, all were present. She smiled at them and said encouragingly, "I wish you all the best for the interview."


    Everyone smiled back, some nervously sitting and thinking of what to say. It was only a student council member position, but it would also make their cv much more impressive with it. They looked at the back of the retreating current Secretary of the Student Council and wondered briefly what it was like.


    At exactly 2.30pm, Francis called the first candidate to come in. When the person entered the Student Council room, he saw a large desk right at the end with Beatrice and Sam sitting there. A chair was located right in front of the desk and he sat down nervously. He was surprised to see them there, as he actually expected it to be Hank and Claude.


    "Ben Stilk," read Beatrice from the list.


    "Yes, Ma''am," he replied and Beatrice''s eye twitched. Did she look THAT old or something? Keeping a straight face, she asked, "Why do you think you would be a good Secretary?"


    Ben smiled confidently, as it was a question that he had expected, and answered, "Because I am meticulous and detailed."


    "In what way are you meticulous? Give me an example of the last time you were meticulous," asked Sam.


    Ben was stumped for a while and his eyes darted to the left and right, his head lowered a bit as he tried to think. The more he tried to think of something, the more he couldn''t think of anything.


    Sam quietly observed the sudden drop in confidence and the way Ben''s eyes darted around. It was obvious that Ben was trying to figure out some sort of scenario to give, as in truth, he wasn''t as what he claimed to be.


    Beatrice was slightly miffed. One question and the guy was already speechless? Was this the caliber of the candidates? She noted that he wasn''t the sole person that passed all of Kyle''s first stringent filtering but she didn''t think that he would be THAT bad.


    "Take your time," Beatrice said, trying to ease the situation but it only served to make him more nervous. He was kicking himself now for trying to use such big words to be impressive. What was being meticulous really mean? Detailed about stuff? What sort of stuff? What sort of details? What did it really mean??


    Ben gulped and knew he had to answer something. Anything.


    "Well, just the other day," he began, his mind furiously thinking, "I helped my mum do her groceries. Without a list!"


    Beatrice and Sam looked at him in amusement but in his eyes, they appeared to be impressed. He smiled widely, happy with his answer.


    "What was the last novel that you had read?" Sam asked.


    "I don''t read novels," Ben replied.


    "Oh? Why is that?" Beatrice asked.


    "Well, I felt that novels were too unrealistic and childish," Ben explained with a puff of his chest, "I have outgrown such things."


    Beatrice and Sam looked at each other briefly and as if of one mind, they thanked him at the same time.


    Beatrice said, "That was enlightening indeed."


    Sam coughed and continued, "We will get back to you as soon as we have made our decision."


    That''s it? Ben was surprised. He must have really impressed them. Luckily he remembered that point. It not only showed how meticulous he was, but also that he was a filial son. This was great.


    He walked out with a confident smile and when the others furtively tried to get him to tell them what happened, he just shook his head. Why should he help his competitors, right? He just wished them all good luck and walked off.


    Inside, Beatrice and Sam were shaking their heads in disappointment. Nothing needed to be said. Beatrice jotted down a few thoughts about the interview and set Ben''s paper aside. Although he was not impressive, she hadn''t seen the others. She decided to reserve judgment until then.


    Unknown to the both of them, Kyle was laughing silently in the bathroom that was connected to the Student Council room. They were lucky that this was one of the few rooms in the school that had an adjoining bathroom. Though it was small, it was sufficient for their use and extremely convenient. Especially when they had do projects late into the night.


    Kyle could hear everything that was happening and simply bided his time. There were a few candidates that he had some reservations about but he had nothing other than his suspicions. Thus, he wanted to test them during the interview. Beatrice and Sam could handle the skills part.


    While he ... needs to be certain of some things. The last thing he needed was a member that had ulterior motives. The Student Council was responsible for a lot of things in the school and his members would need a clear head. He specifically chose the seniors for that reason but he was also aware that they could be susceptible to their younger siblings or friends.


    In short, he didn''t need someone who was there because of him. He wasn''t being conceited but it was a real possibility. So how was he going to ensure that there was no ulterior motive? Kyle grinned. He actually got the idea from George Micheal.


    To be more specific, what George Micheal had done when they were interviewing people for his music video for ''Careless Whispers''.


    Of course, Kyle wasn''t really going to do exactly what George did ... but it was close. The idea was generally the same.


    Kyle laughed to himself. It wasn''t so much the reaction of the candidates that he was being so gleeful about. It was Beatrice''s reaction that he wanted to watch more.

 Chapter 79 - The Interview (Part III)

    Two more rather unimpressive candidates went by. By this time, Beatrice and Sam felt disheartened and thought that they would never find someone that would truly fit the bill. Would they need to lower their standards?


    Were their standards too high?


    "Irene Chee," Francis called out the fourth candidate.


    Irene stood up excitedly, smoothing her black pencil skirt that reached slightly above the knee. She had managed to go back after class and change, making sure that her outfit was what a typical company secretary would wear.


    Or rather, like the secretary of a CEO. That''s what she viewed being the Secretary of the Student Council would be like. After all, the President would be Kyle, and Kyle is the heir to the Smith Industries business. It was only a matter of time.


    Irene was a petite girl with an angelic face and rather curly hair. She managed to tame her normally wild curls into a tight bun, wore a simple grey skirt and jacket with a white shirt underneath and to top it off: glasses. She didn''t need them but it gave the very ''secretary'' vibe, didn''t it?


    Irene politely knocked and entered upon hearing the words to do so. Her back straight, she gave a small smile and sat down - slightly disappointed that it was only Beatrice and Sam. Still, she didn''t let it show on her face.


    "Irene Chee," began Beatrice, "Why do you want to be a Secretary in the Student Council?"


    "I am here for the experience," Irene replied, "The Student Council is one of the greatest student body that allows one to be able to put into practice, and develop, one''s skill. I am a person who wants to grab that opportunity to not only better myself, but also to help guide the Student Council to its apex."


    Sam nodded, slightly impressed, "You mentioned that the Student Council allows you to put into practice and develop your skill. What sort of skills are you talking about?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It would be my skills to pay attention to detail and write reports, which would be useful for the position of Student Council Secretary," Irene said.


    "And you have these skills?" asked Sam.


    "Yes. I have been class representative and was in charge of compiling the day''s events to the class teacher," Irene said.


    "Show us an example of such a report," Beatrice said.


    Irene smiled apologetically, "I''m sorry, but I don''t have any with me right now."


    "It''s okay," replied Sam, standing up and going over to her, handing her a sheet of paper, "Why don''t you write one right now, about today''s class?"


    Irene smiled and took the paper with confidence, though inwardly, she was frantically trying to think of the day''s event. How is she supposed to write it with them looking at her like that? Since she wasn''t the class representative that year, she never quite paid attention.


    She took several deep breaths before focusing on her paper. ''Come on, Irene, you can do this. It''s a simple report like you''ve done countless of times.'' She tried to remember what had happened that day and to pick out any important or significant event of the day.


    She began writing. ''Today, on Friday, XX date, XX month of year 20XX ...''


    Just then, she heard the creak of a door opening to her left and she looked up. The pen in her hand stilled and she had her mouth hanging open. Kyle walked out of the bathroom, a towel draped over his shoulder and he was busy vigorously drying his wet hair with one side of the towel. He was in jeans, with the belt unbuckled and hanging loosely by the sides. The button of his jeans was also not buttoned up and only partially zipped up. His shirt was also unbuttoned and slightly open, tantalizingly revealing the smooth skin and six-pack.


    "KYLE!" hissed Beatrice and Kyle stopped, appearing shocked as he looked at the three of them, his shirt swaying with the movement and showing more skin. There was water dripping at the side of his face, some actually going down his neck and onto his chest ... slowly ...


    Irene gulped and gripped her pen tighter. How she wished she had her phone right now to take that photo. How on Earth does a 13-year-old do that? Look like that? Have that aura which screamed of ''maturity'' which makes one easily forget how young he is? Shouldn''t that be illegal?


    "Ooops! Sorry! I totally forgot that the interview is going on," Kyle said sheepishly, putting down the towel that he was using to dry his hair. Now the rather damp side fell on his shirt, making it slightly wet and see-through.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched. <Yeah, right. He forgot.>


    Kyle walked over to Beatrice and Sam, putting his hands up and together, palms facing each other as he apologized profusely. He then stood behind them and leaned forward a bit to whisper to Beatrice, "Surprised?"


    Beatrice ignored him and Kyle turned his head a bit towards her. He then smiled slightly, to show off his dimple and placed his hand at the back of her chair. He leaned closer towards her ear and said softly, "At least someone is rather entranced by my entrance."


    Beatrice looked up and saw a shell-shocked Irene.


    Irene had not moved in her frozen position, her pen unmoving in her hand while she just stared at Kyle. With him leaning forward like that, his shirt opened up more. The light behind him made him look like some Greek God and the way he leaned closer as if whispering sweet nothings into Beatrice''s ear was ...


    Irene gulped noticeably.


    If she was the Secretary, she would be able to be next to Kyle all the time after school. If this is how he''s like out of class, she would be ... Irene''s imagination started going wild as her eyes glazed over.


    Kyle couldn''t hold back his laughter and he patted Sam''s shoulder.


    "I shouldn''t be here," Kyle said to which Beatrice replied tersely, glaring at him, "It''s good that you know. Now, go."


    Kyle turned to Irene and gave her the Million-Dollar-Watt smile and then scratched his head.


    "Er, where do I go though? The candidates are outside, aren''t they? I can''t be hiding in the bathroom now, can I?"


    <Why not? You certainly were earlier!!> screamed Beatrice in her mind.


    "Ah, I''ll just sit at the back here. Please ignore me and carry on," Kyle said as he pulled out a chair and just sat down. Even though Irene couldn''t see him, she was extremely self-conscious of him being behind her. It took a lot out of her to not turn back.


    "Are you done?" asked Beatrice.


    Irene broke out of her daze and shook her head, "S-s" she started, cleared her throat then said, "No, sorry. It won''t take a minute."


    Irene quickly wrote down whatever she could remember, fueled also by the desire to appear efficient. Kyle was sitting on the chair behind them, giving Beatrice and Sam a grin while wiggling his eyebrows.


    Then he took the towel off his shoulders and started to fan himself by flapping his shirt. He made several faces at them, trying to break the mask of seriousness that they were putting on in front of the interview candidate.


    Beatrice glanced at him once and Kyle could see her eye twitch even from that distance. He grinned even wider and gave her two thumbs up. After that, she ignored him and focused on looking at Irene. Sam was used to Kyle''s antics and he didn''t even bother paying any attention to him.


    After the interview was over, Irene nervously stood up and thanked Beatrice and Sam, before turning around to walk out. She stood stiffly and walked with a slight smile, turning only to give Kyle a small smile of acknowledgment as she walked out.


    Even that brief look, however, was enough for her to take note that he had buttoned his shirt and jeans properly and his hair was a bit messy from the towel dry. The towel was laid on the back of the chair while he was leaning in front a bit on the chair.


    He returned her smile and she walked out with a serious expression. She didn''t want to appear like a desperate girl but as a serious one who wanted the Secretary''s position.


    "What was that for anyway?" Sam queried Kyle as he walked up to them.


    "So, your opinion of Irene?" Kyle asked instead.


    "She has the potential," Beatrice replied, looking at Irene''s data and jotting down her impression of Irene. "Despite the strip-tease show you put up that made her stop for a while, she still managed to produce a decent enough report."


    "She didn''t need those glasses though," Kyle said, "The lenses were plain glass. It''s not prescription glasses at all."


    Kyle noticed this as there was no slight distortion that one would normally see when looking at the person''s eyes behind the glasses. To confirm it, Kyle had looked through the glasses from behind her as he walked to sit at the back.


    "Does it matter?" asked Beatrice, looking at Kyle squarely in the eye, "She dressed up as according to the situation and I don''t find anything wrong with that."


    "It would, if it meant to be a cover for what she truly is," Kyle pointed out, "I don''t need fakes in the Student Council."


    "So is she a fake or merely someone who just wanted to do her best?" queried Sam.


    "Her skills should speak for itself," said Kyle, "And if she could still work despite my provocation, then she might actually fit the bill."


    "It''s borderline sexual harassment, that''s what it is," said Beatrice.


    "Oh come on, I never touched her. It''s eye candy," Kyle countered then leaned forward at the desk to look at Beatrice, resting his chin on his hands while blinking his eyelashes, "And you know it."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched even more at that. "Are you seriously planning to do this whole ''fresh out of the shower'' scene for every girl candidate?"


    "Of course not!" Kyle denied then grinned, holding up two fingers, "Just two more."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.

 Chapter 80 - The Results

    Beatrice sat at the desk, looking at the 10 pieces of paper in front of her.


    10 candidates.


    Average of 15 minutes per candidate - taking into account Kyle''s stupid ''fresh out of the shower'' scene - and it all boiled down to 3 people.


    Actually, that wasn''t accurate. The post of Treasurer was quite straight forward and not an issue. The candidate, Rick, just happened to be the one lone person that had passed the first stringent filter of Kyle''s.


    It was down to the two candidates for the Secretary''s position: Irene and Daniel.


    Both had their strong and weak points. Beatrice preferred Irene while Sam leaned more towards Daniel.


    "So, Kyle? I guess it''s up to you to make the final choice," Beatrice said, handing him both candidate''s CV and their comments about them. "Who will it be?"


    Kyle looked at the papers then took out a coin. He flipped it high in the air, caught it and slammed it on the desk.


    "Irene!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    "Can you please be serious for a while? This is not a joke!" she said through gritted teeth.


    "What?" Kyle asked with a smile, leaning back on the chair, "Do you not trust your own judgment then?"


    Beatrice opened her mouth then closed it again. Kyle did choose the one that she had recommended and if she said it wasn''t a good choice, wouldn''t that mean she was denouncing her own analysis of Irene?


    "That''s not the point," Beatrice said, "I have faith in my judgment but you seem to take it lightly."


    "On the contrary, my dear Vice-President," Kyle said, as he looked at her straight in the eye, all playfulness gone.


    "I take it very seriously. I had already placed the decision in your hands whichever one it is, would definitely be a good fit for the Student Council. I respect both of your judgment on this matter and I did not want my own personal prejudice or biasness to affect it. After all, I was not the one who was there interviewing them. So why should I make the deciding choice? Why not leave it to Fate? Or God, if you please."


    Beatrice thought about it and felt Kyle had a point but had to ask, "If you trusted us so much, why the bathroom scene then?"


    Kyle''s right lip curled up in a half grin, "Cuz it was fun."


    Beatrice stared at him, her eye twitching. She has a new smile named. The Stupid Smile. Irritating Smile? No, Stupid Smirk. That''s it.


    Kyle wriggled his eyebrows at her then laughed, "Well, it WAS fun. For me, at least." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle grinned at the memory of the reaction of all three girls when he did so. He had always been the rather studious and serious boring type as Kylie so this really was something he found quite entertaining. Now, you might think that an old-soul would find such childish behaviour to be beneath them, but that''s not necessarily the case.


    Kyle found that the chains that used to bind him before became undone and there were times that he just wanted to let loose. Hence, his rather playful and childish behaviour whenever he''s with the Elite Five - or like, right now. He had been the first child, the eldest girl and had to be the one who ''set the example'' and ''take care of everyone''.


    He had never had the chance to ... be himself. Do what he wanted, like what he wanted. Even now, he had planned his entire life just to ensure that his kids would be safe and worked hard towards it. Yet, he also knew that if he was so serious and merely focused on that aspect, he would go crazy.


    This personality of his was a result of that. He allowed himself to be playful, weird, stupid or whatever you wanted to call it - so long as he weighed all the pros and cons about it. None of his actions would create problems in the long run and so, he thoroughly enjoyed himself.


    Of course, every action of his had a reason.


    "Fine, fine," Kyle said, raising his hands, "The fact is, I wanted to test them. That was the fastest and easiest way to determine whether or not THIS," he said as he gestured towards himself with a smirk, "would make them become tweeting birds or could they rise to the occasion?"


    Then he leaned forward, wiggling his eyebrows, "Because, let''s face it. I''m only going to get hotter."


    Sam snorted, "And more humble, it seems."


    Kyle laughed and placed his arm around Sam''s shoulders then ruffled his hair. Sam''s expression didn''t change and he merely took out his comb from his pocket and got his hair back into place.


    Beatrice ignored them and looked at the time.


    "It''s 6 pm now," she said and looked out the window. It wasn''t dark yet and she would have time to go back home by bus before it did get dark.


    Kyle shouted, "Great! Let''s all go out for dinner together! My treat!! As a sort of celebration for a job well done."


    Beatrice shook her head, saying, "I''ll pass. It''s getting late."


    "Oh, come on. You still need to eat, right? The cafeteria is already closed," Kyle said, trying to persuade her, "And look, Sam doesn''t even live in the dorms and he''s gonna come. Right, Sam?"


    "Since you''re paying, of course," Sam replied and she looked at Beatrice, "I will take you back after dinner."


    "No no no!" Beatrice said, rejecting the offer with embarrassment, "No need! It''s okay. Really. My parents would be worried if I came back too late."


    At that time, she noticed Kyle was on the phone then he said happily, "Hello Mrs. Chan? This is Kyle, the Student Council President. I''m sorry that Beatrice was held up because of the interview, but we''re all done now."


    Beatrice''s eyes bulged wide open and she glanced at Sam in a panic, "What is he doing?!" she hissed at Sam.


    Sam just shrugged his shoulders.


    "I was wondering if it''s okay that I take her and the rest for dinner, as a ''thank you'' for all their hard work? I promise to make sure she gets back safely. I can? Great! .... What? Really? Thank you, Mrs. Chan!"


    Kyle grinned at Beatrice who was just standing there looking at him, "Problem solved. Your mum said it''s okay and to get you back by 10 pm. She said it''s okay to stay longer since there''s no school tomorrow."


    "You ... called ... my ... MUM?!" Beatrice nearly shrieked. What would her mum think? She had never had anyone - except for Betty - call for her. Now, not only did someone call, it was a boy! She groaned, knowing that there was going to be several hours of inquisition once she got back.


    ***** BEATRICE''S HOUSE*****


    Meanwhile, unknown to Beatrice, back at her house, her mother was practically dancing around in the living room. When her father saw this, she merely ran to him and hugged him, tears in her eyes. He patted her back and she looked at him, saying, "Our baby girl has friends now. She''s actually going out to dinner with them!"


    Beatrice''s dad''s eyes also started misting over and they hugged each other tightly, happy at the thought. They were always worried about their genius daughter being ostracised and was extremely worried about the lack of friends she had. She only went to school and came back. Whenever they broached the subject, she would just shut them down. They felt utterly helpless about their inability to help their precious daughter.


    However, ever since she was in Sage Class and became part of the Student Council, they noticed her thawing out a bit. Her face wasn''t so unemotional anymore and they often caught a glimpse of a smile - sometimes of irritation - but at least, there was more emotion! Now she was actually going out? Their hearts were full.


    *****BACK TO STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM*****


    "Wait! How did you know my number?!" Beatrice nearly screamed while Kyle was punching the keys on his phone again.


    Kyle first sent the message and then looked at her as if she was dumb. Then she did feel dumb. Of course. All Student Council members had the biodata of each other. Their address and phone numbers were listed as well.


    Sam patted Beatrice on her shoulder, "Give it up, Beatrice. Just join us for dinner. It''ll be fun."


    "Kay and Xing Han will be here soon," Kyle said, getting up. "I just texted him. So we''ll leave right after they come. Shall we go to the Food Trucks or ...?"


    "Food truck is fine for me," said Sam, "Beatrice?"


    "I''m okay with it as well," she replied nervously. She was actually both excited and scared. This would be her first time eating with ... friends. Usually, in school, she was either alone or just eating among her classmates in class. In Sage Class, they would eat at their own pace and time, not keeping to the recess like normal classes. Thus, it was usually her eating by her desk while looking at data on the computer.


    Kyle printed out the notice for the successful applicants to the Student Council and placed it on Liam''s table. He wrote a small note on a sticky notepad and stuck it on the notice. Just then, Kay and Xing Han arrived at the door, with Xing Han grinning widely.


    "Kyle''s treating!! I wanna go to hotpot! No, barbeque! No ..."


    "We''re going to the food trucks," Kyle cut in.


    "Hmmph," Xing Han muttered with a pout, "Spoilsport."


    Then, his eyes glistened while he rubbed his hands together, "Even better! Then I can have both hotpot AND barbeque! HAHAHAHA"


    "Glutton," Kyle said with a grin and put his arms around Xing Han''s shoulder.


    Xing Han grinned back and did the same. He put his arm around Kyle''s shoulders (even though Kyle was taller) and they walked out like that, even skipping as they did so.


    Beatrice watched this with a slight smile on her face.

 Chapter 81 - Kissing

    Kay and Xing Han didn''t bother to change out of their school uniform since Beatrice and Sam couldn''t. Kyle was the only one who wasn''t in school uniform and he stood out even more. As they looked for a place to sit, Kyle raised an eyebrow at Kay and said, "Remember the last time. Behave."


    "Last time?" Beatrice queried.


    Kay waved her hand in dismissal, "It was nothing. Just a bunch of random guys trying to pick me up."


    "Yeah, and Kyle broke his nose for it," Xing Han helpfully supplied with a laugh.


    "I''m in my school uniform now, Kyle and I doubt there are any such guys around this time," Kay said as she sat down.


    Kyle looked at Kay, from head to toe. Her black, glistening hair that was untied flowing in the wind. Her bright blue eyes on that angelic face, her porcelain white skin making her look so delicate and ethereal ... and the way her school blouse seemed to be too well-fitting around her bust and the skirt which seemed to accentuated her small waist even more ...


    Only Kay could make a school uniform look good.


    Kyle groaned, and said through gritted teeth, "You need new uniforms."


    Kay looked down and frowned, "What? Why? This still fits and it''s comfortable."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at that, "No. It fits too well. You need more loose-fitting clothes!"


    Kay glared at him in return, "No. It''s not tight at all. See?" she said as she pinched the sides of her shirt and pulled, showing how much space there was. It only served to make the shirt around her bust even tighter and Kyle could even see the outlines of her bra and shape of her breast upon it.


    Kyle quickly smacked her hands to release her shirt.


    "Stop that," he said with a growl then looking at her chest, his eyebrow raised up and he muttered, "Looks like you''ve grown bigger. Should go bra shopping now."


    Kay smacked his head [Don''t say that in public, you FOOL!!]


    Kyle rubbed his head sheepishly. [Sorry. Wasn''t thinking]


    Kay pouted and pointed at his nose, "Go get me food as punishment."


    "I was already going to get your food, oh Princess," Kyle said bowing, "So that doesn''t count. I''ll accompany you for shopping tomorrow as punishment."


    "It''s only punishment if you pay," Kay countered.


    "Deal," Kyle said and knew he was going to have a long, long time because of it.


    Kay turned to Beatrice who just looked at them during this exchange, "You''ll join us, right? It''s the weekend!"


    Beatrice stammered then felt Sam nudge her, saying, "Go. Kay can get crazy when she shops, but she''s not so bad if there''s a friend."


    Beatrice blinked. Is this what being friends would be like? Without realising it, she nodded her head. Kay clapped happily then waved Kyle away.


    "Shoo. Go. Get us food," she commanded with a smile.


    Beatrice was about to follow them when Kay held her hand, effectively holding her back, "No, you stay. Just tell them what you''d like. Otherwise, just take from whatever we have. We''ll have a food truck buffet!"


    "Food truck buffet?" Beatrice asked.


    "That''s when they buy almost everything and we taste it all," Kay explained.


    Beatrice gasped, "Isn''t that wasteful?"


    Xing Han coughed while Kyle laughed out loud, "With Xing Han here, nothing goes to waste."


    "HEY!! That''s not true!! You eat as much as I do!!" Xing Han protested as Sam led them away.


    Kay watched Beatrice, who was watching Sam and the others go around the area. She could see the wistful look in her eyes as if she was contemplating something. So, Kay didn''t say a word, not wanting to break her thoughts.


    Kay turned to look at the backs of the three boys when her eye caught a couple making out in the darker corner of the area. Images of Jason and his sloppy kiss filled her mind and she shuddered a bit. Yet, she couldn''t stop being fascinated by the scene in front of her.


    Even though she had seen such scenes on television and in the movies, seeing it in real life was so different. Such public displays of affection where the two were so engrossed in each other made it seem like they were truly in love. In the movies, you knew that they were acting so it didn''t feel "real".


    Kyle sat down next to Kay, sipping some orange juice through a straw when he noticed she was looking at something intently. Before he could see what it was, Kay asked, "Kyle, you''ve kissed before. What''s it like?"


    Kyle was so shocked that he started choking on his drink. He coughed and hit himself on the chest repeatedly to get it under control.


    "Rather, what''s french kissing like? Is it really so great to have someone''s tongue in your mouth?" Kay continued asking, staring into the distance and being completely oblivious to the shocked expression of Beatrice and Kyle''s coughing fit beside her.


    "I mean, it looks all romantic and stuff but is it really?"


    "Is what really?" asked Sam as he sat down.


    Kyle crossed his hands in front of him while shaking his head vigorously towards Sam. Sam looked at him in puzzlement, asking, "What?"


    "Kay was asking what french kissing is like," explained Beatrice with a straight face.


    Sam''s eyes bulged wide open and turned to look at Kay, then to Kyle slowly. "Why would you be asking Kyle that?"


    Xing Han came back then, with some cheese fries and sat down next to Kyle as he said, "This will have to do for now until the rest are ready."


    He noticed the silence at the table and asked, "What?"


    Kyle finally got his coughing under control and he turned to Kay, his face unreadable as he said, "What on Earth Kay? Where did that question come from??!"


    "I''m curious," Kay said, thinking about how she felt when Jason had kissed her and tried to force his tongue in, "Tell me, brother. What''s it like? Is it really that good?"


    "Wait. What?!" Sam turned to look at Kyle, "You''ve FRENCH KISSED someone before?! WHEN?!!!"


    Xing Han gasped, banging his hands on the table, "KYLE! HOW COULD YOU!! You never told me!!!"


    Kyle looked at the really curious Kay, then at the rest who was just staring at him and he banged his forehead on the table. He lay there, with face downwards and forehead on the table, the then closed his ears with his hands.


    Xing Han was having none of that. He grabbed Kyle''s hands and pried them open. Putting his head right next to Kyle''s ears, he hissed, "SPILL IT."


    [Great. Thanks a lot, Kay]


    Kay giggled, [Erm, sorry? But I really am curious]


    [Couldn''t you have asked me in private? Now what am I going to tell them?]


    [You''ll think of something. Seriously, Kyle, I am sorry. It came out without thinking. I was just remembering Jason and then ... well, can I really ... I mean, it was so disgusting. I don''t know if I can ever ... kiss someone or even enjoy it.]


    Kyle sighed. It was understandable for her thoughts and fears. Her first experience and it had to be by that douchebag.


    Xing Han was still pestering him and he suddenly sat up straight.


    "Fine, fine, I''ll tell," Kyle said while rubbing the back of his neck. His thought quickly, and decided to be as truthful as possible about his first kiss - with some minor adjustments since it''s really his memory from his past life.


    "First, don''t ask me when it happened, okay? Otherwise, I''m not going to say anything. Deal?"


    Xing Han nodded quickly, looking like a chicken pecking for food. Sam nodded and Beatrice just stared at him. Kyle looked at her pointedly and she finally nodded slowly.


    "And no telling ANYone about this. Not even to Ali," Kyle stressed.


    "Just get on with it!" Xing Han said impatiently.


    Kyle took a deep breath, and with a straight face, lied as he said, "Okay ... so ... there was this girl that kinda liked me and confessed. I rejected her, of course, and then she started crying. So, I had to comfort her, right? You know how I don''t like seeing girls cry."


    Xing Han and Sam nodded, knowing this part of Kyle very well.


    "Anyway, I hugged her to stop her from crying when she just ... suddenly ... hugged me tight then kissed me on the lips," Kyle said. So far, all of that had been a lie since he had to create a believable start. It was half-truths, actually.


    He did get his first kiss from his first confession. In his past life, it was the guy who had confessed to her, and she accepted. She was beyond happy to know that the guy she had a crush on, actually returned her feelings. After the successful confession, he had kissed her.


    From this point, Kyle told the truth as he remembered what it was like and his feelings then. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I was shocked, really. Too shocked to process much at that point," Kyle admitted, "Her lips were soft and yes, it was nice."


    "Did you kiss her back?" Xing Han asked excitedly.


    "Er ... y-yeah," Kyle stammered, "Huge mistake since that made her think she could change my mind. Her kiss became, erm, more intense then and ... well, long story short, I also had my first french kiss."


    "Was it weird?" Kay asked, "What did it really feel like? For a tongue to meet a tongue? What did a tongue feel like? Does it have any taste?"


    "Urgh. Kay, please," Kyle groaned, "Seriously?"


    All of them nodded.

 Chapter 82 - Lessons

    Kyle felt like he is going to corrupt innocent babies right now. This was supposed to be dinner, not a kissing lesson. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, how did it feel like, you ask?" Kyle said, rubbing his chin, "Strange at first. When .. *cough* ... her tongue touched mine, it felt like ... oh, I don''t know. It''s hard to describe. Wet jelly? A rather harder texture of jelly though."


    Kay and the others tried to imagine it but somehow, couldn''t. Kyle took up a bottle of cola and started drinking straight from the bottle.


    "But doesn''t the tongue get scrapped by the teeth as it goes in?" Kay asked, "Or did you open your mouth widely so it could go in?"


    Kyle got into another coughing fit, tears coming out of his eyes and feeling the gas go up his nose. He really should NOT drink when she''s asking questions like these.


    Kay continued asking relentlessly, "So is it just tongues touching? It felt strange at first but got better? What?"


    Kyle put up his hands and said, "I don''t know! I pulled back immediately. It was getting too intense and I didn''t want her to continue having the wrong idea."


    That part was also true. In fact, they broke up almost immediately as the guy kept wanting to be intimate and even wanted to go all the way. She found out much later that he never really had any feelings for her. Instead, he knew that she had a crush on him and he thought she would be an ''easy target''.


    [I''ll tell you more in detail privately, okay? Please stop with such questions, Kay. I can''t be too detailed here.]


    [Okay. Full details, okay?]


    [Of course. You just need to ask]


    Then Xing Han asked, "And what about your nose? And teeth? How didn''t you smash them together? Like ... whooo BAM!"


    Kyle groaned and rubbed his temples. He thought it would stop since Kay agreed to stop asking.


    "Well, Xing Han, you''re kissing with your lips, not eating. Teeth wouldn''t clash unless you''re smashing your face right to her face. Also, remember that it''s a kiss, not smashing two lips together."


    "You put both of your hands here," Kyle said as he placed each hand on the corresponding side of Kay''s face. The thumb was vertical to the ear and his other four fingers were wrapped around the nape of Kay''s neck.


    "This way, you can control the speed of when your faces get together. You tilt her head a bit to your left as you tilt your head to the right when you go down for the kiss," Kyle explained as he demonstated but not actually going very close to Kay''s lips.


    He then turned back to Xing Hand and ran his thumb over Kay''s lower lip, saying, "You either kiss here," then ran his thumb over her upper lip, "or here".


    Letting go, he then explained, "So it''s either her bottom lip or upper lip will be inbetween your own lips, and you kiss gently so there is no danger of your teeth clashing if you do it right. Approach her slowly, and not like some speeding truck! Hold her face gently in your hands so you can judge the distance better."


    After the demonstration, Kyle suddenly sat back up straight as he looked at their expressions when they looked at him. Wait. What did he just do?! Kyle groaned internally. The Mum Kylie had kicked in strongly and he unconsciously started into the teaching mode.


    "You ... sound very experienced," Beatrice said, breaking the sudden silence. Then her eyes went wide open, "Do you mean to say that you continued kissing the girl? Even when you didn''t have any feelings for her?"


    Kyle shrugged and looked at her sheepishly, "It wasn''t one of my proudest moments, I admit. In my defence, she kissed me first - and I am a normal hot-blooded guy when someone flings themselves at you like that."


    "Experience, huh," Xing Han said with a smile. He leaned down closer to Kyle, his hand drapped over Kyle''s shoulder as he asked, "So just how long did you kiss her for?"


    Just then, the buzzer started beeping, indicating that one of their food was ready. Kyle immediately picked it up and jumped up, running away while saying, "I got this!!"


    "HEY! NO FAIR!" Xing Han shouted and ran after Kyle.


    Beatrice looked at Kyle going off, her face conflicted.


    "Because of that experience, Kyle is never alone with any girl now," Kay said softly, but loud enough for Beatrice to hear, "He may fool about and flirt outrageously, but he doesn''t touch any girl. Did you notice?"


    Of course, while it was true that Kyle didn''t touch girls indiscriminately, it wasn''t due to that incident. Rather, he truly did not want them to have the wrong idea. He knew the sort of impact he had on people and he chose the safest route.


    Beatrice was about to retort when she thought back and realised that Kay was right. Other than Kay, she had never seen Kyle initiate any contact with any girl. He may come close physically, but he doesn''t have any skin contact.


    "I don''t want you to have the wrong impression of my brother," Kay explained, "I realise my question to him would reveal private matters, but you''re one of us now and I trust you. I was just too curious when I saw a couple''s PDA earlier."


    Beatrice didn''t answer, as she didn''t really know what to say. She was touched when Kay said that she trusted her.


    The rest of dinner went by uneventfully, with Kyle and Xing Han bringing in the food that was ordered earlier. The ''kissing lessons'' were finally put to rest, much to Kyle''s relief and the talk settled on normal, mundane everyday stuff. Beatrice found herself loosening up and warming up to the atmosphere of the group. Having friends and being part of a group felt nice.


    After dinner was over, Kyle called for a taxi. When Beatrice realised that it was for her, she refused adamantly but Kyle shushed her.


    "I promised your mum that I''d make sure you get home safely," Kyle said, "Sam, you don''t mind going with her to her house before going home, do you?"


    Sam shrugged, indicating his agreement in the matter, "It''s only natural. Can''t be too careful."


    "What do you mean?" Beatrice asked in puzzlement.


    "You''re a girl, alone, at night in a taxi. Better safe than sorry," Kyle explained.


    Beatrice looked at him in amazement, "Gosh, Kyle. You sound like an old woman like that. Really?"


    The taxi came and Kyle talked to the driver for a while and then gave him some money.


    "Yes, Beatrice. Really. No arguments and get in. I''ve already paid so it''ll just be a waste," Kyle said.


    Beatrice sighed in resignation, "Fine." She thought his Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde persona was bad enough, now she had to add ''old woman'' to the mix. He''s such a weird person with all sorts of seemingly different personalities. Perhaps he has multiple personality disorder?!


    Sam got in the taxi with her and she was suddenly worried. Not about the ride, but at the end of the ride. What would her parents think? She had to make sure that Sam stayed in the taxi when she got out. Beatrice was pretty sure that her parents would be waiting for her to come home so she had to keep him away in order to avoid any misunderstandings.


    The bus ride would have taken 30 minutes but by taxi, it was only 10 minutes. They didn''t talk, both of them just quietly contemplating and in their own thoughts. Beatrice was looking out the window, watching the scenery pass by.


    When the taxi stopped, Beatrice turned to Sam and said, "Thanks. See you at school on Monday."


    Sam nodded and she also thanked the taxi driver as she quickly got out of the car. It wasn''t that late yet, but it was already dark. The light on her porch was on and she noticed the curtains to the window near the door had moved slightly.


    It was worse than she thought. She knew that her parents would be waiting for her but she didn''t think they would be at the window waiting! It was most likely her mother, so Beatrice quickly headed to her front gate.


    Her heart went to her throat when she heard the taxi door slamming behind her. She turned, aghast and saw that Sam had also come out and was heading towards her. She tried to signal to him with her hands to go back to the taxi while not letting her parents in the house know but to no avail.


    Sam watched Beatrice in puzzlement. What was she doing? At first, he was just sitting in the taxi and watching her walk to her house but he felt uneasy. It didn''t feel right to be sitting there while she was walking alone outside. What if something happened? He wouldn''t be in time to go out and help.


    So he told the driver to wait while he made sure Beatrice goes in. However, another strange scene played out. She was already at her gate but the moment he got out, she didn''t walk through. In fact, she was now looking at him while doing some weird chicken dance with her hands flailing about in front.


    "What are you doing? Why aren''t you going in?" he asked as he walked to her gate. He then opened it and motioned for her to go through first.


    Beatrice felt like the air in her just left, kinda like a deflated balloon. There was no way out now so she would have to do the best that she could. Smiling at him and nodding, she walked through and headed to her door.


    "You can go now," Beatrice said, urging internally for him to go.


    "I''ll just wait until you go in first before I go," Sam insisted.


    Beatrice gritted her teeth and went to her door. Before she could take out her key from her bag, though, the door swung open and revealed the smiling faces of her parents. Beatrice''s eye twitched and she groaned.


    It was too late.

 Chapter 83 - Contemplations

    Beatrice turned to face her parents with a smile. She saw how they stood next to each other at the door, smiling widely as they looked at her - and Sam.


    "Beatrice! You''re home! Who''s your friend?" her mum asked.


    Sam took a step forward then, and made a 3/4 bow, introducing himself, "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Chan. I''m Sam, Beatrice''s classmate, and future fellow Student Council member."


    Mrs. Chan looked at Sam, who stood there next to her daughter and she put her hands on her cheeks. He looks like a really nice boy. An adorable young boy that she felt like she wanted to brush his curly hair. He looked so serious. It was so cute!


    "Classmate? You mean, from Sage Class?" Mr. Chan asked, his eyebrow raised in surprise.


    Sam nodded, affirming it, "Yes, Mr. Chan."


    "He''s my junior," Beatrice said quickly, "And he has to go home now. The taxi is still waiting."


    "Yes. Since Beatrice is back safely, I should go now. Nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Chan," Sam said as he gave them a slight nod and walked back to the taxi.


    "What an impressive and nice, young man," Mrs. Chan said with a smile.


    "Yes, Mum. With an emphasis on the young part, please," Beatrice said as she walked in, "He hasn''t even broken his voice yet!" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Age is but a number, my dear," Mrs. Chan replied with a knowing smile while closing the door, "And time passes by quicker than you think. Boys grow SO much faster in these years."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    "Mum, seriously? Please," Beatrice said with dismay, "Yes, he''s nice and all that but he''s just too young!"


    "For now," her mum said, relentless.


    "Mother!!" Beatrice said with a huff.


    Beatrice''s mum finally decided to drop it. Whenever Beatrice started calling her using formal language, then it meant that she was truly upset.


    "Then how about the other one? Kyle? He''s the Student President, right? Is he good looking?"


    "There''s nothing going on with him either. Yes, his name is Kyle. Yes, he''s the future President and yes, he is good looking," Beatrice answered all of her mother''s questions seriously, then before she could stop herself, she added, "But not as good looking as Sam."


    "AH-HAH!!" her mum shouted gleefully, "I knew it!"


    Beatrice gave up. She quickly ran into her bedroom and shut the door, effectively preventing her mother from asking more embarrassing questions. Sam was nothing but a classmate but she could already tell what her mother was thinking. Or perhaps, hoping.


    Did she look that desperate?!


    Beatrice knew that it wasn''t that her parents were pushing her to get a boyfriend, but it was more that they were excited that anyone would be interested in their plain daughter. Still, it was bad enough.


    Beatrice sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn''t ugly but she wasn''t attractive either. She had cut her hair once she entered Sakura Academy, getting rid of those dreaded pigtails of hers. Now, it was a bob cut, its length the same as her chin. It was easy to take care of and maintain - just brush her hair after waking up and done.


    Her lips were thin, her eyes were rather small as well and her skin may be free from blemishes, but was rather pale in her opinion. She twirled around and noted that she was quite thin. She remembered with a blush about Kyle commenting on Kay needing a bigger bra, then she looked at her own chest with a sigh.


    It was obvious that she didn''t need a new bra at all. The size didn''t seem to have grown at all since hitting puberty. It didn''t really bother her before and she wondered why she was even thinking about it now.


    Beatrice measured her height and took note that she didn''t grow any taller either. Samuel was only 12 and was already at her height. It meant that he would only grow taller once puberty hits. She sighed, thinking about it and scratched her head.


    Why was she even thinking about her appearance now?


    Heading to the bathroom to bathe and get ready for bed, Beatrice figured that it must be because she''s hanging out with such good looking people. Making a comparison like that is only normal. Before this, she was always alone and by herself, but now she began thinking that perhaps ... she should take more stock of herself.


    The Elite Five, for example, weren''t showy people nor did they deck themselves in branded clothes. It was simple, normal and casual outfits yet they looked good. Kay didn''t wear make-up either, but she still stood out.


    Beatrice thought to herself. She honestly didn''t know.


    After the shower and putting on her pajamas, Beatrice flopped onto her bed. She noticed that her phone was blinking, a sign that there was an unread message. She felt puzzled as she never gets messages or calls.


    Picking it up and after unlocking the phone, she noticed that it was an unknown number. She read the message:


    <Beatrice! Kay here. We''ll meet at Mall T at 9am, okay? You promised we''d go shopping together!>


    Oh yes. She did.


    Beatrice first saved the number then replied, <Ok>


    As she put down the phone and switched off the lights, she couldn''t help but smile a bit as she thought of the day''s event ... and feeling excited over the next day.


    **--**--**--


    Beatrice looked at her wardrobe and realised, for the first time, that she doesn''t have that many clothes. She shrugged then just picked out her normal outfit. 3/4 pants and a baggy T-shirt. Going down, she popped her head into the living room and told her parents who were there, "I''m going out and won''t be back for lunch."


    Her Dad put down the newspaper that he was reading and looked at her with eyes wide. Last night, she went out for dinner with friends. Now, she is actually going out rather than staying in her room like normal?


    "Where are you going?" he asked gruffly, hiding the delight in his heart.


    "Mall T," Beatrice replied respectfully.


    "Alone?"


    "No, with Kay," she answered quickly before he started asking more awkward questions.


    She deliberately left out Kyle''s name because she didn''t want the third-degree interrogation. She escaped the twenty questions about Sam last night, but if her father was to hear another boy''s name today, he might flip.


    He nodded, then resumed reading his newspaper while saying, "Take care. Be home before dinner."


    "Will do, Papa," Beatrice answered as she went to wear her shoes. She needed to escape before they start asking more questions. She took the bus and dropped off at the Mall T stop with 15 minutes to spare.


    However, as she walked towards its main entrance, she realised that the Smith Twins were already there, waiting.


    Kyle was in simple blue jeans and a white T-shirt tucked in, which, to Beatrice''s eyes, was a bit too tight as it fit his lean, muscular frame too well. He also had on an unbuttoned blue denim shirt that was folded up to his elbow. Blue certainly was a good colour on him as it made his blue eyes stand out more.


    Kay was wearing a slightly oversized white shirt over blue jeans and had on black ankle boots. Her wavy hair was let loose and it swayed in the wind as she stood there, talking animatedly with Kyle. There was another girl next to them, and the two tall Smith twins appeared to tower over her.


    To strangers eyes, they looked like a couple wearing matching couple clothes and the other girl was their younger sibling or something. Beatrice steps slowed down a bit as she observed them from a distance. Just like she noticed before, their dressing was simple and casual yet they could stand out so clearly.


    Beatrice looked down at her own ensemble and grimaced. While they looked like they were heading to a party, she looked like she was heading to the wet market. Life was so unfair. Then again, she knew that already. Taking a deep breath, she plastered a smile and headed over to them.


    "Hey! Beatrice!!" Kyle called out loudly in excitement, waving his hands in the air like some idiot.


    Kay came bouncing over and took her hands in hers, saying, "Yay! You''re here! Come, come. Meet Sarah, my dormmate. Hope you don''t mind her joining us!"


    "Of course not," Beatrice said, smiling and giving a slight nod, "Nice to meet you, Sarah."


    "Likewise, Beatrice," Sarah said shyly.


    Kyle took a bow and swung his hands towards the entrance of the Mall, "After you, my Ladies."


    "At least you know your place, peasant," Kay said with a smirk, flipping her hair.


    "Yes, yes my Lady," Kyle replied, taking several bows as she walked by, taking the other two with her.


    Kyle ran up to the front of them, and walked backward as he pouted to their faces and gave puppy-sad eyes, "How could you walk off without me?"


    "After all, I''m SO striking!" Kyle continued, immediately striking a pose, putting one hand on his waist while the other under his chin. Then he wiggles his eyebrows at them.


    Beatrice idly wondered how Kyle was able to keep up with them while walking backward. She noticed that he would move slightly to the left or right, narrowly missing people. Kay wasn''t walking fast either, so perhaps that was the reason why Kyle could adjust accordingly?


    Kay pinched his nose and pulled him out of the way.


    "OW, KAY!" Kyle protested, grabbing her offending fingers and lacing it into his own, as he then walked side-by-side with her. "My nose is sharp enough, thank you very much. It doesn''t need more help."


    Suddenly, Kyle pulled Kay''s hand and went into a store. Beatrice and Sarah looked at each other and followed them in.


    It turned out to be a lingerie shop, and both Sarah and Beatrice''s face turned red. All manner of intimate apparel was on display and Kyle just walked inside without a care in the world.


    Didn''t guys just avoid such areas or something?!

 Chapter 84 - The Heebie-Jeebies

    "Yes, can I help you?" one sales lady, with the name tag ''Wren'' came over to them.


    Wren had noticed the rather playful kids entering the store earlier and she was a bit surprised. What were they doing here? Normally, these stores would be the place the older and more matured clientele would go to, not young kids like them. Partly due to the price, partly due to the fashion style. It was more risque in nature.


    She couldn''t believe that such young kids would need these type of undergarments, let alone afford them.


    "Kyle," hissed Kay, "I don''t need these sort of things!"


    Wren agreed internally. However, the young man just shook his head as he picked up a pair of very sexy black-lace bra and panties while wriggling his eyebrows at the girl. The other girl''s face became beet red at that while Wren felt that boys nowadays were bolder than before.


    Kay whacked Kyle on the shoulder when she saw what he held up.


    Kyle laughed and put it down, ignoring the stares the customers and the weird look that Wren was giving him. "You will need some strapless bra for possible gowns when we have to attend formal functions. You know it''ll be the thing to do after the term ends."


    Kay grimaced. Yuck. Boring functions, but Kyle was right.


    Kyle gave Wren his Colgate smile and gently pushed Kay forward, saying, "Could you please measure this lovely woman?"


    Wren''s eyebrow raised at that. Measure? Since when did boys have such an understanding about the female body? Outwardly though, she returned the smile and gestured for Kay to enter a private area to measure her bust to ensure a proper bra fit later. Kay followed, then turned around and stuck out her tongue at Kyle. He just grinned and walked about to look at the other things there.


    Sarah and Beatrice just stood there as they watched the twins separate and Kyle rummaging through the very intimate apparel. They looked at each other and the unspoken question went through their minds and ''transmitted'' through their eyes.


    What should they do? Stay or wait outside?


    As they were wondering, they saw Kyle picking up a strapless bra, look at it intently and then began running his fingers through the material.


    They ran out.


    Kyle was well aware that both Beatrice and Sarah had run out of the shop like bats out of Hell. He felt it was probably for the best since he doubted any girl could handle seeing a boy handle intimate apparel like this. They could always keep each other company while he and Kay finished up here.


    Kyle held up the strapless bra and continued feeling the texture inside the cup, and at the top of the cup. He avoided all the styles that had laces for he knew that Kay didn''t like it. It was too itchy. Though if it was a high quality one, the lace would be soft and would not have that irritating feel about it.


    Still, that was not what Kay needed. Kyle heard some steps approaching but ignored it, as he knew it wasn''t Kay. It was another salesperson and from the looks of it, she appeared to be late twenties or early thirties. She was most likely one of the more senior people who worked here.


    "Can I help you?" she asked him as she stood there, watching him picking out some bras and matching underwear.


    "Nope, it''s fine. Thank you, Ms. Sandra" Kyle responded politely after taking note of her nametag. Even though he hated having salespeople come up to help, he wasn''t going to be rude. He found them more of a nuisance rather than help, but he knew that they''re just doing their job. It was worse when they just followed you about as if you''re a criminal about to steal something.


    Kyle prefered to shop in private and that the salespeople should not bother them. At the most, stay at a respectful distance but nearby so that they could be called if one needed help. To have them within your private space and simply standing there was pretty unnerving. Of course, Kyle''s hatred for such behaviour really stemmed from his past life and was made worse in this.


    He already had an aversion to such ''helpful'' people and in this life, he found that they had just gotten more annoying. He put it down to his prejudice against them as he couldn''t help but feel more irritated at them all. He found that no matter what he said, they seemed to pop up everywhere and all the time. Was he really that untrustworthy that they needed to make sure he didn''t steal anything? Or did he look so helpless that they had to help him?


    Or was he THAT good looking that they just wanted to get to know him? He scoffed at the idea. These salespeople were adults for Goodness sake. He admitted that he often played up on it with girls his age and even grannies but matured adults? No way. He would be a little boy to them, right?


    What Kyle was oblivious to was the fact that after reaching puberty, he started exuding this sort of subtle aura that was a mix of sexiness, maturity, and confidence, which was partly due to the hormones raging within him and partly due to his old soul.


    Kyle wasn''t like most boys who were having difficulty in the sudden surge of imbalanced hormonal activity (and finding out that their p*nis wasn''t just for peeing). He had already experienced sex and had a very active sexual lifestyle in his past life, so he was extremely comfortable with his body and sexuality.


    That is why he could give off such a sexy image despite being so young. Added to the mix was that his naturally sharp features were quite pronounced, so he didn''t exactly have a ''baby face''. At the most, it could be seen that he was a very young man. So when you mix that young face with a sexy/matured aura ... it created a rather conflicting emotion in people.


    Like you want to protect him ... and eat him up at the same time.


    One couldn''t help but be attracted yet feel guilty for being attracted. (Of course, there were those rather perverted ones who that quite enjoyed certain fantasies - but that is a story for another day. Or maybe not).


    Sandra stood there silently, admiring the young man that was seriously picking out some undergarments for the young lady earlier. Was she his girlfriend? It appeared so. Or perhaps this young man in front of her was gay? After all, what man would be willing not only to enter this place without discomfort but also be able to choose what sort of style to wear?


    She looked at him from his neat hair, to his lean body frame and her sharp eyes caught the slight muscle of his arms as he reached out and did things. She moved to his side and looked at his chest, noticing how the tight material hugged his abdomen and the slight shape of a six-pack could be seen.


    She unconsciously licked her lips and bit her bottom lip as she boldly looked further down towards the crotch. With disappointment, she couldn''t quite see much so her gaze went to admire his long legs and then to his feet. All of this was done in a very covert manner, of course.


    She noted his shoe size and her lips curled up to a smile. After all, you know what they say about a guy''s shoe size and its connection to ''that'' length, right?* This boy was already eye-catching from a distance, but devastating upon very close inspection.


    Sandra decided. This one would be her next target.


    Sandra was what one in the present age would call a ''cougar''. Older women who liked younger men. She had an extremely high sex drive and she found that men her age couldn''t quite keep up, sadly enough. Young men, though, seem not only willing to experiment but also was pliable and controllable. She loved being the dominating one in the purely physical relationship.


    Another bonus was that Sandra was naturally well endowed (a D cup, if you please), which made young men that was under the roller-coaster instability of their hormones raging upon reaching puberty, much easier to ensnare. She felt that the young boy in front of her fit all of the needed criteria for her to trap and capture. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although she had to admit, the boy in front of her right now was REALLY young. Not that it bothered her as he didn''t act babyish like most boys and most importantly, his body was solid. Sandra''s mind started wandering into ... the more sleazy part that need not be mentioned here.**


    Kyle, in the meantime, was getting more and more irritated by this person who kept staying close by. He had already told her that he didn''t need any help so why was she still hanging around? Worse, it appeared as if she was inching closer and closer. Urgh. She seriously gave him the heebie-jeebies and he was getting goosebumps.


    Just then, Sandra leaned forward to take another style of bra, her ample breasts brushing against Kyle as she did so. Kyle frowned when he realised just what exactly brushed against him. Sandra took a peek at his face as she did so, and was surprised to see that frown rather than either a blushing red face or having him stare at her chest.


    With her uniform, the buttons around her chest were practically straining against the material and she was used to many men just staring at it. It made her feel empowered and beautiful, as she could manipulate them just by jiggling those big jugs.


    Yet, this boy was not interested? Was he truly gay?


    Sandra gave him her best smile as she said, "Why not this colour? It would look nice on your girlfriend."


    She asked, deliberately saying ''girlfriend'', wanting to check if he would deny it or affirm it. She inched herself closer, touching his arm as if to show him the bra.


    The hair on Kyle''s arm shot up and he shuddered. Seriously, the heebie-jeebies.

 Chapter 85 - Escape

    Kyle wanted nothing more than to escape from this torture.


    "Again, thank you but I can manage on my own," Kyle said again, refusing the bra that she was offering and went to another section. He hoped that she would just leave him alone. How could he chose properly when she''s practically breathing down his neck?!


    Sandra watched him go for a second, then followed him again. This time, she didn''t say anything but kept standing so close that Kyle imagined that he could practically feel her body heat at his side. Kyle felt his mood dampening even more.


    Just then, he heard the familiar footsteps of his sister and he turned with a dazzling smile, instantly transforming his features into one that would make anyone gasp in fascination. Sandra got the full blast of it, of course and she was extremely annoyed at the fact that the smile wasn''t directed at her. She turned to look at the young lady that came out and slight displeasure could be seen on her face.


    Sandra could see how beautiful the young lady was, with her smooth skin, perky breasts and flowing hair.


    But she was confident in her own charms. She looked with disdain at Kay, and noted with satisfaction that her own breasts were far bigger and better than the other. Her skin may not be glowing like porcelien like Kay''s, but it certainly wasn''t not wrinkled and was fair and smooth.


    Sandra had never failed in getting the man that she targets. So when such a great specimen is right in front of her, she would be stupid not to try and grab it, right? The best thing was, he was still young which meant that he would have a lot of stamina. She could think of various ways to entrap him.


    Just thinking about it made her feel giddy.


    Kay noticed the weird saleslady behind Kyle as she walked over to him, but decided to let it go for the time being. She would not create any fuss if the other person kept her distance and not cross the line.


    Kyle held out his hands and showed the five bras he had on his arms. He had actually hooked all the bras onto one arm and the other arm was slipped through the legs of the matching underwear. Kay couldn''t help but giggle at the ridiculous site. What was he, a living bra hanger?


    "Look, these would look great on you. What''s your size now?"


    "34B"


    "Whoa. I told you that you grew bigger," Kyle replied with a smile then glanced at the annoying Sandra that was still standing there stupidly. Why the heck was she still there?


    Kyle decided to ignore her and focus on Kay.


    "Quickly. Choose which ones you like the best," he said as he showed her what he had chosen, "Then we''ll go elsewhere for the others."


    Kay took them and noticed, "What''s the rush?"


    Then Kay stopped, noticing the look the sales lady behind Kyle was giving. She saw the displeasure over the way Kyle was being nice to her, and worst of all, the obvious look of desire and lust in that ugly pair of eyes. How dare that thing look at her brother so impurely?!


    Kay didn''t hide her displeasure on her face, and she pointed at the rude sales lady, "Is that old woman giving you a hard time?"


    [She''s annoying you, isn''t she?] asked Kay.


    [You got it. She won''t go away. Urgh]


    [Urgh, seriously Kyle. And you say that I bring trouble]


    [WHAT?! It''s not my fault! She must think I''m trying to steal a bra to keep or something, the way she keeps sticking to me]


    [OMG Kyle, seriously?]


    [Yes, seriously. Do I look like a thief?] Kyle huffed.


    Kay didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. How could a genius be so dense?


    Turns out that Kyle was just bothered by Sandra not going away but he was too dense to realise that she wasn''t going away because she was trying to seduce him, not because she thought he was a thief!


    Kyle was normally a very astute and sharp person but somehow, he had this one blind spot. When it came to the young women around him, he was really clueless about the effects he had on them. Or perhaps he didn''t think they''d be interested in someone as young as he was?


    As for Kay, she could see clearly the interest Sandra had in her brother. She had seen that sort of look countless times before and it had never failed to make her feel annoyed. Ever since the incident with Jason, however, it increased to become absolute disgust.


    These shameless women should stick to guys their age and not try and entice susceptible young men who just entered puberty. It''s statutory r*pe even. So what if the guy was willing? Doesn''t make it right. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment the words "old lady" passed through her lips, she could see how affected Sandra, the saleslady was. Good. She wasn''t going to let that hussy have such disgusting designs on her rather obtuse brother.


    Sandra was indeed, brimming with anger. How dare that little thing call her old? She may not be a teen, but she was hardly old!


    Then she saw Kay walking slowly over to Kyle, hugging him tight and kissing him on the cheek. Sandra''s breathing got more rapid, thinking how could that girl touch the guy she had designs on. So what if she was the girlfriend. They shouldn''t be doing this in public!


    Despite Kyle''s arms being full of bra and panties, he could still hug Kay back, briefly wondering what she was up to. He was well aware that Kay was doing all this to get back at Sandra, but he thought it was a bit overkill since Sandra was only doing her job. Also, what did the hug have to do with anything?


    The ''old lady'' remark, though, would have hit critical areas. As a former woman, he knew how devastating that statement could be. Especially since she wasn''t even 40 or something.


    Kay then put her hand on his cheek lovingly and Kyle kissed her forehead out of habit. She squeezed him tighter, smashing her body onto Kyle. She grinned when she saw the really ugly expression of jealousy that Sandra was making at that point.


    She then gave her sweet, angelic smile and then said loudly, "Kyle, would you still love me when I am old and grey like that saleslady over there?"


    "Silly girl, of course," Kyle replied immediately.


    Kay giggled and hugged him again, placing her chin on his shoulder and smirking at Sandra, "I''m so lucky to have you. If not, when I''m old and unwanted, I may just become a desperate person trying to get someone who''s not even remotely interested."


    Sandra bristled, knowing that the jibe was directed at her.


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Kyle looked at Kay in puzzlement.


    "Oh, nothing," Kay said with a smile as she let him go, looking at him with adoring eyes. "We should go. The faster we''re done here, the sooner we can get away from the old people here."


    "Excuse me, I am not old!" Sandra replied before she could stop herself, her face flushed red in indignation. She had always prided herself on her looks and charm but to have this young girl kept going on and on about her being old? She just couldn''t take it anymore.


    Kay laughed, and it sounded like bells tinkling as she took two sets of bra and underwear from Kyle''s hands and put it back on the display area. She then turned to "Oh please. Have some self-awareness. You''re twice our age."


    "Twice?" Kyle said with a frown then looked at Sandra closely, from the top of her head to her feet then pursed his lips, saying, "Can''t be. She''s way older than that. At least three times."


    Sandra couldn''t believe it. She is NOT old. No! She wasn''t! She has had countless of guys falling for her easily, especially the young ones! She was hot, darn it. Still firm and youthful looking.


    Kay smiled, then added for good measure, "Yeah, you''re right. She does have that auntie look, doesn''t she?" She ignored the woman who was now speechless as each word of Kay scored a hit at all of her insecurities.


    Kay grabbed Kyle''s arm and took him towards the cashier. Kyle paid by cash, as it wasn''t much. Just a few hundred dollars.


    They went out and interrupted Sarah and Beatrice who were deep in conversation. As they came, both of them suddenly stopped talking and they got up. Sarah''s face was slightly red and she turned to look at the direction of the other shops and asked, "So where to next?"


    Kay noticed Sarah''s slightly red face but chose not to say anything about it. She wasn''t even hurt that Sarah seemed to be confiding in Beatrice rather than her, for she knew that sometimes, one just needed a more objective point of view. Kay and Sarah were just too close.


    "The next shop, of course," Kay replied simply as Kyle groaned.


    She went off ahead happily, Kyle next to her while Sarah chose to walk a bit behind. Beatrice decided to match Sarah''s pace and she looked at the backs of the Smith Twins, deep in contemplation.


    When they had been waiting outside for Kyle and Kay, Sarah had unexpectedly started opening up to her and confided some rather shocking things. Beatrice felt completely inadequate to advise her on anything since she was such a recluse until recently, but Sarah had assured her just having her listen was enough.


    Beatrice truly felt sympathy for Sarah. If she was in Sarah''s shoes, she doubted very much that she could carry on. Still, this path was her choice and Beatrice wouldn''t betray the trust Sarah had placed on her. She could only pray and wish her all the best.


    Seeing the sadness in Sarah''s eyes, and the determined gait of her walk, Beatrice couldn''t help but admire her further.


    Life was unpredictable. It was also full of emotions.


    Beatrice wasn''t sure if it was a good thing or not that she''s slowly coming out of her shell and being more involved with people. And life. Before, everything was pretty much settled. Study hard. Get good grades, keep to yourself. You can''t be disappointed or hurt if you never have any hope or expectations, right?


    But you also miss out on the joy of life.


    Beatrice sighed and looked at Sarah again. If Sarah could do it, she should at least try, right? Live life to the fullest, no matter what pain it may bring.

 Chapter 86 - Confessions

    Sarah watched the Smith Twins walking ahead of her. Kyle had a paper bag from the earlier shop while Kay was excitedly waving her hands while talking to Kyle. She took in a deep breath and tried to calm down her rapidly beating heart.


    She had been so engrossed talking to Beatrice that she had not realised that Kay and Kyle had walked out. Luckily, they had not heard what they had been talking about. Otherwise, she would just die.


    Beatrice noticed Sarah''s discomfort and awkwardly patted her had to reassure her. Sarah smiled gratefully. It was strange. They had just met and Sarah found herself spilling the beans to Beatrice. Perhaps it was because she had hidden it for so long that it just burst out? Even now, she couldn''t believe what happened.


    It was right after they ran out of the store. Both of them sat down at the bench that was conveniently located right outside. They looked at each other and then burst into laughter.


    "What was that all about?" Beatrice said, as she looked into the store and observed Kyle studying the bra intently, "To think a guy can actually do that ... "


    "I know, right?" Sarah said, "Kyle certainly is an enigma. Even though he''s staring at the bra like that, it doesn''t seem like it''s perverted, you know? He''s all so serious."


    "Yes, I can see that," Beatrice agreed, "Still, it made me uncomfortable to be standing there next to a guy who is holding on to a bra."


    "Yeah," Sarah said softly and her eyes never left Kyle. She observed how he was looking at all the styles, touching one or two and choosing a few.


    Beatrice looked at Sarah and then at the way she was looking at Kyle.


    "Do you like him?" Beatrice asked.


    Sarah turned to her in horror, "What makes you think that?!"


    "The way you''re looking at him right now, when he''s not looking," she said, "There is this ... softness in your face. There was even a ghost of a smile on your face when you were looking at him earlier."


    "It''s your imagination," Sarah insisted, denying and shaking her head, "I just admire him, that''s all. Nothing more than that."


    "Umm," Beatrice responded, not wanting to pry but was merely curious.


    "He''s my best friend''s brother, so ..." Sarah began, trying to explain when she saw (what she thought) was the disbelieving look on Beatrice''s face.


    Beatrice just looked at her, and asked, "So?"


    "So, I just ... I mean, I hang around them a lot, so it''s only natural that I admire him, right?"


    "Umm," Beatrice responded again, "I guess?".


    Truly, she didn''t know. Was it normal? Was it not? How would she, who hardly met people and hung out with them, know what is normal or not?


    "Kyle is so handsome and kind," Sarah went on, "He treats his sister like gold and his friends like brothers. I''ve never met anyone as wonderful as him. So, of course I''d be affected whenever we meet up, right?"


    "Affected? What do you mean?"


    Sarah was flabbergasted. Right. Just what DID she mean?


    "I don''t know. I guess ... I get flustered?" Sarah said, trying to explain, "I mean, I can talk to him and all that but if he''s too close, I find myself feeling all nervous. I can''t get used to that face!"


    Beatrice nodded, thinking it made sense. She was the same with Sam, wasn''t it? She had absolutely no trouble talking to other people but whenever Sam was too close, or when she could see his face so clearly, she found herself feeling weird. Guess nervous was the right word?


    "Yeah, I suppose? It''s the same with me with Samuel," Beatrice admitted, partly to confess and partly to let Sarah know she''s not the only one who can feel that way.


    "Samuel?" Sarah asked, puzzled, "Is he your cousin or something?"


    "No, my classmate. Samuel Johnson," Beatrice explained.


    "OH! You mean Sam," Sarah said, nodding. So that was the type of face that Beatrice liked, huh? "So you find him hot?"


    Beatrice''s face flushed red, "I cannot deny that his features are quite attractive, but that is all there is to it."


    "You mean to say he''s just a pretty face?" Sarah said with a gasp.


    "NO!" Beatrice shouted, aghast but realised that her words could have been misconstrued that way, "Samuel is very smart and responsible. So much more than a guy his age. I just meant that there is nothing other than a casual appreciation of his features. My mum is already teasing me about him and imagining God-knows-what, so I guess I wanted to make sure that you don''t misunderstand me."


    "Ah, I see," said Sarah. She hadn''t stopped looking at Kyle, though she did look at Beatrice once in a while, while they were talking. Beatrice notice Sarah was looking quite displeased. Angry, even. She looked to where Sarah was looking.


    She saw a rather attractive woman with watermelons for a chest, talking to Kyle. Even from that distance, Beatrice could tell from the lady''s body language that something wasn''t right.


    "Shameless," Sarah was saying under her breath.


    "What? What is?" asked the clueless Beatrice.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" said Sarah, pointing at the lady beside Kyle, "Can you see where she''s looking? She''s been examining Kyle from top to bottom ... and ... and even looked THERE!"


    "There? There where?"


    "Urgh," Sarah groaned. Beatrice really was such a straight-laced person. Was she really older than them? Sarah didn''t answer, but instead, looked down to her lap and Beatrice finally got it.


    "Really?!"


    "Yes, really!! Has she no shame! Granted, Kyle''s hot but what''s with that ... OH MY GOD. Did she just do that?! Did she?! Did you see that!!" Sarah asked agitatedly, grabbing Beatrice''s arm and shaking it.


    "You mean taking the bra to show Kyle?" Beatrice asked in confusion.


    Sarah hit her forehead, "Yes and no. In leaning forward to get the bra, she mushed those watermelons on his arm! She''s obviously trying to hit on him."


    Beatrice continued to look at the two, and shook her head, "She''s not doing anything other than just standing there. Isn''t that what all sales ladies do?"


    Sarah sighed, giving up. Beatrice hadn''t see what she had, and even if she did, Sarah suspected that Beatrice would simply brush it aside as an accident. Sarah knew better, though. Just look at the way that hussy swished her hips. Then put those arms beside her and making her boobs stand out more. Shameless to the core!


    The only thing that made her feel appeased was that Kyle looked completely unaffected by it all. He just kept on looking around and was not paying the hussy any attention.


    "You ... seem pretty agitated just for a friend," Beatrice commented.


    Sarah gulped.


    "Any friend would feel the same way!" Sarah protested.


    "Really?" Beatrice said, "I wouldn''t really know."


    "What? You''ve never had a friend before?"


    "No," Beatrice replied simply, without any emotion.


    Sarah gasped and grabbed her hand, "Omigosh! I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean it that way!"


    Beatrice smiled and said, "Why are you sorry? It''s the truth and a fact. I''ve always kept to myself. It''s Kay and Kyle that is always making me mix more."


    Sarah nodded then sighed.


    "Look, Kay''s out," said Beatrice, "It shouldn''t be long now."


    "Yeah," Sarah agreed. Then she watched the close interaction between the siblings and a pang went to her heart. Such scenes were getting harder and harder to watch, and it was something that happened often. She knew she had to get used to it but the longer she got to know them, the harder it was ... and the more pain she felt.


    Sarah looked down, knowing why she was feeling that way and she hated it. She wanted to go back to her carefree, innocent days but she can''t.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Beatrice softly, noticing the sadness that suddenly seem to fall upon Sarah.


    At that point, Sarah just looked at Beatrice and asked, "Can you keep a secret?"


    Beatrice was shocked, but answered immediately, "Of course."


    Sarah looked back at the Smith Twins, who were hugging and then Kyle kissing Kay''s forehead. She felt even worse then.


    "I ...." Sarah began, not knowing where to start and not knowing why she suddenly had the need to tell someone. Anyone.


    "I''m in love with Kyle," Sarah said in a whisper.


    "Wait, what? But didn''t you say you simply admired him?" Beatrice asked, genuinely puzzled.


    "No! I mean, yes! I mean.." Sarah took a deep breath, "Yes, I admire him and as time went by, I realised it had grown to something more."


    "So why don''t you confess?"


    "Because I know that he has no feelings for me, other than as his sister''s friend," Sarah explained.


    Sarah took a deep breath, "The worse thing is, Kay is my best friend. It may sound strange since we''ve only known each other for a few months, but that''s how it is. She''s the kindest, sweetest and most wonderful person ever and I love her like a sister."


    "So perhaps it''s only natural that I fell in love with her brother, too," Sarah said.


    Sarah bit her bottom lips again and suddenly, the words wouldn''t stop. It was as if a dam had broken, "I didn''t want to, really I didn''t. I kept denying it and telling myself that he''s just a friend and all that but ... but ... but I finally realised that it was more than that."


    Beatrice studied Sarah, who was having this rather pained look on her face.


    "But ... how did you know that you fell in love with Kyle? That it wasn''t just simple admiration?"


    "I wish I didn''t realise. I wish I continued to be oblivious. It''s like, the moment it hit me, everything changed," Sarah lamented.


    "But how did you know?" Beatrice pressed on. She had zero knowledge about this and she wanted to know more. How to recognise it. What was it like? How did it feel? Love. Such an abstract concept. How did admiration turn to love?


    S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 87 - Stirrings Of The Heart

    "How did I know I was in love?" Sarah repeated, "I didn''t. Not at first. Things just developed gradually. In retrospect, it was obvious but it wasn''t when it was happening."


    "Things like what?"


    "How I enjoyed his company. How I looked forward to mealtimes because he was there. How I liked his smile. Just ... just everything. I would talk and think about him constantly but felt that was normal. I mean, he''s Kay''s twin, right? Of course we would be talking about Kyle all the time," Sarah said weakly.


    Sarah turned to Beatrice and asked, "Do you remember that time when they were away for a week?"


    Beatrice nodded.


    "That''s when it hit me and I couldn''t lie to myself anymore. I found myself missing both of them so much that it made me wonder and think. It was natural that I missed Kay, but Kyle? Why did I miss Kyle? When I went for meals alone, I found myself being sad not just because Kay wasn''t there but also Kyle. In the end ... without realising it, I was thinking of Kyle more often than Kay!"


    "The realisation was as if someone had slapped me in the face," Sarah said.


    "But it''s horrible," Sarah wailed, "I don''t want this. I don''t want to know. Now I''m in a one-sided love. Seeing the guy you love being nice to you but not having any feelings for you. Yet, you can''t blame him because that''s just how he is. Kind, thoughtful and wonderful like his sister."


    "There was this one time that I got my period early," Sarah said, her eyes misting over as she reminisced, "It was so embarrassing because I didn''t know. I mean, I felt something weird but didn''t think it was that. I was walking around school with a stain at the back of my skirt when I suddenly felt something at my waist. I was really shocked and stopped, to find Kyle had tied his jacket around my waist. He then whispered to me that I leaked. I could have died at that moment! But he was just so sweet about it and never brought up the matter at all, even saying that the jacket is for me - it''s as if he knew I would be too shy to return it, knowing what it had covered."


    "It''s those little things he does that''s just ... arrrgh. Sometimes I feel like distancing myself from them but it hurts too much to be apart."


    "But ... but ... how sure are you that he doesn''t feel the same way? I''ve never really seen him so caring to other girls," Beatrice said. Not to mention that Kay did reveal that Kyle didn''t touch girls yet, he had obviously done so with Sarah? Didn''t that mean she was special?


    Beatrice thought better than to say it to Sarah, of course.


    "Isn''t it better to get it out of the way rather than having you suffer in silence? Just confess and move on," Beatrice insisted, thinking that Kyle most likely did have some feelings for Sarah. If Sarah did confess, wouldn''t it clear the air?


    Sarah hissed, "I can''t! It''s ... too risky!"


    "Risky? In what way?"


    "Look, right now, I enjoy being Kay''s best friend and am closer to Kyle than most girls. If I confess and he feels the same, then great! But if he doesn''t? What happens then? Do I leave? Do I break the friendship with Kay? I can''t stay with them anymore now, can I?"


    "Why not?"


    Sarah looked at Beatrice in wonder. Did she really not know or was she simply making it difficult for her? Looking at Beatrice''s pure eyes, Sarah decided that Beatrice really was asking sincerely.


    "What would you say if I told you that Sam has feelings for you and wants to confess?"


    Beatrice''s eyes bulged wide open.


    "Wh-A-aaT?!" Beatrice nearly shrieked, completely shocked at Sarah''s question, "That''s not possible!"


    "Well? What if he did? Would you accept his confession?"


    "Of course not! He''s just a classmate," Beatrice replied firmly.


    "Then how will you treat him after that? Knowing that he is in love with you. Can you treat him the same? Would you be able to talk to him normally? Would you be careful about how you treat him then?"


    Beatrice stopped to think and felt that Sarah had a point.


    "I guess I can see where you''re coming from," Beatrice said, then asked, "So was that an example or are you saying ..?"


    "Well, I DID say, ''what if'', Beatrice." Sarah clarified.


    "Just checking," Beatrice replied.


    Beatrice felt relief and realised only at that point that her heart was in her throat. Did Sarah seriously need to give that sort of example? Nearly gave her a heart attack! Just thinking about it made her panic and all sorts of scenarios went by inside her head.


    Would she feel uncomfortable? Would she panic? How would she reject him nicely? Beatrice really was relieved ... but a part of her did feel a bit sad. Just the thought that someone liked her - in that way - was really a boost to the ego. You feel wonder and is amazed. Of course, it wasn''t because Sarah had said Sam. Beatrice would have felt the same way no matter what name was used.


    "So what are you going to do then?" Beatrice asked, "Just be by his side and not do anything? Isn''t it painful?"


    "Yes," Sarah admitted, "Of course it is. It''s worse whenever I see them being so close to each other. I can''t help but feel so insanely jealous of it."


    "So you don''t like that Kyle is so close to Kay? That they are so open about their love for each other? I admit, it does take some getting used to. If no one knew that they were twins, one would actually see them like a couple," Beatrice surmised.


    "No! It''s not like that! I am jealous of their bond, but not in the way that you mean. I''m jealous that they can have such a bond. It''s so pure and loving, you know? I''m also jealous of the fact that I''m not a part of that bond," Sarah explained, "It''s like they are in this special bubble that no one can pierce through."


    "Can you imagine being within that circle? That special bubble? It would be so wonderful." Sarah laughed at herself bitterly, "But it''ll never happen."


    "Why are you so sure?" Beatrice asked.


    Sarah shrugged, biting her bottom lip, "I''m not. But I''m afraid to hope. I''m afraid that I''ll start seeing his kind actions as something more. I''m afraid that I won''t be able to handle the reality. So I tell myself that it''ll never happen." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Right now ... like I said, I do know that I have a special position in their life," Sarah said, "I know that. He treats me differently than all the other girls that are around him. This is enough. I don''t want to lose what little I have. So all I can do is just stay by their side and keep my feelings hidden."


    "Maybe ..." Sarah whispered, "Maybe, one day ... he might start to feel the same way about me?"


    Beatrice listened attentively, but couldn''t say anything. What could SHE say? She had no idea!


    "But what if he meets someone and falls in love with someone else? What will you do then?" Beatrice asked, making Sarah all depressed.


    Sarah turned to Beatrice, taking her hands and saying with all seriousness, "If Kyle gets a girlfriend, then I can only wish him the best. As long as he is happy, I am content. I will be his best friend and I will bury my love deep down, never to surface again. I love Kyle too much to be in his way."


    It was at that moment that Kay and Kyle exited the shop and Sarah was so scared that they had heard her, especially when she said that she was in love with Kyle! Luckily, they didn''t seem to have heard and Sarah made it a point never to talk about this. Ever again. That was just too close!


    She had to admit, though, it felt good to have that out of her chest. She felt calmer now. As she looked at Kyle''s back, she couldn''t help but sigh. How nice it would have been if she had not fallen for him.


    Beatrice kept thinking about what Sarah had said and felt that it was really such a pity. To be so in love with someone yet not have it reciprocated. To stay by his side in pain was better than being apart. Was it?


    Then she started getting worried. She remembered how Sarah had said she had been attracted to Kyle initially because he was so good looking. That she had been nervous each time they talked. Beatrice''s heart started pumping harder in nervousness when she thought about how she was acting whenever Sam was around.


    What if the feelings weren''t just her being nervous about being next to a good looking guy? What if it developed into something more? Was it possible?


    Beatrice shook her head and laughed at herself. What was she thinking? She was being stupid and over-thinking again. Samuel was Samuel, nothing more and nothing less. Her nervousness was just her being a socially inept person.


    She steeled her heart and made a firm determination. The only way to stop this stupid nervous feeling around Sam was to be around Sam even more. The more she hung out with him, the more she would get used to him. Then, she wouldn''t be affected by his handsomeness anymore. It would be good training!


    Beatrice felt so much better after making that decision.

 Chapter 88 - Shopping

    After that, they followed the Smith Twins around and started to wonder what they were really there for. Right now, it was basically Kay going about from shop to shop as she bought some clothes. Sometimes, she didn''t even buy anything but walked off if there wasn''t anything of interest.


    As Kay went into the fifth store, Kay turned to them and said, "This is the last stop, okay? I promise!"


    "Yeah, yeah," Kyle replied and headed to the waiting area. As this store was more ''high-end'', there were sofas around for the convenience of the shoppers. Kyle patted the space next to him and he leaned back, watching Kay go from one aisle to another.


    "Now you can see why this would be punishment for me," Kyle said to Beatrice and Sarah, "Sorry that the both of you had to be dragged around like this. Actually, if you weren''t around, she''d go into more shops and take far longer!"


    "Wow, really?!" Sarah gasped, "Five stores isn''t enough?"


    "It''s okay," Beatrice replied with a slightly tired smile, "It''s certainly an eye-opener for me, too. I''ve never gone shopping like this before."


    "Neither have I," admitted Sarah.


    Well, she just tends to go to one store, get all her stuff and go. Flitting from one shop to another was an entirely alien concept to her. Why would anyone need so many clothes? She also noticed that Kay didn''t go for the really outlandish type of clothes but they looked pretty normal. Jeans, shirts or blouses. The occasional skirts. Why couldn''t she get it all in one store?


    Out of curiosity, Beatrice got up and went to one rack of clothes to go through them. The blouse looked rather nice. It was a pretty lace patchwork white blouse. It had a V neck, and the hem of the sleeves and bottom of the blouse was 3 inches of lace. The material was soft and silky, and it seemed to fall gently down.


    She took the blouse off the rack, then casually flipped the tag to see the price. Her eyes bulged wide open and without another word she quietly, slowly, put it back on the rack.


    Beatrice sat back down, this time next to Sarah, not daring to look at anything else.


    Kyle laughed at Beatrice''s reaction. He had noticed her going about and the way her eyes lightened up as she saw the blouse. This particular boutique was one of Kay''s favourites. The style and design were all very casual and seemingly simple but the craftsmanship and quality of the materials were top notch.


    Kay and Kyle were the types that were pretty low-key. They didn''t go for the more outlandish and popular type of brands and opted more for comfort and grace. They didn''t go for the latest fashion or keep up with what is the trend.


    In fact, Kyle never liked fashion shows. This was due to his previous life as well. He just found it too boring and most of the designs were not something that he could appreciate. He definitely didn''t have the eye for such things and he wasn''t even going to try.


    Minimalist. That''s what he was. Simple. Cozy. Comfortable. Most people would not spend so much money on clothes that one could get in any store but they failed to see: although it may look the same, it definitely wasn''t. The material was better, the workmanship superb and the quality was off-the-charts.


    Thus, people didn''t realise that their outfits were actually were extremely expensive and of the less popular or less recognizable brands. This one, D''Amour, was a well known international brand that had two styles: the casual and the formal.


    Kay came bouncing back with a great big smile. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Done?"


    "Yup!" she replied and pointed towards the cashier where there was a pile of clothes on its counter. The cashier was busy ringing it up while the sales lady (who works on commission) was having this really big grin on her face.


    Beatrice''s eyes looked in shock at the 1.5 foot high pile of clothes. If that one simple blouse had that high a price tag ... Beatrice shuddered to think how much those pile of clothes would cost.


    "Okay, just sit and I''ll get it settled," Kyle replied as he got up.


    Kay sat down on the seat that Kyle vacated and started talking to Beatrice and Sarah, "I''m so sorry for taking so long. And you didn''t get anything!"


    Beatrice shook her head, saying, "No, it''s okay. I don''t need anything."


    "Yeah, we didn''t come to shop, but to accompany YOU to shop," Sarah said as she looked around. She hadn''t even bothered to check out the clothes here for she already knew that it would be far beyond her budget. Just by the fact that it was a boutique was more than enough to know it.


    Although she knew that the Smith twins were rich, it was one thing to know it - and another to actually see it. This was the first time that she had seen Kay shop and the number of things that she bought was mindboggling. She shuddered to think how much was being spent, yet Kay didn''t appear like it was any big deal.


    Kyle walked to the cashier, and unknown to the two girls, he had the blouse that Beatrice had checked out earlier, and a blue floral printed sleeveless summer dress in his hand.


    He placed both items on the counter and said, "Please add these as well, but in two separate bags."


    Once everything was tallied up, Kyle took out his wallet. The sales lady and cashier were actually a bit worried about whether these young kids could pay but they were professionals. So long as one walked through that door, that person would be treated with the utmost respect and like royalty.


    If they truly couldn''t pay, then they''ll just have to leave without the goods. It was actually something that they encountered sometimes, so they were well prepared should the possibility arise. The best case scenario is that the customer leaves, after making some lame excuse about the card being faulty or left wallet at home.


    Worst-case scenario is that they would kick up a fuss, accusing them of faulty equipment, demand to see the manager then walk off in a huff while insulting the clothes as being ''not good enough anyway''. The latter case happened most of the time and thus, they were prepping themselves for it. Though the kids did appear to be rather well behaved and not snobbish like most.


    However, the moment Kyle''s wallet opened up, the sales lady couldn''t believe what she saw. There were three cards nestled in the card compartment of that wallet. She could clearly see the top parts of the cards peeking out and the colours were gold, platinum, and black. His parents were rich! Wasn''t one card enough? Little did she know, however, was that it was only the gold card that belonged to Kyle''s parents.


    Kyle took out his platinum card, which was more than enough for the purchases. He wasn''t going to use his parent''s card and the black card would be overkill. He had gotten it for contingencies and any unexpected purchase. That, and the fact that he kinda liked owning one. He had not used it yet and doubted that he ever would but just the fact that he was one of the few owners of such an exclusive card made him happy.


    Yup. It really was satisfying to own one.


    Don''t you agree?


    As he handed the card over to the cashier, he asked, "Do you do delivery?"


    After receiving an affirmation, he then settled the time and date for the delivery before making the payment. Among the pile of bags there, he picked out two and walked over to Kay and Beatrice.


    "Come on, it''s lunch time," he said.


    "Yes! And after that, spa time!" Kay said gleefully, "As a thank you to Beatrice and Sarah for accompanying me here."


    "Spa?!" Kyle groaned, "What about me? I suffered too!! And what am I going to do while you while away there for a couple of hours?"


    Kay shrugged, "Don''t know, don''t care. You''re the servant today, remember."


    "Servants don''t pay," Kyle pointed out.


    "Fine, banker? Sugar-daddy?" Kay teased.


    Kyle snarled at her playfully, "I''m only 3 minutes older than you. Ignoring the blood relation part, I''m hardly old enough to qualify as a sugar-daddy. You''d make any sugar-daddy bankrupt within a day, too."


    Kay stuck out her tongue at him.


    "Gah, fine," Kyle mumbled as he watched Kay''s happy face, "Eat first, then you girls go for the spa."


    After lunch, the girls went to their spa and they agreed that they would only be taking two hours for it. Kyle kinda wished he could join them but there was no mixed spa here. He didn''t want to enter alone either as that would be too boring. He sighed, then decided that the best place to go would be a bookstore.


    In his previous life, that was a place he found most comfort in and often sought solace there. To be surrounded by the silence of the books on the bookshelves. The library would have been the first choice, but it was too quiet.


    Kyle knew that the nearest bookstore was three floors up, so he decided to take the lift which was just nearby. The escalators were at the other end and he was just too lazy right now to go there. Of course, he''d only take the lifts if it wasn''t full or if there were no elderly and people with strollers waiting.


    Then, his eye caught on something as he was walking towards the lift. He stood at the entrance of the door, contemplating. Rock5 Gym. Indoor rock climbing. Biggest indoor rock climbing gym in the Country.


    This looks interesting ...


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    My dear lovely readers,


    Have to put this note here as the Creator''s Thoughts doesn''t allow more than 500 words. Darn.


    Anyway, unexpectedly and to my utmost disbelief and wonderment, there have been requests for mass release. Well, ok. It''s possible since I have chapters stockpiled up. So, here''s the deal.


    I will have a mass release on Sunday (31 March 2019) if the following has been achieved by midnight (GMT+8), Saturday (30 March 2019):


    1) 20 honest reviews AND 60 power stones = 5 chapters


    2) 40 honest reviews AND 90 power stones = 10 chapters


    I need honest reviews and not simply asdfasdfhaskjdfhasdhfksaj or something like that to fill in the 140 characters. ?a?a?a (?????) There''s currently 7 right now, so would only need another 13 more to reach the first tier. It''s possible, right? So gimme those reviews, please.


    The power stone counts are based on what I believe is more than possible based on those who have this in their library. 130 readers, mostly silent. hehehe. I''m not even going to compete in the ranking position or whatnot since I don''t have thousands of readers.


    Oh! Oh! If you share my story to others, it would make the above much easier to reach, right? *hint hint*

 Chapter 89 - New Hobby?

    Rock5 Gym.


    Kyle''s eyes brightened. He had never done such a thing before and it looked quite interesting. Furthermore, he reasoned that it would be good practice as well since he hadn''t been going out for any missions lately. Training and exercises were as normal, but it couldn''t beat the thrill of scaling walls. The adrenaline rush was amazing.


    As he walked through the door, however, he suddenly realised his dressing. His jeans, though comfortable, would not be suitable. He smacked his forehead and asked the girl at the counter, "Do you have any loose-fitting clothes for sale? Or maybe rent?"


    The girl - who looked to be about 14 or so - didn''t say a word as she stared at him but she did manage to shake her head.


    "Darn it," Kyle cursed under his breath, "Okay, nevermind. Just give me a locker first, please."


    The girl nodded, turned and gave him a key, citing the price as well. Kyle paid and took the key, then headed to his locker. The girl watched him go away and the moment he was out of hearing range, she squealed and crouched on the floor, beating her chest.


    That guy was just so dang handsome! And when he looked at you with those striking blue eyes, all manner of voice just left her. She barely managed to tell the price. And he was coming back! Oh! Oh! Just thinking about it made her squeal again and she started stomping the ground with her feet - softly, of course.


    Her co-worker passed by then and stared at the girl crouching under the counter while patting her chest and just running on the spot while sitting down. His eyes widened. Just what the heck was going on?? He opened his mouth to ask, then shook his head and decided it was best to just ... walk away...


    Kyle placed the shopping bags into the locker and after a thought, his outer denim shirt. He walked out to head to the nearest shop to buy proper pants, clad in his form-fitting white T-shirt that showed off his muscles and slim jeans that accentuated his long legs.


    The counter girl that had finally got herself under control got up, just in time to see this vision pass by her and she fell back down onto the floor. She was SO glad that her parents made her do this job part-time. They told her that she needed to be more involved in family affairs and not be so spoilt.


    She had been grumbling and unhappy, as she had to spend her weekends at this boring place. Now, though, she thanked them profusely and thought of ways to get that guy to come regularly. She stood back up, startling a new customer that just walked in and proceeded to work more seriously.


    The unaware Kyle was happy to find that the shop next door was LumberSea*. Quickly choosing one navy blue cargo shorts, he paid for it and changed into it immediately. Kyle eagerly entered Rock5 Gym again, dumping his jeans into the locker.


    This time, he went to the equipment rental counter and saw that the girl from the reception counter was there this time. She was giving him a huge smile.


    "Is this your first time here?" she asked politely, a huge change from the earlier frozen state.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, giving her a smile. If Beatrice was around, she would have discovered yet another type of smile and would have probably named it the Sweet Smile. It was slightly below the Colgate Smile, meant to lull the person in front to think he was a nice, sweet person.


    Well, he was a sweet guy at the moment since he wasn''t trying to get anything. Kyle felt that the girl in front of him was probably affected by him, so he didn''t want to appear too aloof by not smiling yet not give too much a dazzling smile that it makes her freeze again.


    Kyle laughed at himself when he thought of that. He''s truly becoming such a narcissist. There was a fine line between knowing how good looking you are and using it, and one who is so engrossed in their own looks that they''re enthralled by themselves. Well, he had to admit seeing his face everyday made the girl in him squeel but he didn''t get lost in admiring himself all the time. It did, however, mean he knew how to use it against girls.


    "What sort of equipment would I need?" Kyle asked, taking his thoughts back to the present.


    The girl took a laminated pamphlet and showed him several items. She explained to him the need for each type of equipment, which could be rented. There was the harness, shoes, belay set, chalk bag, and lead rope. The helmet was free and optional but highly recommended for beginners.


    "Of course, you can bring and use your own equipment as well," she said as she finished.


    Kyle was wondering about the equipment. He wasn''t a beginner at scaling walls, but he definitely had no experience or knowledge about indoor rock climbing. He supposed the basics were the same and he used less obvious footholds when doing missions. His shoes were also of a special kind that allowed him to feel the holds yet protect the feet.


    "Can I do it barefoot?" he asked instead.


    The girl blinked. Barefoot?


    "I''m sorry, no," she said, "Our gym does not allow it for hygiene and safety reasons. Also, for the first time, it''s advisable to get used to doing it with your shoes rather than barefoot. The shoes provide better traction."


    Kyle nodded and rented all that he felt he needed. No helmet, of course.


    "Which route would you like? As a beginner, I recommend the Novice ABC Wall. It''s a 9.5m top-rope wall fitted with ground-anchored belay system."


    Kyle shook his head, "Do you have pictures of your walls?"


    "Yes," she replied and gave him an album. Going through it, Kyle''s eyes brightened and he pointed at one, "I want this one."


    The girl looked at it. It was the Lead Wall, one of their bigger wall and meant for more experienced climbers. It was 15m and spans the left side of the main hall and it had everything from slab to steep roof sections and even overhangs of up to 7m. Wasn''t he a beginner? Why didn''t he choose the easy Novice ABC Wall that was completely vertical and even had ropes to help? Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whatever. The customer is always right, right?


    "Would you like to be a member? There are discounts each time you use this gym," she said.


    Kyle thought about it and said, "I''ll like to try it out first. If I like it, then we''ll talk about it."


    "Our Gym is the biggest indoor rock climbing facility that you can find. I hope it meets to your expectations," she said with a smile.


    Right after he left, she quickly told someone to take her place and she rushed over. This was something she had to see for herself. He didn''t even know what were the basic equipment needed and he wanted to go on the expert course?


    Kyle headed to the area that he was directed to. Upon reaching the Lead Wall, Kyle couldn''t help but let out a low whistle. It certainly was impressive. Standing at 15m tall, it spanned the left side of the wall. There were many overhangs and places to put his feet. No ropes were around, indicating that they had to scale this wall using their skills on the footholds.


    Kyle was getting excited. It looked great. Why didn''t he ever think of doing this before?


    A rather gruff man came over and sized up this kid that looked like he won the lottery. The kid looked so excited as his eyes darted to the Lead Wall in front of him. He even felt that the kid would most likely run ahead if he could. He studied the kid, noting the lean muscular frame and the arm muscles. He stroked his beard, wondering who this kid was. He had never seen him before and he had always been keeping an eye out for any talents. Did he just move here?


    Just then, a girl came by next to him.


    "Cathy," he said warmly, "What are you doing here? Didn''t Mom tell you to man the counters?"


    "Yes, Dad," she said excitedly, "But do you see that guy over there?"


    "You mean that kid who looks like he entered a candy store?"


    Cathy nodded and said, "Get this. He is a complete newbie ..."


    "WHAT! Then why did you give him the Lead Wall?"


    "Calm down, Dad. Sheesh," Cathy complained, "Let me finish. He chose it himself."


    "He did? Then why did you say he''s a newbie?"


    "Because he had absolutely NO idea about the basic equipment. He even wanted to know if he could do it barefoot!"


    Cathy looked at her dad and could see the serious contemplation in his eyes, "Do you mean to tell me that he normally does outdoor rock climbing without equipment? Bouldering?"


    "I don''t know! I just suspect it. That''s why I''m here. I want to see if he''s as skilled as he appears to be," Cathy said in excitement.


    They watched as one of the staff hooked up the harness on Kyle. They could see from his expression how he didn''t like the harness on, but it was a safety precaution. All climbers needed to wear it. If they should miss and fall, they''d just swing away from the wall rather than down. Then the staff would either bring him up or down, depending on how high one had climbed the wall.


    Kyle stood there patiently as the harness was put on and he wore the gloves that he got earlier. The chalk bag was hooked behind him and he eagerly went to the wall once the harness was secured. He had already observed all the footholds and had the route in his mind already.


    Before that, as impatient as he was, he needed to do some warm-ups.

 Chapter 90 - Poof!

    Cathy took out her phone and started recording the moment Kyle''s harness was secured. Whether or not he succeeded, she wanted this climb of his to be forever saved in her phone. Violation of privacy? What''s that?! She''s just interested in being able to admire that person in the privacy of her own room. That''s not wrong, right? .... Right?


    She saw him make a few warm-up moves and approved. This already showed that he wasn''t a beginner. Of course, it''s best if it was five to ten minutes, but something was better than nothing. He did some quick jumps, running on the spot and then a few stretching exercises. He completely ignored the weird stares he got from the people around while Cathy was busy admiring the muscles that could be seen rippling from those movements.


    Cathy zoomed in the moment Kyle started climbing. She could truly appreciate the arm muscles that were more pronounced as Kyle reached out to grab another handhold. She had a thing for arm muscles. Not big ones like it looked like there was a boulder or something, but the more lean and firm ones ... how the arm appears normal until one bends it and it appears. How ... *cough* ... okay, you get the idea.


    So far, it had been rather straight forward but even then, she could see that he had some technique. His arms were relaxed when it went for a hold, only straining as he pulled himself up. His back was straight and did not appear to be in any strain. What made it more mesmerizing to watch was the way he moved. It was so smooth and flexible.


    His legs would stretch outwards and upwards, sometimes gaining a foothold that was actually quite high. He would hook the heel of his foot and pull himself up with the strength of his arms and at the same time, used his foot to push him up. He did it so smoothly and effortlessly that it looked like a dance.


    "He has good technique," Cathy''s Dad said as he evaluated the kid on the wall. "He''s making quite a few unorthodox moves, though. It''s as if he''s deliberately choosing the more difficult route."


    Cathy noticed that as well. Now she watched in excitement as Kyle reached the first overhang. What would he do?


    Kyle looked up and grinned. The nearest hold to where he wanted to go was not within arm''s length. He looked to the side and noticed an easier hold to take but he didn''t want that. He calculated the distance and figured that he could make it.


    Grabbing some chalk in the bag behind him, he made sure his fingers and hands were not sweating. Gripping the hold he was on tightly, he pulled himself up and placed his right foot on the crevice of the wall that was slightly above him. He quickly kicked to push himself up while pulling himself up with one arm and used the momentum to grab onto the hold above with his other hand. He quickly placed his feet on the hold that his hands had been on earlier.


    Cathy and her Dad watched this with open mouths. Was that boy part monkey?!


    They continued to watch in fascination as Kyle quickly went up the wall. It appeared that no matter how small the hold was, Kyle could hold on to it. His feet didn''t really need the holds, as he would often choose to get a grip on the wall itself. Essentially, the feet was only used for stability while he would be using his hands to maintain a grip.


    Initially, Kyle found the harness to be a hindrance as he was used to scaling up the walls without it. Come to think of it, Master Shifu did make him wear a harness when he first started learning but it wasn''t like the one he had on right now. That was more of a rope around his waist whereas this was more of a strap across his chest. Still, it was a requirement here and he adjusted.


    Cathy found herself almost drooling as she admired the way Kyle climbed up. Pure poetry, that''s what it was.


    Kyle reached the top and smiled. The staff up there had seen him scaling up the wall and was now thinking of helping to pull him over the railings. However, Kyle simply waved them off and easily jumped over. He leaned forward then, looking down.


    That was fun indeed.


    "I want that boy," growled Cathy''s Dad. He turned to Cathy and held out his hand, "Quick. Give me his information."


    "Kyle Smith, 13 years old, Sakura Academy," recited Cathy.


    "He''s 13??"


    "Yes," Cathy confirmed.


    They waited until Kyle came down and he was busy dusting his hands. Cathy called out, "Kyle!" and motioned for him to come over. They were standing near the exit, so he would have had to pass them anyway.


    He smiled an walked over, "Yeah?"


    "Kyle, this is my Dad, Cole. He''s the owner of this place," Cathey introduced.


    Kyle shook Cole''s hand and asked, "Nice to meet you, sir. What can I do for you?"


    "Have you ever rock climbed before?" he asked, staring at Kyle carefully.


    "No," Kyle answered truthfully. He had scaled walls, not rocks.


    "So where did you learn the technique that you used earlier?" Cole pressed.


    "Technique? What technique? I just went for whatever hold I could," Kyle said.


    Cole laughed heartily and clamped his huge hand on Kyle''s shoulder, saying, "Fantastic! You''re a natural! How about joining my team to compete at the international rock climbing competition next year? We''d first have to qualify for the spot at the competition held at the end of the year."


    Kyle shook his head, saying, "Sorry, Sir. Not interested. I''m just here to have fun."


    "But the competition WILL be fun!" insisted Cole, "And if we win, the prize money of $200,000 will be split amongst the climbers!"


    "Nope. Not interested," Kyle said again.


    "From what I can tell, boy, you''re a natural talent! A prodigy! Look, come, there are three types of competitions: speed climbing, bouldering and lead climbing. You, my boy, can enter ANY of those three," Cole tried to persuade Kyle by telling about the sport itself, seeing that Kyle wasn''t interested in the prize money.


    "In speed climbing, you compete with another to scale a 15m high wall that''s angled at 95 degrees the fastest. In bouldering, it''s only a 4m high wall but you are to scale it within four minutes," Cole explained, his eyes twinkling in excitement, "The BEST thing is, there are overhangs and holds that are so small that you would be hanging literally by your fingertips alone!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "From what I see, bouldering is the one for you. The way you scaled up the wall just now was a testimony to that," Cole said, his eyes now going into the far distance as he thought of Kyle''s climb earlier.


    "Or maybe you''d like lead climbing," Cole then continued, grabbing Kyle by the shoulders, "You climb as high as you can on a wall that''s 15m tall within 6 minutes. Isn''t that amazing?!"


    "Yes, it is!", Kyle nodded in agreement, appearing excited then moved his shoulders in such a way that Cole''s arms fell from it.


    "Still not interested," Kyle continued, with a deadpan face.


    Cole stared at him, then continued on badgering him. He tried to persuade Kyle in so many ways to the point that Kyle felt he would have been willing to sell off his daughter just to do so! What was so important for him to join his team anyway?


    Kyle did find the whole thing extremely interesting but he wanted to keep a low profile. If he was to agree, he would do his best as there was no point in competing only to let others win. Kyle was confident enough in his own skill to feel that he would either win, or be in the top three - and that would mean that his name would be on record at an international scale.


    He didn''t want that.


    He owed nothing to Cole and he there was absolutely no reason to join - or help. Still, Cole was extremely persistent. Suddenly, while Cole was on his latest sales pitch, Kyle gasped and waved frantically to someone behind Cole, "Mum! Dad!"


    Cole and Cathy eagerly turned. Cole turned as he wanted to persuade Kyle''s parents and Cathy turned because she wanted to see how Kyle would look like older (she imagined Kyle''s dad is simply the older version of Kyle). They didn''t see anyone that remotely looked like Kyle. They turned back and realised that Kyle was gone.


    He had gone poof!


    No matter how hard they looked, they couldn''t see Kyle anywhere. When they went to the front counter, they found that Kyle had already returned the locker key and the equipment he rented, and was long gone. Cathy glared angrily at her Dad, blaming him for scaring away such a high specimen with his aggressive sales pitch.


    Poof! Indeed.


    Meanwhile, Kyle had reached the spa''s entrance and felt he had just made a great escape. He didn''t think a simple activity would turn into an active recruitment drive! He found that it was such a pity, as he did enjoy it but he couldn''t go back now. Too troublesome.


    He looked at his watch and noticed that the girls would be out any minute now. He figured that he would just sit in the waiting lounge outside and placed his hands on the door to push it open. However, just as he was about to enter, there was a loud scream from behind.


    Kyle turned and saw, to his horror, a toddler falling from the top floor.

 Chapter 91 - The Choice

    Mall T is a 9-story building with an oval layout, whereby the stores were all located at the outer ring and the middle was an open space (so its layout is like an oval doughnut). The large empty space normally housed exhibitions which people would be able to view from any floor.


    The spa was on the third floor, and the toddler had presumably fallen from the top floor. Within those few seconds of her fall, the toddler''s outfit somehow got hooked on a decoration that was on the wall and she was hanging there, literally by the seat of her pants. She was now dangling precariously on the wall that was the foundation pillar of the Mall.


    Unfortunately, she was between the sixth and seventh floor. No one could get to her and even if they could, there was no way that they could get a grip without her falling. The baby''s mother was wailing and screaming at the top floor while the toddler was crying and moving about as well, understandably scared at the height she was at.


    This was not good.


    Kyle ran to the railings and watched all of this with his heart in a twist. He knew, without a doubt, that it was only a matter of time before the whatever hold that the wall decoration had on the toddler would break. The toddler would fall and be smashed to the ground, never to rise again. He gritted his teeth as he looked about.


    His eyes darted and noticed Mall security going in a panic and making lots of calls on the walkie-talkie. He knew that this was an unprecedented accident and no one really knew what to do. If the toddler had fallen on the decorations in the middle, there was a mechanism that could bring the toddler down.


    However, the toddler was stuck on a fixed decoration on the wall. Its location was right in the middle of the pillar of the wall that no one could reach. It was deliberately built that way in order to avoid vandalism. Right now, it served as a painful sight.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the panicked toddler and the distraught mother. He studied the layout of the Mall in a second, taking into account the terrain of the wall and its height, the bumps and ridges on the wall, including all the little points of lights and decorations littered around it.


    There was no way that the rescue team would be on time.


    The memory that he had tucked away in the dark recess of his mind resurfaced. Of the little boy that had been sexually abused and tortured by the lowlife he had eventually killed. He had been in Zen mode when he callously decided to leave the boy behind, and he felt the full brunt of the regret after getting out of it. The fact that the boy was dying didn''t mean the choice he made didn''t cause Kyle any pain.


    The pain of that choice never left, just was successfully suppressed.


    Now, the choice was different. The toddler was not dying. The toddler could be saved ... if Kyle did something. However, if he was to do something, then his skills would be out in the open. He had already sworn an oath that his skills under Master Shifu was to remain in the dark - how was he to explain it? How could he rescue the toddler without breaking the oath?


    Was his choice only either to save the life but break an oath or honour the oath but let the child die?


    Was that even a choice? Kyle was frustrated and angry. He gripped the railings so tightly that his knuckles were white. How could he save the child without breaking the oath? Could he do so? How?


    Kay came then and stood by Kyle silently, observing the scene in front of them and placed her hands on his. He started to calm down and turned to look at Kay, the despair in his eyes. Kay placed her hand on his cheek and said simply, while looking at his tortured eyes calmly, "Do what you need to do."


    "B-b-b..." Kyle stammered.


    [Calm down and think things through. I believe in you, brother. You''ll figure out how to save that toddler without revealing anything]


    Kyle took a deep breath and nodded. He held Kay''s hand and closed his eyes as he calmed his rapidly beating heart. Then, his eyes shot open as he suddenly thought of something. He grabbed the shopping bags that he had placed on the ground and gave it to Kay. Kissing her on the forehead, he ran quickly to Rock5 Gym.


    He didn''t have much time.


    As he rushed in, he saw Cole who was grumbling at the counter while Cathy was still berating him for something. Both of them heard the commotion outside but had chosen not to go out to see what was going on as they were both too engrossed in their own complaints.


    "I''ll do it on one condition," Kyle said suddenly as he ran up to them.


    "Anything!" Cole said excitedly, after getting out of his shock at the suddeness of it all.


    "If anyone asks ANYTHING about me, tell them that I''ve been training under you in secret. That I am making my debut at the competition. Okay?"


    "Er, wha-"


    "YES OR NO?!" Kyle demanded, his heart in his throat. He hated wasting time like this, but it was needed.


    "YES, yes of course," Cole stuttered.


    "Good," Kyle said as he jumped over the counter. Without asking, he simply grabbed a bag of chalk, a harness for a child and some rope.


    Kyle wore the bag of chalk as normal and started securing the harness upon him - but instead of actually wearing it, he was putting it on himself like a baby carrier. As he was doing this, he explained quickly to the shocked pair, "A baby is stuck on the wall outside. I am going to rescue her."


    Cole and Cathy were beyond shocked then, their brain trying to process the information. A baby? Stuck on a wall? How? Where? And Kyle is going to do WHAT?!


    Before they could ask anything, Kyle had already dashed out the door. Luckily, although the interior of Rock5 Gym spanned all nine floors, the entrance to it was on the same floor as the spa so he managed to get here quickly. Time was of the essence and if Rock5 Gym had been too far away, he wouldn''t have been able to think of any possible back-up story.


    Kyle went to the other side of the Mall, at the same side where the toddler was hanging. He had to push himself in front to get to the railing, causing may people to curse at him but he didn''t care. Each person he pushed aside was surprised at a sudden force and then finding themselves behind.


    As Kyle reached the railing, he leaned forward and looked up. The crying and struggling toddler was still inconsolable, scared to death. The people around Kyle started to notice that he was wearing a harness with the logo "Rock5 Gym" on it. The thought it was strange, but shrugged it aside. Until Kyle climbed over the railing.


    "NO!" one lady shouted and tried to grab Kyle, wanting to prevent him from killing himself.


    Kyle easily avoided her grab as he jumped to the right. His left hand was on the top of the railing and his left leg was nestled inbetween the railings at the bottom to keep him secure.


    He smiled at the lady that tried to stop him, knowing that she thought he was going to kill himself or something so he told her, "I''m going to scale the wall now. I may fall if you try to stop me."


    The lady shrank back and looked at him in worry. Kyle was essentially just hanging on the railing with his left hand and leg, then he reached behind him and dusted his right hand with chalk. Some people nearby realised what he was doing and one person shouted, "He''s bouldering!"


    "Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?"


    "He''s going to climb the wall without equipment!" the guy said, half in excitement and half in fear, "See. He has Rock5 Gym gear!!"


    "Do you think he can do it?"


    "He''s going to die!"


    "SHUSH! Don''t curse him like that!!"


    Kyle ignored the mutterings going around him as he slowly studied the wall in front of him. Then he looked up, looking at the struggling toddler. Kyle flexed his neck, slowly rotated his shoulders and swung himself out.


    On the other side of the Mall, Kay, Sarah and Beatrice watched the scene with their hearts in their mouth. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay knew Kyle was skilled and had done this plenty of times ... but she had never witnessed it herself. It was one thing knowing he could do it, but it was another thing to actually SEE him doing it. She had faith in him but it didn''t mean she could watch the whole thing without being worried.


    Sarah was gripping Beatrice''s arm tightly while biting her lips, "Just what does Kyle think he''s doing?! He''s so high up! What if he falls! What if he slips! OMIGOD, I can''t watch this!!"


    Beatrice was much level headed, "Kyle would never do something he''s not confident on."


    "I know that," Sarah said in a whisper, "But seeing him risk his life like that is too much for me."


    Beatrice patted Sarah, who had turned around, "If you can''t watch, then don''t. But look at Kay. I believe she would be more worried than you but she''s watching. She is supporting her brother right now."


    Sarah felt tears prickling her eyes and shook her head. She couldn''t do it. Not yet. She didn''t have the courage to watch the man she loves risk his life, and possibly fall to his death.


    Could she?

 Chapter 92 - The Rescue (Part I)

    Kyle had taken some time before starting in order to get adjusted to the weight of the harness on him. The harness had to be one with him, for he would be pushing his body to the limit. If he misjudged anything, he would fall. It wasn''t that the harness was heavy, but rather, it did create a sort of imbalance since it was an additional feature upon his body.


    The toddler was three floors up and the first thing Kyle did was to scale vertically alongside the wall to be right below the struggling toddler. He wasn''t sure how long she would hold and it was best that he was in position should she fall.


    Kyle held onto one small hook with one hand and his legs were on some slight ridges along the wall. His mind was racing furiously, calculating the distance between himself and the toddler above. What made this difficult was not the climb itself, but the girl. She was a variable that could actually ruin the rescue, akin to a drowning victim that hung onto his rescuer in a panic, effectively drowning them both in return.


    Kyle quickly scaled up the wall like a spider, trying to reach the hysterically crying toddler who was struggling in the fastest time possible. Just then, he heard a sound that he had been dreading and hoping wouldn''t occur: a ripping sound. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gasps and screams were heard as the shirt finally gave way and the toddler started falling again. Kyle reached out and managed to grab the toddler''s leg. He could have grabbed hold of the arm but he was worried that the force of the fall would have caused it to pop out of its socket.


    What Kyle did was to make the timing perfect. As the toddler fell head down and passed him, he grabbed the toddler''s ankle and using the momentum, swung the toddler back to an upright position. Faster than the eye could see, he let go of the leg and quickly wrapped an arm around the waist and held her close to his chest.


    At this moment, he was gritting his teeth as he held back the pain that he felt with the sudden additional weight. He was gripping the wall with the strength of his fingers on his left hand alone and had to ensure that the momentum of the swing did not push him backward. If that happened, then both of them would plunge down.


    "Ssssh, sssh, Big Brother is here to save you," Kyle said soothingly, quickly making his voice hypnotic as he then pressed a few nerves at the back of her neck. His purpose wasn''t to knock her out but to calm her and luckily, it achieved the desired result. Kyle was hesitant to do anything more than that as he had been practicing on adults. A toddler''s nerves were smaller and the amount of pressure required would be less. It was highly dangerous to press their pressure points lest it caused irreparable damage.


    Right now, Kyle was hanging precariously on the wall with the toddler in his arms. To everybody''s eyes, it seemed like a scene out of a movie. How could he stay there, stuck on the wall like Spiderman? No one dared to say a word now, scared and worried that any sound would break his concentration. They watched as he just stood there, one hand on the wall, the other wrapped securely around the toddler and his legs spread out on the wall (seemingly on nothing). Time passed and nothing happened. It seemed like an eternity.


    "What''s going on?" asked the security officer to Cole.


    "He needs to adjust his bearings and calculations," Cole explained, having understood the situation. Utmost physical and mental prowess was needed when one went bouldering. It was just you, and nature, fighting as you scale the wall. You would take your time to calculate and plan the route, and push your body to climb. You would know where to rest and stop while making said calculations. There is no equipment or unnecessary weight.


    But Kyle ... What Kyle was doing was at another level entirely. Kyle now had an unpredictable element: a child that would increase his weight, hinder his mobility and choices of route. Could he do it?


    ¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î


    Sarah turned when she heard people screaming and she cried out when she saw the toddler fall. She cried out even more when she saw Kyle grab the toddler. Images of him falling flashed through her mind and she started gripping her arms tightly. She forced herself to watch, her heart beating hard.


    Kay silently watched the whole thing, taking long deep breaths and trying very hard not to mindspeak with her brother. She knew that he needed the utmost of concentration now. She saw him steady himself, the grip on his hand strong as he held onto something on the wall and the toddler.


    "I''m going down," Kay said resolutely.


    Sarah and Beatrice nodded and followed her. Kay was in a rush, so she ran down the staircase instead. Once she reached the ground floor, she found that the area right under the wall where Kyle was, had been cordoned off.


    She pushed her way to the front and told the security guy, "Let me through. That is my brother up there," she said politely.


    The guy looked at her then used his walkie talkie to call his superiors. They had been wondering about the identity of the wanna-be hero and this was a golden opportunity. Another guy came by and looked at Kay.


    "You say that the guy up there is your brother?"


    "Yes," Kay responded.


    "What''s his name?"


    "Let me through and I''ll answer any questions you have," Kay negotiated.


    The guy hesitated then nodded. The security guy that had initially blocked Kay stepped aside and she walked through. Kay looked up, seeing the small dot that was Kyle still on the wall.


    ¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î


    Kyle''s fingers were holding on to some sort of hook on the wall, presumably to hang some banners. He silently thanked the architech or whoever it was that designed it that way. It allowed him to have better traction and grip, so that he could actually grab the falling toddler without falling himself.


    After the toddler had calmed down, he placed her in the harness in front of him.


    "Now, we''re going to go down slowly," Kyle said soothingly, patting her head and looking at her squarely in the eye. She appeared to be about two years old, so she should understand what he was saying even though she may not talk properly.


    "Be still and brave for Big Brother, okay?"


    She was sniffing now, nodded and become more relaxed as she felt her body being enveloped snugly by the harness. It gave her a sense of being held or comforted. Big Brother was also nice.


    She liked him.


    She couldn''t comprehend what was truly happening. All she knew was that she was scared. She had just been looking about like normal, curious about everything. There had been something shiny that caught her eye and she went through this gap to get to it. The next thing she knew, she was falling. Then stopped but she was so high up. She was scared. Where was Mummy?


    When she fell the second time, she stopped again but this time, she was warm. She heard a soothing voice, she felt the warmth of body heat and the steady rhythm of the heartbeat. Soon, since she had been crying so much, the sudden sense of security made her feel tired and her eyes felt heavy. It wasn''t long before she fell asleep, her head leaning comfortably against the chest that gave her such a sense of safety.


    Kyle breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the little girl had fallen asleep. This was far better than he had hoped. The only problem now was to get to safety. He couldn''t scale vertically back to the floors as there was hardly any strong grip for him. If he had been alone, it wouldn''t have been a problem but he now had this little bundle with him.


    So the only way was down.


    Scaling down was far more difficult than going down. When one goes up, one can use the arm muscles and push oneself up with the feet - and it was much easier to see the footholds above you. Going down, however, meant he had to go slower and even crouch down in order to get the grip. If he didn''t have the girl with him, he could do it easily.


    Just then, he heard a shout from above him.


    "Kyle! Catch!!"


    He looked and saw that Cole and Cathy were several floors above him and had tied some lead rope onto the railing. They were swinging it over to him. It took several swings before it finally gained the momentum to reach him. He grabbed on to it and steadied himself then grinned and shook his head.


    Those two didn''t know him yet trusted in his skills enough to be able to use the lead rope in the manner that was needed. If he miscalculated, he could actually swing and smash into the wall or railing. It was different if the lead rope had been directly above, and he would simply abseil down. This?


    Kyle looked at the length above, the angle of the rope then the height he was at.


    There was no way he could do this low-key.


    He could already see people from all around staring at him, some with their phones out and obviously recording the whole thing. He didn''t know whether they were there to film a rescue or a death scene. Both would garner views!


    "Okay, little one," Kyle said as he kissed the top of the girl''s head, "Showtime."

 Chapter 93 - The Rescue (Part II)

    Kyle held onto the rope, adjusted accordingly and took a deep breath. People could see that the rope wasn''t pulled tautly, and was wondering what would be Kyle''s next move.


    [Kay, don''t panic at my next move, okay?]


    Kyle already knew that Kay was down below, watching him and trying to remain calm. What he was going to be doing next is going to most likely cause a bit of a problem later on so there would be a lot of cleaning up to do. Or rather, damage control.


    At that, Kyle held onto the rope tightly with one hand and held the little one against his chest close. The, lifted one leg, sliding it up the wall until it was almost at a 45 degree angle before kicking out. The momentum didn''t push him off the wall but rather, he had done it so that he now stood on the wall - both of his feet were actually flat on the wall. Without missing a beat, he immediately used the momentum to run down the wall until the rope tightened. Then, he ran horizontally along the wall towards the railings.


    Of course, it wasn''t a straight line but at a downwards angle. So he was actually running to a lower floor and he reached the crevice between the start of the railing and the wall. Unfortunately, his positioning wasn''t exactly at the railing but inbetween two floors. Thus, he was now at the railings between the floors rather than the vertical wall previously.


    Kyle was now inbetween the third and second floor once the rope was exactly straight and had already anticipated this. Immediately, he kicked at the wall in the opposite direction, just to come to a complete stop - or at least, almost a stop.


    His feet touched the bottom of the wall/floor and positioning himself into a really straight line, he let go of the rope and dropped down. Kyle had to do this quickly, for he knew that people would most likely try to help but it would only create problems for him. The timing had to be perfect.


    As he let go, he noticed that he was indeed right. Some people were trying to grab hold of the rope in an attempt to steady it, not realising that it would only result in them causing the rope to be bent and throw Kyle off course. It would only mean that Kyle would be smashing against the wall with the toddler.


    If he could control the movement and ensure that it was his back that hit the wall, it would be fine - but there was a risk that he would smash in front instead. He would not be able to protect the toddler if that was so. One hand would be holding the rope and the other was hardly enough to ensure the proper strength to block the wall. That was why he had to let go quickly.


    Of course, if it was up to him, he''d rather use the rope to abseil** down. That would have been SO much easier and less showy.


    He dropped down like a bullet, though the momentum was not as fast as it was initially since he managed to slow it down before letting go of the rope. He could hear people screaming or shouting as he fell, for they thought he had accidentally let go. He tuned them out as he focused on the next step.


    He sailed passed the second floor but had taken out his foot to glide on the wall. This was more for traction and to slow down his descent. When he was about to pass the first floor, he reached out both of his hands and grabbed onto the edge of the floor. Just by the strength of his fingertips, he forced his body to slow down. His elbows were bent to cushion the impact and the moment his arms straightened, he let go again.


    This time, he kicked off the wall just as he reached the bottom of the first floor. One hand secured around the back of the toddler, his feet landed squarely on the ground floor and he rolled once before getting up.


    Kyle had executed a typical drop-and-roll move by parkour experts as the last move. He hoped that would make people be under the impression that he was not only a rock climber but also a parkour enthusiast. All this while, Kyle made sure that the toddler in his arms was not crushed by his move.


    The moment Kyle stood up, the whole Mall broke out in deafening applause and shouts.


    Kay walked over, her face in a big smile but Kyle could see the slight dampness on her eyelashes. Kyle slowly took out the toddler that was in the harness, who had obviously woken up from all that vigorous moves Kyle had done. She didn''t appear scared however and instead, wrapped her hands around his neck tightly, not wanting to let go.


    Her mother came then, face wet with tears and was thanking Kyle continuously. Kyle handed over the toddler to the mother and she reluctantly let go. Her mother wrapped her up in a tight hug, kissing her everywhere. She kept checking her baby and other than the scratches that had been sustained from the fall and hanging on the hook, her baby was fine.


    Kay was also checking Kyle, taking his hands and looking at them. They were red from the rope burn and the tips of his fingers were all slightly bloodied. The outer walls and floor of the Mall were not smooth, thus Kyle had sustained some injuries on the way down.


    Kay frowned as she studied his hands. There were some rope fragments and debris on it and she could see from the redness of his hands that it was not a slight burn. Unfortunately, she didn''t have anything to clean his wounds with and it had been made worse when he carried the toddler earlier.


    She turned to one of the security people there and said, "I need some water. Does anyone have a bottle of water? Cold, preferably."


    The guy shook his head and Kay sighed. Of course, there wouldn''t be anyone holding a bottle, but she had hoped they would take the initiative of getting one. However, before she could ask, there was a shout from across the barrier. Too many people were talking at the same time so nothing much could be heard.


    Kyle stood still as Kay held his hands by the wrist. She told him not to move as she didn''t want his wounds to become worse. His eyes, however, were studying the crowd in front of him.


    [Fyi, the cover story is that I''ve been training rock climbing at Rock5 Gym and will be making my debut at the upcoming international competition. I''m the trump card that Cole, the owner, kept hidden but this thing has exposed the secret. Also, I''m a parkour enthusiast.]


    [Your CV is becoming more and more impressive, I see] Kay mused.


    [What to do. I''m just awesome that way]


    [I''m glad you''re safe, brother] Kay said, hugging him tightly by the waist.


    [Yeah, but I don''t think this is over yet]


    [What do you mean?] Kay asked in puzzlement.


    [There is no way that toddler could have fallen from that height and just hang on the wall. If she had slipped through the railings, it would have been a straight drop down]


    Kay looked up and knew Kyle was right. She had been so worried about Kyle that she missed that strange and obvious factor.


    [So someone threw her there? What was the purpose though? And how come he or she didn''t get caught doing so?]


    [That''s the dangerous part. To do so without anyone seeing screams ''expert''] Kyle said [And if my guess is right, the move was to intimidate and torture the parent, or parents, of the child. Having your child die is bad enough but to actually helplessly watch your child while she struggled and crying, then falling to her death. What sort of impact would that be?]


    [Are you getting involved?]


    [No] Kyle replied and Kay was surprised.


    [Why not?]


    [None of my business] Kyle explained [But we need to do a background check on the parent and child. As a precaution. This screams ''Secret Underworld'' to me and we''re not going to dip our toes in that]


    <Not yet, anyway> Kyle thought to himself.


    [Why stir a hornet''s nest when it''s not a threat?] Kyle stated.


    Kyle was no Saint. Whatever matters that the person in front of him was involved in, it had nothing to do with him. Earlier, he couldn''t just stand and watch an innocent child die but it didn''t mean that he would go out of his way to solve the problem. If the Secret Underworld was involved, it meant that the family wasn''t exactly clean. Even if they were ... what had that got to do with him? S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It may sound cruel but Kyle was a realist. He''s no avenging angel or a superhuman. Whatever problems that family had, it wasn''t his problem.


    However, he was a cautious person. Who knows if his actions had inadvertently made an enemy? He doubted anyone would want to target him, a mere 13-year-old that had nothing to do with the other family - but he didn''t want to take things for granted.


    He was also unsure if those hidden people would accept the cover story he came up with, or if they would start seeing him as a threat. The exposure he is getting now would also make the other party think twice about trying anything. Right now, Kyle is in the limelight (as much as he hated it) so any actions would be done in a covert manner.


    [So what sort of damage control are we talking about here?] Kay asked.


    [Create a rock climbing and parkour background for me. We need something believable to cover my skills]


    [On it]


    By then, the mother had relatively calmed down and the Head of Security had managed to get things under control. He raised his hands and everyone quietened down as a rather distinguished man came up to them.


    He came up to Kyle and was about to shake his hand when he noticed the wounds on it. So instead, he gave Kyle a nod which Kyle returned. Camera flashes were going around like crazy.


    [So much for being low-key] grumbled Kay [Mum''s going to flip, especially when she sees your hands.]


    Kyle groaned.

 Chapter 94 - Safe - Maybe?

    Kay let go of Kyle''s wrists as the guy came closer.


    "Young man, thank you for your heroic efforts. I am Davis, owner of this Mall and am forever indebted to you. What''s your name?"


    "Kyle," he replied politely, "And this is my twin sister, Kayla."


    "Kyle! Kyle!" shouts were heard from the reporters who were trying to get a scoop, after hearing his name. They were ignored.


    "Let''s go somewhere more private and we can also treat your wounds," Davis said, signaling his bodyguards that were a few meters away.


    "Thank you, Sir," Kyle said, "We will be in your care."


    Kyle knew that he would not be able to leave in peace with all of the reporters around, so he took up on Davis''s offer. The best way to get out was under the cover of Davis and his bodyguards.


    Davis turned to the reporters and said, "Please, we will release a statement regarding this matter at a later time."


    One persistent reporter still came forward and said, "Kyle! What made you decide to risk your life for a stranger? Did you honestly think you could have done it?"


    "No comment," Kyle said quietly, but firmly.


    "What would your parents think if you had fallen? Don''t you think your actions were too reckless?" he badgered on. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay was annoyed and snapped at him, "Would you have prefered it if my brother fell so that you would have a better scoop? Aren''t you ashamed of yourself for even asking such a question?"


    "He''s your brother?!" the guy was taken aback. He could have sworn that the way they interacted was more like a couple rather than siblings.


    Kyle stepped in front of Kay, effectively shielding her from the looks and camera flashes around. He glared at the reporter, "You know, the law is strict here about the protection of minors. Step aside or expect a call from my lawyers."


    The guy was taken aback. Lawyers? This kid had lawyers? Who was he kidding?


    Kyle, knowing what was going on in the guy''s mind, looked at him coldly as he said, "Try me."


    The reporter gulped, his instinct that had never failed him screaming at him to step aside.


    He stepped aside.


    Kyle and Kay followed Davis as he headed towards the lift. The bodyguards made people step aside, then when a lift came, politely told everyone to go out before they entered the lift.


    Kay was busy on the phone at that moment and merely followed with Kyle guiding her by holding her waist. She created a WhatsApp group titled "Stupid Kyle" and added Sarah, Beatrice, and Kyle in it.


    Kay: Kyle''s fine. We''re going to the owner''s office right now


    Sarah: Thank God


    Beatrice: Noted


    Kay: I don''t know how long we''ll be though


    Sarah: No worries. We''ll go back first then. I''ll wait for you at the dorms


    Beatrice: Yes. Thank you for lunch and the spa


    Sarah: Ya! Ya!


    Kay: Gotta go. TTYL


    ¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î


    Kay put down the phone and watched as Davis took out a keycard. He used a key to open a slot at the control panel, revealing a slit that the keycard could be inserted. He did so and pressed the green button labeled "O".


    In the lift were Kay and Kayla, Davis and one bodyguard, the lady and her toddler who was now quietly drinking milk from a bottle. She was observing everyone around her.


    "By the way, I''m Mary, and this is my daughter Dahlia," Mary said, introducing herself.


    "Kyle and Kayla," Kyle said.


    "We should call your parents," Davis began as the lift went up, "This is quite a serious situation and they need to be consulted."


    Kyle decided to take out the harness that he had tied around himself then. However, just as his hands reached up to touch it, Kay snapped at him, "Stop it! Let me do it."


    Kyle sheepishly stood still as she slowly untied the rope and harness. She had studied knots together with Kyle, so it wasn''t difficult for her to undo the knots. As she pulled the harness off him, Davis''s assistant took it, saying, "I''ll hold this."


    "Thank you," Kay said and also took off the chalk bag, which the man took as well.


    "Thanks," Kyle said, "But it''s not mine. I need to return it to Rock5 Gym later."


    "I''ll handle it," the guy said.


    "Thank you again, Mr?"


    "Harrison," he replied.


    "Thank you, Mr. Harrison. It''s much appreciated."


    Harrison was taken aback for a while. It''s been a long time since anyone actually thanked him for anything. Being Davis''s assistant meant that he had to do a lot of errands on top of his normal job, but no one actually thanked him when he did it. It felt nice.


    Harrison found himself smiling.


    Davis watched this with approval. The young man was extremely polite, something that was rather rare nowadays with today''s younger generation. It''s not that they were rude, but there was this lack of respect shown for the older generation. They tended to talk to them like they were friends or at the same level, and Davis couldn''t quite get used to that.


    Davis was old school. There is a clear line between boss and subordinates, so he never showed any signs of appreciation towards his own assistant. He was the boss, not his friend. His assistant was merely doing his job - you don''t expect a ''thank you'' every time you''re doing your job, right?


    However, it didn''t mean that he didn''t appreciate his assistant. He was gruff and barks orders, but he''s never rude. He is also generous in giving staff bonuses as a tribute to all their hard work. Still, watching how happy Harrison was from a mere ''thank you'' made Davis look at Kyle more favourably. Anyone who treats his man well, will be treated well in return.


    The lift went up without any stops, indicating that the keycard essentially made the lift as a private lift. They had reached their floor by now, and as they walked out, Davis asked, "What are your parents'' contacts? Harrison will get in touch with them."


    "Oh, umm ... that may take some time," Kyle said hesitatingly, "We''re not from around here, you see. We''re currently boarding at Sakura Academy."


    They walked briskly towards Davis''s office. The entire top floor was the management and operations centre, while Davis''s office was just a few doors away. Once they entered, Davis sat down at the small area for guests and indicated for everyone to sit.


    "That makes this slightly troublesome then," Davis admitted, "The reporters are demanding an explanation and would most likely want to interview you about the whole rescue ordeal. They can''t do that without your parents'' approval and presence."


    "Yes, Sir," Kyle agreed.


    "And they''ll most likely find out who your parents are and probably hound them about it," Davis said, "So it''s best that we inform them before they get the shock of their lives."


    "I agree, Sir," Kye said.


    "We''ll Skype them then and then we can discuss the situation," Davis decided.


    "Let me call them up first, Sir, to ease them into it," Kyle said, "In the meantime, perhaps Mr. Harrison can set up the conference room to skype them. Though it has to be two separate computers as my parents would be at their respective working place."


    "That''s a good idea," Davis agreed, "Go ahead and call them. Do you need some privacy?"


    "No, Sir, it''s okay. But ... just be prepared for a long lecture from my Mum." Kyle said with a grimace.


    Davis laughed and nodded, fully understanding the situation.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door and a doctor entered. He sat down next to Kyle and studied his hands.


    "This is quite a serious burn. I''ll clean it and apply some ointment. This may sting a little," the doctor cautioned as he began his treatment.


    It did sting but it wasn''t unbearable. After his hands were cleaned and sterilised, the doctor began wrapping his hand with a thin gauze, "You''ll have to keep it clean and dry for a few days and change the gauze every day. Do you know how to do it?"


    "I do," Kay said, "Kyle often gets injured like this during his rock climbs."


    [Nice one, Kay] Kyle complimented. She''s already creating their background story.


    The doctor nodded and gave her some gauze and ointment. She thanked him and watched him go.


    "Time to call Mum and Dad," Kyle said with a grimace.


    "Can I use your phone, Sir?" asked Kay politely. After getting permission, she dialed and put it on speaker phone.


    "Hello?"


    "Hi Mum, it''s Kay and Kyle here," Kay started.


    "Kay? Why are you calling from this number? Where are you? What happened? Are you alright? Is Kyle alright?"


    Kay and Kyle looked at each other and she nudged him.


    "Mum, calm down," Kyle said clearly, "We''re fine."


    "Oh, okay ... but what is up? Whose phone are you using here? What happened to your phones?"


    "Mum, are you sitting down?" Kyle asked.


    "Why?"


    "Just ... sit down, please," Kyle said.


    "Kyle, you''re scaring me. What happened?!"


    "Mum, calm down and sit down first. Then I''ll tell you," Kyle insisted.


    "Okay. Fine." A few moments of silence then "I''m sitting down. Speak."


    "It''s nothing much," Kyle began, "It''s just that I saw someone in trouble and I helped out. That''s all. A small matter. Everyone is safe and sound."


    Kyle waited and heard nothing for a while.


    "Kyle Smith," came his mother''s voice, "What are you not telling me?"


    [Ouch. She used the surname, brother]


    "Nothing much, really! A baby fell and I caught her," Kyle explained.


    "Kayla. Smith. Just WHAT did your brother do?" Delia said through gritted teeth.


    [Double ouch. She used the surname on you, too, Kay]


    [We''re still safe ... maybe?] Kay said hesitatingly.


    So long as the full name wasn''t used, they were still good.

 Chapter 95 - Getting Out Of Trouble

    Whenever the Smith Twins did something their mother didn''t like, one would know how deep in trouble one is in depending on how she addressed them.


    If she called them by including the surname, they were in trouble but it wasn''t bad yet. A prelude to the storm, if you will. However, if she started calling them by their full names ... then all Hell would break lose.


    When she did so, she was also very emotional and more often than not, irrational. Not such a good trait for a social worker, one would think - but the strange thing was, she only lost control with them. Perhaps since she bottled up most of her negative emotions caused by work had stressed her out and she can only be normal with them? It gets released then?


    Kyle started scratching his head. How was he going to explain to her without her going ballistic?


    "Well? I am waiting!!" his mum said tersely over the phone.


    Just then, he heard something over the phone. A piece of one particular familiar opening music. His eyes darted to the wall and he groaned.


    It was the 5 o''clock news.


    His mum always watched the news, to find out if there was an area that may need some help. Kay understood what happened and went to Davis to ask him politely if he could switch on the television to watch the 5 o''clock news.


    There, right smack bang as the first news was some shaky video of Kyle scaling the wall. The reporter was saying, "This just in! Just minutes ago, at Mall T, a brave young boy by the name of Kyle, saved a baby that had fallen!"


    "KYLE REXINGTON SMITH!! IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL A SMALL MATTER?!" roared his mother. "You - you - .... since when ... wait till I tell your Father about this ... I ... "


    Then the line went dead.


    "Well, that went well," Kyle said sheepishly, "I''ll call back after the news coverage is over."


    Davis stared at the both of them. The moment their names had been mentioned by their mum, Harrison had immediately done a background check. It wasn''t hard as any basic internet search would yield a lot of results. The Smith Twins.


    More importantly, the boy was the heir to the Smith Corporation. Davis knew Patrick Smith - who in the business world wouldn''t? He was known to be an aggressive businessman, but generally easy going. However, when it came to his family, he was fiercely protective.


    He knew that there''s no way that Patrick would allow his kids to be interviewed. Patrick had made it clear that his kids were off limits. Thus, the only thing he needed to do was discuss with the Smiths was what sort of information is allowed to be shared. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle and Kay watched the news in silence. One had to admit, watching it was far more impressive than actually doing it. There was hardly any commentating while the video of the rescue was going on, adding to the ''mysterious'' factor bit, Kyle supposed. At the end of it, they even managed to get Cole interviewed.


    He stood there, looking rather composed for being in the spotlight suddenly while answering the questions targeted at him.


    "Tell me, Mr. Cole. You''re the owner of Rock5 Gym and Kyle was using your harness," began the reporter.


    At that moment, there was a small square shown at the top right corner of the television, whereby it was a zoomed up picture of Kyle when he climbed over the railing the first time. The harness in front of him was circled and the logo of Rock5 Gym could vaguely be seen.


    "You even helped him by throwing him the rope," the reporter continued, "Tell me, just who is this Kyle?"


    "Well, he''s someone that''s a total natural and a prodigy at rock climbing. He is actually our secret weapon - though it''s not secret anymore," Cole explained.


    "Secret weapon??"


    "Yes. Our trump card, so to speak, for the qualifying rounds in the Rocky International Competition at the end of the year. He''s been training secretly at our gym since the beginning of the year," Cole explained.


    [Nice. Cole covered for me well] Kyle said with approval.


    [What would you have done if he didn''t?] Kay asked.


    [I took a huge gamble, I admit. I didn''t know if he would keep to his word but from the way he kept pestering me to join the team, I figured he had some high stakes at hand and wouldn''t bail on me.]


    [Huge gamble indeed]


    [Yes. If he didn''t cover up for me, I would have had to deal with it accordingly. It really depended on what he would actually say, really. Couldn''t cover all contingencies due to the lack of time. Luckily he followed the plan. Otherwise ... well, I would have made sure Cole regrets breaking his promise]


    [Truly risky indeed. Now we ''only'' have Mum to deal with]


    Kyle grimaced. [Once she calms down, she''ll be ok]


    [True. The question is ... how long will it take for her to calm down?]


    After the news was over, Kyle turned to look at Davis and said, "I''m sorry for my Mum''s outburst earlier. She tends ... to be rather overprotective."


    "Understandable," Davies replied, "Perhaps it''s best that I talk to her now."


    "Yes, Sir," Kyle agreed. His Mum, Delilah, wouldn''t blow her top at a stranger, so now that she knew what had happened, it would be easier to have some sort of discussion.


    Davis pressed the redial button and the moment the call connected, Delilah''s voice screamed through the speaker-phone, "KYLE REXINGTON SMITH!! You come home RIGHT NOW. I''m pulling you and Kay out of Sakura Academy. You''re already a target just because you''re a Smith and you have to go and pull that stunt?! What were you thinking?! Are ..."


    "Mrs. Smith," Davis cut in at that point, "I am Davis Grant, the owner of Mall T."


    "Oh. Oh, I''m sorry. I thought it was my son, Kyle," Delilah replied, her voice suddenly all sweet and normal now.


    "I''m truly sorry for the harrowing experience you must have gone through, but I am truly grateful that not only did nothing happen to your son, but he also managed to save the life of an innocent child."


    "Yes, yes Mrs. Smith. I''m Mary, the mother of the baby that your brave son saved. I''m so sorry Mrs. Smith. So sorry but I ... I ... if it wasn''t for him, my baby would be dead. I ..." she started to cry again and Kyle came over and put his arms around her shoulder.


    On the other end of the phone, Delilah''s face scrunched up. She hadn''t known that the phone conversation was heard by those involved. If she had known, she wouldn''t have acted the way she did. She was just worried over Kyle and seeing that video of him ... almost made her faint.


    She was so upset that she couldn''t even talk to Kyle at that moment, her eyes glued on the tv set. If it wasn''t for the fact that Kyle was on the phone with her, she would have been at the edge of her seat, thinking he had fallen.


    The height. The moves. The danger! There was nothing between him and the ground. What was he holding on to? What if he slipped? When she saw the baby fall and Kyle sway as he caught the baby, she screamed. She actually went to the television and was touching the screen, her eyes full of tears while her heart was in her throat.


    Kyle had always been a strange baby. Never needing her help and never asked for anything. He even refused to be breastfed, unlike Kay. He was so independent ... his whole life was Kay, then those other boys he befriended in school. Despite that, she loved him. He was a part of her. He was her son. To see him put himself in danger like that. What mother could stand it?


    "No, I am sorry for my outburst," Delilah began, "I am glad your baby is safe, Mary. Please, call me Delilah."


    Delilah could hear the quiet sobbing of the woman in the background and the sounds of a toddler''s baby talk. She could barely make out the faint "Bi bloodder! Bi bloodder!!" amidst clapping sounds. Delilah sighed and massaged the space between her eyebrows.


    "Delilah, I''d like to discuss the press release statement with you and your husband, Patrick. Would it be convenient to Skype ... say, in 30 minutes?" Davies asked.


    "Yes, that would be fine," Delilah said, "I''ll let my husband know and we''ll be waiting."


    After disconnecting the call, Davis looked at Kyle who was now playing with Baby Dahlia. She was happily smiling as Kyle did the normal ''peek-a-boo'' game. He hid his face behind his hands, making her anxious and when he opened it with a smile, she clapped and kept calling, "Bi bloodder! Bi bloodder!"


    "It''s a good thing that she doesn''t appear to be traumatised," Kyle said as he played with Dahlia.


    "Yes, and she seems to have become quite attached to you," Mary commented with a smile.


    "Ah, I seem to have that effect on girls," Kyle said with a grin, "Though she''s the youngest ever!"


    Kay smacked him on the shoulder, saying, "Shameless!"


    Kyle laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "Can''t deny the facts now, can we?"


    Kay took Dahlia, who was trying to climb onto Kyle at that moment, as she crawled up and grabbed onto his shirt. She protested loudly but Kay merely said gently to her, "Big Brother''s hands are hurt. See? He can''t hold you."


    Dahlia sniffed, looked at Kyle''s hand and stretched towards it. Kay let her go and she went to Kyle again, gently patting his hands then looked up at him.


    "Don''t worry, little one," Kyle said, "It doesn''t hurt."


    Dahlia continued patting his hand. She always found that when Mummy pat her, it was very comforting. So she wanted to make sure Big Brother was also comfortable. Soon, she was starting to feel sleepy. It was her evening nap, after all, and she just had her bottle of milk.


    Mary watched all of this in wonder.

 Chapter 96 - Ache In His Heart

    Mary watched as her daughter began positioning herself on Kyle''s lap, trying to find a comfortable position. She leaned towards him, hugging him but her small arms could barely touch his waist. Kyle figured out what she was trying to do, so he placed his arm under her head, positioning his elbow right at the back of her head.


    Dahlia leaned back then. Kyle looked at Kay, then his feet, whispering for help to take off his shoes. She smiled and got down on her knees on the floor, then easily took off his shoes. Luckily, he had changed his socks when he went to Rock5 Gym then, so there was no assault to anyone''s nose with his stinky socks.


    Kyle then slowly brought his legs up onto the sofa and sat cross-legged on it. With great care, he positioned the now sleeping Dahlia in the crook of his crossed legs. She was small enough to fit in there, so he didn''t need to support her head in any way.


    Kyle leaned back on the chair, gently stroking Dahlia''s hair. He started thinking of his own babies and wondered what they were doing now. His son, Joseph, is seven while his daughter, Lianne, is only five.


    He remembered how they were when they were born. Such cute little angels. Joseph was the sociable one while Lianne was the more quiet and serious one. Even at two years old, she was utterly serious. Extremely curious about everything, too.


    Seeing Dahlia like this reminded Kyle so much about his own kids, especially Lianne. He hadn''t seen or touched them in 13 years. Just having to settle with looking at them from afar, protecting them from a distance.


    His Lianne had fine, curly hair - much like Dahlia right now. So he couldn''t help but keep touching her hair at that moment. Even though he could barely feel it with the gauze on his palm. Yet, it was enough.


    Mary was still watching Kyle and the way he was with Dahlia. The way he handled and took care of Dahlia was unlike normal kids. Kids generally would be awkward around little kids and the most that they would do was play with them. Kyle was different. He would play with her, talk to her like Dahlia understood everything and now he had put her to sleep.


    That''s not all. Mary also noticed how Kyle was looking at Dahlia. It was akin to how a mother would look at her kids. There was a gentleness in his eyes that could not be faked. All mothers instinctively know that look. But why did Kyle have such a look in his eyes? It did not make any sense!


    "Do you babysit?" Mary couldn''t help but ask.


    Kyle was taken aback, "Er, no."


    "Do you have any younger siblings? Cousins?" she continued to ask.


    "No," Kyle replied, looking at her in puzzlement.


    "Do you hang around and mix with young kids a lot?"


    "No," he said again then asked, "Why?"


    "Nothing, just curious," Mary said.


    In the end, Mary decided to stop asking and felt that Kyle was probably just an unexplainable existence. If this was a work of fiction, he''d probably be the main character that''s insanely powerful or the ideal guy. What''s important was that Kyle was a good guy and Dahlia liked him. She would never forget what he had done and she promised herself that she would never lose touch with Dahlia''s Guardian Angel. She had a Life Debt to Kyle that could never be repaid.


    Five minutes before the time was up, Harrison came in and told them that everything was set up at the conference room. All that was left was to connect to Delilah and Patrick. Kyle looked helplessly at the comfortably sleeping Dahlia. It would be such a shame to wake her, but there was nothing that could be done about it.


    Mary came and gently picked up her sleeping baby, who struggled at first in protest but calmed down when Mary put her on her shoulder, patting her back. Once Dahlia fell back asleep, Mary cradled her close to her chest and they walked towards the Conference Room.


    [You okay, brother?] Kay asked, picking up on his melancholy mood.


    [Yeah] Kyle replied, following the others from behind [Just suddenly missing my kids]


    It was something that he normally was able to just put at the back of his mind. His kids had absolutely no connection to him here, so it was easier to accept the separation. There was nothing in this life that could remind him of them, such as the park that they usually go to. Or the dining table where they would have their family dinners. Or the places they used to eat.


    So long as he just focused on his life here, he could deal with the sense of loss and separation. However, this situation hit too close to home. Touching a baby, holding a baby ... and having a baby be so attached to you.


    All the memories and feelings that he had been suppressing all these years just came to the surface. It had taken him supreme effort to squash them and bring them back down. The ache in his heart didn''t go away, however, and a part of him just wanted to go back and stare at his kids'' pictures that the Mary Poppins Agents sent.


    He knew that it would be a bad idea, though. If he viewed them while feeling this ache in his heart, he would most likely break down and cry. So it would be best if he only looked at the album after he had calmed down.


    Kay held on to Kyle''s arm, leaning on him and wishing that she could do more to help ease the pain in his heart. It frustrated her that she couldn''t but Life was like that, wasn''t it? You can''t have everything under control. You can''t help even your loved ones in some things, no matter how much you want to. There are things that only they can go through and all you can do is just be their silent support by their side. You don''t have to say anything, but just make your presence known.


    Once they entered the Conference room, Kyle could see Harrison and another person adjusting a laptop each. They then started positioning the laptops so that it would not only be able to see part of each other but also the rest of the people at the table. Kyle, Kay, and Mary were directed to their positions.


    Kyle could see his parents'' faces clearly at the laptop screen and he was careful to have his hands hidden under the table.


    "Hello, I am Davis and I would first like to thank you, Patrick and Delilah, for agreeing to this meeting at such short notice," Davis began, "As you are already aware, Kyle here had done a rather miraculous feat in saving the life of Dahlia."


    Dahlia by that time had awoken from her mother''s embrace, due to the walk to the Conference Room. She was sitting on the table in front of Mary, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She looked up upon hearing her name then looked around.


    "Bi bloodder!!" she called out then started crawling to him on the table. She then sat right in front of him and put her little hands on his cheeks, patting them.


    Despite the slight disturbance, Davis didn''t skip a beat as he then continued, "Right now, we''ve secured Kyle and Kay here in the Office, but the press is waiting for a statement from Mall T. They would, of course, like Kyle to be there as well."


    "Absolutely not," Patrick replied firmly, "He''s only 13. I don''t want his life disrupted by this."


    "I understand but unfortunately, I believe his life is already going to be disrupted by this. If we can allow him to be there, it would feed their curiosity and hopefully, stop them from trying to get more later on."


    "He has a point, dear," Delilah said, her eyes not wavering from watching Dahlia playing with Kyle. Her eyes narrowed.


    "And Kyle, sweetheart," Dahlia began and Kyle sat up straight.


    [Oh. Oh. You''re gonna be in trouble again, brother]


    Their Mum had many tricks. The name thing was one. This was another. If she started off sweetly, she''s going to then drop a bombshell. It was never a good bombshell.


    "Yes, Mum?" Kyle turned to look at ''her'' with a Sweet Smile.


    "Let me see your hands," Delilah demanded.


    Kyle sighed. Trust her to notice. With Dahlia playing and demanding attention, he had merely made faces and allowed her to continuously pat his face and head. His hands had been under the table the whole time and he had tried to act as normal as possible. Didn''t work.


    Well, he DID get his smarts from his mother, albeit he was at a much higher level.


    He slowly took out his hands from under the table and he heard a sharp intake of breath from both Delilah and Patrick.


    "It''s just normal rope burns," Kyle said hurriedly, "Will heal easily in a few days."


    "Good," Delilah said, "Good. Good. That''s really good."


    [You got four ''Good'', brother. Shall I plan your funeral now, or when we go home for the school holidays?]


    [You''re NOT helping, Kay] Kyle growled inwardly, but on the outside, he gave a sorry expression as he looked at his parents.


    "Fine, Kyle can be there at the Press Conference but we will be there as well. When will it be?" Patrick asked.


    "Is tomorrow morning a convenient time? Say, 8am? It''s rather late now, and we will need to prepare the venue as well," Davis explained. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s fine," Patrick replied.


    "Great," Davis said, clasping his hands together, "We''ll have it here at Mall T, of course, in our Convention Centre."


    "Noted," Patrick said.


    "And Kyle?" Delilah called out.


    "Yes, Mum?"


    "You and Kay go to Shifu''s place. We''ll be there tonight," Delilah said.


    Kyle nodded. Master Shifu''s house had an elaborate security system so there was no worry of the reporters getting in. Plus, the fact that he was their guardian while they were here was in the school''s private records, and there was no way an outsider would find out. Not so soon, anyway. So it was the safest place to go to.


    Until his parents arrived, of course.

 Chapter 97 - Dust Settles

    Once all of the matters were settled, Davis thanked Delilah and Patrick then Skype was disconnected.


    "I''m so sorry that you got injured," Mary said with sadness in her eyes.


    "No, no! It''s not your fault," Kyle said, waving his hands in front of him, "I knew the risks and this is something I get quite often when I do my climbs. Please don''t mind my Mum too much."


    "It''s only natural that she''d be worried and upset," Mary said as she took Dahlia.


    "Erm, well, actually, it''s my fault that she''s over-reacting like that," Kyle said, "You see, I never told her I started rock climbing. So the whole thing was a total shock for her. She wouldn''t have been so upset otherwise."


    "It''s not you, or the fact that I saved Dahlia," Kyle explained further, "She''s upset that I''ve been doing this dangerous sport behind her back. She knows I didn''t tell her because she would have stopped me. She''ll be fine after the dust settles, so to speak."


    Kyle grinned at that, for it was partly the truth and partly a lie. If Delilah ever found out about what he was truly learning from Master Shifu, she''d probably have a heart attack.


    "He was the problem child, you see," Kay supplied helpfully, "Never listened to them. Always did his own things. Always made our parents tear their hair out. I was the Angel while he was the Devil. So troublesome!"


    Kyle scratched his head sheepishly. It was true that he never listened to his parents when he was growing up. They were so overprotective and he knew himself best as to what he could, and could not, do. So he would always ignore their warnings and did it - then they couldn''t say much because he succeeded.


    The most they would do is tell him that it may have worked out fine then, but it doesn''t mean it would be okay the next time. Problem was, there never was a ''not okay'' next time. It got his parents really frustrated as it was as if their parenting skills were zero.


    With Kay, it was different. She actually was a rather normal child. Kyle even suspected that if there wasn''t Kay to balance it out, he''d probably be put into some laboratory to be studied or experimented on. Still, the way Kay said it, it made it seem like he was ''Dennis the Menace''* or something.


    Kay just grinned at him.


    After that, Davis offered to send them back.


    "Actually, Sir, would it be possible if ... " Kyle said and told him. Davis smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, it can be done," he agreed with a smile.


    ¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î


    The reporters were crowded at all the exits of the Mall. They did NOT want to miss catching the boy, Kyle, coming out. They couldn''t interview him but at least, they could take pictures of him, right? And follow him to where he would go. There were already people at Sakura Academy gates but they wanted to cover all possibilities.


    Just then, from Exit D, a flurry of excitement happened. Bodyguards were surrounding one woman carrying a baby and a couple of teenagers. The baby was wearing one-piece outfit with a hood that was pulled up and her face was covered on the Mother''s chest.


    The two teenagers were wearing caps that was pulled low over their faces. The girl''s hair partially covered her features while the guy was also pulling up his denim shirt collar up and covering half of his face.


    They were quickly ushered into a waiting car with dark tinted windows. As the car sped off, every reporter hurriedly texted their counterparts and gave chase. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ten minutes later, a couple of teenagers blended in the crowd and left the Mall.


    ¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î


    Kyle and Kay exited the taxi in front of Master Shifu''s house. Kyle was now wearing a baggy purple T-shirt while Kay had on a black blouse. Kay''s long locks were tied in a ponytail and the both of them were wearing sunglasses. It wasn''t much of a disguise and it wasn''t meant to be. They only needed to make sure that they weren''t wearing the same things as before and would not stand out.


    Then again, with THAT face of theirs, could Kyle honestly say that they wouldn''t stand out?


    Which was why they didn''t look up and had tried to avoid scrutinty as much as possible. They banked on the fact that everyone who was interested to look for Kyle, had already left with the decoy. It had taken a bit of time to find two people of similar build at the office, but once they had changed - the resemblance was good enough to pass.


    Mary stayed in a secured residential area, so there was no worry that any of the reporters would be able to breach the security and enter. Once Mary and Dahia were dropped off at their residence, ''Kay and Kyle'' would return back to work - after changing back to their normal gear in the car. It was only when the reporters followed them back to the Mall that they realised that they had been tricked.


    Now, as they entered Master Shifu''s house, the only thing left was to weather the storm. The Smith Storm.


    They didn''t have long to wait.


    Within an hour, they arrived. The first thing Delilah did was to hug Kyle tightly then inspect his hands. After that, Kyle had to sit down and listen to her nag for an hour while Kay helped Master Shifu in the kitchen. Patrick simply sat at the sofa and listen to his wife berate him, get worried, scold then cry a bit, get angry again and then hugged Kyle again.


    The constant circle of anger-to-crying-to-anger was quite taxing, really.


    Finally, Kay came and invited them to the dining table for a late dinner. Just as Delilah was going to start again, Patrick quietly said, "Now, that''s enough, my dear. I''m sure Kyle has understood the gravity of what he had done."


    Delilah looked a bit unhappy about that but accepted it.


    "So how long have you been doing this?" Patrick asked as they began eating.


    "A couple of years now," Kyle replied slowly, "Though I only began seriously when I transferred here."


    "You mean you started last year?!" Delilah almost screamed it. She couldn''t imagine Kyle doing this by himself outside. What was he thinking??


    "Yes, but it wasn''t like what you saw today, Mum," Kyle said placatingly, "It was more of climbing trees and scaling up the walls using ropes. It was more to exercise than anything else, but I really found it fun. It was only after I found Rock5 Gym here that I started the sport seriously."


    "So tell me about this Rock5 Gym," Delilah demanded.


    The rest of the night was spent with Kyle giving up his made-up story about the gym and Cole, plus the competition that was going to be held at the end of the month. It took a lot of sweet talk from Kyle and puppy dog faces from Kyle before Delilah finally agreed to let him compete, after securing the promise that if they did not qualify, he would drop the sport. At least, not to do it without equipment.


    Master Shifu simply smiled, nodding his head while he listened to everything. He had been shocked at first when he saw Kyle scaling the wall but he was quick to see the Rock5 Gym harness. He knew Kyle would have a back-up story, so he didn''t need to ask. As for the scolding ... Delilah was doing more than enough of that.


    ¡î...:*?¡ã THE NEXT DAY ¡î...:*?¡ã


    Everyone was ready and was heading out of Master Shifu''s place at 7am. It was a 30mins drive to Mall T and everyone bundled into the car. Delilah made sure that Kyle had changed the dressing on his hands and he was okay before she finally was satisfied enough to let them go.


    "Hi Mack!" Kyle greeted as he went in the front seat.


    "Good morning, Master Kyle," Mack, the driver, greeted him.


    Patrick and Delilah sat at the back while Kay didn''t join them. After all, she had not been involved in the rescue. Kyle was glad that she wasn''t going to be there - he didn''t want her face to be shown to all the hungry wolves out there. Even though the newspapers already got some pictures of her, none of them had a clear shot at her face.


    Right now, Kyle had been forced to wear a suit by Delilah and he kept tugging at the collar. It wasn''t buttoned up all the way, but he still felt like it was choking him.


    "Mum, I feel like a penguin. Is this really necessary?" Kyle asked for the umpteenth time.


    "Yes, unless you don''t want to continue your rock climbing," Delilah replied calmly.


    Kyle sighed and leaned back on the chair.


    He was wearing a dark Giorgio Armani suit and a white shirt with small thin blue pinstripes that only served to make him look more distinguished and added another layer of gorgeousness to his already outstanding features. His lean, muscular physique was moulded by the suit and further accentuated. Added to that, Delilah had styled his hair to complement his sharp features.


    In short, Kyle hardly looked like a young student - but a very young businessman.


    The suit was comfortable but he still didn''t like wearing it. Even if it was a Giorgio Armani suit! He liked jeans and if it was up to him, he''d even go to work wearing jeans! Kyle knew what his mother was trying to do but it didn''t mean that he liked being decked up like that. Even if he did look good in it.


    What Delilah aimed to do was essentially, portray Kyle as the very capable heir of the Smith Industries. The rescue merely added another depth of his character; Kyle wasn''t just someone good looking. He was a strong and person, someone capable of being a good leader. Patrick approved and felt that they would use this interview session to slowly introduce Kyle to the public.


    Kyle sighed. Perhaps his parents'' intentions were for the best. Then his lips curled upwards to a small smile as he thought of what he''s going to do during the interview.


    She wanted an heir to the Smith Industries, right?


    Who said one couldn''t have fun doing it? Right?

 Chapter 98 - Cold Heir

    Mark drove the car to the underground carpark and headed straight to a special lift that Davis had told them about. This lift would take them directly to Davis''s Office at the top floor. From there, they would be able to access the Convention Hall via another special lift that was not accessible anywhere else.


    Kyle admired the way Davis had built the Mall. From the outsider''s point of view, it was a normal Mall. However, there were many areas that were actually hidden and not accessible unless it was through Davis''s Office or a secured location. Kyle took note of this for his future business building as well.


    Davis was waiting for them as they exited the lift to his Office Floor.


    "Shall we head over to the Convention Centre now?" Davis asked. It was about 15 more minutes to the start of the Press Conference, so Kyle''s parents agreed readily.


    Davis led them to the lift that would take them straight to the Convention Centre. Upon reaching the floor, the lift opened up to reveal a waiting lounge area that had some drinks and finger sandwiches. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Please have something while we wait," Davis said as he led them to the table. He then pointed to a door at the center and said, "That leads to the stage of the Convention Centre, where we will be sitting to address the press."


    As they sat, Delilah looked at Kyle intently, taking in how sharp her son looked at that moment. Being his mother, she was naturally biased and felt that Kyle was extremely handsome and would break many hearts in the future. He was also kind and virtuous so it grated her that he didn''t appear to have any girlfriend at the moment despite so many girls practically flinging themselves at him.


    Delilah also noticed that there was something different with Kyle right now. In fact, the moment he stepped out of the car earlier. There was a sharpness in his eyes that wasn''t there before. Where was her playful son? Right now, she found herself looking at someone that looked like her son but was not?


    Patrick was observing Kyle as well and noticed the change in him. He was seeing it, but he couldn''t believe it. He hadn''t seen his son since the beginning of the year but could a boy change that much in 10 months? When they had reunited last night, Kyle wasn''t any different but right now ... it was obvious. There was a coldness around him and a seriousness that belied his age.


    He had only seen Kyle with Kay, and Kyle was always the loving, protective and warm brother. He gave off the impression of being a playful and youthful boy. Now, he appeared to be a cold, indifferent boy. Patrick didn''t want to admit it, but Kyle definitely showed the aura and demeanor of a CEO at this point.


    A very small and young CEO.


    In truth, Kyle wasn''t small but in Patrick''s mind, Kyle was. Kyle definitely wasn''t an adult yet so his body frame - even though muscular, was not the physique of an adult man. The chest was not broad enough, the waist was not tapered yet. However, as Kyle had hit puberty early, there was no denying that he did not look like a typical 13-year-old.


    Was this the true Kyle?


    Just then, Harrison came to let them know that it was time. Kyle placed the last piece of sandwich in his mouth, took several chews and swallowed it quickly. He got up, looking seriously at his suit and brushed off any crumbs that may be there. Standing up, he straightened his jacket and followed them out.


    Although Harrison''s facial expression didn''t change, he was actually rather shocked at this sudden transformation of Kyle. Yesterday, he had seen this friendly, happy-go-lucky boy that was warm and sweet to a baby. Now, he appeared to be a rather cold and distant boy that didn''t seem to be bothered by anything. Kind of like Davis whenever he chaired the Shareholders meetings.


    Would the suit change a person so much? Maybe he should get a suit like that, too ...


    Kyle, in the meantime, was quite enjoying the looks and surprise on everyone''s faces right now. Since Delilah wanted to show him off as the future CEO, then he might as well play the part, right? Putting him in this monkey suit and parading him to the public like that ... he should at least give them some shock factor.


    Kyle simply went through a list of what type of CEO he should be. Arrogant? Nah, he wouldn''t be able to keep a straight face while doing so. Wasn''t in his bones anyway to be haughty and looking down on people. Mean was out as well. Serious type? Nah, too boring. He definitely couldn''t portray a playful, easygoing CEO because no one would take him seriously in the future.


    So what was left? The typical cold CEO but with a slight twist; he would be warm and fuzzy to his family.


    Actually, it wasn''t really hard to act that way. All he did was simply let his adult soul out - but with a mix of Kyle''s natural confidence. Kylie had never been the confident sort of person but she was efficient and a very serious person. With the two combined, his portrayal of a cold CEO was spot on. He started looking at everyone through the eyes of a 40+13 year old person, which effectively made him older than most of the people there. Including his parents.


    Davis was the first to walk out, followed by Patrick, Kyle then Delilah. It was obvious that the star of the whole thing was Kyle. The moment he walked through the door after his father, the camera flashes became more intense. Despite the glare of those flashes, Kyle didn''t flinch and walked ahead to the seat arranged for him.


    He sat down and looked straight at all the reporters who were there. His eyes scanned every single person there, committing them to memory. His eyes narrowed when he recognised that reporter Kay had gotten angry at the day before. The one he threatened.


    His lips curled up to a small smirk as he locked eyes on that particular reporter for ten seconds before looking away. The poor guy was practically shivering in his seat and he felt the sweat trickle down his back and head. He kept thanking God that he listened to his instinct yesterday. Finding out that the boy was Kyle Smith had already made him nervous, realising what a close call it had been.


    The Kyle right now appeared much more dangerous for some reason. A hint of it was shown yesterday but now? It was full blown. Was it the suit? It just made him look so much more adult-like.


    "Thank you everyone for coming," Davis began, "Mall T would like to express our deepest regret over the accident that occurred yesterday. Investigations are still underway to establish what happened. Initial investigations showed that she had somehow crawled through the small gap inbetween the railings. As such, all barriers and railings are being upgraded to be covered by glass panels.


    I would like to stress that our Mall has met with the safety standards and have not been negligent in any manner. This accident, however, did highlight the fact that we should do more than what is required. We take full responsibility and would do everything in our power to prevent such an occurrence happening ever again.


    Lastly, we would also like to express our gratitude to Kyle for his heroic efforts in saving a life and preventing further tragedy. We now open the floor for any questions."


    "Mr. Smith, how did you feel when you saw your son performing the rescue?"


    "Of course I was worried but also extremely proud. Kyle has always been a very responsible and caring young man. I trust his judgment," Patrick replied then looked at Kyle. Kyle smiled warmly at his father, but when he turned to face the reporters, his face became indifferent again.


    "Why isn''t the mother of the child here?" one reporter asked, looking at Davis for an explanation, "Isn''t she grateful to Kyle for saving her daughter''s life?"


    Kyle''s eyes immediately locked on coldly to that reporter and he asked before Davis could reply, "Name and organisation?"


    The guy was startled, not expecting Kyle to respond but answered nonetheless, "Larry, from Media Corp."


    "Ah. Media Corp," Kyle said with a slight snort, "What is an entertainment magazine doing here? Or are you viewing this whole thing as a farce and a source of entertainment? Perhaps, that the whole rescue thing was staged? That I am seeking attention or fame? Is that it?"


    The guy gulped, wondering how the young boy figured out the angle of his story - not that he was going to admit it, of course.


    "Of course not!" Larry protested, "But I believe that my question about the mother is a valid one."


    "In what way is it valid? Isn''t this supposed to be an explanation of the accident? At the very least, the rescue. The mother and child have absolutely no connection or correlation to the point at hand. I suggest you either stick to your entertainment news or ask better questions. Otherwise, you''re just showing your ignorance," Kyle said, staring at him and daring him to refute him.


    Davis then spoke up, "Kyle is right. Kindly direct all questions about the accident or the rescue."


    Larry sat down agitatedly.


    After setting the tone of what could be asked and what could not, the rest of the press conference went by smoothly. What the reporters noted was that other than the questions directed at him, Kyle was also respond to other questions regarding the Mall and the accident. However, he only responded to those he regarded as stupid and all his comments were biting.


    He would point out the flaws of the question then attack the news agency, bringing up past news that had been sensationalised. In short, questioning their professionalism and integrity. It was as if Kyle was the CEO of the meeting who did not tolerate any nonsense.


    That day, Kyle got the reputation of being a competent and sharp person. Harsh and one who does not tolerate stupidity or inefficiency. The cold heir.


    Little did Kyle know that this ''act'' of his ... would not be an act anymore in the future ...


    But that is a story for another day.

 Chapter 99 - Back To Normal

    As Kyle walked out of the Convention Centre, he almost stumbled when Kay''s voice came through unexpectedly.


    [Just what was that?]


    [What was what?] Kyle asked innocently.


    [That whole ''cold and detached'' person I just watched on television]


    [Wasn''t I impressive?]


    Kay snorted. She actually snorted, Kyle thought in amusement.


    [The way you shot down those reporters was impressive though] Kay admitted [So is this going to be the new Kyle or something?]


    [Nah, of course not] Kyle replied [That was to mess with Mum. All the nagging about being more responsible and need to set an example and whatnot. You should have seen her face. I think she thinks I''m a monster or something]


    [You are]


    [Oh come on. I ... wait. Mum''s calling. Later]


    [Be nice to Mum, okay? She was just worried] Kay admonished him.


    [I know, I know. Got it] Kyle grumbled. He couldn''t help but feel a bit disgruntled though. Being treated like a kid who didn''t know anything rubbed him the wrong way, even though that person was his Mother. Or rather, the person who gave birth to him.


    One of Kyle''s regret in this life was his inability to love his parents as they should be loved. Especially his Mother. He was grateful to them and he would never mistreat them, and he DID love them. To a certain extent. But it wasn''t the same.


    The bond that a baby has with his biological mother is due to his recognition of her and her care for him while he is helpless. When he was still in the womb, he could already make out her unique smell. A baby, who had nothing but the steady rhythm of the mother''s heartbeat and her smell while in the womb, would naturally bond and get calm when these two factors were present upon birth.


    As for Kyle? Not only did he have Kay with him in the womb to keep him company, but he was also mentally an adult and didn''t rely on his mother at all after birth. He did in terms of being bathed, fed and so forth but he wasn''t relying on her per se. He couldn''t even accept being breastfed. The moment Delilah guided her nipple into his mouth, he would spit it out.


    He couldn''t help it. It was reflex. He preferred the stiff plastic bottle teat anytime. Kay often scolded him for it, telling him that it was the best. The texture and the softness of the natural teat, the taste of milk and the smell of their mother made everything like a gourmet meal.


    Kyle shrugged mentally. Since hitting puberty though, he couldn''t deny that those soft orbs did offer more fascination for him but he didn''t know whether it was mere curiosity or it was a prelude to something more than that. After all, so far, Kyle Jr didn''t react in any way every time someone accidentally (or not) brushed against him.


    "Yes, Mother?" Kyle answered after realising that his mother was calling him again. He had been so lost in thought that he forgot to reply to her the first time. As the Cold CEO persona, he would use formal language in front of others. He did, however, give her a warm smile.


    "You did well," she praised him.


    "Yes," agreed his father, "The way you handled the questions showed shrewdness and aptitude of a CEO. I am impressed by your knowledge of all the news agencies. How did you know?"


    Kyle shrugged, "You need to know your enemy in order to face them."


    Patrick laughed and patted Kyle on the shoulder, "Good, good. A good start."


    When Delilah said "good", it was bad. When Patrick said "good", it was actually good. Kyle laughed internally at how different - yet the same - his parents were.


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    Meanwhile, in another part of town, a lone figure could be seen in an empty room. The television was on and the Press Conference by Mall T was being shown in the 9 o''clock news. As the news was just about to end the man stubbed out his cigar and said softly, his deep voice echoing in the room, "Drako."


    Silently, a man dressed all in black appeared and stood behind the figure. The man didn''t turn but instead, pointed at the television and said, "Get me everything you can about this Kyle Smith. I want the report on my desk by tomorrow morning."


    "Yes, Sir," the man responded and disappeared.


    "Is he a threat, Sir?" another voice sounded in the room.


    "He might be, Nitocris," the man answered.


    Nitocris looked at the young man in the television, "But he''s so young, Sir. How could he possibly be a threat to you?"


    The man looked up at his trusted aide, the man who had been with him for the past 10 years and said with a sneer, "He spoiled my plans. That alone is enough for me to eliminate him. The fact that he was at the right place, at the right time and with the right skills to do so? Bah!"


    "But isn''t it just mere coincidence, Sir?" Nitocris insisted, not afraid of angering his boss.


    The man stared at him and said simply, "There is no such thing as coincidences, Nitocris. Remember that. Coincidences are merely Fate''s way of trying to stop me. Since Fate has shown me this boy, then I will eliminate the boy. I have reached where I am through blood and sweat. NO ONE will topple me. NO ONE."


    "Yes, Sir," Nitocris answered respectfully and said a little prayer for the boy.


    "But this is not the right time to make a move," mumbled the man, "The Smith Industries Heir, huh. Too much heat right now. This must be planned properly ..."


    Nitocris listened and started jotting down notes.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã


    The next day, things were a bit hectic back at school. Obviously, people had seen the news report and the school forum exploded. Screenshots of Kyle''s climbing feat were all over but what got the girls more excited was seeing Kyle in a suit.


    He was unbelievably handsome that they could just die. Die, I tell you!


    They were also torn whenever they saw his bandaged hands. How they''d love to take care of him but his cold demeanor at the news conference made them feel like ... they could look but cannot touch.


    The moment Kyle entered Sage Class, the whole classroom started cheering and clapping. Kyle gave his Million-Dollar Watt Smile and took an elaborate bow.


    "Thank you, thank you," he said and then, "Please don''t admire me more than you already do. I''m just way too awesome for you to handle."


    "Oh please," Ali retorted, "If your head gets any bigger, you won''t be able to walk through the door!"


    "Can''t you think of a better or newer line?" Kyle said with a laugh as he headed over to Beatrice''s desk, "Same old boring ones"


    Beatrice was busy at her computer, doing some work that she needed to finish. Other than the initial clapping, she had ignored everything else. After all, she had been there during the whole rescue thing and felt that there was nothing else of interest.


    She was so focused on her work that she didn''t realise Kyle had walked over until her view of her computer screen was blocked. It was a beige coloured paper bag. What caught her eye was the simple logo "D''Amour" on it. She looked up at Kyle curiously.


    "What''s this?" she asked, not even bothering to take the bag.


    "Just a simple ''thank you'' for following the Mad Shopping Kay yesterday," Kyle replied as he walked over to his own desk.


    "HEY! I was not madly shopping that day!" Kay protested.


    "Yeah, right. My wallet says otherwise," Kyle said as he gave a sad look and clutched his heart, "Almost had a heart attack right at the cashier itself"


    "Ha ha, very funny," Kay said, then stuck out her tongue at him, "By the way, Liam should have put up the results of the student council interviews. Be prepared to deal with it later."


    "Gotcha," Kyle said, "But we still have another 2 months before school ends then official duties start! Should I start running?"


    "You''re going to have to start preparing for next year''s intake, my dear brother. You know, Student Council President speech, the welcoming of new students, the preliminary tests for class allocation, the possibility of more Sage Class members, the ..."


    "STOP! ENOUGH!" Kyle shouted, then whimpered then stopped in shock when he arrived at his desk, "What the heck is this?!!"


    There, piled up high on his desk, were various gifts.


    "Oh, that?" Natasha said, "Just a few gifts for you."


    "Er, I can see that they''re gifts, Natasha," Kyle said, rolling his eyes.


    "You asked what they were," she pointed out with a smile and Kyle groaned.


    "You sure you''re not a guy? You''re certainly good at bad dad jokes," Kyle poked fun at her.


    "You sure you''re a genius? You''re certainly dumb enough to ask stupid questions," Natasha retorted back.


    While Kyle was busy ''arguing'' with Natasha, Beatrice gingerly took the bag and looked inside. She took out the blouse and tears started forming in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. She looked about her quickly and was relieved that no one saw that.


    She was touched. Really touched.


    No one, other than her parents and Betty, had ever given her anything - not even on her birthday. Now, not only did someone give her something, it wasn''t for anything special. Just as a ''thank you''. He had noticed her admiring the blouse and he bought it for her. How many people would be so thoughtful?


    Beatrice sighed as she carefully folded the blouse and put it back in the bag. At that moment, Beatrice could somehow understand the confusion and pain Sarah must be under. These little, thoughtful and kind acts of Kyle can really make one misunderstand. Beatrice didn''t, of course, for this was just how Kyle was. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What Beatrice didn''t know was that Kyle HAD seen how Beatrice reacted to his little present. Which sane person wouldn''t want to know how a person reacts to something that they had given? Kyle also knew that Beatrice wouldn''t want to show it so he pretended to be occupied with bantering with Natasha.


    He had seen her take out the blouse and wipe her eyes. The light smile on her lips made him happy. He really liked the fact that Beatrice was slowly opening up to the people around her. It was only a month and the effects could already be seen.


    [Beatrice really liked your gift, brother]


    [Yup. Oh. Ya. Which reminds me. Did Sarah like it?] Kyle asked curiously.

 Chapter 100 - Gifts

    Kay thought back to the night before. They had returned to Sakura Academy in the evening, after spending time with their parents and sending them off.


    As Kay walked through the door, Sarah had been lying down on the bed, reading a book. She practically threw her book aside and jumped off the bed, running over to Kay.


    "You''re back!! That''s so great!! How''s Kyle?" Sarah asked worriedly.


    Kay smiled and patted Sarah''s shoulder, "Don''t worry. He''s fine."


    "I saw his hands bandaged. IS it bad?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Kay replied, "Just the normal rope burns. He''ll be back to normal in another few days."


    Handing her a beige coloured paper bag, Kay said, "Here. For you."


    "For me? What is it? Wait. It''s not my birthday. Why did you get me this?" Sarah asked as she took the bag.


    "I didn''t," Kay answered as she walked to her closet, "Kyle did. It''s a ''thank you'' for Saturday, and for yesterday as well. You accepted the delivery of all of my clothes."


    Kay was touched as she looked inside her closet. Sarah hadn''t just accepted the delivery, but she had unwrapped them all and put them in the closet.


    Sarah, after hearing what Kay had said, almost dropped the bag. This was from Kyle? She nervously opened the bag and peered inside. It looked white and blue. She reached in her hand and took it out, gasping a little. It was a blue floral printed sleeveless summer dress. She touched the material, feeling its softness and placed it upon her front as she stood in front of the mirror.


    It was so beautiful.


    "Go on, put it on," Kay said.


    Sarah excitedly went to the bathroom and did so. As she slid into the dress, she marveled at how soft and cooling the material was. What made her more amazed was the fact that it fit her perfectly. The skirt reached just above her knee, which she liked. The tapered waistline wasn''t too loose or too tight and it hugged her figure just nice. The V-neck was also not too low and her small pendant necklace was just at the right height.


    How could he have picked such a perfect dress? Not only did it fit her so well, the cutting was also very good on her. She also loved soft, pastel colours and the blue floral patterns on it was just right. She twirled around and gasped again. The fact that the shirt flared up and out so beautifully, like a flower blooming, was something that she absolutely adored in a dress.


    "Stupid Kyle," she muttered as she looked at herself in the mirror. She would have loved any gift from him and would treasure it like it was the most precious thing on Earth. This, however, was beyond precious. To be able to pick such a perfect dress meant that he knew her well. Not just her taste but also her body.


    She blushed at that and she slapped her cheeks hard, "Kyle''s not a pervert! He''s just observant!"


    Still, it made her both happy and sad to get such a gift from Kyle. He would be such a perfect boyfriend.


    "Come on, let''s see!" Kay urged her from their room. The moment Sarah walked out, Kay took a picture.


    "You look so adorable!!" Kay said, smiling, "Kyle''s got a good eye indeed."


    "It''s lovely," Sarah said then went back in to change back into her pajamas.


    *?¡ã¡î...:*?Back to the Present .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    "So you''re asking me if she liked it?" Kay said as she took out her phone, then showed him a picture, "What do you think?"


    Kyle took the phone and looked at it. Sarah was smiling shyly, her face aglow as she was wearing the dress and was at the bathroom door. She looked very sweet in the dress and was just as he had pictured it. The moment he saw the dress, he knew that it would be perfect for her. He''s glad that he did have a good eye in this, at least.


    "She looks happy," Kyle commented, handing back the phone.


    "She''s more than happy, dear brother," Kay said then asked, "What do you think of Sarah?"


    "Sarah?" he mumbled distractedly as he rummaged through his gifts, "She''s a nice girl. Why?"


    Beatrice''s ears perked up the moment Kay asked the question.


    "Urgh, Kyle," Kay complained, "Can''t you use another adjective? You''re always saying girls are either nice or creepy. Sarah''s my best friend! Can''t you be more descriptive or something? How do you find Sarah as a girl?"


    Kyle looked up at her, frowning as he asked, "Huh? What do you mean? How do I find her as a girl? Normal?"


    "Honestly, brother," Kay said exasperatingly, "I don''t know whether you''re truly dense about what I''m asking or whether you''re just stupid."


    "That''s the same thing, you know," Sam pointed out.


    Kay rolled her eyes, "I know that, Sam. DUH."


    "Why don''t you just ask properly then?" Kyle complained, "Are you seriously asking me if I like Sarah more than a friend?"


    "No, dear brother," Kay said, "I know very well you don''t; but I AM wondering if you subconsciously like her more than most girls. After all, you know what they say when a guy buys a girl clothes. It''s because they want to take it off."


    "OH GOD, KAY! You did NOT say that!!" Kyle stood up, pointing a finger at her, then sat back down as he said, "FYI, if I wanted to take a girl''s clothes off, I wouldn''t need to buy her the clothes in the first place. It''s easier to just take off whatever she''s wearing at the moment."


    "BOOM!" Xing Han shouted suddenly, "Kyle 1, Kay 0."


    "Shameless," Kay retorted.


    Meanwhile, Beatrice''s face was beet red. When Kay had said that, she started staring at her gift with wide eyes. Then she heard Kyle''s voice, "Don''t mind Kay, Beatrice. She''s just playing around."


    Then Kyle ''glared'' at Kay, "Now see what you did? You made Beatrice uncomfortable. She''s probably never going to wear that blouse now!"


    "Oh gosh, no Beatrice! I''m sorry! I didn''t mean it! I was just teasing Kyle, really! Please, don''t think anything about the gift. It really is just a ''thank you'' for all your help," Kay said desperately, trying to convince her.


    "Kyle 2, Kay 0," Xing Han said with a laugh.


    Kay tsked at Xing Han.


    Kyle just grinned at Kay, wriggling his eyebrows then started sorting the pile of gifts on his table. His hands may be still be bandaged, but his fingers weren''t. So he carefully and gingerly started opening them. All of them had cards, of course - who wouldn''t want Kyle to know where the gifts came from?


    Kyle would read the names on the cards then open the gift. Most of them were chocolates though some were ointments or cute gauze wraps. He laughed at that as he thought how cute that was. Still, there was a problem. He can''t possibly eat all of this now, could he?


    Why DO girls give guys chocolates anyway? It''s so sweet. One or two is fine once in a while but when you have this whole pile. Kyle sighed. Why couldn''t it be potato chips? He could go through tubs of those ... then increase his exercises to get rid of the calories. It was worth it! Chocolates though? Urgh.


    "You know, Kyle, it''s going to be tougher on you next year," Xing Han commented as he came by.


    "I know," Kyle said as he opened yet another gift, "Kay already listed out all the work I gotta do."


    "Pfffft. I''m not talking about THAT!" Xing Han said as he took one chocolate and popped it into his mouth, "I''m talking about Valentine''s Day."


    Kyle''s hands stopped moving and then his face paled a bit.


    "Yes, that is true," Sam commented, pushing his glasses up his nose, "You''d better have a good damage control plan laid out. Last year was horrible."


    Kyle gulped, then said, "Can I stay home that day? Please?"


    "NO!" shouted all of the other Elite Five members.


    "We are NOT going to have to deal with the mess while YOU are safe and sound elsewhere," Ali shouted.


    "Yeah, after all, WHO is the one that decided to suddenly go all out and show THAT," Kay said, outlining Kyle''s face and body with her hands, "in a suit yesterday?"


    "Hey! That wasn''t my idea! It''s mum''s fault!" Kyle protested.


    "But you didn''t have to look so damn hot in it and act so cool in it," Kay pointed out.


    "Make up your mind. Was I hot? Or cool?" Kyle grinned.


    "That''s not the point!" growled Kay, "Stop trying to change the subject!"


    "It was worth a try," mumbled Kyle as he continued unwrapping the gifts. He would put the chocolates in one pile, medicine in another and the gauze in a box.


    "Do not worry, my brothers! And sister," Xing Han said, as he patted his chest like a gorilla, "I will make sure this bearer of doom attends that day. We shall not suffer in silence!"


    Ali stood up, patting his chest as well as he said, "I will help you! I will come early that day and make sure to stake out right outside your door should that Bearer of Doom try to escape!"


    "I''ll bring the rope," Sam said helpfully.


    "Brother!" Xing Han said, putting up an armed fist.


    "Brother!" Ali replied, banging his armed fist with Xing Han.


    "Brother!" Sam said unexpectedly, putting up an armed first as well. Xing Han and Ali looked at each other and went to Sam, linking their arms around each other as they fisted the air and said together, "BROTHERS!"


    Beatrice ignored the weird scene, accepting it like it was normal and asked, "Why? What happened last year?" Nothing happened this year; not that she knew of. What had happened at their last school to get them all worked up?


    "Nothing," Kyle said innocently.


    "Yeah, nothing - like World War II is ''nothing''," Xing Han said.


    Now everyone else in Sage Class was curious. What could have been so bad?

 Chapter 101 - Valentine’s Day Is A Nightmare

    It started off like any other day. A normal day. The sun was shining, the birds were tweeting ... but it was not to be. It was the dreaded V-Day. The day when girls are somehow transformed like how the full moon transforms one into a werewolf. The day -


    Xing Han whacked Kyle at the back of his head, "Oi. Can''t you even start off normally?"


    Kyle rubbed the back of his head dramatically, "That IS normal!! Seriously, the day was created by evil people."


    "It''s supposed to be the most romantic event ever," Xing Han protested, "People exchanging gifts, declaring their love, secret passion and so forth." He then sighed dramatically.


    "Only single people will understand," Xing Han said with a flourish, putting the back of his hands on his forehead to complete the dramatic act of his.


    Kyle rolled his eyes at that, "Excuse me? I am single too you know."


    "You don''t count," Xing Han complained with a pout, "I''m talking about the real single people. Who has no one. Who is alone. Like me. Or Sam. You and Ali are hot potatoes so you have never known what it''s like to be truly single."


    "Don''t put me in the same shoes as you, Xing Han," Sam retorted, "It never bothered me."


    "Okay. FINE," Xing Han huffed, "Real, NORMAL single people then."


    "The Forever Alone Man?" Kay teased.


    "Oh man, Kay. Not YOU TOO," Xing Han groaned.


    "Why be so bothered anyway, Xing Han? Valentine''s Day is overrated, commercialised and its history has nothing to do with romance!" Kyle continued.


    "There are just SO many theories about its origins though two stand out the most. One, that it is to commemorate the death of St. Valentine, who was a priest supposedly going against the decree of a Roman Emperor that outlawed marriage for all young men serving in the army. He married the couples in secret.


    "So the tradition of giving gifts purported to be from the act of those secretly married couples giving him flowers and letters when imprisoned. Another version was that he fell in love with his jailor''s daughter and sent her a letter signed ''Your Valentine'' on the card.


    "Or the other popular version was that it is a Roman festival called Lupercalia, that was celebrated on February 15. It was to ward off the danger of wolves to their flocks and honouring their God Lupercalia. The St. Valentine''s version is more aggressively pitched since it is based on ''Catholic'' virtues while the Lupercalia festival is considered ''Pagan''," Kyle explained.


    "Er, okay Kyle," said Xing Han with a yawn, "What''s with this history of Valentines Day got to do with anything?"


    "It''s EVERYTHING!" Kyle said with a huff, "How on Earth did the stupid tradition of ''giving gits'' to your crush or what-not come from? One version had couples giving gifts of gratitude to a person condemned for death, another version had Stockholm Syndrome* and yet another was about warding off wolves??"


    "And the girls ... when Valentine''s Day comes along, they transform! Perhaps it truly is a Lupercalia Festival. Since it''s not celebrated properly, instead of warding off wolves, they become wolves!" Kyle finished his argument with a flourish as he opened the final present on his desk.


    "Oh, Kyle. There''s more near the pantry. There wasn''t any more space on your table," Ingrid told him.


    Kyle banged his head on the table in resignation. This is going to take a while.


    "So what DID happen last year?" Natasha prompted.


    "Let me tell it," Xing Han said, "Kyle is probably going to go into another horror story or lecture about Valentines Day instead."


    Kyle mumbled something incoherently while his head was still on the desk. He then turned his head and laid his cheek there, sighing, "Girls are monsters. Really. No offence."


    Kay patted his cheek, "Only to you, dear brother. So you''re the monster creator."


    "Okay, so it''s like this. You all know that were are all from Retsu Primary School, right?" Xing Han said as he looked at his rapt audience.


    His classmates nodded.


    "Well, generally, Valentine''s Day at Retsu wasn''t bad. I mean, we were all just kids, right?"


    "We''re still kids," Kyle butted in, "And those weren''t kids. They were like gremlins ..."


    Xing Han covered Kyle''s mouth and shushed him, "Quiet, Bearer of Doom. I am speaking."


    Kyle moved his lips but Xing Han wouldn''t budge. With a smirk, Kyle then stuck out his tongue and thoroughly wetted Xing Han''s palm.


    Xing Han screeched and wiped the drool off with Kyle''s shirt, "Man, Kyle! Why the heck did you have to do THAT? So disgusting!!"


    Xing Han shuddered while Kyle just laughed, not taking his head off the table.


    "Anyway, as I was saying," Xing Han said after he glared at the laughing Kyle, "Normally, Valentine''s Day would come and go without much of a problem. But last year, it was our final year at school. It was as if suddenly, it hit them, that we wouldn''t be around anymore."


    "So they took the opportunity to send their love and thoughts on Valentine''s Day."


    "What''s so bad about that?" asked Beatrice curiously, "Isn''t that quite normal?"


    "Not when almost the entire school sent them," Xing Han pointed out.


    "Oh come on, stop exaggerating. It was only the upper primary school kids,**" Kyle corrected, "Even then, it was weird."


    There was this huge crowd of girls gathered at the entrance, wanting to personally give Kyle their gifts. Then some had sneaked in early to put it on his desk. Some even put it in his locker. Some took out those in the locker and threw it away, then put theirs in. Some tripped girls who wanted to give the gifts to Kyle," Xing Han said in excitement.


    "You should have seen it! It was chaos! When they couldn''t get Kyle, they''d get us to give it to him. The gifts were piled up so high that it took us 5 trips to carry them all."


    "Don''t forget the fights that broke out," Sam said.


    "Fights? There were fighting?" Ingrid gasped. She couldn''t imagine kids that young, fighting?


    "That''s right!" Xing Han said, snapping his fingers, "Some girls found out that their gifts were dumped in the dustbin by their competitors, so they confronted them. Kyle had to try and break up the fights, which also resulted in his clothes getting ripped. It was really funny."


    "Ha ha ha," Kyle said, "Funny to you, maybe. Imagine getting mobbed like that. Those little hands just grabbing onto me and whatever they could hold. Who knew that they had such strength to rip my shirt anyway?!"


    "I heard that those strips of ripped clothes and buttons are still being kept as a treasure," Sam said, "Though some did sell theirs on eBay. It''s a good source of income."


    "You kept track of them?" Xing Han asked in amazement.


    "Of course," Sam said, "Basic investigative skills. You can''t just stop gathering news just because the event is over, right?"


    Beatrice listened to all of this in shock. Just what sort of life did Kyle lead anyway? It sounded so bizarre and out-of-this-world.


    "And don''t get me started on the older ones. So bold, touching me everywhere," Kyle snorted, "The young ones just wanted a souvenir. The older ones?"


    "Just wanted you," Ali said, laughing so hard that he had to clutch his stomach.


    "Oh please, Ali," Kyle complained, "They were only 12!"


    "What? They just wanted to touch you. Such an innocent want, dear Kyle," Ali said with a huge grin, looking at him innocently, "Just WHAT were you thinking anyway?"


    Kyle groaned. He walked right into that one.


    "And another thing!" Kyle said as he distributed the chocolates to everyone in Sage Class, "Why wait until Valentine''s Day?"


    "What do you mean?" asked Ingrid.


    "If you want to confess, then confess. If you want to give a gift, then do so - or on their birthday, if you are able to find out. If you want to express your love, then why wait?" Kyle listed out the points.


    "But the absolute worst thing about Valentine''s Day? No, wait. There are two. One: that girls tend to expect something from their boyfriend. Flowers, romantic date and so forth. Do you know how much more expensive things are on that day itself? Poor guy, he''s got to save up so much just for one day. If you mess up, you''re in the cold house for weeks!"


    The guys in Sage Class nodded their heads in agreement.


    "Two: the feelings of those who do NOT get anything at all. Sometimes one already feels left out, or ostracised and during that day, which human being doesn''t feel something when they are the only one who doesn''t get something?" Kyle said as he walked to where the rest of his gifts were.


    "YIKES!" he shouted and pointed at the pile that was hidden behind the counter, "Seriously, guys? When did they ever have the time to come and send them??"


    As if on cue, everyone, even Beatrice, just went ¡¥_(¥Ä)_/¡¥


    Kyle groaned and started mumbling complaints under his breath as he stood there and began opening them.


    "You make very valid points, Kyle," said Beatrice. Especially the last one as it felt like he hit it too close to home. She always said that it didn''t matter but deep, deep down, she knew it did. She had never gotten a Valentine.


    "But why are you so scared about next year? I mean, nothing happened this year," she continued by asking.


    "Have you forgotten who was principal at that time?" Sam asked.


    Beatrice could have slapped herself on her forehead. Dobbins. The Principal had made it crystal clear that year that Valentine''s Day was canceled. She gave no explanation but stated that no one was to make a fuss at Valentine''s Day. Anyone caught sending things would be punished. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That was one good thing that Dobbins did, actually," Kyle admitted, "No rabid girls."


    "Just for that comment, you''re on your own, Kyle," huffed Beatrice.


    "Yeah, let him suffer," agreed Natasha. Ingrid giggled. Kay just smiled.


    Kyle just rolled his eyes and went back to his ''work''.

 Chapter 102 - Rock5 Gym

    Kyle couldn''t get any work done that day. Well, school work, that is. All of it was settling the matter of the gifts.


    First, he had to unwrap and categorise everything. Then, he went to his computer and made out the list of all the names of the girls (yes, there were no boys at all who sent him gifts. Imagine that) and their class. He then took out his handphone and called the nearest Florist.


    "Hello? Flora Florist?" Kyle said, feeling the name was really a tongue twister.


    "Yes, Dan speaking. How may I help you?"


    "Do you have any peach roses in stock?"


    "Yes, we do. How many would you like?"


    "I need 218 of them, individually wrapped. How soon can you deliver?"


    "Let me get this straight, Mr..?"


    "Just Kyle."


    "Kyle? As in, Kyle Smith? THAT Kyle Smith? Spiderman Kyle?"


    Kyle grimaced. Was that his name now?


    "Yes, the one and the same," Kyle admitted with a sigh.


    "Wow! This is fantastic! Okay, sure, we can definitely do the order. But just so we''re clear, it''s 218 stalks of peach roses, each one individually wrapped? Not 218 peach roses in a bouquet?"


    "Yes, that''s right. How soon can you do it?"


    "It''ll be two days as we do not have enough stock at the moment," Dan said apologetically.


    "That''s fine. However, I also need them delivered to Sakura Academy. Specifically, to each person either personally or placed on their desk before class. I am willing to pay extra for this additional service," Kyle said.


    "Okay, it can be done," Dan assured him, "It''s not something we normally do but for our Local Town Hero, it''s the least we can do. No extra charge!"


    "Thank you very much, Dan. I''ll email the list of the names of the recipients and their classes. Please add a small card or label to each rose, with the words, ''Thank you'' then my name, Kyle."


    "Not a problem," Dan assured him.


    "Great. Email me the invoice after I send the list, and also the payment details. Thanks," Kyle said.


    After Kyle ended the call, he immediately sent the email. Looking up, he saw Xing Han rolling his eyes at him, "218, huh? Roses? Aren''t you worried they''re going to misunderstand?"


    "Peach rose represents gratitude, and I even included a ''thank you'' to it. I can''t help it if they misunderstand but I need to say ''thank you'' in some way, don''t I?" Kyle said with a shrug.


    "Yeah, yeah. The ultimate nice guy," Xing Han said, "So what are you going to be doing with the stuff you got then?"


    "Well, will give most of the chocolate to several orphanages since I can''t eat all of it," Kyle replied, "As for the medicine and gauze, I''ll take some and the rest will be here and the Student Council. I wish I could give it to the Infirmary as well but if the girls recognise them, it''ll be bad. They might get hurt."


    "Like I said, the ultimate nice guy," Xing Han said, "You seriously think of their feelings, huh?"


    Kyle sighed and leaned back on his chair, "You can''t trample over their feelings even though you may not like it. At least their feelings are pure, right? It''s so tiring though ..."


    "Yeah, but you being so nice makes them hope as well," Kay pointed out.


    "I treat them all the same. I won''t be mean just to have some peace," Kyle said.


    They were just kids. How could he do anything to trample all over their sincere and sweet thoughts? He even found it hard to refuse any gift given when they just look at him with those sparkling, hopeful eyes. So he''s careful to make sure to accept them normally and not give any extra attention.


    It''s only to those that he really knew, like Beatrice and Sarah, would he do something ''extra''. He didn''t think they''d misunderstand his intentions, right?


    The rest of the week passed by uneventfully, much to Kyle''s relief. Even when the roses were delivered, he wasn''t mobbed. Partly due to the fact that he gave the roses to every single person who had gifted him something (which made those who didn''t, regret) and partly due to the fact that he disappeared right after class.


    He didn''t even attend practice, much to his coach''s chagrin. The coach had to deal with the extra number of girls around the field stands trying to catch a glimpse of Kyle just to thank him for his thank you rose.


    That Saturday, Kyle headed off to Rock5 Gym. There were many things that he had to settle with Cole. He had already promised to join the competition - and he would - but he just didn''t have the time to train with them. Not that he really needed to, considering he had to go through Master Shifu''s training.


    Patrick had also given him a task to complete by the end of the year: a sort of test. When Kyle read the file last night, he didn''t think it would be much of a problem but he couldn''t solve it too quickly. However, he was going to use that as an excuse not to train together with Cole and the team much. He had more important things to do. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time management. It''s important.


    Kay followed him out of curiosity but Sarah chose to stay behind. She felt she would be too obvious if she tagged along as she had no reason to do so! Lately, Sarah finds that every action she does needs to be thought of thoroughly. Not to be too obvious. She was moping in the dorm though.


    The moment Kyle walked through the door of Rock5 Gym, Cathy excitedly came over.


    "Kyle!" she said as she bounced towards him. Then she noticed a beautiful girl walking in right after Kyle. She was curious, but didn''t ask. Seeing both of them together like that, though, was too bright for her eyes.


    She almost went frozen again.


    "Hi, Cathy. Your Dad in?" Kyle asked.


    Breaking out of her stupor, Cathy managed to answer, "Yeah, sure. At the Lead Wall. Same place you met him the first time."


    "Thanks!" Kyle responded with a smile then turned to Kay, "Shall we?"


    "Sure," Kay said, "I want to see this Lead Wall you''re so gung-ho about."


    "You wanna try?" Kyle asked. After all, Kay did learn some basics from Master Shifu as well. Though she didn''t go through the full course, "Though you probably would need the beginner''s section."


    "Nah," Kay replied, shaking her head, "It was fun then since you kept climbing trees and all. I prefer target practice though."


    Kyle pursed his lips as he started walking to the Lead Wall and Kay followed as they continued talking. Both of them had been so engrossed with their conversation that they had forgotten about Cathy. She just stood there and watched as the two talked, effectively not including her in the conversation and she felt a bit miffed at that.


    The fact that she wasn''t actually friends with them yet didn''t cross her mind at that point. Kyle wasn''t deliberately being mean but he just regarded Cathy as another employee of the place.


    Though it did allow her to stare at Kyle without him noticing it. So perhaps it was better that way? As they walked off, she bit her bottom lip for a while then decided to follow them. Perhaps she could get more pictures?


    Cole saw Kyle come and gave a big smile, "Kyle, my boy!! You''re here! Great!"


    "Sorry about not contacting you sooner," Kyle said, "I have to attend school during the weekdays and curfew is quite early at the dorms."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine," Cole said with a smile, "And who is this lovely girl next to you?"


    "Kay," Kay said, shaking his hand. Kay had deliberately not introduced herself as Kyle''s sister, so as to avoid potential girl problems in the future. If people asked directly, she would tell but she wouldn''t volunteer the information. It made things easier to keep the bees away. Most people never dared to ask anyway, so it made things easier.


    It worked both ways.


    "And thanks for keeping to the story," Kyle said, "My Mum wouldn''t allow me to participate in the competition otherwise."


    "Yeah, she''s quite overprotective," Kay explained, "Kyle had been doing this behind her back and if she knew that, she would have gone ballistic and stopped him because it was unsupervised. Now, though, since it''s ''under'' you, she is reassured."


    Cole nodded in understanding ... though he didn''t really understand. Not that it mattered to him about the reason. All he was interested in was the fact that Kyle could join them for the qualifying rounds.


    "We had a full team, actually. The rules state that each team must comprise of at least five members, and we had six. Unfortunately, two of our team members had to leave when the one got transferred. They were a father-and-son pair," Cole explained, "We couldn''t find a replacement within the short period of time."


    Kyle looked at him in surprise, "Wait. Now I''m confused. Father and son pair? How old were they? And I''m only 13? Isn''t this competition based on age groups or something?"


    "That''s the beauty of it," said Cole excitedly, "There are recommended age groups, of course, but you can join any higher tier. Adults can''t compete in the kids'' section but the kids can compete in the adult section.


    "And you, my dear Kyle," Cole said with a huge grin, "is good enough to compete in both the kids'' section AND the adult section!"


    Kyle glared at him, thinking Cole was putting too much on him right now but chose to ignore it. What was done, was done.


    "What''s so important about this competition, if I may ask?" Kyle prodded.


    Cole sighed, "It''ll be my last before I retire. It was a promise I made to my wife, you see. If we couldn''t participate this year, then I wouldn''t be able to do it anymore. It''s been my dream to reach the international stage but we could never quite get there."


    Cole then placed his large hand on Kyle''s shoulder, "With you, though, I see hope."


    Kyle groaned.


    "Oh, come on, Kyle," Kay said with a smile as she then hung on his arm and looked at him so innocently, "You''ll look sooooooo cool up there. Win them for me, okay?"


    "Excuse me? I look cool down here, too," Kyle retorted.


    Kay grinned, looked down at his crotch then said mischievously, "I wouldn''t know. You planning to show it?"


    Kyle groaned yet again. He walked right into that one.


    [Kyle 2, Kay 1] Kay said smugly.

 Chapter 103 - Meeting The Team

    After that, Cole started explaining what their training was going to be like.


    "We actually have daily training in the evening as most the team members are working. Since you''re at Sakura Academy though, then you''ll have to join us only during weekends. Once the school holiday starts, then you can join us for daily training."


    "Ah," Kyle grimaced, "That ... is not possible. The daily training, that is."


    Cole looked at him with a frown, "And why not? What''s the problem?"


    "I don''t have the time," Kyle said frankly, "And honestly, I don''t really need that much training."


    Cole face clearly showed his displeasure at that. He was beginning to regret this for he now viewed Kyle to be too arrogant. Yes, he had the skills but one could never be overconfident.


    "There''s no such thing as not needing training," Cole said firmly.


    "I never said I don''t need training. I just said I don''t need that much. Twice a week, tops and that is all the time I can spare, really."


    "How about this? I compete in all the three types of the competition for the qualifying round against any of your team members. Speed climbing, bouldering, and lead climbing, right? If I win, you let me train as I want without complaints. If you win, I do it your way. Deal?" Kyle asked.


    Cole grinned. Over confident and cocky indeed.


    "All three?" Cole repeated, just to make sure, "You lose just one, and it''s my way."


    Kyle shrugged, "No problem."


    It took Cole about 30 minutes to get all of the team members together. After they heard Cole''s explanation, they quickly came. Some had laughed, some had scoffed but overall, they were rather miffed at this young upstart. They were really looking forward to crushing that ego.


    They had been training for this competition since the beginning of the year. The frequency of training just went up two weeks ago since the date of the competition was getting nearer. Now this youngster, who had never rock climbed in a competition before, think he was better than them? Just because he managed to save the baby?


    Sure, they acknowledged that Kyle had the skill but nothing beats experience and practice.


    Kyle used the time to warm up and stretch. Kay helped, by holding on to Kyle''s ankle while he did some sit-ups. Cathy, of course, was hidden nearby and was filming the entire exercise routine. She jumped, effectively shaking the camera and losing her shot, when someone tapped her on the shoulder.


    It turned out to be Ken, one of the team members. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re drooling, Cathy," he teased her.


    Cathy glared at him but still wiped the side of her mouth.


    He studied Kyle as he did the last stretch, and said, "So that''s the guy, huh? The one who thinks he''s all that?"


    Cathy snorted, "He IS all that. Dad was just too angry about his ego being bruised to realise that."


    Ken looked at Cathy in surprise, "You sure rate him high. Is he really that great?"


    "Better than great," she replied.


    "Or is it just because he''s handsome and ripped?" Ken teased.


    "That''s just the bonus," Cathy stated, "You didn''t see him climb that day. It was pure poetry. The rescue wasn''t a fluke either."


    "Yeah, yeah," Ken said, dismissing her evaluation, "You''re just blinded by that pretty face of his. Let me show you how it''s done. Anyway, it''s obvious you have no chance with him. Look at his girlfriend ... and look at you."


    He walked off, determined to prove to Cathy that he was better than Kyle. He had been trying to woo her for the past few months but had not been successful. Now comes this pretty boy and he steals all of her attention. She had never looked at him like that!


    He flexed his muscles. No way was he going to lose.


    Cathy, in the meantime, had an ugly look on her face.


    <Stupid Ken>, she thought to herself. She had no designs on Kyle at all. She was simply an appreciator of beauty and grace. Her computer and phone were filled with pictures of guys she considered hot. Ken used to be one of them until he started with all his nonsense.


    She didn''t know what was wrong with him. When he found out about her album, he acted weird. Since then, he would give her all these jibes. She knew she could not match up to that girl with Kyle but what has that got to do with anything?


    Cathy concentrated on Kyle instead, started feeling happy, then wiped the side of her mouth again.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?¡ã¡î.


    Once everyone was gathered, Cole called Kyle over and introduced them. There were five of them, including Cole. There were the twins, Rylen and Rxel who were specialised in speed climbing (junior and senior category), Ken, for bouldering (junior category) and lastly, Cole was in lead climbing (senior category).


    "Why is the minimum requirement five members?" Kyle asked curiously. From the looks of it, didn''t they have enough people to participate?


    "There''s the individual competition and the team competition," Cole explained, "Each team must participate in each category for each competition: the junior category and the senior category. The two that left were supposed to be the senior for bouldering and junior for lead climbing."


    Kyle nodded in understanding. So he was to expected compete in two categories, replacing the two that had left.


    "Actually, I should do the senior category for bouldering," Ken spoke up.


    "Ken, we''ve talked about this already," Cole said but Ken was unconvinced.


    "Look, I''ve been training for years while this guy?" Ken said with a scoff, "We''ve seen him save that kid so we know he can do it but I don''t believe he''s good enough for the senior category. If I win, then I take the senior category spot."


    "Fine by me," Kyle replied with a shrug.


    "Great," Ken said with a huge grin.


    "We will start off with the speed climbing. Rylen and Rxel, you guys decide who will compete with Kyle", directed Cole. The twins nodded and without a word, Rylen stepped forward.


    Cole led them to the special wall that had already been set up for speed climbing. For this part of the competition, the height and handholds are already pre-determined and set. In other words, there is a specific route and layout of the wall. Any reputable gym would have it already set up in their place so that one could train.


    Since the focus was on speed rather than technique, it only made sense that there was no ''surprise'' to the route itself. The twins had been training here quite often and is very familiar with the routes that are to be used.


    Kyle took a step back and looked at the wall and studied it thoroughly.


    There were two lanes, side by side, which would mean that both he and Rylen would be fighting against each other at the same time. He took note of the holds and right at the top, he could see a black panel in the middle of each lane and a timer at the top side of each lane.


    It was a top roping climb, which meant that the climber is securely attached to a rope which is vertical to the wall all the way to the top. The rope is anchored at the top whereas there is a belayer at the bottom of the wall, that controls the slack in the rope throughout the climb.


    This means that the belayer will ensure that the rope is not too taut that it restricts the climber''s movements yet if the climber falls, the said climber would only fall for a little while before the anchor takes hold.


    [Kay, have you got the data yet?]


    [New one this year, brother. It''s 5.48 seconds. It was 5.6 seconds the last three years before that.]


    [Thanks, Kay]


    "Do you mind if I ask what''s your record, Rylen?" Kyle asked with a smile.


    "6 seconds," Rylen answered.


    "Not bad," Kyle praised. It really wasn''t, especially when one considered that the record was 5.6 seconds before this. That meant that Rylen was above average.


    [I just need to beat Rylen for this round. Count the seconds and half seconds, Kay, so that I am not too fast]


    [Got it]


    Kyle took the climbing harness to wear. There were two parts to the harness: a waistbelt and the leg loops. Kyle slipped each leg into the loop and adjusted it accordingly. It basically fit right under each butt cheek, which meant that the shape of his butt became much more pronounced.


    Cathy was grinning stupidly as she continuously took close-up pictures of that rounded perfection.


    Kyle then clipped the waistbelt over his hips and made sure that it fitted snugly. Cole, who was Kyle''s belayer, made sure that the harness was buckled properly before threading the rope into it. After making sure everything was fine, Cole stepped back.


    "We don''t have the green light to indicate start, but Ken will blow the whistle to start and at the same time, begin the timer on the wall. The objective is to reach the top in the fastest time possible and you need to tap the panel at the top of your lane," explained Cole.


    "You''re okay to start?" asked Rylen. He didn''t mind if Kyle took longer to study the wall and decide on his footholds. After all, Kyle had not gone through this climb before and Rylen had an advantage.


    Kyle smiled at him, cricked his neck and flicked his wrists a few times to loosen up the last few joints, then said, "Sure. Anytime."


    Rylen took the left while Kyle took the right and they got into position. Each placed two hands on the first hold, one leg on one hold and the other on the ground.


    Then they waited for the signal.

 Chapter 104 - Clean Sweep

    Ken pressed the button at the same time as he blew the whistle.


    Both Rylen and Kyle shot up like speeding bullets. Kyle didn''t look like he was in any trouble or hesitation as he streaked up the wall like he had been doing it a hundred times already. It looked like all he needed to do was just go up.


    In fact, if the wall was horizontal rather than vertical, he actually looked like all he was doing was simply going in one straight line on four legs. Like a spider. With four legs rather than eight.


    Kyle was intently listening to Kay''s countdown while going up and he timed it perfectly so that he would tap the panel at the 5.5 second mark. The moment he tapped it, Rylen next to him tapped his and they both let go of the wall, letting the harness and rope slowly bring them down.


    "I can''t believe it," Ken said under his breath. It was a full 0.5 seconds difference. Not 0.1, not 0.2 but a full 0.5. Every single milisecond counted and it could make or break a record. Kyle, who had not scaled this wall before, actually was much faster than Rylen who had been doing it for months.


    Upon reaching the ground, Kay was the first to hug Kyle in happiness while Rylen came over and gave him a fist bump.


    "That was awesome, man," he said with a huge grin.


    Ken gritted his teeth. The twins were already admiring Kyle and took him in as one of their own. Ken wasn''t happy. He turned his head to look at the place that he knew Cathy was watching and he ground his teeth even more.


    <Damn it> Ken cursed. <It''s okay. It''s just speed climbing. Bouldering is a whole new level>


    If Kyle could hear that, he would have punched Ken. Such a thought belittled his own team companions, making it seem as if they weren''t as skilled just because speed climbing was deemed as ''easier''.


    To Kyle, there was no such thing as an ''easier'' competition. Each had its own type of difficulties and to degrade it like that was something Kyle could not stand.


    You do NOT make yourself look or feel better by putting down someone else.


    That would only make you a jerk.


    "Okay, a ten-minute break and then the bouldering," Cole said.


    "Which wall are we using?" Kyle asked.


    Cole pointed to another section of the hall.


    "It''s not that high but it''s sufficiently difficult," Cole stated, "This is something similar to the qualifying rounds. The objective is to reach the top. Should both reach the top, then the one who is the fastest."


    Kyle nodded in understanding.


    "However, unlike the actual qualifying rounds at the competition, you''re not going to be allowed to watch each other climb," Cole said, "Otherwise, whoever goes first would be at a disadvantage."


    "Sure, that''s not a problem," Kyle agreed, "Just let me study the wall during the break, then let Ken go first. I''ll turn around and not watch."


    "No, it''s best if you''re blindfolded as well," Ken said when he heard that. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle frowned a bit when he heard that, which was echoed by Rylen and Rxel as well.


    "That''s going too far, don''t you think, Ken?" Rxel protested.


    Ken shrugged, "I don''t think so. He hasn''t proven himself to me yet so why should I trust him? And if he really isn''t going to look, what''s wrong with wearing a blindfold then?"


    Kyle gave a smirk at that then said as he started walking to the wall in question, "Whatever makes you happy, Ken."


    "Oh yes, it would make me VERY happy," Ken replied.


    Kyle just put up his hand and waved it, in a dismissive manner, without turning around. Kay walked beside him but she did turn to glare at Ken before grabbing onto Kyle''s arm.


    [Stupid Ken] complained Kay [Make sure you demolish him and wipe that stupid face of his].


    Kyle laughed [Don''t you mean wipe the grin off his face?]


    [No. I want you to totally crush him. Make him lose face. Wipe his face off! Wipe it!!]


    Kyle put an arm around her shoulder and hugged her sideways, bringing her closer to him. [My sister is getting to be so violent nowadays! Are you having your period?]


    Kay just growled at him.


    [Your wish is my command, oh dear princess. Would let me release some steam as well, I suppose]


    Kay smiled widely at that and hugged him happily.


    No one can insult her brother! Kay wanted Ken to be so completely embarrassed that he''s going to find it hard to ever look at Kyle properly again. She knew that Kyle would have won the bouldering competition, but he would have timed it so that there wouldn''t really be much difference between the two.


    That would not be enough. The difference must be clearly shown. Kyle was the best! Not that stupid Ken who thinks he''s all that. Wait until he sees how much faster Kyle was. Not only that, Kyle''s technique would be so much more amazing to look at.


    Ken was going to be gobsmacked when he sees Kyle''s moves. Kay was going to make sure that Ken would never forget how great Kyle is. She was going to take a video of Kyle''s climb and then make it go viral. Ken''s face would surely go red in anger whenever Kyle''s video pops up.


    Kay started giggling just thinking about it.


    Kyle could guess what sort of things that were going through Kay''s pretty little head. Her expressions said it all. From anger, to a slyness then happiness. His sister was up to something. He just smiled, kissed her forehead and said, "Just don''t go overboard, okay?"


    "Never, dear brother. Never," Kay replied with an innocent smile.


    Kyle held back a smile and took a peek at Ken, who was standing there smugly. Ken didn''t know it yet, but his days weren''t going to be rosy for the next few months.


    Kyle turned back his attention to the Wall. It wasn''t that high, just about 9.5 feet. At the foot of the wall were thick padded foam mattresses, which the climber would land on after jumping down from their climb. They would be climbing without any ropes and would only chalk their hands once before climbing.


    Kyle noted the design.


    From the start, it was a 45-degree angle with the first two holds being just above his head. The next hold was a foot away, right at the 45-degree point. Then, there was this huge star plastered on the wall with only two small holds on it. The next hold was at the corner of the wall above the star before the final hold at the top.


    Looks so exciting. Kyle''s eyes twinkled.


    After the ten minutes were up, Ken handed Kyle a black blindfold and Kay took it from him with a huff. Kyle turned his back and Kay put on the blindfold on Kyle.


    "You can''t sit with him either," Ken said, "Kyle should sit alone." He didn''t want Kay or anyone else to describe the route that Ken would be taking.


    Kay pointedly rolled her eyes at him and said, "Whatever, insecure person. Kyle''s going to beat you no matter what you do."


    Ken laughed at that, shaking his head while he walked over to the Wall. He regarded Kay''s retort as the sound of a delusional girl too blind in love to see the truth. He''ll show her. He''ll show Cathy. He was the best.


    Before he started, Ken looked back to make sure Kyle was not facing him and no one was around him. His eyes landed on Kay for a second and she stuck out her tongue at him. She would have loved to give him the finger, but that would have been too crude. She was that annoyed at him.


    Ken just snickered and started his climb once Cole gave him the green light.


    Ken climbed slowly, taking each step carefully. The grips were not easy to hold and he took quite some time to get through the first hurdle: the 45-degree overhang. He used his arms to pull himself up while his feet were dangling without any secure hold. Eventually, after making sure his grip was secure, he reached over for the hold above with one hand.


    Then, he brought his other hand up and both hands held on to that one medium size hold tightly. His legs were on the previous two holds below now. Sweat was already glistening on his forehead and one could see how his arms were strained from the prolonged activity that focused solely on his arms.


    When he reached the two grips on the star, he almost slipped as the grips were really small. He had to only use his fingers to secure the grip. He took some time to stablise himself before he headed to the next hold and eventually, he reached the top. He breathed a sigh of relief and jumped down.


    All in all, Ken had taken about 12 minutes.


    Kyle grinned and got into position the moment Cole called him over. With the signal given, Kyle grabbed onto the first two holds. He then brought his legs up in front of him until he was upside down with his back to the wall. He then placed his feet into the empty space of the hold above.


    The hold actually like a hollowed-out half boulder with the rounded part being at the top. Kyle''s feet went into the hole of the half-circle and pushed his toes forward so that he could hang upside down just by his feet. He let go of the first two holds and brought himself up, to hold on to the top of the second hold.


    His feet went out and simply ''walked on'' the wall as he pushed himself up towards the two small grips on the star. He really did look like Spiderman at that point. The small grips didn''t give Kyle any problems as he immediately headed to the next hold, and finally the last hold. He hung on there for a second before jumping down.


    Kyle had taken only 5 minutes.


    Kay squealed happily and rushed over to hug Kyle. Kyle looked up over Kay''s shoulder and saw the completely frozen expressions of Cole, Rylen, Rxel, and Ken. The twins already had their mouths hanging wide open before giving Kyle a thumbs up.


    Finally, Cole croaked out, "I believe no one would object if we just accept Kyle will win the next one as well, right?"


    Everyone nodded.


    It was obvious. Kyle had made a clean sweep.

 Chapter 105 - Studio?

    After Kyle''s performance, Cole no longer had any objections to Kyle''s own training schedule. Cole had thought Kyle was arrogant but after seeing how Kyle did, Cole realised that Kyle''s arrogance was based on actual skill. He had the right to be arrogant.


    "Thanks, Cole," Kyle said, shaking his hand, "Actually, if it wasn''t for the fact that I''d be so busy working, I wouldn''t mind coming in everyday."


    That was true. Playing is far better than working, right? Master Shifu''s training was hardly ''fun'' most of the time. Though Kyle had to admit, the training was much easier now and Master Shifu only required Kyle to come in twice a week to monitor his progress and hear the reports. Otherwise, Kyle was left to his own devices. Kyle had earned that trust.


    "Work?" Ken said with a raised eyebrow. <Yeah, right. He''s most likely just making up excuses>


    Though Ken had to acknowledge Kyle''s skills, he didn''t need to acknowledge Kyle, right? He still didn''t like the way Cathy kept on taking those pictures and videos. Cathy used to do so for him but she didn''t anymore. Even though he worked out just to impress her. Well, partly - bouldering required a lot of upper body strength.


    Ken stared at Kyle, his eyes narrowing. From the moves Kyle had made earlier, it was obvious that underneath that shirt, his must be very fit and muscular. He had mistakenly thought that with Kyle''s body frame, he did not have sufficient strength to make any complicated or advanced moves.


    Bouldering not only required upper body strength, it also required agility and innovation. Reaching the top was one thing. The number of attempts was another. The one that could also determine the winner when the first two was a tie, was the technique used. In short, the moves or the routes taken. From just his first move itself, it was clearly seen that Kyle wasn''t conventional and would score quite high just based on his technique alone.


    Ken ground his teeth again, clearly unhappy. He could compete in speed and reaching the top. That only required training. However, route and technique? That was a talent that he could never hope to copy. Not only that, he wouldn''t have even been able to copy Kyle''s move. He still couldn''t believe how that move could have ever been possible.


    "Yes, work," Kyle replied nonchalantly, "It''s nothing much but my Dad gave me a task to complete by the end of the year. Just a routine check-up of one of our subsidiaries here. The company''s performance hasn''t been up-to-par and I need to produce a report about it."


    "Subsidiary? Company? Report?" Cole repeated in confusion.


    "Yeah, what a drag," Kyle was complaining.


    Kay grinned widely, rubbing her hands together, "Then it means that you''re going to have to get work outfits now! SHOPPING!"


    "Oh, man, Kay. No! No no no no NO!" Kyle hated shopping. He hated it in his past life, he hated it even more now.


    "Oh yes, yes we are," Kay said firmly, grabbing his hand, "Stop being a wimp. Come on! We might as well get it now since we''re in Mall T."


    Kyle had this really tortured look on his face and Kay couldn''t help but giggle, yet she did not let go of his hand. She forcefully pulled him along and he looked like a small boy who had been scolded by his mother as he grudgingly allowed her to pull him along.


    Kay turned back to face the rest and waved at them, a big smile on her face.


    "See you guys next time! It was nice meeting ... most of you," she said, pointedly stopping her gaze on Ken then gave a slight huff before going off.


    The twins waved at Kay with a huge grin, thinking training would be more fun now whenever Kyle came. If it meant Kay would be coming with him. They looked at each other and then gave a high five.


    Cathy came to join them then and heard Ken still mumbling under his breath about Kyle and him making up stories to sound important. Cathy gave him a look that made him stop and he asked, a bit harsher than he intended, "What?"


    "You DO know that Kyle''s the Smith Industries heir, right? The same Smith Industries that is the collective name for a group of approximately 500 business entities. Around. The. WORLD. Kyle''s Dad is the sole or principal owner while Kyle is his only son. Do you honestly think Kyle was making it up? Most likely, he was downplaying it!"


    Cathy had done her homework. When she admired someone, it may have first started based on the external features, but it was also the inner person that makes the person. Which was why she dropped Ken from the list. He was such a petty person and a big bully.


    Cathy walked off in a huff, then started smiling as she thought of all the pictures she had of Kyle. She was going to upload them quickly! The last batch had made her account go BOOM!!


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    As Kay was happily dragging Kyle around, he actually stopped once they reached outside Rock5 Gym. She had no choice but to stop as well since he would be like a rock whenever he did so. She quickly put on her sad look and pouted her lips as she turned around.


    Kyle was ready though.


    "No shopping," he said sternly, looking at her in the eye without blinking.


    Kay didn''t say a thing but made her face look even sadder as if she was going to cry. Her lower lips trembled and she started blinking fast as if trying to stop her tears from falling.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, released her hand and put both of them on her cheeks as he brought her face close and he said, "That won''t work on me, my dear sister. I taught you that move."


    He kissed her forehead, ignoring her indignant look - plus the looks everyone around them was giving them for the PDA.*


    "I''ll just go to ClassMan Shop and get everything tailored. That''s so much better than going through all of those styles and what-not," Kyle explained.


    Kay sighed and mumbled, "Fine." She knew how much Kyle hated shopping even though he never complained when it came to accompanying her to go shopping. Except for the last shopping spree, she would always get something for Kyle, sparing him the additional burden of having to shop for his own clothes.


    "There''s no ClassMan Shop here though," Kay said as she was checking the Mall T app on her phone, "Hey! But there''s ... okay. Instead of shopping, can you do one thing for me?"


    "Sure," Kyle replied without hesitating.


    Kay beamed a huge smile. "Great. Come on!" she said, as she took his hand again.


    "Where are we going?"


    "You''ll see," Kay said mysteriously.


    Kyle followed Kay without questioning her and kept up with some small talk. Finally, they reached their destination.


    "A studio?" Kyle asked in surprise.


    "Yes! I want LOTS of pictures of you," Kay replied.


    "You already have a lot of pictures of me," Kyle said with a laugh.


    "No, not those," she said, shaking her head, "I want a specific type of pictures. Go in. Quick!"


    Kyle shrugged and entered the studio. The receptionist, who had been engrossed with her book under the counter, looked up automatically in response to the chime which sounded as someone walked through the door.


    "Welco-" she started, but then faltered the moment she saw Kyle walk in. She blinked rapidly for a while then closed it, before opening it again. The vision didn''t go away and in fact, was right in front of her now.


    She stood up quickly, clearing her throat and flashing a smile as she said, "Welcome to Studio X. How can I help you today?"


    Kay bounced in front of Kyle, and said, "I notice from your website that this Studio can take a themed type of pictures?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, it''s one of our services," the lady answered, "What type of theme are you looking for?"


    "Actually, not so much a theme. I want to build a portfolio for him," Kay explained, "So I need casual, sexy and formal type of pictures. Can that be done?"


    "Sexy?!" Kyle looked at her with wide eyes, "What do you mean by sexy?!"


    "Hush now," Kay replied with a smile, "Trust me. I won''t get you to do risque poses."


    Kyle gave her ''the look'' that practically screamed, ''Yeah, right. I believe you - NOT''.


    Kay just grinned back.


    The receptionist, though, suddenly felt so sad. Her job did NOT allow her to go behind to watch the picture taking.


    Kyle turned back to face the lady and asked, "What''s the Studio''s policy about copyright on the pictures?"


    "Naturally, as the photographer, the Studio will have copyright over the pictures. However, the Studio will not use the pictures without your consent. At the most, a picture or two will be used as an advertisement in this Studio," she explained as she pointed to some photographs around the studio.


    "What about the softcopies? Can we get them?" Kyle asked.


    "Yes, with extra charge. However, you can''t use them for commercial purposes," the lady explained.


    "I''d like the photographer to transfer the copyright to me. He will, however, have the right to use the pictures he takes as he sees fit as long as it''s not for commercial purposes," Kyle replied, "I''d like these terms to be in writing and signed by the photographer."


    The lady was surprised. This was unprecedented and she didn''t know what was the normal procedure.


    "I''ll have to consult the photographer first," she said with an apologetic smile.


    "Of course, " Kyle replied, "It''s only to be expected."


    As they sat in the waiting lounge to wait, Kay asked Kyle, "Why so serious about the photographs?"


    "Precaution," Kyle said, "I know you want the pictures for something and I don''t want them to turn around and sue you or something for using it. Plus, I don''t like the idea of them using MY pictures as they wish. I agreed to this for you, not for them."


    "Auwwww ... you''re the best!" Kay gushed.


    "I know," Kyle replied with a grin and Kay smacked him for it. They laughed.

 Chapter 106 - Photo Shoot

    The photographer, Mark, just happened to walk in this scene of Kyle and Kay laughing.


    He was frozen on the spot.


    It just so happened that the natural lighting of the sun shone through the window, hitting both of them at that point. They were sitting casually on the chair, exuding an air of both innocence and elegance. Their features were outstanding, with the boy appearing like a youthful Adonis and the girl like a Fairy Princess.


    He rubbed his eyes and turned to Patricia, the receptionist, "Those are the ones who wanted the copyright?"


    "Yes," Patricia nodded, "I know it''s unusual and we would normally not agree, but I didn''t dare reject them without asking you first."


    Mark breathed a sigh of relief and patted Patricia''s shoulder, "Thank God you did."


    If he had lost the opportunity of taking their pictures, he would have regretted it immensely. His own portfolio would look fantastic with them in. Mark quickly went back into his studio, prepared a contract and signed it.


    He came out with a huge smile as he walked over to Kyle and Kay, "Hi, I''m Mark Antony, your photographer. I believe you wanted to change a bit on the copyright issues? Here, would this be to your satisfaction?"


    Kyle scanned through the contract and nodded then said, "I''ll get my lawyers to sign this on my behalf since I''m a minor, verify it and will get it returned to you ASAP."


    "Not a problem, not a problem," Mark replied, "Shall we?"


    After that, it was a round of discussion between Kay and Mark as she told him what she wanted. It took them nearly the whole day to do so and Kyle patiently did as he was told.


    First, Mark had got some of his friends over to help. The studio was beginning to look like a professional photo taking session. Kyle had to go through the normal make-up and hairstyling session.


    The make-up artist, Dom, couldn''t stop gushing over Kyle as he started.


    "Omigosh, Kyle, you''re just so perfect. This skin tone! It''s so smooth and your pores are so clear! If I had your skin, I would just die, I tell you. D.I.E. DIE," Dom was chattering away as he did the make-up. "Mark said this is supposed to be the natural look, so we''re not going to be doing much, don''t worry. We wouldn''t want to hide all of this glory under weird colouring now, would we? Just a touch up here - and there - just to make sure your skin doesn''t shine under the hot glare of lights ... "


    While Dom was chatting away, Kyle just kept still with a slight smile on his face. Kyle found Dom to be adorable and kind of reminded him of a young Xing Han. Not just the bullet train persona, but the gentle and open nature.


    The first shoot was him in casual clothes. The first outfit was a simple black T-shit, but its collar was rather low hanging and loose. He had on a light leather jacket and black jeans. His hair was styled in an upsweep and he had on some leather straps. He gave some simple poses in this, having the expression of a playful and warm teen.


    The second outfit was him in a hooded sweatshirt, with the hood up and him sitting on a railing. He gave his side profile, showing his sharp jawline as he looked contemplatively into the distance. Mark excitedly took pics.


    Next shoot was him in a suit that had a vest which only showed off his lean abs. The first type of pose was him emulating a sort of CEO persona so he adopted a serious expression quite like the one he did during the press conference. He would be posing next to a desk or sitting on it while studying a document.


    The other outfit was him wearing a long overcoat, with him either walking towards the camera or sideways with his head turned. The expression Kyle gave as he walked towards the camera, with the wind blowing upon his face and flaring the coat a bit made even Mark gulp. He shook his head a few times to remind himself that this KID was not even a modal.


    The last shoot was supposed to be Kyle''s "sexy" shots.


    Kay was giggling as she directed Kyle on what she wanted. Kyle raised an eyebrow as he looked at his sister who was clearly enjoying the whole thing.


    "Just one, Kay," Kyle insisted, but Kay pouted.


    "Come on, it''s a bit much, don''t you think?" Kyle said as he rejected the first one, "I mean, come on. You want me to just be in a towel and walking half wet out of a shower?"


    "You did it during the Student Council interview!"


    "I wasn''t half naked then!" Kyle pointed out, "Kay, be reasonable. Why do I suddenly feel like I''m being sold or something? What''s this picture for anyway?"


    Kay giggled, "I''ll tell you once it''s done."


    "I''m okay with this concept," Kyle said, pointing to one and Kay nodded, agreeing reluctantly to just the one.


    So there he was, in a very tight fitting white T-shirt that was tucked into his jeans. Kyle sighed and wondered for the umpteenth time what his dear sister was up to. Kyle took a deep breath and recalled scenes of his first kiss and more importantly, his wedding night. He took in the feelings and memories of how he felt then and how he was like when he was facing his spouse.


    The moment Mark said to start, Kyle opened his eyes and Mark got the shock of his life.


    The eyes were the most difficult part of the body yet was the most important part as well as it was the way to the soul. A model with ''dead'' eyes would never make it. Right there and then, Mark not only could see the sexiness oozing out of the young boy in front of him, but he could even ''feel'' it. The smoldering blue eyes, deep with intense passion and longing for something - or someone.


    Kyle turned his head to the left a bit, tilting it down slightly and the corner of his lips curled upwards a bit - just enough to reveal a teaser of a dimple. His eyes never left the camera as his right hand pulled his T-shirt out from the jeans and halfway up his chest. It was just a small tease, but it was enough to partially show the six-pack that was usually hidden underneath.


    The whole scene screamed, ''Want a piece of this?''


    Kay was happily jumping in one part of the photo shoot. Perfect.


    Once the whole thing was over, Kyle was utterly exhausted and relieved. Mark told them that the pictures would only be ready the next day, but he showed them the shots taken in the computer.


    "I''ll need to do some adjustments to lighting and all, and was also thinking of making some of these shots in black and white. Especially the last one," Mark explained.


    "That would be perfect," Kay answered. Kyle paid and they left, leaving behind a very dazed team. The whole thing had been surreal and it felt like a professional Supermodel shoot.


    .:*?¡ã¡î..TWO DAYS LATER .:*?¡ã¡î..


    That Monday, Kyle found out exactly what Kay wanted the pictures for.


    All Kay did was send him a link early in the morning. She knew his routine, so had sent the link after he had completed his normal morning exercises. He was sitting on his chair, tilting it on its legs while sipping some water as he causally clicked the link. Then he nearly fell off his chair when he saw what it was.


    An Insta Account. It had been created the night before and in less than 10 hours, it already had 600,000 followers ... and it was still rising.


    The profile picture was just a face shot of him and the simple words of "Kyle Smith". Inside, the first video she had posted was the rescue and the picture was titled "Spiderman Kyle". Kyle winced at that. Kay had effectively sealed his fate with that caption.


    Kay had also created a story about his rock climbing background and parkour activities. Then it was littered with pictures that had been taken at the studio and what had been in her own personal camera phone album. There was even the bouldering video between him and Ken at Rock5 Gym.


    There was one section of his biodata which had his likes and dislikes - and Kyle smiled at one part that Kay stated Kyle hated chocolates and generally getting anything on Valentines Day.


    [That was a nice touch. The chocolates and Valentine''s Day point]


    [I know] Kay said smugly [Since you''re going to be super popular anyway, might as well use the Mall T incident to put you out in the open.]


    [Throws the entire plan we made years ago out the window though] Kyle said with regret. The original plan was to remain low key until they were legally adults but the entire Mall T incident made that impossible.


    They could have waited until the whole thing cooled down, but that would have taken at least a couple of years since Kyle would be participating in the rock climbing competitions. So rather than trying to do some damage control during those two years, they might as well ride the wave and use it to their advantage.


    [Any news about ''them''?] Kyle asked. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [No. They''ve been pretty silent so far. Although Oreo did manage to dig up some information on Mary - or more specifically, her husband, Rex which may be a reason for the attack.] Kay answered.


    [Um-hmmm] Kyle mumbled as he casually swiped through the pictures and some comments. Then, he got to ''that'' picture. Kyle had to admit, he not only looked darn good in that, he actually appeared much older. Like he was 15 or 16. This was attributed to the fact that it was in black and white and that it was his side profile, which accentuated his sharp jawline.


    As he read through the comments, his eyes nearly popped out.


    [My GOD Kay! Have you read the comments on the last pic?!]


    Kyle had expected the normal ''ovaries are exploding'' and ''want to have your babies'' type of comments but not the ''licking the screen'' and mentioning of tying him up to do certain things.


    [Who said only guys should be allowed to be so open about their desires?] Kay laughed.


    [And tell me why again - no wait, you never DID tell me. What''s the point of that picture anyway? I can guess the objective of having this Insta account but why that picture?]


    [The point of the picture, my dear brother?] Kay said, pausing dramatically. After one minute of silence, she said.


    [Pure fan service.]


    Kyle groaned. He''d been played.


    Kyle 2, Kay 2.

 Chapter 107 - Feed Me?

    As expected, the effect of the Insta account was explosive. Kyle had to endure it and ride the waves as best as he could without complaint, as that was one of the reasons why Kay created the account in the first place.


    It was to give him, Kyle, exposure.


    The Smith Twins felt that the best way to tackle the hidden enemy was to be out in the open. The more exposure Kyle got, the more eyes were on Kyle and thus, the more difficult it would be for anyone to try anything.


    Just take Dahlia as an example. How could anyone not see a young child walking alone? She was practically ignored that it allowed the perpetrator to grab her and place her in that dangerous position.


    Kyle may have drawn attention due to his looks but it didn''t mean that eyes were on him all the time. Most people would only look for a while but then, look away. However, if Kyle was more recognizable, people would be more observant and pay more attention to him.


    Of course, it did have its downside as well.


    The increase in screaming girls, the sudden influx of girls hanging about outside Sakura Academy simply to catch a glimpse of Kyle, the increase of Kyle''s pictures being taken ... the little things like that. Kyle took it all with a heavy heart but his face could not show it. He had to keep on giving a smile and pretend like it didn''t bother him at all.


    Still, it did take a toll on him.


    "You look like you''re under a lot of pain," Beatrice commented one day to Kyle in class.


    Kyle was busy typing at the keyboards, his attention completely focused on the screen when he heard her say that.


    "Hmmm?" he mumbled distractedly.


    His mind was a bit off at the moment as he studied the data MIB gave him on the subsidiary company Kyle had to monitor. He had MIB gather all the data and information that he needed that were related to the company, both that were public and even those that were not.


    The financial reports, the accounts it had, the delivery and orders made, its employees and their work performance were but some of the information he had to sift through. On top of that, he had Kay''s team of elite hackers go through all of the employees to find out if there had been any suspicious activities.


    It was a lot of data to go through, and he also had to look at the market and economic status of the business. He felt like his brain was about to explode. Worse, this was just the tip of the iceberg with regards to the work that he would be doing once he graduated and officially started work.


    "You okay, Kyle?" Beatrice asked again, after noticing his furrowed eyebrows. It was not like the usual, playful Kyle that she was used to. This ... serious Kyle was rather weird.


    Kyle finally heard the concern in her voice and snapped out of his intense concentration.


    "Sorry," he said as he looked away from the screen, then stretched out like a cat, getting the kinks out of his shoulders, neck, and back.


    "I hate doing reports," he complained as he plopped his head down on the table while facing her. "I''m fine, just tired."


    Beatrice took a look at Kyle''s screen and saw some complicated graphs, data and pie charts. She couldn''t understand a single thing about it.


    Going over to his table, Beatrice put a bunch of chocolate drops on it, saying, "Here, to give you some energy."


    "Thanks," Kyle said.


    Then he looked up at her, without lifting his head, making puppy-dog eyes and a small pout as he asked, "Feed me?"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched. Looks like it didn''t take long for him to get back to normal.


    She didn''t deem that he deserved an answer so she just glared at him and walked back to her table.


    Kyle continued to look at Beatrice with a smile on his face. The concern she had shown made him feel all warm inside. It was also a welcome distraction from all of the work he had been doing the past few weeks. It was a timely reminder for him to start being crazy again.


    Hence, the teasing. He kind of missed that eye twitch.


    Kyle laughed at himself. He was turning out to be such a bully.


    [You seem to enjoy teasing Beatrice a lot, dear brother.]


    Kyle cricked his neck as he got up from the lying position on his desk.


    [Well, I needed a break]


    [Good news then. It might be safe now to actually go out] Kay commented.


    The hype from the Insta account seemed to have settled down now. That is not to mean that people were no longer interested. On the contrary, the number of followers never stopped increasing. What did ''settle down'' was that Kyle wasn''t mobbed anymore.


    People became more disciplined and felt it was much better to simply ogle him from afar and buy the pictures that the Sakura Academy students were selling of him. They didn''t want to disturb him and felt that it was best that they let him do what he wants. Gave them more pictures, anyway.


    Kay found out that the main reason that the situation had settled down to give Kyle some semblance of peace was due to Kyle''s Fan Club. Rather, KYle Love Everyday aka KY.L.E Club. To love Kyle meant to let him be. Also meant no girl should approach him as he is the ''property'' of everyone. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since it gave Kyle some peace, Kay didn''t do anything to stop it. So long as they didn''t go overboard, that is.


    [That''s good to know] Kyle commented [But not tonight. Maybe tomorrow, since it''s the weekend]


    After class that day, Kyle and Beatrice went to the Student Council room. As they walked in, they saw that the rest of the current Student Council members were already there: Hank (President), Claude (Vice-President), Francis (Secretary), Denise (Treasurer), and Liam (PRO/Marketing). They were all sitting at the meeting table.


    What made Kyle raise his eyebrows in surprise however, was the fact that the meeting table had a spread of food on it. As if a mini banquet was going on. Hank was at the top of the meeting table and he motioned for Kyle to come over and indicated for him to sit on his left. Beatrice sat next to Claude, who was to the right of Hank.


    "Well, Kyle," said Hank as Kyle sat down, "Even though we started off on the wrong foot, I believe we''re all good now."


    Kyle smiled, a genuine smile, as he took Hank''s hand and shook it. The past few months clearly showed that Hank was relieved at having the whole Dobbins issue out of the way. With a breath of renewed life, Hank did his work seriously and above board. Who knows what would have happened if Dobbins had continued blackmailing him?


    Claude coughed embarrassingly and cleared his throat. Kyle knew that beneath that rough exterior, was actually a good man. Too quick to anger and retaliating, but also very loyal to his family. Which was the reason why he had been manipulated to help his relative at that time. Too proud to say he had been wrong, Claude continued down that path.


    Even now, Claude was still gruff and would never admit his mistakes but at least, he was more willing to listen now. At least, towards Hank. Kyle hoped Claude would continue to grow and not fall off the path. He had done what he could: giving them a second chance. What and how they used it, would be in their hands after this.


    "You''ll do well as President," Claude said, then added, "You''re cocky enough for it."


    Kyle laughed and shook his hand as well.


    Although there were another two weeks before school ended, the Student Council didn''t have anything to do anymore. This was something Hank discussed with everyone, and they agreed unanimously to the suggestion that Hank made.


    "Kyle," began Hank as they were sitting down at the meeting table, "I''ve talked to Principal Godric and he''s already agreed."


    "Agreed to what?" Kyle asked.


    "Well, our job here is basically done and it''s time for the new blood to take over," Hank explained. "So today will be our last day. You and your team can take over from tomorrow so that the transition would be much smoother. At least you''ll have about two weeks to acclimatize with your new team before the new year begins."


    Kyle nodded and was agreeable, despite the suddenness of it all.


    "It was truly great working with all of you the past month or so. I learned a lot," Kyle said humbly.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched a BIT at that.


    Everyone else just gave a smile, accepting the humble words even though all of them knew how untrue the ''learning a lot'' part was. There was not a single person sitting in that room that did not learn something from Kyle. It wasn''t that he learned from them, but it was that they learned from him.


    At first, they had thought Kyle did nothing as everything appeared to be the initiative of the other Elite Five members but slowly, it dawned on them that it wasn''t the case. The moment they realised that, they began to notice all the little things Kyle did in the background which had helped them and smoothen things out.


    Since Kyle was always doing it quietly, they never mentioned it.


    "So let''s celebrate! The end of one era and the beginning of a new one," declared Hank.


    The rest of the day was spent just laughing, joking and getting along with everyone. Even the stoic Beatrice gave a small smile.


    She could start getting used to this.

 Chapter 108 - Weird Feelings

    For the next two weeks, Kyle was quite busy with school.


    He had to organise the Student Council, prepare the reports of Sage Class for Principal Godric and the report of the Subsidiary Company for his father. He had delegated the Student Council details to Beatrice and Sam, while he handled the Sage Class reports.


    As he finally laid down the completed reports on his table, he let out a huge whoop of joy.


    "DONE DONE DONE!" Kyle said as he slammed the last report in the pile then stood up and pointed to all of them.


    "You guys gave me so much work! I''m only 13! Prime of my life!" Kyle said as he put a foot up on his chair.


    The reports Kyle was doing was part of the responsibilities Kyle had undertaken with Principal Godric before Sage Class was established. Kyle can still remember how Principal Godric kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish, unable to ask yet thinking it was possible until Kyle assured him he could. Even now, the memory made him grin.


    Each file was a detailed report on the progress of the Sage Class students, him included. Although it was only two months, one could see the sort of work that the Sage Class members had done. It listed the research and progress of the research, and the future plans of the Sage Class members. That part had been done by the Sage Class members themselves.


    Kyle''s duty was to analyse all of the details and reports, and give recommendations as to what could be done to further the research. Identify potential problem areas and suggest whatever equipment or internship needed to help them along. This was a report Kyle would need to do every 6 months, though this time it was only 2.


    "Who asked you to be the Top Student anyway? Doing those reports are just part of the job description," Sam replied without any pity.


    "I never asked to be. This awesomeness is too powerful to be contained," Kyle said with a raised eyebrow.


    He dodged a flying scrunched up paper on his left, then his right. He caught one that came from behind.


    "Pah. Ametuers! Can''t hit me even if I closed my eyes," Kyle said dramatically, flipping his fringe with a flick of his head.


    "Really? You''re going there?" Ali said with a grin. Then he looked at Sam and Xing Han, "Shall we?"


    Xing Han was the first to stand up, rubbing his hands together, "We shall."


    Sam didn''t move - he wasn''t stupid. Getting Kyle when he wasn''t prepared is fine but not right now when he''s aware. He went back to his work. Ali and Xing Han weren''t upset but continued towards Kyle together.


    Kyle glared at the two of them as they approached, "You think that move will always work?" He knew what they were up to.


    "Of course," Ali said with a grin as he got closer, "It''s a wonderful weakness."


    Kyle got in a defensive stance, raised an eyebrow at Ali. Putting one hand up, then raising his index up, he waved it left and right as he shook his head, he then asked, "You dare?"


    Ali mirrored Kyle''s defensive stance, adopted the ''Bruce Lee'' facial expression (eyebrows raised, mouth in an ''O'' position), flicked his nose with his thumb and replied, "Why wouldn''t I dare?"


    Kyle and Ali proceeded to fight, but instead of some fancy martial arts move, they were comically smacking their hands together in front of them ala a Three Stooges* fight. Pure physical slapstick comedy.


    Sam and Beatrice were basically ignoring the slapstick duo, doing the work that Kyle had assigned to them. Since they didn''t have any classwork to do, it only made sense to use all the time they had to complete the Student Council work.


    "How do you ever get used to all of that?" Beatrice asked as she watched the two laughing idiots. Her eye was twitching at the moment, but she did realise that its frequency was less. Was she becoming used to these sort of stupid things?


    Sam hardly raised his head as he studied the documents in front of him. He had already taken the file from the Student Council regarding the New School Year Events and was reading the materials itself.


    He said dismissively, "Get used to what? The fact that they play around? The noise?"


    "The sillyness," Beatrice said with a frown. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s to get used to?" Sam asked seriously, "If they were silly 24/7 and stupid, I wouldn''t even be friends with them. Since they''re not, I just ignore it whenever they start - unless I want to join in, of course."


    Beatrice''s eyes widened at that and stared at Sam.


    "What? You didn''t think it''s possible?" Sam asked with a smile, turning to look at her.


    Beatrice didn''t expect him to turn and that smile of his made her knees weak. Why was it, whenever Kyle gave his smiles - even the Million-Dollar-Watt Smile, she wasn''t as affected as that small smile of Sam''s? Maybe because Kyle was annoying at most times with all his antics so she wasn''t affected by him? And that she was affected by Sam right now because he was so close?


    Beatrice became more determined. <Remember your decision. Get used to him. Hang out with him more. Then it''ll be normal.>


    She cleared her throat when she realised that Sam was waiting for an answer, "I ... just never thought of it, that''s all."


    "You should lighten up, Beatrice. Being all serious all the time can be taxing, don''t you think?" Sam asked as he turned his attention back to the files.


    <Lighten up? But this is how I am ... it''s not a matter of ''lightening up'' but rather ... being different? I don''t think it''s possible> Beatrice thought to herself, frowning a bit.


    "Just go with the flow, Beatrice," Sam said softly, as if he could read her mind, "You don''t have to keep on rejecting the idea. If it''s fun, enjoy it. You don''t have to force yourself but you shouldn''t stop yourself either."


    "I was like you, too," Sam continued saying but not looking at her. Even though Beatrice didn''t say anything, it was as if Sam knew that she was listening intently. "I''ve always been a strange kid, the one left out or the one people avoid for some reason. With Kyle - and the rest - they accept me as I am. If I join them, they embrace me wholeheartedly but if I don''t, they don''t push me to do so."


    Sam then turned to face her this time and said, "It''s obvious that Kyle has taken you under his wing. He treats everyone the same: friendly but with a slight distance. However, to those that he acknowledges, he will go the extra mile to help. Sage Class members are all under his care but you ..."


    Same took a deep breath as he looked at her contemplatively, thinking hard, "You hold a higher position than even the other Sage Class members. Perhaps it''s because you''re his side-kick at the Student Council and he trusts you. Just like Sarah has a higher position as she''s Kay''s best friend."


    "Are you analysing me right now?" Beatrice asked with a frown. She knew that he liked to psychoanalyze people and that was one of his research projects. She felt like a guinea pig.


    "No, not you directly," Sam said, "You were an incidental part of it. My main focus is Kyle."


    "Kyle?!" Beatrice said with shock, "Why him? I thought he''s your brother?"


    "Yes, he is," Sam replied, "Why should that be a problem?"


    "I mean, well ... isn''t it weird to be analysing someone so close to you?"


    "On the contrary," Sam said, "I find it more fascinating. Unless you want me to analyse you?"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched ... yet at the same time, the tips of her ears started going red.


    Sam found her eye twitch reaction quite fascinating. Sam had deliberately said that to see her reaction and finally figured out why Kyle found it so fun to do. He had observed how Kyle deliberately pushed her buttons to get that twitch then smile the moment she turned away. It really did relieve the stress.


    Sam didn''t notice the fact that Beatrice blushed as her ears were covered by her hair. If he had seen it, he would have been shocked as Beatrice had always been the stoic type and the only reaction anyone could generally get from her was the involuntary eye twitch. Beatrice would have most likely been his next project if he had seen it.


    "Just kidding!" Sam said, raising his hands up in surrender, "I know you didn''t mean that. So don''t give me that glare."


    Beatrice wasn''t really glaring at him. She was more embarrassed than anything yet her expression was stiff so it appeared as if she was angry. Just the thought that Sam would be observing her intently suddenly gave her a weird feeling inside and she felt her ears go red hot. Such a new and weird feeling.


    Sam stopped teasing Beatrice, having found the plausible reason for Kyle''s actions. He would continue to observe Kyle and make his conclusion later. At first, he had been worried that Kyle might not like it when he found out that he was the subject of his character analysis project.


    However, instead of being weird about it, Kyle even suggested that Sam follow him around when he did his work for his father. Sam smiled at that thought, his face appearing warm and gentle. No matter what Sam did, Kyle had always been so supportive.


    Beatrice caught this rare smile of Sam''s and she felt a bit weird again. What was Sam thinking that would make him have that expression? Was it a girl? At that thought, Beatrice felt weird again but it wasn''t the same as before. This time, it was a bit of a sharp pain in her chest.


    She patted her chest, thinking she ought to go for a check-up. These strange feelings were making her worried.

 Chapter 109 - Feelings Of Guilt

    Just like that, the school year ended.


    There were two more weeks before the rock climbing competition and for convenience sake, Kyle had rented the penthouse suite at Hotel Y. All of the Elite Five members were staying with him as Master Shifu''s place couldn''t fit them all comfortably.


    Right now, they were all entering the room and Xing Han has his mouth wide open. It wasn''t that he had never been in a hotel before, but this would be the first time he was in a penthouse. Without his parents. With his brothers and sister. It was a dream come true!


    He excitedly dropped his suitcase and started running all around the place, checking out the rooms and bathroom. Then he pointed excitedly to a spiral staircase that led to a loft, his eyes sparkling and without a word, he ran up.


    At the top, he grinned, slipped his legs over the banister and slid down. Luckily, there was nothing at the end of the post so Xing Han landed on the ground with his hands up in the air, swaying slightly.


    "I''ve ALWAYS wanted to do that!!" he grinned at them.


    Whenever he had to follow his parents on their business trips (which weren''t often), he had to maintain decorum. Here, he could be himself.


    Kyle laughed, patted Xing Han on the shoulder and said, "Just be make sure you don''t fart on your way down, okay? You''ll be smelling it as you slide down."


    Xing Han gave him the side eye, "Why would you even think about that?!"


    Kyle just smiled and shrugged.


    Sam was the only ''normal'' person around and this was the first time he was experiencing such show of wealth. Even though he knew about their backgrounds, the others were so grounded and were never pretentious about it that he often forgot.


    Now, however, he could see what a huge difference in the lifestyle they had. Following Kyle was a good decision even though he had been reluctant at first. Kyle had assured him that Sam did not need to worry about the expenses but it didn''t mean Sam liked it. It was as if he was freeloading or taking advantage of Kyle.


    Kyle simply told him that whether Sam joined them or not, he would have spent the same amount of money. It had taken some time, but Kyle finally managed to convince him. He had even gone to talk to his parents, who were rather excited and touched at the opportunity Kyle was presenting to Sam.


    Sam had to admit. It was rather intimidating. At the same time, however, Sam was feeling excited. He had always seen Kyle as a normal (albeit genius) student but now, he''s going to see Kyle in a whole new world. Would Kyle be any different?


    The main reason why all of the Elite Five were gathered at the penthouse was to follow and observe or help Kyle when he made his visits to Company LV. It had all been in the recommendations report Kyle had given Principal Godric concerning the future prospects of the research that the Sage Class members were doing.


    Incidentally, Company LV was the subsidiary company that Patrick, his father, had directed him to study and make a report of. Thinking about it, Kyle realised that whenever he thought of their father, he would always refer to him by name.


    He couldn''t quite look at his father, as his father. However, when he''s talking to him, Kyle would naturally be mindful and still refer to him respectfully as "Father". He shook his head ruefully at that thought.


    Thinking of the situation now, Kyle thought back on the report he had submitted to Principal Godric.


    Kay needed to know more of the companies that were under the Smith Industries name, so her presence was important as well. Her current research was on the various companies of Smith Industries. She was pinpointing which areas were profitable and which were not - and why. Observing Company LV would be beneficial to her data.


    Company LV was a company that produced paraffin wax, which is used in the packaging of frozen foods. One component in the production of the wax is actually oil. Thus, as Ali''s family was in the oil industry, Ali was interested to know how the company obtained the oil and the cost of it. Although gasoline was the main product from oil and it was their biggest source of income, it was not the only thing. Ali wanted to know all of the products and the differences it entailed with regards to business. Thus, Ali following Kyle and studying Company LV was a given.


    For Xing Han, he was interested to learn from Kyle in identifying the weaknesses of a company - which was essentially what Kyle was doing for his report. Hence, Xing Han following Kyle was a no brainer.


    As for Sam? Kyle was someone he was studying - the way he interacted with people, the way he studied people and so forth. He had been observing Kyle in the school setting and observing him in a work setting would provide invaluable information.


    Kyle was saying, "You guys just choose your rooms. There''s two at the loft and two down here. Kay and I are sharing the biggest room down here, of course, but the rest is yours."


    Without a doubt, Xing Han was taking the room at the loft and he ran up while asking, "What about the rest of our stuff? When will it arrive?"


    "Later this evening," Kyle answered, "They''ll also unpack and all. Dinner will be delivered every night at 8pm but we get our own lunch."


    Kyle handed them a menu, saying, "Here are the choices for the week. Just indicate which meal you want for the entire week. No pork please since Ali is here. And don''t worry, Ali. Everything other than the pork is halal."


    Ali waved his hand at them, saying, "Don''t worry about me. I''m the only one who needs halal food. You guys can take whatever you want. It''s not like I''m going to sin just watching you eat."


    "Yeah, we know that," Kyle said, "But it''s not like we''re going to die just because we don''t have pork or ham for two weeks or so. It''ll be more fun if everyone can share whatever we eat, right?"


    Ali smiled and nodded. It truly didn''t bother him about the pork issue and he didn''t like it if his lifestyle inconvenienced others. He was the one who was Muslim and not them, and it was up to him to work around them. Having heard what Kyle said though, warmed his heart.


    Kyle was just like this. This was why Kyle was his brother. This was why Ali would be willing to do anything for Kyle. It was a vow he had made to himself, ever since that first day Kyle had saved him when he had been bullied. Kyle was his idol and his source of inspiration.


    Kyle watched all of them making their choices and he smiled. These were his brothers, who were always there for him. He would always be there for them as well. As he looked on, he was determined more than ever to make sure that they would always be together. His eyes glinted with seriousness but there was a tinge of worry in it as well.


    [Are you starting to feel guilty, brother?]


    Kyle didn''t answer at first, taking a deep breath. The recommendations he had given to have them follow him around wasn''t purely for them. It was also for him.


    [No, not really] Kyle said [But it does feel a bit unsettling]


    [You know that this is the best method]


    [Yes, I know. I know that this is the best way in the long run so that is why I''m still doing it but I feel bad because I know they''ll do it without question. All these plans and schemes make me feel like I''m playing with them and not trust them.]


    [I know, brother. I know. I feel the same way]


    Kyle sighed and pushed down the slight guilt he was feeling. It was his dream to have all of the Elite Five work with him but he didn''t want to ask directly. He knew that if he did, they would agree immediately even if it meant creating problems with their families. They trusted him and his judgment that much.


    But Kyle didn''t want that.


    He wanted to show them the sort of opportunities that working with him would offer them, and their families. He wanted them to see it, recognise it and start thinking about it - so that when he finally brings up the matter and proposal to them, it would be something that they had already been considering. It would be something that their families would see through their interaction together, thus making the future collaboration smoother.


    Right now, their paths appeared to be so different and would never meet. Kyle didn''t believe so. He felt that each of them had their own strengths which actually complimented and completed each other. However, he didn''t want to be the one that actually tells them that they were. He wanted them to realise it for themselves.


    Was he manipulating his own friends?


    His head was saying ''No'' as this was merely showing the way of a future collaboration but his heart? His heart did feel pain at having to resort to such a method.


    Breaking out of his thoughts that were starting to make him feel depressed, he compiled all their orders and would be giving it to the hotel staff later.


    "Alright, here''s the deal," Kyle said once that was all settled, "We''ll be going to Company LV tomorrow. We''ll meet up with the CEO first, look at all the departments and also attend one or two meetings."


    "What sort of meetings?" asked Ali.


    "One is a pitch for future investment and one is its normal monthly office meeting," Kyle said, "We''re just there to observe." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are they really going to give you a full disclosure though?" asked Sam, "After all, you may be the Smith Heir but you''re still just 13."


    "They should be open," said Kyle, "Though I know they won''t be. It''s not because I am 13, but it''s due to the fact that since the company is suffering a loss, heads will roll. Who would give anyone the tools to do so?"


    Then Kyle gave a slight smirk as he leaned back on the chair, saying, "They''ll most likely underestimate me, try to hoodwink me and most likely spout nonsense."


    Kyle''s smirk became a grin then as something cold flashed in his eyes, "What I do will depend on how far they''ll go."


    There was a slight chill in the air as Kyle said that, and the others shivered involuntarily. Kyle looked like a sleeping demon at that point - and what made it worse was that he actually looked like he couldn''t wait to slaughter people. Figuratively speaking of course.


    Or was it?

 Chapter 110 - CEO Charles

    CEO Charles was miffed. Actually, to say that he was miffed was putting it mildly. He was livid.


    Today, a boy that had just become a teen, would be visiting with a bunch of friends. What did he think this was? A school excursion? So what if he is the Smith Heir? He''s only 13! What does a snot-faced 13-year-old know about business? Did he think he could waltz in here and then after just observing them for a month or two, figure out what is wrong with the company? Why it was facing a loss?


    Charles was frustrated.


    He had been trying to find out the cause but to no avail. He knew that sooner or later, the Smith Industries would send a team to audit them. Heads would roll. However, instead of that elite team of people, they send a group of babies? What a joke.


    What Charles found aggravating was the resources and man-hours he would have to put in just to appease and ''play house''. The time that would be wasted in pandering to the orders of the higher-ups. Time that he could be using to truly find out what is the reason for the loss.


    He sighed and shook his head. The thoughts of the rich were truly beyond his comprehension. Did they already regard Company LV as unsalvagable, thus sent the heir so as not to waste the valuable time of the audit team? Charles already could feel that he was the laughing stock. Even Smith Industries treated him like a joke.


    "Sir?" a quiet voice broke into his thoughts.


    He looked up and saw his assistant looking at him with concern while holding a file.


    "Yes, Pauline?" he asked tiredly, "Are they here?"


    "No, Sir," she answered politely, "They''re scheduled to arrive at 9am. It''s only 8am right now."


    "Fine. Just make sure you''re there to greet him when they come," Charles said then asked, "What is it then?"


    She placed a file on his table, saying, "These are the financial reports you asked for. The accounts department just had it delivered."


    Charles looked at the file with a frown. He''s going to have a long talk with those people in Accounts soon. He had asked for this file since last week but it had been delayed for one reason or another. Somehow, he had been so busy that he didn''t have time to follow up on it and Pauline didn''t remind him either.


    Were everyone so incompetent or was this the way that they had always been operating?


    Unknown to both of them, Kyle was already walking through the doors of Company LV. He was dressed to kill, figuratively speaking. First impressions are important, so he donned the Gorgio Armani suit that his parents had gotten for him for the Press Conference. His hair was sleeked back and he wore black dress shoes. However, instead of the thin blue stripes for the shirt under the suit, he opted for a white mandarin collar shirt instead. That way, he didn''t have to wear a tie.


    Ali and Xing Han had their own suits and opted to wear black as well, and they wore ties. Sam, on the other hand, didn''t wear a suit but he did wear trousers (rather than jeans) and a bow tie. Kay was in a one piece black pencil line dress which was two inches above the knees. It had a scoop neckline whereby there were some intricate patterns in white on its neckline. She had a simple necklace with black onyx, matching earrings and completed the ensemble with a matching black jacket and white lining.


    All in all, when all of them walked through the door, they certainly made people stop and stare for a while. The thing is, it shouldn''t have made an impact as they were dressed like everyone else who walked in that door, right? Even taking into account that they were quite young as compared to everyone else.


    It''s just that each and every one of them gave off this indescribable aura. From their outstanding features, dressed impeccably and the air of regality that oozed from four of them (and one had a refined aura) just took their breath away. It was as if they had literally walked out from a painting and into the building.


    Kyle had this indifferent look on his face as he walked towards the reception desk. He looked all around him in one glance, taking note of the expression of everyone there. It was mostly shock and surprise, with some admiration.


    [Interesting. It doesn''t look like anyone was expecting us] Kyle said as he neared the reception desk.


    [How can you tell?]


    [If you heard that some 13-year-old kid was coming to audit you, what would you do?] Kyle asked.


    [Try to see who this kid was?]


    [Yet, everyone here has this expression like we''re a surprise to them. They looked curious but it''s more out of wondering who we are and what we are doing here. Not curious as to what we look like]


    [Maybe they want to keep it low key?]


    [We''re kids, no matter how smartly we dress up. How low key can we be when we go around and attend meetings?] sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [So you are saying that the games are going to begin even now?]


    Kyle turned to her and smirked.


    "Yes, how may I help you?" asked the receptionist as they reached the desk.


    Sam took a step forward and said politely, "Kyle Smith to see CEO Smith."


    Sam took on the role as Kyle''s personal assistant for this, as he was merely here to observe. Since he didn''t want a free ride, he insisted on doing something and Kyle relented, telling him that he needed someone to act as his PA. Sam happily took the role.


    "Do you have an appointment?"


    "Of course," Sam replied and Kyle looked at her with a frown. Though that was a typical question, the point was that she should have automatically checked the moment his name had been given. Wasn''t there a system that she could check or at the very least, wasn''t she informed of their arrival? The information should have been given to her already and she should have memorised or known in advance of this. This was simply a waste of time.


    "I am sorry, Mr. Smith but your name is not listed here," the receptionist said apologetically and politely.


    "Are you sure about that?" came an icy voice from behind Sam.


    The receptionist looked up and was stupified for a minute. The vision was just too breathtaking. She had seen her fair share of good looking men while working here but this was at another level. In fact, all of them, together, made it such a picturesque sight.


    She gulped but maintained her professionalism, "Yes, Sir, I am sorry about that."


    "So if the name is not listed, then you will refuse entry to anyone who walks in?" Kyle asked, his eyes cold.


    "I - I ... wait, let me double check with CEO Charles''s secretary," she stammered, fumbling for her phone, her hands shaking.


    The receptionist dialed the number but no one was picking up. She tried two more times but there was still no answer. She looked up at them in fear, seeing four pair of eyes staring at her in displeasure. The one who had spoken earlier looked even more unhappy and she could actually feel the pressure and fear filling her entire body.


    <It''s not my fault, okay! What can I do about it?> she was cursing inwardly but who could she complain to? She turned to the one person who appeared to at least look kind.


    "Mr. Smith, I''m really sorry but -"


    "I''m not Mr. Smith," Sam interrupted and introduced Kyle, "THIS is Mr. Kyle Smith, Director and future CEO of Smith Industries."


    Smith Industries?! The receptionist''s face paled. Who in Company LV didn''t know Smith Industries? It was their boss''s boss company! And this young boy was a Director there? Future CEO? Is she going to lose her job??!


    "Seriously, Kyle," said Ali, while raising an eyebrow, "Is this a joke? Even if we are early, shouldn''t have they been notified to be expecting you?"


    "Agreed. Perhaps they think you''re just here for fun?" muttered Xing Han.


    The receptionist quickly said, "My apologies, Mr. Smith. Please wait in the lounge while I get this sorted out."


    "That''s fine," Kyle said, a little more kindly but still looking extremely unhappy, "It''s not your fault. You''re only doing your job. Keep it up."


    The receptionist breathed a sigh of relief. There weren''t many people who would be willing to let this go and even blame her for not letting them through. She''s seen her fair share of arrogant officers. Her respect for the young ones in front of her increased.


    Indeed, Kyle did not blame the receptionist. She was merely following protocol. He also doubted that CEO Charles wouldn''t have informed the receptionist, so there was something that went haywire in the chain of command. The question was: was it deliberate or mere incompetence?


    Throughout the entire time, the receptionist kept glancing at them in nervousness as they all sat elegantly at the waiting area. Kyle leaned back on the chair, one leg placed across the knee of his other leg as he looked around him.


    "Just a heads up," Kyle said, his voice low so that it could only be heard between them, "You''re going to see a part of me that I''ve never shown before."


    "You''ve already told us that," Xing Han pointed out. Prior to coming here, Kyle already told them that he has a different persona when he''s working. His reasoning was that he had to be strict and firm, for he would not be taken seriously otherwise due to his young age.


    Kyle''s lips curled up to a slow smile, the air around them suddenly getting chilly and he looked at Xing Han.


    Xing Han found his throat dry, his heart pounding and he opened his mouth but no words came out. Even Sam and Ali, who were nearby, felt the pressure and their eyes widened. Suddenly, the pressure lifted and Kyle gave him a bright smile while patting his shoulder.


    "Sorry about that," Kyle said, "Just giving a demonstration."


    Xing Han''s face brightened up, his eyes sparkling as he leaned forward and said excitedly, "OMG KYLE. That was SO cool. Quick quick. Do it again! You have GOT to teach me how to do that!!"


    Kyle couldn''t help but laugh at that and laugh he did.


    The receptionist was startled to hear it and looked at him in a daze. It truly transformed him completely from the cold, detached person she had met earlier. She could swear, she saw bright sunshine and birds chirping around him. She sighed, then shook herself out of her daydreaming.


    Despite the fact that the boy looked very approachable right now, she knew it wouldn''t last long. She picked up the phone again and tried to call Pauline again.

 Chapter 111 - Throwing Out The Trash

    It was now 9.30am.


    The receptionist was ready to cry at her desk.


    She had found out from Mr. Smith''s PA that they had an appointment with CEO Charles at 9am. She truly believed that they did, unless their identities were fake. Yet, why wasn''t their name on the list? At the very least, the young Kyle Smith''s name should be there in her appointment book.


    The moment it was 9am, she could feel the air of displeasure from the group waiting patiently at the lounge start. As the minutes ticked by, the feeling of uncomfortableness became more and more to the point that she felt as if there was some impending doom looming above.


    She cursed Pauline for the umpteenth time. Why was the call not getting through? She had kept on trying and trying. She was even tempted to go up and ask personally but there was no one to man the desk if she did.


    So all she could do was keep on trying every 3 minutes yet failed.


    When she saw Pauline walk through the lift, the receptionist was so happy that she wanted to kiss the floor. Finally! She was safe!!


    As Pauline walked out the lift, her eyes fell on the striking group of people at the waiting area. She had to admit, they did pose a rather pretty picture. Yet, that''s all that it was. A pretty picture. No substance. Though she did give them points for not throwing a tantrum at having to wait so long.


    As Kyle watched the person responsible for the farce this morning, he didn''t bother to hide his displeasure. He wasn''t really angry since this was something he had been expecting, but he had to put on a show of some sort. What reasonable man would be happy to have been kept waiting? Just displeasure and not any killing aura.


    He almost smiled though when he thought of the way Xing Han kept trying to get him to teach him how to do it. Yet, how could he? He couldn''t very well tell Xing Han that he managed to achieve that by tapping into his memories of his death? Of the sense of desolation, anger, and helplessness which gave rise to a feeling of intense anger? The anger that was intensified due to the Smith genes?


    It was a well-known fact that the Smiths reached where they are now due to their meticulous and often cold-hearted approach to business. What was not known was that such an approach was due to the volatile temperament in their genes.


    The Smith''s have an extremely violent history, full of physical abuse and mass murder. It was Kyle''s great-great-great-great grandfather that finally put a clamp down on that by intense discipline. The Head of the Smiths were those that actually managed to hone that into a positive path. Kyle had already passed the test when he was 9-years-old, thus cementing his fate as the next CEO.


    Pauline plastered a fake smile on her face as she gave a little bow and said apologetically, "I am so sorry to have kept you waiting, Kyle. CEO Smith had been held up at an emergency meeting."


    Kyle didn''t get up but instead, leaned back on the chair and stared at her. Then he turned to Sam and said, "Take note. Pauline Hans, personal secretary and assistant to CEO Charles for the past five years. Evaluation: Incompetent and disrespectful. Status: Red"


    Pauline was taken aback. What was this? He knew who she was at a glance and her work history? And what evaluation? What status? Who was he kidding anyway? He was just a kid playing CEO. He had no real power to do anything. The initial shock she had was brushed aside quickly but she couldn''t stop her face from showing an expression of ridicule before she smiled indifferently again.


    Everyone caught that look and they looked at each other quietly.


    Kyle got up, and the others - other than Kay who was busy at her laptop - did as well. They were quietly withholding the sense of anger and dissatisfaction that had only increased as the time ticked by. Kyle took his time, as he looked down and smoothened his suit before finally looking up.


    With his height, he was not at any disadvantage even though she was wearing heels and he took advantage of that.


    "Well, since CEO Smith has finally deemed himself free to meet with me, lead the way, Ms. Hans," Kyle said, ignoring, for now, the way she addressed him so familiarly. He was keeping count. Unfortunately, Pauline took it to mean that she had been right in her estimation of him. She, though a secretary, was superior to him since she was older.


    Kyle ignored the gloating look on Pauline''s face as he turned to Kay and asked, "Is it done?"


    Kay made a few more taps on her keypad before closing her laptop and answered simply, "Yes."


    She packed her laptop and stood up, waiting next to Kyle. Kyle then looked at Pauline, raised an eyebrow and said simply, "Well? Lead the way then."


    Kay walked beside Kyle, while Sam was at a respectable distance to the other side of Kyle. Ali and Xing Han were but a step behind them. They followed Pauline into the lift and it didn''t take them long to reach the desired floor.


    As they exited, curious glances were sent their way. One even went up to Pauline who was walking to CEO''s office and asked, "Who are these kids, Pauline?"


    "Oh, just some visitors for CEO Charles," she answered simply.


    The lady was shocked and looked at the group who were quietly following Pauline then asked again, "CEO is always so busy. Why does he have time to pander to these kids?"


    "Your guess is as good as mine," Pauline said loudly, smiling as she thought how the kids behind her would be feeling. Yet, they didn''t say anything, which made her feel even more arrogant.


    "They''re even dressed up as if they are real businessmen," the lady laughed as she walked beside Pauline.


    [Calm down, Kay]


    [Argh. How can you just stand there and say nothing? I want to go and scratch those eyes out. Sew those lips shut]


    [Tsk tsk] Kyle said, a smirk slowly forming on his lips.


    [She''s just too much! Go do your thing, brother]


    [My thing? My thing?! What, am I a circus act now?]


    Kay gave him a glare, not appreciating his lame attempt at defusing the situation. Kyle could see the anger simmering in her eyes and he sighed. Lately, the Smith Anger thing was manifesting within Kay more often. He made a mental note to get her to go through the anger management refresher course.


    [Fine. How strong do you want it?]


    Kay grinned. [Enough to make her faint or something]


    [No problem; but you''re really going to have to deal with your anger management. It''s becoming more frequent]


    [That''s because you indulge me, my dear brother] Kay said smugly [I know I can''t act on it but you can since you''re the one who knows the limits]


    [Yeah, yeah, fine. You got me there. It''s all my fault. I won''t pander to you anymore then.]


    Kay''s laugh echoed in his mind as Kyle focused his gaze on the lady next to Pauline. The unsuspecting woman was still mouthing off about them when she felt this chill filling her entire body. She shivered, fear gripping her heart for some reason.


    It was bright outside. The air conditioning wasn''t on full blast. She had a jacket on. So why the chill? It was ... it was as if ... there was a ghost in the area. She''s always been superstitious and the moment the thought entered her head, she started to panic. Ghosts would even come out in the day??


    Her eyes darted left and right but she couldn''t see anything. Then she felt stupid for thinking she could. After all, they were ghosts, right? Then, her gaze landed on Kyle and as they locked eyes, she felt her surroundings fade out. All the noise, gone. All she could see was his eyes and she felt as if her soul was being sucked in. She couldn''t move.


    The next thing she knew, she was on the ground and people were in a panic.


    She sat up suddenly, looking around her in total fear.


    "Where is he? Where is HE?!" she said as she grabbed the nearest person.


    "Who?"


    "That kid. No, that wasn''t a kid. The devil! That''s what he was! The Devil!" the lady was blabbering.


    At that time, the ''Devil'' was entering the CEO''s office. Pauline had already gone in.


    [Satisfied?] Kyle asked.


    [Very] Kay said as she turned back and looked at the lady. She was staring at them with wide eyes, full of fear.


    Kay noticed that people weren''t looking at them but at the crazy lady instead. She was also partially blocked by Xing Han and Ali so most would not be able to see her properly. The lady, however, had a clear straight view of her - and she was staring at her right now.


    Kay stared at her in the eyes and slowly smiled. Then, as if in slow motion, she brought her hand up to her neck, closed four fingers into her palm with the thumb sticking out a bit. She smirked as she made a slicing motion across her neck before pointing at the lady.


    The lady''s eyes rolled to the back of her head and she promptly fainted.


    [Really, Kay?]


    [Just taking the trash out, dear brother.]


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 112 - Cooperation

    Inside, Pauline brought them to CEO Charles who got up and promptly shook Kyle''s hand with a smile.


    "Welcome," Charles said as he indicated for them to sit at the sofa, "How may I help you?"


    Charles was polite and didn''t refer to the fact that Kyle had arrived late. He had been waiting for Kyle and his friends since 8.30am. Truth be told, he was rather annoyed at the fact that Kyle had been late yet never bothered to inform them beforehand. So he had to wait in his office like a fool while Pauline updated him. Still, he maintained professionalism and was polite.


    Kyle took a good, long look at Charles in front of him and could see no guile in his eyes. There was a slight annoyance, as to be expected from someone who had been waiting. Kyle returned the handshake, his grip firm but he didn''t give a smile.


    Charles didn''t let that bother him.


    "Pauline, please get our guests some refreshments," Charles said politely.


    Pauline appeared a little unhappy about that but did as she was told. The moment Pauline walked out, Kyle looked at Charles seriously and said simply, "You have a serious problem."


    Charles back stiffened at that but he didn''t falter while he answered, "Yes, I know."


    Kyle was impressed. This guy was the real deal. Despite the fact that he obviously didn''t think Kyle was here to actually do something, he was still courteous and not putting on airs. He genuinely cared for the company and most likely was a hands-on CEO that built it up with his own sweat, blood, and tears.


    Looks like the report on him was accurate.


    "I''m not talking about the company''s performance. I''m talking about you," Kyle said slowly and clearly.


    Charles frowned at that, his gaze starting to darken a bit with supressed anger.


    "Check your email," Kyle said curtly.


    "Email?" Charles repeated then got up and went to his computer at the table. He opened his email, but there was nothing there.


    "Your personal email," Kyle directed.


    Charles furrowed his eyebrows more. There were only a handful of people who knew his personal email address and Kyle was not one of them. Despite his disbelief, he still accessed his personal email account. There was one new email, from ''Kayla'' that had the subject heading ''Pauline Hans''.


    Pauline? Charles looked up at Kyle who just returned the look indifferently. He looked back at the unopened email, noticing a paper clip with it, indicating an attachment. What did he send about Pauline? Was it porn pictures or something?


    "It''s not doctored pictures of Pauline," Kyle said with an internal roll of his eyes. Charles facial expression clearly showed his unhappiness and then surprise over Kyle''s comment.


    "It''s not a virus either. If I wanted to send you a virus, your computer would already be infected by now."


    Charles acknowledged that. If Kyle could find out his personal email, sending a virus was probably an easy thing to do. With shaking hands, he clicked on the email. There was no content, just the attachment. He opened it.


    Suddenly, his computer screen was filled with documents opening rapidly. It went by too fast for him to see what the contents truly were as the documents were opening on top of each other. Suddenly, the whole thing stopped and the first document he saw properly made his eyes pop out.


    It was the financial statements and accounts for the year. The same statements that he just got from the Accounts department. There were several things highlighted and Charles took the file he had on the table and compared them. The figures were different.


    Right after that, seemingly as if it knew Charles had made the comparison, another file opened up on top of that document. This time, it was a video. Two frames were there, the videos obviously from a security camera. Two videos, side-by-side and Charles noted the date and time. It was today, 8am. The left frame showed the reception desk and the right frame showed Pauline at her desk.


    He clicked ''play'' and both videos ran, side-by-side simultaneously. The timing on both was exactly the same. Everything was fast forwarded, so he watched a video of 1.5 hours in merely 3 minutes. It was just slightly fast in the beginning when Kyle and his group came, then sped up after the receptionist made the call and finally slowed down back when Pauline went to greet them.


    "As I said, you have a problem," Kyle said as Charles sat there, shocked. To see the person he trusted wholeheartedly do things that he never dreamed of made his head spin. It was shocking enough to discover that Kyle had not been late and in fact, was extremely early. Yet, Pauline had told him Kyle had not arrived yet despite checking at the reception desk.


    Then, he saw the receptionist making a call while the other frame showed Pauline at her desk, ignoring a phone call. Charles could hear the ringing of Pauline''s phone, which ended when the receptionist put down her phone and started again when the receptionist made another call. Pauline wasn''t doing anything but simply reading a magazine.


    It didn''t take a genius to figure out what had happened.


    "I may be only 13, CEO Smith, but I am the Smith Heir," Kyle said slowly, "That means, I have been groomed and trained to take over Smith Industries since I was 9-years-old. Also, as the second biggest shareholder in Smith Industries, I have real power to affect things."


    "Now, shall we start again?" Kyle said, "This time, by actually regarding that I am not here for show-and-tell. I am here to turn Company LV around."


    "Director Kyle," Charles began, "I -"


    "We don''t have much time before Pauline gets back," Kyle interrupted him, "For now, just be normal. Do I have your cooperation?"


    Charles sighed deeply, looked at his computer and laughed at himself. He had been working his a** off for the past year, trying to turn this company around and yet not even realising the snake in the grass. He looked at Kyle, hope blossoming in his heart.


    "100%," Charles replied.


    Charles wasn''t stupid nor was he blinded by arrogance. He acknowledged and respected anyone with skill and capabilities, no matter their age. It was obvious that the young man in front of him was far more capable than he could ever hope to be. If he was like this now, what would he be like as an adult?


    Charles could see that the Smith Industries would soar to greater heights with Kyle at the helm.


    "You have a lot of trash to clean out," Kyle said, "Are you prepared?"


    "Whatever it takes," Charles replied with determination.


    Anyone who wasn''t on board deserved to be kicked out. Even if it meant that the company would be suffering for a while with the lack of manpower. You can''t grow well if the foundation is rotten.


    "You''re a good man, CEO Charles," Kyle said, "And that is part of the problem. You trust too much."


    "I can see that now," Charles admitted with a sigh.


    He was feeling utterly depressed at that moment. Not only did he fail to see the snakes in his company, but he was also severely reminded of his soft nature by a 13-year old kid. A THIRTEEN year old kid was smarter than he was.


    Just then, Pauline walked through the door, bearing a tray with mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits.


    "My apologies, CEO Charles,"Kyle said as he pointed to the others in his group, "I neglected to introduce to you my companions."


    "Kayla Smith, my sister and also Director at Smith Industries. On my right is Muhammad Ali from MA Oil Conglomerate of Country SA. This is Young Master Xing Han from the Tan Family and last but not least, Samuel, my personal assistant and secretary."


    Charles almost choked on his own saliva. MA Oil Conglomerate? Tan Family?


    It''s true what they say. The powerful gravitate towards each other. He had, in his small little office, three young Dragons from the top ten most influential and powerful entities in the region.


    Pauline was shocked as well. However, she wasn''t worried or scared at all. On the contrary, she felt even more superior as she remembered how meek they had been earlier. Who were they? S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    CEO Charles shook hands with everyone, his face in a big smile.


    "I believe you wanted a tour of the company?"Charles said, clasping his hands.


    "No, that won''t be necessary," Kyle responded, "In fact, aren''t you going to a meeting concerning a possible investment?


    Charles looked at his watch and nodded, a slight frown on his face. Pauline should have reminded him of it 10 minutes before time yet she had not. When he looked at her, she simply smiled, unaware of what she had not done.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, then decided that enough was enough. He had given her plenty of chances. He had even dropped a hint with the ''Red Status'' bit yet, she persisted in acting out. Pauline obviously had been so pampered by Charles (by not being reprimanded) that she has not become a liability rather than an asset.


    From what Kyle had dug up about her, Pauline wasn''t a spy or deliberately sabotaging the company. However, she had broken the primary rule of a secretary: to aid the boss. She was supposed to be the oil that helped the main gear to run, not be the wrench that caused problems!


    Time to clean house.

 Chapter 113 - The Purge (I)

    Kyle looked at Charles, and Charles looked at Kyle.


    Charles had no idea what Kyle was looking at him for. Kyle sighed internally. CEO Charles had a lot of work to do. Both on himself, and for the company.


    [I think it''s too much to expect him to change overnight, dear brother]


    [I know. Yet, I was still hoping he could take the first step]


    [You''ve got to show him how first. I know you''re itching to do it anyway]


    Kyle couldn''t help the smirk that the comment produced.


    Kay was right about that. He had been suppressing himself, for the Kylie in him wanting to guide Charles since Charles inherently was a good person. Just a bit weak. He wanted to be kind and nurturing to the sincere man who was trying.


    The Kyle, however, wanted to whack Charles to get him to get his head out of his a**, smash the faces of all the useless people in the company, raze everything to the ground and let the survivors rise from its ashes.


    That thought got him pretty excited and he had to clamp it down. Kyle coughed to cover the maniacal grin he was sure he would be making at that moment.


    At the same time, Charles was a bit surprised to hear the printer nearby start. He looked at it and waited until it finished and his eyes widened when he read what it was. He looked up at Kyle, who simply tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow.


    Charles finally understood what Kyle had been trying to convey earlier.


    He nodded imperceptibly, sighed internally and signed the termination notice for Pauline Hans.


    [Nicely done, Kay] Kyle praised [The timing was perfect]


    [Of course] Kay said smugly [Next step is yours]


    Charles was obviously still struggling as he held that piece of paper while Pauline was looking at him strangely.


    "You know, Pauline," Kyle began, deliberately speaking slowly, "I knew you were incompetent, but I didn''t think you were this stupid."


    "It can''t be helped, Kyle," drawled Ali who snorted as he looked at the tea and biscuits she had served in disdain. The mugs were of different shapes and sizes, the tea looked like it was watered down and the biscuits were plain crackers.


    They were VIP guests, not Charles''s family. Even then, this was not something you serve to guests. It was unacceptable and a direct indication of lack of respect towards them.


    Pauline bristled, her face clearly showing her anger. She turned towards Charles, pointing a finger at Kyle and his group as she demanded, "Why are you letting them talk to me like that?!"


    "My God, Kyle," exclaimed Xing Han, "You''re right! She really IS that stupid."


    Kay smiled, got up and slowly walked over to Pauline, looking at her straight in the eye, "Pauline, you are nothing but a mere secretary. An executive secretary, but a secretary nonetheless. Yet, the way you''re acting, it''s as if you''re the boss here. Do you not know who is the real boss here?"


    Pauline stood there proudly, not fazed as she said, "Of course. I''m not stupid!"


    "Enough," came an extremely cold voice from behind Kay.


    Pauline froze. Why did that one word make her feel fear like never before?


    Kay merely smiled, shrugged and looked at Pauline with pity in her eyes as she said, "Oh dear. Looks like I can''t try and help anymore."


    She then leaned forward, to get close enough to say softly, "Just try not to faint. Won''t be fun otherwise."


    Kay then stepped aside, letting Pauline get the full blast of Kyle''s oppressive gaze. She went to Charles desk and leaned on it while crossing her arms.


    "Get ready for a good show," Kay said to Charles, "And learn why our Father put Kyle in charge to turn Company LV around."


    Kyle just sat there, not saying a word as he looked at his fingernails, spread out his fingers then finally, looked up at Pauline.


    It was like a wave.


    Even those who were beside him felt it.


    There was this force that spread out from Kyle, heading straight for Pauline who stood there frozen. She was held in place due to the intensity of his blue eyes and she felt as if her body was literally, becoming ice.


    Then she felt a huge pressure descending on her, as if it was pushing her down to the ground. Her knees trembled but she did not fall down. She felt a huge lump in her throat and swallowed repeatedly but the feeling did not go away.


    "Ms. Hans," Kyle began, "My sister tried to warn you nicely yet, you cannot seem to understand a simple, basic, concept."


    "You are the CEOs his right-hand man, not his boss," said Kyle, "You have NO right to speak to him like that!"


    Kyle growled, his face full of anger as he stood up and continued, "And you certainly have no right to address me by my first name."


    He was walking closer to her as he spoke. The pressure kept getting stronger as he got closer.


    "You deem us unimportant enough not to inform the reception about our arrival?"


    "You regard us as trash to be left waiting without any word for half an hour?"


    "You gossip about us loudly amongst your colleague and give degrading comments as you lead us to this office?"


    "You disdain us so much that you can''t even serve us proper tea and snacks?"


    "You sure are brave, to belittle the person who is your boss''s boss," Kyle said, as he reached right in front of Pauline, "Did you really think I would let all that you did, slide? I was merely seeing how far you''d actually go."


    By now, Pauline was in a slump on the floor, her legs having lost all its strength long ago. Her blouse was stuck to her body as it was drenched in sweat, her eyes wide open in absolute fear as she looked up at Kyle, unable to look away.


    "When was the last time you actually performed your duties and responsibilities properly? How many times has CEO Charles been affected adversely by your incompetence and lack of professionalism?" Kyle asked.


    He reached out his right hand towards Kay, not breaking eye contact with Pauline. Kay placed the termination letter in his hand and he squatted down, to look at her squarely in the eye. Without a word, he stuck it on her forehead. Her sweat allowed the paper to stick for a while before her shaking hands took it off to read it.


    She looked at the content in shock, her mouth open. Before she could say anything, Kyle got up and pointed towards the door.


    "You have 5 minutes to pack up and leave before I call security. If you''re not done by then, I''ll have them drag you out rather than escort you," Kyle said, "Sam, make sure she only takes her personal items."


    Sam got up immediately and stood in front of Pauline. He gestured towards the door and said simply, "You have 4 minutes left."


    Pauline didn''t dare say anything else. All she wanted to do now was run. Run as fast as she can away from this Devil. She cursed herself mentally. She had such an easy job. CEO Charles hardly chastised her for her work no matter how badly she performed - if she ever did.


    If she had known this boy had the capabilities to actually fire her, she would have not acted the way that she did. There was no use crying over spilled milk. No matter how angry and frustrated she was right now, she couldn''t do anything. She had dug the hole herself and jumped straight in.


    The termination letter was effective immediately. Normally, she would get two months notice before her services were terminated, or she would be given two months pay in lieu of notice. However, the letter had clearly shown her misdemeanor, which gave Company LV the right to terminate her without notice and without having to pay.


    So now, she was without a job. No reference. No severance pay. Just like that, her prospects to work at another company as a secretary was sealed shut. Which sane company would hire her when her record showed clearly her incompetence?


    What was she going to do?


    She sniffed, tears threatening to spill out.


    "You have one minute left," said the emotionless Sam, not pitying her at all, "And that is company''s property. You can''t take that."


    Pauline glared at Sam but didn''t dare say anything. She quickly put back the notepad that had Company LV''s logo on it and walked out. She didn''t want to talk to anyone at that point and so, ignored her colleagues - now former colleagues - as she ran to the lift.


    Everyone stared at the quickly retreating back of Pauline and the room suddenly broke out in pandemonium.


    "Wha-what happened?!" shouted one in shock.


    "Pauline got fired? What did she do? I mean, she was useless but CEO Charles always forgave her no matter what she did," another said.


    "Serves her right," another scoffed, "Good riddance to bad rubbish!"


    As the door was slightly ajar, all of these words were clearly heard by Charles and the others. His face got flushed as he thought about it. Even his people out there knew about Pauline yet said nothing to him? He was beginning to feel more and more useless.


    Then he felt someone patting him on the shoulder. It was Kay.


    "Cheer up," she said with a smile, "Kyle will be the Bad Guy and get rid of all the tumor in the company. Your role after this is to heal it and grow."


    Kyle cricked his neck and smoothed his suit down and brushed off some imaginary lint on both of his sleeves. He then looked towards Ali and Xing Han, who promptly got up. They saw the slow smile that was forming on his face and noted the fact that he had not retracted that chilling aura yet. It wasn''t as lethal as before, but it certainly was still there.


    "Time to start the purge," Kyle said as he walked towards the door.


    Xing Han noticed that the smile on Kyle''s face got bigger.


    "Why does it seem like you''re enjoying this?" he asked as Kyle put his hands on the doorknob.


    Kyle turned to grin at him, an eyebrow raised as he answered before reverting back to his cold persona, "That''s because I AM enjoying this."


    Sam furiously started taking notes. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 114 - The Purge (II)

    Just as Kyle was about to walk out, he stopped and closed the door.


    He turned and told Charles, "Take it that I am leading this. You''re the CEO, but I''m basically your boss at the moment. So treat me as such."


    Charles nodded, understanding.


    "I won''t do anything to undermine you but I will do things that are necessary to clear out the trash in here," Kyle said with disdain as he thought of all those useless monkeys out there.


    "I understand," Charles said, "I will support you all the way."


    "Kay, get Zero and his team here tomorrow," Kyle said, "After the purge, they''ll be in charge of implementing Operation LV Resurrection."


    "Time frame?" Kay asked, tapping on her phone.


    "One month," Kyle replied.


    Other than Kay, everyone else was confused. Kyle just explained briefly, "Zero''s my man."


    "Man?" Xing Han said with a slight pout, "Am I not your man?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes and Ali whacked the back of Xing Han''s head.


    Xing Han rubbed the back of his head, his face full of indignant fury. He turned towards Ali, growled and started snapping his teeth. Kyle thought he looked like a puppy trying to act tough, baring his teeth at a tiger.


    Ali just looked at the snarling Xing Han in amusement which made Xing Han snarl even more.


    A Scottish terrier, yapping while jumping about ... the image suddenly entered Kyle''s mind when he looked at Xing Han.


    That did it.


    Kyle couldn''t hold it in any longer. He leaned forward on the door, his hand holding it as he laughed silently. His shoulders shook and tears formed in his eyes as he desperately tried not to have the sound come out. He was trying to be a Bad Guy here, darn it!


    Kay simply patted him on the shoulder.


    It took Kyle a few more minutes before he finally managed to stop laughing and get his breath back. Flinging an arm around Xing Han''s shoulder, he ruffled his hair and said, "How can I not love this adorable puppy? But enough. Time to get back to work."


    They fist bumped and Kyle took a deep breath while Xing Han fixed his hair. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Closing his eyes, Kyle focused on his feelings and internalised it. When he opened his eyes, it was cold and unfeeling. His striking blue eyes were like ice, his impassive face like stone and the aura ...


    Kyle didn''t release it but let it simmer underneath. Thus, one got the impression of danger when they were near him. Like a tiger, stalking its prey silently, ready to pounce.


    No, not a tiger. A Dragon.


    Charles looked at Kyle''s transformation in awe. It was as if a switch was flipped. From a Dark Avenging Angel, to a normal laughing teen then to a Crouching Tiger/Dragon. He was seeing it, but he couldn''t believe it.


    "First, the investor''s meeting," Kyle said as he opened the door. Charles nodded, walking beside Kyle as they walked out.


    "After the meeting, there are a few Departments that I need to see," Kyle continued saying, "I''ll need someone to show the way."


    Charles nodded then looked up and noticed that everyone there was not working but blatantly staring at them.


    "Is there anyone in particular that you want?" Charles asked as they stopped.


    Kyle''s gaze swept over the entire room and people gulped, wondering what was going on. Was this the same guy that went into the office? Why does it feel ... like he was a superior being that was looking down at his subjects?


    Earlier, one of them just fainted. Then, Pauline got fired. Now? CEO Charles acting so respectfully to the young man that was beside him.


    Putting two-and-two together, they immediately realised that Pauline''s dismissal had something to do with the group of kids that were there. Specifically, to the young man beside CEO Charles.


    Remembering how she had treated them as she brought them to the CEO''s office made them glad that they had not been busy bodies like their colleague who had fainted.


    Kyle''s gaze stopped at one guy who was now practically shivering, his eyes wide open.


    "Him," Kyle said, and Charles looked at where Kyle was looking, "Ben Tennyson."


    The identified guy, Ben, pointed at himself and squeaked, "Me?"


    "Yes, you," Charles said, as he then looked at his watch, "Right now, Director Kyle and I are heading for a meeting. After lunch, take Director Kyle to the Departments that he wants to go. You''re in charge of taking care of Director Kyle and his team while they are here."


    "M-m-me?" he stammered, surprised, "But I''m just ..."


    "Is there a problem?" Kyle asked with a cold gaze.


    Ben found himself taking a step back involuntarily as he quickly answered, "No, no Sir. Director Kyle Sir. It would be my honour, Sir."


    "Everyone, back to work," Kyle snarled at them, "This is an office, not a classroom. We''re not here for you to gawk at."


    Charles cleared his throat and told the shocked group, "That''s right. Back to work! This is Director Kyle from Smith Industries. He''s here for the audit."


    Everyone now realised that the situation was more serious than they had initially thought.


    The reputation of the Smith Industries audit was known to all. They were ruthless, tearing things up from the bottom and building things up again - if they were lucky. Some companies had even been shut down completely when it did not meet the standards.


    Right now, as they stared at Kyle, they felt that he was at a completely different level. So young and yet ... those bunch of "kids" were the Smith Industries Auditors. THE Smith Industries Auditors.


    No wonder Pauline had been fired. Offending them was simply begging for trouble. She had been too full of herself to realise where the true power was.


    And the group in front of them, especially Director Kyle ... that was power. He didn''t have to do or say anything and one could already sense it.


    Of course, little did they realise that Kyle was only releasing that aura of dominance now. He hadn''t earlier, so Pauline was blind to it. As they left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    Everyone started working furiously, while Ben was silently crying at his cubicle. He wondered if he should be telling his wife that he might lose his job soon.


    As they walked towards the meeting venue, Charles asked Kyle curiously, "If I may ask, why Ben? He''s an okay worker but rather timid. And how did you know that was Ben?"


    "I''ve already done a background check on all of your employees," Kyle explained, then continued in a low voice so that only Charles could hear, "Ben has a lot of potential and his work is exemplary. Problem is, Pauline often used him and took credit for is work."


    "She DID?!" Charles said in shock, finding it hard to believe.


    Then it made sense to Charles. He did fleetingly wonder why Pauline didn''t seem to have consistency in the quality of her work. That was partly the reason why he was reluctant to scold her when she did make mistakes. Now he knew that the times that her work was good, was most likely because it was done by someone else.


    "But he''s not a secretary? Why would he listen to Pauline?" Charles asked out loud.


    "If I may interject," Sam said, "Ben appears to be one who has low self-confidence while Pauline is an extremely strong character. She most likely used her position and power as your executive secretary to intimidate him."


    "He was too weak to protest," continued Sam, "In addition, he also appears to be one who likes to play it safe, so it was better to simply do as he was instructed rather than have a less desirable working condition."


    "You came up with that analysis just from those few brief minutes of observation?" Kyle asked in admiration.


    "It was obvious by the way he was stammering just because you looked at him, you know. When he tried to reject, just one sentence from you and he caved immediately," Sam pointed out.


    "True, true," Kyle admitted and noted Sam''s observational and analytical skills. He would make a great criminal profiler. That would really be a boon to MIB. However, the moment that thought flashed through his mind, his face darkened for a while.


    He was hiding so many things from the Elite Five. Should he tell them? When? For what purpose? Would it make any sense to them?


    Of course, right now was not a good time to reveal it but he knew that he would have to make a decision sooner or later. Should he keep the two separate? MIB and Elite Five? He shook his head, not knowing the answer to that yet.


    He focused back on the situation at hand.


    "You need a trustworthy, competent executive secretary," Kyle said, "You''re the CEO and your task is to focus on the company. Your secretary is essential as he, or she, supports you so that you can do your job properly."


    "For now, get Marina Chin from as your new executive secretary. She''s currently the secretary to Larry, your Manager at the Marketing Department. She''s capable enough and if she''s a good fit, then let her stay. Otherwise, Zero and his team will help you find a replacement."


    By this time, Charles'' head was spinning. Kyle not only knew the people who worked at Company LV, he knew of their capabilities and where they were working. Even he had to check the employees'' records, as he didn''t know everyone who worked there. How could anyone know? What sort of monster was he?


    They reached the Meeting Room and CEO Charles walked in, followed by Kyle and the others. Everyone else was already in the room, and every pair of eyes looked up in curiosity at the unknown bunch of kids walking in.


    Kyle followed Charles to the head of the meeting room table while the rest sat at the back, at the chairs aligned at the wall.


    What made people''s eyes pop out was that Kyle sat at the head of the table while Charles sat to his right.


    Kyle didn''t say a word but he gave everyone one brief look, releasing just a little bit of his cold aura before turning to look at Charles.


    Everyone gulped, their hearts in their throat. It was only a second but they felt it.


    Fear. Fear that one feels when facing a powerful predator.

 Chapter 115 - The Purge (III)

    [Are you seriously going to give everyone you meet that killer aura from the start, brother?]


    Kyle smirked as he answered [Saves time. Can''t be bothered to always have to push myself up to prove myself to them. It''s better to intimidate them first, then smash their faces down ... ]


    [*cough* I mean, smash their egos down] Kyle corrected quickly.


    [Yeah, rii-ight. I believe you meant the first one, brother]


    [Well, okay, fine. I have to make as big an impact now. Let the word spread about it and it will make the rest easier to go through. Plus, it''ll be easier for Zero''s team to get things done]


    [Noted. Zero confirmed that they''ll be arriving tonight]


    [Good. It''ll be a good time introducing them to the rest, too ... but not the MIB part. Just their cover for now] Kyle said, feeling a little sad.


    [Patience, brother. Patience. They''ll understand once you tell them] Kay said, trying to comfort him as she felt the sadness he was feeling.


    Kyle didn''t answer, his attention seemingly focused on Charles who was busy introducing him. There was nothing that he could say now, could he?


    "Now that you know who I am, let''s start the presentation. Project A? You may begin," Kyle said as he looked at the first group.


    There were four groups presenting that day, each with a time limit of 10 minutes. They had to pitch their ideas and a copy of their proposals was in front of each person at the meeting. There were also 10 minutes allocated for any questions from the floor.


    Kyle looked back and gestured towards Sam, indicating with his hands to come over.


    At the same time, he told Kay [Tell Sam to come and stand behind me - or anywhere he feels is the best position - to observe the expressions of everyone at the meeting while the presentations are going on]


    Sam saw Kyle gesturing him to go over but just as he was about to get up, Kay stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. She whispered to him Kyle''s instructions and he nodded, not even wondering how Kay knew what Kyle wanted him to do. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t the first time it appeared like the twins could read each other''s minds and he merely accepted it. In fact, he took it like they were two peas in a pod - they may have two separate bodies but were of one mind.


    Sam reached Kyle and stood just beside him stoically, as he angled his body slightly so that he could see everyone at once. The ones he needed to observe were everyone other than Charles and Kyle, thus his location was perfect.


    Sam took note of everyone''s facial expressions and gestures while silently jotting down a few notes. He had his own shorthand system, so if anyone managed to get hold of his notebook, they would not be able to understand it. He didn''t know why, but he had this nagging feeling like there were some people who would be extremely interested in his notes. Hence, he decided to act on his instinct and write in code.


    As the first presenter was preparing, Kyle flipped through all of the proposals and had finished reading them by the time the first presenter started. As he listened intently, he also took note of everyone''s expressions and listened to the questions posed.


    In truth, Kyle already had identified the people in that room that would be fired. However, that was all based on the reports and data that he had studied. Kyle didn''t want to make decisions based entirely on data, so he wanted to also confirm it with his eyes and evaluate them as to whether the analysis had been correct.


    Kyle also wanted to test Sam''s observational skills. If Sam was as good as Kyle pegged him to be, one part of his job would be easier - if Sam ended up working for him, that is. He could just delegate certain tasks to him.


    As people droned on and on, it could be seen that Kyle''s face was getting more and more unhappy. The pressure the people felt were getting stronger and stronger. However, he didn''t direct his gaze towards anyone, in particular, thus sparing them a little. They could actually breathe.


    For now.


    Kyle was busy writing on the proposals in front of him while the presentation was going on. Due to the immense frightening aura that Kyle was radiating, no one thought that Kyle was jotting down notes of the presentation.


    In fact, it felt like he was the Principal, grading their assessments. Or a warden, signing their death sentence. The room was silent, with only the voice of the presentor droning on getting shakier and shakier.


    Ali and Xing Han were busy discussing the presentation, their heads close together.


    "Am I the only one who feels that the standards of presentations are below par?" asked Xing Han with a frown.


    "No, it really is badly done," Ali agreed, "It looks all impressive with their points and flowery speech but where''s the risk factor? There is no such thing as any project not having some sort of liability. Why are they only pointing out the good points?"


    Xing Han nodded, "I don''t know about the figures, but it sure looks over-inflated to me. When something looks that good ..."


    "It can''t be good," finished Ali.


    "Yet, no one is commenting on that," Kay said softly.


    All three of them nodded.


    "Kyle really doesn''t look happy," Xing Han commented, "Look at that frown on his face.


    Ali tried to scrutinize Kyle''s face, "What frown? It''s just his normal stone cold expression!"


    "No, see - his eyebrows are getting closer together," Xing Han insisted and turned towards Kay, "Kyle''s annoyed, isn''t he?"


    Kay nodded, "He''ll blast off soon. Just like with Pauline, he''s stocking up and counting."


    Ali looked at Kay and Xing Han, then back at Kyle. He then leaned back on his chair. Okay, fine. He can''t see it but he''s not really bothered about it. Kay would know since she''s the twin. Xing Han has always been highly sensitive - and possessive - about his BFF position so he tends to notice such stuff. Sam was highly observant so he most probably would have noticed it as well.


    As for him? Didn''t really matter if he couldn''t catch these small hints and whatever of Kyle''s mood. So long as he wasn''t on the receiving end, alls good. It''s enough that they got along and he could clown around with Kyle.


    Finally, after over an hour of the voices droning on, the presentations were done. Throughout the entire time, Kyle did not say a word nor asked any questions, further cementing the belief that he didn''t know what was going on.


    Charles cleared his throat, glancing briefly at Kyle before addressing the rest.


    "Now that it is all done," Kyle said in a rather low and hypnotic voice, "I''d like each and every one of you to put in front of you, the projects that you support. It can be one, it can be all, it can be none at all."


    With that, everyone did as they were told. Each proposal was in their own distinctive file, so Kyle could see exactly which projects were being supported.


    "Everyone done?" Kyle asked, twirling a pen in his fingers.


    They nodded.


    "All those who supported Project C, you are fired. Leave the meeting immediately," Kyle said.


    Pin drop silence for a second before those who voted for Project C started to complain, their indignance and anger giving them the adrenalin rush to forget their fear of Kyle.


    "What is this?! How can you say that?" one demanded, standing up.


    "Yes, on what grounds do you have to make us resign?" another shouted, his face flushed.


    "Project C has the highest number of people supporting it!" yet another pointed out.


    Kyle smirked, snapped the pen in two and then slapped his palm on the table, silencing everyone immediately. The pen wasn''t a cheap flimsy one either that could be snapped so easily like that!


    "On what grounds do YOU have to support Project C?" Kyle asked back, his voice low, seemingly dripping with venom.


    "It is riddled with inconsistent data, the profit projections are based on inflated prices and there is no market analysis of customer preference to the product!!"


    "For you to actually support the Project can only mean one of two things. One, you are so incompetent that you only know how to be fooled by a rosy trumped-up presentation or two. You''ve been bribed."


    "Either way, Company LV does not need such employees!"


    With that last sentence, Kyle released his killer aura like a wave, spilling onto everyone in the room. "I am not here to play around. Either walk out or get thrown out."


    Kyle turned to Charles and said, "Get security here. I have more purging to do."


    Charles nodded and immediately called them up. Those that had been fired quickly got up to go, but one did turn around and say bravely, his voice shaking a bit, "I''ll sue you for wrongful termination!"


    "Please do, Mr. Ryan," Kyle said, "After all, I''d just LOVE to bring to light all the reasons I have in firing you. Oh wait. No, that''s wrong."


    Kyle paused for a second, "Why should I wait? You should be getting a notice soon. I advise you to lawyer up very soon."


    Kyle''s gaze fell on the others who were walking out, "That goes for all of you, too."


    Of course, Kyle knew that with such warnings, the cleverer ones would most likely run away. He didn''t care about that. He just wanted them to know that he knew about all the illegal activities that they had been doing in the company.


    Kyle didn''t care about the money that had been lost. A long-drawn-out battle in the courts didn''t really achieve much. What was important was that they were cut out of the Company so that they couldn''t do more damage. As long as they had not done anything to directly sabotage the company, he was willing to let them go.


    After all, there was more than one way to get them to pay, which didn''t involve the courts. Firing them and putting a black mark on them would be more than sufficient to make them suffer.


    If they decided to fight though, Kyle will certainly make it that they are beaten down so badly that they can never get up again.

 Chapter 116 - The Purge (IV)

    After the first batch left, Kyle glared at the ones left behind.


    "The group who presented Project C is blacklisted not only from Company LV, but all companies under Smith Industries," Kyle said ruthlessly, "We do not entertain anyone who tries to make fools of us."


    "As for those who supported Project A and D, you are under probation for one month," Kyle said, "If you fail the evaluation at the end of that month, you will be fired."


    Kyle threw his files of all the proposals onto the middle of the table. The same files that he had been scribbling on earlier.


    "Here are my notes on the weaknesses of the Projects. Projects A and D are rejected. Look at my files to understand why it was rejected. Project B is better but still requires work," Kyle prattled on.


    He then looked at the group that had presented Project B, "You have one month to correct its deficiencies and resubmit."


    Kyle glared at everyone in the meeting room and said, "My Team Zero will be monitoring Company LV in this one month. Those who survive the first purge today ... are only on probation. Whether you stay or not will depend on your performance at the end of the month."


    He then got up, fixed his jacket and said, "Of course, you are more than welcome to resign if you cannot stand the heat. Smith Industries are not for the weak and we are not here to force you to stay. For those who survive, your basic pay will be increased by 10%."


    The old ''smash-them-then-reward-them'' tactic. Kyle had no use for weak, spineless people so they could go if they cannot work. On the flip side, he would reward those who performed well.


    "I''m hungry," Kyle declared suddenly, looking at Charles, "I need to refuel before I fire more people."


    Everyone in the room - excluding the Elite Five, of course - gulped again and stared at the domineering person standing there.


    Kyle made it seem like firing people was as normal as going to the store.


    "What?" Kyle asked when he saw Charles not moving but just staring at him, "Is there a problem?"


    Charles broke out of his daze and shook his head quickly, "No, no. Yes, lunch."


    "Director Kyle, I''ve already ordered some boxed lunches to be delivered to CEO Charles office. It should arrive in ..." Sam said as he looked at his watch, "10 minutes."


    "Perfect," Kyle said with a grin, "Shall we?"


    Again, Charles was impressed by the group. Without any instructions, Sam had already arranged lunch for them. It saved time, and if Charles was to guess, the food ordered would suit the group''s preference. He sighed when he thought again of Pauline. Such a thing would never have been initiated by her.


    The moment Kyle and his group walked out, everyone in the room let out the breath that they didn''t realise they were holding. Some began wiping the sweat that had formed on their foreheads.


    Their eyes landed on the files on the table. One by one, those files were taken and looked at.


    15 minutes later, everyone that was still in the room, were shell shocked beyond belief.


    They had seen him take those files, flip through the page and make all sorts of scribblings on it. They didn''t think he was doodling to while away the time but certainly, what they saw in those files were beyond what they could ever imagine.


    It wasn''t scribbles. It was detailed and concise edits. It was littered with huge Xs and circles, and also question marks on unclear statements. There were even exclamation marks with comments and corrections, even towards pricing. The notes were detailed and appeared as if it had been looked at and studied for days.


    Yet, Kyle had only done it in the time the presentation was being done. 10minutes. That''s all it took.


    A monster. That''s what he was. Everyone was thinking that in their minds.


    The Smith Heir may be domineering and look upon them like ants, but just like the files clearly showed ... he had every reason to be.


    Some started having determination being forming in their hearts, fostering a feeling that they would take this opportunity to learn and improve. Some started getting depressed, feeling that all of their efforts and hard work was nothing when compared to a genius. So why even bother trying?


    The latter were the type of people that Kyle wanted to weed out.


    Word got out.


    Devil Director Kyle Smith was doing the purge.


    In two hours, 6 people had already been fired, 6 were under probation - and he had just started.


    The news spread within the Company like wildfire. Unrestrained and created intense fear. Perhaps the only one who wasn''t worried was the receptionist, for Kyle had actually praised her that morning. She was happily humming at the table, oblivious to the panic that was permeating in the Company, feeling all safe and warm.


    Everyone didn''t even go for lunch. They were too scared and could hardly eat. Instead, they huddled around and gossiped, with the employees from CEO Charles office being the starts of the show.


    "Don''t let that young face fool you," one said as he shook his head.


    "Don''t look at him in the eye," another said, "He has this killer gaze that will freeze your soul!"


    "What do you mean, not look at him in the eye! Heck, don''t even be close to him," yet another shouted, "He''s so scary! He''s like ... like ... a Handsome Darth Vader!"


    Suddenly, it was as if everyone that had been in contact with Kyle, had an epiphany.


    She was right!! They could even hear the Darth Vader theme song with Kyle walking in ...


    "Poor Ben," one said, patting the poor Ben on the shoulder, "Once lunch break is over, you''re showing him around."


    Ben was internally screaming. What Darth Vader theme song? He could hear the theme song from Jaws!


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in CEO Charles'' office was 180 degrees different.


    The curtains were drawn so no one could hear what was going on, but everyone felt that the door appeared like the Doors to Hell.


    Inside, however, everyone was smiling and laughing.


    Xing Han was pointing at Kyle with his chopsticks while saying with a piece of chicken wing in his mouth, "Doesn''t it get tiring for you to have to keep up that ''killer aura'' of yours?"


    Kyle took a spoonful of fried rice and shook his head, "Nope, not at all in this case."


    "Why''s that? You mean, normally, it would be?" Ali asked.


    "If I was putting on an act, any extended effort would of course be tiring," Kyle said, "But when I''m angry, it''s not an act. I can''t stand stupid, incompetent people and in this case, I don''t have to hold back."


    "So ... you''re saying at school, you''ve been holding back?" Xing Han asked tentatively.


    "Gah, of course not! They''re kids! How can I be angry at kids?" Kyle scoffed.


    Charles shook his head at that. If any other kid said that about kids, he would be laughing but somehow, when Kyle said it ... Charles was quietly observing and eating his own lunch.


    Then Kyle said with a smiled, "But they are fun to tease."


    "You mean, being utterly shameless," Kay pointed out, eating her spaghetti.


    "Hey, it wasn''t ME who had that sexy picture posted," Kyle countered.


    "Well, it wasn''t ME that was posing in that sexy way," Kay retorted with a smile.


    Charles found it very hard to keep up with the conversation that was going on. Is this what secondary school kids were like nowadays? He shook his head again. No, most likely it''s just that these kids were the abnormal ones.


    Just then, Kay''s phone beeped. She scrolled through the messages and announced, "Zero asked if it''s okay to come in this evening to set up. He wants to check out the place before officially starting tomorrow."


    "That''s fine," Kyle answered, "1600 hours, one hour. Then he''s to join us at dinnertime. No excuses."


    Kay grinned at that and sent the message. She could actually visualise how Zero would be cringing at that message. It was most likely he stated he wanted to come earlier to set up so as to avoid meeting up at dinnertime.


    He was like that. A recluse. Kind of like Beatrice, which was probably why Kyle seem to have taken her under his wing, too. Zero truly did blossom under their guidance but he still preferred to be indoors and not mix around.


    After everyone had their lunch, and Ali performed his afternoon prayers, they started again.


    Ben was waiting (albeit, managing to keep his shaking down) outside CEO Charles office 10 minutes before the lunch hour was up. He spent the 10 minutes just taking deep breaths and reciting nonsensical things in his mind to calm down.


    The moment the door opened, however, Ben yelped a bit.


    Kyle just looked at him, unflinchingly. "D-Di-Director Kyle," Ben stammered, gathering himself, "Which Department would you like to go to first?"


    "Accounts," Kyle answered, walking to him, "Then IT, Security, Secretary and finally, Marketing."


    "Yes, Sir," Ben replied respectfully, sending a prayer to all of those in the Department, "Follow me, Sir." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Walk beside me," commanded Kyle, "And try to keep up."


    Ben nodded quickly, looking like a chicken pecking for food.


    The moment the group left, everyone started calling up the Departments that Kyle had mentioned. Wails were heard.


    This time, Kyle was like a tidal wave as he went through all the major Departments.


    The Accounts Department was the first and had it the worst. When the discrepancies in the accounts were revealed, heads rolled. Kyle never raised his voice but it was chilling enough to stop anyone from protesting. In the end, only 2 were left standing.


    It was terrifying.


    The moment Kyle turned up, people shook. He would point at people, fire questions and if the answers were not satisfactory, they got fired. Although he was targetting the Departments, he would seemingly randomly pick on people that he passed. There were even people who cried and tried to plead but found that they couldn''t say a thing.


    He caused so much fear that when they heard his footsteps, people ran away from him. Only those in the Departments he was going to could not escape. By the time 4pm arrived, those who survived the first wave of purge felt like they got a second chance at life.


    Then, a whole new scene made them realise that it wasn''t over yet.


    Precisely, on the dot, at 4pm, the doors slid open and a group of striking young men walked through. Every single one of them were dressed identically: black suit, crisp white shirt and black tie. Even their steps were synchronised and those that were there ... felt like they were looking at an elite army force.


    They didn''t look like bodyguards but like soldiers. Well-dressed soldiers, but soldiers nonetheless.

 Chapter 117 - Team Zero

    The well-dressed new group was standing at attention politely, each bowing a bit upon seeing Kyle and Kay at the front, smiling at them. If one was to observe closely, each person in the new group had an accessory: a small black onyx studs with the initials ''KS'' in silver.


    Some had it as cuff links, some as an earring on one ear*, and some as a ring. ''KS'' stood for Kyle/Kay Smith, their bosses.


    Though they had been recruited by MIB, they were placed under the Smith Twins when the twins were 9 years old. Initially, they had been indignant for they were teens at that time and felt that they were given babysitting duties. It didn''t take long for the Smith Twins to smash that naive thought. Now, they were fiercely loyal to the Smith Twins, and the accessories were their pledge to them.


    If Kyle and his group made a majestic entrance, this group was made a striking entrance. The impact wasn''t any less.


    "Ah, Zero," Kyle said as he walked up to the first guy in front, "On the dot, as usual."


    Everyone watched as Kyle shook hands with the leader of the group, who had short platinum blonde hair and a slight tattoo could be seen peeking from the collar of his shirt on his neck.


    Kyle turned towards Charles, who was right beside him, "This is CEO Charles, whom you''ll be helping during this time. CEO Charles, this is Zero Kiryu, the leader at the moment."


    Charles was curious. At the moment? What did Kyle mean by that?


    Nonetheless, he smiled as she shook Zero''s hand firmly.


    "This team rotates its leaders for each mission," Kyle answered to his unspoken question, "Hence, the Team is referred to as according to who is the leader at the moment."


    Then Kyle smiled, "It also gives people the impression that I have six different Teams under me."


    "Zero, these are Muhammad Ali, Xing Han and Samuel," Kyle continued. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s an honour to finally meet the Elite Five members," Zero said with a small bow.


    Xing Han grinned, waving his hand in front of his face while saying, "The Elite Five is old news. I wonder if that title will be stuck with us forever."


    "As long as we''re still together, it''s only natural that it will remain," Sam pointed out.


    All of them nodded, not really minding it.


    Kyle then introduced the rest of the team members. Gesturing to the three in front, Kyle said, "Please also meet Lucka, Alex, and Edward."


    Then, towards the last two members who were at the side, Kyle continued, "This is Akira Kiryu, and this is Akira Yume. We call them Akira and Yume."


    Charles blinked as he looked at the team behind Kyle. His head was spinning at this new development. When Kyle had mentioned Team Zero, he thought it would be young men or women in their mid-20s. Instead, this group looked like they were 18 or so?


    Was there suddenly an abundance of young geniuses? The fact of the matter was, there had always been this pool of untapped workforce. The education system relied too much on people who were book smart and there were even those whose families were too poor for bright kids to continue schooling. Those who fell through the cracks often ended up in gangs or low paying jobs.


    Kyle, on the other hand, had long started searching for such kids with potential. They were identified, then groomed by MIB before being allocated to their respective jobs. Most ended up within MIB, but the group in front of him were the first - and only, for now, - team that worked for him under his true name.


    They didn''t know that the Smith Twins were the true leaders behind MIB though. That revelation would be for another time.


    For now, Charles was still gawking at the two groups in front of them.


    The first group was the Powerful Dragons. The second group was the Crouching Tigers? They didn''t have an oppressive type of aura like Kyle''s. Theirs was more of the ''don''t-mess-with-me'' type. Kyle''s aura made one feel like they were little ants who needed to bow whenever he looked at them whereas this team made one feel like they were approachable elites but one that should not be played with.


    The worst thing? Okay, so there were many shocking things right now - their age, their capabilities ... but what Charles also felt was that both groups were so striking looking. It was like watching a fashion model shoot where all the good-looking models were huddled together in a group. It was so blinding!


    Charles sighed.


    "I''ll be leaving now," Kyle said to Zero, "I''ve done the first purge. CEO Charles will show you where you can set-up and stay for the next month."


    First purge? Charles began wondering if Kyle was going to be doing more and shuddered.


    "Yes, Sir," said Zero politely.


    "Remember dinner," Kyle stressed, looking at Zero straight in the eye.


    Zero sighed, nodded and said, "Affirmative, Sir. 2000 hours at Ching Palace."


    Kyle smiled and shook Charles'' hand. As did the other Elite Five.


    "I leave Team Zero in your care, CEO Charles. I will be back tomorrow at 8 am."


    "Thank you, Director Kyle," Charles said humbly and sincerely, "I promise to turn this company around."


    "I believe you will," Kyle responded warmly. With that, Kyle and the rest walked out, making those employees left behind feel relief that could not be explained.


    Once Kyle and the Elite Five passed through the doors, a petite young lady beside CEO Charles stepped forward and introduced herself to Zero, "I am Marina, CEO Charles secretary. Right this way please."


    Zero gave a slight nod and turned to the other team members. His eyes narrowed a bit when he saw one missing. He had been paying attention to Kyle and Charles so he hadn''t noticed when Akira had slipped away.


    Zero turned towards the reception desk and as expected, Akira was there. Busy flirting with the blushing girl. Without looking back, Zero raised his hand behind him, stopping Edward from trying to slip away as well.


    Edward was the type that loved to explore, his mind being the inquisitive type. So the moment he saw some contraption that appeared interesting, he would disappear. Akira would gravitate towards any woman, Lucka would bring back any stray animals he sees, and Alex tended to be so serious that he''d clam up. As for Zero, he preferred to just hole up in any room away from people.


    Individually, they were all rather ... unique. Left to their own devices, they''d do their own thing.


    However, once they started working, they were like well-oiled machines. Working seamlessly and effortlessly together, like pieces of a whole. The real reason why they changed Team Leaders at each mission is because the Leader would always be the serious one. When they are the Leader, they wouldn''t act as freely as they normally would. But if they were to act against their nature all the time, they''d crack under the pressure.


    Thus, Kyle came up with the rotation idea. It worked very well for them.


    Having to be the ''responsible'' one once every 6 missions wasn''t bad.


    Zero followed Marina towards the lift and as he passed Akira, he reached out and pulled at his collar. Akira let himself be pulled while mouthing to the receptionist, ''I''ll call you later'' and putting his thumb over his ear and his pinkie finger over his mouth. The receptionist giggled and Akira gave his charming smile.


    "Work first, flirt later," growled Zero, letting go.


    Akira straightened his collar and walked beside Zero, saying with a grin, "Ah, you''re no fun. Come on, relax! There''s plenty to go around."


    "The sooner we set up, the faster we can settle down before dinner," Alex pointed out.


    With that thought, all of them quickly followed Marina.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    That night, in the VIP room of Ching Palace, the Elite Five met up with Team Zero.


    "Team Zero is like a small company," Kyle explained, "We have Zero, the IT expert. Alex in marketing, Lucka in accounts, Akira and Yume in management, and Edward in security. That''s why they can help the companies turn around after I do the purge."


    "That''s actually a great idea!" Xing Han said excitedly, "I wonder if I can implement that back home?"


    "Sure," Kyle drawled, "Just takes about 10 years."


    Xing Han glared at him through narrowed eyes, "Fine, fine. Be that way. As if you started all of this when you were three years old!"


    Kyle took a sip of water at that point, hiding his smile.


    The rest of the dinner passed by with lots of laughter, talking and catching up. Kyle hadn''t met up with Team Zero for over a year, so he was enjoying listening to them banter around. He also found it wonderful to see the Elite Five getting along with them.


    Kyle watched the whole scene in front of him with a smile. He hoped this was something that would continue. His childhood friends and the team he had practically ''raised'' were getting along.


    It was as if his secret MIB life was merging with his ''normal'' life.


    Life was good.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    In the same part of the city, a dark shadow could barely be seen inside an elevator shaft. There were some clinks and clank sounds, then a curse. A light from a phone appeared.


    "Is it done?" came a raspy voice.


    "Yes."


    "Make sure it looks like an accident," the raspy voice said curtly before the connection ended.


    The shadow began cursing again at the now silent phone, then a snort. "As if this is my first time. Stupid pig."


    The elevator shaft became empty again.

 Chapter 118 - Kitten Oreo

    As the sun rose the next day, certain employees of a certain company were rushing to get to work extra early. They were the survivors of Company LV and what made them hurry today was because their ordeal wasn''t over yet.


    None wanted to be fired for being late. It would have been a stupid reason after the first purge was done. That, and the fact that anyone who passed the second assessment would get a pay raise! So for this month, they had the motivation to carry on.


    While Company LV was being a flurry of activity, the hotel that Kyle was staying at, had its own problems. Right now, that problem happened to be at Cafe SF, where the buffet breakfast was being served. Its employees were too busy being a daze to do their jobs properly.


    The manager was ready to tear his hair out.


    He had to keep going up to them to get them to move to other tables to clear it up, or remind them not to be hovering around a particular table. The female - and male - servers were fighting amongst themselves to constantly refill their water or coffee/tea.


    Of course, that particular table had to be the Elite Five and Team Zero. Unlike the day before, they came down to have their breakfast rather than in their respective rooms as they wanted to eat together.


    Akira, of course, was having the time of his life and turned on the charm full blast. Zero seemed to somehow blend into the chair as if he wanted to stay hidden. Kay would constantly put food on his plate and make him talk.


    "So what''s the agenda for today?" asked Ali, while taking a bite out of his toast.


    "Nothing much," Kyle answered, "I''ll just be coming in today to oversee the set-up and so forth but the actual work will be done by Team Zero from now on."


    "So you basically just kill people in one shot and they''re the clean-up crew?" Xing Han said with a grin, "Kind of like the Mafia then."


    "Please," Kyle scoffed, "You''ve watched too many dramas. I''m just doing what any ordinary businessman would be doing."


    Ali laughed at that, "Really? First time I have seen someone firing almost half of the workforce just to turn it around. Not many people are willing to take that risk." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s because I have the best team with me," Kyle said, "A tree cannot grow if its foundation is weak or rotten. You also have to constantly trim it so that it can truly blossom."


    "Wow, Kyle," Xing Han commented, "That''s almost poetic."


    "Life mimics Nature, didn''t you notice?" Kyle said, "Or is it the other way around?"


    He shrugged.


    He''s not going to go into any philosophical or religious debates, but there was one thing he noticed and agreed upon. Nature - or God, depending on your point of view - was in perfect harmony. So long as Man didn''t interfere, the ecological system was perfect. There are predators, scavengers, providers and so forth. All worked in total harmony.


    Xing Han leaned closer to Kyle, bringing his face close as he whispered, "You''re breaking hearts here, you know. I can practically see the hearts in their eyes as they look at you, yet you''re ignoring them completely."


    A slow smile started forming on Kyle''s face as he then slowly licked his lips, tilted his head a bit and moved his face towards Xing Han''s ear - his lips almost brushing against Xing Han''s cheek as he said, "Booooo."


    Essentially, Kyle blew in Xing Han''s ear.


    Xing Han screeched, jumped back into his chair and started rubbing his ear furiously, "KYLE! What was that for?!"


    Kyle laughed, his pearly white teeth showing as he comically raised his eyebrows up and down and answered, "Fan service."


    Xing Han looked at the direction Kyle indicated with his eyes. He saw those same girls now having flushed faces, beating their chests and some fanning their faces.


    "After all, you''re the one that said I''m ignoring them," Kyle continued as he took another piece of sausage, "So I''m only accommodating you."


    "Shameless," Kay commented, "But if you truly wanted to provide fan service to the Fujioshis'' there, you should have caressed Xing Han''s cheek or something."


    "I didn''t want to give him a heart attack, my dear sister," Kyle commented.


    Suddenly, at that precise moment, a small meow was heard.


    Everyone stopped eating and all eyes went to Lucka, who was quietly, slowly, eating his cereal. Ignoring everyone and everything around him.


    As if noticing everyone looking at him, he looked up at them innocently, "What?"


    The meow was heard again and this time, they noticed Lucka''s jacket ... moving. Rather, small bumps appeared and were moving.


    "Lucka," Kyle said softly, looking at him.


    "Yes?" Lucka answered, his face all expectant and innocent.


    A small black head popped out from underneath his jacket and meowed again.


    "You can''t bring that to work," Kyle said.


    "But he''s so cute! And tiny! And helpless!!" Lucka said, flipping open his jacket. Inside, one could see that Lucka had on a shoulder gun holster. Instead of a gun, however, there was a black kitten.


    "Really? You modified your shoulder gun holster to be a kitten holder?" Yume asked.


    "Lethal cuteness!" Lucka said as the kitten meowed again.


    "And HOW did you even ... I mean, I am sure that kitten wasn''t there before we came down," Alex asked.


    Lucka just shrugged, taking the kitten out and petting it. It was a black kitten with some spotches of white. He took it and put it next to his face, making a sad look, "How can you leave this little one behind?"


    Kay tsked at him and went over, taking the kitten from Lucka. Lucka was obviously relunctant to let it go but knew that he couldn''t bring it to Company LV.


    "So what''s its name?" Kay asked, petting the kitten who was now snuggling next to her and purring loudly.


    "Doesn''t have one yet," Lucka replied.


    "Then I shall name you Oreo!" Kay announced, rubbing her nose on it.


    "We already have an Oreo," Kyle pointed out, referring to Agent Oreo from MIB.#


    "I don''t care," Kay retorted, "He''s black and white, like an Oreo!"


    Kyle sighed, shaking his head.


    "Lucka, you''re on a mission now," he said, "You can''t keep picking up these strays."


    "But it was all alone! Meowing so pitifully," Lucka answered, stabbing his scrambled eggs, "Abandoned. Neglected. Hungry."


    Yume, who was beside him, patted his back.


    "I understand that," Kyle said, "But you have to curb it a bit - or at least, get someone else to take care of it. Otherwise, you''d be so worried that you can''t work, right?"


    Lucka acknowledged it.


    "I''ll look after it," Kay said, "I don''t have to go to Company LV. With Team Zero here, there''s nothing for me to do anyway."


    "You sure?" Kyle asked.


    "Yeah, but I''ll need some things though. Can''t exactly have this little one go all hungry now, can we?" Kay said with a smile while giving the kitten some belly rubs.


    "Why not just feed it the milk here?" Xing Han asked, indicating the milk from the buffet table.


    "No, kittens can''t drink cows milk," Kyle said, shaking his head, "It''s either goats milk or any kitten formula. Cows milk will only make their stomach upset and they can get sick."


    "Wow Kyle," Xing Han said, "I didn''t know you have cats at home."


    "I don''t," Kyle replied.


    "Then how do you know so much about raising kittens?" Xing Han asked.


    "Lucka''s always bringing back strays. So it''s only natural I find out about how to take care of them, right?" Kyle said.


    Lucka looked at him in puzzlement, but didn''t say anything to refute it. Of course, Kyle had lied and used Lucka as a cover up. It was true that Lucka was always bringing back strays but he had never bothered Kyle with it. He didn''t say a word because he trusted Kyle. If Kyle was using him as an excuse, he wouldn''t expose him.


    The real reason was that Kyle had ended up raising lots of strays in his past life. His spouse was a real softy when it came to helpless animals and Kyle didn''t have the heart to reject it each time he brought home a new stray. In fact, Lucka was a lot like him. So Kyle couldn''t really get angry with him about his actions yet, it was frustrating in a way.


    Kyle gave himself a mental shake. That was in the past. His frustrations were for his then-spouse, who would bring the strays back and he was the one who had to take care of them. Kyle did love animals but with over 20 of them to take care of, he didn''t actually endear himself to them.


    Kay obviously had fallen in love with the kitten. She was busy playing with it, a serene smile on her face.


    [Kay, don''t get too attached] Kyle warned.


    [I won''t] Kay said but she was cooing at the kitten, her attention completely focused on it. Kyle sighed. He knew that look. He had seen it countless of times on his own kids faces.


    "You guys go ahead to Company LV," Kyle said as they finished breakfast, "I''ll be there later. Just need to get some kitten supplies."


    "I''ll follow you!" Xing Han said merrily.


    Kyle poked his forehead, and said, "No. You wanted to observe Team Zero, right? Check out their office layout, or HQ as they like to call it. It''s best to see it before they start work, then see it while they work. It''s completely different."


    Xing Han was about to protest when Ali nudged him, "Come on, Xing Han. Can''t stand being away from Kyle for too long?"


    "Who said?!" Xing Han retorted with a huff, "I just thought Kyle would be lonely and get lost. But you''re right. Work first!"


    So they split up. Kay went back to the penthouse, Kyle to the pet store and the others to Company LV.

 Chapter 119 - Impending Crisis

    As Sam, Xing Han and Ali were walking to Company LV, Ali whispered to them, "Isn''t anyone going to ask why Lucka has a shoulder gun strap? Do you think the others are armed as well?"


    "Pshaw," Xing Han said dismissively, "They''re Team Zero! A business team. Why would they be armed? He probably got that specifically to hide the kitten."


    "That ... doesn''t quite sound right, Xing Han," protested Ali.


    "Yes," agreed Sam, "There are so many cheaper alternatives to a shoulder gun strap."


    "Also," Sam continued as he patted his notebook, "They''re not normal business team. The way they walk and the way their bodies seem to be ready for action gives me the impression that they''re trained."


    Ali nodded. As one who was trained in martial arts since young, he noticed that, too.


    "Maybe they double as bodyguards?" Xing Han speculated, "Who knows? They''re Kyle''s men. That''s all I need to know."


    "Of course," Ali said, "But one can''t help but be curious, right?"


    "There are many layers to Kyle," Sam said, "He''s like an onion."


    "What? He makes you cry?" Xing Han gasped, then dodged the head smack from Ali.


    "You think you know him," Sam continued, as if Xing Han never said anything, "Then he reveals something, and then another, and another. It''s like he''s this complex thing, all bunched up into one."


    "It''s so fascinating," Sam said, a sparkle in his eyes, "I''ve never seen someone so complicated before."


    "Pah, what complicated?" Xing Han said with a wave of his hand, "Feed him, he''s happy. Touch Kay, you''re dead. Throw girls at him, he runs."


    Sam looked at Xing Han, then slowly patted him on the shoulder and said, "That''s why you''re his best friend. Opposites attract. A simple man with a complex man."


    "Yeah! That''s right! I''m his best friend!! BEST. FRIEND!!" Xing Han said happily, completely missing the part that Sam just called him an idiot.


    Ali was just laughing at the side, covering his mouth to stop it from being too loud.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*? sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle had checked the map. The nearest pet store was within walking distance, so Kyle decided to walk. As the air was getting a bit chilly, he opted to wear a trenchcoat today.


    The black trenchcoat reached up to his knees, and he wore a crisp white shirt and a slim black tie. His black dress shoes clacked on the floor as he quickly walked by. However, instead of the proper black pants, Kyle was wearing a pair of black jeans.


    Yesterday had been his limit for wearing a proper suit and today, he was cheating a bit. It was only the first impression that was important and after the purge, he doubted people would actually say anything about the semi-casual wear he sported.


    Even if they did, he didn''t care.


    Kyle knew he looked good but he was slightly unaware of how well he looked. Due to his lean body frame and height, the trenchcoat swaying slightly as he walked, he cut a really dashing figure. He was so preoccupied with thinking of all the things he needed to get for the kitten that he hardly noticed the stares of passers-by.


    Actually, he was so used to such stares that after a while, he developed a shield and became quite oblivious to it all. Which, unfortunately (or not, depending on how you looked at it), added to his charm even more. That unconcerned, dreamy-eyed look was quite captivating.


    So when he walked through the pet store doors, the two employees that had been busy yawning away in boredom for getting the morning shift, stand up straight. They gave each other a high five as they silently watched Kyle go around the store.


    One happily hopped over and asked, "Can I help you?"


    "Ah, yes," Kyle said, deciding that it would be much faster to just get help this time, "I need some nursing bottles for kittens, milk replacement formula, a litter box, some kitty litter, a scooper, a hot water bottle and a bed for a cat."


    "Oh, I''m sorry but we don''t have hot water bottles here," she said with a sad face.


    Kyle tsked but it couldn''t be helped. He knew it was a gamble but he had hoped they might have. It would normally be sold at a pharmacy but he didn''t have time to go to one after this. Kittens lose their body heat easily and it would be best if they slept on top of a hot water bottle.


    He made a mental note to get that later after finishing up at Company LV. He would need to get some wet wipes and paper towels as well anyway.


    "It''s fine," Kyle said in resignation, "Just the other items then."


    "You have a new furbaby in the family?" the talkative young lady asked.


    Kyle wondered fleetingly why people would ask the most obvious question. With all the things he was buying, wasn''t it obvious that he had a new kitten? It was like asking a person who was munching on a burger whether he was eating a burger.


    Maybe it''s because he pitied the girl, or maybe it was because he had blown off steam with the purge yesterday, but whatever he was, he merely replied her with a simple "Yes" instead of the sarcastic one he would normally have given.


    He then said, "I''ll just wait at the cashier. Please just sent the items there."


    He quickly ran off to avoid having to answer more inane questions.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    It was 10 am when Kyle finally managed to make his way through Company LV''s doors.


    He had to lug all the stuff back to the hotel, listen to Kay squeal then reprimand him for not getting any cat toys, set up everything before he could escape. He practically ran out this time.


    As he walked through the door, he felt the atmosphere was completely different than the last time. Yesterday, he was practically unknown and mere curiosity. This time, however, everyone scattered about hurriedly, kinda like mice when the cat walks in.


    Kyle laughed internally at that but kept up his stoic face. As he wasn''t doing any purging today and everyone already knew him, he didn''t have any killer aura. The receptionist stood up and greeted him with a smile.


    "Director Kyle, welcome back," she said.


    "Thank you. Keep up the good work," Kyle commented.


    She grinned even wider, "I will Sir, thank you, Sir."


    People were staring at her in jealousy. She was the only one that didn''t appear to be scared of Kyle, and Kyle didn''t look like he was ready to blast at her either.


    As Kyle stood to wait for the lift, he couldn''t help but notice how the people beside him were slowly ... inching away from him. He merely stood there, pretending not to notice.


    Currently, the devil in him wanted to scare them but the angel in him told him that he had scared them enough yesterday. The two were fighting with each other and he was trying very hard to keep a straight face.


    Finally, the ding of the lift indicated it had arrived. When the doors opened, the people inside were frozen to see Kyle standing there. There was an empty space all around him, so all they could see was just ... him.


    They quickly exited the lift, acknowledging and greeting him as they passed by.


    Kyle walked in and turned, but no one followed him in. Instead, they just stood outside. Kyle pressed the ''open'' button and asked, "Not coming in?"


    "Oh, no no Sir," they all chorused, their voices mixed but he could get the gist of it.


    "Oh, okay then. I''ll be going first," Kyle said, not making a fuss about the whole thing.


    He pressed the ''close doors'' button, then turned to face them. He had been looking down and to his right before this, and now, he just tilted his head up a bit and looked at them.


    As his long eyelashes revealed his smouldering blue eyes, his lips curled up to his never-before-seen Charming Smile as he said with a sigh, "What a pity."


    The doors closed.


    The women (and a few men) that were outside, were frozen. The Devil could actually be so ... so ... breathtakingly gorgeous and sexy like that? Darth Vader? What Darth Vader?? Some women were mentally kicking themselves for not daring to go into the lift with him at that point.


    Kyle grinned to himself.


    He couldn''t wait to actually be older and look more mature. It was fun to tease people but a part of him felt a bit weird if he did it to the older women. He shrugged, thinking of the past 13 years. It had really dragged on and truthfully, he was getting impatient.


    It had been so long. The dissatisfaction he felt at not being able to meet his kids ate up at him. He was keeping himself busy and playing around at the same time - just to keep his mind off the past. It worked most of the time but ever since Dahlia ... he started to feel the itch again.


    Kyle sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.


    He''s probably feeling this way this morning because of Oreo. He had deliberately tried to keep his past life activities separate from his present life. Seeing Kay earlier, and how she was with Oreo, triggered memories and feelings he wished remained hidden.


    Images flashed through his mind. His son, who was just like his father, would be bringing back stray kittens with this aggrieved look on his face. Remembering how he would crawl into the storm drains when he hears meowing, his little heart unable to let them be.


    His daughter, whose soul was like a cat for all cats just seem to come up to her, rubbing themselves on her and begging attention. She could call out to them and they''d come running, and snuggle to her. Cat Whisperer indeed.


    Kyle felt his heart lurch painfully. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. It''s been 13 years. Thirteen. He knew that they were fine but it didn''t make the pain of separation feel any less. He knew that ''she'' was still alive, taking care of them and he must never, ever meet up while ''she'' was still alive.


    What sort of conundrum would that be?! Kyle, meeting Kylie. Unimaginable.


    Just then, the lights flickered in the lift.


    Then, it jerked to a sudden stop.

 Chapter 120 - Escape Plan

    The unexpected stop of the lift caused Kyle to jerk forward as his body was still in motion. He quickly stablised himself and frowned. He tapped the lift buttons but nothing lighted up.


    He sighed, then pressed the emergency button, holding it down for about 10 seconds for good measure. Ordinarily, it would only need 5 seconds but Kyle wanted to make sure.


    Nothing.


    There should have been an autodialer which would dial in and link to the lift service company and he would have heard something from the intercom, letting him know of the engineer''s estimated time of arrival.


    Yet, there was only the sound of silence.


    Kyle pressed the intercom button. Still nothing.


    This time, Kyle''s face became more serious. At first, he didn''t think much of it as he thought it was the normal maintenance problem or a short circuit - as was indicated by the flickering lights before the lift stopped. It suggested a sudden power surge that could have fried the wiring. As a result, the lift safety features would have stopped its motion.


    However, even if there was a short circuit, it wouldn''t have affected the emergency call button. It operated on a completely different system and line. Kyle didn''t want to jump the gun, so to speak, so he decided one last attempt.


    He took out his phone, intending to dial the emergency number listed on the door panel. However, upon switching it on, he noticed the dreaded ''no signal'' sign. Kyle banged on the lift doors, calling out to anyone who might be outside but it was dead silent. Soundproof?


    Kyle''s face darkened. Everything confirmed his suspicions. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Kay. Code Red]


    [What happened?] Kay''s worried voice came through quickly.


    [The lift I am on stopped]


    [You suspect foul play?]


    [No signal. Nothing works here, not the emergency button nor intercom, shouting doesn''t help ... and ...]


    Kyle looked up, closing his eyes and he took a deep breath.


    [The fan for the air ventilation seems to be switched off] Kyle said with a frown [Contact Zero and inform him of the situation]


    In the hotel room, Kay quickly put Oreo down and switched on her laptop. At the same time, she put on wireless Bluetooth headphone which had a microphone. She then put her phone on speaker and dialed Zero''s number. Once her laptop booted up, she started punching keys furiously, making the required connection between Kyle''s earpiece and the rest of them.


    Kay heard the phone being picked up and she stated, "Kyle. Red."


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?COMPANY LV .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    "Kyle. Red." came Kay''s voice over the speakerphone.


    Xing Han, Ali, and Sam were sitting with their hearts pounding loudly within their chest. The simple words from Kay sounded ominous. The whole situation seemed surreal.


    Earlier, ''HQ'' was as busy and noisy like the insides of the stock market exchange office. Team Zero was quite animated and talkative while working. Xing Han and Ali were quite impressed by the setup and how Team Zero just took over everything from the moment they walked into the conference-room-turned-to-HQ.


    Marina was busy sending them files that they kept asking for then they returned it just as quickly after making a few adjustments. There was someone from every Department on standby, waiting outside ''HQ'' to receive orders.


    However, everything changed when that song started playing. It was "It''s My Life" by Bon Jovi.


    Team Zero went quiet suddenly and stopped whatever they were doing. Zero reached into his pocket and took out his phone. He answered it and immediately put it on speaker phone, not saying anything and then they heard the words from Kay.


    The moment those two words were given, the flurry of activity started again. This time, however, all six went to their laptops. Zero looked at Xing Han, Ali, and Sam and said curtly, "You''re the Elite Five and Kyle trusts you. What you''re about to see is not happening."


    The three just sat there, eyes wide open and nodded. They watched as Team Zero took out earpieces and placed it into their ears and sounded off as they accessed their laptops. Different things were being shown on the screen.


    "1- check. Security Camera 1-5"


    "2 - check. Security Camera 6-10"


    "3 - check. Accessed company''s mainframe"


    "4 - check. Phone lines secured."


    "5 - check. Server secured."


    "6 - check. Telecommunications waves secured."


    Kay''s voice stated through the phone, "All connected. Go."


    Zero ended the call and started typing on his laptop, then he asked out loud, "Situation, Sir?"


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?KYLE .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    While Kay was busy contacting Zero, Kyle spent the time studying the interior of the lift. He was grateful that earlier, no one dared to come into the lift together with him. Being alone gave him the freedom to do what he needed to do without worry.


    Kyle noted the security cameras. Such cameras only transmitted visuals but not sound. Kyle patted his chest, then started scratching his ear. Those seemingly normal movements were actually Kyle taking out his earpiece from the inner linings of his trenchcoat and putting it on into his ear.


    He then took off his trenchcoat, pulled off his tie and gave an extremely uncomfortable look. He sat down on the floor, leaning back on the wall as if he was tired and hot. Well, he was hot but he wasn''t exactly suffering too much at the moment.


    The earpiece was the latest model of spy equipment. It was tiny and could be inserted into the ear. Its colour was also exactly the same as Kyle''s inner ear, thus it was practically invisible to the naked eye. It could transmit and receive sound, working on a frequency that was different from any telecommunications service.


    [Earpiece not compromised, brother]


    [That''s one good piece of news then]


    [Remember that the others are in the room with Team Zero]


    [Got it, I know. Will deal with it after this is settled.]


    Kyle heard Zero asking, "Situation, Sir?"


    Kyle briefed the team about his predicament, repeating what he had told Kay earlier. His lips were hardly moving as he spoke, and he even had his head down to minimise any potential leak. He knew that if the enemy was watching the security feeds, they would read his lips. Plus, the interior of the lift was like mirrors so they would be able to see him at all angles.


    "The air is getting stale here but though uncomfortable, it''s not a danger for the next hour or so. This is not an airtight container like a vault." Kyle said, analysing the situation.


    "I believe whoever did this, won''t wait that long," Kyle stated.


    "You mean, it''s not a simple being stuck in a lift situation? It''s not a scare tactic?" Kay asked.


    "Too many things point towards a more serious situation," Kyle explained, "If this was merely to scare me - or the Company - then being stuck in here for several hours would be sufficient. But why total cut-off from the outside? And the fan being switched off?"


    "Should CEO Charles be notified, Sir?" asked Zero.


    "No. That would only alert the person who did this. He or she is most likely monitoring this," Kyle replied.


    "Noted, Sir. I will have enough footage and will disable the cameras in ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... you''re good to go, Sir," Zero reported.


    Zero had basically taken a recording of Kyle from the moment Kyle sat down in the lift. The security camera in the lift was now in a loop, showing the same 5-minute video of Kyle. Zero had done it so seamlessly that the security camera didn''t even flicker, which would normally be the case when one switched footages.


    It was all due to a special programme and bot that Kay had created and Zero perfected. A flicker on the screen would give the enemy the heads-up that something was wrong. It would fool a normal security guard, but not the people that MIB usually dealt with.


    Thus, this secret weapon of theirs (one of many) had been the primary reason (other than the skills of the personnel) why they were so successful in their missions. You could have the best men but if it wasn''t backed up by great equipment, you risk more. May lose more.


    Kyle folded the sleeves of his shirt and unraveled his tie, leaving it on his shoulders.


    "Locate the lift top opening" Kyle instructed.


    His eyes studied the interior of the lift. It was a square design, with handrails on the opposite sides. The ceiling had six square panels on it but what made Kyle curse was that it was of a sleek design. There did not appear to be any thin metal frames between the panels, which would normally be the outer base that the panel was lying on.


    Thus, the ceiling panels appeared to be fused together.


    "It''s the new snap-cab design ceiling," Edward reported, "Five panels are sealed together but one panel is designed to be able to be pushed open from the top. It snaps down then slides out on some rollers. Like a drawer."


    "So it means I have to pull out that panel to access the opening?" Kyle asked for confirmation.


    "Affirmative, Sir. 12''oclock" replied Edward.


    Kyle surmised that if the ceiling used the latest design, in all probability the doors were, too.


    "I presume the doors are auto-locked?" Kyle asked.


    "Affirmative, Sir," confirmed Edward.


    Kyle sighed. This was troublesome. Auto-locked doors meant that the lift doors were sealed shut like a vault. The locking unit would clamp it shut to avoid anyone trying to pry it open, thus preventing any accidental fall. There had been countless of cases whereby people who pried the doors open would often fall through gap and onto the ground.


    Right now, it just meant that Kyle was trapped inside like a trapped rat.


    All the more Kyle was convinced that this was not an accident. The question was, was he the target or was this a random thing? He would figure that out later. Right now, the urgent matter was to escape.


    Kyle climbed up the handrail and leaned his back against the corner of the wall. His right leg was on the railing and his left was against the other side of the wall. Stabilising himself, he held himself in place by placing both hands on the sides of the corner.


    Tapping the front of his left foot on the wall, a small blade sprang out. He carefully brought up his leg to the sides of the panel that had been identified by Edward earlier. Kyle gritted his teeth and pushed the knife inbetween the panels, kinda like slipping a letter opener into the small space of the envelope to slice it open.


    Kyle slid it across once, loosening the grip the panel had. He brought it back to the middle and then pushed the knife deeper into the small opening. He had to be careful not to snap his knife, even though it was made by one of the toughest material on the planet. One must never be too complacent.


    He heard a snap with satisfaction. It wasn''t the sound of his knife snapping in two, but the sound of the panel unsnapping from its position. That meant Kyle could now slide open the panel. He brought down his leg once he created a big enough gap for his fingers to grab onto.


    Kyle stared at the opening, getting ready for his next move.

 Chapter 121 - Close Call

    Kyle brought his leg back down and studied the small opening. He judged the distance and sprung forward, effectively latching onto the opening with his fingers. He made the opening bigger. Using the forward momentum, he brought his hand to the other side of the panel.


    Thus, he was now hanging on to the panel by holding on to its two sides of the panel. Gravity helped pulled the panel down, and just like Edward said, it slid in front like how a drawer slides open when you pulled it. Kyle found himself sliding foward in the direction of the lift door.


    Once it was fully opened, Kyle switched his hands position. So now, he was facing the back of the lift with the lift door behind him. He brought up his legs into the opening that was the same size as the panel. He spread his legs wide open so that his feet could hook onto the sides of the panel.


    So now, he was U shaped. Hands on the sliding panel that had opened and his legs in the panel opening. He released his grips on the panel and hung upside down before bringing himself up again, his head just at the entrance of the opening.


    It wasn''t over yet.


    He had only managed to open the ceiling panel, not the opening of the lift itself. Kyle was now looking at the keyhole and studying it. He reached back to his back pocket and took out his wallet. He then opened a secret compartment and a lock pick set was revealed.


    In truth, the wallet was never really a wallet, but a lock pick set. The card compartments were in front but in the area where the bills would be kept, was actually the lock pick set. Only a few bills were placed to hide the hidden compartment.


    Choosing the correct tool, Kyle set to work.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*? TEAM ZERO HQ .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Xing Han, Ali, and Sam were watching the laptop screen with unblinking eyes. They were watching it, but they couldn''t quite believe it. Each laptop had different things being shown but there was one thing that was the same: the inside of a lift that had Kyle in it.


    No, not Kyle. BatKyle. He was hanging upside down like a bat. No, change that. He''s now Pretzel Kyle.


    "Is he doing what I think he''s doing?" whispered Xing Han.


    "Yes, he''s picking the lock," answered Ali.


    "Oh. Then it''s not what I was thinking then," said Xing Han.


    Ali turned to look at Xing Han in surprise, actually taking his eyes off the show in front of him, "Then what on EARTH did you think he was doing?"


    "I dunno," Xing Han said, "He looked like he was trying to put money into the ceiling. You know, like when you pay for parking tickets."


    Now it was Sam who turned to look at Xing Han.


    "W-what?" Xing Han spluttered, looking indignant, "He took out his wallet and started poking the ceiling. What was I supposed to think?"


    Ali patted Xing Han on the shoulder, "Your innocence is truly cute, Xing Han."


    "Like I said," Sam stated, "Opposites attract."


    "Look! He''s out!!" Xing Han said excitedly, completely forgetting whatever they were saying. He didn''t know what was going on but from the way Team Zero was acting, it was serious. So he didn''t want to ask anything until it was all over.


    "Subject has gone dark" Zero said.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*? KYLE .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Kyle breathes a sigh of relief once he managed to unlock the panel. Pushing it open, he climbed through. He then reached back into the lift, closing the sliding panel so that the ceiling of the lift was secured again. He then closed the opening, not bothering to lock it back. All the while, he made sure to wipe the opening with his tie, to ensure that he did not leave any fingerprints behind.


    Standing up on top of the lift, Kyle held onto the cable as he looked around. There were no security cameras here, so no one could see what was happening. He noted that the lift was stuck between two floors, so he quickly made a running jump to the closest ledge.


    He didn''t want to stay on the lift longer than necessary.


    At the precise moment that he was about to kick himself off the lift, the lift jerked suddenly and fell.


    The sudden jerk and drop at his foot made him stumble and affected his momentum forward.* Kyle felt a sharp pain at his ankle as his foot twisted a bit. The whole thing had happened so unexpectedly and suddenly that Kyle had no time to adjust the speed and force of his jump.


    So, instead of landing accurately on the landing, he hit the wall that was just below the landing he had been aiming for. His forehead hit the hard wall, making him see stars. Despite the unexpected jolt and smash, Kyle still managed to grab onto the ledge itself.


    His head felt like it had split open, he was dizzy and his ears were ringing. The fact that he was even hanging on was not due to any conscious effort but his body''s natural reaction after years of training. His hands latched out from muscle memory, his body instinctively knowing that it must not let go.


    [KYLE! KYLE!!]


    Kyle could hardly concentrate and the sound just jarred his head even more. He gritted his teeth, trying hard to sound normal as he answered Kay, knowing how deathly worried she was.


    [I''m ... urgh] Kyle tried to think but it was getting hard to both talk and hang on. His head was pounding and tears were forming in his eyes. He felt something wet dripping down his nose but he couldn''t wipe it.


    In the hotel, Kay was panicking. She had never heard Kyle sounding so weak before. And that grunt at the end! It was frustrating that she couldn''t see him right now.


    "Zero! QUICK! Save Kyle!" Kay shouted as she furiously looked at all the security camera feeds.


    Xing Han, Ali, and Sam stood up as well, as the entire room appeared to be in a state of panic. Controlled panic, however, as the team sprung into action. From the security camera feeds that they had, there was no indication that the lift had fallen but Edward and Yume knew just seconds before Kay''s frantic call.


    Edward was monitoring the mainframe while Yume had been monitoring the telecommunications waves. The company mainframe not only showed the blueprints of the building, it also housed the workings of the electronics in the company whereas the telecommunication waves monitored any electromagnetic waves (which includes radio and mobile signals).


    There had been a slight, abnormal surge in the electromagnetic waves when the company mainframe started beeping red. There had been a burst of energy into the lift systems, jamming it and basically ordered it to fall. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "LIFT FELL!" Edward shouted frantically right after Kay''s shout.


    "Alex! Lucka! Floor 25!" Zero commanded, furiously typing on the laptop, while calling out frantically, "Sir! Sir! Are you alright Sir?!"


    There was no answer.


    Alex and Lucka ran out in a flash, heading towards the lift at Floor 25. They were quickly followed by Ali and Xing Han. Sam opted to stay, knowing that there was nothing he could do and felt that it was best he was in the ''war-room'' where all the action was happening.


    A loud smash was heard and one security camera showed the ground floor lift doors suddenly appeared like a huge force hit it, with debris and dust flying about. People who had been waiting there for the lift screamed in panic.


    <Come on, Kyle. Where are you? Were you still on the lift?!> thought Sam worriedly, biting his inner lip.


    "I''m ... okay," came Kyle''s weak voice over the earpiece.


    "Sir, hang on. Akira and Lucka are on their way. Where are you, Sir?" Zero asked frantically.


    "Dunno," Kyle admitted, "Hanging. Hurry. Hard ..."


    Right now, Kyle didn''t have the strength to pull himself up but he was also losing the strength to hang on. At the way his head was spinning, he could hardly think straight. He knew where he was - hanging on a ledge, and he cannot let go - but he was feeling slightly disoriented as to what he should be doing next.


    Kay was also listening in, not daring to speak for she could tell Kyle was struggling with something. She grabbed Oreo, seeking comfort and at the same time, she bit her fist. The pain helped her from having to say or do something and she rocked slowly as she stroked Oreo.


    <Come on Kyle, hang on. Stay with me> Kay thought to herself, not sending the message out.


    At that time, Alex and Lucka were about to reach their destination. They quickly pushed the people waiting there aside, not caring about hurting them or if they fell because of it. The lift door opened just as they reached it, for Zero had already seen them arriving from the security camera.


    They ran faster when they saw fingers at the edge of the ledge, quickly leaning over and grabbing Kyle by the wrist. In one synchronized movement, they pulled him up.


    "We got him," Alex said, even though he knew everyone could see it through the security camera.


    "How is he?" asked Kay worriedly.


    Kyle was like a limp rag doll as they pulled him up, his eyes were shut tight from the bright lights that suddenly came in.


    [Dizzy. I feel like puking]


    Lucka pried his eyes open and flashed a light into both of his pupils. He noted the huge bump on Kyle''s head, plus his nose was bleeding which indicated a likelihood of an internal head injury. Lucka wasn''t a doctor but he had basic medical knowledge, which was why Zero had ordered him to go.


    He noted that the pupils were constricting normally to the light and it appeared as if they were of equal shape. If they weren''t, it was an indication that there might be swelling or bleeding in the brain.


    Although Lucka felt that there was no immediate danger, it didn''t mean that Kyle didn''t need his head checked out. He kept talking to Kyle, wanting Kyle to respond so that he would be awake. He did a full body check on Kyle and noted that his ankle was already started to swell.


    Alex was on the phone, calling 911 for an ambulance, detailing that there had been an accident. He described Kyle''s injuries and a few medical terms were given after Lucka''s brief diagnosis. This was to allow the response team to know what to expect and thus, be able to deal with the situation quickly and more efficiently when they arrived.


    At that moment, CEO Charles came rushing in.

 Chapter 122 - Tests

    Upon seeing the frantic CEO Charles, Ali stepped forward.


    "He''s fine, relatively," Ali said while Lucka continued to examine Kyle.


    "What happened?" CEO Charles said.


    Ali was stumped as to what and how this could be explained. The fact that the lift fell was one thing but what about Kyle being out here?


    While Ali was racking his brains to think of an answer, Alex said, "The lift was stuck inbetween floors and Kyle was inside. He called us about it and we came to help."


    "Why didn''t you just call for help?" CEO Charles asked in puzzlement, also partly in anger. How could they have thought they had the skills to get someone out of a stuck lift?


    "Kyle said he had already done so," Alex explained calmly, repeating what Kay was telling him. In truth, the cover-up story was being provided by Kay, who was currently directing Alex what to say via the earpiece.


    Lucka took the opportunity that the attention was not focused on him at the moment to surreptitiously take out Kyle''s earpiece. He palmed it so that it remained hidden, then proceeded to openly remove all of Kyle''s personal items. Once the response team arrived, the items would be a hindrance.


    "We came here to wait for the rescue team to arrive. But when we heard this loud crash, we just started running and were quite rude to the people here. We apologize for that. We didn''t mean to push you aside but we were so worried," Alex said with a sad face and he bowed to the people who he had pushed aside.


    Those that had initially been angry were appeased and understood the situation after hearing what Alex said. Especially when they saw the injured Kyle on the floor who still had his eyes closed.


    "We thought the worst and when the doors opened, we were just so relieved to see him hanging there. How he got there, we don''t know," Alex finished explaining.


    The best person to come up with the cover story about that would be Kyle but he was out of commission at the moment. So the next best move was to simplify and give just enough information about the accident instead.


    The rest of the team were already doing what needed to be done to create a back-up to the story that they had given. Not like there was much to do, except tamper with the security footage within the lift. For that, Zero simply erased all footage from the moment Kyle sat down in the lift.


    He then made it seem like the camera malfunction along with all the electronic wiring in the lift and anything connected to it. Thus, there was only static after that. That way, it wouldn''t have been weird to see how Kyle, who had been sitting in the lift until the moment it fell, was suddenly outside and on the ledge.


    "Kyle! Kyle! Stay awake, ya hear me?" Xing Han was shouting as he crouched next to Kyle, his face all scrunched up in worry. One would even think he was going to cry. When Kyle didn''t respond, Xing Han leaned down and stared at his face.


    "Hey, we haven''t gone on a double date yet, so you can''t fall asleep now. You also promised to feed me! And not to mention, you have to find a girl first. And one for me. Or two. No wait. I shouldn''t since I have a fiancee. But who said I can''t play until the day, right? And YOU! You need to find one, too, before you''re 18! Otherwise, you''re going to be stuck with someone you don''t know and ..."


    "So noisy" mumbled Kyle.


    "KYLE!" wailed Xing Han.


    Kyle weakly patted Xing Han''s hand.


    "I''m fine. Dizzy. Can''t open eyes. Ankle hurts, too," Kyle replied softly, finding it an effort even to say that much.


    "Stupid Kyle," Xing Han sniffed, "You should have said something earlier and not lie down there like a corpse! Made me so worried for nothing. Humph."


    Kyle''s lips curled up a bit into a smile.


    "I got to hear Bullet Train again. Wasn''t for nothing," Kyle said with a small laugh then regretted it for it made his head pound more.


    [Stay awake, dear brother]


    Although Kyle wasn''t wearing his earpiece anymore, Kay could still hear what was happening through Alex''s and Lucka''s earpieces. All of their earpieces were connected to each other so the only person who couldn''t hear was Kyle.


    Kay smiled a bit, touching the laptop screen that showed the security camera where Kyle was. At least, with Xing Han there, Kay felt a little reassured. She wanted to rush over as well but she also knew, that by the time she reached there, he would already be on his way to the hospital. It was best that she meet him there instead.


    Kay sighed. It was hard to hold back, though.


    Ali was just watching the scene quietly, smiling. Right now, everyone else was also watching how gentle the Devil Director was being and they couldn''t believe it. At that moment, he actually looked like a normal, human being comforting someone else. The change was just too drastic!


    Kyle was getting sleepy and tired but he knew he shouldn''t succumb to it. Not until the medic arrived, that is. Even the numbing pain in his ankle was of no help to keeping him awake. So he tried to give some responses to Xing Han and then to Kay so as to keep himself awake.


    The emergency response team came and quickly stabilised Kyle. They secured his neck in a brace so that his head wouldn''t move so much, checked his pulse, his eye dilation and started inserting an IV line. They cut open the lower part of his jeans and secured the sprain by wrapping bandages tightly around it. He was quickly placed on a stretcher and ushered into the waiting ambulance below.


    Xing Han insisted on going inside the ambulance, refusing to leave Kyle''s side. The paramedics finally made a decision to allow him to do so, even though the regulations state only immediate family could go.


    The reason being that Xing Han looked like he was hyperventilating and may faint, as his excessive behaviour would only calm down if he was beside the patient. They didn''t want to have to turn around and come back for him nor answer to the hospital for leaving behind a potential patient.


    "Go," Ali said as Xing Han climbed into the ambulance, "I''ll get Kay and we''ll meet you at the hospital."


    Alex and Lucka watched as the ambulance took their Leader away and was itching to join as well. But, they knew they couldn''t. Their job was here, and their presence at the hospital wouldn''t change anything. Steeling their hearts, they trudged back to their HQ, their mood somber.


    Kay was waiting impatiently at the hotel doors. She managed to pay one of the employees at the hotel to take care of Oreo while she went to the hospital. Once she saw the taxi that Ali and Sam were in, she quickly got in.


    It was a 10-minute drive to the hospital but it felt like hours. Kay rushed to the registration desk and saw Xing Han pacing there. His eyes lit up when he saw them.


    "He''s gone for some tests," Xing Han said, "MRI and something-something I can''t remember."


    Kay patted his shoulder, saying, "Kyle will be fine. He''s stubborn that way."


    "I tried to do his registration but they wanted Uncle or Auntie instead since I''m not family," Xing Han said, gesturing to the nurses.


    "No problem," Kay replied, "I''ll handle this. You should go and get something to eat or drink."


    "Come on," Ali said as he tugged on Xing Han, "You can''t let Kyle see you like this when he gets back, can you?"


    "But what if he lost his memories? What if he doesn''t remember me? What if he doesn''t even know I''m his BFF?! What if ... " Xing Hans'' voice trailed off as Ali took him away. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay took a deep breath and settled all of Kyle''s admittance procedure. She filled in the form, chose the VVIP room that was in a secured private wing and gave them her supplementary credit that her parents gave.


    At first, the nurses were about to object to the choice of room due to the exclusive nature of the wing. It was reserved for Heads of State, or prominent figures such as foreign dignitaries. However, the Staff Nurse paused when she saw the name ''Kyle Smith''.


    It was Spiderman Kyle aka the Smith Heir.


    Earlier, it had been too rushed to truly know his identity and even when they heard the name ''Kyle'', they didn''t associate it with THE Kyle. There was no doubt that his identity was enough to qualify for the VVIP room.


    Word quickly went around the ward about the latest emergency admittance. With his identity and the cause of his admittance, the hospital would surely be stormed by the media and curious public. Hence, they needed to be prepared.


    Kay now took out her phone and gulped.


    "Give me the phone," Sam said, "I''ll call them to let them know."


    Kay shook her head, "Thank you, Sam but no. I should do it. I''m just wondering how to break it to them. It''s been barely a month since the Mall T incident. Now, this."


    "Why don''t you wait until the results are out?" Sam suggested, "Perhaps then, the news won''t be too much of a blow."


    "Perhaps," Kay said, "I need to think about it. First, there are a few calls I need to make."


    Sam nodded and sat down waiting for news while Kay walked a bit further away.


    Kay was thinking hard on the next few steps that she needed to do. The lift malfunction would be big news and she knew it was a matter of time before the newshounds would get hold of it. She knew she had to tell her parents before they found out from the news again but before that, she had to secure the area.


    She didn''t trust the hospital''s arrangement. The lift incident wasn''t an accident. She had to make sure no such accident happened in the hospital.

 Chapter 123 - Some Revelations

    "DAMN IT!!" a voice cursed out. Sounds of things being smashed were heard reverting within the room.


    Nitocris stood silently as he observed his boss throwing a tantrum.


    The computer was smashed on the ground, its screen broken and keyboard twisted. Everything that he had on his desk had either been thrown against the wall or pushed off the desk.


    Finally, after 30 minutes, the man calmed down. He plopped himself on his chair and lighted up a cigar.


    "What the fuck happened?!" he demanded, "How is it that he''s not a pancake?!"


    "We are still investigating the matter, Sir," replied Nitocris politely, hardly fazed by the outburst of his boss. He was the only one who was unaffected while everyone else outside the office was trembling with fear.


    "I saw him! He was still in the lift when it fell!! What?! Is he Houdini?!" he bellowed, chomping on his cigar. It wasn''t calming him down like it normally did.


    "We are still investigating the matter, Sir," repeated Nitocris politely.


    "Still investigating. Still investigating!" roared the man, "Is that all you can say?!"


    Nitocris raised an eyebrow and looked at him straight in the eye, "Then what do you want me to say, Sir? That he ghosted out of the lift?"


    "You sure have guts to speak to me like that," the man snarled.


    "Someone has to," Nitocris replied, unfazed, "And you know it."


    The unknown figure took a deep puff from his cigar, blew a circle of smoke and leaned back on his chair.


    "That boy hid himself deeply," he muttered, "I underestimated him. I won''t do it again."


    "Yes, Sir," responded Nitocris.


    "I want the report on my desk by tomorrow," demanded the man.


    "A report will be submitted," Nitocris said, "But it may not be satisfactory. Even now, the team is having difficulty getting through the firewall."


    The man''s eyes narrowed, "It was easy enough yesterday."


    He tapped his finger on the table impatiently, "Fine. Whatever you got, give it to me tomorrow but continue investigating."


    "Understood, Sir," Nitocris replied and was about turn when he was stopped.


    "Get May in here."


    Nitocris nodded, but warned, "Please try to contain yourself a bit this time, Sir. The carpet was just changed from the last time."


    "Don''t worry," said the man with an evil grin, "So long as she satisfies me, she''ll live."


    "For how long, Sir?"


    "As long as Kyle is alive," the man muttered, taking another puff of his cigar.


    "Understood, Sir," Nitocris replied and walked out. He made a mental note to inform the team to handle May''s disappearance so that it would not lead the police to them.


    As he closed the door, he saw the trembling young secretary, May, looking at him with these doe-eyes of innocence. He sighed, knowing that such an innocent look would soon be gone, to be replaced by emptiness or fear. No matter how he pitied her, though, it didn''t mean he would save her. That was why she was chosen anyway.


    The boss has a violent side that, if left alone, would create a huge mess. The only way to avoid that and appease him is to let him satiate his lust on young, innocent girls. He enjoyed breaking them, seeing that innocence being smashed by his own hands. When he got tired of them, he would just squeeze their throats and enjoy their vain struggles to live, choking and gasping for air as their eyes bulged. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The boss called for you," Nitocris said, "He needs you to take some dictation."


    May nodded and took her notepad and pen. Although nervous and scared, she still went in as it was her job. Nitocris closed the door and taking out a key from his pocket, locked it and walked out. His feet had hardly taken a few steps before screams and loud laughter was heard inside the room.


    Nitocris''s steps faltered for a second before he quickened his steps.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*? HOSPITAL .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Kay had just called and inform her mum about Kyle. As expected, she went crazy with panic.


    "I don''t know, Mum," Kay said, "He''s still not back yet from the tests."


    Kay walked back towards Sam, sitting down with a sigh, "Yes, I''ll let you know as soon as I know. Yes. Hospital Jx, Ruby Room."


    As soon as Kay put down the phone, Sam patted his shoulder and Kay leaned on it. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and continued to rub her arm to calm her down.


    "He''ll be fine," Sam said soothingly, the same thing Kay had said to Xing Han.


    Just then, the doctor came out and asked, "Who''s the relative of Kyle Smith?"


    Kay stood up immediately, "Me! I''m his sister!"


    "What about your parents?"


    "They''re on their way, doctor. Please, how''s my brother?" Kay asked


    "Generally, he''s fine. He sprained his ankle and there''s a slight swelling in his head. Most likely caused by severe impact on his skull with a hard surface. We''ll need to keep him here for a few days for observation," the doctor commented.


    "What the worst-case scenario, doctor?" Kay asked.


    The doctor frowned a bit at that and tried to say soothingly, "Injuries like this normally is not serious. The swelling should subside normally within a few days."


    Kay frowned in return as well.


    She asked a direct question and he was avoiding it. She wanted to know the worst case scenario so as to be mentally prepared for it. She didn''t want any sugar coating or words of comfort. She would rather know the full truth rather than be sprung with bad news when she thought everything was fine.


    "What if it doesn''t?" Kay pressed again.


    The doctor just smiled and said, "It will, don''t worry."


    Kay gnashed her teeth and wished she could kick the doctor. She held back and knew that the doctor meant well. Didn''t mean she liked it when he wouldn''t answer her question and kept giving placating comments.


    "Where is Kyle now?" asked Sam, to break the tension. He could see that Kay was ready to snap.


    "He should be in his room by now," the doctor commented.


    "Thank you, doctor," Sam said politely and pulled Kay. At the same time, Sam texted Ali and Xing Han about Kyle''s room number, saying that they''ll meet up there.


    Once they arrived, Kay rushed through the door.


    She saw Kyle sitting up on the bed, his head bandaged. He was in a hospital gown, and his face lit up when he saw Kay. The nurses were busy hovering around Kyle, setting up the bed and ensuring the IV drip was secure.


    Kay wheedled her way around the nurses to reach Kyle''s bedside.


    She gingerly touched his bandaged head and he smiled, saying, "I''m okay. The morphine works wonders."


    Kyle then pulled her onto the bed. Kay kicked off her shoes and immediately snuggled to Kyle. She was careful not to hit his injured leg, wrapped her arm across his waist and placed her head on his chest. Kyle kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back comfortingly.


    The nurses, who were unaware of their sibling relationship, quickly went out for their single hearts could not handle such lovey-dovey scenes.


    "I ... guess you guys have a lot of questions, huh?" Kyle said as the last nurse walked out.


    The three guys stood there at the foot of his bed, each with their own version of ''Well, duh'' expression.


    "Fire away then," Kyle said.


    "What''s with Team Zero?" Ali was the first to ask.


    "Nothing," Kyle replied, "They are what I told you they are ... but they have one additional function."


    "No shit," Xing Han said, "First, they were like this group busy calculating market projection, accounts stuff and whatever management stuff and then BOOM! Transformed into totally kick-ass secret agents."


    "Secret agents?" Kyle said, looking at Xing Han and his choice of words. It was pretty accurate, in a way.


    "Yeah. It was so cool. Zero going all serious and said," Xing Han was saying excitedly and mimicked Zero''s voice, "What you see is not happening".


    "I was like whoaaaaa .... so top secret!" Xing Han continued, his hands waving about animatedly.


    Kyle laughed a bit, then said, "They are, in a way. You know how dirty the business world is like, right? How your competitors would resort to all sorts of methods to undermine you, find out your secrets and so forth?"


    Xing Han and Ali nodded.


    "So Team Zero is both designed for offence and defence. They have the skills to turn a company around ... and also the skills to protect the company from harm," Kyle explained, "They work on internal and external factors."


    "So why the secrecy?" Ali asked.


    "The enemies can''t know what cards you have in your hand, right?" Kyle pointed out.


    "By the way," Kay said as she leaned on Kyle, "Even our parents don''t know about Team Zero''s true capabilities. There are too many moles within the company and even though we trust our parents, we don''t trust the people around our parents."


    Sam, Xing Han, and Ali were grinning like idiots (yes, even Sam). Kyle and Kay trusted them to this extent that they were more than willing to reveal all?


    "What are you going to tell them about how you got out of the lift?" Sam asked.


    "Nothing," Kyle said, looking at them then suddenly had a puzzled and confused expression, "I - I - I don''t know. I can''t remember a thing. The last thing I remember was being trapped in a lift and then, suddenly, I''m here."


    Xing Han''s eyes bulged wide open and he was about to rush over to Kyle when Ali whacked him at the back of his head.


    "He''s pretending, Xing Han," Ali said, "He''s showing you what he''s going to say to anyone who asks."


    "Ooooo," Xing Han said with a smile, "Nice one. Great cover! Just say you don''t know and no one will know anything, right? An unsolved mystery indeed."


    "Then what about you?" Ali pressed on.


    "Me?" Kyle said


    "The fact that you can pick locks?"


    Kyle waved his hand in front of him, "Pshaw. Basics. Even Kay can do it. We''re the Smith Twins, probably targets of many enemies in the future. Kidnapping attempts are quite common. So it''s added insurance for any escape attempts."


    Ali shook his head, "Your life is quite complicated. And I thought mine was!"


    "With great powers, comes great responsibilities," Kyle quoted, "and greater enemies."


    They all nodded in agreement.


    "Too bad about my trenchcoat though. I liked that trenchcoat," Kyle said with a sigh.

 Chapter 124 - The First Seed Planted

    "Soooo ..." Kyle began, "When are Mum and Dad going to arrive?"


    Kay shrugged, saying, "Probably in the next hour or so."


    Kyle sighed, gingerly touching his forehead and the huge egg there. Kay took his hand in her own, her face angry as she hissed, "I''m going to find out who did this and they''re going to pay. For every hurt you suffered, I will return it ten-fold!"


    "They wanted me dead," Kyle pointed out with a grin, "You can''t kill them ten times."


    "How can you joke like that?!" Kay shouted, sitting up on the bed and hitting his chest repeatedly.


    Kyle grabbed Kay and hugged her tight. She snuggled deeper into his embrace while mumbling, "I''m going to cut all their fingers, gouge out their eyes, cut out their little brother - no, first, step on their balls with a 6 inch stilleto, then squish it flat and then kick that slimy worm before cutting it off ... after that I''m going to ... "


    Sam, Ali and Xing Han found themselves suddenly clenching their thighs together. They''d never seen their Angel this bloodthirsty before.


    Then again, Kyle''s never been targetted as such before.


    "What if it''s a girl?" Kyle asked in amusement, seeing the uncomfortable expressions on the guys in front of him.


    "Then I''ll pull her hair out, scratch her face, cut her nipples ..." Kay said, then looked up at Kyle indignantly when she felt him laughing.


    Kyle''s eyes were getting heavy but he struggled to keep them open. The painkillers and medication were making him sleepy. Really sleepy. He was laughing, but his eyelids were partially closed and he had a glazed look.


    Kay noticed his droopy eyes and stopped cursing. She started patting him, like how one pats a baby to put them to sleep. Kyle realised what she was doing and he managed a lopsided grin as he said, "I''m not a baby, Kay."


    "Yes, you are," Kay insisted, "You obviously want to sleep but you''re not doing so. Who else but a baby would be so stubborn?"


    "Fine, fine," Kyle said, giving up.


    He lay down on the bed properly, bringing Kay down with him and closed his eyes. Kay didn''t move to get out from the bed but instead, made herself more comfortable on it. Her head was on the pillow but her neck was under Kyle''s arm. She lay on her side, snuggling closer to Kyle and placed her arm across his waist.


    It didn''t take long for Kyle to fall asleep, as well as Kay.


    Ali came over and brought the blanket to cover them. Xing Han closed the curtains to block out the glare of the afternoon sun.


    "I''ll get back to the hotel," Sam said softly, "The person taking care of Oreo would need to get back soon."


    "I''ll wait here for Uncle and Auntie with Kay and Kyle," Xing Han whispered.


    Ali nodded and decided to stay at the hospital as well until Kyle''s parents arrived. He would also be able to keep Xing Han company.


    The VVIP room was quite spacious and even had a small lounge area with an L-shaped sofa at the foot of the bed. On the wall above the sofa, an LED television was mounted, and in front of the sofa was a small coffee table. In the middle of the coffee table was a basket of fruits: seedless grapes, apples, and pears.


    Ali and Xing Han sat there, and Xing Han took a pear to munch on. They didn''t talk much but instead, would either be watching television or playing on their phone. They didn''t want to disturb the Smith Twin''s sleep.


    An hour later, Patrick and Delilah arrived.


    As this was a hospital, they entered quietly even though Delilah wanted nothing better than to run into the room. The hospital room was a rectangular shaped and the door was actually an alcove which was covered by a curtain. Thus, anyone who walked through the door would not be able to see into the room if the curtains were drawn.


    At the moment, the curtains were only partially drawn so once Patrick and Delilah pushed the door, they could see Xing Han and Ali sitting at the sofa. Both of them raised their heads to look at them when they heard the door open, and they quickly got up to greet them.


    Delilah walked in and peered to the left, to see her two children asleep peacefully on the bed. Seeing how her son lying helpless on the bed made her heart lurch. The bandaged head and the IV drip only made the vision much more heart-wrenching. The thought that she almost lost her son was so painful to imagine.


    She walked slowly over to the bed, taking note of how Kay was holding onto Kyle tightly. The sight made her even sadder and worried about the future when - or if - one of them should pass on before the other. Would one be able to live if the other died first? It was something Delilah never thought of and she could not honestly say they could.


    Delilah gingerly stroked Kyle''s head and his eyelashes fluttered before he opened his eyes.


    He gave her a weak smile, eyes still heavy with sleep as he whispered, "Hi, Mom."


    "What am I going to do with you, dear boy?" Delilah answered, her eyes wet with tears.


    "Love me?" he answered with a cheeky grin.


    Patrick brought over a chair and Delilah sat down, holding the hand that was not wrapped around Kay.


    "What happened, son?" Patrick asked.


    "I don''t know," Kyle answered, his face appearing stressed and frustrated, "I just remember that the lift stopped. I called for help and sat down because it was getting so stuffy in there. I guessed I fainted? I don''t know. Next thing I knew, I was lying on my back and Lucka was there."


    He looked at them with eyes that were full of anxiety and sadness, "Why can''t I remember, Mom? Dad? Each time I try, my head hurts. There''s nothing."


    They watched as Kyle appeared visibly upset as he tried to remember, so Delilah patted his hand gently, "It''s okay, Kyle. It''s okay. The doctors said it''s normal to have some amnesia after receiving such a blow to the head."


    "Will I get my memory back?" Kyle asked worriedly, "Is there any long term side effects?"


    Xing Han was watching Kyle''s performance with an open mouth. Ali placed a finger under his chin and closed it, whispering, "Act normally. Don''t look so surprised, okay?"


    Xing Han blinked his eyes rapidly and turned towards Ali, "He''s so convincing"


    "Like Sam said, an onion," replied Ali.


    Xing Han nodded, totally captivated by the scene in front of him. If he hadn''t seen what truly happened with his own eyes, he would have believed Kyle 100%. Then again, he would have believed Kyle no matter what, but that''s not the point here.


    The point was, Kyle was a conman.


    A convincing conman.


    Xing Han started thinking about the carefree guy he grew up with. Right now, for the first time, he realised that Kyle wasn''t as carefree as he made himself out to be. Seeing him in action at Company LV, then the way he escaped from the lift, the secrets of Team Zero and now, the skills he showed to keep those secrets from his own parents.


    All this while, it had been him, Xing Han, that always unloaded his fears and worries onto Kyle. Kyle just took them unflinchingly, comforted him and accepted him whole heartedly. Yet, not once did Kyle ever complain about anything to him.


    Well, excluding the complaints he always had about rabid fangirls and the things they did to him. Xing Han felt a bit ashamed now. He wasn''t much of a BFF now, was he? What sort of BFF only took but never gave? Not that he didn''t want to give, but Kyle never asked. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han pursed his lips, a glint of determination flashed in his eye as he vowed in his heart that he was going to be a new BFF. The best BFF. The best of the best BFF. He was going to be stronger and not rely on Kyle so much and he was going to be the rock for Kyle. Xing Han punched himself in the chest as he made that solemn vow to himself.


    Ali watched the antics of Xing Han, as his face revealed a myriad of emotions before finally having him beat his own chest. He looked back towards the Smiths, thinking hard as well. Like Xing Han, he was completely shocked at a different Kyle.


    The skills, ruthlessness, and efficiency were at a whole new level. The admiration he had in his heart grew even more and he thought of ways in order to learn more from Kyle and what Kyle had to go through to reach this level. What Kyle was doing to further expand Smith Industries.


    Ali thought of how MA Oil Conglomerate could benefit from Smith Industries, even though they did not deal with matters in business. It was then, the first seed of a collaboration between two Giants started to form within Ali. The seed that sprouted and flourished well in the future, thereby bearing to fruit an entirely new Powerhouse that shook the world.


    As for Xing Han? Well, that seed would be planted another day.


    Right now, he was more concerned about other matters. The Tan Family business was not on his mind ... rather, he was making quite intricate plans on how to ''Make Kyle Talk'' ...

 Chapter 125 - Sponge Bath

    There were many visitors for Kyle, though most had been screened thoroughly.


    The first visit was, of course, by the police.


    There were two police officers that came the next day to collect their statements. They were trying to get information from Kyle concerning his ''adventure'' and how he actually managed to escape. All areas that they searched reached a dead end.


    The lift compartment was not completely destroyed from the impact, but it did make any gathering of forensic evidence be minimal. There were no fingerprints and only Kyle''s trenchcoat and black tie were pulled out from the rubble.


    The security camera showed Kyle making several attempts to contact help when he finally sat down, his hair wet from sweat. After that, the camera had problems and a black screen was shown. Nothing could be retrieved from then on. They tried to retrieve the data from the mainframe, to see whether there had been any power surges or tampering but nothing turned up.


    It was frustrating.


    "Are you sure you don''t remember what happened? How did you, from the lift, end up hanging by your fingers on the ledge?" insisted one police officer for the umpteenth time.


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck and said exasperatingly, "Believe me, officer, if I knew, I''d tell you. I''d like to thank my rescuer for saving my life."


    "So you DO remember something! Someone came to take you out?" another officer jumped on Kyle''s choice of words.


    Kyle looked at him as if he was an idiot, "Well, if it wasn''t someone, then who? Me? Are you saying I managed to open the doors and grab the ledge? If that''s the case, wouldn''t the lift had pulled me down when it fell?"


    "All I remember was that I was stuck and it was getting stuffy in there," Kyle said. "Everything else after that is a blank until I was pulled out. If you want to get something, then why not investigate why the lift malfunctioned?"


    "Ah-hah! So you DO know that the lift was tampered with!" the same officer jumped on Kyle (figuratively speaking, of course)


    Kyle gave him that ''are you stupid'' look again then said, "I said malfunctioned, not tampered with.


    A lift that suddenly stops - isn''t that a malfunction? So you''re saying this wasn''t an accident?"


    "Ah.." stammered the officer.


    "So what caused it to stop? And if this wasn''t an accident, why are you asking me what happened? Why aren''t you asking me whether I have any enemies? Why I would be targetted if I was the target?" Kyle pressed on.


    "This must be your first case?" Kyle pressed on, "A tip for you. I may be young and you may think I won''t have any enemies, but dismissing it and focusing on something else just means you will just remain a police officer and never get promoted to a detective."


    The officer bristled and was about to retort when his partner put a hand on his shoulder. He closed his mouth then, for his partner was his senior and he had allowed him to do the questioning in order to gain some experience.


    Obviously, he had failed and he bit his bottom lip in frustration. He could only step back and let his partner continue the questioning.


    "Our apologies. He''s still learning but is sincere," the senior officer said.


    "That''s fine, but I hope you''re not going to keep asking me the same thing," Kyle replied, "No matter how many times you ask it, or how different you phrase it, the answer will remain the same. I. Do. Not. Remember."


    "I understand," the officer said, putting away his notepad, "If you should remember anything, don''t hesitate to call us."


    He handed Kyle his card, which had his name and direct number. Kyle took it graciously and thanked them, watching them go out. He could hear the younger officer grumbling about the whole ''questioning'' bit.


    Kyle was left alone again and he preferred it that way. It wouldn''t be for long, so he leaned back on his bed. He had adjusted it so that it was at a70% angle and he switched on the television just to have some noise inside the quiet room.


    He looked at his ankle that was propped up on a pillow and wrapped up in bandages. For good measure, it was in an ankle brace as well. That was at his mother''s insistence. Unlike most ankle braces that were designed like a sock with the front part cut off, his ankle brace could be strapped on.


    His ankle brace was partially of durable plastic that supported his ankle and the sole of his foot. This heel and top part of the feet, as well as his toes, were exposed. The strap was around the ankle and five inches above it, which could be tightened or loosened as he wished.


    This was an unexpected injury. Well, so was the mild concussion but this was worse. Kyle needed his ankle to be healed quickly as the rock climbing competition was in two weeks. Luckily, it was only a slight sprain but it would still take up to 4 weeks to heal properly.


    He didn''t have the luxury of time.


    Luckily, he did manage to convince the doctor to do all that was necessary to speed up the healing process. That meant he could not put any weight on his foot for the first three days. During these three days, his ankle would be iced for about 30 minutes every 2 hours. It was due for its ''ice'' bath soon.


    Right on time, two nurses came inside. They were carrying a basin in which there were some towels, washcloths and several small bottles. Kyle raised an eyebrow.


    "Good morning, Kyle," the first nurse said cheerfully.


    "Good morning, Ma''am," Kyle said politely.


    "Oh, don''t call me Ma''am," the nurse chided him, then pointed at her name tag, "I''m Zara and this is Wendy."


    "Nurse Zara, Nurse Wendy," Kyle replied with a smile.


    "We''re here to give you your sponge bath," Zara said as she put down the basin.


    Kyle''s eyes shot wide open at that.


    "Er, what? I don''t need a sponge bath," Kyle protested.


    "No, no, no," Zara said as she started to arrange the towels and bottles at the bedside table, "This is a hospital and it''s full of germs from other patients. You need to bathe everyday but since you are not allowed to move, we will need to give you a sponge bath."


    Zara was on Kyle''s right of the bed while Wendy was on the left. Wendy started lowering the bed so that it would lie flat down again.


    "Wait! No!" Kyle said frantically, "I''m fine enough to do it myself."


    Zara smiled and said, "That''s fine, but we still have to get everything ready first."


    "Okay, but can the bed be put up again? It''ll be easier for me rather than having it down like this," Kyle said with relief.


    Wendy adjusted the bed again and said, "The mattress already has a plastic cover, so there is no danger of it getting wet. We''ll change the bedsheets after you''re done."


    After the water basin, soap and towels were laid down where Kyle could get them, the two nurses stood by his side expectantly.


    Kyle looked at both of them and said, "Em, I can do the rest myself now?"


    "Of course, but we need you to help you undress first," Zara explained, "Since you can''t move your ankle, you won''t be able to take off your pants."


    Kyle cursed inwardly. He had forgotten about that part.


    Thing is, he shouldn''t have felt uncomfortable stripping in front of the nurses. He had to go through so much more in his past life when he had been pregnant. The examinations normally entailed doctors examining her most private part and modesty hardly came into the picture. They were medical professionals so the human body wasn''t something foreign to them.


    Still, this would be the first time he, as a guy, would actually get naked in front of women. He was wearing the hospital outfit, which comprised of a shirt and pants that were fastened by ties rather than buttons or waistbands. The issue wasn''t that he had to have them help him strip his pants ...


    The problem was, he had gone commando.


    One of the things Kyle discovered as a guy is that it''s rather tough when it came to his little brother. Before puberty, it wasn''t much of a problem but since then, it became a small issue. The added testosterone made him feel hotter than normal. Hot, in the body temperature sense, and not hot as in feeling like he is good looking.


    Added to that mix was that Kyle Jr - and his two little buddies - were growing. Kyle found it extremely uncomfortable and hot, and having the whole area sticky with sweat was extremely icky. So he would be going commando whenever he could. The freedom of having them breathe was fantastic.


    It''s different when you go commando if you''re a girl. He had tried it once as Kylie. It felt like he was exposing himself. To be crude, since the woman''s private part was basically an opening, it felt really weird to be walking and having nothing underneath. With a guy, there''s no such visible ''opening'' and it just felt great to have it free from restraint. Underwears were like shackles to him.


    He couldn''t go commando when he goes out as it was far better to have them protected within the barrier of his underwear than to have it accidentally scrapped when he pulls his pants zipper. At home, though, it''s different. Same with the hospital shirt and pants.


    So, right now, he was in a dilemma. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did need help to take off his pants but he didn''t want Kyle Jr to greet them either. What is he going to do now?

 Chapter 126 - Men In The Shadows

    The two nurses were waiting patiently by the side, thinking that the clearly uncomfortable boy in front of them was really cute.


    Well, he was hot but acting cute right now.


    The nurses were experienced and had been through many situations when it came to giving a sponge bath. Most of the time, there was not a problem because sponge baths are given to those who are generally incapable of movement.


    Some resisted and scolded them for it, hiding their shame with a brusque manner. There were the rare few that actually enjoyed it, being pampered by them. Kyle was different than most of the patients that they needed to give a sponge bath to.


    He was not sickly and clearly fit with the only problem being him unable to move his foot. They watched in silence as he took on towel and placed it over his groin area. They waited patiently as he lifted his butt a bit to take off his pants and slide it down his legs. He was careful not to dislodge the towel.


    To their surprise, he managed to actually push his pants all the way down to his ankles. He was that flexible! Initially, they thought that he would only be able to reach up to his knees only.


    Wren and Zara quickly went to the foot of the bed. Zara''s hand slid under the pants to hold firmly the back of the ankle (Achilles tendon, just above the heel). She used her palm to stablise it in order to minimise movement. With the ankle brace, it made the job easier.


    Still, Kyle had to suppress a slight shudder when her hands basically caressed his skin as she was getting into position.


    Zara carefully lifted his leg while Wren pulled the pants cleanly off the foot.


    The other side was easy enough to do and once done, they closed the curtains around the bed to allow Kyle privacy. Kyle made sure the curtains were tightly shut before he proceeded to take off his shirt and start washing up.


    Unknown to Kyle, the two nurses were giggling behind the closed curtains.


    "Did you see it?" Wren whispered.


    Zara bit her lip and nodded. Then she brought up her hand with her thumb and ring finger touching before separating it to show a certain length.


    Wren nodded in agreement then said softly, "And it''s still growing."


    Both of them blushed a bit when they started imagining a much older Kyle.


    Silly Kyle.


    He was so embarrassed by the whole incident that he forgot one small detail. The towel only covered the top part of Kyle Jr from any prying eyes - so long as they were beside him. The nurses were at the foot of the bed and had a clear view of what was underneath the towel. More so because Kyle''s legs were slightly spread apart and when the leg was lifted, it gave a much clearer view to the nurses.


    Of course, the nurses were extremely professional and did not let that slight distraction affect their work. Their faces were also well controlled and did not show like anything was amiss.


    It only meant Kyle kept giving ''free shows'' for the next few days.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Kyle had to admit, the sponge bath did make him feel much more refreshed. He was also glad that he made his Mum circumcise him when he was younger. It had been slightly painful after the procedure but it made cleaning Kyle Jr much easier. All that foreskin and having the clean underneath it and so forth was rather time-consuming. It wasn''t that difficult for a girl to clean her lady parts properly.


    Kay came over at 10am, bringing some fruits and her laptop. The others went to Company LV and would be dropping by later in the evening to have dinner together in the hospital room with Kyle. Kyle''s parents had to go off again, but they would only do so after being reassured by Kay that she would always be here. Kyle wasn''t sick anyway. Just needed time to recuperate.


    Kay immediately hopped onto the bed and sat down next to Kyle. She took out her phone and started Skyping with their parents. This was one of the things Kay needed to do in order to get their parents out of the way. Skype them every day, once in the morning and once at night.


    Once that was out of the way, Kay became serious.


    "Two MIBs are stationed outside your door for added security," Kay began, "Officially, their names are in the Smith Industries database as having been employed for years now. No one is really going to check and Dad has too many people under him to realise anyway."


    "Yeah," Kyle said, "That''s one weakness we have to plug but for now, it''s working for us. So long as MIB goes through the Smith Industries list periodically, there should not be anyone who can slip in unnoticed by us."


    "As for the ones responsible behind the attack," Kay said through clenched teeth, "We don''t have anything much yet. On the plus side, they can''t get anything from us either."


    "Zero reported that there had been a few attempts to hack into the mainframe since the accident, but our newly improved firewall has successfully blocked it," Kay said smugly.


    "We managed to trace each attack to its source but by the time we reached the place, it was already emptied out by the time the agents arrived. The equipment was all smashed and its internal compartments were burnt out. MIB is trying to retrieve some data but so far, no success."


    Kay showed him a map of the area and several circles on it. Each was widespread and in completely different areas. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After the third attempt, they''ve gone silent," Kay reported.


    "What''s the chances that the ones behind this attack is the same as the one against Dahlia?" Kyle asked.


    "I would say, 90%" Kay answered.


    "Then get MIB to find a person who is violent, vindictive and petty," Kyle began and Kay interrupted, asking, "Isn''t that describing everyone in the Underground?"


    Kyle looked at her with a smile, "Yes. That''s why you need to add on two more factors. One, he''s not some flunky but quite high up. Either sector boss or area boss. Second, someone who is superstitious. Or more specifically, relies heavily on feng shui."


    Kay looked at him in puzzlement, "Why feng shui?"


    Kyle started typing on the laptop and after a while, showed her a calendar. He pointed to the two dates - the Mall T incident and yesterday.


    "If it happened once, I would say it''s a coincidence," Kyle said, "If twice, then no. This guy makes his move on auspicious days. He may be Chinese, he may not be. What is certain, is that he is a believer of Feng Shui."


    On the laptop screen, it was Feng Shui calendar, with several dates being highlighted as being a ''good'' day and some were ''very good'' days. Feng Shui is a system of laws considered that is said to govern the flow of energy (chi). Every momentous move needs to be done during good days and any building would need to comply with the feng shui placement.


    "I believe that when things didn''t work out for him the first time, he was not only livid but also considered me as the unexpected factor which soured his good feng shui," Kyle explained, "All the signs indicated that it was a good day to do what he wanted yet, I foiled it. Hence, he needs to get rid of me so that I won''t disrupt his future plans."


    "So you''re like the anti-feng shui guy?" Kay asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "Something like that, I suppose. All of this is conjecture but I do believe that the criteria I set out would pinpoint the mastermind. Also, get a Feng Shui Master to analyse the dates properly. See whether he can get a general idea of the perpetrator''s zodiac sign. What I''ve shown you is just the basic generic calendar but he would most likely use a calendar based on his actual sign."


    "On it," Kay said, "Agent Oreo is in charge of this operation."


    "Which reminds me, how''s Kitten Oreo?" Kyle asked.


    Kay''s face brightened up immediately and Kyle groaned internally. He was right. Oreo was here to stay.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY (R18) *?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Nitocris sighed.


    Boss was not happy. Not only did they fail to break through the firewall, but three of their operations hideout also had to be destroyed because it had been compromised. Nitocris had wanted to stop the moment the first one had been tracked but noooooo. Boss felt he knew better.


    Right now, what Nitocris found displeasing was not his temper tantrum but the fact that he was blatantly abusing May right in front of him. He didn''t care about the abuse, but he did mind having to watch it.


    She was dressed in a flimsy negligee that hid nothing and was forced to stand beside the Boss. She had on a collar and Boss was holding onto the leash in his hands. Each time she whimpered, he would pull on the leash, choking her.


    She tried very hard not to make a sound but everything that Boss did just terrified her. Tears were streaking down her face but she didn''t dare wipe them and she was completely focused on trying to keep her voice down.


    "This boy has made me suffer such a big loss!" growled the man, clenching his teeth, "I knew he was trouble!! We have to step up on this."


    "Yes, Sir," Nitocris replied.


    Boss pulled on May''s leash harshly, making her stumble and fall. He grabbed her hair on top of her head and forced her face towards his crotch. With trembling hands, she began unbuckling his belt and proceeded to release his bulging manhood from the confines of his pants.


    Nitocris said as normally as he could, "If that will be all, Sir ..."


    "No, that''s not all," the man said, staring at Nitocris in the eye, "Tell Drako to begin the next phase."


    Nitocris nodded, trying hard not to clench his teeth at the scene in front of him. The desk in front of the Boss hardly covered what May was doing, not to mention the loud slurping sounds he had to endure.


    Nitocris knew that the Boss not only liked to destroy the innocence of girls, he also enjoyed taunting him with it. The Boss never crossed the line though, for Nitocris was spared the full show - but was shown just enough to make him want to puke.


    As the Boss''s facial expression was becoming more engrossed with May''s actions, he waved Nitocris away, saying, "Tell Drako to be prepared to take action himself. I do not want him to escape a second time."


    "Noted, Sir," Nitocris said as he turned to go, closing his ears to the grunting noises Boss was now making. He couldn''t get out quickly enough.

 Chapter 127 - Visits

    The person who came to visit was Master Shifu.


    He came that afternoon, and it was a visit that Kyle had dreaded. Kyle had just finished lunch when his heart started palpitating. He gulped, realising what it was and leaned back into his pillows more. Kay noticed this and looked at him in puzzlement.


    Just then, the door creaked open.


    When Kay saw Master Shifu come in, she greeted him with a smile. He smiled warmly at her, came to the bed and patted her head. He gestured towards the sofa with his head and Kay understood. She set aside the laptop and got down from the bed.


    [Good luck, brother]


    Kyle groaned.


    Master Shifu just stood there, staring at Kyle. He took in the huge plaster that covered the bump on his head then down to his ankle that was on a pillow and in an ankle brace. Then he looked back up to Kyle''s eyes.


    "What nonsense is this?" Master Shifu finally said, pointing his cane at Kyle''s body, his voice low and full of disdain.


    "How could you have sustained this much injury from such a simple matter?" he continued asking, "If you didn''t have that bump on your head already, I would be giving you five more!!"


    Kyle grimaced and gave a slight bow by inclining his head down and bringing his body forward a bit.


    "It was my own negligence, Master Shifu," Kyle said humbly.


    "I had neglected to take into account the possibility of the lift dropping. I knew there were risks yet failed to take the precautionary measures beforehand."


    Master Shifu grunted, tapping the ground with his cane, "It''s good you know that but it doesn''t excuse you for it! You were overconfident in your abilities that you failed to take stock of other factors!"


    Kyle didn''t refute Master Shifu''s statement. It was true.


    Kyle had always been the best in whatever he did and that, in a way, made him complacent. His injury wasn''t due to his lack of skills but from his failure to take into account all the variable factors at that time. The lift had jerked just as his foot landed on the edge of the lift for the jump.


    Thus, the unexpected motion made his landing on the edge incorrect, and his foot had twisted because of it. He had instinctively adjusted which was why the sprain was not worse, but the point was, the injury still happened.


    Added to that, the lift had fallen suddenly.


    Thus, the momentum that Kyle had been building up for the jump was not enough. It was akin to preparing to jump four meters - you make the running jump and time it so that you cover the distance properly. If it was five meters, you run faster so that the momentum is enough to bridge the distance.


    So if you were preparing to jump four meters, and it suddenly became five after you jumped? There was no way you would cover the distance. When the lift fell, the force of the push Kyle had given was incorrect as part of the force was absorbed by the lift that had fallen. Thus, his push upwards was not strong enough to meet the distance required.


    "So what did you do wrong?" Master Shifu asked.


    "I should have used my tools like the grappling hook to secure a hold. It is better to get that secured first instead of blindly jumping," Kyle stated, reciting what he himself had been analysing over his past actions, "At the very least, identify locations for the hook and have it ready at all times."


    "Yes," Master Shifu nodded, "If the platform you are jumping from is secure, then there is no problem to do a free jump like what you had done. However, there were too many uncertain variables and you KNEW there was danger lurking by. You were careless! Stupid! Reckless!!"


    "Yes, Master Shifu," Kyle acknowledged, a bit ashamed that he had been too overconfident.


    "Harumph," Master Shifu grunted, tapping the floor, "At least your skills still kept you alive. Despite the slight concussion, you managed to grab hold of the ledge and hold on. Normal people would have just fallen after hitting the wall like that."


    Then he pointed his cane at Kyle''s face, "But that does not mean you''re excused! After your rock climbing competition, I will increase the complexity of your training. Looks like having things easy has befuddled your brains."


    Kyle groaned more.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    The third group that came to visit were Cole and the Rock Climbing team members.


    They came on the second day. Even Ken was there. He came grudgingly, and without sincerity, for he felt that it would not ''look good'' if he was the only one that didn''t come to visit.


    After all, he had to give a good impression on his future father-in-law, right?


    Rxel and Rylen almost jumped onto Kyle, the way they just bounced over to his bedside. Kay was sitting on the edge of Kyle''s bed, cutting some apples for him. Naturally, she offered some to Rxel and Rylen, who happily took them with a huge grin. After all, Kay sliced them!! The apples were just so amazingly sweet, too.


    They then went ooohing and aaaahing over Kyle''s ankle.


    "Will you be able to compete?" asked Cole. Just when he got one amazing team member, he had to get injured.


    "Hopefully," Kyle replied, "It''s not a bad sprain. Doctors said it should heal within a week. I''m just making sure by not aggravating it right now."


    "In fact, it''s healing much faster than the doctor anticipated," Kyle continued, "So it should be fine within another day or two."


    Cole nodded, satisfied.


    The accident wasn''t Kyle''s fault and if Kyle couldn''t make it, Cole would naturally be upset but he wouldn''t have blamed Kyle in any way. He would have just said that it was ''Fate''. Seeing how serious Kyle was in speeding up his recovery made Cole respect Kyle even more.


    "Hey, Kyle," Rxel said as he poked Kyle''s ankle (well, he wasn''t really poking, but kept touching it with his pointer finger).


    "What?" Kyle answered, then had to take an apple slice that Kay put to his lips.


    "You have to eat more," Kay said suddenly, taking his attention away from Rxel, "You need the energy to recover faster."


    "But I''ll grow fat like this! Not being able to exercise for two days is making me flabby," Kyle complained.


    Kay smacked him hard on his abs, saying, "These doesn''t feel flabby at all. Tsk. Fruits aren''t fattening either so stop complaining."


    Rxel coughed.


    "Oh, sorry about that," Kyle said, "You were saying?"


    "How do we get a girlfriend like you?" Rxel asked.


    Kyle looked at him, "You want a girlfriend like me?! Whatever for?" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No no! I meant, how can we get a girlfriend, like you did," Rylen clarified.


    "I don''t have a girlfriend, so I wouldn''t know," Kyle replied.


    Rxel and Rylen looked at him, then at Kay who fed him another slice of apple, then back at him.


    "What?" Kyle asked, while munching the apple, "Kay? She''s my sister."


    Rxel and Rylen''s eyes brightened up and this time, they bounced over to Kay.


    "So, Kay," Rxel started ... "are you still single?" Rylen finished asking.


    Kay giggled and Kyle growled.


    "Single but not available," he declared, staring at them.


    Rxel and Rylen were unfazed.


    "It''s okay," they chorused together.


    "We can wait," Rxel said.


    "Until you are available," Rylen continued.


    "Do you always do that?" Kay asked.


    "No," Rylen replied.


    "Not always," Rxel confirmed.


    "Just sometimes," they chorused together.


    Kyle rubbed the space between his eyes, then said to Kay, "At least we''re not like that. It''s rather disturbing."


    "As if how we normally act isn''t disturbing enough?" Kay grinned.


    Kyle nodded his head, "You have a point."


    "So you''re twins too?!" Rylen and Rxel said excitedly, catching the gist of what they were saying. It confused the heck out of the others, though.


    Kay nodded then lay down next to Kyle, putting her head on his shoulder, "Isn''t it obvious?"


    The two sets of twins just smiled at each other.


    Cole and Ken, on the other hand, were rolling their eyes. They''ll never understand this twin thing.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Mary and Dahlia also came to visit. This time, Rex came along as well. It would be the first time that he actually meets up with Kyle.


    "Big blooder!!" Dahlia screamed happily upon seeing Kyle.


    By this time, Kyle could move again but he still wore the ankle brace. The bump on his head was also reduced to just a purplish bruise and was no longer bandaged. The nurses would only smear some ointment on it periodically. Although Kyle said he could do it himself, the nurses insisted that they do it. Something about needing to massage it properly.


    Kyle''s face broke into a huge grin as Dahlia impatiently held out her hands towards Kyle. Mary gave a small smile and handed Dahlia over to Kyle, who took her expertly and rubbed his nose with hers. Dahlia giggled and patted Kyle''s cheeks with her cute, chubby little hands.


    He then carried her in the crook of his arms as he shook hands with Rex, who said, "I''m Rex. I have yet to thank you for saving my daughter''s life."


    "Don''t mention it," Kyle said, "I was just at the right place at the right time."


    Dahlia was busy trying to get Kyle''s attention, pulling at his sleeve. When Kyle looked down, she showed him her treasures, a Ken and Barbie doll that she had in her little bag. The bag couldn''t fit both dolls, of course, and was actually only halfway in.


    She took them out and shoved Ken at Kyle''s face, saying, "Big blooder!"


    She then took out the Barbie doll and said, "Dahia", pointing at herself.


    She put them both together and said proudly, "Big blooder Dahia!" and banged them both together repeatedly as she clapped her hands.


    "Looks like you got a wife already, huh brother?" Kay teased.


    Kyle laughed, "It''s just a phase. She''ll grow out of it soon. Probably forget all about me once she goes to school. This one is going to be a heart-breaker!"


    Kyle nodded indulgently while Dahlia was telling Kyle all about the adventures of Big Blooder and Dahia.


    Still, Kyle should never underestimate the tenacity of a young girl''s mind - and a pure heart.

 Chapter 128 - Progress And Plans

    By the fifth day, Kyle was ready to go crazy.


    Doctors had already cleared him for discharge but his overly worried Mother decided to extend his stay. She had insisted that unless the bruise on his forehead disappeared, he was to stay. The hospital didn''t mind for there were plenty of rooms and Kyle''s presence did not take the space of another patient.


    The nurses REALLY didn''t mind because Kyle was such a nice patient that didn''t bother them much. Okay, fine. Kyle was the only shining thing in the hospital. Good looking, charming and so well behaved.


    He would spend the day by exercising and working.


    In the morning, before the nurses in the morning shifts began their rounds at 6am, he would perform some basic core exercises. He only did for upper body strength because he didn''t want to strain his ankle. It also allowed him to build his muscles for the upcoming rock climbing competition.


    Of course, the hospital shirt wasn''t suitable to be worn while exercising so he would do it only with his shorts on. He would only be doing a modified handstand push-up and alternate it with planking and sit ups.


    A handstand push-up is basically a vertical push-up. There were two types of handstand push-ups. A handstand push-up is much harder than a normal push-up and uses more muscles. When you first begin, the feet are placed against a wall, held by a partner or secured in some other way to prevent one from falling. One requires not only strength but also a sense of balance.


    Once one is able to be good enough to balance yourself, you then progress to a free-standing handstand push-up. It essentially means you don''t put your feet against the wall.


    Kyle, of course, does the free-standing handstand push-up ... with a little twist. Instead of using the solid ground for support, he uses the armrests of the chair instead. He places both of his hands on it, then goes upside down, bringing up his legs carefully.


    Once he is completely upside down and balanced straight, he starts straightening his arms, then bringing it back down. Sometimes Kyle would use the floor but would be using one hand instead. Once he was in position, he would put one hand behind his back and begin the handstand push-up. He would then use only his fingers rather than laying his palm flat on the floor before changing hands and doing it again.


    He does the handstand push-ups slowly, ensuring that his form is perfect and that all the related muscles are being used. Maintaining the perfect balance and form requires perfect concentration. He would often be doing this with his eyes closed, concentrating fully as he feels the muscles on his arms being used, his back having to be straight, his abdominal muscles straining with the weight ... so every taut muscle could be seen, rippling with the movement.


    After ten minutes, his body would be glistening with sweat, some dripping down towards his collarbone ... his hair was also drenched but somehow, that added to the allure of the entire picturesque view.


    Too bad that Kyle would always draw the curtains at the doorway alcove so as to maintain some privacy. Even the curtains at the windows were always closed as he didn''t want anyone to look in. It was also as a precautionary measure against any assassination attempts.


    So no one could actually witness this scene that would have caused the floor to be filled with drool and blood from nosebleeds.*


    Once he finished his exercise, he would cool down and then take a shower. The ankle brace and bandages would be removed before the shower, and he was careful not to put his full weight on his injured ankle.


    Since he would need to change into a fresh pair of hospital shirt and pants, plus his dressing would be changed, Kyle didn''t bother to put back the bandages and only wore a bathrobe that Kay had brought over.


    So the morning shift nurses would be greeted by a freshly showered Kyle in his bathrobe. Sometimes they were lucky to catch a glimpse of his abdominal muscles when the bathrobe wasn''t tied properly - which was most of the time, truth be told. Kyle would just close the robe without tying it and it would hang loosely on his body.


    So yes. That morning sight was always a welcomed sight. Suffice to say, the nurses had a tacit agreement to have a different nurse to handle Kyle''s room every morning. Even though the normal practice is to have the same room duty for one week.


    It was only fair to share the goodies.


    After breakfast, Kyle would start working.


    Right now, the most pressing matter was finding the mastermind behind the ''accident''.


    Whoever it was, did manage to cover their tracks very well. They were actually willing to destroy or kill anyone that had been connected to the accident, be it directly or indirectly. MIB would often find that the people they managed to track had either died from an accident or was missing.


    This person was ruthless.


    Due to this, Kyle had ordered MIB to stop all investigations into the matter. However, it was only the external movements that had stopped. The investigations itself did not.


    Kay was busy at MIB itself, using her supercomputers to do the necessary hacking as required. As much as she wanted to be with Kyle at the hospital, she wanted to catch the b*stard that dared to harm her brother even more.


    The sooner the SOB# was caught, the sooner she can implement all the torture methods she had created just for him. Him, and all those people who helped him get at Kyle.


    Although physically apart, the twins would be working together. Kay would often update Kyle on her findings and Kyle would start collecting the information and collate it. There were many things he needed to do prior to the rock climbing competition, and time was of the essence.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    In another area, a rather pensive looking girl was staring at a photograph as she lay down on the bed and sighed. Luckily Kyle had the Insta account, so she could quietly stalk him and stare at his pictures. She even printed her favourites out but had to hide them for fear of her parents finding it. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, he was at the hospital and her heart lurched in pain for not being able to visit. She was already home for the holidays, so it was impossible for her to get permission to go all the way back to another city just to visit a classmate.


    "Kyle, I miss you," Sarah whispered and sighed again, She placed the picture back under her pillow and got up.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    In another part of town, a lone man could be seen practicing his knife throws in an open field.


    There were targets set all around the place, with a picture stuck to it. The emotionless man was busy throwing knives with unerring accuracy at the pictures. His face showed clearly his anger as he continuously threw those knives.


    When he ran out of knives, he walked over to the target and started taking the knives out. He tapped the picture with the tip of the blade, then cut the picture into two.


    "Soon. Soon," he said through gritted teeth, "Soon you will fall. You made me break my record streak. Unforgivable!!"


    Drako spits at the ground where the cut picture of Kyle lay, then he crushed it further with his foot.


    "I had a first kill streak of 555!! 555!! You stupid kid, breaking my streak! I will make sure your death will be a slow, painful one," he said, breathing hard.


    How could he, the #1 assassin (well, in his own mind), have been foiled by a mere kid?! Even if Boss told him to stop, he can''t now. He would not be able to rest until this irresponsible kid lay 6 feet underground. In pieces. Smashed pieces.


    Drako stopped, seeing his man come running up to him. He solemnly handed him a handphone.


    "What?" Drako barked onto the line. He listened intently, then a slow smile spread across his face.


    His subordinate couldn''t help but shudder upon seeing that smile.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    On the day he could be discharged, Kyle felt like jumping for joy. Even if it meant that he''d be facing Master Shifu''s hellish training after the rock climbing competition. Despite the fact that he didn''t just wile away his time, it was suffocating to be cooped up in the hospital.


    He couldn''t even wander about because Tom and Jerry, the two darn MIB bodyguards outside his door, would stop him. They had very strict orders from Kay not to let Kyle do his nonsense in the hospital and Kyle was to remain in his room.


    Of course, Kyle could have taken them down and escape but that would have only angered Kay.


    Kyle didn''t want to face an angry Kay. That was worse than a sulking Kay.


    The Elite Five were there and Kyle gave them all a hug out of sheer happiness. Except for Sam. Not that he didn''t hug Sam, he did but Sam didn''t hug back. Xing Han, of course, refused to let go for some time.


    "Kyyyylllleeeee!! I missed you sooooo much!!" Xing Han was saying while squeezing Kyle tightly, "Watching Team Zero was fascinating, and I learned a lot but it meant nothing without you!!"


    Kyle laughed, patting Xing Han''s back, "Well, I''m back! First thing to do is EAT!!"


    "YEAH!" Xing Han fist pumped, "EAT!"


    As they noisily left the room, Kyle stopped by the nurses station.


    He gave them his Million-Dollar Watt Smile and bowed, saying, "Thank you for taking care of me during this entire time. It must have been exhausting."


    Kay hung onto Kyle''s arm and also made a slight bow, "Yes, thank you so much for taking care of my brother. I truly appreciate it."


    The nurses smiled and watched Kyle walk away with a sigh. There goes their sunshine.


    ???????? Author''s Acknowledgment of Appreciation ???????


    Welcome and thank you, new voters (albeit some late as yesterday''s Author''s note was for the mass release announcement) Domn, Photec, Morpheous123, Tri_knight, Koushik52, bliblablub, Akaneria, francesco_giachell, barry96, rajmen, Aswath336, RainSaint22, ACZ, moreCHAPleaseV2, Andryani, ZomBrain, Justynchinn, maelynocean, I_I, Neil028, MystiqueByuntae, XioaHeiTian.


    ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????

 Chapter 129 - The Start: Rock Climbing Competition

    It was finally the Day of the Competition.


    Since Kyle had been admitted to hospital, Kyle could only join them for training a couple of days before the competition itself. However, just those two days was enough to satisfy Cole and the team that Kyle''s skills were still sharp and he wasn''t behind.


    Cole found it amazing that despite being in bed for nearly two weeks, Kyle was still agile and quick. His ankle did not pose any problems either for Kyle to execute complicated moves. The nervousness that Cole didn''t realise he had dissipated when he saw Kyle practicing.


    During those two days of practice, however, Kyle spent most of it chasing the twins.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*? TWO DAYS PRIOR .:*?¡ã¡î...:*


    Kay was standing at the Wall, looking up and then at Kyle. He was busy strapping the gear on, and adjusting the chalk belt. Kay came over and helped buckle him up.


    Seeing him chalk his hands, she asked, "What does that feel like?"


    "Try it and see," Kyle said twisting around so she could put her dainty hands into the chalk bag.


    "It feels like coarse powder," Kay said with a smile, her eyes twinkling at him.


    Kyle had a premonition but was a tad bit too late. Actually, whenever it came to Kay, he was always ''late'' in his reactions.


    Kay pinched his cheeks, effectively chalking his face and he quickly grabbed her by the waist, tickling her. She screamed in laughter, trying to break free but was unsuccessful. When he finally let her go, her face was full of chalk as well.


    "KYLE!" Kay shouted at him, as he practically jumped up onto the wall and quickly scaled up.


    Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder and saw the two twins grinning at her. Both of them had a handkerchief held out to her and she smiled, taking it.


    "No, no," Rylen said.


    "You missed a few spots," Rxel commented.


    Before Kay could ask where, the twins took another pair of handkerchief and started wiping her face gently.


    "Hey, Kay," Rxel began.


    "Yes?" Kay replied, standing still and letting them wipe her face. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How do you feel about dating twins?" Rylen asked.


    "Er, nothing, why?" Kay asked back in puzzlement, "I''m a twin myself, so why should I feel anything different about dating a twin?"


    "No, not a twin," Rylen said.


    "Twins," Rxel clarified.


    Kay''s eyes widened at the implication of what they were asking. "You mean ..."


    Rxel and Rylen grinned, put their hands on each other''s shoulders and nodded, "Yes. Us. We can assure you," Rxel said.


    "Being pampered by two guys at the same time is truly special," Rylen continued.


    "You get two for the price of one!" Rxel finished with a flourish.


    Kay found the whole thing funny and the twins rather cute. However, before she could answer, the twins suddenly dashed off. A blast of wind passed her and she saw Kyle chasing after them. Kay started laughing as she saw how the two boys ran like Mister Bean, with exaggerated hand and leg movements while Kyle was quickly catching up.


    They split up, forcing Kyle to choose to chase one - and he chose Rxel.


    Rxel ran off towards the exit, with Kyle close behind. At that moment, Rylen came up to Kay again, out of breath as he asked, "So? Two guys pampering you - whadda ya say?"


    "RYLEN!!" roared Kyle as he turned to head back, instinctively knowing that Rylen was there.


    "Think about it!!" Rylen shouted as he ran off for safety.


    Kyle reached Kay in a huff, while Kay was busy laughing.


    "They''re cute," Kay commented with a smile.


    Kyle snorted.


    So it began.


    Each time Kyle started his climb, those two would start crowding around Kay. Flirting, flattering and overall being charming. Kay never took them seriously, always refusing them but they never gave up. They would time it accurately, too, for the moment Kyle finished his climb, they''d run away like crazy.


    It was all in good fun, of course. Kyle wasn''t really upset or angry at them but he DID feel he had to make a point each time. So it became a normal routine that everyone in the Gym would see. Kay laughing, Rxel and Rylen running away with a grin and Kyle chasing after them for a few minutes before he returned back to Kay.


    He didn''t chase them for long since they''d just split up and whoever it was that Kyle was not chasing, would run back to Kay.


    Well, at least it was a workout.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    The first day of the competition was the qualifying rounds.


    There were two categories to the competition: individual and team.* The unique thing about this competition was that every single member for the team competition category must have passed the individual rounds.


    Thus, the first level of competition was the qualifying rounds which would reduce the number of participants to 80. After that, there were the tougher qualifying rounds which would further reduce the number of participants to 50.


    This is where it gets interesting for team competitions. It was a rule that ALL of its team members would have to pass the preliminary rounds. The team without enough members would automatically be disqualified. That''s why most teams would have a lot of members in order to reduce the risk of not qualifying.


    This was why the competition was so highly regarded.


    The individual category recognised individual talents. So even if their group was weak, their individual strength and skills were still acknowledged. The team competition category was of another level. Every single member was strong, and this sort of set-up was very difficult to get. The God Level - which no one has ever achieved yet - was to have the same team top both categories.


    Just imagine.


    The team competition category had two sub-divisions: junior and senior. What are the odds that someone who was the best individually, was also in a group that could dominate all paths? Thus, it was often referred to as the ''God Level'' : it was unattainable. That didn''t mean people didn''t want or hope for it!


    Cole went to register their team at the desk, and Ken followed him.


    At the registration desk, there was a bit of a commotion when Cole went to hand in the completed form, the official frowned a bit.


    "Is there something wrong?" Cole asked politely, noticing the frown and hesitation.


    The official pointed at a name, "Are you sure about this?"


    It was Kyle''s name, and it was listed for two events: bouldering and lead climbing.


    "Yes, of course. It isn''t against the rules, right? And he meets the minimum age requirement," Cole stated confidently.


    "Yes, but just barely," argued the official.


    "Your point?" Cole asked directly, "Barely or not, he''s not barred from entering the competition."


    "Yes, but he''s also registered for the senior category for bouldering? Is that right? Not the junior category?" the official asked, his face all scrunched up.


    "Yes, that is correct," Cole confirmed, "The rules do not stipulate any minimum age for the senior category."


    The official just stared at him, shocked.


    "Suit yourself," grumbled the official. He was just trying to be helpful and since the ungrateful person in front of him refused to acknowledge what a mistake it was to sign up a complete rookie to this competition, so be it. It wasn''t his team that would be embarrassed.


    The official then pondered that perhaps that was the point? Maybe the kid kept pestering him to let him join so this was the only way to get the kid to realise how high the mountain was? The official shrugged to himself. Whatever. Not his business anyway.


    The official then said, "Your team number is 652. Make sure each member wear their corresponding tags."


    There were 5 tags, which had the numbers 652A - 652E. The official wrote down a name on each tag and recorded those names and their numbers on the registration form. Once everything was complete, he placed that paper onto a tray behind him.


    As he turned back to face Cole, no one noticed someone picking it up the paper he just put there. The person looked at the registration form, taking note of the Team number, one name and his tag number. He then quickly returned the paper back to the pile, walked away and made a phone call.


    Cole went back to the team and distributed the tags. Kyle looked at the tag that Cole gave and saw that his number was 652C. Kay helped him put it on both of his sleeves.


    "As there is a huge number of participants, the qualifying rounds will take a few days," Cole announced, "Make sure you jot down when your turn is. Especially you, Kyle, since you have to attend two of these qualifying rounds."


    Kyle nodded and made an ''OK'' sign with his fingers.


    The qualifying rounds went by without a hitch. As expected, all of them got through.


    Ken was commenting, "Don''t get too complacent, Kyle. This was only the qualifying rounds yet your timing was not good. You were at the bottom tier of the listing."


    Rxel and Rylen looked at Ken like his head was not screwed on straight.


    "What?" Ken said to them, noticing their glare.


    "Are you really that dense for not noticing?" Rxel asked.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Have you not been watching Kyle''s practice the last two days?" Rylen asked instead.


    "As if you had," Ken retorted back, not wanting to admit to anything, "You were always using that time to hit on Kay."


    "That didn''t mean we weren''t observing Kyle," Rylen and Rxel said.


    "How else do you think we knew when to run just as he finished?" Rylen pointed out.


    "We even know how long he takes to scale up the wall," Rxel nodded. After all, if they didn''t, they wouldn''t have survived.


    "And the time he took during practice is way faster than what he did here," Rylen said.


    Cole nodded in agreement. As the Leader, naturally he would have observed the training in great detail. He looked at Ken in disappointment.


    "Don''t let your jealousy of Kyle''s awesomeness cloud your judgment," Rxel said with a smug look.


    "Yeah, my brother is just TOO awesome!" Kay retorted, clinging on Kyle''s arm.


    Kyle rolled his eyes and glared at the twins who simply looked at him with stars in their eyes.


    "Don''t think your honeyed words would soften me up to allow you to hit on my sister!" Kyle said sternly.


    The twins shook their heads.


    "Of course it''s not just to hit on your sister!" they chorused together, "We''re hitting on you, too!"


    Kyle rolled his eyes at that bold statement, not taking them seriously. Kay just giggled.

 Chapter 130 - Being Shirtless

    The qualifying rounds ran for four days, followed by one day of rest before the preliminary rounds would begin.


    At this level, only the top 50 will go through the preliminary rounds. Thus, the competition will be tough.


    This was also the part that most team competitors would drop drastically. Not many teams would still have their full strength by then and would be forced to drop out.


    From this point, the team competition would begin. There were no other rounds to this. It was the final round.


    Depending on the numbers of participants, the competition could run for a day or several days. The shortest time on record was half a day as only two teams had qualified. The best case scenario was that there would be 10 teams, with 5 members each and the worst case scenario was that no teams qualified. It had happened before.


    After the team competition is over, the individual competition would begin.


    Thus, the competition could run for a week or two.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    It was their one day of rest after qualifying. Kyle and Kay decided to lounge at the hotel swimming pool.


    The Smith Industries had fully sponsored the rock climbing team''s stay at the hotel for the duration of the competition. Well, actually, it was Delilah who paid but had the Smith Industries name take the credit.


    Delilah was NOT going to let Kyle stay anywhere but at one of their hotels. This way, she could keep an eye on him. Two bodyguards were assigned to protect the Smith twins but covertly.


    Plus, all the hotel staff were given explicit instructions to keep an eye on the Smith Twins and to take good care of them.


    Right now, the ones who were on duty were trying very, very hard to maintain a professional demeanor. Kyle and Kay didn''t make it easy, though.


    Kyle was wearing swimming trunks that were halfway up his thigh. His was shirtless, giving everyone a good view of his lean, muscular physique and drool-worthy six pack. He was sitting on the deck chair near the pool, staring at the swimming pool.


    As much as Kyle loved to tease people with glimpses of his body, this was actually one of the rare moments that he is shirtless in public. For some reason, he felt a bit ... uncomfortable. He had no qualms about exposing his abs or even changing his shirt in public - but walking around half naked and exposed like this didn''t feel right for some reason.


    He found it really weird and puzzling. He had grown up as a guy so shouldn''t he be used to this now? He was okay with the Elite Five and at home but not quite in public. Was it because the Elite Five were people he trusted and he was completely unguarded with them?


    Kyle looked down at his own exposed chest, noting the width of his chest and the abdominal muscles. This was the type of body that, as a girl in his past life, he drooled over. It took a LOT of work to achieve and maintain, and luckily, he enjoyed the exercises despite the hard work.


    So why was he so uncomfortable showing it off? Wasn''t it normal to be proud of showing the hard work that you put in to achieve that type of body? There''s no difference between what he''s doing now and how girls would dress up. Did people really think achieving that type of body and make-up was easy?


    Kyle was thinking hard, making his face look even more handsome as the serious mode was on. The far-away look in his eyes as he sat there thinking, the concentration that was evident upon his face just made those who were looking, sigh even more. It''s true what they say: watching a man work is sexy.


    Unaware of the sort of impact he was making on the people around him, Kyle continued to analyse the situation. When he thought deeply, he realised one small weird thing. The source of his uncomfortableness stemmed mainly from his naked chest ... to be more specific, exposing his nipples. Even though he didn''t have breasts (like a woman, that is), it still felt like he was exposing himself.


    When he finally managed to pinpoint the exact problem, he laughed at himself. He is a guy now, damnit. Sure, he had been an extremely conservative girl in his past life but he''s now the shameless Kyle Smith. Kyle wondered whether guys felt weird at first at being shirtless or was it just him? Looks like he''s got to start getting used to being shirtless in public more often now.


    Once he figured out the root of his problem, Kyle turned towards Kay on his left.


    She was sitting on the deck chair, sipping a drink while playing with her phone. Luckily, Kay was in a one-piece suit and not a bikini. Otherwise, she would have caused quite a commotion at the swimming pool. With her B-cup perky breasts, slim waist, and fair legs that seemed to go on forever, she would make any normal man have difficulty in breathing.


    Kyle narrowed his eyes and looked around again. As he expected, there were a few guys who were looking at Kay with undisguised lust in their eyes. Kyle found a wave of simmering anger start to envelop him and he got up from his deck chair to go to Kay.


    "What''s wrong, brother?" Kay asked with a smile as he sat in front of her, effectively blocking her from view of other people.


    "I think this was a bad idea," Kyle said, focusing his cold eyes on those unworthy people.


    It wasn''t the fact that people looked which made Kyle angry. It was that they were not being polite about it. No matter how alluring or sexy a woman is, you should always look at her with respect - and not like you''re undressing them with your eyes. You can admire, you can even desire but you can never, ever be rude and stare or say inappropriately suggestive words.


    Kay laughed, her tinkling voice made all the guys around stand up, wanting to brave the danger and approach her anyway. A cold glare by the guy in front of her made them all sit back down again, gulping and turning away.


    Kay leaned forward, putting her arms around his neck from the back. She kissed his cheek and said, "You like swimming, right? Come on then!"


    "No, I changed my mind," Kyle said tersely.


    When he thought about it, what was fun about swimming at the hotel? When they first arrived, there weren''t that many people around. Now, however, the pool was so crowded that he would not be able to swim a lap freely. He couldn''t leave Kay behind either for he felt all the wolves would just start to gather around her. Where did these people come from anyway?


    "Let''s go back up," Kyle suggested, taking Kay''s hand.


    Kay was going to protest at first but seeing how serious Kyle was, she nodded with a smile.


    "You''re right," she agreed, "It''s no fun without the others anyway."


    "Yeah, but they had to go back and settle a few things at home first. At least they''ll be here during the finals," Kyle said, assuring Kay.


    "Wait! Wait!! We need to take a selfie first!" Kay insisted, bouncing out from the deck chair. She grabbed her phone from the table behind her and placed her face next to Kyle''s. She angled the phone from a higher position so that they would look up at the phone camera.


    "Smile!" she commanded Kyle then snapped a few times. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She leaned back and took a peek, choosing the best out of the three snaps. It showed the two of them smiling at the camera and nothing of the background could be seen. Kay herself was hidden behind Kyle with only her face being seen, so the real focus of the whole picture was actually the shirtless Kyle.


    "We have to update Insta everyday, you know," Kay said as she posted, "Your fans are also eager to know the updates of the competition."


    Kay posted the picture of her and Kyle with the caption, ''Chillin'' after qualifying''.


    All around the world, there was an epidemic of sudden nosebleeds.


    After that, the Smith Twins left the swimming pool area without ever entering the pool, leaving behind many people feeling very upset. One pair of eyes behind dark sunglasses studied them closely as they walked away. He continued to sip on his juice, his face getting dark as his gaze noticed two shadowy figures following the Twins behind them.


    "Tch. This is not going to be as easy as it was the last time," Drako grumbled as he took another swig of his juice.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    The next day, it was the preliminary rounds.


    Kay had decided that she would not join him for the day as she wanted to finish up some MIB work. She was still sleeping in bed when Kyle went down to breakfast at 6am, so he merely adjusted the blanket on her and kissed her head before heading out silently.


    Kyle headed for the Rock Climbing venue by himself, as the others had yet to even come down for breakfast. Kyle merely had a bowl of oats, as he didn''t want to fill his stomach too much yet he needed some proper nutrients for the energy. So he finished his breakfast very fast, much to the chagrin of the ones serving him.


    There was hardly anyone at the venue, so Kyle basically had peace and quiet as he noted his schedule. The bouldering preliminary rounds was in the morning at 10am while the lead climbing preliminary rounds would be the next day at 9am. He saw that the Twins speed climbing preliminary rounds was at 9am so he intended to go there to watch and give support.


    For now, Kyle had to study the Wall he was to climb first. His eyes darted all over the Wal, taking note of all the handholds. He then took several steps back to view it from a distance then closed his eyes as he conjured up the image in his mind. From there, he started mapping his route. Having a photographic memory helped him greatly in this.


    Once he was done, he opened his eyes and studied the Wall in front of him again. He needed to clarify whether the route he planned was viable. Satisfied, Kyle then headed to the Speed Climbing Venue.


    After he left, Drako came out of hiding and studied the Wall that Kyle had been looking at earlier. He picked up his phone and made a call.

 Chapter 131 - The First Move

    Rxel and Rylen arrived at the Speed Climbing Venue at 8.30am. They grinned and jogged up to Kyle when they saw him there.


    "Where''s Kay?" they asked, looking about and around Kyle. Where was Kyle hiding her?


    "Not here," Kyle replied with a lopsided grin, relishing in the distressed and disappointed look of the twins.


    "But ... She said if you win this round, she''ll cheer for you in the finals," Kyle said and the twins grinned widely. Now they had even more motivation to win the round.


    Suffice to say, the motivation was good enough for them.


    Rylen''s turn came first, and he scaled up the Wall quickly - even beating his own personal record. When he got down, Rxel came over and they did their twin handshake. Kyle laughed at their antics and Rylen said, "Remember to tell Kay how awesome I was, ya? I beat my own record by 0.1 seconds!"


    Rylen did a little jig and Rxel said in determination, "I will beat my own personal record too! Kay needs to praise me, too!!"


    After 45 minutes, Kyle had to go even though Rxel hadn''t gone up yet. It would be his turn soon and he felt it best to be there much earlier. He could also look at the routes the other climbers before him took, even though he could make a good guess what it would be. He waved at the twins and they wished him good luck as he walked off.


    Once he reached the venue, however, he noticed something was a bit off. The Bouldering Qualifying rounds actually started at 9am and each contestant had their timing given so that they would not need to wait needlessly for their turn. Kyle''s time was 10am but there was no one climbing the wall at the moment.


    Kyle looked at his watch. It was 9.50am.


    Kyle asked the nearest participant, "What''s happening? Why isn''t anyone climbing?"


    "The safety officers came by earlier and stopped the competition halfway. They said they needed to check a few things," the guy explained helpfully, "They just left and we should be starting soon." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle nodded in understanding.


    He looked up at the wall and his eyes detected something. There were no changes to the position of the handholds but there was something that was a bit off. Kyle began focusing intently on everything, his eyes zooming in on every hold that was on the Wall while making sure that his facial expression did not change.


    It was tougher to look at the higher holds but he could guess that it was most likely the same. He double checked, comparing what he saw with what he remembered. Kyle simply smiled to himself.


    Just then, an announcement was made.


    "We will now begin the competition again. However, due to the delay caused by the inspection, we will start with those who are scheduled at this time. The earlier participants time will be rescheduled. Those affected, kindly proceed to the scoring table for your new time."


    "Next contestant, participant #652C. You may begin."


    Kyle stepped forward and headed to the Wall. One volunteer came over with the climbing harness that Kyle would need to use for the climb. For these preliminary rounds, they would be using the climbing harness but during the finals, it would be another type of security holders.


    Kyle put his legs through the leg hoop, clipped the waistbelt and checked that it fit properly. The volunteer then came to double checked everything.


    Kyle didn''t pay any attention to him, as he checked his hands and chalk bag that was secured behind him. He noticed the guy spending a bit of time at the buckle itself but before he could ask, the guy patted it and nodded, indicating that all was fine.


    Kyle thanked him, giving him a huge smile as he patted the guy''s shoulder.


    For some reason, the man seemed nervous and he mumbled a "You''re welcome" and quickly ran off. Kyle shrugged and focused on the Wall and the route that he had already mapped out in his mind. As he placed his hand on the first hold, he waited until the whistle sounded.


    Kyle made his way up steadily, using the most common route that the ones before him had been using. His speed was neither fast or slow and everyone studied him as he went up. Their curiosity stemmed for three reasons.


    First, he is one of the youngest participants in the competition. Secondly, it became known that he was a team member for the senior category of bouldering, which implied that his skills and experience were at par with those who had been bouldering for quite some time. Third, some recognised him as Spiderman Kyle.


    So he was an oddity and a curiosity.


    Was he as good as the news hyped him up to be? So far, there was nothing impressive about him. He did pass the qualifying rounds but he wasn''t amongst the top. As for now, there was nothing out of the ordinary about him.


    By the time Kyle was halfway up, some of the people''s interest began to wan, thinking that there was nothing truly special about the boy.


    "Ah, as I thought," one commented, "It was all hype. Most likely because he''s so young and good looking. The news just wanted to glorify him."


    "Yeah," his friend agreed, "I mean, yeah, he''s good. But that''s about it. Hardly in the category of the greats."


    The other guy laughed, "I wonder what his Team Leader was thinking. Putting him in the senior category."


    "All the better for us! One less team to worry about. He''ll likely get eliminated in this round and there goes their team competition," the friend said.


    "True, SO true. I bet their Team Leader is ... wait. What the HELL ..." the guy cursed, "F-uck me. What sort of move was THAT?!"


    "Huh? What are you - ... ... ..." his friend couldn''t speak anymore, his eyes bulging wide open - as well as his mouth.


    Kyle was at an overhang, that was in the shape of an octagon. It jutted out a bit, so it meant that he would be leaning at a 45 degrees angle in order to pass it. When he was at the base of the octagon, he was going up as normal. However, now, as he was basically hugging the octagon at the angle, he hooked his fingers on these teeny-tiny holes.


    Kyle had not chosen the more obvious hold that was above it, which would have allowed him to grab onto and climb up. Instead, he chose those teeny-tiny holes. Then, with just one hand - no, the fingers of one hand - he actually released his leg holds and was basically hanging on that ledge.


    The people watching was sure that he would not be able to hang for long and drop, some shaking their heads and was about to cross him off their list when Kyle turned himself vertically and grabbed hold onto another teeny-tiny hole with his other hand. His back was now against the Wall.


    Taking a deep breath, Kyle brought his legs up. This was the slightly tricky bit. He would need to balance his legs up and reach to a point that was quite high up. Essentially, he was going to be doing something similar to the handstand push-up that he would do with his fingers.


    Kyle had confidence in his finger strength, so he easily got into a handstand position as required. His fingers were feeling the pinch at the moment due to the sharp edges of the teeny-tiny hole, but it was bearable.


    It was this move that made the guy curse out in amazement.


    To be able to get into that handstand-like position was beyond any of their imagination to be possible. Not a single person even entertained the idea of copying that move. They continued to watch with bated breath to see how the young man would get up to the next step.


    Once in position, Kyle hooked one of his legs on the hold above the one that those before him had held on to. After ensuring that he was secure, he let go of his fingers from their teeny-tiny hole position.


    So now, Kyle was hanging upside down ... on one leg ... the spectators below rubbed their eyes. If the earlier position was mind-boggling, this one was beyond mind-boggling. Was there something special about his shoe that could stick on the hold like that? Was it a steel-tipped toe shoe or something?


    The moment that thought crossed their mind, it was pushed aside immediately. All of their gear was checked to make sure that it met with regulations. For footwear, it had to be the normal climbing shoes.


    They continued to watch as Kyle then seemed to use his hands to climb up the Wall like a spider and reached for another hold. Once that was secure, he pulled himself up. After that, he scurried up the Wall quickly, reaching the top faster than most of the participants before him.


    The moment Kyle reached the top, the people watching him from below erupted in loud applause. They may be competitors, but it didn''t mean that they couldn''t appreciate a good move. If THAT wasn''t a good move, then no movement was good!


    Kyle pushed himself off the Wall, using the climbing harness to bring him down. As there was some leeway in the rope, Kyle would fall for a while before the belayer caught hold and then he would be brought down slowly.


    However, this time, the unexpected happened.


    Just as the belayer caught hold, there was the expected jerk when the rope went taut. That wasn''t the unexpected part. What they did not expect was when that jerk happened, it caused the buckle on Kyle''s climbing harness to open.


    Without the required support of the buckle around his waist and to the rope, Kyle was flung backward as there was nothing to hold him in place. He fell headfirst downwards.


    People below gasped and screamed.

 Chapter 132 - Foiled Plans

    It was the organisers greatest fear: when the safety equipment malfunctioned.


    Screams were heard when they saw the young boy''s buckle on the safety harness fail, causing him to fall out of it and downwards. The rope that was holding Kyle up was connected to the waist strap, and the waist strap was held together by the buckle. Thus, when the buckle opened up, Kyle no longer had anything to hold him to the rope.


    However, to everyone''s amazement, the moment Kyle fell backward and looked like he was falling down headfirst, his leg reached out straight and wrapped itself on the rope above the safety harness. It stopped him from falling and he simply indicated to the people below to continue letting him down.


    They did so quickly.


    As he was being lowered, Kyle brought himself up and held onto the rope before untangling his foot from it. Once he was close to the ground, Kyle simply jumped down. The moment he did so, he was surrounded by the officials who wanted to make sure that he was alright.


    That, and to placate him so that he wouldn''t sue them for the faulty equipment.


    "Go get that checked out!" one official barked, pointing at the safety harness. "And who was it that checked it before he went up?"


    Another official checked the name list and looked around, "He''s not here."


    "Well, GO FIND HIM!" the guy roared.


    He turned to Kyle, and asked worriedly, "Are you hurt anywhere? We''re so sorry for this unfortunate incident. We''ll get to the bottom of this."


    Kyle nodded, saying, "I''m fine. My reflexes are quick enough for something this small."


    The official couldn''t say anything to that. It was true. The quick reflexes of the young man in front of him not only avoided serious injury - if not death - it also saved the competition. If something that major had happened, the entire competition would have to be shut down. Even now, the higher-ups were frantically trying to salvage the situation.


    Kyle looked around the crowd, seemingly out of boredom as the official prattled on. His eyes narrowed a bit as he spotted one figure hurriedly leaving the area.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    [Warning: R18]


    Nitocris sighed.


    He stood there stoically, watching with indifference as his Boss started another one of his rampages while making mental notes about the things that he would need to replace later. After the last incident with Kyle, Nitocris actually bought in bulk of all the items that the Boss had in the office. His intuition told him that he would need it.


    He was right.


    May was standing at one corner, shivering as she hugged herself and holding on to the leash of her own collar. Although it was scary to see, she preferred the Boss smashing things up as it was far better than having him pay any attention to her. Doing things to her that made her cringe.


    Yet, at the same time, she felt pity for him as she watched him throwing things about.


    She would remember how nice he could be, saying such sweet nothings to her at night and even treat her gently. Apologizing each time after each abusive act, pouring out his heart about his lack of control and how she soothed him in this manner.


    She felt like she was going crazy. She must be going crazy. How could she even pity the man that did such things to her?


    What May didn''t know was that the Boss was imprinting himself on her. Making her become dependent on him in the worst possible way. Total domination and control.


    Stockholm Syndrome.


    It develops when one is placed in a situation where they feel intense fear of physical harm and believe all control is in the hands of their tormentor. Their tormentor was both their saviour and their abuser. The human brain kicks in as a survival strategy for the victims. When you are at the depths of despair, a word or act of kindness would bring you back up.


    The victims start feeling sympathy and concern for the tormentor''s sufferings. They start making excuses for the abuse they fall under and even welcome it in the end, so long as the tormentor treats them well afterward.


    Nitocris noted the conflicted emotions going through May''s face and sighed.


    The Boss loved this game. Take pure, innocent girls and ruin them. Make them completely dependent upon him. Control them completely. However, once he reached this stage, he got bored of them and killed them. Seeing their eyes looking at him in fear and confusion, wondering until their last breath what they did wrong.


    Nitocris looked away and waited. Finally, after venting, the Boss sat down, his breathing heavy.


    "How the hell did he escape this time?" the man demanded.


    "Everything had been executed according to plan. The screws from the holds of the higher levels of the Wall taken out to loosen it, the volunteer in charge of Kyle''s safety harness had unlocked the buckle before Kyle went up," Nitocris dictated from the report Drako gave,


    "And??! If all was so great, how is he still alive??!" Boss exploded, banging the table hard.


    Nitocris didn''t even flinch as he said, "Kyle simply avoided all of the holds that were loose, and when the buckle failed upon descending, he managed to grab hold of the rope with his foot," Nitocris summarised.


    The man in front of him started looking like he was ready to explode.


    "Loose ends?" he growled.


    "Volunteer - and his daughter that we used to threaten him - are dead. Dumped them at the normal place. Fake safety officers that took out the screws are dead as well, their car plunging down the cliff," Nitocris replied.


    The man nodded, satisfied, "Tell Drako to go to the next stage. He can use the Squad," the man said, "I. Want. This. Damn. Boy. Dead. DEAD. Do you hear me? D.E.A.D. DEAD!!"


    Nitocris suppressed an eye roll and answered as normal, "Yes, Sir. Dead. Got it, Sir."


    The Boss glared at him then barked at May, "Come here!!"


    She jerked, and slowly made her way to him. When she saw his face scrunched up in annoyance, she quickly ran over. He grabbed her arm, pulling her onto his lap.


    "Do it," he commanded, looking at her in the eye.


    Nitocris said, "If that is all, Sir, I will take my leave now."


    The Boss grunted as he watched May''s trembling hands unbuckle his belt. Seeing this trembling bunny trying so hard made him want to pound himself into her even harder. He waited as she released his thick shaft from the confines of his pants and positioned it at her entrance.


    May rubbed the tip at her entrance in an attempt to get herself wet first so that it wouldn''t be painful when it went in. However, the Boss was not willing to wait and so he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her down savagely onto his shaft, relishing the flash of pain that flitted over her face.


    Nitocris was at the door, his hand on the handle when he said, "Mother is expecting you tonight. Please don''t be late."


    The man grunted, holding May down as he looked at the stiff back of his son, and replied, "Noted." He then looked at May and commanded, "Move."


    May closed her eyes, tears glistening and started moving, biting back the pain she was feeling as the thing was inside her when she was still so dry. She felt the straps of her negligee being pushed aside, and fall down, exposing her twin peaks to the Boss''s rough hands and slobbering mouth.


    Nitocris walked out. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once outside, Nitocris punched the wall in frustration, hardly caring if the Beast inside there heard him. Knowing that the same blood ran through his own body made him want to puke. Yet, he couldn''t deny it. His cold, ruthless and apathetic nature was similar to the man that he refused to call Father.


    The only light in his life was his Mother. He could never understand how she ended up with that man in the first place. Ever since the accident, she had completely forgotten her past and her pain. She was now living happily in a fantasy world that she created for herself. A perfect family with a filial son and doting husband.


    The filial son was true. The doting husband? Laughable.


    Right now, that ''doting husband'' was the only reason his Mother was happy. Nitocris would do anything for his Mother. His Mother was the one protecting him and showering him with her unconditional love as he grew up. She was the one that saved him from the abyss of torture and pain.


    She was also the one that tried to get him away from this life ... and that was the reason she got into the accident in the first place. It was his fault that his mother turned out this way. When he saw her broken body, held up and being kept alive with all those wires and machines, he vowed that he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her. When she woke up without any memories of her past life but instead, had a fantasy life, Nitocris knew what he had to do.


    He made a deal with the Devil.


    He would serve that Devil of a father and in return, the Devil would turn into a doting husband in front of her. Nitocris was the Devil''s only son and the only heir on his Mother''s side. His Father had the power he did through marriage and if he was to lose his wife and son, he would also lose that powerful backing.


    No longer would Nitocris fight his father and cause problems. He became his most trusted right-hand man that got the job done, no matter what it was. His father was extremely satisfied and would always keep his side of the bargain in order not to lose such a precious commodity.


    Nitocris gritted his teeth and looked at the injury on his knuckles. He sighed. His emotions got the better of him this time. It can''t happen again.


    Nitocris walked off to get it treated before going to meet with his mother.

 Chapter 133 - Elite Five Arrives

    That night, at the hotel, the Smith Twins were going through the day''s event. They were in the 1-bedroom executive suite, which had a King Size Bed that they shared. Originally, Delilah had booked and paid for the 2-bedroom Junior Suite for them - but with a click of the keyboards and Kyle''s credit card, they changed the booking and payment.


    Both were on the bed and already in their pajamas. Well, for Kyle, that basically just meant a singlet and loose pants while Kay wore a T-shirt dress that reached up to her knee.


    Kay was busy looking at her laptop while Kyle was peeling and cutting some apples into bite-size pieces. He would put them in a bowl that was inbetween them. Once in a while, Kay would reach out and take a piece of apple and pop it into her mouth.


    "So we were right," Kay said as she munched on the apple, "Today was an auspicious day."


    "Yes, so it is confirmed," Kay replied, throwing away the seeds and skin of the apple at the wastebasket beside the bed, "It''s Kazuya."


    The Feng Shui Master that they had hired identified three possible zodiac signs. There was just too little for him to go on. However, it was still enough. By comparing all the notes they had, the list then narrowed down to two. Out of these two, the ''auspicious'' days were different.


    If the attack happened today, it would be Kazuya. If in two days time, it would have been another.


    "So how did you know anyway?" Kay asked.


    "They''re really underestimating us," Kyle said, "The moment they said that the security officers were checking the Wall, I knew it must have been in order to tamper with it. So when I studied the Wall, I noticed that one of the holds was slightly not in position. From there, I began checking all the holds."


    Kay laughed, "I don''t think it''s because they underestimated us in this case - I mean, come on Kyle. Just how many people would have known that the hold was slightly skewered? Only you, who had a picture of the original positioning in your mind to make the comparison."


    "Plus," she continued as she took another piece of apple, "Who else but you could do that stupid move? I mean, really? An upside-down handstand?"


    "Hey, it wasn''t stupid. It was awesome!" Kyle said with a grin, comically raising his eyebrows up and down.


    "And the buckle of the safety harness?" Kay asked.


    "It only made sense, right? If I had used that hold as they expected, I would have fallen. The security harness would have caught me - so it means, that must have been tampered with as well. So it was very suspicious that the volunteer just took a tad too long to fix it," Kyle explained.


    "I know that," Kay said, "What I meant was, why didn''t you just fix it back?"


    "I couldn''t actually," Kyle replied, "The guy had snapped the lock in some way so that the buckle could not be locked in position again."


    "Still, since you already knew of the danger, why didn''t you just raise it to the organisers? Just because you had everything under control?" Kay asked, pointing her finger at him.


    "If I did that, then they would know I knew. Then they would wonder how I knew. Then they would start being more careful around me. Then it would be more difficult," Kyle explained.


    "So many ''then''s'' that you''re using," Kay said with a laugh.


    "Then? Is there a problem??" Kyle replied, pretending to be indignant, "Anyway, this way, they would think it was pure luck - or based on my basic skills - that I escaped. I want them to keep underestimating me. Gives me an edge."


    Kay came over and snuggled up to him, "Still, that was so dangerous. I''m glad I wasn''t there to see it."


    Kyle kissed her forehead and said, "I know my limits. So what happened to the guy that sabotaged my buckle?"


    "Dead, presumably," Kay said, as she went back to her laptop, "From the security cameras, he met with the guy you noticed earlier. The camera doesn''t show much, other than them meeting and that they left together."


    Kyle shook his head, "Poor guy. I don''t think he knew what he was getting into."


    "He had no choice," Kay whispered sadly, "I hacked into his emails and phone. They had his daughter. I guess she''s dead as well."


    Both of them became silent then, their hearts heavy.


    "This Kazuya has got to go," Kyle muttered.


    "Agreed, but it won''t be easy," Kay said, typing on her laptop, "He is well protected. He not only fitted the best security in his house and office, but he also is surrounded by lots of bodyguards. He knows he''s a moving target."


    Kay turned the laptop towards Kyle, "But out of all his people, it''s these two that you need to keep an eye out for."


    Kyle leaned over and looked at the screen. Two pictures were shown side-by-side. One appeared of Asian descendent, dressed all in black and looked about 20 years old while the other was a Westerner, in his mid-twenties and had dark hair and hazel eyes. Both had dead-looking eyes.


    "Drako and Nitrocris, huh?" Kyle mumbled as he looked through their information.


    "Drako is Kazuya''s #1 assassin," Kay said, "Never failed before and you''re his first. Probably hates your guts more for that. The other is Kazuya''s son and right-hand man. Rumour has it that he hates his father."


    "Is that so?" Kyle said, "Power struggle?"


    "No," Kay replied, "That''s the strange thing. Nitocris is capable and highly efficient. He''s one of, if not THE, main reason why Kazuya rose up the ranks quickly in the past few years. Why he would be working and helping his father rather than usurping him doesn''t make any sense. More so if the rumours are to be believed."


    "Kazuya must have a hold on him then," Kyle said, "Find out what it is and we may have leverage."


    "Got it," Kay replied then leaned on Kyle''s back, "So what now?"


    "We wait. Observe," Kyle said, "Be extra careful during the auspicious days. Kazuya won''t be doing anymore ''accidents'' during the competition itself as there''s too much heat now. After today, security doubled."


    Kay nodded then said sweetly, hugging him from behind, "Kyle, I''m out of apples."


    "So is this hug your payment for my hard labour?" he grinned, ruffling her hair.


    "No, it''s MY payment for the work you''re putting me through," Kay replied cheekily, snuggling up to him more.


    "What? The hug or the apples?" Kyle asked as he picked up his knife and another apple.


    "Both!" Kay giggled and watched him as he expertly skinned the apple and proceeded to cut it.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle was right.


    There were no more incidences during the competition itself and Kyle managed to breeze through the preliminary rounds. Thankfully, all of the others passed as well so their team qualified for the team competition.


    All of them were gathered around after everyone had finished their preliminary rounds.


    "How many teams are competing?" Kyle asked Cole as he took a chug out of his water bottle. He had just finished his round in the lead climbing.


    "Not many," Cole replied, "Only three. So it''s already set that we''re the top three - it''s now just competing for the top spot."


    "Who are the other teams?" Rxel asked.


    "Let''s see now ..." Cole said as he flipped through some papers, "Team 288 and 793"


    "Were there really THAT many teams participating?" Rylen wondered.


    "No," Cole replied, "The numbers do not indicate the number of people participating. Rather, it''s all in code. The first number is region, the second number is the number of people in the team and the last number is random."


    "Wow, the other teams have so many members. Look. That team has 8 members and the other one has 9," Rxel said, then looked at the other team numbers before this. Although 5 was the minimum, only their team was the one that actually had the minimum number.


    "We''re the only ones with 5 ... AND we qualified for the team competition. How awesome are we?!" Rylen said smugly.


    Cole glared at him, "Don''t get too cocky. The other two teams are strong!"


    Rylen pursed his lips and became serious, nodding.


    Then in a split second, he turned to Kyle and asked, "SO!! Now that we''ve won, when is Kay coming? On the day of the finals or ..?"


    Kyle gave a lopsided grin as he took another chug of his water, his eyes twinkling, "Oh, she''s on the way here, actually. She went to greet some of our friends who are coming to watch the team competition finals tomorrow."


    Rxel and Rylen gave each other a high five, grinning widely.


    Since Kyle was participating in two events, he would not be able to be around most of the time. Rxel and Rylen had already made plans on how to monopolize all of Kay''s time. Theirs was the speed run, so it would be over quite fast. Unlike Kyle.


    They eagerly rubbed their hands together.


    Kyle watched their antics and hid another smile. He could guess what they were thinking and planning, so he was going to relish the next few moments.


    When Kay came into sight, Rxel and Rylen happily rushed over to greet her.


    "KAY! OUR ANGEL!!" they both shouted as they reached close, intending to give her a hug of welcome and pass it off as a congratulatory hug from her.


    However, before they could even get within reach, they were suddenly blocked. Rxel had his head held in a firm grip, effectively making him come to a stop while Rylen has his path blocked by two stern looking guys who stood in front of Kay.


    It was only then that they looked beyond Kay.


    "Er ..." they stammered, wondering what happened.


    Kay''s voice then sounded gently from the wall of the three guys in front of her, "Guys, relax. They''re Kyle''s teammates."


    Rxel pointed to his head, as he looked at the exotic olive-skinned guy that was glaring at him, he squeaked out, "Can you let go now, please?"


    The guy grunted and released his hold. Rxel rubbed his head. It was slightly sore.


    Kay pushed the guys aside, shaking her head, "Rxel and Rylen, meet Ali, Xing Han and Sam. Guys, meet Rxel and Rylen."


    Rxel and Rylen stood at attention as three pairs of eyes stared at them, from top to toe and Xing Han snorted a bit.


    Kay smacked his shoulder, and said, "Behave. Remember, they''re Kyle''s teammates."


    "Teammates or not, OUR Angel Kay is not for you guys," Sam said, taking a step forward.


    "If you want to tackle OUR Angel Kay, you have to get through us first," Ali said.


    "AFTER you get through Kyle," Xing Han continued then added for good measure, "ALSO!! She''s OUR Angel, got it? OURS. Not yours. Don''t go spouting nonsense and calling her your Angel. Cuz she''s OUR Angel..."


    Now it was Sam who smacked Xing Han at the back of his head, "I believe they got it, Xing Han."


    Xing Han pouted, "You can never be too careful." He glared at the twins again and mouthed, while pointing to the three of them, ''OURS''.


    "Urgh, you guys are hopeless," Kay said while rolling her eyes, "Come on, Rxel, Rylen. Just ignore them."


    She went over to them, intending to walk beside them as they head towards Kyle. The twins, however, took a step back, making sure there was a respectable distance between them and Kay. They could feel as if their backs had this big bullseye on it and they didn''t want to provide any reason for an attack.


    They looked at each other.


    Getting through Guardian Kyle was bad enough. Now she had THREE stone walls as defence? They shook their heads dejectedly ... but only for a minute. After that, their grins became wider.


    The best things are always hard to get, right?


    ?????????? Author''s Note of Appreciation ??????????


    16 April 2019


    I am writing this here because it''s too long for Author''s Note. Not going to use up another chapter for it, so bear with me on this.


    Anyway ... have a little bit of secret to tell you guys, my lovely readers.


    NovelFire actually offered me a contract for this novel. Yup, that''s right. Little ''ol me was shocked to the core. WN felt this novel ''had potential'' to be big and thus, wanted to pick it up and yadda yadda, blah blah and so forth. You know the drill.


    So, yeah. Offer to go premium.


    As you know, I started this novel to fulfill my lifelong dream of writing. It was darn hard and extremely scary to take that first step. You know the history from my first Author''s Note.


    What you didn''t know was how hard it was to keep going. It was KIIID that was literally my lifeline and motivation for the first month. Without his/her comments which gave me so much encouragement, I wouldn''t have reached this stage.


    So, first of all, thank you, KIIID. I don''t know if you ever realise how much your comments meant to me then - and still mean to me, now.


    Also, during those first few months: Henrika / minime / Qiu that had voted and cghaith for the enthusiastic ''I love your novel'' type comments - it kept me going. Thank you.


    Now, there are so many of you who makes me smile each day and make me love writing out about Kyle and the others. To share them with you. To see how you fangirl with me over them. To curse the bad guys for them. All of your comments are precious to me.


    Thank you, Nitocris and drako555 who always votes but never comments (that''s why I used their usernames for the Underworld. Felt it was so apt)


    Thank you, Akira / Alex / Edward / Lucka / Yume / Zero for suddenly bursting out from hiding and doing it occasionally. It opened my eyes to the fact that there ARE people who really like the novel to the point of re-reading it. That seriously was mind-boggling. Finding out you were guys was also a shock and it made me so happy as well (cuz I didn''t think it would EVER appeal to guys).


    Thank you, Rxel / Rylen / moreCHAPlease / cloudgugu / taelovestata / *hidden : who have been commenting regularly the past few chapters. Reading your thoughts on the chapter really picked me up.


    Thank you, random readers, who drop and comment, especially those that tell me how much they like the novel or how they feel about it.


    Thank you, silent readers, who do nothing but just vote; which shows me your silent support and love for the novel.


    So, basically ... thinking of that, I felt that Kyle & the Elite Five wasn''t just my creation. They grew because of you guys. I wouldn''t have reached this stage if it wasn''t for all of your support, love, and encouragement. It was you guys who kept my passion up. With your comments, votes, reviews and most of all, and our interaction in the comments ... it all means SO much to me.


    So, having this go premium and making you pay when you''re family ... didn''t feel right. So, I declined at first.


    However ...


    ? Updated 26 January 2020??


    WN contacted me AGAIN for a contract on 20 July 2019.


    After thinking about it for a week, I accepted it this time. I didn''t want Kyle to die, and since Webnovel was where it first began, this is where he''ll stay.


    However, I didn''t go premium immediately as I wanted to try and finish the novel first. Due to real-life circumstances, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t finish it by December 2019.


    Novel will go premium on 29 January 2020 (between 12-6pm, +8GMT) and locked retrospectively from Volume 4. The revenge arc will be done by then, so only the relationship arcs of Kyle and Kay remain. It will continue for 2-3 months (I think), which will also include the epilogue of the Elite Five.


    ???????????????????????? S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 134 - Second Seed Sprouts Early

    That night, the entire Elite Five were hanging out in Kyle''s and Kay''s room. Their rooms were side-by-side and had a connecting door (which had to be opened on both sides).


    That was the main reason why Kyle had changed Delilah''s booking. The 1-bedroom Executive Suite was connected to the Executive Prestige Twin room, which could have up to four people. There were two double beds and Kyle had requested an extra single bed to be sent up the day before.


    The 1-bedroom Suite was complete with a living room, dining room and a kitchenette. Right now, they were pigging out on pizza in the living room. There was beef pepperoni pizza, 3-cheese pizza, beef extravaganza pizza ... and the dreaded Hawaiian pizza.


    Xing Han picked up a slice of Hawaiian pizza and looked at the pineapples on it in disdain, "Just what human being thought that a pineapple would go well on a pizza?!"


    Kyle took the slice from his hand and replied, "A genius!"


    "Pineapples do NOT go on pizza," insisted Xing Han, taking a slice of the beef extravaganza pizza - which had beef pepperoni and minced beef generously scattered on it, "THIS is what a pizza should look like."


    Kay rolled her eyes, "Are you guys seriously going into that pineapple debate each and everytime we get pizza?" Kay was munching on the cheese pizza, having fun pulling the cheese at the same time.


    "It''s Xing Han," Sam replied solemnly while eating the beef pepperoni pizza, "He can''t accept that Kyle actually likes it."


    "It''s the one flaw of my otherwise perfect BFF," Xing Han lamented.


    Kyle just grinned and took a big bite of the pizza in front of Xing Han''s face, making sure he saw the pineapple as well.


    "Go! Go away you vile pineapple pizza eater!" Xing Han said, putting his hand in front of him like it was a ward that repelled curses.


    "So, Kyle," Ali began slowly, wondering if this was the best time to raise it, "Any news on the attackers from before? Team Zero wouldn''t talk about it."


    "Oh, about Team Zero ..." Kyle said a bit hesitatingly, a bit worried that Ali might have felt offended. After all, they had already revealed Team Zero''s true worth yet they wouldn''t share any information with Ali or the others.


    Ali waved his hands in front of his face, "No, no. Don''t worry. I know that they can''t divulge things. That''s why I''m asking you instead."


    Kyle nodded, taking another bite of his pizza, "Well ..."


    "Euw, please Kyle. Swallow first before talking," Ali scolded.


    "You mean THIS" Kyle asked, opening his mouth and showing the chewed up pizza in it, "bothers you?"


    "That''s it!" Ali put down his pizza and lunged at Kyle.


    Kyle nimbly avoided the attack, putting the pizza in his mouth as blocked Ali''s punches and kicks with his hands. After a few minutes of this, Kyle stopped the ''fight'' by sending him a kick that stopped one millimeter from Ali''s face.


    Ali stared at the foot, then tipped to the side a bit to see Kyle taking a bite from his pizza. Kyle, upon seeing Ali stop, brought down his leg and sat down.


    "You shouldn''t have played while eating, Kyle," Kay scolded him.


    Kyle grimaced and nodded, "Yeah, sorry."


    He looked at Ali and with a raised eyebrow, he asked, "Satisfied?"


    Ali sighed and sat back down, taking the cheese pizza, "Fine. You can fight. Next time, we spar for real."


    "As for your question," Kyle said, leaning back on the sofa, "He''ll be making his move tomorrow. What, though, I don''t know yet."


    "So, what? You''re just going to wait and see?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    "That''s all we can do, really," Kay replied, "We do have two shadow guards with us, so that lessens the risk. Team Alex, too."


    "They''re here as well?" Sam asked curiously, "Aren''t they just the offense and defense for the company and business?"


    Kyle shook his head, "No. It''s offense and defense for us."


    "The company and business is a part of us, you see. However, their role isn''t focused on that aspect alone. Their role is actually for us, to be by our side and protect us in whatever we do. Thus, that includes business - and protection," Kay explained.


    "That''s .... a lot to place on just a small group," Ali commented with awe.


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, "That''s because ... they''re not the only group that we have. They''re just the only group we show."


    Ali, Xing Han, and Sam stared at the Smith twins at the new revelation. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam''s mind started thinking again.


    The more he learned about Kyle, the more convinced he was. He had gone back to mull over several matters and even discussed it with his parents. He hadn''t quite made a decision yet, but now, with what Kyle had just said, he knew. This was the path he wanted to take.


    "Kyle," Sam began and hesitated a bit.


    Kyle waited, knowing that Sam had something important to say from the expression on his face. He was patient, waiting for Sam to gather his thoughts and form the words - and perhaps, courage - to do so.


    "I want to be your assistant, permanently," Sam said, "And ... like Team Zero or Alex, be your offense and defense."


    Kyle looked at Kay, quering for her thoughts and she nodded.


    Kyle turned back to look at Sam. This was a surprise to Kyle. He didn''t think Sam would be so decisive and immediately jump on the door Kyle had deliberately shown him. He had to thank the lift incident for this. In fact, there were many things he was grateful for, due to the lift incident.


    First, it was a tight slap to his face to get him to not be complacent. As a result, he trained harder and would never take things for granted. That, in turn, made him catch on the second attempt on his life easier and faster.


    Secondly, it allowed him to introduce his other life to the Elite Five. Slowly, via Team Zero. He never intended to hide it from them but he couldn''t quite figure out how to actually tell them about it. How to ease them into it. Having them see Team Zero in action was better than any speech he could have made.


    Now, this.


    Kyle, however, wanted to make sure. Sam saying this was way ahead of the time Kyle had planned but it was still good.


    "Are you sure, Sam?" Kyle asked, looking at him straight in the eye. The others were silent, reading the serious atmosphere within the room.


    "Yes," Sam said with conviction, "Like you said to CEO Charles. He needs a reliable, trustworthy executive secretary. So do you. I can be that to you, Kyle."


    "Believe me, Sam, I''d love nothing better but I need to know. What about your dreams to be in media?" Kyle asked., "We''re only 13. No, wait. You''re only 12 and you have so much more in your future. So much more time to consider and think about this."


    The last thing he wanted was to take Sam''s dream away from him. If there was even a shred of doubt or some inkling of him going to regret this decision, Kyle needed to know now.


    For once Sam works for him, Kyle was never intending to let him go.


    Sam was the perfect candidate as Kyle''s assistant. Sam not only could read people very well, but he was also extremely passionate about robotics. That makes his worth to Kyle and MIB beyond measure.


    However, what made him invaluable and irreplaceable was that he is someone that Kyle trusted explicitly. Kyle needed someone by his side that could help him in his role as the CEO of Smith Industries AND also MIB. Sam fit the bill to a T.


    "You are my future, Kyle," Sam said, "I want to be by your side from now until you don''t need me anymore."


    "Okay, now that just sounded so wrong yet so right," Xing Han whispered to Ali.


    "This IS what I want to do. Working for you, and with you, fills me with a sense of satisfaction that I never thought possible," Sam explained, "Just that one day as your assistant at Company LV made me thirst for more. You never cease to amaze me and I am so fascinated by it all. Seeing your double life whetted that passion even more. Believe me, Kyle. I do NOT regret this and will never regret this."


    Kyle gave a big grin and shook Sam''s hand.


    "Okay. Welcome aboard, Sam," Kyle said, "I''ll have my lawyers draft out a contract and you get your parents to sign it on your behalf. Once you''re of legal age, we''ll have a new contract that will set out your new job scope."


    Sam grinned back, grasping Kyle''s hand in happiness.


    "Wow, Sam," Xing Han said, "You''re working at the tender age of 12. What are the odds?"


    Kyle took another slice of pizza and said, "For now, the focus is for Sam to finish schooling. During the school holidays, if I am working, then Sam will accompany me. You''ll be paid a salary, of course."


    Sam nodded, listening intently.


    "There''s not much to do right now though. It''ll pick up in 2 years time as that is when Dad wants me to be more active in the main HQ," Kyle revealed, "So be prepared that you''ll not be going home anymore after that, Sam. So I ask you again, for the final time. Are you sure?"


    "Yes," Sam replied firmly.


    "Great!" Kyle said, then asked, "You''re mine now, and I''m never letting you go."


    "Okay, now THAT sounds really wrong, Kyle," Xing Han said with a pout, "So long as you remember that I''m your first, okay?"


    Kyle laughed then waved the pizza slice in his hand, "So who wants the last slice?"


    [That was an unexpected windfall, brother]


    [You said it] Kyle said with a smile as he took a bite of his pizza [Slightly different than what I imagined his role to be but this is even better. Will have to tweak his file to take this into account - and his robotics hobby]


    [Never thought Sam was going to be the first, though]


    [Agree with you on that, Kay. Thought it would be Ali]


    Kyle sat back, chewing on the last Hawaiian slice of pizza and drinking milk. He observed the bunch of guys in front of him that meant the world to him right now. He smiled, thinking ...


    Who would have thought, that the second seed would sprout so early? Would this mean that his future would be even brighter? Kyle couldn''t wait to see how it''ll be.

 Chapter 135 - Drako

    The next day, the Elite Five went to the Rock Climbing venue first, after collaborating with Cole on the time to meet. As usual, Kyle needed to scout the area first before it got too crowded.


    As they reached the place, they saw Alex already at the venue, looking around him. His hair was dyed brown and he was dressed in a plain T-shirt and jeans, sneakers and his sunglasses pushed up on his head. He didn''t have that aura that Team Zero had when they worked at Company LV. He looked like any typical person there to watch the competition, blending well into the background.


    The Elite Five did not greet him and neither did he greet them. They passed each other like strangers in the night as Alex walked away and Kyle walked towards the competition venue. He stood behind the railings that were placed as a temporary barrier, not intending to go in yet even though he could.


    Xing Han came to stand beside Kyle and placed his hands on the railing which reached their waist. He looked left and right before leaning forward to Kyle and whispered, "Do you think they''ll attack you in public like this?"


    Kyle shook his head, turned and leaned on the railing with the back of his elbows as he surveyed the viewing area, "No. They lost that chance the other day so their next move would most likely be covert. Stay together and don''t split up. If you have to, make sure you go in pairs."


    Kyle didn''t want any of those close to him be in any danger and Team Alex was already on guard duty. Unknown to the Elite Five, however, Team Alex was told to focus on them with Kyle being the secondary focus.


    Kyle figured that he already had one shadow guard with him so he was relatively safer than most. There was a risk that Kazuya would target him through his family and friends, so naturally, the Elite Five would be in danger. Having the Elite Five come to the competition also made it easier for Kyle to monitor them and the situation.


    Kyle went as far as utilising MIB''s resources to ensure that Sam''s family was protected. Ali''s and Xing Han''s families already had their own security measures, so it wasn''t an issue.


    "You think that we may be in danger as well?" Ali asked, catching on the words Kyle said.


    "Hmm," Kyle confirmed, "Just a precautionary measure. After all, the Elite Five is not exactly a secret."


    Kyle looked up at the sky, noting how fluffy the clouds were and how blue it was. He can''t wait for this whole Kazuya thing to be over and done with. He didn''t like being targetted - who would? And he didn''t like his family and friends being in danger even more.


    Kyle felt he had to speed up the Underworld File. As much as he hated it, it was something he knows he has to face. ''Kylie'' had been murdered. Tortured for a flimsy thumbdrive. There had to be some underworld connection to it. He would not be able to do what was needed if he did not get his hands dirty.


    Kyle looked at his hands at that point. In fact, it was already dirty and full of blood. He had killed people - but they were those who deserved it. So, it still didn''t hit his moral compass yet.


    Yet, from this incident, Kyle knew that he had to be more involved in the underworld. He would need to be more ruthless. More decisive. More ... cruel.


    But he didn''t think he could do it. Not the way it should be done, at least. On every coin, there are two sides, there is the light and there is the darkness. You can''t have one without the other. Will he lose himself once he goes down that path?


    "What''s wrong?" Xing Han asked worriedly, noting the pensive mood Kyle was under suddenly.


    The Kyle meter was beeping strong within Xing Han, and he knew that there was something Kyle was feeling extremely worried and down about despite there not being any change in Kyle''s expression.


    However, instead of saying anything, Kyle just flashed a big smile and flung his hands over his shoulder, "Nothing. Just thinking about the competition."


    ''Hmmph. Looks like ''Make Kyle Talk'' is going to take more work,'' thought Xing Han to himself.


    Still, he didn''t press the issue and started clowning around with Kyle. Xing Han figured Kyle would talk eventually. He''ll make sure of that.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    It was late evening.


    Kyle, the twins, and Ken had already done their runs and they all had done quite well. Kyle was staring at the scoreboard, which indicated that overall, their team had quite high scores. Still, it was close with Team 793 and the last competition would determine who would be the overall champion. Third place was already set as the distance between them and 288 was very big.


    In fact, Team 588 could already see it and was hardly putting in any more effort in it. Kyle scoffed at that. It didn''t matter if you win or lose - what mattered was that you always try your best. This attitude of Team 288 clearly showed that they were only interested in the end game and not the game itself. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How else would you improve if you simply give up just because the going was tough?


    Kyle turned to walk over to the Elite Five that were sitting beyond the security barrier. The last competition, the lead climbing, was in another hour so Kyle had some time to pass. Just as he passed by Cole, however, he noted the worried look on his face.


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked as Cole punched the keys on his phone.


    "Cathy''s not here yet," he said, as he listened in, "And she''s not picking up her phone."


    Kyle frowned, "When was the last time you talked to her?"


    "Last night," Cole said, "She said she''d be here this morning but there''s no head or tail of her anywhere. This is not like her at all."


    "Maybe her battery ran out and she couldn''t get to you," Kyle said, "Let''s wait till tonight before doing anything. The police won''t act until at least 24 hours have passed, anyway."


    Cole nodded and tried calling his daughter again.


    Kyle patted Cole''s shoulder and walked over to the Elite Five. He jumped over the barrier and sat beside them.


    Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Kyle''s phone rang. He turned to Kay who gave him his phone and his face frowned at seeing the unknown number. The suspicion in his heart grew.


    He answered the call but didn''t say anything.


    "You. Alone. Zone C of Park KC. Any wrong move, she dies," the voice said simply.


    In the background, Kyle could hear Cathy shouting, "KYLE! No! It''s a trap!"


    He gripped the phone hard, anger bubbling in his heart, "If you hurt one hair on her head ...."


    The guy just laughed, "Ten minutes. Tick tock."


    Kyle smashed his phone on the ground. The Elite Five guys jumped a bit, shocked.


    "They''ve got Cathy," Kyle explained getting up, "Kay, stall for time at the competition. Guys, you HAVE to stay here and not move. Do not follow me. They''re likely watching us right now."


    Which would explain how they called him right as he sat down. Since he was climbing, he handed all his things to Kay. They knew everything and was watching everything.


    Kay nodded and hugged him. Taking his face in her hands, whereby her fingers were on his ears, Kyle kissed the top of her head. She patted the side of his head for good measure and waved goodbye.


    "Are you really going to let him go alone?!" Xing Han said under his breath, his eyes deep in worry.


    "He won''t be alone," Kay said, "Team Alex has been notified. I already placed the earpiece into Kyle''s ear earlier so he can communicate with them."


    "Huh? You did? When?" Xing Han asked, his eyes wide open.


    Kay simply showed him her hands, then closed them and an earpiece emerged inbetween her fingers. She then moved her fingers and the earpiece traveled from one end of her finger to the other before it disappeared.


    "Kyle''s not the only one who learned sleight of hand," Kay explained.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*


    On the way to Park KC, which was adjacent to where the competition was being held, Kyle quietly gave orders to Team Alex. He didn''t move his lips while talking, using the same skill as a ventriloquist.


    "Alex, get a pinpoint on Cathy''s phone and at the same time, where the last call was made. Save her first," Kyle ordered, "Get the shadow guards to protect Kay and the others."


    Alex conveyed the order to the rest of the team, and contacted the shadow guards by phone. Both of the shadow bodyguards were actually MIB, who had been recruited while they were working for the Smith Industries. Kyle always made sure that those from Smith Industries who were his security detail, would all be MIB.


    He needed people loyal to him, and not to Smith Industries. A person is less likely to betray the person he works for, if he is loyal to the person. If it''s the company, he can still be persuaded so long as the other party can provide better prospects. Kyle didn''t need that.


    "What about you, Sir?" Alex queried, "Don''t you need backup?"


    "I do not know how many people are with Cathy," Kyle explained, "You guys handle that first then come and join me. I shall stall as long as possible."


    Alex nodded in understanding. So long as Cathy was held prisoner, Kyle would not be able to act freely. Once that constraint was over, things would be different. Alex quickly set things into motion, with the others working furiously to pinpoint Cathy''s location.


    When Kyle reached the destination, he realised why the other party had chosen the spot. Park KC may be a public park, but Zone C had been cordoned off due to ''maintenance'' work. It was deserted and far enough from any prying eyes.


    Kyle went under the barrier and walked over to Zone C.


    There, waiting, was Drako.

 Chapter 136 - The Fight

    "I''m at the rendezvous point and I see Drako," Kyle reported, "I''m going silent now as I need to concentrate on this. Report everything to Kay."


    "Affirmative, Sir," said Alex, "We''ve located Ms. Cathy and will start extracting her once our men are in position."


    "Good. Out," Kyle said and walked ahead.


    ''Out'' was their code word to go silent and keep the frequency clear. Only during an emergency can they break the silence, or until Kyle speaks. For situations like this, Kyle needed to concentrate and he could get distracted with a voice in his head - or ear - when he''s busy fighting.


    [Be careful, brother]


    [Always. Out.]


    Kyle walked slowly towards Drako, his eyes focused on the unmoving figure in front of him.


    Drako was a well-built young man, with a buzz cut and cold, piercing eyes. He exuded this aura of Death, like a scorpion, that was always ready to strike. Kyle studied him intently and could see the hate within those dark orbs of his. These were details that a mere picture could not give.


    Kay was right that the man in front of him hated him for being alive.


    Kyle stopped a few meters away from Drako. Not too far and yet, not too close. Kyle was ready to jump back should Drako make a move.


    Drako looked at the young boy in front of him. seeing him close-up for the very first time. All these times, it had first been through photos, binoculars and always at a distance.


    "You really are so very young," Drako said, "And abnormally skilled. Too bad it ends today."


    Kyle cocked his head to one side, raising an eyebrow, "Why are you doing all of this? Since it''ll be my last day and all, shouldn''t I at least know why I died?"


    Drako laughed, shaking his head, "A dead man need not know anything."


    "Tch. So stingy," Kyle said, "Didn''t think the infamous Drako would actually show himself to little ''ol me though."


    Drako''s eyes narrowed as he glared at Kyle, "How did you know who I was?"


    Drako always worked in the dark, and rarely showed his face. Even with the Boss, he would enter and leave in secret. People knew of ''Drako'', the #1 assassin of Kazuya, but only a handful of people knew how he looked like.


    Kyle grinned and replied, "A dead man need not know anything." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Drako raised an eyebrow, surprised at how calm Kyle was,


    "Bold statement," Drako said with a smile, "Do you have the ability to back it up?"


    Kyle moved his head suddenly to the right, narrowly avoiding a thrown projectile from behind him. Kyle turned, grabbed the attacker''s hand that the attacker had thrust forward to stab him in the back. Kyle twisted his wrist to disarm him, pulled his arm forward then grabbed him by the neck. He pulled the guys head down while bringing up his knee, smashing the guy''s face.


    Without skipping a beat, Kyle threw the guy aside, blocked another attack from a 2nd attacker. He grabbed the guy''s knife that was in his waist belt, and with a swing of his arm, sliced his throat. Kyle then swung his arm back to stab a guy behind him in the stomach and pulled upwards to slice his stomach wide open before taking out the knife.


    He flipped the knife so that he held the tips of the blade in his fingers and threw it in front of him, embedding it in the forehead of another. Kyle made a roundhouse kick to the head of the first attacker that was getting up and he fell back unconscious.


    Kyle bent down and twisted the guy''s neck, breaking it. He then stood up straight, looking at Drako, raising an eyebrow, "You only sent four? That''s a bit ... underestimating me too much, isn''t it?"


    Drako looked at the four fallen bodies around and pursed his lips. He sighed, shaking his head. Never did he think that the boy not only had the skills to fight, but also to kill.


    [Cathy''s safe, brother]


    [Perfect timing. Tell Alex to get rid of the trash around first]


    [He''s already on it]


    [Good. Once done, just observe. I need to get info from Drako. Out.]


    Kyle figured there must be more men hidden in the bushes. Drako wouldn''t just send these pathetic four now, would he?


    "Looks like you do not value the young lady''s life," Drako was saying as he took out a phone and proceeded to make a call.


    "What? You expected me to just stand there and have them kill me?" Kyle scoffed, "You didn''t tell me not to move or whatever. So it''s your fault."


    "Also not my fault they''re so weak," Kyle added for good measure.


    Drako frowned and looked at his phone while Kyle studied him and his expressions.


    "And not my fault your men are so stupid to let their captor escape," Kyle continued with a grin.


    Drako turned to look at Kyle, his eyes now a darker shade as he got angrier. He gave a signal but nothing happened.


    "Also not my fault my men have taken out your men," Kyle said, "Looks like it''s just you and me now, Drako. Why don''t you just give up?"


    Drako snorted, "Me? Give up? In your dreams kid."


    "Isn''t it just a waste? Cathy''s safe, your men are all out," Kyle pointed out.


    "But I''m not," Drako said, throwing the phone to the ground.


    Drako launched the first move, sending his fist to Kyle''s face. Just as Kyle avoided it, Drako''s fist became an open palm to hit him from another angle. Kyle dodged that easily, too, but his face had a slight frown.


    That move of Drako''s ... Kyle recognised it but he couldn''t believe it. He must have seen it wrong.


    Drako followed that move by giving two swift kicks towards Kyle''s face. Kyle moved quickly, avoiding the double kicks and kicked Drako in the stomach. Kyle felt like he hit a concrete wall, despite not holding back on that kick. Drako just moved back an inch, his face not showing any pain.


    Drako immediately launched another kick, this time to his mid-section. Kyle leaned to the side and blocked it with his elbow, following it up with a sidekick with one leg and a kick to the stomach with the other, then with the momentum gained, made a butterfly kick to Drako''s face.


    Kyle could see - and feel - his foot connect to Drako''s cheek. Yet, despite the force of the kick, Drako hardly changed his expression. If anything, he just looked angrier. A seed of doubt entered Kyle''s mind.


    There were too many things that didn''t add up.


    Kyle avoided Drako''s punch to his face and returned a punch. He avoided yet another punch and managed to hit Drako again, this time aiming for his neck. Kyle was getting frustrated that all of his kicks and punches seemingly not having any effect on Drako.


    He also felt like he was kicking and punching a wall rather than a man made of flesh. Thus, Kyle had to change tactics and aim for all the weak spots such as the throat. However, to Kyle''s horror and shock, not only was the punch ineffective, Drako then brought his chin down and trapped Kyle''s hand there!


    Kyle immediately tried to pull his hand away but it was locked tight; and before he could execute another move, Drako punched him in the gut. Kyle doubled over from the force and Drako kicked him hard on the chest, sending him flying a few meters.


    Without missing a beat, Kyle tumbled and got up immediately, in a fighting stance. He narrowly avoided a kick from Drako, then blocked another kick from the other side. For the next minute or two, all Kyle could do at that time was simply defend against Drako''s attacks. He had no opportunity to attack in return.


    Now both of them were breathing hard, staring at each other, and in their fighting stance.


    "Tell me, Drako," Kyle panted, "What''s a disciple from S Temple doing, being an assassin?"


    Drako rushed to punch him and Kyle nimbly stepped aside. Drako gave a front kick which Kyle avoided by bending over backwards and was almost at a 90 degrees angle (Kyle would seriously rock it at a limbo party). Drako brought down his leg to smash at Kyle''s chest and Kyle blocked it by crossing his hands in front of him and then pushed the leg away.


    Straightening up, Kyle rushed over to Drako, and did a running kick on his chest. This essentially meant that his foot landed on Drako''s stomach, then the other foot immediately followed to kick above it and he went to kick at the neck with the other foot.


    So if one was to look at this move from afar, it would appear as if Kyle was running on Drako''s chest.


    Drako grabbed Kyle''s offending foot at his neck and Kyle used his other foot to kick Drako right under the chin with the heel of his other leg. Kyle made a somersault and landed neatly on his feet.


    Drako''s head snapped back hard and he stumbled, falling on his back. The back of his head hitting the ground as he fell.


    "I wonder what your Master would say if he could see you now," Kyle commented, "Betraying the core teachings of the S Temple."


    "SHUT UP" Drako roared as he got up, "My Master is Kazuya. Not this S Temple you keep spouting!"


    Although Drako said that, he couldn''t help but feel that it was wrong the moment the words came out of his mouth. His head hurt, probably due to Kyle''s kick. He doesn''t know why, but Kyle''s words stung at his heart. What is this S Temple that he keeps talking about?


    "Seriously? Drako, come on," Kyle said, his eyes focused on Drako who had gotten up, "Who do you think you''re lying to? Your moves are typically S Temple. That closed fist-and-open palm strike. That double-kick. You think I''m blind? You think if you lie about it, you didn''t break your oath?"


    "I SAID SHUT UP!!" Drako shouted, his heart somehow hurting with each word that Kyle said.


    Drako reached into his shirt and threw three knives at Kyle, one at a time and in quick succession straight to the heart. Kyle avoided the first, got grazed by the second and the third hit him squarely in the chest.


    Drako watched with satisfaction as he saw the knife slide into the body, the force making Kyle fall backwards and onto the ground.


    Team Alex, hidden in the bushes, was frozen. It had all happened too fast.

 Chapter 137 - The Rescue

    Drako began laughing uncontrollably, seeing the unmoving body of Kyle on the ground, the knife handle sticking out from his chest right where the heart is.


    Strangely enough, the laughter became sobs.


    Drako''s face was now wet with tears which he did not bother to wipe as he got closer to Kyle''s body, "Why? What is this ... pain that I am feeling? What did you do to me, you stupid boy?!"


    Drako kicked the still body in frustration, satisfied when there was no reaction or movement from it. He knelt down, staring at the face. Such a young face. Such a peaceful face. If one didn''t look at the knife protruding from the chest, one would think that he was merely sleeping.


    Drako poked Kyle''s forehead, "Serves you right. I should be happy. I got you..."


    Suddenly, his offending finger was gripped tightly and Kyle''s eyes opened. Before Drako''s mind could process anything, Kyle had pulled him close, pressed some points on Drako''s neck. Kyle then grabbed him by the neck, turned around and smashed Drako on the ground.


    Kyle quickly got on top of Drako, sitting on his stomach and pressed a few more acupuncture points on his chest and arms. Drako''s eyes that had been wide open in shock, slowly closed.


    "Get the cleaning crew here quickly," Kyle said to his earpiece, "Kay, how long do I have?"


    Kyle took out the knife that was seemingly embedded in his chest. There was no blood flow nor any trace of blood on it. Luckily he had already mastered this move. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have worked so well.


    Team Alex, that had been in the shadows, quickly came out and took in the scene in front of them without blinking an eyelid. Their eyes said Kyle had been stabbed and their brains were screaming that what Kyle was doing is impossible ... but you cannot deny what their eyes were seeing right now.


    So, they concentrated on doing their job. When they had first seen Kyle fall, all of them wanted to rush forward and kill the guy. However, Kay had told them to stand down and that Kyle was fine.


    Although their eyes showed a different scene, they trusted Kay. So stand down they did.


    Though they almost lost it again when Drako went over and kicked Kyle.


    "I''m going to cut off that leg ... " said Yume through gritted teeth.


    Alex patted him on the shoulder, "We all feel the same way, Yume. Just ... be patient."


    "Five minutes, brother," Kay said, "Cathy''s here too."


    Lucka came over to check up on Kyle. Kyle winced when Lucka examined his chest and pulling up the shirt, saw that it was already beginning to bruise badly from the earlier fight.


    "Drako kicks are lethal," Kyle said nonchalantly, then said to the others, "Leave Drako in one piece, okay?"


    Team Alex grumbled under their breath.


    "You shouldn''t climb in this condition," Lucka advised and checked on his ribs, where Drako had kicked just now, "Your ribs may be cracked as well."


    Kyle shook his head, "No. Just put Master Shifu''s ointment and wrap it up tightly with gauze. I can do it. I''ve been through worse under him anyway."


    Kyle took off his shirt and let Lucka do his thing while the others cleared the ''crime scene'' of any evidence that could lead them to Kyle.


    "Secure Drako and bring him to MIB at Master Shifu''s place," Kyle instructed, "There''s something about him that needs checking up on. Ask Master Shifu to take a look."


    Once Lucka wrapped him up tightly, Kyle put back his shirt and dashed off, utilising his full speed and cloaking techniques. When he came nearer to more people and the venue, he slowed down and slipped through the masses to reach where the Elite Five were.


    Xing Han screamed when Kyle suddenly appeared next to him.


    "Ye Gads, Kyle! Don''t DO that! I nearly had a heart attack," Xing Han said, breathing hard and clutching his chest.


    The interest that was garnered by the initial scream faded away when they saw that it was merely a scare prank.


    Kyle grinned and flung his hand over Xing Han''s shoulder.


    Though everyone was smiling, Ali asked worriedly, "Are you okay, Kyle?"


    "Yup, no worries," Kyle replied, "My team''s turn is next. Celebratory dinner is on me later!"


    They watched as Kyle walked off. Again, the guys were flabbergasted.


    "So ... the threat?" Sam asked hesitatingly.


    "Neutralised," Kay replied.


    "When you say ''neutralised'', do you mean ..." Ali began.


    Kay interrupted him, jerking her head towards Xing Han as she answered while looking at Ali straight in the eye and without changing expressions, "Yes."


    "Wow, Kay," Xing Han said with wide-eyes, "It''s amazing how Team Alex could settle the matter. Save Cathy and Kyle. Those guys didn''t have a chance. Did they manage to escape or have the police caught them?"


    "Oh, we''re not involving the police," Kay said, "But rest assured, the guys won''t cause anymore trouble."


    Of course, there''s still Kazuya to handle. This was just the first step.


    Sam watched the exchange in silence. Truth be told, he was shocked at what Kay had stated. After analysing the situation and thinking about it, Sam realised that this was the only way that the matter could be settled.


    The people were the Underground, and it was unlikely that the police would do anything either. Getting the police involved wouldn''t be a smart move but letting the perpetrators go would only bite them back later.


    One had to fight fire with fire.


    With that thought, Sam knew that in order to be by Kyle''s side meant that he has to embrace the darker side as well.


    Sam shrugged. Not a problem. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Personally, he didn''t see that the move was wrong. It was a logical move. You can''t be kind to your enemies and they must be nipped in the bud. From what he could see, Kyle was only defending and attacked only when provoked.


    That, in itself, spoke volumes. Sam''s respect for Kyle grew even more.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    When Kyle reached the team, Cathy suddenly gave him a hug. Ken was glaring at Kyle while Cole just smiled. The twins were giving great big grins, two thumbs up and mouthed, ''Niiiiiiicceeee''


    Kyle returned the hug briefly and patted Cathy''s back.


    Just before she let go, she whispered in his ear, "Thank you."


    Kyle didn''t answer but simply nodded.


    Only Cathy knew the true role Kyle played in her rescue. She had already given up, figuring that they wouldn''t let her go no matter what. Thus, she didn''t want to drag Kyle in and shouted the warning. She wondered what sort of life Kyle must have, to have people target him like this.


    Cathy had been held captive in a wooden shed somewhere, blindfolded and tied to a chair. She heard some gunshots, shouts and shuddered, wondering what was going on. Soon, the blindfold on her eyes was removed and the first sight she saw was a guy with a kind and a rather shy face looking at her as he asked gently, "Are you okay?"


    Cahty nodded her head, not able to say a word. He was like an angel, right there and then.


    "Zero! Hostage secured?" a voice sounded from outside.


    "Yes, she''s safe," the guy in front of her said as he went to the back and cut her rope, letting her free. She rubbed her wrists that were sore from the rope and thought to herself, ''Zero, huh.''


    Zero wasn''t paying any attention to her at that point, merely looking about to secure the area. He then placed a hand on her back, pushing her forward gently, "Come on, let''s get you out of here."


    She followed obediently.


    She found out later that the group that saved her was Kyle''s personal guards. They told her to keep it a secret as their existence was meant to be Kyle''s security. He had mobilised them to save her, risking exposure, as Kyle had felt she had been in danger because of him.


    Cathy was touched by the gesture and didn''t blame Kyle in the least. That''s why she hugged him then. Cathy didn''t tell her father what had happened, not wanting to worry him or implicate Kyle in any way. So she lied and told him that her purse had been stolen, and it had her phone and wallet in it. She chased after the thief, only to get lost. It had taken her some time to find her way.


    She endured her father''s scolding.


    Cole didn''t think much about Cathy hugging Kyle, but Ken certainly did mind.


    "Please say thanks to the team again for me," Cathy said softly to Kyle, "Especially Zero. He was very kind to me when I was so scared."


    Upon hearing this, Kyle hid a smile.


    "Did you hear that, Zero?" Kay teased, "You have a fan."


    Kyle hadn''t removed the earpiece yet and everyone was still connected.


    Zero, meanwhile, had his hands frozen over the keyboards of the laptop. He gulped, his face suddenly beet red like a tomato. He hung his head down low, concentrating (or at least, tried to) on observing the screen in front of him.


    Team Alex wisely kept quiet.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    The day ended with the prize giving ceremony.


    Cole stood proudly at the first place position, his face had such a huge grin that it looked like it would split into two.


    The team no longer needed to compete in the individual rounds if they didn''t want to, as the scores they obtained from the team rounds would be used for the individual rounds as well.


    For this, Kyle had performed exceptionally well, making sure that he broke all the records yet not so high that it would be mind-boggling. Unfortunately, it wasn''t mind-boggling to him since he was still holding back but it was already beyond mind-boggling to other people.


    So much for being low-key.


    It was just that Kyle felt he owed Cole. It was because of him, that Cathy had been in danger in the first place.


    This competition was Cole''s dream and so, Kyle felt that it was only fair that he helped Cole win spectacularly in the team competition and at least, bag the individual part for bouldering (senior category) and lead climbing (junior category).


    After Cole accepted the trophy, the other team members got their medals. All stood for a group photo and had to endure multiple camera flashes. The reporters came to interview them ... or to be more accurate, interview Kyle. He was the youngest ever contestant AND record holder.


    "So! Kyle! Are you going to be doing this professionally now?" one reporter asked him.


    "Nah, of course not. I was just doing this for fun," Kyle replied.


    The reporters nearly fainted at that reply. All the contestants who heard him felt like they wanted to vomit blood. They had been training seriously for years yet this brat, who broke the record that had been there for 5 years, was only doing it for fun?!


    After it was all over, Kyle gave his medal to Kay then said to the team. "Dinner is on me!!"

 Chapter 138 - Drako’s Pain

    That night, at one of the hotel''s smaller banquet room, a small celebration was being held.


    Kyle was standing up, holding in his hand a glass of juice, while he made a small speech.


    "Today, is a good day. We won. Let''s eat," Kyle said, drank his juice and sat down.


    "What? That''s it?!" Xing Han shouted


    Kyke just smiled. What is the point of long speeches anyway? He didn''t really have anything to say but they had insisted he give a few words since he was treating them to the celebratory dinner.


    "Well," began Cole as he stood up, "I have a few words to say. First, all of you are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for joining me for my last run."


    He turned to Kyle, bowed a bit and said, "Especially to you, Kyle. For all your help."


    "Hmph. if it wasn''t for him being with us, Cathy would never have been in trouble," muttered Ken under his breath. It was still loud enough for everyone to hear.


    Cathy glared at Ken, saying, "That''s not his fault, and you know it. Stop being such a douchebag, Ken."


    In the end, Cathy couldn''t help but tell her Dad the truth. That she had been kidnapped because there were people were trying to get to Kyle. Cole had noticed Cathy had been hiding something and pressured her; out of guilt and an innate sense of obedience, Cathy caved and revealed it. Except for the personal guards. She merely said Kyle''s dad had helped. Cole didn''t press the issue, noting that there were probably some things that could not be asked.


    "No, no," Kyle said, wanting to ease the situation, "He''s right about that. You would never have been taken if they weren''t getting at me."


    Then Kyle turned to Ken, "But Cathy is also right. I cannot control what other people do so I can''t be blamed for that. I can, however, do what needs to be done to solve it. Which I did."


    "So, Ken. Peace," Kyle said, "Let''s just relax and have fun, okay?" Truth be told, Kyle was kind of tired with the simmering-under-the-surface animosity that Ken kept showing him.


    Ken looked about and grudgingly admitted that he had gone a bit too far. He mumbled an apology, raised his glass as a sign of peaceful acceptance and the night carried on.


    "So, are you going do another round at the individual competition, Kyle? To try to improve your timing?" asked Cathy.


    Rxel and Rylen scoffed at that.


    "His timing is already a new record," Rxel pointed out.


    "We need to step it up!" Rylen said, sighing and looking at Rxel forlonly.


    "Yeah," Rxel agreed, sighing as well, "How can we face our crushes otherwise?"


    "Crushes?" Cathy said, her eyes wide, "There''s more than one that you guys are pursuing?"


    Both nodded their head vigurously.


    "At first, it was only one," Rxel admitted.


    "But we couldn''t deny the awesomeness of the other," Rylen explained.


    "We couldn''t choose!" both wailed.


    "So then, we figured - why not both?" said Rxel.


    Then they grinned, "A foursome sounds pretty good, too"


    Suddenly, both of them jerked back, shouting "OW!!" while rubbing their foreheads. Everyone could see there was a small, red spot right in the middle of it.


    "Stop spouting nonsense," Kyle growled, his finger tapping on the table. Right at his curved pointer finger, there were a couple of peas.


    "YEAH!" Xing Han said, putting on his most menacing face ever, "Kyle''s MINE."


    Kyle spluttered and turned to look at Xing Han who then patted his chest, continuing, "MY BFF. I am HIS BFF. Okay? Got it? So hands off. The position is filled. Not taking any more applications."


    Everyone else tried to keep a very straight face at that sudden declaration, but you could see several mouth twitches and some laughing softly. Xing Han was oblivious to it all. The night passed by uneventfully, with lots of merriment and laughter.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?Master Shifu''s House, MIB Branch Office .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?


    Master Shifu looked at the man that was unconscious on the bed, his wrists and legs strapped down tightly. Taking out a small flashlight, he plied open the eyelids and studied the pupils seriously.


    "Hmmmm ..." he hummed, thinking.


    His fingers ran all over the man''s body, feeling certain spots and then concentrated on the man''s head. Finally, he pressed a few points on the body, releasing him from the lock that Kyle had placed him under.


    "Hook him up to an IV," Master Shifu instructed the men beside him, "Use Solution XY. I''ll need to observe him for a few days more."


    The men nodded and proceeded to do as instructed. Master Shifu peered at the young man on the bed, shaking his head.


    The signs were there but Master Shifu did not want to make a conclusion until he can make a few more tests and observations. However, it seemed likely that what Kyle suspected was true.


    Master Shifu walked out, thinking that if it was true ... that poor boy in there had gone through Hell. Whether or not he can pull out of it, remains to be seen.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:* .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?


    Warning: R18


    Nitocris suppressed the desire to roll his eyes as he watched, yet again, the Boss throwing another temper tantrum. This was his ... what? Third? Fourth? Nitocris has lost count already. That Kyle person was really making him work extra these past few months.


    Seriously, this was getting old.


    "USELESS! STUPID! IMBECILES!!" Kazuya roared.


    Nitocris just stood there, waiting patiently and started counting sheep. That was far more entertaining than the drama in front of him.


    May was sitting on the desk, the collar and leash no longer on her. She was still dressed in that stupid see-through negligee which was basically just film over her nakedness. Nitocris wondered idly what was the point of the negligee anyway if it didn''t hide anything?


    When Kazuya was done, he was breathing heavily, his face scrunched up as he stood at the desk. May gingerly patted him and started hugging him. He didn''t push her away so she got bolder. She began to unbutton his shirt and opening it, she hugged him again, pressing herself on his exposed chest.


    "So where is Drako?" Kazuya demanded to know.


    "Missing," Nitocris said, "Along with all the Squad members. Presumably dead."


    Kazuya ground his teeth at that and pushed May''s hand down to the bulge in his pants. She quickly unbuckled it and unzipped it, putting her hands into his underwear and taking it out.


    "And that stupid boy is still alive? Not even injured?!" Kazuya hissed out.


    "Yes, Sir," Nitocris replied, "He not only managed to finish the competition, but he also achieved the highest score, breaking the past records."


    "ARGH!" Kazuya cursed, the anger in his heart grew even more.


    "How did he escape THIS time? Drako wouldn''t have been careless," Kazuya said as he thought carefully, "I believe this boy can fight."


    "Sir?" Nitocris asked, ignoring what May was doing right in front of him.


    Kazuya looked at the little bunny in front of him, who had just pulled out his hard shaft. Feeling her delicate hands on his manhood, Kazuya shuddered in pleasure and let her do her work as she started licking and sucking the tip.


    "Find out what happened," Kazuya said through gritted teeth as he was trying to talk normally, "If that boy defeated Drako, I want him alive. He can replace Drako. It''s only fair."


    Unable to stand it any longer, Kazuya grabbed May''s head and stood up, bringing her along with him and not allowing her to let go. Then, he began to move his hips, thrusting his manhood into her mouth. She gagged a bit as he was shoving it quite deep inside until her throat.


    Kazuya didn''t care about that. The deeper he could shove it inside, the better the sensation. Tears came flowing down her cheeks as she struggled to breathe through her nose and the pain of having the thick shaft being shoved down her throat.


    Ignoring everything else, he began grunting and moaning as well, and his movements became more violent and faster. He hardly realised that Nitocris had long gone. In fact, he had even forgotten that he had been there.


    Outside, Nitocris felt like throwing a tantrum himself. The disgust and anger that he felt filled his heart to the brim. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He was NOT going down that path. One in the family was more than enough. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris looked at the closed door of the main office and walked out. He was going back. Normally, he would wait until he was dismissed but since that thing even forgot he was around earlier, what was the point of staying on?


    By the sounds of it, that pig would probably not stop till night time anyway. However, before he left, he made a call, "Start following Kyle Smith and record all of his movements. Plan the best time to snatch him. Boss wants him alive for Dr. Dre."


    "Noted, Sir. It will be done."


    Satisfied, Nitocris walked out of the building and headed home. The man on the other side of the line, however, was looking at the phone with a tinge of sadness as he thought of the lively young boy that would soon be caught. Once handed over to Dr. Dre, there was no hope of redemption.


    ''Dr. Dre, huh? Poor kid. Well, at least it isn''t me,'' he thought as he pushed aside the gloomy thoughts. Hardened criminal as he was, Dr. Dre still gave him the creeps and he always felt sadness for every person that was handed over to Dr. Dre.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:* .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*


    During the entire drive there, Nitocris began thinking. This was the first time that he had come across such a formidable foe. Every act and plan that they had made, had been countered beautifully.


    Unlike Kazuya, Nitocris didn''t take each failure personally. He admired and respected the young boy. Nitocris even entertained the thought - albeit briefly - if they weren''t enemies, they could have been good friends.


    Then again, now that Kazuya wanted him, there wouldn''t be any ''Kyle'' left once he was done with him. Death would have been better.


    Nitocris sighed and parked his car expertly at the front of his Mother''s house. At the front door, however, his face frowned. There were a couple of shoes there, indicating his mother had guests.


    Unlocking the door and entering, he said loudly, "I am home, Mother."


    "Nitocris, honey? I am in the living room with your friends," Nitocris heard his mother say.


    Friends?? Nitocris reached into his jacket, took out his gun and flipped the safety cap off. He stuffed it into his belt behind him, ready to take it if needed.


    As he walked through the doorway to the living room, his feet stopped at the scene in front of him, stunned.


    His mother was smiling widely, her face showing a gentleness that he had not seen in a long time. Beside him was an elderly man that was smiling amicably to him, his entire aura gentle and kind.


    That, by itself, was already shocking. It was the other person that made Nitocris''s heart turn cold. The guy smiled widely, standing up while coming to him, his arms wide open to hug him.


    Nitocris couldn''t do anything with his mother watching, her face positively radiating happiness.


    "You''re back, Nitocris!" said Kyle, enveloping him in a tight hug, "I missed you!"

 Chapter 139 - Nitocris

    Nitocris returned Kyle''s hug stiffly.


    "If you hurt my mother in any way ..." Nitocris whispered in Kyle''s ear during the hug.


    Kyle didn''t answer and instead, placed his arm around Nitocris''s shoulder and smiled. He turned to Nitocris''s mother and said, "Aunty, is it okay if I talk to Nicky here outside for a while?"


    "Of course, my dear," she said, smiling and waving him off. Then, she patted the elderly man''s hand gently.


    "I''ll be fine here with Shifu," she said with a smile.


    With Kyle''s hand over his shoulder and his mother practically selling him off, Nitocris followed Kyle, shaking off Kyle''s hand that was on his shoulder. As they reached the backdoor, however, Nitocris stopped Kyle while shaking his head.


    Kyle just smiled and said, "Don''t worry. The area is has been swept clean and all frequencies blocked. The house is covered."


    Nitocris nodded, satisfied, glad that Kyle took all things into account.


    Nitocris knew that Kazuya would never trust him 100% and thus, this house was under constant surveillance. He was a bit worried that Kyle had been tracked here but his words blew those worries away. They walked out.


    Once the door was closed, Nitocris turned to face Kyle, his hand at his back. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His face turned grim as he couldn''t feel his gun and then saw Kyle holding it by the handle with the tips of his fingers, "These things are nasty. I''ll keep it for a while, for safekeeping."


    Without looking back at Nitocirs, Kyle walked to the middle of the backyard and looked up t the night sky, "Don''t you just feel so insignificant when you think about how small you are, as compared to the Universe?"


    Nitocris was silent, staring at Kyle''s straight back and then walked over to stand by his side, "What do you want?"


    "To get rid of Kazuya, once and for all," Kyle said simply, "And you take over his position."


    "Anything but that," Nitocris replied.


    Kyle turned to face Nitocris and looked at him straight in the eye, "My Master can cure your mother."


    Nitocris stood there, shocked when Kyle continued, "But it will take time."


    Kyle stopped talking then, waited as he let his words sink in.


    "Why should I believe you?" Nitocris said finally.


    Kyle shrugged.


    "I can''t tell you to trust me for trust is something earned, not told," Kyle said, "And that will take time. As a show of good faith, my Master has already started the treatment. I''m sure you noticed something different about your mother, right?"


    Nitocris was livid, grabbing Kyle by his shirt as he said, "You did what?! What if something went wrong?!!"


    Nitocris had hired many specialists and even flew them from around the world just to see if they could treat his mother. All of them said that it was too risky, that her brain was too delicate, that any wrong move and she would become worse. She could become a living vegetable!


    Kyle didn''t dodge and calmly said, "You''ve done the background check on me, right? Am I the sort of person that would do anything that would hurt an innocent just for my own need?"


    Nitocris''s hands trembled at that statement and he pushed Kyle away. He turned to look away, his head and heart in a turmoil.


    "You''re a good man, Nitocris," Kyle said suddenly.


    Nitocris turned to look at him suddenly, his eyes in disbelief, "What the fuck are you talking about? Me? Good? Do you know how much blood stains my hands? How many lives I''ve destroyed?"


    Kyle shrugged again, "But you''re filial. And your mother is one of the sweetest soul that I''ve met. In my book, you''re a good person who was just dealt with a bad hand."


    Kyle took a deep breath and sighed, "To be frank, I admire you. Truly. If I was dealt with the kind of hand that you were, I don''t know how I would have turned out."


    When Kyle had dug up more information on Nitocris, he had been appalled. The abuse that he had gone through under the hands of his father from such a young age.The things he had to endure as his father wanted to ''make him the best'' - and the methods to ensure total control over him. It was his gentle mother that somehow shielded him from the worst effects.


    Kyle had no idea what sort of strength that woman had, to stay married to such a monster and yet, still be able to love and nurture her son. His heart resonated with her, he could empathize with her and he wanted to do all that he can to help her.


    It was now more than just to get at Kazuya.


    The more he learned, the more anger he felt towards Kazuya and the more respect he had for Nitocris and his mother, Rheia.


    Kyle looked at his own hands and said, "I have killed and I have tortured people as well, though perhaps one can say it was justified as it was all in self-defense or that they deserved it. It doesn''t detract from the fact that I have killed and will continue to kill so long as my family is in danger."


    "Isn''t it the same for you? All that you have done and all that you will do, is solely to protect your mother," Kyle continued, "So why is it that I am the good guy and you''re the bad guy?"


    Nitocris continued to stare at Kyle, his mind not fully being able to accept what Kyle was saying. Him? A good man? Kyle, whom he admired, also admired him? What sort of twist was this?


    Since young, Nitocris was told that he was evil like his father. The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. That there was no path for him except for what his father laid out for him. His mother, however, always told him otherwise. He wanted to believe her and for a time, he did ... until the accident.


    It was his fault. He was the devil''s spawn and he caused his angel mother to suffer.


    Yet, now, the man in front of him also said he was a good man?


    Nitocris''s eyes narrowed and he glared at Kyle, "I am not a good man, and will never be. I will kill anyone and will be willing to do anything, to get what I want."


    "Yes, I know what you''re capable of," Kyle said, "Otherwise, you wouldn''t be a good Crime Lord. Just because you can do all that doesn''t mean you''re not a good person."


    Nitocris snorted, "You''re hopeless."


    Kyle grinned, "You can''t change my opinion of you, no matter what you say. I make my own judgments. Just like I am asking you to make yours."


    Kyle kept quiet then, letting Nitocris think it over.


    "It won''t be easy," Nitocris finally said, "I will do as you say but - only after my mother shows more progress."


    Kyle nodded, as this was within his expectations, "There are a few things that you need to know about your mother''s treatment."


    "What?! You''re only telling me this now?!" Nitocris roared, sending daggers at him with his eyes (not literal daggers, mind you), "The deal is off!".


    "Geez, Nitocris. Calm down, will you?" Kyle said, "I''ve already told you the main parts, you know. I wouldn''t sell you short."


    Nitocris grinded his teeth and nodded, taking several deep breaths. "Fine. What is it. The deal may be off or on depending on what you say," he warned.


    "One," Kyle said, raising one finger, "She has to move to Master Shifu''s house."


    "WHAT?! NO!" Nitocris shouted.


    "Ssshhh, sssh. Don''t frighten your mother, Nitocris," Kyle said while rolling his eyes, "And listen till the end, will ya? Master Shifu needs to be by her side all the time while doing the treatment. Two reasons for this."


    "He needs to do the treatment twice a day and secondly, he can monitor her all the time," Kyle explained, "Also, it''s not just a matter of doing the treatments, it''s a matter of her lifestyle as well. There are certain foods rich in nutrients that her body needs. Having her stay with him will allow him to monitor and take care of her 24/7."


    "Two," Kyle continued, raising another finger, "It can take months for her to be fully healed but no longer than a year."


    "And finally, three," Kyle said, raising yet another finger, "As her fantasy world fades and is replaced by the real world, she would need some semblance of security. An anchor. In short, she needs you."


    "What do you mean?" Nitocris asked in puzzlement, "Aren''t I always here with her?"


    "You need to stay with Master Shifu as well," Kyle replied, "Not just visit her every day. Actually, live with her, take care of her along with Master Shifu. She needs to see that you''re living a good life, a happy life so that she would not be drowning in her guilt for what your father had been doing to you."


    Kyle looked away at a distance, "Master Shifu said that she created this fantasy world as a means of survival. Her mind was breaking down, as she blamed herself for the pain and sufferings that you were going through. When she had the accident, the defences she held up just crumbled."


    "So ... you''re saying ... you want me to be a normal guy?!" Nitocris gasped, the thought beyond his comprehension.


    "You want your mother to recover, right?" Kyle said.


    Nitocris nodded.


    "So just be like me," Kyle replied with a grin, "In front of your mother, be a normal guy that hangs out with his friends ... but when you go to work, you do what you need to do as the Crime Lord."


    "Like you, huh," Nitocris mumbled.


    It was true. From his digging and the way Kyle had thwarted all his plans, clearly showed that Kyle was not what he appeared to be: a happy-go-lucky boy that was set to be the future CEO.


    "I don''t want my parents to know about the real me," Kyle said with a sigh, "They''d just worry too much and I have things to do."


    They went silent again, each lost in their own thoughts. Yet, the silence wasn''t uncomfortable or awkward. On the contrary, both felt a sort of peace and understanding between them. Kyle found the whole situation strange but he didn''t question it. He had long accepted to trust his intuition.


    And his intuition was telling him ... work with Nitocris.


    Finally, after 10 minutes, Nitocris turned to Kyle and offered his hand for a handshake, "You have a deal. Count me in."

 Chapter 140 - The Past

    "Since you''re older, shall I call you Big Bro Nit? Or perhaps Big Bro Nito?" Kyle began while shaking his hand.


    Whilst it was true that Nitocris was older than Kyle biologically, Kyle was still mentally older. It was a small matter anyway. Come to think of it, he doesn''t have any ''big brother'' in this current life. Suddenly, Kyle remembered his older brother - who had been a pain in the neck when they were growing up but turned out decent enough once they were older.


    Kyle felt he was rather bad not to be thinking of his own parents and siblings that he had left behind. It was only her children and husband that occupied her mind - with her husband being last on the list.


    Kyle mentally slapped himself. Comparing this life with his past life, he had really been quite the recluse then. Not so much a recluse, but kept to himself and only ''lived'' when he had kids. Luckily, he was much better in this life. New life, new direction. He wasn''t going to waste this second chance.


    Kyle''s thoughts came back to the present when Nitocris flung his hand away after the shake, while giving him a rather disgusted look, "What''s with all these weird nicknames you are giving me anyway? Before, it was Nicky. Now? Nit? Nito? Just call me Nitocris, that will do."


    "That''s so long and it''s boring to be so formal. It''s hardly endearing, is it?" Kyle asked.


    Nitocris glared at him, "I do not intend to be endearing."


    "Fine, fine," Kyle replied with a wave of his hand, "You''ll be the hard-nut-to-crack older brother then. We''ll wear you down and you''ll get used to us calling you Big Bro Nick. It''s close enough to Nit in Nitocris."


    "Do you even listen to a word I say?" Nitocris asked exasperatingly. THIS was the guy that he admired? He just looked like an annoying kid right now.


    Kyle just grinned.


    "One final thing," Kyle said, being all serious again, "I need to know everything you know about Drako."


    "So he''s still alive?" Nitocris asked, though it was more of a statement than a question. Interestingly enough, Kyle noticed that Nitocris looked relieved - and there was even a tinge of happiness in there?


    Kyle nodded, now more curious than ever.


    "How did a S Temple disciple, that revers life, get to be Kazuya''s top assassin?" Kyle asked.


    Nitocris was surprised, though he thought that he should have known better by now, "How did you find that out?"


    "His fighting style," Kyle explained and Nitocris nodded.


    "Pure luck, really, or maybe not luck considering what happened," Nitocris began with a sigh, "You know how strict S Temple is on its disciples. Drako was one of the more rebellious type. He didn''t quite like the rules but he had nowhere else to go, having been abandoned there at birth."


    Nitocris''s eyes glazed over for a while as he thought of the past, "I came across him when I went to my secret base in the hills behind our old house after ... receiving my father''s undying love for me. We became friends. He would sneak out often just to meet up with me."


    Nitocris sighed, "His name was Suci, which meant purity. Clean. That''s what he was then. A really pure and kind-hearted young man. Eventually, he couldn''t stand seeing the marks of love my father would give me daily so he foolishly decided to reprimand my father."


    Nitocris laughed bitterly, "It was the day I lost my best friend and my freedom."


    "So your father captured him and turned him into his puppet?" Kyle queried, "How did he do it?"


    "I don''t know the actual details," Nitocris confessed, "As I never bothered to find out."


    Nitocris''s eyes darkened for a while, trying to suppress those memories and the feelings it invoked. He didn''t try to find out because he was too busy trying to remain sane himself. If he had been abused before, it escalated after that. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All I know is that it involved a lot of chemicals and a lot of torture. He broke him. When I finally met him again a couple of years later, he was Drako. He didn''t even remember me," Nitocris said.


    Kyle nodded, "I could gather that he had been brainwashed. His pain receptors were dulled, which indicated that his brain had been tampered with. Despite that, however ..."


    Kyle turned to face Nitocris, "His will appears strong. When I mentioned S Temple, it was as if he had some remnants of memories in there. It was the only reason why I managed to defeat him. His thoughts were being jumbled up and his emotions were haphazard, allowing him to make mistakes."


    "Because of that, I felt that he might be saved," Kyle said, "But if he can''t ... then he''ll be eliminated."


    Nitocris nodded his head in understanding. He was surprised that Kyle was willing to try and help the very person that had been trying to kill him all this time. This made him even more glad for agreeing to work together with Kyle.


    "AH!" Nitocris shouted suddenly, remembering something important. He had been so caught up with Kyle that he almost forgot it.


    Kyle looked at him in puzzlement.


    "Kazuya intends to turn you into another ''Drako'', to replace him," Nitocris said, "So he has dropped his plans to kill you. He wants to turn you."


    Kyle furrowed his eyebrows, "That is a problem, but perhaps it''s for the best."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Kazuya is so heavily guarded that it would be difficult to get close to him. I could always be the bait to enter the lion''s den," Kyle said, thinking.


    "You''re insane," Nitocris said, "That''s a high risk. Once he catches you, how sure are you that you can escape? Why would you walk into a cage willingly?"


    "I have you, don''t I?" Kyle said, "You''ll keep me updated on the plans and the move, so I can make my plans and move."


    Nitocris just stared at him as if Kyle had two heads. Why would Kyle trust him to give him the information in the first place? Still, he didn''t ask.


    "My turn for a question," Nitocris began.


    "Huh? It''s not like you haven''t been asking questions before this, you know."


    Nitocris glared at him, "That was in response to your statements. This is a real question to ask for more information."


    "Shoot away," Kyle said then held up his hand, "But not with a gun, of course."


    Nitocris just glared at him again, this time for his extremely lame joke.


    "Why do you want me to take over Kazuya''s position after we defeat him?"


    "You''re made for the position, Nitocris," Kyle said simply, "I believe you''ll easily get to the top with your smarts and power."


    "That still doesn''t answer the question," Nitocris pointed out.


    "I need someone I can trust in the Underground," Kyle admitted.


    "And that someone is ME?" Nitocris couldn''t believe what Kyle was saying. Though he had wondered earlier, to actually hear Kyle say it so confidently made his head spin, "Are you insane? Why would you trust me?"


    "Gut feeling," Kyle said with a smile.


    Nitocris rolled his eyes, "That can get you killed one day."


    "It hasn''t yet," mumbled Kyle, thinking about the Elite Five guys.


    For some reason that Kyle couldn''t explain, when he first met Xing Han, Ali, and Sam all those years ago, he had this same feeling that he was experiencing right now when facing Nitocris. At that time, he didn''t believe in this feeling. He kept on researching on their backgrounds, digging everywhere and getting Kay to find out about their family history.


    He felt like he could not rely on that gut feeling of his and he needed something more concrete. Even though they appeared nice and good - *that* guy from his previous life had been nice as well. So nice and good to kill her.


    Yet, no matter what he did and no matter how hard he tried to keep a distance from them, it failed. It was only after Kay''s kidnapping incident that made him finally let go of the hesitation and barriers he subconsciously put up.


    He never regretted it.


    He also never felt that feeling with anyone else again. That is, until now.


    So this time, Kyle was going to rely on that gut feeling of his. It''s not to say that he''s going to trust blindly ... well, not yet anyway ... but he is going to give Nitocris a chance that he otherwise would never have.


    "Think we should go in now before Auntie gets worried," Kyle said.


    "You''re really making yourself at home now, aren''t you?" Nitocris said.


    "Of course," Kyle replied, "After all, we''re going to be family, right? Master Shifu is my adopted father after all and you''re going to stay at his house."


    Then Kyle went all serious, "After we deal with Kazuya, of course."


    When they went inside, they saw how Nitocris''s mother was laughing while talking to Master Shifu. She even wiped her eyes, because she as laughing so much. Nitocris was stunned at this sight, for even when Kazuya came over to fulfill his end of the bargain as the ''dutiful husband'', she was never like this.


    He can''t even remember when was the last time he saw his mother laugh.


    Before the accident, it was always tears of sadness that came out of her eyes and after the accident, she was polite. She smiled, but Nitocris supposed her subconscious knew that there was something wrong so her eyes used to have a tinge of sadness in them.


    His heart lurched and he felt his eyes were getting wet. He cleared his throat, quickly getting his emotions under control.


    "We''ll need to discuss the plans in detail," Kyle said, "In the meantime, I''d appreciate any heads-up on Kazuya''s move towards me."


    Nitocris nodded.


    Kyle and Master Shifu stayed for a while longer then left, as silently and as covertly as they came. Those that had the house under surveillance never detected their presence at all and found the whole duty entirely boring.

 Chapter 141 - Kazuya

    Several days later, Kyle went to visit Master Shifu and Drako.


    He wasn''t worried about Kazuya making another attempt at him as his auspicious days was a month later. He also had Nitocris in place, who would surely give him the heads-up if Kazuya was to make a move despite it not being a good day.


    That gave Kyle time to plan his counterattack properly.


    Drako was now housed in the recuperation ward. He was awake at this point but did not speak. In fact, he had not spoken at all since he woke up from his forced slumber that Kyle had put him under.


    The moment Kyle walked in, however, Drako showed some signs of a reaction. Master Shifu pursed his lips and sighed.


    "Any progress, Master?" Kyle asked politely.


    "He''s stubborn," Master Shifu replied, "We found traces of a hallucinogens drug in his system. I had it sent to the lab for tests and preliminary results show that it''s a new type. As you know, hallucinogens can hinder the release of serotonin."


    "The chemical responsible for regulating things like mood and muscle control," Kyle said, showing his understanding of the matter.


    "Yes," Master Shifu said, "so this new variation actually stopped this young man from feeling any pain. It''s a bad thing, too, for his body has been broken so many times yet he never felt them."


    "And his memories?" Kyle asked.


    "The same," Master Shifu said, "his memories have been replaced forcefully. Probably tied to a chair and forced to watch certain things to break his mind. When he is at his weakest mentally and with the help of drugs, fake memories were implanted."


    Master Shifu looked at the body that was on the bed with pity, "I''ve managed to flush out the drug from his system completely but it will take time for his body to heal and his mind to recover. He will suffer withdrawal symptoms as his mind heals but that is good. The pain would be good for him, strangely enough."


    Kyle continued to look at the stubborn Drako, who was now glaring at him, unblinkingly.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*


    Slight R18 - it''s Kazuya. What do you expect?


    Nitocris was going through the files when the Boss called him. He closed the file, straightened his jacket and walked in.


    Nitocris''s facial expression didn''t change, even though he was feeling utterly disgusted at the sight that his eyes had to be subjected to so early in the morning. The Beast was being more blatantly obvious than ever.


    Kazuya was sitting on his chair, while May was sitting at his desk, just to his side. She was sitting right a the edge and her legs were spread wide open while Kazuya''s hand was right inbetween. May was making some soft moans as she gripped the edge of the table with her hands.


    "What''s the update on Kyle?" Kazuya asked,


    "No changes. Since the rock climbing competition has been over, he has been staying at his uncle''s house. He rarely comes out," Nitocris reported.


    "Increase surveillance on him. Tell the team to be prepared to snatch him should the opportunity arise," Kazuya ordered.


    "Even if it doesn''t fall on an auspicious day?" Nitocris asked.


    "Bah," Kazuya cursed, "That boy is a repellent. He repels my auspicious day calculations. There is no point to wait for such a day when it comes to him."


    "So if he''s such a repellent, why take him?" Nitocris asked, genuinely puzzled. The way his father processed things were beyond him sometimes.


    Kazuya ground his teeth in annoyance as he thought of the many incidences that Kyle just fell through his fingers. His fingers started moving more aggressively. May let out a loud gasp at that moment as she spread her legs even wider.


    Even though her gasps and moans that were getting louder and louder, Nitocris could still hear the slight squishy sounds in the room as his fingers were thrusting into her wet cave. Worse, he could see the Beast''s arm moving even more.


    Nitocris ground his teeth in annoyance as well as he waited for the Beast to answer.


    "I believe if he is broken, his repellent aspect will break as well," Kazuya said with a smile.


    "Isn''t she broken yet?" Nitocris asked as May grabbed onto Kazuya''s hand and screamed, shuddering, as she reached her climax.


    "What''s it to you?!" Kazuya demanded, as May took his hand and started licking his fingers clean of her juice and sucking on the fingers one by one.


    "Nothing," Nitocris said with a shrug, keeping his face straight, "But this is the first time you''re keeping her even though she''s so obedient already."


    Kazuya gave a slight smile as he looked at her and patted her cheek, "She''s special."


    Indeed.


    Even Kazuya was surprised at himself. Despite the fact that she was now extremely obedient to him, he wasn''t bored of her yet. Her eyes still had that innocence in them which he couldn''t understand.


    She also knew every trick in the book due to his training, on how to please him, and when to please him. She cried and trembled in fear when he tortured her yet cared for him when he was nice. She wanted to help him so she put up with the abuse. She was broken but she hadn''t lost her purity or innocence yet.


    She was just like how she was in the beginning - so he enjoyed finding ways to break her. So why should she be replaced? It wasn''t boring yet.


    "Wait," Kazuya said suddenly, his eyes glistening as he thought of something, "Kyle has a sister, doesn''t he?"


    "Yes," Nitocris confirmed.


    Kazuya had a sick smile now and he said, "Tell the team. Get the sister as well."


    "That''s not a good idea," said Nitocris.


    Kazuya''s face became red from anger, "Are you questioning me?!!"


    Nitocris resisted rolling his eyes, "No, Sir. I am merely pointing something out."


    Kazuya laughed, "You still have a long way to go then, son, if you can''t even figure this one out."


    Nitocris cringed at that. ''Son''? What a joke.


    "What better way to break down a man than to see his sister being abused right in front of him and he can''t do a thing? I believe it would be worse for him, right? I heard he''s really, really close to her," Kazuya said as the evil smiled spread wider on his face.


    "I can''t wait to fuck that sweet little sister right in front of him, again and again, in all positions and have her scream in pain. Begging for me to stop. Maybe, even have several men have their way with her. Have her call out to him for help and he can''t do a single thing," Kazuya said, thinking about it.


    He started imagining all sorts of things he would do to her and his smile got even wider, his manhood growing even harder.


    May could see how aroused Kazuya became, and she got down from the desk. Straddling herself on him and rubbing against his hard-on, she kissed him while sliding off the straps of her negligee and exposing her breasts to Kazuya. She knew how much he liked to squeeze her breasts.


    Kazuya grabbed the back of her neck and gave her a rough kiss, plunging his tongue inside while the other hand was busy squeezing the left breast like he was kneading dough. May whimpered in pain yet she was also moaning. She started grinding herself on Kazuya''s huge bulge while Nitocris ... Nitocris rolled his eyes and walked off again.


    ''Seriously, if he''s going to fuck her each time I give a report on Kyle, I might as well just fling the file at him to read on his own,'' Nitocris mumbled to himself, gnashing his teeth. He couldn''t wait for the plan to get rid of Kazuya to start.


    Once back in his office, Nitocris took out his phone and dialed a number. The moment it was picked up, he growled, "Tomorrow. 2pm."


    He hung up immediately. He turned and flung the phone, smashing it on the wall. As he looked at the broken pieces, he stomped on the sim card, crushing it. He picked up the smashed and broken pieces, placed them in a bag and walked out. Smashing the phone made him feel a bit better.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Kyle stared at the phone, feeling slightly worried. Why call when he could have just texted? The line was secure and no one would have intercepted it.


    Kyle''s frowned, knowing that something serious must have occurred. Also, Nitocris''s voice sounded very strained. Was it because he had to watch his father torture someone again, or was there some upsetting news that he needed to know?


    Either way, it wasn''t good.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    The next day, Kyle was standing at the edge of the pond, mindlessly feeding the ducks and pigeons.


    It was a public park, and there were many people around as it was the weekend. After finishing throwing all duck feed pellets in his hands, Kyle went to sit down on a bench.


    There were benches around the park. The benches near the pond would be back to back with another so that one bench would face the pond and its counterpart would face the park.


    Everyone couldn''t help but take furtice glances at the young man sitting there. He looked a bit out of place yet, not.


    Kyle was disguised as Ice, but this time had ''upgraded'' himself. Instead of the usual dark hair, he was now platinum blond (a wig, of course) and had a silver stud earring that glistened in the sunlight. He wore a white singlet that clung to his body, showing the tight abdominal muscles and exposing his well-muscled arms.


    What was striking was a tattoo of a dragon that coiled from the shoulder of his left arm all the way to his wrist whilst his right wrist had several leather bracelets. His ripped jeans was tucked into black boots with some silver studs.


    It was the image of a gangster. A member of the triad. A dangerous man. What was such a man doing in a public park?


    Yet, he sported a youthful and innocent looking face. One that you would bring home to your mother. When he smiled, it was like rainbows and sunshine.


    So he was a walking contradiction.


    Kyle leaned back on the bench, watching the pond in front of him, his face serene.


    "So what''s so important that you have to risk this meeting?" Kyle asked, his lips not moving when Nitocris sat on the bench opposite him.


    "He''s making a move," Nitocirs answered, his head down as his face was partially blocked by the newspaper that he was ''reading''.


    Kyle''s face did not change expression as he digested that piece of information with surprise. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "However, it''s not just you that he wants to capture," Nitocris continued and paused, "He also wants your sister."


    The moment the words left his mouth, Nitocris felt the air around him freeze. All the birds in the vicinity suddenly flew away, as well as the ducks that had been congregating at the edge of the pond near Kyle.


    "He dares?!" Kyle snarled under his breath, though his face didn''t change its indifferent expression.

 Chapter 142 - Making Plans

    Nitocris sighed.


    It had been a shock to him to discover that "Ice" was actually Kyle. He had kept records of all the promising men in the Underground, and Ice had been identified. The problem was, the young boy was a lone wolf and would not participate in any gang wars or be interested in joining any organisations, no matter how good the offer was. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those who tried to force him ... mysteriously encountered so many problems that they had to disband. They kept getting robbed, the police was always there during their heists or illegal activities, their members kept getting killed by rival gang members. No one truly attributed it to Ice but it did start a rumour.


    Leave Ice alone, or you and your entire family will be cursed. ''Family'' here being the Underground Family.


    Ice was bad luck. The bearer of doom. People in the Underground were highly superstitious and they believed that Ice had the Curse of Misery upon him. Anyone who made him unhappy, would result in that curse being released.


    Just look at the fate of all those who tried to target him. Ice was cold, ruthless ... but if he made ''the'' face, whoever he glanced at would suffer the next day. Not just the person, but the entire organisation. The curse was ruthless, just like the Bearer.


    Little did they know that Ice WAS the curse. He just got rid of any potential problems before it became too troublesome.


    "Both of you are being monitored constantly," Nitocris said, "They will attack at any given moment. I can''t tell you the date or time as it''s going to be random. As long as they feel there''s a chance, they''ll take it."


    Kyle grunted, to show he understood.


    Nitocris then got up, dumped his newspaper into the bin and whispered, "Be careful."


    Kyle didn''t respond, seemingly lost in thought as he gazed at the pond in front of him. After several minutes had passed, Kyle took his jacket that he hung on the bench and put it on. He''s got to warn Kay to be extra careful and not leave Master Shifu''s house for whatever reason.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    "NO," Kay shouted, stomping her foot, "I will NOT."


    Kyle was staring at her, equally angry and not backing down, "YES. YOU. WILL."


    "This is the best chance, Kyle and you know it," Kay said through clenched teeth.


    "It''s too risky!" Kyle shouted back, "I, alone, will be enough!"


    "No it isn''t!" Kay denied, "I''m better protected with you than away from you."


    "Master Shifu can protect you way better than I can," Kyle pointed out, rolling his eyes at how stupid Kay was being, "That man is a beast. Worse than a pig. There is NO way I am going to allow you to be bait!"


    "Look," Kay said in exasperation, sitting down on the sofa of the living room that they were in, "We all know how tight the security is at that place. We''ve tried many methods. Even Nic can''t find an opening for us to go in."


    Kyle sat down on the one-seater sofa across from Kay, "If you''re the only one captured, he''ll most likely just hand you over to Dr. Dre. You might not even get an opportunity to see him until the whole damn thing is over."


    "I can escape easily," Kyle said stubbornly.


    "Like they wouldn''t be prepared for that?" Kay said, "Even if you do manage to escape, it doesn''t mean you''ll be able to get to Kazuya. He''ll be on high alert."


    "So? It''s not like I can''t take him down," Kyle said in a huff.


    "At what cost? Your forte is to attack in the dark. The shadow in the night that no one can see. There is no way you can do it when they are searching for you actively, in a locked-down building!" Kay shouted, banging her hand on the table.


    Kyle leaned forward and banged his hand on the table as well, "Are you saying my skills are lacking?!"


    "You''re just ONE man against hundreds, if not thousands!!" Kay screamed, "ONE. ONE MAN. I only have one brother!"


    A single tear fell down Kay''s cheeks and Kyle immediately felt guilty. He rushed over and hugged her, "And I only have one sister. I can''t ... I just can''t."


    "It''s either we both go, or none at all," Kay stated.


    Kyle took a long, deep breath as he held Kay tightly.


    His emotions were getting the better of him. He knew that. He noticed that he was getting more and more irrational in his decisions when it came to Kay. He couldn''t help it. The moment he feels that she''s even in the slightest bit of danger, the anger builds up within him quickly, often to the boiling point.


    Kyle knew that this was most likely the infamous ''Smith Wrath''. He noticed that his control over his emotions started becoming weak when he hit puberty. The raging hormones did nothing much to Kyle Jr - well, not in terms of having uncontrolled sexual urges - but it did make him shorter tempered.


    Kyle took several long breaths, inhaling Kay''s scent and calming down. Finally letting her go, he sat down and pulled her down with him.


    "I know you''re right," Kyle admitted grudgingly, "But even in the best case scenario, there is a high chance that ... he''ll touch you inappropriately."


    Kay suppressed a shudder, knowing that Kyle would go ballistic again if he senses even the slightest hesitation from her.


    "I know that," Kya said, patting his thigh, "I can handle it. I prefer that than to have this threat over our heads indefinitely. That Kazuya just has to go, once and for all."


    Master Shifu came in at that moment, carrying a tray with three mugs of hot tea. He figured that the twins had finally settled down to be able to discuss things properly. He had stayed away, knowing that it was best that the twins figured this by themselves and not have him interfere.


    He would, however, provide support and advice.


    "So now that that is settled, shall we discuss the plans?" Master Shifu said as he placed the steaming mugs of tea on the table.


    Kyle scratched his head in annoyance and exasperation over the situation, "Yes, Master Shifu."


    Rheia came in as well, bringing in a plate of brownies. She placed them on the table and said with a gentle smile, "You guys talk this out. I''m retiring for the night."


    Kyle stood up as a sign of respect, and said, "Thank you, Auntie Rheia."


    She smiled, patted him on the shoulder and walked up to her room.


    Kyle had bought the house adjacent to the current Master Shifu''s house. Master Shifu''s house was a semi-detached home, which meant that two houses were joined together and shared one wall. Kyle then had the shared wall be demolished partially, making an open-door hallway.


    The second house went through some minor renovations as they didn''t need two kitchens or dining rooms. Master Shifu''s original house had the kitchen and dining room while the other house had the living room, a small kitchenette and a bedroom on the ground floor and two bedrooms above.


    Thus, from the outside, it still looked like two semi-detached houses, but in reality, inside, it was one huge house. Kyle and Kay stayed in the new house while Master Shifu and Auntie Rheia stayed in the old house. If Nitocris comes over, he would stay in the guest room in the new house. He wouldn''t come until Kazuya was taken care of, but he would often Skype his mother.


    Kyle smiled a bit when he thought of the day they brought Nitocris''s mother over. She had to be disguised and Nitocris persuaded her by telling her that she was going to a costume party. Luckily, she played along and they had a small party at Master Shifu''s house. An MIB agent is now undercover and posing as Nitocris''s mother in her house.


    After watching Nitocris mother go through the hallway to the old house, Kyle sat down and took a huge slice of brownies. It had been his favourite then, and it''s his favourite now. All that chocolatey goodness. All those calories he''s got to burn later.


    Kyle noted the stern look Master Shifu gave him and he grinned, his teeth all brown with the brownies. He avoided Master Shifu''s cane and laughed, "I''ll do extra sets tonight and tomorrow, Master Shifu. These brownies are just to DIE for, okay?"


    Master Shifu shook his head but there was a ghost of smile on his face as he looked at the brownies. It really was delicious. In fact, anything Rheia cooked was delicious. It had been so long since there was someone who actually cooked for him and took care of him, while he was taking care of her.


    Luckily, the treatments seem to be working in their favour. Rheia was truly a nice, kind soul and it would be better for her to live normally rather than in the fantasy bubble she made for herself. Bit by bit, she was replacing the real world with her fantasy world.


    He had to do it slowly, for if it was too fast, she might not be able to handle it emotionally and break down mentally. What was important also was for Rheia to experience a good, happy family life. This was so that when her memories of her past comes back, she would be able to use the warmth of what she has now to deal with it.


    "We have to get rid of this Kazuya quickly," Master Shifu said, "Nitocris needs to be here so that Rheia can have her beloved son with her when her memories of what Kazuya is really like comes back."


    Kyle nodded.


    Laying out some papers on the table, Kyle began scribbling on it.


    "How about, we do it like this ...."

 Chapter 143 - The Snatch

    Stan was bored. So very, very bored.


    It had been almost a week now. All they did was watch, monitor, and follow that darn boy. If they were lucky, it was that darn boy and that dang girl.


    He watched the house through the binoculars, sipping on a soda, as he studied the door, the windows and the sides. He sighed, placing down the binoculars.


    "Nothing?"


    "Not a thing," grumbled Stan to his teammate, "Aren''t they teens? Why are they holed up in the house? Isn''t it the holidays? Why aren''t they out there, partying or something?"


    "Oh, I don''t know ..." said the other person, "Maybe it''s because the boy almost died. Twice?"


    "Three, if what Boss said is true," mumbled Stan. He couldn''t quite believe that the young boy he was tasked to observe, and now, capture, would have defeated Drako. He must have been saved by someone else.


    Whatever it was, they had to be careful.


    "There''s movement!!" one said in a loud whisper.


    Stan quickly put up the binoculars again and saw that Kyle and Kay had walked out the front door, talking and laughing with each other. Kyle was busy looking at his phone and then at the street.


    "Quick," Stan ordered, "Intercept that signal. Joe, get ready to immobilise the driver that will arrive."


    From Kyle''s actions, Stan correctly deduced that he must have contacted an e-hailing cab services.


    "Got it. Joe, licence plate SDF1234, biege sedan," reported one.


    "On it," Joe replied and quickly slipped away.


    ''This is going to be easier than I thought,'' Stan thought to himself.


    "Joe''s intercepted the vehicle. He''s bringing it over right now."


    Stan nodded and went out to greet Joe.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    [I seriously don''t like this] Kyle grumbled as he looked at his phone.


    [Relax, brother] Kay said soothingly [If you start looking nervous, I may start looking nervous and that will tip them]


    [Nitocris said that he''s ordered them to take us out with the knock-out gas. I can''t protect you when that happens. I don''t like it]


    [I know. But this is our best bet. I am willing to take this step for a safer future. It''s worth the risk, brother. I can do this.]


    Kyle sighed.


    [I know you can] Kyle said, not wanting to make her feel bad for doubting her [You''re stronger than I give you credit for.]


    One of the hardest thing to do is to let the one you love, free. A part of you wants to protect that person from all harm, all the time, and always. You can''t stand seeing them suffer. You''d rather bear all the burden so long as he/she can be happy. But you can''t do that forever, can you? They need to be able to learn, stumble and fall, then get up again by themselves.


    Only through adversity does one truly shine. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle knew that but it doesn''t mean he is willing.


    It''s bad enough when you see your loved one suffering. It''s worse when you feel that the suffering was one that you could have avoided. It''s the worst when you have a hand in that suffering yet either did not do anything to stop it, or could not stop it.


    Even if that ''suffering'' is for their own good and their own growth.


    Kyle felt like his heart was being twisted in two. The fear he was experiencing right now was unlike anything he had ever felt before. His heart was beating so rapidly that he felt like it went up to his throat.


    Kyle took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He wouldn''t go into Zen mode just for this. He needed to save that for emergencies only. It drained him too much. He shouldn''t rely on it so much either.


    He had tried to find various plausible reasons to get Kay to stay behind, but it was useless. He even tried to get Nitocris to support him but instead, Nitocris validated Kay''s point. If he was the only one captured, Kazuya wouldn''t even see him until the whole brainwash episode was over. If they were both captured at the same time, then Kazuya wouldn''t be able to wait and would get them to his office immediately.


    Kyle had the confidence of escaping if he was captured alone, but that would entail higher risk and too many things could go wrong.


    Kyle even wanted to use a decoy. Have an MIB agent take her place instead. Kay scoffed at that idea, pointing out that their disguises were good but not to the point that they could pass off as someone else when it''s close-up. They could replace Rheia because the MIB agent hardly went out and most of the time, the face was only partially seen.


    Kyle was ready to go insane at that point.


    It was at that point that Master Shifu simply stated, "Your greatest weakness is your sister. If you cannot overcome this, she will forever be your Achilles Heel."


    His mind went BOOM.


    Kay was being stubborn, that''s without question. Yet, he was also being stubborn, for not allowing her to grow. If this was the best route, then it was the route he should take. He should not let his personal feelings for her cloud his judgment. If he was willing to use a decoy, it also meant that he was acknowledging it was the best method.


    The only thing he had against the plan was using Kay.


    Master Shifu was right. He had to overcome that. Kay needs the experience to grow stronger. Kyle needs this experience to be stronger as well. To let Kay face it.


    But it was hard, damnit!!


    So here they were, offering themselves as bait. He knew that the e-hailing cab signal had been intercepted. His phone, like Kay''s, had a special programme in it which would alert them whenever there was a hacking attempt. Then, it would be up to them to allow it or not. The signal would also be traced and the information sent to MIB.


    He then looked up upon hearing a vehicle approaching.


    [Showtime]


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Joe slowed down the car and stopped right next to the twins. He waited patiently as they got in.


    "Hi!" he greeted them warmly, tapping a device on the car to start the mapping journey. It was required by every e-hailing cab to ensure that the driver followed the designated route. In truth, they had already canceled the ride and tampered with the device so that it did not send any signals to base.


    Thus, in the company''s system, Kyle and Kay had canceled the ride and no one came to pick them up. This would cover their tracks. Furthermore, it gave out false reports to base that the current driver and car had picked up another client further way from here.


    "Mall T, right?" he asked cheerfully.


    "Yes, please. Thank you," Kyle replied politely then proceeded to talk to Kay, silently indicating that they weren''t interested in any ''small talk'' with the driver. Joe could catch on this and felt it was for the best. Trying to be cheerful and friendly was really taxing for him.


    Joe made the volume of the radio a bit louder and hummed to it, seemingly not paying any attention to anything other than driving. He was confident that his passengers would not realise that he was not taking the route to Mall T, as they were too deeply engrossed in talking with each other. Hardly looking outside.


    Joe scoffed to himself.


    These were just kids. No matter how you looked at it, they were kids. Stan was being overly cautious. Joe''s face scrunched up in annoyance when he remembered Stan''s constant reminder and warning about the mission. He was even supposed to use the knock-out gas. On a couple of harmless kids?


    Whatever.


    Despite his misgivings, he still proceeded with it. If he didn''t, he''d have to answer to Stan - worse, Nitocris. Everyone knew that the true boss was him, and not Kazuya. The latter merely barked orders, fucked around while Nitocris was the one that planned everything, cleared up the messes Kazuya made and most of the time, turned things around.


    Joe took out the knock-out gas which was in a small ball. He flipped open the cap, watching the small smoke being released before throwing it underneath his seat. He didn''t want the kids to take the ball before it had done its job, so it had to be placed in an area that would still get to them yet out of reach.


    He then placed a small, portable gas mask over his own face, which covered his nose and mouth.


    The gas was something Dr. Dre had developed, so it was fast acting. Joe observed them through the rearview mirror. He saw that the twins were frantic at the sudden smoke that spiraled out but before they could do anything, they were knocked out.


    Joe then opened all the windows and called Stan, saying simply, "Snatch successful."


    As Joe drove leisurely to HQ, anyone who saw the car would only see two kids sleeping peacefully at the back. Joe showed his pass at the entrance and drove to the underground car park.


    There, the rest of the team were already there, waiting with two wheelchairs.

 Chapter 144 - Kazuya’s Plans

    Stan and one other was waiting patiently as they watched Joe stop the car in front of them. They went to the car, one on the left and one on the right.


    "Oh, this one is really pretty," one commented when he opened the door and saw the unconscious Kay.


    He grabbed Kay by the hand and half dragged her limp body out. Putting his hands under her neck and behind her knees, he then carried her and placed her on the wheelchair. Just as he was about to tie her hands down on the sides of the wheelchair, he heard Stan say, "Wait. You forgot something."


    The guy''s hands stopped then a slow grin appeared on his face, "Oh yes. How could I forget that? I''ll need help, though."


    "You lift her up," he said to Joe, "I''ll do the rest."


    Joe placed his arms under Kay''s armpits and held her up. The other guy licked his lips as he proceeded to take off Kay''s jeans. After unbuttoning and unzipping it, he hooked his fingers at the side and pulled it down with his thumbs. He also took this opportunity to run his other fingers around her butt, feeling its soft roundness and squeezed a bit.


    His eyes glistened when he looked at the white underwear that Kay was wearing as he pulled the jeans down. As he was bringing his face closer to her, sniffing, he heard Stan bark, "STOP THAT! Just put her down on the wheelchair. NOW."


    The guy shuddered and quickly pulled the jeans over her legs and threw it aside. Joe then put her back on the wheelchair and Stan came over with a blanket. He placed it over her bare legs, tucking it in at the sides. They knew that Kazuya intended to do ... certain things to Kay and the jeans would only be in the way.


    As the others were putting Kay onto the wheelchair, the other guy grabbed Kyle and flung him over his shoulder. He dumped Kyle on the other wheelchair and proceeded to tie his hands and legs securely.


    Once all was done, they wheeled the Smith twins to a lift.


    .:*?¡ã¡î...:*?.:*?¡ã¡î...:*?


    Kazuya was happy.


    He was truly, truly happy right now. When he heard that the team had successfully caught both Kyle and Kay, he literally jumped for joy. He also was so turned on that he banged May mercilessly before locking her up in the room behind his office.


    He patted his crotch in happiness. It was going to deflower another. Just thinking of the scream of pain as he tore the hymen made him shiver in excited anticipation. Virgins were his favourite. They were so tight and so scared. His manhood started getting hard again as he thought about it, even though he had just unleashed one load earlier.


    Now, not only was he going to have that delicate dish, he was also going to completely destroy another while doing it. To see that helpless look of pain and despair made him giddy from happiness. Just the thought of seeing that, as he roughly takes another persons'' first time ... S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two of his most favourite pastimes, being done together! He rubbed his hands in glee. After weeks of pure frustration, he was going to enjoy every single minute of this.


    He waited impatiently, and when the two were wheeled in, he was so happy that his face burst into the biggest grin that his men had ever seen in their lives.


    Kazuya looked at the two figures in the wheelchair.


    "Put her on the sofa," he ordered, "and the boy, 6 feet away from it but facing the sofa."


    The guy who had grabbed Kay''s butt immediately ran over to Kay while Stan adjusted Kyle''s wheelchair.


    "Lying down or sitting up, Boss?" he asked as he carried Kay over toe the sofa.


    "Lying down," Kazuya answered absent-mindedly as he walked over to Kyle.


    "So this is the kid that managed to escape death three times?" he muttered, going around the wheelchair, "Oh, he''s going to be such a good addition. Better than Drako."


    "What do you mean, Boss?" asked the guy who had placed Kay on the sofa.


    "Drako was a pure fighter but this one," Kazuya said, caressing Kyle''s face, "has the face that women would die for. Especially when he grows up more. He''ll not just be an assassin, but also a fuck buddy or as a reward to those who do well."


    "I know many men who would pay good money for such high-quality merchandise," Kazuya said as he peered closely at Kyle''s face, then ripping his shirt open, revealing the toned body underneath.


    "Yes, a LOT of men," Kazuya said with a smile, patting Kyle''s chest.


    He turned towards the sofa, "If the brother is this high-quality, the sister must be just as good."


    "Oh yes, Boss," agreed the guy who hadn''t left Kay''s side as he looked at her bare legs and underwear, "Very, very high quality indeed."


    Kazuya came over. He looked at the figure lying down on the sofa and was struck at how she appeared to be like a fairy, sleeping. He looked at her intently, from her face down to her legs. He noticed her delicate pink lips, her breasts, her flat stomach, and thigh. His eyes focused on her most private part, and he felt himself getting hard quite fast.


    This truly was an angelic creature in front of him. He just stood there, staring at her, his breathing becoming more laboured as he thought of how that innocent face would soon be twisted in fear and pain.


    "Boss, will we get a turn, too?" the guy was practically salivating as he stood there.


    "Yes, but later," Kazuya answered, his voice low and guttural by now, as he thought of the many ways he was going to do her.


    He then walked over to look at Kyle again. He wanted nothing better than to slice this boy up but that would only be him venting his anger. Suddenly, he thought of something.


    Maybe, instead of slicing him up, why not just **** him as well? He heard that if one was taken in the a** without proper preparation, the pain would be excruciating. He''d never done it with a guy before but perhaps he could make an exception with this one. To totally dominate such a strong person would crush him, would it not?


    Why didn''t he ever think of this before?


    How would this boy take being r*ped by a man? To have his virgin a** being pounded by his hard shaft? Have several guys do it as well? Take turns?


    Kazuya grinned. First, fuck the sister and get his own manhood all wet from her juice. Then, fuck the brother. Then, back to the sister. For that, he would need the boy to be tied down at the table, with his butt in the air. Kazuya got excited just thinking about it.


    "Get about 5 gay men here later," Kazuya commanded gleefully, "And more rope. I want this boy all tied up for the taking - oh, and tell those men to take viagra first. I want this to be an all night affair, you hear?"


    Everyone nodded.


    "Now, set up the camera and leave," Kazuya said.


    They did as they were told and immediately emptied the room once everything was set up.


    Kazuya then walked over to the girl on the sofa. He bent over her, staring at her then looked back at the camera. He noted its angle and nodded in satisfaction before turning back to Kay.


    He started licking his lips as his hands reached over to her breast, thinking, ''Such a good size on such an angelic face and young body ...''


    That was the last thought on his mind when he fell back, unconscious.


    Kyle didn''t bother to catch him as his body fell down to the floor. Although there would be people outside waiting for Kazuya to call them, they would think any noise from in here was just Kazuya doing his thing.


    Kyle simply looked at the unconscious man with disgust, kicking him to release some stress and went over to his sister.


    Reaching into his pants, he grimaced as he took out a small vial that had been hidden in the crotch area. Kay had been laughing at him non-stop when he had to put it there. It was the only place that would escape a body search. No man liked to touch another man''s junk.


    He uncorked the top and placed it under Kay''s nose. Her nose twitched and her eyelashes fluttered before she finally opened her eyes.


    "How are you feeling?" Kyle asked.


    Kay rubbed her temples, saying, "Fine. Just a little dizzy."


    Kyle had never been affected by the knock-out gas. He had been training since young and could hold his breath for 25 minutes. Thus, all he needed to do was not breathe it in. Kay tried, but the gas had been too strong.


    She glanced at the unconscious Kazuya, then at her bare legs, "Now what? This was unexpected."


    "You can wear mine," Kyle said, taking off his jeans and revealing a pair of shorts underneath.


    "Why are you wearing shorts underneath your jeans?" Kay asked as she took the jeans from him. The jeans was bigger, of course, but she could tighten the belt and fold the bottom of the jeans. It didn''t fit perfectly but it was better than no pants at all.


    "I can''t scale walls in jeans, you know," Kyle answered, "Too tight."


    "I don''t remember anything in the plans we made would require you to scale walls?"


    Kyle smiled, "Be prepared for anything." That was his motto and mantra, more so since Kay was in this mission this time.


    "Boss!!" came an excited cry as one guy dashed through the door without even knocking as he was so excited, "I got the guys for you!!"


    Kyle turned and saw the annoying butt-grabbing guy with five big men behind him walking through the door, while Stan was trying to stop him from going in.


    Kyle looked at them, they looked at him. Both frozen at the scene they were looking at.


    "Shit," Kyle cursed under his breath. He knew this had been going too smoothly.

 Chapter 145 - The Escape

    The stupid butt-grabber screamed and turned to run out.


    However, just as he turned, he stumbled and fell down, screaming even louder. One could see him clutching his leg, and saw that there was something protruding from behind his knee. It had pierced through and his knee cap was shattered. Stan went forward to help him but fell back unconscious as a huge bump started to form on his forehead and a snow globe rolled away.


    [Good shot, Kay] Kyle praised.


    Kay''s hands shook a bit but she was steady. She had thrown the thin blade at the guy who had tried to escape, but the bump in the forehead was Kyle''s doing. He had grabbed the first thing he could and it just happened to have been a small snow globe on the coffee table beside the sofa.


    Kyle focused entirely on the five men that were in the room.


    Five big, bulky men.


    They stared at him, and started cracking their knuckles, ignoring the wailing butt-grabbing guy and the unconscious Stan. Luckily, the office outside was sound-proof, as Kazuya tended to have too much fun in his room. One can''t really work with all the screams and grunting, right?


    The men walked over towards Kyle and Kay, their faces showing grins as they studied the two in front of them.


    Kyle watched them approach and took off his shirt, as he needed the freedom of movement. Having the torn shirt flapping around would hinder it.


    "Man, such a pretty boy," one said, wiping his mouth as he watched Kyle do an unintentional striptease, "When Dick said the Boss wanted us to break someone, he didn''t say he would be this good looking."


    "Come to Papa, baby," another said, rubbing his bulge, "We''ll take really,really good care of you."


    Kyle didn''t say a word, but walked over to the wheelchair and put on his shoes. His fingers slipped under the soles and took out two small blades unnoticed and palmed them. He put his hands in his pockets, then gestured to Kay to sit down.


    [Kay, close your eyes for me, okay?]


    Kay did so obediently. The moment she did, Kyle moved.


    He was so fast that the five guys weren''t prepared at all when he was suddenly in between them. He grabbed one guy by the throat, crushing his windpipe with his bare hands while at the same time, he lashed out with a vicious side kick towards another''s windpipe. Crushing it as well.


    Kyle was seriously pissed off.


    He could end this quickly just by using the knives, but he had pent-up frustrations to release. Having to sit still while that butt-grabber felt up Kay made him so agitated that he almost lost it. Having that pig caress his face then touch his chest made him want to punch him in the face. So feeling the bones being crushed under his hand and foot was very satisfying.


    Those two just gasped like fish that had been taken out of the water and they fell, dead.


    Kyle didn''t stop, using the momentum from the side kick to twirl around. He gave a chop to the side of the neck of the guy that had been slightly behind him. The force of it was so strong that the guy fell down, gasping for air.


    In that split second, one guy jumped on Kyle from behind, grabbing Kyle''s neck and held it in a choke hold.


    Kyle immediately placed his left foot behind while bending his knees, while giving his attacker a sharp jab to the ribs. The sharp pain made his hold on Kyle''s neck loosen, and Kyle bent further down to a 90 degrees angle.


    By doing so, the attacker was unable to get a firm grip on his neck any longer. With his head lowered, Kyle turned towards his left, turning 180 degrees so that he was now facing his attacker. Immediately after the turn, Kyle gave two heavy consecutive strikes to the groin, making his attacker double over in pain.


    Kyle punched him in the ribs again, harder this time, by releasing a sudden burst of power just as his punch connected. He followed up this punch immediately with his other hand straight to the side of the attacker''s jaw. Kyle could even feel the bones being crushed from the force of his punch, dislocating the jaw in the process as well.


    The guy fell back, unconscious, his mouth gaping open.


    Kyle turned quickly, in a fighting stance, to face the last two guys ... only to see that they had retreated further back into the room and was even at the doorway to get away from him.


    Seeing this, Kyle gave a smirk.


    He stood up straight, cracking his neck and loosening his shoulders before nonchalantly putting his hands in his pockets. When the two guys saw that Kyle didn''t seem like he was going to attack, they grinned to themselves. Their eyes darted to the open door, and they looked at each other before looking back at Kyle.


    They froze.


    Kyle was just standing there, several feet away, but they suddenly felt like Death was descending upon them. They couldn''t move. He just gave them a slow smile, then flicked his wrists and they barely saw something whiz by and then, a sharp pain ... they looked down and saw a long, thin blade right where their heart was, blood spreading like a flower blooming on their shirt.


    Both bodies fell back, dead.


    Kyle leisurely walked over to the butt-grabbing guy that was now just whimpering in fear on the floor. He stomped on the guy''s wrists with the heel of his shoe, breaking it. After that, he stepped on the fingers and crushed each one slowly, grinding the heel of his shoe on them. Kyle''s face was impassive as the guy screamed in pain as Kyle did the same for the other hand.


    Once done, he kicked the guy in the face until he was unconscious.


    Kyle retrieved the two thin blades in the bodies of the guys and sliced the neck of the last guy (with the dislocated jaw), leaving Stan alone. He wiped off the blood on the shirt of the guy then returned the blades into its hiding place under the soles of his shoes.


    "You can open your eyes now, Kay," Kyle said softly, kissing the top of her head.


    Just then, Nitocris walked in, sighing and shaking his head at all the dead bodies around. So much blood to clean up. He looked at Kyle, and Kyle just shrugged.


    "I left two alive," Kyle said.


    Nitocris answered, "But you completely destroyed the hands of one guy. He''s useless now."


    Kyle shrugged, not bothering to explain.


    The guy touched Kay, so he didn''t need his hands anymore. Let''s see how he can survive ... a useless thief. Death would have been too good for him. Living was harder. Kyle spared Stan for Stan had stopped the guy from doing more to Kay.


    "How did you escape from the ropes?" Kay asked curiously as Kyle and Nitocris carried Kazuya to put him on the wheelchair.


    "I just flexed my muscles as they were tying me up. So it wasn''t tied tightly," Kyle explained, "Easy to slip out of."


    Kyle wheeled Kazuya over to the bedroom door that was behind the office, "I bet Kazuya never thought his secret lift would be used to slip him out."


    There were two more reasons why this was the best method to use to get Kazuya.


    One, the knock-out gas would not affect him so he would be conscious the whole time. Two, the secret lift would allow them to escape undetected, so there was no need to risk exposure and capture when they went out.


    When Kyle tried to open the bedroom door however, he found that it was locked.


    "May must still be in there," Nitocris said as he went over with a key.


    Nitocris was surprised for he thought Kazuya would have killed her once he received news that Kay was caught. He never kept the old when he got a new one.


    "May?" asked Kay curiously.


    "His pet," Nitocris explained as he unlocked the door.


    Pet? Kay couldn''t fathom that such a person would actually have a pet. However, once she walked through the door, she gasped and understood.


    There, waiting on the bed and sitting quietly, was a young girl completely naked. She had a collar on and the leash was tied to the bedpost. She actually looked disappointed when it was them walking through.


    "Master?" she managed to whimper out.


    Kay grabbed Kyle''s arm, looking at him pleadingly. Kyle sighed.


    "We shouldn''t," Kyle said, "We can''t be saving every single person that we come across when we are on a mission."


    Nitocris went to the bedside table, totally ignoring May as he revealed a hidden panel. He pressed a button and a section of the wall opened up, revealing a lift door with a keypad on it. Nitocris keyed in a code and the doors opened.


    The lift could only be accessed from this room. Thus, they could escape using it but they couldn''t use it to enter the room. Only Nitocris knew about the existence of this lift, as Kazuya didn''t trust anyone else. So long as he had that leverage over Nitocris, he had no fear of the latter betraying him. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His fatal flaw.


    "I''m not asking you to save the world," Kay said in a low voice, "Just her. We''re already going out the secret lift so there''s no added danger, right? I wouldn''t ask otherwise."


    Kyle stared at his sister in the eyes and noticed her steely determination, "So if it was a risk, you would be fine if I left her behind?"


    "No, I wouldn''t be fine but I would accept it," Kay replied.


    Kyle nodded, satisfied and patted Kay''s shoulder. He walked over to May slowly, and she skitted over to the other side of the bed.


    Kay was right in that there was no added danger to rescue May at this time. Unlike the previous time when he had to abandon the boy, this time, there was an opportunity to save the girl. Though if it wasn''t for Kay, he would have still left her behind. Thinking about this, Kyle realised that he has gotten more jaded and wondered if his humanity was slowly being eroded.


    He pushed that thought aside, thinking of dealing with it at another time. For now, there were things to do and they had to do it quickly.


    "It''s okay, May," Kyle said softly, gently, letting his voice be calm as he approached her. While it sounded like normal, Kyle infused certain tones to his voice, which hit at May''s subconscious part of the mind. Kay gestured to Nitocris to close his ears and though puzzled, he did so.


    "Everything is fine. You''re fine. You''re feeling a bit tired though, aren''t you? So tired. So sleepy. Your body feels so light and cannot move. Your eyelids are getting heavy ... and heavier ... you just want to close your eyes and sleep. It''s nice and warm, so cozy. So peaceful. That''s it ... it''s okay. Sleep. Close your eyes ..."


    May slowly closed her eyes and then, fell asleep. Kyle reached over behind her and pressed a few acupuncture points. He lay her on the bed and taking out the bedsheets, wrapped her up in it. She looked like a tortilla.


    "You''re taking her with us?" Nitocris asked the obvious.


    Kyle merely shrugged.


    "Fine by me," Nitocris replied as they all entered the lift and headed to the carpark.

 Chapter 146 - Healing (I)

    The very next day, Nitocris called for an emergency meeting with all the Chieftains under Kazuya. When they entered the area, they were surprised to see that it was Nitocris at the head of the table and not Kazuya.


    What was more surprising was that beside Nitocris was a young man sporting a dragon tattoo over his left arm.


    Ice.


    The lone wolf that never bothered with joining any gangs and who would beat up those who tried to ask. The cursed one that caused countless groups to die simply because the latter didn''t know when to back down. He was just sitting there, playing with something in his hands and ignoring everything and everyone.


    What was he doing here? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone sat down nervously, but they did put up a very tough front.


    "Where''s Kazuya?" one asked.


    "It doesn''t matter," Nitocris replied, "I''m taking over."


    "WHAT?!" another shouted, standing up, pointing a finger at Nitocris. One second later, he fell back down, a star-shaped metal object embedded deep in his forehead. He was dead even before his body crashed to the ground.


    "Ice, please," Nitocris admonished him, "At least let him finish his sentence."


    Ice played with another metal star in his hand while he tsked, "His voice was annoying."


    Nitocris turned back to look at everyone at the table, shrugging, "True."


    Everyone was quiet then.


    "As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted," Nitocris began again, "Kazuya has stepped down and I am taking over."


    "Anyone who objects can leave. Those who stay, the same rules of operations apply. There are no changes as it''s how I''ve always managed things," Nitocris said, "Oh, except Dr. Dre and his laboratory are no more. We don''t need that kind of things to get ahead. That was Kazuya''s hobby, not mine."


    Of course, Nitocris need not mention that Dr. Dre was at the bottom of the ocean, feeding the sharks at that moment. Until his death, Dr. Dre never could fathom what he did wrong to deserve being executed .. rather, to be executed in that manner.


    Nitocris smiled as he thought of Dr. Dre.


    He had personally attended to Dr. Dre. There had been a lot of unresolved issues he had with Dr. Dre. Drako wasn''t the only one that suffered under his hands. Nitocris had as well, though to a much lesser extent.


    All the pent-up hatred and anger he had over his father, and for what had been done to Drako just spilled over.


    He quite enjoyed the whole process and whistled as he did the work alone. No one had been allowed in and Nitocris had spent the whole night paying very close attention to Dr. Dre. He used all the tools that was available in the laboratory, constantly talking to Dr. Dre as he did his work.


    When the cleaning crew went in after he was done ... all of them ended up puking in one corner.


    The moment they entered the room, they had seen an intact human skin hanging at one corner, a pool of blood at its feet. Dr. Dre - or what was left of him - was on the table. He had been so expertly skinned that he was still alive. Barely breathing, but alive.


    However, what made the hardened clean-up crew throw up was when they saw what was left of Dr. Dre.


    Save for the chest, his entire body had no more flesh. It had been cut out until the bone, while the chest had been cut open to reveal the heart. Thus, what they saw was a skeleton that had skinned head and the heart clearly seen pumping through an open chest.


    Nitocris had left word to just let him lie there until he died from blood loss. Which he did, a few days later.


    Nitocris brought his mind back to the present.


    He noted how everyone nodded their heads in agreement and no one made a move to leave. Many looked at the dead guy and laughed. What a stupid way to die and for a stupid reason, too. Everyone knew that Kazuya did nothing but just fucked girls and threw his weight around. It was Nitocris that was the true head.


    Why object over something so senseless?


    It was unanimous. Well, a new Chieftain needed to be chosen to replace the dead guy, but overall, the take-over went by without a hitch.


    After everyone left, Kyle looked at Nitocris and said, "What the-. That certainly was anti-climatic. I thought there''ll be more blood or something."


    Nitocris just looked at him, then at the dead body that was being carried out for disposal, then back at him. Without a word, he got up, fixed his suit and walked out.


    Kyle grinned, then quickly ran after him, shouting, "Hey! Big Bro! Don''t leave me behind!"


    It was a sight people in the building would never forget. Ice, the notorious cold guy, running after their boss like a puppy that had been left behind ... their respect for the Boss went up even higher. For him to be able to tame such a wild card, Boss must be great indeed.


    ?? Two Weeks Later ??


    It was a bit crowded at Master Shifu''s dining room.


    There was Kyle, Kay, Master Shifu, Rheia, Nitocris, Drako and May all gathered around the dining table. School was going to begin soon, so Kyle and Kay would be leaving. Nitocris had already moved into Master Shifu''s house, and May was staying with Drako in one room. Kitten Oreo was asleep in the living room.


    When May woke up from the hypnotism that Kyle placed her under, she was, unsurprisingly, scared of them. However, Master Shifu assured them that May would recover in time, as she had not been under Kazuya''s control for long. If it had been a year, then she may never be able to break the hold Kazuya had over her.


    What they did not expect was that May latched herself onto Drako the moment she set eyes on him. Drako had shrunk back at first, but seeing the total dependency she had upon him, he didn''t have the heart to push her away. He had heard that she was Kazuya''s latest pet, and he knew what that entailed.


    As for May, when she first set her eyes on Drako, she saw the pain in his eyes that she had seen in Kazuya''s, but at a much higher level. For some reason that she couldn''t explain, she gravitated towards him. When he didn''t reject her hanging on to him, she was elated. He was kind to her and she became dependent upon him.


    Whenever she saw him in pain, she had this compulsion to help him. To her, however, that meant pleasing him sexually. When Drako rejected her and refused all her advances, she was shocked and hurt. She would cry, thinking that she was useless.


    She didn''t give up, though, and kept on trying to help in. Eventually, he caved in.


    However, unlike Kazuya, Drako had been gentle. Kind. Sweet. May found herself more and more unable to leave his side, for it was only with him did she feel safe. With others, she would shiver uncontrollably, even though she knew they were not the enemy.


    Drako was also being healed by May.


    She took care of him, held him when he had his nightmares, soothed him when he was in pain. Her gentle nature belied the wild way she was in bed, and initially, he had not wanted to take advantage of her because he knew she had been brainwashed by Kazuya.


    Still, he was a normal man, who found himself weakening each time he pushed her away ... especially when each time he did so, she would look so sad and she would cry. She wouldn''t cry in front of him, however, as she would turn around and sob quietly into the pillow. As if him refusing it meant he was rejecting her completely. His heart broke and he finally relented.


    After a while, he found that he couldn''t sleep unless she was beside him. It only then did the nightmares not come. Both were still healing and both were the balms to each other''s broken souls.


    Life was weird that way. They may have gotten together in an unusual way but from the looks of it, both appeared genuinely happy.


    Which was what they both needed.


    "Do you really have to go?" asked Rheia towards Kyle and Kay.


    "Yes, Auntie," Kyle said gently, "School will reopen next week and we stay in the dorms."


    "But we will come and visit whenever we can," Kay added, "Besides, Big Bro Nick lives here now, so you have him."


    "Yes, but he''s so busy now that Kazuya retired," Rheia said with a slight frown, "He hasn''t been coming to visit either. I wonder about that father of yours."


    Nitocris patted her hand, "It''s okay, mum. Dad''s always been like that. It''s better this way, don''t you think?"


    Rheia''s face looked like she was struggling for a while but when she looked at Nitocris''s happy face, and the warm family-like atmosphere around her, she couldn''t help but feel ... content. She had been having memories of her husband doing these things like not coming home for months and she wondered why she never remembered them before.


    Rheia smiled then and nodded, patting Nitocris on the cheek.


    "As long as you''re happy," she said simply.


    "I am, Mum. I am," Nitocris replied with a gentle smile, seeing how his mother was accepting things calmly. He was overjoyed. The process may be slow, but he didn''t mind. He could see how much better his mother was all the time.


    Kyle watched all of this with a smile.


    "I would like to make an announcement," Drako suddenly said, standing up.

 Chapter 147 - Healing (II)

    When Drako made that statement, everyone turned to face him, paying close attention.


    Suddenly being the center of attention, May grabbed onto Drako''s arm, looking up at him with some fear in her eyes. However, unlike before, it wasn''t a deep fear of pain but rather, intense nervousness. Also, she was scared being the center of attention.


    Drako gave her a gentle smile as he caressed her head, reassuring her. She closed her eyes and smiled, feeling warm again. She settled down, though she did not let go of his arm.


    Drako then faced everyone else as he said resolutely, "I do not want to be called Drako anymore, as Drako no longer exist. I have been reborn, thanks to Master Shifu."


    "I would also like to thank you, Kyle, for sparing my life and was willing to give me a second chance. I owe this life to you," Drako said, giving a low bow.


    Kyle nodded, though he was feeling slightly uncomfortable with such a display of gratitude. He didn''t think he did anything extraordinary, and anyone would have done the same.


    Drako held onto May''s shoulder and gave another bow, saying, "I would also like to thank you, Kyle, Kay, and Nitocris, for rescuing May. For bringing her here. If it wasn''t for that, I wouldn''t have met my soulmate."


    Nitocris held his tongue as his mother was there. He didn''t do a thing and in fact, had ignored May completely. When he turned to look at his mother, she was giving him such a big smile and patted his arm, as if saying, ''that''s my boy''.


    Drako took a deep breath and reached down to take her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it before he said, "My new name is Hawthorn."


    Kyle blinked. Kay blinked. No one said a thing.


    Hawthorn smiled, knowing the blank look on the people''s faces was due to the very unusual name he had chosen.


    "Hawthorn is the flower symbol for the month of May," he explained, "May is my life, and I, hers. Thus, it is only right my name should be associated with May."


    May smiled widely, squeezing his hands even harder.


    "Also, the Hawthorn is a tree of magical enchantment. It is associated with the ancient festival celebrating spring," Hawthorn continued, "In fact, in Celtic mythology, it is one of the most sacred trees. It symbolizes love and protection."


    Hawthorn looked down at May again, a gentle smile on his face, "It''s not just me that has a new lease on life. May does as well. After darkness, spring has come for both of us. I was born to love and protect May, I am her Hawthorn. A steady tree that symbolizes love and protection."


    "It just fits. All of it. It''s Fate," Hawthorn said as he then sat down.


    "It''s a really good name," Kay agreed, smiling.


    Kyle nodded, and his face appeared to be thinking hard.


    "But Hawthorn is so long. Can I call you Thor for short?" Kyle asked with a grin.


    Hawthorn shrugged, "That''s better than Haw or Thorn, I suppose," Hawthorn replied, sitting down. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to stop Kyle from giving him a nickname and he would just have to deal with it.


    Just like how Nitocris had to endure being called ''Big Bro Nick'' by Kyle. One could tell how much it annoyed him, as his jaw would clench up. He never let any displeased expression show on his face, however. One could tell how much Rheia loved the brotherly banter of Kyle on ''big bro Nick''.


    Hawthorn was so focused on May that he didn''t notice Kyle laughing quietly at the table while Kay smacked him on the shoulder. Hawthorn was never interested in television, so he didn''t know who Thor was.


    Kyle was thinking how much fun it would be to call out ''THOR'' and Hawthorn answered. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ?? ?? ??


    That night, as Kay and Kyle lay down on their beds at night, Kyle finally raised the question that had been on his mind for quite some time.


    [Are you okay, Kay?]


    He had asked the moment they had got back getting Kazuya, and she had merely smiled and him and nodded. He kept an eye out on her, simply waiting for the time when she would feel comfortable enough with what had happened to be able to talk about it.


    Different people had different ways of handling things.


    For Kyle, it was simple. Either talk it out or punch it out.


    With Kay, it was slightly more complicated. She needed time to process what had happened, be it to adjust emotionally or mentally. Once she had things figured out, would she talk about it.


    [Yes, I am. I know one thing for sure, though]


    [What is it?] Kyle asked curiously.


    [I''m never going into the field again. Not unless it''s necessary, like it had been that day]


    Kyle felt an immense sense of relief.


    [I''m more suited to be in the background, and help you from there. Mind you, this does not mean I have changed my mind about learning self-defence]


    [Yes, I know] Kyle replied [Your Wing Chun instructor will come next month. I have already obtained Principal Godric''s approval to have Wing Chun as a new activity in school, so you won''t be the only one benefitting]


    [That''s good] Kay said, a smile forming on her face.


    She still remembered that day like it was yesterday. When she had awoken from the gas, she had been extremely nervous and scared over what could possibly happen. Seeing how calm and collected Kyle was, however, made her calm as well.


    When he had told her to close her eyes, she did. At first. Uknown to him, she had peeked a few times. She knew Kyle was skilled but to see him in action was beyond anything she could have imagined.


    He was like a lethal killer. No, not like. He is a lethal killer.


    Instead of being scared seeing how decisive Kyle''s strikes were, or how he seemed unfazed whenever he took a life, she felt awe and pride. His moves were fluid and smooth, like the movement of water. It was poetry in motion.


    She did close her eyes when Kyle threw the knives at the last two guys, as well as when Kyle was busy crushing the hands of another. She didn''t think he was cruel but felt that he was meting out justice.


    Although she wasn''t scared, it was all due to Kyle being there. She knew then, without a doubt, that this was not something that she could do. She wouldn''t be a burden if she had to be there, but she would not be of much help. Kay knew that her forte was her hacking and gathering intelligence. So she would devote her time and skills there instead.


    [Excited about going back to school?] Kyle asked.


    [Of course. We''re second years now!]


    ?? Hidden Basement ??


    A lone, naked man lay huddled on the cold ground. He doesn''t know how long it has been anymore. It feels like it has been years. The room was always dark, but not too dark that he can''t see his surroundings. All he knows is the constant routine that he is subjected to all the time.


    He just wished he could die, but he can''t. He had a blanket but he didn''t want it. He had taken off his clothes long ago, and it lay in one puddle beside him. He was trying all methods to either fall sick, or just die.


    The man wailed.


    He wanted to fall sick but they''d always heal him. They''d force these weird concoction into his mouth and he gets better. They''d force feed him so he can''t starve himself. They''d tend to his wounds so that it wouldn''t fester. They''d even bathe and clothe him so that the risk of him falling sick was lowered.


    He didn''t have any more fingers or toes, for it had all been cut off bit by bit - but that was after his fingernails had been pulled out. His entire body was full of black-and-blue bruises, scabs from slashes of whips and knives.


    His manhood was still intact but that was only so that his tormentor could kick him and punch him there all the time. Sometimes his tormentor would shove things into his a**, not stopping even though he would bleed profusely from the invasion.


    Slowly, surely, Kazuya''s mind was deteriorating and he was descending into madness. Every time he hears the footsteps approach, he would be so scared that he sometimes peed himself or his mind just went blank. Every time the cell door creaked open, he would be screaming or huddled in one corner.


    The day his brain finally snapped, was when the torment ended.


    Kyle came when Hawthorn called him, letting him know of Kazuya''s condition. Hawthorn stood quietly behind Kyle, as Kyle crouched down and poked the body-that-used-to-be-a-man.


    "Have you attained peace now, Thor?" Kyle asked quietly.


    Hawthorn took a deep breath, his eyes flickering with lingering feelings. Finally, after a minute or two, he answered clearly, "Yes."


    "You have a new life, a new name," Kyle continued, as he took out his knife, its blade glistening even in that darkened room, "You''ve released all your hatred and anger on the one that stole your old life. So with the end of this life, let your past finally be at rest."


    As Kyle slid the knife deep into the man''s heart, watching him gurgle and twitch from the pain. Kyle didn''t even break eye contact as he saw the light of life slowly fade from Kazuya''s eyes.


    Kyle sighed.


    He remembered the first time he had killed a man. It was at a distance and even then, he had been affected. Now, he could do it without blinking an eye - and even watch as they died without feeling a thing. He hoped this meant that when the time for revenge came ... he could do it, if required, even if it meant it was someone he had known and trusted.


    He looked again at the dead body and thought, ''How easy it is to snuff out a life.''

 Chapter 148 - A New Year: Poor Sam

    It was the first day of school in the year. Everyone that was heading to Sakura Academy couldn''t wait to get there. In fact, most of the new students had been so excited that they couldn''t really sleep the previous night and was ready to go way ahead of time.


    After all, Kyle was the Student President and he would be greeting the new students at the gate. AT THE GATE!!


    So everyone basically dressed up as much as one can dress up while wearing a school uniform and following school regulation hairstyles. Did that stop them from trying? Heck no. Light make up was done, but so slight that it would go unnoticed (or so they thought). Scented powder. Coy looks practiced in front of the mirro. The duck face, too.


    You know, the usual.


    "Urgh, I''m so hot," Kyle complained as he stood at the gate.


    Kay looked at him, "It''s 7am. The sun isn''t up high yet. What nonsense are you spouting so early in the morning?"


    Kyle grinned at her, wriggling his eyebrows, pointed at himself and said, "My dear sister. Hear me properly. I. Am. SO. HOT."


    "Shameless," Kay muttered, hitting him on the shoulder.


    "The real question is, though," Kyle started as he smiled and waved some students in, "Why are there so many students coming in so early? Didn''t they get the memo that we''re starting at 8am?"


    "You mean the same memo that said you''d be here greeting them when they come in?" Kay asked back.


    "Oh."


    "Yes, brother. Oh," Kay replied, "I think the whole Kazuya episode has fried your brains."


    "Perhaps," Kyle acknowledged, "I''ve never been on edge and made so many plans in such little time. So I guess taking a break by coming to school is good."


    Kay laughed, "Only you would say coming to school is taking a break!"


    "But it''s true!" Kyle protested, "I work harder during school holidays than I do in school!"


    Kay nodded, "You do have a point."


    Kyle suddenly stopped one girl, flashing her his Million-Dollar Watt Smile as he said, "I''m so sorry, Belinda. But make-up, no matter how light, isn''t allowed in school."


    Then, he gently wiped her eyebrows and said, "Foundation is fine, but don''t go drawing eyebrows, okay? You''re beautiful without it, anyway."


    Belinda just stood there, nodding, eyes wide open, "O-okay, I''ll wipe it off now. I''m so sorry Student Council President Kyle."


    "Gosh, that''s a mouthful. Just Senior Kyle is fine," Kyle said, giving her another smile.


    "Okay Senior Kyle, I won''t do this again, Senior Kyle," Belinda said in a gush, the tips of her ears all red. She then practically ran to the bathroom, her heart beating in her chest while internally screaming, ''omigosh omigosh omigosh! Kyle talked to me! He touched me! I''m never going to wash my eyebrows again. Wait. I have to! NOOOOOOOOOOO''


    "That was lethal, dear brother," Kay tsked at him.


    Kyle gave her a slow smile, and proceeded to do it again to another girl.


    [They''re going to start coming to school with make-up again just to have you do that, you know] Kay admonished him.


    [I know there would be some who would do that, but I won''t be here tomorrow now, would I? Anyway, if I catch them again, I''d just give them really sad look at them while saying in disappointment, ''I thought you meant it when you said you wouldn''t do it''.]


    [You mean, you''d guilt trip them? That''s mean, brother.]


    [No. Mean is when I make them cry. This gets the job done and the message across much faster, don''t you think?]


    [I see your manipulative streak is coming out again]


    [As long as it gets the job done, dear sister. Anything is fair game]


    Just then, this rather energetic girl came rushing at them and grabbed Kay by the hands, "You''re Kayla Smith, right? Right?? And you must be Kyle Smith!! Of course, you are. You''re SO much more handsome in real life. I thought the Insta pics were touched up but it looks like it had been filtered down! Gosh. Don''t you get mobbed or something?"


    Kyle turned to look at Kay, who was busy trying to hold in her laughter. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She''s like the female version of Xing Han, isn''t she? I mean, the old Xing Han," Kyle said then turned to her, smiling as he said, "Calm down, Betty."


    "OH GOSH! You know my name!!"


    "Er, yes. Your name tag says so," Kyle said with a grin.


    She looked down and saw her name tag right and went, "Ooooh, I forgot. Hee hee."


    "Beatrice is inside the Hall if you''re looking for her. If you don''t see her there, then she''s backstage," Kyle told her.


    "How did you know I was looking for her?! Are you a mind reader?! You are, aren''t you?!" Betty gasped, staring at Kyle.


    By this time, they attracted a whole lot of attention because of the ruckus that was being made. That, and the fact that Betty was monoplizing Kyle''s attention and he wasn''t smiling or greeting the newcomers in.


    Kyle put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her forward, saying, "Beatrice told us about you and to keep an eye out for you. So, go. She''s probably waiting for you. Couldn''t stop talking about you either."


    "Beatrice? Really? She''s normally the quiet type," Betty said.


    "Oh, you''ll probably see that she''s changed a bit," Kyle replied.


    "Oh, okay. See you later then. Thanks! Bye!" Betty said as she rushed off.


    "She reminds you of a rabbit, doesn''t she?" Kay asked and Kyle nodded. Energetic and fluffy. Those two images stuck to their minds.


    Suddenly, Kay''s eyes widened and she turned to look at Kyle, "You don''t think ...."


    "Yes," Kyle confirmed.


    "No, it''s not possible!" Kay said, putting her hand on her chest.


    "I disagree. It''s very possible. Shall we make a bet?" Kyle asked, turning to face his sister.


    "Against you? What? You think I''m stupid?" Kay huffed.


    Kyle laughed and shrugged, "I can be wrong too, you know."


    "Rarely," Kay said, "Poor Sam."


    "Yes, poor Sam indeed," Kyle muttered as he watched the little bunny disappear into the Hall.


    ?? Backstage ??


    "BEATRIIIIICCCEEE!!" Betty shouted, rushing over and slamming herself onto Beatrice.


    Beatrice, who had been focusing on the documents in front of her, was shocked senseless for a second. When she realised who it was, she smiled and patted Betty on the head.


    "You came so early?"


    "Yes! I couldn''t wait to see you!! And this Sakura Academy you''ve been raving about in your letters!! Thanks for helping move my stuff in. So sorry to cause you so much trouble. I should have been here to do it myself," Betty said with a pout, twitching her nose as she twirled her hair. A habit she had when she''s feeling sad, nervous or guilty.


    Beatrice gave her a warm smile, "It''s not your fault that you had to stay back a few extra days. Your grandmother wasn''t feeling well, right?"


    "Yeah, but still ..." Betty said then she realised there was someone next to Beatrice. In her excitement, she didn''t see anything or anyone other than Beatrice. She stopped her sentence and looked at the boy curiously.


    He was really good looking, with his neatly cut hair, stylish black-rimmed glasses and eyes that were so clear and deep, she felt like she could drown in them. For some reason, she found her heart beating fast and the tips of her ears started feeling hot so she pulled on her twintails to cover them.


    Beatrice noticed where Betty was looking and she gasped, "Oh, I''m so sorry. How rude of me. Betty, this is Samuel. He''s the PRO for the Student Council. Samuel, this is my cousin Betty."


    Sam was dumbstruck.


    The moment Betty had walked through the door, he had noticed her. How could he not? She was wearing the school uniform properly, but for some reason, all he could see was this really, really cute bunny. A human bunny.


    She had long hair which she tied high in two ponytails that cascaded down the sides of her delicate face. It reminded him of rabbit ears. The hair tie had these tiny white poms poms which just reminded him of a bunny tail. The way she twiched her nose was exactly as how a rabbit would do when it was eating.


    She actually hopped over (she was skipping, but to Sam''s eyes, she was hopping like a bunny).


    At that moment, he had this sudden urge to just scoop her up and run away with her. No one should be allowed to see such cuteness!! No one but him, of course.


    The moment that thought entered his head, he hit himself. Literally slapped his own cheek. What was wrong with him?


    Sam, like anyone else, has a weakness.


    His was that he loved really cute things. No, that''s not right. He loved cute, fluffy things. Specifically, bunnies. The way their ears flowed down, the way their nose twitches, the way their fur is so soft, the way they just look at you with those cute little soulful eyes.


    Sam couldn''t keep bunnies in his home as his mother was allergic, so he made do with plushies of it. He didn''t just ''like'' rabbits. He adored them to death. So, seeing a human bunny kinda fried Sam''s brain.


    "Samuel?"


    Sam shook his head, coughed and blinked rapidly a few times to try to get the image of a bunny away from his head. She''s a girl. A human. A human girl. No matter how many times he said it in his head, when he looked at her, his mind went blank again.


    He did, however, manage to croak out, "Pleased to meet you."


    The little bunny gave this really dazzling smile as she answered in the sweetest voice Sam ever heard, "Pleased to meet you, too, Senior Samuel."


    "Sam," he said automatically, "Only Beatrice calls me by my full name."


    Sam meant that Beatrice was just too stubborn and rigid not to use his nickname but Betty took it to mean that Beatrice was someone special to him so only she could use his full name. Betty found herself feeling sad about that and she didn''t know why.


    Sam, on the other hand, wondered what made her suddenly look so sad and he wanted to hug her for comfort. He even found himself subconciously taking a step forward when she suddenly smiled and said, "Okay, Senior Sam! Got it! I''ll go and sit down now, and not bother both of you."


    Betty ran off, wanting to give them some private time. She should be happy that Beatrice has someone by her side but for some unexplained reason, she wasn''t as happy as she thought she would be.


    Sam watched her go, blinking rapidly and suddenly feeling like backstage was rather ... dreary. Still, the bunny had been right. There was work to be done. Sam went back to concentrating on the task at hand.

 Chapter 149 - First Assembly

    Everyone was gathered and sitting in the Hall excitedly. The new students were staring about them in complete amazement, feeling extremely lucky that they managed to enter Sakura Academy.


    The competition to enter had been fierce.


    There had been so many applications to enter that Principal Godric had quite a headache to filter them out. Entry requirements became much more stringent. Unlike most, however, Principal Godric wasn''t focused solely on academic merit.


    He wanted the school to be the place that the elite would shine even more as the Sage Class was there, but also the weak ones that would not shine in an ordinary academic setting. During the time the school had done the test when he first was admitted, he had also designed another exam. This time, the admissions exams for the upcoming new year.


    Thus, every hopeful applicant had to sit for an admissions exam which was held a week after the school holidays. With the results, Principal Godric would choose the candidates based on two things: a comparison between their academic records and the scores obtained from the admissions exam.


    If their scores were high on both, then they were accepted. These were possible candidates for Sage Class.


    If their exam scores were high but academic records were weak, then they were accepted. These were candidates with the greatest chance of benefitting from the programme.


    The rest of the numbers were then made up of those who scored high on the admissions exam.


    Only 120 could be admitted and there had been 1000 applications. You can imagine the chaos and work involved.


    The reason for such a high number of applications was because word had gotten around about Principal Godric''s revolutionary education system. As a result, a lot of parents were very keen on enrolling their students there.


    Initially, they were hesitant but all the parents of the current students had nothing but praise for the system. Though it had only been slightly more than a month since the system was in place, they had seen improvement in their kids.


    Most of the new students, however, were not so much interested in the new school system. To them, school was school. It was the Student Council President that they were keen on.


    Principal Godric was on the stage, watching at the students who were entering the Hall. He had a big smile on his face. Things were going well so far and he hoped it will continue to grow. It was unexpected that the programme ran quite smoothly even though it was just implemented and he was even more amazed at the enthusiastic response the parents had for it.


    Principal Godric was humble, though, for he acknowledged that part of the reason for its success was due to the dedication of the teachers in implementing it. They had to work hard in order to be able to guide their students properly.


    The students, too, though had been hesitant in the beginning, responded to the enthusiasm of the teachers. It wasn''t to say that it was perfect, for there were still some who resisted it, but overall, it was a success. He hoped that it would continue to be able to build up and its system be implemented nationwide.


    He was especially keen on Sage Class. The reports Kyle had given prior to the holidays had been encouraging and amazing. Principal Godric was excited, thinking of what Sage Class would come up with that year.


    Just then, Kyle entered the Hall as it was nearly 8am. Upon seeing the Principal already on stage, Kyle quickly made his way up there while Kay went to sit with the rest of the Elite Five. Ali had reserved a seat for her and Sam.


    As they were waiting for everything to start, Sam joined them.


    Immediately upon sitting down, he looked around and his eyes immediately found his ... er, the little bunny .. no, the little girl ... no, the new student. Sam groaned, shook his head and slapped his cheeks again.


    Ali gave him a look and asked, "Are you alright?"


    Sam turned to look at him slowly and then asked, "Do you believe in love at first sight?"


    Ali''s eyes widened and his mouth was open to form a soundless "O". Seeing the extremely serious expression of Sam, Ali answered just as seriously, not intending to tease him at all.


    "No," Ali said simply, "I believe in lust at first sight, but not love. How can you be in love with a person that you don''t know? It''s the person''s exterior that you''re attracted to, and that is lust. To truly love someone, you need to know the person. What she''s like and all that."


    Ali thought back to the 10 girls he had to choose from.


    Each and every one of them was fantastic and spectacular in their own way. There were a few that he didn''t quite like - or rather, there was no ''connection'' of any sort. This is the year he was going to have to shortlist them. After that, it would be getting to know the ones left in a more intimate setting. He had a headache just thinking about it.


    Sam nodded, agreeing.


    It was illogical to attribute the sudden palpitation of the heart to be love. That sudden dryness in his throat. That butterflies in the stomach feeling.


    It''s just nervousness because he had never seen a human bunny before.


    Ali sighed as his eyes misted over while he thought back, running his hand through his hair and he continued, "You''re going to be spending the rest of your life with the one you choose, so it''s not just a matter of beauty. Not external beauty, at least."


    "It has to be a connection of the soul. The heart. External beauty will fade, but the connection of the heart would not. It takes work, of course, but that is more lasting than choosing based on what your little brother likes."


    "Little ... brother?" Sam turned to look at him then his eyes widened as he realised what Ali meant. Sam nodded again, knowing that it made sense.


    "So is that what you''re looking for amongst your bride candidates?" Sam asked, curiously, "A connection of the soul?"


    "Yes," Ali replied, looking ahead of him at the stage, "In my religion, I can marry four. However, it doesn''t mean we should. Each wife has to be treated equally and you have to love them equally. I don''t think I can do that and I have no idea how anyone can. It''s not just a matter of being able to provide for them - my family is more than rich enough to provide for a whole room of concubines!"


    Ali shook his head, "Not for me. I, Muhammad Ali, will only have one, whom I will be with till the end of my Life, God willing. So I must be very careful about who it is."


    "Unfortunately, I have yet to feel anything other than just like and admiration so far. So whoever I marry, will be the one that I get along with the most," Ali said as he thought about it, "I''ve spent years getting to know these girls and so far, no spark of this ''love'' thing. So I''ll settle for ''good friend'' and build it from there."


    "So basically, you''ll marry your best friend?" Sam continued prodding.


    Ali turned to look at him. Since when was this a question about his love life? Wasn''t it due to Sam himself experiencing something?


    So instead of answering, Ali asked instead, "Did you find someone that you''re attracted to, Sam?"


    Ali studied him closely, noting the slight flicker of ... intense emotion ... in his eyes. That sparked Ali''s interest even more. He knew how straight forward Sam is, so the best way to get information out of him was to just ask him. Looks like it was the best move.


    Sam appeared to be struggling to find the words to say. In the end, he shrugged and said, "No. Not attracted to."


    It was more like ''I want to carry her away'' sort of feeling. That wasn''t attraction, Sam acknowledged to himself. That was possessiveness. A sort of feeling that should never arise and he disdained it. He put it down to himself not being able to disassociate Betty, the human girl, from the thought of the ''cute adorable bunny of his''.


    Sam was startled.


    His?


    He gulped.


    Why was he being so irrational? Since when has he ever been so illogical?


    He scolded himself harshly, using all sorts of curses he knew. He was NOT one of those who simply judged a girl by their looks and he definately was NOT one of those that viewed them as objects.


    Ali noticed with amusement the conflict that Sam appeared to be under. He surmised that Sam did find someone he was attracted to, but he was trying to be logical about it. When your head and heart do not agree on something, it can be quite lethal.


    "It''s not att - traction," Sam started to say, then suddenly his voice broke, the last part of the sentence suddenly being high pitched. He blinked several times, cleared his throat and tried again, "I am NoOt attracted. No. Not at all."


    Throughout the sentence, his voice faltered.


    Ali grinned wider and grabbed Sam by the shoulders, messing his hair, "Sam!! Welcome to the world of men!!"


    Kay and Xing Han turned and smiled at Sam, with Xing Han giving him two thumbs up. Sam pushed Ali aside, fixed his hair and sat back. Principal Godric was just starting his welcoming speech so everyone settled down.


    Sam cleared his throat again. So THAT was why his emotions had been weird lately. Guess entering puberty was as troublesome as they said it was. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 150 - Student Council President

    Principal Godric stood at the podium, grinning away.


    "Welcome! Welcome to the new students of Sakura Academy and welcome back, old students of Sakura Academy!"


    All the returning students cheered, completely shocking all the new students. Shocked, because they''ve always been taught to keep quiet when the teacher is talking. In this case, when the Principal is giving a speech. Seen and not heard.


    They looked at the principal, only to find that not only was he not angry, he was also looking happier. He gleefully rubbed his hands together then finally put them out, palms up and then waving them down.


    Everyone settled down quietly.


    "It''s great to have people actually wanting to come to school!" Principal Godric said and everyone shouted in happiness again.


    "Or is it because you just wanted to see Kyle again?" he teased and people laughed though no one could really refute that either.


    Eyes darted over to look at Kyle, who was sitting on a chair on the stage, next to Beatrice. A lot of girls just sighed hearts in their eyes. Kyle looked at all of them and flashed his Million-Dollar Watt Smile, hitting more people right where they were vulnerable.


    Just two months and one could already see a difference in him. Wasn''t his nose sharper? His eyebrows more elegant? His lips fuller? Well, not really but all sorts of nonsense went through their minds as they could finally see the person rather than just looking at a picture. It wasn''t the same. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah, I''m kidding," Principal Godric said, waving his hand in front of his face, "This school is full of awesome students, bringing this school even higher than before."


    Principal Godric then went on to give the results of the last major examinations, which revealed that more students got good scores and were accepted into good places of higher education. He then went on to give a list of those who achieved great things during the holidays.


    It wasn''t limited to academic achievements, but for anything that had been done. Ranging from winning national contests or social activities such as fundraising.


    Of course, Kyle was saved for last.


    "And last but certainly not least, we have our own Student Council President, Kyle Smith."


    The whole Hall erupted into whooop whooop and claps.


    "Yes, yes, that Kyle Smith," Principal Godric said with a smile, "I won''t really go into details as his head is big enough ..."


    People laughed and booed at him when Principal Godric put up his hands, "Actually, it was Kyle himself that asked me not to. I''m merely respecting his wishes."


    Then as if saying a secret as he looked left and right, then whispering into the microphone, "But you can check out his Insta account for all his achievements. His sister lists them out very well."


    "I''m not allowed to talk about him, but he can''t stop his sister now, can he?" Principal Godric said with glee then he added, "The photos are a bonus, I believe."


    Kyle groaned and shook his head while rolling his eyes.


    Principal Godric was getting to be more mischievous, it seems. He had NEVER met such a principal before in his life. One who talked TO his students rather than at them. The former was him treating his students as one who was at his level and a friend while the other would have this barrier that could not be crossed.


    People respected him and his position, but he never talked down to people nor demanded people to bow down to him (figuratively speaking, of course). Principal Godric believed that he is there as a guide and he can''t guide if people don''t feel comfortable enough to approach him.


    After that, Principal Godric introduced all the teachers and what they were teaching. He explained about the different systems in some classes and how it was being taught. He was pleased to see how everyone was paying close attention and not playing with their phones or talking to each other.


    It was a very good sign.


    What he didn''t know was that part of the reason for that attentiveness was because they wanted to give a good impression on Kyle. He was constantly just looking at all of them, smiling and even waving occasionally to some people that caught his eye.


    "Alright. Without further ado, I hand it over to our Student Council President," Principal Godric said as he gestured for Kyle to come.


    This was the way Principal Godric would have his first day Assembly Speech.


    A welcome speech, then ''catching up'' speech (that is, telling the students of the current - and just graduated - student''s achievements) and finally, the Student Council President would give a talk about the student activities for the year.


    Kyle got up, and went to the podium amidst the loud applause of welcome.


    "Thank you, thank you very much," Kyle said, imitating a particularly well known singer, E.P., who had long passed.


    "Thank you, Principal Godric and hello students of Sakura Academy!!"


    Everyone yelled.


    "Everyone good?"


    They all yelled again.


    "Great! Because this year, it''s only going to get better!!"


    The Hall erupted in applause and yells again.


    "Well, first, I''d like to introduce my very capable team for the year. Beatrice Chin, my capable and dependable Vice-President," Kyle said as he looked at Beatrice. Beatrice got up, smiled and gave a slight bow before sitting down.


    "Irene Chee, the ever efficient Secretary. Rick Stein, the dependable Treasurer. Samuel Johnson, the adorable PRO."


    As Kyle mentioned them, they all stood up where they were in the Hall and faced the crowd to let them know how they looked like. Other than Beatrice, the rest of the Student Council members chose to sit amongst the students for it was more comfortable that way.


    Sitting on stage is nerve-wracking, okay? You can''t really do what you want, knowing that all the eyes are on you. Sitting still, all prim and proper? Who would volunteer to do that?


    Meanwhile, Sam was giving Kyle a glare for the ''adorable'' jibe and people laughed.


    When Sam had turned to face the crowd, naturally, his eyes landed on Betty. Of course, she was looking straight at him as well and their eyes locked for a few seconds.


    Betty blinked, thinking it must be her imagination as there were hundreds of students there. He was just looking at everyone and she started thinking he was looking at her? How could he see her amongst all the others, right?


    Still, she couldn''t stop the blush that was forming so she quickly pulled on her twintails again while biting her bottom lip.


    Sam, on the other hand, was frozen for a second. First, because he got lost in those eyes even though she was so far away. Then, she had to start looking so adorable and cute with her holding onto her twintails and the way she looked so shy.


    Why was she looking so shy, though?


    Sam started looking around her and saw several guys giving her some glances. He sat back down, eyebrows furrowing as he noted each and every one of those faces. He''ll find out who they are later, as the Student Council had a list of all the registered students there.


    "If you have any problems, you can always come and see any of us at the Student Council Office after school hours. If there''s an emergency, then come over to Sage Class as Beatrice and I are there," Kyle said.


    "Now," Kyle smiled while rubbing his hands, "A few announcements. New students, your class placement tests will begin after this Assembly ends. It will take about 2 days for the papers to be marked and everyone allocated to your classrooms. In the meantime, you''re to use those two days to explore the school, look through the extra-curricular activities and chose the ones you want."


    "And that brings me to my second announcement. There will be a new class offered this year for co-curricular activities: Wing Chun class," Kyle said, "It''s conducted by Sifu Xin. She will have a demonstration today, at 3pm in this Hall. This is to show you what it''s all about and will answer any questions."


    Kyle went on to make two more announcements, mainly about Valentine''s Day which would be the next month and the Career Fair, just before the break. Although the latter was going to be much later in the year, he wanted them to think about it already. Especially those who would graduate that year.


    "Last, but not least, there is one final change that will be implemented and be done from now on," Kyle said as he closed up his speech, "Students will be more active in the keeping the school clean and to help about."


    Groans were heard.


    "Now, now," Kyle said with a smile, "The school is big and we have all of you here. It''s only right that you also take care of the school, right? We will spend five years of our lives here. Not only that, you''re spending most of the day here. So just like you''re expected to do chores at home, you''re also expected to take care of your school. Your second home."


    "Let''s make our lives here, meaningful. Not just about studying, right?" Kyle ended, looking so sweet and expectant for their cooperation that no one had the heart to deny him. After all, he made sense, right?


    Everyone then gave a resounding cheer to which Kyle raised his two arms above his head, then formed a heart with the forefinger and thumb. He grinned, wriggled his eyebrows, pressed something on his phone and Drake''s song ''In My Feelings'' started blasting.


    Everyone whooped and stood up as Kyle did the Shiggy Dance Challenge which lasted for a minute or two. Phones were whipped out and people started recording. Principal Godric and the teachers were just staring at him but didn''t stop him.


    [A bit much, brother]


    Kyle didn''t answer but just laughed. People melted.

 Chapter 151 - PDA

    After the impromptu dance, Kyle clapped his hands and said, "That''s a wrap. First years, please stay behind. The rest of you, hasta la vista!! Go forth and learn," Kyle said. flashing his Million-Dollar Watt Smile yet again.


    With that, the First Assembly of the year ended and everyone shuffled back to their classrooms. Once it was emptied except for the first years, Kyle sat at the edge of the stage and smiled at them.


    They all paid full attention. As Kyle was talking, the rest of the Student Council Members came by. Beatrice stood behind Kyle while the others were below the stage in front of Kyle.


    "It''s simple," Kyle said gesturing to all the chairs in the Hall, "We''ll be having your placement tests here. There are 120 of you, more than enough to move the chairs and tables into position. The girls will move the chairs and the guys will move the tables."


    Everyone nodded, slightly groaning but did not complain.


    "We''ll be helping as well, too, of course," Kyle assured them, "Rick and Sam will be in charge of the tables and its arrangements. Janice and Beatrice will be in charge of the chairs and its arrangements."


    Everyone wondered what Kyle would be doing but did not ask openly. Kyle didn''t provide any information about it either as his eyes sparkled, looking at them with a smile. Naturally, Beatrice was the leader of the girl''s group and surprisingly, Sam was the leader for the guy''s group.


    Beatrice and Sam were together, discussing with their heads close together, as to the best method to distribute the workforce. Betty stood to one side, watching the scene and couldn''t help but notice how Beatrice''s facial expression was softer as she spoke to Sam. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Betty knew Beatrice well, and Beatrice had always been aloof with strangers - more so with boys. Yet, with Sam, she actually appeared relaxed and her eyes were not twitching at all. There was even a ghost of a smile on her face!


    Betty then looked at Sam, and felt her heart lurch a bit. Even his side profile was handsome. She noticed how striking looking he was before, but with him looking all serious and all right now, the handsome meter went off the charts.


    Betty sighed.


    Sam was exactly Beatrice''s type. The look. The temperament. It was also obvious to Betty that Beatrice liked him. Betty patted her chest, while taking a deep breath. She will do all that she can to help Beatrice. Beatrice deserved to be happy and be with the one that was meant for her.


    After making that resolution, Betty swallowed the lump that was in her throat. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, wondering why she was having these rather weird feelings. She wrinkled her nose and looked at her feet, suddenly finding them fascinating. Focusing on anything was better than watching the warm lovey-dovey scene in front of her.


    "Alright, let''s begin," Beatrice''s crips voice sounded and Betty raised her head.


    Only to have her eyes lock with Sam''s.


    This time, there was no doubt that he was looking at her. Betty gulped, pulled on her twintails and forced a happy smile as she nervously shook her shoulders. It was a subconscious movement, little realising what an impact it had on the poor, unprepared soul in front of her.


    Sam felt like his head had been hit hard.


    Head? Heart? Which was it? He didn''t know and all he did know was that the sight of Betty looking so unbelievably cute and adorable in front of him was more than he could take. He gritted his teeth and forcibly pulled his eyes away to stare at Beatrice instead.


    Beatrice was looking at him with worry.


    "Samuel? Are you alright?" she asked, placing a hand on his forehead.


    Since this morning, she noticed that Sam had been out-of-sorts. Not like his usual self. He seemed distracted, not focused and kept clearing his throat. Perhaps he was falling sick and he was finding difficulty to think.


    "No fever," she commented, as she then placed her palm on his cheeks and neck. Sam was so focused on trying to reel in his irrational urge to rush over to Betty that he didn''t realise what Beatrice was doing at first.


    Once he did, he blinked and then took her hand in his, saying, "I''m fine. Just a bit tired, I suppose."


    Betty watched this scene while biting her bottom lips, her nose twitching.


    Whisperings were heard behind her.


    "Hey, look at that. Do you think the Vice-President and the PRO are an item?"


    "Looks like it, don''t you think?"


    "But isn''t the Vice-President older than him?"


    "I don''t know," another said, "Does he look younger?"


    "He IS younger! He''s our age, you know?" one said, "He skipped a grade. Don''t you read up about the Elite Five?"


    "Yeah, yeah, I remember now," another added in, "Isn''t she just too old for him then?"


    Betty turned around then, her hands on her hips as she glared at them, "What''s it to you?! Jealous?? Why must the guy be older anyway? Is there a rule?!"


    Those who had been whispering looked at her and scoffed.


    "Why are you so upset anyway?" one demanded, "We''re not talking about you."


    Betty didn''t break eye contact and stepped forward, "Beatrice - "


    She stopped suddenly, feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw the smiling yet worried face of her cousin, "What''s up, Betty?"


    Betty quickly smiled and with a shy smile, said, "Nothing. Just playing around with my new friends!"


    The ones behind her marveled at her sudden 180 degrees change. From the look of a person who was ready to beat them up, she now looked like she wouldn''t even hurt a fly.


    Betty grabbed Beatrice''s hands and said, "Come, what do we do?"


    Beatrice cocked her head to one side, feeling something was up but let it slide for now. She addressed the girls in front of her and assigned the tasks.


    "If you notice, Kyle has already arranged the first few tables and chairs," Beatrice said, as she pointed towards the front of the stage, "So make sure that the spacing for each table and chair will be as such."


    People gasped.


    There were five tables and chairs already arranged. Three in the first row and two behind it.


    No, they had not noticed. They had been so distracted with Beatrice and Sam''s apparent PDA that they didn''t even realise he had silently been working. The ones who had not been distracted had been sufficiently appeased and happy, seeing Kyle carrying the tables and chairs easily.


    The way his arm muscles became more pronounced as he easily lifted the desks, the way he moved so stealthily and quickly from one end to another. They could watch forever. After that, they set to work.


    While everyone was working, Kyle slipped away and went to the cafeteria. He had made arrangements beforehand for refreshments to be handed out after the Hall was re-arranged. Thus, he went to ensure that everything was in place.


    As he was walking towards the cafeteria, Kyle started thinking of what he had seen earlier. He noticed the way Beatrice was caring for Sam, as well as the looks Betty was giving and the way Sam was acting.


    [Looks like we''re going to have our first couple forming] Kyle said wistfully [And he''s only 12, darn it. When I was 12, boys was hardly on my mind!]


    [You were a nerd in your past life, dear brother]


    [Sam''s a nerd]


    [He''s a hot nerd. You, on the other hand ...]


    [Ouch] Kyle said, making it sound like it was really painful.


    [Truth hurts, dear brother] Kay said with a laugh.


    [But, it''s not going to be smooth sailing] Kyle said with a sigh.


    [When is love ever smooth sailing anyway?]


    [I see a love triangle forming though]


    [EH?! Really?! Who else is in the picture?] Kay gasped in surprise.


    Kyle grinned to himself as he reached the cafeteria, [Oh, you''ll see it soon enough. I don''t want to give spoilers]


    [KYLE REXINGTON SMITH] Kay exploded.


    [Oooh. I''m So scared. Not.] Kyle responded with a laugh.


    [How can you give a teaser like that and leave me hanging?!] Kay whined


    [I can, and I just did]


    Kay grumbled to herself, knowing that she would not get anything out of him anytime soon. [Fine. Be that way. I''ll get back at you sooner or later.]


    [I don''t doubt that at all, dear sister] Kyle replied [That''s why it''s so fun to do it]


    Things were arranged rather quickly at the Hall. By the time Kyle returned, everything had already been set up. He was carrying a box which had some sandwiches and started distributing them. Three other people from the cafeteria also came with boxes of drinks and sandwiches.


    The atmosphere was lively and friendly, with everyone getting to know each other. This was also a way that Kyle and Principal Godric had thought of to break the ice for the new students. After all, everyone was new, right? Everyone was nervous, right?


    What better way than to get them to work together then eat together?


    Kyle flung his arm around Sam''s stiff shoulders and said, as he indicated the new students, "How does it feel, Senior Sam?"


    Sam shrugged, his eyes darting all over the Hall and trying very hard not to see Betty, "Feel about what?"


    Kyle patted him on the chest, wriggling his eyebrows, "I believe someone''s voice just broke..."


    Sam froze. He suddenly remembered something. He turned to look at Kyle in fear, "No. No no no no no!"


    Kyle just grinned, holding on to Sam''s shoulder tighter, "Initiation time!!"

 Chapter 152 - Initiation

    Initiation.


    An Elite Five Tradition.


    When a member has crossed over from the realm of childhood into the realm of adulthood, they will have a small party. Kyle and Kay had to go through it first and it had been all of the other Elite Five members idea.


    ?? Flashback ??


    Kyle and Kay''s Initiation


    Kay was fidgeting in her room, cursing Kyle in her mind - but not transmitting the thoughts to him. When she got her period, she had been in total shock as she was only 11-years-old. It''s not unheard of, but it certainly was not the norm.


    Kyle had come to her rescue upon hearing her scream when she saw the blood. He was calm and explained to her what to expect and what to do. Their mum had never given them ''the talk'' - mainly because she didn''t think they''d enter puberty so fast.


    He even got her a hot water bottle to ease the cramps that came. It wasn''t severe, but it was enough to make her uncomfortable. And irritable. And tired. Kyle took it all in his stride, not losing his temper once even though she kept scolding him.


    Today, was the day she was scolding him even more. He had actually told the Elite Five that she was now ''a woman''. She had been so embarrassed, she could die. Why would Kyle even tell that to other people, even though it was true? Even though it was the Elite Five? They were still guys and that was a rather personal thing.


    Now, they insisted that they wanted to have this Initiation Party. To welcome her into the realm of womanhood. She could only imagine what that meant. All she knew was that they insisted she wears her prettiest dress and wait for them.


    So wait she did.


    She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. It was her favourite ocean blue dress, its colours shimmering and having several shades of blue throughout. The shirt reached up to her knees and the sleeves were not puffed or too short. There was a simple belt around her waist, completing the picture.


    Kay ran to the door when she heard a knock. Flinging the door open, her mouth then hung wide open as she looked at the scene in front of her.


    Kyle, Xing Han, Ali and Sam were all dressed up like knights. Complete with a fake sword at their belt. Kyle was the one in front and the others were behind him.


    "Angel Kay! We are your Knights! Knight of Angel Kay!" they shouted in unison.


    "I am Kyle, sworn to protect you from the day I was born till the day I breathe my last breath," Kyle said, putting a gauntlet hand on his chest then went down on one knee, his head bowed.


    "I am Ali, sworn to fight against any evil that may dare to approach you, so long as I may live," Ali said solemnly, then followed Kyle by putting a gauntlet hand on his chest and going down on one knee, his head bowed.


    "I am Sam, sworn to be your shield by blocking any evil that may dare to try and enter your safety zone, so long as I breathe," Sam said seriously, putting a hand over his heart, bent down on one knee and bowed his head down.


    "And I am Xing Han! Sworn to be your shield and block any stupid people trying to hit on you, so long as I am alive!" Xing Han shouted, banging his chest, going down on one knee and bowed his head down.


    You can imagine the noise they made right outside Kay''s door, with their clanking of the armour.


    Kay giggled, looking at the four boys in front of her, being all so serious. She cleared her throat, and she replied, "Arise, my gentle Knights. I accept your pledge of loyalty and protection, and will treat all of you with the dignity and love that you all deserve."


    As one, the four of them looked up, banged their chest and stood up.


    "My lady, your feast awaits," Kyle said, referring to the food that had been prepared by the chefs and was laid out in the dining room.


    Kay smiled and took a step. Kyle went in front of her, to lead. Sam and Xing Han took their positions beside her and Ali was behind her. The small procession walked gallantly to the dining room, amidst the amused looks of the maids around. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The party lasted for a few hours, and the boys had taken off their armour upon arriving. One couldn''t really eat properly in them now, can one? It was a happy and joyous occasion. Kay went back to her bedroom after it was all over while the boys hung out in Kyle''s bedroom.


    It was a slumber party.


    Fortunately, Kyle''s room was large enough to accommodate them all. They were all huddled on the floor, sleeping bags strewn around. They had already changed into their pajamas, which basically just meant a T-shirt and shorts for Kyle. It was already agreed that Kyle and Xing Han would take the bed while Ali and Sam would use the sleeping bags.


    That was for later, though.


    For now, they were huddled together for ''boy talk''.


    Ali sat next to Kyle, who was leaning on the side of the bed. He flung an arm around Kyle''s shoulder and said, "So, Kyle. You''re now a man, huh?"


    Kyle snorted.


    "Hardly. Just because my voice is breaking and all, doesn''t make me a man," Kyle pointed out.


    Ali grinned while looking at the other two. Xing Han was in front of Kyle while Sam was slightly more to the side.


    "It''s not your voice we''re talking about," Ali said slowly.


    Kyle got a bad feeling suddenly. He turned to look at Ali, only to see him flash him a great big smile before doing a wrestling hold on him, pushing him down and pinning his arms tightly. At the same time, Xing Han grabbed both of his legs and pulled Kyle down. Sam quickly sat on Kyle''s stomach, while Xing Han sat on Kyle''s legs.


    "I got him! Quickly Xing Han!!" shouted Ali in desperation as he tightened his hold. Kyle was struggling like mad but there was no opening for him to push either Ali or Sam off.


    "You guys are SO dead, you hear me?" Kyle growled through clenched teeth.


    Xing Han started tickling Kyle''s feet.


    "Xing Hahahaha! You''re so hahahaha!! Dead!! Hahahaha!!" Kyle''s legs were shaking as he tried to get away from the torture but to no avail. As he lay there, helpless and weak from all the laughing, Xing Han stopped tickling him and then pulled down his pants.


    "XING HAN!!!" Kyle roared while the other three started examining the exposed Kyle Jr.


    "He has hair there now," stated Sam objectively.


    "What! You''re circumcised?!" Ali gasped.


    Xing Han pulled open the waistband of his shorts and looked at Xing Han Jr, then at Kyle Jr. "Should I get circumcised as well? His looks cleaner."


    "Bloody hell, guys. GET OFF ME!!" Kyle shouted, his face now red in embarrassment. What the heck? Guys really compared it? It wasn''t an urban legend?! Girls don''t go around comparing breast sizes!


    Kyle struggled, making Kyle Jr swing a bit.


    "How big do you think he''ll get when it''s hard?" Ali asked curiously


    Sam seriously studied the dormant Kyle Jr, "Studies have shown that the size when it is flaccid does not necessarily denote how big it''ll be when it''s fully erect. As in, small size can become quite big and big size doesn''t really become so much bigger."


    "It''s Kyle we''re talking about here, guys," Xing Han said in a huff, "Of course THAT is definitely a monster when it''s erect."


    "Now, I know this is bonding and stuff but can we please not talk about my d*ck like it''s an object of scientific study?!" Kyle growled.


    The rest laughed and finally let Kyle go. He quickly got up and pulled up his pants.


    "You can''t blame us, you know," Ali said with a smile, "You''re the first. So now, tell us. What''s morning wood like?"


    "What? It''s just hard," Kyle replied nonchalantly, "Just makes it a pain to piss in the morning though."


    "So? Do you get wet dreams?" Xing Han asked excitedly, coming closer. Kyle poked him in the forehead and pushed him away.


    "Not. Answering. That," Kyle replied firmly.


    "You''ll go through it yourself. Just make sure you change your bedsheets when it happens," Kyle said with a smirk.


    The rest of the night was spent with them interrogating Kyle on all sorts of things that they were curious about.


    ?? Back to Present ??


    Sam thought back on that day, of Kyle''s initiation party. He now cursed Ali and Xing Han to the max. It had been their idea and he, stupidly enough, didn''t object. All of them forgot one little thing when they held Kyle down and pulled down his pants.


    He gave as good as he got.


    When it was Ali''s turn, Kyle trapped him. He not only caught him, but he also tied him up, stripped him and took pictures. Till this day, Kyle still has those pictures and would use them to threaten Ali once in a blue moon.


    Xing Han never put up a fight. In fact, not only did he pull down his own pants, he started chasing them to get them to take it out as well. He eagerly wanted to compare. He never managed to, though.


    Sam looked at Kyle who was smiling at him, then patted him on the back as he walked off, whistling. Sam groaned.

 Chapter 153 - Sam’s Dilemma

    At 2.30pm, Kyle was already waiting at the gate to welcome Master Xin, the Wing Chun instructor. She was scheduled to arrive at 2.45pm, and it was Kyle''s habit to always be at least 10 minutes earlier than the appointed time.


    As he often told Kay, ''I can wait for people, but I do not want people to wait for me.''


    Kyle didn''t want Master Xin to wander in by herself, so he purposely stood by the gate. He was leaning on the wall of the gate, busy tapping messages into his phone while looking up once in a while to see if she was arriving.


    He cut quite a dashing figure as he lazily leaned on the wall, the sunlight glistening in his hair - creating such a wistful and dreamlike picture. It was unfortunate that the front gate was blocked by the administration building, for the students couldn''t pretend to be ''in the area'' just to stare at Kyle.


    They were supposed to be at the fields, or in their respective co-curricular activities room. Still, lots of them did sneak out to stealthily take pictures of him. Kyle was oblivious to it all, as he had more important things to do.


    ''So, guys. When will it be? I propose this evening'' - Kyle


    ''Of course. Sam doesn''t stay in the dorms so he has more chances of escaping'' - Ali


    ''Most importantly, where? Our room?'' - Xing Han


    ''You think he''s going to go in there willingly?'' - Kyle


    ''You never know'' - Xing Han


    ''It''s Sam. He''s probably thinking of 1001 ways to escape'' - Ali


    ''So we have to think of 1002 ways to capture him'' - Kyle


    ?? Student Council Room ??


    Sam was tapping the table with his pencil, staring at the notebook in front of him. He hardly managed to get the work done.


    He glanced at the clock. It was not yet 3pm. Right now, Kyle would be at the gates so there was no way he would be able to slip out then. He would need to wait until Kyle was busy with Master Xin before he would even make an attempt. Or should he?


    Sam was in a dilemma.


    On the one hand, he wanted to get it over and done with. On the other hand, he wanted to run away as fast as possible so that they wouldn''t catch him. He knew the latter was merely delaying the inevitable but he didn''t care at that moment. He wasn''t quite ready to introduce Sam Jr to the world.


    Sam looked up and saw that Beatrice was busy looking through some files, trying to make the arrangements for the upcoming Valentine''s Day. If left unchecked, things could get quite unruly but the rules can''t be so strict that the students would feel that it was unfair. You can''t clamp down on people wanting to express their love, can you?


    He smiled as he saw Beatrice scrunching up her face, and he thought she looked rather cute when she was concentrating so hard like that. Lately, he noticed that she was not as nervous as she normally was whenever she was around him. That made him happy, for it showed that she was becoming more open than before.


    They heard a tentative knock on the door. Sam turned to look at the door, and saw it slowly creak open and a head slowly emerging. As if the person was worried about coming in.


    "Betty?" Beatrice said in surprise, recognising her even though only 1/3 of her face was being shown.


    The moment Sam saw that vision at the door, he quickly closed his notebook. He got up and immediately headed to the bathroom without a word, closing the door firmly and locking it.


    Beatrice watched him go curiously, figuring he really needed to go. He even brought his notebook along, so it must be a long one.


    "What are you doing there? Come in," Beatrice coaxed when she realised that Betty was still lingering at the door. Betty blinked and she slowly slid inside, closing the door behind her.


    "I''m not bothering you?" she asked hesitatingly, her eyes darting around and briefly at the bathroom door. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Beatrice answered, closing the file, "I could use a break."


    Betty nodded and skipped over, sitting on the chair and leaning onto the table, staring at Beatrice, "What time will you be done?"


    "Why? Have you finished choosing your co-curricular activities already?" Beatrice asked back.


    Betty bit her lower lip and looked down, shaking her head, "I can''t really decide yet. We have two days, right? I''ll figure it out by tomorrow."


    "So did you survey all of the activities available? You need to make an informed decision," Beatrice advised, "Sakura Academy has so many available, so you are really spoilt for choice."


    Beatrice then began to list and explain all of the activities that she felt Betty would enjoy, and Betty listened diligently while asking some questions now and then.


    Meanwhile, Sam, who had escaped to the bathroom, was sitting on the toilet seat. He had closed the lid, so he wasn''t there to do any ''business''. He just felt uncomfortable continuing what he was doing when Betty came in. He thought he could continue in the privacy of the bathroom, but he was so wrong.


    He could clearly hear Betty''s clear voice and he just couldn''t concentrate. He looked at the notebook, seeing the crude sketch of Sam Jr and he closed his eyes with a big sigh. There was no way he could do this while hearing her voice. He decisively closed his notebook and leaned back.


    Sam tried to concentrate and think of an escape plan but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t. His concentration kept getting broken whenever that darn bunny''s melodious voice was heard. Sam sat up straight, furiously scratching his head.


    ''Stupid hormones,'' he cursed to himself.


    On the plus side, it was only towards Betty. If he started getting all flustered with all the girls around him, he''d probably be very worried.


    Suddenly, he got an idea.


    The moment it came to him, he dashed out without hesitation. Opening the door, he said as he walked out, "I''ll show Betty around and maybe that will help her decide."


    Beatrice, in the middle of explaining yet another activity, paused and thought about it, "Yes, that sounds like a great idea."


    "Oh no no no no!" gasped Betty, shaking her head quickly, her twintails flinging about like whips, "I can''t trouble you with this at all! I''m fine on my own. I''ll be going now!"


    Sam grabbed her arm as she ran by, as he frowned and said to her, "I am the one who suggested it, so it''s no trouble."


    Then, suddenly realising that he had grabbed her, he quickly let go and said, "Sorry. Perhaps I''m the one who is troubling you."


    Betty gasped, her eyes wide as she quickly grabbed his hand with her hands, saying, "No no no!! It''s not that at all! You''re not troubling me at all! No no no!! I''m just worried I''m troubling you!!"


    Betty looked at Beatrice, asking, "Is it really okay?"


    Beatrice looked at her strangely, wondering why Betty was asking her that. She shrugged, and said, "Samuel''s the one who suggested it. Why wouldn''t it be okay?"


    Betty nodded, relieved.


    She was so worried that Beatrice might not like Sam to accompany her and she didn''t want Beatrice to misunderstand. She didn''t want Sam to misunderstand either and think that she was being mean in rejecting him.


    Betty let out a breath of relief, and was going to put her hand on her chest when she realised that she was still holding Sam''s hand. She squeaked and let go, apologizing profusely. She tentatively looked at Sam''s face, only to see him staring at her.


    She gulped, feeling mortified. He looked angry. He should be. She pulled on her twintails and twitched her nose, biting her bottom lip in embarrassment.


    "Let''s go," Sam said tersely, walking ahead.


    Betty followed with a small pout, watching the firm back of Sam in front of her. She had to run a bit to catch up with him as he took really long and quick strides.


    Sam mind was in turmoil.


    First, he had grabbed her arm to stop her from running away. When she rejected his offer of help, he felt upset so he had grabbed her arm before he could think about it. When she grabbed his hands, he couldn''t help but notice how small and soft her hands were. Yet, firm. Such nice hands that he could hold on forever.


    When she let go, he felt upset again.


    When he realised what he was feeling, he felt angry at himself and walked off before she could notice his strange behaviour. However, as he walked, he rationalised his feelings and he mentally slapped himself.


    Of course, he would feel upset. He only made that offer to Betty in order to use her as a shield against the other guys. They wouldn''t attack him when he''s with her, right? There was no other reason than that.


    Once he figured it out, he stopped walking for he became aware that he was walking too fast. As he did so, he felt someone smash into his back and he instinctively turned. He saw Betty losing her balance and was about to fall, so he reached out to grab her.


    His arm snaked around her small waist and he pulled her up to a standing position, as he leaned down. By doing so, their bodies touched and their faces became so close that he could see every eyelash on her eyes. He could even feel her breath on his face.


    His brain worked overdrive, as he felt how small her waist was and how soft her body was. He gulped, as these slight differences between a guy and girl went through his mind. His eyes landed on her lips, noticing how it was slightly apart as she breathed through it. She had thin lips, but they looked rather moist and enticing at the moment. Without him realising it, he brought his head down...


    "SAM! There you are!!" boomed a voice nearby.

 Chapter 154 - Sacrifice

    Betty was in a daze.


    One minute, she was running after Sam and the next, she was staring at his perfect face. She was right. He had the most beautiful, deep eyes ever. She could get lost in them. She found breathing to be a bit difficult as she had never been this close with any guy before.


    "SAM! There you are!!"


    Betty''s thoughts came back to the present as Sam looked up. He looked back down at her and asked, "Can you stand now?"


    Betty blinked and realised what position she was in.


    "Oh! Oh! Yes, I''m SO SORRY!!" Betty said in embarrassment, jumping back and giving several deep bows, her hair flipping away. She was mortified. This was Beatrice''s special one and she spaced out in his arms! She wished the floor would open up and swallow her right now.


    Sam just nodded and waited till Xing Han came bouncing over.


    "What''s up?" he asked.


    Sam was feeling utterly grateful at the moment, despite the foreshadowing of Xing Han''s arrival, for the shout had cleared his mind. For the briefest of seconds, when he looked at her lips, Sam had almost felt like ....


    He shook his head.


    Impossible.


    It was merely his emotions going out of whack. He clearly remembered the research he had done the other day. Emotional changes during puberty occurred, ranging from being overly sensitive to having sexual attraction.


    It just so happened that when his body was being charged with all of the hormonal imbalance, he had to come across a human bunny. He held a human bunny. He had never held a girl before, let alone a human bunny.


    Sam knew that all of these weird feelings he was having had nothing to do with ''love'' or anything of the sort. He almost did something that would have had dire consequences.


    Yes, that''s all it was.


    He had to keep repeating that to himself to get his head screwed on properly. Thus, he was grateful for Xing Han''s timely arrival.


    "Why aren''t you at the Student Council Office?" Xing Han said to him accusingly.


    "Why can''t I not be in the Student Council Office?" Sam asked back.


    "Because you''re a Student Council member," Xing Han replied.


    "Yes I am," Sam agreed, "So?"


    "So you''re supposed to be at the Student Council Office," Xing Han said stubbornly, "Go. Go back. Shoo shoo."


    "I''m helping Betty," Sam said, gesturing towards Betty.


    "Betty?" Xing Han queried then, as if seeing Betty for the first time, he shouted, "OH! Betty!!" Xing Han then looked at Sam with a knowing grin, "Ooooh, Bet-ty"


    Betty was bewildered.


    "Yes?" she replied, wondering why he kept calling her name.


    "Hi, I''m Xing Han," Xing Han introduced himself, offering his hand for a handshake.


    Betty took his hand, and said as she gave him a firm handshake, "Betty."


    Xing Han pursed his lips, "Bet-ty. Nice name, for a nice girl."


    "Thank you," Betty said, and tried to take her hand back but Xing Han held it tightly.


    "So, tell me, Betty," Xing Han said with a smile, "Do you have a boyfriend?"


    She looked at him in puzzlement, her head cocked to one side, "No, why?"


    Xing Han replied, "What other reason could there be? Well, since you''re free and available ..."


    "That''s enough, Xing Han," Sam said tersely, grabbing Xing Han and Betty''s wrist while pulling at Xing Han''s hand.


    Xing Han laughed and let go, putting his hands on his pockets.


    "Well, I can help Betty while you go back to the Student Council Office," Xing Han said magnanimously, "I''m sure you''re a really busy person." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam''s looked at him intently, but before he could say anything, Betty said, "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I really wouldn''t want to trouble you."


    Sam shut his mouth and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. She didn''t want to trouble him but didn''t mind troubling Xing Han? He looked at the both of them, from Xing Han to Betty and back to Xing Han.


    The former had this really stupid grin on his face while the latter was looking at him all shy and all. Sam gritted his teeth, took Betty by the hand and walked off, saying over his shoulder to Xing Han, "Tell Kyle I''ll meet you guys at the Student Council Office at 5pm. I promise."


    Xing Han grinned, made an ''ok'' sign with his hand and walked away, while tapping the message into the phone.


    ''Sam said Student Council Office at 5pm'' - Xing Han


    ''You didn''t drag him there?'' - Ali


    ''No'' - Xing Han


    ''Why not? What makes you think he''ll really be there at 5pm?'' - Ali


    ''He promised'' - Xing Han


    ''That''s settled then. 5pm it is. Just WHAT did you do to get him to promise?'' - Kyle


    All of them knew that once Sam gave his word, he''d never back out of it. However, he never made such promises easily. Since they all knew that Sam was doing his best to get away from them, why would he willingly enter the lion''s den?


    ''His way of getting me out of the way'' - Xing Han


    ''That doesn''t explain anything, Xing Han'' - Kyle


    ''I tried to steal a girl from him'' - Xing Han


    ''WHAT!?!'' - Ali


    ''Okay, details'' - Kyle


    ''Nothing much. Just caught him with a girl in his arms. Offered to take her around instead of him. He went all hissy-fit and ran off with her'' - Xing Han


    ''You sure we can stay at the Student Council office till late, Kyle?'' - Ali


    ''Yes. We''ll take all night if we need to'' - Kyle


    ''Oh, we definitely need to'' - Ali


    ?? SAM ??


    "Um ... um ... Senior Sam?" Betty said tentatively while struggling to keep up. Sam was pulling at her hand while walking quite fast.


    Sam slowed down and finally let go of her hand, while he looked behind them, "Good. He didn''t follow."


    He looked at her, and asked worriedly, "Sorry, but Xing Han can be a real pain sometimes. I could see that he was going to tease you endlessly, so I had to get you out of there quickly."


    "Tease me? Why?" Betty asked curiously, walking beside him.


    "He doesn''t mean anything by it," Sam assured her, "It''s just that he''s quite a joker. If you''re not used to it, you might get overwhelmed."


    "I can take it!" Betty declared, pumping her fist in the air, "I may not look like it, but I can fight!"


    Sam turned to look at her, from her childlike face, her slim body that he remembered was so soft, her dainty hands and long legs ... he blinked several times to get the bunny image that kept invading his mind.


    "I really can!" Betty pouted, seeing the disbelief in Sam''s eyes, "I used to beat up those people who talked bad about Beatrice!"


    Sam smiled softly at that, thinking of how this little dainty girl rushed up to protect the one she loved. He resisted the urge to rub her head and hug her close, thinking that she was the one that should be protected instead.


    Betty smiled wistfully when she saw how Sam smiled just from the mere mention of Beatrice''s name. She sighed, patting her chest while saying, "I don''t think I would need to do that anymore though."


    "Yes, you are right about that," Sam said, "No one bullies her here. No one dares to anyway."


    After all, Beatrice was not only of Sage Class, but she was also the Vice President. Everyone knew how protective Kyle was with all members of Sage Class and of ''his people''. No one would dare offend him simply because they all wanted to be on his good side.


    Betty nodded, thinking that Beatrice truly was lucky to have Sam by her side. He even declared how he is protecting her and all that. Seeing how firm and strong Sam was, Betty sighed again. Where can she find such a perfect guy like this again?


    "You really like Beatrice, right Senior Sam?"


    "Of course," Sam replied honestly, "She''s a very capable and dependable person."


    Betty sighed, nodded. As expected of someone who ended up with Beatrice. He would be as logical and straight forward about it, but she was still a bit unsatisfied. Beatrice should be wooed with sweet words as well.


    Perhaps he just needed a little help?


    She asked hesitatingly, "Do you think she''s pretty?"


    Sam thought about it deeply. Pretty? He supposed so. What made a face ''pretty''? The shape and thickness of the eyebrows? The length of the eyelashes? The sharpness of the bridge of the nose? The high cheekbones? Full lips?


    All sorts of physical characteristics went through Sam''s mind and he placed them as a template upon Beatrice. With those thoughts, he answered accordingly.


    "Yes, she''s pretty," Sam replied and looked at Betty.


    With Betty, there were many things that were clearly lacking when he used the template. Her eyebrows were not the ''perfect'' arc. She didn''t have high cheekbones. Her upper lip was a bit thin.


    Yet, despite it all, he couldn''t deny that he found Betty really, really cute. Beautiful, even. Much more than Beatrice.


    He sighed, thinking that his analytical skills were getting really out-of-whack. He vowed to get his raging hormones down to a manageable level so that he would be able to handle Betty much better in the future.


    This was the reason why he decided to get the whole Initiation ordeal over and done with. The other three had gone through this much earlier and would be in a better position to advise him. The Initiation Day wasn''t just about flashing their d*cks in the air, but it was to have a heart-to-heart talk about the changes they were going through.


    Sam felt he needed that badly before he started doing or saying things that were out of the norm for him. As it was, he was already thinking and feeling things which were not normal. He needed to get back on track.


    All of that at the cost of Sam Jr.


    He looked down briefly at his own crotch and lamented over its innocence that would be sacrificed today.

 Chapter 155 - Sam’s Initiation Day

    Sam spent about an hour or so, showing Betty around the stalls personally. He was patient as he observed her going about excitedly, asking questions and skipping about. He had never seen anyone skip so much. She hardly walked. She skipped.


    There was such an abundance of energy around her that it was hard not to keep looking at her. She was full of sunshine as well, always cheerful and have a good word for everyone The one person she kept talking about was Beatrice.


    Sam didn''t find that weird at all, for he could tell how close she was to Beatrice.


    "Beatrice is fortunate to have a friend like you," Sam commented after a whole tirade of ''what is great about Beatrice'' from Betty.


    "No, I am the fortunate one," Betty said with a smile, "And thank you, Senior Sam for helping me today. I have made my choices already."


    Sam smiled and nodded, then said, "I''ll be going now. You know how to get back to your dorm?"


    Bettty gave an enthusiastic nod and gave him a bow, "Yes, no problem. Thank you once again, Senior Sam!"


    With that, she skipped away.


    Sam wondered idly how so much energy existed in such a little body.


    ?? ?? ??


    Student Council Office, 5pm


    Sam groaned as he looked at the three of them, who were standing in front of him with their arms crossed in front of their chest. Kyle was in the middle while Xing Han was to his right and Ali to his left. Xing Han was even tapping his foot impatiently.


    "Well, we''re waiting," Xing Han said, clapping his hands together, "Chop chop!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam took out his notebook from his back pocket and tore out a page, giving it to Kyle, "Here. This should do."


    Kyle took the piece of paper and the other two peered at him from his side. It was a crude sketch of the outer male genitalia i.e. the p*nis and b*lls. There was no title to it, but one knew whose it was supposed to be. It was complete with measurements of length, diameter and at the asterisk next to its length, was the note:


    * size when erect is unknown due to lack of stimulants. Will update accordingly.


    In unison, the three of them stared at Sam. Xing Han took the paper and waved it at him, "This is cheating!! NOT COUNTED!"


    He put the paper, with the sketch facing Sam, next to his own crotch and said indignantly, "Look, at the very least, it should have been lifesize. Not all these measurements written down. How am I supposed to compare?!"


    "Xing Han, what''s this fascination you have to compare d*cks anyway?" Kyle asked.


    Xing Han gave stuffed the paper into his pocket while saying in a huff, "Everyone knows the saying, right? That men with the smallest d*cks are from my part of the world. I just want to make sure!"


    Kyle''s mouth twitched.


    In his past life, his husband had been from the same country as Xing Han, so he knew what Xing Han was referring to. His husband has been his one and only, so he never did have any comparison as to what was the ''normal'' length though he did think it appeared rather smaller than what he had expected.


    In this life, he discovered that his own was actually much bigger. It wasn''t at first, even after hitting puberty but as it kept on growing ... Kyle started to feel a bit weird. He clearly remembered how his husband''s d*ck had been and looking at his own, it didn''t quite match. Even thinking about it right now made his mind twist about.


    Kyle put his hand on Xing Han''s shoulders and said, "Remember what Sam said when it was my Initiation Day? Size doesn''t really matter, for once it''s erect, it''s more or less the same."


    With a smirk, Kyle said, his mouth close to Xing Han''s ears, "Anyway, it''s how you use it is what really matters. The technique, brother. Foreplay, positions and hip movements are all important."


    That was something Kyle truly believed in.


    He didn''t have any experience with various sexual partners so he couldn''t say confidently whether a ''bigger'' size was necessarily better. He could, however, say that he had never been dissatisfied with his husband then. The sex was great - the frequency was not.


    Kyle shook his head at the thought. That was the past. In this life, he hadn''t tasted the ''forbidden fruit'' yet.


    Xing Han spluttered at what Kyle was saying and he pushed Kyle away, saying, "How would you know about it anyway? You''re still a virgin!!"


    He turned to face Sam, pointing a finger at him while saying, "I don''t care! Sam still has to show it!! We all did. Either you pull down your pants or I''ll do it for you!"


    Sam groaned.


    He knew the likelihood of the sketch wouldn''t work but he still dared to dream and hope. His hands went to his belt buckle, and he found that it was really hard to do it with all of them just staring at him.


    "Look, can you guys turn around first at least?" Sam asked.


    "No," Ali said, "Just strip!"


    "I''ll still strip even if you turn around. It''s the same thing!" Sam said.


    Kyle shook his head, "No, it isn''t. Ali and I had our pants pulled down with the others looking - we don''t even need to mention about Xing Han. It''s part of the Initiation."


    He grinned, "You guys started it."


    Sam gritted his teeth. "Fine."


    To him, there as a whole lot of difference between having the pants pulled off and doing a striptease in front of an audience. It was nerve-racking.


    With trembling hands, he unbuckled his belt, unzipped his jeans and in one fluid motion, pulled it down.


    All three started crowding around Sam.


    "Your shirt is blocking it!" Xing Han complained and Sam dutifully lifted up his shirt to expose the shy Sam Jr.


    "This is unfair. Why are his legs still hairless?" Ali muttered, "Smooth like a baby''s bottom, it is. Aren''t there supposed to be hair growing there?!"


    "There''s some around his d*ck and b*alls though," pointed out Xing Han.


    "Do you seriously count those? It''s so sparse and fine. Heck, Sam, do you even have armpit hair?" Ali demanded as he looked up at Sam.


    Sam wasn''t looking at any of them, as he stared at the ceiling and trying very hard not to pay any attention to three guys staring at his d*ck intently.


    "Yes, I do," Sam muttered.


    "You think he''ll grow more hair? It''s a serious pain when you have them in-between," Ali said while adjusting his ''parking''.


    "Are you guys done yet?!" Sam asked through clenched teeth.


    Kyle grinned, "I seem to remember someone paying really close attention to my d*ck the last time. This is nothing."


    Sam rolled his eyes.


    Xing Han measured Sam Jr with his forefinger and thumb, without actually touching it. He frowned and sighed while looking at his own.


    "You sure it''s the technique that matters?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    Kyle patted his shoulders, "Yes, Xing Han, I''m sure."


    "How big are you now?" he asked Kyle.


    "It''s not my Initiation Day," Kyle pointed out, "It''s Sam''s. Mine has long passed as well as the window to study my d*ck."


    "True, but it''s been three years now. We should compare how it''s grown, right?" Xing Han insisted.


    Sam pulled up his pants, in relief and said automatically, "The size is supposed to stablise when we reach 17. There''s no point comparing it now since it''s still growing."


    "Great! That means we compare when we reach 17 then. It''s set," Xing Han said.


    All of them looked at Xing Han.


    "What?" he asked innocently.


    Ignoring the statement, they all proceeded to the sofa set while Kyle went to the filing cabinet. He reached down to the compartment below it and opened it, saying, "Ta-DA!"


    He proceeded to take out several boxes of pizza and placed them on the conference table.


    "When did you get these?" Xing Han asked as he opened up the boxes.


    "Right after I got Master Xin settled," Kyle said, "It''s not hot anymore but who cares?"


    "You and Xing Han have curfew later, right?" Sam asked.


    "Nope," Kyle answered, placing the last box of pizza on the table, "I got special permission to stay out late tonight if need be."


    "I still have to go back, though" Sam pointed out.


    Kyle grinned and said, "Nope as well. I told your parents that you''re not going back tonight as you have work at Student Council and they''re fine with it."


    Sam turned to Ali, who shrugged and said, "I already went to your house and got your uniform. We''re staying the night."


    "This is ridiculous," Sam said as he sat at the conference table, "We have school tomorrow, you know. You expect us to be sleeping in here?"


    "No, not here," Xing Han said, "Our dorm room. There''s more than enough space. We just needed this place to see your d*ck and have dinner. We continue this in our dorm."


    Kyle looked at his watch, "Looks like we''re not going to be late so might as well head there after eating. It''s more comfortable anyway."


    "Yes," Ali said, "After all, this is just the beginning."


    Sam nodded, understanding. His mind was working furiously as to think of what he wanted to ask later as well.


    "I just wanna know more about this Bet-ty," Xing Han said with a smile, "She''s cute."


    Sam chewed on his pizza with more force than necessary.

 Chapter 156 - Heart-to-Heart

    As Sam had been very co-operative, they dealt with the first half of the Initiation much smoother than expected. Thus, they headed back to Xing Han and Kyle''s dorm room before curfew. In their room, Kyle made sure to lock the door and flung some towels at Ali and Sam.


    It didn''t take long for all of them to bathe and change. Kyle and Xing Han were on their respective beds while Ali and Sam were on the floor. All of them were lying down and the lights were out. It was a habit of theirs for any ''heart-to-heart'' talk. It was easier to speak what was in your heart and mind when it''s dark and you''re relaxed.


    They were all quiet at first. Mainly, to allow Sam to start but no one was in any hurry to start.


    Sam was thinking hard about how to even begin the question. He was curious but he wasn''t sure whether what he felt was normal or not. If it was abnormal then what would that make him? A pervert?


    "How did you cope with the hormonal imbalance?" Sam asked tentatively.


    "What do you mean?" asked Xing HanKyle replied, "The stiffness? The fact that it would go hard when you least expect it? Choosing the right underwear so that your hard-on doesn''t show? What?"


    Sam was flabbergasted, "Xing Han, I didn''t think you''d be that horny all the time!"


    "Actually, at this stage, one doesn''t have to be turned on to get hard," Kyle clarified, "Sometimes it just happens."


    "It''s that bad?" Sam asked.


    "I don''t have that problem actually," Kyle said, "Mine is more of the fact that I need to adjust often. These darn b*lls are annoying as heck, too."


    Kyle thought girls had it tough with boobs but guys had their own problems as well.


    "You learn to adjust in secret," Ali chimed in, "I do the old ''under the desk'' move."


    "Hah," Kyle replied, "The trusty ''hands in pocket'' move is better."


    "Yeah, but if the girls ever knew what you''re really doing when your hands are in your pocket ..." Ali said with a laugh.


    "I''m too cool to get caught," Kyle snorted.


    "So what do you do when you get ... pulled towards a girl?" Sam asked.


    "Pulled? You mean, attracted to?" Xing Han asked back.


    "No, not really attracted to," Sam denied, "Just that your body reacts to that person."


    "You get turned on?!" Xing Han exclaimed, sitting up on the bed.


    "NO!" Sam said loudly, but not too loud, "I don''t mean that! Argh. Kyle, you should know what I mean. Like, how you kissed back that girl who kissed you."


    "Oh. Yeah. You mean like that," Xing Han said while pursing his lips and lay back down.


    "KISSED A GIRL!?" Ali shouted.


    "SSSSHHHH!!" Kyle hissed, "This room is not sound proof you know! Keep it down before Matron gets at us."


    Kyle darted to the left, avoiding Ali who reached out to grab him. Even though it was dark, Kyle could sense his movement and evaded him easily. He could hear Ali tapping the bed several times in an attempt to find him.


    "What is this kissing a girl business? Why am I the only one who doesn''t know about it?!" Ali hissed as he pounced onto the bed.


    Kyle kicked out his leg, catching Ali on the chest and he replied, "It just came out the other day, okay? You weren''t around so it''s not like I was going to go spread the news after that, right?"


    "Yeah, it was after the Student Council interview, Ali," Xing Han said, "Kay wanted to know what french kissing was like."


    Ali reached to grab Kyle''s foot and Kyle nimbly avoided it and placed Ali in a choke hold on the bed. Both of them were grunting as one attacked and the other defended. Kyle now had Ali''s arms twisted behind him and his head was pressed on the pillow, and Kyle''s knee was on Ali''s back.


    "Say uncle!" Kyle hissed into Ali''s ear.


    When Ali refused at first, Kyle put a little more pressure and Ali hissed in pain, "Uncle! Uncle!!"


    Kyle let him go.


    "Yeesh, Ali," Kyle said as he leaned on the wall while sitting on the bed. Ali sat next to him, rubbing his arms.


    "Dangnabbit," Ali cursed, "You''re not human, Kyle. Seriously? You enter puberty first. You are the first to kiss a girl. French kiss, no less and I can''t even win you in a fight? I''ve been training since young!!"


    "So have I," Kyle said, "Anyway, this isn''t about me. As you were saying Sam, before this neanderthal interrupted us?"


    Ali punched him in the shoulder and this time, Kyle didn''t avoid it.


    "Freak," Ali said with a slight laugh.


    "You said you kissed her back even though you had no feelings for her," Sam continued, "You''ve never been the type to do such a thing. You''re always so meticulous about how you treat girls. Even though you have these girls - and even women - flinging themselves at you, you never succumb. How do you do it? How do you deal with fighting the temptation?"


    Kyle coughed in embarrassment and he rubbed the back of his neck. He took a deep breath and confessed, "There was never any temptation in the first place."


    "Oh, come on Kyle," Ali said with a pffft, "We''ve seen how those girls literally rub themselves on you. You''ve never been tempted even once?"


    Kyle had to think fast. The kiss never really happened in this life so he had to figure out how to explain that kiss with what he truly was feeling in this life.


    "Well, the only reason why I returned the kiss was purely out of curiosity," Kyle said after a while, "It was something new and that was my first kiss. But I''ve never had any desire to kiss anyone, really."


    "As for all of those girls flinging themselves at me?" Kyle muttered, "Frankly, I felt nothing other than ... I don''t know how to describe it. It isn''t disgust. It''s more like an annoyance?"


    They were still kids in Kyle''s eyes, and he was a girl before, so having those boobs pressed against him didn''t really cause any sort of reaction to him. He wasn''t sure whether this was because his mind was still female to a certain extent, so that it affected his male body functions, or if it meant that he would never be attracted to girls.


    He wasn''t attracted to guys either, so he wasn''t homosexual. He didn''t know what he was, but he felt that he had plenty of time to figure that out.


    "Seriously Kyle? When those really soft orbs of flesh press against you, you feel nothing? You don''t feel like just grabbing them or something? Instead, you just feel annoyed?" Ali asked incredulously, "What are you? A saint? Or gay?"


    "I didn''t get turned on by looking at your d*cks either, remember, so I don''t think I''m gay," Kyle pointed out, "I just don''t get turned on. Maybe I haven''t met the right person yet. Maybe I''m asexual. Who knows?"


    "Perhaps Ali is a better person to ask," suggested Kyle, "After all, he has 10 beauties that he has to mix with. You''re not attracted to them at all?"


    Ali pondered, "I suppose there are a few that I am physically attracted to. I mean, I have to view them as a potential bride so one of the things I need to consider is whether we are sexually compatible."


    "What do you mean, ''sexually compatible''? Do you seriously need to be sexually compatible? It''s sex!" Xing Han exclaimed.


    "It is true that the perception is that girls would only engage in physical intimacy when they have feelings for the other person whereas for a guy, they can bang anyone, anytime," Sam said, "That''s why us guys often just get labeled as ''thinking with our d*cks'' all the time."


    "I guess we don''t really need much to excite us," Ali conceded, "But you do have preferences, don''t you? Like big boos or small boobs and stuff like that. If I don''t find her physically appealing, can I marry her even if she''s a nice person?"


    "But if you love her, naturally wouldn''t making love be a given?" Sam asked.


    "Yes, if I loved her," Ali said, "Unfortunately, I don''t love any of them. There''s no such badump badump thing in my heart so I need to be more practical about it."


    "Wait, I''m getting side-tracked," Sam muttered, "This is not what I was asking about."


    "Yeah, you were wondering how to control yourself," Kyle said, "Is this about Betty?"


    "Yes," Sam replied, "But how did you know it was about Betty?"


    "Xing Han said he saw you with her in your arms and how you got all possessive when Xing Han hit on her," Ali said with a smirk that no one could see. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She fell! I just caught her! There was nothing to it at all," Sam denied vehemently, "And I was NOT possessive."


    "Yes, you were," Xing Han countered, "You ran off with her."


    "I just didn''t want you to tease her," Sam explained, "She''s a really innocent girl."


    "That''s jealousy right there," Xing Han said with a laugh, "When has my teasing anyone bothered you?"


    "It did not bother me," Sam denied, "She''s Beatrice''s cousin so you''re not allowed to bully her."


    "Only you can bully her?" Kyle teased.


    "Yes. Wait, no! I didn''t mean it that way!" Sam said in exasperation, "Okay, I know my behaviour is not rational when it comes to her and that is why I need your help!"


    "I find myself doing all these insane things and that''s so unlike me," Sam continued, "I find myself not being able to think straight when she''s around. My body reacts before my mind can think properly. It''s so aggravating to be like this. I find myself being so distracted, so affected by my inability to control my body that I even ... I ... I ... "


    He sighed loudly, putting an arm over his forehead, "I almost kissed her."


    All three gasped loudly.

 Chapter 157 - Nightmare

    "You almost kissed her? What stopped you?" asked Ali.


    "Xing Han," Sam confessed.


    "When?!" Xing Han exclaimed, "Don''t accuse me randomly now! I wouldn''t have stopped you. I would have taken pictures!! Then blow them up!! And frame them!! And ..."


    "I''m not accusing you randomly," Sam said, cutting in before Xing Han went on his tirade, "It was during that time when you saw me with her."


    They heard Xing Han slap himself, "Oh gosh! I''m so stupid. I should have kept my mouth shut! Why didn''t I think of that? You guys were close, but it didn''t look like you were going to kiss her!"


    "I almost did," Sam admitted, "It''s just that ... when I held her like that ... my mind went blank. All I could feel was how soft she was, how cute she was, how enticing her lips were and ... aaaaarghh! Make it stop!"


    Sam took his pillow and put it on his face, mortified. Saying it out loud sounded worse than him going through it in his mind.


    All of them were quiet, not teasing him at all for they could hear how deeply affected he was by it. Problem was, none of them could really emphatize with him as they had never been in his situation before.


    "We-llllll," Xing Han began, trying to be encouraging, "Maybe that''s a good thing?"


    "In what way is it a good thing?!" Sam exclaimed, "She''s going to slap me for sexual harassment!"


    "She didn''t look like she was protesting when you held her," Xing Han pointed out, "Maybe she doesn''t mind? Like, she likes you?"


    "Oh please, Xing Han," Sam said, "We''ve only met twice. How can you like someone so fast?"


    "I did," Xing Han said, "The moment I saw Kyle, I knew he was the one."


    "Ye Gads, Xing Han, this is not the same!" Kyle protested, "You''re talking about BFF, while Sam''s talking about a girl liking him romantically."


    "Same difference," Xing Han replied stubbornly, "Feelings are feelings. Sometimes, you look at someone and bam! You just know, you know? It''s like, when I saw you all those years ago, Kyle. You were so dashing and cool, the way you stood up to the teacher and all. I just knew it, without a doubt, that you''re the one for me."


    "You seriously need to work on how you phrase things," Kyle said with a laugh, "That sounded like a confession."


    "Pah, you know what I mean," Xing Han said, "Just go with the flow, Sam. If she''s receptive, why fight it?"


    "Because the only reason I''m feeling this way is because my body is out of whack," Sam said patiently, "If she did feel something for me - which I highly doubt - it would not be fair on her, would it? My feelings are not real."


    "So what are you going to do about it? Avoid all girls?" Ali asked.


    "No," Sam said, "It''s only her. I''m fine with Beatrice and Irene from the Student Council, as well as Sage Class members. Maybe it''s because they''re older? Or that I know them already?"


    "Or maybe it''s because Betty is like a bunny," Kyle suggested.


    "That too! I keep getting this image of a human bunny and I just want to rush over and hug her," Sam wailed again, "She''s so cute that it''s lethal. I even feel like putting her away so no one else can see her."


    "That''s bad," Xing Han said.


    "I know!" Sam sighed, putting the pillow under his head again, "That''s why I need to know how to overcome this. What did you guys do? Except Kyle, of course, since he''s abnormal for some reason."


    Ali shrugged in the darkness.


    "I do what I feel like to. If I want to hold her hand, I do. If I want to hug her, I do. etc etc etc," Ali said, "Then again, these girls are my bride candidate so some form of skinship is allowed. If we can''t even do that, then it would be weird and uncomfortable later, right?"


    "So, that''s your solution for me? To get it out of my system?" Sam said.


    "Only if she doesn''t mind," Ali clarified, "I always go half-way and let her end it. If I feel like holding her hand, I would offer my hand and it''s up to her to take it. Things like that."


    "Urgh," Sam grunted, "I can''t do that."


    "Heh heh," Xing Han laughed softly, "You''ve already gone beyond that, I would think."


    Sam was quiet for a while, his face burning as he remembered how he grabbed her hand and walked off with her. He groaned.


    "She didn''t get angry at you, did she?" Xing Han queried.


    "No, but I used wanting to escape from you as an excuse," Sam replied, "I doubt she''ll accept me just suddenly holding her hand or something. Ali has the ultimate excuse. I don''t."


    "Why don''t you just get to know her better?" Kyle suggested, "Right now, you''re just seeing a bunny. Maybe, after spending time with her, you''ll see her as human and you''ll be able to get that bunny image out of your mind."


    Sam thought about it.


    "That''s true," Sam said eventually, "Right now, I guess all I am attracted to is this bunny figure. Not the person. So once I get to know the person and I can start seeing her as a person, the weird attraction will disappear. Great idea!"


    Kyle hmmmed, Ali nodded and got off Kyle''s bed and Xing Han snuggled into the covers. They spent the rest of the night just talking small talk and eventually fell asleep.


    The last thought Kyle had was that his ''advice'' may actually make Sam fall in so deep that he has no chance of escape ... but that''s something only Sam would be able to know. Kyle didn''t believe in love at first sight for he felt that''s just a fairy tale.


    He did, however, believe that one could be attracted to someone at first sight but it was only after one gets to know a person would he - or she - truly know. The former was a rather flimsy reason that could easily break.


    [I believe in love at first sight, brother]


    Kyle heard his sister''s voice just as he was about to fall asleep and he groggily answered as he was yawning, [I hear you, Kay but I still don''t believe it in. Why are you suddenly saying it, though?]


    Kyle didn''t think he had said anything to Kay. Initiation Days were rather private though Kay did know the gist of what they were doing ie wave d*cks and talk heart.


    [You didn''t realise?]


    [Realise what?] he asked in puzzlement.


    [Several times your thoughts were so strong that I could hear it. Just bits and pieces rather than whole sentences, but the feelings and a gist of what was behind those feelings were very strong. I just needed to connect the dots.]


    [What? Really?!]


    [Yes]


    [Huh. That''s new. I''ve never felt anything from you though. Not even during that Jason incident]


    [Maybe it''s a new development? Our connection is getting stronger?] Kay mused.


    [I guess so. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?]


    [Why would it be bad? Doesn''t this just means we''re so much closer?]


    [Yeah, but if you''re starting to kinda hear me when I have strong feelings about something ... what''ll happen when one of us is having sex or something?]


    [EUW. KYLE. OH GOD NO. Why did you have to say that?! Now I can''t get that thought out of my head. Just why? Why??] S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle laughed, saying [Sorry, not sorry. You can''t deny it though. So I guess jerking off is a no-no for me?]


    [GOODNIGHT, brother]


    [Maybe I should test it?]


    [Shut up]


    [I''m not getting married anytime soon but a man''s gotta have needs, right?]


    [Urgh. Don''t tell me when you do. I''ll just tell you if I feel anything or ask me if I don''t. I don''t want to keep wondering when you''re going to do the deed.]


    Kyle laughed even more at that [Seriously, one can''t help but be curious ...]


    [GOODNIGHT, brother]


    [Goodnight, dear sister]


    In truth, Kyle never did ''jerk off'' as he said, so that was not a worry. He didn''t think their connection would be evolving and become even stronger. He had heard such a type of bond between identical twins when one would feel the pain that the other was experiencing. As fraternal twins, that type of bond wouldn''t normally be present.


    The bond they had was more mental than that sort of feeling, so he doubted that they would share the sort of bond that identical twins felt. Pain and sorrow. However, he had always wondered why it would only be limited to pain so that''s why he decided to tease his sister about it.


    He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


    That night, Kyle had a dream he hadn''t had for years.


    He was back as Kylie, reliving the last moment of his life. It alternated between that, to scenes of her husband, her children and the man who had killed her. All the dark emotions he had felt then and the intense fear multiplied.


    The next thing he knew, Ali was shaking him awake.


    He got up, his whole body covered in sweat as he was breathing heavily.


    "You were having a nightmare," Ali said in concern. Kyle patted Ali''s shoulder to show his appreciation.


    "Thanks, man," Kyle said as he got up and headed for the bathroom. As he looked at himself in the mirror, the fear still lingering in his heart, he wondered what that nightmare meant.


    He needed to find out what''s happening back home, with Kylie.

 Chapter 158 - Plans

    [Are you okay, brother?]


    Kyle could hear the worry in Kay''s voice as he was staring at himself in the mirror, the last remnants of the nightmare fading in his mind. He grabbed a face towel and dried off his face, still contemplating on this new development of their bond.


    [Yes. Just a nightmare.]


    [What happened? Want to talk about it?]


    [No. Not now. Go back to sleep. We can talk about this later]


    [''kay. Night]


    When Kyle felt like he had calm down sufficiently, he went back to bed. he could hear everyone else''s even and deep breathing, so he was grateful for that.


    He lay on the bed and closed his eyes, going through his past memories of his past life. The dream must have meant something. A premonition?


    As Kylie, she had not seen any signs of anything unusual so she had lived oblivious to the danger that was lurking underneath. Perhaps the dream was a sign that this day, something happened?


    Something that his subconscious remembered and thus, it affected his dreams? Kyle sifted through his memories and tried to figure out which past life memory was of today. It was discerning enough to discover that one had been reborn as a guy, but that was nothing compared to finding out that she had gone back in time. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In another continent, she was still alive.


    No matter how much Kyle tried to wrap his mind around it, he couldn''t. In the end, he just accepted it without trying to figure it out. After all, he was the living proof that it is possible so what is the point of thinking about it?


    Right now, he was trying to retrieve a specific memory but it was extremely difficult. It was akin to going through a library to find a book that you did not know the title of. You had a general idea, but it still required you to go through every book title to find it.


    Kyle groaned.


    Times like this, having a photographic memory wasn''t beneficial. If he had to recall any specific information, it was easy as long as he had the keywords. If he needed to know the student registry of Sakura Academy two years ago? Bam. It pops up.


    This one? The memories aren''t categorised by dates!


    He can''t remember what actually happened on this particular date so there were no keywords or landmarks like a significant event to help him pick out the right memory. The only clue he had was that his son is 8 years old this year thus, would be in Primary 2. His daughter was only 6 years old, thus still in pre-school.


    Still, that was better than nothing.


    He had to study one year of memories to try and see if there was something he had missed as Kylie. Kyle knew that he wouldn''t be able to do so in one day, thus decided to allocate a few hours each day to do so.


    Kyle punched his pillow in frustration and sighed. He would need to see whether MIB had anything, specifically the Nanny Op Agents. Something may have shown up under their constant monitoring. With that thought, Kyle fell back into a troubled sleep.


    ?? Next Day ??


    The Cafeteria was in a buzz.


    Unexpectedly, the entire Elite Five guys had entered the cafeteria together. It was only the second day of the new year, so for most people, seeing them together after being away for so long was a treat.


    There was just something dazzling about them as they entered, the sunlight seemingly glistening behind them. It was as if everything happened in slow motion and the sight was blinding. Individually, they were striking and together? Devastating.


    Even Xing Han, who was normally regarded as the ''normal'' one of the batch, exuded a certain mysterious aura that day. Sam didn''t seem so babyish anymore, though that was probably just the trick of the light. Kyle''s smile was more dazzling than usual and he was laughing more than before. Ali, the dark prince looked more sophisticated than they remembered.


    All in all, people made way as they walked through, wanting to just watch that scene close-up.


    After getting their food, they headed towards the table that Kay and Kyle always use.


    "I''m always amazed that we can always get this table," Xing Han said as he put down his tray of food and sat down.


    "That''s because it''s sacred grounds," Kyle replied, taking a mouthful of pancakes.


    "What do you mean?" Ali asked curiously.


    Sam looked around and noted the position of the table. His eyes darted all over and immediately realised what Kyle meant.


    "This is the best spot that can be viewed from almost all areas of the cafeteria," Sam said slowly, as he continued to survey the surroundings, "I suspect that the occupants of the tables surrounding this are the ones who ensure that this table is always empty."


    Kyle nodded.


    "The first years are at the outer edges, while those closest are the final years," Kyle explained.


    Kyle would always recon the area out of habit and he had recognised all of the students around. After determining that no one meant any harm, he let it be even though it meant being on display whenever they had breakfast.


    "Where''s Kay and Sarah?" Xing Han asked, "Doesn''t Kay always get your breakfast for you?"


    "She does?! You make our Angel Kay serve you like that?!" Ali gasped, staring at Kyle.


    "I do not make her," Kyle protested, "She always comes before I do and she gets the food for me. What can I say? She just loves me too much."


    Ali rolled his eyes.


    "She''s coming in later, Xing Han," Kyle said, "She said since Ali and Sam are here, I wouldn''t have any trouble getting food by myself."


    "Oh," Sam said, "You get mobbed even in the cafeteria?"


    "You have no idea," Kyle muttered, biting on a piece of toast.


    "And seriously, Kyle," Ali stared at Kyle again, "Just where do you put all of that food in that tiny body of yours? And how do you eat so fast? Are you even chewing?"


    Kyle had already finished two meals (pancakes and potato gratin) and was finishing up his third (scrambled eggs and toast).


    "First, yes. I do chew. Secondly, it all goes to muscle," Kyle said with a smirk, "Something you may not be familiar with."


    "Oh, you did not say that," Ali replied with a bigger smirk.


    "I believe I just did," Kyle retorted, an eyebrow raised and his smirk becoming a lopsided grin.


    Ali was just about to get up when Kyle said nonchalantly, popping the last piece of toast in his mouth, "Do anything and I''ll slap you with a demerit point so fast your head will spin."


    Kyle was referring to the power that Student Council members (and prefects) had to ensure order. There were prefects, but overall, the Student Council members had the same power (and more). Accumulate enough demerit points and you''ll be sent to detention, which would include cleaning duties (normally, the toilets).


    Ali gasped, putting a hand over his heart as he said, "You''d do that to a friend!?"


    "No," Kyle replied, "I''d do it to you."


    His mouth was twitching by now, trying hard not to laugh while Ali was barely able to keep himself from launching over at Kyle. If this had been outside, they would have been engaged in one of their usual fights but it was the cafeteria. Rules were rules. No fighting.


    Ali sat back down, then grinned, "There''s always Sage Class."


    Kyle smiled and leaned his head back as Kay came over. She kissed him on the forehead and sat next to him. He passed her the plate of pancakes that he had gotten for her.


    "Thanks," Kay said as she started eating.


    Kyle handed Sarah another plate of pancakes, saying, "I know you usually have cereal but here. You should have something different once in a while."


    Sarah was surprised and took the pancakes while thanking him. She looked at the pancakes and thought they looked more enticing than usual. Upon the first bite, it tasted even better than she remembered.


    "So how was the first class of Wing Chun?" Kyle asked Kay as he drank his milk.


    "So far, so good," Kay replied, "Even Sarah joined the class."


    "Really? That''s interesting. Did you enjoy it, Sarah?"


    "Yes, it was hard but fun," Sarah said, "The exercises were tiring but I think I''ll get the hang of it soon. Kay picked up the moves so easily and she didn''t even look tired at the end of the class."


    "Don''t compare yourself to Kay," Kyle said, "Everyone is different and has their own pace."


    "Yes, that, and the fact that I do have my own exercise routine," Kay replied, "So technically, I''m not a beginner like you."


    "Yeah, you''ll catch up pretty quickly," Kyle agreed.


    Sarah listened to them encouraging her and she smiled to herself. She wanted to improve herself and not just take the comfortable route. She decided to use Kay as someone to emulate and hopefully, she would be able to stand next to Kyle properly.


    She chewed on her pancakes happily, giving some glances at Kyle who was now talking animatedly with Ali and the rest.

 Chapter 159 - Date?

    After breakfast, everyone headed to their classes. Sarah had to separate from everyone else and as she walked to her class, she couldn''t help but watch the Elite Five heading to a different building.


    Sage Class.


    Her eye narrowed, thinking of the vast gap between her and Kyle. It wasn''t just the social class difference. It was basically everything! Right now, she had a hold that no one else had: she is his sister''s best friend. Once they graduated, however, anything could happen.


    Sarah bit her bottom lip in nervousness.


    She was just an average person, from a normal background. She was not smart like the people Kyle normally hung out with. She wasn''t striking looking but she was good enough, she believed. Sarah walked on to her class, her head lost in thought.


    Taking Wing Chun was but the first step. The first step in improving herself. The longer she stayed by Kyle''s side, the more she felt unable to think of the possibility of not being by his side. She had been complacent, thinking of just the status quo.


    The last month, however, truly opened her eyes.


    Kay''s act of opening that Insta account was Godsent. At first, she had used it to simply catch glimpses of Kyle in various situations. It fed her desire to see him all the time. However, at each update, Sarah finally noticed how much work Kyle put in. How much pressure was on him.


    She had known how difficult it had been for him to always be under the spotlight but this. This was a whole new level. The rescue he had executed. The company he had turned around. The rock climbing competition he had won.


    Every, single, thing he did. He did with flair. With excellence.


    While her?


    She was only 14, she kept telling herself but looking at Kyle''s Insta account ... so was he.


    Sarah took a deep breath as she walked through her classroom door. She had a lot of work to do.


    ?? Sage Class ??


    Sam was hunched over at his desk, his face all serious as he was writing a few things in his all trusty notebook. This one, however, was unlike the normal one he had with him.


    When he had been following Kyle around, it was a simple black notebook with a spiral coil binding. The one he was writing in at the moment, was a book-type bound (tape bound) light coloured notebook with one rabbit sticker at the top right corner.


    He was busy looking at some data on the computer and writing down notes after thinking a while. Sam''s computer screen had a privacy filter that he had modified and made himself, so he was not worried about other people seeing what was displayed.


    What Sam had done was take an older monitor that he had previously and removed the polarising filter that is between the TFT display and the glass. He then took an old spectacle frame of his and placed a new polarising filter on it. The result?


    If other people were to look at his computer screen, the display would be so bright that nothing could be seen. Only by using the glasses he had modified with the polarising filter could the contents be seen.*


    Xing Han, being Xing Han, couldn''t help but come over to check out what Sam was doing so intently. Sam quickly closed his notebook and glared at the curious Xing Han that stood beside him.


    "What research are you doing now?" Xing Han asked unabashedly, trying to make out the words on Sam''s computer screen and then at the notebook Sam had under his hands.


    "Important research," Sam answered evasively, "What about you? Don''t you have your own research to do? A follow up from the holiday''s project at Company LV?"


    "It''s done," Xing Han said, pulling out a chair and sitting next to Sam. He tilted his head to one side, placed his chin on his arm and looked at Sam innocently.


    Sam blinked several times and studied Xing Han closely.


    How could he have forgotten? Xing Han may be naively innocent with a relatively low EQ, but is IQ was still high. After all, he was in Sage Class. However, with his demeanor, childish behaviour and often obtuse comments, people tend to forget that.


    Xing Han''s forte was in business. He could grasp the concepts of how a business works easily, from the organizational aspects to the administrative concepts. Xing Han knew the theory and the workings very well but what he lacked was the ruthlessness that would often be required.


    That, and the fact that Xing Han trusted people easily. A person could be nice to him and he''ll not think badly of the other guy. Easy target for schemes. Though Xing Han would probably be able to get out of it with his skills, one still shouldn''t step into the trap willingly, right?


    Sam gripped his notebook tighter.


    Xing Han''s eyes twinkled when he caught sight of the bunny sticker.


    "You know, I can probably help you on the bunny issue," Xing Han said. He deliberately did not say Betty''s name as there were people nearby who could probably hear them - especially Beatrice.


    "Amongst the four of us, you can''t deny I have the widest range of girl friends," Xing Han said proudly.


    He didn''t mind being seen as the ''weakest'' link of the Elite Five guys. Kyle was unapproachable as he as too elite. Ali was too exotic and mysterious. Sam was too aloof. Xing Han was everyone''s best friend - and a potential way to get to know the Elite Five (rather, Kyle) better.


    It never worked but people still tried anyway.


    "You know all of those contacts of yours are just using you," Sam pointed out.


    "Of course I know that. Nothing wrong so long as they don''t cross the line," Xing Han replied, laying his head on the desk, "I''m using them as well. As long as I foster good connections, the future is limitless."


    Sam stared at Xing Han.


    It was rare for Xing Han to actually talk so seriously, let alone reveal what goes on in his mind. Xing Han saw Sam''s look and he grinned.


    "Basics of business," he said, "I don''t like it and I know I tend to see the good in people all the time, but it doesn''t mean I''m completely blind to it. I just don''t have the heart to constantly think the worst of people."


    Sam realised that his evaluation of Xing Han had been too shallow. He had only made his assessment based on how Xing Han was around him but he forgot one crucial factor: Xing Han acted wilfully around them because that was the only way he could release the pent-up stress built up in him to be the ''perfect heir''.


    Sam had never seen Xing Han at home, or at work. Sam berated himself for that lack of insight and knew he couldn''t make such wrong judgments again. He was Kyle''s PA and Kyle would need to know everything possible about his enemies - and allies.


    "I did some reading on bunnies," Xing Han said suddenly, tapping the bunny sticker. Sam instinctively brought his notebook closer to him.


    "I can see why you''re so enamored with them," Xing Han continued, seemingly not noticing that act of Sam, "Did you know that bunnies are sociable animals? Cute, loving and hyper."


    Sam nodded. He knew.


    It was confirmed by the research he had done. He had hoped to find something different about Betty, and a bunny. Unfortunately, the more he read, the more he couldn''t disassociate Betty with a bunny.


    Their personalities were just way too similar!


    His notebook was full of these small notes about a bunny.


    ? Needs attention and lots of human interaction


    ? Is energetic


    ? Sociable


    ? Will show excitement by twitching ears and/or nose


    Each and every single characteristic or personality of a rabbit ... was mirrored by Betty. No matter what he did, or how he looked, instead of being able to separate Betty with a rabbit, he was digging himself a deeper hole to fall into.


    Was mixing with her the only way to get his mind back on track? But would his body listen to his mind??


    Sam was in a dilemma. Perhaps Sam''s suggestion was the right way to go?


    "So what sort of help are you proposing?" Sam asked tentatively, wary of what Xing Han''s answer would be.


    "Dates!" Xing Han answered with a smile, "Specifically, double dates! You with her and me with whoever else I bring along."


    "No," Sam said with a glare, "Absolutely not. I do not want her getting the wrong idea. This is about me getting rid of these ... feelings, not give her false hope or expectations."


    "Okay, fair enough," Xing Han said, "Then what about me and her, and you with anyone I bring along?"


    "NO," Sam hissed, "Your idea is getting worse and worse!"


    "What?" Xing Han said with a pout, "You don''t want to give her false hope is fine but I won''t be doing that. This kills two birds with one stone. You get to spend time with her to get used to her and while my presence will stop you from acting weirdly, I can get to know her better."


    "No," Sam said, shaking his head, "Out of the question."


    Xing Han grinned and looked at Sam intently, his mouth twitching a bit.


    "Okay, fine. No double dates. So, to be clear. You don''t want to go out with her, right?" Xing Han asked. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Right," Sam nodded, his eyes clear and bright.


    "And you do not want to go on a double date with me," Xing Han continued.


    "Of course not," Sam said.


    "But you have no objections if she sees other people?" Xing Han pressed on.


    Sam clenched his jaw but still managed to answer, "That''s her choice now, isn''t it? Why would I object?"


    Xing Han grinned and got up, "Great!"


    Sam watched as Xing Han walked away, and a sudden fear hit him. Sam swallowed a lump in his throat and then shouted, "WAIT! Where are you going?!"


    Xing Han didn''t even stop as he answered clearly, "Oh, nowhere special."


    As he passed through the door, however, he stopped, turned and looked at Sam straight in the eye, "Just the first year classrooms. There''s someone I want to ask out."


    "XING HAN!!" Sam shouted, suddenly getting up and running after Xing Han who had disappeared.

 Chapter 160 - Realisations And Decisions

    Beatrice looked up to see the highly panicked Sam running after Xing Han.


    She had never seen him like that before and it affected her in a way she didn''t know could possibly happen. All this time, Sam had always been the calm and logical type, no matter what the situation. Just what had happened to have made him so agitated like that?


    Her mind thought back on what Xing Han had said before he left. First-year classrooms? Someone, he was going to ask out?


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Why would Xing Han asking someone out affect Sam so much? Unless the person was someone Sam liked?


    Someone Sam liked?


    When that thought came into her mind, Beatrice suddenly felt a bit unsettled.


    Her fingers stopped in mid-typing, hovering over her keyboard. Her eyes glazed over a bit as she started thinking about it. There were a lot of girls in this year''s intake so it wasn''t a far stretch to say that someone must have caught Sam''s eye.


    It was like this every year. Seniors checking out the freshies for potential girlfriends, or just to fool around. Beatrice didn''t think Sam was the type to actively check out the girls just to see who were potential ''hits'' but it didn''t mean that he wouldn''t be interested at all if someone caught his interest, right?


    Beatrice''s fingers started tapping over the keyboard without really typing. It was more of her drumming her fingers on the keyboard as she thought over the matter. Sam liking someone wasn''t unusual but what made her feel strange was why she was feeling weird about it. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her mind wandered to the day when Sarah confessed about her feelings for Kyle. The way she described what she felt and how it grew. From mere admiration to something more. The feelings she felt when it blossomed into love.


    The drummings of her fingers stilled.


    It was as if a light bulb got switched on. When the realisation hit her, Beatrice gulped and she shook her head vehemently.


    No. It couldn''t be.


    She couldn''t be ...


    The question Sarah had asked her then, about how she would feel if Sam confessed to her. She had felt shocked but it did plant a seed in her mind. She didn''t, not for a minute, entertain him having any feelings for her but now - now, the thought was not what he felt for her, but what she felt for him.


    How would she feel if Sam confessed to someone else?


    If that had been the question Sarah asked, perhaps Beatrice''s answer would have made her realise her feelings even sooner.


    She did not like it. She did not like it one little bit.


    Beatrice gripped her hands into fists.


    This cannot be happening.


    She now truly understood what Sarah had meant about wishing she could have remained oblivious. It would have been so much easier.


    Suddenly, the reason behind her palpitations of the heart and nervousness whenever he was near was obvious. The fact that she would always smile when she thought of Sam. That every action of his in baring his heart - like telling her how much the Elite Five meant to him - had made her feel special in some way.


    Beatrice groaned.


    The day she realised how she felt, was also the day Sam started showing interest in another person. How cruel was Life? Nothing could be worse than this.


    Nothing.


    Little did Beatrice know how wrong she actually was in that regard.


    ?? Sam ??


    Sam found himself uncharacteristically running at the corridor. Well, not running but walking extremely fast while his eyes were darting to the left and right.


    He was cursing under his breath. He could not see Xing Han anywhere. Just how could that guy run so fast and disappear?!


    Just as he rounded a corner, however, he saw Xing Han leaning against the wall and looking at him as he came into view.


    "It''s class time, you know," Xing Han said with a smile, "I couldn''t barge in and demand to see someone now, can I? Yet, you were so flustered that you didn''t even remember that basic thing?"


    Sam stopped, his chest heaving as he had been walking so fast earlier. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling like a fool. Xing Han was right. He had been deliberately provoked and he fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.


    His eyes opened when he heard footsteps approaching.


    Xing Han walked over slowly, to the young man who was breathing slightly heavier and looking at him in a daze, and poked him in the chest.


    "Are you now willing to admit something so obvious to the rest of us?" Xing Han asked.


    Sam was quiet and looked away.


    "Come on, let''s go somewhere else to talk," Xing Han said, putting his arm around Sam''s shoulders. Sam wriggled out of it and nodded, indicating with his head to go forward.


    Xing Han smiled and walked beside Sam.


    They walked on in silence at that time. Xing Han didn''t say a word for he knew that Sam was thinking hard on what had just happened. This was not the time to push him. It was good enough that Sam was following beside him obediently.


    Xing Han headed to the cafeteria.


    Mrs. Ling was surprised to see them, "Class is over already? I didn''t hear the bell ring."


    "No, Mrs. Ling. It''s still another hour before lunch break," Xing Han replied, "We''re just here earlier before the crowd."


    "Oh yes. You''re from Sage Class," Mrs. Ling nodded, "You''re lucky. Some of the dishes are already out."


    Xing Han and Sam politely thanked her and she generously ladled some food on Sam''s tray, "You''re so skinny, young man. You need more meat on them bones."


    Xing Han pouted at Mrs. Ling, "What about me?"


    She smiled at him indulgently, "Fine, fine. Here."


    Xing Han''s face brightened up as he watched her slather more gravy on his roast chicken and added another piece.


    "You''re the best!" Xing Han exclaimed, blowing her kisses.


    Mrs. Ling shook her head and laughed. They quickly paid and sat at a different table than usual. One that was near the window this time.


    As they picked on their food, Xing Han asked Sam, "So? Have you thought about it properly now?"


    "There''s nothing much, really," Sam insisted stubbornly, twirling the pasta with his fork.


    "Can you really handle seeing her with someone else?" Xing Han asked and smirked when he saw the flicker in Sam''s eyes and how his twirling stopped for a second.


    "She''s unbelievably cute and bubbly, a magnet for anyone at all," Xing Han continued mercilessly, "You know how the single seniors are. First years are a gold mine, waiting to be tapped into. Sooner or later, she''ll become someone''s girlfriend. The way I see it, she''s the type that likes to snuggle and hold on to people. So, can you handle seeing her doing PDAs with another guy?"


    Sam''s hands went into fists and he glared at Xing Han who didn''t stop talking, saying, "Holding hands. Hugging. Snuggling close. Kiss-"


    "Alright! I get it!" Sam growled, making Xing Han laugh. This was the first time he ever witnessed Sam lose it.


    "I get it," Sam said in a more reserved tone, relinquishing his hold on the fork and leaning back on his chair as he looked out the window.


    "Stop trying to analyse what you''re feeling and just go for it," Xing Han said, cutting the roast chicken into smaller pieces, "I won''t say that you''re in love with her or whatnot, but there''s no denying that you have strong feelings for her."


    Sam didn''t answer, as his gaze didn''t waver as if there was something outside that piqued his interest. That didn''t bother Xing Han as he continued talking.


    "So man up, Sam," Xing Han said, putting a piece of chicken in his mouth, "Go and woo her. Get her. You won''t achieve anything just by staying at the sidelines, writing down notes about things and trying to be logical about everything."


    "Look. In the first place, love is illogical and not something you can reason with. Can you define or analyse what love is? You can know someone for years and feel nothing but when someone else comes, it''s BAM," Xing Han said seriously, "If you think love can be reasoned with then you''re not in love. It''s a want for companionship. Love is based on feelings and not reason."*


    "You just think too much. Go with what is in there," Xing Han said, pointing towards Sam''s chest where his heart is, then at Sam''s head, "Rather than there."


    Sam took out his bunny notebook and placed it on the table, his thumb playing on the bunny sticker.


    "You''re right," Sam said, "I can''t keep on trying to figure this out. I''ll do it. It''s a fact. I like her. So I will try and woo her."


    "Good," Xing Han said, scopping up some gravy with his piece of chicken and eating it, "You may, or may not end up with her. After all, you may have strong feelings for her but it doesn''t mean she does, right?"


    "Is that supposed to be a pep talk? Cuz if it is, you suck at it," Sam said as he continued twirling that spaghetti.


    Xing Han shrugged.


    "By the way, your notebook should be about ''how to woo a bunny'' and not a human. See what makes a bunny excited," Xing Han commented.


    "Ha ha, very funny," Sam said.


    Meanwhile, back at Sage Class, Beatrice found that she could not concentrate on her work anymore. She looked around and saw that the other Elite Five members seemed unperturbed at Xing Han and Sam''s disappearance.


    This made her feel that they had known what was going on and left it to Xing Han to deal with it.


    That made her feel worse. With those behind Sam, would he fail in getting the girl?


    Beatrice got up. She had to see Betty.

 Chapter 161 - Resolution

    Beatrice quickly closed her books and arranged them neatly on her table. She looked at the clock on the wall for the time. Lunch break would be in an hour.


    Perfect.


    She''ll get some food and then wait for Betty to have lunch together. For things like this, she would need to talk to Betty.


    Luckily, as she was in Sage Class, she had the freedom to walk about and do what she needed. They had so much freedom that they didn''t even need to come to school, so long as they received permission from the Principal.


    They would need to send an application, along with the length of time they would be away and when they returned, a report needed to be submitted as to what they had done while away. This was done to encourage independent research. Not that she needed that at the moment.


    The students from the normal classes were still bound by their time tables. Currently, the first years didn''t have any set time table yet as their streaming had yet to be done. This did not mean that they didn''t have activities, so Betty was currently busy doing those.


    Beatrice headed towards the cafeteria.


    When she walked through the doors, however, she noticed Xing Han and Sam were also there. They seemed to be having a serious conversation as Sam appeared to be absent-mindedly twirling his food on his fork.


    Xing Han was the animated one, his hands going left, right and center while talking - not forgetting to put some food in his mouth once in a while.


    Beatrice''s eyes darted to Sam, noting that the usual stoic face looked to be in seriously deep contemplation. Her heart lurched.


    Thinking that he was in such a serious mode for another girl made her feel pain that she didn''t know could exist. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards Mrs Ling and quickly made her purchase. She decided on sandwiches as that was the easiest to eat with the least amount of fuss. Easy to eat, no mess and one just had to throw away the wrapping it came in.


    As she was walking out, Sam looked up and saw her so he gave her a smile and nodded. Beatrice almost tripped just seeing that smile of his and berated herself. How could just knowing how you felt for someone make you so stupid?


    She just nodded back at him and walked out quickly under the confused gaze of Sam. He shrugged, thinking Beatrice must be thinking of some serious problem so she couldn''t even smile back.


    ?? Pink Corner ??


    Beatrice sat waiting for Betty. She had already texted Betty to meet here for lunch and had chosen a rather secluded spot away from the crowd. It was a popular spot, really. Under the tree and away from the main area. It wasn''t hidden but far enough to ensure privacy.


    As the area slowly filled up, Beatrice began fiddling with the sandwiches.


    "Boo!" Betty shouted from behind Beatrice, launching herself onto her back.


    Beatrice smiled, even though she was nearly pushed forward to the ground with that force. Betty had always been like this and it was this part of her that soothed Beatrice since long ago.


    Betty skipped to the side and sat down next to Beatrice.


    "Here," Beatrice said, handing her a sandwich.


    "Thank you. Oooh! This is new!" Betty said, looking at the colourful rainbow cover, "LGBT sandwich? Lettuce-Guacamole-Bacon-Tomato sandwich ... nice!"*


    She eagerly peeled open the plastic covering and pulled out one piece. Biting into it, her eyes glazed over as she went, "It''s soooooo good!"


    Betty peered over to look at Beatrice and her eyes scrunched up. Putting down the sandwich, she asked worried, "What''s wrong?"


    Beatrice picked up her own sandwich and slowly peeled open the cover, "Nothing is wrong."


    "Don''t lie to me," Betty said, going on her knees and staring at Beatrice, "Your eyebrow is scrunched up a bit here. That is a sign that something is worrying you."


    Beatrice shook her head as she took a bite out of her sandwich. She chewed slowly and Betty simply waited.


    "Nothing is wrong, really," Beatrice said, "But something did come up that I find is a bit troublesome."


    Betty kept quiet, knowing that the best way to deal with this was to let Beatrice gather her thoughts and talk it out herself. Any sort of prodding at this point may make her go back into her shell.


    So, she waited. She sat back and started eating again, all the while sitting beside Beatrice but not looking at her.


    As Beatrice sat there, she thought back again at Mall T''s incident and how she, like Betty right now for her, simply waited for Sarah to talk. It had been easy for her to wait but for the other person? It was scary.


    It wasn''t about whether she should tell Betty or not, but rather, how is she going to raise it? Knowing Betty, she would be all supportive of her and that is what she needed right now but to put it into words was far harder than she ever thought it would be.


    It was even scarier than seeing the Principal!


    Finally, after a few more minutes of silence, Beatrice said in a whisper, "I ... I came to the realisation that ... that my feelings for Samuel is not as simple as mere admiration for a fellow classmate or Student Council member."


    Beatrice took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I like Samuel. As in, really like him."


    Betty squealed in happiness and gave Beatrice a huge hug. She wrapped her arms around Beatrice and squeezed tightly, putting her head on Beatrice''s neck.


    "I''m so happy for you! Truly!! This is the best thing that could happen!!" Betty said with sincerity. A small part of her was feeling a bit sad but she pressed it down. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice deserved happiness.


    She had been bullied from young as she was extremely introvert and, as the kids said ''weird''. Betty, however, found her to be the kindest and purest soul that she had ever come across. Beatrice always just let them do whatever they wanted for she felt it was too much of a bother, so it was Betty that felt she had to protect Beatrice.


    It was the same now.


    Betty wasn''t dense. She knew that she was attracted to Sam but that''s all that it was. A mere crush. There was no way she would ever stand in Beatrice''s way over something so flimsy. Beatrice was more important than anything she could ever feel for a guy.


    There were plenty of fishes in the sea, right?


    So Betty hugged Beatrice tightly. Partly in happiness for Beatrice in finding her heart and partly in determination to let go of the growing attraction that she was feeling for Sam. Better stamp that out before it grew into a raging fire.


    Even if it did grow to a raging fire, Betty would hose it down.


    Betty looked at Beatrice and the smile froze on her face.


    "Why do you look so sad then?" Betty asked, noting that there was no joy on Beatrice''s face.


    "Because he likes someone else," Beatrice admitted.


    "WHAT?! WHO?! Who is that hussy that dared to try and steal Sam away from you??!!" Betty hissed, "I''ll go over and give her a talking to!!"


    Beatrice laughed a bit at that and ruffled Betty''s hair, saying, "No one is stealing Samuel from me, you know. We aren''t a couple."


    "Huh? What? What do you mean?" Betty said, distracted as she put down her hands that she had put up in a boxing stance, "I''ve seen the way you guys act when together. I thought you were a couple already! Was a bit hurt that you didn''t tell me either? I was planning to hound you about it today, too."


    "What?!" Beatrice gasped, staring at Betty in amazement, "Whatever gave you that idea?!"


    "Er, that PDA you guys were displaying before the placement test? Holding hands and all?" Betty said, pointing out the obvious.


    "What holding hands? I never ... oh," Beatrice paused, suddenly remembering what happened. Her face then flushed in embarrassment as she shuffled her feet, "I was just testing his temperature. He appeared a bit out-of-sorts that day. There was nothing to it."


    "Really? He looked so lovingly at you, too," Betty said, cocking her head to one side.


    "It''s your imagination," Beatrice insisted.


    "It can''t be. When he showed me around yesterday, I kept talking about you, you know. He said that you''re pretty! And he would be giving this gentle smile each time I talked about you," Betty revealed, "I''m sure this girl that you think he''s interested in doesn''t exist. Or, perhaps, that girl he''s interested in, is you?"


    ""You think so?" Beatrice asked, some hope flaring within her.


    "I don''t only think so, I know so!" Betty said confidently, patting her chest that was winced in a bit of pain, "You guys look like you''re made for each other."


    "But I''m so much older than him," Beatrice pointed out.


    "As if that would matter? I''m sure even Auntie and Uncle don''t mind," Betty said with a grin.


    Beatrice couldn''t say anything to that, for it was true. Her mother had been asking about Sam since the day he had sent her home the other day.


    "Look, did Sam really say he had someone he liked?" Betty asked.


    "No," Beatrice admitted, "But he never said he didn''t either."


    "Even if there is one, he''s not yet with her, right? It means it''s all fair in love and war," Betty said, nodding.


    "What do you mean?" Beatrice asked tentatively, though she had an inkling what Betty was going on about.


    "It''s time to get you, and Senior Sam together! I will help," Betty said in determination. This was her resolution for the year.

 Chapter 162 - The Past

    While someone''s love life was being planned, Kyle was busy scratching his head back in Sage Class.


    He was busy hitting himself on the head for the not realising how easy it was to figure out the date of the memory of what Kylie was going through today. It was only the second day of school, right? Back in Country M, his son is 8-years-old and his daughter is 6-years-old.


    The key thing here is that it would be his daughter''s first day at pre-school. That would be a key memory. Kyle attributed his lack of ability to figure out the proper ''landmark'' event because he had been too affected by the nightmare. Now that he had calmed down and was able to look at it objectively, it came to him easily.


    However, before he accessed the memory, he had to wrap up a few things.


    [Kay, do me a favour, please]


    [Of course, brother. What is it?]


    [Contact the agents of Nanny Op. I want a full report of what happened yesterday and today. I need it tonight]


    [Sure, but is anything wrong, brother? You know that they''d report anything unusual to you.]


    [I know, but I have this nagging feeling that there''s something going on]


    [Does it have anything to do with last night''s nightmare?]


    [I suspect so. I don''t know the full details so I want to go through everything that I can think of]


    [I''ll check out the company and your uncle''s movements. There might be something]


    [Thanks, Kay]


    Kay raised her hand and waved, blowing Kyle a kiss from across the room. Kyle acted as if he caught it, put it to his chest and pretended to faint. Kay''s laughter peeled through the room while everyone else ignored them completely.


    It was just one of those days.


    Kyle now focused on the computer screen in front of him. Similar to Sam, Kyle had the privacy filter for his computer although in his case, he bought it. Thus, he had no qualms about using the computer to do his MIB work at school.


    His fingers flew across the keyboards, doing the necessary preliminary steps to mask his IP address then going through several servers before finally contacting Agent Oreo. Kyle preferred this mode of communication even though using the burner phone would have been easier.


    Since his voice broke, he no longer had to use the voice changer but he still had to change the manner of how he spoke. Since Kyle now works openly at MIB as ''Kyle'', the one that ''Boss K'' was grooming, he had to make ''Kyle'' and ''Boss K'' completely different.


    Getting into character was tiring. Typing was much easier. It was more secure anyway, as he didn''t have to worry about someone eavesdropping.


    ''Boss'' - Agent Oreo


    ''Status?'' - Kyle, referring to Kylie.


    ''Normal'' - Agent Oreo, indicating that Kylie had not done anything unusual nor had there been any unknown or new subjects making contact.


    ''Increase radius'' - Kyle, referring to taking note of the condition surrounding Kylie and the kids.


    ''Roger'' - Agent Oreo


    ''Out'' - Kyle


    Kyle quickly terminated the connection. The communication had to be done quickly so as to avoid any trace back to him.


    [Anything?] Kay asked S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [No] Kyle answered, then got up [Going back to the dorms to shift through some memories. Can''t do it here]


    [Not getting lunch then? You should still fuel up before that]


    Kyle headed to the pantry and took some apples and bit into one [This''ll do]


    Kay gave him a glare, rolling her eyes. Kyle, who could take three plates for breakfast, would be satisfied with just a couple of apples?


    [5pm dinner for you. I''ll be waiting at the cafeteria]


    [Okay, Mum]


    [Stupid]


    [Love you too, Kay]


    Upon reaching his dorm room, Kyle flung his backpack onto his chair and went to the bathroom to freshen up. It was a habit from his past life: he would bathe 2x a day and if he went out, he would bathe and change before getting into bed.


    The bed is sacred and had to be clean, free from any dust or whatever that you brought from outside. Xing Han once commented that Kyle was more Asian than he was and Kyle shrugged. Old habits die hard.


    Kyle lay down in bed before he started. It wasn''t necessary to be in bed but it was the most comfortable, so why not, right?


    Also ... Kyle thought with a sigh. He''s going to be watching his kids. That''s the real reason why he couldn''t access the memories outside or in public. He wasn''t confident enough of his ability to look like he wasn''t doing anything. Having your memories re-play in HD sucks at times like these.


    He calmed himself and closed his eyes (again, not necessary but he felt better doing it).


    ?? Flashback : Kylie ??


    [Note: though it is a flashback for Kyle, it''s actually present-time for Kylie. This timeline plays havok in your mind, right? (*??-) ]


    Joseph and Lianne were sitting at the breakfast table, eating their jam and toast.


    "Are you excited about going to school, Lianne?" Kylie asked her daughter, smiling.


    "Yes!" Lianne said excitedly, her eyes twinkling.


    Kylie smiled, brushing aside a stray curl that went down her cherubic face as she ate.


    "Your big brother is in the same school, so if there''s anything, you can always ask the teacher to call for him, okay?" Kylie said gently, looking at Joseph.


    "If anyone bullies you, let me know, okay?" Joseph said to his little sister with a smile. She grinned at him, nodding.


    Kylie looked at her husband, who was busy with reading the newspaper at the breakfast table with a sigh. She handed him his cup of coffee and he took it with a small word of thanks.


    He looked at his watch and said, "Hurry up, kids. It''s almost time for school"


    "Yes, Papa," they chorused in unison and ate quickly, gulping down their milk.


    After finishing their breakfast, they brought their plates and cup to the sink and washed their hands. Kylie washed the plates and cups quickly, and stood behind her kids while they said their goodbyes to their father.


    They gave him a hug and walked over to the door. Kylie leaned over as well, saying her goodbye and gave him a quick peck on the lips.


    "Drive safe," he said as he watched them go, before going back to his newspaper.


    Kylie nodded and sighed as she looked at her husband slowly drinking his coffee. She closed the door quietly and turned with a smile as she ushered her kids into the car. Throughout the journey, she talked to her kids and sang with them as she slowly made her way to the school.


    ?? Kyle ??


    Kyle watched all of this with a deep ache in his heart. He knew he could fast forward this scene but, against his better judgment, he persisted. His hands reached out towards the image, wishing that he was really watching this through a television.


    At least, with television, he could touch the screen and pretend he was touching his kids. As it was, his hands reached out to empty air. A lump formed in his throat. He missed his kids so much. He wanted to hold them again, hug them again, kiss all over their faces and have them kiss his face back.


    But he can''t.


    All of that was not his anymore.


    He was not their mother in this form. He would, at the most, be a big brother. Would that be enough?


    Kyle wiped the tears that fell down his cheeks and took a deep breath as he continued watching. He focused on their cute little faces, their smiles, their laughter, their voices. Being able to see and not touch was torture. Yet, he knew that if he didn''t get this under control, how would he be when they are in front of him?


    He knew it, but he still couldn''t help stop the pain. So, he continued to watch on.


    He saw as Kylie parked the car, walked to meet Lianne''s school teacher then head off to work after making sure Lianne was settled into her new classroom. He observed the surroundings and saw nothing out of the ordinary.


    However, one figure in the distance made him pause to think. He recognised the figure very well. It was MIB.


    The implication of that was mind-boggling.


    Is the timeline he was experiencing one that had already deviated from the original? How is that possible?


    Kyle felt like this was strangely like the illogical ''Bill and Ted''s Excellent Adventures'' where their time traveling jaunts didn''t make sense. Since it was a silly movie anyway, no one truly questioned how two boys, who had absolutely no music sense, would become the ones who created music that made an idealistic future - and those music skills were the result of the actions of the men from that idealistic future, when they went into the past.


    Now he was living the illogical timeline.


    No. That''s not right. It''s not exactly the same.


    When Kyle was reborn in the past, he made sure that his actions had no effect on Kylie. His plans would only come into action upon Kylie''s death. Thus, what he had experienced as Kylie, would continue. He did not disturb anything in Kylie''s life nor was he giving Kylie some sort of skills to avoid what happened.


    Still, seeing MIB there in his memory as Kylie was still weird and gave him a headache just thinking about it. It made no sense but at the same time, it did.


    Kyle shook his head. He''s getting sidetracked. He needs to focus on what''s happening now. He continued watching through his memories, struggling to get his sadness under control.

 Chapter 163 - A Clue

    Kay looked away, tears forming in her eyes as deep sadness hit her entire being. She coughed loudly and Sarah patted her back in worry.


    Kay waved her aside, still coughing and drank some water, the tears flowing down her cheeks, "Sorry, something just went down the wrong way. Be right back."


    Kay quickly headed to the girls'' toilet and locked herself in the cubicle. She closed the toilet seat lid and sat down, pulling out some toilet paper and placed it over her eyes. She had faked the cough to explain the tears but now she allowed the tears to flow freely.


    Kay knew that the intense emotions she was feeling right now was from Kyle and her heart ached for him. She was well aware of how much he missed his kids and that, to a certain extent, the way he showered his love for her was partly his way of coping with that loss. She didn''t mind it at all and felt happy that she was able to help him cope, albeit in a round-a-bout way.


    ''This new development in the bond may be more troublesome than I expected,'' thought Kay.


    On the one hand, it would help her understand her brother even more but on the other hand, she felt like she was intruding on some really private and personal feelings of his.


    Kay knew that Kyle wouldn''t mind sharing but she also knew that he would feel bad for making her go through it. So she wouldn''t tell him about this. An idea formed in her head. Since she could sense and be affected by Kyle''s sadness, then he would be able to sense and be affected by hers as well, right?


    So she began to counter the sadness that was filling up her entire body with happy thoughts. She began thinking of how she felt when she first sensed Kyle in the womb. A sense of wonderment and love. How she felt whenever Kyle pampered her.


    All the positive feelings and love she felt, she embraced. Soon, the sadness became manageable and the tears stopped. She hoped she had done some good for Kyle, and she walked out after ensuring that there was no one to see.


    Kay washed her face and could see that her eyes were slightly red. Luckily, it was not puffy so she could go back to the cafeteria as if nothing had happened. She sent a silent prayer to Kyle, hoping that he''s calmer now.


    ?? Kyle ??


    Kyle found himself feeling rather warm and loved at the moment, making the sadness that he was under bearable.


    It was strange.


    There was nothing in what he was looking at, would invoke such a feeling. Kylie was going to work and nothing warm or loving at that scene. He had a suspicion about the cause of it, but he''ll ask her later. Right now, he appreciated the gesture and was able to properly focus at the scene in front of him again.


    Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Kylie would gather the materials needed for the day. She checked her emails and deleted spam, only opening and replying those that were of relevance.


    Kyle slowed down the ''movie'' and read the emails as Kylie did. He found there was nothing unusual about it. However, as Kylie answered the last email, Kyle had a hunch. He rewound the ''movie'' and zoomed in on the emails that Kylie had previously deleted as spam.


    Kyle studied the sender and title of the emails. There was a lot of spam, as the office email not would also include any sort of emails sent to the entire company and various departments. As Kyle meticulously looked through the subject heading of the emails, one caught his eye.


    The sender? His killer.


    He also noted that the email subject heading had [RexInfo], which indicated that it was the mailing list for the top brass of management. Why did Kylie get the email then? Perhaps it was sent wrongly? Kylie was not part of the top management team, which was why she deleted it without a second thought as she was not privy to it.


    Kyle now remembered how he had felt when he first saw the email. For a split second, he had entertained the idea of clicking on it but in the end, disregarded it. He had reckoned then that if she had meant to be part of the email recipients, her boss would have asked her about it later.


    He had felt that it was better to be scolded for ignoring the email rather than scolded for reading it. Once secret information was read, it could not be un-read and the repercussions of that could be much more severe.


    So Kyle now had a clue.


    Since he knew his killer, his subconscious mind must have remembered that email and triggered his death scene memories. Hence, the nightmare. Kyle quickly looked through the rest of the day''s memory and found nothing else of importance.


    Coming out of the ''trance'', Kyle noted that his pillow was quite wet. He ruefully tapped on it, thinking that he didn''t realise just how much he must have cried earlier. He sighed deeply. Touching his face, he noted the sticky dried streaks and decided another shower was needed.


    ?? 5 pm ??


    Kyle looked at the pile of food in front of him then at Kay, "Really? You think I''m a pig?"


    There was a plate of lasagne with potato salad, a serving of chinese fried rice, a bowl of noodles and burger with fries.


    "You didn''t have lunch," Kay said with a shrug.


    "Yeah, but still ..." Kyle said looking at the food with worry. That''s a lot of calories to work-out later. Still, he couldn''t waste any food.


    [By the way, thanks] Kyle said as he dug into the lasagne first.


    [Feeling better?]


    [Yes, much. I''ll need your help in one specific matter] sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle began to describe the email, and time of it being sent. He needed Kay to retrieve its contents without alerting the other party that it had been diverted or opened.


    [I think it''s best to monitor all his calls and emails from now on] Kyle said with a sigh [I have a feeling this is perhaps the start of everything]


    Before this, there had been no movement that was unusual or untoward in the company. Kyle would go through the reports every week but there was nothing out of the ordinary. The constant monitoring for the past 12 years was very tedious and taxing. It was monotonous work and it was easy to lose focus or have important data to be missed.


    He couldn''t even use AI to filter everything for he did not know what sort of ''keywords'' he could programme the AI to use. Hence, it was left to human intervention and judgment. It was worse then being in a factory line, doing the same mechanical work as this type of monotonous work required some form of brain power.


    With this clue however, they could start focusing on something more concrete. There was a light at the end of the tunnel.


    "Let''s do something fun. Just the two of us," Kay said to Kyle with a smile, "It''s been quite some time since twin time."


    Kay knew the amount of stress Kyle was under, which he hid most of the time. However, there was a crack that appeared due to him looking through his past memories which involved his kids. Kay didn''t want Kyle to suffer some sort of mental breakdown, so some sort of diversion activity was needed.


    Kyle smiled as he nodded, continuing to eat. He decided to pack the fried rice and pass it to Xing Han later that night. He''s always up for a midnight snack.


    Just the other day, Xing Han had been mumbling in his sleep about food, even getting up halfway giving an order for some braised ribs. Kyle grinned at that memory, for he had been jolted awake by Xing Han shouting, "One order of braised ribs! Hurry!"


    He saw Xing Han sitting up, one hand in the air and then lying back down, smacking his lips. Kyle teased Xing Han about it the next day but he denied such a thing ever happened.


    "How about going to Gym5? Then our favourite cafe," Kyle suggested.


    Kay grinned, "You just want to see the twins, don''t you? Or should I say, you just want to tease them, right?"


    Kyle''s smile was even brighter then, making those who saw it nearly faint, "Nothing beats the stress more than scaling walls ... and chasing after the twins."


    "You do know that they''re also hitting on you now, right?" Kay said with an eyebrow raised.


    Kyle smirked, while licking his lips and said, "Oh ... I think I should reward them once in a while for all their hard work, don''t you think?"


    Kay looked at him with wide eyes, "You''re not seriously going to ... oh, Kyle. That''s so mean."


    "No, it''s not," Kyle protested, taking a bit out of the burger. After swallowing, he said, "It''s just harmless flirting."


    "You''re going to break some hearts, brother," Kay said with a snort.


    "Nah," Kyle said, "You know I wouldn''t play with people''s feelings. How about this? Our usual thing: twin competition."


    "What sort will it be this time?" Kay asked curiously.


    "First, we tell them what we''re doing so that they don''t get the wrong idea," Kyle said, laying out his plan.


    "And what is it that we''ll be doing?" Kay asked, rolling her eyes. Kyle really liked to drag things out.


    "See which one of us can flirt the best or the fastest," Kyle said, "All they need to do is resist our charm."


    Kay''s mouth twitched.


    "You''re right. This does sound like fun," Kay replied.


    "Do you think they''ll be up to it?" Kyle asked.


    "Those two? They''ll probably be fighting over who will last the longest!"


    Kay and Kyle linked their pinkies together, the usual sign they did when they agreed on having a twin competition.


    [You do remember that part of my training was on seduction, right?] Kay asked.


    [Of course. It wouldn''t be fun otherwise. You need to practice anyway]


    [Hah. I''ve got this. Prepare to pay] Kay said confidently.

 Chapter 164 - Stress Reliever

    It took Kay a couple of days to get the information that Kyle had asked for.


    It was 11pm and Xing Han was snoring away already in bed while Kyle was studying the file at his desk. He couldn''t believe the contents of the e-mail.


    "Is this what Rex Industries was really about, or was this simply something they slipped in since Rex Industries was already established and above board?" Kyle wondered aloud.


    There were several reasons why it took Kay two days to give Kyle the information.


    First, she had to ensure that opening the email did not set off any alarm notification to the sender. Geting the email was not a problem since Kyle just gave her the username and password. Once she could safely open the email, she noticed something unusual with the way the email had been worded.


    The content it self sounded pretty harmless. It was all about some shipment that was pending and the delivery order. Normal stuff. However, Kay''s sharp eyes noted there were some unusual symbols in places that, at first glance, appeared to simply be a typo.


    Upon deeper inspection, however, Kay managed to figure out that embedded in that symbol was a code - or a ''backdoor'' code to certain files. It was those files that were of interest.


    Kyle was reading those files right now.


    A file of 10 names. Pictures of people. With prices.


    Kyle clenched his teeth.


    It was frustrating.


    He had no name of the buyer or seller or even the distributor. There was nothing to go by other than now, he knew that the thumb drive he had taken must have had something to do with this sort of secret. All he had thought he had copied were doctored accounts but why go through all of that just for it?


    Problem was, he never looked at the whole file when he copied it. He had merely seen the first page and knew that something was wrong since one of the figures was incorrect. He had copied the entire file and was planning to look at it at a later time.


    That later time never came, of course.


    Even if he was to retrieve that memory, he would not have been able to know what was the secret that was contained in the thumbdrive. He needed to wait for time to pass, retrieve it and take the necessary action for revenge - and at the same time, protect his family.


    Kyle rubbed his forehead.


    It''s this constant waiting game that ate at him. The uncertainty. The worry. The time that he needed to let pass before he could do something more satisfying. The stress that built up since he retrieved his memories two days ago hit the all-time high.


    At this point, scaling the walls at Gym5 wouldn''t cut it. He needed to vent. Like, now.


    He sighed, deleting the file.


    Kay had a copy which was kept secure in MIB vault, so there was no worry about the file being lost or stolen. He peeked at Xing Han and was satisfied that he was deeply asleep.


    Going to his closet, he opened up a secret compartment and took out the items necessary to change into Ice. Putting that secret compartment had been easier than expected. It was done by the MIB during the school holidays when no one was around.


    In the bathroom, Kyle locked the door and proceeded to transform. He put on the contact lenses and blinked at the different shade of blue that now stared back at him. He took out a roll of tattoo-paper that had the dragon printed on it, carefully unrolling it.


    Standing to one side, he placed the transferable paper on his arm and slowly, carefully, peeled it off, leaving the dragon imprint on his arm. The tattoo was a pain to put on and take off, but he had to admit, he liked the look of it. Perhaps, in the future, he would get one for real.


    Kyle could imagine the look on his parents face if they ever found out about it, though. He grinned. That would be fun though, don''t you think?


    He put on a form fitting black singlet, slim black pants and a denim jacket. Slicking back his hair with some gel, he then peeled out the fake skin on his earlobe that covered a pin prick and wore the earring stud. He looked at his face in the mirror and sighed.


    That youthful innocence wasn''t quite Ice yet.


    Taking out his make-up palette, he began his work. It was ironic, really. As Kylie, he hardly wore make-up and his skills had been the utmost minimum of ''foundation, blusher, and lipstick''. Now?


    Now he knew how to use that stupid blender, how to do shading and all that. What a pain. That''s why he normally used a mask when he went out as Ice but for today''s purpose, the mask would not be enough.


    Once he was done, the youthful part wasn''t quite gone but he did have sharper features and he looked older - about 17 instead of 14. The innocent bit was no longer there, especially when Kyle started using his cold persona.


    Kyle quickly returned to the room and in total darkness, kept the items back and slipped out the window. The location of their dorm had also been chosen specifically for the ease of Kyle to be able to slip out easily. Courtesy of Kay''s hacking skills in allocating the room to him, of course.


    It was near the corner and the back of the building, so Kyle simply scaled the wall to the side and jumped to the nearby tree, going down and out the wall.


    As Kyle jumped down the wall and looked back to Sakura Academy, he had a grin that was both captivating and chilling at the same time. It made his handsome face even more outstanding but there was a menacing aspect to it that people couldn''t help but shudder if they saw it.


    ?? Zoek Club ??


    Kyle sauntered over to the entrance, not bothering with the long queue that was beside it. The huge, muscular bouncer, upon seeing Kyle, merely nodded at him as he walked by.


    "Hey! How come he can go in without queuing up?!" one guy, who was near the entrance and in line, shouted.


    Kyle stopped, one foot just about to step in. He turned slowly and gave the guy a once-over look from top to toe and smirked.


    Typical rich kid, trying to impress the two girls he had hanging around his arms.


    The bouncer at the door shivered a bit, gulped and was about to say something when Kyle put up his hand, his face in a half-smile and said, "Don''t worry, Mike, I got this."


    Kyle tilted his head to the side, giving the two girls that were around the loudmouth a devastatingly sexy smile as he walked over.


    The girls watched in fascination as Kyle came closer, and everyone could see the tight abdominal muscles that could be seen through the shirt that clung to his body. The languid look and seductive smile that Kyle directed at them made them subconsciously lick their lips.


    The loudmouth noticed how the girls were being fascinated by the upstart that was in front of them and he started boiling inside. He stepped in front of the girls, blocking their view as he glared at Kyle.


    Kyle didn''t bother with him as he side-stepped him and coming next to the girls, he asked, offering his arm, "Want to join me, instead of this loser here?"


    Kyle leaned closer to one of the girls, whispering in her ear, "I''m sure I can give you a much better time than Mummy''s boy."


    The girl giggled and nodded, taking Kyle''s arm. The other girl, not wanting to be left out, quickly came forward as well, wanting to take the same arm.


    "Ladies, please. I have two arms. One each," Kyle said with a smile, his dimple showing and melting the two.


    They both giggled but before the other one could take a step, the loud mouth grabbed her wrist and hissed, "What do you think you''re doing?!"


    The girl looked at him in disdain, "What does it look like? Get your hands off me. I''m going with him."


    Kyle patted the girl who held his hand and understanding, she let go. He reached for the guy''s wrist, twisting it, causing the guy to let go of the girl''s wrist. Kyle applied more pressure and the guy kneeled down in pain.


    Kyle simply went down and looked at him in the eye, "Back off, boy. You''re not in my league."


    The guy glared at him in anger. Boy? BOY?! The one who''s a boy was the stupid boy in front of him. What? He looked like he was only in his teens while he as already an adult! What boy?!


    The guy roared, intending to punch Kyle with his other arm but Kyle caught the fist easily. He let go of the wrist he was twisting, and grabbed the guy in the throat instead. Gasping at the pressure that was there, the guy tried to get his arm out of Kyle''s grip but to no avail.


    Kyle got up slowly, bringing the guy up by the throat. He let go of the other hand once he stood up and the guy tried to get Kyle''s grip on his throat out by grabbing Kyle''s arm with both hands. It was like holding a steel bar.


    Kyle pushed him back, and the people behind simply made way. He slammed the guy on the wall and pushed him further up. The guy''s face was turning blue already before Kyle let go. The guy''s throat had Kyle''s hand imprint on it and he lay gasping on the ground, coughing while trying to get some air.


    Kyle knocked on his head and when the guy looked up, Kyle grinned while giving him a cold stare.


    He got down and said to him in a voice that only he could hear, "On account that you provided two beautiful ladies to accompany me tonight, I''m letting you live. This time. Cause me any more trouble on my turf, and your parents won''t even recognise what''s left of you."


    The guy''s eyes widened, his whole body paralysed with fear when those ice-cold blue eyes locked on him. His brain was busy connecting the dots. Those eyes. His turf?


    "Ice?" he gasped, shivering. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who didn''t know about Ice? This whole area was his territory and Zoek Club was rumoured to be his as well. It was the most happening Club on the outside and had some secret underground. He knew bits and pieces but it was enough.


    Kyle grinned upon hearing the name, "Seems like you''re not that stupid after all, to be able to recognise me."


    That confirmation just terrorised the guy so much that his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fainted.


    Kyle smirked, getting up. The two girls quickly grabbed to hold on to each of his arm and they entered the Club, the loud noise booming all around.


    This was just the beginning.


    Kyle had a LOT of stress to release.

 Chapter 165 - Temptation

    Once inside, Kyle headed for the VIP room, the two girls in tow.


    In the VIP room, there were several sofas: a three seater and two single seaters. The sofas were placed in a semi circle with a coffee table in the middle. There was also a mini bar with a waiter behind its counter, cleaning a glass. One attendant stood at attention near the door.


    Anyone who was assigned to the VIP room was of top quality for service and for keeping their mouth''s shut. No matter what happened in the room, so long as it didn''t break the rules, they would not act or react. People could do drugs or even orgies here and no one would bat an eyelid.


    Kyle plopped himself on the 3-seater-sofa and the girls sat beside him. He lazily put both of his feet up on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa and leaned back, his arms on the backrest of the sofa. He sighed, wanting to loosen up a bit before heading out.


    His mind was still in a mess. The slight altercation outside hardly relieved any stress and it actually added to it a bit. Kyle couldn''t stand people who acted all high-and-mighty. Even putting him down didn''t make him really happy since the guy had been so weak. If there had been some sort of fight, or struggle, it would have been more satisfying.


    Kyle really wasn''t happy.


    He spread his arms out at the back of the sofa, leaning back more and closed his eyes as he thought of all the things that had been happening lately. Including the swirling mess of emotions that was haunting him.


    Since the closer bond he was sharing with Kay, Kyle was very, very careful not to let these strong feelings ''come out''. He had been experimenting on it for the past couple of days and came to the conclusion that it worked similar to their mindspeech.


    Kyle could think his thoughts without having Kay hearing it and he only needed to project his thoughts out before she could hear him. There was no limitation to the distance, so long as they wanted to ''talk''.


    With their emotional bond, it required more effort as all feelings are something you don''t normally control. You feel what you feel. So instead of mindspeech where you just project your thoughts, with their emotions, they had to actively not project it.


    It took some time, but Kyle was getting the hang of it.


    While Kyle was busy thinking, the two girls beside him were admiring his face and their eyes roamed all over his body. He had his eyes closed and wasn''t bothering them and they took that to mean that they could get closer to him. And so they did.


    Both snuggled up to him, putting their heads on each of his shoulder and a hand on his body. When he didn''t react, they became bolder as their faces started to smile. Their hands starting to roam all over Kyle''s body, while they admired every inch of him.


    The two assigned to the room couldn''t help but widen their eyes at the scene.


    Ice, who was notorious for not letting any girls touch him, was actually allowing two girls to brazenly feel him up. One was touching his abs while another was touching his thigh and slowly inching up. When Kyle didn''t push them away, their movements became even more bold as they not only touched him but also started caressing him. One girl then started kissing his neck.


    The waiter''s hand started shaking when he saw Kyle''s expression at that kiss.


    Kyle was frowning.


    He had been so lost in thought that he had actually forgotten the two girls were there until they started touching him. At first, it was rather light and his brain was a bit hazy to react but as it got bolder, he started realising something wasn''t quite right. Then, one began kissing his neck.


    Kyle mentally slapped himself.


    It wasn''t the girls'' fault. He had led them here and by allowing them free reign, wasn''t it his fault? He had given them the wrong impression, especially with his ''I can give you a good time'' line earlier. Kyle groaned and knew he had to stop this without hurting either of them.


    The one that was kissing his neck started to lick it, running her tongue over the skin. Just as he felt her teeth on his skin, he quickly moved.


    The last thing he needed right now was a hickey.


    He turned his head to tell the girl to back off when she kissed him. She thought he had turned to face her to kiss her, but she wanted to be the one that initiated it. To be the dominant one.


    Her full, soft lips landed squarely on his and started to kiss the bottom lip, the upper lip then she licked his lips before sucking his bottom lip. Her tongue darted inbetween his lips in an attempt to pry his mouth open.


    Kyle was stupified. Why was his reaction really, really slow at the moment?


    Just as he was about to pull back, he stopped and thought ... why not?


    He wasn''t Kyle Smith, the 14-year-old student but Ice, the notorious thug.


    He had been celibate for 14 years now and he had always wondered if, in this life, he would be able to ''perform''. Other than the normal morning wood situation, Kyle Jr never woke up. No matter how girls rubbed themselves at him, or how they flung themselves at him, or even seeing sexy pictures ... nothing.


    At this moment, however, as the girl was kissing him so earnestly while the other one was touching him suggestively all over, he noticed that his body was starting to heat up. An unknown sensation was building up and it pooled down towards sleeping Jr.


    Kyle brought his hand forward and held the girl by the back of the head. He opened his mouth and returned the kisses that she was giving him. He deepened their kiss as he plunged his tongue in, exploring her sweet mouth and just let himself go, reveling in the sensation that was building up within him.


    As he was busy making out with one girl, the other girl was feeling left out. She noticed the bulge that was slowly forming and she smiled. She tentatively rubbed Kyle''s inner thigh before slowly putting her hand on the hardness, her eyes widening as she felt its size. She looked up and saw that he wasn''t protesting, so she placed her fingers on the zip and pulled it down.


    Kyle''s eyes snapped wide open.


    Gently, he held the hand that was busy trying to reveal something that should not be released. Kyle broke the kiss, with the both of them breathing heavily at this point, and the girl''s eyes was rather glazed over. He smiled, gave her a slight peck on the lips and then turned to the other girl beside him.


    He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed every single finger gently, smiling all the while looking at her gently and seductively. Bringing his feet down from the table, he quickly zipped up his pants as got up.


    "Sorry, girls, but I have something to do first," Kyle said in a slightly hoarse voice. The girls pouted, but didn''t say anything as they watched him walk over to the mini bar, admiring how his buns filled out the jeans so well.


    "Order anything you want," Kyle said to the girls as he leaned back at the mini bar.


    The girls smiled and did as they were told. After the waiter got their orders, Kyle gestured the waiter to come over then whispered, "Get two of the best male escorts here."


    The waiter nodded and left.


    Kyle took several deep breaths to calm down and get Kyle Jr relaxed.


    Well, one thing''s for sure. Kyle Jr was quite healthy. He may have not been able to get stimulated by sight or breast rubs but his body certainly was very normal with such physical stimulants. Maybe it was the kiss that started it. He had always been very, very weak to kisses. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He groaned. At least he discovered that he has another weakness now. For the briefest of moment, he had almost lost it. The temptation had been high as the feelings that were being invoked were phenomenal.


    He could truly understand now how difficult it was for a guy to be able to switch off once he''s turned on. More so if the participants were extremely willing. Luckily a part of him was still rational so that once he heard the sound of the zipper, his mind became clear again.


    If she had actually managed to touch Kyle Jr, though ... Kyle shook his head at what almost happened.


    Kyle looked at the row of all the drinks behind the mini-bar counter and sighed. How he wished he could just get drunk. Unfortunately, he can''t drink, not even a little bit. His body was still of a 14-year-old and there were a lot of health risks of underage drinking. Though he would think he had the mental ability not to overdo it, drinking alcohol right now would only affect his body adversely.


    Since he can''t drink and he couldn''t have sex, there was only one other way to get rid of this stress.


    When the two male escorts arrived, Kyle gestured to the girls who were looking at them in appreciation, "Sorry ladies, but I have to go."


    The girls pouted again.


    "But don''t worry. These two gentlemen here will keep you company in my stead," Kyle said, patting the two men on their shoulders, "Just enjoy yourselves, okay? Everything here is on me."


    The girls were now grinning as they heard that. Kyle left instructions that everything would be on his tab and that they were to take care of the girls properly. They were to be taken home after they were done partying. Ensuring that his orders would be carried out, Kyle headed back down.


    The Club itself hadn''t been his target. The girls had been a side-mission - or distraction. What he came here for, however, was not this upscale disco thing but what was underneath.


    He went through a door, headed to the basement and the booming sounds of the music above were replaced by loud cheering and jeers from below.


    Kyle walked through the door and smiled, taking in the scene in front of him.


    The whole floor was designed like a boxing ring arena. In the middle was a stage with two people fighting. Around it, were the spectators. Instead of boxing, however, it was a free fight. No rings. Just the platform. If you fell off, you''re out. If you''re unconscious, you''re out. If you''re dead, you''re out.


    The Fight Club.

 Chapter 166 - The Fight Club

    As Kyle walked in, his youthful appearance caught the attention of some people there. They looked around, wondering how this young boy could enter such an exclusive part of the Club. The people here had been carefully screened before the entrance, so the young boy''s identity must be special.


    Kyle went to stand near the stage, watching the fight happening in front of him.


    It wasn''t much of a fight, as it was obvious who would win. Still, the crowd was lapping it all up, happy to see all the unrestrained punches with blood - and sometimes teeth - flying all about. The arena commentator saw Kyle and froze for a while after recognising him, but was professional enough not to affect his commentary.


    Kyle gave a slight smile, knowing that his presence there caused quite a bit of a problem.


    He didn''t care.


    If he didn''t release his stress here, he''s going to release it out there and he didn''t want to let loose in the streets. He didn''t feel like fighting petty thieves that hardly put up a fight. He wanted here, where people were out for blood and would at the very least, give him a bit of a workout.


    It just meant some financial losses for a while.


    Once the fight was over, the winner was announced, with the commentator raising the arm of the victor.


    "There we have it, Igor wins again!"


    The crowd cheered. Igor flexed his huge muscles and roared at the crowd, creating a frenzy. Kyle rolled his eyes. He locked eyes with the commentator.


    The commentator gulped.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I have for you, a special treat tonight," he started to say, putting down Igor''s arm, "Our record holder, the undisputed champion who had never-been-beaten before fighter, Ice, is here. Is there anyone here who dares to challenge him?"


    Igot looked at the commentator in surprise. Normally, the winner would stay on the arena and a challenger would come up. Instead, he was ignored and a new person was up to be challenged.


    Igor was not happy.


    He looked up at the record scoreboard.


    At the top, in bold, gold letters was Ice''s name - along with the record of winning 250 consecutive fights. It had been during one of Kyle''s most intensive training to hone his skills. In about two months, Kyle would fight 5 people every day in the Fight Club.


    He had almost lost a few times but managed to always turn things around. He had learned quite a lot about how to fight, especially when it dealt with bigger and stronger people.


    After his 250th win, no one wanted to challenge him anymore. The Fight Club was also crying buckets of blood because people kept betting on Ice most of the time, resulting in them suffering severe losses. If it was one day, it would have been okay. But after the second month rolled in ...


    Finally, when there were no more challengers, Kyle had to stop. He did so relunctantly but acknowledged that there was no longer anyone that was his match in this place. He might as well go back and train elsewhere or wait for more skilled people to come.


    He hadn''t been back since then, however. His record had also been unbroken since it was created last year and it created quite the hype. The commentator would often use that record to egg on people to try and beat it.


    Seeing that Ice had returned, it made Igor feel pretty excited. Currently, his record was 50 and he was aiming to beat that record. However, if he actually beat the record holder, wouldn''t that be even more fantastic? The icing on the cake?


    He looked about eagerly. Which one was Ice? S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes passed over a teenage boy at the bottom of the stage with disdain and kept on looking. However, no one appeared to be a fighter ready to enter the stage. Spectators, judges and those that appeared to look like a fighter was looking about as well.


    "I challenge Ice!" Igor said with glee, rubbing his hands together as he waited for the infamous Ice to show up.


    "No," Kyle said from below the stage, "You just finished a fight. Rest first."


    Igor growled and looked at Kyle. He snorted, saying, "Little boy, do not talk when adults are talking. Go back home and play with your toys."


    Kyle''s mouth twitched, trying to hold back a laugh. Oh, these type of people are just falling into his lap tonight, aren''t they?


    The commentator beside Igor started trembling.


    He had been the same person who had presided over Ice''s historical fights the year before and he had seen how decisive and bloodthirsty the ''young'' boy was. Right now, he looked like he wouldn''t hurt a fly but after what Igor said ...


    The area started feeling cold. Their hearts started beating faster for an unexplained fear filled their entire body. The glare was directed at Igor but the commentator felt it just as badly.


    "C-c-calm down, Ice," the poor man stuttered, "I-I-I am ss-sure he d-didn''t mean..."


    "It''s okay, Bob," Kyle said with a slow smile, as he took off his jacket, revealing the well-known dragon tattoo. The spectators gasped. Everyone knew that tattoo. Kyle flung his jacket towards one of the people manning the arena as he then slowly walked up towards the stage.


    "Since he''s so eager, why should I disappoint him, right?"


    Igor''s eyes widened, and managed to gasp out, "YOU''RE Ice?!"


    He had heard the commentator call him Ice, but he didn''t believe it. No matter how he looked at it, this was hardly the look of such a champion. The young boy, despite the impressive looking tattoo on his arm, looked like he would be in some pretty boy band.


    Igor expected a Goliath and he got an ant?


    He wanted to laugh, he truly did but he found that he couldn''t. His laugh was caught in his throat as Ice approached. The closer Ice got, the more intimidated he felt. Why would he be so scared at this young one?


    He didn''t want to show his fear so he put up a more fiercer expression.


    Everyone else watched the scene in fascination. They had all heard about Ice. The physical characteristics matched, especially since he revealed his dragon tattoo. What they didn''t expect, just like everyone else, was how young the boy was.


    Kyle put up three fingers.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Igor barked.


    "I will give you three moves," Kyle explained, "Without attacking. In fact, I won''t even move from this spot."


    Igor was stupified.


    Without a word, he charged ahead of Kyle, swinging that large arm of his straight to Kyle''s head. Kyle simply looked at him, seemingly bored and just as the fist was about to land, he turned his head to one side.


    The fist brushed past his face, but did not land.


    "One", Kyle counted.


    Although surprised, Igor didn''t stop and the other hand was already on its way to punch Kyle in the gut. Kyle twisted to one side, bending at a nearly 45 degrees angle and the fist passed through the air, again narrowly missing its target. Despite the way he bent over, Kyle''s feet never moved from its original spot.


    "Two", Kyle said with a yawn, looking at Igor and raised an eyebrow.


    Igor roared in frustration and attempted to crush Kyle''s head by bringing his two arms together in a large clap. Kyle ducked at the last microsecond while internally scoffing. Such a basic, stupid move that could be avoided so easily? Obviously, Igor was as dumb as how his name implied.


    "Three," Kyle said, "My turn."


    From that crouched position, Kyle brought up his palm and smashed Igor''s chin from underneath. Igor head jarred and ears rang from the impact, the force making his jaw clench hard. He saw stars and was disoriented.


    Before he could think of anything, he felt his body being hit in three places. The force of each hit was akin to being pummeled with a blunt force weapon, sending intense pain throughout his entire body. His eyes glazed over and he fell back, hitting the back of his head on the ground and promptly got knocked out.


    The arena was in dead silence.


    The fight didn''t even last three minutes. They had clearly seen the stumbling giant attack the young boy yet none of his hits landed. It seemed so stupid, really, as the guy kept punching but hitting nothing but air.


    To them, it looked like Igor had absolutely no coordination and could not see his target properly. True, they saw Kyle moved but he had done it with such little effort that it hardly looked like he was dodging expertly. It was akin to someone stepping aside when someone was running at them.


    The next thing they know, the mountain fell. They didn''t even manage to catch the fast movements of Ice. He just got up from a crouched position and then, Igor was down.


    "Next?" Kyle said as he faced the crowd, his eyes startling cold and unfeeling. It was at that moment everyone knew why his nickname was "Ice". One felt like their soul was frozen.


    For the next two hours, Kyle fought without a break. Although it could clearly be seen that he was getting tired as he was breathing heavier, his moves had not slowed down in any way. One by one, the challengers were put down quickly.


    Bob felt his role as a commentator was completely useless at this point.


    The fights were just too brutal and quick that he didn''t even have a chance to say anything. As the fights progressed, people started betting on Kyle only - which basically meant, again, that the Club was suffering a loss when paying up all of the winning bets.


    The bookies were crying internally.


    Suddenly, the door banged open.


    Instinctively, everyone turned to look at who was walking in with such an entrance. Their voices died in their throat when they saw a man walk through the door, his impressive figure and aura dominating the place.


    Everyone recognised him immediately.


    It was the King of the Underworld himself.


    Nitocris.

 Chapter 167 - Opportunity

    All the people working there stood up straight, putting a hand over their heart as Nitocris walked by, indifferent to all those around him. Like a King walking through a procession. He cut a truly regal appearance with his tall, solid frame clothed in a dark suit with a slim white tie.


    As he walked inside, his shoes clacked on the concrete floor, its tapping firm and steady. His subordinates admired Nitocris to the point of worship. Their eyes sparkled as he walked by, some even ready to prostate if he would just look at their direction.


    Nitocris had managed to unify the small scattered groups and combined them into one big group. More importantly, he did it with flair. He was as ruthless as his father but what made him different was that he was ruthless to his enemies and those who opposed him. Those who followed him were treated well and rewarded generously.


    That was a true King.


    Though dubbed the King of the Underworld, it was truly just the Underworld King of their country and not the entire world. Still, it was impressive enough. It was powerful enough. Their country wasn''t some small island in the middle of nowhere. It was large enough to be considered one of the superpowers of the world.


    Nitocris walked over to the stage, watching with cold detachment over the shirtless young boy panting on top of it. His body was glistening with sweat, every firm muscle strained as he fought. The blood of his opponents was all over his body and face.


    His face had this really crazed and happy look as he smashed the face of yet another opponent before giving him a vicious side kick to the face that sent the poor guy flying a few feet, some teeth flying out and blood splattering all over. He even rolling over a bit before just laying there, unmoving.


    Once that was done, Nitocris hardly spared a glance at the fallen body and looking at Kyle, asking simply, "Had enough fun yet?"


    Kyle heard Nitocris''s voice through the bloodthirsty haze in his mind. His eyes cleared slowly as he blinked several times. He looked about, noting the rather bloodied stage, the people cheering about and Nitocris looking at him, bored.


    It was only then that Kyle realised how long he had been fighting.


    He slowly stood up properly, bringing down his leg from the previous kick''s position and loosened the cricks in his neck while rotating his shoulders. He took a deep breath with his eyes closed, calming down the blood lust.


    Kyle had to admit. Allowing the Smith Wrath to let loose once in a while felt really good. Once his heart stopped beating erratically, Kyle opened his eyes.


    To the complete and utter disbelief of everyone present, the young kid from Hell opened his eyes and gave this huge, dazzling smile at Nitocris. The cold, murderous and chilling aura that had been emanating from that small form disappeared completely.


    "Big Bro!!" Kyle shouted happily, practically bouncing over to the edge of the stage, "What are you doing here?"


    The change in the scene made everyone''s mind go blank. That was just too drastic.


    Nitocris just looked at him without a word, turned and walked to leave.


    "Nooooo!! Don''t leave me behind!!" Kyle wailed loudly, jumping off the stage.


    With a huge grin, he grabbed his jacket from the person who was holding it out to him and quickly followed after Nitocris out the door.


    Everyone couldn''t help but feel like Nitocris was the Ruler of the Jungle, while the one following him was an obedient but mischievous puppy.


    Nitocris''s subordinates puffed out their chest, feeling even prouder at that moment to see how their Boss, with just that one sentence, had managed to completely subdue the killing machine on stage.


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    The bookies were happy as now, things could get back on track. The contenders were ecstatic for now, they could finally have a chance for a proper fight rather than simply walking on stage to die. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bob was perhaps the most relieved, for he could now finally stop shaking. Luckily, the Beastmaster came to take Ice away.


    He had thought Ice was bad then, but the Ice now ... his skills had improved so much that all of the fights could hardly be called fights. Previously, Ice would drag the fights as he often tested his moves but this time?


    Ice was simply aiming for the ''one-hit-kill'' move. After each fight, his moves were more and more brutal and the whole place was starting to feel like the Killing Fields.


    Bob wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    "We will be taking a short 10-minute break to clean the stage," Bob announced. After all, the stage was just too slippery with blood at the moment.


    ?? VVIP Room ??


    "Mind telling me what was that all about?" Nitocris asked as he swirled the whiskey in his glass, staring at Kyle in the eyes.


    "Nothing much," Kyle said, "Just needed to vent."


    "Could you at least do it at some other place? Just those two hours and we lost a few hundred thousand in bets," Nitocris said.


    "Oh, come on," Kyle whined, "As if that small change would damage the Club much."


    Nitocris downed his glass and grunted, "That''s not the point. If I hadn''t stepped in, how long would you have gone on for?"


    "Maybe the whole night? I don''t know," Kyle admitted sheepishly.


    A waiter came and placed a tray of several damp towels on the coffee table in front of Kyle. Kyle reached out to take the towels and started wiping the blood of his body and face.


    He was careful with his face as he didn''t want to smudge the make-up. It was a special type that was oil based and wouldn''t wash off with plain water but any scrubbing would definitely affect it.


    Once he was relatively clean, he donned his jacket. His singlet had long been ripped off during the fight, so he had to make do with baring his chest out in the open. Not that he minded since it was nighttime.


    "Luckily someone informed me," Nitocris replied, "Otherwise, who knows how long you were going to be in that berzerker mode? Burying the bodies can be troublesome."


    Kyle sighed and leaned back on the sofa, resting his head on it as he looked up at the ceiling. He was feeling better now but he knew that Nitocris was right. That was partially the reason why he went to the Fight Club.


    It wasn''t just to find a better quality of people to fight. He knew that Nitocris would step in if he went on too long.


    Kyle knew of the ''Beastmaster'' title Nitocris got saddled with and that tickled him to no end.


    Still, it was rather heartwarming to have that stone cold man actually care enough to come and pull him out. Even though that same person rather would die than ever admit it, giving the excuse of loss of money instead. It was only with Nitocris that Kyle found he could be ... childish? Needy?


    It was weird since technically, Kyle was still older but yet, he felt this ''older brother'' vibe from Nitocris. That made him act rather differently around Nitocris and he was lucky enough that Nitocris ''entertained'' his whims. He was grateful for that.


    "Thanks," Kyle mumbled low, though he knew that it was still loud enough for Nitocris to hear it.


    "Hmmm," Nitocris acknowledged, not saying anything else, and accepted the waiter pouring more whiskey into his glass, "Come over this weekend. For some strange reason, Mum misses you and the other one."


    Despite the fact that the men in the room would not talk, Nitocris wasn''t the type to reveal any sort of information. Hence, he deliberately didn''t mention who ''the other one'' was in relation to ''Ice'' or him.


    "Okay," Kyle replied, getting up. "Gotta go now. School and all."


    Nitocris nodded and Kyle left.


    Nitocris sat there for a while, thinking and pondering on a few things as his gaze didn''t leave the door that Kyle had exited from.


    If the boy needed to vent occasionally, he should be okay with a few missions, right? Such a golden opportunity to use such a skilled young man.


    Nitocris smiled as he finished his drink.


    ?? Gym5 ??


    "Let me get this straight," Rxel began.


    "You want us to judge your twin competition?" Rylen asked.


    "No, not judge ... well, maybe it is in that sense," Kay said, "You''re both the subjects and judges."


    "You''ll be flirting with us?" Rxel said slowly.


    "And all we have to do is resist?" Rylen continued


    "And the one who manages to seduce us the fastest is the winner?" Rxel confirmed.


    "Yes," Kyle said, sitting languidly at the cafe booth they were at.


    They had arrived at Gym5 that morning and immediately looked for the twins. It wasn''t hard as they still came in every weekend to train and have fun. Kyle didn''t need to scale the wall this time since he managed to get it out of his system yesterday.


    Now, it was just this.


    They had invited the twins out to the cafe to explain the rules of the game.


    "Each of us will get our turn and we will flirt with each of you," Kyle began, "So there will be a timer as to how long each of you will last. The one with the shortest time wins."


    "What if we don''t succumb?" Rxel asked.


    "Oh, you will," Kyle replied confidently.


    "Oh no, we won''t!" Rylen declared proudly.


    "We shall see, won''t we? Are you up to it?" Kyle asked.


    "Oh, and no touching, brother," Kay said, pointing at her brother, "No physical contact of any kind."


    "Of course," Kyle said, "Wouldn''t be fair otherwise."


    Kyle had no qualms about skin contact with the same gender, but he felt that it would be cheating. Flirting should be with words and charm, and not use physical contact to manipulate the person by stimulating desire and using it against them.


    The art of seduction has two elements to it: the first requires you to know yourself well and what is seductive about you and secondly, to know the target well enough so that your actions would penetrate their defenses and create surrender.*


    "Soooo..." Rylen said, looking at them, "We just sit here? What?"


    "I take it that you''re both willing?" Kay asked with a smile.


    "For sure," Rxel said with a grin, "I''m waiting to be seduced."


    "Great!" Kay said, clapping her hands, "Who wants to be my first victim?"


    Rxel and Rylen looked at each other. They started playing scissors-paper-stone to decide.


    Rylen grinned, saying eagerly, "Me."

 Chapter 168 - The Art Of Seduction

    For the twin competition, each of them (Kay and Kyle) would ''do their thing'' with one of the twins at the same time. Thus, for the first round, Kay would be flirting with Rylen at one booth while Kyle would be flirting with Rxel at another booth. When they were done, they would switch partners.


    ?? Round 1 ??


    ~ Kay & Rylen ~


    Rylen sat alone at the cafe booth nervously. He was wondering just what Kay would be up to but he steeled his heart. He could do this. There was no way ... no way at all that Kay would be able to seduce him. He will persevere!


    All that thought went out the window when he saw Kay approach.


    She was wearing a white dress, with her beautiful hair flowing beside her. She was walking towards him, her walk slow and steady but to his eyes, it appeared as if she was gliding. She smiled, a soft and shy smile when she saw him looking at her.


    Rylen gulped.


    Kay looked like a fairy. A real-life fairy that had her eyes locked upon his own. A slight blush appeared on her face as she bit her bottom lip nervously while tearing her eyes away from his. Her steps slowed down but then, he saw her take a deep breath and come forward again.


    His heart beat faster, rejoicing that she didn''t turn away. He was mesmerized by the ethereal creature that looked at him with a shy smile, as if afraid that he would not want her there. He could see how her eyes appeared enamored with him as she walked closer to the table.


    She stopped, looking nervously and worried as she asked, "Can I ..."


    "Yes! Yes you can! Anything!" Rylen shouted, standing up.


    Kay leaned forward, tapped the stopwatch and said with a smile, "I win."


    Rylen blinked, groaned and sat back down, hitting his head on the table


    ~ Kyle & Rxel ~


    Rxel grinned at Kyle, confident that there was nothing Kyle could do to make him succumb. Between him and Rylen, he was the stronger one who always came up with the plans while Rylen would simply follow. Rxel had no doubt that Rylen would fall quickly.


    Him? Not a chance.


    Rxel started the timer.


    Initially, Kyle was just sitting across him with his head down. The moment Rxel started the timer, however, Kyle raised his head. Rxel found his throat became dry suddenly.


    In front of him, sat Kyle, looking as handsome as ever but there was this aura around him that oozed sexiness for some reason. Kyle''s eyes had been downcast at first but then, he slowly raised his eyes to look at Rxel.


    The intense blue eyes were dark with suppressed desire. A desire for him.


    Rxel gulped but didn''t say a word. Neither did Kyle.


    A slow smile appeared on Kyle''s lips as he began slowly unbuttoning the first three buttons of his shirt, sliding a finger inbetween and spreading the shirt slightly apart, tantalizingly revealing a part of his collarbone.


    His intense gaze never left Rxel''s eyes, captivating him completely.


    Rxel could see Kyle''s lips move, asking him something but he hardly heard anything. All he could see was how much Kyle wanted him, inviting him to make the first move. Kyle was the proud, dominant one but for him, he was willing to let Rxel take the first step.


    To take him, who was willingly leaving himself open and vulnerable. Only for him, Rxel.


    So take the step he did as he started to lean forward, reaching out for Kyle when Kyle''s crisp, sexy voice said, "I win."


    Rxel blinked, groaned and hit his head on the table.


    ~* End of Round 1 *~


    Rxel and Rylen glared at each other.


    "How could you lose so fast?!" Rylen demanded from Rxel when he saw the time it took for Kyle to get him.


    Rxel snorted, "Look who''s talking. You didn''t fare any better either!"


    Rylen pointed at the timer smugly, "I took two minutes longer!"


    Rxel rolled his eyes and snorted, "You won''t even last half a minute with Kyle!"


    Rylen crossed his arms across his chest, "We''ll see about that. I can last longer than you."


    Rxel and Rylen both harumphed and went back to their respective booths for the second round.


    ?? Round 2 ??


    ~ Kyle & Rylen ~


    Kyle sized up Rylen, who was nervously sitting in front of him. With Rxel, his tactic had been simple. Give off an air of sexual dominance then leave a window of vulnerability to invite him in. As an Alpha male, Rxel would not appreciate being controlled but the temptation to control another Alpha would have been too much for him to resist.


    That''s why Kyle could ''topple'' Rxel easily.


    Rylen was the exact opposite of his twin. Kyle supposed it was due to Rxel''s dominant personality that Rylen was of the more submissive type. If Kyle turned all Alpha on him, he was likely to wither or shy away. This one needed a gentle touch. At first.


    To be more accurate, Rylen needed to be reeled in gently but the moment he was hooked, to be captured quickly with no way out.


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked, making his voice low and full of concern.


    Rylen blinked, hearing that tantalizingly seductive voice asking him a question. Since when did Kyle''s voice sound so good? So ...


    "Rylen?" Kyle asked gently, looking at him, his blue eyes full of worry as he waved his hand in front of Rylen.


    Rylen''s head exploded. To hear his name being uttered by that person, in that voice ... he gulped. No. This was a trick. A trick. He must not fall so easily. He had to endure. This was just a trick.


    His mind kept screaming it but his heart wasn''t listening.


    All he could see was this vision of loveliness in front of him. This boy ... no, man ... looked so upset and worried for him as he reached out his hand towards him but then, stopped. Rylen watched as Kyle curled his fingers into his palm, sighed and started to back away.


    "Rylen, if my presence here bothers you, I''ll go," Kyle said, disappointment and intense sadness entering his soulful eyes. Kyle quickly looked down to hide them, but as he turned, Rylen could see Kyle''s eyelashes were a bit wet.


    "NO!" Rylen shouted before he could stop himself, grabbing Kyle''s hand, "Don''t go!"


    Kyle turned back to face him, smiling as he turned off the timer, "I win. Sorry."


    Rxel closed his eyes, placed his hands over his head and sighed.


    ~ Kay & Rxel ~


    Rxel was ready this time. After experiencing the lethal pheromones of Kyle, he felt Kay wouldn''t be as hard. He felt he was right when Kay sat across of him, smiling.


    She didn''t have that ''come take me, please'' look or aura and Rxel breathed a sigh of relief. The timer had already begun ticking, but Kay hadn''t been doing anything untowards. Yet. His guard was up.


    Kay smiled at Rxel, noting the defences that he had put up. Inwardly, she cursed at Kyle for she could see how badly Kyle must have affected him. She felt it was a bit unfair as she was now starting at a disadvantage.


    Taking into account Rxel''s state of mind and raised defences, Kay had to change her original plan and tactics. Unfortunately, it meant that it would take longer.


    Rxel was the dominant type, the one that liked to be in control. He would resist any attempts at anyone being forward with him, so she had to take the soft approach. He was a gentleman, the one who would want to always take care of the person in front of him.


    Changing her mindset and tactics, Kay took the menu.


    "Do you want anything?" Kay asked Rxel, looking at him with a smile.


    Rxel blinked and narrowed his eyes. What was she up to? She wasn''t really doing anything other than appearing normal.


    "Not really," he said.


    Kay pouted a bit but quickly changed her expression. She was looking down at the menu and her hair covered her face partially. She tilted her head to one side and brought her hand behind her head. She brought her hair over to the other side so that her face and neck would be revealed.


    "What is the best thing on the menu?" Kay asked Rxel, as she looked up at him.


    Rxel looked through the menu and gave his recommendations. Kay smiled, praising him subtly at his choice.


    When the food came, Kay shyly pushed a cup of hot chocolate towards him, saying, "I hope you don''t mind me ordering this for you. It''s a thank you for your recommendation."


    Rxel was surprised, "How did you know I like hot chocolate?"


    Kay replied, "You always ordered it when we ate out together."


    Rxel nodded, touched. He watched Kay who picked up her fork and knife and proceeded to eat. She struggled to cut the food in front of her as it kept slipping and sliding away. Rxel watched her for a while before finally giving up and said, "Here, let me."


    He expertly cut the food into bite-size pieces, all the while being completely aware of how Kay was looking at him in admiration. When he looked up, however, she quickly looked away, her ears slightly red.


    Rxel found her to be adorable.


    The entire meal went by in a flash, as they laughed and giggled over things that Kay said. Rxel found her to be absolutely fascinating so when Kay suggested, "We should go out again, without Kyle or Rylen. Just the two of us." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course! I''d love to!" Rxel said happily and Kay smiled, stopping the timer.


    Rxel blinked and Kay really looked apologetic as she apologized, "I''m sorry."


    Rxel closed his eyes, placed his hands over his head and sighed.


    ?? Finale ??


    There was no need to figure out who won. Rxel and Kay hadn''t even finished yet when Kyle was done. When Kay switched off the timer, they looked at Kyle and Rylen''s booth, only to see them looking back at them.


    Kay put up her hands in surrender, pouting. Kyle and Rylen walked over to their booth and sat down.


    "That was fun," Kyle said with a grin, "Let''s eat. My treat."


    Rxel and Rylen sighed loudly, shook their heads to get their mind back on track and grinned.


    "You guys are good," they said together.


    "No hard feelings?" Kay asked worriedly.


    "What for? We lost, fair and square," Rxel sighed, patting his chest.


    "Yup, so we shall now drown our sorrows in food!" Rylen declared, picking up the menu.


    The rest of the time was spent in fun, all of them eating and bantering with each other. As Kay had already eaten, she just ordered dessert: apple pie with a crumble crust, and vanilla ice-cream by its side. Occasionally, she would feed Kyle in-between his meal of steak.


    Rxel and Rylen watched enviously, then asked each other at the same time, "Why couldn''t you have been born a girl?!"


    Kyle grinned at them, comically raising his eyebrows while Kay rolled her eyes. After the meal, Kyle paid and the Smith Twins went off first. Just as they walked through the door, Bon Jovi''s song ''You Give Love A Bad Name'' blasted over the radio in the cafe.


    Shot through the heart


    And you''re to blame


    You give love a bad name (bad name)


    I play my part and you play your game


    You give love a bad name (bad name)


    You give love, oh


    The twins Rxel and Rylen felt that the song was quite appropriate at that moment. They were utterly defeated, holding their chests as they watched the Smith Twins walk out.


    They looked at each other, groaned and said together, "They were lethal."

 Chapter 169 - New Role

    That night, Kay and Kyle were at Master Shifu''s house, after submitting their notice that they were spending the weekend out of dorms. At the moment, they were busy helping Rheia in the kitchen as she prepared dinner.


    Rheia tried to get them out of the kitchen, insisting that she was fine but the Smith Twins were deaf to her insistence. In the end, she admitted defeat and allowed them to help.


    Otherwise, they would have taken over and chase her out of the kitchen! She couldn''t have that. Rheia found that she enjoyed cooking, and her time in the kitchen gave her a sense of peace that she never thought possible.


    Preparing, cooking and most importantly, seeing people enjoy her food gave her immense pleasure.


    Nitocris had told her that Kazuya had met with an accident at the last business trip he had gone to. His body was never found so it couldn''t be brought back for burial. Instead, they made do with a small ceremony and Nitocris took over his father''s position.


    Rheia was puzzled at first over the immense relief she felt when she heard the news until her memories of her life with Kazuya began resurfacing in her mind.


    She was appalled. How could she have forgotten how he had been? Initially, she felt so bad that she started secluding herself in her room.


    Until Nitocris and Shifu began coaxing her. She slowly realised that Nitocris was fine. Happy, even. Her guilt lessened and she slowly healed.


    She smiled as she thought of her beloved son, who now lived in the same house. He appeared much calmer and at peace, and her heart was filled to the brim whenever she looked at him.


    Rheia looked at the Smith twins teasing each other as they cut the ingredients as she had instructed them. Her smile grew even bigger. They somehow wormed themselves into her heart without really needing to do anything.


    She also loved the way her son was whenever they were around. Perhaps he didn''t even realise it himself, but she could see it. How his gaze would soften whenever the twins were around.


    "Now, take the flour and add these to it," Rheia instructed Kay, "We''re making dumplings tonight."


    "Beef? Big Bro Nick loves them, right?" Kyle asked excitedly.


    "Yes," Rheia said.


    "I''ll make the fillings," Kyle said, pulling up his sleeves and taking out the minced meat from the fridge.


    "You know how to?" Rheia asked dubiously.


    Kyle gave her a dazzling smile, "Of course I do, Auntie Rheia. I saw you make it once."


    Rheia decided to trust Kyle, but she still warned him, "If you mess up, you are barred from my kitchen forever!"


    "My Gosh, Auntie Rheia! That''s such a harsh punishment!" Kyle said dramatically, putting a hand over his head, "I will just have to prove my cooking prowess then. After all, this is for Big Bro Nick!!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rheia just shook her head at Kyle''s antics and went to prepare the soup.


    At dinnertime, Kyle watched as Nitocris took a dumpling and put it in his mouth.


    "So? How is it?" Kyle asked excitedly.


    Nitocris frowned, suspecting something was up but couldn''t quite figure what it was. He chewed slowly, and replied, "Delicious, as always."


    "Kyle made them," Rheia declared proudly with a smile.


    "Except it is a little salty for my taste, but it will do I suppose," Nitocris continued without batting an eyelid, "Could be better, but not bad for your first try. At least it is edible. Barely."


    Rheia took a dumpling and tried it.


    She hit Nitocris on the shoulder, "Oh you. Stop teasing him. The seasoning is perfect and you know it."


    Nitocris didn''t respond but kept on eating.


    After dinner, they congregated in the living room. Rheia, Hawthorn, and May had already gone to their rooms to retire for the night even though it was still early.


    Nitocris had gone up as well to make sure that his mother was settled in before he headed back downstairs to where the others were.


    He sat down on the sofa, staring intently at Kyle who was joking around with Kay.


    "What?" Kyle asked as he turned to look at Nitocris, "Has my handsomeness finally warmed you up or something?"


    Nitocris didn''t answer him but turned to Master Shifu instead.


    "Sir, with your permission, I would like to put Kyle on missions once in a while," Nitocris said.


    "What type of missions? Nothing illegal?" Master Shifu replied.


    "Of course it is illegal. It''s assassinations," Nitocris answered, "All mafia figures, I assure you. The small-time thieves that Kyle has been catching are not a real challenge for him. The higher-ups, however, would be."


    "Yes, you do make a valid point," Master Shifu acknowledged, "He does need more challenges in order to improve."


    "And avoid causing havoc elsewhere," Nitocris said wryly.


    "Just what did he do?" Master Shifu asked.


    "Hey! They were the ones who started it!" Kyle defended himself, "It was self-defense."


    "In a Fight Club?" Nitocris said with a raised eyebrow, "Taunting and crippling nearly over 30 people in 2 hours?"


    "And that the number would have been higher if I didn''t intervene?" Nitocris continued impassively.


    Kyle grinned, "30? Really? Nice. I could have beaten my record in 1/3 the time!"


    Master Shifu looked at Kyle then back at Nitocris, saying, "Yes, it does seem like someone has excess energy to burn out. Apparently, normal training isn''t sufficient.


    "Can''t interfere with my schooling though," Kyle pointed out, "I''m still a student. And I reserve the right to reject it."


    "I will vet it first, so you don''t have to worry about that," Master Shifu said.


    Kyle sighed, defeated.


    "Yes, Master Shifu," he replied obediently. Looks like he now has a new role to play. Smith Heir, MIB co-founder and leader, Sage Class Leader, President of Student Council and now, secret assassin. That certainly spruces up the CV!


    The days passed by uneventfully after that for Kyle. He was more relaxed now, despite having more work.


    First, he had to go through all the progress reports of the Sage Class members and make recommendations for further improvement, before seeing Principal Godric to discuss it. He would then need to implement them.


    For him, personally, it was Sam''s file that was of the utmost importance. Kyle needed to groom him and introduce him to MIB''s work soon, without Sam knowing MIB''s involvement. It wasn''t time yet. The recommendation report on Sam had to look innocent enough for ordinary people to look at so Kyle was taking his time to tweak out the kinks in it.


    Secondly, Valentines'' Day was approaching fast, and he had to double-check everything to ensure that things were in place. The decorations, the budget, the ''proper behaviour and etiquette'' rules to be disseminated to everyone, the punishments for going overboard. Those were mainly dealt with by Beatrice and Sam, but he still had to double-check everything since he was the President.


    Lastly, there were the emails and phone call logs of the top management of Rex Industries to look at. He only perused the summarised reports of it, but it was still quite a huge workload every night. Kyle was thinking that he was working harder as a 14-year-old than he ever did as a 40-year-old.


    Yet, he wouldn''t have it any other way.


    Sam, on the other hand, wasn''t as lucky.


    ?? Student Council Office ??


    It had been several days since he decided to ''go for it'' yet ... he had absolutely no idea how to do it. If she was his classmate, he could simply get to know her better and help her all the time. If she was in the Student Council, he could spend everyday after school with her and help.


    The problem Sam had right now was to find ways to somehow ''bump'' into her.


    But he was in Sage Class, which was in an entirely different building. He stayed out of the dorms so bumping into her during breakfast or mealtimes wasn''t plausible. Anyway, even if he did go to the cafeteria to eat, he would be hanging out with Kyle at ''their'' table.


    His bunny notebook was full of big X across pages as he tried to lay out plans and quickly discarded them. He was so paranoid about people finding out what he was trying to do that he didn''t dare rip the pages out and throw it, in case it gets picked up by someone.


    If he was to tear them to pieces each time, people would start to wonder what was going on and perhaps ask. He didn''t want to talk about it or reveal it. Everything had to be top secret. It was so embarrassing to be struggling over something that other people appeared to do so easily.


    Beatrice was at her desk, looking through the files as usual and noted the look of frustration on Sam''s face as he kept writing in his notebook. Finally, he threw his pen on the table in disgust as he closed the book, running his hand through his hair.


    Beatrice found that, despite the obvious agitation Sam was under, he looked very cute. Sam was always so well groomed, with not a hair out of place, that this type of Sam appeared more human. She wondered what sort of problems he was having that would affect him so.


    "Are you okay, Samuel?" Beatrice asked softly.


    "Huh?" Sam answered distractedly, bringing his head up to look towards the direction of the voice, "Oh, yeah."


    "Anything I can help you with?" Beatrice asked, pointing at his notebook with her pen.


    Sam looked down at his closed notebook and shook his head, "No, but thanks."


    "Okay," Beatrice replied, "Here''s the list of rules for Valentine''s Day."


    Sam got up to take the paper from Beatrice. As the PRO, he was in charge of disseminating the information and ensure that everyone understood it. It wasn''t simply about putting up the notices but he would need to explain it as well.


    "Has Kyle looked through it yet?" Sam asked, looking at the list.


    Just then, a knock on the door got their attention and Betty''s head popped in, "Am I disturbing you? Can I come in?"


    Sam gulped. He wasn''t mentally prepared.

 Chapter 170 - Confess?

    "Of course not, Betty," Beatrice said with a warm smile, "Come in. You know you can come here anytime."


    Irene, upon hearing this, snorted a bit but decided that since the Vice-President said it was okay, then who was she to complain? So long as Betty didn''t disturb them doing their work, it was fine. She felt it was a pity though, that Kyle hadn''t been coming in lately.


    She sighed, tapping her pencil on the table as she concentrated on her work, hardly sparing Betty a glance.


    Betty entered tentatively, and when she noticed that no one had any objection, her face quickly broke into a smile and she skipped over to Beatrice.


    Sam quickly turned away, his hands shaking a bit as he held the paper in his hands. He pretended to be studying it intently as he went back to his seat to sit down.


    Betty pulled a chair next to Beatrice and whispered, as she looked at the serious face of Sam, "Any progress yet?"


    Beatrice hissed at her, "Not here!"


    Betty pouted but complied, knowing how worried Beatrice was should Sam overhear them. She didn''t think it was possible, but respected Beatrice''s feelings about it. So she sat quietly next to Beatrice, often stealing glances to observe Sam.


    He really did cut a very dashing figure. He wasn''t as muscular as Kyle, but he wasn''t skinny either. It was a normal body frame, she supposed but he still looked very nice. With his dark-rimmed glasses on his face, his serious expression would melt any girl''s heart.


    Betty sighed, leaning her chin on her arm as she rested on the table.


    "Sam really is very good looking." she whispered to Beatrice, "I could sit here all day just looking at him."


    Beatrice''s face flushed a bit as she peeked at Sam. Betty was right.


    "And you have the best position to look at that all day. Well, not all day but you know what I mean," Betty continued.


    She lay her head on her arm, so her view of Sam was now at an angle, "He even looks good crooked."


    Beatrice couldn''t help but laugh at that, "Yes, yes, we have established that he is good looking at any angle."


    While the two girls were whispering, Sam was busy pondering on the next step. Since he couldn''t find an opportunity to bump into Betty without arousing suspicion, he should seize this chance, right?


    After all, carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.*


    A Latin phrase, which translated says: Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future). It basically means that one should do all that one could today, in order to make the future better. One should never just "trust to Fate" - what you do today (now) shapes tomorrow (the future).


    In other words, if you do not put in the effort, your future is bleak. You can''t expect things to just ''fall into place'' for you. You are what you make yourself out to be.


    So right now, he was thinking hard about the best possible move at the moment. Since Betty likes to drop by the Student Council to hang out with Beatrice, how could he utilise on that without looking so obvious?


    The words on the document swam in front of his eyes, his eyes not seeing it nor his head thinking about it.


    "What are you looking at so intently?" a sweet melodious voice filled his ear.


    Sam jumped up in shock, stumbling and nearly falling down to the side.


    Betty couldn''t help but laugh at Sam''s reaction. She quickly put her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide open as she struggled to get her laughter under control.


    "Sorry, sorry," Betty said after a while, "I didn''t mean to startle you."


    Sam cleared his throat, pulling down his shirt and sat back down, highly embarrassed. Luckily, he is not the type to blush but his expression made it seem like he was highly displeased.


    Betty twitched her nose and started twirling her fingers on her twintails, then sat down tentatively next to Sam. She leaned over to the side, trying to look at his face as she looked at him worriedly, "I really am sorry, Senior Sam. I didn''t realise you were so focused on the paper."


    Sam''s couldn''t think straight.


    He was trying very, very hard not to look at her as her lethal cuteness was playing havoc with his heart. He knew that if he turned to look at her, he would most likely start babbling some nonsensical thing and he wanted to at least preserve some dignity.


    "It''s fine," Sam said tersely, struggling to keep his voice steady, "Not your fault."


    Betty bit the inside of her cheeks, berating herself for acting so stupidly. She had, on impulse, come over to talk to Sam in the hopes of digging some information out of him. Did he have someone he''s interested in or not? Was the said person in first year or not? Did he like Beatrice or not?


    Betty was appalled - but not surprised that Beatrice hadn''t done anything yet. Unfortunately, from the looks of it, it''s most likely she never would. With her personality, Beatrice would probably just sit there and watch the whole thing pass her by without doing anything.


    That cannot happen!


    You can''t just sit back and let life pass you by. If you like someone, you go for it. Leave it to Fate? Betty scoffed at that. You have to grab your future with your own hands and work for it. If it doesn''t work out, it''s fine - at least you tried!


    If Sam had someone he was interested in, then Beatrice only needed to show that she was more interesting. Betty was sure that Beatrice would top anyone that Sam could possibly have an eye on. He just needed to see Beatrice for the special person that she is. Beatrice was just too low key!


    Now, however, it seems that she, herself, may not be able to get anything out of Sam. He looked rather annoyed and Betty realised belatedly that she was disturbing him doing work. Why would he talk about personal matters when he''s diligently working?


    Betty wanted to hit her head on the table repeatedly. She was always like this: act first, think later. Beatrice was the clever one, while she was the impulsive one. If she wanted to do something, she just did. More often than not, it worked out.


    This time, however, it failed. Failed miserably.


    A loud and long sigh passed through Betty''s lips as she lay her head on the table. She was frustrated. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Bored?" Sam asked casually.


    Betty sat up straight immediately, "No, no. Not at all Senior Sam. I must be bothering you, right? Sorry, sorry ... I will just ..."


    "If you''re that bored, you can just help me then," Sam mustered the courage to say, his head not moving from viewing the paper but he looked at her through the side of his eye.


    He noted how she looked surprised, then happy, and that made him happy in return.


    "Sure! What can I do?" Betty asked excitedly, thinking that this was a golden opportunity for her.


    Sam slipped the paper over to her, saying, "What do you think of these rules for Valentine''s Day?"


    "First, you need to know that we don''t want Valentine''s Day to be a day to exclude people, or have it being used as an excuse to form clique''s. Banning it is out of the question as well as it would only give the impression or message that we are banning emotions," Sam explained as he tapped the paper in front of Betty.


    "These set of rules are meant to reflect that and at the same time, ensure that it doesn''t disrupt the learning process of the school. We''re not going to have a big celebration but we certainly will have Valentine Day theme for it"


    Betty picked up the paper and read it.


    ? Gifts cannot cost more than $5


    ? Hand-made goods are preferred


    ? Cards are to be hand-made, not store bought


    ? Cards need to be given personally - no placing in desk or lockers or have other people send it


    ? Confessions must be personal, not by cards


    ? Cards and gifts can only be given during break time or during Valentine''s Day celebration at 3-5pm


    "Why must one deliver the cards personally?" asked Betty curiously, "Wouldn''t that put the person on the spot? It''s embarrassing!"


    "As a filter," Sam replied, "Kyle said that if you are unable to confess, at the very least, you should be able to look at your crush in the deliver your words."


    Personally, Sam agreed with Kyle''s point.


    If this rule wasn''t there, Sam was sure he would have slipped a card into Betty''s desk and wait all day in complete fearful anticipation as to her reaction. It was the coward''s way out, really. If Betty didn''t feel the same way, she would be put in a spot and have to turn him down. Things would be very awkward then.


    As it was, he couldn''t give her a card.


    He hardly knew her and suddenly having him confess on Valentine''s Day sounded too far-fetched. With the rule, he wouldn''t be acting reckless and in that sense, no one would. Only those with serious intentions would be able to take that final leap.


    "Wait, what?!" gasped Betty, "Confessions must be made in person?!"


    Betty turned to look at Sam with wide-eyes, "Doesn''t that defeat the purpose of giving a Valentine''s Day card then?!"


    Sam looked at her and asked simply, "Why?"


    "B-be-because it''s scary!" Betty said, "If one had the courage to confess in person, why wait until Valentine''s Day then?"


    "Exactly," Sam replied, "Also, shouldn''t showing your love be done everyday, and not just on Valentine''s Day? If you can''t confess in person, can you truly say that you will work at the relationship?"


    Sam scoffed at himself. He was a fine one to talk. He agreed with the fact but it didn''t mean he had the courage to confess.


    Yet.


    "So ...." Betty dragged the sentence, "Are you going to confess to someone on that day?"


    "No. Maybe," Sam replied, "I''ll confess to her once I''m confident enough to confess. If it happens to be on Valentine''s Day, then so be it. I wouldn''t wait just for Valentine''s Day to do so."


    Betty gasped and nearly screeched out loudly, looking at him in amazement, "So you DO have someone you like right now! Who is she? Is it someone I know?"


    Sam blinked and realised what he had just said earlier. He looked at Betty, who was now looking at him in fascination, eagerly awaiting his answer.


    Should he tell her?

 Chapter 171 - Giving A Gift?

    Sam wondered whether this was ''Fate''.


    Unthinkingly, he had admitted there was someone he was interested in and now, the little bunny was waiting eagerly for his answer. With that look, he knew that she never considered that she was the one. If he was to tell her, he was sure that she would bolt away faster than lightning.


    So he made a decision that the best way to get to her heart was to woo her slowly yet hint that she was the one.


    Would she get it? Would he succeed?


    Right now, all that Sam could see was that she had no feelings for him. After all, she could ask that question while looking like she was really interested to know - rather than being fearful or apprehensive of his answer.


    Sam sighed inwardly. Looks like he had a lot of work to do.


    "Well, you do, right?" Betty pressed on when Sam didn''t answer.


    She studied his face, and it seemed like he was having difficulty in answering so she leaned forward and whispered, "You can tell me, I won''t tell anyone."


    Betty crossed her fingers behind her back and prays that he never finds out.


    Sam looked at her in puzzlement and asked back, "Why are you so interested, anyway?"


    "Oh ... no particular reason," Betty replied, "I just like hearing romance stories. Maybe I can even help you, if I know the person."


    "Why? We hardly know each other," Sam pressed on, hoping to hear something like she viewed him special or she liked him (as unlikely as that was).


    Betty blinked. Sam was right.


    What answer should she give? It was true that they hardly knew each other and at the most, they were only an acquaintance. They haven''t even reached the ''friend'' level yet. She got so carried away that she was intruding into his personal space. This went beyond ''acquaintances'' level.


    "Oh," Betty said, "That''s true. I''m sorry. Am I being too nosy? It''s just that Beatrice has been telling me so much about you that I felt we have already been long-time friends."


    "Beatrice talks about me?" Sam was surprised.


    "OH! Yes, of course. You and the other Elite Five, Sage Class, Student Council," Betty hurried to explain, "Not just you, specifically. No no no no."


    Beatrice would certainly kill her if Sam suspected that she had, in fact, been talking non-stop about Sam ever since she realised her feelings.


    "Ah," Sam said, nodding.


    Betty studied Sam''s profile again, and steeled herself to press the issue even though the window of opportunity appears to have closed, "So ... could you at least give a hint?"


    "A hint about what?" Sam asked.


    "About the girl you like?" Betty prodded. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam''s lips curled up a bit into a smile and he put his hand on the paper, looking at her intently, "You first. Do you have someone you like?"


    "No," Betty answered, avoiding his eyes.


    She has a crush, yes but it''s not ''like'' in the manner Sam was asking so she wasn''t lying, right? What''s the point of talking about a crush when it wouldn''t amount to anything, right? When she''s not planning to act on it.


    Sam nodded, relieved.


    It was better that she was a free agent so that he can pursue her without any guilt or worries.


    Sam looked at Betty and pondered. She was such a sociable and open person. When she likes someone, he feels like she would not be shy and hesitant like him, but instead, hop right to the guy and confess openly.


    With her lethal cuteness and straight-forwardness, what guy would reject such a confession, right?


    Sam felt that he couldn''t be complacent. He had to step up on it. He can''t let her fall for someone else, or have someone else approach her first. Would she be the type that accepts any confession from a guy?


    Sam got worried.


    "If a guy confessed to you, would you accept?" Sam asked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. As if her answer wasn''t crucially important to him.


    Betty put her hand on her chin, thinking hard.


    Sam looked at how her face scrunched up and held himself back from pinching her cheeks. He quickly looked away and berated himself for being so weak.


    "It would depend, I think," Betty answered slowly, "I mean, it takes a lot out of a person to confess, right? If he''s a nice person, I would probably say yes."


    "Even if you have no feelings for him?" Sam asked in surprise.


    "Well, why not? I may not have feelings for him then but that''s what''s dating is for, isn''t it?" Betty asked back, "To get to know him and perhaps, my feelings will grow? I have never been in love before so I wouldn''t know."


    Betty started stretching at the table, crossing her arms on it and putting her head upon her crossed hands, "I think it would be wonderful. Going out with a boy who likes you and just finding out whether you''re compatible or not."


    "After all," Betty continued, as her eyes had that dreamy far-away look, "Matters of the heart cannot be explained. Why should I reject a person''s sincere feelings if I have no negative feelings for that person? If I didn''t like him, then, of course, I''d say no but if he''s nice or he appears nice? Why not?"


    Sam couldn''t quite wrap his head around her way of thinking. It didn''t sound wrong but it wasn''t quite right either? Or was his view based on the fact that he didn''t like the thought of her going out with someone else?


    "So as long as the person is nice, you''ll say yes?" Sam asked in disbelief.


    "Probably," Betty said with a smile.


    "So if I confessed to you, you''d say yes?"


    Betty was shocked senseless and laughed out loud to cover the way her heart suddenly started to beat so fast. Why did he have to ask that, while looking at her all serious?! She kept hitting him on the shoulder as she laughed. Even to her ears, her laugh sounded weird.


    "Oh, Senior Sam, please," Betty said after she managed to control herself. She wiped the tears in her eyes, sniffing as if it was the laughter that made her tear up, "I never knew that you''re such a joker."


    Betty patted her chest, swallowing the lump in her throat. Having your crush say that, while looking at you, was truly dangerous to the heart. For a brief moment, she had been happy before reality came crashing down on her. The pain came.


    Betty looked at Beatrice and her resolve hardened. No one must know of her attraction to Sam. Her growing attraction.


    She would rather die than hurt Beatrice in any way. Although she couldn''t help how she felt, she could certainly control what she did with those feelings. She chose to ignore them. How can she be selfish at times like this? Beatrice, who means the world to her or Sam, who was most likely a passing interest?


    The choice was clear.


    "Your turn," Betty said to Sam, smiling as sweetly as she could, "I shared, so you need to share, too. It''s only fair."


    Sam sighed, feeling the window of opportunity was lost. His courage went out of the window, too. At that time, the flow seemed good and he almost did confess but he was still hesitant. He tested the waters and got shot down.


    Times like this, he wished he was more impulsive, like Betty. If he had, would she have agreed? Would she have been his girlfriend by now?


    It appeared that Betty saw him as nothing but ''Beatrice''s friend''. He had to work hard to have her change that perception and get into her radar and to have her view him as a ''guy'' that could actually be interested in her.


    "Yes, there is someone who caught my eye," Sam admitted.


    "I could have guessed that," Betty said, "Who is she?" Even though she had known that such a person actually existed from Sam''s words and actions so far, having it confirmed was better.


    "Oh, someone," Sam said evasively, "She doesn''t know I exist, though."


    "Really? So ... you don''t know her yet? But you already like her?" Betty gasped and was, at the same time, worried. So it wasn''t Beatrice.


    "Oh, I know her," Sam replied, "But she sees me as nothing more than a friend."


    So it could be Beatrice! Betty thought with glee.


    "So what are you waiting for? Just go for it!" Betty said.


    "You sound like Xing Han," Sam mused.


    "Huh?" Betty blinked, "The one who kept holding my hand and wouldn''t let go?"


    Sam gritted his teeth at that memory, even though he knew that Xing Han was just messing with him. To change the subject, Sam asked said suddenly, "You''re a girl ..."


    "Yes, thank you for noticing," Betty said wryly, interrupting him.


    Sam sighed, shaking his head, "As I was saying, you''re a girl, so what should a guy do to get a girl interested? Since you''re all into romance and stuff."


    "Well, that''s easy," Betty said, leaning back on the chair, "Find out her likes and dislikes. Get to know them and in turn, that would let you know her. Be attentive."


    "What about giving gifts? I always hear about girls wanting guys to buy them things," Sam queried.


    Betty''s nose twitched and she scoffed, "Hah. That''s just them using the guys."


    Betty thought of Beatrice, who wouldn''t ask for such stuff from anyone, let alone the guy she likes.


    "But if a guy does give something, say, for her birthday ... or Valentine''s Day. Would she feel uncomfortable? Especially if they don''t really know each other well enough yet?" Sam pressed on.


    Betty thought hard. Would Beatrice mind it? Of course not!


    So she replied with confidence, "Why should she? I''m sure she will be very flattered and it will most likely pave the way!"


    Sam nodded and started thinking hard. This would be a good first step then.

 Chapter 172 - Figuring Things Out

    Now that Sam had a more concrete plan for Valentine''s Day, he felt more assured of what to do.


    "O-kay, anyway," Sam said as he tapped the paper in front of him, "Shall we get back to business? Are you interested or willing to help me out for this?"


    "Sure!" Betty agreed readily.


    Betty thought she was very lucky. By helping out Sam, she would be able to spend more time with him and dig more information. Sam was happy as well, for he could use this opportunity to get to know Betty better and woo her slowly.


    "What is it that we need to do?" Betty asked.


    "Well, this needs to be put up on the notice board," Sam explained, "But before that, we need to talk to every class representative about the rules. That will be done as a group, so any questions can be dealt with at the same time."


    "So wouldn''t this be the President or Vice-President''s role? Why you?" Betty asked curiously.


    "I''m the PRO, so naturally this would fall under me. Kyle and Beatrice have a lot on their plate already anyway, so of course, they''d delegate it," Sam explained.


    "Are you sure I can be of help?" Betty asked, cocking her head to one side while looking at Sam.


    "Of course," Sam assured her, a slight hint of a smile on his face. Betty nodded, smiling widely at him, hitting Sam squarely in the heart.


    ''Gosh, this bunny is lethal,'' Sam thought to himself.


    From a distance, Beatrice watched Betty and Sam as they talked. They looked so natural together. Their heads were rather close together, they were laughing - Sam wasn''t even looking as stoic as he normally did.


    A little part of her didn''t quite like seeing that, for she was envious that Betty was able to invoke such reactions from Sam. He was usually very serious and talked like an adult yet, with Betty, he appeared like a normal 13-year-old boy.


    Beatrice sighed.


    She turned back to her work, thinking that she is what she is. She is not Betty and could never imitate Betty''s natural bubbly personality. It would be a disaster! She may wish she had that ability but she was not resentful nor did she feel any animosity towards Betty for being able to do so.


    ?? Beatrice & Betty''s Dorm ??


    That night, Betty was busy ''reporting'' to Beatrice about what she had learned from Sam.


    "Well, it''s confirmed," Betty was saying as she was brushing her hair, "Sam has someone that he likes but she only sees him as a friend. So now he''s decided to try and get her interested."


    Beatrice''s heart felt a bit of pain upon hearing that but it was as she suspected anyway.


    "I still think it could be you," Betty insisted, pointing her brush at Beatrice, "I mean, you guys have known each other for ages, and it was only recently that you realised how you felt, right? So he may be thinking that you still see him as a friend."


    "Betty," Beatrice said with a sigh, "It''s not me. It''s a first-year student."


    "What? NO! How do you know for sure?!" Betty gasped, turning around to look at her, "I mean, we suspected it only, right? But it''s not certain."


    "Yes, it''s certain," Beatrice said with conviction then proceeded to tell Betty about the events that happened the other day in Sage Class, when Xing Han had announced he was going to ask a first year out and Sam ran off after him.


    "But I''ve never seen him around the first-year classes," Betty said in deep thought, "Who could it be?"


    "Well, as the Student Council PRO, he''s been in contact with the first years quite a lot, hasn''t he?" Beatrice pointed out.


    "Not that much," Betty said with a nose twitch, "It was only during that assessment and when the results were announced. He helped explain what the classes were about but that''s about it."


    "You didn''t see him with any first-year?" Beatrice pressed on. She hadn''t been there when the results had been released, as it was basically Sam''s role. Kyle had said Sam was enough to handle the matter.


    Beatrice suspected it was Kyle''s way of helping Sam meet with his crush.


    Betty shook her head, "No, not really. Then again, I wasn''t with him 24/7. Though he did help me quite a lot that day. Sam must have thought me to be so ditzy. He was really kind and patient with me and all my questions."


    While Beatrice was listening to Betty talk about the day, a slight suspicion began to enter her mind. Once the thought came, she couldn''t brush it aside.


    Beatrice''s heart started pounding hard for some reason.


    The person he likes is a first-year.


    The said first-year only sees him as a friend.


    She took deep breaths and started thinking back.


    The image of the two of them earlier in the day, as they were talking like old friends. Sam looked so patient, dealing with Betty.


    The way Sam asked Betty to help him in his tasks when he was more than capable of doing it by himself.


    The way Sam offered to help Betty in choosing her co-curricular activities and spent several hours doing so.


    The haze in Beatrice''s eyes lifted.


    When Betty and Sam had been talking so well before, it wasn''t that Sam was being patient with her. The soft expression on Sam''s face wasn''t due to him indulging Betty''s antics but was borne from his feelings for her.


    When Sam asked Betty to help. It wasn''t because he needed help but because he wanted to spend time with her.


    When Sam helped Betty to choose her co-curricular activities, it wasn''t out of the kindness of his heart but from his desire to spend time with her.


    Beatrice felt her heart constrict and blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming. She looked at Betty who was still animatedly talking. Betty placed her hairbrush down and started to braid her hair before sleep. Beatrice knew Betty did this to ensure that her long hair didn''t get tangled up badly while asleep.


    Betty turned to face Beatrice as her fingers were busy plaiting her hair and she said, "You know, we will most likely find out who that mystery girl is on Valentine''s Day." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice, whose throat had gone dry, managed to ask nonetheless, "Why? He''s going to confess?"


    "No, silly," Betty said with a smile, "He said he didn''t dare and would only confess once he''s confident enough. However, he did ask for tips like, what would the girl feel like if he gave her a gift out of the blue. So maybe he''s going to make his first move then?"


    Beatrice''s heart was in turmoil.


    She heard what Betty was saying but it only served to make her more panicked. If her suspicions were true, then Valentine''s Day would be D-Day. The Day that the girl Sam likes is revealed.


    Beatrice noticed how Betty''s eyes seem to sparkle whenever she was talking about Sam, even though it was mostly about her trying to put in a good word for herself, Beatrice. Did Betty like Sam, too?


    But she hardly knew Sam. How could she possibly like him?


    Well, true, Sam was quite a catch and anyone would fall for him but she ... well, she had known Sam for longer. They got along very well.


    Whereas Betty ... well, they only knew each other for less than a month. Would their connection be stronger than hers with him? Perhaps Betty was just a new fad?


    After all, Beatrice had been attracted to her light as well. Betty is such a bright, lively person that she was the sun in her otherwise bleak life. Beatrice reasoned that Sam''s attraction (if any) to Betty was most likely the same.


    It was fleeting. Her connection with Sam was stronger as it was based on a solid friendship. Wasn''t it?


    Betty was right.


    Sam is single right now. Until he actually gets into a relationship, he''s fair game, right?


    The more she thought about it, however, the more confused and unsettled Beatrice got.


    If it did turn out that Betty is the girl that Sam had taken a fancy to, what would she do? What should she do?


    Would she still fight to try to get Sam? Or would she step back? Fighting for Sam wasn''t quite in her - and it''s worse when it''s against someone that she is close to. Yet, not doing anything would also eat up at her - would she be able to stand watching them together?


    She didn''t know. She honestly didn''t know.


    Betty means a lot to her so she couldn''t suddenly hate her if it turns out that Sam does like her. Yet, she couldn''t help feel some sort of resentment as Beatrice knew Sam first.


    The thoughts kept swirling in her mind like a full circle and did not stop. It just served to confuse her even further. There was no solution.


    Matters of the heart was irrational.


    Beatrice wished she could have back her old life. It may have been boring, but it was safe. Logical. Everything laid out perfectly and things always went according to plan.


    She sighed, half listening to Betty rambling on.


    ?? Sam ??


    Sam had his hands in his hair as he struggled to think of a good Valentine''s Day gift to give to Betty. It had to be something special yet not too personal that it would make her uncomfortable. He wanted to let her know that he liked her but not make it awkward should she not feel the same.


    It was so difficult. If the gift was too impersonal, she would forever just view him as an ordinary friend. No, that cannot be. The gift had to make her heart open or at the very least, have her consider him as something more than a friend.


    Yet, if it was too personal like a locket, then she won''t be able to accept it with an easy heart if she had no feelings for him.


    Sam felt like screaming out loud in frustration. Who would have thought that trying to figure out what to get the girl you like would be so difficult??


    Sam leaned back on his chair. He gave up. He didn''t know Betty well enough to be able to get something that would truly mean something to her. Then, as an idea came to him, his lips curled up to a smile.


    Why didn''t he think of this before?


    He could just ask Beatrice!

 Chapter 173 - Tan Family Tradition

    Now that Sam figured out that Beatrice was the best person to ask about the gift, his heart calmed down. Relieved, he switched off the lamp and went to bed.


    The next day, Sam was wondering when was the best time to ask Beatrice during class. He didn''t want to appear too eager so it had to be slipped in somehow. It had to be done during class as Betty would most likely drop by the Student Council office later.


    But how can he broach the subject?


    Xing Han came over when he saw how agitated Sam appeared to be.


    "What''s up, Sam? You''re not your usual ''work mode'' right now," Xing Han asked, scrutinizing Sam''s face close-up, his face inches away from Sam''s.


    Sam pushed Xing Han''s face away from his, and replied, "Nothing''s up."


    Lowering his voice, he said, "I want to ask Beatrice what Betty likes, without letting on to Beatrice that I like Betty. How do I do that?"


    "Why don''t you want her to know?" Xing Han asked.


    "It''s awkward," Sam said.


    "In what century is it awkward?!" Xing Han exclaimed, "Betty is her cousin, right? Why would having her know you like her cousin be awkward?"


    "Because I don''t want to talk about it with her," Sam said, "Since she''s so close to Betty, she would probably tell Betty, right? Wouldn''t that scare Betty away?"


    Xing Han looked at Sam in puzzlement and started knocking on Sam''s head, "Hello? Anyone home?"


    Sam glared at Xing Han, smacking the offending knocking hand, "Stop that. What was that for?"


    "Are you sure you belong in Sage Class? What sort of nonsense logic is that?" Xing Han demanded.


    However, upon seeing the confused look on Sam''s face, Xing Han face palmed himself and sighed.


    "Man, Sam. Your IQ may be high but your EQ leaves a lot to be desired. Or maybe your EQ is just low when it comes to your own matters of the heart," Xing Han muttered.


    "Look," Xing Han continued, "First of all, if you like her then why be worried if she finds out? She may be scared off? Pah. All these fears you have about your bunny hopping away is stupid! If she hops away just because you confess, then either chase after her or let her go."


    "Whatever it is, you''re still taking these baby steps. Making plans and all that to be logical and trying to get the best outcome," Xing Han pointed out.


    "That''s how I am!" Sam muttered through gritted teeth, "I''m not spontaneous. I''ve always charted my way and followed the path I''ve planned out."


    "That''s the problem, isn''t it? You''re not some sort of spy or whatever," Xing Han retorted, "You try. Fail? Try again. Fail again? Chase again. Nothing is certain except how much effort you want to put into capturing her."


    "Why are you so knowledgable about all of this, anyway? You''ve never had a girlfriend or even shown any interest in a girl!" Sam huffed, unconvinced.


    "Believe it or not, part of the things my father teaches me is this," Xing Han commented while twirling his finger on the desk, a faraway look in his eyes.


    "O-kay," Sam said, "But you''ve already got a fiancee. So what is this ''chasing after girl'' lessons then?"


    Xing Han gave a disdainful laugh as he said in a different voice, obviously mimicking his father, "A wife is to satisfy the family''s requirements but a mistress is to satisfy your needs. So you must know how to get the girl you want as your mistress."


    Sam''s eyes widened in shock, "What?!"


    Xing Han smiled wryly, "You''re the second person I''ve actually told this family secret to."


    "The Tan Family Tradition date back from our ancestor''s archaic dynasty which is littered with concubines and all that. However, it evolved over time in order to avoid messy internal politics. You can have as many lovers your heart desires in exchange for marrying out of duty, but you must never give those lovers any heirs."


    "Basically," Xing Han snorted, "My wife may be set but it''s accepted - even encouraged - to have mistresses. So long as you only have kids with your wife."


    "And your future wife is okay with this? And the mistresses?" Sam couldn''t believe what he was hearing, especially in these modern times.


    "First, the wife takes precedence over everything and everyone. Mistresses are below the wife and we are required to treat our wife like gold. She is the matriarch and the mother of the Tan line," Xing Han said in a detached voice, "As for the mistresses, they are in love with us. That''s why we''re also taught how to choose the women, then woo and captivate them." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t add that any woman who becomes the mistress would have to undergo tubal ligation surgery to have their "tubes tied" - a permanent birth control method for women.


    Personally, he found the whole thing distasteful and degrading for the women. Yet, he couldn''t do anything as he wasn''t the Head and the tradition had been in place for centuries. The women were even willing so who was he to complain?


    The mistresses had a good, easy life and the wife didn''t have to force themselves to pander to their husband that they didn''t love. The man had the best of both worlds: a beautiful, powerful wife to solidify the empire and loads of beautiful women who catered to your every desire and whim.


    Occasionally, but rarely, the arranged marriage turns to love. No mistresses were ever taken. The last time this event happened was several hundred years ago.


    As for Xing Han?


    He tried, he really did but he had absolutely no feelings for his future wife. They were okay as friends but there was no spark. Even his future wife told him to go and find someone now to be his mistress. Her only request was that it had all to be discreet.


    Xing Han sighed. Such a fucked-up family tradition.


    Despite it, his father had been good to him and his mother. Plus, his mother never complained over the numerous mistresses his father had. They actually looked happy. It was an open relationship and they respected each other.


    It still left a sour taste in his mouth, though.


    "What''s with all of this stupid Tan Family Tradition stuff! Look, we were talking about YOU," Xing Han suddenly exclaimed, reverting back to his normal cheerful self, his eyes twinkling.


    "Just. Go. Do. It," Xing Han emphasized, "Ask Beatrice, get the gift and then give it. Think about whether you really want your bunny, or not."


    Sam sighed.


    He understood what Xing Han was saying, he truly did. It didn''t mean he had the courage to do so. His life had always been so easy. No unpredictability. He enjoyed studying other people and finding out things about them but when it came to himself ... he always took the safe route.


    Doing all of this was outside of his comfort zone.


    "Change is always hard," Xing Han said, and then continued in a much lower voice, "I should know. At home, I had to change my personality at home in order to be ''the son'' that they needed."


    Xing Han looked straight into Sam''s eyes, "And you. You have to change if you want the bunny. Otherwise, you''ll lose her even before you get her."


    Xing Han could tell the internal struggle that Sam was going through. It was definitely not easy to do something that went against your nature. Sam had already taken the first step when he admitted to himself about his feelings - but it didn''t mean that the fight was won.


    Till Sam could take that step by himself, Xing Han would hover nearby and give him the necessary push once in a while.


    Why was Xing Han so invested in helping Sam change, you wonder?


    ?? Flashback ??


    "Xing Han," Kyle called out to him as he was busy eating his snacks on the bed, "I need your help with Sam."


    Xing Han stopped snacking and licked his fingers clean from the salt of the chips, "What about Sam?"


    Kyle flung a folder towards Xing Han, who deftly caught it. Flipping it open, he saw the biodata of one girl, Betty Chin.


    "Why do you have this information about Betty?" Xing Han asked.


    "Help Sam," Kyle said simply.


    "Huh?"


    "I did a background check on her and she''s clean," Kyle began.


    "Kyle, she''s THIRTEEN! What the heck? Background check?!" Xing Han spluttered.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "Sam''s my PA now. Although it''s not common knowledge, it will be one day. Who''s to say that other people don''t know it either? One way to get to me is to go through Sam - and one way to get to Sam is through a girl."


    Xing Han blinked. Kyle thought that far already?


    "Yeah, but still. We''re still just teens at this moment," Xing Han protested, reading the file nonetheless.


    "That''s also the best time to plant a mole, isn''t it?" Kyle pointed out.


    "Fine, you have a point even though I think you''re over-reacting," Xing Han replied, "But why should I help Sam get the little bunny? Why me, for that matter?"


    "First, Sam needs her," Kyle said, "She''s the direct opposite of him and I''ve seen how he looks at her. There''s no doubt that he''s fallen hard. However, I doubt he''ll ever do anything because he''s just so cautious. That''s all well and good but being too cautious can be bad as well."


    "Second, you''ve got the knowledge on how to push him, Xing Han. What with the Tan Family Tradition and all," Kyle continued, "So you''re in the best position to do so. I want him to grow and this is a great opportunity to do so."


    "What if she doesn''t like him?" Xing Han asked, "Won''t he be devastated?"


    "Sure," Kyle replied, "Whether he gets her or not, he''ll learn and grow. You''re there to make sure he stays on the path and if he should start to fall, catch him. Pull him up."


    Xing Han nodded, "Okay."


    He didn''t ask Kyle why he should do this. The thought never entered his mind. Since Kyle asked for help, he''ll help. Full stop.

 Chapter 174 - Steeled His Resolve

    That night, Xing Han''s words kept playing repeatedly in Sam''s mind, like a broken record.


    ''If she hops away just because you confess, then either chase after her or let her go''


    In the end, Sam never did go and ask Beatrice about Betty''s likes and dislikes.


    After Xing Han''s talk, he had a lot of things to process in his mind. The Tan Family Tradition was shocking enough, but it made him also think about the circumstances Xing Han was in - and his own.


    Essentially, Xing Han didn''t have a choice about who he married yet, he was not being down about it or negative about it. He didn''t look happy about it, but he accepted it and was living life as best as he could. Coming to Sakura Academy and all, was part of his effort in doing something for himself.


    Carpe Diem?


    Sam scoffed at himself. He had the thought but his actions clearly proved otherwise. Xing Han was right. Again.


    Sam punched his pillow in frustration.


    Being the youngest never really bothered him as he had always been mature in thinking - in fact, most of the time, he felt those ''older'' ones were the childish ones. He blended well with the Elite Five for they weren''t as childish as people their age - well, except for Xing Han. Even then, it was adorable rather than irritating.


    Now?


    It appears that the roles have changed. Sam has never felt as ''young'' as he did now. Xing Han was much more rationale and logical about the whole thing than he was. Perhaps Xing Han was right. He couldn''t be objective because, this time, it involved him.


    ''If she hops away just because you confess, then either chase after her or let her go''


    Sam took out his phone and unlocked it. He opened his gallery and started going through his folder, ''Bunny''.


    Despite the fact that he had invaded her privacy by taking these secret shots, Sam had no regrets whatsoever. He laughed at himself. He''s so far gone that he''s become a stalker now and yet, he is hesitating and fearing to take that step?


    Sam got up, went to his bookshelf and took out a brand new notebook. He looked at his bunny notebook and opened it. Tearing out every page that had writings on it, he proceeded to tear them into little pieces before throwing it into the trash. He did this until the notebook was clear of any form of writing on it.


    He threw the rest into the wastepaper basket, even though there were still some unused pages. He tied the plastic and made a mental note to throw it out himself the next day. Seeing the tied up plastic bag, it was a symbolic representation of the old methods. The old Sam.


    No, that was too much but certainly, a slightly different Sam.


    He opened up the new notebook and wrote, in big, bold letters on the first page: "Chase Persistently or Let Go Completely"


    He underlined the ''chase persistently'' part and steeled himself. He must do his best but be prepared for the worst.


    Underneath it, he then added in smaller letters, "carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero"


    ''Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow''.


    To remind him. To push him. To steel his resolve and not go back to simply planning and shying away from the fear of rejection.


    He started looking through the pictures of Betty that were in his phone. He sighed. As lovely as the pictures were, it would be better if he was beside her in all of them. With that thought, he closed the gallery and went to bed.


    ?? Conference Room ??


    The Conference Room was a rectangular room that the academic staff used for their monthly meetings. Today, it was being used by Sam in order to explain the Valentine''s Day rules, and the responsibilities of each Class Representative.


    Sam had obtained permission long ago to use the room and arrived earlier than the appointed time to ensure that everything was set up properly. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and noted that it was almost time. 15 minutes, to be exact.


    Betty was supposed to be here to help him, so his nervousness wasn''t due to the upcoming meeting but from being with her. He had to find ways to find out what her likes and dislikes were so that he could get that perfect gift.


    Sam had decided against asking Beatrice as he wanted to do this by himself. He didn''t want Beatrice to know he was getting Betty a gift but this time, it wasn''t because he was afraid of her telling Betty. Rather, he wanted to be the first one to tell Betty.


    Somehow, it felt wrong to have Beatrice know before Betty. He couldn''t quite put his finger on the reason why, but he decided to act on it. Follow your heart, right? Even if it didn''t make sense.


    Five minutes later, the door creaked open and Betty came in. Her face brightened up when she saw Sam already there and she skipped over.


    "Thank goodness you''re here!" she gushed excitedly, "I thought I was too early."


    Sam smiled at her, shaking his head, "No, you''re not. I normally come earlier to make sure all the preparations are complete."


    Betty nodded, noting that there was a pile of documents next to Sam and paper laid on the conference room table. The table was oval-shaped, with the head of the table facing the door. Betty counted the pieces of paper on the table.


    There was one for each Class representative. Next to the paper, was a small bottle of mineral water as well.


    "You''re so well-prepared," Betty complimented, "It''s like you''re this mighty CEO, waiting for the meeting to start."


    Sam laughed softly, "Hardly. CEO''s assistant, maybe. The CEO would simply walk in when the time of the meeting comes whereas the assistant is the one that prepares everything and then calls the CEO."


    "Oh," Betty said, hitting her own forehead, "That makes sense. Silly me."


    Sam smiled gently at her, liking even this embarrassed expression of hers, "You''re not silly," Sam said softly, "And even if you were, I''d still like you."


    Betty was looking around her, at the conference room so she didn''t hear what he said so she asked, "Sorry? I didn''t hear you. What did you say?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam sat up straight, and cleared his throat, "Nothing. I was just wondering when they''ll get here. After this, shall we go out for a bite?"


    Betty''s eyes twinkled. This would be a great opportunity to find out more about Sam. She couldn''t wait to tell Beatrice later.


    "Sure! Where though? The cafeteria?" Betty asked.


    "Of course," Sam confirmed. It wouldn''t be good to eat out as Betty stayed in the dorms. The most convenient, though ''boring'', would be the school cafeteria. Luckily, the food was good and the place was public - so there wouldn''t be any awkward moments.


    Or so he hoped.


    He got a bit giddy thinking ... that this would be their first date. Albeit, unknown to the one in question.


    Just then, the Class Reps started filing inside. At first, they were surprised to see Betty there but did not question it.


    Sam simply nodded to every person that walked in, while Betty was happily smiling away as she stood behind Sam. Then beside him. Then went behind him. When she went to his side again, he took her hand and pulled her to sit down on the chair next to him.


    Betty was so startled by him taking her hand that she plopped down on the chair, her eyes blinking rapidly. A man''s hand was really big and firm and strong. She noticed it the last time when they held hands, as he dragged her away from Xing Han.


    There was a huge difference between holding Xing Han''s hand and Sam''s hand. She subconsciously looked at her hand, thinking how soft Sam''s hands were. Unlike Xing Han''s, which was rough and what she''d think a guy''s hand would be like. Sam''s hand was ... nice.


    Sam told her, "Just sit quietly here and listen. Please jot down any concerns that are raised but has not been dealt with properly."


    Betty nodded her head vigorously, her nose twitching as she started playing with her twintails. She had been wondering just what she could do, and what she was doing here, but still - she came. Now that she had something concrete to do, she was happy.


    Still, she was nervous. What if she messed up? People were looking at her like she didn''t really belong there. In truth, she didn''t, did she? Wouldn''t Irene have been a better person to be here? After all, she was the Student Council Secretary.


    Sam smiled upon seeing her nervous expression and patted her shoulder, saying, "Nothing to be nervous about. Just imagine that you''re my assistant. You''ll be fine."


    Betty looked down, a bit shy, for having Sam realise how nervous she was and for having faith in her. She took a deep breath and looked up with a bright smile, dazzling everyone with it.


    Sam''s eyes narrowed at that.


    Perhaps he should have just allowed her to pace about behind him. At least, while people would have been distracted by the energetic bunny, they wouldn''t have been mesmerized by her. He glared at the ones who were looking at his bunny with interest, wishing he had the same intense ''death glare'' of Kyle''s.


    Still, even though he didn''t have the same effect ... it wasn''t to say that it had absolutely no effect. The guys who were busy admiring the cute girl beside the Student Council PRO noticed the intensity of his glare at them.


    They looked down.


    Satisfied, Sam cleared his throat and said, "Let''s begin."

 Chapter 175 - Likes And Dislikes

    The entire meeting went by smoothly and Betty was diligently writing the main points of the meeting. Generally, there was resistance to the whole idea as a lot of them wanted to be able to have the freedom to send gifts whenever they wanted.


    Betty watched as Sam shot their arguments down without raising his voice. He was firm. He was steady and he gave out the reasons for each and every rule. Just watching him in action made her heart flutter even more.


    Finally, after three hours, things had settled down and all the Class Reps grudgingly walked out. Some were still unhappy, obviously, but there as nothing they could do about it. All of their grievances were argued and dismantled by Sam. They could not find anything to counter it.


    Once the final person left, Sam leaned back on the chair and shook his head.


    "That was sooooo intense," Betty was saying, "Who would have thought something as simple as a Valentine''s Day celebration can be so heated?"


    "It''s because it''s Valentine''s Day that everyone is so pumped up about it," Sam said as he closed his ''Meeting'' Notebook.


    "It''s only 5pm," Sam said as he looked at Betty, "Is that too early for dinner for you?"


    "No, not at all," Betty said, "I usually have my meals by 6pm."


    "Okay, that''s good," Sam said.


    "Here''s the report of the meeting just now," Betty said as she gave him two sheets of paper.


    Sam looked through the notes that she had made and was impressed. Truth be told, Sam had already jotted down the main gist of it in his notebook but he had to have a reason for Betty to be there.


    "This is good," Sam said, "You should try out for the Secretary''s position at the Student Council next year."


    "Me? Really?"


    "Yes, really," Sam said, "I can always guide you on what a Secretary does. So you can learn and try out at the end of the year."


    Sam got giddy just thinking of the possibility of being able to spend time with Betty everyday after school. He sincerely was of the opinion that she was capable and that facet of hers impressed him.


    There was much more to the bunny than what is seen and he was more than eager to find out all of them.


    Betty''s face shone as she heard Sam''s admiration for her work. He praised her! She was so happy that she clapped and smiled widely, "That would be great! Then I can be together with you and Beatrice after school all the time!"


    "Yeah, so work hard!" Sam encouraged.


    "I will," Betty said with a promise.


    "Shall we go to the cafeteria for dinner then?" Sam asked. At this time, there wouldn''t be much of a crowd. Most of the students went for their meals at 6pm.


    Betty nodded, as she helped clear up the table of papers and empty water bottles that were left behind, while complaining loudly about how irresponsible those Class Reps were.


    "You should have made them clear up after themselves," Betty pointed out as she placed them in the black biodegradable plastic bag that Sam was holding out.


    "True," Sam agreed, "Next time."


    ?? Cafeteria ??


    As Sam expected, there weren''t many people yet. So, after getting their food, they went to a table and began to eat. Betty had wanted to go to the Student Council to call Beatrice to join them but Sam told her that he had to be going soon.


    Betty took his reasoning and followed him, not seeing the relieved look on Sam''s face for having convinced her. He wanted ''alone'' time with her so that he could get to know her better. The setting may not be a romantic nor an intimate one but it was enough.


    For now.


    Baby steps.


    The more he got to know Betty, the more enamoured he was with her. Her bubbly personality was one thing, but it was her sincere heart that captured his interest even more. The way she kept talking about Beatrice and telling him all about her made him feel that Betty''s heart was really big and warm.


    "You''ve been talking about Beatrice all this time, so I can tell that she''s someone very close to your heart," Sam said as he took a bite of his meal.


    "Yes, she''s everything I wish I could be," Betty gushed.


    "But why? You''re perfect the way you are," Sam said, while taking a gulp of water. Because of that, he didn''t notice the sudden blush that hit Betty''s face.


    "You should just be yourself," Sam continued, "Comparing yourself to Beatrice is fine if she is your motivation to do well but not if it causes you to belittle yourself. Everyone has their own special spark."


    Betty was quiet after listening to that and she smiled wistfully, "I guess you''re right, though it''s hard. Beatrice is super smart, logical and so responsible. Her future is so bright. I''m just a ditzy girl that acts before she thinks sometimes."


    Sam frowned at that and Betty noticed his intense glare.


    "Wha-at?" Betty stuttered.


    "If I hear you put yourself down one more time, I swear, I will smack you," Sam said uncharacteristically.


    "What?!"


    Sam sighed and took her hand in his, "Look, you''re not ditzy. You''re energetic. You''re spontaneous. You''re pure, like bright sunshine. I really hate it when I hear you talk bad about yourself."


    Betty stared at her hand, that was engulfed in Sam''s firm grip. The warmth of his palm made her feel warm inside, and she smiled wistfully to herself.


    Sam let go of her hand and resumed eating, seemingly unperturbed by the sudden skin contact. Inside, however, his heart was beating so rapidly in his chest that he felt like it would burst out. It had been a spontaneous act of his and he had held her hand before he even realised that he had moved.


    "So tell me about yourself," Sam said, "And be kind to yourself. I don''t want to hear anything negative."


    So the rest of the dinner was spent with Sam patiently listening to Betty telling him about herself, with him sometimes admonishing her whenever she would describe herself in a negative manner. Time seemed to fly then, and before they knew it, they had finished eating.


    Both were reluctant to part but neither had any good reason or excuse to prolong the dinner. So, they got up and placed their dirty trays and plates at its designated spot and walked out.


    "l''ll walk you back," Sam said as he walked beside her.


    "You don''t have to," Betty said with a smile, "The school grounds are quite secure."


    "I know," Sam replied, "But I wouldn''t feel good about letting you walk back by yourself. Just let me do this and pretend that I''m a gentleman." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at his earnest and handsome face, Betty couldn''t reject him a second time.


    On the way back, they met up with Beatrice and Kyle, who were also on their way back to the dorms.


    "I didn''t see you at the cafeteria," Betty said, "Didn''t you have your dinner yet?"


    "I did," Beatrice said, "Kyle had some sent over to the Student Council."


    "Oh, that''s good then," Betty said with a relieved pat on her chest, "I had an early dinner with Sam."


    "Yes, as a ''thank you'' for her help earlier," Sam explained, "Well, since you''re here, I will head off home now."


    "Thank you for walking me back, Sam," Betty said.


    "Not a problem," Sam replied with a smile.


    "Any problems with the Class Reps?" Kyle asked.


    "Nothing unexpected," Sam replied, "I will submit a summary tomorrow."


    "Sure," Kyle nodded, "I''ll be overseeing the decorations and event for Valentine''s Day, but you''ll be in charge of it, Sam."


    "Me again?" Sam said with a frown.


    "Yes," Kyle said with a big grin, "Public relations officer and also in charge of marketing. What else is Valentine''s Day if it isn''t all about public relations and marketing?"


    "I''m just one person, you know," Sam pointed out, "Granted, I can do it but it would be far easier with more people."


    "Duh, of course I know that," Kyle replied while rolling his eyes, "You''ll have the entire first years to do your bidding. This will be the tradition from now on so that they can bond more."


    "The decorations for the event, by the way. Not them doing your bidding all the time," Kyle said with a huge grin.


    "Duh, of course I know that," Sam replied, mimicking Kyle, "I gotta go now. See you guys tomorrow!"


    Sam left with a wave.


    That night, Sam was busy at his desk, working. He may not have been able to get much out of Betty during dinner but he did know what he was going to give her for Valentine''s Day. Inspiration hit him as he was busy admiring Betty and he realised that the hair tie that she uses for her twintails were different everyday.


    Since the rules of Valentine''s Day says nothing above $5 and handmade gifts were preferred, then he''s going to make her something.


    It was a music box to store all her hair ties.


    He was drawing out the plans in the bunny notebook and getting all excited thinking about building it. It had been some time since he dabbled in his hobby. Although he liked making robots, this was something that was more special to him.


    Sam already had most of the parts required at home, and he was going to use whatever 2nd-hand materials that he could get his hands on. That would cut cost to fit the rules and it gave him more satisfaction.


    His face was shining as he continued drawing the plans.

 Chapter 176 - Preperations

    Sam was extremely busy during the days leading to Valentine''s Day.


    At night, he would be busy making the musical box.


    If he was to purchase an 18 note musical mechanism with a winding key, it would be $15. That wouldn''t do. So for a couple of hours during classtime, Sam would be researching on how to build his own musical mechanism.


    However, he decided to upgrade it so that it wouldn''t need winding up. He had many parts when making a robot so he devised a way so that the musical mechanism would wind itself up when it was in ''sleep'' mode i.e. when the box was closed.


    Of course, he would still add the musical key should the mechanism fail or if Betty wanted to listen to it again quickly.


    Next, he had to decide on the music that would be played. There were so many to choose from. At first, he thought a lullaby would be good, but discarded it. Then, ''Twinkle twinkle litte star'' came to mind but he threw that thought away.


    Finally, he chose "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers.* It was an old song and he doubted Betty would know it so the nuances of the song would most likely be missed. Still, Sam felt that it was the best song for his first gift.


    Though Sam had to admit, it may not actually be appropriate for it was a song depicting a guy missing his love as they were separated, and that the guy was worried whether the girl was still waiting for him.


    Still, the lines that got to him were in the first verse, "Oh, my love, my darling - I''ve hungered for your touch. A long, lonely time" and the lines " I need your love, God speed your love to me".


    Sam sighed.


    He just hoped it wasn''t a prelude to something ominous; that is, she leaves him and he has to wait for her.


    Before that, however, he has to get her!


    The music box was rectangular in shape, with two compartments. The compartment on the left side was 2/3 the size of the music box and was empty. This was where Betty could keep her hair ties.


    The compartment on the right side was fully covered, and there was a small knob on its top. This compartment was actually two levels.


    The lower level was completely sealed and housed the musical mechanism. The top level was just big enough to fit a winding key. If Betty wanted to wind up the music box, she just needed to lift the top off by pulling on the knob and the winding key is revealed.


    At the bottom of the musical box, there was a panel on the right side that could be detached if needed. This was where the musical mechanism was screwed on. If there was a need to fix it, he could access the musical mechanism easily that way.


    Sam took three weeks to make the box and another week to decorate it. He wasn''t a painter, so he opted for something easy but classy. The age-old ''wooden'' look. He hoped Betty didn''t mind such a ''masculine'' look.


    Sam wasn''t the only one that was preparing things for Valentine''s Day.


    ?? Kay, Sarah, Sophia ??


    Sophia was busy staring at the recipe book, wondering whether she was doing the right thing. This was the first time Valentine''s Day was celebrated at Sakura Academy since she enrolled and she was quite excited about it.


    Excited, but worried as well.


    She looked over to the other two: Kay and Sarah, who were giggling as they were going through the list of ingredients to buy.


    The three of them were here to test out several types of cookie recipes, to find the best one to make for Valentine''s Day. Kay had wanted to make some for Sage Class members, as a gesture of thanks and friendship.


    "I still feel it should be chocolate, not cookies," insisted Sophia as she flipped through the pages.


    "We''ve gone through this, Sophia," said Kay, "It doesn''t really feel personal enough when it''s chocolate. I mean, it''s just melting chocolate and putting it into a mold."


    "Yeah, but cookies are just so ... meh ... I mean, isn''t chocolate naturally associated with Valentine? That, and flowers. Cheesy confessions, too," said Sophia with a sigh.


    "Is there someone you plan to confess to, Sophia?" asked Sarah.


    "No, of course not," Sophia scoffed, "No one catches my interest."


    "Not even Ali?" asked Kay softly, but loud enough for all of them to hear.


    Sophia sighed and sat up straight, "You know as well as I do that that guy is ''off limits''. He has 10 wife candidates AND he''s a Muslim. He can''t marry a non-Muslim."


    "He''s a great friend and if he didn''t have all that baggage, I certainly wouldn''t mind the possibility," mused Sophia, "He''s good looking, funny, caring and overall, a really nice guy. Too bad he''s not in the market. Going after him is like going for a married man."


    Kay nodded, understanding.


    Sophia liked Ali. A lot.


    So it really was a pity that it could never progress beyond the friendzone. She figured that Ali was comfortable enough with her for she knew her boundaries. At first, he had been worried that she might misunderstand but she assured him that she knew and understood.


    "What about you, Sarah?" Sophia asked, "And Kay? Anyone you want to confess to?"


    "Puh-lease," scoffed Kay, "When you have Kyle for a brother, it''s hard to find a guy that can actually measure up now, right?"


    Sophia laughed, "Ah, I can see how that can be a problem. He certainly makes it hard for you, huh?"


    "A guy that would impress me enough," Kay admitted, "And if he can actually get through the Elite Five Knight Guards, then he''s worth the second look."


    "Elite Five Knight Guards? What do you mean?"


    Sarah was quiet as she listened to the two talking. Kay was explaining about the Elite Five guys have taken it upon themselves to be her protector i.e. knights - which also included screening out ''unworthy'' guys.


    Sarah thought about the question Sophia had posed and was grateful that she didn''t ask again since she was busy listening to Kay. At the end of it, before Sophia could ask again, Sarah said, "Maybe Sophia is right about the chocolates; but Kyle doesn''t like chocolates, right?"


    "Yeah," Kay confirmed.


    "Is that the real reason why you wanted cookies instead?" Sophia asked.


    "Partly," Kay said, "But I still feel cookies would be better than chocolates - it will be original and different as well."


    "We''re only giving this as a friendship thing so does it really have to be so personal? Cookies are harder to bake," Sophia said, "Though yes, I admit, it''s not the effort that I''m looking at. I just can''t shake the feeling that it should be chocolate." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, we can do both then," Kay suggested as a compromise, "We do both cookies and chocolates. I''d rather distribute the cookies while you and Sarah can take the chocolates."


    "How about chocolate nuts?" Sarah suggested suddenly, "It''s not too chocolatey yet it is still considered chocolate, right?"


    Kay and Sophia looked at Sarah, then at each other. They smiled.


    "It has to be dark chocolate though," Kay stated.


    "No problem," Sarah replied, holding up her phone, "This recipe is simple. ''Sea salt and dark chocolate nuts'' and only requires four ingredients: chocolate bars, unsalted nuts, sea salt and sugar"


    Kay took the phone excitedly, her eyes twinkling, "It''s perfect!"


    "Wait. Wouldn''t this make the cost go up? The rules say that the gift is not to be more than $5," Sophia pointed out.


    "That''s only if you''re buying something, not when you''re making something," Kay explained, "Didn''t the Class Rep explain this to you?"


    Sophia thought back and said, "Perhaps she did but I was distracted at that moment. Luckily I have you guys here to make sure we follow the rules! hehehe"


    Kay and Sarah laughed at how Sophia laughed sheepishly for admitting that. They quickly bought the ingredients and tried it out first.


    First, the sea salt and coarse sugar were mixed together in a small bowl.


    Kay carefully melted the dark chocolate bars in a double boiler, which was actually just two pots. The big pot was filled with water and a smaller pot was placed inside it. The chocolate bars were broken into pieces and placed in the smaller pot. It had to be stirred continuously so that it didn''t burn.


    Once it was all melted, Kay carefully took out the smaller pot from the bigger pot and placed it on the table. Sarah poured the mixed nuts into the chocolate mixture while Kay slowly stirred so that all of the nuts were fully covered.


    After that, she carefully picked the nuts out one-by-one and placed them onto the cookie sheet that had been laid out earlier. Sophia sprinkled the sea salt and sugar mix over the nuts and they looked at their creation with a smile.


    "Now, we just wait until the chocolate sets," Kay said.


    "That really was simple and it looks so good," Sarah said, her mouth already watering.


    They all looked at each other and without a word, each of them took one chocolate coated nut and popped it into their mouth.


    "Okay, we really should wait until the chocolate sets," Kay said, fanning her mouth. It was hot. Also, they couldn''t quite get the true taste of it, but even then, it was already delicious.

 Chapter 177 - Valentine’s Day (I)

    It was D-Day.


    Everyone who had prepared their gifts were looking at them with excitement - and also, a little bit of nervousness. Fear, even.


    ?? Sam ??


    Sam held the musical box tenderly in his hands, and placed it into a small paper bag. He hadn''t wrapped it up as he felt the paper bag was better: it hid what was inside and for Betty who received it, she would not have to trouble herself in unwrapping it.


    He could also see her reaction instantly.


    Would she like it? Would she accept it? She did say that so long as the guy was nice, she would not hesitate to try going out with him, right?


    Although the logical Sam was saying that all factors were pointing towards a favourable outcome, the emotional Sam kept doubting himself with the ''what ifs''.


    What if she doesn''t like the musical box?


    Worse. What if she doesn''t want to try dating as she just wants to remain friends?


    Worst. What if she doesn''t like him at all and was only being a nice girl?


    Sam closed his eyes and repeated the words like a mantra. "Carpe diem, chase persistently. Carpe diem, chase persistently."


    ?? Kay, Sarah, Sophia ??


    Kay, Sarah and Sophia had their chocolate coated nuts placed in small boxes that they had made themselves by folding them using used greeting cards.* The top was made from the part of the card that had designs while the bottom was from the back of the card. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, when folded, the designs would be as the top cover and as for the bottom part, the words printed on the cards were folded inside (which meant that it was not seen).


    - Kay -


    All in all, Kay was happy with the outcome. They decided on roasted cashew nuts as it tasted the best amongst the testers the other day.


    This would be the first time that Kay would be distributing friendship chocolate (nuts) and she was rather excited about it. She didn''t even tell Kyle about it and his share was bigger than the rest (of course). She giggled to herself thinking about how his face was going to look like when she gives it to him.


    - Sarah -


    Perhaps Sarah was the only one whose nervousness wasn''t really attributed to the distribution of the chocolate covered nuts. It was because she was thinking about what Sophia had said.


    Sophia and Ali could never be, due to circumstances beyond their control. So even if she liked him, there was no way that it could ever be.


    As for her?


    The only thing that was in her path was herself. That, and the fact that she was sure Kyle felt nothing for her. He was fond, but it never went beyond that.


    Why should she confess if it would only result in being rejected? She nodded to herself. The best way is to further improve herself and before they all graduated, she would confess.


    If there really wasn''t any spark then, there never would be, right? Would she ever measure up to enter his eyes? She looked dt the chocolate covered nuts.


    One step at a time.


    - Sophia -


    Sophia stared at the one box she had unconsciously put more effort in. It was if the prettiest design and actually had almonds instead of cashew nuts. This is because she knew that Ali liked almonds.


    She sighed to herself. She was doomed to fall for guys that were unattainable. First, it had been Kyle. He had been the vision of perfection in her eyes then.


    Now, it''s Ali. He wasn''t perfect like Kyle, but he was perfect enough in her eyes. Perfectly unattainable, that is.


    Well, she would settle to be his best girl friend. He always turned to her to ask about what girl''s think and such.


    She was pretty proud of herself, actually. Before this, she would have most likely poisoned his mind and sabotaged all his efforts in choosing the right girl for his bride.


    This time, however, she was sincere in giving him advice. She could never be with him, so at the very least, she would help him to the best of her abilities to choose the right girl.


    She sighed once again as she put the chocolate into her bag. Perhaps someone would confess to her today?


    The best way to get over one guy was to see other guys! Get to know more and keep your options open.


    ?? Kyle ??


    "Do I have to get up?" Kyle mumbled from underneath the blanket, "I want to stay in bed until the day us over."


    "Er, DUH," Xing Han was saying, hovering over Kyle''s bed and trying vainly to pull the blanket off Kyle, "You cannot do that! First, you''re the Student Council President who has to oversee everything today!"


    "Secondly," he carried on as he kept on tugging on the blanket, "Most likely half of rhe school wants to give you gifts today."


    "Xing Han," the mummified Kyle said, "Are you sure you were on the debate team? Cuz your arguments suck and aren''t compeling at all."


    Finally, exasperated, Xing Han grabbed onto the blanket with both hands and put one leg on Kyle''s bed, pushing off it in an attempt to get more strength so that the blanket will come off.


    Didn''t even managed to move an inch.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Xing Han sprinted over while Kyle held on tighter to the blanket.


    He contemplated using that brief respite of time to run to the bathroom and locking himself in, but then, it would mean Xing Han wouldn''t be able to get ready to go to class.


    Kyle was well aware that his behaviour was immature, more so for a 50+ year old person (when you combine the years he has been alive in both lifetimes). For some insane and childish reason, Kyle was really relunctant to face the day.


    But he couldn''t help it.


    When the thought of all those girls just coming up at him, non-stop, and he would have to plaster a nice, big smile for every single one ... he shuddered.


    To have to listen to God-knows how many confessions and reject them nicely, he wailed internally.


    "Is he refusing to go?" came the all to familiar voice of Ali in the room.


    Xing Han, who was at the doorway, stepped aside and gestured towards Kyle''s bed with both hands, "What do you think???"


    Ali couldn''t help but laugh out loud at the bundle on the bed. The normally cool, self-assured and fearless Leader of theirs was reduced to .... this dumpling.


    Sam was there as well, but chose to remain silent. He stood behind Ali while raising an eyebrow seeing the vision in front of him. So even someone like Kyle had something he was scared about.


    Sam made a mental note of that, to be jotted down in his Kyle notebook later: CEO hates persistent, overt shows of affection. Sam would need to shield Kyle from any women who would be under the mistaken impression that they could seduce him.


    For now, however, his role was Sam, the Elite Five Brother ... who would need to help Ali and Xing Han drag that cocoon out of bed.


    Sam walked over to Xing Han''s table and put down his backpack carefully on it. Betty''s gift was inside and he didn''t want it to be broken in the impending scuffle.


    Ali walked over to Kyle''s bed with a grin, "Seriously, Kyle? Aren''t you being a little melodramatic?"


    " A little? A LITTLE?!" Xing Han spluttered, "You call THAT a little?!!"


    Ali''s face just broke into a smile. He pointed at Xing Han, then the bottom of the blanket and gestured for him to pull it. He then directed Sam to pull Kyle''s leg out by pointing at Kyle then at his own leg.


    Xing Han and Sam nodded, indicating that they understood. Ali then held on the top of the blanket with one hand, then put up one finger to indicate [1].


    Xing Han and Sam went into position by standing next to the bed.


    Ali put up two fingers.


    Xing Han and Sam''s hands hovered above Kyle.


    Ali nodded and the three moved.


    Kyle knew there were the three of them were there. Even though Sam didn''t say a thing, he could make out his footsteps. Three distinct footsteps came right beside his bed.


    He could even sense their position so he held on the blanket even tighter around himself while bringing up his legs so that he curled up into a fetal position.


    Of course, he knew it was inevitable that they would succeed. This was because he was only in a defensive position and would never retaliate. Still, he wasn''t going to make it easy for them, okay?


    The Harbringers of Doom, they were. Here to take him to the torture chamber called school.


    The sudden movements from two ends of the blanket indicated to Kyle what was happening. He held on but soon failed miserably. The blanket was soon off and he felt his ankle being grabbed.


    Before he could kick out (without doing actual damage), Ali had already grabbed onto his shoulders. With the pull of his legs down and Ali grabbing him to throw him off, Kyle found himself lying on the floor.


    Kyle grumbled as he got up, rubbing his butt.


    "Fine. Fine. You win," he said as he grabbed his towel, " 10 minutes."


    The three of them watched as Kyle entered the bathroom.


    "Do you think we''re going to have to do this every year?" Xing Han asked.


    Ali shrugged while Sam adjusted his clothes as he said, "Most likely."


    The three of them groaned, thinking that there had got to be an easier way. If not, their years in Sakura Academy during Valentine''s Day would be quite "eventful".

 Chapter 178 - Valentine’s Day (II)

    The moment Kyle walked out of the lift at the dorms, he was immediately greeted with a whole crowd of girls waiting.


    They were the girls from the dorm and had been waiting for him to come down. Kyle smiled amicably at them, taking whatever gifts were pushed into his hands while internally cringing and screaming.


    [Kay, if you love me, please please please GET DOWN NOW] Kyle begged while getting another token from a girl.


    Each time he got one, he would take it with a smile, thank the girl sweetly while looking into her eyes and then pass the gift to whichever Elite Five guys were nearby.


    They, in turn, would put it into their backpack. Sam''s gift was protected well (wrapped in a small towel) and in the front pocket, while Kyle''s gifts were placed in the main compartment.


    [I''m in the lift already, dear brother. Hold on]


    Of course, when the lift doors of the girl''s part opened and Kay walked out, it was the guys this time that swarmed over to her. Kyle and the rest quickly went over to shield her from the more enthusiastic ones, making it possible for her to actually move.


    Sam watched all of this with a mental shrug.


    It was the same scene as before, though now it was intensified? However, there was a slight change to his surprise.


    It wasn''t just Kyle that received gifts (though granted, he was the one that received the most). In fact, he had also got some gifts, as well as Xing Han and Ali. Xing Han was jumping around like a kangaroo when he got something, which made the girls who gave it to him blush even more.


    His experience from primary school was that all of them would be for Kyle. He accepted the gifts with a smile like Kyle did, but didn''t encourage anything else. His heart was with a certain bunny, so he didn''t want to lead anyone on.


    When they entered Sage Class, Kyle practically bounced to his table and hugged it.


    "SAFE!"


    "Until lunchtime and then again for two hours from 3pm," pointed out Kay with a laugh.


    Kyle groaned.


    Sam went to his desk and took out the three gifts he got. He stared at it, his feelings a bit conflicted. It would be a lie to say that he never received any Valentine''s before, but this was the first time he got it while standing next to Kyle.


    Most of the time, people were more engrossed in trying to give Kyle their ''hearts'' that the other Elite Five (except for Kay) was as an afterthought. This time, however, the three gifts were from people that only gave it to him.


    He wasn''t feeling conflicted about his feelings for Betty, but rather, he was starting to feel he understood (a bit) what Kyle was probably feeling. Sam did not know the three girls at all, yet they acted extremely familiar with him and even gave him gifts.


    It was weird.


    Sam sighed and placed the gifts in a row on his table.


    Beatrice came by and passed his table on the way to hers. Her sharp eye caught the chocolate boxes on his desk and she frowned a bit. It was to be expected, right? Yet, knowing and seeing it were two different things.


    She sat down as Kay came over and gave her a box.


    "What''s this?" Beatrice asked in surprise.


    "Friendship chocolate," Kay said with a smile as she then went to the next table and gave out one box to every person. Kyle was the last and he stared at her.


    "What are you giving this to me for?" Kyle asked as he took the box curiously. Kay had never done such a thing before.


    "Well, if you don''t want it," Kay said as she reached out to take it back.


    "NO! It''s miiiiinnneee!" Kyle shouted, putting the box close to his chest while shaking his head, "No take backs. Once given, it''s given."


    Kay rolled her eyes and Kyle excitedly opened the box. He popped a nut in and practically moaned in pleasure, "This is to die for. I could suck on them all day."


    "Gross-out Kyle!" Xing Han protested from his desk, standing up and pointing at him, "Stop making such lewd noises and suggestive captions when you''re just eating nuts!"


    "Why?" Kyle said with a grin as he put in another in his mouth, "Is the sound of crunching as I bite into the nuts disturbing you? Or is it the fact that I like sucking it first that gets to you?"


    "Ew ew ew ew, Kyle," Xing Han shuddered, "The image is something I certainly can do without. Now how am I going to eat this without that thought in mind."


    "Oh please, Xing Han," Kyle said, "These are much smaller in size, you know. Your nuts are bigger than this. Or are they?"


    "KYLE!!" Xing Han roared, thundering over to Kyle, who nimbly avoided him. And so began the first ''Xing-Han-chasing-Kyle-in-Sage-Class'' for the month. Everyone else just ignored them and started their work.


    ?? Valentine''s Day Event ??


    It was THE moment that everyone had been looking forward to ever since it was announced. Although a lot had been unhappy at first over the stringent rules, they began to see the wisdom behind it.


    It certainly was much easier to give the gifts during the designated times. Classes were also not disrupted, so the teachers were in a much better mood - and in turn, homework wasn''t given for the day so that they could enjoy the ''event'' at 3-5pm without worry.


    Unknown to them, that was something Kyle had managed to get the teachers to agree to. He convinced them by saying that it would be an experiment to see that if things went by smoothly this year, then the students were less likely to be a nuisance the following year.


    If they had something to look forward to, it was more likely that they would behave in class and this, in turn, would optimize their learning experience. Some teachers even began using the Valentine''s Day event as a reward or motivation.


    It worked.


    Right now, Sam was busy monitoring the gift-giving event for Kyle.


    It was set-up similar to an idol signing event. A table was set up in front, and a line was formed on his left. People had to line up in order to meet up with Kyle, who was sitting on a chair behind the desk. Behind him, was a table that all the gifts were placed.


    Sam had arranged that the line would be controlled by having a barrier. They couldn''t get those belt-barrier stands, so he made do by having several traffic cones placed several metres apart, and have a rope tied to the cones.


    It was arranged horizontally so that when lining up, the people would enter the queue, go to the right until the end, go up one step then to the left until the end then up one step and to the left again. In short, it was akin to how a snake moves from left to right.


    Six people were deployed to monitor and man the whole place. One was at the end of the line, to ensure that everyone lined up properly. Two were at the end of the queue to give the sign when they could approach Kyle at the table.


    Two were behind Kyle, who would move the gifts Kyle received to the table behind him. One was at the other side of Kyle''s table to guide those who had given the gift, to exit.


    Betty was helping out Sam and she watched the entire scene in awe.


    "I didn''t think Senior Kyle was this popular," she whispered to Sam as they stood at the front of the line.


    "Yup," Sam said with a sigh, "Imagine my life being his friend this entire time."


    Betty giggled, her nose twitching. Sam noticed that her nose would twitch not only when she was embarrassed or nervous, but also when she''s exceptionally happy.


    "I''m sure you''re popular as well, Sam," Betty said, trying to placate him (or so she thought).


    Sam snorted, a sound that Betty was surprised to hear, "I can do without this, thank you very much. It''s like living in a fish bowl."


    "Yet, you''re still friends with him?" Betty asked curiously.


    Sam smiled, "Of course. What friend would leave their friend just because he''s more popular?" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I didn''t mean that," Betty said, her face flushing.


    "I know," Sam said with a smile, "I am only teasing you."


    "You''re so bad!" Betty said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.


    Just 10 minutes before time was up, Sam whispered to Betty, while gesturing to one of the people who was behind Kyle, "Let''s leave early. The crowd has already thinned down, so there''s no need for so many people here."


    "Okay," Betty said with a smile.


    "Come on, there''s a place I want to show you," Sam said nervously, his voice shaking a bit but Betty didn''t notice.


    "Sure!" she replied with another cute smile, sending arrows into his heart even more.


    Sam grabbed his backpack from behind Kyle and Betty followed Sam. Unknown to both of them, another pair of eyes saw this and started following them.


    Sam brought Betty to spot that was away from prying eyes, but still out in the open. He didn''t want to bring Betty to a secluded spot for he feared Betty would misunderstand. Still, now that he had her here, he was getting all nervous again.


    "This is the place you wanted to show me?" Betty asked curiously, looking around. What was so special about this place?


    "Er, no, I lied a bit," Sam admitted sheepishly.


    "What?!" gasped Betty, looking at Sam in surprise.


    "It wasn''t a place that I wanted to show you," Sam said slowly, his voice getting slightly softer, "But something."


    Betty cocked her head to the side, not understanding.


    Sam reached behind him and took out the paper bag that had the music box in it from his backpack. He handed it to her and said, "Happy Valentine''s Day. This is for you. I hope you like it."


    Betty''s eyes went wide with shock as she looked at the paper bag, then at Sam and back to the paper bag. Her mind was numb. Never, in a million years, did she consider that the person Sam had wanted to give something to, on Valentine''s Day, was her.


    Wait. Was this a friendship gift? Maybe she''s thinking too much about it. She needs to ask him, but how?


    A lump formed in her throat as she looked at Sam, "I - I - "


    "I like you," Sam said, confirming her worst fears.

 Chapter 179 - Valentines Day (III)

    Betty was frozen solid.


    She looked at Sam, who was standing in front of her, looking like the Adonis that he is. Looking at her expectantly yet nervously, holding out that paper bag to her.


    She could tell how much the confession had taken out of him and he was patiently waiting for an answer.


    Tears pricked her eyes and she looked down, "I''m sorry, Sam. I can''t accept this."


    Sam didn''t move, shocked at her words. His mind couldn''t quite process what she had said.


    "But - " he began when she interrupted him, still not looking up, "I''m really sorry, Sam."


    Sam''s hand was still holding out the gift, him refusing to move even though he was trembling inside. He kept saying ''Carpe diem, chase persistently, Carpe diem, chase persistently, Carpe diem, chase persistently'' as he stood there.


    It gave him the strength not to just run off.


    He had to see this through. He had to get answers.


    Sam took a step forward, bending down a bit to try to get to see her face but she took a step back. That single step of hers to get away pained him far more than he thought it would. Sam saw as she took a deep breath and then finally looked up at him, her face in pain.


    "I am sorry for hurting you, Sam, but I have no feelings for you," Betty said firmly.


    "Am I a bad guy?" Sam asked.


    "No," Betty admitted.


    "Then why? Won''t you at least consider me? You said that you''d give any guy that confessed to you a chance, so long as he''s a nice guy," Sam persisted.


    Betty gulped. She wished she had never said that.


    "So could you at least tell me why you''re rejecting me without even giving me a chance?" Sam asked, looking at her in the eyes.


    "Because I only see you as a big brother, and will never see you as anything else but that," Betty said, "I don''t want to lead you on."


    "You never know what time can do," Sam insisted, impressed with himself for still even trying. Guess the mantra was working, "You may see me as a big brother now, because of how we were like - but if you can give me a chance ..."


    "NO," Betty said, almost shouting it, then turned her head, unable to look at him, "Please, Sam. Don''t make this any harder than it already is."


    Sam felt pain hit him like never before. He felt like his heart was shattered into pieces. Sam could see how much she was struggling with this and his persistence was only hurting her. He clenched his teeth, his grip on the paper bag getting tighter.


    <Let her go>


    "Alright, I understand," Sam said softly, "At least, accept this. No strings attached."


    Betty shook her head, "I can''t. I''m sorry."


    "I''m sorry," Sam said, his voice soft and low. He hated making her feel so bad. He hated hurting her. He finally put down his hand and turned to walk away.


    Betty looked up then and watched as Sam straightened his back and walked away without another word. He didn''t even look back and as he passed by a dustbin, he threw the paper bag into it. She stood there, watching him go and when he finally turned the corner of a building and was out of sight, she fell to the ground.


    Her knees just gave way and she sat there, her head bowed low and her hands on the ground as she cried her eyes out. Though her twintails covered part of her face, anyone who saw this scene could tell that she was crying. Her shoulders shook, her sobs were muffled but loud enough and the grass below her face was wet.


    Beatrice was hidden in the bushes and had seen the whole confession scene.


    When she saw Sam and Betty leave the Hall where Kyle was receiving the gifts for Valentine''s Day Event, she found that her feet followed them. She hid, not wanting them to see her. She just had to know. Were her suspicions right?


    Luckily the spot Sam had chosen had a lot of places to hide since it was behind the school building near the forested area. They were too focused with each other anyway to really take note of anyone following them.


    As she sat on the ground, in the bushes, her heart was in her throat. When she saw Sam take out that paper bag and give it to Betty, she had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming out loud.


    When she heard Sam saying "I like you", she felt like her heart stopped.


    Tears fell down her face.


    Conflicted feelings were eating up at her.


    She didn''t like it that Sam had confessed to another girl but she couldn''t quite hate Betty for being the one he confessed to. She loves Betty but knowing that the one she was in love with, was in love with her closest friend, played havoc in her mind - and heart.


    When she saw how Betty refused the gift, she felt relief. She applauded Betty when Betty gave the reason of not wanting to lead Sam on. She could see how much it had hurt Sam, but Beatrice consoled herself as this was for the best.


    You can''t force love and if the other party is not interested, why pretend, right?


    When Beatrice saw Betty collapse on the ground, her heart went out to her. Betty was such a sweet, kind soul and very sensitive. It must have torn her apart to refuse Sam, who had only been very nice to her.


    Beatrice took a deep breath and wiped her own tears. Right now, Betty needed her. She was about to get up to go and console Betty when she suddenly felt a hand go over her mouth and another around her waist.


    Beatrice panicked and was struggling as she felt herself being pulled back into a very strong chest. She could feel the guy behind her, and his breath around her ear. She couldn''t budge at all and ended up facing the ground while her assailant was pressed against her back.


    Tears formed in her eyes. How did this guy come out nowhere? How come she did not notice his presence? Is this it? Is this person going to **** her?


    "Calm down, Beatrice. It''s me, Kyle," the deep voice said in her ear.


    Beatrice stopped moving. Kyle?!


    "If you promise not to scream or dash out, I''ll let you go," Kyle continued saying, his voice sending shivers down her spine. She had never even held hands with a guy and now, she was being pressed down on the ground by one, with his voice in her ear?!


    It was too much for her innocent soul.


    "Nod your head if you agree," Kyle said.


    Beatrice quickly nodded her head. <Just get off me already!!>


    Kyle slowly got off her and released his hands from her mouth. He placed a finger on his lips and whispered, "I''m sorry for that, but you can''t go out right now."


    "Why?" she whispered back.


    "There is something you need to see first," Kyle insisted, as he looked towards where Betty was.


    There were a million questions in Beatrice''s mind. When did Kyle get here? How did Kyle get here? Why was Kyle here? What did he want her to see?


    Beatrice couldn''t understand.


    She turned to where he was looking and could not see anything out of the ordinary. See what? Betty crying her heart out?


    Beatrice looked back at Kyle, who just glanced back at her for a while, saying, "Patience."


    There was something about the way he said it. Or perhaps it was due to how serious he was looking - very unlike any of the expressions she had ever seen on Kyle - that made Beatrice obediently sit back down and continue watching Betty cry.


    Finally, after what seemed like hours, Betty sat up straight, her chest heaving as she tried to settle down her violent sobs. She vigorously wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her uniform and took several deep breaths.


    Though she was not crying as hard as before, tears were still falling from her eyes. Betty got up and slowly walked to a dustbin. She reached in and took out the paper bag that Sam had thrown.


    Even from that distance, Beatrice could see the tender look in Betty''s eyes as she held that paper bag like it was a treasure. She opened it and took out a small box. She caressed the top, her smile gentle even though the tears were streaking down her face.


    Betty opened the lid and the music filled the area.


    Beatrice, a lover of old songs, recognised the tune. Unchained Melody. It was lovely and haunting; and sad. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Betty sobbed again, closed it gently and kissed the music box. She held it close to her chest as she slowly walked away.


    Beatrice watched as Betty disappeared in the distance, tears forming in her eyes as another realisation hit her. It was so obvious.


    Betty was in love with Sam.


    "So, now you know," Kyle said, looking at Beatrice seriously, handing her his handkerchief.


    "Know what? That Sam is in love with Betty? That the feeling is reciprocated?" Beatrice said bitterly.


    Kyle was quiet, still looking at her intently as he said, "Yes, but the most important part of it all?"


    "What?" Beatrice almost snarled it out, refusing to look at Kyle.


    Kyle nearly smirked at that. Seems like not looking at the face of the person who was pointing out truths run in the family.


    "Why Betty rejected Sam even though she felt the same way?" Kyle gently prodded.


    Of course Beatrice knew. Only an idiot wouldn''t know. Betty rejected Sam because of her, Beatrice. Because Beatrice likes Sam. The thought only served to make her angrier.


    "What are you going to do about it?" came Kyle''s voice, breaking into her thoughts.


    Beatrice looked up at Kyle, her eyes blazing.

 Chapter 180 - Confronting Feelings

    Beatrice was angry, that was undeniable.


    Kyle could see it clearly in her eyes, in her stance and the way she practically snarled at him. He found this new face of Beatrice particularly interesting. Never before had he ever seen Beatrice like this as she was always unemotional and stoic. Except for those eye twitches, of course.


    Sure, she had changed a lot in the year that he got to know her but still, she was still ''Beatrice''.


    Right now, however, as he watched her get up and stomp to the place Sam had confessed to Betty, he had to suppress a grin. She walked over to the nearby tree and started kicking it. Kyle just stood by closely, seeing as she needed to vent.


    "Stupid, idiotic girl! Why is she always like this! Dumb broad. Stupid. Imbecile! Zero brains!" Beatrice was grumbling angrily under her breath with each kick.


    Scenes of Sam''s confession flashed through her mind. Betty rejecting him cruelly. Sam walking away so hurt. Betty crying her eyes out and fishing out the gift he had wanted to give her.


    The more she thought about it, the more she was angry about it. Until the anger was all gone and it was replaced with an intense sadness and emptiness that she couldn''t explain. She didn''t know when she stopped kicking the innocent tree and had started punching it.


    All she knew as the anger dissipated, someone took her by the shoulders, turned her around and she was engulfed in a warm hug. Instinctively, she resisted but when those strong arms wrapped itself around her and held her close to his warm, firm chest, she started crying.


    It was as if a dam had been broken. She had been sad before, but now, it was the sort of sadness that ate at her soul. She slowly wrapped her hands around Kyle''s waist, hugging him back and enjoying the warmth and comfort that his prescence gave her.


    He didn''t say a word, but just held her tightly to him and let her be. He would rub her back, in a consoling manner, as she continued to sob into his chest.


    When Beatrice finally stopped, she stepped back and Kyle released his hold on her. She looked ruefully to the extremely wet patch of his shirt and mumbled an apology.


    "Don''t worry about it," Kyle assured her, taking her hand and then made her sit down on the ground next to him. He unbuttoned his shirt so that the wet patch wouldn''t stick to his chest, and it allowed the shirt to dry a bit as it flapped in the wind.


    "So have you decided what you wanted to do?" Kyle asked.


    "How long have you known?" Beatrice asked instead.


    "About what?" Kyle asked back.


    "About how I felt for Sam," Beatrice clarified, "Was it so obvious?"


    What was Kyle to say? That he observes everything and everyone around him? It wasn''t so much that Beatrice made it obvious, but that he could tell because he was looking out for it.


    "No, it wasn''t," Kyle said.


    "So how did you know?" Beatrice pressed on.


    "I just do," Kyle replied, looking in the distance, "That isn''t important though, is it? The main thing here is, now that you know how Betty feels and why she did what she did. What are you going to be doing about it?"


    "In truth, I''m furious. I''m angry that she never told me how she felt about Sam," Beatrice said, looking on the ground, "And I''m sad that Sam doesn''t feel anything for me. I''m also feeling ... betrayed."


    "That Betty somehow cheated on you?" Kyle asked.


    "No! Not that," Beatrice said with a sigh, "That I didn''t know. I thought we were close."


    "So your sense of betrayal isn''t from her stealing your man, but from her not confiding in you like you did?" Kyle said, laying it out clearly.


    Beatrice thought about it and nodded.


    It was true. She was extremely upset at Betty, but not for the fact that Sam likes her. That hurt a lot, of course, but it wasn''t Betty''s fault. Like Beatrice falling for Sam. It didn''t make him, hers ... it hurt, but it''s a fact.


    "You know what? There is a basic misconception about what a love triangle is. People feel that it''s when two people like the same guy, right? So three people make three points of a triangle," Kyle said seriously, "But think about it."


    "A triangle should be equal in size and form, right? So to me, a true love triangle means A loves B, who loves C, who is in love with A. That''s a triangle. Yet, it isn''t," Kyle said, talking as if it was a lesson, "The proper definition of a love triangle currently is when one person can''t choose between the two who are interested in him or her. I still don''t agree with this, but it''s still better than two people being in love with one."


    "Wait. Isn''t that the same?" Beatrice asked, all confused.


    "Hardly," Kyle said, "In the former, A cannot decide between two potential partners, B and C. For the latter situation, A''s thoughts and feelings aren''t even taken into consideration and that''s just plain stupid."


    "If a love triangle is dependent on the 2 people being interested in one person, then what about me? I have so many people out there are in love with me right now."


    "Oh please ..." Beatrice was about to say ''you''re so conceited'' when she saw him looking at her seriously and she stopped. He was right. She couldn''t brush off the fact that there were tons of people in love with Kyle. Just the Valentine''s Day Event itself was clear evidence about it.


    "So the moment I like a girl, then I''d be involved in a whole ... I don''t know? A milluangle*? Milltupangle*? " Kyle said, his hands put up in exaggeration, "Does that make sense?".


    Beatrice''s lips curled up in a smile at that, "No. Not a milluangle. Centuangle*, maybe."


    "But you get my point, right?" Kyle asked.


    Beatrice nodded, looking down again. Kyle put his arms around Beatrice and brought her close. She laid her head on his shoulder, thinking that she was really lucky that Kyle was here. If not, she would not have found out about Betty''s feelings.


    "In your case? It''s not even a love triangle. You''re the outsider here," Kyle pointed out mercilessly, "Sam and Betty have mutual feelings for each other. You''re the one who is the third wheel."


    "Savage," Beatrice mumbled, hurting but not moving away from Kyle''s warm embrace.


    Beatrice knew Kyle was right and she was thinking the same thing.


    Just that, she would most likely have taken longer to figure it out as she would have been too consumed with her own hurt. She was also feeling that it was fortunate that he was there to comfort her during this time. He had a very comforting presence.


    "Just don''t fall in love with me on the rebound, okay?" Kyle''s voice broke into her thoughts.


    "As if!" Beatrice said with a laugh, "Do you think I''m the type that falls in love easily?"


    "No, you''re the type that falls hard and takes time to find love again," Kyle said softly.


    "Sarah was right. You''d make a great boyfriend," Beatrice said, then gasped, putting her hand on her mouth.


    "I know I would," Kyle admitted shamelessly, "Any girl would be lucky to have me."


    Beatrice laughed to cover her nervousness as she looked at Kyle''s face. Nothing seemed amiss. She felt relieved and thought that Kyle just took it at face value - and not due to Sarah having feelings for him.


    Of course, Kyle knew Sarah had feelings for him. He was just pretending to be oblivious about it. He made sure to treat her kindly but not in any way that could be misinterpreted as ''loving'' care. He wouldn''t encourage her but he wouldn''t be mean to her either. If she confessed, then she would join the ranks of those he had to reject firmly.


    "So ...." Kyle said, "You have yet to answer the question. What are you going to be doing about this?"


    "I''m going to knock some sense into Betty," Beatrice said with conviction, "I don''t need her sacrificing for me when Sam likes her so much. As you said, I''m the unwanted third wheel. Fighting for the guy you like is fine if the guy had no one he was actually interested in."


    "Yes, and if he really was easily seduced away from Betty by you, is he really worth it?" Kyle asked, "You would always be wondering if some other girl out there would be able to seduce him away from you in return."


    "Wait, are you his friend or what? Why are you maligning him that way?" Beatrice asked in shock.


    "I''m not," Kyle said. Which was true. He had no doubt that Sam would never be swayed in whatever manner, once he had chosen. Kyle said it simply because it had to be said.


    "Well, if I can seduce him away from Betty, then he doesn''t deserve either of us," Beatrice said firmly. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course," Kyle agreed.


    Then, he looked at her seriously in the eyes as he asked the question that he had been leading this entire conversation to, "So when are you going to confess to Sam? Isn''t now the best time when he''s at his lowest?"


    "Wait, what?!" Beatrice gasped. How did the conversation turn into this??

 Chapter 181 - To Go Forward

    Sam boarded the bus for home in a daze.


    The entire scene from earlier flashed by in his mind and her words were echoing in his ears like a broken record.


    It had taken him so long to figure out his feelings, to gather the courage to confess ... and then to have his worst fears realised hit him harder than he thought it would.


    Despite the fact that he had considered her rejecting him, to actually have it happen ... Sam sighed.


    He stared out the window, watching as the familiar scenes flashed by. The pain he was feeling inside was intense but what aggravated him more was the sense of dissatisfaction.


    Why wasn''t he good enough? Why wouldn''t she agree? What was so wrong with him that she wouldn''t even consider giving them a chance?


    A chance of the feeling to grow if none existed? Didn''t they click? Didn''t they have good times together? Was it all a lie? Was she just being nice? Pandering to him?


    Just saw him as a Big Brother but nothing else? Heck. That did not make sense since they''ve only known each other for a few months!


    Sam wiped his eyes angrily, frustrated that the tears would even fall. He wished he could resent her for putting him through this, but he couldn''t. Even now, he couldn''t envision her as an evil person.


    When he saw how much pain she was in while rejecting him, all he could see was this injured bunny. It was as if he was the one that made her that way. Sam snorted. Actually, he was, wasn''t he? His confession had put her on the spot and she was hurting inside just so that he wouldn''t have hope.


    It was then that he gave up. Let her go.


    He just didn''t have the heart anymore. He was so bitterly disappointed in everything that he just had to get out of there before he said or did something that he would regret forever.


    Out of sight, out of mind.


    Carpe diem indeed.


    Well, it''s a good thing that the Valentine''s Day event was all over and he wasn''t even in the same building as her class. He wouldn''t be meeting her anymore, unless he made an effort to. Now, he would be making an effort not to cross paths anymore.


    He will smile. He will be polite when they do meet, but he wouldn''t initiate any conversation. Not until he''s healed and the pain goes away.


    He can get through this. Take one day at a time.


    He whipped out his phone and looked at the pictures again. For the last time. His fingers shook a bit as he tapped the command to delete. When the prompt came up, he hesitated ... then grit his teeth and pressed ''confirm.''


    In order to go forward, the past must be deleted.


    Sam looked up and saw that his stop was near. He pressed the bell and the bus slowed down. Sam got up, walking dejectedly towards the exit. Taking a deep breath, he waited as the bus stopped and the exit door opened.


    Just then, suddenly, a thunderstorm started. He watched as the rainfall. Great. Just great. Even the skies were reflecting the storm in his heart.


    Nodding his head, he resolutely took the steps to go out. To him, he was symbolically leaving behind his hopes and dreams for a certain bunny behind in the bus, and walked into the rain to wash all the pain away.


    ?? Beatrice ??


    Beatrice spent nearly an hour talking to Kyle.


    After his shocking question about her confessing to Sam, they began talking about other things. She found herself opening up more to Kyle, talking about her hopes and dreams. About Betty. About her feelings for Sam. How she felt about the whole thing.


    Kyle wasn''t judgemental and he didn''t say much. Occasionally, he would ask a question or two but overall, it was her unloading everything to Kyle. It was as if a load was taken off her shoulders.


    It was then that she truly realised, that having a friend to confide in did wonders for the soul. All this time, it was Betty that filled that role so when she had issues or problems with Betty, she bottled it up. She had no one to turn to.


    "It would be so much easier to fall in love with you," Beatrice said suddenly, "So why was it Sam that I fell for instead?"


    Kyle shrugged, and quoted Mark Twain,* "But that is the way we are made: we don''t reason, where we feel; we just feel."


    Beatrice was silent after that.


    After a long while of comfortable silence, Kyle got up and helped Beatrice up, "Time to go back. It looks like it is going to rain."


    Beatrice nodded, noting the dark clouds that appeared above. They both walked back to their dorms and just barely made it before it started pouring.


    When she entered her room, she found that Betty was already in bed. She was facing the wall and the blanket was up to her neck. It was way too early for her to be in bed so Beatrice knew that she wasn''t asleep, but Beatrice let her be.


    For now.


    After bathing and changing, Beatrice sat on her own bed and stared at Betty''s back.


    "I know Sam confessed to you today, Betty," Beatrice began. She saw how Betty''s shoulder stiffened, yet still did not turn.


    "And that you turned him down," Beatrice continued. Still no response. Beatrice took a deep breath.


    "I also know you''re in love with him."


    At that, Betty did turn and protested, "No, I -"


    "DO NOT LIE TO ME," Beatrice said through clenched teeth, glaring at her, effectively shutting Betty up. Betty lay there, her mouth hanging open as she stared uncomprehendingly at Beatrice''s angry and flushed face.


    She had never, truly seen Beatrice angry before.


    Sure, Beatrice had gotten angry before but not like this. This ... was like a raging volcano in its first stages of an eruption. Betty gulped.


    "I -" she began, when Beatrice cut her off.


    "Do you, or do you not, love Sam?" Beatrice asked, not breaking eye contact with her. Beatrice could see how red Betty''s eyes were and that it was slightly swollen from having cried for so long.


    Betty gulped again and she opened her mouth to lie when Beatrice, as if knowing that she was, said, "If you lie to me one more time, we''re through."


    Betty bit her lower lips so hard that she drew blood. Beatrice''s question was the most difficult thing to answer. She couldn''t lie now and she knew that Beatrice knew, and that Beatrice wanted to hear it from her own lips.


    Lowering her gaze, Betty softly answered, "Yes."


    She shut her eyes hard when she heard Beatrice get down from the bed and come over to her. She was prepared for this.


    She felt Beatrice''s hands grip her shoulders hard and she winced. Not from the pain, but from the fear of what Beatrice was going to do. She didn''t blame Beatrice in any way, however, so she lay there quietly and accepted what it was that Beatrice was going to do.


    What she didn''t expect was Beatrice to grip her in a fierce hug. Beatrice brought Betty up into a sitting position and just hugged her tight.


    "It must have been so hard on you, Betty. I am sorry," Beatrice whispered, her voice shaking.


    That did it. Betty wailed and said between sobs, "No ... I''m sorry ... I ... (sob sob) ... I am bad ... you"


    Beatrice put her finger on Betty''s lips, shaking her head.


    "Shut up and listen. Listen very, very carefully, okay?" Beatrice said while looking at her deep in the eyes.


    Betty nodded, completely obedient.


    "WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID?!" Beatrice roared, scaring Betty so badly that she jumped in shock.


    Beatrice had her hands around her shoulders at this point and started shaking Betty gently. Still, Betty was so shocked that even though Beatrice didn''t shake her hard, her head was bobbing up and down like a broken doll.


    "He loves you and you love him, so why?! Why?! Did you think this would make me happy? Did you think you sacrificing your feelings for me is what I want? Did you think I wouldn''t want you to be happy?!" Beatrice scolded her harshly, her own face now wet with tears.


    Beatrice stopped shaking Betty and Betty looked at Beatrice who was crying silently. With a voice full of pain, Beatrice asked softly, "Did you think that I''m such a petty person that I would resent this happiness for you?"


    Betty''s mind was numb.


    She never considered this.


    She had been so caught up in dealing with the intense guilt that was eating up at her for her growing feelings for Sam that she never considered this point. She never took into consideration Beatrice''s personality.


    Betty felt ashamed.


    Beatrice was right. She was stupid. A stupid fool.


    She should have come clean with Beatrice from the start. They could have discussed this properly. Was it inevitable that they fall for the same guy? Was their friendship so shallow that it would have been broken by it?


    Betty hung her head low. "I''m sorry," she whispered, feeling truly remorseful.


    She looked up at Beatrice, "I''m sorry for being such a stupid friend. I''m sorry for not trusting our friendship more. I''m sorry for not telling you."


    She sniffed and Beatrice nodded, satisfied.


    "I do love Sam," Beatrice said, "But it''s clear that he loves you. I can''t force him to love me and it''s unlikely that he ever will."


    When she saw that Betty was still going to say something stupid about that, Beatrice shook her head and closed Betty''s mouth, while saying, "Also, do you honestly think I would want to chase after a guy who has feelings for someone who likes him back?! Does that even make any sense?"


    Betty blinked. Again, something she didn''t think through.


    It was at this moment, that a pivotal change happened to Betty.


    A good change, mind you.


    Betty had always been the impulsive type - the type that acted first without truly thinking things through. She always had Beatrice to back her up but this time, Betty realised for the first time that such impulsive and unthinking behavior can be detrimental.


    It didn''t mean that she stopped acting first, think later - but certainly, she was more cautious.


    "But what do I do now?" whimpered Betty, "I hurt him so badly." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, yes you did," agreed Beatrice, which made her more dejected.


    "Now, you''re just going to have to win him back," Beatrice said firmly.

 Chapter 182 - Heart-to-Heart Talk

    "What?" Betty asked, surprised. "Did you just say, win him back??"


    "Yes," Beatrice said with a soft smile.


    "But ... but ... you ..." Betty stammered.


    "But but What? Me what?" Beatrice asked, her eye twitching. Was Betty going to still go on about her feelings for Sam? When will this girl learn?


    Beatrice was starting to get a bit annoyed but she knew Betty wouldn''t be able to change overnight. She would still consider her, Beatrice''s, feelings before doing anything.


    So right now, when she is waiting for Betty to say the words, her eye twitched.


    Betty gulped, seeing that twitch. She looked down, then took a deep breath.


    "I ..." Betty began slowly, "If I succeed ... will you be okay seeing us together?"


    Beatrice took Betty''s hands in her own, held them tight and looked at Betty in the eyes.


    "I won''t lie to you," Beatrice said, "I will feel the pain if I am to see any loving scenes between the two of you. I may even feel like crying sometimes. I may cry."


    Betty''s lips trembled.


    "But I will get over it," Beatrice continued, "I do not resent you. I do not hate you for being the one that Sam loves. He chose you, not me."


    "I am fine with that. You can''t choose who you fall in love with and I certainly can''t force Sam to love me," Beatrice insisted, "However, I do ask you ... please. No PDAs in front of me. Not yet."


    "Give me time," Beatrice said, "Is that okay?"


    Betty let go of Beatrice''s hands and hugged her tightly.


    "Thank you," she whispered as she held on tight.


    Beatrice patted Betty''s back, consoling her.


    Beatrice wasn''t a Saint, but she knew what was right. She wasn''t selfish either so this course of action is the best for everyone.


    "Whatever it is, just promise me. You will talk to me from now on. We must always be honest with each other. This won''t be easy, so why make it difficult and complicated? If I am uncomfortable, I will tell you. If you are worried over something, ask me," Beatrice insisted, "If we keep second-guessing or acting all ''martyr'' like, we may be straining our friendship without realising it."


    Betty nodded, understanding.


    Getting a boyfriend did not mean leaving behind your friends.


    "However, there is one thing I need to do first," Beatrice began hesitantly.


    Truth be told, what she was going to say next is difficult, but she had to say it. She had to tell. This was, after all, their first step in establishing the new ''rules'' of the friendship.


    It''s evolution, so to speak.


    Betty waited patiently while Beatrice gathered her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Before anything else, I need to confess to him."


    Betty''s eyes popped wide open at this.


    Suddenly, a part of her started feeling afraid. Beatrice was so much better than her in many ways. If Beatrice was to confess ... would he choose her instead? Betty couldn''t help the fast beating of her heart at that thought.


    Beatrice could see the myriad of emotions flashing on Betty''s face. She noted it this time, taking a close look at the expressions Betty was making. She wondered why she never really noticed it before. Betty may not say the things out loud but her expressions were more than enough to reveal what was in her heart and mind - if you only looked.


    Beatrice felt ashamed at herself for not noticing it before.


    She put a hand on Betty''s shoulder and said, "What did I tell you before? You must always be honest with me. I told you about my intention to confess, and that is me being honest with you. Now, it''s your turn."


    Betty struggled with it and this time, it was Beatrice who waited patiently until Betty gathered her thoughts.


    "What ... what if ... he accepts your confession?" Betty asked, "You''re definitely much better than me."


    Beatrice shook her head at that, "First, I am not better than you. Betty, do you not know how good you are? You''re always putting yourself down like that. If Sam was to hear you, would he be happy about that?"


    Betty''s face flushed at that and she slowly shook her head. She knew Sam wouldn''t like it. He had scolded her for it before.


    "Secondly, if he does accept my confession, then I''m going to dump him straight away," Beatrice said firmly.


    "What?! Why??" Betty asked, completely shocked.


    "He just confessed to you and in less than a day, he accepts mine? How fickle minded is he?" Beatrice said with a huff, "But honestly, I know he won''t accept. How can you doubt his feelings for you, Betty?"


    Betty bit her lower lip, knowing what Beatrice said was the truth. Trust is the foundation of any relationship and if she questioned his feelings for her, wasn''t she just demeaning him? Sam was way better than that. It was just her own insecurity that made her think that way.


    With this thought, Betty understood that Beatrice simply wanted to have her feelings known so that she can get over him. She truly appreciated Beatrice telling her for if she heard it from someone else, she would start doubting Beatrice.


    That cannot happen.


    Being open and honest with each other is the key to strengthening their friendship.


    "I understand," Betty said, "I''m sorry for even doubting you and him." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice nodded, satisfied.


    "But ... erm, after that ... so, how do we go about me getting him back?" asked Betty tentatively.


    Beatrice shrugged, shaking her head and looking just as lost, "Honestly, I do not know. I''ve never had a boyfriend before either. I wouldn''t know how to get one."


    They looked at each other in despair.


    This requires a lot of thinking.


    ?? Sam ??


    By the time Sam got back home, he was soaked to the skin. The distance to home from the bus stop wasn''t far but it wasn''t near either. Added to the fact that Sam was walking slower than normal as well.


    He was so immersed in the feeling of the cold rain falling on him, numbing his body, that he didn''t'' realise that he was shivering by the time he got home. His parents hadn''t returned yet either, so he simply trudged into his room, leaving a trail of water on the floor.


    Seeing that, he took off his wet clothes and put a towel around his waist. He went to get a mop and cleaned up the area before finally going for a bath. Too tired to care about anything, he went straight to bed after the shower.


    ~ The next day ~


    Sam''s mother, Rozita, was starting to get worried. Sam was always at the breakfast table at this time. He was like clockwork.


    She looked at the clock on the wall and quickly dried her hands. She had been washing up the pots and pans, and did not realise the time.


    Knocking on Sam''s door, she waited a while before opening the door a crack. She saw a bundled up Sam, still in bed. Worried, she entered quietly.


    "Sam?" she called out but he didn''t answer. His face was all flushed and scrunched up, as if in pain. She touched his forehead and was appalled at how hot he was.


    She sighed and went to the kitchen to make some chicken porridge. Once it was simmering, she took a basin with some water and a small face towel. She entered Sam''s room again and started wiping his face and chest.


    Rozita sighed.


    Sam rarely got sick, but when he did, it would be bad. He was also the clingy, whiny type of patient. Sam''s personality changed when he''s sick. He''s like a hopeless, dependent baby. Although she didn''t like Sam being sick, she liked that part of him a bit. He was a good son but too independent at times. She was unable to spoil him.


    She could now.


    When Sam felt the cooling sensation of the damp towel, Sam started snuggling closer to that source of comfort. He felt his head being patted and something cool was placed on his forehead. It felt nice. His whole body was aching and he felt so hot, so the careful and gentle care made him feel more comfortable and he fell back asleep.


    ?? Sakura Academy ??


    Beatrice took a deep breath right outside Sage Class.


    This is it. This would be the first test. To look at Sam, be next to Sam and talk to Sam normally. To force herself to treat him as normal as before. She held her breath as she opened the door and walked in.


    To her surprise, Sam wasn''t in yet. She looked at the time and noticed that it was 10 minutes after the time Sam always comes in. This ... was strange. She noticed that the other Elite Five weren''t in yet, but that was normal. Their timing was haphazard and sometimes they came before Sam, though more often than not, it was after.


    Beatrice went to her desk and started work, thinking that the ''bomb'' was delayed for now. She couldn''t help but wonder what happened to Sam and if he was alright. He wouldn''t skip school just because he had his heart broken yesterday, would he? He didn''t appear to be that type, as he took his responsibilities as a student seriously.


    By the time school officially began and Sam hadn''t turned up, Beatrice''s started getting really worried. She went over to Kyle to ask him.


    "Oh, Sam?" Kyle said, "He''s sick, so he won''t be coming in for a few days."


    "Sick?" Beatrice repeated, surprised.


    "Yeah, can you believe it?" Kyle replied with a shrug, "We''re going to visit him this weekend. Wanna join?"


    Beatrice nodded, then asked, "Can I bring Betty along?"


    Kyle gave a smile that Beatrice noted was the Macbeth smile. The smile that meant he had something up his sleeve. Her eye twitched.


    Kyle looked surprised at that eye twitch, then laughed while shaking his head, "Will she need any help?"


    Now it was Beatrice''s turn to look surprised. So Kyle figured out why Betty wanted to come along? Then Beatrice mentally slapped herself. Why wouldn''t he know? It was obvious, if one knew all the facts - which Kyle did.


    "No," Beatrice said, "Well, yes but she has to do this on her own. Do you think it''s a bad time though? As he''s sick?"


    Kyle''s mouth twitched at that as he was busy suppressing a laugh.


    Bad timing? No. It was perfect timing. When Sam makes up his mind, he''s as immovable as a mountain. Stubborn to a fault. From the way Sam resolutely threw away the paper bag, Kyle knew that Sam had made a firm decision to cut Betty out of his life.


    Sam would not change his mind easily - if at all.


    However, when he''s sick, he''s much more susceptible to following his heart. His defences would be down and it would take 70% less effort to get him to change his mind. Kyle had been reviewing his plans last night on how to get Sam to accept Betty, should she take that step in getting together with him. When he got the call from Sam''s mum this morning about Sam being absent, Kyle couldn''t help but grin widely.


    Now, Beatrice said Betty would want to visit Sam so he can scrap the earlier plans he had made in manipu-... er, persuading ... Betty to visit.


    "Oh, no no, not at all," Kyle said, "It''s best that she comes when we''re all there, right? Less awkward and all that."


    Beatrice agreed.

 Chapter 183 - Visiting Sam

    Kyle, Xing Han, Kay, and Sarah were at the dorm''s lounge area, waiting for Beatrice and Betty to come down. They had agreed that all of them who stayed in the dorms to gather here first, then meet up with Ali at Sam''s house.


    Ali actually offered to pick them up and go to Sam''s house together, but Kyle refused. He knew what sort of cars Ali had, and Kyle preferred to be low key. Turning up at Sam''s house in Ali''s extravagant car would be a bit too much. Kyle also told Ali to be less conspicuous and choose the less ''flashy'' sort of car when he came over.


    When they arrived at Sam''s house, Kyle face-palmed himself when he saw Ali, who was already there and waiting.


    He walked over to Ali, who was leaning on his car while waiting for them, and said while pointing to Ali''s car, "What? Really? This is what you call less conspicuous?"


    Ali looked at his car, a Lykan Hypersport, the first supercar from his home country.


    He loved its sleek aggressive angular design with massive right-angle brake lights on the rear. He had taken out the original headlights which were made from over 200 15-carat diamonds as he felt that was a bit too much for a student. It was safe back home, which he intended to put back once he graduated. Assuming he didn''t get a new car - even though this one was $2.6 million.


    "What? It''s not my Koenigsegg or Bugatti, and I already downgraded this model," Ali protested, referring to him changing the headlights.


    "Your sense of ''downgrade'' and ''low key'' is seriously fucked up, Ali," Kyle said, shaking his head as Ali mentioned cars worth millions in the market. The Bugatti itself was the most expensive car in the world, while the Koenigsegg was in the top three.


    There were already people admiring the car, though they didn''t dare come close. Kyle sighed and patted Ali on the shoulder, saying, "Next time, get your driver to just drop you off or something. Try to be normal a bit, okay?"


    Ali shrugged. This is normal. For him.


    Rozita, Sam''s mother, heard the commotion from inside and opened the door. When she saw who it was, her face broke into a huge smile, "Kyle! Kay! You''re all here. Come in, come in."


    She ushered everyone into the living room and went to the kitchen to prepare some drinks and snacks. Before leaving, she told them, "Sam''s in his room. Go right on in. He''ll be glad to see everyone."


    Kyle led the way, knocking on the door first, "Sam? It''s us. Can we come in?"


    When he heard the affirmative, he twisted the doorknob when he suddenly stopped. He turned to face Beatrice, Betty and Sarah and said, "Wait here first."


    [Kay, accompany them first. Just in case Sam''s not ... presentable]


    Kay smiled, understanding. Sam was probably not expecting ''strangers'' to also be there when he heard Kyle''s voice, so he might not exactly be ''dressed up'' for it. Kay didn''t count as she was an Elite Five but he would most likely be embarrassed with the others.


    The guys went in first while the girls waited outside.


    They saw Sam sitting on the bed, his hair all messed up with bedhead while he looked at them groggily. His eyes lighted up when he saw them enter then frowned, "Where''s Kay?"


    "She''s outside - with the rest of the girls," Xing Han answered helpfully.


    "Huh? Who else is here?" Sam asked as he looked for his hairbrush.


    "Sarah, Beatrice, and Betty," Ali answered.


    Sam''s hand froze for a minute as he clenched his teeth and his eyes glazed over for a bit. Ignoring the pain that stabbed his heart, he took the hairbrush and attempted to tame his unruly hair.


    "Give me a minute," he said as he trudged to the bathroom.


    Once inside, he brushed his teeth and washed his face. He clenched the side of the sink and took several deep breaths. He can do this.


    If only he wasn''t sick right now, then he can be stronger. He had made the decision, so he was going to stick to it. Act normally. Be firm. Don''t be swayed.


    He was telling himself that but he was feeling so weak and so ... urgh ... that all he wanted to do was just curl up in bed and not get out until they had all gone. Actually, he wanted to curl up with a certain bunny bolster but that was ridiculous.


    He hit himself on the cheeks to wake himself up out his delusions and walked out.


    Sam went back to bed, propped up his pillow, pulled the blanket over and hugged his bolster hard.


    "I''m tired," he mumbled, burrowing even deeper into the blanket.


    What was the point of Sam brushing his hair if he was going to mess it up all over again by doing that? The three of them looked at each other, rolled their eyes and in unison, they said, "Baby Sam."


    "Am not," came his muffled response.


    "Kay! You can come in now," Kyle shouted, ignoring Sam while Ali pulled the blanket away from Sam''s head.


    Sam grumbled and held on to his bolster tighter, wrapping his legs around it and putting his chin on top of it.


    Just as the girls came in, Sam''s mum was right behind them. Kyle took the tray of drinks and cookies while Xing Han pulled out a small table. They have visited Sam''s house often enough in the past so they knew where everything was.


    Rozita went over to her baby bundled up tightly, and touched Sam''s forehead. She smiled in relief as she patting his cheeks, "Your fever has gone down. Be a good boy and drink more water, okay?"


    "Okay, Mum," Sam said obediently, not looking up.


    Rozita sighed, shrugged and looked at the Elite Five, then the other girls.


    "They are?" she enquired.


    "Oh, sorry! My bad for not introducing them earlier," Kyle said, "This is Beatrice, my Vice-President. Betty, her cousin and the person who had been helping Sam during the Valentine''s Day event and Sarah, Kay''s dormmate."


    "Hello, Auntie," they all chorused.


    "Nice to meet more of Sam''s friends. Please, make yourself comfortable and have some snacks," Rozita said as she walked out.


    Sam had burrowed his face into the bolster so no one saw his expression but Kyle could see how he tensed a bit when he heard Betty''s name. He mentally shook his head, thinking that this was going to be a very long day indeed.


    Honestly, he felt like taking Sam out by the scruff of his neck and spanking him. Kyle was deeply grateful that the sick Sam was rare for Baby Sam was slightly annoying. Though granted, Stubborn Sam would be worse.


    "So, how are you feeling, Sam?" Ali asked.


    "Sick. Tired. Miserable. Can you go now?" Sam said while sulking.


    Beatrice and Betty''s eyes were wide open, not believing the sort of ''image'' Sam was portraying right now. Was he like this because he was sick, or because of the blow Betty had given him? They couldn''t tell. Whatever it was, Betty felt quite uncomfortable, nervous and scared so she stood behind Beatrice while peeking at Sam.


    She was sad to see him looking so sickly, but she was sadder to see that he had not even glanced her way. Not even once. Her heart bled for him but it was all her fault, right? How can she make it up to him? How could she even possibly make things right?


    Asking for forgiveness is the hardest thing to do.


    When Beatrice told her that Sam was sick, she was fraught with worry. Now that she was here, she didn''t know what to do other than hide behind Beatrice. She couldn''t say anything with everyone around, anyway (or so she consoled herself). She didn''t think she would be able to talk to Sam alone but she had, at least, thought she would be able to talk to him with everyone around.


    Yet, how was she to do that when he didn''t even want to look at her? Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not that she blamed him.


    She tugged on her twintails, her eyes full of worry and dread as she looked at Sam. Kyle and the other Elite Five guys were hanging around Sam''s bed, while gesturing for everyone else to sit down and eat.


    "Kaaaayyyyyy ...."


    Kay sighed, Kyle shrugged, Ali & Xing Han completely ignoring the voice while Sarah, Beatrice and Betty felt they couldn''t feel anymore surprised at that whiny voice coming out from the normally serious Sam.


    "You know how he''s like when he''s sick," Kyle said while popping a biscuit in his mouth.


    Kay went over to sit on the bed and Sam immediately let go of his bolster and put it behind him. He then wrapped his arms around Kay''s waist and put his head on her lap. Kay gently stroked his hair and he smiled as he closed his eyes.


    Okay. So Sarah, Beatrice, and Betty found themselves proven wrong yet again.


    Was this really Sam?!


    Oblivious to what sort of image he was giving out right now, Sam felt his heart feeling warm again. Right now, he needed more comfort than ever. It was only when he''s sick would Kay pamper him like this and Kyle not kill him.


    Not that he would even want to be pampered when he wasn''t sick. He didn''t know why, but it felt it was okay when he snuggled up to Kay like this when he was unwell. When he''s not sick, he never felt any such need or desire - heck, even thinking about it felt weird.


    So, for now, he cherished being spoilt by Kay.

 Chapter 184 - Beatrice’s Confession

    Sam fell asleep while Kay was stroking his hair and she gestured towards Kyle.


    [Help me put his head on the pillow]


    Kyle brushed the biscuit crumbs off his hands and quickly went over. He slipped his hands under Sam''s head while she loosened his grip that was around her waist. Despite both of them being very gentle, Sam still woke up.


    He glared at Kyle, got his head away from Kyle''s hands and hugged Kay even tighter, mumbling, "Mine. My pillow."


    Okay, Sam had to admit to himself that he was behaving atrociously but he couldn''t help it.


    One, he was in pain and he wanted comfort. Two, he had this perverse desire to show to Betty that he had people who wanted him, even if she didn''t. At least he had the Elite Five who would appreciate him and would pander to him.


    Was he being childish?


    Yes, but at that moment, he didn''t care.


    Betty watched the rather loving scene jealously. She wanted to be the one that he sought comfort with but then again, she had pushed him away, right?


    "I swear, Sam, if you weren''t sick, you''ll be flat on your back right now," Kyle muttered.


    "I am already flat on my back," Sam retorted back, not really meaning it the way it sounded.


    He was exhausted emotionally and he wasn''t strong enough to resist the attraction he felt for Betty. If he was not sick, he could put up his walls and handle his feelings for her. Right now, it took all of his energy to stop himself from reaching out to her. So instead of succumbing to that feeling, he held on to Kay.


    He hated being so weak.


    Kyle let him be for another 10 more minutes. In the meantime, while Baby Sam was snuggling up to Kay, everyone else was making small talk and laughing in the room. Betty kept giving glances over to the seemingly sleeping Sam and her nose kept twitching while she played with her shirt.


    Suddenly, Kyle got up and announced, "I have some Student Council matters to talk to Sam about. So, if you don''t mind, could you guys please wait for us in the living room?"


    Everyone nodded. Kay patted Sam''s cheeks and he grudgingly lay back on his pillow. She headed towards the door like everyone else.


    Kyle grabbed Beatrice''s arm as she passed him by and said, "Beatrice, you stay. You''re part of the Student Council too, aren''t you?"


    Beatrice stopped in her tracks. She was, but she didn''t think Kyle was including her in this so-called Student Council talk. There wasn''t anything on the agenda, so she was under the impression that he wanted to talk privately to Sam about something.


    As everyone else left, Beatrice had an ominous feeling. Kyle wouldn''t be ...


    "You guys talk," Kyle said as he headed to the bathroom.


    Beatrice''s eyes widened again. Her eyes should be dried out by now, judging by the number of times it did that. She glared at Kyle who walked away, thinking that Kyle used the bathroom to hide way too often. Perhaps she should start locking the Student Council bathroom as well?


    Sam''s eyebrow went up and he reluctantly sat up on the bed, running his hand through his hair. He crossed his legs and leaned on the wall behind him while hugging his bolster.


    "What''s up?" Sam asked, looking at her with curiosity.


    Beatrice gulped as she looked at this unusually sexy Sam.


    Somehow, the way he simply sat there, with his hair not in its usual combed down version but rather messily (which made her want to smoothen it herself). The way his shirt was unbuttoned a bit and revealing some of his collarbones, unlike the usual ''buttoned all the way to the neck'' look he sported.


    The way his sleepy eyes looked rather smokey and alluring, unlike the intense and clear look he always had.


    The fact that they were two people, alone, in his room also didn''t escape Beatrice''s thoughts. Sure, Kyle was in the bathroom but for all intent and purposes, it was only the two of them. With Sam on the bed, giving off an extremely different vibe. It was a side to him that she had never seen before.


    Well, okay.


    The entire day was her witnessing Sam acting completely different than how he usually was, but this was on an entirely different level completely. She blinked a few times while taking deep breaths.


    Kyle created this window of opportunity and she was not going to waste it. There must have been a reason why he was kinda forcing her to do it right now, but she trusted his judgment. Perhaps he knew that the longer it took, the harder it would be for her to do it - even to the point of avoiding it completely.


    The best moment, as according to Kyle, is to strike while the iron is hot : while Sam was still reeling from the rejection. When he''s vulnerable. She saw the wisdom in that. She had to see how Sam would act when he''s at his lowest.


    "Samuel," Beatrice began.


    "Yes, Beatrice?" Sam replied.


    Urgh. Sam wasn''t making this easy. She could imagine how hard it must have been for him to confess to Betty and she was experiencing it right now. Just that one sentence from Sam and the words got stuck in her throat.


    She tried again, this time saying it all in one shot, "Samuel, I like you."


    Sam sat there, frozen.


    He looked at Beatrice who was standing there, being all nervous and such, not daring to look at him in the face. Her hands were gripped tightly together,


    So is this how it feels like to hear a confession? A part of you is flattered but yet, another part is horrified? Horrified because you have to reject the person?


    If Beatrice had been someone he didn''t know, it would have been easier. So much easier. Yet, this was someone he respected, admired and liked as a friend. Someone he interacts with all the time and enjoyed the company of.


    Is this how Betty felt like, when she had to stand firm and reject him?


    Sam sat up straighter and put the bolster aside. He clasped his hands together and leaned on his thighs. He looked up then, and focused on Beatrice even though her eyes were downcast.


    "I''m really flattered, Beatrice. I really am, but my heart belongs to another," Sam admitted.


    At this, Beatrice brought her face up to look at him, a sad smile on her face.


    "I know," she said.


    At this, Sam was surprised.


    "You do?" he asked.


    "Yes," Beatrice confirmed, nodding her head and this time, smiled a little bit bigger, "Betty told me."


    "So you also know that she rejected me, right?" Sam said with a bitter smile.


    "Yes," she replied.


    "So, you ..." Sam began, not sure how to phrase the question. Did she confess because she wanted him on the rebound? What was her purpose for this?


    "I just needed to tell you," Beatrice said, "For closure. I ... just needed to let you know. More importantly ..."


    Beatrice hesitated at that. Yes, she confessed partly as a test for Sam as well but that wasn''t the major part of it. She felt that Kyle had been right. That she needed to let Sam know so that she could let it go.


    Another reason was that she wanted Sam to know why Betty rejected him, without actually telling him. Betty had to cross that bridge herself but Beatrice wanted to smoothen it for her a bit. However, would her actions make it worse?


    She didn''t know.


    "More importantly...?" Sam prompted.


    Making a decision that she hoped would not be detrimental to Betty''s chances, Beatrice said, "Betty knew about my feelings for you."


    "That''s only to be expected, isn''t it?" Sam said with a slight smile, "After all, you''re close to each other."


    "Yes, I thought we were," Beatrice said.


    "What do you mean by that?" Sam asked, curious. Was there something more to this?


    "She knew how I felt, but I never realised how she felt," Beatrice admitted with a sigh. Sam''s head started hurting a bit. There was something there that Beatrice was trying to tell him but he couldn''t quite understand. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His head was foggy with medication so he couldn''t quite get the hints that he is sure Beatrice was trying to give him.


    Beatrice smiled then. A genuine smile as she said, walking to the door, "The music box is very beautiful, Samuel. You must have really spent a lot of time on it."


    Sam watched the door close behind Beatrice, his eyes darting all over as his mind started connecting the dots.


    Music box? How did she know about the music box? Even Betty didn''t know it was a music box since she never took it from him. He had even thrown it away. Did it mean Betty took it out of the trash? Did she take it back with her to the dorms? Did that mean ... his eyes widened when he finally got what Beatrice was trying to say.


    Why would Betty take the music box when she had firmly refused it before? Did that mean, she had never wanted to refuse it? The pain of refusing him wasn''t due to her looking at him as a Big Brother? That there was another reason why she had to reject him? Beatrice?


    No. That couldn''t be.


    His heart started beating hard when he thought of the possibilities. When the hope started to blossom again, he quickly clamped it down.


    NO.


    It cannot be. It couldn''t be.


    He cannot handle the flame of hope to be snuffed out again.


    Sam grabbed on to his blanket, pulled it over his head and went into a fetal position as he hugged his knees and closed his eyes tightly.

 Chapter 185 - Betty’s Confession

    [Kay, get Betty in here. Make sure she doesn''t say a word and wait outside the door]


    [Got it, brother. Playing Cupid, are we?]


    [Well, someone has got to do it. Xing Han did his role, Beatrice did her bit and now, it''s all in Betty''s hands]


    [We''re here]


    Kyle silently slipped out of the bathroom and rolled his eyes as he saw the cocooned Sam. He opened the door quietly, utilising all his skills in making sure Sam was unaware of it. He saw Kay and Betty outside, and put his finger on his lips, indicating for her to be quiet.


    She nodded, and he stepped aside, letting her in.


    He closed the door just as silently and high-fived Kay.


    "Do you think she''ll succeed?" Kay whispered to Kyle as they walked down.


    Kyle shrugged, "Who knows? If she can''t get past this, however, then perhaps she''s not the one for Sam then. He needs someone who can handle all of him - the normal Sam that he shows everyone and the Baby Sam."


    Kay laughed, "If anyone can handle Baby Sam, that person is definitely the one for him."


    "I know, right?" Kyle replied with a grin as they entered the living room.


    ?? Sam''s Bedroom ??


    Betty tiptoed to the bed, standing at the edge and her heart was in pain, seeing the bundle there that is supposed to be Sam. She knew Beatrice had confessed and had been rejected. She also knew that Sam''s reason was that he was in love with someone else.


    That gave her hope.


    And courage.


    So when Kay told her to go up to talk to Sam, she went. Now, however, she was nervous.


    She kneeled down at the edge of the bed, staring at what she thought to be Sam''s back.


    "Sam, I''m sorry," she began.


    Betty observed the bundle but the bundle didn''t move. She didn''t give up. She knew it wasn''t going to be easy so she was going to go all the way this time. She was always impulsive, right? So she should use this part of her to get through to Sam.


    Whatever it takes.


    "I''m sorry for hurting you the other day when I rejected your confession," Betty continued, feeling braver as she didn''t need to look at Sam while saying this.


    "I didn''t reject you because I saw you as a big brother. I''m sorry I lied about that," Betty said, her voice breaking a bit as she struggled with her words, "I ... I ... "


    Betty took a deep breath and tried again.


    "When you confessed, honestly, I was so happy. But ... I ... foolishly could not bear to hurt Beatrice. She loves you and I felt she was a better fit for you," Betty said, "I couldn''t accept you, not because I didn''t like you but because I didn''t deserve you."


    Betty waited but still, the bundle didn''t move.


    "I like you, Sam," Betty finally said after a minute of silence passed by.


    Still no response.


    "Sam?" Betty said hesitatingly, her eyes now brimming with tears, her voice shaking, "Say something, please? Anything? Shout at me, curse me, whatever ... but please, don''t shut me out like this."


    She got up, bending down and reached out to him. Her hand landed on his shoulder when suddenly, the blanket was pushed aside. Her wrist was grabbed and she was pulled down. She fell on top of him - half on him and half on the bed - when she felt his hand let her go and then held her down by the waist and neck.


    Before she knew it, he brought her face towards him and their lips touched.


    [Sam''s POV]


    After Beatrice''s confession, he wrapped himself up inside the blanket to block himself out from the world. He wanted to block out everything. Out of sight, out of mind. With everything pitch black, it was as if he was blocking out the entire world and it stops the growing hope that refused to be snuffed out in his heart.


    "Sam, I''m sorry," came the sweetest voice in the room.


    Sam''s eyes popped wide open. That was Betty''s voice! When did she come in? How did she come in? Why didn''t he hear anything? He froze, not moving a single muscle.


    [No no no no no. I will resist. I will ignore her. Yes, yes. That''s what I will do. Ignore her. Don''t respond] Sam said to himself.


    "I''m sorry for hurting you the other day when I rejected your confession," he heard her say. "I didn''t reject you because I saw you as a big brother. I''m sorry I lied about that,"


    [No no no no no. Hah. As if. Really? So the ''Big Brother'' reason was just you wanting to soften the blow? har har har] Sam was happily arguing with her in his mind [No, not happening. Nope. Nuh-uh].


    "When you confessed, honestly, I was so happy. But ... I ... foolishly could not bear to hurt Beatrice. She loves you and I felt she was a better fit for you," the sweet voice continued.


    [YES. YOU ARE A FOOLISH GIRL. Didn''t I tell you not to put yourself down like that? What better fit? Am I a puzzle or whatnot? Who are you to decide who is a better fit for me? I can decide for myself, thank you very much]


    "I couldn''t accept you, not because I didn''t like you but because I didn''t deserve you."


    [Oh? Really? Seriously? You''re still going on about that? You don''t deserve me? What? I am some prize meat is it, to be going to and fro between the two of you, is it? What? You didn''t think I had a choice in the matter? Hah. Yeah. Right]


    Sam gritted his teeth, angrily scolding Betty in his mind, refusing to budge even an inch.


    "I like you, Sam" came her sweet melodious voice, saying the words that he had been dreaming to hear for so long.


    Sam froze.


    No. Way. No freaking way. Not possible. She didn''t say that, did she? She didn''t actually, really, truly say she liked him, did she? No. It was his imagination. He was dreaming. Yes, that''s it. Dreaming.


    "Sam?" he could hear her voice shaking and his heart couldn''t take it. All his anger dissipated like magic.


    "Say something, please? Anything? Shout at me, curse me ... but please, don''t shut me out like this."


    When he felt her hand on his shoulder, he acted.


    Fuck this.


    Flinging the blanket off, he grabbed her wrist and turned to lie on his back, pulling her along at the same time. She fell forward onto him and the moment she landed on his chest, he let go of her wrist. She was partly on him and partly on the bed so he held her down by putting his hand around her waist and the other behind her neck.


    She liked him, right? So the bunny is his now, right?


    Now that she confessed, he''s never letting her go.


    Ever.


    He brought her face to his and kissed her.


    It was a gentle kiss, with him simply kissing her lips softly.


    He remembered what Kyle had ''taught'' so long ago and he put it into practice now. He had positioned his face and hers so that they angled and he placed his lips on hers softly. As much as he was desperate to feel those sweet, soft lips on his, he was gentle and slow.


    He was sick so he wasn''t going to do anything other than just give her lots of soft kisses on her lips. He didn''t want her falling sick because of him but he couldn''t stop himself anymore from doing what his heart wanted.


    His heart wanted lots of kisses.


    He smiled to himself when he felt her returning the kisses and he hugged her tighter. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he reluctantly stopped and looked at her flushed face above his.


    He put his forehead on hers, and said, "I love you."


    Betty''s face went bright red as she replied, "I love you, too."


    He held her close, hugging her to him and she put her head at the crook of his neck. She could hear his heartbeat and she snuggled closer, liking the sound and the slight, musky masculine scent that he had.


    "Looks like things went by pretty well," Kyle''s voice broke into their private moment.


    Betty was shocked and jerked up but Sam held her tightly, not letting her go.


    "Go away," he growled, hugging Betty and glaring at Kyle - and the others who were behind him, grinning stupidly.


    "Auw, Sam''s the first of us to get a girlfriend," Xing Han lamented, "Baby Sam has grown up."


    "Eh, excuse me, Mr-I-have-a-fiancee?" Kyle scoffed, "You''re the first of us who are attached."


    "Technicalities," Xing Han said, waving his hand as he watched the two on the bed, "That one, though, is real. Look at him, being so possessive and such. Betty''s sure going to have it tough." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Betty''s face was really red with embarrassment by now, and she hid it on Sam''s chest. She tried to push herself up but Sam was having none of it.


    "Sam, please," Betty whispered, looking up at him.


    "No," Sam said firmly, hugging her, "You can''t leave me again."


    Betty''s heart lurched at that, seeing how insecure he was being and how much he needed her with him. She was torn now, not knowing whether to insist on getting up or not.


    As for Sam, he was in 7th Heaven.


    This was better than lying down on Kay''s lap. His bunny was soft and smelt so sweet. Holding the real deal was nothing like as all the things he imagined. He didn''t want to let go, feeling like a part of him would be missing if he did.


    "Come on, Sam," Kyle said gently at the side of his bed, "We need to go back now and you need your rest. We''ll come again to visit another day, okay?"


    Sam shook his head, "No. Can''t leave."


    "Sam," Kyle said firmly and Sam looked at him, pursing his lips before saying, "Not another day. Tomorrow."


    "Fine, fine," Kyle said, gently pulling Betty away, "Tomorrow. You better be good and take your medicine, okay? Get well soon and you can take Betty out on a date."


    Sam''s face brightened up at that.


    "Promise?" Sam said, still holding onto Betty''s hand.


    "I promise," Kyle said, patting Sam''s head and pulling Betty to go behind him, "Now, just go to sleep."


    Sam''s eyes were getting heavier as he listened to Kyle''s voice and the gentle administration of his hand on his head. He couldn''t keep them open and finally, fell into a deep sleep.


    They left quietly.

 Chapter 186 - Valentine’s Day (End)

    Once they reached outside and was further away from Sam''s house, Kyle couldn''t stop the laughter that he had been holding in anymore.


    "If I never see Baby Sam again, it would be too soon," Kyle was saying between laughs.


    "Baby Sam?" Beatrice enquired.


    Kyle grinned and looked at Betty, "He''s in your hands now, Betty. Take good care of him. You''ve seen him at his best, and just now - was his worst. When he''s sick, he''s like a baby."


    "Whiny, needy, sulky and ... a new one today, possessive!" declared Xing Han.


    Betty blushed a bit upon seeing all the Elite Five looking at her and Kay came over, hugging her, "Welcome to the family."


    "Huh?" Betty stammered, not comprehending.


    "You guys are making it sound like you''re the parents giving away their son or something," Ali observed. "Kyle is like the father, telling his daughter-in-law to take care of his son while Kay is like the mother, welcoming a new daughter into the family."


    Betty''s face flushed a deep red at that. She was only 13!! Sure, she was in love with Sam but everything was still so new and nothing was set in stone, right?


    Of course, she couldn''t imagine being with anyone else right now but to go so far as marriage?!


    "Oh shush, Ali," Kay said, "You''re scaring the little one. See? She''s practically shaking now."


    Betty quickly shook her head, "No no no! Not at all! I was just surprised!"


    Beatrice ... and Sarah ... watched this with some envy. Beatrice, because she wished she was in Betty''s shoes while Sarah wanted to be in the same position as Betty - as Kyle''s partner. Though envious, that''s all it was and not to the extent of resentment.


    "What should we call Betty, though?" Xing Han asked seriously as they walked to the bus stop. Ali followed them, even though he had a car for he intended to see them off first before heading back.


    "What on Earth are you talking about?" Kyle asked.


    "Well, we''re the Elite Five, so shouldn''t our Significant Other also have some sort of group name? Like how the Pink Ladies are the women of T-Birds?" Xing Han said.


    Everyone stared at him.


    "Oh, come on. Don''t tell me you don''t know the classic movie Grease? 1978? Ring any bells?" Xing Han said exasperatingly.


    "Nevermind! That''s not important!! What''s important is, since Betty''s the first, we should say ... we''re the Elite Five, so she''s ..." Xing Han carried on non-stop when Kyle came over, put his hand over Xing Han''s mouth and said to Betty.


    "Please excuse him. When he gets excited, he talks non-stop," Kyle said, "And he has extremely BAD naming sense."


    "I DO NOT!" Xing Han roared, pushing Kyle''s hand away. "We shall name it the Bunny Squad!"


    "No?" Xing Han looked perplexed when he saw how everyone was still just staring at him blankly, "I was sure that was perfect. Side-Elite? Elite Bunnies? E-"


    Kyle grabbed Xing Han by the shoulders and warned, "Another nickname out of you and I won''t get you any more pork chops for supper."


    Xing Han looked aghast, put both of his hands over his mouth and nodded. No way. He has no idea how Kyle can slip out and get him those occasional treats as a reward, but there was no way he would give that up.


    He pinched his forefinger and thumb together, went from one side of his lip to the other and made as if he zipped his lips shut.


    ?? Back to School ??


    Sam recovered within three days after that first visit. During those entire three days, Kyle only brought Betty over for a visit the next day as it was still the weekend. The others didn''t follow, for it was only Kyle that could be firm with Sam.


    Rather, Kyle was the only one that Sam didn''t try to be spoilt with.


    As Sam walked through the school gates, he couldn''t help but quicken his step. He hadn''t seen Betty for two days! Two whole days! Sure, they texted and called, but it wasn''t the same. He came to school extra early as he wanted to have breakfast with Betty and then send her to class.


    Sam grinned when he remembered the day he officially introduced Betty to his mum.


    ** Mini Flashback **


    His mum had walked into the room with a tray of snacks, to see Betty sitting at the edge of his bed, with Sam holding her hand. Her steps faltered for one minute and the flustered Betty was trying to get up but Sam didn''t let her.


    He''d just pull her back down on the bed and to sit next to him.


    It was then that Sam also introduced her to his mother, "Mum, this is Betty, my girlfriend," Sam said with a smile.


    Betty''s face flushed red and she stood up quickly, and this time Sam let her. She bowed and said, "Nice to meet you, Auntie." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh my. Oh my my my," Rozita gushed, putting down the tray and taking Betty''s hands in hers, and started gushing, "When I saw you yesterday, I thought and wished ... and here you are. I''m glad."


    Rozita''s first impression of Betty was good for some reason and seeing Sam smiling so happily, she now knew it was because she instinctively felt this one was the girl for him. She didn''t say a word, though, for there was no point in rushing it.


    Sam was estatic to see how his mother accepted Betty readily.


    Though Betty was puzzled at how Sam''s mother seemed to accept her so whole heartedly, she was happy. Rozita gave a smile, patted Betty''s cheek and said to Sam, "Be good now. Studies are still important."


    Once his mother left, he pulled her back down to sit next to him on the bed. Kyle simply sat at the desk, snorted and started eating the snacks.


    "Behave, children," Kyle said with a smirk, "Big Brother is watching you."


    ** End of flashback**


    As Sam rushed over to the dorms, he couldn''t help but notice how people were looking at him. Well, more than usual, that is. It even appeared as if the looks were more intense this time?


    At first, he thought it was his imagination.


    However, as he reached the dorms, those stares didn''t decrease. In fact, it increased. Whisperings were also heard. He managed to hear some of it in passing.


    ''Look look! It must be true! He''s actually going to the dorms!''


    ''Noooo!''


    ''First Valentine''s Day couple? Not fair!''


    Sam sat at the lounge, waiting and finally realised what had happened. Somehow, word got out that he had gotten together with Betty. He didn''t think it would have any impact since he was one of the lower key members - completely neglecting the fact that all five Elite Five members had their huge fan base.


    It was just that Kyle''s fan base was bigger and more vocal so he often forgot his own popularity. He had also been so focused on Betty that the Valentine''s Day gifts he received were forgotten. He simply chucked them into his backpack and completely forgot about it after the whole ''rejection'' and getting sick drama.


    So now, as he felt the stares on him and the whisperings, he couldn''t help but wonder if Betty had been subjected to it as well.


    The moment Betty came down, he went over while she came with a huge grin on her face. Beatrice, who was beside her, greeted them then said that she would be going first.


    Betty looked at Beatrice walking away with a heavy heart but didn''t chase after her. She knew it would take time, so she didn''t press the issue. Just then, she felt Sam take her hand and squeezed it. She turned to face him with a slightly sad smile.


    "It''s okay," Sam said, "Beatrice is tough. We''ll give her as much time as she needs. So rest assured, I won''t even be holding your hand in front of her."


    Betty nodded.


    Then, Sam leaned forward and whispered, "Of course, when she''s not around, I''ll do more than hold your hand."


    Betty''s face flushed bright red when she remembered his kisses the other day. It had been sweet and soft, and she had utterly melted when he did. She looked up at him and couldn''t help but notice his lips and she quickly looked away.


    Sam saw that, and a slight smile formed on his own lips.


    He squeezed her hand, resisting the urge to kiss her as he looked away himself. If he stared at her too much, he might not be able to hold himself back.


    Gosh, he was turning into a huge pervert. Never, in a million years, did he think he would be like this. He gulped and took a deep breath. He''s going to have to have another talk with the guys about this.


    The moment Sam took Betty''s hand, everyone''s suspicions were confirmed. There had been rumours about some Elite Five members forming relationships but nothing was certain. There were reports of Sam and Betty walking away together while another (hotter news) was of Beatrice and Kyle.


    A lot of people had seen them together on Valentine''s Day.


    Kyle had ended the gift giving part to him slightly early, giving the excuse that time was going to be up but there were still so many people. So instead of seeing each person one-by-one, he basically ran through the line and thanked them as he rushed off while the volunteers would accept the gifts on Kyle''s behalf.


    People tried to follow him but he disappeared, only to reappear near to curfew time and with Beatrice!


    However, since nothing else appeared different after that, people breathed a sigh of relief. It was then, that the focus shifted to Sam instead. Having him not being in school for several days only fueled the rumours even more, as it got more and more outlandish as the days went by.


    Whatever it was, seeing how Sam''s gaze was so soft and loving on Betty, they knew that one Elite Five Member was already off the market.


    What a pity.

 Chapter 187 - New Phase

    Ever since then, there was a new routine amongst the Elite Five.


    The breakfast table at the cafeteria now had two extra regulars: Sam and Betty. Now, one might think that it was being cruel to Beatrice as Betty did not have breakfast with her any longer, but this was at the request of Beatrice herself.


    The idea came to Beatrice on the first day that Sam came to visit Betty at the dorms. She had done a lot of thinking and soul searching and felt that she spent quite a lot of time with Betty when she''s not in class or at the Student Council. She had no other friends or activities. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, she wanted to force herself out of her comfort zone and meet more people. The first step was to have breakfast with other people. This actually served two purposes. Betty can spend time with Sam, while she can make new friends - and at the same time, be able to get used to seeing the two of them together at a distance.


    Betty no longer dropped by the Student Council after school. Instead, whenever she did not have extra-curricular activities, she would be studying in the library. Sam would be tutoring her, of course, so it was a win-win situation for them. Unlike Beatrice, Sam did not need to be at the Student Council office everyday.


    There were a few other changes that Kyle needed to implement, for the sake of the future. He watched Sam and Betty, and knew that the first test of their relationship would be due to him, Kyle. Betty was a normal person and the last thing Kyle wanted was to pull her into his world - but Sam would have to enter, sooner or later.


    Whether or not Sam would be able to keep it from her without feeling any guilt, remains to be seen.


    So that afternoon, in class, Kyle approached Sam at his desk and spoke to him while keeping his voice down.


    "Sam, you''re going to have to take up self-defence," Kyle began, "But you can''t tell anyone about it. Not even Betty. Can you do that?"


    "Why?" Sam asked back, his voice also lowered.


    He quickly surmised that this was something Kyle did not want to be heard by others. Still, he wondered why Kyle would approach him in class then, rather than outside or in a private room.


    Unknown to him, Kyle did this because the best way to hide things, would be in plain sight. If people saw Kyle and Sam talking privately elsewhere, they might be suspicious or curious.


    "Why what? The self defence or keeping it from Betty?" Kyle asked back.


    "Both," Sam replied, looking at him seriously.


    "Do you trust me?" Kyle asked back.


    "Yes," Sam said without hesitation.


    "Even though you know I''m keeping things from you? From the rest of the Elite Five?" Kyle continued asking.


    "Of course," Sam replied with a shrug, "You''ll either tell us one day, or continue keeping it a secret because it''s not for us to know."


    "Do you think Betty would feel the same for you hiding things from her?" Kyle asked.


    Sam hesitated at that and replied honestly, "I wouldn''t know. We''ve just started out and I''m sure there will be many tests to our relationship. I would never hide things from her that are important for her to know."


    "But I know you would never ask me to keep things from her unless it''s really important, and it''s not for her to know. If she starts suspecting me, or gets insecure, then it''s up to me to convince her - without needing to divulge anything," Sam continued slowly.


    Kyle nodded, then made an impromptu decision.


    "Come with me," Kyle commanded, "I have something to show you. As my PA, you have the right to know, and you''ll understand why I say you''ll need to take up martial arts."


    Sam nodded, noting how unusually serious Kyle was being at that moment.


    "Also, the need for secrecy from everyone," Kyle muttered under his breath even more as he looked seriously into Sam''s eyes, "And I mean, e-ve-ry-one."


    Sam''s eyes widened at that.


    Truth be told, he was getting a bit nervous by now. Just what sort of secret did Kyle hold?


    ?? MIB HQ (Under Shifu''s House) ??


    Sam was flabbergasted.


    He stood there, shocked senseless, as he looked all around him.


    High-tech equipment lined the walls and filled up one room on his right, just like a cyberwar room from CSI* movie. The room on his left had all sorts of weapons lined up on the walls and tables, like it was from a John Wick movie.


    The room he was in was the only normal one, the middle one and the first room that he entered when descending the basement from a secret door of Shifu''s house.


    There was another door in front of the ''conference'' room but Kyle didn''t show him that room, stating that it wasn''t for him to know.


    Sam was fine with that. This was more than enough to fry his mind.


    He looked at Kyle and Kay, who were observing him closely, as he sat there, breathing hard.


    "Are you spies?" he finally asked.


    Kyle leaned back at his chair and smiled, "No."


    "CIA? FBI? Secret Service? What?" Sam pressed on.


    Kyle gestured to someone that Sam couldn''t see in the cyberwar room. He saw Zero entering with a file and he was surprised, though he felt he shouldn''t have been. Things were beginning to connect a bit, but it was far from what was the truth.


    "MIB," Kyle said, handing the file over to Sam, "It''s my own organisation. Well, mine and Kay''s."


    Sam looked at the top of the file that had the stamp "Ultra Top Secret" on it.


    Kyle grinned at Sam''s face when he saw the stamp, "That''s Kay''s idea. Its level of secrecy is even higher than Top Secret. Once you open that file, you can''t leave. So think carefully before you do."


    "Why me?" Sam asked, "What about the other Elite Five members? Are you ever going to tell them?"


    "To be honest, I wasn''t going to tell you so soon," Kyle said, "I wanted you to work for me as my PA for a bit and gauge you first before revealing this to you."


    "However, there have been too many unexpected variables in my life that I wouldn''t want you to be caught in the cross-fire simply because you didn''t know. I want you to be better protected and knowing what you''re in for would be for the best."


    "Once you open that, a new phase in your life will begin," Kyle finished speaking, studying Sam closely.


    This was Kyle''s first - and only - test for Sam.


    He decided on telling Sam about MIB after hearing how Sam was trusting him completely. As such, the reason for this was just as he said it was to Sam: Sam needed to truly know what he was getting himself into. If Sam couldn''t take it, then he''ll just erase Sam''s memories about the whole thing.


    The last thing Kyle wanted was to ruin Sam''s life or future.


    After staring at the file for a few seconds, Sam opened it. Kyle and Kay sat there, waiting patiently, as Sam read the file. It had details about MIB''s organisation, its members and its businesses. It even listed out how Master Shifu was recruited and the training Kyle did.


    The only information that it didn''t have were its involvement in Kyle''s kids and anything pertaining to it. It did, however, outline MIB''s focus on monitoring Rex Industries, and vertain key people (that had been responsible for Kylie''s dearh).


    As for Kyle''s kids, that was something that would be revealed at another time - if ever. Kyle had yet to decide on that part, but if he did tell the Elite Five about it, it would be at the same time.


    After 20 minutes of complete silence, Sam finally closed the file and looked at the Smith Twins.


    At that moment, everything he had ever thought he knew about them flew out the window. What he had known was only the tip of the iceberg. This file showed another 50%, perhaps. He knew that they had much more secrets and depth to it but this was enough to make him fluster.


    Were they really 14 years old? Could they be cyborgs or some immortal? They only looked 14?


    His hands were slightly shaking as he put them on the file, his head bowed down.


    Shaking, not out of nervousness.


    As Sam looked up at them, Kyle could see, with satisfaction, the intense interest that was radiating out of Sam''s eyes. He was relieved that his judgment of Sam had been correct.


    He can plan, he can speculate but human nature is hard to truly understand or judge. It was always this part that made his plans extremely difficult to anticipate its end. Human emotions.


    Sam had been completely shocked at the contents of the file. When he looked at the Smith Twins, it was with awe and utter respect. He always had admiration for them, especially towards Kyle, for all that he had achieved in school and as the future CEO.


    This. This, however, was at a completely different level altogether.


    This MIB was achieved through his own efforts. Even from that brief glance, he saw how Kyle had built up the company into the mini-empire that it was right now. Self-sustaining and creating more independent income for the Smith Twins.


    It wasn''t at the scale of the Smith Industries that had worldwide presence but if it kept going at the rate it did, it would surpass the Smith Industries within 10 years.


    That was his estimation.


    However, it was the covert things that made Sam excited. There were so many questions, so many wonders, so many interesting things - he just didn''t know where to begin. So, he made it simple.


    "What''s next for me now?"


    Kyle''s face broke into a huge grin while Kay smiled sweetly at him.


    "Now, we turn you into a silent killing machine," Kyle said with a straight face.

 Chapter 188 - Sam’s Training (I)

    Sam looked at Kyle blankly then nodded seriously, "Okay."


    Kyle laughed then.


    Whole-heartedly, completely and without restraint. Seeing the extremely serious expression on Sam''s face, Kyle just couldn''t stop the laughter from coming out. He was, however, extremely touched at the fact that Sam, without hesitation, agreed to become an assassin. No questions asked.


    After a minute of this, Kay hit him hard on the shoulder.


    "Stop it, Kyle," Kay scolded him, "Sam believed you whole-heartedly."


    Wiping the tears from his eyes, Kyle held up his hand while holding his stomach, "Sorry, sorry."


    Taking a deep breath, he smiled at Sam, who was looking at him with some slight pout. He had been serious and Kyle laughed at him. He was feeling slightly miffed.


    "I am sorry, Sam," Kyle said, "I didn''t mean it about you becoming a silent killer but I am truly touched that you are willing to. Your loyalty means a lot to me."


    The smile he gave Sam this time was a gentle smile that spoke volumes. If Sam didn''t know Kyle any better, that sort of smile would make one think he was in love with him or something. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay, seriously," Kyle said, "Not a killing machine, but yes, you will be taught how to kill. Namely, it''s for self-defence for yourself, your family ... and your future family."


    "As you''re my PA, it won''t just be for the Smith Industries CEO, but also for MIB''s leader - namely, me. You''ll be the middle person between me and my MIB team."


    "And Kyle has many enemies as MIB leader - which, by the way, no one other than Zero and the group knows," Kay revealed, "Everyone else is under the impression that we are just one of the agents being trained under MIB."


    "Ah yes, that little detail, too," Kyle mused.


    "Little? You call this little?" Kay rolled her eyes.


    "Anyway, as I was saying," Kyle continued, ignoring Kay, "MIB is ultra top secret and no one knows our connection to it. Still, one can never be too complacent. As my PA, you''re going to have to know how to protect yourself."


    "Your skills must be kept a secret because this would cause anyone to underestimate you and that would give you a huge advantage. Also, just how many PA''s out there actually would know martial arts? They wouldn''t expect it, especially with the way you look." Kay continued.


    Sam saw the logic in that.


    He''s the nerdy type and more often than not, people expect him to be ''soft'' or ''gentle''. Just thinking about the change that Kyle was suggesting made him quite excited.


    "People may also use you to get to me," Kyle said, "So that adds on to this need."


    "Plus, people may try to force you or threaten you just to get to Kyle," Kay warned.


    "MIB will always protect your family, so you don''t have to worry about that," Kyle assured him, "Now that you know that MIB exists, know as well that the moment you became my PA, a team has already been dispatched to keep an eye out for them."


    Sam nodded, touched as well. Then, he began to get worried for his bunny.


    "Betty and her immediate family as well," Kyle said, "But know that we can''t protect everyone. For now, the warning level is very low so there is minimal surveillance. As we grow older, though ... well, you catch my drift."


    Sam understood.


    "So, to toughen you up. You''re going to have to train everyday for two hours," Kyle continued.


    Two hours? Sam gulped but nodded again.


    "I''m putting Team Lucka on that," Kyle said, "Today, is basically an assessment of what would be the best programme for you. After that, they''ll make the self defence programme catered for you. It will also include weapons training."


    "How am I going to keep this training a secret from everyone, though?" Sam asked, "Two hours a day isn''t easy to explain away."


    "Congratulations! You''ve been specially selected to participate in the first ever community service programme of Sakura Academy," Kyle announced, looking all serious and ''Student Council President'' like.


    "I''ve submitted a proposal that was just approved by the Principal," explained Kyle, handing him yet another file.


    This was a slim folder, with just two pages. On the front page was the title ''Community Outreach Programme''.


    "Volunteer service?" Sam queried as he read on, "I''m the guinea pig to do the preliminary research on it to validate whether it''s viable?"


    The Community Outreach Programme was simple. The third years of Sakura Academy would be involved in a community service programme during the school holidays.


    The purpose was to get the kids to help in shelters: from basic reading programme to caring of residents.


    It would help the students to foster some self-awareness and, hopefully, to be more empathetic to the less fortunate. The activity would also alleviate the reputation of Sakura Academy in the community.


    The whole programme would only be for two weeks and is to be implemented the following year. Thus, this year, they needed more data.


    "Yes, that''s the gist of it," Kyle said, "You''ll be coming here everyday to keep Ms. Rheia company. Her medical records show that she needs constant care and basic company. Of course, you won''t be here to do that but down here, for training."


    "Then the reports?" Sam asked.


    "I''ll be doing them, of course," Kyle said nonchalantly, "I know Auntie Rheia quite well and all that - well, I''ll be writing it in the same way as you do, so Principal Godric wouldn''t suspect anything."


    "You ... you mean you''re going to imitate my style of writing?" Sam asked, looking at Kyle with wide eyes.


    "Yes, of course," Kyle answered, "I''ve read enough of your reports in Sage Class to be able to grasp your writing style."


    Kay patted Kyle''s shoulder and said, "That''s not quite normal, you know. Can''t you see Sam''s rather taken aback by the way you''re just taking it for granted?"


    Kyle blinked.


    Oh. Yes. That''s true. He had been so caught up in studying Sam, figuring out how to reveal things about MIB slowly without shocking him, that he completely forgot about the more mundane stuff. Such as, how certain things he did were rather abnormal.


    Forging documents had merely been one of the skills he learned and honed, thus copying Sam''s writing style was nothing. He could even copy Sam''s handwriting and signature if needed to.


    This skill helped him a lot during his younger days as he was too young to be able to hire people or purchase things.


    His Dad, Patrick, had unknowingly ''signed'' a lot of things back then.


    Kyle coughed embarrassingly, something unusual for him.


    "Well, yeah," Kyle grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about that. Since you know a lot of my secrets already, I was a bit careless."


    "But, back to the matter at hand, we''ve got you covered," Kyle said, "You''ll also go through basic fitness regime which would include exercises and a diet. Hence, the two hours will be fully utilised."


    "Diet?" Sam queried, "Am I fat?"


    "No, no," refuted Kay, "Not to lose weight. It is to increase fitness and health. Yes, you will lose any excess fat and replace it with muscle. Essentially, since you will be training, your body must be at its optimum as well."


    "Okay, that makes sense," Sam said, "When do I start?"


    "LUCKA!" Kyle shouted, leaning back on his chair so that it was on two legs as he peered through the door on his left, "Sam''s all yours."


    "What?! Now?!" Sam gasped.


    "Nothing better than the present," Kyle said with a smile.


    Sam looked up as Lucka walked in, gesturing to Sam and said, "Come on, choose a weapon."


    Sam turned towards Kyle and Kay, his mouth agape then back at Lucka. Was he serious? A weapon? Taking a deep breath, he got up, straightened his shirt and said, "Okay, let''s do this."


    As he passed by Kyle, he stopped to ask, "I''ve been meaning to ask ... MIB? Like, Men In Black?"*


    "Yup," Kyle said, "Aren''t we like the MIB? We are an organisation that doesn''t exist."


    Sam nodded. That made sense.


    As Sam walked resolutely towards the weapons room, Sam couldn''t help but feel that with each step, he was going forth to a new future. One that was both exciting and scary.


    But one which Sam wanted with his entire being, despite the danger.


    It was just too exciting to ignore.

 Chapter 189 - Sam’s Training (II)

    Sam entered the weapons room and stared at all of the various weapons that were on display there, and gulped. It was already impressive enough from the outside.


    Kyle came up behind him, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Have fun. See you in two hours."


    Perhaps it is a male thing but Sam''s eyes shone as he took in all the various weapons in front of him.


    Lucka took a long look at Sam, sizing him up and taking note of his height, weight and body frame. He pressed a button on the panel at the table and the room underwent a change.


    Walls flipped, tables flipped and some parts moved inwards then out. Now, only various types of throwing weapons and handguns were displayed.


    "Show me your hand," Lucka commanded.


    Sam obediently gave both his hands towards Lucka, palms up. Lucka gripped his palm, turned it around and then asked, "How is your throwing skill?"


    "Zero?" Sam answered.


    "No, I am Lucka," Lucka replied.


    "No, I meant zero skills," Sam said, "I never took up any sort of sports. I believe I have absolutely no skills whatsoever." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lucka stared at him, then reached down under the table and took out a basketball.


    "Go back to the door," Lucka said.


    Once Sam was there, Lucka threw the ball at him. Sam barely caught it, his fingers touching on the ball and he grabbed it quickly to his chest.


    "Now, throw it back at me," Lucka instructed.


    The ball flew widely to Lucka''s left, hitting onto the display there and bounced back hard towards the other side of the room. Lucka ignored the bouncing ball while Sam chased after it.


    Lucka pursed his lips then reached into the display case and took out a gun.


    "Sam, take this and shoot the target there," he commanded, pointing at a bullseye on the other side of the room.


    Sam came over, handed the basketball to Lucka as he stared at the gun.


    "Is it loaded with live bullets?" he asked apprehensively, worried he might accidentally hit Lucka. After all, that ball he threw went in a completely different direction to what he had aimed for.


    "No, it''s just rubber bullets," assured Lucka, "Won''t kill but it''ll still hurt like hell. This is a special gun, just for testing purposes."


    Sam nodded, taking the gun. It was heavier than he expected and smooth to the touch. For some reason, he found it to be quite thrilling, holding it in his hands.


    He looked at the target and stood there, wondering what to do.


    "Stand straight, legs slightly apart and make sure to bend the elbow of your shooting arm a bit," Lucka instructed, "Support your shooting hand with the other, to steady it and also to be prepared for the recoil. As this is your first time shooting, you may not know how much force the recoil is."


    "To aim, set your shooting sight along the top barrel of the gun," Lucka continued, "Make the line of sight straight and try to aim it towards the target. There is no wind factor to take into account here, so this will give us a good idea of your ability."


    Sam nodded and concentrated. He followed Lucka''s instructions. He stood as was adviced by Lucka and closing one eye, focused on the target and pressed the trigger.


    He jerked back a bit at the recoil but as he was prepared for it, it didn''t affect him much. Lucka looked at the target, then at Sam and a slight smile formed on his lips.


    "Looks like you have quite a hidden talent," Lucka said.


    Sam couldn''t believe his eyes.


    A hole could be seen right at the bullseye.


    "I did that? Really? Me? It must have been a fluke, right? What are the chances?" Sam said in disbelief.


    "Knock yourself out then," Lucka said, changing the target. Now, there were four in front of him.


    Ten minutes later, they walked out of the weapons room.


    "We will get the development team to create a special gun for you," Lucka was telling Sam, "I have already submitted the video of your shots, and also your physique details."


    "There are many types of concealed weapons but currently, what is best requires 9mm calibre. Popular choices would be Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, or the Glock 26," Lucka explained patiently as they sat at the conference table.


    "However, for you, it won''t be either of that or even anything in the market," Lucka continued, "Boss always gives us our own customized weapons, that is built to specifications."


    Lucka reaches inside his jacket and took out two guns from each side holster, "My specialty is guns as well, but unlike you, I can use both hands."


    He lovingly stroked the handle, showing a small kitten logo on one gun and a small puppy logo on the other.


    "Is there anything you''d like engraved on your gun handles? You don''t have to, of course," Lucka said.


    "White rabbit," Sam said immediately, "Can I give you the design myself?"


    "Of course," Lucka agreed immediately, "Within 2 weeks while the production and development team create your gun. It will be designed specifically to fit your hands, be lightweight, slim yet powerful enough to pack a punch. There will be enough bullets to enable you to shoot your way out of immediate danger."


    Lucka put his guns back in the holster and then said, "Oh, and there will be a safety catch since it''ll be your first gun. Mine doesn''t have any, so it enables me to take it out and shoot immediately but we can''t for you. We wouldn''t want you to accidentally shoot yourself in the foot now, would we?"


    Sam nodded.


    ?? ?? ??


    After that, the months flew by. At least, it did for Sam.


    In the morning, things were pretty normal. Go to school, have breakfast with Betty. Walk her to her class and steal a kiss or two if he could (when no one was looking).


    Go to Sage Class, do his research on Smith Industries. As Kyle''s PA, he would need to know its workings and everything about it, inside and out. His desk was already filling up with various files he created regarding the various businesses and organisations that it had. He also coordinated with Kyle regarding Kyle''s future duties as CEO.


    After class, he''d spend two hours either at the Student Council or at the library, tutoring Betty and giving slow kisses as rewards when she had the answers correct. If she had them wrong, he would give her sweet, consoling kisses to cheer her up.


    Okay, so it''s obvious he''s just making excuses but it''s not like Betty was complaining either.


    At 4pm, he''d head over to Master Shifu''s house and down the secret base.


    He would do strength exercises coached by Alex, followed by gun shooting practice taught by Lucka and then, martial arts training under Zero.


    The other members observed and prepared the programme that Sam followed, which would be updated weekly.


    The results were noticeable, even though all the training was done in secret. Sam''s posture and walk was different, as he gained confidence and was taught to always be on alert.


    In the third month, Yume and Akira would often give sneak attacks to test Sam. If they managed to get a hit, then Sam''s training increased.


    Sam''s physique also improved, and he was not as skinny as he used to be. It was not as toned as Kyle''s, of course, and he didn''t have a six-pack (yet) but it was certainly much more muscular than before.


    It just wasn''t noticeable as he still wore his long sleeve shirts that buttoned up to the neck.


    He was much more fit and was more careful with his diet. He once wondered why Kyle didn''t need a special diet, and when he asked - Lucka looked at him, shook his head and said, "He IS on a special diet."


    "Kyle''s metabolic rate is insane," Lucka explained, "He burns fats very fast and coupled with the sort of training he has, he needs lots of carbs and proteins. So what you see is him basically replenishing what his body needs."


    "So that is why he eats like a pig yet doesn''t gain any weight?" Sam asked.


    "Yes," Lucka said, "Though he isn''t allowed sweets. Empty calories, you see. When he does have that occasional dessert - like Auntie Rheia''s brownies - he has to work it out."


    Sam remembered those brownies. He didn''t blame Kyle at all.


    ?? Five months later ??


    It has been five months since Sam''s training began.


    He found, to his surprise, how much he enjoyed it. He was fitter than ever and the constant ''attacks'' made his rather mundane life quite fun. Sam could understand how Kyle would find this thrilling. This ''double life'', so to speak.


    This was also the time that Sam''s "volunteering" services ended, so he was in Master Shifu''s living room and reading the report Kyle had done.


    He needed to know its contents, so he studied it carefully. He would ask questions on things he didn''t understand so that he would not be caught should the Principal ask him.


    Kyle watched Sam, pleased with the results. Sam had performed far better than he had expected and that was truly good. Sam is fitter and has gained some skills but he''s far from being an expert. It would take him years to reach Zero & gang''s level, but he''s definitely not a normal 13-year-old anymore.


    "Do you regret it?" Kyle asked softly, looking at Sam.


    Sam looked up at him, smiling widely, "Never."

 Chapter 190 - Unexpected Encounter (Start)

    Mark at Studio X, in Mall T, was happy.


    Ever since the photos of Kyle was placed at his display window last year, he has had more customers frequenting his little studio.


    He had placed the picture of Kyle in casual wear in outside while the sexy one was placed further in. You could see a little bit of it from outside, but you would need to come in, in order to see it properly.


    Mark had deliberately blown up the picture as well. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It really was a very good picture.


    Black and white, a handsome boy teasing and showing just a little bit of the well-toned abdominal muscle and that gaze! It could suck you in as it invited you into his world. Every single time Mark looked at it, he couldn''t believe that the person, Kyle, was just a 13-year-old student rather than a professional model that had been in the industry for years.


    In the end, a lot of the customers were ''persuaded'' to take pictures at the studio. Once they had entered, they would be too ashamed to admit that they weren''t there to take pictures so they ended up getting a set done.


    Mark felt that the event that year was one of the most beneficial photo shoot he had ever done. However, never did he imagine just how big an impact it would be.


    ?? ?? ??


    Kyle was busy staring at the computer, absent-mindedly chewing at the end of his pencil. Not a good habit, but something he unconsciously did whenever he was thinking too hard about something.


    Kay came over and took the pencil out of Kyle''s hand and put a chocolate nut in it. Ever since Valentine''s Day, she would make a batch and keep it in reserve for Kyle. He couldn''t have too many sweets but at times like this, when he was obviously too engrossed in work, that Kay felt he needed the extra ''boost'', so to speak.


    "What''s up to get your face all scrunched up like that?" Kay asked, putting her fingers on Kyle''s eyebrows, smoothing it over.


    Kyle pointed at his computer screen, saying, "It doesn''t add up."


    Kay took the filter glasses and turned to look at the screen. She saw a bunch of numbers, names, and addresses.


    [What''s this?] she asked Kyle.


    [This guy] Kyle said, pointing at one name in the middle [is who Big Bro wants to go poof. The ones at the top are his bodyguards and the ones at the below him are his family]


    Kay studied the list again [They are all in different places. Which one is the real one?]


    "I believe it''s this one," Kyle said, pointing to one name on the list.


    Kay looked at it and then asked [So you want me to double check by checking out the background of the others?]


    [Yes, please] Kyle confirmed [This is the most likely one as its the least used location]


    [Wouldn''t one that is most used be the most likely? Isn''t the least used the most suspicious?] Kay asked.


    [I thought that at first, but when I checked the security detail for this place, it''s even more suspicious. It''s not that high but not that low to justify being placed on an unused - or hardly used - place. There must be something more to it]


    Just then, Kyle got a phone call.


    Seeing the number on it, he frowned.


    "Who is it?" Kay asked curiously.


    "Mark," Kyle answered, pressing the button to answer the call.


    Kay''s eyebrows went up. There were several people by the name of ''Mark'' that they knew but none of them truly had a reason to call. Actually, did any of the ''Mark''s'' have Kyle''s number? Then, Kay remembered that she had left Kyle''s contact details at Studio X when they did the photo shoot last year. Could it be him?


    "Yes, Mark. Kyle speaking," Kyle answered the phone.


    Mark, on the other end of the line, was a bit surprised. He had never given Kyle his number, so how did Kyle know it was him? He looked at the office phone that he was using and wondered idly whether Kyle actually took down the number without him realising. Not many people would actually do so, really.


    Though surprised, he recovered quickly and said, "Kyle, yes. This is Mark from Studio X. Which you already know, I suppose. Anyway, are you free after school today?"


    "What''s up?" Kyle asked curiously.


    "Well, you see ... I think it''s better we talk face-to-face for this," Mark replied.


    "No, not really," Kyle countered, "Why should I go all the way to Mall T for something I do not know?"


    Mark was flabbergasted and then thought, yes. That is true. So, he had no choice but to give a few details, even though the person had told him not to reveal anything. That person wanted to be the one who pitched the idea.


    "Well, let''s just say that there was someone quite prominent who saw your picture that we have displayed here, and he has a very interesting and profitable proposition for you," Mark began, being extremely vague but hoped it was enough to entice Kyle.


    "Nope, not interested," Kyle said quickly, "Thanks for calling, though. B-"


    "Wait wait wait!!" Mark shouted desperately, "This is really a golden opportunity! The guy is a well known producer! Movie producer! Your name has the potential to be famous at an international level!"


    Kyle sighed, sat seriously on the chair and said solemnly to Mark, "Look, Mark. I don''t know if you are aware of who I am. I am Kyle Smith, future CEO of Smith Industries. My current nett worth is more than whatever this movie producer can even hope to offer me. International status? Why would I need that when I''m already becoming famous in my own right - and for my acute business sense rather than in the entertainment industry? So tell me, Mr. Mark, why would I be interested?"


    Kyle wasn''t being arrogant but he was honest. There really was nothing that could entice him to enter into the entertainment field. In fact, he had already received numerous offers to model, be in commercials, agents calling to represent him to ''propel him to fame'' - all due to his Insta account with more than a million followers.


    Did he need it? No.


    Kyle wasn''t belittling the entertainment industry and he thoroughly respected those in the field. It took immense skills, dedication and effort to be able to act, create and produce a film that would allow its audience to be so immersed in the world that it felt real.


    However, he didn''t need all that. As Kylie, he would admit that ''she'' would have jumped at such an opportunity. Fame and fortune? Who wouldn''t want it? Thing is, as Kyle, he already had both.


    Mark was shocked senseless and he mentally slapped himself. Why did he never check out Kyle''s background? He just took him to be a normal teenager. Smith Industries? That threw a wrench into the works.


    When he thought of the director, however, Mark steeled his resolve.


    "I understand, I understand," Mark said, his forehead in a sweat, "But ... can you at least come and talk to him? Listen to his pitch? It might be of interest to you that you''d never realise."


    Kyle sighed, putting his hand on his forehead. He liked Mark, from the little that he knew so he was being as gentle as he could in his rejection.


    "I''m really sorry, Mr. Mark but ..."


    "It''s going to be a huge film! It''s even going to be filmed here, of all places! At Mansion BMX, too. Never before!" Mark gushed, speaking out quickly before Kyle could finish his sentence.


    Kyle sat up straight. He gripped the phone hard and looked at the computer in disbelief. He didn''t have his filter glasses on, but he remembered what was on it.


    No way. There was no such thing as fortuitous moments like this, is there?


    "What time?" Kyle asked.


    "Huh?" Mark was shocked, his mind unable to catch up with Kyle''s sudden change.


    "What time does the director want to meet?" Kyle asked, this time clearer.


    "5 pm! I''ll send someone to pick you up from school," Mark said, gushing, "Thank you, Kyle. You won''t regret this."


    "Ok. See you then," Kyle said, hanging up.


    Kay looked at him curiously.


    "Looks like your brother is going to start acting," Kyle said, then turned towards Sam''s table, shouting, "Sam! Come here, please."


    [Might as well explain with both of you present] Kyle explained to Kay as he tapped his computer screen [Mansion BMX]


    [What about it?] Kay asked, [I haven''t had time to check up on it yet, remember]


    Kyle looked at her, and said slowly [That''s where the movie is going to be filmed]


    Kay''s eyes went wide like saucers. Her thoughts were exactly like his [Such a coincidence? There was no such thing as fortuitous moments like this, is there?]


    [Looks like it. I can''t pass this up. I need to learn how to act, too]


    What were the odds that the place they wanted to investigate and enter, actually opened up their doors to them?

 Chapter 191 - Meeting The Director

    Sam was at his desk when he heard Kyle calling. Seeing the serious expression on his face, he took his notepad and headed over.


    Xing Han, all curious - and slightly jealous as well that Kyle called for Sam but not him. So he came bouncing over without any shame.


    Kyle smiled at that and didn''t mind Xing Han being around. If he had wanted to keep it a secret, he would have gone to talk to Sam privately rather than calling out to him.


    "Turns out some hot-shot director saw my picture and wants me in his movie," Kyle explained when they reached, "So I''ll need you to act as my PA then, Sam."


    "OMIGOSH! Really, Kyle? Really really?!" Xing Han was excited, "I''ll watch that movie 100 times for support!!"


    "Please, I''m only meeting the director later. Nothing is determined yet," Kyle said.


    "Oh, pffft," Xing Han said, waving his hand, "We all know that''s only a technicality. You''ll be in, no problem. Who is the director?"


    "I don''t know," Kyle admitted, "I wasn''t told but will find out later, I suppose."


    "Hah. Only go for it if it''s a famous director. We can''t have your star be marred by a substandard director and a low-budget movie," Xing Han insisted, his face serous.


    "I know, you''re my #1 die-hard fan," Kyle said with a smile.


    "Yes, and don''t you forget it!" Xing Han said, "Oh dear. I need to go make some placards now. And banners and ..."


    Kyle grabbed Xing Han''s hands and looked at him straight in the eye, "Don''t go overboard, Xing Han. Please. No placards or banners."


    Xing Han pouted, pulled his hand away then huffed, "Fine. No placards or banners." He turned away, stomping back to his table then thought with a sly smile.


    ''But he didn''t say no to Kyle T-shirts, bandana or underwear!'' Xing Han thought to himself, ''Wait. Would an underwear be too much? Hmmm ... maybe having Kyle''s face right at the crotch or on the butt cheeks would be bit too much. Maybe just the name ''Kyle'' on the waistband?''


    Xing Han rubbed his hands together in glee as he sat down and started doing research at his computer. He had SO many things to make and do. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle watched Xing Han go quietly and thought that that wasn''t the end of the matter but couldn''t figure out what was going on in Xing Han''s mind.


    He shrugged and said to Sam softly, "As I was saying, you''ll be my PA then. I''ll get Agent Oreo to stand in as my manager since I''m still underage."


    Sam and Kay nodded.


    "I''ll go find out what you''ll need as an actor," Sam said, heading back to his desk.


    "And I''ll go send the order to Agent Oreo," Kay said, going back to her desk, "What about Mum, though?"


    "I''ll handle her, once we have the deal set," Kyle said, "You handle Dad so that he''ll back me up."


    Kay gave the OK sign.


    Kyle leaned back and put back his filter glasses, staring at the computer. Mansion BMX, huh? What secrets do you hold?


    ?? School Gates ??


    Agent Oreo certainly put on an imposing figure. He was dressed in his typical black suit, sporting a dark pair of sunglasses and his hair was slicked back. When he first received the orders from K, he thought to himself, ''Ah. Babysitting duties again?''


    This time, it was worse. He had to pretend to be this kid''s manager and negotiate a contract.


    However, as K explained further the mission, his apprehension about it flew away and he felt a bit ashamed of his earlier thoughts. Turns out that this Kyle was going on a mission to infiltrate Mansion BMX. The owner of the mansion was reputed to be a kingpin but there was no concrete evidence on him.


    Thus, Kyle had to go undercover as an actor and assimilate himself into the movie crew. Gather the necessary information to give to the leaders of MIB. It was an important mission and to make up for his earlier thoughts, Agent Oreo took on his role more seriously than ever.


    It''s not to say that he would have played around or not do his job seriously. He was much more professional than that. However, now his heart was in it, coupled with the guilt of having any disdainful thoughts, he wanted to do an even better job. As such, he had studied the duties of an idol manager seriously.


    It was hot in the suit, though.


    His face brightened up a little bit when he saw the two kids appearing. Kyle, who was the active agent and main leader of the mission and Sam, the latest sleeper agent. Agent Oreo was impressed with the depth of networking and planning that MIB leaders had done, so far as to recruit a normal school student to act as Kyle''s cover.


    "This is Agent Oreo," Kyle introduced to Sam, "Though he''s going by the name Dan for now."


    "Pleased to meet you," Sam said, shaking Agent Oreo''s hand.


    "Likewise," Agent Oreo answered, then asked Kyle, "Is there any particular instructions you have for me?"


    "Essentially, so long as you secure the deal without too much loss to me, then it''s fine. Remember my identity as the Smith heir, so it isn''t really cash that would be of interest for me - but it doesn''t mean I''d work for peanuts," Kyle said.


    "Got it," Agent Oreo answered.


    Just then, the car that was sent to pick them up came so they entered and headed towards the meeting place, Mansion BMX.


    As they entered through the gates, both Kyle and Agent Oreo noted the security detail of the place. It was just as the preliminary reports showed.


    First level entry - security guards would check the identity of the people entering. They would double check with the list in their hand and call the main house to inform them of their arrival. A security camera captured the image of the car, and all the occupants in it.


    Once they received the all-clear from the main house, the security guards opened the gates and allowed them through with a slight warning, "Only in the area you are sent to. You are not allowed to wander anywhere else."


    After passing through the gate, the car brought the towards the house. Several armed guards could be seen patrolling the area. The weapons were concealed, of course, but did not escape the eyes of Kyle and Agent Oreo. The bulge in various parts of the body showed too much.


    Kyle scoffed at that. What is the point of a concealed weapon if it can be seen from the outside?


    Sam''s own personalised weapon was so slim and compact that he could strap it onto his thigh and it still wouldn''t show. Even if he had strapped it onto his inner thigh, it wouldn''t affect his walk. Two versions had been made: one from a special lightweight material and another was similar to ceramic so that it wouldn''t set off the metal detectors.


    Sam didn''t bring his gun, however, as it was too risky. If he was caught with it, the questions that would follow would be too difficult to explain. This did not mean that they weren''t armed.


    Ceramic knives and hidden blades were still the best for infiltration. Sam''s knife was just meant for self-protection and was hidden in the soles of his shoes. His training had been hand-to-hand combat, known as Krav Maga.


    Its origin and purpose were perfect for Sam as one, it was created precisely for the purpose of self-defence whereby one is taught to go for the vulnerable parts of an attacker. Eye gouging, foot stomps, and kicks to the groin are just part of the techniques that he had learnt.


    Two, weapons training is part of Krav Maga whereby one learns how to use anything in your environment as a weapon and how to defend against other weapons such as knives and guns. The combat sports was perfect for fighting on the street. In addition, Zero added in knife movements, thus making Sam able to kill or incapacitate if necessary.


    Kyle never meant to use Sam as an assassin, or someone that would be active in the fields. Instead, his focus was mainly to ensure that Sam had the skills to protect himself and his loved ones. It did not mean that Kyle would not use Sam in missions - such as this one. If Sam did not have the skills of self-defence, Kyle would never have brought Sam along for this mission.


    It was too risky.


    They were all silent as the driver brought them to another section of the area. They were not brought to the main house, but to a compound that was several feet away from the main house. There, Kyle could see that several people were already gathered around.


    "Just who is this mysterious director that Mark wanted us to meet?" Sam asked.


    Kyle had already done the research. Kay had accessed the CCTV around Mall T and found that there was this lone figure that entered Studio X. He was wearing a cap low over his head and sunglasses. Although he did try to disguise himself, he wasn''t an expert.


    Kay easily found out who it was.


    So, Kyle had a pretty good idea about what sort of movie that Mark had hinted at. If Kyle''s suspicions were right, then it certainly would be a big deal. The car slowed down and finally stopped. As the three of them got out, all eyes turned towards them.


    Kyle was the last to get out and the one that garnered the most attention. He certainly did strike an imposing figure with his long legs in black slim jeans and his muscular body neatly shown through the slim white shirt.


    "You''re here!" Mark said excitedly, as Kyle walked over.


    "Yes," Kyle said as he looked at the man next to Mark, "Hi. I''m Kyle Smith. I believe you wanted to see me, Mr. Stahelski?"

 Chapter 192 - Screen Test

    Mark and Chad were surprised.


    "You recognise me?" Chad asked, shaking Kyle''s hand.


    "Of course," Kyle answered, "American stuntman and director, known mainly for the three John Wick movies."


    Chad smiled, nodding his head, "I can see that you''re more than just a pretty face."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow but didn''t respond to that. Instead, he turned towards Sam and Agent Oreo and introduced them, "This is Samuel, my PA, and Dan, my agent."


    Sam and Agent Oreo shook hands with both Mark and Chad.


    "So young and you already have a PA?" queried Chad.


    Kyle smirked, "So old and you don''t?"


    Both Chad and Kyle sized each other up. Chad gave Kyle what he thought was the ''evil eye'' to intimidate Kyle while Kyle simply looked at him like he was a kid trying to play ''bad guy''.


    Which, to Kyle, Chad was. Like, seriously? Big Bro Nitocris''s sneeze was more intimidating than Chad''s supposed ''glare''.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, sighed and said, "Look, you called me here. Obviously, there was something you saw from my pic that you felt was suitable. Just tell me what you want me to do and we''ll take it from there. Fair enough?"


    Chad looked at Kyle seriously.


    Ever since the John Wick movies came out and made him an international name, people had been fawning over him. Sucking up to him, hoping to get him to put them in his movies. Even playing a dead person was okay with them.


    This one, however, was completely new.


    When Mark told him that he wasn''t interested initially, Chad had scoffed at that. He was sure, that once Kyle knew who he was, he would practically begging to be in the movie. Yet, not only did he appear disinterested, he wasn''t even intimidated at all.


    Not only was his identity as the director of the John Wick movies not impress him, Mansion BMX was also nothing in his eyes. Chad frowned. There was more to this boy than meets the eye. He''s going to have a very long talk with his assistant about this.


    Chad still remembered the information the assistant had handed to him just a few hours ago. Top student at Sakura Academy. Rock climbing expert and youngest champion. Has an Insta account with over a million followers.


    When Chad had seen the picture of Kyle, he felt that Kyle was perfect for the role he had envisioned. Learning that he was only 14 years old was an added bonus for that was exactly the age range he wanted. Of course, he could always get an actor that just looked young - like Tom Holland. However, there was this sort of edge that he could even tell from a black-and-white photo.


    What more the person in real life? S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, when he saw the young boy in front of him, he couldn''t help but feel that his judgment had been off. Perhaps the picture had been photoshopped? This young boy looked more like a pretty toy-boy rather than that ''sexy-dark'' sort of look he had hoped for. He needed someone that could stand together with the main actor, Keanu, rather than look like a mismatched ''couple''.


    Still, Kyle was here. Might as well do the screen test.


    Not expecting much, Chad called over the stunt team and told them, "This is the one for the test. Run scenario 3."


    The guy''s eyes widened a bit but he quickly got it back under control. He simply nodded and ran off to start preparing the scene.


    Chad hid a smile as he turned towards Kyle.


    "Can you ride a horse?" he asked.


    "Yes," Kyle replied.


    "Good, then this scene would be easy for you," Chad answered, "It''s simple, really. Just ride the horse from one end to the other while avoiding the ping pong balls that the crew will be shooting at you along the way."


    Kyle nodded.


    The screen test sounded easy enough but he had caught that slight apprehension from the stunt team and the smirk on Chad''s face before he turned to face him. There was more to this than meets the eye.


    "Kyle," Agent Oreo began, his voice low.


    "I know," Kyle said, smiling, "What do you think is the danger level?"


    "For you?" Agent Oreo said with a smile, "Non-existent. The only question is whether you''re going to really show your skill or not."


    Kyle rubbed his chin and turned to Sam, asking, "What do you think? Should I go all the way, just enough or do badly?"


    Sam looked at Chad and smirked, "All the way. Looking down at you? Hah."


    Kyle laughed a bit at that, "You''re beginning to sound like Kay. She would have been jumping around angrily, demanding that I ''wipe off his face'' or something."


    Sam smiled, "She has the right idea. I should use that term now. ''Wipe off his face''."


    "That is just so grammatically wrong," Kyle said.


    "Who cares? It sounds good," Sam replied.


    "I thought having one die-hard fan was bad," Kyle said with a small laugh.


    "Ah, you forget Xing Han," Sam pointed out.


    Kyle grimaced a bit. Not because he had forgotten about Xing Han being his BFF / #1 fan / etc (he hadn''t) but he had been feeling a bit guilty lately. Ever since he told Sam about MIB, there was this little bird tweeting at the back of his mind about how Xing Han was going to be rather hurt by the fact that Sam was the first.


    Even though it was only logical that Sam is the first, and that there was no reason to drag Xing Han into this world of his at this point - it did not make him feel any better. Kyle sighed, running his hand through his hair to get the fringe out of his eyes as he thought about Xing Han.


    That boy had so many things he bottled up inside that Kyle was worried he might explode one day. So far, things are just simmering below the surface but as they grew older, Kyle was well aware of the fact that the cover may just pop.


    Anything could trigger it, and the fact that Sam knew of MIB first could actually be it. Kyle hoped it wasn''t but he couldn''t help but fear it.


    Kyle took a deep breath, knowing that there was nothing he could do about it right now. When the time came, he''ll deal with it the best that he can. Hopefully, Xing Han would be able to handle it - or that Kyle could find a way to cushion the blow.


    For now, he has this stupid screen test to do.


    ?? ??


    "Hey, Larry," one crew member hissed, "Are you sure Chad said Scenario 3?"


    "For the millionth time Jack, yes," Larry hissed back as he held on the reins of a beautiful black horse, named Midnight.


    Jack shook his head, "Just what is going on in Chad''s mind anyway. If that kid gets hurt doing this, it''s on his head."


    Larry snorted, "You think he''s going to take the fall? It''s most likely one of us will be the scapegoats."


    Jack sighed, "Let''s just hope the kid doesn''t get hurt then. Better get the medics ready."


    Larry gently stroked Midnight''s mane, and the horse neighed while butting her snout on Larry''s face, "Sorry girl. I hope you''ll be able to handle this."


    He led the horse out with a huge regret in his heart but there was nothing he could do about it.


    Midnight was a sleek, powerful and strong-looking horse but in reality, she was really gentle. She gave the imagery of a tough horse that is used to difficult action scenes. However, that was far from the truth.


    When she is calm, she is a wonder to ride. When she''s in a panicked state, she can run out of control and seriously injure herself - and her rider. Thing is, any little thing can be the trigger. Usually, it would be loud noises but even if one was to hit her at the back, she would jolt and run away like crazy.


    The scene that Chad had insisted on had two triggers for Midnight: one, the equipment that was used to shoot the ping pong balls had a snapping sound, and two, there was a high chance that the ping-pong ball will hit Midnight in one way or another.


    The sound is not extraordinarily loud but for the highly strung Midnight, the snap is like thunder. Even getting hit by the ping-pong ball will not hurt but even then, it would still startle Midnight.


    Larry felt that Chad was being unfair to the young kid but there was nothing he could do about it. Here, the word of the director was Law. Anyone who dared challenge him would result in their immediate termination - and extreme difficulty in getting another job.


    Still, as Larry handed over the reins to the kid, he couldn''t help but say under his breath, "Be careful. The horse is easily spooked."


    As Kyle took the reins, he gave Larry a grateful look and replied softly as well, "Thanks."


    Kyle studied the horse, holding onto the reins firmly as he made the horse''s head go down to face him. He gently stroked her head, starting from the top of its forehead down to the bridge of its nose, then its cheeks and smiled.


    "There, there," Kyle was talking gently to the horse, "Who is a beautiful lady now?"


    The horse neighed, bobbing its head up and down and Kyle laughed. The mesmerizing sound even caught the attention of the people around, let alone the horse that then bobbed its muzzle onto Kyle''s face.


    Kyle smiled gently at her, looking at her in the eye as he continued talking, "We''re going to get along great, aren''t we? Just trust in me and we''ll be just fine."


    Midnight nodded again, and Kyle swung around to get on the horse. Once he was on, he continued to gently pat the magnificent horse and smiled as he turned to look at Chad.


    Screen test with an easily spooked horse, huh?

 Chapter 193 - Taking Advantage

    Chad watched as Kyle got on the horse easily and admitted that the kid did have knowledge on how to ride a horse. How the kid first made friends with the horse before getting on. The smooth way he got on despite the pants that seemed to be stuck to his legs, the way his back was straight as he sat there, expertly controlling Midnight.


    Chad smirked a bit. Not for long though. Let''s see how good a panicked look would be on him.


    Kyle sat on Midnight, stroking her neck while listening intently to the instructions. At the moment, he was doing two things at once: hypnotising the horse and thinking of how to use the chaos later to get closer to Mansion BMX - and put the blame on Chad.


    Chad wanted to give him a lesson, huh? Well, he''s going to be taking advantage of this so-called ''lesson''.


    Well, Kyle was only playing around with the thought of putting the blame on Chad. It was tempting, but it would probably not be too good an idea if the permission to film here got withdrawn because of the incident. Kyle watched Chad at the corner of his eye, taking note of the facial expressions and body language while his hands didn''t stop stroking Midnight at all the important points.


    Hypnotising the horse was Kyle''s way of ensuring that everything was within his control. The Kazo Art wasn''t limited to just humans though the effect was the best on humans (of course). It could also be used to subdue animals quickly, in getting them to obey you or ignore you.


    Kyle had already done the first stage when he was talking and stroking Midnight earlier, which ended when he looked in the eyes of Midnight earlier. The second stage involved deepening the ties by pressing certain points on its neck. Once he felt the horse give a slight shudder under his inbetween his feet, Kyle stopped.


    It was done.


    "Did you get all that?" Larry was asking Kyle.


    "Yes, no problem," Kyle said, "Start from the position where the first pole is and first, trot to the second pole. Get into a slow gallop and avoid the ping pong balls until the third pole. Get into a trot again until the final pole."


    Larry nodded, "Yes. Remember. There will be six shots in total. You should time it appropriately. Good luck and be careful."


    Kyle gave him his Million Dollar Watt smile, which made Larry stop a bit and question his sexuality for a brief moment when he found himself feeling attracted to the kid all of a sudden. Shaking his head, he scratched his head vigorously as he walked off to the side.


    Sam came over to talk to Kyle right after Larry left.


    "All ok?" Sam asked. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes," Kyle said openly but at the same time, he used his voice throwing technique and gave Sam some private instructions.


    Sam gave an imperceptible nod and walked off into position. He had to find a location that was best to record the whole process. He also took note of where the people who were going to do the ''ping-pong ball shooting'' were located.


    Fiddling with the third button on his shirt, he squeezed it a bit to switch it on and tapped his spectacles to connect to it. It was actually a camera that connected to MIB and his glasses would open a small window that only he could see. This allowed him to view the camera''s view and adjust accordingly.


    "Showtime, my angel. You ready?" Kyle asked Midnight as he led her to the first position.


    Midnight stomped one foot and nodded.


    "Good girl," Kyle praised her. Midnight truly was a very well bred horse and an intelligent one. This would make the whole thing easier.


    The first part went by as expected. Nothing out of the ordinary.


    When the second part began, it was innocent enough with the ping-pong shooting. Kyle dodged the ping pong balls quite easily and the noise wasn''t loud enough to spook Midnight. At the third shot, however, the noise from the ping-pong ball shooter was slightly louder, followed by an even louder shot.


    Midnight appeared spooked and she reared her front hooves just as the last shot sounded, seemingly making Midnight completely out of her mind. For at the same time, she slammed down on her front and kicked out with her lower leg, as if trying to throw Kyle off.


    The ping pong balls started to rain on Midnight, as the shooters had aimed it to go above and behind Midnight - but due to her staying still and starting to kick about, the balls landed on her instead.


    Midnight gave a loud neigh and sped off, looking terrified.


    Chad stood up, his face pale.


    This was beyond what he expected. He had only wanted to scare the kid to take him down a peg. Not threaten his life!


    He had specifically instructed that the shots be slightly louder than normal but not that loud! The last one took the cake and having the ping pong balls hit Midnight was not within the plans at all. All that was supposed to happen was that the kid fell off the horse.


    He would be hurt, but not too badly. The grass here was thick and Midnight wasn''t running fast at all.


    Now, however, Midnight was out of control and dashing away before anyone could catch him. To fall off at that speed was unimaginable. It wouldn''t be a simple fall anymore.


    There were no horses available to chase after them. There was only one other horse on set, and he was secured in the stables without a saddle. By the time he would be saddled up, Midnight would be long gone. She had been a champion racehorse that had to retire early due to trauma.


    There had been a shooting incident near her stables. Though she was unharmed, the loud shooting sounds terrified her so much that she suffered PTSD.*


    After that incident, Midnight could no longer run. The starting gun would startle her too much and she would either cause damage at the starting point or run haphazard all over the place. She often injured people around her - or herself.


    Right now, as Chad watched Midnight galloping away like the Hounds of Hell while Kyle was holding on to her firmly, he gulped.


    "What are you doing?!" shouted Sam towards Chad, "Is the screen test supposed to be this dangerous?!"


    Chad broke out of his shocked state and looked at this other kid shouting at him. Though he was pissed at the fact that a kid would talk to him in such a manner, he could not deny that the situation was certainly dangerous.


    Not just because of the potential harm Midnight would bring - but also for the fact that the security at Mansion BMX was not ordinary. If they thought Kyle was an intruder ...


    Chad shuddered and started barking orders while whipping out his phone. He ignored Sam, furiously trying to get the situation under control.


    ?? ??


    Midnight was having the time of her life. It had been an extremely long time since she was allowed to run freely without restraint. It felt like she was on the tracks again but this time, there as no pressure to beat the horse in front.


    She loved the wind in her face, the ground at her feet and she just kept on running. She trusted the human that was riding her completely now. At first, she had been hesitant but his voice and demeanor made her defences go down. She found herself obeying him without any rational thought but she didn''t think anything about it.


    When the loud sounds started, she panicked for a brief moment then she felt complete calm as she heard the human''s voice in her ear. She did as he commanded and found it fun. She kicked about to release her stress that she didn''t feel any pain or fear even when those things hit her.


    The human told her to just run to her heart''s desire, so long as she followed his slight jerks in the reins to indicate where he wanted her to go. So she complied.


    And ran.


    She was so immersed in the joy of running and was completely trusting the human that even when the loud sounds began again, she wasn''t scared at all. In fact, he urged her to run even faster and she did.


    She jumped over a hedge and landed easily, scaring a young lady that was sunbathing there.


    ?? ??


    Kyle, in the meantime, had the situation entirely under his control. Though he kept up a scared expression as he gripped the reins tightly - it was all for show. He directed Midnight to head towards Mansion BMX as he wanted a closer look.


    Kyle had already gotten the position of all the guards in the area, helped with the areal surveillance Team Yume was giving him in real time. Kay was with them and giving him the live reports so he didn''t need any earpiece (Kyle didn''t want to take the risk of it being discovered).


    So Kyle merely avoided them.


    It wasn''t possible to avoid all of them, of course but he was quick enough to guide Midnight away from the shots. The horse really was a beautiful creature, responding to every slight touch and command of his, which made the whole process so much easier.


    As Midnight jumped over one hedge right next to Mansion BMX, she landed neatly but scared the young lady that was sunbathing there.


    Her screams made Midnight jerk up and Kyle fell off.

 Chapter 194 - Samantha

    Samantha had been happily, and peacefully, sunbathing in her backyard.


    She heard about the people who were there to film but she wasn''t interested in it at all. Having grown up in such splendor and extravagance, meeting some so-called director was nothing to her. Even the main lead, Keanu Reeves, was just too old for her to fangirl over.


    If only there was a young stud acting in the movie, then she''d be more pro-active. However, from the last three movies, all she saw were just old men shooting each other.


    Boring.


    She sighed, as she lay on her back, soaking in the sun.


    Her Dad told her to just stay in the house if she wanted to be here during this time, but she was not stupid to not take advantage of the sun right now. So she put on her tiniest bikini, lathered on the sunscreen and went to sunbathe.


    In order to avoid any bikini lines, she took off the top and was on her front at first. If it wasn''t for the guards outside, she''d just sunbathe in the nude. Even though she knew they wouldn''t come in, she knew they would most likely peep. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This body of hers was only for those she deemed worthy to see. The guards were hardly worhty.


    She had just turned to ''bake'' her front when this dark thing jumped into her sight. She screamed, startling the thing and it stood on its hind legs, scaring her even more.


    Just as her mind cleared up, she realised it was a horse and someone fell off its back. She quickly covered her bare chest with her hand and angrily stomped over towards the intruder, getting ready to blast at him. Maybe even get the guards to castrate him. The horse galloped away amicably, then started eating the grass further away.


    She was just about to give that stupid person a piece of her mind when she stopped as she got a good look at him.


    ''O.M.G. This guy is HOT.''


    He was on his back, his eyes closed so she let her eyes roam all over him before she squatted down next to him, poking him on the chest, "Hey, you alive?"


    When there was no response, she placed her palm on his chest and shook him. She bit her lower lip when she realised how firm his chest was, and that made her even more curious.


    Seeing as he wasn''t getting up just yet, she became bolder and started pulling up his shirt. Just then, his eyes popped open then and he groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he looked at her.


    His mesmerizing blue eyes made her gulp and she froze.


    He then looked at where her hand was, then looked back at her and asked, "Sorry to intrude like this, but what exactly are you doing?"


    Samantha looked at him, then at her hand and then gave a smile.


    "Me? I was just checking you out," she answered then pulled his shirt all the way up. Her eyes took in his six-pack and she smiled in appreciation as she started touching it.


    "And you check out real fine," she said, caressing his abs even more.


    Kyle coughed and took her by the wrist, taking her hand off from his body. He had known some shameless girls before, but this one really took the cake. As he pushed her hand away, he got a good look at the girl in front of him and he hid a smile.


    "You check out real fine, too," he said, staring at her chest.


    Samantha looked where he was looking at and gasped. She had been so engrossed in the fine creature in front of her that she completely forgot her half-naked state.


    Though in this case, she was nearly naked as her breasts were laid out there for him to see while her thong barely covered her lower regions. She quickly covered her breasts and got up. She turned, walking over to her deck chair to get her bikini top, completely forgetting that her butt cheeks were now fully exposed to Kyle.


    Samantha Greene, 18 years old and the only daughter of the target.


    A complete diva and totally spoilt.


    Kyle had known she was here from Yume''s initial sweep of the area but Kay had neglected to inform him that she wasn''t exactly covered up.


    [Seriously Kay, a heads-up would have been useful]


    [What? What happened?]


    [I just got a whole eyeful of Samantha Green in the buff]


    Kay''s laughter peeled in his mind


    [She does have a very good body. I can understand why so many guys want to get it on with her]


    [Are you one of them then, brother? Are you finally going to lose your V-card?]


    [Oh please,] Kyle scoffed as he got up and pulled down his shirt [I don''t do kids. And you, young lady, is still too young to be even thinking about it!]


    Kay laughed even harder at that, making Team Yume look at her weirdly for a second before going back to work. Kay often did that and they got used to it.


    "Young Miss! Are you alright?" came a shout from the other side of the hedge.


    They didn''t dare come over without permission as she had left strict instructions not to disturb her. However, her scream had made them rush over.


    Samantha turned towards Kyle, a smile on her face as she looked at him. She tapped her chin and walked over, "Yes, I am fine. Just saw something of interest."


    "The movie crew said a horse went out of control and its rider may be injured. Have you seen them?" the voice continued to ask.


    Samantha raised an eyebrow at Kyle, looked at him up and down then said to him, "That''s you?"


    Kyle nodded.


    "Movie crew member, huh?"


    "No, just auditioning," Kyle explained, and was about to walk over the Midnight when she stopped him.


    "He''s here," Samantha answered, "But I''m fine. Stay around though and I''ll let you know."


    "Yes, Young Mistress," the guard responded. Since the Young Mistress didn''t ask them to take the guy out, then it means that she was most likely going to eat him up. They were used to this, and as they stood there, their backs to the hedge, they shrugged.


    They just hoped that the sounds wouldn''t be too loud. The last time it happened, they had goose bumps all over.


    "Accident or not, you trespassed her. You even saw me naked," she pointed out, "All I need to do is just say the word and you''ll not see the light of day after this."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at that and asked, "What do you want?"


    "Straight to the point," Samantha said with a smile as she sat on her deck chair, "I like that."


    Taking her suntan lotion, she waved it at Kyle and said, "Massage this on me. All. Over. If you can do so with my satisfaction - and not get a hard on, I''ll let you go. Otherwise..."


    She left the sentence trailing but she knew he knew what she was talking about.


    Kyle hid his smirk, walked over slowly and took the suntan lotion from her hand.


    Kyle took a liberal amount of lotion in his hands and started with her back. She lay down on the deck chair on her stomach and had placed her bikini top at the side. With her lying there, only in her thong, it was as if she was completely naked.


    Kyle looked objectively at Samantha''s body, taking note of all the areas that are known to be highly sensitive: the erogenous zones. Most of the time, men tended to focus only on certain parts of the anatomy for foreplay, ignoring other areas. In reality, there are many parts of the human body that has a high concentration of nerve endings, so they would be particularly sensitive to touch, pressure or vibration.


    So she wanted him to put on the suntan lotion all over her body without getting turned on?


    Easy peasy. Not taking into account that Kyle didn''t get turned on easily, Samantha had been under the mistaken assumption that he would be focusing on her breasts and V-area.


    As Kyle began, he couldn''t help but feel ... slightly naughty.


    [Kay, visuals dark] Kyle commanded. The last thing he wanted was for his own sister to see what he''s going to be doing.


    Learning about the erogenous zones for women (and men) had been part of his ninja training. Master Shifu had been hesitant about that part, though Kyle was more than willing to learn. It takes all sorts of skills to get results - and in some cases, seduction would be one of them.


    Since Samantha wanted to challenge him, Kyle wanted to turn the tables around. He was going to give her one of the best massages ever ... without going all the way. Play with him? He''ll just return the favour.


    Kyle started with her neck, gentle massaging and kneading the tension around her neck.


    The effects would be better if he had massage oil, but he made do with what he had. When the lotion was still quite wet, he would be massaging but once it dried up, he would be using less force so that the friction wasn''t painful.


    The nape and back of the neck are actually one erogenous zone already. Kyle took special care and attention to these areas, lightly massaging it and stimulating it to get the results he wanted. He could feel her entire body relaxing and at the same time, noted that her breathing was getting slightly faster.


    Kyle smiled.


    The first step was to get the person relaxed and more susceptible to the massages and what it stimulates. If the person was too stressed out, she would not welcome or even reject the sexual simulation that occurs.


    Since Samantha was now ''ready'', it was time to slowly up the game.

 Chapter 195 - Massage Effects

    Samantha kept quiet as she felt the young boy starting to spread the lotion on her.


    From the moment she saw him, she had wanted him. When she felt him up, the desire had increased. Yet, she wanted to be the one who was in control so her plan was to get him so turned on from putting the lotion on her that he''d not be able to hold himself back.


    Once that happened, she would have him under her thumb. She was confident with her body and had seen how he had looked at her earlier. There was appreciation in his eyes, though she was a bit miffed that no tent appeared in his pants.


    So she was going to turn him on so badly and make him wait until he begged for it.


    Her lips curled into a smile as she imagined all sorts of things she planned.


    Upon feeling his hands on her neck, she sighed. It felt good. At first, it felt like a firm massage that kneaded away all the aches and pains in her neck. Then, it became gentle and fleeting. His fingers seemed to float at the back of her neck.


    For some reason, it made her feel rather ... hot.


    She bit her lower lips and closed her eyes, relishing in the sensation that his fingers were doing to her.


    She felt those strong hands now doing her shoulders, making soft, circular strokes which led to one arm. He took her left arm and started kneading the lotion onto it. She felt him alternate between giving a hard grip on the outer arm and a soft, featherlike touch when it came near her underarm.


    His fingers massaged her palm, giving it firm, circular motions that somehow, made her want more. He then focused on her fingers, pulling on it after each massage, making a slight popping sound that relaxed her even further.


    After both of her arms were done, he started on her lower back.


    She trembled when she felt those strong hands go from her shoulder, around her back and down just to the tip of her buttocks before spreading out and going back up. Then doing it all over again.


    She closed her eyes, breathing even harder as she waited and waited for him to pay attention to her butt cheeks that were screaming for his touch. When she felt her lonely buttocks finally being held, she sighed in contentment as he kneaded gently.


    In his careful administration of putting the lotion on them, there would be an occasion or two when his fingertips just brushed inbetween the buttcheeks.


    She shuddered in pleasure each time he did so, and she even subconsciously clenched them, hoping to trap those delicious fingertips. It never succeeded.


    He then began to put the lotion at the back of her legs, his fingertips - again - slightly brushing right at her core. It was so soft and light, like a feather, which left her wanting more. Yet, he never did give more and only teased.


    It frustrated her.


    "Turn over," she heard him say and she obeyed, eagerly displaying her best assets to him. She peeked to see his expression and couldn''t help but feel disappointed at his lack of reaction. He simply started putting on lotion on her neck and shoulders.


    He then took one arm and gently ran his fingers along it, saying, "I''ve already done this, but need to reapply on your hands. Since there''s no water around, I''ll make do with what I have."


    With that, her eyes widened as she saw him take a thumb into his mouth, twirling his tongue around and sucking it slightly before moving on to the next. When all five fingers were done, he started putting on the lotion, his fingertips gently imitating what his tongue had done.


    Samantha found herself unable to move, her breathing was getting more and more laboured.


    She watched as he put her hand down and started putting the lotion on her chest.


    She waited in anticipation as he rubbed it on her neck, then slowly went up to her ears. He gently massaged the lotion all around the ear, making sure every single part of her ear was done. Samantha gulped.


    No one had ever touched her there before, in this way before and she closed her legs tightly together, feeling rather moist down there.


    She felt his hands on her collarbone, lathering the lotion at the top of her chest, just above the breast. He didn''t touch her breasts yet, but simply made sure every part of her upper body was done. Then, he did to her other arm what he had done to the first.


    This time, she couldn''t wait for his special care and administrations to her fingers. When he began to take a finger into his mouth, she couldn''t help the moan that escaped from her lips this time.


    Yet, he appeared completely unaffected by it all as he continued as slowly as before.


    She closed her eyes in pleasure, feeling like it was just too short when he put her arm down and was about to protest when she felt his hands at the side of her breasts. Her breath hitched as she felt his fingers gently massaging the soft mounds at the side.


    In her mind, she was screaming at him to grab her breasts and pinch her nipples but on the outside, she kept mum. There was no way in Hell was she going to beg for him to touch her. No. No. No.


    It was he who was supposed to do the begging.


    When she finally felt his hands directly on her breasts, she nearly purred in satisfaction. She didn''t stop the moans that came out of her mouth as he kneaded them, massaged them and gave them all the attention that she had been craving for.


    She reached out and grabbed his head, forcing it onto her breasts and he didn''t resist as he paid special attention to one nipple with his mouth and tongue while his fingers were making sure the other pair wasn''t left alone.


    Samantha was in 7th heaven.


    Never had she experienced such intensity of feelings that she was feeling right now. Despite the numerous sex partners she had, this was the first time that she was feeling this way. When his mouth left her breast, she whimpered a bit until she felt that he was simply switching sides.


    Her moans were getting louder and the men outside were trying very hard to block out the sounds. A noticeable part of their body was rising, straining in their pants as all sorts of thoughts entered their minds.


    Samantha was so turned on that all she wanted was for this boy to get up and shove himself into her. She was so wet that she felt as if a puddle was already created underneath her.


    Yet, to her dismay, he seemed completely unaffected.


    After spending a bit of time on her breasts, he continued putting on the lotion on her body.


    ''What-the-fuck'' Samantha screamed in her mind.


    She looked at him in disbelief as he continued spreading the lotion on her body. His hands were being so evil, too.


    As it went down her stomach and to her pubic region, she was waiting. Waiting in excitement. She felt as if her cave wasn''t just dripping wet, it was pulsing with heat. Wanting him to touch her there. Kiss her there. Anything, just don''t leave it alone!


    Yet, his hands would just go near but never touch.


    From her stomach, he now concentrated on her legs. Just having those hands there almost made her lose it. When his fingers were gently on her inner thigh, she had to bite her inner cheeks to stop herself from grabbing him.


    She kept telling herself that she was in control. In control. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His fingers were gently massaging from the top to the bottom, his fingertips just .. oh, so barely grazed near the entrance ... yet not touching. Her breathing was getting harder and harder, the moans kept coming even though he wasn''t doing anything other than massaging her legs.


    He did one leg, then the other, from the thigh all the way to the toes.


    She felt his hands at the soles of her feet and despite being a ticklish person, it was not ticklish. In fact, she felt weirder as his thumb pressed along the sides of her foot. One foot. The other foot. The toes were massaged and gently pulled.


    By now, she was more than ready to be fucked hard but her pride kept her from demanding it from him.


    Just as he did the last toe, she thought that was the last of it. She was wrong.


    His hands then started massaging upwards again, from her ankle, slowly ... up ... her inner thigh ... she spread her legs wider, letting him better access. Yet, he still didn''t touch her there at all. It was all over and around.


    Soft, gentle administrations just with his fingertips.


    At the very last second when she was going to lose it, she felt his hand on the thin cloth that barely covered her most private part. His thumb touched her clitoris while another finger right at her sopping, wet cave.


    Despite the fact that there was a piece of cloth between his fingers and her, the sudden and highly anticipated touch made her reach her climax. His devlish fingers started moving as well, rubbing along the entire length of her cave and it only served to cause her to climax again.


    Samantha felt wave after wave hit her as she climaxed continuously for his fingers never stopped, and she convulsed, twisting her body left and right at the pure, strong sensations that racked her entire body.


    Finally, after what seemed like ages, the last wave ended.


    Samantha lay there, panting. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a very calm boy standing next to her, waiting.


    "I believe I''ve kept my side of the bargain," he said.


    Samantha couldn''t believe it as her gaze landed at his crotch. There was no tent.


    She reached over and touched it, confirming that it wasn''t hard. She began squeezing it, just to make sure that there was a p*nis there and not that this man had been castrated or something.


    "Please, I still need that," Kyle was saying as he took her hand away, "Trust me, it''s in working order."

 Chapter 196 - Taking The Bait

    Samantha couldn''t believe it.


    She had just been given one of the most mind-blowing experiences ever, yet not only had there not been any actual sex, but the other party was also not even turned on! After doing all of that to her, he just stood there like some statute!


    No man had ever been able to resist her and yet, this young kid could?


    Wait.


    She went over to him, bare-chested and all, and glared at him straight in the eye.


    "You''re gay, aren''t you?" she demanded angrily, stomping her foot, "That''s not fair!"


    Kyle just looked at her, not planning to correct her misconception. Yet.


    "A promise is a promise," Kyle pointed out, "And the Greene''s are always well known for keeping their promises."


    Samantha grumbled and went to put on her bikini top. Kyle wondered what the point of it was, for it only had those little triangle pieces of cloth that covered her nipples. It didn''t make any difference.


    "Fine. You''re free to go," Samantha huffed, "Take that thing with you and leave. The exit''s that way."


    She walked towards the door, stopped a while and turned back to face Kyle, who had now taken Midnight by the reins.


    "Name''s Samantha. What''s yours?" she asked.


    "Kyle," he said as he gently stroked Midnight''s mane. Midnight neighed and bumped her nose at the side of Kyle''s face. Kyle laughed gently at that, patting Midnight''s nose.


    Samantha watched the scene in a daze. With the sunlight glistening on the young man''s face, showcasing the gentleness on his face as he handled the horse, his beautiful laughter that somehow made everything feel so warm ... she felt like she was watching it all from filtered lenses. It was too mesmerizing and romantic, in some way. She could even imagine roses blossoming all around him.


    She shook her head. Such a wild imagination.


    Then she saw him turn towards her, giving her this heart-dropping gorgeous smile that made the breath get stuck in her throat.


    "I''m not gay, by the way," she heard him say, "And the reason why I didn''t get turned on isn''t because you''re not beautiful. It''s simply because I viewed you as a woman that needed a massage, not as a piece of meat on display to be fucked."


    Samantha blinked at that.


    It didn''t make sense, yet it did.


    "You are a highly desirable woman, with one of the most beautiful bodies I have seen," Kyle continued saying, "Call me old fashioned, but you deserve to be made love to, by one who truly loves you for who and what you are."


    "So, what was all of that then? It was hardly an innocent massage," Samantha retorted, crossing her hands across her chest.


    Kyle smiled at that, "I live but to serve. You looked like you wanted more, so I merely complied to the best of my ability. To let you have your sexual release without needing to go all the way."


    Kyle then gave a slight bow, saying, "I thank you for your kindness in letting my earlier transgression go and now, I have to get back to the crew. They must be pretty worried by now."


    Samantha waved him off and slammed the door behind her. Though once inside, she leaned against the door and put her hand on her chest.


    Why did her heart beat so fast just from those words?


    Kyle watched her go inside with a smile.


    "Come on, girl. It''s time to go back," Kyle said to Midnight, "You did good."


    Kyle walked off, knowing that Samantha was peeking at him through the window.


    [All''s clear, Kay]


    [Finally] Kay grumbled [What took you so long?]


    Kay was a bit miffed at not being allowed to see just what Kyle had been doing. Despite the fact that she was really curious, she still conveyed the message to the others and immediately, they cut off all visual transmission of the site.


    [These things take time, dear sister] Kyle answered as he walked leisurely back to the site. The two guards that had been there saw him leave, and one took it upon himself to ''escort'' Kyle back.


    [Did it work?]


    [The line has been cast and it looks like she has taken the bait. We''ll know for sure tomorrow if I can reel it in but I have faith that it succeeded] Kyle answered.


    Samantha Greene was one girl who appeared to be a nymphomaniac but Kyle suspected it was more than that. Her family was the distant type and she craved for attention and love. Unfortunately, she sought it in the wrong way.


    Kyle didn''t see anything wrong with women who were sexually active or even those who were into ''one-night'' stands. So long as both parties were willing and knew what they were getting into, what''s the problem with it? Men often do it, so why not women?


    The only problem was, Samantha was seeking love through sex and that was wrong.


    She found fake happiness from being in control of the ''relationship'' and the way she could demand things from whoever she wanted. The euphoria she got from each sexual encounter was brief and not lasting, so she would keep on searching.


    Sometimes, she would even choose and demand it from unwilling guys. Well, the guys were normally unwilling at first but were soon ''converted'' - either through force or by the lap of luxury she would shower them with.


    So what Kyle did was to show her that there was a person who did not see her just as a body for sex and money to buy love, but as a woman that deserved more than that. Kyle figured that she was slowly starting to believe that her worth as a person was strongly linked to her wealth and sexual prowess. Without it, she was nothing.


    Now that he had shown her another aspect, her interest was piqued.


    The only question was, will she follow that slight interest or not?


    [By the way, please tell Sam I''m going to need some water] Kyle mentioned as he ran his tongue inside his mouth. Suntan lotion isn''t exactly something that was meant to be eaten.


    The entire time Kyle had been putting on the lotion, he had focused entirely on stimulating all the sensitive parts of her body. The fingertips were one method and in reality, it would have been faster to use his lips and tongue in certain spots.


    He only did that for the fingers and nipples, and was extremely careful not to touch her core with his bare hands.


    Kyle was walking a bit absent-mindedly, as he recalled the entire incident. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a girl, he could objectively view Samantha''s body and there was no doubt that it was as perfect as it could be. Smooth, silky skin with long legs that seemed to stretch on forever. Slim waist that felt like you could hug and break it in one shot. Breasts that weren''t too big nor too small, but more importantly, was perky and full.


    Every single movement he had done on Samantha had been partly based on the lessons of Master Shifu, and partly from his own personal preference as Kylie. His spouse hadn''t been that imaginative when it came to foreplay but at least, he did spare some effort.


    Kyle looked at his hands, remembering how it felt when he had begun massaging Samantha''s breasts. It was really soft and wonderful, and a part of him wanted to continue kneading it. So when Samantha had brought his head close to it, he was acting out on the baser parts of his instinct.


    He was a bit disappointed to find that other than the initial playing around with the round fullness, he didn''t find that much enjoyment from his actions on her nipples. He imitated what his own spouse had done to Kylie before, and the fact that Samantha reacted with such moans meant he was doing it right.


    Yet, he, himself, felt nothing much. He sighed inwardly and berated himself. He had used the opportunity to start the plan into motion but in the end, he started using it to find out if he could actually be turned on by it.


    His fingers were still a bit sticky from the last move and he had absolutely no desire to smell it nor taste it.


    He frowned at that.


    Kylie had read a lot of raunchy romance novels which always had the male lead basically eating up the female lead, even stating that the juice was like nectar. Yet, here he was, not even tempted to find out just how sweet that nectar was.


    In fact, he was feeling a bit icky at the moment. Perhaps that was why his own spouse never did ''go down'' on ''her'' though he had insisted on his own being pleasured in such a way. Kyle idly wondered what oral sex was like as he was always the one who had given, not being given it.


    Maybe it really did ... not smell that nice at the core? Kyle shrugged.


    If Samantha was to know what was going through his mind right now, she''d probably go ballistic at the insult. As it was, Samantha was still quite flustered by the whole experience and was busy finding out more about the ''young stud who was auditioning''.


    As for Kyle?


    His mind was getting to be a bit muddled right now.


    Asexual? Gay? Bisexual? What was he? Was this aversion towards the ''sweet nectar'' an indication of where his true sexual orientation lie or was it just because he hadn''t found the right girl yet? He certainly could get it on when he started kissing so did this mean he was just one who couldn''t get turned on normally?


    The body was normal but since his mind wasn''t, Kyle Jr could only get up with help?


    Kyle sighed as he reached the movie set. Thanking the guy who led him there, Kyle walked back in a slight daze.

 Chapter 197 - Starting Over

    As Kyle walked into view, Agent Oreo came bouncing over with an extremely ''worried'' look on his face as he shouted, "Kyle! Are you okay?!"


    He began patting Kyle down to make sure there as no injuries (all for show, of course).


    "Yeah, not a problem," Kyle answered, "Midnight and I are friends now."


    Sam came over and handed the mineral water bottle to Kyle wordlessly. His eyes full of questions but he refrained from asking them. All he knew was that Kyle had landed into the backyard of Samantha Greene - who had also been naked. Or close to it.


    Kyle took the water gratefully and started rinsing his mouth. He couldn''t spit out the water as that was rather unhygienic to do so, thus he could only swirl the water in his mouth and swallow it. At least the worst of the taste of the suntan lotion was gone.


    When he had first started on the fingers for Samantha, all he did was hold his breath. Since the sense of smell is strongly associated with the tongue, so long as you hold your breath, you wouldn''t taste what you''re eating. Once you start breathing again, though, the aftertaste will still linger in your mouth.*


    He then started washing his fingers, glad to get that part cleaned. Sam''s eyebrows shot up at this, wondering even more furiously just what Kyle had been up to. His hands didn''t look dirty yet the way Kyle was rubbing at his fingertips and hands made Sam imagine ... quite a lot of things.


    Little did he know that he was quite correct in most of that thought.


    Chad and Mark quickly came over as well, as Kyle was handing the reins over to Larry. However, Midnight refused to move from Kyle''s side, ignoring the tug of Larry to bring her over to him. She dug in her hooves and trotted over back to Kyle, nudging him at the back of his head.


    Kyle turned to face her and stroked the bridge of her nose, putting his forehead on it and said to her, "Go and follow Larry back. You need to rest."


    Midnight snorted and turned, obediently heading back to her cabin and Larry had to practically run to keep up with her.


    Chad watched all of this in shock. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Glad to see that you''re okay," Chad began hesitantly, but sincerely.


    Kyle could see the regret in Chad''s eyes, and that his attitude appeared to be much better than before.


    Chad had gotten the fright of his life when Midnight had run off with Kyle on her back. Worse, he got word that Midnight had trespassed onto Mansion BMX''s compound. He had visions of Kyle''s body being taken away in a stretcher, his career going down the drain and the repercussions of the whole thing.


    When he got word that the Young Mistress had Kyle, another wave of panic hit him.


    The next 15 minutes had been the longest 15 minutes of his life.


    Getting the ''okay'' to shoot some parts of the film here had been a great opportunity and one that was obtained through various channels and pulling lots of favours (plus giving them). If the Young Mistress decided Kyle was a pest ... Chad had to actually change clothes as the first pair had been utterly drenched in his sweat.


    Finding out that Kyle was released unharmed had made almost made him faint from relief.


    Mark, who was not privy to all of the dangers of Mansion BMX, was worried for another reason. He was the one that brought Kyle over and if anything happened to the Smith Heir ...


    Chad looked at Kyle seriously and offered his hand, saying, "Congratulations. You passed the screen test. Your agent can talk with our representatives regarding the contract."


    Kyle looked at him, his hand and said, "I never said I wanted the part."


    "What?" Chad exclaimed, looking at Kyle in surprise, bringing his hand down awkwardly, "Then what was that screen test for?"


    "I was interested but frankly, you haven''t exactly been forthcoming nor given me any information about the whole thing," Kyle pointed out, "All you did was assume that I''m here to beg for a role. I am here as a favour to Mark and felt that, at the very least, I would listen."


    "Look, I don''t really need this and obviously, you don''t really want me either," Kyle continued, "That screen test was a joke. John Wick movies are more than just action and even though Mr. Keanu does most of his stunts, I don''t think you''d get me to do my own."


    "So what was the point of it? So shall we just cut the bull and stop wasting each other''s time?" Kyle demanded, staring at Chad in the eyes unflinchingly.


    Chad looked at the young boy in front of him.


    The kid was right. He had treated the kid like he was the one giving him a golden opportunity - which he was - but it couldn''t be denied that the kid had something that the movie needed.


    Right now, the so-called kid was not only giving him a lecture, but there was also this unmistakable aura of authority radiating from him that Chad found impossible to ignore. He wasn''t even acting. Heck, this was something that was ingrained within the bones of the person and Chad could see - and sense - the power behind those eyes.


    When he had seen Kyle''s picture, he was immediately taken in by it. There was a certain charisma to it, yet an innocence, that was perfect for the role that they had envisioned. There had been countless auditions before this, yet there was always something lacking in all of them.


    When he had seen Kyle in person, that impression of him was confirmed. Yet, he couldn''t quite accept the sort of nonchalant attitude that the kid had. It rubbed him the wrong way. He realised that was his ego talking and it impaired his judgment.


    Seeing how fluid the kid''s movement was on the horse, how he controlled the situation properly and how the horse had started to bond with him in that little time. There was no doubt about it. He was made for the role and after this, Chad knew that he would never be able to find another person to fit so well.


    He regretted his earlier impulsive attitude.


    "Yes, you are right," Chad finally said with a sigh, "I''ve kinda been a dick, haven''t I?"


    Kyle smiled at that and answered, "You think?"


    Chad offered his hand again, and said, "I''m sorry. Shall we start all over again? Hi, I''m Chad Stahelski and would like to offer you a part in the next John Wick movie."


    This time, Kyle took Chad''s hand and shook it with a smile, "Hi, Mr. Stahelski. I''m Kyle Smith. I''ll have to hear what the part is about first before deciding."


    Kyle Smith ... Kyle Smith ... why did that name sound familiar? Chad''s eyebrows furrowed a bit at that, as if something was nagging at him at the back of his mind. He had been quite busy so he hadn''t really been up-to-date with any news. It was his assistant that would always tell him what he needed to know.


    Smith was quite a common surname, wasn''t it? But why was it standing out at this point?


    Just then, Chad''s PA came running over, a panicked look on his face. Especially when he saw Kyle. He rushed over to Chad, pulling on his sleeve and said urgently, "I have something I really need to tell you."


    Chad waved him aside, saying, "Later. I need to discuss some details with Kyle first."


    "I"m sorry, Sir, but this cannot wait. Really," the assistant said insistently.


    Chad''s frowned when Kyle said, "Please, don''t worry. We''ll still be here."


    Chad nodded, apologized and walked a bit of a distance away as he then asked, "Spill it. What''s so urgent?"


    The assistant was a bit shaking, his forehead wet with beads of sweat, "I - I''m afraid I left out a few details on Kyle Smith."


    Chad''s eyes narrowed, finally taking in the nervous state of his assistant. He didn''t say a word and the assistant gulped, knowing that the next few words could be the last words he spoke to Chad as his assistant.


    Chad listened with wide eyes. The more he heard, the more he wanted to strangle the man in front of him. Taking the paper in the assistant''s hands, he read through it quickly and glared at his assistant that was now cowering in fear. Rolling up the paper, he began hitting his assistant on the head and shoulders.


    Finally, he slammed the papers on the assistant''s chest and growled, "Make a mistake like this again and you might as well quit before I fire you."


    His assistant started apologizing profusely before running away, really relieved that the worst was over. He had survived. He was still working. He made a mental note never - ever - rush a job again. Never did he think the family background could be so important. He won''t make that mistake again.


    Chad looked at the young man that he had picked out just from a picture.


    Looks like his instinct was spot-on again. No wonder the kid wasn''t fazed by the grandeur of Mansion BMX - his family''s property was probably much bigger and grander than this. No wonder he wasn''t impressed by his identity as a world-renowned director - he had been rubbing shoulders with world leaders since young so what is a director in his eyes?. No wonder the kid had treated him like an equal - then, as someone below him when Chad hadn''t taken him seriously.


    Chad felt really foolish now. Luckily, he had apologized and Kyle had already accepted it. Looks like the Smith Heir wasn''t an egotistical young lord ... unlike a certain someone who acted all that. Chad scolded himself at that, and this experience made him a much better person in the future.


    "Thanks for waiting," Chad said as he walked back, "Let''s go to my office. We can discuss the details and see if we can work something out."


    Kyle nodded, agreeable.

 Chapter 198 - The Part

    Kyle, Sam and Agent Oreo followed Chad towards a trailer that was parked nearby. They were ushered into the air-conditioned unit and sat at the end, which had a corner sofa and a rectangular table.


    "First, I''d like to apologize again for ... well, for everything," Chad began again and Kyle''s respect for him grew. A man who was willing to admit his mistakes and apologize was one that Kyle always held in high admiration. Chad apologized - twice, and was sincere about it.


    "It''s the same for me," Kyle countered. If Chad could be magnanimous, so could he, "I can rub off people the wrong way."


    Chad smiled at that but didn''t say anything else. He knew Kyle hadn''t done anything but was merely giving Chad some leeway. Chad''s respect for Kyle grew at that point. He had been impressed before, but now, it was borne out of real respect.


    "Right, down to business," Chad said, all business-like, "As you guessed, this is going to be another John Wick movie. I had actually said that if the three did well, we would consider a fourth one - possibly even a fifth, if the response continues to be good."


    Kyle nodded and Sam was internally fangirling though his facial expression didn''t change a bit. John Wick was one of his ultimate favourite movies and he actually imagined himself as one of John Wick (if not John himself) whenever he did his shooting practice.


    "This movie," Chad began slowly, "Is going to have a slight twist. You are going to play John Wick''s son."


    "Wait, what?" Kyle sat up straighter in his chair, "How is that possible? John Wick never had children with his wife, who had died in the first movie."


    "Ah, that''s the twist," Chad said with a smile, "You''re a test-tube baby, created and raised from the labs to be the ultimate killing machine. After your father, of course."


    "You see," Chad said, getting all excited, "John has always been the top, and one that the organisation could never really let go. So they had contingency plans - any girls that John had ties with, they got her eggs and started making babies. The organisation already had John''s sperm, which was part of the whole ''medical check-up'' that he did when he first began."


    "A surrogate mother would be used to carry the fetus to term. These women were killed, of course, while the babies would be raised by the organisation from birth," Chad stated with a smile.


    "So I have lots of half-siblings then?" Kyle asked curiously.


    "Nope. The moment John married his wife, all the others were killed. They were useless," Chad said, "John had always been detached and cold, so for him to get married meant that only that person was special to him. Thus, only you were allowed to live."


    "Whoa. That''s harsh," Kyle said.


    "Yes, and that also shaped your cold personality. You grew up with your siblings and you were the youngest. You were doted on, for some reason and you were the best. Yet, when the others were killed, you were also told of the reason," Chad said, "So you got this hatred for the organisation and the father you never knew."


    "Why is my character so special?" Kyle asked, getting more and more intrigued.


    "To control John," Chad asked back, "Imagine knowing that you have a son - that is already mind-boggling. Imagine if that boy is the only legacy your beloved wife left behind for you. It''s better than a dog, right?!"


    "Yeah, and John went ballistic when his dog was killed in the first movie," Kyle nodded, stroking his chin.


    This was certainly exciting and Kyle''s eyes twinkled just thinking about it. Okay, so this movie was much more interesting than he first thought.


    "John is now the biggest thorn in the organisation''s side," Chad continued, "Not only did he escape them, he broke a sacred rule AND worst of all, he is killing off all of those who are after him for it. The only way out that they can see now is to use you, his son, to get him back to the organisation and under their thumb."


    Kyle laughed, "Stupid leaders then. The way John thinks, once he found out about his son, he''d save his son, wipe out the entire organisation with his son fighting alongside him, then they both go back and try to be a normal family. John learning how to be a father and the son, learning how to accept one."


    Chad looked at Kyle in disbelief.


    "How did you know?"


    Kyle shrugged, "Just a wild guess." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chad shook his head. A wild guess?! The writers had been racking their brains on how to get the perfect ending, that was open enough to hint at yet another movie while wrapping up the whole ''contract'' business. Kyle just heard the outline and came up with the ending within a minute.


    If only all his writers had those ''just wild guesses'' like Kyle.


    "So, are you in?"


    "But you haven''t seen me act," Kyle pointed out, "Why are you so sure I am for the part?"


    "Acting can be learned but what you have is that something which this role needs. That part, which can''t be learned. So I''m trusting my instinct here," Chad explained.


    "Can I do my own stunts like Mr. Reeves?" Kyle asked excitedly, "Do I get to use weapons?"


    "Well ... we''ll come to that when we come to that," Chad said, "You''ll be training under our stunt coordinator so that the fight scenes would look realistic. Keanu himself couldn''t fight at first, but now look at him."


    "Erm, I do know self-defence and how to shoot," Kyle revealed, "So if the stunt team clears me, I can do my own stunts, right?"


    Chad looked at Kyle in shock and cleared his throat.


    "Yes," he said reluctantly, not really believing that the stunt team would clear him. It was dangerous to be done by an amateur, but he couldn''t deny that the effects would be far better if the actor himself did the stunts. They could focus on the face rather than just the body frame.


    "Great," Kyle said, "You can discuss the contract details with my agent then. I trust him."


    "As for your parents?" Chad asked worriedly. Would the Smiths actually agree to this?


    "Once the contract details are ironed out, I''ll talk to them," Kyle assured them, "Dad''s a huge John Wick fan so I believe it wouldn''t be too hard to convince him."


    "Okay," Chad said, "I''ll leave my PA with your agent and they can trash it out about the contract. For now, shall we meet the stunt team? We also need to check you out to plan the fitness training regime for the movie."


    "Sure," Kyle said as he followed Chad out, Sam following closely behind. Kyle could already hear Agent Oreo firmly stating the fee and clauses of the contract as they walked out the door.


    "Julius!" Chad shouted as he brought Kyle over, "This is the young man that is going to play Keanu''s kid."


    Julius looked at Kyle closely, and then said, "Strip."


    "Excuse me?" Kyle glared at him.


    "He''s a man of few words," Chad apologised for him, "He needs to see your body physique in order to plan your exercise routine."


    Chad turned to face Julius and growled, "Explain things properly, damnit! Remember that he''s still a minor!"


    "Yeah yea," Julius said, waving his hand dismissively, "Look, kid. This is me. Get used to it."


    "It''s fine," Kyle said, "So long as I know where you stand. Just the shirt? If you''re going to ask me to go buck naked, you''ve got another thing coming."


    "Yes. Shirt," Julius said impatiently, "Age?"


    "14," Kyle answered as he took off his T-shirt and handed it to Sam.


    Everyone around just paused what they were doing the moment Kyle started lifting his shirt. It was as if everything was in slow motion, from the way he gripped the bottom of his T-shirt, lifting it up and revealing that tight abdominal muscles ... to the firm chest ... and the way his arm muscles were showing slightly as he pulled his arms over his head.


    Such a tantalising strip tease.


    Julius couldn''t believe it.


    He came over to Kyle, grabbing him by the shoulders and turned him left and right. He felt Kyle''s arms, back and started rubbing on his abs. Kyle gave him a weird look but allowed it ... for now.


    "It''s not coming off!" Julius exclaimed excitedly. He had thought Kyle had ''painted'' the lines with make-up.


    Running his hands all over Kyle''s abs, he was mesmerized as he shouted, "It''s REAL!"


    Julus kept on running his hands on Kyle''s body when he suddenly felt his hand being held, twisted and he found himself being flipped and was now on the ground while Kyle had his foot on his stomach.


    "Stop. Touching. Me," Kyle growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.


    "OMG. YOU ARE PERFECT!!" Julius squealed, even though he felt like shitting in his pants from the sheer pressure Kyle was giving him.


    Kyle leaned back, rolled his eyes and lifted his foot of Julius''s stomach.


    Julius got up quickly, saying, "I''m really sorry. I got carried away. It''s just that ..." he gestured to all that was Kyle, "that is just so magnificent. I can''t believe you''re only 14!"


    He turned to Chad, his eyes all glazed over and gushed, "Just where did you find this gem? He doesn''t need any exercise routine. From the looks of it, he already has his own so he just needs to stick to that himself."


    He looked back at Kyle, who was putting back his shirt (much to the dismay of everyone watching), and said under his breath, "He''s just perfection."


    Chad nodded absent-mindedly.


    When he had seen that black-and-white photo, he knew that the kid was fit but he didn''t think that the kid was THAT fit. Or that he managed to maintain it. He started getting excited and grabbed one lady that was nearby.


    "You took a picture of him shirtless, right?" he hissed.


    The lady''s hand shook but she nodded, nonetheless.


    "Good, send it to me now," Chad commanded. Once he got the pictures, he sent it to the writers of the movie.


    The chat exploded.


    ''Wait. Who is this kid?!'' - X


    ''John Wick''s son'' - C (Chad)


    ''Gosh, he''s perfect'' - A


    ''Write more fan service moments'' - C


    ''Got it. This will certainly appeal to the younger audience'' - X


    ''Frontal nudity?'' - A


    ''Are you crazy?! He''s 14!'' - C


    ''....'' - X


    ''....'' - A


    ''Can we at least have back view?'' - A


    ''NO'' - C


    ''Just a .. '' - A


    ''NO'' - C


    ''K. FINE'' - A


    ''We''ll add in the appropriate sexy-within-limit scenes'' - X


    Chad closed the chat with satisfaction.


    The kid was more perfect than he initially thought. And that move. Kyle certainly hadn''t been lying when he said he knew self-defence. That move actually took an expert in surprise - and even better. That intense dark aura that Kyle gave as he had held Julius down.


    Kyle Smith was John Wick''s son to a T.

 Chapter 199 - Meeting The Parents

    Kyle went home the very next day. He applied for leave with the Principal and informed the others of this. Kay had wanted to go back with him but he insisted that she stay.


    Initially, he had asked Kay to ''soften'' the blow with Patrick (the Dad) but he changed his mind. It was getting really tedious to always have to convince his parents to let him do what he wanted and as time went by, this got to be more of a hindrance to his plans.


    He needed the flexibility to act but his age didn''t let him. That, and his overprotective Mum.


    So here he was, on the way home.


    Kyle was in business class, even though he could well afford the first class. He didn''t like spending money unnecessarily, and would only spend as much as he felt was appropriate. Economy class was too cramped and first class was too decadent, but the business class was just right. It was comfortable and the flight wasn''t long anyway.


    Though he seriously hated flying.


    It wasn''t fear of the plane crashing, but rather, it was that he actually gets airsick. The smell of the pressurized cabin, the plastic aftertaste in the airplane food and the way the plane lurched upon take-off and landing which made his stomach queasy.


    All in all, he always prayed that the pilot was good so that when the plane lands, he wouldn''t feel like to puke everything out. Kay always laughed at him, even though she did take care of him whenever they were on flights. She pitied him but at the same time, couldn''t help but laugh at the miserable state he often is in - especially for long flights.


    This one wasn''t long - just below two hours. Thus, Kyle gritted his teeth and told himself to just bear with it.


    Unknown to him as he was too busy trying to keep the queasiness at bay, he was making all heads turn in the airplane. The way he sat on the chair, his eyes completely focused on the file in his hands, made people''s heart palpitate as they passed by his seat.


    His long eyelashes fluttered once in a while, his lips slightly parted as he breathed through them and whenever his tongue brushed along it to wet it, it made all the stewardess''s face flush. They had to keep reminding themselves that the young man was still a minor.


    As the plane took off, Kyle put down the report and closed his eyes. He felt the plane lurched a bit as it climbed and he gulped, feeling the familiar sensation of the pressure hitting his chest and stomach. When the plane finally stablised, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes.


    Only to see the concerned face of one stewardess near him.


    "Are you alright, Mr. Smith?" she asked worriedly.


    Kyle gave her a sweet smile, saying, "Kyle, please. I keep thinking you''re calling my father if you call me that."


    The stewardess blushed a bit, her ears a bit red as she nodded, "Kyle, do you need anything?"


    "It''s okay, Ms ...?" Kyle enquired.


    "Clara," she replied, "Just Clara."


    Kyle nodded and smiled again - this time, his Million Dollar Watt smile as he said, "It''s okay, Clara. Planes just don''t agree with me. I''ll be fine in a bit. Thank you for asking."


    She smiled at him and went off, only to return with a can of 7-up and a glass with ice. In the ice, was this small round piece of dried sour plum in it.


    "Here, whenever I get a bit of an upset stomach, I use my mother''s traditional method. Try drinking this with the sour plum in it.* It workes wonders," Clara said shyly, "The sour plum is from my hometown and you can''t get it anywhere else."


    Kyle took the drink, his fingers lightly brushing against Clara''s as he thanked her, completely oblivious to what had happened. His mind was too focused on the uneasy feeling in his stomach to notice that her cheeks were now quite flushed red.


    The other passengers noticed, though and so she quickly ran off to hide while another stewardess ''patroled'' the aisle.


    The drink did help Kyle a lot and he made a mental note to add that to his list of ''what to take when being airsick''. As much as he hated flying, it was going to be something that he would have to do a lot, especially when he''s the CEO.


    Definitely, once he takes over, he''s going to get a private plane and hire the best pilot. His parents found that to be an unnecessary expenditure as they didn''t travel that much or often, and first class was more than enough. He''s going to show how much of a necessity it would be for him. Not that he would need their permission if he used his own money anyway.


    For the entire flight, Kyle got extra attention from the very caring stewardess. When he refused the inflight meals, they''d give him peanuts and insisted he needs to chew something. Some even gave him their own private stash of goodies. When he closed his eyes, the stewardesses would rush to be the one to put the blanket on him.


    Kyle felt that he was being more smothered than when Kay was with him. Still, he didn''t resent them for it as he knew they were only concerned for him. The other passengers were jealous, though, and felt that it wasn''t fair that the good looking ones always get preferential treatment.


    Well, tough. That''s life.


    When the plane finally landed, Kyle got up in relief and gave everyone a great huge smile. As he walked off, the stewardesses sighed and hoped that they would be on duty again when he took his flight back.


    ?? Back Home ??


    Patrick was staring at his son, Kyle. Delilah was by his side and she frowned as she listened to his outrageous request.


    "Out of the question," she hissed, "You are only 14 years old and you think you''re old enough to make your own decisions?"


    "Mum," Kyle said patiently, "Are you basing your entire decision simply on the fact that I''m 14? Haven''t I proven myself time-and-time again that I know what I''m doing?"


    Delilah opened her mouth to retort when she stopped short. She couldn''t think of one single incident that she could raise to prove him wrong. He had made countless decisions which she didn''t agree with yet, none of them had been detrimental to him.


    "I''m not saying that I don''t need your guidance, but I do wish to be able to have the freedom to do what I want to do," Kyle continued, "My path is laid out as the next heir and I believe I''ve performed up to expectations in that regard."


    Patrick nodded, not refuting Kyle. In fact, his performance was beyond exemplary.


    Patrick sighed and placed a hand on the shoulder of the seething Delilah who was going to blast at him again, "Sweetheart, he''s right and you know it." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Delilah clenched her teeth and her heart was torn.


    She knew. Yes, she knew.


    In reality, she was well aware that there had been nothing that she could teach him for he seemed to learn on his own. She had been fighting that in the entire 14 years of his life, for she couldn''t accept that her own son did not need her at all.


    That''s why she was tougher on him. A subconscious act on her part to be a part of his life, to be the one that could guide him. That''s why she resisted so much whenever he wanted to do things. Her bottom lip quivered.


    Kyle sighed and came up to his mother.


    How could he not know what was going through her mind?


    He kneeled down and looked up at her, holding her hands in his as he said softly and gently, "Mum, you have been the best mother anyone could ask for. I''m sorry for being such a freak."


    Delilah''s eyes watered at that, seeing how tortured his son appeared to be. To call himself a freak? He must have known that he wasn''t normal yet he didn''t show a thing. He must have suffered so much, yet she had treated him like a kid.


    She placed a hand on his cheeks and asked, "Was it so hard?"


    Her son was a genius. How could she, who was so normal, have produced such a child?


    Kyle smiled, a sweet and dazzling smile full of love as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. He looked at her in the eyes and said, "Having you treat me like a normal kid made me happy. You didn''t treat me like a freak. It''s just that now ... I ... I just need to be free."


    Delilah looked at her husband, Patrick, who had been quiet this whole time. He nodded.


    Delilah looked again at her handsome son. Capable, mature and growing up too fast.


    Her son was like a dragon, stuck in this small pond. He needed to be let free to soar into the skies. She would not be the one that held him back. She knew this day would come, but she thought it was still far in the future. The fact that he was bringing it up now meant he was feeling stifled already.


    "Fine," Delilah said with resignation, "I''ll start on the paperwork immediately."


    In Country TZ, there was the ''Child Emancipation Law'' that is similar to Country US, which allowed a minor to act for himself without needing an adult. At 16 years old, a child can petition to the court to disown themselves from their parents and be treated as an adult (legally).


    In Country TZ, however, it also allowed a parent to voluntarily allow their child to be treated as an adult without having to ''disown'' them. Thus, the child was still a part of the family yet legally an adult. There was no age restriction, so long as both parents were in agreement. This was the process that Delilah was talking about.


    Kyle sighed with relief. That went far smoother than he expected.

 Chapter 200 - Bait Taken

    Things went by smoothly after that.


    Kyle was amazed at the speed in which the whole documentation and process were completed. In less than two days, Kyle was a ''free'' man. So, now he could sign the contract for himself, without needing his parents to come over and do so.


    After obtaining the official documents, Kyle nonchalantly told his parents during breakfast that he was going to act for fun. This was on the day he was going back to Sakura Academy.


    "You? Acting?" Delilah said with a laugh, "Since when have you ever been interested in doing so?"


    "Well, yeah," Kyle agreed, "It has never been in my mind at all. It''s just that something came up and I thought, why not? Once I graduate, I''ll be fully committed to the Smith Industries. So might as well just go all out before then."


    "Makes sense," Patrick said, "While you''re still free, as a student. Travel where you want. Do what you want. Get it out of your system."


    "Is that why you wanted this so soon?" Delilah asked.


    "Partly," Kyle admitted, "I''ve always been thinking about it but this opportunity was the one that made me realise - it''s best to do so now."


    Kyle looked at his mother seriously, "It''s not because I think you don''t raise me well. I just want to be able to make my own decisions and pave my path freely."


    Kyle knew that his mother still had some reservations. As a mother himself (strange as that statement was), he could understand her fears. Thus, he was extra sensitive to Delilah. Despite the fact that she was not a ''mother'' in the true sense in his heart, she was still someone that carried him for nine months and tried her best.


    One just couldn''t quite get over the mindset, but he was still respectful and grateful to her. No matter what, she was his mother and he would take care of her and protect her as best as he could. Oh, yeah. His father, too.


    Delilah gave Kyle a rather wistful smile as she said, "I know, Kyle. I know. I guess this was something I knew you''d want since long ago but I was hoping to still have you as my little baby boy."


    "Though honestly, you were never really a baby. It was as if I gave birth to a man or something," she mumbled a bit.


    Patrick nodded, agreeing with Delilah, "A mini man you were."


    "SO!" Patrick exclaimed, "What movie is this that you''re taking part in for the first time? You''re an extra, right? Something like, either a dead body or those faceless people amongst the crowd."


    Delilah hit him on the shoulder, saying, "Even in a crowd, our son will stand ut. What faceless person!"


    "Well, you can''t deny that he has never acted before,"Patrick said, "So I doubt he would know of casting dates and all that."


    Patrick was logical and would be correct. For normal people, that is. Auditioning for parts would not normally be a public and open casting for the main parts, unless they were looking for ''fresh'' faces. Disney tended to do that due to the hype of making live-action movies of their famous cartoons, but that was an exception and not the norm.


    Kyle hid a smile as he took a bite of his sausage, "It''s a John Wick movie. It''s the second lead role."


    Patrick''s hand froze in mid-air, the fork with the scrambled eggs hovering. Delilah stared at her son who was eating like the news he gave wasn''t one of the biggest bombshells ever. They looked at each other and then back at him.


    Kyle grinned, turned to face them and wriggled his eyebrows.


    Delilah delicately wiped the edges of her lips and put down the napkin slowly.


    "Dear," she said sweetly to her husband, "I''m going to be taking leave for a few months. I miss the kids."


    Patrick put down his fork and smiled equally sweetly to his wife, "Kids? Or Keanu?"


    Delilah put a hand on her chest and blinked innocently, "Kids, of course."


    Kyle continued eating his breakfast, laughing silently. Kyle knew his mother wouldn''t really come over for the entire filming. She just loved teasing Patrick for it. While Patrick loved the John Wick movies, Delilah was a fan of Keanu himself. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sorry, Mum. Closed set," Kyle said, "But I''ll try and get you in during the final shots."


    Delilah grinned and looked smugly at Patrick, who rolled his eyes.


    ?? Sage Class ??


    Xing Han was like a dead fish, flopping at his desk.


    "Kaaaayyyyyy..." he wailed, "When is Kyle coming baaaaccckkk??"


    "For the millionth time, Xing Han, "Kay answered patiently, "He''ll be back once he settles everything. The process takes time."


    Xing Han stomped his feet under his desk while laying his head was on it, saying, "But it''s been nearly a week now! One whole week. Seven days. Well, almost seven days. That''s 168 hours. Which is 10,080 minutes. Which is..."


    "Oh, stop being so melodramatic, Xing Han," came a very familiar voice and something was placed on his head.


    Xing Han sniffed, grabbed the bag that was on his head and got up, hugging Kyle excitedly, "My saviour! My man!"


    "Your delivery boy, you mean," Kyle said with a smirk.


    "Pfffft, that''s secondary!" Xing Han said, yet he still sat down and eagerly opened up the bag. It was his favourite. Pork chops from Restaurant X.


    Xing Han wiped the drool from his mouth, hugged the bag and looked at Kyle dreamily.


    "Oh, Xing Han," Ali said, "Stop looking at Kyle like he''s your pork chops."


    "Somehow ... that came out wrong, Ali," Sam pointed out.


    "Kyle is my pork chops," Xing Han commented.


    "Okay, now that sounded way worse," Sam said, rolling his eyes, "Mind your language around Betty."


    "Pah," Xing Han snorted, "Your Betty isn''t that innocent anymore. You''re forever finding ways to keep on ..."


    Sam rushed over, putting his hand on Xing Han''s mouth, his face beet red. Beatrice wasn''t around, which was why Xing Han could be so open about it. Still, it didn''t mean that he liked hearing Xing Han say it.


    Xing Han took Sam''s hand off his mouth then started singing, "Sam and Betty, sitting in a tree, K- ..."


    Sam quickly and decisively took Xing Han''s bag of pork chops, then ran off. Xing Han watched Sam disappear in shock before he got his wits back and started wailing, rushing after him.


    Kyle looked at Kay and the disappearing duo, "Has it been like this the past week?"


    Kay rolled her eyes and merely answered, "You have NO idea."


    Kyle placed another bag on Kay''s desk, kissing the top of her head as he did so, "From Mum." It was Kay''s favourite cheesecake, plus some pastries from Kyle that could only be gotten from home.


    He then walked to the front of the class, placing the last bag on the counter and told the others, "Some snacks from home. Help yourselves."


    "Looks like you''re not going to be around for the next few months?" Kay asked as Kyle walked back to his desk.


    "Yup," he confirmed.


    [Will need some tech and intel as well. The shooting at Mansion BMX is only for a couple of months, so I need to make my move within that time frame]


    [Will Sam be with you the entire time?] Kay asked.


    [He has to be]


    [Think he''s ready?] Kay asked worriedly.


    Kyle tapped the table with his pen, thinking hard [It''s nothing serious as he''s just the support. It''s not even close to what you did with Kazuya]


    Kay shuddered a bit at that memory. She is SO glad to just be the tech support now.


    ?? Mansion BMX ??


    Samantha was amazed as she looked at the information her people got for her.


    That young stud was Kyle Smith?


    A freaking FOURTEEN-year-old boy?!


    A kid who ... who ... who could do that to her wasn''t a normal kid.


    Samantha ran her fingers on the A3 size picture of Kyle. It was the same black-and-white sexy picture of Kyle that Chad had seen. Her fingers paused on his slightly exposed abs and she smiled, remembering the real deal that she had shamelessly touched.


    Her face became flushed when she remembered his hands and lips ... and she felt her core tingling all over again. She banged her fist on his picture, right on the face and growled. Ever since that day, none of the guys she called up could satisfy her the way he had.


    Even when she told them what to do, they just couldn''t do it.


    It frustrated her to no end.


    She recalled the words he had said to her that day. That she deserved to be made love to by one who truly loves her for who and what she is.


    It sounded nice and all but what guy would actually look at her in that way? To see her for who she is, and not just at her body? Or her money?


    No one.


    Other than ...


    Samantha looked again at Kyle''s picture.


    Well, he had admitted to her being a highly desirable woman, right? With one of the most beautiful bodies that he had ever seen.


    Samantha leaned on the table, putting her head on Kyle''s picture as she traced his body with her finger. She began thinking of several things and started smiling.


    There was a lot of work to do.

 Chapter 201 - Shooting Begins

    It was the first day of shooting and Kyle was pretty excited.


    He didn''t have any scenes that day, but he came anyway as he wanted to get a feel of the place. After all, he was a newcomer and it wouldn''t be right that he just appears during the times he has a scene.


    He needed to know the area, the people and how things worked. Seeing the hustle bustle of the crew members made it all so exciting, too. Kyle had arrived early (as per normal) with Sam and went to greet Chad first.


    "Ah, Kyle," Chad greeted him with a smile, "Here''s the script. Keep it under lock and key. Not even the crew members know of its contents."


    Kyle took the thick pad of paper and nodded. He had already signed the contract which included a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) the other day, so he was well prepared for this. Kyle had to admit. Agent Oreo did a good job in the contract details.


    For one, Kyle wasn''t paid at all but took a % of the box office income.


    The % wasn''t high as he was a newcomer but the fact that he could even get that % was already amazing enough. Agent Oreo had pointed out that Kyle was already filthy rich so any sort of payment would be an insult (even though he was a newcomer).


    However, bearing in mind that Kyle was the 2nd male lead, then the popularity of the movie would also be depended on him. Thus, the only logical thing to do was to get a % of the income: after all, Kyle would definitely be part of the reason the movie would do well. Agent Oreo was that confident of Kyle''s marketability.


    Secondly, in order to expand Kyle''s marketability, Kyle would need to aggressively promote the movie. Which would mean going on worldwide tours with Keanu. Attend talk shows. At first, Kyle blanched at this until he saw that one of the areas he would be promoting the movie in was Country M.


    His eyes sparkled at that. The hometown of his old life. Would he be able to somehow wheedle his way back home just to glance at his kids? Maybe ... even ... meet them? Such thoughts made him nervous and excited though he knew that he wouldn''t (or rather, shouldn''t) meet them. Still, it was a chance to make some background check on Rex Industries.


    It gave him a lot of opportunities that he hadn''t planned before.


    His initial plan was to ''touch base'' with Country M during the student exchange programme, which would be in 3 years time. The main reason he had chosen Sakura Academy was for this. Now, however, it seems that he may be able to push his plan forward a bit.


    This would require a lot of adjustments and work but it was something that Kyle was more than willing to work out. Kyle was very happy with this, and for Agent Oreo''s foresight in adding it.


    Third, he could do his own stunts. He had a stunt double, but that guy would only be involved in the car chase scenes. Kyle couldn''t quite reveal the fact that not only could he drive, but he could also race and drift as well. Somehow, such a skill would not be easy to explain.


    Kyle smiled at Chad as he held the script in his hands, "I''ll study this really carefully. When is Mr Reeves coming?"


    "Please, call me Keanu," came the sultry voice from behind Kyle.


    Kyle had actually been aware that Keanu had arrived, for he heard the footsteps. Still, he had to act surprised, right? Since Keanu had obviously walked silently. Whether that was intentional or not, Kyle couldn''t tell.


    One thing he had to do though ... was keep a very, very straight face.


    In truth, Delilah and Sam weren''t the only fans of Keanu Reeves. Kylie had been a HUGE, major fan ever since his first movie. She had stood by him even when he had received a lot of criticism for his ''wooden'' acting, for the fact that he had only ''one expression''. That he was a bad kisser on screen and all sorts of bad press.


    Yet, he had never retaliated and kept on making movies.


    So look where he is now. The darling of the movie world and everyone adored him. He didn''t need to do anything anymore and the whole world would swoon. His private life, though, was rather tragic. Broke up with his beloved upon the loss of their unborn daughter. Lived alone and was very low key.


    The last interview he did had him admit that he was lonely and that made all the women (and, Kyle suspected, men as well) swoon even more and most likely scrambling to get his attention.


    All of that flashed through Kyle''s mind and he had to mentally tell himself ... he is Kyle. Kyle. Don''t let inner Kylie out.


    So easy to say. So hard to do.


    Luckily, Kyle managed it.


    Or at least, he hoped so.


    Kyle gave a sincere ... and a bit adoring ... smile as he turned to face his idol from his previous life, Keanu Reeves.


    "Mr Reeves! I mean, Keanu," Kyle gushed a bit, then coughed, steadying himself, "It''s an honour to meet you."


    Keanu gave a smile that made Kyle weak in the knees. Damn this man was good. He was a natural charmer and didn''t have to do anything!


    Silly Kyle. While he''s admiring Keanu for being the sexy stud that he is, he never realised that he, himself, exuded that sort of simmering sexuality as well. It wasn''t at the level of Keanu yet but it was getting close. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was all due to the fact that Kyle was still young, so there was still that invisible barrier that most people didn''t cross. Kyle''s training and past self helped him bring that sexuality out but it had to be ''activated'' to get the best results. Keanu, however, didn''t need that.


    All he needed to do was just ''exist''.


    Of course, in the future, Kyle would surpass Keanu in that aspect.


    As Chad looked at Kyle standing next to Keanu, he couldn''t help but feel extremely satisfied.


    His instinct had been on the nose again.


    Both of them had that innate sense of presence that could not be dimmed nor imitated. A sort of dark, dangerous sexuality yet a hint of innocence in Kyle and a hint of softness in Keanu which appealed to a lot of people.


    Chad rubbed his hands together in glee.


    ?? ?? ??


    As the crew members were preparing the set, Kyle read the script a few times.


    The first time was to get an overall understanding and view of the whole movie. The second time was to highlight his parts. The third time was to jot down certain notes by its side of his impression of what the scene would entail and what was expected of him.


    Chad had only given him the script now rather than when the contract was signed as Kyle''s part wasn''t anytime soon. For now, most of the scenes at Mansion BMX involved Keanu. They were going to film all the scenes which involved Mansion BMX within two months then go to other places for those scenes.


    Kyle''s part was only towards the end, so he had plenty of time to study the script and immerse himself in the role. Including getting to know the other actors and actresses, plus learn the fighting moves with the stunt team.


    Despite the excitement that he felt over everything, he never forgot his main purpose of the whole thing: to infiltrate Mansion BMX and assassinate Richard Greene, Samantha''s father. Richard was notorious in the underworld yet had such a firm grip on the police and politicians that he could get away with anything.


    Big Bro Nitocris didn''t really care that Richard was trespassing on his area for there wasn''t much damage that Richard could do. He was like an annoying fly that buzzed around you. What Big Bro Nitocris couldn''t tolerate, however, was the wanton way Richard did things.


    There had to be order, even in the underworld. Otherwise, there would be chaos. And Richard Greene was the one that could be the trigger for that. He was already creating waves and didn''t care about the repercussions. He felt that he was invincible.


    Nitocris was to show him that he was wrong and Kyle was tasked to prove it.


    So while Kyle was studying the script, he was also thinking of ways to slip out unnoticed and do what needs to be done. It had to be timed perfectly so that the job would get done yet the movie crew would not get involved or affected. Kyle gave himself two weeks to formulate the plan, two weeks to fine-tune it and then the remaining month to time the moment to do the deed.


    He still needed that one factor though. If she didn''t turn up, he would resort to another plan. He felt no guilt in using Samantha to get to her father, for Richard had to go. There was no ifs, ands or buts about it.


    ?? ?? ??


    Keanu was watching the young man from afar and was impressed by the seriousness that he was giving to the movie. One thing that Keanu admired was hard work and dedication, upon which this young man was giving - something he rarely saw in the younger generation.


    When he first met Kyle, he could tell the hidden excitement in his eyes as they shook hands. It was hidden well, and there was no shaking of the voice nor a show of nervousness, but Keanu could tell. That was due to experience more than anything and he took it in his stride.


    Yet, unlike most, the young man didn''t gush nor fawn over him. Instead, he did his best to act normally and talk respectfully. Keanu liked that. He was an easygoing person and wouldn''t think negatively of Kyle should he be all ''star struck'' but he definitely had a better impression of those who didn''t and worked seriously.


    He sat there, pondering and studying the young man.


    Finally, after much deliberation, he walked over.

 Chapter 202 - Samantha Makes A Move

    Kyle looked up with a smile, getting up from his seat as Keanu walked towards him.


    Keanu waved his hand, gesturing Kyle to sit but he refused. Sam quickly ran off to find another chair, offering his chair to Keanu instead. Both ignored the chair as Keanu stood, watching as the crew placed the final touches on set.


    "Nervous?" he asked quietly.


    Kyle shrugged, "Nah. It''s not my cue. But even then, I''m more excited than anything else."


    Keanu nodded, thinking back on his first day on set. Hardly the same sort of reaction. He could tell how jittery the young man was, as if he couldn''t wait to get out there.


    "You''re not like any young actor I''ve met," Keanu said wryly.


    Kyle turned to him, giving him a Million Dollar Watt Smile, "That''s because I''m not. A young actor, I mean. Well, I''m young but not an actor."


    Kyle wanted to hit himself. What-the-fuck is wrong with him? He''s sprouting nonsense right now and he could see how Sam was laughing in one corner at his expense.


    Kyle turned to glare at Sam, then threw his pen at him. Sam caught it easily, and returned it just as quickly. Kyle used two fingers to catch it and placed it in his pocket, while giving Sam the evil eye. He gave the signal that he was watching Sam by making a peace sign which he used to point to his eyes and then at Sam.


    Sam just grinned at him, wriggling his eyebrows.


    Keanu watched the interaction between the two with amusement.


    Just then, there was a slight commotion at the entrance. Everyone turned to look, to see a young lady walk into the set.


    She was dressed to kill. It looked like she was going to a club rather than onto a movie set. She wore a red mini dress that clung to her curves like a second skin, and had a plunging neckline that showed off her ample assets to the fullest.


    Her shoulder length hair bounced on her shoulders as she turned to look around. When her eyes caught sight of Kyle, her ruby red lips broke into a sultry smile and she started walking over. Two bodyguards were walking closely behind her, their eyes straight and latched onto Kyle as well.


    "Someone you know?" Keanu asked in amusement, seeing the way the young man suddenly stood up straight, stiffening his shoulders.


    "Er, kinda," Kyle admitted, "She''s the daughter of the owner of this place. I kinda bumped into her the other day."


    Sam snorted at that and coughed to cover it up. Keanu noted this, and had a feeling that there was more to this than meets the eye. He decided to just stand aside and quietly observe.


    The three of them stood silently as they watched Samantha came closer, deliberately swishing her hips seductively with each step. When she finally reached Kyle, she merely nodded to Keanu and Sam, then poked Kyle on the chest.


    "You," she began, then trailed her finger down from his chest to his stomach, just stopping at the button of his jeans, "will accompany me while you''re here."


    Kyle blinked, smiled softly and replied, "I''m here to work, Samantha. Not be your babysitter."


    Samantha grabbed him by the collar and brought her face close, her breath hitting him in the face as she hissed, "Do I look like I need a babysitter?!"


    "In that get-up?" Kyle replied, deliberately looking at her ample cleavage, then lowered his voice to say huskily, "You might, in 9 months time."


    She grinned, bringing her body closer, placing her leg right inbetween his as she whispered sultrily, "Are you going to do help me do the honours then?"


    Kyle brought his face to her ear to whisper, "I''m not into fucking in front of an audience." Then he blew into her ear softly before bringing his head away.


    Samantha''s face flushed pink, then grabbed Kyle''s head and brought it close. She placed her lips right on his, sucking and biting on his lips as she started rubbing her thigh on his crotch. Just as quickly, she broke free and looked at his face seriously.


    With her thumb, she started wiping her lipstick off his lips, "But I am."


    She then sat down on the chair, crossed her legs and put on sunglasses. The two burly bodyguards stood at attention behind her.


    "I''ll just sit here and watch the whole thing. Gotta let Daddy know if anything is not satisfactory, right?" she said with a smile, raising an eyebrow towards Kyle.


    Kyle just shrugged and turned to look towards the set. He smiled sheepishly at Keanu, giving the ''it''s beyond me'' look to which Keanu simply patted him on the shoulder.


    "Be careful," he said softly as he walked onto the set.


    Kyle nodded, touched at Keanu''s concern though it was still within Kyle''s control. He brought his hand behind him, to grab onto the ankle of the foot that was busy rubbing his butt.


    "This is sexual harassment, Samantha," Kyle said as he put down Samantha''s leg, "And you''re showing everyone that you''re not wearing any underwear."


    Samantha just laughed as she put her legs down, but spread them slightly apart as she leaned back, "So there''s certainly nothing wrong with your eyes then."


    Her gaze landed on his crotch and she pouted, "But I still don''t believe that is in working order."


    "What? You''re here to keep testing it, is it?" Kyle asked as he sat down on the chair next to her.


    She leaned over, her hand reaching out towards him (more specifically, towards his crotch) when he caught it, intertwining his fingers with hers. He looked at her straight in the eyes and said seriously, "I told you, Samantha. You''re really very desirable but I''m just not into casual sex."


    "It won''t be for me," Samantha said just as seriously.


    "It takes two to tango, you know," Kyle pointed out, "And I won''t use you in that way."


    Kyle took a long, appreciative look of Samantha''s body and said, "All I know about you is that you have an extremely good body that anyone would love to have under them."


    "But ..."


    Using one finger, he touched a spot just above her left nipple, saying, "It is your heart that is important and I don''t know what''s truly in there."


    Lowering his voice, Kyle then cupped her left breast squeezing it a little, as he said, "I already know how your body feels like,"


    Then, rubbing his thumb on her nipple and twirling around it, causing her to moan a bit under her breath as he continued, "And how you sound like when you''re turned on,"


    Then tapping on the spot above her left breast again, "But it''s still your heart that I want to know."


    Kyle let go and leaned back.


    Kyle had used his body to block what he was doing to Samantha, so no one other than Samantha and her two bodyguards knew what had truly happened. They glared at him but didn''t make a move as Samantha hadn''t made any signal.


    She just glared at Kyle, angry at him for so easily invoking the heat in her. She yearned for his touch again but he was studying the scene in front of him so intensely.


    Samantha gritted her teeth. So he wanted to know more about her, is it? Easily done.


    She took out her phone and dialed a number. Once it was picked up, she barked, "Get a room ready."


    She listened and nodded, "Good. Move everything now."


    Satisfied, she put down the phone and pointed it at him while declaring, "Fine. You''re staying with me at the house while filming is on then."


    Kyle looked towards Samantha, shook his head and said, "I have my PA with me."


    "So?" Samantha denied vehemently, "Your PA can stay here. That trailer is more than enough for one person." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle sighed and leaned back on the chair, seemingly resigned to the situation. This caused Samantha to be smug and happy, so she got up and told him, "Dinner is at 6pm. Don''t be late."


    Kyle watched her go, his face scrunched up with some worry before he turned back to look at Keanu acting. Sam came by and sat next to him, his eyebrows notched up.


    "That went well," Sam said softly.


    "Yes, well," Kyle replied, putting up his leg onto his knee, "When you got it, you got it."


    "I believe she missed a spot though," Sam said, indicating to a spot just to the left of Kyle''s lips, "That was one heck-of-a-kiss."


    Kyle grinned at Sam, "Why? Taking notes? Don''t go kissing Betty like that now, you perv."


    Sam''s face started flushing beet red and he pushed his glasses up his nose, "Not all of us are as shameless as you."


    "Well, yeah," Kyle said with a smirk, "All part of the job. It''s tough, but someone''s got to do it."


    Sam rolled his eyes at that.


    [Kay, I''m in. Tonight.]


    [That was quick]


    [Did you ever doubt me, dear sister?]


    Kyle laughed as he heard Kay snort [Just make sure you retain your V-card, dear brother. Samantha is known to eat young boys like you for breakfast]


    [Hmmm ... maybe I should put into practice what I learned though?]


    [Urgh. Please. Just put those bugs in first. Yume and the rest will monitor the situation to let you know if the plan is viable]


    [Tell Zero to monitor Richard closer now. Coordinate with Yume on the date that he''ll come over Mansion BMX]


    [Got it. So .... Is Keanu as hot as how he appears on television?]


    [No]


    [Auw] Kay sighed.


    [He''s hotter]

 Chapter 203 - Infiltration

    That evening, Kyle found that all his stuff in the trailer had already been taken to the Mansion. Looks like Samantha wasn''t going to take ''no'' for an answer.


    "Here," Sam said, handing a backpack to Kyle, "Your, er, toiletries."


    "Thanks," Kyle said, flinging it over one shoulder, "You''ll be fine?"


    Sam shrugged, sat on the bed and grinned while wriggling his eyebrows, "I have the whole place to myself now. Ah, such bliss. You''re the one who''s got to handle the man-eating cougar."


    Kyle coughed at that, "True. My chastity''s at stake here."


    Sam snorted, whipping out his phone and started texting. This was the first time that he''d be separated from Betty since they got together and he was missing her like crazy. Luckily, Betty was the extremely talkative type so it appeased him to see so many texts from her.


    The moment Kyle saw the goofy smile on Sam''s face, he rolled his eyes and walked out. During the day, Sam was efficient. During the night, Sam was hopeless. At least, staying at the mansion meant he didn''t need to see that all the time.


    As he walked towards the mansion, all the guards around merely looked at him going by without doing a thing.


    Still, this mission had an entirely different element to it altogether. If it was pure fighting, he''d be much more confident but this time ...


    Still, he had to hone the skill sooner or later anyway.*


    He had always been learning and putting what he learned into practice, except this particular skill. Perhaps starting off at 14 was a bit young but you utilise what you have, right? He had to get it down pat now before he became older anyway.


    Of course, he hoped he would never need to cross the line.


    Just as he reached the front door, it flung open and a butler was standing there stiffly. He looked at Kyle without any expression and politely said, "Master Kyle, this way, please. Young Mistress is waiting for you."


    ''Well, lah-dee-dah'' thought Kyle to himself. Such rigid formality. Back home, the Smith''s Home did have lots of help around the house but they were much more relaxed about it. They were polite, but there was no ''Master'' this or ''Mistress'' that.


    Kyle was led to the dining room and the long table was only set for two people. Upon seeing Kyle enter, she smiled and said, "That will be all, Henry."


    Henry clicked his heels together, bowed and signaled the maids there before going out.


    "Such fanciness," Kyle commented as Samantha came over.


    "What? All this?" she asked, indicating the lavishly decorated dining room with its chandeliers, gold trimmings, antique furniture, and glittering lights.


    "Wouldn''t your own house be the same?" she asked curiously, taking his arm and squishing her ample melons on it.


    Kyle shook his head, ignoring the softness at his arm as he shook his head, "No. My parents are of the minimalist type. As am I. Just because we can afford it, doesn''t mean we''ll actually do it."


    Samantha blinked her eyes rapidly at that, seemingly shocked, "If you have it, why not flaunt it? What''s the point of having all of that money if you don''t spend it?"


    Kyle smiled, making her heart go all flutter inside, "If you have it, why flaunt it? Isn''t it enough that you know you can if you wanted to? The opinion of others doesn''t matter. I''ll buy the best of what I want but I wouldn''t buy something just because it''s the best."


    Samantha couldn''t quite wrap her mind around it, "Let''s eat first then I''ll show you the house. Maybe you''ll change your opinion."


    "What? Are you saying your entire house is this decadent? I don''t believe it," Kyle said, looking extremely surprised and shocked.


    Samantha gave a smug smile and replied, "Of course it is. We only want what''s the best."


    "We''ll see," Kyle said, shrugging.


    "Humph," Samantha said, stomping her foot a bit and causing her assets to jingle, "I''ll show you."


    And show him she did. She brought him around to the entire house, feeling all smug and happy to see how such simple decorations could awe him. He''d go around, touching things, his face full of wonder and questions.


    Samantha patiently explained everything, showing him that the place wasn''t just beautiful but it had all the best security measures as well. She was extremely proud showing it off to him, for he really looked impressed.


    "Doesn''t your house have such security details?" Samantha asked curiously.


    Kyle shrugged, putting his hands in his pocket, silently playing with the bugs he had inside. Upon entering each room, he would make a study of the entire place and decide the best place to put the bugs. It did not use visuals but instead, sonic waves like how bats used to determine location.


    Similar to how Daredevil moves.**


    It was something new that had been developed and was best to be used here as he couldn''t place them in the best positions for visuals. Using the sonic waves, they would get a good idea of everything anyway.


    He also released some electronic flies that would give some visuals if needed but the quality of the video from the said bugs weren''t good. It was sufficient, however, to be able to make out the people in order to recognise them. So the fly bugs were to spy on the people while the sonic bugs were to spy on the movements.


    [All the bugs have been set in the main areas. Will place the rest later tonight when everyone''s asleep]


    [Got it] replied Kay.


    [I''ll be coming back once a week to go through the reports and intel, though not sure what day it''ll be]


    [So long as you give us 24-hour notice, it''ll be fine]


    [Sure, not a problem. Gotta go. Samantha''s on the move]


    "Come on, Kyle. I''ll show you your room now," Samantha said excitedly, grabbing his hand.


    Kyle let her lead him on. At least she wasn''t squishing her boobs on him or ''accidentally'' brushing against his crotch. There was one time she actually tried to crop a feel, but he managed to evade her grasp.


    Perhaps she''s starting to warm up or getting the idea of her true worth. Perhaps she''s just pretending for now so that she could ''attack'' him later. After all, she was bringing him to his bedroom ...


    Samantha eagerly pulled Kyle along. She had spent quite some time thinking of the best thing to put in Kyle''s room. His room was right next to hers, and there was a connecting door that was hidden behind the closet.


    Rather, in the closet.


    This was one of her secrets and the way she would sneak in guys into her room whenever her father was around. He basically left her to her own devices but he didn''t tolerate such open show of sleeping around when he''s present. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Samantha scoffed at her father''s double standards. HE could bring his mistresses around so why couldn''t she do the same? Still, she never openly showed her rebellion.


    Bringing Kyle in, she waved her hands around and said, "Ta-dah! Like it?"


    Kyle kept a very straight face as he walked in and surveyed the whole room.


    A huge king-size canopy bed was in the middle of the room, the dark curtains tied to its corners. A desk with the latest computer and a 49" LED monitor and a gaming chair. A window-display cabinet that had various types of snacks in it, a fridge that had both soft drinks and some alcoholic beverages.


    As he went to the bedside table to put his backpack, his eyes took note of a pile of boxes of condoms on it.


    "Is this a bedroom or a hotel room?" Kyle said with a laugh, ignoring the boxes of condoms and dumped his backpack right on top of it.


    Samantha''s eyes narrowed at that and she sashayed over to him, asking with a smile, "I thought of all the things you might like, so I had them put it in. Your clothes are already unpacked and in the closet."


    Kyle nodded, saying with sincerity, "Thank you. It really does look like you''ve put a lot of effort in this. I really do appreciate it."


    "So, my reward?" she grinned as she came closer.


    "What? You want another massage?" Kyle asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "No," she replied, putting her hands on his chest then pushed him back.


    She has also hooked her leg behind his, so she essentially tripped him as she pushed him down. Kyle wasn''t expecting that, so he fell back onto the bed behind him.


    Samantha quickly climbed on top of him and sat on his hard abs, trailing her finger from his face down to his chest, "I want more than just a massage."


    Kyle sighed, putting his hands on her shoulders as he got up into a sitting position. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck so that he couldn''t put her down.


    "Samantha," Kyle said gently, "I told you that I''m not into casual sex."


    "Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked suddenly.


    Kyle frowned, and answered, "No. Why?"


    "So you''re still a virgin," she said with a smile, positing herself on his lap so that her core would rub against his crotch.


    "Yes, what about it?" Kyle asked, his face not changing despite the fact that he was feeling that his body was starting to respond a bit. He simply focused on her face rather than what she was doing to Kyle Jr to wake him up.


    Mind over matter.


    "So you want your first time to be with someone you love, is it?" she asked, pressing her soft, ample chest onto his body as she continuously rubbed herself on him.


    "Doesn''t everyone?" he asked back.


    "Trust me," she said softly, bringing her lips to his ears, "It''s highly overrated. There''s nothing wrong in just indulging in your baser instinct."


    With that, she licked his ear, running it along the tip and bit his earlobe.


    She trailed kissed down his neck, loving the taste and the smell that Kyle exuded. It was indescribable and it sang to her inner beast. There was a muskiness and a hint of something that she couldn''t tell.


    All she knew as she took a deep breath as she sniffed him, she wanted more.

 Chapter 204 - Game On

    Samantha trailed her lips and tongue on Kyle''s neck, breathing in his scent even more.


    Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed back as Kyle firmly held her by the shoulders and gently put some space between them.


    Kyle sighed, gently caressing her cheeks, as he looked at her seriously, "How many times must I tell you? If you''re that sexually frustrated, I can help you get release but I won''t sleep with you."


    Samantha glared at him.


    Why did he make it sound like she was like a dog in heat? She was seducing him, damn it! If it was only sex that she wanted, she didn''t have to go through all this work for it! All she had to do was pick up her phone and a guy would come over.


    It wasn''t as if she couldn''t control herself. It was his fault! His!


    "Fool," she hissed, clearly agitated, "I am not sexually frustrated!"


    Kyle smiled at that, knowing what was going through her mind.


    How could he not?


    It was similar to himself in his past life, when ''she'' had wanted to be intimate with her husband yet he was just not into it. He had made her feel undesirable and to a certain extent, she felt a bit ashamed for having such ''dirty'' thoughts when clearly, her husband didn''t.


    Since she based her entire self-worth on how good she looked, his rejection of her hit her at her most vulnerable spot. She started questioning herself, doubting herself and it wasn''t a nice feeling.


    So Kyle allowed his body to respond to Samantha.


    Previously, he had detached his mind from whatever she was doing and consciously ignored her touches. Now, he allowed himself to feel her hands. Her soft and pliable body, her soft breasts which were crushing against his chest. He thought back of how those breasts had felt in his hands and how nice it had been to just ... hold them and ...


    Samantha''s eyes widened as she felt his arousal against her core. She looked into his eyes, that seemed to darken with lust and she smiled widely, wrapping her hands around his neck as she rubbed herself on him even more.


    "I said it before, and I''ll say it again," Kyle spoke, his voice a bit huskier, "You are highly desirable and my dick is fully functional."


    Then, to her utter surprise, she felt him get up from the bed. In her shock, she didn''t hold on to him tightly enough so her legs fell to the floor. He held her up by the waist to steady her. Once he was sure that she was on her feet, he took a step back.


    "But as I said, I do not go for casual sex," Kyle repeated, disentangling her arms from his neck.


    Samantha was not happy. Not happy at all.


    How could he stop halfway after turning her on like that? She could even feel how wet her panties were. The fact that he was hard didn''t appease her at all. It wasn''t enough.


    So she glared at him, poking her finger on his chest, "Fine. I get it. No casual sex. Then I''ll just have to make you like me before I fuck your brains out."


    Kyle grinned at that bold declaration, "Sure. If you can."


    "Before that, however," Samantha said, coming closer, "Just to show you what you''re missing ..."


    "Wha-" Kyle began asking when she kissed him.


    Seriously, Kyle thought to himself. This woman is forever stealing kisses.


    This time, however, she wasn''t just satisfied with his lips. She wanted a deep kiss but Kyle wasn''t letting her in - though he didn''t push her away while she was kissing him. He could easily overpower her, but he didn''t feel right doing so.


    Samantha kept kissing Kyle, her lips capturing his in hers as she licked, sucked and kissed both his upper and bottom lips. Her tongue darted inbetween his lips but couldn''t gain entry. Samantha inwardly scoffed at that. Trying to keep her out?


    Fat chance.


    With skills honed from her countless bed partners, her hands went down to his jeans. Her fingers unzipped his jeans and she slipped her fingers inside, grabbing Kyle Jr firmly in her hands. All of this was done in seconds, from the unzipping to the grabbing and Kyle gasped at the sudden and unexpected touch.


    Using that second his mouth was parted, she plunged her tongue in and captures his, sucking on it as she stroked Kyle Jr with her hand.


    The moment she felt him trying to break free, she unlocked her lips from his and released her hand. She looked at him straight in the eye, licked the fingers that had been playing with Kyle Jr and said just before she walked out, "Game on."


    Kyle just stood there, stupified.


    [Kay, are you sure that thing works???]


    [Of course] Kay replied [It had gone through rigorous testings. It''s proven to lower the sexual drive of anyone who takes it. Why?]


    [Tell the labs that they need to make it stronger and test it on people who have a VERY high sexual drive]


    Kyle had placed the supposed desire suppressor on his neck and at the pulse of his wrists. The smell would have been enough to make it work. If one ingested it, the effect would be even better. Samantha not only had been exposed to it when she kissed his neck, she had even licked it.


    If that was her, with her desire suppressed, Kyle shuddered to think what she would be like without it.


    Kyle looked down, at his obvious hard-on and glared at the moist spot on his briefs. Her hands had been very skillful indeed. He groaned.


    With a sigh, Kyle went to the bathroom.


    Looks like Good ''Ol Mr Right Hand was going to meet Kyle Jr to relieve it. The sensation was really unbearable and no cold shower was going to cool that down. He seriously needed more training on this.


    Guys really had it tough once it''s up.


    ?? Next Day ??


    Samantha was true to her word. She hadn''t tried to sneak into his room last night and this morning, she was acting normal. They had a normal conversation (if you can call talking about business and multi-million dollar purchases as ''normal'') during breakfast.


    Samantha also took the time to ask about Kyle''s family, his school life and all that jazz. Kyle did the same. Essentially, they were getting to know each other.


    After breakfast, Kyle ran off to the set, eager to catch up on what was next.


    When he reached the area, he saw Keanu in deep discussion with the stunt team, Julius saw Kyle and motioned for him to come over.


    "Greg, Kyle" Julius introduced one guy to Kyle.


    Kyle shook hands with him.


    "We''re going to be doing the choreography for the fighting scenes. Since you''re new, we will need to check out what you know and we''ll take it from there," Greg explained.


    Kyle nodded. Looks like Greg was the one who actually interpreted what Julius wanted.


    "Chad said that you know self-defence. So, what martial arts did you learn?" Greg asked.


    "Brazilian Jiujitsu," said Kyle.


    Kyle had been exposed to several types of martial arts as he was forming MIB, as he didn''t believe in just one form was for all. Kyle firmly believed that each martial arts had its pros and cons, and some would be better at one type as compared to the other.


    So MIB were full of people that were skilled in various types of martial arts, save for ninjutsu which was exclusive to Kyle.


    Thus, while Kyle focused and specialised in the Kato Art of Ninjitsu, he was moderately skilled in other types as well. He simply did not use them, but he could if he needed to. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s great," Greg said, "We use a mixture of various types of martial arts, from Brazilian Jiujitsu to standing judo so the moves won''t be too difficult for you."


    Kyle knew that, which was why he deliberately said he knew Brazilian Jiujitsu. It made things easier.


    "Do you know how to do acrobatics?" Greg asked, "Or any sort of flips and jumps?"


    "Just the basics," Kyle lied smoothly, "Front, back and side flips."


    "Hmmm, that''s certainly a good thing," Greg said enthusiastically but there was a slight tinge of hesitation in his voice. Kyle caught it but pretended he didn''t.


    In the meantime, Keanu was getting more impressed by what Kyle was revealing. Such a young man and he knew so many things? What sort of life did this kid lead?


    Greg studied Kyle seriously.


    When Gred had first heard about Chad chucking out all the others in favour of Kyle, he had cursed the entire night. Why would Chad pick a greenhorn like Kyle, who had not even auditioned properly? Before Kyle, those that had tried for the part had to go through three different types of auditions.


    First, it had been the visuals i.e. the kid had to look like Keanu in some degree. Though this could be corrected by make-up or even CGI, Chad preferred the ''real'' deal. Of course, to find some sort of semblance would normally be ignored by most directors as it was too ambitious. They generally preferred to get a person who could act rather than one who looked like what they wanted but couldn''t act.


    Secondly, they had to go through some rigorous action scenes to see if they could be trained as needed. No one expected an actor to have the knowledge but they should, at the very least, have the capabilities to learn.


    Keanu was an example.


    He didn''t have any martial arts training but his dedication to the training and seriousness to the role made everything smooth and believable. It took months of intense training.


    Third, the person needed to be able to act!


    Yet, here. Kyle? He looked the part but was he really able to pull it off?


    It seemed too good to be true. Sure, the kid looked the part. Yet, the more Greg asked, the more incredulous he felt the whole thing was. Greg was starting to suspect that the kid was only showing off but didn''t really have the skills. How could anyone coincidentally have all the sort of skills they needed?


    So he asked one last question that he felt Kyle would not be able to answer in the affirmative. After all, he was only a 14-year-old kid, right?


    "Do you know how to shoot?"


    Kyle looked at Greg with a smile, "Sure."

 Chapter 205 - Gun Fu

    Greg stared at Kyle.


    "O-kay," he said, nodding, sighing in disappointment.


    This time, everyone nearby could see the disbelief on his face. Keanu frowned a bit at that, but didn''t say a word. For some strange reason, he believed in the kid. He knew that he didn''t have to say anything as actions speak louder than words.


    Greg then led them to a section that had been cordoned off from the rest of the set.


    It was made to look like a room, with several target areas. Kyle surveyed the room quickly, his eyes catching and taking note of the uneven floor, location of the bulls-eyes that were placed in random places and some things that were randomly placed to obscure some targets.


    Gred led them to a table and showed Kyle an array of 9mm handguns and its respective magazines next to it.


    "I''d like to get a feel of your skills with a gun," Greg explained, showing him the guns in front of him, "Choose one and take 2 magazines, then shoot the targets in this room."


    "They''re all replicas, of course, and the bullets aren''t real. So you do not have to worry about hurting anyone," Greg assured him.


    "Just shoot the targets?" Kyle asked as he walked to the table, "Or use gun fu?"


    Anyone who is a John Wick fan would know that it utilised the ''gun fu'' skill that was first developed by John Woo. That''s partly what made all the action scenes so seamless and clean. It was a combination of the style, the camera crew, and the stunt team''s coordination.


    Greg was not surprised that Kyle knew about gun fu, but he was surprised that Kyle even offered to do it.


    "Knock yourself out," Greg said, not really convinced.


    Kyle studied the assortments of handguns on the table, and mumbled out loud as he picked up each gun, weighing it in his hands, "Glock 17. HK VP9. Springfield Armory. Sig Sauer P210. Ruger SR9c. Smith & Wesson."


    Greg gulped. The kid knew his guns. He had identified each and every one of them properly.


    Kyle looked and studied them then picked up the Glock17 and checked out its chamber, "This really does look very realistic," Kyle commented, "Though it is lighter a bit than the real thing. I guess that''s because it doesn''t use real bullets."


    He studied the magazine and asked Greg, "This is the standard magazine that holds 17 bullets, right?"


    Greg nodded. Some Glock17 Gen 4 models had magazines that held bullets between 10 to 30 rounds, though the latter was rather bulky and awkward. The more Kyle talked, the more convinced Greg was that Kyle wasn''t kidding when he said he knew how to shoot.


    The only question now was, how good was he?


    And to use gun fu? Is that actually possible?


    After checking the gun, Kyle picked up 2 of its magazines. He placed one behind his belt, and the other in his pocket.


    Kyle stood in the middle of the room, looked left and right, and his eyes swept the entire room again from the ceiling to the floor. He held the gun upwards, took a deep breath, looked downwards and waited for the signal.


    Once Greg shouted, "Action!", Kyle made his move.


    He lifted his head, made a shot to the front, left and right then bent down on one knee, to shoot to the left. He slid on his knee to turn and shoot to the right, before swinging his hand and making a complete 360-degree turn (on his knee) to shoot again.


    Keanu saw the moves that Kyle was making and hid a smile behind his hand.


    Everyone was watching with their mouth hanging open as Kyle made shot after shot seamlessly, with twists and turns, some flips and even a half-turn somersault. He even changed magazines smoothly. He would drop the empty magazine to the floor as he swung the gun to the next target, while taking the new magazine and slipping it in before resuming his shots without missing a beat.


    There was no hesitation, no lull in the action and shot after shot was made.*


    When it was done, Kyle stood up straight, twisted his neck about and walked over back to Greg.


    "Done," Kyle said, "Was that okay?"


    Greg looked at the people who were checking the targets. All in all, Kyle had made 51 shots. There had been 80 targets in scattered in the room.


    Finally, after several minutes, one guy trotted over, his face in total shock as he looked at Kyle in awe, "51 targets, all bulls-eye".


    "What?!" Greg exclaimed, taking the targets from him and flipped through the first few.


    "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Keanu asked, breaking the shocked silence.


    Kyle shrugged, explaining, "The shooting part was just normal training for us since young. The gun fu, though - that, I learned and did for fun. Broke the monotony of shooting those darn targets on the wall."


    "Normal training?" Keanu repeated, looking shocked.


    "Yeah," Kyle said, touching the gun replicas on the table, "When you''re the constant target for kidnappings, our parents kinda wanted extra security. We had bodyguards but that wasn''t enough. They didn''t believe in just relying on others."


    "You keep saying ''we'' - who are you referring to? And what sort of life do you actually lead??" Keanu asked again, shaking his head while the others just listened in total shock. They didn''t know what to say or ask anyway.


    "Oh, sorry. Me and my sister," Kyle explained, "We lead pretty normal lives, really."


    "Yeah, this is pretty normal for people like us," a female voice piped up behind them. They turned, to see Samantha there.


    This time, however, she wasn''t dressed in a skimpy, tight dress but had on a pair of jeans and a blouse. Kyle raised an eyebrow and complimented her, "You look nice."


    She gave him a big smile and gave a slight curtsy, "Must admit, this is far more comfortable than my usual attire. You may have something there."


    Samantha picked up a Smith and Wessen replica from the table, saying, "I prefer this to a Glock - but I just let my bodyguards do the shooting."


    "Somehow, I can''t imagine you shooting a gun," Kyle said wryly.


    "What? You think I can''t?"


    "No, not that," Kyle said, "It''s just that there''s not much space for you to wear a gun in your normal attire."


    Samantha grinned, "True, true. That''s why I always have these two with me. Carrying a gun is such a hassle. I just want to be normal." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle grinned at that.


    The ''new'' Samantha was a much easier person to get along with. Kyle wouldn''t know if this change would be permanent or temporary, but it''s a start. It''s not like one can suddenly become a different person. For now, her motivation was to eat his tofu but after he leaves, then it can really be seen if she had changed.


    Kyle began thinking about his mission and what would happen after he completed it.


    The next person in line for the ''throne'' would be Samantha''s uncle. In Kyle''s opinion, he was a much better person to lead and more family oriented as compared to Samantha''s father. Though the mission was a bit difficult, Kyle was truly grateful to Nitocris it.


    It had been some time since Kyle had killed. Most of his missions with Master Shifu involved putting down certain organisations. It didn''t mean that he didn''t kill, but he only did so when required. To escape or to infiltrate.


    Most of the time, Kyle simply knocked them out. He hardly needed a reason to kill.


    This one, however, was different. The mission itself was to take a life.


    Kyle wanted to be more decisive and ruthless. The more he learned about Rex Industries, the angrier he became. So many people that he had trusted before turned out to be scumbags. The thing that worried him the most was ... how deep did it go?


    Did it involve ''her'' husband?


    Kyle couldn''t believe it but he couldn''t push aside the possibility.


    Could he kill the father of his children, if that meant protecting his children?


    He honestly couldn''t tell at this moment. If the children were being physically harmed, there was no doubt of what Kyle would do - even if it was their father doing it. However, if what he was doing wasn''t directed at them yet it would have repercussions? What then? Would Kyle be able to do what needs to be done in order to ensure that the future is secure?


    Perhaps ''kill'' was the wrong thing here. Kyle doubted that it would ever come to that. But he still wanted to be prepared.


    So, this mission.


    Taking a life ... and also making use of someone and hurting them in the end.


    All part of a day''s work.


    Kyle brought back his thoughts to the present and looked at Samantha.


    "This whole area is filled with people carrying guns," Kyle pointed out, "You''re hardly normal."


    "So says the 14-year-old sharpshooter who most likely is able to take down any intruder with his bare hands," Samantha retorted.


    "OH, come on," Kyle protested, "Any sane kid who has the sort of opportunities that I have would turn out the same way. Aren''t I right, Mr ... I mean, Keanu? If you could play around with guns and beat people up, wouldn''t you?"


    Keanu''s lips twitched a bit at that, amused at the rather eager look on the kid''s face.


    "Oh, I don''t know," he answered slowly, with a straight face, "I''m not that violent a person."


    "Yeah, Kyle," Sam piped up from behind, "Regular exercising, training in martial arts and shooting ... that''s really the schedule of a normal teenager. I''m the only normal one among us."


    Kyle looked at Sam, who looked back at him unflinchingly with an innocent smile.


    "Oh yes, Mr-I-skipped-a-grade and has a monthly salary of a few thousand?" Kyle replied, "Yes, you''re a ve-ry normal 13-year-old."


    Keanu blinked and leaned towards Greg, whispering, "Is it me or are these how kids are like nowadays?"


    Greg whispered back, "It''s not you. Those three are just freaks."

 Chapter 206 - Plan C

    Two weeks passed by in a flash.


    During these two weeks, Team Yume was busy collecting the data from the bugs that Kyle had placed around Mansion BMX. This data was then used by Yume with the information Kyle had given him about the security details of the house (which had been helpfully supplied by Samantha herself).


    They were not going to rely on whatever Samantha said 100%, but it certainly was useful in pinpointing certain weak spots that their own data had been lacking. Kyle needed this data in order to be able to plan how to execute the mission.


    It would be via poison, as it was the only method that would ensure the least amount of trouble for Kyle and the movie crew. Though it was normally seen as a ''woman''s'' way of doing things, in truth, the ninjas would utilise this method quite liberally.


    The stigma of it being the ''weak'' type or the ''coward'' way was, in Kyle''s opinion, highly overrated. Though he could understand the stigma behind it. Yet, the ninja way was simply to use whatever method that is available, so long as the job gets done. If it was the most efficient method, then why not?


    Who was stupid enough to use another method simply because one didn''t want to appear weak when using poison?


    [Have you managed to get Richard''s itinerary, Kay?]


    [No] Kay replied [He doesn''t keep it in any electronic form. He''s paranoid that way. Only his PA has the schedule, and like Sam, he keeps it to his breast. Literally hangs it around his neck]


    Kyle sighed, and lay down on the bed.


    Kay was silent for a while, watching Kyle from her laptop. She saw the expression on his face, guessing why he had that frustrated look for this would only mean one thing. The next move that he had to do. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay was able to view Kyle like this as Kyle had placed the bugs in his own room in Mansion BMX as well. However, it wasn''t the sonic ones or the fly ones - it was the normal buys that would convey both audio and visual. The reason for this was simply as a tool to allow Kay to see him.


    He knew how much Kay was worried about this, and this would be the first time that they''d be apart for several months. Communicating via their mind link was not the same as actually ''seeing'' the person.


    Unknown to Kay, Kyle was really relieved that he hadn''t placed the bugs yet before Samantha''s move on him. That would have been an extremely difficult thing to cover up.


    [I''m sorry, brother]


    [No, it''s not your fault] Kyle assured her [This is part of the reason why Richard is such a problem. Being old-school certainly makes it difficult for us but not impossible]


    [Yeah, but now it means you''re going to have to do that]


    [And it was going so well, too] Kyle groaned [She''s actually being quite nice right now]


    [On the bright side, you''re already being investigated by Richard] Kay told him [I''ve only allowed him to view what we had previously agreed on. So, to him, you''re just an ordinary kid who has the bright future of being the CEO of Smith Industries]


    [How''s his reaction to it so far? Positive or negative?] Kyle asked.


    [Seems positive so far, but we can''t tell as yet] Kay responded [All he''s done is just the basic background check. I guess you passed the first filter since you''re still there]


    [That, and because Samantha hasn''t managed to get into my pants yet] Kyle said then grimaced. Well, technically, she did but that didn''t count.


    [Yeah, most probably] Kay replied [Samantha doesn''t realise that all of the guys on her list are on her Dad''s watchlist and have already been cleared - either with money or with threats.]


    [Yup] Kyle said [Those that didn''t, were killed off. Many thought of using Samantha to get to him, not realising that Richard always has his eye on her]


    [Your stunt with Midnight really set the wheels in motion with Richard. He started investigating you immediately]


    [Well, I''m clean as Kyle Smith. With you backing me up, I''m the perfect little angel]


    [By the way, we''ve also identified three others who are reporting regularly to Richard. Each of them are unaware of the other''s existence] Kay reported.


    [Richard sure is careful] Kyle mused.


    [That''s how he stayed afloat for so long] Kay noted [Otherwise, Big Bro Nick wouldn''t have sent you]


    [Well, I have most of the details by now. It''s just a matter of executing the plan, I suppose. Has the lab found out the reason for the failure the last time?]


    [The desire suppressor is fine for normal people. They can''t make it any stronger at the moment as there''s too many variables to take into account. They were quite amused by the fact that the desire suppressor didn''t work on Samantha]


    [Ha ha] Kyle retorted [I''m glad to have been the source of amusement and inspiration to the lot of you]


    Kay giggled at that.


    [So when are you going to proceed with Plan C?] she asked tentatively.


    Kyle took a pillow and put it over his face as he answered [I''ll give it another week. Where''s Richard right now?]


    [He''s still in Country S] Kay replied [But from our agents tailing him, it''s most likely that he''ll be heading home soon. The deal appears to have been finalised already]


    [So the timing is just about right then] Kyle lamented.


    [You know, that''s supposed to be a good thing] Kay pointed out.


    [I know, I know] Kyle stated [Richard always comes back to check out Samantha''s latest conquest. Everything should be in place by then.]


    [Be careful, brother. I feel he''ll be more paranoid with you]


    [What do you mean?]


    [The previous guys are merely her source of entertainment, so to speak. You, however, would not fall into that category. He''s already so overprotective and careful with Samantha''s sex buddies. With you?]


    [I get your point] Kyle acknowledged [Will take that into account, don''t worry. And you, young lady, will not be watching when I start on Plan C, okay?]


    [Urgh, please dear brother] Kay snorted [I have better things to do than watch you. I am too innocent for such X-rated scenes]


    [Oh please] Kyle retorted back [You know as well as I do that nothing is going to happen]


    [So says the guy who was wailing that the desire suppressor wasn''t working]


    [She just caught me unawares, that''s all] Kyle defended himself.


    Kay didn''t answer to that. She just laughed.


    ?? One Week Later ??


    Samantha noted that Kyle appeared to be a little bit distracted at breakfast, so naturally, she asked him what was going on.


    "Oh, sorry," Kyle mumbled slightly incoherently, his eyes still a bit glazed over, "It''s nothing."


    Samantha narrowed her eyes at him and tapped the fork on her plate, "Kyle Smith, are you ignoring me??"


    Kyle blinked rapidly for a while, thinking that calling out full names when one is annoyed must be a girl thing - completely ignoring the fact that he used to do that as Kylie as well whenever he was reprimanding his kids.


    "No, no," Kyle said, his eyes clear now as he looked at Samantha, "I was just thinking about one scene I''ve got to do."


    "You don''t have any scenes yet, right? It''s mostly Keanu''s parts," Samantha said.


    Although she didn''t read the script, she had been observing the shoots. It''s always Keanu out there, or some other extras but not Kyle. He would either be studying his script or leaning the fighting move sequence for his part.


    She liked watching those as Kyle would normally be doing it in a singlet, which just showed off his muscles even more. The way it just snugly fitted his lean physique would often make Samantha regret trying to be a ''good'' girl.


    The term ''ovaries exploded'' was so apt in this case.


    Samantha could see that she wasn''t the only one that admired Kyle whenever he was doing his routine but she was smug at the fact that she was the only one that would go close to him. That he actually allowed to get close to him.


    She felt that she was making some headway, for he wasn''t as guarded as before. He didn''t avoid her seemingly innocent touches anymore either so Samantha was feeling rather confident about winning the game.


    Kyle didn''t like her coming on strong, so she had changed her tactics. Now, however, seeing how he seemed to be ignoring her made her feel like she had taken a step back. Wasn''t he getting closer to her? Why was he now seeming to be stepping back?


    "Yes, you are right. I don''t have any scenes yet," Kyle acknowledged, "But that''s with regards to the fighting scenes that are supposed to happen outside. I was thinking of this one scene that''s done indoors."


    He sighed, "Truth be told, I''m getting a bit bored."


    Kyle looked at Samantha saying, "Don''t get me wrong, it has nothing to do with you. If it wasn''t for you, I''d probably be ready to scale the walls. It''s just that ... well, seeing everyone so busy and Keanu so ''out there'' while here I am .. still just practicing the sequence that I can do with my eyes closed now."


    "I get it," Samantha said, "You''re used to using every minute of the day for something productive. Now you''re not getting anywhere, right?"


    Kyle nodded, "You got it. It''s aggravating, you know?"


    "What sort of indoor scene were you thinking about anyway? Is there anything I can do to help?" Samantha asked.


    She noted how Kyle''s eyes brightened then dimmed immediately, "No ... but thanks for offering."


    She glared at him, putting her hand on his as she said, "Don''t lie to me. I can see that there is something. Come on, spill it."


    Kyle hesitated then taking a deep breath, he said, "Well ... it''s a flashback scene. Basically, his training exercises."


    "I see," Samantha said, "And..?"


    "It depicts him doing things like weightlifting, punching and kicking a punching bag ..."


    Samantha smiled widely and said, "Kinda like what Dad has in his training room, huh?"


    Kyle smiled back, the side of his lips raising up as he looked at Samantha, not saying a word.


    "Easy enough," Samantha replied, "You can use it. Tell Chad about it and have his men meet my men to do the changes necessary."


    Kyle nodded happily and held her hand.


    "Thank you," he said sincerely, giving her a smile that made her heart beat even faster. She looked at him holding her hand and she felt all warm inside. This was the first time Kyle initiated any form of contact with her and it ... it felt nice.

 Chapter 207 - First Scene

    Kyle pitched the idea to Chad that very day, and Chad was extremely excited about the opportunity.


    He patted Kyle''s shoulder and said, "Thanks, Kyle. That would certainly speed up the process a bit. At least you can shoot your scenes while we finish up over here."


    Kyle nodded, saying, "It''s all due to Samantha''s help. I didn''t reveal the storyline. She just knows it''s a flashback scene of my training but not who I am in relation to the movie."


    Kyle felt he had to explain in case Chad thought he had informed Samantha of the plot. That would be against the NDA.


    "It''s fine," Chad said, "I trust you on this."


    Chad had been observing Kyle the entire time and it was very apparent how honest and meticulous Kyle was. There was no doubt in Chad''s mind that Kyle would adhere to the NDA. So when Kyle had told him about this opportunity, Chad was simply excited and didn''t think Kyle had revealed anything.


    So part of the stunt team and the crew members involved with constructions went to Mansion BMX under tight security. It took them only two days to change the training room into the scene that they wanted.


    Samantha had given them free rein to do anything they wanted to the room, so long as they put it back to what it was before. Most of the equipment would be used, though only one part had to be built in.


    To showcase Kyle''s upper body strength, they had placed holds on the wall. Kyle would then have to climb up to the top by using his hands alone. Kind of like what he did when bouldering but in this case, only hands were used.


    This was one scene that Chad had inserted due to Kyle''s bouldering experience. The entire ''exercise'' routine was also the ''eye-candy'' scene to appease the masses. At least this scene had some bearing to the movie, for it would show the sort of life John Wick''s son had while growing up.


    It wasn''t an empty ''eye-candy'' scene like a lot of movies did for women. Such as in the Transformers movie that had Megan Fox simply sitting sexily on a motorcycle while working on it, as she was waiting for Sam''s call. It was pure fan service without any essence.


    This would be fan service with essence.


    Samantha walked into the training room with a smile. The lightings had also been changed to make it look darker and thus, more dreary. There was the ''step'' wall, some basic dumbells, a punching bag, and a life-size wooden dummy.


    "Impressive," Samantha said as Kyle walked beside her, "You''re going to be using all of this?"


    "Yeah," Kyle stated, "The shoot wouldn''t last more than a day or two, but it''s far better than just sitting around doing the same old thing for those two days."


    He smiled at her as he walked around, "I truly do appreciate this."


    Samantha smiled, feeling warm again. It was rare that she ever did anything for anyone without expecting something in return, but she liked the feeling that it was giving her. Seeing how excited Kyle was, as he went about the room and thanking her for something as simple as this was ... nice.


    She felt that this ... ''nice'' ... feeling was really unique and unusual. She didn''t mind feeling it all the time, too.


    She was also beginning to understand what Kyle meant by ''sleeping with the one you love'' rather than just sleeping to find love.


    Previously, her feelings were based on pure basic lust. With such a fine specimen in front of her, who wouldn''t want to feel that young, lithe body? With that gorgeous face as well, it would be like heaven. Her body would feel extremely satisfied.


    She had thought that if you''re compatible sexually, then it means you can fall in love with the person. Yet, it never happened but she was not unhappy about it. After all, it was still fun and satisfying.


    However, now, she felt that it was not enough.


    Not anymore.


    It felt ... empty. After the act, that is. The satisfaction or the feeling was gone the moment it was all over.


    Samantha was beginning to understand what Kyle was saying. There is a difference between sex and making love.


    The former was simply to enjoy the physical act whereas the latter was the expression of love that resulted in physical intimacy. Sex was pure lust. Making love, however, not just connected the bodies but also their hearts.


    Right now, as she watched Kyle, she felt that her heart was fluttering and warm. She would be lying to say that she didn''t still want him - she did. Yet, the desire was different. It wasn''t to conquer. It was something else, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    ?? ??


    The room was ready, and Kyle stood there, listening to the instructions that Chad was giving.


    "We''re going to need to take several angles and shots, so you''re going to have to do the sets a few times," Chad explained, as he indicated the various cameras around them. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were three in total, though only two would be used to follow Kyle around while the third would be getting a wide angle. The scenes had to be done and recorded at different angles and later, the production team will put them together to create a seamless picture.


    "You will start with the simple one first - the dumbells," Chad continued on, "Once that take is done, rest and then the punching bag. Third would be the wooden dummy and last, the wall climb."


    Kyle nodded, showing his understanding of the matter.


    "This should take about three days or so," Chad stated, "Since this is a static sort of shots, I''ll be handing the reigns over to Raine, but I''ll be checking the shots every night. If it''s not satisfactory, you''re going to have to do it again the next day."


    Now it was Raine who nodded his head.


    It was rare that Chad would let him direct solo, so Raine was determined to do a good job. This was one of the more simpler shots and any film student should be able to do it. If he couldn''t, then he doesn''t deserve to be here.


    However, despite that, Chad still stayed for a while. He wanted to supervise the first shot at least and give a few tips. Keanu was busy practising the choreography anyway, so he had time to spare.


    As Chad was discussing the concept with Raine, Kyle had to stand still while they lathered some baby oil on him. He had to do the scene shirtless, and thus, the baby oil was to create this ''sheen of sweat''. Kyle thought it was ridiculous since he''d be sweating anyway once he started.


    The thing is, the oil would create a more picturesque scene, as the droplets of sweat would be glistening. Since the room was dark, and the lighting sparse, the effects of the baby oil would increase.


    There were two girls that were busy preparing Kyle for the scene. They insisted that they were the ones to do it even though Kyle felt he could do it himself. After all, it was their job and Chad may scold them if he was the one doing their job.


    Of course, that was all an excuse but who cares, right?


    So there he was, shirtless and in 3/4 pants, as he had two girls rubbing their hands all over his chest and back. His hair needed to look ''wet'' as well, so one of them expertly applied just the right amount of water to make it look realistic.


    The first scene was easy enough. Just lift those darn weights.


    Kyle had to look focused, and just keep on doing the motions like a robot. The point of it all was that he is emotionless and a fighting machine, which had to be shown clearly during his training routine. Although the weights weren''t heavy, Kyle had to make it look like it was, so he had to strain his arm muscles even more while gritting his teeth to make the veins pop out a bit more around his neck.


    It was tiring, but this was nothing compared to the sort of training Master Shifu gave him.


    It also served as a method for his fitness routine so Kyle simply added it to his normal routine.


    Kyle had to do the action several times, while the camera filmed the entire process. He had the head shot, the ''round the body'' shot (where the camera would make a full circle around him), the left and right side shots.


    After this was done, Chad, Raine, and Kyle would look at the film. Chad would often point out certain things that needed to be changed and then, Kyle would have to do it all over again. The facial expression wasn''t cold enough, the tension or arm muscles wasn''t clear enough and so forth.


    Finally, when Chad was satisfied, Kyle had a good grasp of what Chad really wanted.


    The process after that was much smoother and Chad left, feeling satisfied.

 Chapter 208 - Feelings

    The filming continued smoothly, but there were a few changes.


    First, Kyle insisted that he would be putting on the baby oil himself and that Samantha can help him on the spots that he couldn''t reach.


    Samantha was ecstatic about that. She hadn''t been happy to see other people touching Kyle, but she couldn''t say anything about it. So when Kyle asked her if she could help him, she jumped at the chance.


    "But why me?" she asked when he had approached her about it.


    Kyle looked at her a bit sheepishly and leaned forward to say in a low voice, "I trust you. Those girls ... erm, well ... it just felt weird."


    Samantha understood without Kyle having to explain further. She had seen how those darn fingers had been, when they were putting on the baby oil. The way those fingers seemed to pause a bit at the abs, or at his chest. Did it really have to pause so much at that spot? Or that spot?


    She had to grit her teeth and tell herself that they were professionals.


    Yet, if Kyle felt uncomfortable about it, then it meant that the touch had been inappropriate.


    So, naturally, Samantha was beyond happy to have Kyle ask for help. Obviously, it meant that he didn''t feel uncomfortable around her anymore and that her touch wasn''t repulsive. Just hearing him say ''I trust you'' had sent arrows into her heart.


    It was both painful and sweet at the same time.


    Thus, Samantha helped seriously.


    Unlike before, she didn''t use the opportunity to take advantage of Kyle. Though it was tempting. So very, very tempting.


    She simply tuned her mind to the task at hand and not think about how hard his muscles were. Or how soft his skin was. Or how nice it was to ..


    Samantha shook her head. Focus. Focus.


    One thing she did notice, however, was that despite the serious expression on Kyle''s face, the tip of his ears would be slightly red. At first, Samantha thought it was the heat in the room but as time went by, she started suspecting it was something else.


    Was Kyle blushing?


    When she looked at his face, he appeared nonplussed but he did turn his head away. Samantha smiled at that.


    All in all, it did take three days to shoot the entire thing to both Raine and Chad''s satisfaction. Samantha had the time of her life during those three days.


    Helping Kyle, watching Kyle ...


    There was just some poetry in motion there. It was hard to believe that he was fourteen as he was so serious and dedicated. And that physique of his.


    There was one unscripted scene that Raine had been extremely happy about, and Chad also agreed that it would stay. It was when Kyle did the last routine: the wall climb.


    Seeing the back and arm muscles working as he climbed up effortlessly was already a sight. The strenght in those arms. When the sweat glistened and trickled down his back, people gulped.


    When he reached the top (which wasn''t that high), Kyle simply pushed himself off, did a somersault and landed on the ground with his head down. He got up, his hair wet with sweat and plastered over his face. He brushed it back, revealing his gorgeous face, his chest moving up and down quickly, with the heavy breathing he was doing.


    It truly was a breathtaking sight.


    Samantha even found her breath caught in her throat at that scene. Kyle turned, and their eyes met. Something seemed to pass between them. Something primal. She hardly heard the director saying ''Cut'' ! and that the whole thing was over.


    At that moment, it was as if she only saw Kyle and she felt that Kyle only saw her.


    Samantha only came to her senses when people around her started clapping. It was the traditional method of showing appreciation after the scene was well done and wrapped up.


    As the crew was about to start work to dismantle everything, Samantha told them, "Do it tomorrow. It''s getting late."


    They nodded, though they thought it wasn''t late at all. Still, she was the owner and they had to respect her wishes.


    Samantha came over and handed Kyle a towel. He didn''t look at her, but merely said ''thanks'' and proceeded to wipe the sweat off his face and chest.


    "Here, let me help," Samantha said, taking the towel from him.


    She went to his back and started wiping it and noticed how rigid Kyle was standing.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked softly, getting closer.


    Kyle took a step forward, distancing himself from her.


    Seeing this, Samantha became angry and stomped to face Kyle. She grabbed him by the shoulders and said angrily at him, "What''s wrong with you?!"


    "Nothing," he mumbled, looking at the floor, "Erm, thanks but I need to go take a bath now."


    He tried to leave but Samantha stood in his way, trying to peer at his face.


    He stepped to the right, she went left. He went to the left, she went right. They were doing the tango. By this time, there was only the two of them in the room as all of the crew members had left. The bodyguards were not around as well since it was only in the mansion.


    "Stop it, Kyle. Look at me," Samantha insisted and she saw Kyle sigh.


    "Did I do something wrong?" she asked softly, her voice quivering.


    Only then did Kyle look up, looking worried, "No! Not at all. No, it''s not you ...."


    "Oh please, don''t give me that ''it''s not you it''s me'' line. What is it then?" Samantha cut him off, standing there, with her hands on her hips.


    Kyle ran his hands over his hair, brushing the wet hair away from his eyes, "Look, Samantha. You didn''t do anything wrong. I''m just tired, I suppose."


    "Don''t give me that," Samantha said, now sounding hurt as she looked at him.


    She put her hands around herself, saying, "You know what? Forget it. Nevermind. If you don''t want to talk about it, then who am I to force you to talk?"


    She turned to walk away and was already at the door when she felt him suddenly hugging her from behind. She froze, feeling the warmth at her back and the strong arms around her waist.


    She waited, not daring to move - or even breathe.


    Her body was already reacting from such an innocent hug and she was worried that he would notice. Feeling how her body just seemed to fit into his just made her heart beat even faster. She wasn''t even trying to seduce him but she was so sensitive to him that even this small thing could make her feel so strongly.


    "I''m sorry," came Kyle''s hoarse voice from behind her. His breath tickled her ear, and she gulped.


    "It''s just that ... I mean ... argh. I''m ..." Kyle began hesitatingly, unable to say what was on his mind.


    "What?" Samantha asked softly, moving, as she wanted to see him but could not do so as he didn''t let go. In her attempts to turn, she didn''t realise that her butt was brushing continuously on Kyle.


    "Please. Don''t. Move," Kyle rasped out, as he gripped her harder around the waist and he put his forehead on the back of her shoulder.


    "Wh-" Samantha was about to ask when she felt it.


    Something hard was poking her from behind.


    It doesn''t take a genius to know what it was.


    The realisation hit her hard.


    Samantha grabbed onto Kyle''s arm that was around her waist, her thoughts in turmoil. She thought her heart was already beating fast but now, it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.


    Samantha has had many guys lust over her. She had seen the desire in the eyes of so many men and it simply made her feel powerful. She had control over the situation and over the men.


    This time, however, the feeling was different. To know that Kyle desired her, touched her deeply. Tears came down her face and she wiped it hurriedly.


    Kyle seemed to have noticed this and he quickly turned her over, peering worriedly into her face.


    He gently wiped the tears from her eyes, on her cheeks but the tears kept falling.


    "Why are you crying?" Kyle asked helplessly.


    "I - I don''t know," she sobbed.


    Actually, she did know.


    She didn''t know when it happened, but happen it did. During the entire time she was playing the ''game'' to get Kyle to fall for her, she had fallen for him instead. Their conversations over mealtimes were special and she felt connected to him.


    He was unlike any 14-year-old that she had ever met. He was intelligent, articulate and most of all - he treated her like an intelligent woman. Not some trophy girl or a sexy girl or a person to sleep with. He saw her, Samantha.


    She admired him. She respected him... and to have him want her meant that he liked her, too. She didn''t think she deserved any of this. She didn''t deserve him. These feelings need to be kept under lock and key.


    Kyle was only 14.


    Previously, she hadn''t cared and would have done all that she could to get him. Statutory r*pe? Who cared about that? The law was there simply because stupid adults judged that those below a certain age wasn''t mature enough to actually give proper consent. They may ''think'' they want it, or is old enough to do it, but in reality, they did not know the true consequences of that decision.


    Samantha never cared about the consequences since it was just pure sex. What sort of consequences are we talking about here? He''d just enjoy it, right? S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, however, she couldn''t. She felt that he really was too young despite the fact that he was so much more mature in thinking than any guy she knew. She would be patient. She will wait for him to grow up. If he still felt the same, then nothing would stop her then.


    It was so ironic.


    She hastily wiped her tears and gave him a teary smile, "I''m just being silly. Come on, you''re right. You need a bath."


    Samantha watched Kyle who seemed to be thinking hard about something. A myriad of expressions went by his face: from hesitation, bewilderment and finally, a seriousness that she had never seen before.


    Before she could process that expression, she felt Kyle pull her close into his embrace and then kissed her.

 Chapter 209 - Richard Greene

    ** Warning: Mild R18 **


    Samantha was frozen at the sudden kiss. Her eyes were wide open in shock, her body stiff, and her lips were clamped shut.


    But not for long.


    Her thoughts may have been on ''keeping Kyle pure'' but the moment his lips touched hers, she lost it. She wouldn''t make the first move but she certainly wouldn''t reject it if he was the one who made the first move!


    This wasn''t their first kiss but it was the first kiss that Kyle initiated ... and was actively participating in. As his lips were moving softly against her own, she willingly kissed him back. When she felt his tongue licking her bottom lip, she opened them and their tongue danced.


    Samantha''s hands went around his neck, needing the support as she felt her legs weakening. He pressed on closer to her, moulding her body to his as he held her tightly to him.


    Samantha''s hands roamed all over, from the back of his neck, down to his back. Touching his bare skin and feeling all his muscles. She could feel his arousal as his hard shaft was pressed against her and she couldn''t help but want more. She was even moving her lower half subconsciously, dry grinding her core to his arousal.


    When they finally broke the kiss, both of them were breathing hard as they looked at each other deep in the eyes. Samantha couldn''t help it but start to kiss him again, and she took his hand, placing it on her breast.


    At that, Kyle broke the kiss. He looked deep into her eyes, his eyes dark with lust as he said huskily while fondling her and running his thumb across her nipples through the clothes, "Not here."


    Samantha, in a daze, nodded. She could feel herself getting so wet and she moaned slightly, her nipples hardening. Quickly grabbing his hand, she ran out of the door.


    "My room," Kyle said, easily keeping up with her pace as he reached for his door, opening it.


    Once through the door, Samantha slammed it shut and locked it. Their lips locked again as Kyle''s hands were busy pulling off Samantha''s shirt. She was also busy pulling down his shorts down his leg. One by one, their clothes fell to the floor as they clumsily made it to the bed.


    Samantha and Kyle were now only in their underwear, though Samantha''s bra was long gone. As she sat on the bed, looking up at the almost naked Kyle, she suddenly felt shy. Seeing his eyes roam all over her body made her blush, even though he had already seen it on the first day they met!


    She held her breath as he leaned over, giving her another searing kiss on the lips, then neck. Before he reached any lower, he got up, much to her disappointment. He then reached over to the ties of the bedpost and released it, making the curtains fall.


    "Why did you do that? There''s no one else in the room," Samantha couldn''t help but say.


    "No particular reason," Kyle admitted as he climbed over her, caressing her face and neck, "But I kinda like the thought of my first time to be enclosed like this. Like it''s our own private room."


    Samantha smiled at that, waiting on the bed silently as she watched Kyle release the tie from the other bedposts. Soon, the whole bed was fully enclosed by the curtains, making the place slightly darker but she could still see him. The moonlight - and garden lights - streamed into the room and it was enough for her to be able to see his chiseled form above her.


    Her eyes fell on his package and she shivered in excitement as climbed on top of her, kissing her all over. Soon, the room was filled with moans, screams and soon, creaking sounds which just intensified.


    ?? ??


    On another part of town, a man was watching the monitor with anger.


    Although he could not see exactly what was going on - which, in truth was probably better - what he did see was enough. He could see the shadows within the curtained-enclosed bed and the sight made him grit his teeth.


    One figure was lying down on the bed and the other, above that figure. The shadowy, rhythmic movements on the lower part of the figure obviously showed what was happening and only an idiot wouldn''t know what was going on.


    "Damn it!" cursed Richard, "This is more serious than I thought!"


    When he received reports from all of his informants that Kyle was actually not climbing into his daughter''s bed, he thought it was great. Samantha was even being good and wasn''t even up to her normal antics. She even dressed normally!


    So, he had let his guard down.


    Only to find out that they ended up sleeping together after all!


    He banged the table angrily. Looking up at the door, he shouted, "Get the plane ready! We''re going back to Mansion BMX NOW!"


    "But boss," stammered the assistant that poked his head in, "We just landed. They''re doing the maintenance right now and it''ll take at least four hours because of a fault they found in the last flight."


    Richard gritted his teeth, "Three! Or you can tell them to find another job."


    His assistant ran off hurriedly.


    ?? Two and a half hours later ??


    Richard couldn''t believe it.


    He was still watching the screen, his eyes hardly moving from it.


    The kids were still at it?!


    First, it had been the normal missionary position whereby he was on top of her. Richard could tell how vigorous the movements had been. Then, after a few minutes of just the two of them lying down, he saw as one figure get up on the knees while the other was turned around. The lower half was lifted up and the figure behind started moving again.


    It was obviously the doggy-style. His daughter''s head was still on the pillow while he was the one was vigorously doing all of the work, occasionally even slapping the buttocks as he pumped on. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, he watched as the guy lay back down on his back and she rolled on top. At first, there was no movement and then ... there was. So now, it was the cowgirl position. However, instead of sitting up, she was lying down on him, their faces connected. Obviously, they were kissing. Yet, the back was moving like crazy.


    Right now, he was watching them do the Lap Dance. He could see the feet peeking out under the curtains as Kyle sat at the edge, with Samantha facing him and on his lap. Her hands were around his shoulders, her cheek on his face or something. He couldn''t tell where his hands were but it didn''t take much imagination to know.


    It was bad enough to see the shadowy silhouette, but now, seeing the curtains move as well with every movement was worse.


    He clenched his teeth, crushed the pen that was in his hands and thought that he was going to have a VERY long talk with this Kyle Smith.


    Richard got up, took his coat and walked out the door.


    It took him about an hour to finally reach home and the first thing he did was go to the guest room. Unlocking the door quickly, he strode in and glared at the bed. There was no more movement and things were as quiet as can be.


    He pushed the curtains back and saw the two kids deep in sleep, with the boy''s hand over his daughter''s waist. Their bodies were still entangled and the blanket just barely covered their most private parts. Used condoms were littered about the bed, and Richard''s eyes squinted as he noted the number.


    Obviously, their'' exercise'' tired them out but for them to still be asleep despite the noise he made when he entered? That was unacceptable !! Though deep down, he was feeling a bit jealous at the virility of youth. He, himself, needed some help once in a while and even then, one round was already exhausting.


    "SAMANTHA GREEN!!!" Richard bellowed, causing the two to suddenly jerked and look around in a daze.


    When Samantha saw her father standing there, she gasped and quickly brought up the blanket to cover herself more and she subconsciously went closer to Kyle behind her. Which caused Richard to be angrier.


    He took her by the wrist and was going to pull her when he suddenly felt another hand on his. He looked up, only to see that it was Kyle, who deftly got Richard to release his hold on Samantha''s wrist. He then pulled Samantha closer to him, enclosing her in a hug.


    "Mr. Greene," Kyle said, his voice steady and even despite his nakedness as he lay there, "I''m sorry to actually meet you like this, but please don''t use violence against Samantha."


    When Richard saw how protective Kyle was with Samantha as he held her in his arms, his anger was appeased a bit but he couldn''t show it. He snarled and said, "Samantha, get back to your room now. I''ll deal with you later."


    Then he glared at Kyle, "And you, young man. 10 minutes. Downstairs."


    With that, he walked out and slammed the door.


    Samantha looked at Kyle apologetically, "I''m sorry, Kyle. I didn''t think my father would be back so soon."


    Kyle kissed her gently on the lips, smiling as he said, "It''s fine. I''ve got to meet him sooner or later anyway."


    Samantha blushed, thinking of what had happened earlier as she looked at the boy - no, man - in front of her. She had already thought that Kyle wasn''t normal but the past activity only made it clearer about that. Was he really a virgin?


    "You ..." Samantha began, but Kyle put his finger on her lips as he shook his head, "We''ll talk later. Your father is waiting for me."


    With that, he got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom, giving Samantha a clear view of his naked back and round, firm butt. She looked at the used condoms strewn about and blushed again. Upon getting down from the bed, her legs suddenly felt so weak that she fell to the ground.


    She sat there dumbfounded for a minute, then buried her face in her hands in pure embarrassment. Luckily Kyle hadn''t seen her. He could get up easily, so why couldn''t she? Once she recovered a bit, she quickly took her clothes, covered her nakedness and ran out to get back to her room.


    In the bathroom, Kyle looked at himself in the mirror, sighed and scratched his head, then stretched to relieve the tired muscles.


    [Phase One done]


    [Noted. Status?] Kay asked.


    [Initiating contact in 8 mins]


    [Be careful, brother. Field agents reported that his face looked like he was going to war]


    Kyle smirked at that.


    [They were right] Kyle commented as he stepped into the shower.

 Chapter 210 - Confrontation

    When Kyle went down to the living room, he saw Richard sitting there on the sofa, like some King awaiting his subject. Kyle made a mental eye roll and sat down in front of him, not breaking his stride or eye contact.


    Richard watched with narrowed eyes as the kid walked through the door. There was no sense of shame, or fear as he sat down across from him. From what he had dug up about the kid, he was no ordinary rich kid that was empty on the inside, riding on the coattails of his parents'' wealth.


    He actually had substance.


    If it was any other kid, he''d probably be supportive of this whole thing.


    However, there were two major problems with the young dynamite in front of him.


    One, he was too young.


    That didn''t just mean that he was a ''protected species'', but he was also at the most volatile stage of his life. Rebellious, defiant and would most likely resist any form of authority. Heck, Richard remembered himself when he was growing up. His teen years were rather chaotic and extremely problematic.


    Second, Kyle''s background.


    Being the Smith Heir who''s parents were known to be overprotective gave him a headache. Richard didn''t think that the Smiths would take it too kindly over the fact that their underaged son had been dancing under the sheets with his daughter.


    If he was a normal kid, just having him disappear would have been easy. Bribe him, threaten him or even kill him. Kyle''s status, however, gave him immunity to the first two. He already had the money and power. So the only thing he could do was get them to break up ... or he''d just have to use the underworld connections for Kyle to have an ''accident''.


    Samantha looked like she was being serious with this one, and worse, it looked like the kid was just as serious. Richard couldn''t have that.


    He already had plans for Samantha and it certainly did not involve a fresh-faced ''clean'' kid like this. He needed to strengthen his empire, not weaken it. If Kyle was older, or even younger - he would have been at an age that Richard could control and influence. As it is, Richard doubted that Kyle would succumb to him.


    He could already tell by the way Kyle just looked at him.


    The kid wasn''t simple.


    The both of them just sat there, staring at each other without saying a word.


    Kyle was simply waiting for Richard to speak while Richard was busy thinking as he was looking at Kyle. Just when Richard finally opened his mouth to speak, the living room door opened and Samantha walked in.


    Richard growled, "Get back to your room."


    "No," Samantha said decisively, walking over to Kyle and sitting next to him.


    Kyle looked at her with a smile, and she held his hand, intertwining her fingers into his.


    "If this involves Kyle, it involves me," Samantha replied, looking at her father in the eyes.


    Richard sighed.


    Truth be told, Richard did love his daughter in his own way. To him, providing for her was his show of love. He had given her the best, let her do whatever she wanted and to ensure that her future was protected, he had even gotten her a reliable husband.


    One that could take over his empire and more importantly, one that obeyed him.


    All of Samantha''s lovers had been screened by him and deemed safe. Any guy that was either a mole, or could have been one that Samantha would have fallen in love with - he got rid of.


    Richard didn''t want Samantha to be tied emotionally to anyone so that when he set up the arranged marriage, she would follow obediently. He knew that she was willful but she was also filial.


    Now, however, as he watched the way she held on to Kyle''s hand and leaned on him, he knew that his carelessness had resulted in this mess. He now had to get them to break-up.


    "What''s done is done," Richard began, "But it cannot continue."


    "Why not? It''s not like it''s illegal to have a 14-year-old boyfriend," Samantha retorted.


    "With your reputation?" Richard pointed out, "Do you honestly think people will believe that it''s purely platonic?"


    Samantha couldn''t argue with that point, but she still stubbornly shook her head, "This is the first time that I''m in a relationship. I''m not going to hide it."


    "Okay, fine. Then let me be blunt. Samantha, Kyle is still a minor and you, young lady. You''ve just committed r*pe. You''ll go to jail. I won''t be able to shield you. Do you get me?" he growled, "So stop this before it''s too late." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Samantha trembled and Kyle put his arms around her back, hugging her close to him.


    "Then we''ll keep this relationship a secret," Kyle said, "In public, we''ll just act normally. Just like how we''ve been doing all this while. No one will suspect anything and there is no danger of Samantha getting into trouble."


    Samantha''s eyes were wet with unshed tears as she looked at Kyle. He squeezed her hand.


    "Are you going to keep this a secret even from your own parents? Your sister? Really?" Richard scoffed.


    Kyle, keeping a straight face, replied, "For Samantha, yes. Anything."


    Richard was flabbergasted. Why was this kid so calm and logical? Why couldn''t he get more emotional so that Richard could push some buttons and get them into a fight or something? This wasn''t working. So he changed his tactics.


    "Fine. This better not be revealed," Richard stressed, "And no more fucking around in this house. Or anywhere. And I mean that literally, okay?"


    Samantha nodded happily.


    So they wouldn''t break up? That''s fine.


    He just had to call in a few favours.


    In the meantime, looks like he would have to stay longer here. He didn''t trust the two kids to keep their hands off each other. One was like a sex addict. The other, a virile young man who just discovered sex. Both were lethal combinations.


    ?? ??


    When Kyle returned to his room, it had already been cleaned out. The sheets were changed, the used condoms were cleared out and the bed curtains were tied back to its post. Kyle switched off the lights and lay down on the bed.


    [Phase Two in progress] Kyle reported, putting an arm across his eyes.


    [That went well] Kay replied.


    [Yeah. Worked like a charm. Now Richard can''t bear to leave the two of us alone yet he can''t get rid of me so easily. He''ll probably make his move after filming here is done. So, with him here, it''ll be easier for me to get to him.]


    [Congrats, brother]


    Kyle yawned [I''m beat. Talk to you tomorrow]


    [Goodnight]


    [''Night] Kyle replied, closing his eyes.


    It really had been an extremely exhausting day, but it was worth it. Everything worked out as he had planned, and that took a whole load of his shoulders. He hoped that the next few weeks would run smoothly as well.


    Kyle massaged his arms and legs for a while. They were really sore at the moment. First, he had those physically demanding scenes the whole day. Then he had to do those vigorous sex poses right after.


    The truth of the matter was, nothing had happened between him and Samantha.


    Kyle had been aware of the hidden camera in his room. He knew Richard was keeping a close eye on any of Samantha''s lovers, and would rush over if there was anything between him and Samantha.


    Thus, he needed to create the desired illusion to get the rat back into the cage.


    After closing the curtains of the bed, Kyle had first made Samantha very happy.


    He had kissed, licked, left a lot of love bites and made her orgasm with just his mouth and hands. While she was panting and weak from it, he hypnotised her into thinking that they started having sex. Once her eyes glazed over, he waited for a few minutes before knocking her out by pressing the appropriate pressure points.


    Her earlier moans and screams from the orgasm had also been recorded. So Kyle simply played it back on a loop. He wasn''t sure if the camera also captured sound since he couldn''t examine it properly, so he felt it was better to be safe than sorry.


    Once he was sure Samantha was under, Kyle began to work.


    Samantha had been like a puppet, and Kyle the puppeteer. Kyle had to create the illusion of the two of them engaging in sex, so he would imitate the motions of both of them having intense sex. He was on top of her then made the necessary thrusting motions.


    Kyle did the whole show by himself. However, he had to do it in such a way that it would appear as if Samantha herself was moving as well.


    Thus, not only did he need to move his hips, he had to hold on to Samantha and make her move. He did this by either moving her up and down as he held her waist, or her buttocks. The positions he had chosen were doable and it certainly gave a convincing show.


    If Richard had been more attentive, he might have been wondering why Samantha''s head seemed to be lying down most of the time. But Kyle figured it simply looked like either Samantha was too caught up in pleasure, or was kissing him as they fucked.


    Luckily, it worked.


    However, two hours of such strenuous activity right after a whole day of shooting would exhaust anyone. Plus, hypnotising someone took a lot of concentration as well. Once he received word that Richard was on his way, Kyle put Samantha down on the bed with relief. God, that man can watch that long.


    From under the pillow, he took out several condoms that he had already ''filled up'' and had been tied off at the edge. ''Ol Right Hand certainly did a lot of work earlier that day. He couldn''t even get a substitute as he was closely watched. He scattered the condoms around the bed then proceeded to take off Samantha''s underwear.


    He started to massage her legs, stimulating certain nerves. Massages can be done to relieve stress or create it. He was doing the latter to make it seems as if she had been quite active as well. Once done, he took off his own boxers, and threw it aside.


    He then lay next to her, pulling up the blanket to cover the both of them. He looked at her sleeping face, a slight regret in his heart for using her like this but it had to be done. Sighing, he then pressed some pressure points to put her into sleep rather than be unconscious.


    No matter what he felt about using Samantha - the assassination was the most important thing.


    The end justifies the means.

 Chapter 211 - Cards

    Richard was true to his word.


    He watched them like a hawk.


    Wherever they went, so did he. Kyle had also discovered, as he was taking out his clothes to wear that morning, that the secret panel door in the closet that connected his room to Samantha''s had been sealed shut. He laughed at that.


    It just made Kyle''s job easier.


    If he had to fake the act everyday, it was going to get very old, very fast. Luckily, he had pegged down Richard''s reactions down well. This was mainly attributed to Sam doing such a good job, for he was the one that had come up with the report on Richard''s possible personality. Kyle decided Sam deserved a bonus after this mission was over.


    There were a few more weeks left before the filming would be wrapped up.


    Since the scene Kyle did, he was basically left to his own devices. All Chad requested was for Kyle to turn up in the last week so that they could start filming. Chad trusted Kyle''s professionalism. Plus, the stunt team reported that Kyle had the movements and choreography down perfectly. There was nothing much for them to teach Kyle.


    Kyle still went to the site everyday. Basically to touch base with Sam and show his face. However, most of his time was spent at Mansion BMX. Essentially to observe Richard. He was observing if Richard had any set patterns on what he did and planned accordingly.


    So far, from Kyle''s perspective, Richard was not a creature of habit.


    Other than the fact that he was following them around, he didn''t have any routine. That was another factor which made targetting Richard difficult. Even at Mansion BMX, the security wasn''t lax. He had bodyguards with him 24/7 despite the already stringent security measures he had in place.


    Kyle smirked at that.


    The measures may be effective against those who were trying to get in, but it wasn''t that impossible for one who was already in. Let''s see how long Richard can keep up the pretense of being calm and steady.


    ?? ??


    Richard sat at the living room sofa, looking as serene and calm as ever as he flipped the newspaper in his hands.


    In truth, however, he was hardly reading what was on it.


    His mind was wandering over the incidences that had been happening for the past few months.


    Richard had been slowly expanding his territory and influence into the underworld. He knew who ruled it: Nitocris from the Black Dragon. He scoffed at that, feeling that Nitocris was a shadow of his father, who had been ruthless and decisive.


    Yet, Nitocris had left him be until he finally made a name for himself. Then, he got a warning to step back. Why should he? If Nitocris had ignored him while he was climbing, why should he now stop? Richard felt that he had it in him to be better than Nitocris and he was going to prove it.


    It had been months since the first warning and he was still alive, right?


    It just goes to show how powerful Richard is and how weak Nitocris is.


    But ... Richard''s eyebrows furrowed together.


    Things became slightly more problematic in the past month or so. He had been receiving these little calling cards. Nothing was written on it. Just a simple black card, the size of a standard business card.


    On the front, the Black Dragon emblem was on it. Its outline in silver so the shape of the Black Dragon could clearly be seen.


    On the back, it was the same thing but this time, the Black Dragon emblem was encased in a block of silver ice.


    He had heard about this.


    Nitocris had his elite team of assassins. Each had their own calling card that they would leave after each hit.


    Richard knew who had been assigned. The card said it all. Ice.


    From his research and digging, Ice really was an elusive figure. What Richard couldn''t understand was that Ice had been around for a long time and yet, not a single person would reveal anything about him.


    The name ''Ice'' was infamous.


    People would whisper his name and look around as if it was a curse or something. The boogeyman. No matter how much was being offered, he couldn''t get good intel about Ice. Those who did give information, all turned out to be fake. Richard immediately got rid of those supposed informants, of course, and it only caused people to stop coming forward.


    What sort of nonsense was this? Why could he not get a piece of single proper information about Ice? Or how he looked like? Apparently, he''s normally wearing a mask and all you could see were his ice-cold blue eyes. However, when asked what he looked like without the mask?


    "Devil''s Incarnate". "Eyes that can freeze your soul". "Harmless until he looks at you."


    How the heck does that help?


    Richard was completely pissed. He didn''t think the underworld was full of people living in dreamland. He could understand if it was the Black Dragon members were tight-lipped but the entire underworld? What was with that?


    The only other thing he could get was some stupid nonsensical rumour going around that if anyone went against Ice, their families and those close to them just gets annihilated. What sort of rubbish was that? Who could be so powerful like that?


    Apparently, he had the ''Curse'' or something. The underworld people were just so superstitious.


    Richard clenched the newspaper angrily when he thought about that damn card.


    It had been showing up in the most unexpected places. On the seat of his car. In the bathroom, near the sink as he exited the cubicle. The worst place was in his coat pocket! No one saw a single thing. No one.


    No matter where he went, no matter how he changed his schedule, those darn cards showed up. Now, though, finally, as he had been at Mansion BMX for the past week, the cards stopped. He breathed a sigh of relief and laughed as he realised something.


    If Ice really was as formidable as they say, then it meant that he had many opportunities to kill him. Yet, he didn''t. He only left cards. Why?


    Richard thought it was pretty simple. Ice was not as skilled as they say. Rumours were like that: they grew a life of its own. He was most likely just a normal assassin but not that great. He could infiltrate places but he couldn''t really do the deed with so many people around. Richard was confident in his team and he became even more confident and arrogant about it.


    With that thought, Richard finally smiled.


    Yes, that must be the reason.


    The fact that he didn''t get any calling card since coming to Mansion BMX proved it. His security was top-notch and impregnable. He felt like a huge weight was taken off his shoulders and he even started humming.


    That night, as he was preparing for bed, he screamed.


    There, on his pillow, was that damn card. This time, the back of the card was facing up.


    ?? ??


    Back in his room, Kyle grinned.


    Richard was so easy to mess with, once he had him in his hands. The moment he saw Richard''s defences go down, he stepped up the psychological game he had been playing.


    The cards had been left by his own MIB team. Though Richard did change his schedules often, Kyle had enough people to cover every single place. Keeping track of him was easy - getting to him to assassinate him, however, wasn''t.


    Kyle could only guess where he would be and he would send his teams there. If he had to choose one, there was only a 10% chance it was the right one. So, he decided that the best thing to do was first, play with his mind so he would make mistakes when making decisions. Second, get Richard to come to him.


    The first part was done easily. He gave his cards to his MIB team and they set out. Whoever found him, would start putting the cards whenever they could.


    The best was the jacket, though. That was pure luck. It just so happened that the team which stumbled upon Richard had their latest recruit: a 9-year old pickpocket that they discovered in the slums of Country B.


    Her hands were nimble, her face was innocent. In fact, she looked like she was only 7 or so. With training, her skills sky-rocketed. Not just the pick-pocketing skills, but in utilising her innocent and young face. Nobody pays any attention to kids so it was easy for her to run about and put it in his pocket.


    Such an easy target.


    Right now, unknown to Richard, he was like a fly in a spider''s web.


    So how did Kyle place the card in Richard''s room without being seen? S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kyle had first entered, he had placed the sonic and fly bugs. The security system had been a mystery and Kay couldn''t get the blueprint of it. The sonic bugs were used to get the outline of the security system and the fly bugs were used to track people and find the control room.


    Within one week, they managed to do so and using the feeds from the bugs, Kay could determine what system it was. After that, it was like taking candy from a baby.


    Once Kay had secured the security cameras, Kyle slowly took back the bugs and relied on Richard''s own camera feeds. However, he still kept his own bug in his room for Kay, as the others were under Team Yume''s responsibility. The camera that connected them was much more personal and only Kay had access to it.


    Thus, what Team Yume did was simple. They played the recording of Richard''s room when it was empty. If anyone was to look at the past video surveillance records, all they would see is an empty room.


    Sheets changed? No problem. They had over a month''s worth of footage and all they needed to do was choose the right set. So, once the fake footage was put in place, Kyle simply entered through the window and put the card on the pillow.


    Richard may, or may not, know that there was a system to the cards.


    The cards had a specific purpose to it.


    The very first time a card is sent, it also had the instructions on what was expected. If they want to escape the hit, all they needed to do was follow it.


    If they did to their satisfaction, then the card that is cut into two is sent.


    If they didn''t, then either they are given another card with more instructions, or the back side of the card is sent. The latter indicating that they failed and they would die soon.


    Sometimes, rarely, it would be used like how Kyle was doing it at the moment: to scare. To make them worry endlessly. With such fear, they tend to make mistakes. Also, word would get out as well.


    Thus this time, when Kyle placed the card, he was telling Richard: your time is up.


    Not every target was as stupid as Richard. If ''Ice'' left his card, the thing was done immediately.


    Richard was the first to play this cat-and-mouse game so Kyle had to mess with him. Ignore Big Bro Nitocris? How dare he. He had to admit, doing it this way wasn''t just because it was difficult to get to Richard.


    He wanted to mess with Richard''s mind. He wanted Richard to be in total fear for several months.


    When he heard the scream, Kyle couldn''t help but smile.

 Chapter 212 - Preparations

    The scream was quite loud and echoed through the entire corridor. The bodyguards stationed outside Richard''s room smashed their way in quickly, guns out.


    [He really sounds like a pig squeeling] Kyle said as he was laughing. He doubted Richard would be looking into his room right now - but even if he was, so what? It really was funny.


    Kay smiled at that then asked, [Your last shoot is next week. So when is the hit?]


    [When the shooting is done but before we leave] Kyle told her.


    [Why? I thought you wanted to do it after you guys left the area?]


    [Yes, I did at first. However, upon thinking about it, I feel this is the best way. What better way to hide than in plain sight, right?]


    [Meaning?] Kay asked. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [This is the first time outsiders were allowed into Mansion BMX. If something happened to Richard after we left, the police will naturally think that someone in the crew was responsible.]


    [You have a point. But how is that any different if you do it when you''re still around? Worse, wouldn''t you be the prime suspect since you''re the only one in the mansion? Maybe they would never consider that you were the actual assassin, but perhaps, an accomplice?] Kay continued asking.


    [Yes, of course and I would have the perfect alibi for them. First, the movie crew members would be safe from any suspicion. Since my little stunt, I''m sure Richard will see the boogeyman everywhere and will increase security. I doubt any movie crew member would be able to get out of their little area. The police will question us, then finding nothing, we''ll be released and never called back]


    [Makes sense] Kay agreed, still worried.


    [And with your hacking skills, you''ll cover my back seamlessly, right?]


    [Of course!] Kay huffed.


    [So why should I be worried?]


    Kay bit her bottom lip. She knew he made sense, but sometimes, the heart would still worry no matter what.


    [Just be careful] she said softly.


    [Always] Kyle replied looking at the camera that connected them, giving a smile. He began going through the plan in his mind then, visualising it and thinking of the possible dangers - for the umpteenth time.


    Timing would be very important.


    Like Kyle predicted, ever since Richard found the card, he increased the security. He had more people come in, and at first, he had wanted to kick out the movie crew from his compound. However, Samantha had been angry when she found out. She argued with her father about it, saying that there was only one week left. It was Kyle''s scene. She pointed out how Greene never backed down nor broke a promise.


    That made Richard grit his teeth and knew she had a point. If he did kick them out, all the months of enduring the card scares would have been for nought. People would know that he had been scared. So he had to endure it.


    Since he couldn''t kick the movie crew out, he had more people patrolling the area and a special one around the movie team area. They had a curfew, and no one could go in or out. Anyone who dared go out of the cordoned area would have two people following them everywhere.


    When Kyle heard that, he started packing his clothes.


    Samantha walked in as he was doing so, and she didn''t look happy.


    "What are you doing??" she said angrily, pouting as she hugged him from behind.


    Kyle placed his hands over hers, caressing them a bit then continued packing as he patiently explained, "I need to stay with the crew members."


    "NO!" she said again, hugging him tighter, "I won''t be able to see you then. It''s hard enough already when you''re here with Dad''s eagle eyes and all ... but at least you are here. If you go, I''ll just ..."


    Kyle turned, caressing her cheek and gave her several light kisses on the face, "You know it''ll have to happen anyway. Once the shooting ends, we''ll be apart even longer."


    "I know THAT," she huffed, "I want to spend time with you as much as I can before that. Stay here, please?"


    Kyle shook his head, "I can''t. Your Dad has gone insanely paranoid for some reason. It''s best for both of us for me to stay back with the rest."


    "I hate this," Samantha said softly, her mouth quivering.


    Kyle put his forehead on hers, then kissed her. Softly at first, but it soon got heated. Samantha wrapped her hands around his neck, pressing her body closer to hers and Kyle''s own hands were roaming her back.


    Just as they landed on her nice, round behind, a loud cough was heard.


    They quickly sprang apart.


    "Miss Samantha," came that well-controlled voice of the butler, "Master Richard requests your presence."


    Samantha sighed, gave Kyle one last deep tongue kiss to spite the butler and said, "I''ll come over to watch your scene. That''s okay, right?''''


    Kyle nodded, "I''ve already asked Chad if you could."


    Samantha smiled and went to follow the butler out. Kyle watched her go and then put the last item into his back. He hid a smile as he thought about his cards that he left scattered about. Too bad he wasn''t going to be around when Richard discovered them.


    ?? The previous night ??


    All the motion sensors at the windows in the Mansion had been switched off. Kyle had placed charcoal around his eye area and was dressed completely in black. He slipped out of his window, and scaled the walls to Richard''s room.


    He was there to place his cards again.


    Kyle went to Richard''s closet and put a card in one of the pants hanging there.


    Richard may think he doesn''t have a routine, but after observing Richard for a while, Kyle found one interesting fact. His clothes were always coordinated to the day. On Monday, it would be a blue shirt with black pants. On Tuesday, it was a white shirt with brown pants. Things like that.


    In his closet, the clothes were actually arranged in a row, as per the day he would wear them. Thus, it was easy for Kyle to choose ''Wednesday''s pants and put the card in the front pocket. This card was slightly different. Instead of a card, it had a paper-like texture.


    This was so that Richard wouldn''t feel it in the pocket as he wore his pants. Richard liked to put his hands in his pocket when he talked, so he would find it sooner or later in the day. Kyle grinned when he thought of what Richard''s face would be like when he found it.


    Next, Kyle headed to the study room.


    He went to the front drawer, pulled it open and put a card inside, inbetween some files. The drawer held some of Richard''s important documents and it was a matter of time when Richard would see it.


    Kyle continued to place the cards in random places throughout the mansion before silently slipping back into his room. All in all, he had hid 10 cards in the place. If his estimation was correct, Richard would find at least two cards a day.


    Wasn''t that fun?


    ?? Last Scene ??


    Kyle and Keanu''s heads were close together, both of them going through the script one last time.


    The scene was the first time Keanu would come across his son - though at that time, he didn''t know yet the connection they had. Kyle, however, knew who he was and the sudden appearance of his father affected him mentally.


    Keanu had come to one of the organisation''s branch in Country X to confront one of its core members. Kyle happened to be there. He had been ordered to stand back but Kyle being Kyle, he ignored the orders and went to confront Keanu.


    He had anger issues.


    Daddy issues.


    For the scene, Kyle was wearing a black collared shirt tucked into skin-tight black jeans with a silver belt buckle. A vintage style black leather jacket with V-cut double lapels was worn over and ankle boots that had some silver studs on them.


    Just like Keanu''s suit, Kyle''s ensemble was bullet-proof as well. The entire outfit was created by the same person who created Keanu''s suit. The concept was the same: sleek, simple and stylish. The silver belt buckle and silver studs were simple accessories that seemed to pop out even more due to the entire dark ensemble that Kyle wore.


    The wardrobe for Kyle had been done during the time they were at Mansion BMX. He had gone for numerous fittings and had intense discussions with the stylist of the movie, Luca Mosca about the scenes he had. This was very important as Luca had to design the outfit to suit every action scene. He needed to know what sort of movements that were made and what sort of image was needed.


    A little known fact is that there are actually about 50 suits made for Keanu alone. Each fighting scene had a different requirement and the suit was adjusted accordingly in order to allow easy movement. The stunt doubles were not exactly the same fit as Keanu, so their suits were slightly different.


    In this case, what was required was a mini-version of Keanu.


    Obviously, Luca did it again. He captured the essence of what was required.


    People were mesmerized already by the scene in front of them. Keanu and Kyle, both in their own distinctive yet similar style. Both exuding that air of elegance and coolness that could not be copied. From one look, one would already be thinking that they were father-and-son.


    Chad was extremely happy when he looked at the two of them. He was so touched that he even felt like tearing up. The next scene was something that Chad was both excited - and extremely nervous - about. Would Kyle be able to act as well as he hoped?


    So far, Chad had only seen how Kyle was for that one particular exercise scene. There had been no speaking parts. Chad calmed down when he thought back of how Kyle could take orders and directions properly. How Kyle improved at each take.


    It would be a good scene. Kyle had his fighting choreography down pat, as per what the stunt crew had said. Chad smiled at that.


    Then Chad remembered that this scene was not just action. It had strong, raw emotions.


    Chad became nervous again.

 Chapter 213 - Scenes

    ?? Note to readers: the scenes for the movie will be described as if you''re watching the movie itself. ??


    A somber, unemotional man was seen walking leisurely.


    Anyone in the field would know who it is: John Wick, assassin extraordinaire. Legend. Here at the branch office to seek one man: the elusive Mr. X. John had heard from his intel that he was here, so here he was, nonchalantly walking towards the building that Mr X was supposedly at.


    He cut a rather dashing figure, in his sleek, dark suit as he walked. Though it appeared like he was merely walking, one could see how his eyes were taking in everything around him. His body seemed to be coiled and ready to spring into action at any time.


    A dark figure showed up beside him and his hand went up, shooting accurately despite the fact that he didn''t even turn his head. Without missing a beat, he swung his arm to the left and let off another shot.


    He turned, fired three shots in rapid succession. Turning his head to the right, he fired another two shots. Throwing away the empty gun, he was about to reach into his jacket for another gun when one guy rushed up at him, shooting.


    John Wick easily dodged the bullet, grabbed the guy''s arm that had the gun and pulled him close. As the momentum brought the guy forward, John punched the guy right in the throat, grabbed him by the back of the neck and jumped a bit while wrapping his legs around the guy''s waist.


    John easily used the momentum to bring the guy to the ground. Both of them tumbled, in a roll but while the guy landed on his back at the end of it, John was above him. One leg bent over him while the other was bent on its knee beside him.


    Essentially, the guy was inbetween John''s legs. As the guy landed on his back with John above, his arm was grabbed and twisted by John. Without missing a beat, John took the guy''s other gun (that was in the holster), shoot three people rushing at him and finally shooting the guy in the heart.


    John got up quickly, smoothly and seamlessly as he continued to make shot after shot. Dead bodies were piling up all around yet not a single bullet hit John. His hair was plastered wet with sweat now but it didn''t even bother him as he moved his head suddenly, flicking that offending hair aside.


    He continued on.


    A few metres away from John, there was a little shed-like area. Inside, a young boy was standing inside a room, looking at the camera feeds. He turned to glare at the man beside him.


    "No," the man said, even before the boy could open his mouth, "You''re here to observe, not attack. Besides, we want him alive."


    The man could feel the intensity of the glare the kid was giving him, even though he wasn''t looking at him. He shuddered though he tried hard to suppress it.


    Schooling his face to appear stern, he then turned to give a final talking to the boy. As he turned, however, the last thing he saw was a fist aiming at his face. Before he could dodge, it hit him squarely inbetween the eyebrows, then a hard chop to the back of his neck.


    He fell down, unconscious.


    "As if you could stop me," the boy muttered in disdain, kicking the man in the stomach to vent out his anger, "I''ve been holding back all this time, fool. The only reason I didn''t kill you is because Boss will do so after I''m done with John."


    The boy looked back to the monitor screen and the corner of one side of his lips went up, "It''s time for us to finally meet. Before I kill you."


    The boy took out his gun, checked it and walked out.


    Outside, several guards were taken aback to see the boy go out.


    "Zenith," one guy said, "Get back inside. Your orders ..."


    "Fuck orders," Zenith said as he shot the guy in the head.


    Zenith found it hilarious, seeing the shocked expression on the guy''s face as his brain splattered all over. His face had this really perverse look of enjoyment as the guy fell back, dead.


    He never understood why John Wick would aim for the heart first, and only taking head shots in certain situations. For him, headshots were the best. It was like watching spaghetti fly in the air.


    He liked spaghetti.


    The other guard didn''t even have time to take out his gun when Zenith shot him in the head as well. The sounds of gunshots made people come to check it out, their guns out, ready to shoot. However, they all hesitated when they saw who it was standing there.


    That was all Zenith needed.


    Just like how John Wick was killing people at his side to reach the building, Zenith was doing the same as he headed towards where John was. John would have to pass by Zenith to reach the building, but Zenith wasn''t going to wait that long. He wanted to personally meet up with John halfway.


    Zenith was going through the men like butter. Some tried to shoot him in the leg, but he managed to avoid them. Those he reached, he would either slice their throats with his knife and smile as they gurgled their last breath, or slice their stomach open then shoot them in the head.


    Zenith was a dual-hand fighter. His right hand would shoot targets that were far and a danger to him. His left hand would be killing those that were nearby. His signature cold smile never left his face as he killed people around. In truth, he could use either hand for whichever weapon and he would switch if the situation demanded it.


    The men were at a disadvantage as they couldn''t kill Zenith but Zenith had no qualms about killing them. They lamented over their fate. Still, it was better to die cleanly by Zenith, than to be tortured by the organisation for going against orders.


    Most of their last thoughts were actually happiness, thinking of the torture Zenith would be going through for this latest act of rebellion.


    The camera panned out, showing the two fighting scenes together. John on the left, and Zenith on the right. Finally, as if they were in sync, they rounded the corner and came face to face with each other.


    John was stupified. Just as he turned a corner, a lone guy stood there.


    No, not a guy. A boy. A young boy.


    On instinct, John stopped.


    It wasn''t as if John couldn''t shoot him - the boy was standing out in the open, with nothing other than one single gun in his hand and a bloody knife in the other. The boy was not moving, his head looking at the ground as if he was thinking hard.


    John had ample time to have taken that shot. Yet, for some strange reason, he couldn''t. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the first time in his life, he had hesitated.


    It was only for a split second, but it was enough.


    He brought up his hand to take the shot when the boy spoke, "I guess it''s true then."


    "What''s true?" John couldn''t help but ask, his gun aimed perfectly at the boy''s heart.


    The boy didn''t answer at first, flicking the blood off the knife and storing it in its sheath at his belt. He then raised his gun, looking at it as he began caressing its chamber.


    "That blood is thicker than water," he said softly, but still loud enough for John to hear, "I''ve hated you for so long yet when I finally see you, something just ... stopped me from taking that shot."


    Then, he looked up, straight into John''s eyes and that made John''s heart skip a beat.


    It was only now that he got a good look at the boy''s face.


    "NO," John gasped, unable to stop the words from coming out of his lips.


    He was seeing it, but he couldn''t believe it.


    "You know, as well as I do, that either of us could have taken that shot," the boy said, giving him a smile. A smile that mirrored his so much that John''s mind couldn''t grasp it.


    "And you''re looking at your own face," the boy continued on relentlessly, "A younger, better-looking version but you can''t deny what''s staring at you straight in the face."


    "Who are you?" John rasped out through gritted teeth.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" the boy said, his demeanor now suddenly cold. His voice taking a hard edge to it, his eyes narrowed.


    John shook his head, refusing to say out loud what was in his heart. It was too incredible. Too ridiculous. The sweat came down his face and into his eyes. John blinked rapidly to get a clear vision. The boy in front of him blurred for a second and when he got his eyes cleared, he was gone.


    John looked around rapidly, but could not see a single trace of him.


    "Till we meet again," came his voice in the silent air. A slight pause then, he added, "Father."


    John stood there, dumbfounded. During the entire exchange, not a single person showed up. Not a single attack was made. John looked towards the Building he had been heading to, knowing that it was now empty and going in would be useless.


    The kid had done what no one had been able to do. Stopped him from executing his mission.


    John gritted his teeth, his face full of frustration.


    The camera panned out, first showing John''s expression. Then, the area surrounding him - showing John standing alone with the dead bodies he had killed behind him.


    The camera panned out even more. In an area that John hadn''t gone to yet, there was a pile of dead bodies as well. One lone figure was walking away, this time accompanied by several well-armed men around him.


    The camera went closer to the boy, whose hands were tied behind his back and the men around him had their guns pointed at him as they walked.


    Zenith smiled, sending chills down the spine of every single person there.


    ?? ??


    Chad just couldn''t believe it. The whole entire scene had taken nearly five days to shoot and there had not been a single mistake made. It was so smooth that Chad thought he was dreaming.


    Just as he yelled the last "CUT!!", ''Zenith''s'' cold smile fell and a cute, excited kid came alive. He turned and took a bow as everyone started clapping.


    Keanu smiled and came over, patting Kyle on the shoulders, "You did great, kid."


    "Auw, shucks," Kyle said, rubbing his nose in embarrassment. Having your idol praise you would make even the most stoic person all warm and bubbly inside.


    Keanu couldn''t help but fling his arm around Kyle''s shoulder, rubbing his hair vigorously. Kyle''s arm flailed about, not really trying to stop him - he couldn''t! When Keanu stopped, Kyle''s hair was not only ruffled, it was standing up.


    Everyone laughed.

 Chapter 214 - Fattening The Pig

    ** Flashback to the day Kyle left Mansion BMX***


    Samantha was in total shock as she listened to her father.


    What''s this? Black Dragon? Ice? Cards? What?


    "So, you understand that I can''t let you out of the house till this Ice person is caught," Richard was saying, looking at her in the eyes. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But -" Samantha started to protest. She had wanted to watch Kyle shoot his scenes and now her father was telling her she''s housebound?


    "No buts," Richard stressed.


    "Not even in our own compound?" Samantha pressed on, "Surely the security here is tight enough?"


    "NO," Richard replied, then his voice softened, "I can''t take any chances, Samantha. Please understand."


    Samantha shook her head, not believing this whole thing, "But who is this Ice? Why is this Black Dragon after you?"


    "Who knows?" Richard said with a straight face, "I guess I made a lot of enemies in the business world? All I know is this. Don''t mess with the Black Dragons."


    "Especially Ice," Richard said, "But I refuse to cower to these lowlife vermin! Does Ice think he can scare me? Hah!"


    Samantha watched her father with awe, "Are you okay, father? Why were you hiding this from me before? And how did you know? Was there an attempt already?"


    "One question at a time, sweetheart," Richard said, "These Black Dragons just think too highly of themselves. I got a card, with some instructions of what needs to be done. Since I refused to do it, I''m to be killed."


    "Why couldn''t you just follow what they wanted?" Samantha asked curiously.


    Richard glared at her, smashing the table, "I will not bow down to them! I have my own principles and will stick to them. These Drug Lords think they are so great? NOT TO ME."


    Samantha was even more proud of her father. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.


    "Okay, father," she said, "I will obey."


    She didn''t want to cause more hardship to her father.


    Richard gave a huge sigh of relief, "That''s good."


    He reached into his drawer, pulling it open, "I have here the title deeds to a penthouse at Street Px. It''s under your name and no one knows about it. I want you to head over there as soon as everything is ready."


    He took out a file, and as he brought it up, something fluttered to the floor. He froze.


    Samantha saw the look on her father''s face and turned her head to where he was looking at. There, a black calling card was seen. She was about to pick it up when Richard beat her to it, crushing it in his hands and stuffed it in his pocket.


    As he did so, he felt something in there.


    Furrowing his brows, he touched it. It was paper. His heart calmed a bit, for it couldn''t be the card now, could it? His fingers held it and he took it out of his pocket.


    Upon seeing the all too familiar emblem, his heart rushed up to his throat and he fainted.


    Samantha was shocked.


    One minute, her father was fine. The next, as he looked at something that he had taken out of his pocket, his eyes rolled back and he slumped unconscious onto the table. She couldn''t move in time and he banged his head hard on the desk.


    She frantically called for the butler and they brought Richard to his room. Their regular doctor was called and Samantha sat by her father''s bed, waiting. Taking out her phone, she started texting Kyle.


    She knew that it was unlikely that he would see it yet, as he would be busy. Still, it was better than nothing. She sent several texts, first apologizing for not being able to watch him shoot after all, but didn''t say why. She simply stated that her father had some problems and she had to help him.


    She also told him about her father being unwell and had fainted so she had to stay to take care of him.


    When Kyle saw those messages that night, he smiled.


    For the next five days, Kyle was busy with the shoots. During the da, he would be working. At night, he would be texting Samantha.


    Through her, he could listen to her telling her concerns for her father. He could monitor Richard via the security feeds, of course, but it was nothing compared to hearing how Richard was acting.


    Samantha was getting worried. She said that her father was on edge lately. Every single thing could set him off. Everyone was walking on eggshells.


    The worst thing was him firing most of the staff and only left the barest mininum. Bodyguards were everywhere. Samantha even had to stay in the same room as her father, sitting on a chair to watch him sleep.


    He was that paranoid.


    [The fruit is ripe for the picking] Kyle reported on the last day of filming.


    He was furiously trying to brush down his hair, that Keanu had messed up. The static that he created still made some of his hair stand up.


    [Finally] Kay replied [When is the harvesting going to be done?]


    [The Witching Hour]


    [Geez, brother] Kay complained [Can''t you just say midnight like a normal person?]


    [But I''m not normal]


    [... ...]


    Kyle could actually ''feel'' those ellipses and he laughed.


    [You''re really having fun, aren''t you?] Kay admonished him [Are you sure you know what mission you''re really under?]


    [Tsk] Kyle responded [Yes. I''ve been fattening the pig and now he''s really for slaughter. Is everything in place?]


    [Affirmative] Kay assured him.


    Kyle stretched, bringing his arms up in the air above him. He bent his right elbow, and reached behind him to touch the middle of his back. Then, with his left hand that was still up, he grasped just below the right elbow. He gently pulled the right elbow down and towards his head.


    His muscles were feeling a little stiff, so he had to loosen up his back and triceps.


    Thing is, he was still in costume - minus the leather jacket that he had placed carefully on the chair. With his sleek physique being outlined in that slim fitting dark shirt, his movements only served to showcase the rippling muscles underneath.


    "Do you really have to show off so much?" grumbled Sam, watching Kyle intently.


    Kyle smirked, put his hands on his waist and wriggled his butt, "What? Want a piece of this, is it?"


    Sam made some retching sounds, while sticking his tongue out and pretending to poke his finger down his throat.


    "You guys have a unique friendship," came a deep voice, laughingly.


    Both Kyle and Sam stood up straight then, facing Keanu.


    "What? You''re still nervous around me?" he questioned them, frowning at them.


    Sam''s eyes went wide open, "No, no ... it''s just ... ah geez. I''m such a big fan, Mr. Reeves that I can''t help it."


    "I''m just showing respect, Keanu," said Kyle sheepishly, "I mean, you''re an elder, you know?"


    Keanu first said to Sam, "Call me Keanu."


    Then he turned to look at Kyle, saying, "I''m not THAT old."


    "You''re older than my parents," Kyle pointed out.


    "Again, I repeat. I''m not THAT old," he replied with a smile.


    Kyle grinned and Sam laughed softly, "Fine, fine. You''re one of us then."


    "As it should be," Keanu replied, smiling and sitting down next to Sam.


    He leaned pver to Sam, pointing at Kyle with his chin as he said, "And you''re right. He really does like to show-off, doesn''t he?"


    "HEY!" Kyle shouted, looking indignant, then pulled up his shirt to show off his muscles, waving his hand up and down, "When you have these, it''s only right to show them off!"


    Then before anyone could react, Kyle rushed forward and pulled up Sam''s shirt, showing off his muscles. It wasn''t a 6-pack like Kyle''s, but it was still pretty impressive.


    "See? Even Sam has them under these baggy clothes that he likes to wear. Though it''s only for Betty''s eyes, I know."


    Sam whacked Kyle''s offending hands, pulling his shirt back down, his face red.


    "Shut up," he growled.


    Keanu just watched the two of them, laughing and shaking his head.


    He couldn''t quite wrap his mind around these two.


    One second, they looked and acted like normal teenage kids.


    Then, the next second, they do things that just showed how much of a freak they were. He was surprised to see how developed Sam''s body was as well, considering that he looked pretty much like a desk-pusher only.


    When they were in work mode, their professionalism and efficiency were higher than most of the adults he had been in contact with.


    When they were playing, they goofed off more than any clown he knew.


    Still, he found himself wanting to be part of their world. If these two were like this, how was he with his family? His other friends?


    Strangely, despite the many people around him and the love they gave him, they didn''t quite fill the void within his heart since his daughter died.


    Even more strangely, he felt a connection to Kyle that he couldn''t quite explain ... which was slowly patching the grief in his heart. He looked at the laughing young man, his eyes deep in contemplation.


    ?? Midnight ??


    Sam and Kyle were in their trailer, going through the last minute preparations.


    Kyle was decked out in his black ninja outfit that covered him from head to toe and wore black contact lenses.


    As he pulled the last glove on, he looked steadily at Sam, asking softly, "You ready?"


    Sam took a deep breath, sitting at the desk and looking at the laptop that was connected to the mansion security feeds - and Kay.


    "Yes," he answered simply.


    "This isn''t my first hit, and it won''t be my last," Kyle said as he headed to the middle of the trailer, putting his hand on the ceiling, where the opening at the top was located. "Kay will give you the signal, so you don''t have to watch."


    As he pushed the latch, Kyle said softly, "In fact, it''s better that you don''t watch. Just focus on doing your part. Don''t ... just don''t get too involved in this part, okay?"


    Sam saw the sadness in Kyle''s eyes and he nodded. He gave him a big smile, saluted and said, "Don''t worry. I know you are doing what you need to do. Stay safe."


    Kyle smiled, though Sam couldn''t see it through the mask. Silently, he went through the roof and disappeared.

 Chapter 215 - The Hit

    Kyle was dangling right outside Richard''s window, flattening himself against the wall and on its dark side. He pulled down his sleeve a bit, to reveal a watch that was streaming Richard''s room.


    He saw Samantha sleeping on the sofa that was next to Richard''s bed while Richard himself was wrapped up like a mummy on it. The blanket was completely twisted around him. Guess he reverted back to being a baby? Where one would normally be coddled and such.


    Kyle snickered.


    He slipped in silently. Since this was the third floor, Richard never really thought anyone would have entered through the window. Careless. Kyle slid across the floor, and headed towards Samantha first. He slid open the tips of the fingers on his glove, revealing his darkened fingers. Pressing her acupuncture points, he put her to sleep.


    He then went to the front door and slid the latch over.


    Once done, he took a chair and put it next to the bed. He looked at the mummified Richard, shaking his head. This was going to be a bit tricky. Not too difficult though.


    In one swift motion, Kyle placed his hands over Richard''s mouth, pulled open the blanket to reveal his neck and shoulders and proceeded to press the necessary points. Richard''s eyes flew open the moment Kyle had placed his hands on his mouth, but he couldn''t move at first as he was tightly bound by the blankets.


    It was at that point he cursed his stupidity for doing so, but it was the only way he could sleep. He needed sleep so that he would be more alert in the morning. As his thoughts went haywire, thinking that this man would slice his throat, he was shocked senseless when he did nothing.


    Other than closing his mouth and touching him, he didn''t do anything else.


    Richard looked in amazement as the guy just sat down, putting his chin on the palm of his left hand as he looked at him.


    ''Fool!'' thought Richard to himself. He had a gun under his pillow, his bodyguards were outside and he felt safe and protected. He moved to reach for his gun when he found ... he couldn''t. He. Could. Not. Move.


    Glaring at the guy, who is presumably Ice, he shouted, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"


    Well, he wanted to shout but instead, his voice just came out in a whisper.


    Ice just tilted his head, then raised a finger from his right hand as he shook it, "Tsk tsk. We wouldn''t want to wake up your precious daughter now, would we?"


    Richard''s eyes darted to the right, feeling relieved that Samantha was still lying down on the sofa. Safe.


    "Well, not until I''m done with you anyway," Ice said slowly, turning to look at Samantha, "Or maybe I should have my fun first and let you watch?"


    Richard glared at him, "If you dare touch ..."


    The guy laughed, "Oh, I dare. I''d do more than touch, too."


    Then his playful demeanor became cold as he stared at Richard. His ice-cold blue eyes bore into his eyes, the atmosphere around him feeling cold and Richard could see nothing else but just those eyes.


    It was then that Richard finally realised all those descriptions about Ice was not an exaggeration.


    He really did appear harmless ... until he became serious. When he looked at you, you would literally feel it. That Death has descended. Devil''s Incarnate.


    "After all, you''re the one that refused Nitocris. Not once, not twice ... not even three times. Did you honestly think that you''d get away with it? That only you would have to pay?" Ice asked, not flinching.


    Richard trembled, "Please, I''ll do anything. I''ll give Nitocris everything. I''ll get out of the country. Just ... just let me go. Let us go."


    "Too late," Ice said, hardly sparing him a glance, his eyes focused on the sleeping Samantha, "You had your chance. In fact, you had a lot of chances already."


    Turning to face Richard again, he said, "You ignored me. You scoffed at me. Worse, at Nitocris. Did you really think he was soft? Just because he liked giving people a chance?"


    His voice became colder, "Did you forget what happens to those that refused those chances? And you though you''re ready to overthrow Nitocris?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, and ..." Ice brought up his wrist, revealed a dark watch and said, "All of your connections to the underworld has just been eliminated. All that''s left is you. And Samantha, of course."


    Ice showed Richard the monitor on his watch, showing a slideshow of the faces of dead people. His people.


    Despite the fact that Richard was terrified for his life, he was getting a bit impatient at all this long-windedness.


    "Then just get on with it then! Why are you yakking away? You can''t bear to kill me, is it?!" Richard shouted, although it was all just whispers by the time it came out of his mouth.


    "Really? Is that the best that you''ve got?" Ice said, shaking his head, "I''m really shaking now. It''s a pity that our game has to end."


    Then he looked at Samantha, "Though hers is just beginning."


    Richard''s eyes narrowed, his heart beating fast. He should have sent her away. Why didn''t he send her away? He was convinced that she would be safe with him here, where security was at its highest. Why was Ice targetting Samantha anyway? Didn''t he just get the target?


    "Leave my daughter alone, you filthy beast," Richard hissed.


    Ice laughed. He laughed so hard (but silently), that tears came out of his eyes. He wiped them, shaking his head, "Richard, Richard. Still trying to act so tough even when your life is hanging by a thread? You''re dying and you don''t know it yet?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "This," Ice said, gesturing with his hand from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, "is a dead body."


    "I''m still alive, you idiot!" Richard glared at him.


    "Don''t you feel it?" Ice asked, "Oh wait. No, you can''t. Let me ask you in another way then. You can''t move a muscle, right? Everything is frozen ... and I mean that, literally. You can''t move, but don''t you feel like your limbs are cold as ice?"


    Ice leaned forward on the bed, looking at him intently, "Did you know how wonderful the human body is? Every single thing has its own unique function, and everything works like a well-oiled machine. However, when one thing breaks down, the body will slowly break down if that part is not fixed."


    "Do you feel your heart beating very fast right now?" Ice asked.


    Richard couldn''t deny it but he had attributed it to him being extremely scared right now. The adrenalin rush.


    "It''s not fear," Ice explained, "It''s your heart frantically working hard to try and get blood circulated in your entire body."


    Just by touching and pressing here ... and here ... " Ice said, touching and slightly caressing the spots he was talking about, "I cut off the signals that your brain was sending to your body about blood flow. Your heart is pumping but there is no blood flow. I''ve sealed your heart chambers."


    Richard found that it was getting harder to breathe. There was a sharp pain at his heart and he was gasping as he tried to get in air.


    "You have ... oh, just about 3 or 4 more minutes before your heart stops beating," Ice said, staring at Richard.


    Richard couldn''t even say anything anymore, the pain being so severe at that point. Three minutes? One second even felt like one hour. It felt like there was a sharp knife being pierced repeatedly through his heart and its blade being twisted at each stab.


    Tears fell down Richard''s face.


    How he regretted being so arrogant. How did he ever think he was better than Nitocris? Why did he ignore the signs? He had been so confident that he could beat Ice. That would have been such an epic achievement.


    But there was no medicine for regrets.


    "Oh, by the way," Ice said, tapping his chin, "Since you''re dying and all, I should tell you that I''ll take very, very good care of Samantha for you."


    Kyle knew that Samantha was Richard''s greatest weakness, though he never showed it. He did that purposely so that people wouldn''t think he had any feelings or attachment with his daughter. The fact that he kept an eye on her, that he rushed here and that he couldn''t let her go all pointed to one thing : Samantha was his life.


    "She ..." Richard managed to gasp out, " ... innocent ..."


    Richard looked at him pleadingly, but was only met with cold eyes, "She''s your daughter. How innocent can she really be?"


    "No ... "


    "Anyway," he continued, ignoring the plea, "She''s a really great fuck. After I''m tired of her, I''ll pass her around till her mind snaps."


    Richard stared at him, gasping. No. Samantha. No. Wait. Why did Ice make it seem like he had slept with her before? Was he one of her past lovers? What? Fear gripped him. Utmost fear.


    Then, he watched as Ice pulled down his face mask, revealing a face he never thought possible.


    "You?!"


    Kyle smiled, patting Richard on the cheek, then pulled his face mask back on, "Just think, Richard. All of this could have been avoided if you had just listened. Since you ignored the warnings, we need to send out a message to everyone. You sealed Samantha''s fate the moment you ignored the third card. It''s all your fault."


    Utter despair filled Richard. The pain that his heart was going through was nothing compared to the impact the words Kyle had given him. He watched, wailing, as Kyle walked over to Samantha. The last thing he saw was Kyle reaching out for Samantha, just as his heart stopped beating.


    Kyle stopped.


    There was utter silence in the room.


    Richard was finally dead. Kyle deliberately chose this bloodless method because he didn''t want Samantha waking up to see such a gruesome sight.


    [You''re still so soft, brother]


    [Well, yeah] Kyle agreed [Samantha''s not too bad. This is the only kindness I can give her]


    He took out his card and a plane ticket. A one-way ticket to State BB, where her uncle was staying. He placed the ticket on the table and the card on it. He then took a picture of the two of them, tore it apart and placed it on the ticket, next to the card.


    He went back to Richard and placed his card, with his emblem facing up, on Richard''s chest.


    He looked impassively at the wide, horror-filled eyes. He closed them. Samantha shouldn''t see that. Though Kyle was quite satisfied with that expression.


    Richard must have died with really intense despair. Kyle knew how that was like, and how painful it was. Which was why he continued playing with Richard''s mind until the end.


    Kyle left as silently as he came in, after unlocking the door and releasing Samantha from her forced-induced sleep.

 Chapter 216 - Goodbye (I)

    Samantha had been in deep sleep, and it was one of the best sleep she had for a long time.


    Waking up that morning, with the sun streaming into the room, she rubbed her tired eyes and wondered why her father never called out to her. He was normally one that woke up quite early. She turned, and saw him still lying down on the bed.


    Guess it was time to wake him up.


    She stretched, then her eyes fell onto the table near her. She froze.


    Flinging the blanket that was on her aside, she grabbed the items on the table. It was the card.


    She looked at it in disbelief. The seemingly simple business card. A Black Dragon on the front. She flipped it over. A black dragon encased in ice. The card fell to the table.


    "No no no no ... how can this be?! How ... how did he get in here? Why did I get .... Father!"


    Samantha cried out frantically, looking at her father. He couldn''t be ... could he? She ran over to him and it looked like he was just asleep. But she knew he wasn''t. There, laid neatly on his chest, was the same card she received - only this time, it was the back that was shown.


    She slumped to the floor, wailing and crying.


    Just at that moment, the door opened. Samantha hardly looked up, hardly registering that there was someone who entered the room. She vaguely heard the footsteps going to and fro, but she didn''t pay any heed to it.


    Until she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she did bring her head up, she saw the grim face of her uncle, Derek.


    ?? ??


    The trailer door was being knocked on rapidly and loudly. The door slowly opened, to reveal a very tired looking young boy, who was rubbing his eyes and his bedhair sticking up. He was shirtless, only wearing cotton pajama bottoms.


    The policewoman that had been knocking loudly on the door paused and gulped as the vision of loveliness appeared in front of her. The drool-worthy physique was right in front of her face.


    However, she managed to keep up her professional expression as she watched him yawn and not really focusing, he asked, "Whatsup? Is it time to go already?"


    "Sir, we''re gathering everyone for questioning," she began and she saw as the young boy blinked rapidly, bringing his face closer to her and tilted his head.


    "I haven''t seen you before," he said, "Are you new? Why are you cosplaying as a police officer?"


    The officer gulped, seeing that gorgeous face mere inches from hers. She leaned back a bit, creating a distance and mentally slapped herself. She hadn''t even identified herself. Bad procedure. She had been so caught up in the vision in front of her that she was caught unawares. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn''t think there was anyone else that could top Keanu Reeves here, so she had been completely taken for a loop when this vision appeared.


    "Kyle? What''s going on?" came another voice.


    Kyle turned, and Sam showed up, wearing a pajama top and shorts.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed. "Wait. Why are you wearing my shirt?"


    Sam looked down and then looked at Kyle, "I''m not wearing your shirt. Why are you wearing my pants?"


    Kyle looked at his legs then at Sam, then back at his own legs. To the policewoman''s horror, Kyle pulled the waistband of his pajama pants to look inside.


    "Oh. Right. I am wearing your pants. No wonder it was hot," Kyle said and proceeded to take off the pants.


    "SIR!" shouted the policewoman, "Stop right there or I''ll have to book you for indecent exposure!"


    Kyle turned to look at her, giving her a sexy lopsided grin as he said, "You''re really into this cosplay thing, huh? Are you going to handcuff me then?"


    "I - I ... " she stuttered as Kyle deftly took off his pants, only to reveal the bermuda shorts he had underneath. He flung the pajama bottoms at Sam.


    Sam caught it and held it at the tip of his fingers, "Ew. At least wash it first."


    "AHEM," the policewoman began again, taking out her badge, "As I was saying. Officer Bradley. We''re calling up people for questioning."


    Kyle and Sam became serious then, "Oh, sorry Officer. I thought you were a crew member. What''s this about?"


    "There''s been a homicide," she explained, "Please get dressed. I will lead you to the questioning room."


    Kyle and Sam nodded and closed the door. In less than 10 minutes, the two boys came out and joined Officer Bradley.


    ????


    "What were you doing between the time of 11pm till 1am?"


    Kyle scratched his head, "Celebrating. We just finished an intense shoot so we were letting loose."


    "Any witnesses?"


    "Sam," Kyle answered, "And anyone else who was awake to listen to us singing."


    The officer nodded his head, just jotting down what was being said. He was not really into this questioning bit. From what he could tell, the guy died from natural causes. The detectives, however, felt it was a hit - and by a professional.


    So even though they have yet to wait for the autopsy report to confirm cause of death, they had to make sure they gathered all the evidence and question everyone. The kid in front of him could not have done it, but orders were orders.


    One needed to follow the procedure.


    "Did you go anywhere?"


    Kyle looked at him, raising an eyebrow, "Have you seen those goons out there? Who in their right mind would step out, at night, to meet them?"


    "I understand, but I still need to ask," the officer said sternly, though he felt stupid for having to even ask that.


    After asking a few more questions, he let Kyle go. As Kyle walked out, Sam also walked out of the second interrogation room. Both looked at each other, shrugged and walked towards where everyone else was gathered.


    "What a mess," Chad was saying, "But at least we''ve completed the shoots. Once they clear us, we can leave."


    "What happened anyway?" Kyle asked, "They just kept saying that it was a homicide investigation. Who..?"


    "Richard," answered Chad.


    They saw as Kyle froze, then asked worriedly, "Richard? How''s Samantha holding up?"


    "Your guess is as good as mine," Chad answered.


    Kyle whipped out his phone, and was about to text Samantha when a police officer came by, "Which one of you is Kyle Smith?"


    Kyle looked up and said, "That''s me. What can I do for you, officer?"


    "Come with me," he said tersely, giving Kyle a brief look.


    Kyle''s eyes darted, looking anxious and followed the officer obediently.


    "Officer, officer," said Kyle as he walked beside the guy, "What''s this about?"


    The officer looked at Kyle again, studying him. Earlier, the IO* stated that there was low to no chance of any of the crew members being involved due to the tight security around. There had been no reports of any of the crew members coming out of their area the entire night.


    Yet, it was discovered that this young kid had a connection to the Greene''s. In fact, he had stayed there until just recently.


    He didn''t think the kid was involved directly, but who knows? Maybe he was the person who gave the intel?


    The guy didn''t answer but instead, said, "Just follow me quietly. You''ll know soon enough."


    Kyle kept quiet then, but rolled his eyes at the officer. Would it kill him to actually open his mouth to say something? It wasn''t that Kyle was worried but it was basic etiquette, you know?


    Shrugging, he walked silently next to the officer, seemingly deep in contemplation. He was walking normally, but he had this rather worried look on his face. The officer beside him took note of every single thing.


    Once they went through the door, they were ushered into the living room. There, Kyle saw that Samantha was sitting on the chair, her eyes all red and puffed up. She was slumped on the chair, her hands wringing a hankerchief and she was biting her bottom lip.


    Not caring about anyone or anything else, he rushed over to her.


    Samantha vaguely heard the door open but didn''t bother to look up. All she could think of was of her father, lying there. Her father. Dead. Well, he looked like he was sleeping but still ...


    Kyle kneeled down, holding her hands and looked up at her, "Samantha?"


    She blinked, hearing his voice and then saw his face. Crying anew, she spread out her arms and he came into them, hugging her tight.


    "K-K-Kyle, Father ... he''s ... he''s..." Samantha stammered.


    Though it was an awkward position, with Kyle bending over the chair, he didn''t let go. He allowed her to hold on to him, crying, letting her tears soak his shirt.


    "Samantha," came a stern voice beside her and she gathered her wits.


    Pushing Kyle away, she smoothened her outfit and wiped her eyes. Kyle looked at her worriedly and glared at the guy that had seemed to be admonishing Samantha for her outburst.


    Samantha seemed to notice this, and so she took his hand, squeezing it, "Kyle, this is my Uncle Derek. Uncle Derek, this is Kyle, my ..."


    "I know who he is. Kyle Smith, the Smith Heir," he cut her off, not wanting her to say anything else. He did not want the police to hear anything and he had to keep things under wraps. One look from him and Samantha shut up immediately.


    Derek had rushed over the moment he got the warning. The Black Dragon calling card, from Ice. With it, was a plane ticket here and a picture of Richard and Samantha at the company. However, Richard''s face, his own face had been cut out and pasted on over Richard''s face. Samantha''s whole figure had a big, red cross on it.


    It was obvious.


    He was to take over Richard''s business and Samantha was not to be involved at all. At first, he thought he would have to fight Richard for it then, an epiphany hit him. No, not fight. Just replace. He had stared at the plane ticket for a minute, noting the time.


    It was scheduled to leave in 40mins.


    He didn''t waste a minute more after that. Taking his jacket and telling his wife that he had to leave for an unexpected trip, he drove to the airport. Even though he knew that it was most likely he would arrive after the last boarding call, he didn''t hesitate.


    True enough, the moment he arrived at the boarding gate with only 5 minutes to spare before the plane was scheduled to leave, they allowed him in as if they were expecting him. No questions asked.


    The Black Dragon''s reach was truly far.

 Chapter 217 - Goodbye (II)

    Derek had stopped Samantha from seeking comfort from Kyle as he was getting worried. Would Samantha do what was needed to be done? They already had the talk, and she appeared to have agreed then but now ... he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    He could see how much the kid meant to her and it appeared as if he was the oasis to calm her after the death of her father.


    He got lost in the memories of when he had just arrived.


    The plane landed just at the break of dawn. Immediately upon disembarking, he tried to call Richard but there was no answer. He hoped he wasn''t too late, but he knew he was.


    When he finally reached the Mansion, he had to go through that insane security before finally being let through. Even though he was Richard''s brother, he was not spared from the usual procedure. Richard was that paranoid ... and that distrustful of his own sibling.


    Derek had just reached outside Richard''s bedroom door when he heard the wailing inside. He sighed then stopped the bodyguards who were outside, from going in. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he entered. His heart clenched to see the girl that was crying in despair at the side of the bed.


    His eyes roamed the entire room before taking a step inside.


    Nothing seemed out of place. The windows were closed. The furniture was all in place. The blanket near the sofa was on the floor. Then, his eyes narrowed as he saw the tell-tale black card on the table. He walked there first, and stood there for a while as he studied what was on the table.


    A plane ticket and a torn -up picture. He took a brief glance at it before stuffing it all in his pocket. He then made his way to Samantha, while looking around the room. He had to make sure that there was nothing in the room that could implicate the Greene''s in any matter, as the police would soon have to be called.


    Once he got near, he noted the card on Richard''s chest.


    He took it, as well as putting on hand on Samantha''s shoulder.


    When she looked up at him, he steeled himself. As much as he wanted to comfort her, what was needed was a firm control over the situation. Right now, damage control was needed. He had to make sure Samantha would not say the wrong thing.


    Still, he spared her a soft glance and continued patting her shoulder. The Greene''s were never into the showing of any intimacy and love, so just this small act was already a big deal. Samantha understood, and she steadied herself, cherishing this small act of kindness and warmth from her uncle.


    "Samantha, we have to talk," Derek said, "I know the grief is there but we have to make sure our stories are straight before calling the police."


    "What stories?!" Samantha hissed, standing up, "It was Ice! From Black Dragon!! Just sic those police on them!!"


    Derek looked at Samantha in the eyes, noting the anger and grief there and sighed.


    "That is an area that we cannot afford to tread, Samantha," Derek cautioned, "They are an existence that should not be messed with."


    "NONSENSE. They are evil. What are the police for then?! They must pay for what they did to my father! My poor, innocent father ..." Samantha sobbed, wiping her eyes.


    Derek shut his eyes in sorrow and pain, then opened them again.


    "Samantha, this is the worst timing ever, but ... you need to know the truth about your father," Derek said.


    He had to reveal everything to Samantha, even though she was consumed by grief. It was because she was so consumed, that she would most likely do something stupid that would seal her fate.


    Worse, their fates.


    His instructions and the ticket Samantha got were clear indications that the Black Dragons would leave Samantha alone. So long as she left this life behind and lived a normal life with him. She was to stay out of the family business while he took over.


    However, if she was intent on revenge, or to have Black Dragon ''pay the price'', she would end up paying the ultimate price. Worse, she may drag the entire Greene family into the war.


    He couldn''t have that.


    So even though what he was going to tell her would hit her bad, at a time when she was already in so much pain, it had to be done.


    Samatha just sat there as she listened to her uncle. After a while, she felt like the words just went in one ear and out the next. Who is this person her uncle was talking about? Surely it couldn''t be her father. Yes, he was a distant father but he wasn''t bad. Not really.


    He was hardly around, but he cared.


    Samantha shook her head, putting up her hands to close her ears and said, "No no no no ... you''re lying! LYING! My father was not like that!!"


    Derek took her hands firmly, forcing them apart. Unlike Richard, who tended to pamper his daughter and would never do anything to hurt her, Derek had no such qualms. Sometimes, one had to be cruel to be kind.


    "I can show you pictures, if you want," Derek said uncaringly, "I have plenty, and some even have Richard right next to the victims."


    Why did Derek have such pictures? Courtesy of Black Dragon. Nitocris''s style of rule was simple. He always gave a reason for all the things that he did. He wasn''t a dictator but he was neither a pushover nor a negotiator. He lay the law and enforced it.


    Richard was a dictator and thus, could not understand Nitocris''s style - brandishing him as a weak leader. Hence, the cause of his downfall.


    Derek wasn''t as stupid or egotistical as his brother.


    Samantha heard her uncle''s question and shook her head. She looked at her father, who looked so kind and couldn''t believe the things he had done.


    "No matter what he did," Derek continued, "He was still your father. To him, you were his world. He would never have hurt you ... but he wasn''t a nice man, Samantha."


    She lowered her head, her sobbing so hard that her breath was coming in gasps.


    Derek went on, for he had to make his point clear, "What Richard did was directly against the Black Dragon''s code. They may not be angels but they had rules. Break them, then pay the price."


    Samantha listened, her heart cold.


    "So what ..?" Samantha whispered, unable to finish the sentence.


    "Never involve children," Derek said, "To be more specific, never force them. You can sell drugs to kids but you can''t trick them to get them addicted. You can have child prostitutes, but you can''t kidnap and **** them. In other words, if the children are willing, it''s fine."


    "But Richard made his entire fortune from selling children," Derek said with a sigh, "It''s a lucrative, untapped market that a lot of people would pay good money for. He''d make his prostitutes have children, take the babies and sell them. Either for parts or for the more peverted reasons.* He did so much more ..." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay, stop. Just ... stop," Samantha begged, "I get it. I get it."


    Derek sighed loudly, hugging Samantha to him.


    "For now, we''ll keep the Black Dragon''s involvement out," Derek said, "Eventually, the autopsy will show that Richard died from unnatural causes, and I''ll show them Ice''s card then. But in your case, you must never. EVER. tell them about it."


    Samantha looked up at him, blinking rapidly. She just remembered the card. She hardly registered what else was with the card. She now started trembling.


    "Wha..wha..what is it that they want me to do?" she whispered, scared out of her mind.


    Derek took out the items.


    "First, they want you to live with me," Derek said, giving her the plane ticket. She studied it and noted the place and date of the flight. Two weeks from now, to Uncle Derek''s place. Two weeks ... just enough time to bury her father and get things done.


    "And the other?" Samantha asked since Uncle Derek had said ''first''.


    "Who is this?" Derek asked in return, giving her a torn picture of a boy.


    She looked at it, and smiled wistfully, "That''s my boyfriend, Kyle. We promised father to keep our relationship a secret from the public since he''s only 14."


    She looked up at him in horror, "Is he alright? Is Ice after him as well? WHY?"


    Derek patted her on the shoulder again, saying, "Calm down. No, that''s not it."


    He took out the other half of the picture and put it together, then apart again, "Do you get it?"


    "But why?!" she wailed.


    "You''re to start anew with me. Have no more connection with anything here, and that includes Kyle."


    Samantha''s lips quivered and she shook her head.


    "Samantha," Derek said, his voice gentle for the first time, "You''ve seen what it''s like when you disobey. No one escapes Ice. If you don''t do this ... if you don''t break up with Kyle, leave everything and live with me ... you''re next. Worse, his life would most likely be in danger as well."


    He made her look at him and he asked, "Are you willing to put his life at risk?"


    Samantha wailed again, crying. She had already lost her father. She now had to lose Kyle as well?!


    Derek''s mind snapped back to the present, to notice that Samantha had started wailing again for some strange reason. Derek suspected that Samantha was thinking too much and seeing Kyle in front of her, she obviously wanted to be with him.


    Kyle took a step forward again to comfort her, but was blocked by Derek. Again.


    The young man glared at him, but did not protest and stepped back.


    "Samantha! Snap out of it!" Derek shouted harshly in her face and Samantha winced. Kyle took a step forward angrily, but Derek put up his hand, saying, "This is a family matter."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at that statement, his face clearly unhappy.

 Chapter 218 - Goodbye (III)

    This little ''sketch'' was being watched quite closely by the people around. It was obvious that Kyle was not just a guest, and it set the minds of the police there, churning.


    Though it had absolutely nothing to do with the homicide, it was entertaining. It was more like watching a live telenova. It had all the ingredients. Sobbing femme fatale, young and handsome boy and being blocked by a stern uncle. Two ill-fated lovers, and the family does not approve.


    They even wished they had popcorn as it looked like the best part was coming.


    The boy, Kyle, did not look happy at all.


    ?? ??


    The Detective in charge of the case was simply sitting in a rather obscure place, was keeping quiet watching silently. The rest of the police officers were basically following his lead.


    Detective Chance studied the three people who were the lead ''actors'' in the drama that was unfolding. He was known to be one that liked to take chances, just like his name. He went by gut instinct, by acting on things that didn''t make sense and most of the time, it paid off.


    Right now, there was something that bothered him but he couldn''t quite put his finger on it. Nothing seemed out of place, and even the death appeared like a normal heart-attack. Though the victim was relatively young, heart attacks were not uncommon anymore.


    Even elite athletes like professional footballers were not spared. People as young as 30 were also known to have suffered cardiac arrest. So it was not strange for a man like Richard, who was known to be a workaholic, to have succumbed to it despite there not be any signs beforehand.


    The room that Richard was in was also in ''pristine'' condition - there were no signs of any break-ins. The forensic officers that swept the area didn''t find anything suspicious. There were a lot of fingerprints, but it''s a bedroom. Until the results came out, everything was ordinary.


    A workaholic man having a heart attack and dying in his sleep.


    So why did Chance feel agitated?


    When he questioned the staff around, the only thing that seemed out of place was this Kyle Smith.


    What he could gather from the hour of questioning was that Richard was a fearful existence that no one wanted to talk about, Samantha was a spoilt princess that went through men like butter ... until the young actor Kyle Smith came into the picture.


    Every staff member loved him. They would gush about how nice he was, how polite he was, how he made the spoilt princess smile now ... all sorts of things.


    When a guy was too good to be true, it meant that he was too good to be true.


    That is what his instinct was screaming at him. That there was something more to ''Kyle Smith'' than meet the eye.


    As Chance watched the young man in question, that feeling intensified but what made it frustrating was the fact that what he was seeing did not match what he was feeling. All he saw was a very strikingly handsome and caring young man, being all agitated and such seeing - who Chance presumed was his loved one - crying yet unable to help comfort her.


    Chance could see the conflicting emotions going through that young man''s face and from the body language that he was emitting. It was raw emotion there. All legitimate expressions, as expected from one in that position.


    So why did he feel it was all wrong?


    Chance clenched his teeth and furrowed his eyebrows in fierce concentration. He continued to observe intently.


    ?? ??


    Under Derek''s stern gaze and harsh tone, Samantha snapped out of it. She covered her face with her handkerchief, taking several deep breaths and got her crying under control. Finally putting down her hands, she gave a weak smile and nodded.


    "Yes, I am sorry Uncle Derek," she said, while straightening her back and trying to look much more dignified, "It won''t happen again."


    She turned to look at Kyle in apology.


    "I''m sorry that I''m such a mess," she said when Kyle sidestepped Derek and went in front of her again.


    "You''re not a mess," Kyle replied, "You''re always beautiful. Even with snot coming out of your nose and your eyes are as red and puffy like


    Samantha laughed weakly, hitting Kyle on the shoulder.


    "Silly," she said under her breath, her heart in pain again as she thought of what she had to do later. However, seeing him now, so pure and so caring, only strengthened her resolve further. Unknowingly, before she could stop herself, her hand reached out and cupped his cheek. He closed his eyes for a second, and put his hand over hers, then opened his eyes as he smiled lovingly at her.


    "I really do love you, Kyle," she whispered, only for his ears.


    Kyle''s face softened up at that, and his eyes radiated with tenderness and love as he replied equally softly, "Me too, Samantha."


    Someone cleared their throat behind Kyle and the two broke apart, seemingly a bit embarrassed for only realising that they had an audience to their public display of affection. Kyle got up, and turned to face the person who had intruded on their moment.


    "Detective Chance," the guy introduced himself, flashing his badge, "I understand that you''re Ms. Greene''s boyfriend?"


    Kyle hesitated and turned to look at Samantha. She looked surprised as well, so he surmised that she had not told the detective.


    Kyle already knew that there was someone he had to be cautious about, for he noticed that no one came to talk to him since he came. He could easily guess that he was being observed, and watched.


    Kyle was sure he didn''t leave any evidence behind that could lead them to him but he was never one to take things for granted. So he was on high alert.


    "Oh come on," Detective Chance said as he watched the two of them giving silent signals to each other, "Anyone could tell from the way you were acting earlier. Please don''t insult my intelligence."


    Kyle slowly nodded, agreeing.


    "And I gather that your relationship wasn''t approved by Samantha''s father?" he continued asking.


    "If it wasn''t approved, how could I stay in the Mansion all this time?" Kyle asked back.


    Detective Chance raised an eyebrow then asked, "So why aren''t you going out publically? You''ve been here in the Mansion for quite some time but no one knew that you guys were together."


    "Please, Detective," Kyle said with a small smirk, "I''m 14, she''s 18. Did you think an over-protective father who is well aware of Samantha''s reputation with men, would want anyone to know?"


    "And you weren''t angry at that? Having to hide your relationship?" he pressed on.


    "Why should I be angry?" Kyle asked back, tilting his head to the side as he looked at Detective Chance in confusion.


    "Because you cannot show your affection in public? You have to do it behind closed doors?" Detective Chance pressed on. How could a hot-blooded young man not want to show off his mature and undeniably attractive girlfriend to others?


    "What has the public got to do with anything?" Kyle asked back, "I seriously don''t understand your question, Detective. Why do I need to show my affection in public? Do I need their approval? The only one who I need approval from was her father. So?"


    Detective Chance gritted his teeth, unable to counter that. He continued to ask a few more questions, which were all the more mundane and basic things like where he was at the time of the homicide, who he was in contact with while he was here and so forth. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle even took out his phone and tossed it to him, "Here. Go knock yourself out. I expect it back within a day. Your CSI team should be done by then, right?"


    Detective Chance gripped the phone, and gave it to his officer.


    "So am I now not a suspect?" Kyle asked him.


    Now it was Detective Chance''s turn to be surprised. Kyle noted the look and he rolled his eyes at him, "Please, don''t insult my intelligence. For you to keep asking me such questions, it''s quite obvious that you think I''m involved somehow. Seriously, am flattered you''d think I am capable of such a feat."


    Detective Chance couldn''t tell if Kyle was serious or not and he simply turned and left while telling the officer who he gave the phone to, "Make sure they go through everything with a fine tooth comb!!"


    ?? ??


    Samatha couldn''t look at Kyle in the eyes. She held his hands tight, looking at them as she said, "Kyle. Let''s break up."


    "What?! Why?!" Kyle asked in agitation, "Was it something I did? Or not do?"


    Samantha and Kyle were alone in the living room now, with all the police in other parts of the house and the help were leaving them alone. Derek had also left, while giving her a look to let her know what she had to do.


    They were sitting on the sofa, facing each other. Kyle started to get up to go to her when she put up her hands to stop him.


    He sat back down.


    "No, you didn''t do anything wrong," Samantha assured him, as she bit her bottom lips, "It''s just that ... I am moving. I''ll be living with my uncle from now on."


    "So?" Kyle asked, trying to look at her face.


    "I don''t believe in long-distance relationships," Samantha said clearly, though her voice was shaking a bit, "And you''re still young, Kyle. You''ll meet lots of people, lots of girls over here. I''ll also be meeting lots of guys. It ... it just wouldn''t work out."


    Kyle was quiet and Samantha didn''t say a word either.


    Then, she heard him sigh.


    "Fine. I get it," Kyle said, his face grim, "You''re right."


    Though he was merely agreeing to what she, herself, had said, to have him agree so quickly without fighting more made her rather sad inside. Still, she was also relieved that he didn''t argue.


    She was feeling rather upset now, though she knew this was the best outcome.


    She mentally scoffed at herself. She was being so contradictory but she couldn''t help it. Her mind and her heart were not in sync. She said those words to push him away but she wanted him to reject them. She didn''t want him to argue, yet, she didn''t like it that he let go so easily.


    How could he?!

 Chapter 219 - Finally The End

    Samantha glared unhappily at Kyle, who was simply sitting there and not looking at her. She refused to say anything, though she was hoping that he would plead, beg or even cry at having to break up. Why was he so calm?


    "Well, since there''s nothing else," Kyle said as he got up, not looking at her in the face, "I''ll be leaving now."


    Samantha didn''t say a word, and just watched him go.


    Samantha was not happy, not happy at all but there was nothing she could do about it. If he had only said something. If he had only looked like this was something he didn''t want, then ... then she would have ... she certainly would have not let him go so easily.


    As it was, both were silent until the the door closed, and the sound of the door hitting the frame seemed to echo in the room. Samantha sighed, and started crying again. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside, Kyle leaned on the door for a while, shaking his head.


    [Ye Gads, that was tough] he said with a sigh and he started walking off.


    [Breaking up is always hard to do, even if it''s fake] Kay commented.


    [No, not that part] Kyle said [It was trying to walk normally out the door. I wanted to run, seriously. She looked like she was going to give me make-up sex or something if I showed even a little hesitation ... ]


    [BROTHER!] Kay shouted, making Kyle wince.


    [Oi, Kay. Easy on the eardrums, will you?]


    [We''re communicating telepathically. How are your eardrums affected, hmmmm?]


    [Fine, easy on the mind then. That actually hurt]


    [Well, at least now we know shouting would have an effect as well] Kay said and Kyle could swear she was grinning now.


    [Don''t you feel pity for your poor brother who broke up with his first girlfriend?]


    [Nop-pah] Kay said, popping the last sound out [Not even a little bit].


    [Ah, the cruelties of life] Kyle lamented with such a sad voice [That even my own sweet sister ... my twin sister, no less, not care for me].


    [Save your acting for someone who actually cares, oh dear brother]


    Kyle chuckled at that, but his face didn''t show it. In fact, anyone who saw him would have seen a young man who appeared to be broken-hearted, his face reflecting intense pain yet was being strong. He cut a sad, lonely figure as he walked out of the Mansion and back to the movie set area.


    Some of the maids around did see and they found their eyes watering for some reason. They dabbed the corner of their eyes, took a deep breath and continued where they left off.


    ?? CSI Cyber Unit ??


    "What do you mean, there''s nothing in there?" growled Detective Chance as he looked at X.


    X had a name, but he refused to answer to it and insisted on "X". X was the infamous black hat now turned white hat* and working at the CSI Cyber Unit was part of his punishment after being caught.


    He found that he quite liked the life now, though he never showed it. He could hack to his hearts'' content, challenge and capture black hats and get paid for it! Whilst black hats generally hated authority and lived for creating havoc to ''the shackles of society'', X''s passion was actually ''fighting'' against others in the cyberworld.


    It was the challenge. Pitting his skill against another.


    X was now looking at Detective Chance in a very bored manner. He picked up the phone, waving it in front of Detective Chance''s face and said, "This ... is a phone. It has contact numbers. Text messages - some very mushy ones, too. Loads of pictures. In short. Normal."


    Detective Chance narrowed his eyes, "Nothing in the messages?"


    "Nothing. Nada. Zilch," X said, "The messages were all with these two girls, Samantha and Kayla and a guy, Xing Han. Just normal talk."


    Detective Chance wasn''t satisfied, "There''s no code?"


    X looked at him strangely, sighed and took a deep breath to be patient. He hated people like Detective Chance. First, for thinking he was actually incompetent enough to not notice anything unusual and secondly, for asking stupid, obvious questions in the insane hope of finding something.


    "Not unless pillow talk, food and complaints about parents are code," X replied with a straight face.


    X handed him a thumbdrive, "Here''s a copy of all the text messages. Have fun reading them."


    Detective Chance took it, and the phone. He had to return it since it wasn''t truly an official part of the investigation. Since there was nothing to pinpoint Kyle as a suspect, holding on to the phone would be against procedure.


    Chance walked away, disgruntled. The moment he walked out the door, the girls behind X were staring at him with big, pleading eyes.


    X grinned and handed them another thumbdrive with a stern warning, "Remember, private viewing only. If you spread them, and I get caught, I''ll go back to prison and you''ll never get such goodies again."


    "We know, we know!" squealed the girls, holding onto the thumbdrive like it was a treasure.


    In it, were the photos from Kyle''s phone. Scenes from the movie were there, especially some black and white ones of him exercising. When he had been going through the phone contents and the entire thing was being displayed on the big screen in his room, he almost fell off his chair upon hearing screams.


    After checking that the pictures were really just pictures, he made a copy and gave it to the girls. Happy girls in the workplace meant lotsa food and snacks. It was a good deal.


    ?? ??


    Kay smiled to herself as she was busy typing on her keyboard, her fingers flying over it like a hummingbird. Those who could see her were mesmerized as it looked like poetry in motion, but at high speeds.


    The various monitor screens around her were full of codes and finally, after making one last hit on the keyboard with a satisfied shout, Kay leaned back. Soon, the screens in front of her changed.


    It showed a huge room, whereby one wall was filled with three huge flat screens on the top half and below it, four slightly smaller flat screens. All the screens were filled with images, some just tests some appeared to be a map with moving lines on it and so forth.


    There were people at desks and computers facing the wall and were hard at work.


    [Success, brother] Kay reported [The honey trap worked]


    [All thanks to Sam''s good photography skills] Kyle commented [Are you sure your virus is not detectable? The security there is very tight]


    [Are you looking down on me, dear brother?] Kay asked in a huff.


    [No, hardly] Kyle said gently [But you know we can''t be too careful]


    [Yeah ... yeah] Kay said dismissively but she didn''t really blame him. She did the same to him whenever he goes on missions. She would ask him whether it was safe, whether the plan would work and so on. Not because she didn''t think he couldn''t do it but ... anything could happen, right?


    Kay sighed and knew she was being a bit unfair so she reminded herself not to keep nagging Kyle about his missions.


    "The virus that I hid in the pictures is only activated when it''s copied and viewed from a computer] Kay explained [And it hides like a chameleon within the system. Any security prompt would bypass it or accept it as one of their own]


    [So it''s a ninja virus?]


    Kay laughed and tapped on the keyboard, disconnecting from the Cyber War Room [Very apt, brother. I shall name it that. The Ninja Virus]


    Kay was satisfied. She now had access into one of the most secure databases in the world and would be able to be privy to a lot of information that was not readily available anywhere else. She marveled at the foresight her brother had in this.


    From the start, he had it all planned. The phone was brand new and was a normal phone. Kay had tinkered around with it and made it as if Kyle had the phone for at least a year (so there were some old text messages from long ago and some pictures from before the movie shoot).


    When Kyle told Kay to create a virus that would allow them to hack into a really secure place, she did it without question. Though she never thought it would ever be used in such a manner.


    [How did you know?] Kay asked [How could you have possibly known you''d meet a Detective, who would take your phone to the CSI unit?]


    After all, there were so many variables that for it to happen in exactly the manner that they had been planning for, was rather incredible and far-fetched.


    [I didn''t know] Kyle said [But it doesn''t hurt to be prepared, right?]


    Kay shook her head. Sometimes the way he planned things were just too ... scary.


    ?? ??


    The movie crew members were cleared and allowed to leave two days later.


    On the day they were to leave, Detective Chance returned Kyle''s phone. He looked at it and noticed that there were a lot of missed calls from Samantha and hundreds of text messages that had been sent after the whole break-up incident.


    Sam saw it and raised an eyebrow.


    Kyle shrugged, switched off the phone and put it in his pocket.


    "You''re ghosting her?" Sam asked.


    Kyle smirked, "No. She''s the one who broke up with me so technically, it''s not ghosting."


    "You''re cutting off all communications completely," Sam pointed out, "That''s ghosting."


    "It''s the only way. Samantha''s the clingy type, you know?" Kyle said, "Anyway, it''s not like she''s Nick Fury."


    Sam snorted at that.

 Chapter 220 - New Location

    The Smith Mansion was in an uproar.


    Not a bad one, but a good one.


    There was a flurry of activity as people were going about in excitement. In the Master bedroom, Delilah was going around in circles, which made her poor husband, Patrick, rather dizzy. He decided to ignore her and just focus on reading the newspaper.


    "I can''t believe it!" Delilah was saying, skipping and jumping a bit before resuming her pacing, "They''re going to be shooting here! Well, not here, here but in our area. I can''t believe Kyle managed to convince them of it. I mean, how incredible is that? My son is so capable!!"


    Patrick rolled his eyes, while trying to block out what she was saying and resumed reading the newspaper while lying on the bed, his back leaning against the bedrest.


    Anything Delilah said was going in one ear and going out the next.


    Or at least, he was trying to do it that way. Delilah can be extremely loud when she wants to.


    Not like Delilah was bothered by the lack of reaction from her husband. She was too busy gushing out her excitement ... that is, until Patrick said, "It''s not like you can watch. It''s a closed set. Kyle made you promise, too."


    Delilah stopped pacing then and glared at her husband, furious at him for raining on her parade.


    Yes, she had promised her son.


    Yes, the whole area was cordoned off and strict security was in place. Yes, even her, his own mother, was not allowed to try and use her influence and power to get in. She had promised all of this and in return, would stay at home with Sam, and would do his best to get Keanu and the other main characters to stay in the Smith Mansion as well.


    If she broke her promise, Kyle would stay with the movie crew members, at the location, throughout the entire 6 months of filming.


    "I''m his mother!! Does he really have the heart to keep me out?" Delilah grumbled, pouting her lips.


    Patrick smiled, put down his newspaper and looked at her, "He''s a Smith. Of course he would."


    Defeated, Delilah slumped on the bed.


    ?? On Location ??


    After the incident at Mansion BMX, Chad felt that the location they were going to film next wasn''t ideal. The security wasn''t that tight, and reporters were everywhere. It wasn''t just about the homicide, but the huge fact that everyone now knew John Wick 4 was being filmed.


    It made filming rather troublesome.


    Though he could hire more security, the reporters would camp right outside the location site and cause a disturbance. Fans started coming to stake out the area as well. Unfortunately, the fans at Country TZ was rather loud and a bit disruptive, so Chad was really getting a headache. He had to find a new location.


    When Kyle proposed his parents'' place, it was like Heaven Sent.


    After meeting with his parents, Chad was even more impressed. They were very down-to-Earth and very accommodating. They allowed a huge area for them to do whatever they wanted and needed for the film, and even sent people to help with building the set. Caterers were borne by them.


    They even provided temporary housing for the crew members so that they didn''t need to go out often. Furthermore, unlike Mansion BMX, there were no guards with guns walking about and they were free to explore the place.


    They also humbly requested that the main actors stay at their mansion - but only if they were comfortable with it. Chad could see the eager glint in Mrs Smith''s eyes and he knew Keanu would most likely agree.


    After all, the Smiths were doing so much for them without asking anything in return other than that. Still, Chad did not make any promises and only thanked them profusely.


    He could see why Kyle was so humble himself, despite the vast amount of wealth that he grew up with. The house, though big enough to be called a Mansion, was tastefully done. There were expensive items but it wasn''t pretentious like it had been at Mansion BMX. He had only been there once, and all that glitter already made his eyes hurt.


    Right now, the site was being made. The carpenters were there, looking through the plans and having an intense discussion with the team. As usual, Keanu was right there with them, studying the plans and nodding his head as well. He was a serious actor, a helpful guy and an all-rounder nice guy.


    Chad let him be. Right now, while they were busy planning and building one movie set, it was time to do Kyle''s scene. It didn''t require much, just a dark, dank room. Kyle eagerly showed them his secret underground bunker that he had as a kid. It was hardly used but was still kept in good condition.


    When he first heard about the bunker, Chad had thought of one small, underground room that the Kid Kyle would be playing in. When he saw the actual bunker, he had almost fainted from shock.


    ?? Flashback ??


    "Okay, so let''s look at this underground bunker you had as a kid," Chad said, laughing. Calling Kyle, who he still saw as a kid, to look at the things he had as a kid made him laugh for some reason.


    Kyle led him a bit further away until they reached a relatively open field.


    Kyle reached a tree and opened a panel, revealing a button. Pressing it, the ground then started to shake before a large turf of grass went up, revealing a dark opening. As the panel went higher up, lights began to flicker and switch on, illuminating the place.


    It showed a spiral staircase and a fireman''s pole right in the middle.


    "We can either take the stairs down, or slide down. There''s a cushion at the bottom of the pole, so you don''t have to worry about it," Kyle explained.


    "How deep is it?" Chad asked, peering in.


    "About two storeys high," Kyle replied.


    "We''ll take the stairs," Chad said, "As I''m still unfamiliar with the place."


    Kyle smiled and didn''t say a thing, leading the way. There was no point in teasing Chad about it, right? Going down the pole at that height would frighten anyone, really.


    As they went down the stairs, Chad asked, "How is this place get its power?"


    "Solar panels," Kyle explained, "And we do have a generator just in case. Everything also has its own manual mechanisms should both fail. It''s a lot of work, though since you have to generate enough energy to create the power. So we use a treadmill and stationary bicycle. It''s much easier than winding it up by hand."


    Chad nodded, impressed by the planning it took. This was the playground of the rich, for sure.


    Once they reached the bottom, Chad found the room to be much too small. The length of one end of the room to the other was only six big steps.


    "I''m sorry, Kyle, but this would not do. It''s just too small," Chad said with regret and a sigh.


    Kyle''s lips twitched. He didn''t say a word, but walked ahead and flipping a flap, he then pushed the wall. It was a door. Kyle didn''t open it all the way, but gestured to Chad to walk in first.


    Chad did and stopped as his gaze fell onto what was in front of him.


    A square shaped room, with sofa, television and bean bags are strewn around. A bookshelf adorned one wall and a landscape painting hung on the other wall. There was an open archway to another room, and two doors on the left and right of the room.


    Kyle said behind him, "This is the living room. Straight ahead will be the kitchen. The door to the left leads to the store room, the door to the right is the study room."


    Kyle walked ahead and pointed to the areas he was talking about. He walked to the study room and opened the door, showing a simple square room with a desk and a chair, "The bookshelf used to be in here, but I moved it to the living room when I grew older. I use this room for my exercises when I''m bored."


    "This ... is an underground bunker? The place you used to play in as a kid ...?" Chad managed to get out, his eyes taking in the place in front of him.


    Chad looked at the room and at Kyle, his head not quite wrapping around what he was seeing and what Kyle was telling him.


    "This is the room I was talking about for the scene. Just some minimal changes need to be made. What do you think?"


    Chad nodded, agreeing, "Yes, with some modifications, the room itself will do. But it''s not really feasible. I thought this was a normal underground bunker, like a wine cellar. Not this ... it''s just too deep underground. It would take too much effort to bring all the filming equipment down here."


    Kyle wriggled his eyebrows, "No, not really."


    Chad looked at him in puzzlement and watched as Kyle went to the bookcase and pushed it aside. The bookcase itself was on rollers, so it was easy to push it aside. There was something that looked like elevator doors behind it.


    "That''s not what I think it is, is it?" Chad asked, his eyes wide.


    "Yes, it is," Kyle said smugly and flipped open a panel. He liked putting things behind panels as it looked much more streamlined. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He pressed the up button and the elevator doors opened, "See. The space in here is big enough for you to be able to bring any sort of equipment in. We had this installed first because we knew this hideout of ours would go through changes."


    He grinned widely at Chad, "You didn''t really think I''d suggest this while not taking into account the filming equipment now, did you?"


    Chad was silent, just staring at him.


    Just how much of a freak was this kid?


    ?? ??

 Chapter 221 - Scene : Punishment

    ? Note : Movie Scene (written like a book. haha) ?


    It was a small room. A dark room. There were no windows and only one lamp was above the ceiling, barely illuminating the room. A boy was sitting on a chair, his head bent down. His hands were tied together behind the back of the chair while his legs were closed and tied together to the legs of the chair.


    He was unclothed and his upper body was full of whip marks. Some looked fresh, some were obviously old from the scabs that had formed over it. The figure wasn''t moving and just sat there. One might have thought he was dead, if it wasn''t for the fact that the chest was barely moving, indicating his shallow breathing.


    The door creaked open and footsteps were heard entering.


    Jack stood there, looking at the immovable figure in front of him. He knew very well that the boy was awake but merely ignoring him. No matter what had been done to him, he hadn''t uttered a single word. Not even a shout. All he had was a single smirk as he took in every single slash of the whip.


    They didn''t go all the way, of course. Only the normal whip had been used and not the barbed one. They wanted to punish him, not cripple him.


    Problem was, the boy knew that very well. That''s why he just sat there with his smirk. It aggravated the torturers, who wanted nothing better than to increase the punishment meted out. Just to get wipe that smirk out of the way.


    Jack inclined his head towards the Zenith.


    The goons beside him nodded and poured a pail of salt water onto the boy.


    Zenith''s lips were already blue from the cold and his body was shivering. He had been concentrating on other things and using the least amount of energy so that he wouldn''t be too caught up in the cold that was seeping into his bones.


    As the cold water hit him, his teeth started to chatter so he clenched on them, refusing to show any sign of weakness. However, he still couldn''t stop the small hiss that escaped his lips when the salt water entered his wounds. It felt like his body was being pierced by a thousand needles. No, not needles. Sliced like paper cuts.


    Stinging pain.


    Zenith slowly brought his head up, his eyes full of hatred as he glared at his tormentor. His ''Mentor'', Jack. The one that had been in charge of him since he was young. The one that trained him and told him all about his ''father''.


    The one that made him watch as all of his siblings were killed right in front of him.


    He had been tied to a chair just like this one, and his throat had gotten sore from all the screaming he had done. As each child lay dying, they were forced to face Zenith and then, the killer would whisper in their ear why Zenith was alive and why they were killed.


    Each and every single one of them died while feeling anger and dissatisfaction, unfairness and blame reflected in their eyes as they stared at Zenith until the life left them. None of them wanted to die. None of them could accept the reason for their death.


    Each of them was unhappy that Zenith was the Chosen One.


    Each glare hit Zenith''s soul and every time, a part of him died.


    His innocence, gone. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zenith might hate his father, but he hated Jack even more. And he hated the High Table the most.


    Jack looked at Zenith''s cold expression and he involuntarily shuddered.


    The boy in front of him was getting out of control. Jack cursed the higher-ups for their orders about the other kids. Not about their elimination, but for making Zenith be a part of it.


    The management had wanted to assert their dominance and control over Zenith. They had wanted Zenith, who was only 9 at the time, to be so traumatised that he would latch onto Jack. Then, Jack would have control over the boy and thus, so would the management.


    Jack had opposed the plan but was shut down. He was only a ''soldier'' and had to obey orders.


    Just like the mistake they made by underestimating John Wick when he wanted to be released from the organisation (the High Table), they made a mistake in thinking they could break John''s son.


    Out of all the offsprings that they had created, Jack saw that Zenith had the best potential and the one that mirrored John''s personality the most. That was why he opposed the plan. Now, as he looked at the cold boy in front of him, he knew that what he feared the most had come true.


    The boy was skilled. The boy was smart.


    The boy was a cold, unfeeling killing machine who wouldn''t listen to orders that he didn''t agree with.


    At least John listened and followed the Code of the High Table - until Santiago double-crossed him. So John ignored the Code and made that hit at the Continental. The sanctuary, where no one was allowed to harm another (let alone kill).


    Now John Wick had a $14 million bounty on him. Countless of assassins after him. Despite that, John Wick had managed to kill every single assassin after him and created huge problem for the High Table.


    Just when things were going to settle down, just when John Wick was willing to step down so long as his request was met ... the High Table did the stupid thing of trying to kill John. Too bad his body was never found and now, every single person at the High Table - and of course, Winston who orchestrated it all ... are scared shitless.


    So that is why they decided to use Zenith.


    To get to John.


    Again, Jack felt that was stupid. Either give him what he wants, or kill him. Not use his own son that he never knew about to force him to work for them again. What are they thinking?! They can''t even control Zenith, his son. What makes them think they can control the father?


    Jack shook his head, clearing it from all these thoughts which caused him nothing but endless grief. The High Table thought too highly of themselves. Their ego was smashed and they are trying very hard to assert their dominance once again over the entire elite assassin community.


    "Are we done yet?" Zenith asked, his speech slurred. He cursed himself for that but there was no helping it. It had been nearly a week now and he was already showing signs of hypothermia.


    They wanted to break him so they kept on the torture. Though they thought they weren''t being too harsh, they forgot that the human body still had limits. Zenith had the willpower but sooner or later, his body will succumb.


    He wondered idly when these fools would realise that his body temperature was dangerously low. That if this was to go on, he''d die.


    Not that he cared, really. Death would be a welcome release.


    Even though a part of him wanted to kill his father with his own hands, he wasn''t going to be heartbroken if he couldn''t. If it meant he could escape this Hell Hole, he''d take it. Even if escaping meant Death.


    Jack had originally wanted to ask if Zenith would now listen to orders, but the moment Zenith asked his question, Jack stood up straight.


    He quickly looked at Zenith properly and his breath got stuck in his throat. How did he miss this?! He noted, for the first time, Zenith''s blue lips. Jack quickly studied the rest of Zenith''s body and found that his skin was pale.


    Jack cursed under his breath.


    Why didn''t the torturers notice this? Perhaps putting him in a dark room wasn''t such a good idea after all. Still, those torturers were supposed to take good care of Zenith and ensure that his health wasn''t affected too badly. Going into hypothermia was obviously not in the cards.


    Jack turned to the goons beside him, barked an order to release Zenith and stomped out.


    He had some torturers to torture.

 Chapter 222 - The Bunker / Scene : Revelations (I)

    The moment Chad yelled "CUT", Kyle sat up straight on the chair, flipping the wet locks of hair that fell over his eyes. He blew up a bit as some were tickling his nose.


    Sam came over with a towel and a bathrobe, while the extras set off to untie Kyle. Luckily, it was guys this time rather than girls for having them bending over at his legs was a bit uncomfortable. Especially when they''d try to sneak glances inbetween his legs.


    Kyle wasn''t really naked.


    He wore flesh coloured speedos and the camera angle was such that it couldn''t be seen. Thus, his, er ... manhood was essentially covered. Problem was, speedos were already rather tight fitting and short, and when it is coupled with flesh colour ... well, suffice to say that it doesn''t leave much to the imagination as to how Kyle Jr looked like - or rather, what its size was like.


    So you can imagine how Kyle was a bit reluctant to get up until Sam handed him the towel.


    He wiped his hair and chest first, then swiftly wrapped it around his waist just as he got up. There was a collective sigh of disappointment sound coming from the back. However, when Kyle looked up, everyone was busy and one couldn''t tell where the sound actually originated from. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam simply smirked at Kyle as he gave the bathrobe and Kyle quickly put it on.


    "Glad that scene is over," Kyle muttered, "It''s not really cold here but dang, I could seriously feel like I was being stripped."


    "Er, hello?" Sam said, hardly containing his mirth, "You weren''t exactly wearing much to be stripped, you know."


    Kyle shuddered.


    It really was hard to act when he could literally feel like hungry eyes all over. Those darn screenwriters were really laying it on thick with all the fan service moments. It was borderline p*rn. No real nudity but the suggestion of it appeared to be more than enough.


    Sometimes, hinting at what is there and leaving the rest to the imagination is much more suggestive than baring it all out in the open.


    They walked over to the living room and Sam still couldn''t believe at the layout of the bunker.


    "This place is fantastic. How long did it take to build?" Sam asked curiously.


    "Oh, a year or so," Kyle replied, walking to the kitchen and getting two bottles of mineral water. He handed one to Sam and sat back down.


    "You guys seriously played in here when you were younger? How come you never told us about it?"


    Kyle shrugged, "Never thought about it. We never really talked about the house and what we had, really. All of our time was spent at school rather than at home, let alone here."


    Sam nodded, "True. Then again, now that I think about it - why?"


    "Well, it was the only place we could be ourselves," Kyle explained, his voice going low as his eyes had this soft look in it as he thought of the past, "Before school, we were basically cooped up at home. We weren''t allowed out. Security was tight. Things like that."


    Kyle leaned back on the chair, "So we kinda looked at home like a sort of prison. We don''t now, of course, but we did then."


    He gestured towards the living room and everything around, "This was our way of escaping outside. That, and the fact that we were experimenting and learning. I kid you not, it was dang boring at home so this really was an outlet."


    "It really looks like you built a house underground," Sam said, "Which architect designed this?"


    "Original layout plants were mine, and we collaborated with electricians and so forth to see whether what we envisioned was possible," Kyle explained, "Ventilation, the secondary source of power, water supply, waste disposal - that sort of thing."


    Sam nodded, impressed then he suddenly stopped, certain things clicking in his mind. He turned and looked at Kyle with his eyes wide open, "Wait. Wait a minute ... you ... this place was already built before you and Kay went to school."


    "Yes," Kyle replied, twisting the cap off the bottle of mineral water and started drinking.


    "It took over a year to build ...." Sam continued.


    "Yes," Kyle confirmed.


    "The original plan was yours," Sam said, his voice now barely a whisper.


    Kyle looked at Sam, quiet, waiting for him to finish the sentence, "You thought of this place and drew the plans when you were five?!"


    "Four," Kyle replied without batting an eyelid.


    "What the fuck!" Sam cursed out loud for the first time, causing people to turn around and stare at him in surprise.


    Kyle grinned at him, wriggled his eyebrows and finished the water. He then dumped it into the waste disposal unit for plastic, that automatically started shredding the plastic bottle. The bottle lid was dumped into a normal wastepaper basket.


    It was much more environmentally friendly to shred the plastic bottle as it would get rid of any residue liquid. Crushing it was a more popular and easier alternative as not everyone can afford to get such a shredding machine.


    It also helped save space for waste.


    It was the little things like this that made Sam feel insignificant. It wasn''t just the elaborate layout of the place, but how everything had been taken into consideration. It wasn''t just about comfort but also about how everything here was using the least amount of energy and environmentally friendly.


    Just take the water system for example.


    Above ground, there were various water catchments placed that caught the rainwater. It filtered naturally down the ground and was collected into a container. This was their main source of water.


    What sort of four-year-old kid would think of such a thing? Even adults don''t!


    Sam thought that the MIB was already something amazing.


    When he looked around the bunker, Sam realised. This bunker was most likely the start of everything.


    He leaned back on the sofa as well, drinking and thinking deeply about what this truly meant. Kyle had only given him some brief history about MIB and all that, and he had an inkling about how young Kyle must have been to have started it all.


    However, this ... this just showed what Sam had thought in the beginning was nowhere close to what is the reality.


    He gave a side glance to Kyle, who was now talking to Chad about the next scene.


    Just what other secrets does Kyle hold?


    There had to be a reason for this MIB that was more than what meets the eye.


    Sam wondered if ... if Kyle would ever reveal the reason. He felt that there was a secret so huge, so mindboggling that he became a bit worried. A part of him wanted to know it, yet a part of him didn''t.


    Not knowing meant that Kyle didn''t trust him 100% yet. Instead of feeling slighted or hurt, Sam understood perfectly why Kyle didn''t say anything. He just hoped that one day, he was strong enough - capable enough - to be worthy enough to be able to get into that little world of his - and Kay''s.


    Yet, he was also slightly apprehensive about entering that world.


    If MIB was already like this (the secrecy, the training, the technology) - what would that hidden part be like?


    Sam continued drinking the water absent-mindedly.


    ?? Movie Scene ??


    John entered the underground bunker.


    Pushing open the door to enter the room, he saw the Bowery King (BK)* sitting at the sofa, seemingly waiting for his return.


    Walking straight over, his face slightly twisted as his head was trying to wrap around his thoughts, he simply asked, "Did you know?"


    After all, BK had been keeping tabs on the assassin organisation, especially the High Table.


    BK looked up at him, raised his eyebrows and seemed to realise something.


    "Oh," BK said slowly, cocking his head to the side, "X wasn''t there?"


    John didn''t move, just standing there and glaring at BK.


    "Oh, stop that," BK replied, "Spit it out."


    BK didn''t want to make second guesses. If it wasn''t about what he thought it was, it would only be shooting himself in the foot now, wouldn''t it?


    John studied BK and finally sat down.


    He was jumpy and agitated. Being an assassin, trust was a scarce commodity. He loved once, he lost her. He trusted - albeit slightly, but he still got betrayed. Now he was together with BK due to their mutual interest and circumstances.


    That, and he owed him one for saving his life.


    John gritted his teeth. The last time he honoured a promise, he was double-crossed and was set down this path. Would this be the same?


    "Apparently, I have a son," John started, looking at BK seriously, studying him for any change in facial expression and body language. True, BK was an assassin too, but John was confident in his own skills to be able to study the minute changes that BK would be hiding.


    Instead of hiding it, however, BK was open about it as he nodded slightly, then said, "Yes, apparently you do. One now, that is. You had five."


    "WHAT?!" John roared in disbelief.


    "Think back. Before your wife, how many women did you sleep with?" BK asked.


    John wasn''t a saint but he wasn''t one who just grabbed any woman he fancied.


    "Only two," he answered, "Didn''t really work out with them and it didn''t really last that long."


    "Two?" BK replied in puzzlement, "That doesn''t make sense. Any women you showed interest in then?"


    John shook his head, "I can''t think of any off-hand. Had some stupid girl or two following me around when I first started training though. Really annoying."


    BK went, "Ah. Sounds about right then."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" John demanded.


    "I heard an interesting tid-bit some years back but didn''t really put any stock it in. It was just too far-fetched and there was no way to verify it. Until now."


    BK looked at him in the eye, "Are you sure he was your son?"


    "Positive," John said confidently, "He looked just like me when I was 13 or so. Well, not 100% like me but the likeness is too striking to be a coincidence."


    "Then he''s your son with your late wife," BK said, dropping the bomb.

 Chapter 223 - Scene : Revelations (II)

    John grabbed BK by the collar, "What nonsense are you talking about?!"


    BK allowed that, glared at John in the eye and then to John''s hands around his shirt. John took several deep breaths to calm down, and released BK.


    BK smoothened down his shirt and replied, "From what little bit I got, the High Table wanted another John Wick and at the same time, some sort of leverage over you. You do remember what sort of medical examinations we had to go through, right?"


    John nodded. All sorts of samples were given, from hair, blood, sweat, and semen.


    "Artificial insemination, using your sperm and the egg of a woman you hooked up with, and planted into a surrogate mother," BK explained.


    "What''s the point of all of that?!" John roared, partly angry at the audacity, partly flabbergasted at the weirdness of it all.


    BK looked at him with a slight sneer, "I don''t know what''s going on in their minds, but they wanted another ''John Wick''. As if you''re the only elite assassin in the group. There was no BK Jr or what-not."


    BK then went on in a slight tantrum, with his displeased face about why were the High Table so blind and could only see ''John Wick'' ...


    After listening to BK rambling on for a few minutes, John impatiently said, "So create another John Wick and get rid of the old one?"


    BK laughed, "Getting rid of you was never their intention. You''re the one that started it all to get under their skin. Your son was created to ''fill in the void'' to replace you. Yes, they wanted another John Wick - but one that they could control forever."


    "Wait. You said I had more than one son?" John questioned again, picking out that detail he remembered.


    "Well, after you got married ... the others were seen as excess baggage," BK said, waiting for John''s reaction.


    A flicker of hurt flashed through John''s eyes, soon to be replaced with intense anger. He was already damn p*ssed with the High Table, but this certainly took the cake. The anger he felt was far beyond anything he had ever experienced before.


    Then he thought of his one, last, remaining son. Zenith. How he looked like, standing there. Dangerous yet ... ethereal. John supposed that''s how a Fallen Angel would look like?


    "He''s got her eyes," John said suddenly, "She had the most beautiful eyes I''ve ever seen."


    John gripped his hands so tightly that it turned white.


    "They''re going to pay," John muttered, "Eliminating those who betrayed me isn''t enough. I''m going to raze them all to the ground until there''s nothing left. Not a single High Table member ... and Winston ... will get through this."


    "What about your son then?" BK asked, drumming his fingers on the sofa.


    John looked up at him and said, "Something is not quite right there. I will need more information. Can you dig it out for me with your contacts?"


    BK rubbed his chin, "Depends. What is it?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You said he was created to replace me," John said, "Presumably they already figured I was going to leave, sooner or later."


    "That''s right," BK confirmed.


    "So why did he want to kill me?" John asked, "I could see that conflict in his eyes. I could hear the hatred in his voice."


    "I have never met him before, and never knew of his existence - but he knew of me. Just what nonsense did they put into his mind for him to have that much hatred?" John asked.


    The last thing he wanted to do was kill his own son. Would he be able to do it?


    His son, with his wife Helen, should have been the most beautiful and wonderful creation, a legacy of such a wonderful woman. He could tell, even from that brief moment, that Zenith was as skilled and ruthless as he was - but he refused to believe that Zenith didn''t inherit any of his mother''s kindness and gentleness.


    The characteristics that saved John Wick''s soul could not have been obliberated in their son.


    The High Table must have done something, he was sure of it.


    They will pay.


    ??


    Zenith''s was drifting in and out of consciousness, hardly responding to those around him.


    He had been holding on by sheer willpower alone for the past week, so once he was taken out of that place, it was as if everything in his body just broke down. His heart even stopped for a bit, but they managed to resusitate him.


    Zenith also had no desire to fight for his life.


    He had met the man he hated, and had been dreaming of killing for so long - yet, he could not pull the trigger once the opportunity arose. He was frustrated at himself, he was angry but most of all. He was tired.


    So tired.


    Zenith''s condition was so severe that they had to undergo emergency treatment. Luckily, Jack had caught it in time. Otherwise, he would have had to answer to the High Table why his charge had died under torture.


    As it is, the two dumb torturers were now having their fingernails pulled out. To have been so engrossed in their own desire to make Zenith cave in, that they failed to notice his condition, was a mistake so severe that a quick death was out of the question.


    Jack watched as the unconscious boy had an IV inserted, his hands tied to the edge of the bed to prevent him from pulling out the IV line. The IV bag had a warm solution of salt water, which was used to warm the blood.


    A nasal tube was also inserted, allowing humidified oxygen to be administered into the body directly so that the airways would be warmed up and help raise the temperature of the body.


    They were even prepared to employ the intravascular temperature control catheter (IVTCC) but that plan was put on hold. It would only be used if the other measures were not successful. From what Jack could see, the IVTCC would not likely need to be used.


    Even now, Zenith''s body temperature was slowly rising, and that was a good sign. They could not warm him up using electric blankets or direct heat onto his skin as that was akin to putting a cold steak on a very hot pan. The cold steak being Zenith, of course.


    He had to be heated up slowly, from within.


    "When will he be able to get back to action?" Jack asked the attending physicians around him.


    "It will take another month or so for him to be fully operational, but the prognosis is good," the main doctor replied.


    "So we have that long a grace period?" muttered Dan, who was standing beside him.


    Jack didn''t answer at first and waited for the doctor to get out of hearing range before replying, "If he survives, the High Table wants to use him to get John. Now that they''ve met and he knows Zenith exists, the High Table will utilise what they can."


    "You think John is going to fall for that again? The last time they asked for a parley, he was nearly killed! What more now, when the parties involved are those who betrayed him already?" hissed Dan.


    "The High Table orders, I merely obey," recited Jack mindlessly.


    Dan couldn''t stand that part of Jack. Though he knew that that was exactly why Jack was placed to be Zenith''s mentor. They needed a mindless monkey robot to do whatever they wanted, and do it efficiently.


    So Dan started ranting.


    He wasn''t afraid of the repercussion from Jack since they''ve known each other for so long. Jack would often use Dan as a sounding board and he knew Dan was loyal. So he allowed Dan to rant once in a while.


    "It''s still stupid. What are they hoping to achieve?" Dan complained, "Have father and son work together?"


    "Get rid of John? They haven''t succeeded yet and we keep losing more assassins!"


    "Use Zenith to control John? As if. Zenith hates John to the core. Who wouldn''t with all the lies we''ve been feeding Zenith with since the day he was born,"


    At that, Jack suddenly glared at Dan, who just shrugged, "What? No one is close enough to hear me and Zenith is dead to the world."


    "Still, it''s not good to say it out loud like that, in public. You never know," Jack warned, "And stop using ''dead'' when referring to Zenith."


    Dan ignored him, "You''re so superstitious, Jack. How did you ever survive here?"


    Jack didn''t answer, as that didn''t really need an answer now, did it?


    "Still, you ought to be careful," said Dan finally, after a few minutes of silence, "If Zenith ever found out the truth about his father, I doubt any of us would ever survive."


    "So shut your trap and just go with the plan," Jack hissed, turning on his heels and walking out.


    Dan watched him go and went closer to Zenith, peering at his face. The guy was pale as a sheet although his lips weren''t as blue anymore.


    "I wonder how it felt," Dan said under his breath as he studied Zenith closely, "To meet with your father and yet, not able to kill him. Such a wimp. Acting like you''re all that yet, in the end, fail miserably."


    He waited, not seeing any reaction and he smiled. He was right. Zenith truly was dead to the world. If he had been awake, there was no way that Zenith wouldn''t have tried to kill him in retaliation.


    Dan stood up then and breathed a sigh of relief.


    "How ironic is it that you hate the one man that would love you unconditionally - if he actually knew you existed. Him, abandoning you and ordering the hit on the other kids? What a joke. He may be a cold assassin but he was a devoted husband and would have been a devoted father."


    "Did you know he started all this feud just because some stupid punk kid killed the dog your dead mother left him? So stupid."


    "You devote your life to the one who lies and wouldn''t hesitate to betray you, yet would kill the one that would die for you," Dan rattled on, enjoying the thought.


    He left, while muttering, "How ironic indeed."


    As he left, he didn''t notice that Zenith''s eyes opened a little bit, a glint of something indescribable flashing within it as he stared at that back leaving.

 Chapter 224 - Taking A Break

    It was an off day today.


    Everyone, from the director to the ''lowly'' crew member, was lounging and enjoying the rare break. Well, it wasn''t really true that the break was rare since they would get one day off a month, but it sure seemed like it.


    The production this time round felt extra tiring. Extra stressful. Perhaps it was because the first place they went for filming had a homicide, which seemed to cast an overhang of dark shadows above.


    Perhaps it was because a lot of them were having bad thoughts over the sort of charm a certain young new actor seemed to be having over them. It was as if he cast a spell or something.


    Right now, that beacon of bad thou- I mean, luck, was just sitting there, laughing without a care with his assistant-cum-friend. They were waiting, apparently, for his close friends to come over. Since they weren''t filming, the set was open and they weren''t restricted to enter.


    He was sitting on a deck chair, dressed simply in a white collared T-shirt and dark camo cargo shorts. His fringe was getting long and a stray lock or two kept getting over his eye, which he would often either flip it back or run his hands through it to sleek it back.


    Either way, he was eye candy.


    Just then, a loud, booming voice was heard wailing across the field and they saw a person running over, "KYYYLLLLEEEEEEEE!!!!"


    Kyle cringed, but didn''t move from his spot. Everyone could see his face scrunched up as a rather lively young boy pounced on him. The force of the hug pushed Kyle back onto the deck chair, and it toppled back.


    The bottom legs started going up as the deck chair fell back when an olive-skinned young boy jumped and landed on it, bringing it back down. The deck chair steadied and righted itself as Kyle subjected himself to being squashed.


    Well, half-squashed, until the olive-skinned boy pulled the guy up from the back of his collar.


    "Enough, Xing Han," Ali said, "You''re going to kill him if you keep that up."


    Xing Han stared at Ali, wriggling himself out of his old and pointed a finger right inbetween Ali''s eyebrows, "You''re just jealous cuz I got here first!"


    Ali snorted, "Did you honestly think that you can outrun me? I let you win."


    "HAH. HAH. HAH," Xing Han shouted, emphasizing each ''hah'' at Ali''s face, "I''ve been exercising and can beat you in a race anyday now!"


    Ali''s mouth twitched as he looked at the enthusiastic Xing Han and decided not to argue. Xing Han had been like a half-dead fish since Kyle had been so busy with filming. Seeing him lively like this was a good thing.


    Kyle touched Xing Han''s forehead and frowned, "You don''t have a fever."


    Kyle grabbed Xing Han by the shoulders and stared at his face, "You look like Xing Han"


    He stood up, bringing Xing Han to stand up as well as he turned Xing Han left and right, "But you certainly aren''t as round as my Xing Han! Who are you!?"


    Xing Han puffed out his chest and put his hands on his waist, saying, "Huh. You think you''re the only one who''s working out? I, Xing Han, your BFF forever and ever, am also working out. Soon, I, too, will be the only other Elite Five member that will have a rock-hard body like yours."


    Ali grinned and patted Xing Han on the shoulders, "Third, Xing Han. I''ve always been fit but unlike Mr. Show-Off here, I keep mine under wraps."


    "Fourth," pipped up Sam, "I keep mine under wraps even more."


    Ali and Xing Han turned to face Sam in disbelief. They looked at him, then at each other and shouted, "BANZAI!!"


    Sam''s eyes shot wide open and he got up quickly upon the start of that shout and ran off. Ali and Xing Han ran after him, with Ali shouting at Sam to stop while Xing Han was just shouting "AAAAAHHHHHH" as he chased after Sam, arms flailing about.


    Just then, Kay came and sat next to Kyle.


    She had been leisurely walking behind the others, keeping quiet as she watched Xing Han launch himself on Kyle. Kyle smiled at seeing her and brought his hand around her waist, bringing her close. He kissed her forehead and both of them watched the three stooges running around.


    Ali finally managed to catch Sam, by launching himself forward and grabbing Sam''s legs. Sam tumbled, bringing his hands forward to catch the fall and he quickly turned, twisting Ali along with him.


    Ali was surprised by this move and found himself with his back on the ground while still holding onto Sam''s legs. However, his hold had loosened, so Sam used the back of his heel to poke Ali on the chest while grabbing a fistful of Ali''s hair.


    The pain from both ends made Ali let go instinctively, to which Sam used that window of opportunity to kick on Ali''s chest and get up.


    Only to be body slammed onto the ground by Xing Han.


    "HOLD HIM TIGHTLY, Xing Han!" roared Ali, who rubbed his chest and got up. His eyes narrowed upon Sam as he got close.


    Seeing the choke hold Xing Han had on Sam, Ali thought idly that Xing Han should have been a wrestler. As it was, Sam couldn''t get out of the hold and Ali tapped him on the forehead.


    "Since when did you learn how to fight like that?" he growled.


    "Get off me, Xing Han," Sam hissed, not answering Ali, "Or I''ll tell Kyle about the time you stole his favourite pen."


    "I did NOT steal it!" Xing Han protested, "I''m just ... keeping it for safekeeping."


    "For seven years?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrow.


    Xing Han growled and let Sam go. How the heck did Sam find out about that, anyway? Xing Han hadn''t meant to keep it but he somehow couldn''t help himself. When he saw that pen, with Kyle''s name, his hand had somehow reached out for it.


    When Kyle went ballistic over how he lost his pen that had his name engraved on it, Xing Han couldn''t own up. It was during the time he had first started to get to know Kyle and he had been deathly afraid that Kyle would not want to be his friend anymore.


    So he kept quiet.


    As time went by, Xing Han somehow couldn''t find the courage to own up anymore. The pen was kept in a special display case, hidden in his closet at home. He wasn''t afraid of Kyle rejecting him as a friend anymore, but somehow, he hadn''t been able to confess.


    It was so long ago any way and Kyle never brought it up again.


    Xing Han quickly got up, much to Ali''s dismay.


    Sam sat up, brushing his clothes and was about to stand up when Ali suddenly grabbed the bottom of Sam''s shirt. Sam grabbed Ali''s wrist, intending to twist it around but Ali had quickly brought that hand up, palm facing his face. At the same time, his other hand went under Sam''s wrist. He wrapped Sam''s wrist with his thumb and forefinger, squeezing it and twisting it while moving his body in the same motion.


    Kyle and Kay watched them ''play''.


    "Sam''s getting better, isn''t he?" Kay observed, leaning on Kyle.


    "Yes, he''s still diligently practicing everyday, though he doesn''t have anyone to spar with most of the time. It''s good he can play with Ali right now," Kyle commented. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Though you can see how shocked Ali is with this new thing of Sam. Look at Xing Han''s face!" laughed Kay, putting her hand over her mouth as she did so.


    Xing Han was just standing there, his mouth hanging open, as Ali and Sam continued this ''dance'' of theirs. Each time one looked like they had the upper hand, the other turned the tide. He just kept on looking left, then right, then puffed out his cheeks as he pouted.


    He turned to complain to Kyle when his face brightened up.


    Why was he wasting time here?!


    He quickly ran over, his face sporting a huge grin. Plopping himself on the other side of Kyle, he placed his arm across Kyle''s shoulders.


    So the three of them were sitting there: Xing Han, leaning on Kyle on one side with Kay, leaning on him on the other side as they watched the ''sketch'' Ali and Sam were putting on.


    Further away, another pair of eyes was watching the scene. He leaned on the wall, contemplating deeply as he observed the five kids. Two fighting playfully, showcasing amazing hand movements while three were close together, their heads practically glued together as they watched the two.


    Keanu was surprised to see that Sam had some self-defence skills himself, recognising the moves a bit. The other had a slightly different style that he assumed was from Country SA. Keanu wasn''t familiar with that style but he could tell that he was quite skilled in it.


    Sam wasn''t as smooth, but he was holding up quite well.


    Keanu watched for a little while longer before he finally made his way to the three sitting down.


    "Kyle," he said softly, standing behind him.


    Kyle leaned to the side, twisting a bit to face Keanu and greeted him warmly, "Morning, Keanu. Have you had your breakfast yet?"


    Keanu smiled, shaking his head, "No, not yet. Just walking about first before eating. Are these your friends?"


    Xing Han stood up at attention, saluting Keanu, while saying, "Yes, Sir! I am Xing Han, Kyle''s one and only BFF till death!!" Then he gave a huge grin and then shook Kyle''s shoulder vigorously.


    "Kyle! Kyle!! It''s KEANU REEVES!!"

 Chapter 225 - Figuring Things Out

    Kyle just moved along with Xing Han''s shaking him, exaggerating the movements even more. Kay was busy laughing at Xing Han''s awe-struck face, who had yet to stop shaking Kyle.


    She stood up as well, and smiled at Keanu, "I''m Kayla, Kyle''s sister. It''s nice to meet you."


    Ali was suddenly there as well, breathless as he had run over like a bat out of hell,* and he said, "And I''m Ali!"


    Then he looked at Xing Han and Kyle, then replied, "Xing Han, I think Kyle is sufficiently shaken by now."


    Xing Han seemed to snap out of it and he looked at Kyle sheepishly, "Oh. Sorry."


    Kyle laughed, patted Xing Han''s cheeks and replied, "No worries. I''m allowing it this time since I''m so busy here at the moment."


    "Since you haven''t had breakfast yet, please do join us with our parents, Keanu," Kay invited, a sweet smile on her lips, her hands clasped in front of her, "Mother would certainly be quite happy to meet you."


    Kyle looked at Kay with a raised eyebrow, "What, really? No. Are you seriously using your formal society voice?"


    A hiss went out of Kay''s lips and she turned to Kyle and hit him on the shoulder, saying with embarrassment, "Idiot brother."


    She wanted to make a good first impression on Keanu and her stupid brother had to just spoil it all.


    Seeing all of this, Keanu just laughed, spread his hands out and said enthusiastically as he pointed at Kay, "You''re breathtaking!"


    Then he pointed at all of the guys, saying, "You''re all breathtaking!!"


    The Elite Five, in unison, struck the pose and pointed at Keanu, shouting, "You''re breathtaking!!"


    ?? Breakfast ??


    In the end, the Elite Five, Keanu and Chad went to the house to have breakfast.


    Keanu felt it was time he should spend some time with the hosts. He had graciously declined to stay at the Mansion, feeling more comfortable to be around the crew members instead. The Smiths didn''t insist, understanding his situation.


    Unlike most celebrities, Keanu''s home wasn''t in the million-dollar price range and he even took the subway. Then again, Keanu''s situation was unique. Unlike other celebrities, fans didn''t swarm over him in public that he could hardly move.


    They respected him and kept their distance, allowing him peace of mind and privacy.


    Kyle also kept his mother happy by staying in his own bedroom during his free time and would send her pictures of Keanu everyday. He had first gotten Keanu''s permission to do so, of course, and Keanu more than graciously allowed it.


    If the paparazzi ever got hold of those pictures ...


    Suffice to say, Mother Delilah was deliriously happy.


    During breakfast, however, it could be seen that one particular boy wasn''t as jovial and happy as normal. Granted, he was normally the stoic and expressionless one, but this time, his sadness was plain to see that even Delilah noticed it.


    "Sam, is everything okay?" she asked worriedly.


    She viewed the Elite Five like her own children and wished they would come over more often. She knew how special they were to her twins, but they hardly came to spend time here so she couldn''t see them much.


    Sam gave her a big smile, saying, "Yes, everything is fine, Auntie Delilah."


    Ali snickered, "Yes, Auntie Delilah. He''s not really sick. Just lovesick."


    Sam glared at Ali, who just grinned at him while putting food in his mouth.


    "Sam? Lovesick?" she asked, surprised. What is this? Does Sam have a girlfriend? Or he was upset at not being able to get one? She then turned to look at Kyle, who was focusing 100% on his own food.


    Just then, the doorbell could be heard. The Head Butler went over promptly to open the door and find out who the person was, so the rest wasn''t really bothered about it.


    "Kyle, honey?" Delilah called out sweetly.


    Kyle looked out, his mouth full to the brim with eggs and toast as he chewed slowly. His cheeks were puffed up like a chipmunk and Delilah''s eyes narrowed into slits.


    "Kyle! Where are your table manners?! Honestly, you''d think you''re still five?!" Delilah scolded, though she found that statement rather ridiculous. Even at 2 years old, Kyle''s table manners had been impeccable.


    She just knew he was doing this on purpose so that he wouldn''t have to answer her questions.


    He blinked at her in total innocence, continuing to chew the food slowly.


    Kyle never told Delilah about Betty because it would only start on her long-winded lecture about him not having anyone yet. It would range from the low start of ''he needs to have more friends'' to ''opening up his heart'' all the way to ''want to see grandchildren''.


    She still hadn''t quite settled the fear in her heart that her son was gay. It wasn''t because of the fact that he would not be continuing the Smith line - though she would be lying to say that it wasn''t a factor. It just wasn''t the main factor.


    It wasn''t that Delilah was homophobic either. Delilah would accept him even if he did turn out to he homosexu*al and wouldn''t love him any less. However, what made her worried was because she knew what society''s perception would be like and that Kyle''s life wouldn''t exactly be roses because of it. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a mother, she wanted his life to be smooth and free from worries. Life was hard enough as it is, and the burden that Kyle had over his shoulders as the Smith Heir was even more. She firmly believed that such a burden would be greatly alleviated when he has someone beside him that completed him.


    Not family. That''s different.


    However, if that someone was one that Kyle never found - or one that he would have to constantly fight society (and not to mention, all those of the Smith blood) ... wouldn''t his burden only increase? What mother would want that sort of struggle for her own child?


    She would be supportive but she would also be sad.


    Sad at the sort of slurs he will face, sad at the sort of prejudice and unjust hate he would have to endure, sad at having to see the pain in his eyes as he goes through it just because he wanted to be with his loved one.


    That was not the sort of life she would want for her son.


    Kyle truly did understand what Delilah meant, and where her heart was. Which was why he always accepted it whenever she just ranted in extreme worry about it.


    As for him, he still wasn''t 100% sure yet which way he swung at the moment.


    His soul may have been female before but he grew up as a male. The physical changes he was experiencing since hitting puberty made him even more aware of his identity as a male. He was neither attracted to male or female and could deeply appreciate both genders.


    It was way obvious by now that he could get aroused by a female ... if he let his feelings and emotions take over. His body reacted very well to it, Kyle thought. Whether it would be the same for a male remains to be seen.


    What was equally obvious was that ... other than the normal physical reaction, he felt absolutely no attraction towards either male or female. He truly didn''t know if he would fall in love with male or female ... if he did at all.


    Figuring this out wasn''t possible right now.


    Only time would tell.


    Worst case scenario, he''d just marry whoever his parents picked for him. If he never found ''The One'', and he had no problems ''getting it on'', then it just meant ... love wasn''t meant to be for him. He had been lucky enough to have fallen in love before in his past life, so he felt it was perhaps an equal exchange to be able to re-live his life (albeit, in a different form) to help his children.


    What was definitely clear, was that he wasn''t a girl in a guy''s body. His soul may have been female before, but he had never felt uncomfortable being a guy. Other than the initial surprise of finding that dangly-bit inbetween his legs while he was a fetus, he had never felt that he was born the wrong gender.


    So that wasn''t an issue.


    It was the ''falling in love'' part.


    Kyle was still a romantic deep down but he just didn''t think there was one for him right now. He didn''t truly believe in the concept that there was that one person who had been destined to be your other half from the day you were born.


    His past life dispelled that romantic notion.


    Not to say that he didn''t believe in love. He would help his brothers - and Kay - find the person they would want to be with, but that was something that wasn''t quite in the cards for him.


    Not right now, anyway.


    Kyle finally swallowed the last food in his mouth, and smiling sweetly back at his mother who had been waiting extremely patiently while he did so, he asked, "Yes, Mother?"


    Delilah delicately wiped the edge of her lips, put her napkin on her lap then asked, "So, when will I be meeting your girlfriend?"


    "When I get one," Kyle said.


    "When will that be?" she demanded.


    "When I find one," Kyle replied.


    "Are you really looking properly?" Delilah asked, staring at him.


    "As properly as my two eyes can see," Kyle responded then added, "Come on, Mum. It''s hard to find any girl that is better than you. Stop being so awesome then, and perhaps I can stop comparing."


    Though Delilah knew Kyle was just saying it to avoid the topic, she couldn''t help but feel extremely pleased with his obvious compliments.


    "Laying it on thick, aren''t you son?" Patrick commented.


    Kyle gave him a shocked look, saying, "What? Father! Please. Are you saying my mother, who is the love of your life, isn''t awesome? That any girl can compare? That I can easily find another girl who is as awesome as Mum?"


    Delilah turned to him, smiling sweetly, "Hmmm ... is it?"


    Patrick almost choked on the coffee that he was about to drink.

 Chapter 226 - Dahlia

    Keanu''s mouth was twitching as he watched the family banter at the breakfast table.


    This certainly was nothing like what he''d expected.


    Despite the lavish spread of breakfast, the presence of the maids waiting on them and a Head Butler that oversaw everything ... the atmosphere didn''t feel cold or uncomfortable. The scenery was akin a six stars restaurant but the atmosphere was like a diner.


    Warm, friendly, relaxing.


    Keanu didn''t think such a thing was possible.


    He also never saw a mother who was actively trying to get her young teen son hooked up - and that the same teen at the start of his life, would be so nonchalant about it.


    Just then, the Head Butler led a girl into the dining area.


    Patrick and Delilah looked up to see the nervous girl, who was pulling at her twintails as she fidgeted.


    "Betty! You made it!!" Kyle exclaimed, making Sam splutter out his scrambled eggs and drop his fork noisily on the plate as he turned in total shock.


    For a brief second, Delilah thought Kyle had found ''The One'' until she saw how the girl''s face lighted up upon seeing Sam - who quickly got up and head towards her.


    Darn. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mum, Dad, that''s Betty. Sam''s girlfriend," Kyle said as he continued shoveling food into his mouth. Kay put two of her sausages on his plate and he speared one of it with his fork.


    Sam held on Betty''s hand, ecstatic at seeing her. Betty looked at Delilah and Patrick in nervousness and was about to make a curtsy when Sam put a hand on her waist, stopping her. He brought his lips close to her ear and said, "Don''t worry. Kyle''s parents are very open and informal. Just greet them normally."


    Betty nodded and said, "Hello, Auntie, Uncle. Thank you for having me."


    Sam looked at Betty in confusion. He thought she couldn''t come, as she had to go with her parents to visit her grandmother. What did she mean? Before he could ask, however, he heard Kay speaking.


    "You can put her bag in the second guest room," Kay told the Head Butler.


    "Ah, so this is your friend that''s staying over, Kay. You didn''t tell me that she''s Sam''s girlfriend," Delilah said.


    "Didn''t think it was relevant," Kay replied and gestured to Betty to sit down.


    Ali got up, giving up the seat that was next to Sam and plopped himself down next to Kay.


    "You know what they say about moving seats when you''re in the middle of eating," Kyle said.


    "What?" Ali asked.


    "That you''ll have more than one wife," Kyle grinned, mentioning the old wive''s tale taught to kids.


    There was no merit in it, of course. It was simply one of those things they said to instill good manners. One did not move about when eating but was to sit in one spot from start till finish.


    "Well, I can have four," Ali said with a shrug, "So I suppose I have to move three more times now?!"


    While Kyle and Ali were joking around, Sam held on to Betty''s hand and led her to the chair. He pulled out the chair and she sat down shyly. Sam sat down next to her, took her hand again with his left hand and started piling on food on her plate with his right hand.


    Upon seeing the pile that was starting to form on her plate, she protested, saying, "Sam, enough. That''s too much! I can''t eat all of that!"


    Sam ignored her, telling her, "It''s fine. Eat what you can. These are all your favourites. I''ll finish up whatever you can''t."


    Betty nodded obediently, then said shyly, "I''ll need my hand to eat, Sam."


    Sam looked at their joined hands, pouting a bit then kissed her fingers before letting go. Betty''s face went so red it looked like a ripe tomato. Sam continued eating like it was nothing while Betty found looking at her food to be utterly fascinating.


    Delilah put her hand over her heart at the scene then glared at Kyle.


    "Quickly get me a daughter-in-law! Learn a thing or two from Sam there," she harrumphed, then drank her coffee.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, then caught Keanu looking at him doing so.


    "You must think this family is pretty weird, huh?" Kyle said laughingly.


    "No, not weird," Keanu replied, "Refreshing."


    He paused for a while then commented, "Though it is rather unusual for a mother to be gearing for her son to get a girlfriend. Well, considering that you''re only 14."


    Kyle wanted to snort but that might make the food go up his nose so he waved his fork about instead and said in a lowered voice, "Mum''s paranoid a bit. She cannot believe that her ever-so-perfect handsome and popular son doesn''t have a girlfriend. I''m either hiding her, or is not a normal teen."


    "You really aren''t normal, you know," Kay commented, drinking her milk.


    "I know," Kyle said, "I"m just too humble to say it."


    Kay coughed and put down her glass of milk, "Oh yes. Humble, Mr. Self-Proclaimed ''Perfect handsome and popular son'' "


    Kyle looked at her innocently, "Those are facts. If I was bragging, I''d say genius drop-dead gorgeous heartthrob."


    "Shameless," Kay said then looked at Keanu, "He''s getting more and more shameless."


    Just then, the theme song to ''My Little Pony'' came on. Kyle took the last bite of sausage, gulped some milk down quickly and took out his phone as he got up.


    He bowed a bit to his parents who were at the head of the table as a sign of apology and they nodded at him in understanding. He walked off, bringing the phone to his ear as he answered the phone.


    They could hear him say, as his voice trailed off the further he got away, "Dahlia! What are you doing up so early? Does Mummy know ... "


    A few minutes later, Kyle came back to the dining table. However, he didn''t sit down but merely informed his parents, "That was Dahlia. Mary said she had been cranky for the past few days and only settled down when they allowed her to call me. So I offered to babysit her today."


    "That''s fine," Delilah said, "So Mary will drop her off here?"


    "Yup," Kyle replied, looking at his watch, "I''ll get her room ready. They''ll be here in 20 minutes."


    Delilah waved him off, knowing Kyle would get lost in a bit. He tended to do that whenever Dahlia came over. Lost in thoughts, that is.


    She never quite understood Kyle''s attachment to Dahlia. It wasn''t bad, but it certainly was unusual.


    As Kyle walked away, Kay saw the confused look on Keanu''s face and explained, "Dahlia was someone Kyle rescued last year. She became rather attached to Kyle so he would babysit her once in a while."


    "Rescued?" Chad, who had been listening nearby, asked.


    Xing Han jumped in to tell the story about how Spiderman Kyle had swooped in like Batman to save the day when a certain hyperactive toddler fell in Mall T. The more Xing Han talked, the greater the exaggeration became, making Kyle into some superhero.


    Which, in all fairness, Kyle was to Xing Han.


    ?? Dahlia''s Room ??


    Kyle had actually renovated one guest room just for Dahlia.


    Dahlia had never spent the night, as she was still very young, but Dahlia certainly would be needing her afternoon nap. Kyle wanted Dahlia to feel right at home with him, so after receiving permission from his parents, he had whole-heartedly and enthusiastically set to decorating the room.


    It brought back lots of memories of him, as Kylie, preparing the nursery for her own kids when they were about to be born.


    The only difference was, he had no limits or restrictions on what he could afford to buy and get now. Which explained how he sort of went slightly overboard.


    The whole room was themed ''My Little Pony'', which was Dahlia''s favourite show at the moment. Everything, from the bed, to the closet, playmat, table, and chairs ... were ''My Little Pony''. Once Dahlia outgrew this phase, Kyle would redecorate it into whatever she liked.


    Kay pointed out that he should just make it neutral so the room would grow with her but Kyle answered, "They''re only young once. I can afford it, so why should I be frugal this time round?"


    Kyle knew very well that he was using Dahlia. In a way. Using her to fill this void that could never be filled, but at least, it alleviated the pain a little bit. He''d probably be worse with his own kids ... if he ever had any in this life.


    The bathroom was also ''kid'' size, just like what you''d find in any good stores like IKEA store from Country Swdn.


    "The way you spoil her is probably why she likes to come here so often, you know," Kay said as she walked in to stand beside Kyle. Keanu had also followed Kay while Chad had gone out.


    "Whoaaaaa," Keanu said, in his ''Bill & Ted'' voice,* as he looked inside.


    "Totally rad, right?" Kyle bantered back, mimicking Keanu.


    Keanu looked at Kyle, Kyle looked at Keanu and as if in sync, they did the famous ''air guitar'' duet short skit that Bill & Ted would often do when they were emphasizing something or making a point (''a full stop, if you please).


    Keanu laughed, placed his arm around Kyle and nodded as he gestured the room, "You have talent, my boy. In acting ... and in being a father. No wonder your mother can''t wait to have grandkids now."


    Keanu said everything with a smile, though there was a slight sadness in his eyes. His own daughter had been stillborn, and she never got to see the nursery that he had prepared for her. If she had survived ... if she had lived, Keanu had no doubt that he would have been as crazy as Kyle here in decorating the bedroom.


    Kyle could sense the sadness in Keanu, the same sort of sadness that he felt.


    Perhaps that is why there was this sort of connection between them that went beyond the usual ''mentor'' or co-worker role.


    Both of them just stood there, looking at the room with a sigh.

 Chapter 227 - Competition

    Dahlia was a hit, as expected.


    Kyle was waiting eagerly in the living room. Even though he was still talking and laughing with everyone, one could see how his legs seemed to be fidgeting. Keanu was hanging out with them as well, for some reason.


    Not that anyone minded.


    Keanu found Kyle''s obvious excitement rather contagious.


    The moment the doorbell rang, Kyle jumped up and ran out. Keanu laughed, his voice booming in the living room and everyone else joined in. However, upon seeing how Kyle ran off but when Kyle returned, while carrying a little girl in his arms, Keanu stopped laughing.


    He could understand why Kyle was so enthusiastic about Dahlia''s visit.


    The little girl was the cutest little thing he had ever seen. She was wearing a pink princess dress, her extremely curly hair fell onto her shoulders and framed her cherubic face. She was holding on tightly to yellow pony plushie that had a pink mane and tail.


    The little chatterbox was busy talking to Kyle, who was listening intently as he looked at her adoringly. He had her backpack slung over one shoulder and he gave the appropriate expressions to whatever story she was giving him.


    "Hmmm, Fluttershy. Yes, I can see that," Kyle was saying while smiling indulgently as Dahlia pushed the pony plushie right at Kyle''s face.


    Upon realising that they had reached the living room, Dahlia stopped talking. She looked about shyly and started hiding her face by burrowing her head into Kyle''s chest.


    Kyle smiled and stroked her hair, saying, "Come on, Dahlia. You know everyone here already."


    She shook her head and seemed to burrow in even deeper. She pointed hesitantly and whispered something.


    "What was that?" Kyle asked, putting his head closer to her head.


    "Ooohhh," Kyle said with a smile as he nodded, then he turned his body so that she was facing the living room again. She turned her head to face the other way.


    "He''s really nice and friendly," Kyle said, as he walked and finally stopped next to Keanu, "Uncle here may look all fuzzy and such but he is a real softie."


    Then Kyle lowered his voice, but it was loud enough for Keanu to hear, "If you poke him, he will squeak. But it''ll only be for the first few times."


    Dahlia looked up at him, her eyes wide.


    "Really, he will. Don''t believe me? Go ahead and try it," Kyle persuaded, coming closer to Keanu.


    She peeked from Kyle''s chest, looking at Keanu who was looking at her with a smile. She looked back up at Kyle then leaned closer on her side on Kyle. She tentatively brought up her hand, her pointer finger out and poked Keanu.


    He gave a squeak, then looked shocked.


    Dahlia giggled.


    She poked him again. He squeaked again.


    Dahlia gave a big smile and clapped her hands, her little pony plushie banging along in her hands.


    "Okay, that''s enough now," Kyle said, twirling her around, "Let''s put your bag down first, okay?"


    Dahlia nodded excitedly, and pointed towards the stairs, "Room! Room!!"


    "Fly?" Kyle asked with a grin.


    "Fly!!" Dahlia agreed, bringing up her hands as if in surrender.


    "Ready?" he asked.


    "Ready!!" she shouted.


    Kyle then flipped her, and she landed face down on his hands. So he was holding her horizontally, one arm across her chest and the other just at her thigh. She looked like she was in a ''flying'' position. Her whole body was straight and her arms stretched out in front.


    "Whooosh!!" Kyle said as he ran up, with Dahlia screaming and laughing.


    "Looks like we lost Kyle today," Ali commented.


    Xing Han sighed loudly, placed a hand dramatically over his forehead and lamented, "And I just got to see him again today! After so long!!"


    Then, straightening himself, he grinned and ran after Kyle, "As if that is going to stop me!!"


    Ali and Kay looked at each other, grinned and Ali quickly ran after Kyle as well. Kay looked at Keanu and asked, "Wanna join us?"


    "Can I?" Keanu asked.


    Kay looked at him strangely, "Whyever not? As long as you''re free, you''re more than welcome to this madness of ours."


    Keanu grinned at that and quickly followed Kay up.


    Betty was about to follow as well but Sam pulled her back. He hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Do you seriously want to hang out with them, or do you want to spend time with me?"


    Betty smiled shyly, looking up at him, "With you, of course."


    Sam held her tight, feeling really happy and contented. He gave her a quick peck on the lips before letting go.


    Well, okay. Fine.


    His intention was only to give her a quick peck on the lips before letting go. After all, this was Kyle''s home. He wasn''t going to go all PDA and such ... but the moment his lips touched hers, feeling the familiar softness that seemed to melt into him and smelling her rather unique fresh citrus smell ... a peck wasn''t enough.


    How could the brief feel of her lips be enough? He hadn''t seen her for months and now, not only was she in front of him, she was in his arms.


    A peck became two.


    Then, his lips captured her lower lip followed by the upper lip. His hands brought her closer to him, holding her tighter and moulding himself onto her. When she returned his kisses, he couldn''t bear to stop.


    The kisses became more intense as he sucked on her lips and his tongue started to dart out a bit, licking her bottom lip. Upon feeling that, Betty seemed to break out of her trance and pushed on his chest firmly.


    When Sam didn''t seem to listen, she stomped on his foot.


    It wasn''t a hard stomp but Sam finally stopped and held her close. Both were breathing slightly heavily and they just held each other until their breathing became normal again.


    "Sorry," Sam apologized, "I got a bit carried away."


    Betty shook her head, saying, "It''s fine but don''t do it again."


    Sam nodded, smiled, then took her hand and they walked out to the garden.


    ?? Dahlia''s Day ??


    Dahlia loved coming to see Big Brother Kyle.


    Ever since she could remember, he was always nice to her. Big Brother Kyle was the handsomest and kindest guy she had ever met. She loved him sooooo much. He was her hero.


    She had been feeling down because she hadn''t seen Big Brother Kyle for such a long time. That normally didn''t mean much but when Mama and Papa were also so busy, she got upset. And bored. And cranky.


    She tried to be a good girl because Big Brother Kyle loved good girls. He always told her to be good and that he loved her a lot because she was good.


    But she couldn''t stand it anymore.


    So she threw a tantrum.


    No one was paying any attention to her. Mama and Papa were hardly around. Her nanny, Nana, was boring and old. She wanted Big Brother Kyle!


    She couldn''t stop the tears from falling and she kept on sobbing, calling out for her Big Brother Kyle! Finally, Nana gave her a phone and said that she had dialed Big Brother Kyle. Dahlia was so happy that she hiccupped and upon hearing his voice, life was nice and sunny again.


    So now, here she was.


    Mama and Papa said she could spend a whole day with Big Brother Kyle! It was magic! So she happily packed her bags with all the toys she wanted to show Big Brother Kyle. Fluttershy was important because Fluttershy was just like her. And she was pink!


    When she came and saw Big Brother Kyle at the door, she couldn''t help but run into his arms. He carried her immediately and she giggled.


    However, when Big Brother Kyle brought her in, she started feeling a bit scared.


    There was this one person she didn''t recognise. He looked big. He had all this hair on his face. When she hugged Big Brother Kyle, he protected her! He even taught her how to defeat the Big Bear. Uncle Big Bear turned out to be quite nice, too.


    After that, they flew into her room. Yes, it was her room. Big Brother Kyle said so.


    Right now, she was sitting in the middle of her room, surrounded by some new pony plushies Big Brother Kyle got for her. Dahlia was fascinated by them, looking at them one by one.


    Then, she heard her name being called. By several people. Dahlia looked up and frowned. What was going on?


    Big Brother Kyle, Uncle Big Bear, Big Sister K, Big Bun, and Brother Ali were on their stomach, looking at her. Calling her. Why were they so far apart? Who should she go to first?


    As if that was a problem. She wondered why they even bothered. Who could beat Big Brother Kyle?


    She ignored them at first, looking at all the Little Pony plushies and finally decided on one. Getting up, she ran as fast as her little legs could bring her, to Big Brother Kyle.


    He swooped her up, covered her face in kisses and then swung her around, "My little Dahlia loves me the most!"


    Dahlia just grinned, thinking that it was so obvious she didn''t have to say it out loud.


    "NOOOO!" wailed Big Bun, "That''s not fair. Two out of three!!"


    Uncle Big Bear nodded as well, "Yes, Kyle. That is not fair!"


    And so, the rest of the day was spent in intense competition to see who Dahlia would go to or choose. They did all sorts of things and Dahlia was the judge.


    She was brought flying all around the compound - Big Brother Kyle was the best.


    She was thrown high in the air and caught - Big Brother Kyle was the best.


    She watched them do flips and kicks - Big Brother Kyle was the best.


    Finally, exhausted, they all lay down in a heap on the living room floor. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I give up," Xing Han said, putting up his hands in surrender, "There''s no way to beat you in her eyes."


    Kyle was on his back, Dahlia lying down at the crook of his left arm. She was slowly falling asleep, all tired out. Kay came and lay down on the crook of his right arm and Xing Han, not wanting to be left out, put his head on Kyle''s leg.


    Keanu saw this and grinned, thinking that Dahlia wasn''t the only one that had Kyle as #1 in their heart.


    When Sam and Betty walked in much later that evening, they were greeted with the sight of the rest of the Elite Five, Dahlia and Keanu - all sleeping in the living room.

 Chapter 228 - Scene : Great Escape

    ?? Movie Scene : Hospital ??


    Zenith''s condition was monitored closely for the next few weeks.


    After a week, Zenith was more coherent but he still kept on drifting out of consciousness. The doctors were puzzled at this development, for his body heat was increasing. In fact, it was getting to be normal.


    Was there something wrong internally?


    Worse, was his mental capacity affected?


    Zenith had not gone into cardiac arrest, thus the doctors had never considered the possibility of any brain damage. His heart hadn''t stopped, so the brain was functioning despite the hypothermia. If he had suffered a heart attack, then his brain would have been deprived of oxygen.


    That would have been a serious issue, more so since his body temperature had been so low.


    Thus, during treatment, focus had been entirely on treating the hypothermia. Nothing else was looked at or thought of.


    However, none of them could deny the possibility of something else now, since Zenith didn''t seem to be waking up. He wasn''t in a coma but he was drifting in and out of consciousness too much.


    Thus, after intense discussion, the doctors felt that it was better for Zenith to undergo an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The MRI was known to be a good choice in detecting axonal injury,* small areas of contusion (bruise), and subtle neuronal damage.#


    The doctors had not considered the MRI before since Zenith had not suffered any head injury. His head as ''off limits'' during the punishment for this exact reason, but this rather state of unconsciousness was not normal.


    Perhaps the torturers had not followed orders? Or were they careless? After all, they had caused Zenith to be in this state despite being told to merely make him suffer - not seriously injure him.


    However, one particular discovery prior to the MRI testing made all of the doctor''s heart skip a beat.


    As per normal procedure, they would examine the head. Soft, gentle hands were touching and feeling the shape of Zenith''s head when a slight bump could be felt. The moment that bump was felt, all manner of work stopped.


    It looked like Zenith had indeed had suffered a head injury.


    And they had missed it.


    All the doctors looked at each other in fear and quickly sent Zenith for testing.


    No one dared to inform the High Table as yet. The doctors were in great fear of their life, so they kept the need for the test quiet. They wanted the results first before informing the High Table. After all, if it was all in the clear, then they would be safe. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it wasn''t ...


    The doctors didn''t dare think of that yet. For now, the more urgent thing was to get the kid out for testing.


    ??


    The unconscious Zenith was left alone on the stretcher as everyone was busy getting the treatment room ready. Due to the fact that it was an unexpected treatment, not to mention one that they wanted to keep hidden, nothing was ready yet.


    The doctors did everything themselves, not daring to trust anyone else to set up the equipment. Those people could tell the High Table before they had the results ready. Nothing must go wrong.


    Of course, when you are too engrossed with worry and being busy with work, no one would notice that the stretcher that held the patient ... was now empty.


    By the time they realised, it was too late.


    The doctors, looked at each other and came to a unanimous decision.


    The Head Doctor cleared his throat, smoothened his white coat and said, "I will go first. We can''t go out together for that would be too conspicuous."


    "Why should it be you first?" one doctor demanded, "You''re the Head. So you should be the last."


    The Head Doctor looked at him in disdain, "This is not a sinking ship and I am not a captain. So that thought is faulty."


    "I don''t care whether the analogy is apt or not," another doctor snorted, "You just want to be the first out as that is the one with the least danger. I refuse."


    "Well then, who should it be? You?" scoffed the Head Doctor, "You''re such a lowly one amongst us that the guards would certainly be suspicious. Why would you go out so early?"


    "Why would the guards be suspicious?" the first doctor commented, "He''s like a lackey, as I. It''s more suspicious if the Head went out first."


    And so, the arguments went from one doctor to another, each not wanting to give in. The argument got louder and louder, attracting more attention.


    Meanwhile, just a few metres away and unnoticed by anyone, the door to an utility closet was slowly closing.


    Inside, Zenith took his hand off the mouth of the doctor he had waylaid in the corridor and quickly twisted his neck. Hearing the satisfying crack of the bone, Zenith started undressing the doctor, leaving him only in his underwear.


    Zenith took off the hospital gown that he was wearing, revealing a naked back that was riddled with whip lashes. He quickly donned the now deceased doctor''s clothes. Picking up the stethoscope that had dropped on the floor, he flung it around his neck.


    Thinking a while, he took the glasses that the doctor had on and popped out the lenses. Rummaging through the utility closet, he got some saline solution and used the liquid to wet his hair. He then rubbed his hair vigorously, making it look very messy, put on the glasses and walked out the door.


    The only problem was, he didn''t have any shoes. Thus, he wore the pants slightly lower to cover his bare feet and hoped no one was really paying any attention.


    As he walked out into the corridor, he quickly mixed with the people around. No one bothered with the rather scruffy but young-looking doctor in a white coat that was walking between them. His unshaven face, messy hair, dark-rimmed glasses and stethoscope around the neck was the typical look of any of the many people around that had been working almost non-stop for the past week.


    Everyone was just too tired to really pay any attention.


    The guards weren''t that attentive either. After all, this was not a prison but a hospital ward. An exclusive hospital ward but a hospital nonetheless. They weren''t there to prevent any prison escape but rather, to make sure that everything was orderly.


    Zenith laughed to himself as he thought of the doctors who were probably still arguing in the treatment room. They had been so scared about his disappearance that they never considered just walking out. Typical pampered overpaid greedy doctors, who were now scared sh*tless for losing him.


    Not that he cared.


    His apathy towards the team that saved his life was quite normal for him. Even killing the doctor that he took the outfit from didn''t elicit any emotions from him. All sorts of emotions had died the day his siblings died.


    The only thing that sustained him was his hatred for his father.


    Who he now found out was unlikely to be the true culprit.


    Didn''t mean his hatred was any less, or that he no longer hated his father. One couldn''t suddenly switch of years of such intense feeling just because the truth was discovered. His hatred towards the organisation and the High Table, however, intensified.


    Right now, the first thing he had to do was escape.


    To minimise the possibility and danger of anyone recognising him, Zenith didn''t look up and always kept his face at an angle. Despite the seemingly vague expression on his face, his mind was sharp and he was well aware of what was happening around him.


    He took one last look at the room before he walked out the door.


    To freedom.


    Well, sort of but still, it felt great.


    Knocking himself on the head when no one was looking had been worth it. The bump was well worth the sacrifice for fooling the stupid doctors. He would smash his head on the wall just minutes before the doctors came for their normal check-up. This made his unconscious state more believable.


    It certainly took them time to discover the bump that formed due to him hitting the same spot over and over. He probably did have some sort of concussion or brain damage somewhere. He figured that for him to actually think of escaping the place that he was born in, grew up in and had only known of ... meant that he wasn''t right in the head.


    Zenith turned to look back at the place that he spent all of his life in. Without another word, he took out the white coat, threw it into the trash and dissapeared into the distance.


    It had been so simple.


    What a ''great'' escape this was.


    ?? ??


    In another part of town, one could see a lone man gripping some papers in anger.


    John could not believe what he had just read.


    His face was contorted, full of anger as he thought of what the High Table had done and what they wanted to do.


    ''Zenith'' had been their greatest creation, which spurned a more ambitious project which actually resulted in utter failure.


    Since Zenith had been so successful, the High Table was euphoric and began thinking of creating more such assassins and had tried with various other ''subjects''. However, none of them had resulted in anything close to Zenith.


    Naming him as such was like a prophecy.


    ''Zenith'', as a noun, meant the time at which something is most powerful or successful. It just so turned out that Zenith was the most powerful elite assassin that they had trained. Only problem was, he was rebellious.


    When John read that part, he actually laughed.


    Serves the High Table right.


    They wanted a mindless killing machine that obeyed them without question.


    Well, they got the mindless killing machine. Problem was, they now had two.


    John crushed the documents in his hands. The High Table had much more to pay for now.

 Chapter 229 - Sudden Realisation

    After the scene was over, Kyle plopped down, spread-eagled, on the lawn, his arm placed across his eyes.


    Keanu laughed seeing him there, "What''s the matter? The scene wasn''t that tough to do."


    Kyle looked up at him, shielding his eyes from the sun as he answered, "How come your scenes have you always in a suit?"


    "It can get pretty hot, you know," Keanu said, "Is this what you''re complaining about? That I wear a suit?"


    "Not that you wear a suit, but that most of my scenes are me without one! As in, I think I''m half-naked in 50% of my scenes!"


    Kyle pretended to count on his fingers as he thought about it, "No, make that 80%?? The training routine scene. The torture scene. The changing uniform scene. I think I only managed to wear my cool outfit once. ONCE!"


    Keanu sat down next to Kyle, patting his shoulder, "No one wants to see a half-naked 54-year-old man, you know."


    "Yeah, yeah. Right, Grandpa," Kyle smirked, "As if?! I believe any woman - and man - would want to see you half naked. You had ONE scene before, right? Without a shirt? Compared to me, I''m the other way around."


    "And you''re still so fit," Kyle added for good measure.


    Keanu looked at Kyle and patted his abs, saying, "Not as fit like you, though. Let me maintain my suave, dark and cool image with them only imagining what''s underneath while you ..."


    "What? What me?" Kyle retorted.


    "Should show off to everyone exactly what sort of body I would probably have," Keanu said laughing softly, "You represent everything that one wants to attain but cannot get. See, but not touch. Adds more mystery to it."


    Kyle snorted and using one hand to gesture to his body, "This. This is something anyone can get. Just do the exercises."


    "Ah, but not everyone - let alone a kid - have the dedication to keep at it daily," Keanu said, raising an eyebrow, "I''ve seen you in the early mornings. That''s truly admirable and impressive."


    "So says the man that knows several martial arts just from preparing for the Matrix role," Kyle replied, leaning back and closing his eyes.


    "Fine, both of you are awesome, okay?" Sam chipped in, handing both of them a bottle of mineral water. "One is a legend and an internet darling while the other ... is a narcissistic muscle-bound kid."


    "You sure you''re my friend?" Kyle said, taking the bottle, "Maybe I should cut your salary for each insult."


    "It''s not an insult," Sam said, sitting down on the grass next to Kyle, "Just stating facts in a logical and precise manner."


    "Also, cutting my salary for telling the truth would be against the Employment Act and a breach of our contract," Sam added on for good measure.


    "Fine," Kyle replied with a languid smile, "I''ll just add more work then. Justify that smart mouth of yours."


    "Bring it on. It''s getting super boring anyway," Sam replied, raising an eyebrow then a slow smile started forming, "Though you''re going to be really, really busy after the whole shoot over."


    Kyle frowned, "What? Other than the road shows and such for a couple of months, things will get back to normal. Back to the normal, mundane school life."


    Sam started laughing, "You seriously have forgotten, haven''t you?"


    Kyle now opened his eyes, looking at Sam weirdly. Bringing himself up by the elbows, he demanded, "Just what are you talking about?"


    Sam started laughing harder, clutching his stomach and then wiping the tears from his eyes, "Oh man, this is pure gold."


    Kyle narrowed his eyes at Sam, waiting for him to finally get back his breath.


    Sam looked at him, a twinkle in his eye as he said with a smirk, "You''re the 2nd male lead in a John Wick film."


    "Yeah, so?" Kyle said with a shrug.


    "Ve-ery popular film and has been a major hit all the time," Sam continued on, "So now we have a fresh, young boy who not only has a lot of action scenes ... most of those scenes are also focused on that ridiculously ripped body of yours."


    Kyle waited, impatience apparent in his eyes.


    "And while this whole movie is going on, you''re going to be touring to promote the movie," Sam carried on and looked at Kyle in the eyes, "Thus, showing off that stupidly handsome face of yours at various locations."


    "Okay, yes. We''ve established I have a drool worthy body and a breathtakingly handsome face," Kyle said, "Again, so?"


    "Thus, you are not only going to be showcasing to the whole. Entire. World. The boy that is Kyle Smith," Sam said slowly, letting that sink in, "You''ll be out. There. In. Public. while doing so."


    Kyle blinked.


    Wait.


    "Have you actually forgotten why we had to move the shoot here? The rabid fans made it difficult to actually shoot properly just because they knew about Keanu." Sam carried on relentlessly, "Imagine what will happen when you pop into the scene."


    Kyle''s eyes widened in horror.


    "And you thought Valentine''s Day in school was bad?" Sam said, laughing. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle groaned.


    "I''m dead," he moaned.


    Sam turned to Keanu, who was looking rather puzzled, and explained, "Kyle as a sort of phobia about fans, ever since he was nearly stripped naked during Valentine''s Day."


    Keanu''s eyebrows shot up at that. Kids were so vicious nowadays? Even he, as a top celebrity, was not harassed to that extent.


    "It''s a Kyle thing," Sam said with a laugh.


    "It''s not funny," Kyle groaned then his eyes brightened, "Maybe it won''t be so bad now? I mean, at that time, we were still kids and they didn''t know their limits? Also, there''s going to be a lot of security at these venues, right?"


    Kyle gave out a huge breath of relief, "It won''t be so bad then."


    "Ya think?" Sam said ''consolingly'', "That may be when you''re doing the promotions but at any other time? Spiderman Kyle was only a local celebrity. Imagine ... you ... international level ... This is not Country Sg that has very strict privacy laws that protect celebrities, you know."


    "Oh shut up," Kyle said, sitting up, rubbing his hair in frustration, "No point thinking about it now. What''s done is done and I''ll cross that bridge when I come to it."


    Taking a deep breath, Kyle suddenly looked very serious as he then started giving out instructions, "First, contact Principal Godfrey and warn him about the potential backlash of this. Make a report on how to increase security plus amend the school rules concerning privacy and security.


    "Your report must also include identifying all the weak areas and spots in which a person can sneak in. Calculate how many security guards are needed to patrol the area properly. Fix anything that needs to be fixed and fortify the school grounds.


    "Also, use one of my company''s name to upgrade the security equipment around the school and to donate funds to finance for the added security," Kyle said quickly, going through in his mind all the things that needed to be done to ensure that the school would not be swarmed with uninvited guests.


    The moment Kyle started giving out the instructions, Sam stopped laughing and turned professional as he jotted down everything, "When do you want the report?"


    "Within 3 days," Kyle stated, "Liason with Kay and Zero to make sure all the loopholse are covered. Once Principal Godfrey approves, start the work immediately on the security features. That has to be in place before the shooting ends. Remember to focus on the Student Council Room, Sage Class, Cafeteria and the dorms as these are the areas I frequent the most."


    "Got it," Sam answered, shutting his notebook and went to get the things done. Looks like Kyle''s threat about making him do more work came true faster than he realised.


    "Darn it," Kyle cursed, "How could I have forgotten about that? Argh. Luckily Sam brought it up."


    Keanu''s head spun, and he felt like he would get whiplash at the sudden change in the way those two worked. One minute, it was a normal boy lamenting over his scenes and the next, a serious adult working a project. It was something completely unexpected.


    Keanu looked at Kyle who now looked normal again and was still busy complaining, then at the Smith Mansion. He remembered the really joyful day that had been spent yesterday, playing with Dahlia and just having fun.


    So many sides to the young man in front of him. It was amazing how a 14-year-old could be so well grounded and accomplished. Keanu felt a bit strange. The way the boy lived and approached life was so much like himself right now - and he was already in his 50s.


    Keanu shook his head, thinking of many rich kids who were just decadent and wasteful. Worse, some of them did not appear to really know what ''life'' really was like.


    Just listening to the way Paris Hilton or Ivanka Trump talk about their ''hardships'' in life made one realise that their way of life was so surreal that they were detached from reality and how ''normal'' people actually lived.*


    Kyle, on the other hand ...


    Keanu was beginning to like the kid more and more.

 Chapter 230 - Scene : Reunion

    ?? Movie Scene ??


    Zenith was finding difficulty in walking now.


    Perhaps this wasn''t a good idea after all. His body wasn''t fully healed yet and whacking his head wasn''t exactly a brilliant move. Still, it was the only move he could think of to escape with the least amount of risk.


    And he had to do it while their guard was down and for them to be under the impression that he was still not recovered.


    Well, yeah. He really wasn''t fully recovered but that''s beside the point.


    Right now, he was breathing hard and the rain was pouring down. He didn''t manage to find shelter before the sudden downpour.


    Now, the wet clothes stuck to his body like a second skin, outlining his toned physique: his muscular arms, firm pecs, six-pack abs and long legs.


    He was starting to get cold and that was surely not a good thing.


    Zenith managed to create the necessary distance and evade the High Table''s goons but if this went on, it wouldn''t be long before they caught up with him.


    He had changed clothes often, but the body count would probably lead them to him sooner or later.


    The network was extensive after all.


    Was this a stupid move? Probably.


    Would he do it again? Most likely.


    Did he regret it?


    As his body fell to the ground and he vaguely had a sense of someone turning him around and then carrying him ... he thought ...


    Maybe.


    ?? ??


    Zenith opened his eyes with difficulty, wondering where he was.


    The last thing he remembered was falling down and someone picking him up.


    A friend? An enemy?


    Zenith laughed at himself. Of course, it would be an enemy. He didn''t have friends.


    As his eyes focused, he saw a familiar figure in front of him, staring at him intently.


    He was just sitting there like some king, all regal like in his stupid suit, his hands on the armrest and his legs just languidly on the chair. He didn''t say a word, but just his presence was enough to fill up the entire room.


    Zenith blinked, closed his eyes tightly for a second then opened them again.


    The figure was still there.


    John Wick.


    Father.


    Damn it.


    Zenith sighed, rubbing his eyes and looked around him. It was a normal room. Not like a hospital ward nor like a prison cell.


    There was the bed that he was lying down on, a desk and chair, a one-seater sofa that John was sitting on and heck. A closet and a bookshelf were on the walls opposite him. There were even paintings on the wall, for fuck''s sake. The painting was actually painted onto the wall itself - including the frame. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was this?


    His eyes could not detect a single thing that he could use as a weapon right now. There were no escape routes either. If he wanted to get out, he''d have to get through John, who was basically sitting at the only exit route there.


    Zenith flung the blanket off him and tried to get off the bed. He swung his legs to the side, only to find himself wobble a bit. He gripped the edge of the bed, partly to steady himself, partly anger at showing weakness.


    "Why''d you save me?" Zenith muttered, glancing up and staring at John, "I don''t need your help."


    John didn''t answer but instead, leaned forward, clasping his hands together and leaned on his knees. His eyes never left Zenith''s figure, noting how the boy had quickly examined the room for weapons and a way out.


    He also noted how the boy realised there was only one exit route and despite the obvious desire to go out, he didn''t make a move.


    Was it because he wasn''t going to push it as he knew he would not make it, or was it because he was willing to stay and listen?


    "You really do have her eyes," John said, tilting his head as he stared at his son.


    In response, Zenith just glared at him, quiet now.


    "Now that I can really look at you, it''s not just her eyes," John continued, "You also have her high cheekbones and hair texture."


    John''s eyes flickered, sadness showing within then he blinked, the emotion gone, "She would have loved you. If she had known about you."


    John''s heart couldn''t help but feel pain at the thought.


    The boy was already 14 years old. During the time when they were facing the illness together, thinking of the lost opportunity of having kids together. He never blamed her but she never stopped talking about her wish for one. How she desired for one.


    "She wanted children so much," John whispered, his voice wavering a bit, "But she was just too ill to have any children. We couldn''t have any children."


    Zenith looked at him in shock.


    No. Wait. What is he saying? It didn''t make any sense.


    Jack had told him that his mother loved him very much but his father didn''t want him. Didn''t want to share his dying wife with another. So he was dumped at the organisation.


    So when he overheard the fact that John never knew of his existence, it meant that it was his mother hid his existence and dumped him at the organisation.


    When that thought entered his mind, Zenith - who had thought his heart had died - experienced pain that he never knew possible. Again. All this time, he had been cherishing the fact that his mother loved him but it was his father that tore them apart.


    Then he found out the mother he wanted so much didn''t want him?


    It hurt him to the core.


    Now, John is saying that his mother couldn''t have children?


    So she didn''t dump him ... but then, who is he? What is he?


    Was he just some doppelganger to be used against John?


    Zenith''s head was spinning. Why was it so hard to understand what was going on??


    John could see the confusion on Zenith''s face then began to slowly explain how Zenith came about.


    "You are my biological son, with Helen," John explained, "It''s just that they had used a surrogate mother to carry you to term."


    Looking intently at Zenith, John said, "They must have gotten your mother''s eggs when she was still healthy. I ... "


    John hesitated, "To be honest, I am actually grateful to the High Table for what they did."


    Zenith''s eyes flashed with anger and hatred, and he bared his teeth at John like a feral animal. John didn''t even flinch at that, his face was all calm and reserved. That only made Zenith angrier.


    Before he could launch himself at John, however, John said, his eyes so tender and full of love as he looked at him, "For now I have a son. A son that Helen and I had wanted with all our hearts but never could have. They made the impossible, possible."


    Zenith was shocked senseless. He seemed to reel back at that emotional pouring of the heart.


    Love?


    Did he really see the love in his father''s eyes?


    Zenith shook his head, his heart twisting in pain. An unknown feeling was beginning to spread within him and he gripped the edge of the bed even harder.


    His eyes seemed to be twitching and he blinked rapidly to get the unfamiliar sensation out.


    The look he had seen in John''s eyes. It was an illusion. It had to be.


    John Wick never met him before so how could he love him? How can you love someone you never knew?


    John Wick ... John Wick ... John Wick would lay his life on the line and do the impossible just to stay with the woman he loved.


    Zenith had heard the events that created and solidified the John Wick legend. The killing with a pencil incident. The ''impossible task'' incident which laid the foundation for the Tarasov syndicate.


    It was the knowledge that John would do that for his wife, yet abandon his own son that made Zenith hate his father.


    And hate himself.


    Since his father hated him, he was going to become a person that was truly someone to hate. To fear.


    Those emotions were the ones that pushed him to the limits and beyond. That created the person he is now. A self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak.


    He is now a person not worthy of love.


    So that look in John''s eyes was an illusion.


    Zenith''s thoughts went round-and-round like that, unwilling and unable to accept the fact that the man in front of him loved him and welcomed him.


    "I may be your biological son," Zenith said in response, "But that''s all the connection we have."


    Zenith got his weird emotions under control and he said steadily, his head still lowered, "I owe you nothing, you owe me nothing. I hate the High Table."


    He then looked up at his father, his eyes cold as he said, "And I hate you."


    Zenith jumped down from the bed, gritting his teeth and stood up straight, but suddenly found himself engulfed in a pair of strong arms.


    He struggled, kicking and punching the man that was hugging him but to no avail. No matter what he did, he could not get out of the man''s hug.


    He was just too weak.


    Or so he told himself.


    "I love you, Zenith," John Wick said tersely, "I don''t care if you hate me but you can''t stop me from loving you. You are a part of me. A part of her. There is nothing in my heart but love for you. You say that our only connection is our blood. That is the only connection that is needed."


    Zenith was breathing heavily and he started punching John.


    "No," he protested weakly.


    "Yes," John said loudly, "You are my son. MY son. There is nothing I wouldn''t do for you."


    "Would you let me kill you then?!" Zenith shouted, trying to push him away.


    John let him be pushed back and he looked at Zenith in the eye. Without a word, he took out a gun and put it in Zenith''s hand.


    Zenith held it, felt it and knew it was loaded. He looked at the gun, then at the man who is his father.


    Without changing his expression, he raised his hand and pointed the gun muzzle at his father''s forehead, "You think I wouldn''t do it?!"


    "I don''t know," John answered seriously, "But if that is what will make peace in your heart, then go ahead. I can give you the happiness you deserve and I can finally meet your mother."


    Tears ran down Zenith''s cheeks as he pulled the trigger, emptying the chamber.

 Chapter 231 - Scene : The End

    Zenith kept on pressing the trigger, even though the chamber was empty. The room, which had previously been filled with loud booming sounds, was now replaced with the sounds of the clicking of the gun.


    Like a mechanical robot, intent on finishing its programmed action, Zenith just kept on ''shooting''.


    Click click click click click click click click


    Finally, after what seemed like hours, Zenith stopped. He just stood there, staring at the unmoving figure in front of him. The figure whose eyes never left his, had never wavered, never judged.


    Never hated.


    Still so full of love and acceptance.


    Zenith wailed, the sound piercing and full of pain and heartache. Like a wounded animal, raw in its declaration of pain.


    He fell down to his knees, put his forehead on his them and hugged his legs tightly to his chest. He shook his head, mumbling and rocking on his heels, lost in his own world of pain.


    Zenith couldn''t understand it.


    His mind was in chaos. His heart was breaking.


    He was ready to kill John, his own father.


    The more that man talked, the more agitated he became. The more the things he had been keeping down kept wanting to break free. The man was lying. He had to be.


    Zenith couldn''t'' believe the words that came out of that man''s mouth.


    Love him? Really?


    He would do anything?


    Like how he did the impossible task to be with his wife?


    Yeah. Right.


    It was a trap. A trap to make him lower his guard down. To get rid of him since he was such a dangerous tool.


    Even when John put that gun in his hand, Zenith didn''t believe it.


    John was an elite assassin. His name struck so much fear in the assassin circle that he was regarded like the Boogeyman.


    Zenith had laughed inwardly when he got the gun. Did the Boogeyman really think he''d be scared? That he wouldn''t shoot? That he really wouldn''t kill?


    There was no way that an elite assassin like John Wick wouldn''t avoid the shots. Any normal man would, what more John Wick. John''s survival instinct will kick in, avoid the shots, and they will fight. Either John will die, or he, Zenith, would.


    So Zenith let loose and pulled the trigger in rapid succession.


    It was so fast and regularly timed that it sounded like a machine gun.


    It was Zenith''s skill. He had absolute precision and control, able to shoot so fast and so accurately that no one was safe.


    As shot after shot was fired, Zenith''s heart was breaking. It was as if each shot opened a fresh, new wound within him. Instead of shooting the man in front of him, it felt like the bullets hit him instead.


    John really did let him shoot him.


    He didn''t move at all.


    He hadn''t flinched and he just stood there, with his eyes accepting and calm as Zenith shot at him. There was no blame in them. Just acceptance.


    The bullets flew past his head, some even giving him a close shave that hair flew but none actually hit him.


    If John had moved even a centimeter, one of those bullets surely would have hit him and he would have died. Yet, because he didn''t move, he lived.


    Zenith couldn''t deny the truth in front of his eyes any longer.


    His heart broke, the dam broke and all sorts of emotions that he had kept away so securely came gushing out. He had believed he could not feel anything anymore other than hate.


    Yet now, he felt pain. A pain so intense that he wailed, the anguish clearly heard as it echoed in the room.


    He ... he was worthy of being loved?


    He ... he had someone who truly did love him?


    Could it really be true?


    John''s own heart was wrenched in pain upon seeing his son sitting on the floor, so lost in pain. He didn''t say a word but simply went down on his knees and hugged him. Hugged him tight and kept whispering into his ear how everything was alright.


    John just hugged his son tightly to him, not letting go and letting him wail it out.


    John had recognised in Zenith, the sort of despair that he had felt before he met Helen.


    It was Helen''s warmth and unconditional love that made him alive again. Made him believe again. Made his heart beat again.


    His son went through the same thing he did and was feeling the same thing he had. He didn''t have Helen''s warmth to thaw out his son so he did the only thing he could do, as John Wick.


    Love him as John Wick would love someone.


    Without question, unconditionally.


    ?? Several hours later ??


    Zenith opened his eyes, disoriented at first then all the memories came crashing down in his mind.


    He quickly turned to the side and saw, to his relief, that he was alone.


    He closed his eyes once again, taking deep breaths as he thought back at all that had happened.


    Damn.


    As one who had considered himself an elite assassin, he really was a wimp this time. Never, in his entire life, had he ever shown such weakness and vulnerability. Well, not since his siblings died.


    Flashes of old memories long forgotten came into his mind. Him, actually laughing with his siblings. How they would hide their emotions every time their Mentors came. How they would stop showing care in front of others.


    Deep down, Zenith blamed himself for their deaths. If he hadn''t been so close to them, would they have died? If he hadn''t shown some sort of attachment to them, would they have been spared?


    The High Table must have noticed how Zenith didn''t put 100% of his effort each time he fought with his siblings. He just couldn''t bear to hurt them, even though they told him he should. They went all out against him, though Zenith easily defended. He just lacked the attack.


    "You''re finally awake," came a low, familiar voice that now made Zenith''s heart feeling warm. And nervous.


    Damn it. He was so lost in thought and past memories that he didn''t even hear John enter the room. It was true. Emotions made your skills dull.


    Zenith turned his head, to see John standing next to the bed with a tray of food.


    Zenith blinked.


    The image in his mind of John Wick and the person in front of him didn''t quite match.


    John Wick was ... domesticated? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    John put the tray down on the table next to the bed, said curtly, "Eat up. Gain strength. We have a whole organisation to bury."


    Zenith stared at him, "We?"


    John looked down at him, tilting his head and asked, "Don''t you think it''s high time the High Table became dust?"


    Zenith smirked, his face lighting up as he got up. Swinging his long legs over the edge of the bed, Zenith took the food, and replied simply, "Most definitely."


    John nodded in approval, seeing Zenith recover from the previous breakdown. There seemed to be a tacit agreement between them not to bring it up. It was as if it never happened.


    John patted Zenith''s head, feeling that familiar texture of hair that his wife had and walked out.


    Zenith''s hands froze, the spoon with the porridge hovering in the air, inches away from his lips. Despite the fact that John had left, he could still feel the warmth of that big, strong hand on his head. His eyes darted to the open doorway where John had left.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Did his father regard him like a pet? Patting his head like that.


    Zenith scoffed at him, looking all angry and indignant.


    Zenith went back to eating his porridge, seemingly shoving it into his mouth like he was angry ... but one could see the edge of his lips curled up a bit in a ghost of a smile.


    ?? ??


    " CUT !!" yelled Chad and everyone whooped for joy.


    It was the most emotional and intense scene in the entire movie and Chad had been on tenterhooks to see how it would be executed. He envisioned days of filming, with constant retakes - mainly from Kyle''s side.


    Surprisingly ... again ... it went far smoother than he had anticipated.


    Sure, there had been retakes but the quality of acting that the young boy showed was far superior to any new actors that he had seen. And he had seen a lot, even during his stunt days. The boy hadn''t even gone to acting school - he truly was a gem.


    He could even imagine using Kyle again if there was another John Wick film.


    It all depended on how successful this film would be. Chad didn''t have a doubt that the film would be successful as they already had those die-hard John Wick fans. The fan base was already there.


    The only thing was, could they accept Zenith? Could that character become alive? Any initial fear of introducing such a pivotal character like Zenith had been swept away by how Kyle had made the character.


    The bond that was emerging between John Wick and Zenith appeared real. The chemistry was there.


    Chad looked at how Kyle was still eating the porridge, not stopping despite him yelling ''cut''.


    "This is good," Kyle said, upon noticing how Chad - and basically everyone else was looking at him, "We shouldn''t let good food go to waste, you know."


    "Just admit you''re a glutton," said Keanu with a laugh.


    Kyle rolled his eyes and ignored him, finishing the porridge quickly. He then flashed his Colgate Smile to the crew member that took the bowl from him, thanking her. She blushed beet red, took the bowl and ran off.


    "Savage," Keanu said to Kyle.


    Kyle looked at him innocently, "What?"


    Chad watched all of this and shook his head at their antics.


    It was obvious to see that the closeness that was forming between Keanu and Kyle, was translated into the screen.


    Chad patted himself on the back, feeling all smug. He really did have such a good eye to have found Kyle, just from a picture.


    Conveniently forgetting the screen test he had given Kyle initially to get rid of him ...

 Chapter 232 - Scene : Annihilation

    ?? Movie Scene ??


    Two lone figures stood, side by side in the night.


    The slightly taller figure, dressed in his signature black suit, white shirt, and black tie while the other was in his dark leather jacket, pants, and white shirt.


    "It''s the last one," John said to his son, as both looked at the building in front of them.


    "Yeah," Zenith said to his father, as he tapped his foot.


    He thought of the events in the past month. It had been, to put it mildly, rather surreal. Pitting themselves against the High Table members was, seriously, an insane move.


    Yet, it was the only move.


    Having that bounty over their heads wouldn''t give them any sense of peace. Previously, John kept on at it for he had the grudge and the anger of being betrayed. It was against the Code. He wouldn''t back down and he had nothing to lose. Why should he just accept them trying to kill him?


    Now, it was different.


    Both had their own reasons to go against the High Table.


    John now had a reason to go on living and he had to get rid of the threat over their heads. Well, he was also super p*ssed at them for constantly trying to get rid of him. Worse, the Adjudicator that agreed to the parley had betrayed him. Worst of all, they wanted to take his son away from him. So it was several reasons all rolled into one.


    Zenith also wanted to break free from the organisation and the High Table''s control. So long as they existed, he would never truly be free. Well, he was also super p*ssed at them for lying to him all this while. Worse, they had killed all his siblings in front of him. Worst of all, they put the blame on his innocent father. So, it was several reasons rolled into one as well.


    The High Table was actually a council of high-level crime lords, each leading one of the underworld''s most powerful organisations. Ultimate authority and was feared by all. Above the High Table, however, was an Elder.


    A mysterious Elder that John actually did manage to meet to settle the situation but things got out of hand with the Adjudicator that the High Table had entrusted to assassinate John. After all that had happened, there was only one path to follow.


    If you want peace, be prepared for war: Parabellum.


    So war it was what they waged.


    During the past month, they had systematically - with BK and a whole other load of people - began attacking and breaking down all the connections that they knew. Ideally, they wanted to get rid of all members of the High Table at the same time as that would minimise the danger.


    One can only hope, but the reality is different.


    The High Table members weren''t stupid. Together with the help and sanctity of the Continental, some of them managed to evade the attacks. However, they couldn''t keep hiding at the Continental.


    Learning from the past experience, Zenith scoffed at his father''s rather crude method of killing a guy and breaking the rules. One would be able to hide forever at the Continental ... so long as they had the funds. Cut those funds and the Continental would kick them out.


    John found teaming up with his son changed his style. A little bit.


    Both were rather ruthless and decisive in their kills but while John was more the ''all-action'' guy, Zenith was more sly. If he could topple a person without lifting a finger, he would.


    Some of the High Table members had actually been taken down by the authorities, despite the deep connections they had with them. Zenith had made use of the CIA and Interpol, planting evidence at times and even making bomb threats and making it as if the High Table member was involved.


    Zenith managed to blow the matter out of proportion and out in the open that there was no way those under the High Table''s power could avoid it. For above those connections was the President who ruled over them - and they had no power over him.


    Right now, there were two more High Table members left. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other one was being handled by BK. This one, by the father-and-son team.


    John knew that what they were doing may not be the ultimate solution as the High Table members would simply be replaced. The whole cycle could happen all over again.


    However, what was causing the problem right now were the current members. They were getting a bit out of hand. He would settle the future situation when it came. For now, the present, this was what they had to do.


    "They''ll be ready for us this time," Zenith said softly, tilting his head as he looked at the majestic building.


    "As if that would really help them," John said, taking out his gun.


    "You really should consider changing weapons, old man," Zenith said as he looked at John checking the gun.


    Zenith took out the blades he had behind him, twirled it around with both hands before sheathing them again and said, "You can''t run out of bullets with these."


    John rolled his eyes. This was something Zenith constantly ribbed him about, "Everyone has guns with them. I never run out of guns to use."


    Zenith snorted.


    "And a knife just takes too long to kill," John pointed out.


    "True," Zenith said, "If you weren''t skilled."


    John glared at him, Zenith looked at him nonchalantly.


    "Really? You''re saying that, to the man who killed a person in the library with a book?" John snorted, "Not forgetting two assassins with a pencil while being injured with a gunshot wound?"


    "If you were truly skilled, you wouldn''t have been shot at all," Zenith retorted, refusing to give in.


    They continued their verbal insults as they continued to make their final checks. Truly, the past month of fighting together had bonded them in ways that they could never imagine.


    "I never thought I''d die fighting side-by-side with the infamous John Wick," Zenith said.


    "What about side-by-side with your father?" John replied with a smirk, recognising the quote from the Lord of the Rings movie.*


    Zenith smirked as well, his expression mirroring John so well as he answered, "Aye, I could do that."


    Both turned to look at each other, noted the similar smirks and grinned.


    "What do you want to do after this is all over?" John asked, making a final check of his gun.


    Zenith took out his own gun, replying, "Oh, I don''t know. How about a barbeque?"


    John looked at him, "Really? A barbeque?"


    "What?" Zenith replied, checking the bullets and raised an eyebrow, "I feel like some meat. I''m still a growing boy, you know."


    John sighed, "It''s so much work to set it up and all ... how about the steak house?"


    Zenith rolled his eyes, "Fine. If it''s closed when we''re done, then you''re dead meat."


    "Then we better make sure we do this quickly then," John replied.


    ??


    Zenith and John stood outside the door that would lead them to the final High Table member.


    No longer were they all prim-and-proper like they had been before they entered the building. As expected, they were expected.


    As expected, John and Zenith killed their way through.


    Alone, John had been formidable.


    With Zenith, they were like demons.


    What the High Table had envisioned was true: John Wick and his son was a team that could not be beaten. Too bad they weren''t working for them but working against them.


    "The final boss, huh?" Zenith muttered, looking at the door.


    His normally sleeked back hair was now messed up, yet somehow creating a more devastatingly handsome face. There were various wounds and cuts on his face and bloody slashes were seen across his chest.


    "Looks like it," John replied, taking a deep breath.


    Just like his son, he was also full of wounds


    Yet, despite it all, they were still impeccably dressed. The outfits truly were magnificent, shouldering most of the shots aimed at them. Anyone who saw them would shiver.


    They truly did look like the Devil and its spawn.


    The Bearers of Death.


    As they walked through the door, they were greeted by rains of bullets. Some hit them, but their bullet-proof outfits protected them. Didn''t mean it didn''t hurt, though.


    John went to the left while Zenith went to the right, both shooting their respective targets.


    Two men came rushing towards Zenith when his gun ran out of bullets, and Zenith threw the useless gun away. He knocked out the two gorillas that came with two consecutive roundhouse kicks to the head, causing them to flip backward and on the floor.


    Without pausing, he gave a back kick to the throat to one who was trying to sneak in, while simultaneously stabbing another person in front of him in the gut. As that guy fell, Zenith stole the gun at the side holster and shot the two first guys in the head.


    The fights were intense and long, the camera showing the speed of movements of John and Zenith. They used anything and everything that they could get their hands on, in order to kill their targets.


    The lone High Table member that had been at one corner tried to escape in the chaos. However, he had underestimated the father and son team. Despite the fact that they were busy fighting, the moment that High Table member sneaked away, John fired a shot towards him.


    It hit his shoulder, causing him to stumble but before he could right himself, his throat had a knife embedded in it. Zenith had thrown it.


    The High Table looked at them, in shock, and fell down dead.


    Once that happened, all the others stopped fighting, stepping back.


    John and Zenith were shocked, but didn''t attack. Instead, they stood back-to-back as they faced the remaining people in the room. Soon, a clapping sound was heard. Their heads whipped over to where the sound was coming from.


    The people in the room went down on one knee, their heads bowed.


    "What the f-" Zenith was about to say when John shushed him.


    John also showed respect and Zenith, puzzled, followed suit.


    "Elder," John said respectfully.


    "Very good, John," the Elder said as he looked at them both, "Come here."


    John did so unhesitatingly.


    "You have done well," the Elder said, "You have proven yourself worthy."


    Taking something from his robes, he indicated John to give him his hand and he placed something on it, "From this day forth, your status of excommunicado is revoked, and you are the new Second Elder of the High Table."


    Zenith''s eyes popped wide open.


    ??


    John noticed his son looking at something in the distance.


    He glanced at what his son was looking at, noting that it was a very beautiful girl who was busy playing with her cat in her backyard. He swung an arm around Zenith''s shoulder, saying in a teasing tone, "So you''re quite normal, huh?"


    Zenith shrugged his father''s hand off his shoulder, "Shut up."


    He walked off indignantly.


    John laughed, seeing his son throwing a slight tantrum. He quickly caught up and both of them walked off into the sunset.


    Father and son, side by side.


    ?? ??


    "CUT!!" Chad shouted, "And that is a WRAP!! GREAT job everyone!!"

 Chapter 233 - Celebration

    It was chaos.


    Well, structured chaos.


    The whole Smith Mansion was lighted up and filled with the ''go away'' party that Delilah had arranged for. Everyone was invited, from the cast to the crew members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.


    The house was big enough to accommodate everyone, and Delilah had pulled out all the stops for this one. She was just so happy at all the praises Chad put on Kyle for his acting so she wanted to show her gratitude for the opportunity given to Kyle.


    The huge ballroom was used for this occasion, but unlike the previous times it was used, the whole place was decorated informally. Well, less formal than normal.


    The ballroom was rectangular in size and was large enough to be able to have 300 people in it. The ballroom was actually connected to two other rooms, whereby the size of the ballroom could be increased or decreased by simply opening the connecting walls of the two rooms.


    For the purpose of this end-party celebration, the two rooms were fully utilised as well.


    The main ballroom and one connecting room were used primarily for the dinner.


    The theme was light and airy, with peach and white decorations strewn around. The tablecloth was peach with a small peach and white bouquet of roses as its centerpiece. The chairs were peach and white in combination.


    At the head of the ballroom, and located exactly in the middle, was the main table. It was a long table that faced the entire ballroom. It was actually placed on a slightly elevated stage so everyone could see them even though they were quite far away.


    At this main table were the main cast and director, screenwriters and the Smiths who were the hosts. Kyle was not among them, refusing vehemently to join that table as he''d rather be with his friends.


    Unfortunately, Keanu couldn''t insist either and he was quite jealous of Kyle able to be laughing and playing around with his friends at the other table.


    There was live music but it wasn''t a quartet dressed in formal gowns and suit playing classical music. Instead, it was a band that played more recent hits.


    The band was actually located in the second room and the music that they played was heard via the speakers that were located throughout the area they were eating at. After dinner, everyone could go to that second room to mingle and dance.


    To compromise, there was no rock or metal music though. Nice, soothing ''dinner'' music was being played at the moment. The volume of the music was just nice. Loud enough to be heard and entertain the guests yet not too loud that the guests would have to shout to be heard.


    The layout was quite open.


    Directly in front of the main table, were several round tables that had the casts. One of those tables was where Kyle was, with the Elite Five - and Betty.


    The rest of the tables in the ballroom were long buffet-type tables. These were ''free seating - the other casts and crew members were free to choose where they wanted to sit. It was only the main table and the round tables that had designated spots.


    Every table had the necessary waiters and waitresses to serve them their meals.


    Kyle couldn''t help but think that the layout was quite like a wedding reception, and he said so.


    "Maybe Mum is getting into practice for your big day, brother?" Kay teased, laughing at him.


    "Ha ha," Kyle replied, "You think? With this peach and white theme? It''s more likely yours. It''s so ... you."


    Kay rolled her eyes, saying, "It''s not the colour scheme that is important, dear brother. It''s the layout. This appears rather grand, fit for the Smith Heir."


    "Oh please," Kyle scoffed, "You''re the Smith Princess. You think your treatment would be any less?"


    A flicker of something flashed across her eyes and Kyle caught that.


    Kyle knew very well why she was feeling that way.


    Despite the fact that their parents never did show any favoritism, it could not be denied that the Smiths were a bit old fashioned in certain things. The male was favoured for the more ''important'' roles.


    Though the Smith women could work, it was generally frowned upon and was encouraged (quite firmly) to run the house. Though it was true that running the Smith House wasn''t easy, it was just the concept that grated at Kay at times.


    Kay smiled at Kyle, knowing he knew and both of them chose to be silent about it.


    For now.


    In the meantime, Betty was looking at the silverware on the table, feeling nervous.


    There were so many forks and spoons! And a knife. Which one is she supposed to use?


    Right in the middle was a rather big size plate. On the plate was a bowl. On her right, there were two types of knives and a spoon that was of a weird shape. On the left were three types of forks, each of a different size!


    A napkin was rolled up with a napkin ring and lay on the table as well.


    Slightly above and on the left, was a smaller plate and a flat looking knife on it. Right above the plate in front of her, was yet another spoon that was placed horizontally.


    At least there was only one glass, unlike the main table that looked like it had several types of glasses!


    Betty felt like crying. What was this?!


    Her lips quivered and she pulled on her hair nervously, looking at Sam with fear in her eyes.


    Kyle noted it too and said with a smile, "Just ignore all of that setting. It''s just us here so we don''t have to follow the rules so much."


    "But I still want to know how to use them," Betty said in a small voice. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass Sam, or Kyle.


    Sam was Kyle''s PA and was most likely would be exposed to this sort of setting in the future. If Betty couldn''t understand them or know how to act, then wouldn''t she not be able to follow Sam if the situation requires it?


    When Betty expressed her desire to learn, Sam felt like his heart was going to burst. For her to want this, meant that she was envisioning that she would be by his side in the future. Though that was something he had already felt to be certain, he wasn''t sure how Betty felt about it.


    To have her accept it like it was a given made him happy beyond belief.


    So Sam began explaining what they were.


    "The primary rule to remember is to use the cutlery from outside to inside," he said as he pointed at the various cutlery there.


    "This plate is the dinner plate, where we will have our main course. The bowl is the soup bowl so that means we will have that as our starter," Sam continued.


    "The small plate on the left there is known as the butter plate. They''ll put bread and butter there, so the butter knife is for spreading butter on the bread, if you want to. Most eat the buttered bread with the soup," he said softly, leaning closer to Betty as he pointed at the butter plate.


    Betty''s face was slowly getting red as she could feel Sam''s closeness, his breath casually brushing against her cheek as he looked at her then at the cutlery as he explained.


    Kyle saw all of this and snickered inside.


    Sam was truly a wolf in sheep''s clothing.


    Looking all innocent on the outside but doing all these tricks. To think that he is a year younger than them. As Kyle took a sip from his glass, he thought he should keep a close eye on Sam.


    Since he had, more or less, brought them together, Kyle felt it was his responsibility to ensure that Sam didn''t cross the line.


    Well, perhaps that was still the Kylie in him taking over.


    Still, Kyle was well aware of how the raging hormones can sometimes take over all rationality, especially when one is drunk in love. No matter what, Kyle didn''t want any of them to become adults too soon.


    Even though Sam was more matured than most guys his age.


    He continued observing them, not interrupting at all as Sam finished his explanation. Betty then recited again what Sam had said and when she got it all correct, Sam smiled broadly and gave her a kiss.


    She pushed him away, scolding him and he just laughed.


    "Sam, you really should learn how to reward your Little Bunny in another way in public," Kyle said, pointing at him, "Otherwise, you''re going to be labeled a pervert."


    "He is a pervert," Xing Han said, "But that''s not the point here."


    "Yeah," Kay said, glaring at Sam, "It''s fine with us, but you''ll just embarrass Betty Think about her feelings, you know?"


    "Whoa," Ali said, tut-tutting at Sam, "If Princess Kay starts scolding, you know you had been bad."


    Sam looked suitably contrite and looked at Betty with concern, "I''m sorry. I wasn''t thinking."


    Betty smiled, caressing his cheek, "It''s okay, Sam."


    "And you!" Kay cut in, smacking Betty on the shoulder, "You''re part of the reason why Sam goes overboard sometimes. Stop letting him get away with it."


    Betty pouted but she couldn''t deny it.


    Even though she was sometimes embarrassed by his actions, she couldn''t quite scold him for it. She partly liked it and wanted Sam to always be so caring, but she was also partly uncomfortable with it if people were looking.


    Seeing how both of them looked quite upset, Kay softened her tone and patted Betty''s shoulder, saying, "Just be more firm with Sam, okay? If you don''t like him doing it, then tell him."


    "But ... but I do like his kisses," Betty said with a very low voice.


    Kay rolled her eyes. This Betty was just too honest with her feelings.


    "Of course you do, but you don''t like him doing it all the time in front of everyone, right?" Kay pressed on.


    Betty nodded then snuck a glance at Sam, worried if he was upset.


    Sam, on the other hand, was feeling quite embarrassed now. He was thinking ... was he really that bad?


    When he thought back about the times he kissed her since they got together, he gulped. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye gads. He really WAS that bad!!

 Chapter 234 - Prelude To The Storm

    After months of being away from school, Kyle finally came back.


    As he stood at the gates of Sakura Academy, Kyle couldn''t believe that he actually missed school. The movie had been fun and all - a distraction after the assassination - but school was still the place to be.


    In his previous life where he couldn''t truly appreciate how fun and easy-going school life was, as he was too busy trying to catch up in studies and the normal ''school stuff''. It had been stressful and though Kylie did participate in school events, it wasn''t enough. Nor could she enjoy it enough.


    Now, however, Kyle knew that school time was definitely the easiest time - despite all that he was doing in the background. It was his home-away-from home. His vacation time. Have fun to the max!!


    Xing Han was eagerly waiting for him at the gates and they boisterously and loudly made their way back to the dorms. Xing Han, being Xing Han, was busy ribbing Kyle and messing up his hair while Kyle ran from him.


    So the moment Kyle dashed through the entrance of the Dorms, his entrance created quite a stir. Eyes sparkling, shirt partly open, hair sexily messed up and his laugh. Oh dear Lord, his laugh. He skidded to a stop the moment he came in and was quite close to one girl.


    "Oh, sorry," Kyle said while flashing his Colgate smile.


    The girl, seeing him suddenly in front of her, just froze. The next thing Kyle knew, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.


    With quick reflexes, he caught her before she fell, easily swooping her in his arms. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other girls in the lounge screamed.


    Kyle was so shocked that he almost dropped the girl in his arms. The screams woke up the girl in his arms, and when she realised that Kyle was holding her, her mind went blank. Instead of fainting again, however, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight, burying her head in his chest and inhaling his scent.


    She was in Heaven.


    This scene caused the other girls to scream even more, some even pointing at Kyle and the girl.


    Kyle put the girl''s legs down but she still hung onto him. So, essentially, she was like a gecko, stuck to his chest. Kyle spread his arms out, not touching her and he said gently, "Er, I think you''re alright now."


    Her friends came by then, taking the opportunity to get close to Kyle as they literally peeled her off Kyle.


    "We''re so sorry, Senior Kyle. Really sorry," they kept apologizing while taking the girl away. They also took the opportunity to softly caress Kyle on the neck as they peeled the girl''s hands off his neck and felt up his abs as they pulled her away from Kyle.


    Xing Han had caught up by then, saw the scene of how several pairs of hands were touching Kyle all over while pulling a girl away and he stood next to him, patting Kyle on the shoulder.


    "Well, at least your clothes are intact this time," Xing Han said, brushing Kyle''s shirt.


    Kyle suppressed a shiver as he looked at the girls who were staring at him.


    He had been safe-and-sound within the security of the Smith Mansion during the entire filming aspect that it completely slipped his mind about his level of popularity in school. Well, he knew and he did kind of expect it, but not to this extent.


    He didn''t remember it being it like this. Perhaps due to his absence for so long, that ''normal fan base'' reactions were a tad more unrestrained than usual.


    Make that a lot more.


    He cringed upon thinking that he was going to have to go through that for the next few days. Weeks, if unlucky. It had better not be until the end of the school year.


    "Really?" Kyle was whispering under his breath to Xing Han, "Just what happened while I was away?"


    "Nothing," Xing Han replied, flinging his hand across Kyle''s shoulder and leading him to the elevator, "That''s the crux of it. There was no ''Kyle'' to drool over and people were actually looking kinda depressed."


    "I think your Insta account got more views and downloads since you were away, but you got to ask Kay about that," Xing Han mused.


    "Also, I think the first years were the one who were hit the most. I believe they came here - and this Dorm - for you and you weren''t here! Those girls earlier were First Years, by the way, in case you didn''t realise."


    Kyle sighed, shaking his head.


    Perhaps he should look at this as the prelude to the storm? Once he joined Keanu to promote the film, maybe the situation would be similar?


    Kyle didn''t think he''d really garner that much attention though. After all, he was a total unknown and it was Keanu that''s the darling of the world right now. All focus would be on him rather than this insignificant being, right?


    The movie was scheduled to be released next year during the Summer. It was almost at the end of the year now and they didn''t want to release it during Christmas Time or New Years. Summertime would capture the most audience as that is when the school holidays were on (in most countries) thus, it would utilise the best timing.


    It also meant that they would compete with other noteworthy films. It was worth the risk.


    Still, even if Kyle felt that there was no real danger at the moment, it was better to be safe than sorry. Luckily, Principal Godfrey was on board regarding added security. Sam did a good job in the preliminaries.


    As they walked in the elevator and the door closed, Kyle could see how the girls were still staring at the door. Even when the gap became small, they were busy cranning their heads. So Kyle gave them his Million-Dollar Watt Smile just as it closed completely.


    Even then, it didn''t block the screams that hit the air.


    "Matron''s going to kill you," Xing Han said with a laugh.


    "It''s not my fault," Kyle replied with a grin, "I did nothing."


    Xing Han snorted.


    ?? ??


    Kyle was back in Sage Class, mulling over the things that he would need to do before the school year ended.


    Kyle couldn''t believe that a year is almost over and he had a lot of things to wrap up before that. As a Sage Class ''Leader'' and as the Student Council President.


    As the Sage Class leader, it was as per normal. Compile the reports of their work and progress, plus the plans to be done for the following year. This was the work that he had to do the most. He glanced at the pile of documents he had to go through from the Sage Class students in order to make the report.


    Luckily, there wasn''t much to be done as a Student Council President as the council members are still the same. The Secretary, Irene, and Treasurer, Rick, were more than happy to stay. There was no reason to kick them out either as they worked well.


    Next year was Beatrice''s final year at Sakura Academy though, so Kyle would need to get someone to replace her. That wasn''t a problem since the top two students of Sage Class would be the President and Vice-President. Since Sam was the one that scored the same as her, it was a given that he would take over her spot - unless someone new came and scored better on the IQ test.


    Kyle''s position as President was secured until he left Sakura Academy. Even if someone did score perfect as he did (which was highly unlikely), they''d be VP since he''s the senior.


    Kyle tapped on the table, going through the checklist in his head.


    1. Sage Class reports (pending)


    2. Student Council matters - Community Outreach Programme (see #4)


    3. Security details of school - (in progress)


    4. Community Outreach Programme - (preparations)


    Kyle sighed at #4.


    After the report that ''Sam'' had done and given to Principal Godfrey, it had gone through several changes and meetings before reaching its final form. At least it was passed but now Kyle was tasked to plan the programme itself.


    Two weeks for the Third Years of Sakura Academy to help in shelters. Of course, Kyle would have to participate as well since is the Student Council President and there would be two teachers involved to supervise.


    Kyle couldn''t take responsibility if anything went wrong so he had to step back on this one. He just hoped that he could get along with the two teachers assigned to the Programme. Mr. Andrews and Ms. Julie.


    They weren''t quite happy with him being away from school while the progamme was being trashed out. Despite the fact that he still did his part of the work while being away, they still found fault with him. Not too openly though but Kyle could get the undercurrents of it.


    He just hopes that there would not be too much drama about it later on.

 Chapter 235 - Ali’s Dilemma

    The rest of the Elite Five were busy with their own work as well.


    ? Xing Han ?


    Xing Han was actually the only one among them that had the least amount of work. He stared at everyone in the class and sighed. All the other Elite Five were hunched over their respective desks, either reading files or clicking away on the keyboards while staring at the computer.


    Xing Han felt like the school holidays is going to be a huge chore. He had already been separated from Kyle for almost the entire year and now, he''s going to be separated again? Life wasn''t fair.


    Then his eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head.


    The last time his father had been extremely happy when he followed Kyle along during the Purge exercise. Maybe ... just maybe ... if he gave the same excuse this year, his father would be more than happy to let him spend the holidays with Kyle?


    No, not Kyle. The Smiths.


    Xing Han grinned.


    Now he had work to do. He had to come up with a foolproof plan and write up a report on why spending the next two months with Kyle would be beneficial to the Tan Family. He was practically jumping for joy now as he began imagining all sorts of things he could do with Kyle later on.


    ? Sam ?


    Sam was looking at the schedule and appointment book in his hands. He was responsible to ensure that Kyle''s timetable did not clash and he had to balance between Kyle''s school, movie appearances, and the Smith Industries.


    Even though Kyle was good in keeping track, it was Sam''s duty to actually take that load off Kyle''s shoulders. Kyle should focus on the work itself rather than figuring out what he had to do and had yet to do. At the moment, Kyle still did most of it himself but he was slowly letting the control go to Sam.


    It was Kyle''s soft way of letting Sam get into his duties.


    At the moment, Sam was wondering how Kyle had done it all before he came along. He had a phone that could hold two sim cards: one for work and one personal use. If people knew the sort of contact he had in the ''work sim card'', the phone would most likely be stolen.


    He had all the personal numbers of high powered CEOs of the Smith Industries (and their assistants). The former was needed as Kyle would sometimes be required to attend functions and the latter to liase with the assistants to make it happen.


    Luckily, Kyle didn''t need to attent much at the moment but Kyle had warned him that it would increase once he reached 16 - and if he didn''t have a girlfriend by then.


    Sam understood then that all the dinner meetings were actually match-making sessions.


    He also had the numbers of the John Wick production crew, from Chad, the director to the marketing agents. Sam had to be updated constantly on the promotional touring dates and when the trailers would be released.


    There were also interviews planned and the schedules were arranged as according to when Keanu was free. Kyle, being a student - and one who didn''t need his parents permission anymore - had much more flexibility.


    Luckily Sam''s parents had essentially entrusted him to Kyle, so he didn''t need to worry about finding permission to tag along with Kyle.


    Sam remembered thinking that when his parents had done so, he felt like they were giving him away as a bride to Kyle. He shook his head at that memory and got back to work.


    ? Kay ?


    Kay''s fingers flew across the keyboard while her eyes were stuck on the computer screen. Her eyes darted left and right as she focused on the littlest detail as much as she could.


    Right now, she was busy observing the Cyber War Room. The screen was split in three. The main screen showed the background of the room itself while the smaller screens on the upper left and right showed the contents of two main computers in the said room.


    She had to do this quickly before anyone in there found out she was there.


    With one final tap of the key, she leaned back in satisfaction and quickly disconnected from the site.


    [Ready for some intel?] Kay sent out to her brother.


    [Shoot] Kyle replied, chewing on some chocolate nuts.


    [Turns out when we shut down Richard''s little kid factory, we made a huge dent in supplies]


    [Great] Kyle replied with satisfaction.


    [What''s not great is that they are trying to fill in that gap with another of their suppliers]


    [That''s to be expected] Kyle replied [There''s no way that we can get rid of it completely unless we pull it out from its roots.]


    [Yes, and we don''t even know who the Big Fish is] Kay said in frustration [They really are deep in the ocean for no one seems to be able to identify them. Not us, not the authorities.]


    Kyle was equally frustrated with this but there wasn''t anything he could do. Cut off one head, another grew up in its place. Like a Hydra though a Hydra would grow two in its place. So Kyle figured this was better.


    Despite the fact that it felt like they were doing useless work, Kyle knew that when he shut down Richard''s operations, he had saved all those kids that were already in his clutches. To those kids, it wasn''t useless work.


    [But why do I get the feeling that''s not really the bad news you were referring to?] Kyle asked.


    [It''s not. The really bad news is that the supplier replacing Richard ... is Rex Industries]


    Kyle grabbed a pencil and started breaking it into little pieces to release his anger.


    ? Ali ?


    On his table, were pictures of ten girls, all arranged alphabetically according to their names - which were also pasted on the pictures.


    Ali was in a dilemma.


    His parents told him to either choose one girl, or shorten the list. The girls couldn''t keep on waiting for him to make up his mind for they would need to find other husband candidates.


    So here he was, doing what he should have done a long time ago. Really decide. He looked at each and every one of them seriously, bearing in mind what he had learned about them and how he felt about them.


    The first: Aisha whose name means ''having a favourable outcome. A petite girl, with dark hair that fell just above her shoulders. She just reached up to his shoulders and he felt that he could break her in two if he just hugged her.


    She was a nice girl. Nothing fancy. Nothing fake. Always accommodating. Always listening to him. Always agreeing with him. Urgh. Like, really?


    He wasn''t a masochist to want a woman who would fight with him but at least be one that had a mind of her own. Everytime he talked to her, he felt like he was going to war. Trying to pull out information from her about her, was like trying to get blood from a stone. It wasn''t that she was stupid but she just wouldn''t contribute to the discussion at all.


    If he asked her what she wanted to eat, she''d answer whatever he''d like. If he asked her what she liked to read, she said anything was fine. If he asked her what sort of things she liked to do in her spare time, she''d answer it wasn''t anything in particular so long as it was spent with him.


    Drove him insane, it did.


    If it was Sophia, she would not hesitate to say what she wanted to eat that day. The sort of books she read that they would then discuss - or he''d diss her choice and she''d argue with him. She told him of her dreams and what she liked to do in her spare time.


    Was that so hard to do?


    Ali flipped the picture to face down, effectively eliminating one from his choices.


    Second girl: Aliyah which meant the ''exalted one''.


    Ali laughed at that. She really did live up to her name. Haughty, arrogant and expecting people to serve her. Granted, she did have the looks and abilities to back it up but he found such behaviour off-putting.


    One should be more humble, even if one did have the skills. To keep pushing it to your face was rather ill-bred, really. He couldn''t help but think of Sophia who was soft spoken and didn''t really showcase herself.


    Sophia may not be a ''genius'' like him or ''skilled'' like Aliyah but she had her own charm. She was kind and loving, always helping out people without even asking for anything in return. She didn''t make it seem like it was their honour to have her help them but that it was her happiness at being able to help.


    Now, that was something. Ali flipped the picture to face down as well.


    Third girl. Aminah, meaning trustworthy. An average girl with average looks, who was almost the same height as him. Again, another nice girl. There was nothing really that he could say was negative about her. Yet, nothing really interesting either. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To say that she was boring wasn''t really true but they didn''t have much in common. The only thing they could talk about was business. Both were learning, and if she was his chosen one, she would need to know the things he would be involved in as well.


    But there was just something lacking ... maybe it all started when she had come across him with the Elite Five at the mamak store a year ago. She hadn''t even been interested in knowing his friends (even though he didn''t really offer) and just focused on him. She didn''t even look like the type who would sit in such a place and try the food.


    If she couldn''t be bothered with his life, would she really be suited for him? Sophia hardly hung out with him and the Elite Five but she knew all about them. Okay, maybe that wasn''t fair since they were all in the same school but it couldn''t be denied that Sophia wasn''t really part of the ''gang'' yet she wasn''t an outsider either.


    She would fit in quite well with the people he mixed with and what he liked to do. Unlike Aminah. Ali flipped the picture to face down as well


    As Ali kept flipping the pictures, he never quite realised that he was comparing each, and every one of those girls, with a certain someone.

 Chapter 236 - Making A Choice

    Ali''s face was scrunched up as he continued down the list.


    The fourth candidate: Amira, which meant having a heart of gold. Yes, that would have certainly been just like Sophia, Ali thought to himself. It didn''t really matter if one''s background wasn''t powerful if one had the heart of gold. So logically, Amira who had both, would have been the perfect candidate, right?


    Wrong.


    It was generally a firm belief in their culture that the child would take after the name that they are given. Thus, choosing a good name was not only common sense, but it was also a sacred duty. A parent should not simply put a name that sounded fancy or unique. It had to have meaning.


    No offense to those who named their kids after Cities like Brooklyn, or fruits like Apple or even a compass direction? North, or rather with the surname, it became North West?* Seriously?? Ali shook his head.


    However, just because the name had meaning, Ali was of the opinion that one didn''t necessarily ''morph'' into having the sort of characteristics that the name bestowed.


    Amira was a prime example. She worked hard at living up to her name but Ali could somehow tell that it wasn''t sincere. There were times he could see there were impatience and lack of true understanding for someone who was suffering. Not that he blamed her since she grew up in such opulence.


    Not like Sophia, who truly did it understand. She could sympathize and empathize.


    Ali flipped that photo. Another one down.


    Candidate number five. Fatima. Captivating woman.


    Was she? S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Truly, she had the looks and the figure that would captivate any man. With her luscious lips, ample bosom, and long legs, you''d want to bury yourself ... Ali shook his head. Okay, that was getting too much for his brain. And something else that should not be stirring.


    However, that was not what being ''captivating'' was all about. It was not the physical aspect, was it? Siti Fatimah had been the prophet''s youngest daughter with his first wife and she was his beloved princess. She had many titles which showcased her purity of heart and that she was akin to a ''flower'' in a garden.


    Hence, captivating. It was the aura, the demeanor, the characteristics. All these things that he couldn''t see in Fatima. If he was to name a person right now, it would be Sophia. She may not be physically as attractive as Fatima, but she definitely was a woman that would be more captivating than Fatima.


    Photo flipped over. Not chosen.


    Candidate number six. Maryam. Pious and devoted.


    Very true. She would be the epitome of the perfect daughter-in-law. Perfect wife. Certainly pious with wearing of the burkha, eyes always down, submissive and completely devoted to him.


    Ali couldn''t stand it.


    That was not what being pious and devoted was all about. Be true to God and treating your husband well did not mean losing yourself and your identity. A woman was the heart of the family so why should she be treated like that? A woman was created out of the ribs of the man to stand beside them, not beneath them.


    They had a mind of their own and feelings of their own.


    Of course, who wouldn''t like ''controlling'' a woman like that? To be served like a King. Such a thing was not just prevalent within the men in his religion, it was also something that was deep within the culture of Country J as well. Their women would even serve tea to their husbands while kneeling!


    Ali shuddered. No way. He wouldn''t want such a wife and such a life. Photo flipped.


    Candidate number seven. Salima. Safe and tender.


    Ali stopped at this and tapped his finger.


    Truly, so far, this one was perhaps the best choice? She was gentle in her demeanor and soft-spoken. It didn''t appear fake either. She was the sort of person any guy''s protective instinct would come and take over.


    Yet ... there was an itchiness in his heart. He couldn''t quite explain it but he wasn''t quite comfortable with the thought of having to constantly be there for her. Be her protector. Shouldn''t she also be strong on her own and be able to fight by herself?


    Not literally, of course, but he always felt like he had to take care of her like some delicate piece of glass. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that and some guys really loved to do so ... but he didn''t.


    Again, the image of Sophia flashed through his mind. She was a strong person. After that trauma in primary school, she bounced back and was better than ever. Despite the toughness that he truly appreciated and admired, she was also vulnerable at times.


    This one, he felt, deserved to be pampered and protected. After all, she was standing strong so much that it couldn''t be easy, right? Not like Salima that seemed to scream ''helpless'' all the time.


    Ali was about to flip it over but stopped. Thinking again, he pushed it up as a possible candidate, hesitated then flipped it over after all.


    Candidate number eight. Paksima. One with an innocent face.


    Truly an innocent face indeed. Like butter wouldn''t melt in her mouth sort of innocence. However, what is the point of an innocent face if ... well, Ali got the vibes of a true ''White lotus'' there. One who only looked so innocent and genteel when in reality, they are the opposite.


    He couldn''t quite put his finger on it but that was what he felt. Was it instinct? Was it just his imagination? He didn''t know. He didn''t get that sort of vibe from the other girls. Of course, the purest one that he knew was Sophia.


    She had been the first to admit what she had done. She did have that rather innocent face but she wasn''t truly innocent. However, since she confessed and was open about it, it meant that she was.


    Ali flipped the photo over.


    He looked at the last remaining two candidates.


    Rawhah, meaning scent as fresh as a breeze and Rayme, loving and caring. He snorted. What fresh as a breeze scent? She was bathed in perfume, unlike Sophia. Now, that was a fresh scent. It was like freshly cut grass, strange as it sounded. It''s just that whenever he was near her, that scent just calmed him down. Photo flipped!!


    As for Rayme, hah. Before he could even finish his thought, his hand was already going to it to flip the picture ...


    It was then that Ali stopped.


    He looked all the flipped pictures, his fingers hovering over the last one. He blinked his eyes several times. He went through in his mind the reasons for each rejection.


    Curling his fingers into his palm, as he made a fist, he clasped it with his other hand. He then put his forehead on it, cursing himself.


    When did it happen?


    Why didn''t he realise earlier?


    Was it because he had been so comfortable with her that it felt all natural?


    Was it because he was so focused on other things that he never realised how much his thoughts were filled with her?


    How he''d always think about what would her reaction be. What would she think. What was her opinion on so-and-so matters.


    He cringed when he thought of all the times he sought her help on these candidates of his.


    She had helped him relentlessly, selflessly and was always willing to listen.


    Damnit. Damnit to Hell.


    Ali brought his head up, slammed his fists on the table, swiping his hands on the pictures and got up. The legs of the chair scraping along the floor, making everyone cringe. Like fingernails on a blackboard, it was. If there was still a blackboard in existence ... but that''s beside the point.


    Ali had to get out. He felt suffocated suddenly.


    Kyle''s head popped up upon hearing the eerie scraping nose and his eyes narrowed a bit upon seeing that it was Ali. His eyes landed on the desk, noting the pictures that were now scattered all over.


    Damn. This happened faster than he anticipated. Looks like someone finally figured out where his heart was.


    The other Elite Five looked at Kyle, as if for guidance on what to do.


    He shook his head at them, and got up to follow after Ali.


    They understood that Kyle would handle this, so they didn''t follow.


    ?? ??


    It wasn''t difficult to find Ali.


    Kyle simply accessed the security system. With the addition of the hidden cameras, he easily pinpointed where Ali had headed off to.


    Ali had actually exited the school and was basically wandering aimlessly (well, to Kyle''s best estimation). He went to the food truck location but didn''t sit down. Instead, he just walked through it and headed towards the park.


    At the park, he simply walked.


    Kyle followed him at a distance, not getting too close but not too far either. He maintained the exact same distance between them even though Ali would sometimes change the speed of his walk.


    Finally, after 20 minutes, Ali stopped and turned around.


    "Are you done yet?" he demanded.


    "Depends," Kyle said with a shrug, "Are you done throwing a tantrum yet?"


    Kyle had known that Ali was aware of him following behind. With Ali''s own martial arts training - and the fact that Kyle wasn''t hiding his presence at all - it was only natural that Ali would know.


    Ali glared at him then slumped down on the nearest park bench chair, legs spread wide open as he hung his head low.


    Kyle sat down next to him, leaning back on the bench and admired the view in front of him, not saying a word.


    He certainly cut a dashing figure (as always). Despite being in a school uniform, it didn''t take away his charm. In fact, it added to it. The sleek dark pants accentuated his long legs while the white shirt complimenting his fit physique.


    Since it was high noon, it was getting hot so Kyle unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. It was too constricted and he needed more air and freedom to breathe. Of course, girls stopped and stared as they watched his long, slender fingers unbuttoning the shirt.


    Each one internally screaming for him to unbutton everything and was bitterly disappointed when he stopped at the third one. He leaned back, closing his eyes as he leaned his head further back to stretch his neck, prominently displaying his Adam''s apple and collar bone.


    The whole scene was truly a sight to behold.


    Ali was oblivious to it all as he was busy gathering his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he finally lifted up his head and saw the people around him whose eyes seemed to be focused on something else. He turned to look at Kyle beside him and rolled his eyes.


    "Damn it, Kyle," he growled, "Can''t you even sit on a park bench normally?!"

 Chapter 237 - Destined One

    Kyle opened his eyes lazily at him, giving him a slow smile that showed off his dimple. To the surrounding crowd, however, it appeared like a devilishly sexy smile which caused the atmosphere to heat up.


    Some even started fanning themselves.


    "Feeling better?" he asked, looking at Ali and ignoring everything and everyone around them.


    "No, not really," Ali said with a sigh, leaning on the park bench as well.


    "What are you going to do about it?"


    "Do about what?" Ali asked, pretending not to know what Kyle was talking about. Just how did Kyle know anyway? Ali mentally scoffed at Kyle in his mind.


    "About the sudden realisation of something so humongous, that it caused your soul to be screaming out in pain and sending you into a maze of confusion?" Kyle asked.


    Ali slowly turned to look at him, surprised, only to see that Kyle was looking at him seriously. Such an intense look, from Kyle, was something Ali was not used to so he quickly averted his eyes.


    "Nothing," Ali answered simply, his eyes seemingly focused on a pair of swans in the distance.


    "Did you know that swans mate for life?" Ali said suddenly, "Just like wolves. Only one mate for them. I''ve always loved that idea."


    "Don''t we all?" Kyle answered wistfully.


    Yes, isn''t that the dream of every person? That''s probably why there''s so many stories and fantasies about "the One". That there is that one perfect person, just made for you - like how Eve was made for Adam.


    Even the Chinese culture had the ''red thread of Destiny (or Fate)'' whereby your soulmate had been destined for you since birth and you were joined by this single, red thread.


    Of course, the red thread was invisible. Regardless of time, place, and circumstance - you will meet your destined one. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In my religion - or culture - it''s hard to separate the two, really," Ali began, "We believe that our soulmate is already destined by Allah. No matter what, if that person is meant for you, then you will eventually be with that person."


    "There was just so much in that one powerful phrase that made me clutch at and rely on, really," Ali said, "To have that one person who had been created, just for you and vice versa. Just like how Eve was created for Adam."


    Ali gave a big sigh, "There''s so many misunderstandings and twisted ideals from that. Just because we''re allowed to marry four, for example, doesn''t mean we''re supposed to. It was different in the times of my prophet, as women needed men in order to be protected; and there were more women than men."


    "Did you know that my prophet''s first wife was older than him, well versed in business and was married before? Yet, nowadays, men marry women far younger than them for their ego, make them stay home and insist on virgins," Ali continued on, "It''s so rampant that it became the norm, yet that''s not what it''s all about."


    "It''s about marrying the woman destined for you. The one that makes you happy," Ali said softly.


    "My parents aren''t forcing me to marry anyone and letting me choose. Perhaps that''s a weird concept for you since the candidates are chosen for me rather than I go out and find someone."


    "Yet, why is it?" Ali asked seriously, "Just how do we meet ''the one'' anyway? It could very well be the person amongst those that they selected for me, right?"


    Kyle kept quiet, letting Ali ramble on.


    It was what Ali needed.


    His thoughts were all jumbled out right now and the sudden knowledge of his love for Sophia had hit him quite hard. If he can''t figure this out, he may do things in the future that would be detrimental to him.


    Love is a powerful emotion.


    It can raise cities or it can raze it to the ground.


    Which one will Ali choose?


    "If the person is meant for you, then you will eventually be with that person. However, just who is your chosen one isn''t clearcut and there will be many tests to your Faith before you find that person," Ali muttered, "Is Sophia the one?"


    Ali looked back out into the distance, his eyes watering.


    "I have never, in my life, felt so strongly for a person before," Ali whispered, "But she isn''t of the same Faith."


    "So?" Kyle asked, deliberately prodding him, "Either get her to convert or you do."


    Ali glared at him, his eyes flashing angrily, "That''s not funny."


    Kyle shrugged, "It wasn''t meant to be."


    "Do you honestly think my faith is just for decoration? One can simply convert just to get married or worse, I change my faith because I fell in love?" Ali said, his voice getting louder, "Do you think my life is a joke?!"


    Kyle wasn''t fazed and looked at him steadily, "Then what is the problem?"


    Ali was in the midst of another tirade when that question stumped him. His mouth was still open, when he stared at Kyle, incredulous.


    Instead of answering that question, he suddenly asked, "You know, I''ve always wondered something, Kyle," Ali said as he looked at him.


    "On that fateful day that we met. Why did you save me? Why did you stand up to those bullies who were stomping on my food? Weren''t you afraid of me? After all, the media has kinda brainwashed everyone into thinking every single Muslim is a terrorist spy, ready to obliterate everyone or subdue them."


    Ali could remember that fateful day like it was yesterday. Retsu Primary School. He had only been 7 years old.


    ?? Flashback ??


    Ali looked around him, amongst his classmates.


    As expected, everyone was basically ignoring him. His parents told him to be strong and not create problems so he took his lunch box and walked out of class. It felt suffocating to eat in the room when everyone was either staring at you like you were some exotic animal or ignored you completely.


    He avoided all the crowded areas and was looking for a nice, quiet place to eat when suddenly, he felt his back being pushed.


    He stumbled, but he still managed to hold on to his lunchbox.


    He turned around to see five guys just standing there, laughing at his discomfort. They were older, and bigger, and obviously used to being ''in control''. Ali decided to ignore them and continue walking but of course, they didn''t let him.


    "Hey, are you ignoring us?!" one of them shouted, presumably the leader.


    Ali didn''t answer for he knew anything he said would be twisted anyway. It was best to just get away.


    He was pushed again, this time, harder until his knees hit the ground. His lunchbox flew out, spilling its contents. The guys found it hilariously funny, and started kicking and stomping on the food while calling him names.


    Ali saw red at that.


    Seeing his precious food, that had been made by his mother for him, be kicked around like that ignited a fury within him that he couldn''t contain. He didn''t care if they bullied him, made fun of him or even called him names but you do not waste food like that.


    Food is a gift from God.


    Food made by his mother was even more precious.


    He had to keep telling himself to be calm.


    Ali knew he could beat the kids up, but he had to maintain his calm. He remembered how his mother had kept telling him with concern on her face, ''Never fight, always seek peace. Do not show them aggression. It would only fuel their misconceptions.''


    He must obey, he must obey ... his mother would be so disappointed in him if he lashed out. With the training he got, there would not be any problems to fight. But he could not. He must not.


    Yet ... seeing them doing that just ate at him. He clenched his fist, so focused on trying to calm himself down and stop his roller-coaster of emotions going about in his head that he never realised that one was sneaking up at him to hit him at the back of his head.


    It was only when that fist seemed to hit something that Ali broke out of his stupor.


    And he saw one of the most popular kid in school, Kyle, clenching the fist of the guy that had tried to hit him.


    Kyle didn''t say a word at first. He merely stood there, so powerful and scary that even the bullies were stumped. The guy who''s fist was still held firmly in Kyle''s grasp was starting to shake.


    Kyle looked at each and every one of the boys there, released the fist and said one word.


    "Scram."


    They ran off, their survival instinct kicking in. Not a single person dared to stay and felt the amnesty given from that one word. Who was stupid not to take it?


    Ali blinked, looked at Kyle in confusion as Kyle went to the stomped food. He carefully and meticulously picked up each scattered remains and placed it in the lunchbox.


    "This cannot be eaten anymore," he said softly, "Come. You can share my lunch. There''s plenty."


    Ali got up, brushing the dirt off his uniform and he gave a weak smile to Kyle, taking the lunchbox, "It''s okay. I appreciate it, but I''m fine."


    Kyle smiled, patted Ali''s shoulder and said, "Don''t worry. It''s just an egg sandwich. No meat or any pork derivatives in the dressing either."


    Ali was shocked. One, at the fact that Kyle knew about his dietary restrictions and two, for actually using the word ''derivatives''.


    As he slowly followed Kyle like a robot, Ali remembered how powerful Kyle was in scaring away the bullies. He looked at that strong back, then at the lunchbox and there and then, he knew.


    That was a person he was willing to follow for life.


    ?? End of Flashback ??


    As Ali looked at Kyle now, 7 years later, he knew that the decision he made then had been spot on and he never regretted it.


    But he still wondered, though he never asked then. He had never met Kyle before that day - why did he help?

 Chapter 238 - Love Conquers All?

    Ali waited patiently for the answer to a question he never dared ask before.


    "They were bullying you," Kyle said simply.


    "You weren''t afraid of me?"Ali pressed on.


    Kyle had been the only one that did not look at him with fear or hatred. Even at that young age, the emotions spilling out could be so negative. And being so young, they weren''t restrained at all in voicing them out.


    So why was Kyle so different?


    How come Kyle treated him like any other person?


    Kyle looked at Ali and tilted his head. He knew the unspoken question Ali had. Wasn''t Ali a hidden spy? A sleeper agent? Or a ticking time bomb that would just go ''suicide bomber'' and blow up the whole school?


    How could he explain that as Kylie, living in Country M had given him exposure to all sorts of races and religions? Kyle wasn''t ignorant of the truth and thus, wasn''t swayed by the prejudices or misunderstandings that were prevalent in Country TZ then, of the lesser known religions like Islam.


    It couldn''t be said to be the same for the others though, so it was only natural that Ali would have been bullied. It''s better now as there is more awareness - and people tended to be more accepting when said person is within a ''popular'' group.


    "Should I have been?" Kyle asked gently, his eyes clear as he looked at Ali in the eyes.


    Ali sighed and gave up.


    He knew that there was something more to it than what Kyle was saying. He found it incredibly amazing that he could have such clarity in mind and thought, even at that young age.


    The fact that Kyle could simply accept him wholeheartedly, without prejudice and question, was something Ali lapped up like a man who found an oasis in the middle of the desert. Kyle was his oasis at that time, healing him in ways that he didn''t think possible, and making Ali the way he is now.


    Sometimes, Ali thought ... if he hadn''t met Kyle, would he have turned out just the way those people feared? When you are bullied without rhyme or reason, what would happen if the bullied fights back?


    Ali sighed and figured the ''why'' was not important anymore.


    What''s important was the pure brotherhood bond they have.


    Being an Elite Five had given Ali a layer of protection that he wouldn''t have had otherwise. It also made people much more receptive to him and Islam, so the negative perceptions weren''t so prevalent.


    At first, people did try to diss Kyle for bringing Ali into his ''group'' but the die-hard Kyle fans shot them down. As time went on, people became more and more accepting and Ali had a much easier life.


    The prejudice wasn''t eradicated but it had lessened considerably. He knew he owed a lot to Kyle. Words that came out of Kyle''s mouth sounded simple but he knew Kyle was anything but simple.


    "You know, in my religion, all manner of behaviour is regulated. People only see the restrictions like no pork or alcohol or the rituals like fasting and the daily prayers," Ali began, changing the subject again, his eyes looking in the far distance.


    "But it''s more than that," Ali said, trying to explain, "It''s a way of Life. Every single restriction and rule has a reason for it. One that is essentially for your own well being and health."


    "I may have been born a Muslim, and brought up as one, but I am not a Muslim by force. I truly do believe in its teachings and agree with them. It''s here," Ali said, hitting chest where his heart is, "I truly believe in it, in here."


    Then his eyes started to get watery again, and a single tear flowed down as he asked in despair, "So why is it so hard now? Why am I doubting now? Why ... why did it have to be her?"


    Ali took a deep breath, wiping that tear away angrily.


    "Because you''re still young," Kyle replied softly, understanding Ali''s pain and confusion, "And it''s your first time being in love. Of course, your feelings for her are strong and overwhelming."


    Kyle looked in front of him, his eyes not really focusing on what was in front of him but was thinking of the past, of his first love. Husband.


    "You already said, didn''t you. If she is your destined one, it will be. No matter how long it takes, it will be. If she''s not to be, no matter what, you''ll never be happy in the end," Kyle said.


    Ali gave a short laugh, which was more in disdain at himself, "Easier said than done. What am I supposed to do? Just wait? Just watch? What?"


    "I remember a sermon I had to listen to once," Kyle began, "It''s raining heavily. You''re in a car that can only seat two. You come across a bus stop that had three people, getting quite soaked from the splatters. A sickly old lady, your best friend and your destined one. Who do you choose to help and pick up?"


    Without waiting for an answer, Kyle continued, "You give your keys to your best friend, get him to send the old lady to a hospital or home and sit with your destined one."


    "Huh?" Ali looked at him in confusion.


    "God may have determined who is your destined one, but it doesn''t mean you just sit back and she will fall on your lap," Kyle explained.


    "God will give you the opportunity, but it is up to you to use it. If you had taken the girl, she would have thought badly of you for leaving the poor old sick lady behind, right? If you had not taken the girl, then she may not be there anymore when you get back.


    "You will have lost that opportunity then, to have gotten her then. You would get more opportunities but if you don''t actively do something, nothing will happen.


    "The moral of the story is: you need to work to get the girl. Use the opportunity God has given you. Don''t take it for granted and think ''she''s your destined one so she will not be going anywhere''," Kyle said.


    "So if Sophia is your destined one, then she will be. Pursue her. If she isn''t, then your destined one will be far better than her."


    Ali shook his head.


    How could there be anyone better than Sophia?


    "Even if it doesn''t feel like there is no one better than Sophia right now," Kyle said, answering the unspoken question Ali had, "And that, my friend, is your test of Faith. Are you going to pass it, or fail it?"


    Then, Kyle''s next words hit Ali right where his greatest conflict lay,


    "You''re a Muslim. She''s a non-believer. How far would you be willing to compromise to make her yours? How much is she willing to sacrifice to be yours?"


    "We''re not talking about likes and dislikes here. We''re talking about beliefs. About Faith."


    "What if she says she will convert just to be with you but she is not a practicing Muslim? Can you take it?"


    "Will you be able to accept a woman who does not share the same belief as you, even if she goes through the process? She may not pray, she may not fast, and worst of all - she does not believe and simply panders to you," Kyle continued relentlessly.


    "Is love enough?"


    Ali was quiet, his heart in a turmoil. His head was saying one thing, agreeing with Kyle but his heart was screaming for another, saying it wouldn''t be that bad. As long as love is there ...


    Kyle had stated the crux of the whole matter.


    Can love truly conquer all?


    Kyle kept quiet for a while then said the words that hit Ali the hardest.


    "You said it yourself. Your belief is your life. It isn''t a game. How long do you think your love can survive if she never accepts the existence of God? Is she an atheist, whereby she believes firmly that God does not exist, or is she an agnostic, whereby she doesn''t believe but does not reject the notion either."


    "Will she think you''re being ridiculous for having such a belief, for seeing ''signs'' in things as proof that are just normal or coincidental? How would you view her for not being able to believe despite the many things you say is so clear that proves God exists?"


    "And what about when you have children? Can she accept you raising your kids as Muslims or would she view it as you forcing your ideology on them? How would they view their own mother if she doesn''t pray?"


    Ali groaned, punching the park bench angrily.


    He knew. He knew it in his heart but hearing it were two different things.


    His situation is different. Just like what Kyle had said, his Faith was more than just ''following the teachings'' as per his religion.


    It was a way of Life. His life.


    Would he start second guessing Sophia? Would she view his belief like a joke? Would she eventually start to hate him?


    What sort of life can they have if they can''t even agree on this most basic thing?


    Love conquers all?


    That might work if we''re talking about something minor or basic like putting up with a guy who doesn''t like the same food you do.


    But not this. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle kept quiet then, letting his words sink in.


    He knew it wasn''t easy.


    He had seen it a lot of times back in Country M.


    People who converted merely to fulfill the legal requirements to get married didn''t always end up well. A lot got divorced and they went back to their original religion.


    Didn''t they just make everything into one big joke?

 Chapter 239 - Taking The Next Step

    They were quiet, both lost in their own thoughts.


    Ali, thinking deeply of what Kyle had laid out in the open for him.


    Kyle, thinking of his past life.


    Kylie had found love, but that love either got ''comfortable'' or it was just ... dead. There was no hatred nor fighting but it was damn boring. Routine.


    Once a person gets married, the journey doesn''t end. There is no magical ''happily ever after''.


    The real work starts then! If only one person was doing all the work, it saps you out.


    Learning to live as a couple. Living as parents, Working and all sorts of things. Those really put a strain on the ''love'' that people were so deep in when they first got married.


    Put religion in the mix? A recipe for disaster if you don''t have a common ground to hold onto.


    Kyle looked at Ali, who was so deep in thought.


    Kyle truly did admire Ali for how he was with his Faith. It was one of the things that piqued Kyle''s interest.


    The fact that Ali was a Muslim was a huge deal at Retsu Primary School. There were so many whispers about him and all sorts of rumours going around. Kyle observed him silently and saw how he took everything in his stride.


    He was patient and though bullied, he didn''t bow his head down or acted out. Despite people trying to get him to take pork, for example, he was always polite to refuse.


    So Kyle kept an eye out for him.


    He always had a lunchbox just for Ali, for the time when he could ''make his move'', so to speak. When Kyle saw how Ali had been attacked, it was then that Kyle decided enough was enough. Ali had proven himself time and time again for being a steadfast, loyal person to his faith - despite his young age.


    Kyle would have helped anyone who had been bullied, actually, but when it came to Ali, Kyle had taken the extra step.


    He watched Ali silently, admiring him for his constant, unwavering faith and love for his God. His belief.


    As for Kyle? Well, he himself wasn''t a devout believer. He did believe something, but ... Kyle shook his head.


    In his previous life, he had been a Buddhist which essentially, wasn''t a religion. There was no ''God'' but a person who had attained Nirvana through living life well.


    In this life, he was born into a Christian family. So long as it didn''t interfere with his own concept of ''justice'', he was fine with it. He didn''t want to rock the boat, so to speak, and have his parents go into a hissy-fit or think he was possessed by the Devil or something.


    Kyle did believe that there was ''something'' out there. His reincarnation just shouted something like a higher power at work ... but he was still exploring. He believed that whatever that ''Higher Power'' was, would understand.


    Which was why he admired people like Ali, who were devout believers.


    Not the self-proclaimed zealots who did terrible things in the name of ''their God''. Every religion had its good and bad PR. Be it Christianity with its Crusade, or Islam with its terrorism.


    The bottom line with Kyle was: are you a good person?


    Ali had proven himself time and time again to be such a good person. Kyle didn''t want him to lose himself just because he had fallen in love.


    That''s why, in this case, Kyle had to be the one to act and help.


    So the two of them just sat there silently. The silence was not uncomfortable, though.


    After a long while, Ali took several deep breaths and got up, saying, "Thanks, Kyle. You''re right. This is my test. If she''s meant to be, it''ll be."


    "I will work at it but I won''t force her into anything. There is no way that I''ll reject Islam but I won''t force her to convert either. If she doesn''t believe in what I believe in, then how can we truly be destined for each other?" Ali said.


    Then, he started to laugh, "That''s even assuming she likes me in return! Man, I''m so big-headed."


    Grabbing Kyle on the shoulder, he said, "Come on, let''s go and eat. My treat, as thanks for being my sounding board."


    Kyle got up, flung his arm around Ali''s shoulder and said, "YES!! FOOD!! I''m starving!!!"


    Ali groaned. He forgot how big an appetite Kyle had. This was going to take a while.


    Still, a smile formed on Ali''s lips.


    It was worth it.


    ?? ??


    Despite the talk, it wasn''t like everything was smooth and dandy.


    Since Ali finally realised that there was someone that is occupying his heart, he had more problems to overcome.


    First, he had to determine whether Sophia felt the same.


    Second, which was more difficult: to gauge what she felt about his Faith. They''d never really talked about this as it was never an issue before. He wasn''t going to be preaching to her about it suddenly.


    One thing he was sure of, since he realised how he felt, was that he was deeply in love with Sophia.


    It was not puppy love.


    Just going through the ten candidates hit it squarely in the face for him. When he thought about it, he had been subconsciously comparing them to Sophia since last year.


    She had slowly crept into his heart and got hold of him without even him realising it.


    How dense was he?


    Obviously, very.


    As Ali sat in his bedroom, staring at the ceiling, he groaned.


    So many things to consider and think about, and he''s only 14. Even if Sophia felt anything for him, ot wouldn''t be the same, right?


    When he chooses someone, it''s for marriage. Once he confesses, it would be to the girl who he wants to marry. Once the girl accepts, it was essentially accepting him as her spouse. It would be straight to engagement.


    It was that serious.


    There was no such thing as ''dating'' in the sense that is more commonly known. If you love the person, what are you waiting for? Rather than have a relationship that might lead to sin (bearing in mind pre-marital sex was a no-no), one would legalise the relationship from the beginning.


    Essentially, if he got together with someone, it was with the intention to marry. If there was no such intention, there was no point in being with someone. Let her be free to find someone else for who she is meant to be with.


    Ali knew very well that sort of thinking was insane for other people.


    It had made perfect sense before.


    If you love the person, you should show your sincerity, right? Committing yourself shows how serious you are and that this was not a game. If you''re not sure, why are you even dating?


    It had been so much easier when he wasn''t in love. It made so much sense before but now ...


    Just thinking about Sam and Betty made him insanely jealous. You like someone, confess, get together and date for some time before deciding. Whether you actually end up together is in the future - being together was enough for the moment.


    Thus, despite the fact that Ali was well aware of his feelings by now, he did nothing differently. He decided to take things slowly and to treat Sophia the same as he always had.


    Ali''s plan was simple.


    Until the end of the school year, he would be observing her carefully. He wanted to know her reactions, her thoughts, her feelings. If he could get an inkling of how she felt about him - whether it''s only as a friend, or perhaps, there was something more, then he would take the next step.


    The next step is getting his parent''s approval and permission first.


    There was no point in pursuing Sophia if his parents would be against it.


    Truth be told, he had no doubt that his parents would be agreeable with Sophia, so long as she was nice. He could tell that his parents respected his choice, which was why he had been given all this time and even ten candidates to choose from.


    Marriage was a serious matter and it would involve the family. It wasn''t just between the guy and the girl, but also, the family.


    That was one thing Ali didn''t quite understand with the ''modern'' world.


    How could you abandon your family just because you fell in love? How could you say that the mother''s opinion wasn''t important? Unless ... unless the family was estranged? Whatever it was, Ali''s family was important to him.


    He respected his parents so he would need their permission.


    Once he obtained that, he would start pursuing Sophia. The would need to deepen their friendship and talk about the sensitive stuff. His faith. His belief.


    He would have to steel his heart on that one.


    If her views were completely different from his ... then he had to bite the bullet and let her go. Never confess.


    If her views were the same, or she was open to it ... then he would confess. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, it would be the final step.


    The bad case scenarios.


    She had no feelings for him at all. It was all his imagination, or worse, she had feelings for him, but she would never consider converting despite agreeing with the ideology.


    Worst of all ... she just didn''t know.


    Ali felt the worst case scenario was the most likely one. After all, Sophia was only 14. What girl would be wondering such deep questions about their future anyway?!


    He groaned.


    Maybe he should just stop this before it even began. Why put so much pressure on such a young girl?

 Chapter 240 - Taking The First Step

    As Ali was mulling over whether he really should take the next step, he remembered that story-slash-sermon Kyle had told him. The bus stop.


    If he didn''t do anything, would the opportunity be lost? No, he didn''t think so.


    If she was meant to be, it''ll be ...


    but


    if he didn''t do anything, would it mean that it would take longer?


    His mind kept going around in circles.


    Just then, he felt a big, resounding slap at the back of his head.


    "OW!!" Ali shouted, rubbing the sore spot as he turned to see who the abuser was.


    "Why did you do that for, Kyle?!" he shouted indignantly, getting up from his chair and was ready to punch him.


    "Do you know how ridiculous you look sitting there?" Kyle said, raising an eyebrow, "Your face was going like this."


    Kyle then showed him a myriad of facial expressions, from goofy to seriousness, to confusion and then goofy again.


    "I was not!" Ali protested, then looked around to the other Sage Class members, "Was I?"


    Everyone looked up from their desk, looked at Ali, nodded and went back to work.


    Kyle pulled up a chair and sat down next to Ali.


    "You''ve been like this for the past few weeks, you know," Kyle pointed out, "If you''re not going to be doing anything about it, then just stop thinking about it."


    Ali sat back down in a huff.


    "You''re worse than Sam," Kyle said, egging him on, "He wouldn''t even dare to make a move until he had every single detail planned and laid out. You?"


    Kyle poked him in the forehead, "You already have all your plans yet you don''t dare take that first step."


    Ali swatted that offending finger off his forehead and growled.


    Kyle growled back.


    Suddenly, Xing Han pounced in between them and started growling as well then asked, "What are we growling for?"


    Ali blinked and shook his head, laughing.


    "You guys are hopeless," he said.


    Kyle slapped down a piece of paper in front of Ali.


    He picked it up, asking, "What''s this?"


    "Congratulations!!" Kyle shouted, his eyes wide open while clasping his hands in front of him, "You have won the grand prize of being in charge of the farewell party!"


    Xing Han gave the Macaulay Culkin famous pose from ''Home Alone'' - his eyes wide open, his mouth in a huge "O" position and his hands on his cheeks as he sucked in his breath loudly through his mouth. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ali looked at the piece of paper.


    All it had on it were the bold words "Natasha Kinsky''s Farewell Party" right in the middle of the paper.


    Ali flipped it over and two names popped up:


    1. Muhammad Ali - Organiser


    2. Sophia - Helper


    3. Whoever you want, as Secondary Helper - NO


    Ali waved the piece of paper that had his name on it at Kyle, "What the heck is this?"


    "Well, this is Natasha''s last year at Sakura Academy, you know," Kyle said softly, referring to their Sage Classmate.


    "I know that," Ali said, "I wasn''t talking about the farewell party. I''m talking about this!"


    Ali pointed specifically to the names listed there at the back.


    Kyle just looked at him like he was an idiot.


    Then he opened his mouth and said slowly, "It''s your name. You. Leader. You. Arrange party. With Sophia."


    Ali gnashed his teeth, staring at Kyle, "You''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you? Pretending not to know what I''m talking about."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow and replied, "Do you really need an explanation? Duh. I''m giving you the opportunity to spend time with Sophia before the year ends."


    Kyle got up, patting him on the shoulder, saying, "Use the time wisely. Make your decision and do what you need to do. Stop dragging your feet and take the next step, you fool."


    Ali pursed his lips, watching Kyle go off while Xing Han was practically hanging onto him. Wailing something about pork chops ...


    Ali focused back on the task at hand, staring at the piece of paper.


    Kyle was right.


    Picking up his phone, he started texting Sophia.


    Ali was thinking hard while he was texting.


    <Hey, you busy? I was wondering> Ali''s fingers stopped.


    Ali scrunched his face. No. that was wrong. He never sounded so pathetic before. She would think he was up to something. Well, he was but she''s not to know about it! It had to sound natural. Natural.


    He tried again, deleting the text and started texting again.


    <Hey, what''s up? Could you help me?>


    Ali scrutinised the text.


    Urgh. No. What was that? It sounded like he was contacting her just to ask for help. Well, he was but it didn''t have to be that obvious.


    Delete! Delete!


    <Hi! Busy? Need a favour>


    Ali smacked his head when he read that. It''s so ... stupid. Domineering? Taking her for granted and didn''t even bother giving a full sentence?


    Ali angrily deleted the text. He tried again.


    <Hi, Sophia? You busy? Need your help on something. Text me when you''re free>


    Ali looked at the message and re-read it ten times before nodding his head, satisfied.


    Not to needy, not too desperate. Not too long, not too short. Sounds normal. Like a normal friend asking for a favour.


    He quickly pressed the ''send'' button before he changed his mind.


    He put down the phone, and he discovered that there were beads of sweat on his forehead. He took out his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped it, wondering ... since when did texting someone become so freaking hard?!


    ?? Sophia ??


    At lunch break, Sophia took out her phone from her bag and was surprised to see a text message from Ali. Unlike Sage Class students, students in the normal class like her were forbidden to have their phones out during class time. Otherwise, it would get confiscated.


    She eagerly unlocked her phone and read the message, a smile on her face.


    "Why do you have that goofy look on your face, huh?" the girl at the next table asked then teased her, "A text from your boyfriend, huh?"


    "No," Sophia answered, saying as she replied to the text, "Just a good friend."


    The girl snorted but didn''t say anything. The way Sophia was behaving, it was obvious that the ''good friend'' status may not be for long.


    <For you? I''m free anytime. What''s up?>


    Right after Sophia sent the text, she panicked. Did that sound desperate? Would Ali misunderstand? Rather, would Ali figure out her feelings that she''s been keeping hidden?


    She quickly sent another text.


    <Your best bud here has got your back!>


    Sophia patted her chest, thinking that it was good she was a quick thinker.


    In Sage Class, Ali had been holding onto his phone, staring at it since lunch break started, waiting impatiently for her to reply. The moment the text came in amidst the sound of tinkling bells, he quickly opened it.


    Reading the first text got him excited. See? She responded so quickly to help! No questions asked. For me, free anytime?


    Ali had a goofy look on his face until he read the next line.


    ''Best bud? Best bud?!''


    Ali didn''t want to be her best bud. He snorted angrily, thought deeply and text again. They started conversing.


    ''Great! You''re a lifesaver, best bud! Do you have any co-k activities today?'' - Ali


    ''No.'' - Sophia


    ''Great! Meet you in the cafeteria? I can tell you during lunch. My treat'' - Ali


    ''Sure'' - Sophia


    ''Great! See you there'' - Ali


    Ali grinned stupidly again as he managed to secure a date with Sophia, even though she didn''t know it. Then he looked at the chat.


    He groaned and slumped his head on his desk, still holding the phone with the screen of the chat open.


    Since when did he become an idiot? He said ''great'' at the start of each sentence? What was wrong with him??


    It was as if, the moment he was aware of his feelings for Sophia, he couldn''t act normally. He was so self-conscious and nervous that he became stupid.


    "Whoa, Ali. I didn''t think you were that dorky," came a voice from behind him.


    Ali turned his head, to see Xing Han looking at him in amusement. Ali put the phone face down, so no one could see it anymore and he growled at him, "What do you know?"


    "I know enough to know that you''re being dorky," Xing Han replied.


    "Shut up," Ali growled.


    Xing Han laughed and shook his head. Ali really is like a beast sometimes. He just growls when he''s annoyed. Or angry. The only time Xing Han growls is when he''s hungry.


    He patted his stomach, lamenting at how much smaller it was. Well, he was trying to get fit now so the fact that it was actually working should be good, right?


    But it meant less of his favourite food.


    Wasn''t fair that Kyle seemed to eat like a pig yet not gain an ounce. He still had that stupid physique of his.


    Xing Han gritted his teeth and stared at Kyle''s back.


    He pounced on Kyle, hanging on his back and wrapping his arms around Kyle''s neck, saying, "It''s lunchtime! Let''s eat!! Come on come on come on!!"


    Kyle slumped over his desk, groaning while Xing Han''s weight pressed down on him, "Xing Han. Aren''t you supposed to be watching your food intake?"


    "I am watching it," Xing Han protested, "I''m watching as I am eating. You could say I''m on a seafood diet."


    "I see food, I eat."


    "Xing Han, I didn''t think you''d be able to deliver dad jokes even before you''re a dad," Kyle mumbled, then got up, bringing up Xing Han at the same time.


    "Fine, come on," Kyle said, "Remember to add in the report for your Dad - say that I''ll have you lose weight and get fit. Then he''ll definitely let you spend the holidays with me."


    "Really?! So I should eat even more now so that the weight loss would be so much more dramatic!" Xing Han said enthusiastically.


    "As if you weren''t doing that already," Kyle said with a laugh as Xing Han finally peeled himself off Kyle''s back.


    He shook his head as Xing Han kept on talking about what sort of food he was going to order later.


    Truth be told, Kyle was looking forward to Xing Han spending the holidays with him. Spending nearly 8 months away for filming made him miss all of this far more than he thought he would.


    He smiled to himself, letting Xing Han lead the way.

 Chapter 241 - Best Buds

    ?? Cafeteria ??


    Ali gritted his teeth.


    It was supposed to be a date, with just the two of them.


    How did it turn into this?!


    It was bad enough that the Elite Five were all at the table, having their lunch with him and Sophia. It was understandable that Betty was there, too ... but why was Sarah and Beatrice along as well?!


    At least Sophia didn''t appear awkward around them. She was busy smiling, laughing and talking with the others as well.


    Ali''s face softened when he saw that.


    In fact, everything about her seemed so mesmerizing. The way her eyes sparkled when she found something interesting. The way she laughed which seemed to brighten up her face. The way she ate which was so delicate as she scooped each mouthful inbetween those luscious lips ...


    Ali shook his head, moving his attention to his food.


    Haram! Haram!!*


    What the heck was he doing?!


    Why were his thoughts so filled with ... urgh. Ali shoved the food into his mouth, while reciting some prayers to calm himself.


    This was going to be much tougher than he thought.


    Why did a switch seem to have flipped within him?


    All this time, the attraction had always been there but since he became aware of his deeper feelings, the pull was even stronger.


    Was this why all forms of intimacy were forbidden? People only knew about the ''no-sex-before-marriage'' part but in reality, it was as drastic as ''no skin-to-skin contact''.


    Ali sighed.


    This truly was a test of his Faith.


    It''s amazing how easy it is to follow certain rules and guidelines so long as it didn''t conflict with anything. Not drinking, for example : if you have never touched alcohol and is never inclined to, it''s not hard to abstain, right?


    But not touching the girl you are so in love with?


    Ali sighed and stabbed his food again.


    This is going to be much tougher than he initially thought.


    Unknown to him, Kyle was busy observing Ali, noting his facial expressions and the way he seemed to be in some great turmoil as he watched Sophia. At the rate Ali seemed to be going ... well, Kyle will continue to observe. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If need be, Kyle would need to take more direct action.


    For now, Ali needs to walk this path by himself.


    Kyle frowned a bit as he took a sip of water, though it wasn''t noticeable. He was thinking that Ali can''t take too long though. He''d give Ali a week - if he hadn''t done anything yet by the time the party was planned, Ali better be prepared for what Kyle would do.


    Not that he''d know, of course.


    ?? Planning the Party ??


    After that spoilt date, Ali made sure to meet up with Sophia at less crowded areas. He wasn''t going to share his time with her with anyone else. Sophia had been more than willing to help him, so they would meet up everyday after class to do the plans.


    The more Ali spent time with Sophia, the more convinced he was about his feelings for her.


    The only problem was, did she feel the same?


    Kyle had given him this opportunity to spend with Sophia in order for him to get with it, so to speak. Yet, even after a week had passed by and they had talked about everything under the sun, Ali did not bring up the matter about his feelings at all.


    Ali was too happy to just spend time with her, and he didn''t want to rock the boat yet.


    Once he started down that path, he was afraid that she''d either treat him differently or that he''d lose his best friend.


    To give him some credit, he did try once.


    Once.


    It was on the third day, when Ali and Sophia were finalising the food details.


    Ali said cheerfully, as he tried to gauge her reaction, "I''m so glad I have you, Sophia. If it wasn''t for you, I''d be quite lost in doing this."


    Sophia smiled bashfully and said as she smacked him on the shoulder, "What are you saying? Aren''t we best buds?"


    Dang. Best buds again?! Ali kept the smile plastered on his face as he tried again (this time, dropping hints), keeping the nervousness out of his voice, "Yes, yes we are. You''re very special to me, Sophia."


    "As are you, to me," Sophia said, "We''ll be best buds for life, right?"


    Ali sighed and scratched his head, thinking he should drop an even more obvious hint, "Yes, for life, God Willing. You''ll always be with me, right?"


    Sophia gave him a soft smile, "Of course. For as long as you need me. You don''t even need to ask, you know. As best buds, isn''t that the most basic thing?"


    Ali groaned internally. Why the heck was she so fixated on this ''best bud'' thing?


    Sophia turned back to tick through the food choices, her heart beating rapidly while cursing Ali endlessly in her heart. What the heck? If it wasn''t for the 10 bride candidates that he had, one could seriously be thinking he was saying something else. That he meant something else.


    She had to keep on reminding him about their best bud situation, lest he misunderstood. Or knew. What was she supposed to say? Oh yes, forever and ever as your third wheel?


    This was getting harder and harder to do.


    Although she did say ''best buds for life'', if this kept on, she''s going to have a heart attack. Also, would his future wife be able to handle him having a girl for a best friend?


    She didn''t think so.


    Still, for now, it was enough that she could stay by his side.


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle was in the Student Council room, tapping the pencil on the table. It sounded like a machine-gun in that silent room.


    The other members were not there, busy elsewhere on other duties that Kyle had given them. Yes, that he had assigned to them just to get rid of them.


    After looking through the stack of papers in front of him, he looked up at the two people in front of him.


    "This sounds pretty good," Kyle said and Sophia let out a breath of relief that she didn''t know she had been holding.


    With the way Kyle was just sitting there, all serious and what-not, made her nervous. The way that stupid pencil was going rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat made her feel like bullets were hitting her. She was that nervous!


    "But this isn''t the only thing that was on the agenda," Kyle said, staring at Ali.


    Ali fidgeted in his seat, placed his hand at the back of the neck and looked around, pretending to be loosening the crick in his neck "It''s in progress."


    "No," Kyle said, "It''s taking too long. You should get it settled."


    Ali looked at him, blinking rapidly, "I will."


    "I don''t trust you," Kyle said straightforwardly, "Not in this matter, that is."


    Sophia was listening to the two talking, seemingly in riddles. She looked at Kyle and Ali in confusion.


    "I''m sorry, should I leave?" she asked nervously, thinking that this was a private conversation.


    "No!" Kyle and Ali said simultaneously, causing Sophia to jump in her seat.


    Ali, upon seeing that, immediately was apologetic and said hurriedly, "Sorry, sorry. I didn''t mean to shout. I was flustered."


    He glared at Kyle.


    Kyle nonchalantly looked at him, then a slow smile began to form on his lips.


    Ali''s face turned white.


    Beatrice wasn''t the only one that recognised Kyle''s smiles. Though Ali didn''t name them like she did. The way one side of Kyle''s lips curled up, the way his eyes had that knowing glint in it ... Kyle had something up his sleeve.


    Kyle was going to do something that Ali was not going to like.


    Ali quickly got up, turning to Sophia and said in a slight panic, "Sophia. We''re done here. Let''s go."


    Sophia appeared extremely dazed but still, complied. She was just about to stand up when Kyle said clearly, "Sophia."


    She stopped, and looked at Kyle, "Yes?"


    Ali put his hands on her shoulders and leaned forward, saying, "Let''s go. Ignore hi-"


    "Did you know Ali rejected all ten bride candidates?" Kyle asked loudly, looking at her in the eye.


    Sophia froze.


    At first, upon feeling Ali''s hands on her shoulders and his voice in her ears, she had been shocked. Ali had always maintained a respectable distance between them, and hardly initiated any form of contact.


    Thus, this position made her heart go ba-dump ba-dump very hard and she had trouble concentrating.


    She knew his voice was lovely but hearing it in her ear like that ...


    Then, what Kyle said made her pause in shock.


    "What? Why?!" she asked, turning to look at Ali. Then, got flustered again to realise his face was so close. She could see how thick his eyelashes were, how smooth his skin was and most importantly, how deep his eyes were. Time seemed to stand still for her.


    Ali had not expected Sophia to turn like that and when she did, all he noticed was how close her lips were to his. He would actually feel her breath on his nose and lips, and he breathed in her fresh scent all over again.


    Ali jerked back like a spring released while Sophia turned in front, both of them embarrassed and shy.


    Sophia''s face was flushed red while Ali stood up straight, his back stiff as he looked everywhere but at her.


    Kyle rolled his eyes.


    These two were seriously going to take a lot of work.

 Chapter 242 - The Confession

    Sophia was just sitting there, all confused at where this was all heading.


    "Why did he reject them, you ask?" Kyle said and looked straight at Ali, "Should I tell her, or will you?"


    "Don''t you dare, Kyle," Ali said through gritted teeth.


    Kyle wasn''t affected at all, and tilted his head towards Sophia, "Do you want to know?"


    Sophia looked at Kyle then at Ali, who appeared quite angry at Kyle and she shook her head, "No. This is Ali''s private matter. He''ll tell me if he wants to, but I wouldn''t force him to."


    Ali was relieved. Until Kyle opened his mouth again, catching him completely unawares.


    "I would," Kyle said, "He rejected them because of you."


    "KYLE!!" Ali roared, running over to him and pouncing on him.


    Kyle merely avoided the arm grab, taking it into his hands and in a split second, now had Ali''s face smashed on the desk, one arm twisted around his back while Kyle had another arm across the back of Ali''s neck.


    Bringing down his head to Ali''s ears, but never breaking eye contact with Sophia who was now just frozen on her chair, Kyle said, "Now listen closely, you stupid fool. I gave you one week. One WEEK and what have you done?!"


    Ali struggled but Kyle didn''t break his hold on Ali.


    "How the hell is Sophia ever going to know if you keep being so wishy-washy?! She has absolutely no idea what is in your mind and the way you keep tiptoeing around is seriously pissing me off," Kyle said in a huff.


    "Look, Sophia. Ali is so in love with you that he''s driving me crazy," Kyle said, making Ali that he held below him just freeze.


    "So all I want to know now is, do you love him?"


    Sophia''s face was ashen white, her mouth gaping open, her brain slow in processing what was happening.


    It was just too insane to describe.


    Kyle let go of his hold on Ali then, who now didn''t know what to do. Should he remain frozen on the table? Should he get up? Why did Kyle let him go then?! He couldn''t even pretend to be held down now.


    Kyle brushed his two hands together, getting rid of some imaginary dust in his hands.


    "There. Done," Kyle announced, "The rest is up to you, Ali."


    Kyle then walked towards the door, intending to go out. As he put his hand on the doorknob, he turned to look behind him. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sophia was still sitting like a statute on the chair and Ali was still stuck on the table. Kyle sighed and shook his head.


    "Ali, this was the easiest part to get through but it had to be done, before you take the next step," Kyle said to the two unmoving figures, "Sophia, Ali is deathly afraid of what you''re going to say. If you feel nothing for him, then just make a clean break. If you do feel the same, then both of you need to talk this out."


    Kyle left then, closing the door firmly.


    When the click of the door sounded, signaling that Kyle had gone out, Ali finally lifted his head. He didn''t know where to look - ok, he did but he didn''t have the courage to look yet. He closed his eyes, adjusted himself and sat on the chair that Kyle had vacated.


    Finally opening his eyes, he saw Sophia just staring at him.


    He banged his head on the table and mumbled, "Sorry about that."


    "Is it true?" he heard her ask.


    "Is what true?" he asked back, confused for a second.


    She kept quiet, unable to ask. It sounded ridiculous to ask. Do you love me? How can anyone ask that?!


    And why was Ali really so stupid not to be able to figure out what she was asking him?


    Like, really?


    So she just stared at him and he finally had the sense to look sheepish.


    Rubbing the back of his neck that was actually slightly painful from Kyle''s headlock, he sighed. Kyle was right. He needs to get this over and done with. Make it like when you take out a plaster. Rip it off in one shot.


    "Yes, I rejected all 10 bride candidates the moment I realised I am in love with you," Ali said clearly, "I kept comparing them to you."


    He looked down, clasping his hands together and started fidgeting in the chair, "I''m not telling you this to make you uncomfortable, or to blame you in any way."


    Sophia''s mind was reeling.


    Ali was in love with her? He felt the same way? He did? Really?


    Tears formed in her eyes then, as the feeling overwhelmed her completely. To find out that the person you love, loves you back was indescribable - especially when you were convinced he had no such feelings. When you had accepted it and pocketed it away.


    The tears fell down her face and she could not help but sniffle a bit, causing Ali to look up. When he saw her crying, his heart broke.


    "Oh my God, Sophia. I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!! I never meant to make you cry!" Ali said desperately, rushing over to her side. He awkwardly took out his handkerchief and tried to dry the tears.


    He dabbed at her cheeks, drying them, but the tears wouldn''t stop and it kept falling, making Ali even more panicked, "Please, just ignore what I said. It''s okay that you don''t feel the same way. I just had to let you know. Please, please Sophia ... please stop crying."


    Sophia saw the panicked look on Ali''s face, and the worry in his eyes. The tenderness in his care just made her cry even more. She grabbed the handkerchief, her fingers touching his and without thinking, she held on to his hand.


    She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his fingers under her own hand and the warmth of his palm on her cheek. Her heart was full.


    Ali gulped.


    Her cheeks and fingers were so soft. She looked like a delicate Fairy, just sitting there, her tear-streaked face only enhanced it, not diminish it. He cupped her cheeks and his thumb accidentally brushed by her lips.


    He felt its soft plumpness and by instinct, his thumb caressed those full, pouty lips. It was soft and .. and ... before he even could process what he was doing, his lips were already on hers.


    Sophia eyes flew open in shock, and was greeted with Ali''s closed eyes as he kept on kissing her. She jerked back and at the same time, pushed him away.


    Ali seemed to come to his senses then and his eyes mirrored the same shock that Sophia was feeling.


    What did he just do?!


    Horrified, he put his hands on his lips and took a step back, "Oh God. Sophia. I''m so sorry. I ... I didn''t mean to ... no, I did mean to but ... oh God oh God oh God ..."*


    Sophia pursed her lips. Yeah, sure, she had pushed him away but it wasn''t that bad now, was it?


    "I know I''m not such a great kisser, but do you seriously have to sound like it was so bad?" Sophia asked.


    Ali stopped, and shook his head, "No, no ... it''s not that. The kiss was great!"


    Ali noted Sophia''s face suddenly becoming bright red after that statement and he couldn''t help but want to kiss her again. No wonder Sam was such a kissing monster ... Ali shook his head and actually hit the side of his head to get his thoughts back into order.


    "It''s ... well, other than the fact that I kissed you without your permission, it''s actually forbidden for me to do so with anyone other than my wife," Ali said, looking down, suddenly finding his shoes very fascinating.


    "Oh," Sophia said, understanding Ali''s extreme reaction.


    "Well, at least you stopped crying," Ali said with a sad smile as he looked at her.


    His heart was heavy and sad. His confession had truly made it difficult for Sophia and this was something he had wanted to avoid. Yet, he knew it had to be done. Get it out in the open and let her go.


    Would he lose her friendship? He was worried about that. Sophia is his best bud, but he couldn''t keep on second-guessing himself. He also did need to free his heart so that he wouldn''t keep on comparing his bride candidates with Sophia. It would just be a dead-end.


    "Anyway, I''ll be going now," Ali said, as he turned towards the exit.


    He gave her one last look, and smiled, "You don''t have to feel bad, Sophia. You''re my best bud and I hope to always be that. But I understand if my confession made it difficult for you. Just know that I''ll always have your back. No strings attached."


    Ali took a deep breath and started walking towards the exit.


    "I love you too, Ali," came the soft voice of Sophia behind him.


    Ali stopped in his tracks.


    Wait. No way. Did she just ...?


    He turned and looked at her incredulously.


    "Did you just ... did you just say what I thought you said?" Ali asked, fearing the answer.


    Sophia looked at him in the eye and said clearly, "I love you."


    With a great big shout of ''WHOOOP!!'', Ali ran over to Sophia, went down on his knees and looked up at her.


    "Really? Really really? You love me?" Ali asked again, not daring to believe it.


    Sophia smiled shyly and nodded.


    Ali put his arms under her armpit, lifted her up and hugged her tight, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling her special refreshing ''cut-grass'' smell.


    "Oh God, Sophia. I love you. I love you so much," Ali was saying as he held her tightly to him.


    Sophia let him hug her and she hugged him back, cherishing the closeness and masculine smell of him.


    After several minutes, she then asked tentatively, her voice shaking a bit in nervousness, "But Ali ... what about your family?"

 Chapter 243 - Ali’s Family

    When Ali heard Sophia''s question, he didn''t answer immediately.


    Instead, he tightened his hold on her, as if afraid that she would suddenly disappear.


    Which, he knew, was a possibility.


    Although Ali knew that his parents were much more open-minded than most, there would still be issues. He didn''t want to lie to Sophia but he didn''t want to frighten her either.


    "I''ll handle my family, don''t worry," Ali said.


    Finally letting her go, he kissed her forehead, though he seriously wanted to do more than that. He had to keep reciting several prayers in his mind, to calm him and to remind him about his limits. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We do need to talk about some things, actually," Ali confessed with a sigh, "But not today. I''m sure you''ll need to process this ... us ... before we do so."


    He was reluctant to let her go, and whispered in her ear, "No matter what happens, know that what I love you."


    Sophia nodded, though her heart was full of worry.


    ?? Ali''s Home ??


    That weekend, Ali was to inform his parents about his decision regarding the 10 bride candidates. So there Ali was, walking around in circles in his bedroom while gathering the courage to inform his parents.


    He was busy thinking of the best way to tell them, as he rehearsed several lines. He wasn''t a debater like Xing Han, or a sweet-talker slash conman like Kyle, so he could only think of just saying it. Yet, he couldn''t.


    He kept mumbling to himself but whatever he said, sounded pretty bad. Or was it?


    He looked at his watch and noted that it was time.


    9pm.


    This was the time that his parents would be sitting in the living room, having a small snack and tea before retiring into their bedroom.


    Taking a deep breath, he resolutely opened his door and walked down.


    As Ali went down the staircase, he saw his parents talking together amicably. His mother was smiling, while pouring some tea to which his father took with a smile and thanks. Ali stood for a while on the staircase, observing them.


    They had the typical ''arranged marriage'' situation, though it was a bit different from his. His parents only met a month before the actual wedding, and only got to know each other after they got married. From what he could tell, however, they were happy.


    Thus, his parents were living proof that arranged marriages could work, so long as both parties were willing to work at it. Love can grow after marriage, so long as they were compatible. There may not have been the ''shot through the heart'' type of love, but it seemed like a solid love.


    Ali sighed, thinking about Sophia.


    Could he truly be satisfied with any other type of love after experiencing this deep and strong emotion for Sophia?


    He truly didn''t think so.


    If he hadn''t fallen in love with her, he would have been satisfied with anyone that he had some attraction to. Now, however, it wasn''t enough.


    Ali continued down the steps and headed towards the living room.


    Ali''s father, Johan, saw him approach and smiled.


    "Come, come my son," he said, gesturing to the seat beside him.


    Ali sat down gingerly, accepting the cup of tea his mother poured for him, "Thank you, Ummi."


    Ali''s mother, Raika, smiled gently and drank from her own tea cup.


    Ali nervously took a sip then put the cup down, sitting up straight.


    "Ummi, Abba, I have something to tell you," Ali began.


    Both put down their tea cups and looked at Ali seriously, "Yes, my son. What is it? Have you finally decided on your bride?"


    Ali nodded, "Yes, Abba."


    Johan clapped his hands, a huge smile on his face, "Wonderful! This is great news indeed. Who is the lucky girl?"


    "Sophia," Ali said seriously, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.


    Johan and Raika looked confused. They looked at each other then at Ali, "Sophia? I don''t remember a Sophia among the choices."


    "She isn''t," Ali said, his voice breaking a bit out of pure nervousness.


    Johan was about to say something when Raika put her hand on his, calming him down, "So Ali," Raika said softly, "Who is this Sophia?"


    "My schoolmate," Ali replied.


    "A Muslim?" she asked.


    Ali shook his head, "No."


    Johan gave a huge sigh and Raika appeared worried.


    "This is why I felt sending him to that school would be a mistake," Johan said, "We should have sent him back home, to an all-boys school until he decided."


    "Hush," Raika said, shaking her head, "Let me talk to him first."


    Johan took Raika''s hand in his, kissed it and her forehead, saying, "You are his Mother, of course you shall."


    Johan decided to leave them to talk alone, as his presence could cause Ali to be more reserved. As he walked out to the verandah, he thought of the predicament that they are in right now.


    Raising Ali in a foreign land was bound to cause problems. It wasn''t just the religion aspect, but the culture and society as well. It was vastly different and when one is raised in such a place from young, it would be hard for him - or her - to truly understand and embrace his roots.


    Johan sighed.


    This was a situation with Sophia was one that he had hoped to escape. That was the main reason Ali had been presented with the 10 bride candidates from a young age. He had wanted to fill the boy with thoughts of these girls, and not be sidetracked by those around him.


    One can only plan, but God decides.


    Johan sat back on the chair, looking up at the stars.


    ? Back in the Living Room ?


    Ali was nervous.


    Seeing his father go out to sit at the veranda outside, Ali knew that after this talk with his mother, he would then have to face his father. Both had their own concerns and he would have to deal with them one at a time.


    Raika began with normal questions. Who is Sophia. When did he get to know her. How long had he known her. What is her belief?


    His mother listened patiently, not judging and not interrupting Ali''s explanation.


    "So she is a non-believer?" Raika asked in her gentle voice.


    "Yes, Ummi," Ali said, "But she doesn''t reject it completely. She''s a really nice girl, Ummi. You would certainly like her."


    Raika smiled at that, and patted his hand, "If it''s a girl you love, my child, Ummi will certainly love her as well."


    Ali smiled goofily at that.


    "But you know that it isn''t that simple," she continued on, making his smile fall.


    Eyes downcast, he nodded.


    "If she is open to God, and can accept that there is only one true God," Raika said, "then it may work. The responsibility you bear will be heavy, my child."


    Ali looked at her, his eyes clear.


    "I know," Ali said, "It would be my duty to guide her towards Jannah."*


    "You''re still a child, my son," Raika said, "Are you sure you want to take this heavy duty?"


    "If it''s for her, anything, Ummi," Ali said, "She is worth it."


    Raika nodded, not asking anything more. Instead, she told him, "I am always here for you, my child."


    Ali took both of her hands in his, kissed them and said, "Thank you, Ummi."


    "Now go," she commanded, "Your father is waiting."


    Raika watched her son walk towards the veranda, her heart heavy. She could see the love Ali had towards this girl, Sophia. She knew it was not going to be easy for him and this was his first love. First taste of love.


    In all honesty, Raika did not have high hopes that things would work out with Sophia. There were just too many things going against them.


    However, despite her misgivings, she was not going to stand in Ali''s way. The best lesson was one that he had to learn by himself. As his mother, she was there to guide him and show him the way. He is the one who has to walk it.


    Even though she didn''t think they would succeed, who knows? Only God knows.


    So, she forced herself to keep her own personal feelings about Sophia to herself. She didn''t lie to Ali about accepting Sophia - she just did not think it was possible. When the time came, Raika would be there to pick up the pieces.


    She sighed and nibbled on the sweet cake in front of her.


    ? Veranda ?


    Ali sat down on the chair next to his father, and joined him silently in watching the stars.


    After a good five minutes, Johan finally said, "Looking at the stars like this ... makes you realise how insignificant you are in the whole big scheme of things."


    Ali didn''t say a word, knowing that his father was not there to discuss things with him. He would only tell the decision.


    Johan turned to look at his son. Ali, feeling the gaze upon him, turned as well and he suddenly noted how tired his father looked. Just what happened during that time he was out here? What sort of thoughts went through his mind?


    Suddenly, Ali was afraid.


    What if his father forbade this relationship? What if he stated that he was to give up on Sophia?


    Just as his mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts and plans to convince his father otherwise, Johan said, "I give you one year."


    Ali blinked.


    "One year, Abba?" he asked puzzledly.


    "You have one year to open her eyes - and heart - towards Allah," Johan said.


    "And most importantly, you must always maintain your respectful distance. You are to lead her to Jannah, and not have her lead you to Hell."


    Ali nodded.


    "If you fail to convince her, or if I see you stray, I will send you back to your grandparents," Johan said resolutely.


    Ali gulped.

 Chapter 244 - Ali, The Dork

    That night, like any other night, Ali was texting Sophia.


    She was very worried about ''the talk'' that Ali would be having with his parents and she waited anxiously for their usual chat.


    ''Hey'' - Ali


    ''Hi'' - Sophia


    ''What ''cha doing?'' - Ali


    ''Waiting for you'' - Sophia


    Ali gripped his phone and was grinning away like some idiot.


    ''Well, I''m here now'' - Ali


    ''I can see that. Did you manage to talk to them yet?'' - Sophia


    ''Yes'' - Ali


    Sophia waited for a while but Ali didn''t say anything after that. She couldn''t even see the usual ''Ali is typing...'' at the top of the chat.


    Sophia frowned.


    ''That bad, huh?'' - Sophia.


    ''No no'' - Ali


    ''Then?'' - Sophia


    Sophia waited again and this time, she could see the chat text stating ''Ali is typing....''


    She waited.


    And waited.


    Finally, in exasperation, she texted, ''Nevermind. Bye''.


    Ali panicked.


    He had been trying to figure out how to phrase the words without sounding offensive, or making it sound bad. So he would type out one line, then delete it, tried again and backspace to delete it again. He didn''t realise how long he had taken until Sophia texted that.


    He was so flustered that he sat up on his bed and was frantically trying to call her instead.


    Without knowing how it happened, his fingers somehow just flipped the phone instead of holding onto it. He watched, seemingly in slow motion, as the phone did a somersault in the air.


    Ali''s brain somehow got fried, his left and right hand were not coordinating properly. Instead of being able to hold the phone, it kept jumping in his hands until it fell onto the floor.


    He watched, in great despair, as it crashed onto the floor, smashing to pieces. Ali leaned over his double bunk bed, groaning and hitting his head at the edge of the bed.


    He was saying ''Stupid'' at each knock of his head until he started seeing stars. Rubbing his forehead, he panicked again and jumped off the bed. Landing on his feet, he absorbed the jump by crouching a bit and then sprinting towards his wardrobe.


    Ali flung the door open and started rummaging through a box.


    "Ah-HAH!!" he shouted triumphally. He found it. His old phone. He kissed it and thanked God that he didn''t give it away like he normally did. For some reason, he had held on to it and now, it proved to be his saviour.


    He quickly got his sim card from the smashed phone, inserted it and plugged in the phone. He punched in Sophia''s number on the keypad, praying fervently that she''d pick it up.


    It had already been 8 minutes since she ''hung up'' on him.


    ? Sophia ?


    Sophia was staring blankly at her phone.


    Ali seriously didn''t reply?


    He just left it like that?


    Seriously?!


    She couldn''t believe that Ali would do that, so she kept staring at the phone.


    Finally, after what seemed like years (it was only five minutes), she screamed out in frustration and flung her phone on the bed.


    Fine. If he''s going to be like that, then she''s not going to sit around waiting like a fool.


    With a huff, she stomped down to the kitchen, remembering that there was a tub of ice-cream in there. Somewhere.


    Just as she walked out the door, her phone lighted up and started ringing. Unfortunately, Sophia was already out of earshot and never heard the phone.


    Of course, on the other end of the line, Ali was in all full-time panic mode by now. He was walking around his room in a circle, listening to the phone ringing on and on.


    She wasn''t picking up.


    No!! Ali gritted his teeth and when the phone went to voice mail, he hung up and called again. He put his head on the table, banging his forehead repeatedly on its hard wooden surface.


    "Stupid stupid stupid ... come on, Sophia. Pick up ... please pick up ..."Ali was mumbling under his breath, "Oh God, if she picks up, I''m never going to .."


    "Hello?" came the most melodious voice in his life.


    Ali was so relieved that he held onto the phone for dear life, and said breathlessly, "Sophia, thank God you picked up."


    "Well, yeah. I left my phone in the room when I went downstairs," Sophia said, trying to be nonchalant, keeping her breath even.


    She didn''t want him to know that when she heard the phone ring, she practically ran and jumped headfirst onto the bed, grabbing the phone like it was her lifeline. Luckily she still had the presence of mind to put down her tub of ice-cream rather than flinging it aside - that would be one sticky mess to clean up otherwise.


    Ali turned and lay on his back on the chair, while hitting his forehead. He winced, as there was a dent there now from the constant knocking he had done.


    "I''m sorry," Ali said softly.


    Sophia was quiet at first, then she asked, "Are your parents against us?"


    "No," Ali replied, "It''s just that ... well, you know I can only marry a fellow Muslim."


    "Well, of course," Sophia replied, "But we aren''t getting married."


    Ali sighed, "I know that ... but ... well, you see ... erm, that is ..."


    "Oh come on, Ali," Sophia said exasperatingly, "What is it?"


    Sophia could now understand why Kyle had finally flipped that day, and held Ali in a chokehold while revealing Ali''s feelings. When was he going to get to the point?


    Was Ali always this dopey?


    "Having a girlfriend is the same as being the future wife for us," Ali said in a rush.


    "Huh? But we''re only 14! That''s hardly what anyone our age would be thinking of," Sophia said in surprise.


    Sure, she was in love with Ali but marriage? Could she envision being married to Ali? When that thought entered her mind, however, she didn''t find it repulsive ... in fact, it made her heart beat a little bit faster.


    It was just something that she never considered: a ''forever'' future together.


    Though, in retrospect, it should have been.


    Should it?


    Now it was Sophia''s turn to have her mind going around in circles.


    Sophia heard Ali sigh loudly over the phone.


    "Yes, I know," Ali said, "This is very new for us. Sophia, I ... well, I truly do love you."


    Sophia''s heart lurched in her throat. Although it was a wonderful thing to hear, why did it sound like it was a prelude to something ominous?


    "I love you, too, Ali but ... " Sophia hesitated.


    Ali panicked upon hearing her ''but'' and he shot up into a sitting position immediately, jerking the phone off the wire from its charger. It was a good thing the phone already had some battery left, so he wasn''t disconnected.


    He fumbled again, when trying to reconnect the wire and the phone fell loudly on the table.


    Sophia could hear the loud clattering sound and took the phone off her ear, looking at it, wondering what was going on, "Ali?"


    "Sorry, sorry," Ali said hurriedly and sighed internally, wanting to bang his forehead on the desk again even though a slight bump was already forming, "You were saying?"


    His heart was beating so rapidly that he felt like it could come out through his throat and out his mouth. He kept swallowing whatever little saliva he had in his mouth, his eyes clenched closed as he focused entirely on Sophia''s next words.


    "I ... well, it just sounded like you wanted to say something," Sophia replied, "There seems to be something else on your mind. What is it? Just tell me."


    "Okay, but just listen. You don''t have to say or decide anything right now," Ali began, thinking deeply on what he needs to tell her.


    "Okay," Sophia said softly, feeling a bit worried about what was going on. It sounded so serious. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you believe in the existence of God?" Ali asked.


    She was right. It was serious. This was heavy-duty serious.


    Of course, this was something that she knew she would have to think about but she thought it would be far in the future. She loved Ali, yes, but to the point of deliberating over the existence of God?


    She had been curious once, but the concept was just so far-fetched to her that she never quite explored it. She figured that it was something she may think about, or delve into, when she was older.


    It didn''t seem to be important or something to be considered at all before this.


    She now realised that her thoughts were the opposite of Ali. While she was under the impression that this ''God'' aspect was something she''d think about after she was sure of her future with Ali, Ali was of the opinion that it should be settled before they got more serious.


    Which was the correct one?


    She didn''t know but whatever it was, she now knew it was something she''d have to think about now.


    "I can''t say yes, nor can I say no," Sophia admitted, "The concept is just too bizarre for me."


    "Would you be willing to talk about it then?" Ali asked tentatively, scared of her reply.


    Sophia thought long and hard about it, and wondered whether she wanted to. She thought about Ali, and her heart just started beating so fast again. Was he worth it to consider this matter seriously?


    "Yes," Sophia answered after some time had passed, making Ali relieved.


    "Thank you," Ali said gratefully, "There is no pressure, Sophia. I mean, you don''t have to force yourself to believe. I''ll show you what it means to me - as in, how I view God and why I believe."


    "All I am asking for, is for you to keep an open mind and consider it at your own pace. You can ask me anything," Ali said, "Okay?"


    Sophia smiled at that. He sounded so caring, even though it was about something so serious.


    "Okay," Sophia said softly.


    "I love you," Ali said again, smiling dopely, "Goodnight."


    "Goodnight," Sophia replied, putting down the phone. Although she would have loved talking to him longer, she needed to process this now. To re-look at their relationship.


    As she lay down on her bed, she looked up at the ceiling and for the first time since she was a kid, she started thinking ... Are you up there?


    Ali stared at the phone for a long time. He was quiet about the one-year deadline. That was something she didn''t need to know. He wanted her mind to be clear, and not riddled with any sense of urgency or be filled with pressure.


    Let him bear that.

 Chapter 245 - Farewell Party

    It was finally the day of the party.


    Ali and Sophia stood at the front of Sage Class, looking at the layout and the decorations, heart happy and content.


    The food was laid out on the long table at their kitchenette. Each desk had a placemat so that any food spilled would not ruin or dirty the documents there. The front of the Sage Class had the banner with the words, "Congratulations Natasha!" and the present was hidden in the pantry cupboard.


    "Just looking at this made me realise just how much of a monster Kyle is," Ali said, "Again."


    "What do you mean?" Sophia asked as she made one final sweep of the food.


    "Last year, he arranged a surprise birthday party for Sam in just a couple of days," Ali explained, "And unlike us, he sneaked everything in without anyone knowing!"


    "Eh? How is that possible?" Sophia asked. Just the food alone had the catering team send a small truck to send the food.


    Ali shrugged, "Like I said, monster."


    "Who had you in a headlock," Sophia said, giggling.


    "Oh come on," Ali whined a bit, "You''re never going to let me live that down, are you?"


    Sophia took his arm, leaned her head on his shoulder and replied, "Not at all."


    Ali stood there, enjoying her closeness. The words of warning his father gave rang in his head "do not let her lead you to Hell".


    Ali knew his father meant that Sophia, not knowing the boundaries set by his religion, wouldn''t be reserved at all with any form of physical contact - more so since they''re a couple now. It wasn''t that Sophia was evil or bad, but she would be the temptation for Ali, and he may not be as devout as before.


    Just like how it was said Eve caused the downfall of Adam, resulting in them to be exiled from the Garden of Eden.


    Right now, Ali wasn''t thinking of all of that.


    How could something so right, be wrong?


    Anyway, Ali figured that since he regarded Sophia as his future wife in his heart (even though she didn''t know it yet), the normal ''no physical contact'' rule didn''t need to be followed so strictly. He was treating her with respect, right?


    Ali felt this amount of contact was acceptable.


    He put his arm around Sophia''s shoulders, bringing her closer, loving the feel of her warmth and soft body next to his.


    Yup, more than acceptable.


    Little did Ali realise, that he was slowly making compromises and giving excuses for each action that he takes. Slowly, the line became more and more blurred between what was allowed and what wasn''t.


    But that was something he''d only figure out much, much later.


    ? ? ? ? ? ?


    Natasha was touched. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She stood there, clutching the present that was given to her as she looked at everyone in Sage Class - and the extra girl that apparently helped in the preparations.


    Tears formed in her eyes and the girls in Sage class hugged her - except for Beatrice, of course. Ingrid hugged her from the left, Kay from her right while Beatrice stood awkwardly in front. She wasn''t as reclusive as before but she still wasn''t in the ''hugging'' category yet.


    Still, Natasha could feel the love and closeness.


    During these two years (well, technically, it was one year and a bit), she found her calling. With the research she had done in class and Kyle''s guidance, she finally set her path. This was something that she would never have been able to figure out in a normal school.


    Not this early, anyway.


    She hugged the two girls tightly, then looked at Kyle hesitantly.


    She felt like she owed him a lot, for his detailed reports to the Principal truly did help her. It helped her see her strengths and the plans that were made were mindboggling. Once again, she wished she could have spent longer at Sage Class as she could have gained so much more - yet on the other hand, at least she did have this one year.


    As much as she wanted to hug Kyle, she also knew that he wasn''t the type to hug any other girl except for Kay.


    [Go on, brother] Kay admonished him [It''ll be fine]


    Kay had noticed the way Natasha was looking at Kyle. Not out of love or whatever, but there was a look of hesitation and admiration. Kyle had noticed it too but had merely pretended that he didn''t.


    However, since Kay had given the green light, Kyle turned towards Natasha with a smile, tilted his head and spread out his arms.


    She grinned, sniffed and ran to hug him.


    "Nooooo!!" Xing Han shouted nearby, "I wanna join, too!"


    Kyle glared at Xing Han, who was from across the room, who was now running towards them.


    He held on to Natasha''s waist tighter, nimbly turned her around so that Xing Han glomped* him instead of Natasha. It wasn''t that he didn''t want any guy to hug Natasha, but it was most likely she would be crushed inbetween them.


    Steadying himself, Kyle protected Natasha from most of the force.


    For the first time in her life, Natasha was flustered.


    All this time in class, Natasha did not harbour any feelings for Kyle. He was damn hot, so it meant he was beyond her reach and she never considered anything. Work was more important anyway. Plus, he was a kid.


    It was enough that she could admire him from afar. She liked watching him, but that was it.


    Now, however, having him hold her as he protected her from Xing Han''s over-enthusiastic hug, her senses were overloaded.


    All of her senses were assaulted.


    Sight: His face that was so close to hers that she could actually view his magnificence at such close range.


    Smell: taking a deep breath, she could make out his unique scent that she never could before or had ever noticed.


    Hearing: he was laughing at Xing Han, his overly sexy voice just hitting her ears like silk.


    Touch: she could feel the warmth of his body, as her chest was crushed against his firm chest, his strong arms enveloped around her.


    The only thing missing was the sense of taste.


    She blinked rapidly and gulped, stopping herself in time from doing something that would have crossed the line.


    This Kyle was lethal.


    If she, who had harboured no hidden intentions (or have any sort of feelings for Kyle) could feel this way just from a mere hug of his, what more those girls who had crushes on him?


    For the first time, she truly understood why those girls in Retsu Primary School had nearly stripped him naked during Valentine''s Day. When the story had been told the other time, she hardly believed it was that bad.


    I mean, come on she thought in disdain and disbelief. Girls couldn''t be that bad.


    She now knew better.


    Oh yes, she did.


    There and then, a crush was born - and Natasha groaned for it was the last day of school.


    It was for the best.


    So she gave Kyle one last squeeze then stepped back, to be given another group hug initiated by Xing Han. This time, it was the guys Stanley and Terence flanking her.


    Ali stood by the side, content to just be hugging Sophia instead. Hugging Natasha was too intimate a move for him.


    Sam? Well, Sam had Betty. It wasn''t that he was afraid Betty would be jealous, and he certainly did not think he would be cheating on her just for hugging a classmate who just happened to be a girl - but it''s simply because the said girl wasn''t Betty.


    He only liked to hug his bunbun* Betty.


    Natasha didn''t mind when she saw Ali and Sam from a distance.


    She knew the Elite Five had their own idiosyncrasies and she didn''t take it to heart. The hug wasn''t important. What they had gone through together, as Sage Class members, were what made the memories.


    "You may be leaving us today," Kyle said, giving his Colgate dazzling smile, "But you''re always a Sage Class member. Once a Sage Class, always a Sage Class. Remember to keep in touch."


    Natasha nodded.


    This move of Kyle created a network that served every member of Sage Class well in the future. After all, each and every Sage Class student had the vast potential to be successful in whatever they did. Some even became President.


    Yet, no matter how high that person went, once a Sage Class classmate contacted them, the help was extended.


    Of course, this only applied to Sage Class students who knew each other. The connection and help didn''t just come with the ''Sage Class'' label - it came through their connections with each other. It did help them gain an audience but whether they could get help depended entirely on their ability after that.


    There was no obligation to help.


    Kyle wanted to create this type of network but he didn''t want it to be abused. Hence, it turned into the form that it did through him laying the foundation. Being one of those in the pioneer batch made it easier for him to do so.


    Stanley looked at this scene, and his heart felt a bit heavy. Next year, it would be his turn. Time sure did pass by fast.

 Chapter 246 - A Big Announcement

    Xing Han and Kyle were in their dorm, cleaning up and locking things up.


    The Elite Five that stayed in the dorms had special permission to leave their things behind during the holidays. They had already signed the waiver forms which essentially stated that they would not hold the school responsible should any of their items go missing.


    Kay had the same treatment, so Sarah could enjoy the privilege as well.


    Xing Han was overly happy as his father had allowed him to stay with Kyle during the holidays. Of course, he had to go home and visit them first but the point is! It was a month with Kyle.


    The best thing?


    Xing Han could hang out with Kyle right now, for Kyle would be visiting his home as well. Kyle felt that it was only appropriate to do so, even though Xing Han told him that it wasn''t necessary. After all, he was the one imposing on Kyle and not the other way around.


    Not that he was complaining about it as it meant that he could spend more time with Kyle now.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he watched Xing Han pack. Which was essentially just stuffing everything into his bag. Knocking Xing Han''s head, Kyle pushed him aside and took out everything.


    "Look, you really need to learn how to pack properly," Kyle admonished him, "We''ll be traveling a lot so that means most of the time, we''ll be living out of our suitcases."


    Kyle folded back Xing Han''s clothes, rolling them up so that it saved space and created fewer creases.


    "If you were to pack like this, you''d spend half of the time just finding your clothes and ironing them," Kyle lectured, neatly putting everything inside.


    Xing Han pouted a bit and sighed, taking greater care this time when taking out the clothes from his closet.


    "Fine, fine," Xing Han said, "I''ll be more mindful now."


    Then he mumbled something about room service and hotel services. Kyle just laughed under his breath upon hearing this, while locking his suitcase.


    "Done?" Kyle asked patiently, watching Xing Han staring at the things in his hands.


    He kept looking at his right hand and his left then waving the items in front of Kyle, Xing Han asked, "Which one should I bring?"


    He lifted up his left hand, showing a ''Ghostbuster'' boxers and then his right hand, showing a ''Batman'' briefs.


    "Whichever one you''re more comfortable in," Kyle answered, "Do you prefer boxers or briefs?"


    "I don''t mind either," Xing Han said, studying the two intently, "But which one looks better on me? I kinda like the fun Ghostbuster one but maybe I should go for the cool Batman look?"


    Kyle''s mouth twitched at that and he asked with a serious face, "Why don''t you model them for me then? I can''t decide just by seeing it in your hands like that."


    Xing Han''s face looked like he just realised something and he went, "Oh GOSH! You are SO right! Wait a minute, I''ll go and wear them. Then you can tell me."


    Kyle couldn''t stop now and started laughing while hanging onto Xing Han.


    "Oh please, Xing Han," Kyle said, gasping as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "I was just messing with you. Just choose one, for goodness sake. Who''s going to be looking at your underwear anyway?!"


    Kyle patted Xing Han on the shoulder and walked to his suitcase, taking one last look in the room. Everything was clean and tidy, and he had already made sure the secret compartments were securely locked.


    Kyle wasn''t really worried about leaving them here, as there were already two layers of security. The first was a hidden security alarm that would send him a signal should the lock be tampered with and at the same time, sleeping gas that would be released.


    If anyone was to try and open the chest that had his items without pressing a certain hidden compartment and keying in the code, there would be a mini-explosion that would destroy all of its contents.


    And injure whoever had tried to take it.


    Of course, Kyle wasn''t stupid enough to leave any important files in there. It had been transferred out long ago as Kyle was hardly around this year. It was only his ''Ice'' disguise - he just liked messing around.


    Once they were all packed and ready, they went out and met Kay in the lounge. Sarah had already gone home - which, to be honest, Kyle was relieved about.


    Kyle had always known of Sarah''s feelings for him but since she didn''t act on it, he was content to let it be. However, he noticed there had been subtle changes in her behaviour lately. She was beginning to exhibit signs of jealousy and unhappiness whenever girls approached him.


    Or if he appeared to be enjoying their company.


    It was minute, but could become a bigger problem in the future.


    Sarah was Kay''s best friend, so Kyle didn''t want to disrupt that.


    Kyle also knew that friendships formed at this time could grow distant over the years once they graduated. There was no point in ''rocking the boat'' or creating problems - for all he knew, Sarah could grow out of it, or learn to accept it - or, there may be a falling out with Kay.


    Whatever it was, Kyle didn''t want to interfere. Yet.


    ? ? Master Shifu''s House ? ?


    Rheia watched in great happiness and contentment as she watched everyone eating at the dinner table. It had been a long time since everyone was gathered together. Well, even though there was one extra.


    Hawthorn and May, Kyle and Kay, Nitocris and the additional Xing Han.


    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han helped bring out the desert and as everyone was sitting enjoying it, Master Shifu tapped the table.


    The noise at the table quietened down and everyone looked at Master Shifu respectfully.


    "It warms my heart to see everyone here," Master Shifu said, "At one time, I was all alone. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined that I would be sitting here, amidst my new family."


    Everyone smiled at that, nodding.


    Life was strange that way. When Kyle chose Master Shifu, he didn''t think that he would become his ''second father''. In a way, Master Shifu more like a father to him than Patrick, his biological father. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was because Master Shifu not only trained him, he knew everything about him while Patrick only knew of the ''Kyle'' that Kyle had created. It wasn''t Patrick''s fault nor was it Kyle''s. It was just how it was.


    Xing Han sat there happily, feeling the warmth of the family atmosphere in the house. Even though he was in the dark about how they came to be, it didn''t matter to him. He accepted things as they were.


    Except for Nitocris.


    He didn''t quite like Nitocris.


    He didn''t know why.


    Master Shifu looked at everyone with a huge smile, "You have become the family by heart, and now, it will be a family by marriage."


    Kyle smiled, understanding where this was leading.


    "Nitocris," Master Shifu said, "I have asked your mother for her hand and she accepted. Will you approve of our union?"


    It was generally unheard of for the ''Father'' to ask the son for permission, but this was a unique case. Nitocris was the Head of the Household, so to speak, and was responsible for his mother upon his father''s death.


    Nitocris smiled, which was certainly a rare feat for him.


    It caused Kyle to widen his eyes in shock.


    Big Bro Nick can smile?!


    "Of course, Father," Nitocris said smoothly, easily accepting Master Shifu, "I have long accepted you as my Mother''s heart. I was merely waiting for this day."


    Rheia dabbed the side of her eyes, as she smiled and then came over to hug Nitocris. She then turned to hug Kyle, saying, "I know that even though you''re not Shifu''s biological son, you are in his heart. I hope you can call me Mother."


    Kyle smiled, hugging her back, "Of course, Mother."


    Rheia hugged Kay as well and went back to sit next to Master Shifu, holding his hand.


    Kay sighed and said, "Master Shifu and Auntie Rheia looks so happy."


    Kyle nodded in agreement.


    Nitocris turned to look at Kyle. Unlike his mother, he knew the true connection between his new Father and Kyle.


    "So I guess we''re truly siblings now, Kyle," Nitocris said with a sly smile, "And brothers must always help each other, right?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes and replied, "I''ve already helped you a lot of times."


    "Ah, but there''s a difference when a friend ask for help and when a brother does," Nitocris pointed out.


    Kyle snorted.


    He knew then that Nitocris would most likely start increasing the amount of missions he was handing out.


    Nitocris just chuckled, amused at Kyle''s reaction and completely ignoring the young boy beside him. Nitocris was extremely amused at the glare he could feel coming from the said young boy beside him. It had been a very long time since anyone dared to do so.


    Xing Han, was it?


    A slow smile spread on Nitocris''s face. Looks like he has found a cute little puppy to tease and play with.


    Xing Han watched the entire exchange while gritting his teeth. He didn''t say a word because it wasn''t his place to do so. If lasers could come out of his eyes, Nitocris would have been burned to a crisp long ago.


    Previously, Xing Han didn''t know why Nitocris rubbed him the wrong way.


    Now, at least, he had a solid reason.


    What is this brother-brother nonsense? It wasn''t like they were really brothers! His mother was marrying Kyle''s instructor. What has that got to do with being a brother?!


    HE was Kyle''s real brother!! HIM!! AND BFF!


    No one was going to take that position away from him.


    NO. ONE.

 Chapter 247 - The Weddings

    Nitocris continued to ignore the snarling little puppy beside him.


    "So, when''s the wedding?" Kyle asked.


    "We''re not having any," Master Shifu said, "It''s the second one for both of us and a simple registration at the Civil Bureau office with everyone as the witnesses is enough."


    Rheia nodded, smiling softly, "Yes. I just want a quiet one."


    Everyone nodded, understanding. The ones getting married were not them, but the ones in front of them so whatever Master Shifu and Auntie Rheia wanted, then they would get.


    "But we should still have our own private celebration after that, right?" Kyle insisted, "I''ll have dinner reserved so that we can celebrate."


    Master Shifu agreed.


    "So when is the date?" Kay asked.


    Master Shifu grinned widely, "Tomorrow."


    "WHAT?!"


    "Why wait?" Master Shifu asked cheekily.


    "Fine, fine. It''s your day," Kyle said, getting up and taking out his phone. He had some things to arrange.


    "Erm," came a hesitant voice at that moment.


    Everyone turned to look at Hawthorne, who had started standing up.


    "Erm," he began again, clearing his throat, "May and I ... well, we''d like to join Shifu and Rheia tomorrow."


    "You mean..?!" Kay gasped.


    "Yes," Hawthorn confirmed, "We''d like to get married as well."


    Then May blushed and said shyly, "We''d like to give our baby a proper family."


    It took a second for them to understand the implication of that statement before everyone started congratulating them. Master Shifu and Rheia were happy as well, with huge grins on their faces, not caring over the fact that Hawthorne and May''s news far surpassed theirs.


    It wasn''t a competition, after all.


    They were happy.


    Their family was growing.


    ? Next Day ?


    Two couples were sitting at the registration desk nervously.


    One old couple and one young couple. Both were dressed simply.


    Master Shifu was in his traditional black and white wedding outfit, known as the montsuki haori hakama. Though one say "simple", Master Shifu wasn''t really in simple clothes by his standards. The outfit was the most formal kimono for men.


    It was essentially a traditional formal kimono known as a mon-tsuki (a black formal kimono) that is adorned with the Kazo family crest. The material used is the highest class silk, known as the "Habutae".


    There were five of the said family crest, two in the lapels in front and three at the back. If Master Shifu was to stand up with his hands up straight at the side, the three family crest at the back would be seen to be one at each wrist and one right in the middle below the neck.


    Master Shifu wore a pair of striped hakama trousers (kimono pants), and a dark haori (kimono jacket).* The haori is not worn with a belt but is loosely tied in the front with a white pom-pom''ed tie (himo).


    However, Master Shifu opted for a pair of black dress shoes rather than white square-toe''d zori sandals worn with a pair of white tabi socks. It was more comfortable to walk long distances with his shoes than the sandals.


    There was no way Master Shifu would not dress up for his wedding. Even though it was only at the Civil Registratino Bureu, he did not want to dishonour his bride by wearing anything less.


    Rheia was in a simple white long dress and a small white hat on her head, her face partially covered with a veil. She looked elegant and demure.


    Hawthorne was in a white shirt, black tie and black dress pants with black dress shoes while May was in a flowing white dress that reached up to her knees. A slight baby bump could already be seen if one was to look closely, but it wasn''t truly noticeable yet.


    It was a simple process.


    First, they had to submit their identification papers and fill in the forms. Then, they were ushered into a room that had a desk with an official sitting in front of it. Since Master Shifu and Hawthorne were in the same group, all of them were in the room watching the process.


    They needed at least two witnesses, which actually meant they could be witnesses for each other. So that part was covered even if the others didn''t come.


    To ease the process, both couples sat at the desk, facing the official.


    He looked at the documents in front of him, the left one pertaining to Master Shifu and Rheia while the right one was for Hawthorne and May.


    He looked at Master Shifu and Rheia first.


    "Are you both single?" he asked solemnly.


    "Yes," Master Shifu replied, "I am divorced."


    "I''m a widow," Rheia declared.


    Both of them then submitted proof of their status. Master Shifu gave his Divorce Papers while Rheia submitted Kazuya''s Death Certificate.


    The official took them, did some writing onto a form while humming.


    After that, he gave them the marriage certificate and told them, "Please check the details to ensure that they are correct."


    Master Shifu and Rheia did so and nodded.


    "Please sign here, here and here," the official instructed.


    Once they did, he gave each of them a copy and kept one for himself.


    "Congratulations," he said with a beaming smile, "You are now officially married."


    Master Shifu smiled and Rheia kissed him on the cheek shyly.


    The smile on his face grew bigger.


    "Auw," Kay gushed, as she hung on Kyle''s arm, "Master Shifu looks so adorable!"


    Kyle smiled as well, happy to see that Master Shifu finally put the dark past behind him. After the death of his son and when his wife left him, Kyle knew that Master Shifu had that emptiness within him.


    The same sort of emptiness that Kyle had upon losing his spouse and children.


    When Kyle thought about it, he realised that when he had started recruiting people, he had subconsciously chosen those who shared something with him. That emptiness, that sense of longing that could not be explained.


    That was partly the reason why those working for Kyle personally were extremely loyal.


    Take Team Zero/Lucka etc for example. He was not only the one that saved them from the slums and a bad future, they felt a connection to him that they could not explain.


    How could Kyle, who grew up in such luxury, truly understand them, who grew up either in the slums or had experienced extreme hardship?


    Yet, despite how ridiculous it was, the bond was there. A bond that only grew stronger when they witnessed for themselves how hard he worked and how he was willing to protect them.


    The MIB people didn''t have the same sort of connection but they had respect and loyalty for their bosses. Again, every single one of them had been saved by Kyle and Kay, thus, the bond was strong.


    Kyle wasn''t naive. He knew it wasn''t perfect for human nature is like that. Still, he was also well aware of the fact that he had a good foundation.


    Kyle focused back on the ceremony at hand.


    The official asked Hawthorne and May the same questions, though this time they merely gave a sworn declaration that they were single. Neither of them had ever married before, thus the declaration (which was certified by a Commissioner of Oath) was sufficient.


    "Congratulations, you are now officially married," the official said as well.


    Hawthorne and May were smiling happily and he kissed her on the lips for a few seconds, then hugged her.


    Kay and Xing Han cheered loudly, while Kyle and Nitocris simply clapped.


    After the whole ceremony was over, Kyle guided them to the nearby restaurant for their private celebration.


    They were ushered into the private VIP room, and everyone was having a really good time. The food was plentiful and certainly luxurious. When it came to food, Kyle wasn''t that frugal. Since everyone there had various ethnic background, Kyle opted for a fusion style food.


    Nothing too adventurous that no one would know what to eat, of course.


    Just the normal and ''simple'' dishes of lobster, seafood and rice. There was also pasta and Chinese style soup (thick with pieces of tofu and egg). There were no ''rules'' or etiquette in eating so everyone was free to do as they pleased.


    Which is, in Kyle''s opinion, the best way to eat. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Nitocris leaned over and whispered to Kyle, "I need Ice tonight."


    Kyle turned his head a bit, taking a piece of fish with a chopstick and putting it in his mouth before saying, "That''s rather sudden, isn''t it?"


    "It just came up," Nitocris said nonchalantly, taking a piece of fish and putting it on Kyle''s plate.


    Kyle groaned, knowing that he couldn''t refuse and stabbed the fish.


    "This isn''t quite compensation, you know," Kyle mumbled.


    Xing Han, who was sitting on the other side of Kyle, pouted upon seeing this. With a huff, he took some lobster, peeled it and put a pile of lobster meat on Kyle''s plate. Xing Han then looked smugly at Nitocris.


    Nitocris saw this and gave a slow smile, just at one side of his mouth. He deliberately looked at Xing Han in the eye as he swirled some pasta, that was on his plate, on a fork then fed it to Kyle.


    Kyle''s attention had been distracted by the pile of lobster meat that Xing Han had given, but before he could turn his head to thank him, he felt something on his lips. Seeing that it was pasta, he obediently and instinctively opened his mouth, and had it shoved in.


    ''What the-'' was in Kyle''s mind.


    Kay, on the other hand, saw this and was busy laughing like crazy. She almost choked and taking gulps of water, tears forming in her eyes.


    [Congrats, dear brother]


    Kyle, chewing the pasta and being utterly oblivious to the shenanigans of his brothers beside him, looked towards Kay in puzzlement.


    [For what?]


    [Oh, nothing much really. Just have to babysit and appease Baby Xing Han]


    Kyle frowned and turned to look at Xing Han, who was now giving a silent snarl towards Nitocris. Kyle turned to look at Nitocris, who was busy smirking and ignoring the snarling Xing Han.


    Kyle sighed.

 Chapter 248 - Infiltration (I)

    That night, before going out to meet Nitocris as Ice, Kyle had to knock Xing Han out. He didn''t want Xing Han to know that he was going out, for Xing Han would definitely ask a million questions or insist on following.


    Kyle couldn''t have either.


    So he simply put Xing Han into deep sleep, to ensure that he wouldn''t wake up or be aware that he wasn''t inside the room. Kyle didn''t like using drugs, so utilising the pressure points and hypnotism was the best way to go.


    Though some may say that playing with the mind and nerves was just as bad. Kyle disagreed, for his method didn''t have any side effects nor long term effects. It was simply him ''persuading'' the brain to do certain things.


    Once done, and he was sure that Xing Han was asleep, Kyle changed into ''Ice''. This time, he wore his mask. Since Big Bro Nic asked for his help, it meant he would need to be incognito anyway. It certainly saved him from having to do the tedious make-up.


    ''Ice'' went out the door and Hawthorne was there. He looked at Kyle once, up and down, shrugged and walked to his room. Kyle grinned and went out.


    Upon reaching Nitocris''s HQ, Kyle reached into his pocket and took out a card. It was an ID card, issued by the Black Dragon. It had the Black Dragon logo as a holographic 3D image embedded on it, and a microchip at the back.


    Unlike other identification cards, this one did not have a picture of his face on it. The microchip served as a means to get information of the bearer from it.


    Naturally, Ice held one of the highest ID card and it allowed him access to the highest level in the building. In order to enter Nitocris''s office, Kyle would have to go through three levels of security.


    The first was, obviously, the front desk.


    In order to be able to enter, one would have to give their ID card and have a thumbprint scan. If the thumbprint scan did not match with the data on the microchip, the person would be shot on sight. Not to kill, but to maim and then torture for information.


    To get up to Nitocris''s office, Kyle would have to use the special lift. This was the second level of security. Only those on the list (which was updated daily) would be able to access the lift. Two cards needed to be inserted into the lift slots for the doors to open: the ID card of the approved guest and the lift supervisor''s card.


    The final security clearance was at the secretary''s desk just before Nitocris''s room. He would need to go through the usual ID scan, and have a body scan before surrendering his weapons.


    Even though they already knew that Ice was coming, he still had to go through the usual security measures. However, it was different when he reached the last security stop.


    When he opened the door, he recognised John, the secretary. He gave one brief nod to John, who took one look at ''Ice''s trademark ice-blue eyes and masked face''. Instead of asking for Kyle''s ID, he returned the nod and then went back to his work.


    Kyle frowned.


    He didn''t say a thing but went to walk past the desk as per normal. However, just as he was right in front of the desk, he suddenly stopped. He turned and in a flash, Kyle had reached over the desk, grabbed the guy by the throat, and brought it to his face.


    "What''s with this laid-back attitude?! You easily let anyone into Big Bro''s office?!" Kyle hissed.


    John chocked and tried to get free from Kyle''s iron grip, but it was no use.


    "No matter WHO walks that door, no matter who you think it is, always ... ALWAYS check the identity," Kyle growled, then flung him back to the chair in disgust.


    "I''m even wearing a fucking mask, you idiot," Kyle said, giving him a backhanded slap on the cheek. It was so hard that John''s head swung to the side, and his cheek was already red and bruising and some teeth were broken.


    Just as Kyle was going to give him another backhanded slap on the other side of the cheek, Nitocris''s voice was heard from the door, "That''s enough, Ice."


    Kyle glared at the now puffed-up bloodied face guy in front of him, sending shivers down his spine.


    "You''re lucky," Kyle hissed.


    Then Kyle turned and whined at Nitocris, "Whyyyyy?? It was just one gentle tap!"


    Nitocris just gave him a bored look, turned and walked back into his office, internally shaking his head.


    The moment Kyle''s ID was inserted at the entrance log, Nitocris had been notified. As he sat at his desk, working, he monitored Kyle via the security cameras until Kyle reached outside his office. He sighed when he saw how stupid John was being.


    True, no one could actually mistake Ice for anyone else.


    It wasn''t because of those unique coloured eyes of his. After all, it was something that anyone could copy simply by wearing the same contact lenses Kyle was using (not that anyone knew). It was his aura that sealed the deal.


    No one would be able to duplicate it. Even when he wasn''t doing anything, ''Ice'' was like a cobra that was ready to strike. Also, anyone who had been subjected to his ''death glare'' would unconsciously just start shivering whenever Ice walked by.


    There wasn''t anyone, who had come into contact with Ice, who wouldn''t be able to recognise him - even just from the back profile.


    His reputation was well deserved.


    However, Kyle was the type that took procedures very seriously. Even if you were sure of his identity, you do not skip the security process.


    Nitocris just sighed, rubbed his temples and walked out to stop Kyle. If left alone, John would probably be maimed for life.


    Nitocris couldn''t quite understand how the goofy kid, with an extremely goofy best friend, could turn around and be that cold killer Ice. He, himself, couldn''t be two completely separate personas. He merely softened a bit with his Mother, but that was it.


    What you see is what you get. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the time.


    After stopping Kyle, he walked back to his desk, fully aware that Kyle followed him in. Just as he sat down and before Kyle closed the door, Nitocris said, "John, the Cold Room for 3 weeks."


    John, the bloodied face guy, shivered once again.


    Kyle grinned, then closed the door.


    ? Building Tx ?


    Kyle was fully dressed in his black ninja outfit, perfectly blending into the night, staring at the building he had to infiltrate. He pursed his lips while scratching his head then sighed.


    [How''s the security?]


    [Everything is as clockwork, brother] Kay replied, munching on an apple while looking intently at all the security feeds of the building on her laptop [They haven''t changed a single thing]


    [Thanks]


    When Nitocris had told him about this, Kyle had initially thought Big Bro had gone mad. This was a simple data retrieval mission, so why was he immobilised? There were so many ways to get the information Nitocris wanted, such as either bribing the personnel involved or threaten them.


    However, the moment Nitocris revealed that this had something to do with Richard''s child trafficking ''business'', Kyle shut his mouth. For something like this, Kyle definitely wanted to be personally involved. He didn''t want anything to go wrong.


    Nitocris wanted everything to be done without the use of any ''outside'' help, thus reducing the risk of exposure or discovery.


    He wanted Kyle to go in and out, with no one the wiser as to what had happened.


    [These people seriously should learn to use comptures] Kyle complained while checking his equipment [You could just hack into their system and voila! Like, they are still using filing cabinets? Seriously?!]


    Kay laughed, her voice twinkling in his mind [It may not be efficient in terms of productivity but it sure is effective against leaking of company secrets]


    Kyle sighed.


    [Floor 30, window #16] Kay reported.


    [Got it] Kyle said, looking at the building and locating the window that Kay identified.


    Kay had improved the fly bugs and they were used for this mission. The building was alarmed, from the doors to the windows but they had neglected to place them on the windows in the middle of the building.


    Perhaps it was them thinking of ''cutting cost''. The lower 1/3 and upper 1/3 windows were alarmed and always locked (which set the alarm) so anyone trying to get in would trigger the alarm.


    They envisioned people getting in from below and abseiling from above, but most likely didn''t think anyone could reach the middle part without alerting anyone.


    Fine by Kyle. It made his job easier. Still, Kay surveyed the entire building and actually found one window within the ''no alarm'' zone, that was slightly open. Kyle prefered to use the safest method, so an open window in a ''no alarm'' zone was the optimum choice.


    As Kyle got into position to scale the walls, Kyle felt immense gratitude towards Nitocris for this.


    In truth, Nitocris could have gotten one of his highly skilled subordinates to do this, but he had known how important this ''child trafficking'' issue was with Kyle. He had noted it during Richard''s mission.


    Thus, Nitocris chose to hand the mission to him.


    Nitocris was not the type to show his emotions or affection - unless it was to his mother. However, Kyle could feel and sense the care that Nitocris had been showering upon him.


    They were small acts but he noticed them.

 Chapter 249 - Infiltration (II)

    Entering the building was easy.


    Once he slipped in, Kyle accessed from his memory banks the blueprint of the building''s inner layout. He then changed his clothes, put on a wig and shoes. Going out in the bright corridor with his dark ninja outfit would basically be screaming "INTRUDER!!".


    As Kyle walked to the records room, he kept in touch with Kay who would swap the image with still pictures everytime Kyle walked by. He would also look down and face away from the camera in order to minimise any exposure.


    Neither Kay nor Kyle took each other''s skill lightly, but they also would not take it for granted. Though Kyle was confident that Kay would hide his tracks, he wouldn''t be complacent.


    Kyle reached the records room without any trouble.


    This was actually only one of the rooms he had to go to. Kyle doubted that the information that he really wanted would be found here, but he had to try. He didn''t want to leave any stones unturned. After all, ''Kylie'' had died simply for saving some accounting records?


    Perhaps there was something here that may be hidden as well.


    ? Two hours later ?


    Kyle sighed, closing the last drawer.


    Nothing.


    So now he had to go to the other place.


    The CEO''s office.


    Which had more security.


    [Nothing here, Kay. Looks like Plan B then]


    [I suggest you wait another hour, brother] Kay said, looking at the time [There are less people around at that time]


    Kyle sighed and had to agree with Kay''s suggestion. After all, she was the one monitoring the situation.


    It would have been so much easier if all he had to do was just go in and get the information. If he met with anyone, he''d just knock them out.


    Unfortunately, he had to go in, and out, without anyone even knowing.


    Kyle decided to use the time to take a power nap. It would replenish his energy and help him gain focus again.


    [Kay, wake me up in 50mins]


    [Okay] she answered, taking a sip from her cappuccino. It helped keep her awake. While Kyle slept, she would need to be fully awake to ensure that his location was secure.


    She watched from her monitor as Kyle found a dark spot to lie down, and using the backpack as a pillow, he promptly fell asleep.


    Kay sighed and tapped her fingers on the screen.


    It was times like this that it hits Kay about the sort of burdens that lay on Kyle''s shoulders. Living two lives isn''t easy, and Kyle had it harder between the two of them. She was well aware of the fact that as the years pass by, Kyle got more and more stressed.


    He didn''t quite show it, but she could tell.


    The Fight Club incident was just the beginning.


    Whether Big Bro Nick knew it or not, but these missions really did help Kyle release the stress. Kay also felt that the stress build-up in Kyle was what created Ice. As Ice, he didn''t have to hold back. As Ice, he could truly vent as he wanted - and from what she heard, Ice really wasn''t someone you want being cross with you.


    Kay placed some fly bugs near the door and window of the room that Kyle was sleeping in, which would beep if there were any movements. She looked at the other cameras just to make sure that everything was as it should be.


    In a way, she felt like she was the unpaid help for the company that she was spying on. She laughed at that thought, then her hands stilled.


    Her eyes narrowed as she zoomed in one particular part of the building.


    It was brief, but it was there.


    On high alert, Kay started tracking the possible routes and location of that blur she had seen. Her eyes darted across the various screens, while her fingers went from one keyboard to the other.


    Kay was in the highly secure MIB cyber room, surrounded by the latest gadgets and tech as she monitored Kyle.


    [Kyle. Red alert]


    Kyle''s eyes shot wide open immediately and he got up in a flash.


    [Situation]


    [Intruder in CEO''s room] Kay reported.


    Kyle cursed under his breath.


    [Security?]


    [Green] Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. That meant that none of the alarms had been triggered so Kyle need not abandon the mission. He noted the time. It had only been a 15-minute nap. Ah, it was still better than nothing.


    Kyle went to work immediately, discarding any need for being quiet now. After all, the other person was already here, which means that there is a possibility he would trigger an alarm. Once that happens, security would be increased and Kyle would have even more difficulty to enter next time.


    So, the only move available was to get to the CEO''s room, knock the person out and get any possible information before leaving. Hopefully, the intruder will get the blame and Kyle can escape unnoticed.


    With that thought in mind, Kyle moved quickly through the corridors. For the most part, he managed to avoid any of the security guards patrolling but for those that he couldn''t, he took them out quickly.


    All in all, he had knocked 5 guards unconscious and left them in an empty room. From the security details, Kyle only had 10 minutes to get in and out. Once the knocked out guards did not report in, the whole building would go into red alert.


    [What''s the intruder doing?] Kyle just as he reached the door.


    [He managed to find the vault and is now going through some documents. Looks like he''s taking pics of them]


    [Location?]


    [Southwest, approximately 30 meters. There is a desk in front of the intruder, waist high]


    Kyle took out his slim knives from inside his shirt, then took out his face mask and put it on. Placing a hand on the doorknob, he took a deep breath and made his move.


    He entered, threw the knives in the direction that Kay had indicated, rolled to one side while kicking the door closed and turned to face the intruder. He tsked when he noted that the intruder''s reaction had been quick enough to avoid his knives and was in a fighting stance as well.


    "Not bad," Kyle praised as he came towards the desk where the intruder and documents were.


    The intruder didn''t say a word, but went out the other side of the desk, a knife glistening in his hands.


    Kyle observed the intruder in front of him.


    He was dressed all in black, with the top part of his face covered with a bandana with holes for his eyes to look through, while his bottom half was covered with a face mask.


    It looked like he was trying to be a ninja?


    Kyle''s mouth twitched at that.


    From the body frame, the intruder couldn''t have been more than a teenager. Perhaps this was a dare? Kyle shook his head at that ridiculous thought. What the kid was doing here was far too dangerous to be a dare.


    An initiation?


    That would explain the risk factor and the ... unusual dress factor. As he wasn''t yet official, he wasn''t worthy to wear the outfit. Thus, he made do with the shirt, pants, and headgear.


    Kyle had to admit, this kid was pretty innovative. And brave.


    Of course, having a 14-year-old boy calling another young boy, a "kid" was pretty funny. If the intruder could hear what Kyle was calling him, he''d probably vomit blood.


    "We''re here for the same thing," Kyle began slowly after making these deductions, "We''ll get our things, and leave. There is no need to fight."


    The other figure didn''t respond but didn''t attack either. By now, Kyle had reached the documents.


    "I''ll not disturb you, so you can finish your initiation test" Kyle said as he flipped through the documents. He noted with satisfaction the way the guy''s eyes opened wide, indicating that his guess had been correct.


    He obviously had a long way to go though, since he let that sort of emotion filter through.


    [Kay, keep an eye out on the intruder. If he even twitches, let me know.]


    [Gotcha]


    Kyle took just a minute to flip through everything and commit it to memory. He then looked into the safe and noted there was nothing there of interest.


    "Hope we don''t meet again," Kyle said as he walked to the window.


    Reaching behind him, he took out the ninja top and put it on. His pants were already dark, so he didn''t need to change that. Kyle gave one last look at the intruder, who hadn''t moved from his position and was simply staring at Kyle all this while.


    "One tip," Kyle said, "Always be in a ready fighting stance, but don''t be so tensed up when doing so. Otherwise, you''ll just tire yourself out before the fight even starts."


    Kyle slid the window open, swung one leg out then looked at hsi watch.


    "Oh yes," Kyle said, as he looked at his watch, "You have 5 minutes to take what you need and leave. They''re going to notice that some of their guards are missing and will raise the alarm."


    Kyle grinned upon seeing the glare the intruder gave him. He gave a salute, then dropped down.


    The intruder let out a gasp and ran to the window quickly, only to see that Kyle had opened a small parachute and was safely landing. Even the parachute was dark in colour, so one didn''t really notice it as the moon was behind the clouds.


    "Damn, that guy''s good," the intruder said, "Annoying, but good."


    Kay, who was busy watching the intruder, was in shock. She couldn''t believe what she heard. She accessed the voice record of the nearby fly bug, and listened again. Kay started tapping her fingers on the desk then ran a few diagnostic tests.


    Seeing the results, Kay was silent as she continued to watch the intruder finishing up taking snapshots of the documents before keeping it back into the vault. The intruder left through the window as well, but abseiled down.


    [Brother, about that intruder ... ]


    [What?] Kyle asked, as he started running towards home after packing up his parachute.


    [It was a girl]

 Chapter 250 - Xin Han’s Family

    Kyle was surprised at that.


    The fact that she hadn''t spoken, and was of a small stature now made sense, but it also meant he wouldn''t be able to guess the age anymore. Earlier, he thought the intruder had been around 12? Now, though, she could have been 15? 16?


    Kyle shrugged.


    Didn''t matter.


    It''s not like they were going to meet again anyway.


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle was exhausted.


    After leaving the place, he had to go and ''download'' all the information in his head. The advantage of his photographic memory was that he didn''t need to waste time taking pics of the documents or risk losing the equipment.


    The disadvantage was that he had to reproduce everything.


    Luckily, it had all been texts, so all Kyle needed to do was speak into a microphone and the computer typed it all out. He watched the texts of words on the screen as he dictated and once completed, sent it to Nitocris through encrypted email.


    The information he obtained was rather valuable. It had the name list of whom Kyle presumed were the clients. There was some coded stuff in there, too, so Kay would most likely decipher that later on. As for Kyle, he''d go through the materials in greater depth at another time.


    For now, it was time to sleep. His eyes were a bit blurry from focusing on the computer screen so much and he was yawning by the time he trudged into bed at 7am.


    He smiled as he saw Xing Han still snoring away, his mouth wide open with a slight drool at the side of his mouth. Kyle slumped onto his own bed and was asleep in seconds.


    It felt like he had just closed his eyes when he was being rudely shaken awake by a wailing ... whale? Puppy?


    "Come on, Kyle! Wake up!!" Xing Han was saying, his hands on Kyle''s shoulder while vigorously shaking him, "It''s already 9am!!"


    Kyle opened up one eye, pushed Xing Han''s hand and pulled up the blanket to his neck while saying, "Shut up. It''s only 9 am."


    "Our flight is at 11 am, Kyle!" Xing Han said, continuing to shake him.


    "I have time," Kyle mumbled, turning over, "Give me 30 minutes more..."


    Xing Han stared incredulously at Kyle. Since when was this morning person, who was always up at the crack of dawn, not able to get up?


    Just as he was about to shake Kyle again, he heard Kay saying to him from the doorway, "Let him be. Whenever it''s the break, he''d sleep the whole morning."


    Of course, that was a lie, but she needed a cover as to why Kyle was still asleep.


    Xing Han puffed his cheeks, shrugged and looked at his watch. They would need to be at the airport an hour before time, so he guessed there was time. If Kyle said 30 minutes, then he must be confident of being able to get ready by then.


    Kyle had never let him down before.


    "Come on. Let''s have breakfast," Kay said.


    "I had breakfast already," Xing Han replied. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So?"


    He grinned. That''s right! So?


    Rubbing his hands together gleefully, he followed Kay down to the dining room. Auntie Rheia made the best banana pancake ever! With the fluffy texture of the pancake and caramelised banana slices in it ...


    Xing Han''s mouth drooled and he picked up the pace.


    However, upon entering the dining room area, he frowned.


    Nitocris was sitting there, having his breakfast. He was busy flipping through some files while Auntie Rheia piled some pancakes on his plate. She even buttered it and poured syrup over it!


    Xing Han scoffed at that blatant pampering. Nitocris was an old man already and yet, he let his own mother, baby him like that?


    He was about to turn around and go back when he thought ... why should he? Kyle was still asleep upstairs so he was safe from Nitocris. Kay was at the table as well, so she would be his shield.


    With a determined look, Xing Han headed to the table.


    Just as he sat down, however, Nitocris asked Kay, "Kyle still asleep?"


    "Yes," Kay answered simply, smiling as she took the plate of pancakes from Auntie Rheia and thanking her.


    Nitocris tsked, loud enough for Xing Han to hear.


    "No energy just from that? And here I thought, he was the young one," Nitocris said, seemingly under his breath. He finished up his pancake, drank his coffee then kissed his mother on top of her head.


    "I''ll be heading off now, Mum," Nitocris said.


    "Good, good," Rheia said, patting his shoulder, "Next time, don''t tire your brother out like that."


    "I won''t, Mum," Nitocris replied, "I''ll know how to hold back next time, now that I know what''s his stamina."


    Nitocris walked off, hiding his smirk while Xing Han hand was shaking as he stared at the pancake in front of him.


    "Aren''t you eating, dear?" Rheia asked worriedly.


    Xing Han blinked, pushed the pancake aside and apologized, "I''m sorry, Auntie Rheia. I just remembered there are some things I have to pack."


    Rheia nodded in understanding while Xing Han ran off to Kyle''s room.


    When Xing Han saw Kyle still sleeping, he gritted his teeth and went to wake him up again. This time, however, he glomped on Kyle first. Then, using both hands, he began shaking Kyle.


    "Come on, Kyle! Wake up! If you don''t get up and get ready now, I''ll bathe you right in bed!!" Xing Han declared.


    He stopped shaking Kyle when he felt Kyle''s hands on his, then he looked straight into Kyle''s eyes. The dopey look that Kyle had with the sleep still heavy in them made Xing Han want to pinch his cheeks. Kyle rarely looked so vulnerable.


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked sleepily.


    At that question, Xing Han wailed. Only Kyle understood him! Just from him shaking Kyle awake, Kyle knew that there was something wrong. Xing Han had to save his innocent brother from the evil hands of that so-called person.


    "Nothing! Nothing! I just miss my family so much! I can''t wait for you to meet them!" Xing Han said, lying smoothly.


    Kyle rubbed his eyes sleepily and yawned, "Fine, fine. I''m getting up, I''m getting up. See?"


    Xing Han nodded vigorously, then gave Kyle one big hug, "You''re my bestest best friend, right? Right?"


    Kyle patted Xing Han indulgently on the back and then pushed him aside, "Of course. Now git."


    Xing Han didn''t think anything inappropriate happened between Nitocris and Kyle last night, but he was sure that Nitcoris was the reason for Kyle being so tired. For that, he hated Nitocris even more.


    ? Tan Mansion ?


    "When is his flight again?" asked Zh¨¨nl¨ªn, Xing Han''s father.


    Puay Kiow, Xing Han''s mother, replied, "It''s arriving at 2pm."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn nodded in acknowledgement.


    "Is Kyle really coming as well?" asked Karen (Tan Kai Ling), Xing Han''s eldest sister. She, like the rest of her sister, preferred to use their English names. Only Xing Han was not allowed to have an English name since he was the heir.


    "Yes," answered Puay Kiow.


    "He''s hot," said Jessica (Tan Yi-Lyn), Xing Han''s second elder sister, "If he wasn''t younger than me, I''d certainly try my hand."


    "It''s a good thing I''m the youngest then," piped up Rose (Tan Hing Huen) with a smile as she flipped through Kyle''s IG and pouted, "His IG hasn''t been updated lately. I wonder what sort of thing he''s been up to this year."


    "Kai Ling, Yi-Lyn and Hing Huen!"


    Their father''s voice boomed loudly at the dining table, "At the dinner table, we eat. Put away your phone now, Hing Huen!!"


    Rose quickly put down her phone, face chastised.


    The three had them been excited to learn that Xing Han''s best friend was finally coming to their house. Ever since primary school, all it had been was ''Kyle this, Kyle that'' and it drove them bonkers.


    After listening to Xing Han boast about Kyle so much, that they tuned him out everytime he started babbling about Kyle. The moment they knew he was the Smith Heir, they shrugged it off. Another typical rich kid, spoilt rotten or something.


    They never had the inclination to dig up about Kyle, or google him up, so none of them had ever known how Kyle looked like. All the boasting Xing Han had done, was put down to his ''overly exaggerated rendition'' of Kyle.


    They never took it seriously.


    That is, until the IG came out.


    It was purely out of luck that they found out about it, and it was all thanks to Rose.


    Or rather, her classmates.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    It was a day like any other day.


    Everyone got up, had breakfast, went to school.


    However, when Rose entered her classroom, it was obviously NOT a normal day. They were buzzing like flies, with the occasional squeals and gasps and all the normal sounds made when they gathered in a group to admire someone.


    Rose placed her bag on her table and noted that the girls were doing most of the squealing while the guys were either scoffing at what they were looking at, or appeared thoughtful (or perhaps, envious?).


    Obviously, a new celebrity came out. That was what Rose thought.


    "Hey, what''s going on?" Rose asked the closest girl.


    "You mean you don''t know??" her classmate asked.


    Rose resisted an eye roll as she answered patiently, "No."


    Well, like D-uh. If she knew, why would she ask?


    With a grin, the girl did something on her phone while saying, "Wait a minute. Okay. Here."


    Rose took the phone and looked at it, instantly transfixed.


    A death-defyingly gorgeous black-and-white picture of a guy teasingly showing off that drool-worthy body?!


    Rose''s eyes darted over the phone, trying to see the name of the person, while asking, "Just who is this?!"


    The girl said smugly, "Kyle Smith."


    Rose nearly dropped the phone.


    No. Freaking. Way.


    It couldn''t be the same Kyle Smith, could it? Xing Han''s best friend? The one that Xing Han stuck to like glue?


    Rose looked at the picture again.


    Damn. It was great being a Tan.

 Chapter 251 - Teaser Trailer

    Xing Han and Kyle were sitting in First Class, enjoying the airplane ride.


    Well, Xing Han was at least. Kyle was merely curled up in his seat, blanket tucked in.


    They were in First Class out of Xing Han''s insistence, for he knew what a poor flyer Kyle was. He couldn''t have his BFF suffer in business class now, could he? The first-class seats were much bigger and spacious, and most importantly - only two chairs side by side.


    So Xing Han took the role of being Kyle''s nurse very seriously.


    After all, Kyle was taking the flight to accompany him in meeting his family, right? It was the least that he could do.


    He made sure Kyle was nicely tucked in. He would dab Kyle''s forehead if it was sweating - actually, it wasn''t but Xing Han felt he had to do it anyway. He remembered the ''sour plum in 7-up'' concoction that Kyle had told him about.


    He asked the stewardess for the soft drink, then carefully taking out the valuable sour plum from his pocket (that he had placed in a small container) and put it in the cup. He put this on his own tray rather than Kyle''s, so that Kyle had space to just curl up in the chair.


    Xing Han had bought the sour plum in bulk the moment he found out about it. So he had a whole steady supply of it in the dorms, at Master Shifu''s house and at his own house.


    The flight stewardesses saw the meticulous care Xing Han was giving Kyle and their hearts melted.


    Kyle, in the meantime, was dead to the world. He was sleepy and added to the whole airplane ride, he was knocked out immediately upon take-off.


    Xing Han had to wake him up for landing, as his seat had to be placed back upright.


    With his hair out of place from being curled up at the seat, eyes dopey looking from waking up. Kyle stretched a bit, his elbows bent and pressed back as he twirled his neck. Rubbing the back of his neck, Kyle blinked, getting the sleepiness out of his eyes.


    Xing Han didn''t think he''d ever see Kyle looking so disheveled and unkempt.


    Of course, that was only in Xing Han''s eyes.


    To the others, though ...


    What they saw was a good-looking young man, his hair sexily messed up, causing his fringe to fall over that smokey bedroom-eyes as he looked in front. When he stretched, the muscles seemed to strain even more against his tight-fitting white V-neck T-shirt, showcasing the muscles underneath and giving a tantalizing view of his collarbone.


    There was a collective gulp in the air.


    Xing Han heard a strange noise and turned his head, frowning but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just the stewardesses all bustling about in the cabin while the other passengers were completely engrossed in their reading of the inflight magazine.


    Shrugging, he turned back to Kyle, wondering what was so interesting in the inflight magazine to have them read it to intently. He handed Kyle the sour-plum drink concoction while putting up the tray, carefully holding on to Kyle''s jacket.


    As Kyle would often curl up in the airplane, he opted to wear a simple tight-fitting T-shirt and jacket. The tight-fit T-shirt wouldn''t crease as much from his curling up on the seat, and any creases would be covered by the jacket.


    Of course, he did cause a little bit of sensation when he took off his jacket before sitting down. Which was another reason why Kyle had so many eyes on him the entire time. Something both were oblivious to.


    Kyle, because he was just too airsick while Xing Han ... S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, it''s Xing Han. What do you expect?


    Kyle gave Xing Han a lazy smile of thanks and took the drink, relishing the soury-fizzy taste that seemed to settle his stomach somewhat.


    Kyle then leaned back on the chair and braced himself for the landing.


    Gah. He hated flying.


    ? ? Xing Han''s Home ? ?


    While waiting for Xing Han to come home, the sisters passed the time in the living room, doing their own thing. The two younger ones on their smartphones, while the eldest had a book.


    Rose was browsing through her IG account when something popped up.


    "Wow," Rose said, "Listen to this! The new John Wick movie released a teaser trailer!!"


    "Really?" said Karen, not really interested. Action movies were not really her thing.


    "When is it going to be released?" asked Jessica.


    Rose scrunched up her face, "It doesn''t say here. Wanna see the trailer?"


    Jessica nodded and scooted over to sit next to Rose. From the screen, they could see that the teaser trailer was 1 minute and 44 seconds.


    Their heads close together as Rose pressed ''play''.


    [Teaser Trailer]


    Dramatic music started in the background, with Lawrence Fishbourne''s voice being heard saying, "The Man, the Myth, The Legend."


    "John Wick ... Chapter 4" flashed by, followed by the ''Lionsgate/Summit logo''.


    Several other scenes were given, mashed together. John Wick in a room, heavily injured.


    ''Summit Entertainment Presents'' flashed by the screen.


    A scene showing a young boy training, face hidden - only his back was seen as he lifted weights.


    Flashed to a young boy tied naked on a chair, his face hidden as it was face down, and he was being tortured. Flashed to various fighting scenes, the face not shown as it was seen from the back.


    This was followed with scenes of John Wick recuperating, his body full of bandages and taking medicine. It then showed John Wick ''playing'' with various types of guns as he picked them and shot them. Cut to various fighting scenes, explosions everywhere.


    The background music kept building up from something slow, to its current ''top'' moment.


    The scene stilled.


    Two figures were facing each other.


    John Wick, in his usual dark suit, facing a young boy.


    For the first time, the camera zoomed in on the young boy, who was dressed all in black, the tight-fitting clothes accentuated his lean muscular physique. The vintage style black leather jacket that he wore couldn''t hide it.


    The young boy lifted his head, and there was a brief second that showed his face before the screen went black.


    John Wick''s voice was heard, "NO".


    Followed by Lawrence Fishbourne''s voice, "The Man, the Myth, The Legend ... has finally met his match."


    ''2020''


    June


    [End]


    The girls sat, transfixed, looked at each other and then screamed.


    "Was that...?! That was, wasn''t it?!" Rose was screaming at her sister, grabbing her by the shoulders.


    "It was! It was!! QUICK! Check the credits!!" Jessica screamed as well.


    Karen glared at them, "What the hell is going on? Can you tone down that screech of yours?"


    Karen was doing something really rare. She wasn''t looking through her phone, but was actually reading a book. Her sisters loud screaming interrupted her enjoyment of reading and she was quite annoyed.


    The two didn''t hear her though, as they were so engrossed with their phone.


    "O.M.G." Rose said, her eyes wide.


    "It really is him," Jessica gasped.


    Amongst the names of the actors in the film, there it was: Kyle R. Smith


    They looked at each other again then replayed the teaser trailer again.


    "O.M.G." Rose said again, "Just look at that body ..."


    "Is he really naked there?!" Jessica screeched.


    "Who cares?!" Rose said loudly, "I''m going to watch this the moment it comes out!!"


    "You can''t go without me!" Jessica shouted, grabbing Rose by the shoulders, almost practically screaming it.


    "Just what is going on here?" came a voice from behind them, "Why are the two of you screaming like banshees?"


    The two sisters stopped, turned and screamed.


    Xing Han put his hands over his ears while Kyle took a step back, his eyes a wide open in shock.


    "Yi-Lyn! Hing Huen!" boomed their father''s voice. He could hear them from his room and he had come down when the screeching didn''t seem to stop. It was bad enough that they were making such a ruckus, but to be caught while there was a guest?


    How embarrassing.


    The two sisters immediately quietened down, their eyes wide open while putting their hands over their mouths. They looked down, suitably chastised.


    Glaring at his two daughters that had not been acting like a lady befitting the Tan name, he made a mental note to give them a talking to later. For now, he greeted Xing Han and Kyle.


    "I am home, Father," Xing Han said respectfully then turned to the woman beside him, "Mother."


    Puay Kiow smiled, coming over to give Xing Han a hug, "You have slimmed down, Xing Han. That is good."


    Xing Han gave a wide smile, "Yes, Mother. I will work hard."


    "Good," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn said, nodding his head.


    "This is my best friend, Kyle," Xing Han said proudly, though he really wanted to say BFF FOREVER but in front of his parents, he had to be the serious son.


    Kyle stepped up, shaking Zh¨¨nl¨ªn''s hand, saying, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Tan. Thank you for having me here."


    "It''s our pleasure," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn said, "It''s the least we can do in return for your help with Xing Han."


    "It''s Xing Han who is helping me, Mr. Tan," Kyle replied honestly, "His insights are very useful for me."


    "That is good," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn said, as he turned to face Xing Han proudly. His son truly did turn out well.


    "Why don''t you go and settle down first," Puay Kiow said, smiling gently.


    "I will, Mother, thank you," Xing Han replied.


    "Thank you, Mrs. Tan," Kyle said, "You have a lovely home."


    Puay Kiow smiled widely and watched lovingly while Xing Han brought Kyle over to his room.


    Just as they left, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn turned to face his two daughters, whose faces were bright red and were looking suitably embarrassed. Seeing them like that, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn decided to be lenient, thinking that they had realised how badly they had behaved earlier and was repenting.


    Little did he know that their horrified expression and contrite manner were not out of repentance over their screaming ... but for the fact that Kyle had seen them at their worst.


    Karen scoffed internally at her two sisters predicament.


    Although she didn''t know what caused them to suddenly break all decorum and act like hooligans off the street, she knew that being seen in such a light by the one that they had been waiting for anxiously, had hit them very hard.


    Karen looked at Xing Han''s closed bedroom door and went back to her book.


    Not bad. Not bad at all.

 Chapter 252 - ’Major’ Discovery

    When Kyle entered Xing Han''s bedroom, he saw that it was decorated simply.


    Actually, it didn''t even look like something Xing Han would have willingly chosen for himself.


    It was like entering a museum of sorts. Wooden furniture, which looked like mahogany wood, filled the bedroom. It was solid wood, thick and heavy-looking - unlike the seemingly flimsy type of wood you''d normally see.


    There was a huge King size (wooden) bed with a big headrest, two heavy-set wooden bedside tables. The wardrobe was also made of wood. A rectangular-shaped table and thick-set chair were set at another wall. A bookcase. All wood.


    Everything had these intricate designs


    "This is your room?" Kyle asked, with his eyebrows raised.


    "Slightly ''modern'' ancient style," Xing Han said with a sigh as he dumped his suitcase to one side, "Believe me, this bed is already an improvement. It could have been like those really ancient styles with bedpost and those damn heavy curtains."


    Xing Han shuddered.


    "It''s to let me ''delve into my roots'' sort of thing," Xing Han explained, "I must not be swayed by the modern culture and what-not. So they''re pretty happy that I have you as they see that as me ''valuing bonds''."


    "Which you do," Kyle said with a smile, putting his suitcase next to Xing Han''s.


    Xing Han shrugged, "I suppose."


    "How long are we staying?" he asked, opening his wardrobe and gave a slight grimace.


    With such furniture, if it isn''t aired often, it has this dusky smell. None of the maids that cleaned his room while he was away dared to open his desks and wardrobe, so he had to do it himself each time he came home.


    "Why?" asked Kyle, as he sat down at the edge of the bed, "You don''t want to stay for a week or so?"


    Xing Han turned around, his face aghast in horror, saying, "Don''t you even suggest such a thing!"


    Kyle grinned, wriggling his eyebrows, then rubbed his chin, saying, "Why not? Your family seems pretty -"


    Before Kyle could finish, Xing Han had rushed at him, pushing him down on the bed. Towering over him as Kyle was busy laughing, Xing Han climbed over, straddled him and grabbed him by collar.


    "No no no no!!" he hissed, his face inches away from the still laughing Kyle.


    There was a slight knock before the door opened, and Rose walked in, "Brother, do you ..."


    She stopped.


    She stared.


    Her brother was straddling Kyle. On the bed.


    She blinked.


    "Brother, are you and Kyle ..." she began.


    Xing Han''s eyes narrowed at her, and he growled, "Don''t you ever knock?!"


    She pouted, stomping her foot, "I did!"


    Kyle placed his hand on Xing Han''s chest and pushed him off, "At least get off first, Xing Han. Yeesh."


    Xing Han didn''t move at first, giving Kyle a glare before he got off. He swung his legs over Kyle''s chest and then jumped off the bed. He walked over to Rose, each step purposeful while his face showing his intense displeasure.


    This was a side of Xing Han that he never showed in school.


    At school, Xing Han let loose and was himself. At home, he had to be the Tan Heir, so he had to be serious, and formal. He had to be firm as he would be the Head of the Household in the future.


    Getting caught playing around with Kyle was a being a bit out of character, but scolding Rose would not be. He was annoyed at her anyway, so it was easy enough.


    Kyle sat up on the bed, running his hand through his hair as he watched Xing Han stare down his sister, "Knocking and then entering before I answer doesn''t count!!"


    He put his hands on Rose''s shoulders, turned her around and pushed her out the door, slamming it.


    Then he opened it again, just putting his head out as he glared again at his sister, and said, "Do not disturb!"


    He snarled and slammed the door again in Rose''s face.


    Xing Han wasn''t blind.


    He had seen how sparkly his sister''s eyes had been when she saw Kyle earlier. This was the reason why he had never invited Kyle to his home before. These harpies at home would have ruined it and he was afraid it would have scared Kyle away.


    Now that they were older, he didn''t have that fear anymore. But it was still annoying.


    In Greek mythology, harpies were female monsters (half-human, half-bird) who caused mischief and tormented wrongdoers. In Xing Han''s eyes, his sisters fit the bill but instead of tormenting wrongdoers, they tormented him and any good-looking male species.


    Xing Han turned to Kyle who was now lying down on the bed, the amused expression still evidetn on his face.


    "You now know why I don''t want to stay for long, right?!" Xing Han said, pouncing on the spot next to Kyle.


    "We can always avoid them," Kyle said pacifyingly, "We''re here for your parents anyway, not them. It''s no different than avoiding the girls at school, right?"


    Xing Han mumbled something incoherently.


    Kyle patted Xing Han''s chest, saying, "Don''t worry about it and don''t overthink it. I''m fine."


    "You have no idea how they''re like," Xing Han warned.


    "I can handle it," Kyle said.


    He, too, had seen the way the sisters had looked at him. All three of them.


    Rose and Jessica were just the ones that were too expressive about it while the eldest - there had been a flicker of interest in those eyes as she looked at him above the book she had been reading.


    That one was not a danger at all for Kyle could also see that she wasn''t like most. She saw, she admired, she set aside. Kyle figured she only saw him as a kid. After all, he was her younger brother''s friend.


    It was the youngest sister that he had to be careful of. She was still very young, so he couldn''t be too harsh on her. She was, after all, Xing Han''s sister.


    An idea formed in his head.


    "You know, there is one way to get your sister to take a step back," Kyle said.


    "What? How?"


    "She obviously thought there''s something going on between us from our pose earlier," Kyle said with a smile, "So let''s just ... encourage that? Subtly, of course."


    Xing Han looked at Kyle.


    "Really? You''d go down that route?" he asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "Why not? Not in front of your parents, though."


    Xing Han laughed, "Most definitely."


    He rubbed his hands together. Actually, this was going to be fun.


    ?? ??


    Rose stood outside her brother''s room in shock, her mind racing as she processed what she had seen earlier and how angry he had been.


    The anger part was already surprising, for, despite the strict demeanor Xing Han showed, he had always been gentle. He had actually been angry?


    Angry enough to ban her from his room?


    Do not disturb????


    Rose''s eyes went wide and she quickly ran to the living room, where Jessica was still lounging around.


    Jessica''s eyebrows went up when she saw Rose coming down quickly, "You didn''t really go to Xing Han''s room, did you?"


    Rose nodded, and sat down next to her, grabbing her hands.


    "You did?! Really?!" Jessica gasped in disbelief.


    After that completely embarrassing display right in front of Kyle, Rose was that thick-skinned as to go up to meet him?!


    Rose nodded again, this time, hardly stopping. Her mouth opened, then closed as she bit her lower lip. Should she tell Jessica about it? This was, after all, her brother''s private matter so should she just give it out like that?


    Heck, yes.


    "Sister," Rose said seriously, "We can only watch Kyle from afar."


    Jessica gave her the ''what-you-talking-about'' look. Rose felt important, having this juicy piece of secret that she was about to spill.


    "We agreed that we would never, ever ever ever, steal each other''s boyfriends, right?" Rose said.


    "Yes," Jessica answered, "What has that got to do with Kyle?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No touching another sibling''s boyfriend," Rose clarified.


    "Yes, again, what has that got to do ...." Jessica began again and then stopped, her mouth going ''O''.


    "NO," she gasped.


    Rose nodded again.


    "Are you sure?" Jessica said, not believing this, "I mean, I know Xing Han like, worships Kyle, but ... really?"


    "If I hadn''t caught him on top of Kyle on his bed just now, I wouldn''t have thought of it either," Rose said, her voice lowered.


    "O.M.G." Jessica gasped, then said, "Maybe they were just playing around?"


    Rose shook her head, looking all serious and feeling all important, "Then why would he push me out of his bedroom just now?"


    "Er, because you''re annoying?" Jessica answered with a straight-face.


    Rose ignored that.


    "And forbade me from going back in?" Rose pressed on, "Brother has never done that before."


    "You''re thinking too much," Jessica said, refusing to believe it.


    "You didn''t see what I saw, Sister," Rose insisted, "Xing Han''s face was THIS close to Kyle''s."


    She brought her face up to Jessica''s, her lips almost touching hers.


    "If I had walked in later, I would have caught them kissing," Rose declared, leaning back, proud of her deduction.


    Jessica shook her head, still not convinced.


    "Let''s observe them first," she said after a while, "We can''t let Mum and Dad know."


    "Of course," Rose said, "Do you think I''m crazy? If they found out brother is gay, they''d literally beat it out of him."


    Jessica put her hand over Rose''s mouth, "Don''t EVER say that. Even when they''re not around. We have to be very, very careful."


    Rose nodded.


    Jessica put her hand away, satisfied. This younger sister of hers might get Xing Han in trouble with her over-enthusiastic observation of their brother. That cannot happen.


    The Tan siblings may annoy each other and have disagreements but in truth, they were actually very close.

 Chapter 253 - Creating Misunderstandings

    The next day, Kyle and Xing Han started their little play.


    Before that, however, Kyle looked at Xing Han seriously and asked, "I can lay it on pretty thick. How much can you take?"


    Xing Han looked at him with his eyebrows raised.


    "Me? Pfffffft," he said, while waving his hand in front of his face, "I can take whatever you dish out."


    Kyle smirked, "Okay. You said it. Don''t regret it now."


    Xing Han grinned and replied confidently, "You just watch out for yourself. I can give as much as I get."


    "Oh really?" Kyle said, his face showing disbelief.


    Xing Han brought his face close, "Really."


    "Shall we make a bet then?" Kyle proposed.


    "What sort of bet?" Xing Han asked curiously.


    "The one who cringest first, loses." Kyle said.


    "Hah. That isn''t fun," Xing Han said, "Who gets the most reaction from Rose and Jessica, wins."


    Kyle thought about it, "Not bad. You sure about this?"


    Xing Han snorted.


    He made as if he spit on his hand and offered it for a shake. There was no actual spit involved cuz that was just too icky. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle did the same and they shook hands, both grinning.


    ? Breakfast ?


    At the dining table, breakfast was served.


    It was a typical breakfast dish: congee with several types of various condiments that they would add in themselves. The choices were pickled vegetables, fermented tofu, peanuts, eggs, and minced meat (that had been fried).


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was at the head of the table, with his wife on his left and Karen on his right. It should have been Xing Han instead of Karen, but he refused to sit there as he wanted to be next to his mother. Kyle sat down next to Xing Han while Rose and Jessica were directly in front of them.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn ate quickly, as he had a meeting to go to. Puay Kiow followed him to see him off, after telling the kids to continue eating.


    Xing Han missed congee and he liberally sprinkled the pickled vegetables, minced meat, and peanuts. He was busy eating, taking big mouthfuls of congee, smiling contentedly.


    Kyle took his own bowl of congee and just added minced meat with pickled vegetables, and started eating. He turned to look at Xing Han then tsked, a gentle look on his face. Putting down his spoon, Kyle reached out towards Xing Han and grabbed his chin.


    Xing Han had just taken a spoonful of congee when he felt Kyle take him by the chin, then turn to face him.


    "Xing Han," Kyle said with a smile, "What are you? A 3-year old?"


    Swallowing the congee that was in his mouth, Xing Han asked, "What?"


    With his thumb, Kyle wiped some porridge that was there on Xing Hans lips. He then brought his thumb over to his own lips and licked it, his tongue making one small vertical sweep then twirled the tip of the thumb, before sucking it for a second.


    His eyes never left Xing Han.


    Xing Han didn''t break eye contact either, and one could see his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down as he gulped, his gaze seemingly transfixed on Kyle''s tongue.


    He pointed at Kyle with his spoon and said, his voice slightly hoarse, "Stop that."


    Kyle gave a slow smile and licked his lips, running his tongue over the bottom and upper lip, his gaze on Xing Han going lower, pointedly looking at ... that ... which made Xing Han bite his lower lips in response.


    Xing Han turned, his eyelids lowered a bit, and he stuffed the congee into his mouth in a hurry.


    Once done, he got up and grabbed Kyle by the back of the neck, growling, "Come on."


    Kyle quickly finished his own congee and ran off together with Xing Han.


    Rose and Jessica were still frozen at the breakfast table, their mouth hanging open with the congee dripping off their spoon. When Kyle and Xing Han disappeared from the dining room, they also gulped and looked at each other.


    "That was so hot," Jessica breathed out.


    Rose could only nod in agreement.


    She didn''t know why it was so hot, but it just was.


    Once Xing Han and Kyle were outside, and away from prying eyes, they started laughing silently. Tears were coming out of their eyes in their attempt not to make too much noise. It took them several minutes to calm down, only to burst out laughing again when they looked at each other.


    When they finally quietened down, they headed towards the gazebo in the garden and sat down.


    "Man, Kyle," Xing Han said while shaking his head, "I truly did underestimate you on this one."


    "Me?" Kyle said, looking at Xing Han, "You carried out the act pretty well yourself."


    "You win this round," Xing Han said, "I don''t believe I have ever seen that sort of expression on their faces before."


    "Who knows? You may provoke a more drastic reaction from them later on," Kyle said.


    "You think I can top that?" Xing Han asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "You never know."


    ? That night: Gazebo ?


    Kyle and Xing Han were lounging at the gazebo, lying back at the huge cushions that were strewn there. Relishing the cool night air, the clear starry night and the peace that it held.


    Kyle was sitting on one, patted it and said, "This is certainly a good idea. Rather than chairs, we have these cushions!"


    "Yup," Xing Han agreed, lying down on the cushion next to Kyle. It was really comfortable and quite puffy, so it felt like a mini mattress right there.


    "I am so glad I thought of it. You think my mother would be upset I did it without telling her?"


    Kyle laughed, flinging his head back.


    "I doubt it," he answered, "You''re the Tan Heir, after all. One who is hardly home so she will indulge you in whatever you do, so long as you don''t go overboard."


    "Yes, that is true," Xing Han said smugly, "I am awesome."


    "Yes," Kyle agreed, coming closer then looming above him, "Yes indeed."


    Xing Han watched as Kyle leaned on one elbow, one hand coming over to caress his cheek. Then, Kyle turned Xing Han''s face a bit as he brought his face down.


    Rose and Jessica, who were watching from their balcony with binoculars, started screaming. They dropped the binoculars, then each shut the other''s mouth.


    Taking their hands off, Rose whispered, "Kyle kissed him, didn''t he?"


    Jessica nodded then took up the binoculars again. As one, they watched again. From their vantage point, they could see that Xing Han now had his hand at the back of Kyle''s head. Kyle upper half was on top of Xing Han, his arms holding himself up so that he wasn''t crushing Xing Han.


    "Damn, they''re really going at it now," Jessica said.


    "I didn''t think brother could be so ... so ..." Rose said, fanning herself.


    "We''ve become terrible stalkers," Jessica declared, fanning herself as well.


    When Kyle and Xing Han finally separated, Kyle put his forehead on Xing Han before lying down next to him. There was no more movement and they seemed to just be enjoying the night air.


    Sighing, they put down the binoculars and wished they could lip-read.


    "That didn''t count," Xing Han said.


    "Yeah, we couldn''t see their expressions," Kyle agreed, "But I''m sure it was a huge expression."


    "How did you know they were watching, anyway?" Xing Han asked curiously.


    "They''d make terrible spies," Kyle said, "Their area was dark, but the night has a full moon. The lenses of their binoculars glinted with the moonlight."


    "How did you know it was binoculars anyway? It could have been the window," Xing Han pointed out.


    "Nah," Kyle replied, "It will only reflect the moonlight if the lense was at an angle. Rose or Jessica must have been adjusting the positioning, thus causing the glint that I saw when I laughed earlier."


    Xing Han shrugged.


    "Make sense, I suppose," Xing Han said, "Though warn me next time. Having you loom so close suddenly gave me a mini heart attack."


    Kyle laughed, "This, from the guy who said he can give as good as he gets?"


    "Fine, you win," Xing Han said, "I now realise that I''m nowhere near as shameless and thick-skinned as you. Who would have thought that when you put your head at that angle, it gives the impression of kissing?"


    Kyle patted Xing Han''s hand, saying, "Please don''t ever change. Your innocence is refreshing."


    "I am not innocent!!" Xing Han protested, "I''ll have you know that I''m quite adept at polishing the staff."*


    "Oh, you mean, shaking the tower while taking a shower?" Kyle said with a straight face then, started laughing as he asked, "Is that really something to be proud of?"


    "Just saying I''m not innocent when I have such a skill," Xing Han replied with a huff.


    Kyle didn''t answer that. It didn''t really need one, did it?


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle and Xing Han spent about a week at the Tan''s.


    In the first four days, Rose and Jessica were subjected to hidden PDAs between Kyle and Xing Han. It was so obvious to them that those two were deeply in love, but due to the stigma it bore, they had to hide it.


    They had thought the breakfast incident was bad, but they were so wrong. The gazebo one was worse. It seemed like as each day that passed, the things they did were getting bolder.


    By the end of the fourth day, Rose and Jessica decided that their eyes and brain couldn''t handle it anymore and they stopped stalking ... er, observing ... the two boys. It also felt like they were intruding on such a private moment.


    They noted that whenever their parents were around, Kyle and Xing Han were the epitome of respectable gentlemen. Befitting the title of the Heirs of their respective families. When they thought no one was looking, however, that was a different story.


    As they watched Kyle and Xing Han pay their respects to the elders before leaving, Rose and Jessica sighed.


    "I knew it was too good to be true," said Rose under her breath, "I mean, how could someone like Kyle be straight? Anytime that there is a ''too-good-to-be-true'' guy, he''s either taken or gay."


    Jessica sighed as well, "Yeah, and I guess that''s why Xing Han has been losing weight as well? They say love makes one work harder for their beloved."


    Rose and Jessica sighed again.

 Chapter 254 - Plans Unfurling

    Puay Kiow was emotional as Xing Han was leaving. He had been away from home for a year, and was only home for a week. Though she knew he was going to better himself and learn from Kyle, it didn''t make the separation any easier.


    Xing Han was her pride and joy. The one that soothed her and she hoped that he would be able to find that special someone to fill his heart.


    A marriage, no matter how amicable it is, is lonely when you have no deep love for your spouse. He was nice and kind, but his heart was basically with his two mistresses.


    So she spent her energy on her children.


    Xing Han had always been the one that just knew how to shower her with the affection she craved. Her eldest was too much like her father. Distant. Her other two girls were not as distant but they weren''t exactly close to her either.


    She gave Xing Han a long hug, squeezing him tight.


    "I will be fine, Mother," Xing Han said soothingly at her.


    "I know," she answered with a smile, "Kyle is a good friend."


    Rose and Jessica nearly choked at that statement but still managed to keep a straight face.


    Kyle smiled a bit at that.


    He was a bit envious to see the close bond between Xing Han and his mother. Kyle never had that. Be it as Kylie, or as Kyle.


    He did have the bond with his own kids, but that is gone forever now. The usual pain that came whenever he thought of them was pushed down.


    This was neither the time nor place for him to be weak or show any sadness.


    So he turned his attention towards the Tan sisters to keep his mind occupied.


    Each was unique with their own diverse personality, which Kyle felt Xing Han embodied.


    Karen, at 19, was the serious, stoic one. Expected, since she was already an adult, in college and working anonymously as a part-time intern at the company.


    Despite the fact that the Tan Clan favoured boys over girls, they didn''t bar the girls from working at the Company. In fact, they were encouraged to do so for it was felt to be better that they did. It would allow them to be the support for Xing Han.


    Kyle felt this was completely different from the Smiths, ironically enough. Kay wasn''t encouraged to be involved in the Smith Industries, as she would be someone else''s wife.


    It was as if the Tan''s progressed while the Smith''s regressed about this. Pushing aside the strange Tan Family tradition regarding marriage, the way they treated the females in the Clan was admirable. Kyle shrugged. Once he took over the Smith Industries, he''d definitely change that part.


    He looked at the other two girls.


    Jessica. 17 years old. The rational one but does have her ''giddy'' moments - she had screamed like a fangirl when she saw him, but was rational enough not to stalk him or something.


    She was ''in-between'', so to speak. Kind of reminded Kyle of Brittney Spears song, "I''m not a girl, not yet a woman". That line fit Jessica perfectly.


    Now, Rose. 12 years old.


    Obviously in the ''highly excitable'' category. The one that had absolutely no intention or desire to reel in her more enthusiastic exploration of whatever. At the moment, the focus of her ''research'' was Kyle - or more specifically, him with Xing Han.


    While Kyle was busy studying the girls, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was busy studying Kyle.


    During the entire time he was here, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn noted how serious and respectful Kyle had been. He had the demeanor and aura befitting the CEO Heir. It wasn''t just his appearance. His knowledge and skills were also impressive. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Zh¨¨nl¨ªn had given some tough questions on the market or business dealings, Kyle could answer them smoothly and to his satisfaction.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn also found, to his surprise (and pride), that his own son could also give very good insights. When the two started arguing or discussing things, their views of the business world was truly inspiring.


    It was a new Era.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn felt that a collaboration between the Tans and the Smiths may be something that would be highly beneficial to both.


    Little did Zh¨¨nl¨ªn know, this was exactly what Kyle wanted. He had already planted the seed within Xing Han, and he needed to do the same for Zh¨¨nl¨ªn. This was the true purpose of the visit. The plans Kyle was making towards that future collaboration, was slowly unfurling.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was very impressed and extremely content that Xing Han would be following Kyle around at this time. When he had first gotten Xing Han''s ''report'' on why he wanted to do this, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn had still been a bit apprehensive.


    He was glad that he decided to trust Xing Han''s analysis and arguments, for this Kyle certainly had a lot that he could guide Xing Han on.


    While Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was busy analysing Kyle, Puay Kiow simply used her judgment and eyes for that.


    She could see how close the two were, and it warmed her heart. Kyle had been the first friend that Xing Han had latched onto, who didn''t appear to mind his ''bullet-train'' aspect.


    Initially, when Xing Han had come home from his first day at Retsu Primary School and started talking about Kyle, Puay Kiow had been worried. She was worried that Xing Han was setting himself up for a huge fall. She had never seen him attach himself to anyone so strongly before. She feared that one day if Kyle was to leave, how would Xing Han take it?


    It truly was wonderful that a friendship formed so long ago, was still so strong now. Seeing how they interacted during this one week here only served to make her feel much more confident about their bond.


    So she would pamper both of them. Kyle was like a second son to her now.


    After saying their good-byes, Kyle and Xing Han entered the car and the driver sent them to the airport.


    ? Airport ?


    Kyle and Xing Han were sitting in the waiting area, flipping through their phone.


    "Just why did I need to pack a suitcase when we left Sakura Academy?" Xing Han asked, "I was coming home after al."


    Kyle looked at him lazily and replied, "Er, duh? You''re still growing, you know. Those clothes didn''t really fit you that well anymore."


    Xing Han looked at him with an equally bored face as he said, "Er, duh? I know that. I''m just wondering why the heck I would need to pack so nicely if I was just going to chuck it?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "You don''t seriously think that just because you''re going to chuck it later on, you should be messy with it? It''s discipline, Xing Han. Discipline. It''s not like you don''t make your bed just because you''re going to mess it up again later, right?"


    Xing Han looked at him in surprise.


    Kyle looked at him with narrowed eyes, "Wait. You DO make your bed, don''t you?"


    Xing Han merely grinned at him, showing off his row of pearly white teeth.


    When Kyle thought about it, he slapped his forehead.


    How did he miss that simple detail?


    Kyle was always the first to get ready and go out to wait in the lounge, and was the one that came back to the dorms later. Xing Han was always either on the bed, or had something on it and so it never occurred to Kyle that Xing Han never made his bed back at Sakura Academy.


    Two years and he never noticed?! What a great ''ninja'' and ''genius'' Kyle was.


    "I''m going to regret this, aren''t I?" Xing Han said as he saw Kyle starting to stare at him. Xing Han groaned internally. Did this mean he would have to start making his bed every morning?!


    "Ya think?!" Kyle said.


    "Man, Kyle, you''re my BFF, not my mother!" Xing Han complained.


    Before Kyle could answer that, two girls came up to him, fidgeting nervously as they stood in front of him.


    "Erm ... erm ... sorry, but my friend and I were wondering ..." one of them began, nervously wringing her hands while her friend was clutching on her arm.


    "Yes?" Kyle asked gently, making the girl even more nervous.


    "You''re Kyle Smith, aren''t you?" she asked in a rush.


    Kyle blinked, slightly surprised. This was the first time anyone was brave enough to come up to him like this. They would normally just look at him from afar.


    What changed?


    "Yes," Kyle admitted, thinking that it would be stupid to deny it.


    The two girls squealed a bit at that, then the other one hesitatingly asked, "Is ... I mean, are you ... well, is... erm, is this you?"


    The girl then showed a picture that was in her phone.


    Kyle leaned forward to get a better look, but could only make out a blurry figure. So he held out his hand and asked, "May I?"


    The girl nodded vigorously and gave him her phone.


    Xing Han leaned over to look as well. Upon closer inspection, It turned out to be a screenshot of him in the John Wick movie. Kyle hadn''t seen the teaser trailer and had actually been unaware that it was out, so the picture was a surprise to him.


    He remembered this scene: it was when he had that first show-down with John Wick.


    Xing Han chose to be quiet and not reveal what he knew, even though he did recognise that the person was Kyle. After all, he was the BFF and ever, so even with the blurriest picture, he would still be able to know.


    "I don''t know," Kyle said, handing the girl back the phone, "It''s too blurry for me to tell."


    The girl, instead of taking back the phone, grabbed Kyle''s arm and said, "Wait. It has to be you. You''re in the new John Wick movie, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 255 - Teaser Trailer Effects

    Kyle winced upon the sudden grab of his arm. He could have easily avoided it, but as she wasn''t a threat, he decided to bear with it.


    Right now, they were in public so he wanted a low profile.


    Still smiling gently at her, Kyle simply put her phone on the arm that was holding on to him for dear life, "Here, just take your phone back, please."


    The girl shook her head, now using both hands to hold onto him, coming closer to stare at his face. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle turned to look at the other girl pleadingly, his eyes gentle while he had a sad expression his face.


    The girl saw how Kyle was really trying to hold back the pain and she saw how her friend was basically hanging onto Kyle''s arm for dear life. She noted with dismay that her friend''s grip appeared like claws as her hold created creases on his arm. It was only now that realised why Kyle had this slightly pained look on his face.


    She quickly took the phone, while pinching her friend''s waist to make her let go. She hissed in her ear, "Let go! You''re hurting him. Stop embarrassing me like this!"


    The girl seemed to have snapped out of her dazed look as she saw how she was gripping Kyle''s arm and so she immediately let go. Kyle gave out a breath of relief and started rubbing that spot which had been grabbed.


    The two girls bowed several times, apologizing profusely.


    "I''m so sorry about that. We''ll be going now," one of them said.


    Kyle nodded in return and sat back on the chair, rubbing the arm that had been grabbed, his face in a slight grimace. The girls, upon seeing this, felt even more guilty and ran off quickly.


    "They''re gone," Xing Han said, his eyes not leaving the phone.


    Kyle stopped rubbing his arm. It wasn''t really painful but he needed them gone without answering the question or raising a ruckus. Playing the victim card was very useful in this situation.


    Xing Han handed Kyle his phone, and the John Wick teaser trailer came on, "It was this."


    Kyle took the phone and watched it.


    His head went back a bit at the ''naked'' scene and he silently cursed the people who came up with this teaser trailer.


    [In a land, far far away, members of a certain production team, started sneezing at the same time]


    "The fact that they could recognize you from that half-a-second-blurry face picture, says a lot you know," Xing Han said with a grin.


    "Damn it," Kyle muttered, "This came out faster than I anticipated. I thought it would be next year, at least."


    "Well, it''s out now," Xing Han replied, "If they could figure out it''s you, so can others."


    "Heck, even though my name is in the credits under that video, there are so many other unknown names there as well. I''m not the only new character in the film!" Kyle complained, handing Xing Han back his phone.


    "You underestimate the power of the fans," Xing Han said, "They must have googled every single name in there and put two-and-two together. Kyle R. Smith. I''m sure your internet presence is quite high so your name was probably the top hit for that."


    "Damn it," Kyle cursed again, "Why do I suddenly feel that there''s going to be a repeat of the valentine''s day thing?"


    "Of course it isn''t," Xing Han said seriously, "It''s going to be worse."


    [Gah. Kay, is it possible to erase my name from being hit from any search list?] Kyle asked desperately. He thought he would be mentally prepared for this, but it turns out that he wasn''t.


    That V-Day had certainly created a fear in him that he couldn''t quite get rid of.


    Instead of an answer, Kyle heard Kay''s laughter echoing in his mind.


    [Kay, this isn''t funny!] Kyle whined.


    [Oh yes it is, dear brother. You thought increasing the security at the school was enough? You''re out there, walking about freely ... so, yeah.]


    [I can tell how much you feel for me, my dear sister]


    [Hah. You reap what you sow, my dear brother] Kay said without sympathy.


    [As for your question. Yes, of course, it is possible to do so. It''ll take a lot of work but with my skills, not a problem]


    [However] Kay warned [It''s not a simple matter of just making you invisible online. Remember. You''re famous. Youngest bouldering champion. Restu top scorer. Sakura Academy''s idol. Spiderman Kyle. CEO Kyle. Need I go on?]


    [It''s not just hundreds, but it will be thousands - if not millions - of possible hits that your name would get that has to be considered. So, if your presence suddenly disappeared online, it would be too weird and that would cause a commotion] Kay explained.


    Kyle sighed.


    [Stop being a baby. Suck it up and learn to deal with the girls. When you have to go to promote the film, it''s just going to get worse, oh my dear, dear brother]


    Kyle cringed.


    Yes, he knew full well that he was being a baby about this. Still, knowing it and having your own ''baby'' sister - that you had been taking care of since you had been in the womb, scold you ... well, it made him feel a bit miffed.


    Fine, so even an old soul can be reprimanded like a kid.


    And deserved it.


    Didn''t mean he liked it.


    While Kyle was wallowing in self-pity and despair, he felt his back being patted. He turned his head, to see a highly amused Xing Han looking at him.


    "You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?" Kyle accused him.


    Xing Han tried to give an appropriate sympathetic look, his mouth going downwards in an upside-down smile but it just looked like he was making fun of Kyle instead. Which he was, really.


    Failing miserably to maintain that look, Xing Han laughed and said, "Of course. I live for these moments."


    Kyle groaned.


    ? ? ? ?


    Turns out that while Kyle was happily having fun at Xing Han''s house, the teaser trailer had caused quite a huge commotion. Everyone was wondering, "Who is this ''rival'' of John Wick?"


    There were a lot of theories and discussions.


    It created a lot of hype that Chad, the producer and all the investors in the movie, was extremely happy about. The anticipation that a mere teaser trailer generated was gold for them.


    There were discussions over the storyline, as a lot were scoffing over the fact that no one could beat John Wick. There were some that said ''John Wick is the past. The guy is the future''.


    There were discussions on the mysterious new actor that was playing that young boy. Netizens did their best to dig out who this ''Kyle R. Smith'' was but the name generated a lot of possible people. It wasn''t a unique name like Keanu Reeves, you see.


    Still, due to someone being extremely high profile lately, it was only to be expected that his name was the top of the search results. Thus, his IG received even more hits and fans, with it actually crashing when people were sending messages to ask if he as ''The One'' in the trailer.


    All of that, in a week.


    Kyle had never thought, in his wildest dream, that the ''fan service'' picture which he had done for Kay would have caused so many ... problems ... for him in the future.


    As Kyle and Xing Han was still sitting peacefully at the airport lounge, the actions of two separate group of girls were soon going to make that peaceful state ... not so peaceful.


    The first was actually made by the two girls that had approached Kyle at the airport. They took a picture of him secretly to post. It was his side profile, as he was looking at the phone, his face all serious.


    They posted it, added the tags #Dreamboat #KyleSmith #JohnWick4? and location - Airport Dx


    The second was by Rose and Jessica.


    During Kyle''s entire week there, they had taken a lot of pictures. For personal purposes, of course. So there they were, happily uploading his pictures (and unfortunately, there were some pictures that had Xing Han in it as well) onto their IG and Twitter accounts.


    There were even two special comparison pictures that they had done of Kyle and the ''mysterious boy'' in John Wick 4 teaser trailer. The picture on the left would be from the teaser trailer while the picture on the right would be of Kyle.


    The first had the image of the ''mysterious guy'' doing his training. The black and white picture of his back, lifting weights with one hand - next to a picture of Kyle''s back, at the swimming pool, stretching.


    The second was the infamous ''face'' picture at the end of the teaser trailer - next to a close-up (but slightly blurry) picture of Kyle''s face.


    The similarities, though not perfect, was extremely convincing.


    Tagging it #KyleSmith #JohnWick4? #hothothot didn''t help either.


    At the end of it, they put on a selfie of their sad faces with the caption, "Dream week over. He''s now at the airport."


    By itself, their post was damaging enough but along with the first group''s post ... things were beginning to stir at Country Tz.


    After all, Kyle was from Country Tz and they were beginning to feel rather proud of that. Proud, and excited.


    While the rest of the world ... was beginning to take notice.


    Yet, Kyle and Xing Han were two oblivious guys at the airport, waiting for their plane to be called.

 Chapter 256 - Running Away

    Looking at the time, Kyle noted that they still had about half an hour before boarding, so he decided to tell Xing Han the itinerary for the rest of the month.


    "We won''t be doing much, really," Kyle explained, "Just checking up on two companies that have submitted proposals for a collaboration with the Smith Industries."


    "Checking up? How?" Xing Han asked.


    "We''re basically going to spy on them," Kyle said with a smile, "The files on the companies will be sent to the hotel room after we check-in, so we''ll be spending a day or two looking through them. Then, check up on the company by testing them. Like mystery shoppers.*"


    "Both are restaurants. The first is a family-owned fusion-style restaurant while the other is a seafood type restaurant," Kyle said. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So we are going there to eat?!!" Xing Han said with a huge grin.


    Kyle laughed, "Yes. I chose these two because of you, you know."


    "You''re the Man, Kyle!" Xing Han gushed, "But we won''t just be eating, right? And what do these two restaurants have to offer Smith Industries and vice versa?"


    "Smith Industries basically is like a network. Our collaborations - those that are under us, that is, would help each other, so to speak," Kyle explained.


    "For example, these restaurants would be able to get their ingredients at a lower cost from the suppliers under us, or if there isn''t, then we can get them the connections for it."


    "It''s not restricted to only ingredients but anything that they want from furniture to renovation, so long as we have them. As for us, we get a % of their profits. The amount of power we have over these collaborations depends on what they want from us. Some even ask for funding, which would then mean we get shares from it."


    "Of course, all of this is only possible because we have been around for a long time so our collaborations and subsidiary companies are quite diverse," Kyle finished his explanation.


    "As for your first question ... no, not just to eat. It is one of them but we must also see how the place is managed etc. Are they dying but have hope or are they a lost cause?"


    "At the end of the day, we''re a business, not a charity case," Kyle said.


    "Got it," Xing Han said, rubbing his hands in glee.


    "This is all interesting and such but ..." Xing Han began hesitatingly ...


    "But what?" Kyle asked.


    "Is it me, or are people staring at us?" Xing Han asked, looking around.


    Kyle tsked. In reality, he had noticed it, but was hoping it was just his imagination.


    At first, it was done covertly.


    Looking at them through the corner of their eye. Turning towards them while stretching. Taking a selfie with their backs to them but the phone angle was too high, indicating they were taking pictures of those behind them.


    Then, it became more obvious as people started congregating there.


    Now, there were people who were openly looking towards their direction, and looking at their phone. Some even were pointing at them.


    So far, no one had actually gathered enough courage to come towards them so Kyle thought this is the best time to move.


    "Shall we head to the First Class Lounge?" he said to Xing Han nonchalantly, grabbing his backpack as he stood up.


    Initially, they didn''t want to hang out there for it was rather boring. They had preferred the common area in the airport which was more interesting and spacious. Neither Xing Han nor Kyle felt the need to be segregated within that luxurious area, but now, perhaps, that hadn''t been a good idea.


    Xing Han nodded, getting up and flinging his backpack over his shoulder.


    However, the moment they got up, it was as if a switch was flipped.


    A group of girls broke out of their ''long-distance staring'' and started walking towards them quickly. Once that group did, another group of girls glared at them and did the same. Yet another group quickly started walking as well, wanting to be the first to reach them.


    "Xing Han," Kyle said, "Walk fast."


    The guys had long legs, so they did manage to get some distance before they came too close. Not for long, though, for the girls then started running.


    It was like a ripple effect. The moment one did, all did.


    Kyle and Xing Han heard the stampede of feet, looked back and then at each other. Without further ado, they ran.


    "Huff-puff-Why-puff are we -huff-puff- running?" Xing Han asked after a while.


    It was by pure instinct that he ran, for upon seeing that wave of girls running towards them, he had this weird thought that he was going to be flattened. Actually, he might have been since they''re most likely there for Kyle, not him.


    The First Class Lounge was across the hall, and on the first floor so there was still a distance to cover.


    "Puff - maybe - huff-puff - they just - hah hah - want an autograph?" Xing Han managed to squeeze out, hoping Kyle would stop.


    Kyle turned his head to look at him, and he asked, "Do you really think they''d be chasing like that just for an autograph? I''m not going to take the risk."


    Xing Han stared at him.


    How on Earth is Kyle still able to talk properly while running at full speed like that?!


    "You-you ... huff-puff" Xing Han gasped out, stopping when his eyes widened. Just as they rounded a corner, there was this little girl just sitting there in the middle of the pathway.


    Xing Han could avoid her, as she was not in his direct line of running, but she was for Kyle.


    "Fu-" Kyle began but stopped himself from cursing as the girl looked up at him, frozen. She was sitting there playing with her doll when this huge person loomed suddenly in front of her.


    Without skipping a beat, Kyle positioned both of his feet on the floor at a slight angle that was facing away and jumped. The powerful burst of energy allowed him to jump high and over the baby, who followed Kyle''s every movement as he sailed above her. His legs were spread open wide, missing the baby completely.


    Kyle landed neatly on the other side and continued running, not missing a beat. Xing Han, on the other hand, was so surprised that he nearly stumbled. Quickly getting his momentum, he ran after Kyle.


    They reached the First Class Lounge, flashing their first-class tickets as they passed by through the door. The receptionist''s head snapped from left to right as they whizzed by, taking note with practiced eyes the first-class ticket.


    Just as the two boys ran in, she jumped back in shock as some gasping group of girls banged right to the table.


    Though shocked beyond belief, she still put on her professional welcoming smile and said, "Welcome to First-Class Lounge. May I see your tickets please."


    It took a bit of time before the girls could stop gasping when one finally asked, "Can we just go in to see someone? We won''t stay long."


    "I''m very sorry, Miss," the receptionist replied, "Our guests'' privacy is extremely important. Perhaps if you give me your name, and the name of the person you are looking for, I can convey that you are looking for him or her."


    "Oh, erm, he doesn''t know me," she replied sheepishly, "But it''s really important. I just need to ask him a question."


    The receptionist smiled, not breaking out of work mode, "If you give me your message, I can pass it to him and give you his reply."


    The girls huddled together, whispering amongst themselves. The run had somehow solidified their comradeship. It was as if they could understand each other''s desperate feeling and desire. No longer was it a competition.


    Finally deciding on the message, they told the receptionist, "The message is for Kyle Smith. Could you please ask him if we can take pictures with him?"


    Initially, they had tons of questions but they were only given one shot for this. Whether he was in John Wick movie, what role did he play and so forth wasn''t as important as being able to take pictures with him. Even if he wasn''t in the movie, he was a minor celebrity already and was too good looking not to take advantage of. It''s enough just to be able to be in the same frame as him.


    Meanwhile, inside, Xing Han was panting as he sat down, "Man, that was close."


    Kyle nodded, taking a couple of bottles of mineral water from the counter. He handed one to Xing Han and opened his, drinking after he sat down.


    After quenching their thirst, Xing Han turned to Kyle and looked at him strangely.


    "What?" Kyle asked, "Being taken in by my handsomeness now?"


    "Pffft," Xing Han said, waving his hand in front of his face, "I''ve always been taken in by your handsomeness. That''s nothing. But what the heck was that move?!"


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "What move?"


    Xing Han looked at him through narrowed eyes, "Stop playing dumb. The way you jumped over that baby earlier."


    "Oh, that?" Kyle said leaning back on the chair, "It just a basic plyometric jump.* Something I learned when I started doing parkour."


    "OOoohh," Xing Han nodded his eyes widening as he thought about it, "That makes sense."


    Just then, the server in the room came to Kyle with a note on a tray, "Mr. Kyle Smith?"


    "Yes?" Kyle said.


    "This is for you," he replied politely.


    Kyle took the note, read it and cringed. He folded it back, returned it on the tray and said, "No."


    The server nodded and headed out.


    Wails were heard coming through the door when the server came back in. Once the door closed, though, the sound was cut off.


    Kyle sighed, leaning his head back on the chair, "My peaceful life is over."

 Chapter 257 - Proving Kyle Wrong

    [Kay, what''s the situation?] Kyle asked, as he leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed.


    [Bad] Kay replied.


    Kay had felt Kyle''s panic earlier, and thus, immediately accessed the CCTV at the airport terminal. She also checked for the cause of the sudden stampede and pinpointed it to the two posts.


    Right now, she was watching the scene outside the First Class Lounge, which was still full of people waiting to see if Kyle would come out. They were safe inside, but they would still need to walk out to get to their plane.


    [Basically, outside is kinda blocked with people] Kay said.


    Kyle sighed, rubbing the space between the temples.


    [What about the baby I jumped over earlier?] Kyle asked [Is she okay?]


    Kyle had contemplated grabbing the baby and put her out of the way, but discarded that thought in a second. She would probably be in more danger in his arms, and that slight detour may have allowed the crowd to catch up.


    Still, he was worried that the panic-striken mum who watched him jump over her baby would not have acted quick enough to grab her baby out of the way. What was she doing allowing her baby to sit and play in the middle of the area anyway?!


    [Don''t worry, brother] Kay replied [The Dad picked her up just before the mob turned the corner. Caused the mother to faint though]


    [Serves her right] Kyle said without sympathy. He couldn''t stand such irresponsible parents. Ignore the fact that the floor was so dirty and full of germs, she was completely oblivious or uncaring to the inconvenience she was causing to other people.


    With that worry out of the way, Kyle sat back up and looked at Xing Han who was happily munching on some sandwiches. Kyle smiled at that. Xing Han looked so darn happy at such simple pleasures. He was glad Xing Han was here, for his presence calmed him.


    "Are you up to a change of plans, Xing Han?" Kyle asked.


    Swallowing, Xing Han shrugged and said before taking another bite, "Do you even need to ask?"


    "Okay, give me your ticket then," Kyle said.


    Xing Han did so without question. They had entered the lounge without registering, so they were only allowed access to the waiting area. It was enough for most foe it had simple food and beverages, and comfortable sofas to sit on while waiting for their flight.


    The First Class lounge was actually much larger than this, and to enter the inner sanctum, they would need to buy an access ticket.


    The First Class lounge here was #2 of the best first-class lounge in the world, with the best being the one at Country SA.


    In the inner sanctum, it had a dining room with a restaurant open 24/7, limited private rooms with beds (single and double occupancy), an enclosed smoking area and even a small library.


    Each access ticket was limited to 6 hours, and cost $180. The rooms and dining were separately priced as well.


    Kyle went up to the registration desk and said, "I''d like to purchase access for two people for the Exclusive First Class Lounge, for 24 hours. One private room for double-occupancy, with an attached bathroom."


    The guy behind the counter gulped. He knew that the first-class passengers were rich, but no one really used the First Class lounge for that length of time.


    Not to mention, taking the most expensive room (the attached bathroom was exclusive and only 2 rooms available). It was much more comfortable to just book a hotel room for less the price.


    "Would you like breakfast to be included with the room?" the guy asked politely, his inner awe and shock not shown outwardly.


    "Yes, please," Kyle answered, "Are there any rooms available?"


    "Yes," the guy replied.


    In fact, this was the first time anyone took that room due to the high price and the unlikelihood anyone would want to stay that long here.


    "Great," Kyle said with a relieved smile. Staying here for 24 hours would mean that they''d burn their ticket, but it was worth it. Everyone here was basically waiting for their flight, so it was highly unlikely that the people out there would still be there tomorrow.


    Kyle went back to where Xing Han was, and told him, "We''ll be staying here for a day, until the mob outside disperses."


    Xing Han looked at him with a laugh, "Wow. You''re really that traumatised over them, aren''t you?"


    Kyle shuddered, "You have no idea what it''s like."


    "Pffft," Xing Han replied, "I seriously think you''re exaggerating and over thinking this. Just wait a couple of hours and it''ll be fine."


    "Ya think??" Kyle answered, unconvinced.


    ? Two hours later ?


    Xing Han walked to the door, his face full of confidence then looked at Kyle in ridicule.


    "Look, I''m going to prove it to you, once and for all, that your fear of your fans is unfounded. They''ll be nice, so long as you just give them what they want. A picture or two, an autograph. That sort of thing," Xing Han said with confidence.


    "Yeah, right," Kyle replied, "If it was one or two of them, I''d believe you. When there''s a whole lot of them, they change."


    "Oh ye of little faith," Xing Han said with a laugh, "Today, I, Xing Han, will prove you wrong!"


    "Be my guest, Xing Han," Kyle said, "Be my guest."


    Xing Han walked out and found it strange that the number of people congregating outside didn''t seem to get any less. Xing Han couldn''t tell for sure, but it certainly did look like there were a lot of them. Not less than before.


    Little did Xing Han know that the people outside kept getting replaced. People kept on posting that Kyle was inside the First Class Lounge and had not come out yet. In fact, there was a ''movement'' online whereby people would update the status. Thus, though there were people who left to catch their flight, new ones came, in the hopes of being the lucky one to catch Kyle when he came out.


    When Xing Han opened the door, everyone there looked in that direction with anticipation but appeared disappointed when it wasn''t Kyle. However, someone said suddenly, "Wait! That''s Xing Han!"


    Xing Han blinked, his body half-way out the door when he heard that. They knew his name? How?


    "Yeah! Yeah! You''re right!!" another screeched.


    "If Xing Han is there, means Kyle is still inside!!"


    "Yay!!"


    Some girls rushed over to Xing Han, making him step back a bit. Then, he remembered how he said confidently to Kyle that the girls meant no harm, so he stood his ground. Closing the door behind him (much to the disappointment of the girls there who wanted to sneak a peek in), he gave his signature brotherly smile and nodded to them.


    He intended to walk past by them, so long as they didn''t stop him, so as to show that they wouldn''t bother him. If they did stop him, it would only be to talk or ask something, but they wouldn''t be aggressive in any way.


    "Excuse me," one girl said.


    Xing Han stopped, smiled and turned to face the speaker, "Yes?"


    ''Hah! See that, Kyle. Polite and reserved.''


    "Is Kyle still inside?" she asked tentatively.


    "Yes," Xing Han replied.


    "When will he come out?" another asked.


    "I don''t know," Xing Han lied.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Nowhere," Xing Han replied, "I just wanted to stretch my legs. If you''ll excuse me ..."


    One girl then grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him from moving, "Sorry, but could you ask Kyle to come out and take a picture with us?"


    Xing Han frowned a bit, seeing that he had been forcibly stopped. Then he shrugged it off, putting it down to her not realising her strength or her inappropriate action.


    "I''m sorry," Xing Han said gently, taking her arm off, "He''s resting at the moment."


    Another grabbed his other arm, and she shook it, saying, "It won''t be for long. My flight is soon and I''ll have to go." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, me too," another chimed in.


    "Please? Pretty please??" another girl said, grabbing him by the arm again.


    So now both of his arms were being held. Before Xing Han could ask them to let go, more people started to grab onto his shirt, begging him to get Kyle out.


    Xing Han could actually feel their death grip on various parts of his body, and as they shook him in their agitation and plea, they were pulling at his clothes.


    He was also being shaken, from left to right and slightly turned around - depending on the force of the pull of whichever person was exerting on him. Xing Han started to pull his arms away from their grip, only to discover that as he did so, the girls that were hanging on to his arms, basically followed the pull.


    Xing Han was beginning to panic.


    More so when his clothes started to get messed up. Using more force this time, he tried to get the girls to let go while saying, "Let me go!"


    When it didn''t work, he was starting to get very, very worried. The receptionist at the desk tried to help him but she was pushed back by the mob. Just as Xing Han felt that there was no hope, he had a light bulb moment.


    "If you don''t let me go, how am I going to go back and get Kyle?" he asked.


    Everyone stopped then, and looked at him with hope and intense joy in their eyes.


    "Really??"


    "Yes, really," Xing Han replied, giving his most innocent face.


    They let him go and he walked slowly back to the First Class Lounge. Just as he opened the door, he turned to them and said, "Oops. Change my mind!"


    He slammed the door before they could react.

 Chapter 258 - The Past: Oreo (I)

    Kyle watched his phone in amusement.


    Courtesy of Kay, he was watching Xing Han outside via the security camera feeds. He was monitoring the situation and was ready to rush out and save him if need be.


    When he saw Xing Han being grabbed onto and shaken like a rag doll, Kyle couldn''t help the smile that formed on his lips.


    He could tell, despite the fear in Xing Han''s eyes, that the situation was not dire. Yet. Then he lip-read Xing Han''s lips and smiled wider. That guy really knew how to turn the situation around.


    As Xing Han entered the room again, Kyle closed the security feed on his phone and put it down as he looked up.


    Xing Han slammed the door behind him, leaning on it, looking extremely disheveled. His clothes were out of place and heavily wrinkled, his hair was messed up and he was breathing hard. He put his hand over his chest, and could still feel his heart beating so fast out of sheer fear.


    For the first time, he truly understood Kyle''s adverse reaction to the V-day incident. He had felt pity but didn''t think it was that big a deal. It was even funny. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yeah. It definitely was funny so long as it wasn''t happening to you!


    He looked at Kyle with wild eyes, "Those girls are crazy."


    Kyle just smirked at him, then said with a serious face, "Oh yes. You sure did prove me wrong."


    Xing Han just rolled his eyes, staggered over to Kyle and flopped onto the sofa there. The few people that were in the lounge didn''t pay the pair any attention, which was what they wanted.


    "So, now that you know it''s not safe out there, shall we go back in?" Kyle asked.


    Xing Han nodded.


    They went into their room and lay on their beds. Xing Han was, to his surprise, very tired and before long, he was actually snoring away. Turns out the little scare with the mob outside really took a toll on him. Kyle figured he was more mentally tired than anything else.


    Kyle covered Xing Han with a blanket, wrote a note about where he was going and left it on Xing Han''s bedside table and quietly walked out.


    Kyle walked to the restaurant and sat at the observation deck area. A waiter came and stood politely next to Kyle, asking, "May I have your order, Sir?"


    "Latte, please," Kyle answered.


    If the waiter was surprised to have a 14-year-old boy order coffee, he didn''t show it. Kyle sat quietly, thinking that in his past life, he only started drinking coffee when he was in college.


    Kyle wasn''t quite sure what age was normal in this place to drink coffee, but he didn''t care at that moment. There wasn''t anyone around so it wasn''t an issue. He didn''t need to pretend or keep up an image.


    [Kay] Kyle called out, lost in thought as he watched the planes land and leave.


    [Yes, brother?]


    [Can you please get Lucka and Edward here tomorrow. Have them bring some clothes and disguises for Xing Han and me]


    [Got it]


    [And tell them to be low key as well. No suits. They are eye-catching enough when they''re all serious, and those suits of theirs seals the deal. If they come here like that, it''s most likely they will get mobbed as well]


    Kay laughed [Got it. They will be on the first flight out. They''re out of the country at the moment, so they''ll only be there around 10am]


    [That''s fine. Thanks]


    Kyle didn''t ask what mission they were on. MIB ran by itself now, with only minimal guidance from Kay and himself. Currently, it was headed by Agent Oreo, Cornetto and Twisties.


    Why on Earth they still kept those names Kay gave them is 10 years ago is beyond Kyle. Well, not really a mystery since he would do the same but in his case, it was because he was the twin. Practically, her other half, soul-wise.


    For them, it was because she was their saviour. Well, with him as well.


    ''Saviour'' here was a bit much, in Kyle''s opinion. Although perhaps, in Agent Oreo''s case, they had been.


    ? Mini Flashback : Agent Oreo ?


    Meeting Agent Oreo, or Ralph, was a really fortuitous encounter. Purely coincidence, or luck, or God''s Will, if you please. Whatever you called it, the fact that he came into contact with Ralph was not something that either of them could have planned.


    It was one of those really rare moments that the twins were brought out of the house. Delilah was paranoid about her babies being kidnapped, but she did want them to experience the outdoors as well. She was well aware of the fact that babies needed lots of stimulation and though the wide-screen television could do that, she knew it couldn''t replace the real thing.


    So there they were, strapped into the twin strollers, being pushed around in the park. The bodyguards formed a safe zone for them, and Kyle found that extremely ironic. Delilah wanted them to experience outdoors, but seeing everything without people other than those they knew, didn''t quite cut it.


    But Kyle figured it was the best that she could do so he resigned to it. It''s not like he needed all of that so he simply sat comfortably and watched everything with boredom. Unlike Kay, who was ooohing and aaahing over every little thing.


    His mind was full of her incessant chatter of excitement, while to everyone else, she was basically just giggling and smiling. Thus, she was the centre of attention while people tended to leave Kyle alone. Kay was the normal baby. Kyle was not and he was fine with that.


    They were let out of their strollers as Delilah laid out a picnic basket and blanket on the ground. As expected, when Kay saw a butterfly flying past, her eyes went wide open and she started running after it. Delilah dropped everything and ran after the speeding bullet Kay.


    [Stay close, Kay] Kyle admonished her.


    [''kay] she answered but still ran off.


    Kyle wasn''t worried as his mother was just behind her as well as several bodyguards. Two more were left with Kyle and feeling utterly bored, he decided to ditch them. For a while, at least. He stared at something behind them and looked surprised, tilting his head to the side. He craned his neck and squinted his eyes, even going on his hands and knees (as if to crawl) to go towards it.


    The bodyguards, seeing how the normally stoic boy stare at something in the distance, felt the need to check it out as to whether it was safe or not. However, when they turned, they couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary and wondered just what it was that caught his attention.


    When they turned back, he was gone.


    Kyle, just a few metres away, was happily running off with his short, stumpy feet. It was easy enough with his height to escape. When they turned to look, he quickly ran to stand right by their legs and when they turned back, he ran behind them and to the bushes nearby. By the time they turned to look around, he was long gone.


    Just as he was congratulating himself for a wonderful escape, he felt strong arms scoop him up and he came face-to-face with a very angry looking man. "That was not a nice thing to do, little one," said the man, staring at Kyle.


    Kyle looked at him, intrigued. So this was the person that Kyle felt had been staring at them? At first, he thought perhaps it was his imagination but the feeling of being watched wouldn''t go away.


    Kyle wasn''t afraid, though, for even though he felt the look, it had no animosity in them. Kyle learned to trust his instinct, and something told him whoever it was, wasn''t dangerous and didn''t mean any harm.


    The man looked at the baby in surprise. No, not baby but a toddler. There was a clear gaze in his eyes, as if he could truly understand what was happening. The man shook his head, and tried to give a warm smile. When the toddler looked at him in surprise, he knew he had failed miserably. It was lucky enough that he hadn''t started crying.


    The man sighed.


    "Come on, little one," he said, "I am sure your mum will be worried."


    Just as he turned, he heard the ominous warning, "Put the boy down and hands in the air."


    "Whoa whoa whoa," the guy said, calm, "Hold on your horses. I was bringing him back to you."


    The bodyguards didn''t move from their position, their guns aimed at him. The guy sighed when Kyle pointed at the two bodyguards, shook his head and put his hands around the guy''s neck.


    The guy stiffened at that, and tears started forming in his eyes. Kyle was surprised at that, and he wiped the tears that fell. When the guy saw the puzzled look on Kyle''s face, he patted Kyle''s head and said, "I''m fine, little one. I''m fine."


    Just as he said that, however, his body started to jerk then shake. He unconsciously gripped Kyle tightly, his face contorted in pain. Kyle didn''t cry out, even though it was painful, for he knew that the guy didn''t mean it.


    The guy said to the bodyguards, "Quick, take the boy."


    One reached out and grabbed Kyle, who followed obediently. The moment he was taken, the guy collapsed on the ground and started shaking uncontrollably.

 Chapter 259 - The Past: Oreo (II)

    Kyle watched as the man started having a seizure on the ground.


    The bodyguard that wasn''t holding him went to the man and turned him gently to one side so as to help him to breathe. He looked around the man, clearing the area of anything hard or sharp so that the man would not accidentally hurt himself.


    The bodyguard then took off his jacket, revealing the gun holster and gun that was strapped on. He folded the jacket and placed it under the man''s head. The bodyguard that was holding Kyle was timing the seizure.


    Just then, Delilah came over, carrying Kay.


    "How long has it been?" she asked.


    "3 minutes," the bodyguard answered.


    Delilah took out her phone and said, "Tell me the moment it is five minutes."


    She was ready to call the ambulance if that was so. However, just as it reached 4 minutes 30 seconds, the guy stopped. Kyle struggled in the bodyguard''s arms, pointing downwards. Obeying, he put Kyle down. The moment his little feet touched the ground, Kyle walked over to the man and crouched down next to him.


    It took the guy a bit of time before he opened his eyes and he looked about in confusion. He blinked rapidly for a while before sitting up, noticing the folded jacket.


    "Thank you," he said to everyone around him as he rubbed his head.


    Kyle frowned at that gesture, pursing his lips. He touched the man''s head, and the guy looked at him with a gentle gaze.


    "I''m fine, little one," he said, patting Kyle''s head.


    Kyle rolled his eyes internally but did not have any change in his expression.


    Instead, Kyle tilted his head at the man, observing him closely.


    They say that to know how good a person is, one should look at how he treats animals. Kyle believes that is true, but that it also applies to how one treats babies. It''s not how one is able to take care of a baby or not, but rather, how that person acts towards one.


    The man in front of him looked tough, but there was a gentleness to him that showed his kind heart. The fact that he had been looking at him (and most likely, Kay) meant that he was pining for a family - or he had lost his.


    Kyle had a hunch, and wanted to dig up information on this guy but for that, he needed to know his name. Delilah was unlikely to ask, for she was not the type to be sociable to strangers, more so if they would not be meeting again.


    "What''s your name, mister?" asked Kyle clearly.


    The guy looked at him gently, and answered, "Ralph. And you?"


    "I''m Kyle. Kyle Smith," Kyle replied, "You don''t have a family name?"


    The guy laughed and answered, "It''s Macchio. Ralph Macchio".


    Kyle nodded, committing the name to memory.


    In the meantime, everyone around was shocked senseless. Kay clapped her hands and said, "Brother is so cool!"


    Delilah almost fainted.


    You see, that was the first time either of the twins talked.


    Not only did they talk now, but they were also forming perfect sentences. Delilah had just been thinking of sending them to speech therapists and a behaviour specialist for the twins was spending too much in their own world.


    That night, Kyle was up in the wee hours of the morning, cursing at the computer. Rather, cursing at his small finger and short legs and height. It made trying to use the computer extremely hard. Still, he persevered and after several hours, finally managed to get the information on Ralph.


    Ex-military man, discharged after sustaining an injury. Wife died and a young daughter that had the sickle stem disease. It was a disease she inherited from her mother''s side of the family, and is a blood disorder. The condition arises from a genetic defect which alters the structure of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells).


    The only way of a cure was through stem cell transplant, but the likelihood of there being an unrelated donor was extremely slim. Ralph didn''t have any other children and he was not a match for her. So, essentially, all he could do was simply wait for her to die.


    When Kyle found this out, he understood the reason behind that longing look, and the tears that came to Ralph''s eyes when Kyle hugged him. He must have been thinking of his daughter, who he had to watch die slowly everyday.


    Kyle decided that he wanted Ralph in his team. He was a highly respected soldier, but those seizures were a problem. Using a voice changer, Kyle made some arrangements at a hospital. Once that was done, he contacted Ralph.


    In a bar at the other side of town, Ralph looked at his phone and frowned at the unknown number. Nonetheless, he picked it up.


    "Hello?" he said gruffly.


    "Mr. Machhio," came a rather young-sounding voice. Ralph estimated it to be in the late teens or young 20s.


    "Yes, that''s me," he replied.


    "I have a proposition for you,"


    "Not interested," Ralph said quickly, thinking this was a spam call. Unsolicited and wanting to sell stuff that he didn''t need - or could afford. He was just about to put down the phone when he heard the voice say, "Blood clot in the brain."


    Ralph''s hand stilled.


    "What are you talking about?" he growled on the phone, as he stood up and headed out of the bar. It was too noisy inside and he didn''t want to be shouting over the phone in such a public place.


    "I have a proposition for you," the voice said again.


    Ralph found a quiet spot and took a deep breath.


    "What is it?" he asked, as he reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette pack.


    "No smoking, please," the guy on the other end said.


    Ralph was in the midst of opening the pack when he frowned. He looked around and eventually saw a security camera. Staring at it, he said, "It depends on what you have to say."


    "I can sponsor you to have your condition treated."


    "And in return?" he asked.


    "Be my man in MIB."


    "What the fuck is MIB?" Ralph said with a laugh, "Making it Big? That clothing company? I don''t think I''m your man for that!"


    "No, it''s my own new organisation," the guy explained patiently, "I need good men. You were the Hero of the Nation, but you can''t fight in your current condition. I can help you get cured."


    Ralph closed his eyes, tapping his forehead. This was something he wanted more than anything, but this MIB was just too suspicious. Just what sort of thing would it entail?


    "You could be a terrorist group for all I know," Ralph said with a sigh after several minutes had passed, "Not interested."


    He then hung up.


    Kyle, on the other end of the phone, wasn''t surprised. In fact, he would have been suspicious if Ralph had taken up the offer quickly. This meant that his assessment about Ralph was not wrong and it made Kyle want him working for him even more.


    Kyle smiled. Looks like Plan B needed to be put into motion.


    ~ Two days later ~


    Ralph went to the hospital to get some medication for his daughter. He carefully counted his money, glad to know that he managed to save enough again for this month''s supply. The hospital bills were high, and everything he had went to pay for her treatment.


    He didn''t know who would go first, him with his blood clot in his brain, or his daughter. Both options were not to his liking, though the latter would be better. If he was to go first, what would happen to his daughter? Who would take care of her? Love her like he does? No one.


    His heart ached at the thought.


    A nurse came by and handed him a drink, saying, "Here, Mr. Macchio. You look like you need this."


    Ralphed thanked her and drank it without a thought. A minute later, he fell to the floor, passed out.


    The nurse quickly called for help. A group put him on a stretcher and she told them that he was a patient there but had wanted to escape. Understanding the situation, they wheeled him into his room and secured him on the bed.


    Once everyone was out, the nurse nervously took out her phone and made a call.


    "It''s done," she whispered.


    "Good," Kyle answered, "Don''t worry. We''re doing this for his own good. He needs that operation, right? You saw the medical report and scans. His daughter needs him." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The nurse nodded, even though Kyle couldn''t see it.


    The nurse was one of those that took care of Ralph''s daughter, and she had grown quite attached to the little girl. So when this mysterious stranger told her about Ralph''s condition, she didn''t hesitate to agree. She didn''t think this was against the Hippocratic Oath,* for she justified it as giving Ralph the best treatment in order to be there for his daughter.


    Though a lot may disagree with her for it was unethical to have him go for the operation without his consent.


    The nurse shook her head and decided that she would bear the sin and guilt if it meant the little girl would still have her father.


    Ralph was kept unconscious until the operation itself. It wasn''t anything harmful, and since all the paper documents were in order, no one questioned anything. The operation went by smoothly, and the blood clot was removed successfully. Now, all that was needed was healing.


    When Ralph opened his eyes a day after the surgery, he was disoriented.


    Where the fuck was he??!

 Chapter 260 - The Past: Oreo (III)

    Ralph''s head felt heavy and touching it, he was surprised to feel it wrapped up. He looked around and realised for the first time, that he was in a hospital. On a hospital bed in a hospital gown.


    His head hurt as he tried to make the connections.


    Just then, a nurse walked in.


    "Ah, Mr. Machhio. You''re awake," she said with a gentle smile.


    Ralph looked at her, and she seemed familiar but he couldn''t quite remember.


    "Do you know who you are?" she asked kindly.


    Ralph nodded.


    "Do you know where we are?"


    "Hospital XYZ?" he said tentatively. After all, that was the last thing he remembered.


    "That''s good," the nurse replied as she carried out the normal checks on him. Temperature, blood pressure and so forth.


    "Your operation was successful," she continued, "The doctor will come by later to do the full check-ups."


    "Operation?" he mumbled.


    "Yes. The surgeon said that it was a close call," she replied, "From the looks of it, it was ready to burst. Without this operation, you would have been dead by now."


    Ralph''s eyes went wide open at that.


    The thoughts of his daughter being all alone after he died made him panic. But operation? How? When?


    He looked about the room again, realising - yet belatedly again - that it was a private room. He couldn''t afford the operation, let alone this room! He had to get out before they found out. No, he couldn''t do that. That wasn''t honorable.


    "I''m sorry, Nurse," Ralph began, "But I think there''s been a mistake. I can''t afford all of this."


    She looked at him with a smile, "Oh, don''t worry. It''s all been paid for already. Your boss from MIB said it''s part of your medical plan."


    Ralph''s eyes narrowed at that.


    Just then, a phone rang. It kept on ringing until the nurse asked, "Aren''t you going to pick that up?"


    "Huh?" Ralph said in a daze.


    The nurse took it to mean that Ralph was still not in full capacity, due to the surgery. Thus, she took the phone that was at the bedside table and handed it to Ralph just before she left.


    On the front, were the words, MIB.


    Ralph answered, but didn''t say a word. He just listened.


    "I know you''re not happy with this, but the operation was needed," the voice on the other end said, "There are no strings attached."


    "Yeah, right," Ralph said scoffingly, unable to hold back any longer.


    The guy laughed, "Yes, you believe that there is no such thing as a free lunch, right?"


    "So why the lie?" Ralph pointed out.


    "I didn''t lie," the guy said, "There are no strings attached. Everything has been done and paid for. The operation, the ward for one month, your daughter''s medication, and caretaker for her while you''re at the hospital."


    Ralph''s eyes went wider and wider after each sentence. His mind just hurt thinking about the debt that was piling up.


    "You''re my charity case for the month," the voice went on.


    "No," Ralph insisted, "I rejected your offer on MIB but I will repay you for all of this."


    He took a deep breath, "No matter how long it takes, I''ll pay it back."


    "I know," the voice said, "How about a compromise then? I send you some jobs to do for MIB. It''s entirely up to you if you want to do it or not. 50% of the pay goes to you and 50% as repayment for the bills."


    Ralph snorted inwardly. Like he''d ever take up any of those jobs the guy would give him. He''s going to do good, honest work.


    "Fine by me," Ralph said non-committedly.


    "Great," the voice went on, "Keep the phone. I will keep in touch."


    Ralph snorted after putting down the phone. The guy was right about one thing. The deed is done, and he had literally saved his life. So, for now, he had this life debt to pay.


    Meanwhile, Kyle smiled wistfully at the phone. Did he feel guilty for Plan B? No, not even a little bit. He needed Ralph and he would do anything to get him, so long as it didn''t go against his own moral grounds.


    Since his first death though, the line of what was ''ethical'' and ''right'' was very, very low. He was tortured and killed over doing what was ''right'' after all ... so saving a man''s life without his consent would hardly give him any loss of sleep.


    Ralph was probably going to resent him for a long time for this, but that was something he didn''t care about and was willing to take.


    ~ A year later ~


    Ralph stood outside the building that he managed to purchase for the mysterious boss of his. No, bosses. He scratched his head, wondering just what went on in the minds of that pair. Initially, he had thought that they were lovers but the more he interacted with them, he figured out that they were best friends.


    As he stood there, he was still surprised at the fact that he stayed. All the jobs that were sent were basic stuff like finding suitable workers. Checking their background. Being a bodyguard to two babies once in a while.


    He had been shocked senseless at that one, for he recognised the boy as the one that had run away from his bodyguard. Apparently, the boy got attached to him. He had tried to dig out some information as to the connection between his bosses and the boy, but he was shot down immediately.


    The longer he worked for them, the more he knew that there was nothing shady going on. Even the pay given for each job was proper: it wasn''t too little as to take advantage of him, nor was it too high so as to make him think it was a trap (make him so greedy for money that he would sell his soul to the MIB Devil).


    The building was to be the HQ, filled with people that he had personally selected and pre-approved. The name wasn''t MIB though. It was Zen. Such a short, simple name.


    His bosses finalised the deal. He wondered why his bosses never showed up personally and always needed him to do the mundane things.


    Ralph answered the call from J, the guy who was his boss.


    "So, Mr. Macchio," Kyle asked, "Are you interested in joining MIB full-time? Just for what you have been doing so far, just full-time."


    "Okay," Ralph replied, thinking it was a good deal.


    That was the beginning of when Ralph began work with MIB. Initially, he was just another one of those ''grunts'' that ran the office. Their role was simple at first: finding investments. It then expanded to providing security, to gathering information.


    After another year, Ralph and a few selected individuals were called up for a special meeting.


    In the secure meeting room (which had darkened one-way windows and soundproof), the projector showed the hazy image of the MIB two bosses: J, and K.


    "The three of you have been carefully selected to start the second phase of MIB," began J.


    "The second phase?" asked Ralph.


    "Yes," K replied, "What you''ve been doing so far is the foundation of MIB and a cover of sorts, in a way."


    Ralph''s eyes narrowed. What was this? Was his initial hesitation two years ago spot on? Were all the training, information gathering and security all just a front for a terrorist group? Or underworld?


    "MIB''s true purpose," said J, "Is to be the backing for the Smith Twins, specifically, the possible Heir."


    "Wait, what?!" shouted Ralph. Was that why they always had some sort of connection to the twins?


    "The Smiths have a lot of enemies, and the heir would be in the hot seat," K explained, "The Smiths want something completely new and separate existence from the Smith Industries, which could not be traced back to the twins."


    All three nodded. It made sense. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The second phase, however, is top-secret. Once you agree, you can''t back out anymore," J warned, "So think carefully before you make up your mind."


    Ralph looked at the other two, whom he had been working with for the past two years. He had no issues with them and in fact, admired them as well.


    They were hard-working, meticulous and skilled. Most importantly, he knew them to be good people. They weren''t ruthless, but they were firm.


    From that, Ralph knew in his heart - that this MIB wasn''t bad.


    "I''m in," Ralph said.


    Soon, the other two agreed as well.


    With that, K started clapping and jumped around happily. J turned to look at her and shook his head. The other three were used to her outbursts, so they didn''t think much of it. J was the super serious one while K was the happy-go-lucky one.


    "Great!! I now will give you your codenames. This is to add to the secrecy bit," K said.


    They agreed, understanding. They were to lead double-lives now and it made sense that they would have code names.


    "You are Oreo, Cornetto and Twisties!" K said happily.


    Ralph choked while the other two were too shocked to respond.


    "Wha-?" Ralph began, cleared his throat and asked, "Why those names?"


    "Cuz they''re my favourite snacks! And you three are my favourite agents! Great codenames, right??" K asked.


    The three of them didn''t have the heart to say "no".


    Just then, Ralph got a phone call. It was the hospital.


    "Meeting is adjourned," Kyle said, knowing what the call was about, "Details about your new role will be sent soon. For now, just work like normal."


    They nodded and left the room while Ralph took the call.


    "Mr. Macchio," said the voice on the other end.


    "Yes?" he said nervously, worried about the news.


    For the past two years, his daughter had barely been hanging on. Medication had kept her alive so far, but time was running out.


    Despite hanging on and searching relentlessly, they had been unable to find a matching donor for the life-saving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) replacement that she needed in order to truly be cured, but the likelihood of finding a matching donor was very small.


    "Is my daughter okay?" he asked worriedly.


    "Mr. Macchio," the voice said again, this time there was a hitch in her voice which made Ralph panic a bit.


    "She is more than okay, Mr. Macchio. We found a donor. We found a donor!"

 Chapter 261 - The Past: Oreo (IV)

    Ralph gripped his phone, tears falling down his face freely.


    He heard it correctly, didn''t he? He did, right? A donor? Really? They found a matching donor?


    The odds were stacked up so high against them and they found one??


    "What ... how?" Ralph asked, sniffling as he wiped his face with his sleeve.


    "It''s ... well, it''s a miracle. Truly a miracle. Out of the blue, someone sent us a sample and said that he wanted to test if he was compatible. I don''t know the details as it was dealt with by Dr. Ben, but suffice to say, it was!"


    "Who is it?" Ralph asked, eternally grateful.


    "The donor wanted to remain anonymous," the nurse said, sniffling herself, "We have started preparations for the operation. I am calling to ask permission to proceed."


    "Of course!" Ralph replied without hesitation, putting down the phone.


    He had been so engrossed in the call that he didn''t realise that the connection to the MIB leaders wasn''t cut yet.


    They watched as Ralph started crying unashamedly at the table, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably as he let his feelings out.


    Kay hugged Kyle from the back, her eyes also glistening with tears as Kyle cut the connection on the computer.


    Kyle accepted the hug but still found time to reprimand her a bit, "You know, if you keep going off the script like that, they might find out."


    Kay pouted then snuggled her face to Kyle''s cheek, "But I couldn''t help it. It was so fun!"


    In order to make it seem like they were adults, Kyle had already recorded the words Kay were to use. She read them and he just played it. Since the image was fuzzy, they wouldn''t have been able to tell that she wasn''t really talking.


    "Yeah, but to have your personality and speech change might tip them off, sooner or later," Kyle pointed out.


    It was true. When she was explaining the MIB role, she was articulate and serious. When she started giving them their names, her four-year-old self came out.


    Kay looked suitably contrite and hugged him tighter. He flinched a bit at that for he was still very weak. She became worried instantly. He smiled, patted her and assured her that he was fine - even though he wasn''t.


    The procedure itself wasn''t painful. It was the medication that he had to take before it, and the side-effects of the procedure afterward that was the bummer part. It would take a week to 20 days to fully recover. Luckily, the symptoms were like flu so he could pretend it was that instead.


    As the nurse said, it truly was a miracle.


    What were the odds that he, Kyle Smith, would have been a matching donor for Ralph''s daughter?


    ? End of Flashback ?


    Kyle was jolted out of his deep reminiscing of the past by Xing Han sitting next to him. The latte had arrived long ago and had already cooled down, much to Kyle''s horror. Well, served him right for being so engrossed.


    "What were you thinking about?" Xing Han asked, "Your face really had this far-away look in them and it certainly did not look like you were paying any attention to an empty tarmac."


    Kyle laughed, picking up the cup and taking a sip of his room temperature latte. A hot latte is good. A cold one is also good. This in-between thing, however ... Kyle sighed.


    "Nothing much," Kyle responded, "Just little things."


    Agent Oreo turned out to be one of their most dedicated employee and fiercest agent. Kyle never knew just why Oreo was so loyal to them and put it down to it just being his personality. Though he did save Oreo''s life, the so-called ''life'' debt had been repaid so many times already since then.


    Kyle was grateful for it certainly made his life building up MIB so much easier with Oreo around.


    What Kyle didn''t know, and perhaps, would never know ... was that Oreo managed to find out who the anonymous donor was. Not the full story of how it happened, but it was enough for him.


    The discovery had been, as all things that involved Agent Oreo, purely by luck.


    ~ Secret Flash to the Past, for Readers ~


    Ralph had been in the bathroom, just staring quietly at his reflection in the mirror. Seeing his daughter with those sparkly eyes always made him even more aware of how lucky he had been.


    He vowed to himself that he will dig out the information of that anonymous donor. If he manages to find out, he will leave MIB and dedicate his entire life to that person.


    When he heard Dr. Ben enter to check up on his daughter, Ralph took a moment to compose himself. He was determined to try and get the information out of the doctor.


    Just as Ralph was about to go out, he heard Dr. Ben saying, "It''s really amazing what the donor did."


    On instinct, Ralph stopped. He kept really quiet, waiting and hoping that the doctor will say something that can help him identify the donor.


    "It was, doctor, it was," the nurse replied, "He makes me believe in humanity again."


    "Truly," agreed Dr. Ben "How many people would be willing to do that just for their employee?"


    "And yet, insist on remaining anonymous," the nurse added on.


    "I still find it strange that he didn''t come in for me to do the procedure, though," mumbled Dr. Ben, "It was done elsewhere and we just received the stem cells."


    "I guess he values his privacy?" the nurse guessed, "There''s been such a breakthrough in medicine now. In the past, you''d need surgery to draw bone marrow stem cells directly from the bone as that was the only way to collect stem cells. Now, we can collect the stem cells from the blood."


    "Yes, that is true," Dr. Ben said, "But it still would have been better to have it done here. We could at least monitor and take care of the donor."


    "Ah, Dr. Ben," the nurse laughed a bit, "I am sure he has his own medical team. I mean, he even paid for the procedure, right? Yet, we had to tell the patient''s father that it was through donations."


    "Well, it was!" Dr. Ben pointed out.


    "From one person?" the nurse countered back. The voices were getting softer now, indicating that they had left.


    Ralph, who was in the bathroom, was frozen solid.


    His mind was taking time to process the entire conversation. Without a doubt, the donor was J. He had done all of that, yet made no mention of it? Was it because he didn''t want him, Ralph, to feel obligated to him?


    Ralph cringed when he thought back of all the times he had doubted J''s motives. When he really pondered on everything, J had proven himself to be a good person. This, however ... this was beyond ''good''.


    The earlier vow Ralph made solidified his resolve. No, not Ralph. Agent Oreo.


    Oreo smiled.


    The name was rather fitting, really. Bitter on the outside, sweet and tender on the inside.


    Yes, it was a good codename indeed.


    ~ End Secret Flashback ~


    [Brother, for tomorrow''s flights ... will 2pm be okay?] Kay asked before she started booking the flight tickets.


    [Make it at 4pm, or the closest to that time. Just in case Xing Han needs more time to put on his disguise]


    [Ah, true] Kay acknowledged [Any special request?]


    [I think I want to be blond this time]


    [Dye? Or wig?] Kay asked in amusement.


    [Dye] Kyle answered [Give Delilah and Patrick a shock]


    [You really should try and call them Mum and Dad all the time and not just when you''re talking to them] Kay reprimanded him.


    [Ah, okay] Kyle said with a sigh, giving in to Kay''s request [I''ll try, but no promises]


    [Now that you''re legally an adult, it''s even more important for you to show it. It''s apparent that Mum misses you] Kay revealed [You''ve been so busy this year with the movie and all so you''re not around to see it]


    Kyle felt a bit guilty at that. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was just a coincidence that the moment he obtained the court declaration, he had been so busy. It did appear like he was cutting himself from them.


    [You''re right] Kyle admitted [Thanks. I''ll make more effort to be home next year]


    "So what is the next step?" Xing Han was asking while Kyle was having his mental discussion with Kay.


    "Just chillax," Kyle said with a smile, "Tomorrow, we''ll just don a disguise and walk out. We can use that disguise during our mystery shopping duties, too."


    "OooooOooo!" Xing Han replied with a smile, rubbing his hands in glee, "Wonderful! This is so much like spy-spy stuff."


    Then, he paused and said, "But wait. Just how are we going to do that?"


    Kyle gave a smile, "My team will come over tomorrow with the goods."


    Xing Han pursed his lips, "Ooo. Your team. Team! ehehehe. Sounds so awesome. Who will it be this time? Lucka? Zero?"


    "Lucka and Edward," Kyle answered.


    "I see, I see, " Xing Han said.


    "Just one problem though," he said with a very serious face as he thought about the whole ''putting on a disguise'' thing.


    "What?" Kyle asked, taking another big mouthful of his drink.


    Xing Han pointed at himself then asked, "Can any disguise really hide this awesomeness?"


    Kyle splurted out his coffee, spraying it all over Xing Han, laughing.


    Xing Han just sat there, blinking rapidly at Kyle, with the coffee dripping off his face and onto his clothes.

 Chapter 262 - BFF Position In Jeopardy?

    As Xing Han sat there glaring at the still laughing Kyle, the waiter came over with several hot, moist face towels. He placed them on the table beside Xing Han and asked him for his order.


    "Another latte for that stupid fool there," Xing Han replied, "Iced lemon tea and blueberry cheesecake for me."


    "Very good, Sir," he said and went off.


    Kyle wiped his eyes, "Sorry about that. How did you know that I had latte anyway?"


    Xing Han licked his lips and replied, "How do you think?!"


    Kyle really hadn''t expected that from Xing Han, especially after thinking of such heavy stuff earlier. He had, uncharacteristically, listened intently at Xing Han for the ''problem'' that Xing Han had identified. Kyle had been racking his brain, thinking of what was it that he could have possibly missed.


    So, when Xing Han said that ... he just couldn''t help it.


    Kyle apologized again but one couldn''t really sense the sincerity since he was still grinning like a fool.


    Xing Han pouted, giving him another glare as he used the face towels to wipe off the stickiness on his face. The clothes were ruined, of course, for the stain would not be easily removed. Not that he cared but it was still a hassle. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Luckily I have a spare change of clothes," Xing Han muttered.


    Kyle raised his eyebrows, "If you didn''t have any in that backpack of yours, I''d be very worried. After all, that''s your entire luggage."


    For convenience, they only had carry-on luggage as they didn''t want to waste time waiting for their bags to come out. It was a blessing in disguise, really, as canceling the tickets was made easier. Otherwise, the airlines would have had to have a delay in unloading their bags from the plane.


    "I was planning to buy my outfits later on," Xing Han explained, "Why fill up the bag with clothes when you can put junk food in it?!"


    Kyle sighed.


    He really should have checked Xing Han''s bag.


    Then again, Xing Han''s a grown boy, right? But he was such a baby at times. It''s times like these that Mum Kylie rears its head that Kyle finds it difficult to quash. He knew he had to learn - the Jason incident when Kay was nearly r*ped taught him that. They weren''t his kids so he should seriously let them be more independent.


    Manipula - no, guiding them is fine.


    Doing things for them, however, is not.


    Kyle scratched his head. It didn''t help that Xing Han was like a baby at times, so it raised the maternal instinct within him. He had to keep telling himself not to do these things for him - or nag him about it.


    He remembered how it was with his own son. No matter how many times he had nagged, those clothes still got strewn on the floor. The laundry basket was right there yet, the clothes were not. In the end, he ended up doing it instead.


    It was damn hard, though.


    The next day, Lucka and Edward arrived.


    Kyle and Xing Han were at the resting area in the Exclusive First Class Lounge, so they headed straight there. The place was really deserted and it was only Kyle and Xing Han in the entire place.


    It really was under-utilised.


    Xing Han was truly excited upon seeing them.


    "Lucka! Edward!!" he shouted as he bounced over to them.


    Then, he screeched to a halt.


    "OMG! Lucka!!! You''ve put on weight! And Edward! You''ve gone blond!!" Xing Han said excitedly.


    He went around them, looking at them from top to bottom and front to back.


    "Wow," Xing Han said, "You guys look so different when you''re not in a suit."


    Xing Han looked at them closely.


    Lucka had indeed put on weight - not much, but it was still noticeable. He wasn''t wearing anything fancy. His hair was short, but he had a rather wavy top and his hair was slightly brownish. He was in a slightly baggy T-shirt and jeans, with sneakers. He had on a cap and was wearing these round-rimmed glasses which reminded Xing Han of Harry Potter. He even had freckles on his face!


    Edward was more simply dressed. He had gone blond, his hair peeking out from the beanie cap that he was wearing. He had on these sunglasses that filled half his face, and was wearing a turtle neck sweater with jeans. His sport shoes finished the ensemble.


    Lucka and Edward basically ignored Xing Han''s incessant chatter and was very serious when facing Kyle. No matter how many times Kyle told them to relax, they wouldn''t - or couldn''t - in front of him. Thus, they stood there, a bit stiffly, as they did a little bow to Kyle and then, reluctantly, to Xing Han.


    "Sir," they said in unison.


    "Let''s go back to the room," Kyle said, getting up, "It''s big enough to accommodate all four of us and the attached bathroom makes it easier as well."


    Once inside, Lucka put his bag on Xing Han''s bed while Edward put his bag on Kyle''s bed.


    Xing Han was practically jumping about and asking, "So! So! Just what do you have for me? What am I going to be?"


    Lucka looked at him, pointed at himself then at Xing Han, "We''re going to be each other."


    "What? Really?" Xing Han gasped, "But you don''t look anything like me and vice versa."


    "The face isn''t important at this stage," Lucka answered, taking out a make-up kit, "They saw us coming in so they know we''re here and they also know that both of you haven''t come out yet."


    "Urgh. No way," Xing Han replied, "How come they''re so persistent?"


    "How come?" asked Lucka in surprise, "You''re really asking that?"


    "Er, yeah?" Xing Han said.


    Lucka and Edward looked at each other, then answered in unison, "Because it''s Kyle."


    As if that explained everything.


    Xing Han just stared at them.


    No. This cannot be. Looking at how serious those two were, Xing Han suddenly felt his BFF position was in jeopardy.


    Xing Han started studying the two in front of him, pursing his lips. They stared unflinchingly back at him, their eyes clear.


    Kyle, who was at the side, rolled his eyes and whacked Xing Han at the back of his head.


    "What the heck are you thinking right now?" Kyle asked, not really expecting an answer, "Just get on with the disguise already."


    Xing Han watched in amazement as the Lucka who had gained weight took off the clothes he was wearing. Underneath, he had some sort of padding on.


    "What - " Xing Han began.


    "Well, Lucka is supposed to be you, right," Kyle said, his mouth twitching, "There is no way he would be able to pass off as you with his lean and fit physique."


    Xing Han glared (yet again) at Kyle and he quickly took off his shirt, to stand next to Lucka.


    "Look! Look!!" Xing Han said, pointing at his bare chest and then at Lucka''s ''chubby'' suit, "In what way am I like that?!"


    Xing Han made several poses - hands on hips, flexing his muscles and twirling around ...


    "This, baby, is a bundle of cuteness and suppressed power," Xing Han declared then pointed at Lucka, "That, however, is just flab."


    Kyle, Lucka and Edward looked at Xing Han who continued strutting about like a peacock, showing off his magnificence. While Lucka and Edward were just looking with amazement, Kyle just laughed.


    "Okay, fine," Kyle replied, pinching Xing Han''s sides, "This is obviously a bundle of cuteness."


    "It''s fine that you know it," Xing Han said, his face giving this ''all-know-it'' look.


    Kyle then turned to Lucka and Edward who was as serious as ever. They had been chosen as they were the two who were the same height as Xing Han and Kyle respectively. They already knew what they had to do once Kay had told them that Kyle and Xing Han needed disguises. Thus, they came prepared.


    The plan was simple. Lucka and Edward had already donned the disguises that Xing Han and Kyle were supposed to have so that it would not be strange to have unknowns exit the First Class Lounge suddenly. After all, those people had been camping regularly out there and the ''reports'' on the site were very accurate.


    "Alright, shall we get this show on the road?" Kyle said as he started taking off his shirt, revealing the muscular physique that belied someone of his age. He went to sit down on the chair, while Edward was busy mixing something in a small pestle bowl.


    No matter how many times Xing Han saw Kyle when he''s shirtless, he was still amazed by it.


    He looked at Kyle, then at himself. He patted his stomach. It had gone down considerably, but it was still far from the vision in front of him. Then he looked at Lucka who was in that chubby suit and he frowned.


    Nope. No way. He did not look like that.

 Chapter 263 - Misdirection

    Xing Han watched in fascination as Edward, using a brush, started ''painting'' Kyle''s hair. He pulled up the strands of hair on the top and the brush was placed at the roots of his hair until the tip.


    "You''re actually dyeing your hair?!" Xing Han gasped.


    "Yup," Kyle replied.


    "But whatever for?!" Xing Han said, then pointed at Edward, who had taken off the beanie cap. Underneath, his hair was the normal dark colour as he had only been wearing a wig.


    "Why not?" Kyle said with a smirk.


    Xing Han opened his mouth and closed it, not sure how to answer that.


    "Xing Han, sir," said Lucka who was waiting patiently, "We should start on your disguise as well."


    "Me?" Xing Han asked, "It''s just wearing all that, isn''t it? I''m not going blond or whatever like Kyle."


    "We still need to apply some basic make-up to give your face a different sort of features. It''s not much, but it makes a lot of difference," Lucka explained.


    "Your eyebrows, some shadows at the cheekbones and of course, the freckles," Lucka continued, pointed at Xing Han''s face.


    It was then that Xing Han scrutinised Lucka''s face closely, then looked in the mirror. At first glance, it didn''t look like there had been much done and it appeared so natural so he didn''t think much about it. Now that he looked properly, he realised that the small changes really did make a difference.


    Xing Han sat down eagerly.


    "Okay, Lucka! Do your magic!" Xing Han replied, grinning away.


    "Please do not smile, sir," Lucka said quietly, "I need to apply the make-up evenly."


    In the end, the one that took longer to get ready was Kyle, due to him dyeing his hair. All in all, it took Edward about 2 hours to dye, cut and style Kyle''s hair. Kyle looked at himself in the mirror, finding it slightly strange to see a blond-haired, blue-eyed guy looking back. He liked it, though.


    Xing Han was ready a long time ago and was busy admiring himself in the mirror.


    "I don''t look like me," he declared then pointed at Lucka, who had successfully altered himself to look like Xing Han,* "But man, I am handsome."


    "I can look at myself all day long," Xing Han said with a sigh.


    "You''re really becoming more narcissistic," Kyle observed.


    "That''s because I''ve been living with you for two years," Xing Han countered, "I have learned to admire the goodness that is there and not be shy about saying or flaunting it."


    This time, it was Kyle that couldn''t refute it. After all, he would often use what he had to get what he wanted.


    "Sir, the others are waiting outside now," Lucka reported.


    "Fine," Kyle replied, putting on the sweater.


    "Who''s outside?" Xing Han asked.


    "Zero, Akira and Yume," Kyle answered, "the bodyguards that will accompany ''Kyle'' and ''Xing Han'' to the airplane.


    "So they are the diversion?" Xing Han asked, though it was more of a statement.


    "More like, a misdirection," Kyle replied, "Lucka and Edward will go out first, then we shall leave later."


    This tactic wasn''t new. It was similar to what he had done when he and Kay needed to escape from Mall T the last time, after his rescue of Dahlia. It worked then, it should work now. Why not use a tested method, right?


    "Why didn''t you just use your team as the bodyguards to lead you to the airport? Why all this disguise thing?" Xing Han retorted, thinking of the extra work and time.


    "I don''t like the attention," Kyle said simply, "I know my team can protect me from them but ... I just don''t like it. All those screaming girls and the stares ... urgh."


    Xing Han blinked rapidly several times while Lucka and Edward''s chest puffed out with pride upon hearing how Kyle trusted them so well to be able to protect him. Initially, the did feel a bit sad that Kyle wanted to go down this route for it felt like he was saying they couldn''t protect him.


    Now, it made sense and they were happy again.


    "Really, Kyle," Xing Han finally said, "Your thought process is so weird sometimes."


    "Thank you," Kyle replied with a smile.


    Xing Han rolled his eyes and just gleefully rubbed his hands together.


    "It''s showtime!! Man, as luxurious as this place is, I can''t wait to get out," Xing Han said with an eager smile.


    ? First Class Lounge ?


    Outside, the crowd was looking in great anticipation at the three guys who stood at attention in a semi-circle at the entrance of the first-class lounge. When they had arrived, everyone''s interest was piqued. With their crisp black suit, dark dress shoes, slim black tie, and that earpiece ... everyone knew that they were bodyguards.


    They could only be there for one person.


    The door swung open and the girls started screaming. It really was him!


    Kyle came out with Xing Han, and though he wore sunglasses and his hoodie was up, everyone could recognise him. Especially since Xing Han was right there beside him. He just nodded at everyone and waved, then said, "Please make way. I need to get my flight."


    Though the crowd didn''t rush at them, they weren''t really making way either. They could move, but it was slow.


    ''Kyle'' was sandwiched between ''Xing Han'' and Zero, with Akira in front and Yume at the back. Slowly, they made their way forward with the crowd basically surrounding them. If you could view them from the top, it was as if a circle was moving, with ''Kyle''s'' group being in the middle.


    After they had left, the real Kyle and Xing Han exited the First Class Lounge.


    "Remember, don''t look up or at people''s faces," Kyle cautioned in a low voice, "Walk at a steady pace."


    "But no one is around anymore," Xing Han replied.


    "There is always someone around," Kyle said.


    Xing Han shrugged but obeyed.


    As they walked off, a pair of hazel eyes were targetted right at them.


    Kyle and Xing Han walked at a steady pace, with Xing Han animatedly talking to Kyle.


    All the while, the girl was following quietly behind them, extremely pleased with herself that she was doing so well right now. The two boys in front of her had absolutely no idea that she was there, and that is how it should be.


    The only thing she needed to do was follow them all the way to their destination, and she would have passed the first stage. The success of this mission would obliterate her failure in the last one. When she had returned with the photographed documents, Sensei had scolded her thoroughly.


    Although she did get the items as per her mission, someone else had gotten to it first. Apparently, he had infiltrated the building before she did, so her actions no longer counted. She did get some points but it was not enough.


    So, her second task was to pick a well-known person and follow him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had chosen Kyle.


    By the looks of it, she would certainly pass this time.


    Unknown to her, Kyle was well aware that she was following them. When they had exited, he had scanned the entire area quickly. He found that the majority of the crowd had already dispersed while the ones who didn''t leave weren''t really paying any attention to them.


    Except for one.


    She was actually trying not to make it look obvious and if it wasn''t for Kyle''s keen eye, she would have gotten away with it. Everything about her was pretty normal and rather low key - another face in the crowd.


    She was wearing a simple white T-shirt with denim overalls, her brown hair tied in two and braided while her thick-rimmed glasses filled her face.


    However, he noticed her slight turn of the head and the way she was staring at them as they walked by. Kyle could tell that she was studying them, and most likely had not been fooled by the diversion earlier. From that angle, he also discovered, to his amusement, that the glasses she wore were not prescription ones as there was no distortion when one looked through it to look at her clear, hazel eyes.


    So she was in disguise as well.


    Interesting.


    He was on alert but seeing as she did not approach them at all, he didn''t kick a fuss.


    He did, however, contact Kay about it.


    [Kay, do you notice this little tail we have?]


    [Oh, you mean that cute little pet that is following behind you so obediently?] Kay asked with a giggle.


    [See if you can find out any match on our database] Kyle said [Female, 151cm, hazel eyes, has some martial arts training as her steps are very light]


    [That''s not really enough to go on, dear brother] Kay said with a sigh.


    Kyle sighed as well [It was worth a shot!]


    [I am a miracle worker, yes but I still need something to work on]


    [Fine] Kyle conceded [I''ll just let it be for now. We''ll see how it goes then. She doesn''t appear to be of any threat at the moment]


    [Be nice, brother]


    Kyle stopped suddenly, surprised, making both Xing Han and the tail stop abruptly as well.


    [Whatever do you mean?] he asked.


    [I recognise that tone] Kay said with a laugh [You say one thing but you''ll do another]


    [Oh, you know me so well] Kyle remarked and didn''t refute her.


    Kyle couldn''t help the smile that started forming on his face.


    The Macbeth Smile ...

 Chapter 264 - Cat-and-Mouse*

    Kyle made to look at his watch, then said to Xing Han, "We have time. Shall we do some shopping and then grab a bite to eat?"


    Xing Han gave him a look, replying, "Shopping?? You?? ... oh what the heck. Why not?!"


    Kyle grinned and draped his arms over Xing Han''s shoulders, bringing him close and then saying in a low voice, "We have a tail. Shall we have some fun?"


    Xing Han flung his arm around Kyle''s shoulders as well, grinning and replied with an equally low voice, "Bring it on."


    They looked at each other, wriggled their eyebrows.


    The first thing Kyle did was to bring Xing Han to a clothes shop. They went walking about until finally, Xing Han stopped by the clothes rack that had trenchcoats. Both of them looked pretty excited and bought one.


    Kyle didn''t wear it but Xing Han did, strutting and showing off to Kyle while he laughed. After that, they headed towards the nearest fast-food outlet. After getting their order, they chose a table and sat down. The girl following them had no choice but buy something as well, for she would stand out too much if she sat there without anything.


    Kyle and Xing Han were eating happily and talking about nonsensical things, much to the girl''s consternation. They had done all that to escape the fans and here they were, happily out in the open again? Though she had to admit, their disguise was pretty good.


    Both of them had to have good disguises, though admittedly, the one that would require a higher level would be Kyle as he was the most eye-catching one. If his disguise wasn''t good which would make one think twice, they''d only need to look at the person next to him. If it was Xing Han, then by default, the person would be Kyle.


    They would only observe Xing Han closely if Kyle''s disguise wasn''t good. However, this did not mean that Xing Han''s disguise could be bad either for if it wasn''t good, then by default, they would assume the person next to him is Kyle (so no matter how good Kyle''s disguise was, they would know).


    In this case, both disguises were just perfect.


    Just then, Kyle got up and headed somewhere. The girl fidgeted, wondering whether to follow Kyle or stay and watch Xing Han. She didn''t think that Kyle would leave Xing Han but her mission was to follow Kyle.


    If she did get up to follow him and he came back, then her actions would be obvious. But what if he was going to go do something else and Xing Han ... her face went into a frown. Why weren''t the two acting like normal? Sticking to each other like glue?


    While she was thinking, Xing Han got up and went in the opposite direction.


    The girl''s eyes went wide. She got up and looked towards the area Kyle had gone but he was nowhere to be seen. She turned and managed to catch a glimpse of Xing Han, his trenchcoat flapping as he walked, so she quickly ran after him.


    Just when she caught up with him, it turned out that the person was not Xing Han! Frustrated, she stomped her foot and put her hands on her hips. Thinking hard, she took out her phone and started fiddling with it.


    Accessing the site of ''Sightings of Kyle'', she quickly saw that the fake Kyle and Xing Han had headed towards the waiting area already. She took a gamble, thinking that these fakes would be going in the same place as the real duo.


    There was a possibility that they weren''t, but she had no other leads at the moment. She took a glance at the announcement screen, noting which flight was scheduled to leave at boarding gate that the fakes were at. She then accessed the booking area on her phone and bought a ticket.


    She ran off to check-in.


    A few meters away, hidden behind a pillar, Kyle watched her go off with a smile. Seeing her throwing a mini tantrum like that was kinda cute and funny, completely different from the sort of persona she had been showing while following them.


    Kyle''s head turned as he felt Xing Han arrive. Xing Han nudged his shoulder with his shoulder and said, "That guy must have thought he hit it lucky, getting a trenchcoat for free." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han''s own trenchcoat was in his backpack now, while the stranger was happily wearing the one Kyle had been carrying. Getting such a good quality trenchcoat, who would refuse?


    "What''s next?" Xing Han asked.


    "Nothing much," Kyle answered, looking up at the announcement screen, "Just follow my lead for now."


    Xing Han shrugged.


    "Sure, but why are you playing around with that girl anyway?" he asked curiously, "She''s not really bothering us, right?"


    Kyle smirked, "True. But I don''t like being spied upon like this. Why make it easy for her, right?"


    Xing Han didn''t have any opinion on the matter but since it looked like it did to Kyle, he didn''t say much.


    Ordinarily, Kyle wouldn''t really be bothered with a fan following them but the girl didn''t look or act like a normal fan. She was much too skilled to be just a normal person, following their idol around - and added to that, there were no ''stars in her eyes'' sort of thing.


    She wasn''t looking at him like someone she admired, but rather, like a target.


    As he watched her go off in front, he tsked inwardly. She was so focused on her target that she wasn''t paying attention to her surroundings. If she did, she would have noticed that this time, she had a tail on her.


    She obviously still had a lot to learn.


    They followed her leisurely, keeping a safe distance between them. As they headed towards the waiting area, Kyle sped up a bit and Xing Han followed. He waited until she had cleared security and was just walking into the waiting lounge when he and Xing Han started walking beside it.


    The entire waiting lounge partition wall was of glass, so she could clearly see Kyle and Xing Han laughing and talking as they walked by. She stared at them, as they went on walking ... past the waiting room lounge of that flight and headed towards the waiting room lounge two ''doors'' away.


    She quickly headed back out, telling the security that she would be right back.


    She saw as Kyle and Xing Han stood outside the waiting room lounge and looked at their watch before heading to the bathroom just opposite of it. Seeing them disappear inside, she quickly went to the waiting room lounge that they had stood outside and noted the flight. There was just enough time for her to buy the ticket and check-in.


    She looked in frustration at the ticket that she had already bought and gritted her teeth. Tearing it, she threw it into the nearest dustbin and quickly went to get the new ticket.


    Fifteen minutes later, she came running back and out of breath, she finally entered the waiting room area which was now open. Her eyes scanned the entire place and did not see Kyle or Xing Han. Her eyes narrowed.


    No, it couldn''t be.


    She checked again and still, no Kyle or Xing Han.


    Just then, she heard a knock on the glass wall of the waiting room lounge. She turned instinctively, and to her horror, saw that it was a smiling Kyle. He was waving at her, then at the torn pieces of a ticket in his hands and blew her a kiss.


    Xing Han gave her a salute.


    She ran to the glass wall and watched, with fury, as they entered the earlier waiting room lounge.


    Everyone in that waiting room lounge watched in shock at the girl who suddenly started screaming, cursing someone.


    Xing Han turned a bit, upon hearing that scream, then back at Kyle who didn''t appear fazed at all.


    "Was it a bit too much?" he asked.


    Kyle shook his head, "Hardly."


    With that, they were the last to board the plane.

 Chapter 265 - Playing The ’Game’

    At first, no one really paid any attention to the screaming girl in the waiting room lounge* but when her anger did not seem to abate, the screening officer finally stepped up.


    "Miss?" one screening officer said politely but was ignored. She was busy shouting and stomping her feet, her eyes glaring at something in the distance.


    The screening officer put his hand on her shoulder and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor. The girl had taken his hand, twisted it and flipped him so that he landed on his back. He blinked at her in shock.


    Immediately, the other screening officer came and tried to help but before he could even take a step forward, the girl had twirled around and given him a roundhouse kick right at the side of his head. He started seeing stars and fell down on the floor, blood flowing out of his nose.


    She then turned back to the first screening officer and started punching his face while he tried to block it. However, her hands were too fast as kept avoiding them and continued to hit him.


    The crowd that was in the waiting room lounge immediately started watching the whole show in fascination as security officers turned up, their running feet echoing in the corridor. The sound seemed to have snapped her out of something, for she now looked at the two downed screening officers in shock.


    She looked up, only to see several security officers in a semi-circle surrounding her, one bravely coming up to her and asking her in a gentle voice to stop. She asked her to stand still with her hands held in front of her.


    The girl sighed. Bringing up her hands up in the air to show that she wasn''t going to attack, she then did as was instructed.


    She knew she was in the wrong. She bit her bottom lip in frustration, angry at herself for letting her anger cloud her thinking and judgment.


    One officer came and tentatively put her hand on her shoulder while the others still in a defensive position. The girl hung her head low as she followed the officer quietly.


    Tears started forming at her eyes when she thought of how disappointed her Sensei would be with her.


    Anger and hatred then started forming in her hearts towards a certain, smug-faced boy. That image of him waving and blowing her a kiss made her gnash her teeth.


    ? On the Plane ?


    The flight was delayed and everyone was becoming restless. Just then, the pilot made an announcement, apologizing for the delay. He explained that there had been a young person passenger that had yet to board. However, since they were given the ''all-clear'' sign, the plane could finally take-off.


    Xing Han turned to the apathetic Kyle, shaking his head. When the announcement about the delay was first made, Kyle merely shrugged and said that it was expected and started staring out the window.


    Xing Han knew from that stance that Kyle wasn''t interested in talking about it, so he let it slide. Personally, he felt that Kyle had gone a bit overboard as the fan had spent money to buy tickets that she could not use. Not only that, Kyle was acting slightly out of character as he would not normally do things that would inconvenience other people.


    As he watched Kyle ignoring everything, Xing Han decided that Kyle needed to be kept in check from now on. Once the movie came out, he''d be exposed even more. Would his actions become more extreme? Would his Kyle be different from all of this?


    Xing Han''s eyebrows furrowed even further thinking about it. With this thought, Xing Han decided that it was best that he followed Kyle as well. All he had to do was figure out the reasoning for it and get his parents'' approval. Even though Sam would be there, it was only to help him as his PA. It as not the same as looking out for him like what a BFF would do.


    As what only a BFF can do.


    With that thought in mind, Xing Han settled down and was busy coming up with his report.


    While Xing Han was busy with that, Kyle was lost in thought.


    He was thinking about the girl and was itching to know her identity. When she had managed to buy the ticket the first time without a problem, it confirmed to Kyle that she was a local and above 12 years old. A young person traveling alone on a domestic flight didn''t have the same restrictions as one on an international flight.


    She had done the booking online, indicating she must have used an adult account to do so. Checking in without an unaccompanied adult meant she had the necessary documents to show she was allowed to travel solo. This meant that there was more to this ''following him'' than meets the eye.


    [Kay, do you have her details now?]


    [Yes. Her name is Sayuri Hinata] Kay replied, after accessing the database. It was easy to figure out which one she was, as her name appeared on the two flights Kyle gave her.


    [I''m getting information on her right now. The report will be ready by the time you land]


    [Thanks, Kay]


    Kyle was satisfied. The delay was worth it, as he now had a name.


    ''Sayuri, huh? Let''s see how far we shall be playing this game,'' Kyle thought to himself.


    ? Airport Security ?


    Meanwhile, the same Sayuri was passing the time thinking of ways to beat-up Kyle in her mind. It was the only thing that kept her happy at that moment, as she was being held in the airport security.


    They couldn''t do anything until her uncle, her guardian, arrived. However, she was informed that due to this incident, the airline has decided to blacklist her. From now on, she would not be allowed to travel unaccompanied until she reached 17 years old.


    When she heard that, she was so angry that it showed on her face, causing the officers to subconsciously step back. Her facial expression was so ferocious that some beads of sweat actually began to form on their foreheads.


    Thirty minutes later, her guardian arrived - much to the relief of everyone there. Though the girl wasn''t violent, the dark cloud above her made everyone steer clear away. They remembered what happened to the two poor screening officers.


    Her guardian was apologizing profusely to them, paid for the treatment of the two officers and was extremely polite. He assured them that he understood the ban and finally, went over to Sayuri who was sitting down with her head bowed down low.


    "Let''s go," he said simply. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, Uncle," she replied softly and got up, following obediently behind him. The officers, upon seeing her, felt pity - even the two that she had beaten up. She looked so sad and contrite.


    "When are you going to stand up straight, young lady?!" the man admonished her as they walked out, and she straightened her back instinctively.


    "I am sorry, Uncle," she responded.


    "Failure is part of life," he said, "What you do from that is what is important. Are you going to learn from it and rise up, or are you going to let it haunt you forever?"


    "Failure is not an option!" she hissed, unable to stop herself, her frustration spilling over.


    Her uncle sighed and replied patiently, not angry, "And that, my child, is why you will continue to fail."


    He looked at his niece and sighed slowly again, not saying anything anymore. This stubborn trait of hers had been inherited from her father, so he knew very well that it was something she had to learn for herself.


    Right now, she was too consumed by anger and bitterness over her failure that she would not be able to see it.


    He thought back on what his father had told him prior to him coming to pick her up.


    "Be firm with her. She has the potential and skill, but she is a bit too arrogant and overconfident. No one had ever been able to beat her so she was sure her initiation was going to be a sure thing. It is time that she tastes defeat and learns how to overcome it. There is always a higher mountain."


    "But Father, how come you were so sure that she''d fail?" he had asked.


    His father had smiled widely, his eyes twinkling, "Because she is against Kyle Kato Smith".


    It was at that moment that everything fell into place.


    When the name as entered into the Clan Registry, it had created a huge commotion in their Ninja World. It had been an extremely long time since any outsider was ever allowed into the Family, and Kato Dazai* had done so. Thus, there had been numerous questions posed to Dazai, upon which he answered everything smoothly and confidently.


    There even had been various tests done by some Ninja Families - theirs included - and they had been quite satisfied that Dazai''s assessment was accurate. The boy truly had been worthy of taking up the mantle and continuing the Kato Line.


    Their family had been curious from that, and had always kept an eye out on his progress for a few years. He continued to amaze them and earned their respect, upon which they stopped. When you respect someone, you do not monitor them.


    Of course, only those who were officially in the Family knew of him and his little niece did not.


    He was the perfect one to bring her down a notch or two.


    He turned to look back at his niece, who was still mumbling angrily and felt his father was right. Now, he hoped that the next test they have for her would truly make her grow and improve. If not, no matter how much of a prodigy she was, she would not pass.


    Nothing brings a ninja down faster than a black heart.

 Chapter 266 - Instant Noodles

    Kyle and Xing Han decided to take it easy for the day to read up the reports on the two restaurants that they were to check out. It was already 8pm and were enjoying the peace and quiet.


    Unlike the commotion in the last place, they managed to arrive, leave the airport and reach the hotel easily. It wasn''t just because they were still in disguise, but by the fact that Kay had successfully brought down the website ''Sightings of Kyle''.


    For preventive measures, she had also placed a few thousand focused crawlers* online to specifically target any sites that had such a function. Kay had also dispensed with the ''politeness'' policy, which essentially would have made the crawler be ''polite'' and not overload the website. The point of the focused crawler was to bring down the website, so Kay wanted the crawler to do so.


    Lucka and the others had also gone back to whatever they were doing. They had dispensed with their disguises and split up at the airport as they went on to their separate destinations and missions. Xing Han was a little sad to see the handsome him change back to Lucka, though he did take several pictures together with him for memories sake.


    While Xing Han was going through the company files, Kyle was actually flipping through the information on Sayuri. He already knew about the companies so he didn''t bother with them at the moment. What was more interesting was that little tail of theirs.


    ''Sayuri Hinata. Birthday, 2 August XXXX, making her 14 next year. An only child and sole heir of Hinata Companies. Parents died in an accident when she was 5 years old. Raised by grandparents, unmarried uncle is her guardian and current CEO,'' Kyle mumbled to himself.


    The files also had details of her school life and achievements. Elite school, top-of-the class etc. Obviously, one of those high-achievers, like him. There were no details about her martial arts and her need to follow him, which only pointed to one possibility.


    The Hinata Family must be part of the hidden Ninja Clan.


    Kay would not be able to obtain any details of that anywhere, so the only person he could ask would be Master Shifu. At that moment, Kyle started thinking of that ninja girl he had met from the previous mission. Could they be the same person?


    Kyle brushed it aside. It couldn''t be. It would have been too much of a coincidence.


    As Kyle put down the files, he noted that Xing Han at his laptop, doing some work. Kyle was beginning to feel a bit hungry, so he decided to check out what could be in the fridge.


    "Hey, Kyle," Xing Han said as he was busy typing away at his laptop.


    "Hmmm?" Kyle responded, his head buried in the fridge at the kitchenette.


    The possibility of there being food was slim as he never left instructions for it to be stocked. So all he saw were the usual overloaed-with-sugar soft drinks, unable-to-drink alcohol and not-desirable chocolates.


    If only there were some instant noodles, he''d scoff them down in an instant. The tom yam flavour would go down so well right now. Add in some chopped vegetables and ... his mouth was already watering thinking about it.


    Or maybe curry? With an egg added. Perhaps even Country I''s instant fried noodles or that really spicy flavour from Country K to explode your head. All sorts of variety and flavours of those instant noodles that he would eat so often in his past life just filled his head.


    Kyle shook his head.


    Focus. Focus. Healthy eating ... my body is my temple, it must be filled with good things. Only good things. His eyes glazed over as he remembered how good that piping hot instant noodles were. He swallowed his saliva again.


    Even the Rock had cheat days, right?!


    Since his reincarnation, Kyle had been determined to live life to the fullest - in the sense of being the best and always doing the best. It wasn''t just working hard in his studies and learning things, but it also included being fit and eating well.


    However, there were times when the ''old Kylie reared its head and wanted junk food. Instant noodles were one of them. Comfort food, it was. The cravings rose again.


    "KYLE!" Xing Han finally shouted, miffed, "Are you even listening to me?!"


    Xing Han was miffed. How could his BFF be so engrossed with looking into a fridge that he couldn''t even hear him??


    He stomped over to Kyle, who now closed the fridge door.


    "I seriously need some instant noodles," Kyle said, his eyes looking so sad and pitiful that the anger in Xing Han just melted.


    Xing Han rolled his eyes, sighed loudly and said, "It''s one of those days, huh?"


    Kyle nodded.


    Xing Han then laughed, slapping Kyle on the shoulder.


    "Alright, come on," Xing Han said indulgently, "Let''s go. Remember. Only two flavours. That''s it."


    Kyle put up four fingers and Xing Han shook his head, "Two."


    Kyle gave his puppy eyes to Xing Han. Xing Han narrowed his eyes, put his hands on Kyle''s cheeks and brought his face close, staring right into his eyes.


    "Two. T.w.o. TWO," he repeated firmly.


    Kyle pouted. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han wasn''t moved.


    This was one of those rare moments when Kyle acts like a normal teen and Xing Han actually relished being the big brother for once. The abnormally disciplined and matured guy became utterly helpless and weak when his cravings for the instant noodles hit its peak.


    It was as if the supreme efforts that he puts into following his strict diet and routines become equally strong when it came to his weakness. Kyle had already told Xing Han to be the ''bad guy'' and make sure that he never went overboard during these times.


    At first, Xing Han had not been strong enough to resist Kyle''s puppy eyes or pouts. With Kyle''s appetite, he would wolf down several bowls of it at one go and then suffer the next day. Both Xing Han and Kyle would feel equally guilty then, so Xing Han resolved to be stronger and Kyle ... well, Kyle helped that resolve by promising him extra pork chops if he succeeded.


    Now, it was much easier to be firm. Not so much due to the pork chop promise but because Xing Han found it funny, and satisfying, to scold Kyle. It''s not often one manages to feel superior to Kyle, so he would often cherish the moments and feelings.


    Grabbing Kyle''s hand, Xing Han said consolingly, "Two flavours but you can have two of each as it''s been a long time since the last time you ate it. There''s a convenience store just across the street from here. There should be some."


    Kyle''s face broke into a grin, let go of Xing Han''s hand and hugged him from the back. He placed his chin on Xing Han''s shoulder and said, "You''re the best, Xing Han! The BEST! My BFF!!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I know," Xing Han said as he walked to the door, with Kyle stuck to his back, "And let go, Kyle. You''re heavy!"


    Kyle gave Xing Han one last squeeze before grabbing his black hoodie sweatshirt and put it on. He was the first one out, excitedly shouting at Xing Han to hurry up. With a sigh, then a laugh, Xing Han ran to catch up.


    At the convenience store, people couldn''t help but stare at the two boys that had run in. The first actually slid to a stop, his strikingly handsome face looking around quickly before heading towards the dry food section with a breathtaking smile that just made everyone''s heart, beat a little faster.


    The second one that arrived slightly later, stopped with a stomp, doubling over a bit with his hands on his knees as he gasped to catch his breath. Once he did, he got up and took a basket, while saying angrily, "Kyle! Slow down! Those noodles aren''t going anywhere!"


    That sentence got people''s lips twitching, holding back laughter. It was completely unexpected. Just then, the first guy appeared, his arms full of instant noodles packets and a carton of eggs.


    "My preciousss!" Kyle said, as he ran towards the cashier.


    Xing Han looked at the basket he was carrying, then at the excited Kyle and sighed. There were obviously more than two flavours there. Looks like the craving was bad this time. Xing Han quickly went to counter to settle it.


    "No," Xing Han said firmly, pushing aside three packets of instant noodles as the cashier was about to ring them up.


    "Yes," Kyle said, taking one and putting it into the cashier''s hands.


    "Kyle, behave," Xing Han repeated, taking the packet back.


    Kyle held onto the cashier''s hand with one hand, taking the packet with the other and put it back into her hand, while looking at her with his puppy eyes.


    "Please ring this up for me," he said, "Ignore the other guy as I''m the one paying."


    Xing Han grabbed Kyle''s wrist and took the packet away, growling, "Don''t listen to him. He''s training so he can''t eat too many junk food. The ones you''ve rung up is enough."


    The poor girl didn''t know what to do other than just stand there, blushing, as the two argued. The customer is always right but there were two of them saying opposite things. She was just there to ring up the items!


    Kyle gave her his Million-Dollar Watt Smile, making her knees go all weak, "You wouldn''t deny me this little thing, would you?"


    The girl, mesmerized, shook her head as her hands went to scan the item.


    "Would you let him eat that and have him lose this?!" Xing Han suddenly roared, pulling up Kyle''s sweatshirt to reveal those mouth-watering abs.


    The girl''s eyes widened, quickly pressed the ''total'' key and said, "That would be $18 please."


    Kyle pushed down Xing Han''s hand and growled, "That''s playing it dirty."


    Xing Han scoffed, "As if unleashing your charm on the cashier isn''t?"


    The two continued to bicker as they paid, took the bag and walked out. The cashier was busy fanning herself, thinking that what had happened was just too surreal.


    All over some instant noodles?!

 Chapter 267 - Other Happenings

    While Kyle was happily slurping on his instant noodles, various other scenes were happening in different parts of Country Tz, not to mention in Country Hd.


    ? City X ?


    Sayuri was facing her grandfather, who was also her Sensei, her face pale.


    "You want me to do what?!" Sayuri exclaimed, unable to believe her ears.


    "You heard me the first time, young lady," her grandfather answered sternly, his face appearing a little disappointed over her outburst.


    "I ... this ... " she began, hesitating and slightly ashamed.


    She kept telling herself that she needed to learn how to manage her emotions better but it was hard. Meditation hardly helped and she knew that it was one of her greatest weakness.


    Still, she couldn''t believe what she had heard was her last mission. Or, rather, her last chance. If she rejected it, she would basically be giving up her chance to enter the Clan.


    To give up something that she had been working her whole life towards?


    She couldn''t do that.


    But the mission ...


    It was so difficult. Why would her grandfather give her this?


    "You have one year," her grandfather said, "Of course, that is the limit. If you manage to complete it before then, all you need to do is submit the report for evaluation."


    Sayuri closed her eyes, focusing on the reasons she had for working so hard. It was for her parents. She needed to take over the company and in order to do that, she would need to be a part of the Clan.


    She took several deep breaths and released it, calming herself. After a minute, she opened her eyes. Her grandfather was waiting patiently, knowing the sort of turmoil going on in her mind over this.


    "Thank you, Sensei," she answered solemnly, "I thank you for this chance and accept."


    "Good," her grandfather answered, then motioned to someone. A person came and handed Sayuri a key and a file.


    "You are also required to learn to live by yourself. Be independent. Remember, no one is to know."


    "Yes Grandfather," Sayuri answered, "I hear and obey."


    She gripped the key tightly.


    This was her final chance. She could not blow it.


    ? Country Hd ?


    "You want me to do what?!" Chad exclaimed in the conference room. He was having a skype meeting with all of the movie investors.


    "We want you to release the movie before the summer holidays," one of them said.


    Chad rubbed the space between his brows and sighed.


    "Moving the movie''s release date forward isn''t a problem as the main edits have already been done," Chad said, "It can be completed by the proposed date."


    Chad looked at his calendar, "But is that really a good move? Wouldn''t the summer be the best time for it to be released?"


    "We thought so at first," one admitted, "But the way the world reacted over the teaser trailer tells us otherwise. We should strike while the iron is hot."


    "Keanu had always given us this sort of pull, but you weren''t so eager to release the movie earlier," Chad pointed out.


    "It cannot be denied that Keanu''s star attraction in the movies have made it so successful. However, none of the earlier trailers ever generated this sort of reaction," the main investor pointed out.


    "Yes, didn''t you see that ''Kyle''s sightings'' site? They actually camped outside the airport for two days! Just to catch a glimpse of this ''perhaps'' new actor!" another was saying excitedly.


    "Yes, we need to get him out there. Release his name and a new trailer, showing his face even more," the main investor said, "Then get him and Keanu to do the worldwide promotional tours. He is also required to attend the official screening when it opens here for the first time."


    Chad could feel a headache coming on.


    "We want to milk this out for as long as possible. Imagine if they are willing to do that at the airport - just how many would be willing to watch the movie itself? And having it before the summer means you''re having a head start." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Plus, not all countries have this ''summer'' concept so we could actually get really good box-office sales from other countries before then," another commented.


    More and more investors were talking about it and it was agreed.


    The movie would be released in four months time, rather than six. The promotional tours were to start two months prior and carry on while the movie was on, for a month.


    When the video conferencing ended, Chad leaned back in his seat and looked at all of his people there.


    "You heard them," Chad said, "Tell the marketing team what is happening. The first trailer needs to be out by the end of the month. Second full-length trailer in two months time. Also, get interviews with all the normal channels..."


    "Erm, we already have them requesting it, actually," one of his assistants said.


    "Great. Contact Keanu and Sam about the scheduling before you start arranging it," Chad ordered. One good thing about this was that Kyle is a legally independent adult so the didn''t have to worry about the ''minor'' aspect.


    Everyone got up to do their jobs and Chad was left behind, tapping the table as he was deep in thought.


    ? Sakura Academy ?


    Principal Godfrey looked at the latest application into the school. It was a late application, and the said student was a second year. Looking at the results from the previous school, there was absolutely no problem for approving it.


    He smiled, as he looked at the picture of a sweet-looking girl and the transcripts.


    Principal Godfrey had no doubt that when this student sits for the IQ test, Sage Class would be welcoming another new classmate.


    He smiled wider, thinking of all the new things that would be happening with her on board now. There were so many good things planned for the following year. New student for Sage Class, the Community Programme and the Student Enrichment Programme.


    Sayuri Hinata.


    He was looking forward to a brand new school year and what it would bring.

 Chapter 268 - Mystery Shoppers

    The next day, Kyle and Xing Han started on their spying activities ... er, eating activities. They decided to have lunch at the family-owned fushion style restaurant and a seafood dinner at the other restaurant.


    Kyle and Xing Han went through their notes before they left the hotel.


    "Okay, so it''s pretty simple as to what we want to know," Kyle said, "Things like location and such isn''t what we''re interested in as that has already been looked at. What we want to see is customer service."


    "Like, how long they take to serve us, how polite are they and all that, right?" Xing Han said.


    "Yup," Kyle replied, "Though I''m going to do worse than that."


    "Meaning?" Xing Han asked.


    "I''ll deliberately create trouble, then see how they deal with the matter," Kyle explained.


    "So, do we split up?"


    "That''s not necessary. We can do the bad-cop, good-cop routine," Kyle answered.


    Xing Han thought about it, then said, "Sounds good."


    Kyle gave him another file, "Here are the employees who are working today. The owner''s son will be there, as the manager, so it''s the best time to check it out."


    "So that''s why you want to be the trouble maker, huh?" Xing Han said with a knowing smile.


    "Heh," was all Kyle would say.


    Kyle dressed up like a normal teenager, opting for his hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. He had a single stud earring and some thin leather bracelets. He wasn''t planning to look like a gangster nor act like one, but rather, he was going to be an unaccommodating and difficult customer to please.


    As they walked into the restaurant, Kyle looked at his watch briefly and waited. There was no one nearby and none of the servers actually looked at their direction. Finally, after a minute, Kyle simply walked over to a table and sat down.


    He sat back, looking about and saw that there were a few customers. It wasn''t the lunch crowd yet, though from the looks of it, it didn''t appear as if this place would reel in the customers. Kyle frowned at that. The accounts given didn''t seem to tally with what he was seeing here.


    Of course, one could say that this was a ''slow'' day but it did not explain why the servers weren''t even aware that they had entered - and sat down. Their table didn''t have a menu, which should already be an indication that they hadn''t ordered yet.


    Who was assigned to this table? No one?


    Finally, one server came into view and Kyle just stared at him. The server, however, wasn''t looking around but lost in his own world. Rather, he was engrossed with his work of carrying the food to the table, but even after placing it down, he did not look around to see if anyone needed his attention - or if he should be attending to anyone.


    Xing Han had been quiet this entire time, but he saw the way Kyle''s eyes narrowed and the slowly forming dark cloud above him. Though he said that he was going to be the ''bad'' guy here, it looked like he didn''t really need to act it out.


    Memories of Company LV came to mind when he went to do the ''cleansing''.


    At that time, his cold demeanor was something he put on in order to do it. Right now, though, it appeared as if his anger had been ignited and it was slowly being fanned as time ticked by.


    Xing Han decided that being the ''good'' guy wasn''t needed in this case anymore.


    He was just here to watch the show.


    ? ? ? ?


    Sayuri looked at her new apartment.


    It was a studio apartment. A super single* bed that had a bookcase at the foot of it, which basically separated it from the living room. There was a small dining table right beside the living room and next to it was the kitchen.


    For the first time, she would be living out of her house and on her own. This seemed like a drastic step for her to take, but it''s not like she could complain since she had basically failed the past two missions.


    Fortunately, she knew how to do basic household chores. Her grandfather was rather ''old school'' in the belief that even though they had lots of maids and people working at the house, it did not mean she would do nothing.


    Her room was her own responsibility to keep clean. Knowing how to cook was essential as food is the basic necessity of life - grandfather didn''t believe in eating out or having meals delivered. Eating with the family once a day was important.


    Thus, cooking and cleaning was not an issue.


    There was a washing machine, a television and the kitchen had all the necessary equipment (pots and pans, cutlery etc). She opened the fridge and saw that it was well stocked. She closed it and checked the cupboards.


    Spices, a box of cereal, were among the items there.


    What made her a little bit sad was seeing that there was only one dinnerwear set. She touched the plate, bowl, cup ... running her fingers on them with a sigh. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alone.


    She was alone again.


    She turned to look at her apartment, the place that she''d be in for one year and took a deep breath. Grabbing her suitcase that she had left at the door, she went to her closet and started unpacking. She didn''t have a lot of personal items.


    Her clothes went in quickly and three sets of the Sakura Academy uniform were hung up. Her books were put on the bookshelf and her stationaries on her desk. She gingerly took out a framed photo and put it on her desk.


    She sat down, putting her chin on her hands as she looked at the picture.


    "Welcome to my new place, Mama and Papa," she said softly, "I won''t let you down. Just wait and see. Your little Sayu will become stronger."


    She touched the picture, while a tear fell down her cheek.


    "I promise."

 Chapter 269 - Let Loose

    Kyle was getting more and more agitated as he watched their table being ignored - or rather, no one noticed them at all. He had raised his hands a couple of times, but none of the two servers that were going about ever looked in their direction.


    After nearly five minutes of this, Kyle decided enough was enough.


    "Excuse me? Can we get some service here?!" Kyle shouted.


    His voice was loud enough to be heard in the entire restaurant, so there was no excuse for the server not to have heard either. The two servers looked at each other, as if egging the other to serve their table.


    Finally, one came and stood next to their table, pen and paper ready.


    However, he did not apologize for the delay nor did he actually look at them. He simply stood there, even looking bored, as he focused on the paper in front of him. When he didn''t hear anything, he looked up, only to see Kyle looking at him.


    He looked back.


    Xing Han watched both of them in a staring contest.


    Surprisingly, Kyle wasn''t exuding any of the ''cold'' aura he had been exhibiting earlier. He had ''switched it off'' when he called out to the server. Xing Han kept quiet, watching and observing as Kyle just sat there lazily on the chair, leaning back.


    It still took Xing Han some time to get used to seeing Kyle''s blond hair, which made him appear less imposing. Was there something about blond hair that made one instinctively think ''surfer dude''?


    More so the way Kyle was acting, he seemed to have embraced that laid-back persona with a rather dopey look on his face


    "Your order?" he finally asked.


    Kyle spread his arms on the empty table, "Your menu?"


    The server blinked, looked at the indeed empty table and walked to the front counter, taking the menu. He put in on the table and Xing Han took one to look through. Kyle didn''t bother.


    "What''s good on the menu?" Kyle asked.


    "Everything," he answered.


    "What would you recommend?" Kyle tried again.


    Every capable server should know what was on the menu, and what was popular or well-liked. Sometimes, servers would recommend the items that they needed to clear as the ingredients have been left on the shelf for too long.


    Kyle wanted to know which category this server fell under.


    "Anything is fine," he answered, bored.


    Kyle internally rolled his eyes. This server was hopeless.


    "What are you getting?" Kyle asked Xing Han casually.


    "This T-pork chop sounds pretty interesting," Xing Han replied, "What about you?"


    "Ah, just order anything you think I''d like," Kyle answered, seemingly not bothered.


    "In that case, it''ll have to be the tom yam spaghetti," Xing Han decided, handing the menu over.


    "Drinks?" the server asked.


    Xing Han and Kyle gave their choices and he left in a hurry.


    "So this place basically is a fusion of Country T''s and Country Tz''s food," Kyle said, "It should be good and booming, considering how we just love our spices and stuff. Yet, there''s still not much of a crowd even though it''s ''prime'' lunchtime."


    "So, obviously, the accounts were fixed to show a false profit," Xing Han said, "But why? I thought you said the collaboration was simply to provide a connection?"


    "Yes, generally but this particular one also wanted investments to expand," Kyle revealed.


    The food arrived in 15 minutes, making Kyle use supreme effort to reel in the disdain. Upon looking at the food, however, that little patience he had was starting to get pretty thin.


    Kyle poked at his overcooked spaghetti. The presentation left a lot to be desired. Of course, this was not cuisine from Country F, which was well-known for the beautiful way of its presentation - though for Kyle, it was hardly enough for a meal. Pretty but not substantial enough.


    Like some people he knew ...


    Even though the food need not have that level of ''prettiness'' as Country F''s, the presentation was still important. The amount given was decent, but plated messily as it was just plopped there. It wasn''t in the middle of the plate and some strands of spaghetti were at the side.


    Worse, since it was tom yam, the colour of the dish should be reddish, but this was pale orange? What the heck did they use? There wasn''t even any sort of seafood on it and the basil leaves were missing.


    Tom yam was also sourish and spicy yet this one ... one bite and Kyle cringed.


    "So ... how is the pork chop, Xing Han?" Kyle asked as he put down his fork.


    "Sad, that''s what it is, sad," Xing Han replied with a sniff, "Do we really need to eat this?"


    "Nah," Kyle said, as he looked around. People were eating and their faces appeared normal. Was it their taste buds then? Were they too picky?


    Kyle took another bite of the spaghetti.


    Urgh. No.


    He pushed it aside and called for the waiter again.


    "I want to see your manager," Kyle said, and the server looked at him strangely.


    Kyle narrowed his eyes and he tapped the table, tilting his head and asking with a smile, "Was that difficult to understand?"


    The server shrugged and replied, "Why do you want to meet the manager?"


    "Are you the manager?" Kyle asked back.


    "No," he answered.


    "So get me the manager," Kyle replied.


    "Why?"


    "Because I said so," Kyle answered.


    "Not much of a difference if I do," he said.


    "That''s up to me to decide. Are you going to call him or not?" Kyle asked.


    "He''s at the back," the server replied.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, looked at Xing Han and said, "I''m getting tired of this. You want to join me or sit back for this one?"


    "What level?" Xing Han asked.


    "Annihilation," Kyle replied.


    "Total?"


    "Absolutely," Kyle said with a smile, and finally let his killer-aura out.


    The laid-back surfer dude was gone with that one word and the surrounding area''s temperature dropped a few degrees. The nearby customers rubbed their arms, while looking up, wondering why the airconditioning suddenly became so cold.


    It was time to let loose. He had been holding back for so long but this was the last straw.


    "Then I''ll just wait here," Xing Han said, taking out his phone, "Out of the line of fire. I''d hear the effect from here anyway."


    The server, standing at the side, had initially been looking at the side in boredom. However, the more they spoke, the more he suddenly felt nervous. His heart was beating rapidly and he wondered why he was feeling so.


    Upon hearing the words ''Annihilation'' and ''total'', he became crippled with fear and slowly backed away. He had no doubt that those words weren''t empty threats.


    When Kyle got up and turned, his fury clearly seen and hitting the server full-blast, he immediately turned and ran for cover.


    The only thought in his mind: I don''t want to die!!


    S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 270 - Play Him Like A Fiddle*

    Kyle''s cold gaze swept over the restaurant, targetting the staff there. He pulled up his hoodie, pushed the sleeves of his sweatshirt up to his elbow and picked up the plate of spaghetti.


    As Kyle passed the cashier, he lifted his eyelids up to look at her, his clear blue eyes striking her frozen as he asked gently, "Manager?"


    He reeled in the aura a bit when facing her, not wanting to be the cause of any nightmares but he didn''t put in the charm either. In the end, he appeared to her like the typical ''bad boy'' which all girls are told to avoid yet some can''t help but be attracted to.


    She was shivering in fear while pointing at one direction, yet couldn''t help but have her heart beat a little bit faster at seeing that handsome face looking at her. Once he passed by, she hit herself on the head and told herself, ''Dangerous, dangerous. Keep away. Damn but he''s so hot.''


    She turned to look at him turn the corner, her eyes zooming in on the most perfect man butt she had ever seen. It was round and firm, and as he took a step, those side cheeks** made the fullness even more prominent.


    Unfortunately, the heavenly view disappeared quickly enough and she lamented over the fact that she only managed to get the side view. If only she hadn''t been so affected by his gaze that she could have seen it in all its glory as he walked by.


    Ah, such a golden opportunity missed.


    ? ? ? ?


    As Kyle turned into the corridor that would lead him to the office, he cricked his neck and rotated his shoulders, switching off his killer aura at the same time.


    This wasn''t like Company LV, where he was their superior and had the authority to fire anyone he wanted. He had absolutely no connection to the restaurant and his actions also could not portray the Smith Industries in a negative light - or be sued.


    Didn''t mean he couldn''t teach the manager a lesson or two, though. Time to play him like a fiddle.


    The fact that this measely small company dared to try and cheat them? Gave them fake records? From the last official site visit, the restaurant had been booming and appeared as what the records showed. Obviously, paid patrons.


    Kyle snorted.


    This family must have spent quite a bit on this gamble. Did they not know how the Smith Industries worked? Did they truly think that they were better than them, and could get away with such a lousy con job? Just because of one successful con job two weeks ago, they went back to their normal habits?


    What a joke.


    Kyle looked at the design on his sweatshirt, that ran across his chest. It was of an eagle, with its wings spread open. The eye, however, was actually a spy camera. Unlike most spy cameras, though, this one was connected to Kay''s computer. This meant that the quality was better and there was no problem of storage space.


    Whatever was recorded would be kept as video evidence, should these little pups decide to bite back with all sorts of fabricated nonsense.


    Kyle knocked on the door and entered upon hearing the bored ''come in'' from inside.


    Once he opened the door, he saw the manager, George who looked at him in surprise.


    "Who are you?!" he exclaimed, getting up and pointing a finger at Kyle.


    "A customer who is disgusted with the service and food here," Kyle replied, placing his plate of spaghetti on the table.


    "Your servers took ages to serve me and when I finally get my food, it''s this horrible tasting thing. You seriously pass this off as food?" Kyle demanded.


    George took one look at the dish and his disgust could clearly be seen before he maintained a neutral expression, "I don''t see anything wrong with it."


    "Taste it then," Kyle challenged.


    George sneered, "You think I''m dumb? You probably tampered with it and want to get away with a free meal!"


    "Then get the kitchen to make another batch. I''ll even pay upfront!"


    "Stop spouting nonsense!" George yelled, "I don''t have the time to pander to your ridiculous request!"


    "Your customers'' complaints are ridiculous?"


    "We have all sorts of customers, complaining about every little thing. If I was to attend to it all the time, I''d never have peace. People are so sensitive nowadays," he replied, "Just stop bothering me and get out!"


    Kyle didn''t say a word but instead, he unleashed that killer aura of his. George sat back, his eyes widened in fear and started shouting hysterically, "Get out! Get out!! GET OUT!!"


    Kyle took a step back, his hands openly out as he said coming closer and focusing his aura on him even more as he said gently, "All I wanted was some justice to this thing you call food." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    George couldn''t believe the seemingly gentle words coming out of that person that suddenly felt so terrifying. Which made him even more terrifying. All sorts of scenario flashed through his mind - all of them involved him being either mutilated or beaten down.


    With a scream, he took the plate of spaghetti and flung it at Kyle, along with anything else he could get hold of. Kyle nimbly jumped to the side and watched as the plate smashed to the ground.


    "HELP! HELP!!" he was shouting hysterically, "This boy is trying to kill me!!"


    Kyle didn''t do a thing, but just stood there and backed away, but now stared into George''s eyes. George felt everything around him fade out and only saw those piercing blue eyes and it felt like it looked into his soul. He lost control over his bladder, filling the room with the acrid smell of his urine but he hardly noticed it.


    All he wanted now was to just get rid of the threat.


    With a scream and a strength that was borne out of an insane desire for survival, he lunged at Kyle.

 Chapter 271 - Finishing Move

    Kyle grinned as he saw how George seemed to snap and try to attack him.


    Kyle could see that within the depth of those wide eyes, there was desperation that Kyle he had seen quite often amongst those he fought with. With a shout, George climbed over the desk and scrambled to jump towards Kyle.


    Kyle simply took several quick steps to the back, twisted his body to the side just as the door of the office opened. George ended up landing right on one of his employees that had rushed over upon hearing George''s scream for help. Both tumbled to the ground and George, unable to realise that he hadn''t landed on Kyle, was busy punching him.


    Kyle reached over and grabbed George by the collar, hauling him up. Police sirens could be heard in the background, probably called by the first server that had run for cover. Which was a good thing, since George appeared to be like a rabid dog at the moment.


    George, upon feeling his throat being constricted as Kyle pulled from behind (as the collar in front choked him), started resisting. Kyle simply grabbed one of his arm, twisted it behind his back and laid him on the floor. He then put his knee on George''s back while his hand was at the back of George''s head, making him face the side as he held him down.


    "Are you okay?" Kyle asked the server who had been beaten up.


    The guy slowly got up, nodding just as the police came rushing over.


    "Hands in the air!" the police shouted, the moment they arrived.


    Kyle did as he was instructed, looking all innocent as he stood up.


    The moment he did so, however, George seemed to gain some energy again and got up, intending to attack Kyle. The police were on him in a second, George howling away and screaming, "That guy threatened me! He was going to kill me!! It was self defence!!"


    The police handcuffed him then looked at Kyle, who merely shrugged.


    "I don''t know what happened. He just went crazy," Kyle said, putting down his hands.


    "NO! NO! Don''t believe him!! He''ll get you! He''ll get all of you!!" George was shouting as he was being led out of the restaurant, "Don''t look into his eyes!!"


    As the screaming George was taken away by the police, Kyle saw that there were several reporters outside busy taking pictures of the whole incident. He was careful to make sure his face was not captured, as the reporters started asking around.


    The server explained that Kyle merely helped him when he was being beaten up by George. He had heard George calling for help but when he arrived, George just attacked him.


    They wanted to interview Kyle as well but he was talking to the police inside and they couldn''t wait. They needed to get back to quickly write it up in order to get it out for the evening news. Kyle gave his statement and the police looked at the CCTV that was installed in the room.


    Although there was no audio, it was obvious that Kyle had done nothing threatening while George suddenly lunged at him. With that, Kyle was let go after his details were recorded.


    [Wow, brother. That was smooth]


    [Why, thank you, dear sister. The reporters at the scene was a very nice touch, too]


    [Why, thank you, dear brother. It''ll take him ages to get out of this one. It won''t be long before that gets shut down]


    [As it should be] Kyle said with satisfaction.


    [We''re a team. Don''t mess with the Smiths]


    Kyle laughed as he reached Xing Han.


    "That''s it?" Xing Han asked scoffingly, "That''s your ''total annihilation''? All I heard were some whiny screams of help as if there was a bloody murder going on."


    "What were you expecting anyway?" Kyle asked as he nudged Xing Han to get up.


    Xing Han followed with a sigh, "I dunno. Just ... not this. Seems to anti-climatic somehow. I should have followed you then. The effects were not as cool. Not like at Company LV where you swept away down the corridor like some God of Death."


    Kyle laughed again, flinging his arm around Xing Han''s shoulders as he said, "If you can get them down through the soft method, you do. You use the method that is fitting for the occasion. This one?"


    Kyle said as they went out the door, "Didn''t need all of that. The business will shut down soon enough, and that, my dear friend, is still ''total annihilation''."


    Xing Han sighed loudly, "I suppose ... but I still prefer the fireworks! BOOM BANG! KAPOW! sort of things, you know? Where''s the finishing move?!"


    "Well then, the next time I need to purge a subsidiary company, I''ll bring you along, okay?" Kyle said with a smile.


    Appeased, Xing Han grinned and gave a thumbs up then said sadly, "My poor pork chops though."


    ? ? ? ?


    Sayuri spent the days familiarising herself with her apartment and the area. She explored the area thoroughly, finding where she could buy her groceries and daily things, plus taking note of the layout. In order to be able to escape or chase after someone, one would need to know all the possible routes.


    She often walked to Sakura Academy and observed it from afar. There had been a few times when sneaked in at night, to explore the area and locate Kyle''s dorm room and the Student Council office. From the files that she studied diligently everyday, she knew what were his habits and routine.


    Against her will, she found the file on Kyle rather fascinating.


    He was still annoying and irritating, though.


    Without a doubt, the guy had a stellar record and worse, he had that stupidly handsome face to go with it. What was it that made him push himself so much? She knew that whatever he had achieved, it was through sheer hard work despite his apparently genius IQ.


    His life seemed perfect.


    He was born in a warm, loving - and filthy rich family. The Smith Heir. A twin sister that he loved to death. His parents were still alive. He had the Elite Five, and even from the file, she could see how close they were despite the diverse backgrounds of each person.


    From all intents and purposes, such a person should have been spoilt rotten, riding on the coattails of his parents and living it off.


    Why was he so different?


    It did not make any sense! S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 272 - End Of The Year

    Kyle brought Xing Han to another place for lunch. Nothing fancy, but necessary to do appease Xing Han''s stomach after the bad pork chop from before. Luckily, there was a reputable place nearby that fit the bill.


    As they were in the middle of eating, Kyle''s phone rang.


    "Yeah, Sam?" Kyle said as he answered the phone.


    "Your schedule for the promotional tours have been set," Sam replied, "You have several interviews at the major entertainment channels prior to the movie release at Country Hd, the red carpet event, several more interviews after the release in various countries."


    "Hmmm," Kyle mumbled, taking another bite of his meal. It was as he expected though he wondered why Sam was calling him about it now.


    "The first interview is next week," Sam informed him.


    Kyle started coughing, as the food went down the wrong way due to his sudden intake of breath out of shock. Putting down his fork, he took his glass of water and took some sips, hoping to settle it but it wasn''t happening.


    Sam, on the other side of the call, waited patiently.


    It took Kyle a good 3 minutes to get things under control and he took several deep breaths while pinching the space between his eyebrows. This wasn''t the first time this happened to him, so he had always been careful whenever he was eating.


    He just didn''t think the call from Sam would be anything out-of-the-ordinary, so he had carelessly continued eating while talking on the phone. It was bad practice (and manners), so he felt it was his own fault anyway.


    Pushing his plate to the front so that he could focus on the phone call, Kyle asked, his voice slightly hoarse from the intense coughing, "What? Repeat that?"


    "The first interview is next week," Sam repeated calmly, then added for good measure, "At Country Hd."


    "What the fuck is going on?" Kyle growled, "Didn''t I have at least a couple of months before this madness?"


    "They moved the opening date," Sam explained, "Your first interview is with at the Ellen Degeneres* Show. The Christmas Edition episode."


    "Really? THE Ellen Degeneres?!" Kyle said excitedly, "Wait. No. How is this possible? How could you get that so close to the date? Christmas episode?! That''s huge. Wouldn''t she already have her guests? Don''t tell me you bummed someone off?!"


    "Calm down, Kyle," Sam said exasperatingly, "What is wrong with you, anyway?"


    "Nothing," Kyle replied. Xing Han was staring at him, listening to the conversation and so rolled his eyes.


    "He''s just a big fan of Ellen Degeneres, Sam!" Xing Han said loudly, loud enough for Sam to catch it.


    Kyle looked at Xing Han, pointed at his food and said, "Just eat."


    "Hah! You are the one playing with the phone at the table! Tsk tsk tsk. Bad manners indeed," Xing Han retorted.


    Kyle couldn''t refute that so he put his hand over his heart and he bent forward a bit as he apologized to Xing Han, "You''re right. Sorry about this."


    "Good that you know," Xing Han replied with his mouth full.


    "But ye Gads, Xing Han," Kyle said while closing his eyes, "Don''t talk while you''re chewing!"


    "You mean THIS bothers you?!" Xing Han said, as he opened his mouth and showed the chewed up contents in them.


    Kyle was so tempted to take a piece of prawn off his plate and flick it into Xing Han''s mouth at that moment. Doing that might make him choke, however, so Kyle restrained himself.


    Instead, he ignored Xing Han and continued talking to Sam, "Sorry, you were saying?"


    "First, no. You did not bum off anyone. The Ellen Show had a last minute guest cancellation, as the she met with an accident. The Ellen Show had already contacted Chad some time ago about the interview. So, when the team called back to arrange for a suitable date, it was a win-win situation," Sam explained.


    "But Sam, it''s Christmas," Kyle said with a sigh. He remembered Kay telling him about how their mother was missing him; so he couldn''t bail out during this important day, could he?


    "Not a problem," Sam assured him, "I arranged with Kay already. Your parents will be at Country Hd as well, so you guys will be spending Christmas there."


    Kyle felt relieved. Sam was certainly competent and had considered all aspects.


    "What about you, then?" Kyle asked.


    "Kyle, I''m not even a Christian so why would Christmas be an issue? My parents are fine about it as well," Sam replied.


    "Okay, then that''s fine then," Kyle said when suddenly, Xing Han shouted, "I am following, too!!"


    "Xing Han, this isn''t business," Kyle started saying when Xing Han put up his hand, his pointer finger pointing up.


    He shook his head while shaking that finger, saying, "YOU are my business. Wherever you go, I shall follow."


    Then he pointed at Kyle, growling, "You cannot get rid of me so easily!!"


    He pounded on his chest, declaring, "I am Xing Han!! Protector of Kyle. Keeping rabid girls and instant noodles away!!"


    Kyle rolled his eyes and said to the ever patient Sam on the phone, "You heard him. Make sure all arrangements will include him as well."


    "Not a problem," Sam said, "I will also inform the team so that they''re aware and give him all the security clearence as well."


    "That''s good. Great job arranging everything," Kyle praised Sam before hanging up.


    Continuing the meal, Kyle started thinking that the year passed by so fast. It was already almost the end of the year and after the Ellen Show, it would be back to school.


    Not to mention all the to-and-fro he would have to be doing between school and the promotional tours. Looks like the Student Council President is going to be stretched thin next year. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Thanks for arranging the Family Christmas Day at Country Hd, Kay]


    [Surprised?]


    [Very. It is THE ELLEN SHOW!!] Kyle couldn''t contain the excitement in his voice.


    [Heh. Figured you''d love it] Kay said with a laugh.


    [Yup]


    [It is a good way to wind down the year. Before you meet the new students next year]


    [Why should meeting the new students be an issue?] Kyle asked suspiciously.


    [Because Sayuri Hinata is one of them]


    Kyle dropped his fork in surprise.

 Chapter 273 - Learning To Let Go

    Sayuri Hinata? Enrolled at Sakura Academy??


    [No, seriously?!] Kyle exclaimed with a groan.


    [Yes, seriously] Kay answered [Why would I kid about this?]


    Xing Han saw the weird expression on Kyle''s face and he frowned.


    "What''s wrong, Kyle?" he asked worriedly.


    Kyle relaxed his face and put on a smile as he replied, "Nothing. Just thinking about all the work that I''ll have to be doing next year."


    [Kay, could you place the fly bugs at my dorm room?]


    [Kinky, brother. Do you want some in the bathroom as well?]


    [OH PLEASE] Kyle exclaimed and projected his feelings of disgust over to Kay [That was ... you made the hairs on my hand stand up!]


    [Oh please stop being so melodramatic, dear brother] Kay replied nonchalantly [What on Earth are you going to be like when I get a boyfriend? Start kissing? Having se-]


    [Stop. No. Stop right there. Don''t even say it] Kyle growled. He just wasn''t ready for this.


    [You''re being hypocritical, you know. You''ve done far worse and I can''t even say sex?]


    [ARGH!] Kyle kept poking at his food until it was starting to look like mush [It''s different with me! And you know why, too]


    [No, you''re still being hypocritical. I''m going to be 15 in just a few weeks. You can''t believe I''m still that innocent?]


    [I know you''re not] Kyle answered [Doesn''t mean I can handle hearing it]


    [Then handle it, dear brother. I wouldn''t want you getting a meltdown when I start kissing my boyfriend]


    [You have a boyfriend?!]


    [Not yet, but I will]


    ''Not if I have anything to do with it'' Kyle thought irrationally to himself.


    [And don''t you dare do anything to any guy I''m interested in] Kay warned [We wouldn''t want a repeat of the Jason incident now, do we?]


    [You wouldn''t hide anything from me now, would you?] Kyle said worriedly.


    Kay sighed and Kyle felt that emotion spilling out of her. Both of them had already learned to control projecting their feelings towards each other but there were times, like this, that they didn''t block it. It made their mental conversations reach another level.


    It was even deeper than face-to-face talking for they literally felt what the other was feeling.


    [I''m sorry] Kyle said, the guilt rising within him. He knew that he had to learn to let go, but it was hard.


    So damn hard.


    The Jason incident had woken him up to the fact that he was controlling Kay too much and treating her more like a daughter rather than a sister. Though the love he bore for her was far deeper than what a mother had for her child.


    If any mother was to hear him say that, they''d skin him alive but he knew better than anyone else what it was like. He had been a mother and his love for his children carried on even in this life. His desire to protect them, care for them and love them were as strong as ever.


    With Kay, it was just like that - but deeper, for they were connected in a way that surpassed all that. First, it had been because he did raise her from the womb. Secondly, they literally shared everything together since they were in the womb. Third, he could feel whatever she felt. Even though this developed later, it simply tightened and cemented the close bond that they had.


    The connection they shared was both a boon and a burden.


    More so for Kyle.


    Kyle saw Xing Han just silently staring at him while he was busy talking to Kay. Seeing that look, tilted his head and asked, "What?"


    "You know, you sometimes have this really far-away look in your eyes," Xing Han commented, "You often brush it off as you thinking but really, it''s just ... well, ah. Forget it."


    Upon hearing that, Kyle had this sudden desire to just be upfront with Xing Han about the mindspeak with Kay. After getting permission from Kay, of course.


    Perhaps this desire was borne out of the fact that Kyle was feeling rather melancholic when he thought of all the things he was hiding from Xing Han. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Kyle wanted a change in the status quo.


    Whatever it was, Kyle knew that he had to slowly make changes. Not just put all of his efforts into improving himself, creating connections, protecting his kids ... he also had to change with regards to how he treated Kay and the Elite Five.


    Sam was only the beginning, but even then, it was more about work than at a more personal level. If Kyle thought about all the things he had to do, and needed to do, he would certainly go crazy. One thing at a time, one day at a time.


    One step at a time.


    Looking at Xing Han seriously, he pushed his mushy food aside and asked, "Come on, Xing Han. Finish your sentence. What''s really on your mind?"


    "Nothing," Xing Han said, finishing up his meal.


    "Really? You can''t leave me hanging like that, Xing Han," Kyle said, "If you want to ask me something, then ask."


    Xing Han shrugged, then drank his water.


    "So?" Kyle pressed on.


    Xing Han put down his glass and looked at Kyle straight in the eye. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you saying that you''ll answer me honestly if I ask?"


    Kyle nodded.


    Xing Han put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his arm as he continued to look at Kyle.


    "Really?" Xing Han prodded, "Cross your heart and hope to die?"


    Kyle blinked a few times. Xing Han was really using their old-school oath? He was really taking this seriously then.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, utterly serious, "Cross my heart and hope to die."


    "Let me see your hands first," Xing Han demanded.


    Kyle rolled his eyes. If he was crossing his fingers behind his back, then the oath he took would not count. Kyle showed his hands and repeated, "Cross my heart and hope to die, Xing Han. I will answer you honestly."


    Xing Han broke into a smile then asked, "So what''s the real deal about Team Zero?"


    Kyle''s eyes went wide open.


    That was unexpected.

 Chapter 274 - Losing His BFF?

    "Team Zero?" Kyle repeated, still reeling in from the surprise.


    "Yes. You know, your so-called Elite Team. I mean, yeah, they are your Elite Team but it''s so obvious that they''re much more than what you said they were," Xing Han replied.


    Kyle took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked at Xing Han seriously and those dark hazel eyes stared back at him, unperturbed.


    "Not here," Kyle said finally as he called for the bill.


    Xing Han watched as Kyle paid the bill, feeling excited as he thought of what Kyle would be telling him. This had been something he had been wondering about ever since the lift accident, but he never had the guts to ask.


    BFF or not, there were things he knew Kyle didn''t tell him. That wasn''t such a big deal since being BFFs didn''t mean one needed to share every single thing. He figured that Kyle would tell him one day but honestly, as time went on ... he was slowly losing that confidence.


    Perhaps the doubt began when Sam became Kyle''s PA. The more Sam worked with him, the more there seemed to be this ''secret communication'' and connection between the two that Xing Han couldn''t understand. Or be a part of.


    It ate up at him slowly and his desire to be by Kyle''s side intensified.


    He felt like he was slowly losing ground as Kyle''s BFF. No, not so much losing ground but that Kyle was slowly drifting away from him. Kyle was already improving so fast that it felt like he had strapped himself on a rocket and was zooming away; while he, Xing Han, was struggling to catch up.


    Xing Han wasn''t a fool.


    He knew comparing himself to Kyle was simply asking for trouble. He could use Kyle as a benchmark, and as a person to strive to be - but not as one to beat. People may think lowly of him for thinking that, but Xing Han was a realist. No matter how hard he worked, he wouldn''t be able to catch up.


    He is who he is. He is not Kyle. He will pave his own path, his own way. He will be the best in what he does so that he can stand beside Kyle with pride (though he knew Kyle would never look down on him, no matter what).


    However, this wasn''t about being successful.


    This was about the bond that they shared. The more he realised that Kyle was keeping things from him, the more he felt like he was losing his friend. No, losing his BFF.


    They would always be friends, but he was deathly afraid of losing Kyle as his BFF. People change, right? People drift apart, right? People get busy and lose touch, right?


    Xing Han never wanted that to ever happen. So when Kyle finally popped the question and showed his willingness to share, Xing Han pounced on it.


    Why waste this opportunity, right?


    Right now, as he followed Kyle out of the restaurant, he could see that Kyle wasn''t being the normal ''Kyle''. He wasn''t carefree and playful, but was actually serious. Almost as serious as when he was working. The whole atmosphere appeared heavy.


    Xing Han couldn''t help feeling extremely nervous, his heart beating rapidly.


    Kyle, who was walking ahead, was thinking hard about what to say and how to bring the matter up. He had been so engrossed in that, that he failed to realise how it affected Xing Han - whose steps were getting slower and slower as he trudged behind Kyle.


    The normally bright Xing Han couldn''t find the strength to fight the negative thoughts that were starting to fill his mind. Watching Kyle walk off in front of him, oblivious to his surroundings - which included him, Xing Han - made his fear become real. It looked as if Kyle was, literally, walking away from his Life.


    Just then, Kyle stopped, looked about and turned around. When he saw how far Xing Han was, he frowned.


    "Why are you all the way over there? Come on, Xing Han," Kyle called out.


    Just those words made the clouds over Xing Han blow away. With a huge grin and a shout, Xing Han bounced over and glomped Kyle.


    Kyle''s heart went out to Xing Han, for this sudden display of affection. True, Xing Han was always the affectionate type but this was different. When he had turned and seen Xing Han just now, there had been this indescribable sadness within his eyes that just hit Kyle in a way that the Kylie in him rose up.


    The words were Kyle''s, though. If Kylie had taken over, he would have gone over to Xing Han and start consoling him like a little kid. That wouldn''t do.


    Right now, the way Xing Han was hugging him, it felt like Xing Han was afraid of letting him go. As if, he would disappear? So, Kyle hugged him back, squeezing him tightly as he let Xing Han settle down. He didn''t care that people were staring at them as they walked by, some laughing - though most were in disdain.


    If two girls were hugging tightly in public, no one would bat an eyelid. Guys, however, weren''t allowed. To show any sort of affection - worse, to do so in public - was akin to ''social death''. Kyle found that so toxic. Right now, Xing Han needed him so the public be damned.


    After a few minutes, Xing Han finally let go. Kyle didn''t say a word but simply smiled, turned and bumped his shoulder with Xing Han''s and said, "Let''s go back to the hotel."


    ? Hotel ?


    Xing Han just sat there on the couch, frozen.


    His mind was reeling with the insane thing Kyle had told him. MIB? Sam was part of it as well? The whole secret organisation was that big?


    He looked at Kyle with wild eyes, who was looking at him calmly. Xing Han tilted his head as he looked at Kyle, who appeared as if he was waiting for something.


    A reaction of some sort perhaps? Denial? Rejection? Xing Han had no idea. All of that wasn''t important.


    The moment he heard that Kyle had created this MIB, his heart just ached.


    Putting aside the fact that a 4-year-old actually would think of such an organisation, what exactly could have been the reason to push one to do so? Xing Han had a feeling that it wasn''t as simple as ''protecting the Smith'' and his heart just ached thinking about it. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why?" he asked worriedly.

 Chapter 275 - Xing Han

    Upon hearing that question, coupled with that genuine look of worry on Xing Han''s face, Kyle looked down in order to settle himself first.


    Ever since he told Sam about MIB, he had been feeling rather guilty about it. Even though that had been the only course of action at that time. Even though there had been no reason to reveal it to Xing Han.


    The guilt was still there.


    "Why, you ask?" Kyle repeated Xing Han''s question, his head still down. Wetting his lips, he took a deep breath as he looked up nervously.


    Xing Han saw the worry that was apparent on Kyle''s face. That rather sad-looking smile he was putting on as he said, "You wouldn''t believe me even if I told you."


    Xing Han frowned. The anger he didn''t know he had started boiling within him. He got up, stomped over, grabbed Kyle on the shoulders and shook him in frustration. Kyle let him be, not protesting or saying anything while Xing Han did so.


    "Look at me, you stupid fool," Xing Han commanded, bringing his face close to Kyle''s, "Who am I? I am Xing Han. Your BFF. No matter what you say, I will believe you. You have never lied to me, and you never will."


    Kyle felt his eyes prick with tears suddenly at that heartfelt declaration.


    The absolute trust and unwavering faith Xing Han had in him put a lump in his throat. What did he do to deserve all of this? Despite the fact that Kyle did believe and trusted in the Elite Five, at the end of the day - they were still only human.


    The bond between them was formed when they were still so very young. Even though their bond was further solidified when they banded together to save Kay, nothing was truly certain. Other than that situation, they never have gone through situations of life-and-death before.


    Their bond appeared close, but in reality, was it?


    It could just be the appearance of it. Would it pass the test of time? Could a third party throw a wrench into it and disrupt everything? What would happen? This was something that Kyle had been worried about tremendously, and had made various plans to make their ties stronger. Yet, that''s all it was. Plans.


    Kyle had seen too many countless incidences of betrayal to have absolute and complete faith that their bond was unbreakable. Not to mention he had been killed by one he had trusted before. Whilst it was true that he had been naive and stupid at that time, it also meant that Kyle always had this sliver of doubt.


    What if he was wrong?


    So in this life, though he felt he was truly fortunate to have found the Elite Five ... deep, deep down, he still had that small fear.


    Sam had proven his loyalty already when Kyle recruited him for MIB. Now, Xing Han had proven himself as well.


    Absolute and total faith in him.


    Just what did he do to deserve this? Them?


    "Kyle?" Xing Han called out, snapping Kyle out of his thoughts. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han panicked a bit, seeing how Kyle''s eyelashes became wet with unshed tears. Just what sort of burden was Kyle under? He had always seen Kyle being strong. This was the first time he actually saw a weak Kyle.


    The instant noodles didn''t count.


    This. This was real. A side of Kyle that he had never shown to him before. A Kyle that could actually cry??


    Kyle gave Xing Han a smile, patting the hands on his shoulders, "I''m fine. Just ... extremely touched."


    Kyle leaned back on the seat, pulling Xing Han to sit down next to him.


    "You asked me why?" Kyle asked, as he turned and then leaned on Xing Han''s shoulder.


    Xing Han found Kyle to be heavy so he shifted, which caused Kyle to drop on to his lap instead. Kyle closed his eyes, putting his arm across his eyes. Xing Han stared at Kyle, who was being unusually needy at this point.


    No, not needy. More like, he was struggling with himself.


    Instinctively, he knew that what Kyle was going to tell him something monumental and his reaction to that was important. He had already declared that no matter what Kyle told him, he would believe him unconditionally.


    How bad could it be, though?


    "Because I''m a reincarnated soul," Kyle said in a rush, "I was murdered in my past life, leaving behind my two children so I need a strong foundation to fight back and protect them."


    Xing Han blinked.


    He stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it about inside as if he was cleaning it.


    "You''re a reincarnated soul," Xing Han began.


    "Yup," Kyle replied.


    "You were murdered," Xing Han continued.


    "Yup," Kyle confirmed.


    "You have kids," Xing Han mumbled.


    "Yup," Kyle said, "A boy and a girl."


    Xing Han was silent for a while and Kyle tentatively opened his eyes. He saw Xing Han sitting there, dazed and then started slapping himself a few times. Just as Kyle was about to stop him, Xing Han looked down at him.


    Their eyes locked.


    "So you''re telling me, you''ve already experienced sex?!" Xing Han exclaimed, "You''re no longer a virgin??! So that is why you knew how to kiss!"


    Now it was Kyle''s turn to blink several times.


    "Of all the things I told you, that''s the one that you''re focusing on?" Kyle said with a laugh.


    Xing Han looked indignant, "It''s a big deal!"


    "That''s not all," Kyle said, looking up at him, "I was a girl in my past life."


    "OH. EMM. GEE. You had breasts?! How big were they?! WAIT. You had sex as a girl with a guy?! This is big. Did you give blowjobs? You have just GOT to tell me what girls like. Tips. I need tips!!"


    Kyle was speechless ... then covered his eyes again.


    He had been worried about nothing, it seems.

 Chapter 276 - Investigating Kyle

    ? Sakura Academy Dorms ?


    Sayuri entered the room that she calculated was Kyle''s room. From the records, she knew that he shared the dorm with his best friend, Xing Han.


    The best way to know the person was to look through his personal room. His house would have been better, but that was out of bounds. Grandfather said to focus only on his life in the school and she was not to disturb the family.


    She wasn''t ready for that yet, apparently.


    With a small flashlight, Sayuri surveyed the simple room. Again, she was surprised at what she was looking at. The dorm was just as normal as can be, without any ostentatious or luxurious items decorating the place.


    The beds were bare, the bookshelf had textbooks on them and the desk was clean and orderly. She went to one desk that had a picture frame on it and looked at it carefully. It was of Kyle and Kay, hugging and laughing in front of a Ferris wheel. Most likely, a theme park of some sort.


    She looked about and saw that the room was a mirror image of each other. Since the table with Kyle''s picture was on this side, then it meant that this side of the room was Kyle''s.


    She went to the closet, opening it and found several items of clothing inside. She flipped through them and found them to be simple and basic.


    Jeans, shirts, T-shirts, shorts, shoes. All normal things. Not only that, they were all so neatly placed inside. The shirts were hung on the left, the jeans and shorts were folded neatly and laid in a pile on the middle shelf on the right.


    The shoes were placed at the bottom of the closet below the shirts. Two pairs of bedsheets (with pillowcases) were folded and put on the bottom shelf on the right. Toiletries and his hairbrush on the top shelf.


    Sayuri frowned as she closed the closet door.


    She checked out Xing Han''s closet and saw the uniform hung while everything else ... was just piled all over the place. Some were folded, some were not. There were even some brands that she recognised to be of the higher end.


    That looked like what she expected a guy''s closet to look like. Messy. Still, it was surprising that there weren''t a lot of designer labels. Perhaps he had brought them all home? She closed the closet doors and leaned on the doors, looking into the room again.


    Sayuri bit her lip and sat down on Xing Han''s bed, thinking hard about what she was seeing. To be more accurate, she was reflecting on her reaction and thoughts to everything.


    Why was she so surprised to see a normal room? Why had she been expecting the place to be overly or richly decorated? Was her judgment flawed?


    Sayuri sighed, leaning back on the bed and looking around again.


    Why would this Kyle person continue to destroy all her perceptions of what a typical rich kid would be like? If she hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, she would have scoffed and dismissed any information she received about him being like this.


    A sense of shame hit her.


    A true ninja would not let their personal feelings affect the mission that they were on. They were to collect information, analyze it and form a conclusion - a logical conclusion, free from any bias. Yet, here she was, coming to investigate Kyle with preconceived notions of what he is like.


    No wonder Grandfather told her that she still had a lot to learn.


    She had been so caught up in her own sense of self-importance and own world that she was viewing everything from what she felt, was correct. She needed to get rid of that. Wipe the slate clean.


    Unknown to Sayuri, this realisation was the first baby step that she took on the path that her Grandfather set for her.


    Then, she remembered that smug, blowing kisses boy and she gnashed her teeth.


    Still an annoyingly handsome guy.


    [.... well, I did say it was the first ... baby step ...]


    In another part of the Country, a fairy-like maiden''s face had a slight glow, the blue light reflecting on her soft features from a laptop as she was looking at it.


    Kay pursed her lips. She had just placed the fly buy that morning, and who knew that it was exactly at the right timing?


    Since Sayuri wasn''t doing much so she didn''t need to tell Kyle right now (It was late at night, after all). Sayuri didn''t even manage to find Kyle''s hidden compartment and was merely looking around and sitting there. Obviously, she only viewed Kyle as a normal student and was checking up on him. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why, though?


    She would have to wait until Kyle came back and ask Master Shifu himself. Since this involved the Ninja World, she had no right to it. Thus, she couldn''t ask. Kyle never talked to her about it either and she never pressed the issue. It wasn''t for her to know.


    ? Kyle & Xing Han ?


    After the initial barrage of questions ... mainly about sex, positions, orgasms, G-spots and such ... Kyle began telling Xing Han about his children and former life. Xing Han wanted to know it all and lapped it up.


    "Only Kay knows about this," Kyle said.


    "Are you going to tell the others one day?" Xing Han asked.


    "I don''t know, honestly," Kyle replied as he walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of mineral water, drinking it all in one go.


    "That question had been plaguing me for years. At first, I felt it wasn''t necessary as you guys know me, as me. Kyle Smith," Kyle said as he sat back down at the sofa, "My past life is insignificant."


    "You''re wrong about that," Xing Han said, "Your past life made you who you are."


    Kyle was quiet as he thought about it.

 Chapter 277 - Teach Me

    After telling Xing Han his biggest secret, Kyle felt like a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders. The best thing was, he now had someone to talk to about it, other than Kay. Xing Han could give him a perspective that Kay never could: from a boy''s point of view.


    Was telling Sam and Ali about his past life needed?


    "Yes, it shaped me and it''s a part of me," Kyle agreed, "But knowing it doesn''t change who I am, fundamentally."


    "I agree that it''s a tough question to answer. There''s no right or wrong about it, I suppose," Xing Han finally said, "Just go with the flow."


    Kyle laughed a bit at that.


    "Like with you, today? You certainly side-swiped me with that question," Kyle revealed, "I thought you were going to ask me why I always had that far-away look in my face at times."


    "Yes, which reminds me. Why DO you have that far-away look in your eyes most of the time?" Xing Han asked, quickly grabbing onto it, "Remember, the oath is still in effect."


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "You''re really digging deep, aren''t you?"


    "Oh come on," Xing Han protested, "After telling me all about your past life, do you honestly think there''s anything you can say that will shock me now?"


    Kyle shrugged, "Perhaps."


    "Pffffft," Xing Han said, waving his hands.


    "I''m usually like that when I''m thinking hard about my plans ... or, when I''m talking telepathically with Kay," Kyle said while Xing Han was still going ''pfffft''.


    "Pff... ... ... " Xing Han was sitting there, his mouth wide open and Kyle could imagine the ellipses forming above his head.


    "Okay, I take that back," Xing Han replied, "Next thing you''re going to tell me, you can feel it when the other is in danger."


    Kyle looked at him with a raised eyebrow.


    "Wait ..." Xing Han said, "NO."


    Kyle nodded, "More like, we can feel each other''s feelings."


    "So let me get this straight. You''re a reincarnated soul with two kids, a sex addict, has a mental and emotional link with your twin, high IQ, super-rich in your own right, drop-dead gorgeous, owner and leader of a secret organisation ... what''s next? A martial arts expert?!"


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, "About that ..."


    Xing Han got up, flinging his hands in the air, "THAT''S IT! I''m not talking to you anymore! You! You!!"


    "And I resent the sex addict label," Kyle replied, getting up and facing Xing Han, "I''m still a virgin in this life, you know."


    "So ... do you prefer guys or girls?" Xing Han asked, sitting back down, "I mean, you were a girl and even had kids but now, you''re a guy ... and your packaging is quite impressive, too."


    It was a question that would be on anyone''s mind if they heard Kyle''s situation.* Maybe not the packaging part, though ...


    Kyle shrugged, sitting back down as well.


    "At this moment, it''s too early to tell," Kyle said, "I am not repulsed or sexually attracted to either gender. If push comes to shove, I know I can certainly do it with a girl."


    "Eh? How do you know?" Xing Han asked in surprise.


    "Since Kyle Jr would rise to the occasion when I kissed girls before," Kyle mumbled.


    Xing Han stared at him then said, "I am so glad I know all these things about you. You won''t be hiding all these good stuff from me ever again, right?"


    Xing Han was over the moon at this point. The fact that he now knew all these things about Kyle, Kyle wasn''t being careful or hiding anything from him anymore. His fear of losing his BFF had gone completely.


    He found it really fascinating about Kyle''s past life as a married woman. He now had the best source of information right in front of him. All the sort of questions he had, Kyle most likely knew the answer. Especially about the most elusive thing on Earth: women.


    No. Wait. Sex! And kissing! Xing Han rubbed his hands eagerly.


    "You''re not against kissing guys then?" Xing Han asked seriously, his mind churning with questions.


    "Why should I be? I''ve only kissed guys before in my past life," Kyle replied, "If there was a problem, it would have been whether or not I could kiss girls."


    "Since I''ve already tested that out, it''s not an issue," Kyle said, "And I figure I can easily kiss guys as well."


    "Well, kissing is one thing but do you think you can actually go all the way with a girl?" Xing Han asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "I dunno. I''ve only gone as far as kissing and ..."


    Flashes of Samantha successfully making Kyle Jr not only rise up, but ... leak ... Kyle shook his head to get rid of that memory.


    "When I think about it, I guess I''m bisexual? If I was straight, then it would mean I would prefer guys in this life, right? I may be a guy physically but my soul is of a girl. Or maybe I''m leaning more towards girls because I''ve grown up as a guy and think like a guy now?" Kyle said, thinking out loud.


    "So, the bottom line is, you have absolutely no problem with kissing a guy, right?" Xing Han said eagerly.


    "What''s with these questions?" Kyle asked suspiciously, "What has my sexuality or ability to kiss girls - or guys - got to do with anything?"


    "Nothing, really. I''m just curious ..." Xing Han started to say then grinned.


    "Actually," he said, as he got closer to Kyle, "Well, you''re experienced in all this kissing and sex stuff, right?"


    "Y-eeess, I suppose. Compared to you," Kyle replied, leaning back. Xing Han was having that look on his face that usually spelled trouble.


    Or stupid ideas.


    "And you know I''m the ''hands-on'' type of learner," Xing Han said with a smile.


    "So?"


    "So, I want you to teach me how to kiss." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 278 - Kissing Lesson #2

    Again, Xing Han did the unexpected. Rather, raised unexpected questions.


    "Okay. Let me get this straight. You ... want me to teach you how to kiss ..." Kyle said slowly.


    Xing Han nodded eagerly.


    "As in, teach you through action ..." Kyle continued, looking at Xing Han straight in the eye.


    Xing Han continued nodding, his eyes wide and innocent.


    "As in, you want me to kiss you," Kyle finally said it.


    "Yes! Yes!" Xing Han said excitedly, "I mean, when you explained and showed how to do it before, I tried practising in front of the mirror. I tilted my head and such but it wasn''t the same."


    "Ya think?!" Kyle said exasperatingly.


    "The mirror would only reflect what I would do so I couldn''t get the feel of the head to the left and right thing. Plus, kissing the mirror is meh. It''s cold and flat," Xing Han complained, "So I tried using this part of my hand to kiss."


    Xing Han pointed at the fleshy part of his palm, right under the thumb.


    "Kissing there was soft, but ... it just felt strange. When you kiss yourself, which is the sensation you feel? On the lips or on your palm?" Xing Han said, "It was weird. If I focused on my lips, I felt what it was kissing but if I focused on my hand, I just felt wet."


    "You ... felt wet ... " Kyle said with a straight face, trying to hold back his laughter. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My PALM felt wet!" Xing Han shouted in agitation.


    "So please, Kyle. Teach me how to kiss properly. I don''t want to have a failed first kiss!" Xing Han pleaded, grabbing Kyle by the arm and shaking it.


    "Oh please, Xing Han," Kyle replied, "I believe it''s natural. Look at Sam - he got into it quite easily."


    "Sam''s different!" Xing Han insisted, "He can just do whatever he reads or sees. I can''t."


    "Please please please Kyle!"


    "I seriously can''t believe you''re asking me to kiss you," Kyle muttered.


    "Oh pfft. Straight guys kissing each other is pretty normal now, ya know.* All this ''sensitivity'' and ''embracing'' things openly. There''s nothing wrong with that," Xing Han stated.


    "And you''re fine with kissing me?" Kyle asked, just to make sure.


    Xing Han looked at Kyle in genuine puzzlement, "Why wouldn''t I be? I''m asking you to, aren''t I?"


    Kyle just looked at him, and his heart just got warm. This BFF of his is so pure that it''s going to be a pity to taint him.


    Luckily Kyle had no qualms to completely corrupt the poor boy.


    "Fine, I''ll do it," Kyle said, "Remember. You asked for it."


    "Yes!" Xing Han shouted with glee, punching the air.


    "So, what do I do?" he asked, facing Kyle.


    "Nothing," he answered, "For now. You''re the girl in this scenario, okay? So listen carefully."


    Xing Han nodded, paying full attention.


    "You remember what I told you before?" Kyle asked.


    "A bit," Xing Han confessed, "Kissing with lips, not eating. Do not smash lips together. Kiss the upper or lower lip."


    "You have the gist of it," Kyle answered, "I''ll give you more tips when you''re kissing a girl, okay?"


    "YES! How to score!" Xing Han shouted excitedly.


    "Calm down, little puppy," Kyle said with a laugh.


    "The very first thing to do before you even start kissing is ... to get her permission," Kyle stressed, "This can be through words, or if you''re shy, then just from a tacit agreement."


    "What do you mean?"


    Kyle went closer to Xing Han and said, "Give hints that it''s what you want to do. Look at her in the eye, then at her lips. Don''t talk. Just go closer. If she doesn''t back off, keep on going."


    Kyle brought his face close to Xing Han, demonstrating. He looked at him in the eyes and lowered his lids a bit to focus on his lips. He looked back up to Xing Han''s eyes and slowly inched closer, their lips getting closer.


    "You can even caress her cheek or something, like this," Kyle said, as he brought his hand up and cupped Xing Han''s cheek, using one thumb to stroke his cheeks.


    "Make sure your fingers are at the back of her neck so that you can do this," Kyle said as he tilted his head to the left while tilting Xing Han''s head to the right, "You can use one hand, or two hands for this move."


    "I personally prefer the one hand move because your other hand can ... well, you know, touch her elsewhere," Kyle explained, "Like her waist, but don''t hold on too hard. Just put your hands there first. When the kiss gets more heated, you can bring her closer to you."


    Xing Han nodded, taking in all the information seriously, his eyes sparkling. Man, he was so lucky to have Kyle who could teach him all of this. It was amazing how good a teacher Kyle was, for Xing Han could truly understand and imagine it.


    This was just pure gold!


    It was so exciting!


    "If she has not protested at all, and is even looking at you eagerly, you go in for the kill," Kyle said as he came even closer.


    Xing Han could feel Kyle''s breath on his face, and lips as he talked and came closer. On instinct, Xing Han closed his eyes.

 Chapter 279 - The Kiss

    ? WARNING: Boy-boy scene. Skip this chapter if you''re uncomfortable with it ?


    When Kyle saw Xing Han close his eyes, he smiled.


    This Xing Han was so cute and pure, that Kyle really did feel like he was taking advantage of a little kid - even though that same kid was the one that had asked for this lesson.


    As Kyle''s lips touched Xing Han''s, his eyes also closed, but not before he idly noticed how long Xing Han''s eyelashes were and how smooth his skin was.


    "You kiss like this," Kyle said softly, his breath a gentle breeze on Xing Han''s lips, as he kissed the upper lips a few times, "Either top or bottom lips, but change often."


    Kyle did as he explained, kissing him softly, then laughed a bit as he said, "You can kiss back. Don''t just sit there like a log."


    Kyle kissed him again, this time with a little bit more force as he said, "Just naturally, don''t pucker up your lips so much."


    Xing Han did as instructed, and was slowly getting the hang of it. Or so he thought.


    The room was filled with sounds of kissing and after a while, Kyle couldn''t stand it and pushed back, laughing, "Xing Han, gah. Just be natural. Look, like this."


    Kyle took Xing Han''s upper lips inbetween his and kissed it gently.


    "You don''t have to make such loud sounds when you''re kissing," Kyle explained, "You''re doing it like this."


    Kyle took Xing Han''s lower lips and gave a smack, the sound echoing in the room.


    "It kinda breaks that romantic vibe, you know?" Kyle said as he sat back, his eyes twinkling.


    Xing Han huffed, "I TOLD you that I needed lessons! See! If you weren''t here to teach me, I''d probably be making the girl run away or something."


    Kyle patted him on the shoulder, "She''ll be as inexperienced as you and even if she wasn''t, she''ll be the one to teach you, right? Explore together. That''s half the fun."


    "So, you''re saying it should be done like this?" Xing Han asked, as he came to kiss Kyle, experimenting. First, he took the whole of Kyle''s upper lip and sucked as he kissed.


    Kyle shook his head, "No, gentler."


    Xing Han tried again and after several attempts, finally got it.


    "See? Not so hard when you''re not trying so hard!" Kyle said with a smile.


    "Okay, so now I have this down ... " Xing Han said, grinning then glomped down on Kyle, pushing him down on the sofa and brought his face close to Kyle''s that their noses were touching, "What about French kissing?"


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "Are you seriously ready for that?"


    Xing Han nodded vigorously, "If I was bad at normal kissing, I shudder to think what it''s going to be when it''s that!"


    "Seriously, Xing Han. Don''t overthink it," Kyle said, "It may be weird or awkward at first, but when you''re kissing the one you like, it doesn''t really matter. It just comes naturally."


    "No. It. Won''t!" Xing Han said, "I''m so nervous that I''m sure I''ll mess everything up! I was already so horrible at normal kissing. Kyle Kyle Kyle Kyle!! Teach me!!"


    Kyle rolled his eyes at the dramatic Xing Han then pushed him aside while getting up.


    "I''m sorry Xing Han but no," Kyle said firmly. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han wailed, "But whyyyy???"


    Kyle turned to look at him lazily, and replied, "Because we''re friends."


    "Huh?" Xing Han responded, his mind blank at what Kyle was trying to say.


    "It will be awkward afterward, trust me," Kyle said, "Kissing is fine as it''s just two lips together but french kissing ... that''s a whole new level."


    "What do you mean?" Xing Han asked curiously, tilting his head to one side.


    "One thing I learned very quickly after puberty, is that a guy''s hormones are killer crazy," Kyle said with a grimace, "The saying that guys think with their dicks is not quite wrong in some sense. It takes a whole lot of willpower to cool yourself down once the flag goes up."


    "You mean it''s different for girls?" Xing Han asked again, leaning back on the sofa now, "When you get turned on, or horny, you can just switch it off?"


    "Pretty much," Kyle replied, "It''s difficult to explain. When girls are really hot and horny, we certainly want to just jump on the guy - and the situation gets more heated so long as he responds. We''re more the ''touchy-feely'' type."


    "So if he rejects you, it''s like cold water is poured over you. You get frustrated, yes, but that''s about it. You might masturbate just to get off, but it''s more of personal enjoyment than a real physical need."


    "Whereas for a guy, it''s completely different. You don''t really need to do anything - us just imagining it is enough," Kyle continued. Though in his case, it didn''t really work that way even in this life. That''s why he thought he had been asexual at first.


    "Do you get what I''m trying to say?" Kyle asked, "As a guy, once the switch gets turned on, the only way to switch it off without actual sex is to jerk off ... or take very very long cold showers."


    "So ... " Kyle began hesitatingly, "Well, french kissing can really, really get it up. We''re guys, and so long as there''s stimulation ... you get what I mean, right?"


    "You''re saying things can get hot and heavy just from french kissing?" Xing Han asked, his eyes wide open.


    Kyle nodded, relieved that Xing Han got it.


    "So you''re saying you''re so good at french kissing that you''d even get ME turned on?!" Xing Han gasped, "Dang, Kyle. You''re such a pervert!"


    Kyle narrowed his eyes and grabbing a cushion, began plummeting Xing Han with it.

 Chapter 280 - Pure Xing Han

    Xing Han was shouting and screaming while trying to defend himself from Kyle''s cushion attack, his arms punching about and his legs kicking out. Kyle dodged them all easily, of course, and continued to whack Xing Han in all places with the cushion.


    Finally, with one last smash to the face, Kyle got up. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Man, Kyle, not the face!" Xing Han wailed, patting his cheeks. His hair was all messy, his clothes all messed up and his face was red. Being so fair skinned, just that bit of ''whacking'' made it so.


    Kyle laughed and stretched, then looked at the time.


    "It''s really, really late now," Kyle said, "We didn''t even go for dinner at that seafood place."


    Xing Han looked at the time in surprise, "You''re right. My stomach didn''t tell me I missed dinner!"


    "Guess our talk really took longer than expected," Kyle said, suddenly yawning, "Let''s just order room service if you''re hungry."


    Xin Han''s stomach growled at that time as if answering Kyle.


    "Ah, the stomach has spoken," Kyle said with a laugh, "You go ahead and order. I''m going to take a shower."


    "You and your insane cleanliness tendencies," Xing Han mumbled, then asked, "You want anything?"


    "Just fruits," Kyle answered.


    It was too late at night and it wasn''t healthy. He had already cheated that day with four bowls of instant noodles so he can''t cheat again.


    Kyle looked back at the happy-go-lucky Xing Han, who was going through the limited options for room service. He did not look any different after the kissing lesson, or even after being rejected for the french kissing.


    Never in his life did Kyle meet someone who was so open and pure about his thoughts and feelings.


    To think that Xing Han could turn out this way, even after being raised in that strict household? He actually did not even think twice about asking a guy to teach him how to kiss. Not only that, he truly did not see anything wrong with the request.


    In his past life, Kylie''s husband had been a bit homophobic. Not that bad, but he would raise their son in a way that he felt was ''manly'' and denounced anything he saw as being ''girly''. Kyle couldn''t do much to help his own son then.


    If he had tried to explain to his spouse that there was nothing wrong with it, he''d just go all ballistic. He''d be accused of talking back or not respecting him or looking down on him. It just made the situation worse.


    In the end, Kyle just kept quiet and tried his best to make the pain less for his son. But how much good could you really do when the damage was done? Words, once spoken and uttered, leaves a scar that is hard to remove.


    He also saw how his son''s personality changed due to his own father''s "well intentions". It broke Kyle''s heart.


    So Xing Han ... Xing Han was truly unique to be able to still maintain that innocence of his. Xing Han also appeased, a little bit, of the guilt Kyle had for his son.


    Kyle also felt that Xing Han gave off this feeling in another person to go and protect him from the evils of the world. Not that he could, but it would certainly be a pity when that pure soul got hurt or tainted.


    Kyle sighed and shook his head.


    There were things beyond his control but at the very least, he''d be here to help him in whatever things he wanted.


    Except French kissing.


    Anything but that.


    Kyle was okay with normal kissing. The people from Country F do it as a form of greeting. However, french kissing would have crossed the invisible line. Also, Kyle had always been very, very weak to French kisses ... more so as a guy.


    In his past life, he wasn''t allowed to be proactive. Girls initiating or being aggressive sexually was frowned upon. Now, though. As a guy ... it was different. Kyle found the times he had to kiss for the mission ... was truly a blessing in disguise.


    It was liberating and truth be told, truly enjoyable as well. Not that he''d admit it to anyone. He would just sound like a pervert if he did. Samantha had really been a very, very good kisser.


    Entering the bathroom, Kyle bit his lips as the memory of her technique and soft body suddenly filled his mind. As he took off his clothes to bathe, he noted something that should have been limp, wasn''t. It was at half-mast.


    Kyle groaned.


    He really was becoming a pervert.


    Kyle looked at himself in the mirror, noting the soon to be 15-year-old face that was slowly filling out and becoming even more mature looking. Hitting puberty early certainly did help him a lot. His baby fat was long gone and his sharp features just got more pronounced. His high cheekbones and sharp jawline were the highlights of his face.


    He wasn''t being narcissistic to say that he really hit the jackpot in this life with his face.


    Kyle then looked at his body and noted that he was filling out more as his chest got broader and the muscles were as firm as ever. Kyle looked down at his abs, then below and noted that the V-line wasn''t quite as pronounced yet. Probably will be once he gets older.


    He sighed and rubbed his head, a habit he developed in this life. Whenever he was thinking hard or just feeling urgh, doing so made him feel better for some reason.


    He sighed and went to take that shower.

 Chapter 281 - Pictures??

    Despite sleeping late, Kyle still woke up at 4am the next day. His body clock was just like that. No matter what, once it was 4am, he''d be awake and wouldn''t be able to fall back asleep. If he was tired, he would still need to get up and only take a nap later in the day.


    For now, he was in the living room doing his normal exercises while Xing Han was snoring away in the bedroom. As he didn''t have his weights, he just opted to do the same type of exercises when he had been at the hospital. Using gravity for added pressure.


    Kyle finished up in 40 minutes and went to get some water. It couldn''t be cold water so he poured some water from the kettle that he had boiled earlier. It was still hot, so he had poured it into a bowl so that it would cool faster.


    Swirling the bit of water then drinking it, he would continuously pour some water just to fill the bottom a bit and drink, when Kay contacted him. She knew that he would be awake to do his routine exercises, and timed it to be after he had completed it.


    [Brother, you were right to put the fly bugs. Sayuri checked out your room last night]


    [Hmmmm] Kyle acknowledged, putting the bowl down [Did she get anything?]


    [Nope] Kay answered [You''re so careful that even when there''s no danger, you keep your stuff locked up well]


    [She''s obviously here to check up on me] Kyle said [But for what reason?]


    [Haven''t you asked Master Shifu yet then?]


    [Not yet, but will do soon. I''ll go back today to settle this as this is more important. Can you get someone else to take over the report for Dong Dong Seafood?]


    [Not a problem] Kay replied.


    [Though with such a name, one wonders how good it can really be] Kyle grinned to himself.


    [I believe the food must be good] Kay said [There''s been some old and new reviews about it that are positive. Unlike the previous fushion one]


    [It ought to be, I suppose] Kyle said [Otherwise, who would ever go into a dong dong* restaurant? Not one dong, but two! Make me think that they''re like Hooters. Instead of having girls showing off their boobs, we have waiters showing off their dongs]


    [OMG! Now I can''t get that image out of my head. Stupid brother] Kay admonish him [For all you know, it could be his name. After all, there''s an Olympic medalist from Country C named Dong Dong]


    [That''s true, too. Some innocent words from one country would mean completely different in another]


    [It''s still funny, though] Kyle couldn''t help but add.


    [You''re hopeless] Kay said with a mental roll of her eyes. Not that he could see it.


    [By the way, I''ve told Xing Han everything about me]


    [By everything, do you mean MIB?] Kay asked.


    [E-ve-ry-thing] Kyle repeated, dragging the words and enunciating it clearly but slowly.


    There was a slight pause before she gasped.


    [He knows about Kylie?!]


    [Yes]


    [How did he take it?] Kay asked, her feelings of curiosity and amazement flowing into Kyle.


    [Pretty good] Kyle replied [So good that he even asked me to kiss him, just to teach him how to kiss]


    [... ... that sounds like Xing Han indeed] Kay said after a slight pause [So, did you? No, wait. You don''t need to answer that. Of course you did]


    [Well, yeah. It was just Xing Han]


    Kay laughed [Well, I''m glad he knows. Now you stop feeling guilty about Sam knowing first]


    [True. I do feel very content now]


    [But darn it] Kay cursed.


    [Why? What happened?]


    [I don''t have a picture of you guys kissing. That would have been so epic]


    [You''re so shameless, you know that Kay?]


    [You only have yourself to blame for that, you know]


    [How on Earth is it MY fault?!] Kyle said in disbelief.


    [Well, who is the one that has the type of body that girls - and probably guys as well - drool over? The one that actually uses that same body to get things? All those oh, ''accidental'' showing of abs. Not to mention ...]


    [Fine, fine, I get it!!]


    [Selling your pictures is very profitable, you know] Kay said smugly.


    [... ... you''re already so freaking rich from the investments and MIB. Why would you even sell pictures of me?!]


    [Cuz it''s fun] Kay replied with a laugh [It''s even more valuable now with the John Wick movie coming out. I''m keeping the good ones to auction after the movie comes out]


    [Wait. What good ones? When did you ...]


    [Oh! Mum''s calling! Laterz!] S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle narrowed his eyes at Kay''s lame attempt at evading the question. Knowing Kay''s tastes, those pictures that she had of him wouldn''t be the ''innocent'' ones. She liked giving fan service too much.


    Looks like Sayuri isn''t the only one that needed investigating.

 Chapter 282 - Shazam!

    Kyle went out at 5.30am to jog and get some breakfast. Even though they were in the middle of the city, there weren''t many people yet at that time.


    Kyle normally didn''t jog as he attracted too much attention but he felt the need today. He just wanted to feel the air on his face and just run.


    He figured that there wouldn''t be much of a problem this time around since working hours were 9am. The crowd should only be turning up around 7am or so.


    Kyle put on his tights that showcased his long, lean legs and shorts. The latter was needed to hide Kyle Jr, though it didn''t do much to downplay his nice behind. He grabbed his quick dry fitness T-shirt that clung to his body like a second skin, grabbed his sneakers and went out.


    He knew that Xing Han would only greet the world at 10am so he had plenty of time. He took out his phone to check out the routes to take, taking note of the shops that were open for breakfast. He was busy looking down at his phone while ignoring the people around him looking appreciatively at him - okay, they were staring.


    Kyle sighed inwardly at this and continued to pretend not to notice anything as he fiddled with his phone.


    He couldn''t afford to block out his senses as he must always be on alert. Kay letting slip that she had some good pictures also reminded him that he can''t be complacent at home either. He knew she wouldn''t put bugs in the bedroom or bathroom but there were definitely some elsewhere. There''s also that hacking skill of hers.


    She''d probably taking pics of him right now as well. Kyle looked up at the security cameras and stared at it.


    [You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?] Kyle said, on a hunch.


    [Very much so] Kay replied [You''re being very helpful in always wearing good things to show yourself off]


    [Excuse me] Kyle said indignantly [This is the perfect outfit for jogging. The quick dry-fit material is cooling and I don''t feel the icky sweat. The tights help with blood circulation]


    [Yes, brother] Kay said with a giggle [Eye candy indeed]


    [I''m your brother, for goodness sake] Kyle said with a shudder [Normal sisters would think their brothers are dorks or ugly]


    [I''m not blind and I''m honest] Kay replied [I''m gorgeous while you are even more so. Our genes are just too good]


    [Shamelessness runs in the family, too] Kyle said, his mouth curling into a smile.


    To others who were watching, his smile appeared very dreamy-like, as if he was texting a loved one. It was truly a beautiful picture. There were some that couldn''t help but take a picture of that, squealing inside for being able to capture it. Privacy be damned, apparently.


    [Kay, please make sure any pictures that are uploaded won''t get the Kyle tag or something]


    [Already done. The bots are out there doing their work well] Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Thanks Kay. You''re the best]


    [You owe me though]


    [Gasp. You''d really take note of such a thing? We''re siblings!] Kyle said dramatically as he walked out of the hotel. He looked around and took a deep breath.


    [Normal siblings won''t make me do so much work on a holiday]


    Kyle grinned, flashing his Colgate Smile unknowingly. His pearly white teeth shone in the sunlight as his face shone even brighter. He gave a slight stretch, his rippling muscles straining against the already tight shirt as he then started his jog.


    That day, there were many incidences of accidents where people ran into poles or tripped as a certain blond-haired boy was jogging around the city, oblivious to the slight chaos created behind him.


    Well, after all, his senses were attuned to danger and not to people tripping over themselves or self body-palming the door/wall/pole etc.


    ? Evening ?


    As Kyle and Xing Han reached Master Shifu''s house, Kyle stopped and turned to Xing Han.


    "There are still a few things about me that I haven''t told you," Kyle said slowly, standing in front of the door with his back to it, "But I won''t be able to. Some secrets aren''t mine alone, so I hope you can understand that."


    Xing Han rubbed his chin, making a ''I am thinking'' expression then said, "Why don''t we have a code?"


    "Huh?" Kyle couldn''t help but say.


    "When there''s something you need to do, or basically, need me out of the way, but can''t tell me why, then just say ''Shazam!'' and I''ll scram," Xing Han announced, "No questions asked. No hard feelings either."


    "Huh?" Kyle repeated.


    Not that he didn''t know what Xing Han meant, but Shazam?


    "You know, SHAZAM!?" Xing Han repeated, "You''re going to transform into your - I don''t know. Spy or whatever. So by saying shazam, you''re transforming! And I''ll also transform ... into a ghost. I will disappear ... POOF!"


    Kyle didn''t answer, but merely turned as he rolled his eyes and unlocked the door to go in.

 Chapter 283 - Koga Clan

    That night, Kyle was having a serious discussion with Master Shifu in his study room.


    Master Shifu study room was simple, just like how he was. A desk, chair, bookshelf and two single sofa chairs in the corner with a coffee table in between.


    This was where they were sitting now and Master Shifu listened intently to Kyle who told him all about the airport incident, her enrollment at Sakura Academy and subsequent break-in to his room.


    "Sayuri Hinata ... Hinata... hmmmmm," Master Shifu said, as he thought hard, "I believe I know which Clan she is trying to qualify for. Hold on."


    He went to the bookshelf and took out a black leather bound book. He opened it and placed his palm print on the scanner that was there. At another section of the room, a ceiling light dislodged itself from its position and the entire LED casing came down until it reached five feet from the floor.


    Right above the LED casing as a small cabinet. Master Shifu opened it and revealed a scroll. He took one end that had a hook and pulled. There was a slight click and he started unfurling the scroll, pulling it until he reached the other end of the room and hooked it on the wall.


    Master Shifu studied the scroll, his fingers barely touching it until he came to one spot.


    "Hah. I was right," he said excitedly, "Sayuri is a direct descendant of Mochizuki Chiyome, a female ninja and wife of samurai warlord Mochizuki Nobumasa."


    He tapped one section of the scroll and Kyle went over to study it.


    "Koga Clan*?" he said with surprise, "That is really an ancient family."


    "Yes. Chiyime left the Clan when she got married, and had formed her very own female ninja team. She saved countless of women, and people thought she was a good samaritan. In reality, she was training them to utilize disguises such as miko (Shinto shrine priestess), prostitutes, or geisha for purposes of espionage or assassination."


    "Her daughters were trained like that as well, and so were their daughters. Along the line, one actually returned to the Koga Clan and brought those teachings." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So Sayuri is an initiate?" Kyle asked.


    "Most likely," Master Shifu answered, "She obviously failed during the airport incident so her enrolling at Sakura Academy is merely an extension of that initiation mission."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if this is her final chance, too," Master Shifu said, "So don''t make it hard on her, Kyle."


    "Huh?" Kyle said puzzledly, his eyes all innocent.


    "Just pretend you do not know anything. If I am not mistaken, she is there to either observe you or get to know you," explained Master Shifu.


    Kyle shrugged, "Since this is her initiation test, why should I make it easier for her?"


    Master Shifu looked at Kyle and said, "It is because it is an initiation that you should. She is only a Lvl30, about to choose her job. She needs to just needs to do a few missions and perhaps beat a boss. You, on the other hand, is a Lvl200 Final Boss."


    "Get my drift?" Master Shifu said, looking all smug with his analogy.


    Kyle looked at his sensei, his eyes wide open in shock.


    "Master Shifu!! Since when do you know about gaming?? And using words like ''drift''? Are you okay, Master Shifu??"


    Master Shifu grinned widely and said "I am going to be a grandpa soon. I need to brush up on what youngsters are into nowadays."


    "Master Shifu," Kyle said with a smirk, "By the time the baby is born and is old enough to game, the games you''re playing would be obsolete."


    Master Shifu''s face fell for a second then he got back his ''normal'' expression.


    "I know that," he huffed, "I have to practise the basics first before going up, right?"


    "Anyway, as I was saying before you distracted me," Master Shifu continued while giving Kyle a long glare, "She doesn''t know that you''re a ninja. So it''s unfair for you to make it difficult for her to do what she needs to do."


    Kyle mumbled something incoherent under his breath, upon which Master Shifu hit Kyle''s head with his cane that he swiped from the table.


    "Speak up!"


    Rubbing his sore head, Kyle repeated, "Her family must know who I am, right? If they put me as her mission, then it means they don''t want her to have it easy."


    "You may have a point, but I doubt they knew how impossible a task they were placing on her," Master Shifu pointed out, "Just do what I say and don''t question me. Are you forgetting who I am?"


    Kyle stood straight then, took a bow and said solemnly, "I was wrong, Master Shifu. I hear and obey."


    Master Shifu harumped and walked out. However, just as he reached the door, he said, "Your martial arts skills are already at its peak and I have no more to teach you. However, you still need more practise on the Kato Art."


    "Yes, Master Shifu," Kyle replied.


    "Since you''ve got the promotional tours to do, I''ll give you some exercises to do as well during that time. I''ll test you once you get back," Master Shifu said and headed out.


    Kyle waited until he was truly out of range before slumping on the sofa.


    Physical exercises and skills were easy to master. This Kato Art was far more difficult than he had imagined. It required a whole lot of concentration and it often gave him headaches. He knew his progress was slow, so he resolved to practise everyday from now.


    He just needed test subjects ...


    Sayuri popped in his mind and he couldn''t help the smiling as he thought of several things he could do.

 Chapter 284 - Eenie Meenie Miney Mo

    There was a week left before the promotional tour would begin, so Kyle decided to spend it at home. Partly to make it up to his mother, and partly because he needed a break. He also missed Kay. Although they were connected mentally and emotionally, it couldn''t beat actually seeing her.


    That, and wanting to get back those pictures.


    "You sure you don''t mind being dragged here and there, Xing Han?" Kyle asked as they were having breakfast.


    "Why should he mind?" a deep voice answered beside Kyle, "He''s like your little puppy, following you about."


    Xing Han stared at Nitocris, chewing angrily, not able to refute that but he did say, "I am not a little puppy!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris looked lazily at him, while giving that lopsided smile of his, then said, "Oh, then should I say tail? The way you wag behind Kyle, it seems like it."


    "You .. you ..!" Xing Han stuttered angrily, pointing his fork at Nitocris just as Rheia came back to the dining room.


    "Xing Han, dear, no pointing at people," she scolded him gently, "And you, Nitocris. Stop bullying the poor boy."


    "Yeah! You tell him, Auntie Rheia!" Xing Han said happily, going back to his meal, "This is the best pancake ever, Auntie Rheia! You''re the best!!"


    Rheia patted Xing Han on the head, and he continued eating with a smile on his face.


    "Puppy," Nitocris said just as his mother entered the kitchen again.


    Just as Xing Han turned to glare at Nitocris, he saw him patting Kyle on the shoulder and go close to his ear, saying something.


    Kyle nodded, not saying anything while continuing to eat his breakfast.


    Nitocris patted him back on the shoulder, got up and left for work.


    Xing Han''s eyes narrowed and he looked at Kyle, then asked, "What was that all about?"


    Kyle turned to face Xing Han, said with a straight face before taking another mouthful of pancake, "Shazam."


    Xing Han mouth gaped open, then he slowly closed it, narrowed his eyes at Kyle and without another word, continued eating breakfast.


    All the while saying in his mind, ''don''t mind it, don''t mind it, don''t mind it'' since he had promised Kyle that he would not question and there would be no hard feelings.


    But it was Nitocris, damnit!


    Kyle watched Xing Han from the corner of his eye and sighed a bit. He could see how agitated Xing Han was being, from the way he was poking the pancake like he was stabbing someone (Big Bro, most likely) and chewing angrily.


    Kyle wondered why Big Bro Nic loved to tease Xing Han by showing some sort of connection between them that Xing Han could not be a part of. Earlier, Big Bro had simply told him that his men had found a few more moles in the organisation so he would like Ice to be there when they were going to extract information.


    Apparently, they had some connection to Richard''s child trafficking network, and Kyle may have some questions that they might miss. Since their train would depart later in the afternoon, Kyle had time to go over to HQ and participate.


    He couldn''t quite tell Xing Han that Big Bro was actually the King of the Underworld and he, as Ice, was one of the top assassins now. This was one secret that he was not planning to tell the Elite Five unless Big Bro allowed it. After all, Ice and the Black Dragons were too inter-connected that he couldn''t tell about Ice without revealing Black Dragon.


    Anyone who knew about the Black Dragons were all targets, so Kyle did not want any of them to be exposed to that danger.


    "I''ve got some work to do for Big Bro later," Kyle said to Xing Han, "Meet you at the train station."


    "Sure," Xing Han said with a forced smile, "Spy stuff?"


    "Spy stuff," Kyle affirmed, telling a white lie.


    "So Nitocris is part of that?" Xing Han pressed.


    Kyle looked towards the kitchen, then at Xing Han, gave a soft smile and said gently, "All I can say is, he''s not MIB or will ever be. As for the rest ..."


    Xing Han nodded, and jerked his head towards the door, indicating to Kyle that it was fine for him to go, "I understand. It''s enough to know he''s not MIB."


    Kyle ruffled Xing Han''s hair and left, entering MIB''s underground base underneath the house. After changing into Ice, he left through the second exit so that he wouldn''t run into Xing Han.


    ? Black Dragon HQ ?


    "Really, Big Bro?" Ice said as he looked at the three men sprawled there, naked.


    Ice was sitting cross legged on the table, while the three men were tied tightly, bondage style, with their backs on the cold floor.


    "Yes, really, Ice," Nitocris answered languidly, sitting on the chair beside the table.


    "I can do a-ny-thing I want to them?" Ice said as he studied them, raking his eyes over them and making the three buff men, shiver.


    "One," Nitocris clarified.


    Ice pouted, gave puppy eyes to Nitocris but before he could say anything, Nitocris simply gave him a cold stare and repeated, "One."


    Ice sighed loudly, jumped down from the table and took off his jacket. He put it carefully on the table, and walked over to the three men, looking from left to right.


    "Eeenie ... meenie ... miney ... mo ... Three moles caught by Brother Go .. Big Bro Nic say choose one, so ... Eeenie ... meenie ... miney ... mo ..." Ice chanted, pointing to each one at every different syllable.


    When his finger stopped at the guy on the left.


    "Oh, it''s you," Ice said with a smile, his eyes that had been half-closed now opened and focused entirely on the poor sod who began whimpering.


    "Let''s have some fun now, shall we?"

 Chapter 285 - Practice

    The one who got chosen was cursing and crying internally while the other two were relieved and prayed that the first one cracked. Perhaps, if he did, they''d be spared?


    Ice was well-known for his brutality but no one had heard anything about his ''interrogation'' methods. He had always been the ''fist'' type of person that simply pummeled a person - to death, sometimes. He was also known to prolong a fight and cause multiple injuries without actually causing death. Months of rehabilitation and becoming handicapped, but not death. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those sort of straight forward tortures.


    It was the King that was known to be of the more ''meticulous'' type and no one wanted to be subjected to his ''loving'' care. The legend of him skinning Dr. Dre had become the story that the new recruits were told to keep them in line.


    Most didn''t quite believe it until they saw the dried up skin that was on display in the King''s inner office. Nitocris always made sure he personally gave them a pep talk to them, with the skin on display, before they began training.


    The way the King just sat there, exuding a chilling, cold display as he gave them the speech about loyalty and dedication ... then he would gaze lovingly at the display and say at the end, "Be loyal, and I will care for you. Betray me ... well, let''s just say Dr. Dre is rather lonely."


    So, now, the King was telling his top assassin, Ice, to take over the interrogation. Ice, who they regarded as the King''s Knight, was allowed to do the first deed. They didn''t know if it was better, or worse.


    Did his Knight meet the standards of the King so he was allowed to do this? Or was the King merely wanting to wet the waters first? Was he worse than the King or better? Worse, as in the torture wouldn''t be as bad as the King''s, of course.


    The unknown factor proved part of the fear as well.


    The poor, unfortunate soul watched as Ice crouched down next to him and gave a chilling smile. He could feel an oppressive pressure bearing down on him but it wasn''t as bad as he thought it would be. Still, it was enough to petrify him so that he lay there, shivering and utterly scared at the thought of what was going to happen.


    Kyle gave a slow smirk, careful not to let his aura spill out too much. He wanted it to drag on, building up the pressure of fear within the man. He put his finger on the guy''s navel, going down and just stopping at the base of the d*ck.


    He paused, and looked up at the guy''s face, smiling as he twirled his finger just around the area but not quite touching it. Kyle then looked back down, bringing his finger up to the guy''s chest. It was a slow move, and the finger even zig-zagged on his chest, until it reached his neck.


    All this while, his eyes were down, observing the finger and the guy''s skin, so his cold blue eyes were hidden under those eyelashes of his. The guy, who was getting this special treatment, felt his breath getting shallower and shallower, as he felt the finger making a trail on his body.


    Ice then trailed his finger right up to the guy''s temple and it was then, he looked up and stared straight into the guy''s eyes.


    The guy, who was now locking gazes with Ice, felt his entire body freeze. Literally. He felt like it was on ice. In total confusion, the image in front of him started getting blurry, then the skin on Ice''s face melted away, revealing the skull underneath.


    His eyes widened, and he screamed when his mouth was covered by that skeleton hands. He panicked, trying to struggle but he couldn''t move even an inch. He saw that boney jaw move and he heard him say, "Your skin is really lovely. Would be a shame to mar it."


    It got closer to him and he heard the words whispered, "So let''s melt everything inside so the skin can be intact."


    It was then he felt like his insides were burning. From cold ice, to hot fire. He wanted to scream but the pain was too intense. His vocal chords were melted away, and he just lay there, gasping with his mouth and eyes wide open.


    The others watched as Ice was simply watching the guy, doing nothing other than that weird finger movements, then closing his mouth. The chilling words were scary but then, so what? But the guy just suddenly convulsed and began thrashing like he was in pain before finally, he just stopped.


    "Damn, I broke him," Ice muttered, as he saw the guy who''s heart had just broken down from the intense stimulation of pain.


    This was much, much harder than he thought. He had put in too much into the illusion that the guy couldn''t get out of it, breaking him completely. His brain was totally convinced that he was melting internally.


    Master Shifu would be so disappointed in him. He certainly needed more practice. Luckily Nitocris was around to give him all these nice people to play with. He would use the more dangerous ones on them so he had no guilt.


    He then turned to look pleadingly at Nitocris.


    "Big Bro, please? Another one?"


    Nitocris looked at him then said, "You were supposed to question him."


    "My bad," Ice replied, looking suitably contrite, "I got too excited."


    "One more. Stop playing," Nitocris answered.


    Ice grinned and turned to the remaining two, rubbing his hands in glee.


    They promptly fainted.

 Chapter 286 - Trying Again

    "Remember, information first," Nitocris reminded Kyle, while sipping on his red wine as he watched the whole process.


    Ice went and poured cold water on the unconscious guys then said to Nitocris, "Big Bro, choose the one for me, please?"


    For some reason, hearing how polite Ice was, the remaining two moles were ready to cry. Like students who didn''t want to be called, both were looking everywhere but at the people in front of them. Even though the bondage that tied them forced them in certain positions - including having to face their tormentors - it didn''t mean their eyeballs couldn''t move.


    "That one," Nitocris answered.


    Since both had been looking elsewhere, they didn''t know who it was that the King had chosen. Ice didn''t help either, for he just walked inbetween them, pushing them aside a bit then sat down cross-legged. He looked at the guy on his left, then his right.


    "You sure, Big Bro?" Ice asked sweetly, smiling with his eyes twinkling.


    "Yes," Nitocris answered, swirling the wine in his glass, his eyes seemingly bored, "Make it last longer this time."


    Ice rubbed his chin, looking very serious as he said, "I''ll try, Big Bro."


    "Don''t try. Do," Nitocris demanded, his voice deep and commanding.


    "Yes, Big Bro," Ice answered seriously, then placed his hands on the top of their heads.


    Their eyes bulged wider. Didn''t the King choose one? Why was he holding both of their heads then?


    What they did not know was that Nitocris had actually pointed to both of them, allowing Kyle free control. Just the reminder about what they needed had to be given.


    "It''s quite simple," Ice said, "I will ask one question. If I don''t hear an answer I like, I will cause you unimaginable pain. If you say something I do like, then I''ll cause the other the pain. If both say something I like, you get a free pass. Pass from pain, that is."


    "Do you understand?" Ice asked.


    Both nodded but the moment they did that, Ice hands went directly to their throats, squeezing hard until their eyeballs went to the back of their heads from the lack of air. Just as they were about to pass out, Ice let go then hissed, "I said, do you understand?"


    One nodded, while the other croaked, "Yes"


    Ice gave the one who didn''t answer, a punch to the nose from the bottom to up, breaking it. The angle of the punch caused more pain than if he had hit from the side, and some fragments of the broken bone seemed to smash into his head.


    Finally understanding what Ice wanted, the guy managed to open his mouth and say, "Y..s.." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ice patted both of their cheeks, saying, "Now, that wasn''t so hard, was it?"


    Then he cocked his head to look at the broken nose guy, "Though perhaps it would be harder for you to talk now, huh?"


    Ice brought his face closer to the guy, gently stroking his neck while saying "I''ll leave you be ... for now. Wait for me and I''ll get back to you real soon."


    The guy, who could beat up 10 men at one go, shuddered from that one sentence and the sudden killer aura that spilled out from Ice. He felt it go straight into his soul, and images of Ice in flames as he stared at him filled his mind. He promptly fainted.


    Ice scrunched up his face and looked at Nitocris, putting his hands up in the air, saying, "I didn''t do anything! Are these the quality of your men nowadays? Fainting left, right and centre. "


    "Hmmm," was the only response from Nitocris.


    Even from that distance, Nitocris had felt the killer aura and was slightly affected. What more the person that was subjected to it fully, and at such close range. The fact that he merely fainted and wasn''t frothing at the mouth was already an indication of how strong he truly had been.


    Not that it could withstand Ice, of course.


    Kyle turned to the other guy, who had also felt the killer aura. Before Kyle could say or do anything, the guy became a mountain of information. Much to Kyle''s consternation.


    ? Two hours later ?


    "Had enough?" Nitocris asked as Kyle pursed his lips.


    After getting the information that they needed, Kyle continued his experimentation on the two guys. If his ancestor, Kato Danzai could make 20 people believe he had swallowed a cow, then making these two believe that Ice was actually the devil shouldn''t be too hard, right?


    Wrong.


    Put too much into the illusion, then the mind can snap. Just like what happened with the first guy. Put too little, then the belief may fade in time. Ensuring that the fear and belief to be firm without breaking the mind was difficult and a tad delicate.


    There was even beads of sweat on Kyle''s head as he sat there on the ground, not caring about the stench of urine and poop that came from the guys beside him. He was going to throw away the clothes anyway. One long shower would get rid of the rest.


    "Can''t do anything anymore," Kyle said with a sigh then got up, wiping his forehead, "How the heck does Father do this?"


    Only in front of Nitocris does Kyle refer to Master Shifu as such. In his heart, Master Shifu was his father even though he was Patrick''s son biologically.


    "If I get any more moles, you can have them. Just try and try again," Nitocris said encouragingly.


    Nitocris got up, having found the entire process absolutely fascinating. To see that the three bodies were entirely intact yet dead, was truly a new thing. He was used to seeing how people screamed and writhed under his knife, their pain satisfying to see and hear.


    This wasn''t as satisfying but it was interesting. Just seeing them scream from absolute fear while Kyle did nothing but just sit there and look at them, while occasionally touching them in some spots. Nitocris still prefered the old method, but he wasn''t adverse to new methods. As long as it got the job done.


    Nitocris walked out, and Kyle obediently followed. His beloved jacket, untainted from all the filth, was carried carefully.


    The cleaners that came afterward felt a fear in their hearts that they could never erase.


    Seeing blood and gore was one thing ... but this. This was straight from the deep mysteries of horror. Three buff men, completely untouched but dead. Their faces frozen in abject terror, making the cleaners believe that the men had literally, died from fear.


    Just what had they seen? Just what did Ice do??


    After that, word spread. The rumour about Ice being the Devil Incarnate solidified. His gaze was enough to literally kill you.

 Chapter 287 - Secret Weapon

    After bathing and changing his clothes, Kyle entered Nitocris''s office. Once inside, he took off his black wig and rubbed his hair. It felt nice to loosen up.


    He walked over to the desk, where there were some files and papers strewn all over. Sitting down, Nitocris looked at him and shook his head.


    "Blond doesn''t suit you," he said casually.


    Kyle shrugged, not really bothered.


    "So," Kyle said, waving his hands on the material on the table, "Was the information useful?"


    "It had some value," Nitocris said, "But only in confirming what we suspected. They haven''t given up on their base here."


    "They''re really not taking you into consideration in this, huh," Kyle said in a huff.


    "Can''t really blame them," Nitocris answered, leaning back on his chair, "They came and made their mark while Kazuya was in power. They aren''t going to just drop everything simply because there''s a new boss."


    "So they are testing the waters? Checking you out? Trying to find your weakness?" Kyle said, listing out all the possibilities.


    "Most likely," Nitocros agreed, "And there are probably even more moles, maybe hidden quite deep inside. It will take time to weed them out."


    "So what is the next step then?" Kyle asked, "They know we got these three moles, right?"


    "Most likely," Nitocris answered, "So they will be even more on guard. It will just make the game more interesting."


    "You really are enjoying this, aren''t you?" Kyle observed, "Despite the danger and such, you enjoy the chase."


    Nitocris gave a slow smile and replied, "Life would be boring otherwise."


    "Is that why you like teasing Xing Han so much?" Kyle mused.


    Nitocris laughed at that, startling Kyle. He had never heard Big Bro Nic laugh before.


    When he finished laughing, there was a smirk on his face and he lazily looked at Kyle, "That, my dear little brother, is not something you need to concern yourself with."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow then tsked, "He''s my BFF, Big Bro."


    "I know," Nitocris replied, the smile not leaving his face, "I won''t cross the line."


    Kyle nodded, knowing that was the best he could get out of Big Bro. Kyle then looked down at the files in front of him, missing the expression in Nitocris''s face.


    ''For now'', he thought to himself. After all, he was still a puppy. The smile that formed on Nitocris''s face would have made anyone, who saw it, shiver.


    "But what I do not understand," Kyle said, "Why are they still so insistent on this? Why must there be a base here? Well, yeah, Country Tz is strategically located but it''s not like there aren''t any alternatives."


    "It''s more troublesome to start all over," Nitocris explained, "First, they tried to win me over to their side. When that failed, they try to carry on under my nose. This is the stage that we are at. When they fail at this ..."


    "They''ll try to eliminate you?"


    Nitocris scoffed, saying, "Try is the operative word. Before that, I will find out who is the mastermind and eliminate him. Or her."


    "They have the advantage as they know you but we don''t know them," Kyle said with a sigh.


    "That''s where you come in. As Kyle Smith, that is," Nitocris replied, "You are our secret weapon. The variable that they have no idea about."


    "We need to get rid of them before they start targetting those close to me," Nitocris continued, "Even though Father is there to protect Mother, it is still too dangerous. I do not want to expose her to that sort of life. Ever again."


    "Agreed," Kyle said, "What can I do?"


    "Gather more information from some of the places you go to for your promotional tour," Nitocris replied.


    Kyle sighed.


    He felt like he could understand Peter Parker in Spiderman: Far Away From Home movie. All he wanted was a holiday yet he still had to be spiderman.


    Kyle wasn''t a superhero but the promotional tour was going to be taxing enough. Now he had to do ninja-stuff?


    He slumped over the desk and Nitocris patted his head.


    "Be good," Nitocris said emotionlessly.


    "If you get too stressed out from the tour, just beat up people when you''re gathering intel," Nitocris advised, "That would be killing two birds with one stone, isn''t it?"


    Kyle''s eyes brightened.


    ? Train Station ? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han was beginning to feel restless. The train was going to leave and yet, Kyle wasn''t there yet. He knew Kyle would not miss the train, but he sure was cutting it close.


    Not daring to wait outside any longer, Xing Han went into the train. Just then, there was a shout and Xing Han peered out.


    Sure enough, it was Kyle. He wasn''t carrying anything at all, and was simply running at high speed alongside the train. Despite the fact that Kyle could have simply entered any of the carriages that he passed, he didn''t want to.


    He had seen the dejected look on Xing Han''s face as he struggled to keep a happy, confident stance while waiting for him. So how could he waste time by entering in an earlier carriage and walk through from one carriage to another?


    Might as well go straight to the waiting Xing Han.


    Laughing happily as he finally reached the carriage Xing Han was on, he jumped in and gave Xing Han a hug.


    "Come on! Let''s get into our cabin," Kyle said. He was tired of planes at the moment and just wanted another mode of transport. Even though it would take longer, it was way better than being half-dead on a plane!

 Chapter 288 - Skills

    The train they were on had first-class sleeper cabins and the two boys were having the time of their lives. Well, Xing Han was having fun as per normal while Kyle was feeling quite relaxed and happy - a state that he''s always in after being Ice.


    Being able to vent, or release pent-up stress in such a physical way (though in this case, it had been mental) was really liberating. It was like a pressure cooker that built up its pressure over time, then having that pressure released.


    In their sleeper cabin, the beds were double-decker beds on one side and the other side, a two-seater sofa and a table inbetween the two, below the window. The mattresses and pillows were firm - just like how Kyle liked it.


    Right now, Kyle was on the top bunk and popping grapes in his mouth. Xing Han was on the sofa, bare-footed and sitting cross-legged on it.


    "Want some?" Kyle asked as he took another grape. Black, seedless grapes. His favourite.


    Xing Han looked at him, then nodded, "Sure. Something to tide me over just before lunch."


    Xing Han was just about to get up when Kyle told him, "Just open your mouth."


    "Huh?"


    Just then, a grape landed inside his open mouth.


    "Sweet, right?" Kyle asked, referring to the grape.


    "Man, that was awesome Kyle! Sweet indeed," Xing Han replied, referring to the throw, "What else can you do? How high is your skill?"


    "High enough," Kyle answered modestly.


    "Black widow* level?"


    Kyle thought about that seriously then answered ambiguously, "Close enough."


    Xing Han, however, knew exactly what Kyle meant. Being the fanatical loyal BFF that he is, he knew that Kyle didn''t mean that he was close enough to Black Widow''s skill, but rather, that Black Widow was close enough to his skill.


    "Awesome," Xing Han commented, opening his mouth again.


    Between the two of them, they finished the grapes quickly.


    Kyle did a half somersault down from the bed, landing neatly on his feet and causing Xing Han to blink several times.


    "You know, I have discovered that knowing you have the skill and actually seeing you execute the skill, are two completely different things altogether," Xing Han said while hitting the side of his head, "I''m still trying to process what I just saw with what I know you as."


    Kyle gave a small smile and took the two steps to reach Xing Han. Going down to Xing Han''s eye level, he said, "I''m still the same Kyle."


    "I know THAT," Xing Han huffed, "It''s just ... well, it''s just going to take me a bit of time to get used to seeing a new you."


    "You want me to act like before?" Kyle asked, sitting down next to him.


    "Oh gosh, NO!" Xing Han exclaimed, looking at him in shock, "If you do that, I''m not going to talk to you!"


    Kyle grinned, "You''ll crack before I do."


    "Will not!"


    "Will too!"


    "Not!!"


    "Too!"


    "Arrgh!!" Xing Han yelled, jumping onto Kyle, making him fall on his back onto the sofa. He sat on Kyle''s stomach, ruffling his hair vigorously. Kyle had his left leg up, bent at the knee and behind Xing Han''s butt while his right leg was spread straight and touching Xing Han''s leg.


    As Xing Han was straddling Kyle, his knee was actually at Kyle''s knee as well. In one smooth motion, Kyle turned slightly to the right, pushing a bit with his left knee and swung his leg over to Xing Han''s left leg, trapping it. He scooped it over his right leg, then quickly pushed up his right leg over Xing Han''s knee.


    So now, Xing Han''s bent knee was caught inbetween Kyle''s legs.


    At the same time, Kyle had grabbed Xing Han''s right wrist with his right hand, and his left hand was on Xing Han''s shoulder.


    With a twist of the leg and a push on the arm, Xing Han lost his balance and found Kyle now on top of him, looking down at him with an evil grin.


    "I don''t have to act helpless anymore, right?" Kyle said as he leaned closer, "I can show off my skills, right?"


    "I - I .." Xing Han stuttered then started laughing uncontrollably as Kyle tickled him on his sides and armpits mercilessly.


    Just then, there was a loud, insistent knocking at their cabin door.


    Kyle stopped and jumped off Xing Han, and opened the door.


    Kyle saw a couple at the other side of the door, with the guy''s knuckles still in mid-air as he was about to knock again.


    The couple had these really sour look on their faces, which only got worse as they took in Kyle''s messy look. With his clothes out of place, his hair tussled and chest heaving, they made the conclusion that this extremely young boy had started on some nightly activities in broad daylight.


    "There are other people on this train, too," huffed the lady, staring at Kyle.


    "Oh, sorry," Kyle said, knowing that they were in the wrong. After all, they had been making a lot of noise, "We''ll keep it down." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "See that you do," growled the guy when Xing Han''s voice was heard.


    "Anything wrong?"


    Their faces became even worse at that as they looked at Kyle in disdain. Kyle didn''t like that look. He brought his head down a little bit, licked his lips and gave a slow, sexy smile as he turned his head to face inside the cabin and answered, "Nothing to concern yourself over."


    Kyle then turned back to them, his eyes dark with desire as he started unbuttoning his shirt and closing the door with a smile, "Like I said, we''ll keep it down."


    Kyle found it satisfying to shut the door on their extremely shocked faces.

 Chapter 289 - Kid-napping?

    "What was that all about?" Xing Han asked as Kyle walked back in, buttoning up his shirt.


    "Just a couple of douchebags," Kyle answered, "Though we were making too much noise. This cabin isn''t soundproof."


    "Ah, let''s just go to the dining section and eat something," Xing Han said while stretching.


    ? Dining Room ?


    Kyle was feeling quite bothered about something, and he couldn''t get it out of his mind. Things just didn''t add up to show that anything was wrong, and yet, he still felt there was something wrong.


    "What''s wrong?" Xing Han asked, noticing that Kyle wasn''t eating as fast as he normally did.


    Kyle pursed his lips, but didn''t answer at first as he continued eating, his eyes downcast. He looked to the side then back to the original location he had been looking at.


    Finally, he looked at Xing Han and said, "This is just a hunch ... but ... I feel like ..."


    Kyle swallowed his food, then took another bite, "That kid doesn''t belong to those people. Or, at least, he''s not that willing to be with them."


    Xing Han frowned, "Kidnapping?"


    "Yeah," Kyle replied, finishing his meal quickly, "He doesn''t look like either of the adults there."


    "Maybe he''s adopted?" Xing Han suggested.


    "Yes, that is a possibility but he''s clearly uncomfortable and scared," Kyle said, "If it''s just one factor, I would disregard it but when you have a few, it becomes too suspicious."


    "First, not only is his features not similar to the two adults there, his bone structure is also different," Kyle explained, "Secondly, he''s agitated and scared. He''s looking around as if he is seeking help but no one is paying him any attention."


    "Third," Kyle continued, "He is asking for his mother."


    "Er, duh," Xing Han said, "Why didn''t you say that first? Wouldn''t that be obvious then, that he''s not their kid?"


    "No," Kyle said, "Because he''s calling the guy ''father''. "


    "Now you''re making me confused," Xing Han said, his frown getting deeper, "First, you said he doesn''t look like either adult but now you''re saying he calls the man ''father''. Wait."


    Xing Han blinked.


    "How come you know what the kid is saying?" Xing Han asked belatedly.


    "Reading his lips," Kyle replied.


    "Of course," Xing Han said, hitting his forehead, "Anyway, it still doesn''t answer my question. If the guy is his father, how come he doesn''t look like him? Also, if he is the father, how can it be a kidnapping case? The kid is probably just naughty and being scolded."


    "I know it doesn''t add up, which is why I''m so bothered by it," Kyle said, "And a father can still be guilty of kidnapping if he''s going against the custody order. The woman is obviously not his mother, you see."


    Kyle started tapping the table, "But I can''t get over the fact that he''s calling that man, ''father'' when they don''t appear related at all."


    Kyle took out his phone and said, "Xing Han, strike a pose. I need to take a picture of them but I''ll be pretending to take your picture instead."


    "Sure, what do you want? A silly one?" Xing Han asked as he made a face.


    "Or a sexy one?" He then gave a duck face as he blew kisses at Kyle.


    "They both look like silly ones to me," Kyle answered with a straight face.


    "Well, fine," Xing Han said with a huff, "We''re not GQ models like you."


    "Just lean more to the right," Kyle said, angling his phone so that the camera would capture the kid. After taking the photo, Kyle looked at it and then sent it to Kay.


    [Kay, check out this kid''s picture. Is there an Amber alert* on him?]


    Kyle smiled at Xing Han and told him, "I''ve sent the picture to Kay. She would be able to get me some information on the kid]


    Xing Han nodded, "I''ll get dessert then. We need an excuse to stay here, right?]


    Kyle nodded. After a few minutes, Kay got back to him.


    [No Amber alert]


    [Damn] Kyle cursed, still having that nagging feeling like something was wrong.


    [But that''s only due to a technicality] Kay continued.


    [What do you mean?] Kyle asked.


    [The boy''s name is Kyle, funnily enough. The adult next to him is his stepfather, Cornelius]


    [Seriously? Kyle?] Kyle said with a laugh [What are the odds]


    [Yes, brother. This Kyle Jr is sweet, unlike ...]


    [Okay, stop right there] Kyle said as he shivered [We do not talk about my dick, thank you very much]


    [Why not? You could talk about my breasts]


    [That was years ago and when you were entering puberty!!] Kyle rolled his eyes.


    [And each time you think I need a bigger cup]


    [Well, I had breasts before and until you get a dick, we shall leave mine alone, thank you very much] Kyle replied, mentally


    Kay, wisely, decided to drop it for now. It was the old ''push a bit, pull back a bit'' routine. She knew Kyle was having difficulty in treating and seeing her as a woman and was still too over-protective. She appreciated that he was trying, but she wanted to ''help'' a bit.


    Previously, she never talked about sex or even asked about male anatomy. It was always ''girl talk'' with her friends but she realised now, she needed to be much more ''daring'' with her own brother. Otherwise, he''s never going to be able to handle it in the future.


    [So what''s the story with Kyle and Cornelius?]


    [Kyle''s mother found out that Cornelius has a mistress. So she filed for a divorce. He doesn''t agree and decided he needed to take a trip with his stepson.]


    [And? What? Is he using the kid to extort money from her?]


    [Unclear] Kay stated [I''ve checked their phone records for texts and emails but everything appears clear. He''s not leaving a trail.] S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [He knows the loophole, I suppose] Kyle muttered, gnashing his teeth


    [Most likely. It''s legal for Cornelius to take the kid, unforunately]


    Kyle cursed [But he''s clearly unhappy]

 Chapter 290 - Rescue

    Kyle brought Xing Han up-to-date with the situation of the kid.


    Xing Han also appeared amused over the fact that Kyle shared the same name as the kid.


    "So what are you going to do about it now?" Xing Han asked.


    "If I do anything, I''m the one breaking the law," Kyle said.


    "So what are you going to do about it now?" Xing Han repeated, smiling at him.


    Kyle smiled back, "Oh, you know me so well."


    "Was there ever a doubt?" Xing Han asked.


    ? ? ? ?


    "So you''re really okay with this?" Kyle asked for the umpteenth time.


    "For the millionth time, yes," Xing Han replied exasperatingly, "If you ask me one more time, I''m going to bite you."


    Kyle grinned, "Kin-ky..."


    Xing Han pounced on Kyle, who was laughing and nimbly dodged him. This time, Xing Han was expecting that so he turned to the right, intending to grab onto Kyle. Kyle grabbed onto Xing Han''s hand instead and pulled him close, their noses touching as Kyle wriggled his eyebrows.


    "Not quick enough," he said with a smile before letting Xing han go.


    "GAH!" shouted Xing Han in frustration. He kicked towards Kyle, who was looking elsewhere, but still couldn''t land a hit. Kyle simply twisted his body a bit and the foot went to the side. Kyle smacked the foot down and turned around, putting a finger on his lips.


    "Remember the plan now," Kyle said. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han became serious then, and stood up straight, taking a deep breath and said softly, "Showtime."


    Just then, the ''targets'' came into view as they entered the space that connected the two carriages. The door opened and as they passed through, they saw that the boy was walking in front of the two adults, his head held low while Cornelius held tightly onto the boy''s shoulder.


    Xing Han and Kyle made as if they were on their way to the other side, so they stepped aside to let them through. The couple didn''t even spare a glance at them, nor acknowledge their gesture with a thanks as they passed by.


    Which was fine for Kyle. The less interested they were to their surroundings, the less likely they will remember how they looked like. Made things easier for them.


    The moment they passed by and their backs were to Kyle, he turned around quickly. He reached over and pressed the acupuncture points in their necks. They promptly fell unconscious. Kyle caught Cornelius while Xing Han took hold of the woman. The boy in front stood there, frozen until Kyle said, "Don''t worry. We are here to help you."


    With those words, the boy suddenly broke down and cried, sobbing while putting his arm across his eyes.


    "I need to know," Kyle said gently, "Are you with these people willingly?"


    The boy shook his head vigorously, saying inbetween sobs, "I want my mummy!"


    "Okay, but you must keep your voice down," Kyle said to him, "I''ll take you back to your mummy but you must listen to everything I say. Can you do that?"


    The boy nodded.


    "Good," Kyle said as he held Cornelius up, "I need to put these people down first, then you follow me, okay? Just stay here for a second."


    The boy looked suitably scared but nodded nonetheless. He watched as the two boys half carried, half dragged the other two into the next carriage. There wasn''t anyone around but Kyle knew that it was only a matter of time.


    They quickly put the two people down, and Kyle placed Cornelius''s head on the side while the lady''s head was placed at the side of Cornelius''s shoulder. To anyone who was watching, it looked like they were merely asleep.


    Kyle quickly searched through Cornelius''s pockets and found their train tickets. He took all three, keeping Little Kyle''s ticket while ripping apart the other two, throwing the confetti-like paper out the window.


    For good measure, Kyle double-checked the lady''s pockets as well and made sure that there was nothing on either of them that could connect them to Little Kyle. It was a good thing, too, for he found a picture in Cornelius''s wallet.


    On a hunch, Kyle also took their phones and pocketed it.


    Kyle then turned to the little boy and went down on his knee, so that he was at eye level with him. Giving him a smile that exuded warmth, Kyle said gently, "Hi, my name is Kyle. What''s your name?"


    The boy''s eyes went wide.


    "I''m Kyle, too!"


    Kyle made as if he was surprised, "Really? Wow! This means that we''re fated to meet each other! Come, follow me and I''ll find a way to bring you back to your mother."


    The boy nodded, taking Kyle''s proffered hand. He looked at it for a while, seeing how it engulfed his little one. Unlike how it was with his stepdad, this hand felt warm. He looked up, to see that face looking down at him gently.


    Little Kyle smiled.

 Chapter 291 - Deal With The Hand You’re Dealt With

    Once they were in their cabin, Xing Han locked the door.


    Kyle went to the window, peering out. He closed it and after tapping the keypad of his phone for a while, he placed it on the window ledge.


    "Okay, Phase 1 done," Kyle said with satisfaction as he turned to face them, "Now, we''re going to play a game of hide-and-seek."


    Little Kyle went and sat down on the bed, swinging his legs over the side as he listened to Kyle.


    Kyle sat down next to him, studying the young boy.


    He appeared to be Asian, so his English name was a bit of a surprise to Kyle. Then again, Xing Han''s sisters all took up English name as well, so perhaps it was the same case with him? The boy looked to be about five years old and had an angelic face.


    Beautiful, to be exact. With his dark hair, smooth skin and feminine features, Kyle could imagine the sort of teasing he was likely to get (if he didn''t already) about his looks. In fact, he actually looked better than Kay did at that age. That said a lot about how beautiful the boy was.


    So what Kyle was going to ask him to do would be a bit bad if that was so. Thus, Kyle needed to get his permission first. Hopefully, he would cooperate.


    "We are on a quest to find your mum," Kyle said to Little Kyle, "But to do that, we must first hide from your stepdad and his lady friend."


    Little Kyle nodded.


    "The best way to do that, is to hide in plain sight," Kyle continued, "Do you know what that means?"


    "Of course. I am a big boy now. I am 7 years old!" he declared in a huff, "It means that instead of hiding, I stand out in plain sight."


    Kyle blinked a bit. Seven? But he looked so young and he was so small. Was he malnourished? Kyle shook his head, taking that thought out of his mind. Perhaps it was his genes, and it just would take him longer to grow.


    "So, you''re going to have to pretend that you''re my little ... sister," Kyle said slowly.


    Little Kyle didn''t move, his mouth wide open. Then he looked a bit worried as he then lowered his head, staring at his feet. His mouth started quivering.


    Kyle sighed and scooted over closer, "I''ll dress up as a girl, too, to keep you company. Would that be okay then? It will only be while we are on the train."


    Little Kyle stared at him, "You?"


    "Yes, me," Kyle replied, "I''ll dress up as a girl, you are my sister and Big Brother here - "


    Kyle patted Xing Han''s stomach, "Will be my boyfriend."


    Little Kyle looked at Kyle, then at Xing Han then back at Kyle.


    "How?"


    Kyle smiled, tilting his head as he looked at Little Kyle, "I just happen to know a little bit of magic."


    He spread his fingers, closed them and when he opened them again, there was a coin in between. Little Kyle''s eyes widened as he watched those fingers closing and opening, showing more and more coins when finally, it all disappeared again.


    "It''s all an illusion," Kyle said, "Make-believe. I know how to do it so that you would look like a girl." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Little Kyle''s mouth quivered a bit as he said, "That does not need magic. I already look like a girl."


    Kyle took a deep breath and got down from the bed. He went on his knees, and took the two little hands in his, while looking up at Little Kyle''s face. He put on had on Little Kyle''s cheek, saying, "This does not matter. What you look like on the outside does not reflect who you are inside."


    Kyle patted Little Kyle''s chest, "Here is what is important. Even if you do look like a girl, does it matter? What do you feel like?"


    "I am a boy!" he said vehemently, taking several deep breaths as his anger filled him up.


    Kyle smiled, saying, "Then you are a boy. People can say what they want, think what they want but the one that decides is you. If you let them tell you how to feel, then you have lost."


    Kyle stared at him, asking, "Do you understand what I am saying?"


    Little Kyle pondered on this deeply, staring at the person who looked like the perfect example of what a man should look like. Little Kyle frowned. How could that manly man truly understand what he was going through? What he had to face all the time?


    As if knowing what was going through Little Kyle''s mind, Kyle smiled and said, "We all have our inner demons and expectations. When people look at me, they think I''m too young to do anything. That I do not know anything."


    Xing Han nodded in agreement and chimed in, "He''s the Smith Heir, and he got that position very young. People looked down on him and he had to prove himself over and over."


    "I am young, but it doesn''t mean I can''t do it," Kyle explained, "So, no matter what they said, or how they said it, I used my abilities to prove myself. I use what I have to get what I want and do what I want."


    "Just like you. You''re beautiful. That''s a fact," Kyle said, much to Little Kyle''s consternation.


    "You cannot deny that," Kyle continued, "The question is, are you going to let it ruin you, or are you going to use it to benefit you?"


    Little Kyle just sat there, his face in total shock.

 Chapter 292 - Pivotal Moment

    Little Kyle could not quite grasp what Big Brother Kyle was saying.


    No, that wasn''t right.


    He did understand but this was the first time someone actually told him to embrace himself. To accept himself. Even his mother would try to placate him by telling him that he''d outgrow the feminine features.


    Yet, as he grew older, he only got more and more beautiful, which made him more and more frustrated. Some even had ... these strange looks on their faces whenever they looked at him. He even got that look from his stepfather.


    When he came to pick him up from school, he didn''t think anything was wrong. However, getting on the train was a sure sign something wasn''t right. However, he couldn''t do anything about it and his stepfather just made his hold on him stronger.


    He didn''t like it. He didn''t like the sense of fear and danger that he felt coming. Yet, no one was helping. Until Big Brother Kyle came along. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now he wants him to dress up like a girl? But he was going to do so as well just to keep him company? This manly man would do that?


    "There is no other way?" he asked quietly, not daring to look at Big Brother Kyle.


    Kyle looked at him and smiled, "There is always another way. If you''re not comfortable with this, then we won''t do it."


    The risk would be higher but he was not one to make the little boy feel worse about himself. If he couldn''t handle it, Kyle was not going to force him.


    "You''ll dress up as a girl for me?" he asked.


    "Yes," Kyle answered firmly.


    "Don''t worry, Kyle. It''s no big deal. Whether you dress up as a girl or not, I''d still do it," Kyle said. He wanted to show Little Kyle that there was nothing to be ashamed of.


    "You really don''t mind people seeing you as a girl?" Little Kyle asked, then shook his head, "But why should you? You don''t look like a girl normally, so dressing as one wouldn''t be hard."


    Kyle knew what Little Kyle was getting at. If he was to disguise himself as a girl, people would see him as a girl - not as a guy dressing up as a girl. Thus, the feeling is different.


    "In a way," Kyle said, "But at the end of the day, the point is - I don''t care what people think. Look, take me and Big Bro Xing Han here. We''re very, very close. So close that people have said we''re gays."


    "Even our last principal wanted to expel us because she thought we were," Kyle revealed, much to the horror of Little Kyle, "But I am still friends with him. I do not care what people think. He''s my BFF. The end."


    "Yeah, our friendship never changed and he''s never been uncomfortable with me," Xing Han declared proudly.


    "Yeah," Kyle agreed, "Just because people were uncomfortable with how we interact, or how close we are, did not mean we would act any different. For what? It''s our lives and our business. We have no obligation to make them feel better."


    Little Kyle looked at them, understanding beginning to dawn in his eyes.


    Kyle, seeing this, pressed on, "You see, we can do things like holding hands - and even kissing - without feeling like it''s wrong or a sin. Our feelings are pure. Towards each other, it is nothing except sincere brotherhood."


    "People can tell us that we''re wrong. We''re sinful, we''re a disgrace but we just don''t care. It doesn''t bother us at all," Kyle said, "For what they are saying is not true."


    "As for you, denying your looks as anything but what it truly is, is wrong. Just as I said earlier, you are beautiful. Instead of feeling ashamed, be proud," Kyle said, "And just because you''re beautiful, doesn''t mean you''re not a man. You. Are you."


    It was at that moment, that a big change happened in Little Kyle. A change in perception and a change in how he viewed himself. Though it would take years for him to truly be fully confident about himself, this moment was the moment that it all began.


    In the future, whenever Little Kyle thought of this day, he knew that the man he became was all due to this pivotal moment.


    "Okay, I''ll do it," Little Kyle declared solemnly.


    He then looked at Big Kyle and said, "But you''ll make an ugly girl."


    Just then, Kyle''s phone that was at the window sill started beeping. With a smile, Kyle walked over to the window, took his phone and opened the window.


    "You''d be surprised," Kyle said with a smile as a drone flew into the cabin, through the open window, carrying a bag.

 Chapter 293 - Disguises

    Little Kyle couldn''t believe what it was.


    A drone.


    It was a drone!


    But it didn''t look like normal drones that he saw. Instead of it being round like a flying saucer, it was sharp-edged, rather thin and looked like a triangle. Little Kyle was curious about its design but didn''t ask. He was too busy being amazed by it and watched excitedly as Kyle tapped the top of the drone as it floated by, making it stop and hover.


    "How''s it doing that?" Xing Han asked in amazement.


    The train was, after all, moving so for it to be able to hover like that actually meant that it was moving at the exact same speed as the train.


    "Sam''s latest collaboration gadget with Kay," Kyle explained as he took the bag, "It calculates the speed of whatever thing it is following to the microsecond and adjust accordingly."


    Kyle tapped the drone again and it flew back out the window. Kyle closed it and turned around with a grin, "Now we have what is needed to transform."


    "How did it do that?" Little Kyle said in amazement, as it ran to the window and stuck his face to it, trying to see outside.


    Kyle laughed a bit, "That drone is something my sister and friend made."


    It was a prototype, and luckily, it did what it had been built to do. They hoped to be able to build a smaller one, which can also act as a bug. Imagine what it could do if you could have it hover silently outside a building? Or moving train?


    It had the speed, could go high enough above the clouds and a cloaking device. There was another sleeker design, and black, that was meant for nighttime. The only issue they had with making it small was the power source but that would be something the tech team would be musing over.


    Seeing as how useful this one was in ferrying the bag, Kyle thought it would be a good idea to develop it for this reason as well.


    [Kay, just thought of something. Continue to develop the drone but have it able to ferry emergency supplies. It could be used by hospitals and medical centres to send medicine and such to accident areas."]*


    [Oooo. Good idea]


    [Create two versions. The elite, for the bigger hospitals and the basic, for the smaller centers. Also, send out surveys to find out which centers need it the most and sponsor them if they are lacking in funds] Kyle said as he took out the items in the bag.


    [Should we create another company to focus on this?] Kay asked.


    [I''ll leave that decision to you. Whether it''s better as a branch of MIB or a subsidiary company, is entirely your decision. I concur with anything you do]


    [Oooo. Okay,] Kay replied, secretly pleased. This would be her first time actually participating in the company decisions of MIB. She had always been working in the background.


    The reason Kyle was doing this was that he could see that Kay had the talent. He wanted to nurture that, and slowly absorb her into the Smith Industries. To be beside him, and not behind him. This was not normally done and so he knew the path he envisioned for her would not be easy.


    Best she honed the skills she had in order to blaze through.


    In the bag, there were outfits, wigs, and make-up. Kyle had already sent Kay the measurements of Little Kyle so the clothes fit perfectly. He could judge Little Kyle''s height, weight and waist size just by looking at him so Kay found it easy to get the necessary items.


    Kyle hadn''t wanted Little Kyle to feel even worse, so his outfit was actually gender-neutral. It just had to be different because Cornelius would know Little Kyle''s clothes. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Kyle that was going to wear a more ... feminine outfit.


    Xing Han couldn''t help the smile that was bursting on his face as he watched.


    "This is going to be gooooood," he said, laughing.


    Kyle stuck out his tongue at Xing Han, promptly ignoring him.


    Little Kyle saw the outfit he was going to wear and he gave out a breath of relief. It was only a Winx T-shirt and jeans. Even the T-shirt just had the logo/emblem of ''Winx'' on it, and though it was in glittering pink, it was not too bad. He could ignore it by not looking down at it.


    The only thing was, he had to wear a small pink handbag and a wig. Even these small items caused him a bit of embarrassment ... until he saw Kyle starting to dress up.


    First, he took off all his clothes and only stood there in his boxers. Little Kyle''s mind went a bit blank, seeing how muscular Big Bro was. His arms weren''t hugely muscular but once he took off his shirt, you could see the biceps and triceps as he slid the sleeves off his arms.


    His abdominal muscles were clearly defined, moving along with every action that Kyle did. Even his long legs looked like they were filled with power, even though it didn''t appear to be as muscular as his arms.


    Seeing him like that, screamed ''KING OF MANLY MAN'' in his head and he then looked at the girly outfit on the bed.


    Little Kyle''s mind just couldn''t compute how that dress would fit on that muscular body, and not look weird.


    "You''re really going to look like an ugly girl," Little Kyle couldn''t help but say again.


    Kyle just smiled.

 Chapter 294 - Disguises II

    Little Kyle had changed into the T-shirt and jeans, but was still reluctant to put on the wig and carry the handbag. While he was hesitating, he became mesmerized by the change that Kyle was going through.


    After undressing, Kyle took a pair of sheer black pantyhose stockings and grimaced. Then he looked at his hairy legs and sighed. Sitting down, he opened the vanity case and took out a shaver and some lotion.


    "You''re not going to ..." Xing Han said, surprised.


    "Of course I am," Kyle muttered, as he started shaving his legs, "Have you ever seen a girl with hairy legs? No, right?"


    "The length you''d go through for this disguise is amazing," Xing Han commented.


    "What? Shaving legs is nothing. I''m going to dress up as a girl and shaving legs are what gets to you? Pah," Kyle snorted. Finished, he quickly put on the lotion to avoid his skin from getting dry. Then he wore the black stockings.


    "You actually look kinda sexy like that," Xing Han said, sniggering.


    "Shut up," Kyle said as he turned around.


    Suddenly, they saw Kyle reaching out in two directions in quick succession, his hands in a fist as he seemed to be crushing something.


    [Kyle!!] Kay''s anguished voice sounded in his head. Kyle had just crushed two fly bugs that had sneaked in with the drone.


    [That''s enough] Kyle said meaningfully.


    Kay sighed [Okay]


    The fact that Kyle had known about the fly bugs and didn''t get rid of it immediately showed his tacit agreement for some pictures. Guess Kyle had reached his limit. Kay smiled. The pictures of him in boxers would be enough.


    More than enough indeed.


    Xing Han and Little Kyle couldn''t see what Kyle was doing exactly, but after his ''reaching out'' thing, he started moving his hands about in front with his legs a spread out a bit. As if he was adjusting something. It only took a few minutes before Kyle pulled up the pantyhose, then took the skirt to wear (still not facing them).


    Looking at the skirt, Kyle shook his head.


    [A mini skirt Kay? Seriously??]


    Kay''s giggle transmitted quite clearly, along with her amusement [You have the legs and butt for it, dear brother]


    Kyle didn''t have anything to say about that and sighed as he put it on. Luckily it wasn''t too short or too tight.


    "Why would you even need to shave if you''re going to wear the stockings?" Xing Han asked, perplexed.


    "It can still be seen through, you know," Kyle explained, "The hair curled up against the stockings? Not sexy at all."


    Once done, Kyle turned and reached for the bra, that was stuffed with silicone breasts. It created a cleavage that girls would be proud to show off and guys would be drooling over. Xing Han shook his head, amazed at the sort of items Kyle had.


    As for Little Kyle, his mouth hadn''t closed yet.


    Once strapped on, it looked like Kyle had breasts. He then reached into the vanity case again and took out the make-up kit. He started putting on several different types of colour on his ''breasts'' and using a blender, created a seamless illusion of the cleavage being a natural part of his chest. The silicone breast and his chest now had the same skin tone.


    He then reached down and took the white blouse: a low cut V-neck blouse with kimono sleeves. Once on, the plunging neckline showed off the beautiful mountains and made his shoulders less wide while the kimono sleeves hid his muscular arms. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once Kyle had his clothes on, he started putting on his make-up. He pulled out a mirror from the bag and placed it the bed while he sat cross-legged on the floor.


    Both Xing Han and Little Kyle just watched speechlessly from the side as they saw Kyle putting on all sorts of things. They couldn''t quite see everything but managed to see how his hands just picked up all sorts of things from the bag, which were so many type of make-up, pallet of colours and brushes.


    There were many layers of this and that, blending, brushing, tweezing of eyebrows, colouring the eyebrows, eyeliner, eyeshadow, fake eyelashes, lipliner and finally, lipstick. Kyle put on a hairnet then the wavy, shoulder-length brunette wig.


    After making sure everything was in place, Kyle turned to face Xing Han and Little Kyle.


    Their jaws dropped down even more.


    Xing Han, mesmerized, walked closer and peered very, very closely to Kyle''s face.


    "Is that really you under there?!" Xing Han gasped, seeing a beautiful woman looking back at him. Xing Han then looked down to Kyle''s ''cleavage''. He couldn''t help but first poke at the ''breast'', then held it.


    "Damn, this feels so real!" Xing Han gasped, putting his hand on his chest. He sat back down, fanning himself while his legs were spread wide open in front of him.


    "This is SO not fair," he wailed, "You''re hot as a guy and you''re gorgeous as a girl."


    Kyle gave a sexy smile and went on his knees, going closer to Xing Han. He went inbetween Xing Han''s legs and licked his lips as he rubbed his nose with Xing Han''s.


    "You''re supposed to be my boyfriend when I''m in this disguise," Kyle said in a girl''s voice, his breath a gentle breeze on Xing Han''s face, "How are people going to believe it if you act this shocked?"


    Xing Han rolled his eyes and fell down, his back hitting the floor while he wailed, closing his eyes with his arm, "Damn it, Kyle! Why can''t a real woman cozy up to me like that?!"


    Kyle laughed, grabbed Xing Han by the shirt and pulled him up. As a final touch, he took out some jewelry, putting on earrings and a necklace that stopped just above the ''valley of death''.


    "These stupid pantyhose is is running up my a*s," Kyle muttered, pulling at the pantyhose at the crack of his butt, "It''s the second thing I hate wearing before and now, I have to wear the one thing I hate the most."


    "What''s that?" Xing Han asked, getting up as well.


    Kyle took out a pair of high heels from the bag.


    "The thing Man created to make women suffer eternally," he hissed, waving it about.

 Chapter 295 - Not Really The Same

    All this while, Little Kyle couldn''t believe his eyes. Even though he saw Big Brother Kyle transform, it was still too amazing.


    He rubbed his eyes and went up to Kyle, tugging at his skirt, asking, "Is that really you?"


    Kyle smiled and bent down carefully to look at Little Kyle, answering him in his own voice, "Yes, it''s me."


    Then, he changed his voice again so that it sounded more feminine, "Though you must now call me Big Sister okay?"


    Little Kyle nodded.


    "I''ll need to put on a bit of make-up on you. Just so that you look slightly different and your stepdad would not be able to recognise you. Would that be okay?" Kyle asked gently, putting aside the matter of the name for now.


    Little Kyle took a long, good look at Kyle then after a deep breath, he nodded.


    Kyle didn''t really need to do much with Little Kyle, for he was beautiful enough. Just gave him a darker shade of skin and the illusion of a high cheekbone. It was little, but enough, especially when one paired it with the wig.


    What was important was that he wouldn''t look like Little Kyle anymore.


    "They''ll be checking up on tickets again in an hour or so," Kyle said, looking at his watch. While this was a ''sleeper'' train, it didn''t mean that it only operated at night. It would operate even in the daytime, so long as the journey would go through several states.


    It only meant that it didn''t have that many sleeping cabins as most did not choose it. It was only for spoilt people like Kyle - who placed importance on comfort (and had the money to burn). This was an express train, and would only stop at one station in each State, so their tickets would be checked at those times.


    Kyle said to Little Kyle, "We only need to do this for this stop. After that, you can go back to being Kyle. I''ll just call you ''sis'' so you don''t have to worry about a name."


    Xing Han then said to Kyle, "So, you''re Kylie then?"


    Kyle nodded, "Sure"


    "Why just this stop?" Little Kyle asked, after he waited for them to finish talking.


    "If all goes according to plan, your stepdad and his lady friend will get kicked out at the next stop because I threw away their tickets," Kyle explained.


    "Couldn''t they just buy new ones?"


    "A very good question," Kyle answered, "But no."


    "Why not?"


    "Because they don''t have enough money," Kyle said with a grin.


    They could tell the ticket conductor that they had lost their tickets, and would only need to pay the fine and purchase a new pair. However, when Kyle was checking them out, there was not much cash. Kay had also blocked their cards, by making a report that it had been stolen.


    "But what if they could?" Little Kyle insisted.


    Kyle took his question seriously and replied, "Then you''ll have to be in disguise until the end of the journey. We will need to show our faces once in a while but can spend most of our time here. You wouldn''t need to be in disguise so much."


    Little Kyle nodded and answered, "Okay."


    Kyle, on the other hand, was feeling a bit worried.


    Little Kyle appeared intelligent, so for him to be worried over this meant that Cornelius could have the capabilities. But how would Cornelius be able to gather the money at short notice? Loan? Call his friends for help?


    Suddenly, Kyle remembered the phones he took. He cursed himself for his carelessness and quickly rummaged through his stuff for the phone. He breathed a sigh of relief to note that the phones were switched off. At least he had that presence of mind to do so.


    [Kay, download the things from these phones ASAP and get the drone back here]


    Kyle put his phone inbetween the two phones, and using a special cable, connected the two phones to his.


    Kay immediately went to work and did as Kyle asked her, while he went to open the window. Since the drone had already found them once (by using the locator in Kyle''s phone), it could get back easily.


    [Done]


    [Great. Thanks]


    Kyle then dismantled the phone quickly, smashed the sim card and placed it in a paper bag with a bottle of cold water. The moment the drone came back, Kyle didn''t even tap it to make it stop. He quickly hooked it on its tail as it passed by and tapped it three times to have it make a U-turn and leave.


    [Send the drone towards the last stop. Once it loses its cargo, let it go back] Kyle instructed.


    The water condensation from the bottle would make the paper bag soft and eventually, break open. The pieces would scatter all over, and away from them.


    Although breaking the phone apart would already make the phone untraceable, Kyle did not want to take any chances. He had been negligent earlier so he felt taking extra precautions would be for the best.


    Kyle always took these little ''hints'' and ''signs'' seriously, more so in this life. The only reason he remembered about the phones was due to Little Kyle''s seemingly innocent question. If he had ignored that, perhaps something would have happened? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He truly didn''t know but he didn''t want to risk it.


    When he saw Little Kyle looking puzzled over the actions, Kyle told him, "Yes, those were your stepdad and lady friend''s phones. Just felt it''s best that it was far, far away."


    Little Kyle nodded, accepting the explanation.


    Without even realising it, he was beginning to take everything Kyle said with complete trust. Not only was Kyle the only adult who saw that he was in trouble - and helped, he had been treated like an adult. Kyle didn''t talk down on him and explained things clearly.


    Little Kyle''s eyes shone.


    He studied Big Kyle from top to toe, and knew that if he hadn''t known that was Big Kyle, he would have never imagined that ''she'' was actually a ''he''. Big Kyle was perfect. When he grew up, he was going to be exactly like Big Kyle.


    Even their names were the same.


    At that thought, Little Kyle''s lips quivered.


    No, that was not true. Their names weren''t really the same ...

 Chapter 296 - Tucking It In

    Kyle immediately noticed Little Kyle''s sad expression. The way the little lips quivered, the way the little eyes seemed to be holding back tears.


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked worriedly.


    Did Little Kyle feel bad about having to dress up as a girl? Was he holding it in all this time and now, he couldn''t handle it?


    Little Kyle looked at him, his eyelashes slightly wet as he held back the tears.


    "I want to be just like you," he declared, making Kyle''s heart jump.


    Xing Han pounced on that moment, saying excitedly, "I know, right?! Kyle is awesome, right?!"


    Kyle indicated with his hand to Xing Han to calm down, as he focused on Little Kyle. Xing Han put both his hands over his mouth and sat down on the bed obediently.


    "If that''s the case, why do you look like you''re going to cry?" Kyle asked gently.


    Little Kyle blinked his eyes rapidly, making the tears that were threatening to form, to dry up. Then, he shook his head, "Am not."


    He puffed up his chest, declaring, "I am a strong boy."


    Kyle smiled at that, and patted his shoulder, saying, "I know you are."


    Kyle wasn''t going to press the issue. Little Kyle would talk when he was ready ... if he wanted to. He then turned to Xing Han and smiled.


    Little Kyle watched as Kyle then turned to Xing Han.


    He was glad that Kyle didn''t keep on asking. He didn''t want Big Brother to know that their names weren''t exactly the same. His real name was Kai Sheng, but his mother told him that he had to go by the name of Kyle because it was ''easier'' for other people to pronounce.


    Little Kyle knew his mother was lying to him for some reason.


    However, he did not have the courage to actually ask or demand the truth. His mother looked like she was a bit scared at that point, so he did not want to cause her any more pain. She also told him that he must never mention his real name because it was no longer ''true''.


    He is now Kyle.


    He had been sad at first, when he remembered that his original name wasn''t Kyle. It wasn''t the same as Big Brother. Then, he remembered what Big Brother had told him : it didn''t matter what other people said or thought. What was important was how he felt.


    So it didn''t matter that he wasn''t born as a ''Kyle''. In his heart, he was going to be just like Big Brother. So the name wasn''t important.


    "You grew taller and we were of the same height, but after I wear these, you''re going to be shorter again," Kyle said with a laugh to Xing Han as he put on the shoes-made-from-Hell. They weren''t stilettos, thank goodness, but it was still high heels. Three inches, too.


    Kyle did NOT miss wearing these infernal contraptions. Heck, even in his past life, he rarely wore them. He hated those fashion gurus that would state high heels were essential; that it would make the dress or outfit better. Why didn''t they just make outfits that didn''t need high heels?! It''s damn painful and uncomfortable to wear for long periods.


    Still, he put them on without voicing out his complaints too much. He only said, "Stupid stupid shoes. Bane for all mankind. Should be burned at the stake ..."


    Xing Han was busy laughing at Kyle, not being sympathetic to his plight at all.


    Watching Kyle leaning on the chair while putting on the heels made Xing Han sigh. He truly cut such a gorgeous figure. With his long, wavy hair falling down, hiding half of his face as he looked down at his feet.


    The way those breasts seemed to be peeking out of the blouse and ready to burst out of the low cut neckline. The way his long legs seemed to go on and on ... then when Kyle turned a bit, the way his butt filled that skirt ...


    Xing Han shook his head.


    "Man, Kyle," he hissed, "How come your dick doesn''t show? Your butt seems to be straining against that skirt of yours."


    Kyle looked behind, at his behind and smirked, "I do have a lovely ass, don''t I?"


    Xing Han rolled his eyes, "That still doesn''t answer my question."


    Kyle looked at Xing Han, then said, "Do you really want to know?"


    Xing Han nodded, saying, "Cuz your dick isn''t exactly small and that skirt isn''t exactly big."


    Kyle laughed while Little Kyle was looking bewildered. He thought Xing Han had a point and stared at the front of the skirt. Xing Han was right. Nothing showed.


    "Don''t regret asking this now," Kyle said, "Remember Justin Timberlake doing that ''Single Ladies'' gag video with Beyonce? He wore leotards and his dick didn''t show up either." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han thought back, "You''re right. Why is that?"


    "Well, I don''t know about him, but I wanted to show you that it''s possible. For me, I use the method transgender women* use," Kyle explained, "It''s a combination of a few things. Tucking it in and wearing special underwear. The panty part on this pantyhose has the same function as a special fit gaffs.** It provides the support to hold my dick closer to my body."


    "Wait ..." Xing Han said, "What do you mean by ''tucking it in''? Tuck what in??"


    Kyle gave him a look.


    "How is that even possible?!" Xing Han gasped out loud, then asked, "Isn''t it painful?"


    "As long as I don''t get an erection, I''m fine," Kyle replied.


    It had been a bit painful the first time he had done it, but with practice, it was fine. Essentially, he''d push his b*lls back its socket (where it had been before it dropped upon puberty), then pushed his dick behind. Kyle just gave Xing Han a summarised version for it would be too much for him to handle.^


    Little Kyle didn''t need to know either.

 Chapter 297 - Playing The Game

    "Is everyone ready?" Xing Han asked as he reached to open the door. He turned around to check up on them and his hands were frozen on the doorknob at the vision in front of him.


    There stood an ethereal beauty - in the sexiest outfit he had ever seen in his 14 years of life [A/N: Pity Xing Han. He hasn''t been out much]. Despite the amount of cleavage and legs that could be seen, ''she'' did not look slutty or cheap. In fact, there was a rather regal aura, which screamed ''classy'' to anyone who was lucky enough to see it.


    Beside her, was another angelic being. With such wide-eyed innocence and face, the plain clothes that were worn could not hide the soft, delicate features and the sense of ''fantasy'' that seemed to surround ''her''.


    If the adult was a Queen, this one was a Princess. Both had that aura that could not be duplicated.


    "I''m so lucky!" Xing Han exclaimed suddenly, spreading his arms wide open towards ''Kylie'' and ''her'' little sister, "I have the most gorgeous girlfriend and adorable little sister! I can just pinch your cheeks!"


    He trotted over to Little Kyle, fully intending to do that when Little Kyle kicked his shin.


    "OUCH!" Xing Han said with an aggrieved face and turned towards Kyle, saying with a quivering voice, "Your sister hates me."


    Kyle looked down at Little Kyle who now looked at him nervously, and gave a thumbs-up, "Good job, Kyle! Never let anyone do anything to you that you don''t like."


    "Even though Big Bro is your best friend?" he asked tentatively.


    Kyle nodded, saying, "Yes, of course. Anyone, even me."


    Kyle could imagine what Little Kyle must have been through growing up. With such delicate features, it meant that people would do all sorts of things because he was just ''too cute'' or ''too pretty'' and so forth. Adults really had no sense of boundaries when it came to kids.


    That, and Kyle didn''t want Little Kyle to think adults can do anything. He was worried about sexual harassment and hoped that Little Kyle had not been subjected to that. As for Xing Han ...


    Kyle looked over to his best friend, who was pouting and looking all aggrieved at him for not taking his side. Seeing that, Kyle pursed his lips, tilted his head slightly to one side, and began a slow smile from one side of his face only.


    Truth be told, Kyle found cross dressing surprisingly fun.


    As Kylie, he had never been beautiful. He was, at the best, just ''average'' and ''homely''. Sexy, beautiful or gorgeous were adjectives that would never be associated with Kylie. Nerd, bookish and boring were more often used.


    Now, however, despite being a guy, he knew he looked damn good. So good in fact, that he was likely to make heads spin and mouth drool. Just thinking about it made Kyle feel ... like he wanted to milk this to the fullest.


    And Xing Han was the perfect scapegoat. After all, with how pure Xing Han was, there was no fear of him ''turning'' or something. More likely than not, he would rise to the occasion and give as good as he got. After all, Xing Han had always been very mischievous.


    At that moment, Xing Han was busy rubbing his sore shin and grumbling about being bullied when he felt someone looking at him. Looking up, he saw that it was Kyle ... and suddenly, Xing Han''s mind went blank. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just what the heck was Kyle doing?! And why was the mere act of him just standing there, with that stupid smile, make him feel like he was the prey? What was with that look in Kyle''s eyes anyway??


    When their eyes locked, Xing Han watched as Kyle take a step and slowly walked over to him, his hips swaying. Xing Han blinked and rubbed his eyes. That was Kyle. Kyle damnit KYLE. When he opened his eyes again, he gulped, his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down noticeably.


    Kyle was already so close to his face.


    Once Kyle reached Xing Han, he stopped and leaned forward a bit. He put his finger on Xing Han''s chest and made circles around it. He bit his lower lip while his eyelashes hid his eyes as he seemed to focus on Xing Han''s chest.


    "Xing Haaaan," Kyle said softly, dragging the last syllable out while pouting. Xing Han shuddered.


    Girls have this ''cutesy'' voice whenever they wanted to get something but it had always sounded fake to Xing Han''s ears. With Kyle, however, it sounded so ... like a part of him wanted to just get up and do whatever request that came out of that sweet mouth.


    Kyle took one step forward, leaning on Xing Han as he played with Xing Han''s collar, crushing those fake boobs on his chest, "It doesn''t matter if my sister doesn''t like you. As long as I do."


    Kyle smiled, kissed Xing Han''s nose and then went to the side, walking past Xing Han. Kyle reached back and held out his hand to Little Kyle, saying, "Let''s go, dearie."


    Little Kyle looked at Big Bro Xing Han that just stood there, shaking his head while slapping himself, muttering, "It''s Kyle. KYLE KYLE KYLE."


    Little Kyle quickly ran over and took Kyle''s hand, as they both walked out the door.


    Xing Han''s turned to watch them leave, his eyes narrowing.


    ''So Kyle wants to play, huh?'' Xing Han thought to himself, ''That''s what he''s doing, huh? Well, he''s not the only one that can act.''


    Xing Han patted his chest. After all, he''s supposed to be the boyfriend, right? And he has such a naughty girlfriend.


    Rubbing his hands gleefully as he thought of the things he could do, he started laughing (almost evilly - as evil as Xing Han can possibly give) as he quickly ran to catch up with the pair of ''sisters''.

 Chapter 298 - The Bet

    Once Xing Han caught up, he grabbed Kyle by the waist and leaned over to Kyle''s ear, "So, you want to play it like that, huh?"


    Kyle laughed, leaning on Xing Han as he answered sweetly, "Shall we make a bet then?"


    "Who caves in first?" Xing Han asked.


    "The stakes?" Kyle asked back.


    "If I win, pork chops everyday!" Xing Han exclaimed, his mouth-watering.


    "If I win, instant noodles every week!" Kyle grinned.


    Xing Han stared at Kyle, "No. Another one. That''s too unhealthy for you. The stakes are too high."


    Kyle tsked. Even at this, Xing Han was taking his responsibilities seriously, "Fine. Then no making me come out for Valentine''s Day. You take my spot."


    Kyle grinned widely at that as Xing Han paled.


    "Deal," he said grudgingly, "Unless if you''re on tour - then choose something else."


    "Agreed," Kyle said, "So we shall portray to the lovely world how much we looooove each other. If you cringe, you lose."


    Xing Han laughed, "You''re saying that to me, your BFF who doesn''t mind whatever you do? Hah. Prepare to lose!"


    Kyle and Xing Han shook hands while Little Kyle just looked at both of them, shaking his head.


    There is actually a reason for this action. Kyle was simply making it fun to achieve that.


    Hiding in plain sight had another layer to it. People are generally uncomfortable with PDAs. It''s somehow acceptable to show your affection in public but still, it doesn''t mean that the public likes watching. Some may be fascinated but most of the time, they would avoid looking. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially if it was ''over-the-top'' sort of PDAs.


    Kyle wanted to be out of the cabin as much as possible in order to monitor the situation, yet, he didn''t want to have people observe them too closely. With how cute Little Kyle is, and - let''s face it, how beautiful Kyle was - there was a huge chance that people would come up to them.


    However, if Kyle was acting lovey-dovey with ''her boyfriend'', there are less likely people who would want to intrude. It would be too uncomfortable. For those that were too thick-skinned, however, Kyle would simply ''up the game'', so to speak.


    It was a good thing Xing Han is such a good sport and feels nothing about cozying up to him. After all, if he didn''t even think twice about asking for a french kiss, this small amount of PDAs would be nothing to him.


    The bad news was, when they passed the area they had left the couple, it was empty.


    Now, they had to figure out where those people had gone. The fact that there was no alarm meant that Cornelius had not alerted the train personnel about the missing Little Kyle. Which also meant that they didn''t want people to know that they had Little Kyle.


    That fact made Kyle worried.


    Cornelius had the legal right to have Little Kyle with him. The fact that he did not want the authorities to know that. Which meant that this was not as simple as a stepdad ''getting back'' at his wife.


    [Kay, did you get anything out of their phones?]


    [Nothing suspicious] Kay reported [This guy has hundreds, if not thousands, of texts and data. It is taking a bit of time to go through them]


    [What filter are you using?]


    [Anything related to Kyle and his mother, plus that woman] Kay stated [Why? What''s up?]


    [Things just don''t add up] Kyle revealed as they were heading to the dining cable [He''s woken up but hasn''t filed any report about Little Kyle being missing]


    [Expand the filtering] Kyle said [And increase the search in the area that Cornelius was heading to. Check out what he''s supposed to do there]


    [Got it] Kay replied and decided to immobilize some MIB agents and contact Big Bro Nitocris. This went beyond a simple kidnapping, so Kay needed some agents on the ground and also to find out if the underworld had any information or hints about this.


    Little Kyle was getting nervous when he noticed that Cornelius wasn''t there. His eyes darted about in fear, worried that he would see him. Or her. And then take him away again.


    He gripped Kyle''s hand tighter, clutching his handbag closer to his body, his fingers curled up tightly on the material.


    Kyle, feeling this, gently disentangled himself from Xing Han''s hold and picked up Little Kyle. He struggled a bit, not wanting to be treated like a baby but Kyle was firm. He carried him, held him close to his chest as he made Little Kyle put his head on his shoulder while patting his back.


    "It''s okay," Kyle said gently into his ear, "There''s nothing to be ashamed of, to get comfort when you''re scared."


    "I''m not scared," Little Kyle mumbled, burrowing his face deeper onto Kyle''s neck. He didn''t want to admit it, but he felt really calm right now. Even though Kyle was dressed up like a woman, the strength in his arms showed otherwise.


    "Yes, I know you''re a strong boy," Kyle said with a smile, "Just let me hold you for a while then. I miss holding babies."


    Which was true, really. Right now, Kyle''s daughter is 6 years old. Though already ''grown up'', hugging and holding her was still quite normal. Hugging Little Kyle close to him made Kyle feel warm inside.


    Xing Han smiled at that and put his arms around Kyle''s waist again. When they entered the dining cable, everyone''s eyes gravitated towards them. They truly made a very ... unusual picture. The couple was very young, so it was obvious that the child was not theirs yet the way they acted made it seem like they could pass off as a young, married couple.


    The only weird thing was, the woman was breathtakingly beautiful while the guy ... well, he was just ordinary looking. Still to some guys, that gave them hope. Perhaps the girl was just a friend? Maybe they could just saunter over and introduce themselves? Get to know her? Maybe use the little girl as a way to her?


    Just as they were thinking that, they saw how caring the guy was as he led them to a table. He took the little girl out of her hands and the woman gave him such a gentle, sweet smile. She kissed his cheek, and he grinned stupidly as he put down the little girl next to her.


    They sighed, thinking that it was sweet. They continued to stare and watch.


    Little did they know, that little display was only a beginning. Soon, their faces were so red that they were looking everywhere but at them.

 Chapter 299 - The Play

    At first, they were sitting across of each other at the dining table, but soon enough, the boy moved over to sit next to the girl. The little girl was moved to sit next to the window and was basically ignoring the couple.


    Probably because she was just too used to the shameless acts of the other two. At first, it was only holding hands but soon, she was leaning on him, crushing those orbs on his arm.


    The boy didn''t seem fazed and simply smiled as she continued to snuggle up to him. When the waiter came to take their order, he couldn''t help but stare at the way someone''s arm seemed to be cushioning a pair of ample assets.


    Xing Han noticed where the waiter''s eyes were and he cleared his throat. The waiter looked back at him, preparing to take his order.


    "These," Xing Han said, pointing at Kyle''s ''breasts'', "are mine. Keep your eyes where it should be. Anywhere but there." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle smiled sweetly, leaning on Xing Han even more, "Aww, baby. You''re so sweet. Yes, these are all yours."


    And he began rubbing them more on Xing Han''s arm. Then, his hand that was holding on to Xing Han went down to below the table and he said, "And this is mine."


    Xing Han coughed, smiled and rubbed noses with Kyle, "Yes, yes. But only that and not his two siblings?"


    Kyle giggled, then said, "You mean these?"


    Xing Han jolted up at that, and growled, "Not too hard, honey. I still need that."


    "Can you guys please stop for a while so we can order? I''m hungry," pipped the cutest voice ever.


    The waiter, who was fidgeting at that moment, trying hard to keep a straight face, could have kissed the floor in gratitude towards his saviour.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry," Kyle said, turning towards Little Kyle, "What would you like?"


    "Can I have burgers?" he asked hopefully.


    "Sure, why not?"


    He hesitated, obviously wrestling against something then finally, said, "Cuz Dad said not to eat junk food."


    Kyle scoffed, "Pah, don''t listen to Dad. You''re still growing up and burgers are fine. It''s still protein and carbs, right? Just don''t take it too often and it''s fine. Today is a special day."


    Little Kyle''s face brightened up so much that all three got hit by arrows straight to the heart.


    "Aww, my little sweetness is so adorbs!!" Xing Han shouted, wanting to go over and pinch Little Kyle''s cheeks.


    Kyle smacked Xing Han''s hands and said sternly, "Order first, baby. My little sis is hungry."


    Xing Han nodded, then caressed Kyle''s cheek, "Okay, honey."


    With that, they all gave their orders and the waiter ran off, lamenting over his single life.


    Once he was out of earshot, Xing Han hissed, "Did you have to pinch my thigh so hard?"


    Kyle smirked, "I needed the proper reaction."


    Xing Han rubbed that spot, "First, my shin. Now, my thigh. What''s next? I''m going to be black and blue all over."


    "Ah, come on, Xing Han. Stop exaggerating. Otherwise, I really will give you something that would turn black and blue ... oh wait. Maybe I should give you some hickeys ..."


    "Don''t you dare!" Xing Han exclaimed, "My skin needs to be blemish-free, thank you very much. And what''s with you and that rubbing business? Won''t it fall off or something?"


    Kyle laughed, and squished his boobs on Xing Han again, "Nope. You can even squeeze it and it won''t pop out."


    "It''s that good? Really?" Xing Han asked in amazement as he looked at it, "It certainly looks real enough. I''m also surprised that it doesn''t get out of shape or out of place."


    "There''s a special adhesive behind the silicone breast," Kyle explained, "Similar to those sticky bras or bra tapes that girls use when wearing strapless or backless dresses. Ours is better, of course, and the latest ''Bye Bra Breast Tape''* is almost as good as ours."


    "What? Really?!" Xing Han exclaimed.


    "Yes, really," Kyle answered.


    "It won''t move out of shape and place?" Xing Han said in amazement, "Your products are amazing."


    Without thinking, Xing Han cupped the left breast with his hand. It actually felt soft and had some weight. Xing Han had expected it to be like a balloon: the shape was there, but it was empty air. This was beyond his imagination.


    "It really feels so real," he muttered, studying it intently as he felt its softness.


    "Like you''ve touched a real one before?" Kyle asked in amusement.


    Xing Han looked back up at Kyle in indignation, while his hand was still on the breast, kneading it, "One just knows these things!"


    Kyle suddenly started breathing a bit heavily, his eyes slowly smoldering while he bit his lower lip.


    "Baby," Kyle said breathlessly, then licked his lips, letting out a soft moan.


    Xing Han was a bit surprised at that, his eyes going wide open. Just then, a cough sounded from behind Xing Han and he froze. He looked at his hand, suddenly remembering what he was doing. He glared at Kyle, who was still looking at him with those bedroom eyes of his.


    The waiter was standing there awkwardly, wanting to set the table. Once the thick-skinned couple sat back, he quickly put their cutlery and drinks on the table before leaving. Faster than before.


    Xing Han turned back towards Kyle, his eyes narrowing, "You evil person you."


    Kyle just smiled and said, "Targets arrived while you were playing with my boob, by the way."


    "Oh?" Xing Han replied "Where are they?


    "Three tables away, in front," Kyle answered, then turned to Little Kyle.


    "Are you okay?" Kyle asked gently.


    Little Kyle nodded, his lips set in a thin line as he struggled not to look up.


    Kyle gave him his phone, saying, "Here. There''s a game here that I just downloaded for you. Just play that for now until the food arrives."


    Little Kyle took the phone gratefully and was soon immersed in the land of games. At least, there was a reason that Little Kyle was looking down, so that it wouldn''t look weird and raise suspicions. Kyle studied the couple, his eye narrowing.

 Chapter 300 - Observing

    Kyle took Xing Han''s hand in his own, playing with it and seemingly admiring Xing Han''s hands with his head down. In reality, he was watching the couple and reporting to Xing Han what they were talking about.


    Well, one side of the conversation at least.


    Only Cornelius was facing them while the lady was not. The table that Xing Han had chosen was the last one in the carriage, so the wall was behind Kyle and Xing Han.


    This way, they could be assured that the targets, if they came, would be in front of them. Either to their left or directly in front. In this case, they were directly in front.


    Kyle didn''t quite like the fact that Cornelius seemed to be looking at them a bit so Kyle smiled sweetly at Xing Han as he took the hand he had been holding and put it on the right boob, saying, "This one is feeling lonely."


    The waiter that just came practically dropped the starters on their table and dashed off, cursing his luck for being on shift right now.


    Kyle and Xing Han stopped playing once the waiter left, and Kyle was sure that Cornelius stopped looking at them.


    "You''re really enjoying this, aren''t you?" Xing Han observed.


    "Hmmm?" Kyle replied distractedly, "More or less. Hold on, I need to talk to Kay."


    Little Kyle''s face scrunched up at that, looking at Kyle, but he didn''t ask any questions. He turned back his attention to the game and absentmindedly munched on the tortilla chips that were the starters.


    [Kay, have you found anything yet about what he''s doing at State SS?] Kyle asked. He knew from the ticket that he had lifted from Cornelius, that that was their stop. It was two stops after Kyle''s.


    [Not much, other than meeting someone. I''ve also asked Big Bro Nic but there''s nothing stirring in the underworld. So it''s nothing illegal, I suppose] S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Not illegal in Big Bro Nic''s sense] Kyle mused [But doesn''t mean nothing is wrong]


    Nitocris was only concerned with things that affected his business. No child trafficking, no drugs without his approval, no guns without him getting a cut - things like that. Kidnapping, torture, murder and the lot were not his concern unless it was to his people, or by his people without his knowledge.


    [Who is that someone Cornelius is meeting?]


    [Unknown. The name was never mentioned] Kay stated.


    [The way he''s so careful and all] Kyle said with a frown that he hid by snuggling up to Xing Han''s neck [makes me wonder about him. He''s not as dense as he appears to be. He''s not normal]


    Even when talking to Kay, Kyle didn''t let up on his ''acting'' as the clinging and loving girlfriend. However, he was a bit too absorbed in his talk with Kay and observing Cornelius that he didn''t think twice about the sort of things he was doing at the moment. He was simply taking it for granted.


    Xing Han, on the other hand, was freaking out a bit.


    Despite the fact that he knew it was Kyle, it was still hard not to have some sort of reaction because it did not look like Kyle. His brain was telling him one thing but his eyes were saying something else. It was fine when they were talking as Xing Han could associate the person in front of him as Kyle when they did so.


    However, at this point in time, Kyle as being very quiet. He didn''t say a thing, and he was too busy playing around with Xing Han to get people distracted that it made HIM distracted.


    First, it was the harmless playing of the hands. Then, his hands were kissed - from the fingers, then to the palm. After that, ''she'' got closer to him, snuggling up and burying ''her'' head on his shoulders. That was fine enough until he could feel the lips on his neck and then a cool breath on his ear.


    At this point in time, Xing Han finally, truly, understood what Kyle meant by saying that french kissing could cross the line between them. Right now, they weren''t really doing anything and it wasn''t like he was getting any sort of reaction ... but it certainly did feel different.


    Xing Han jerked back and heard Kyle laugh.


    "I win," he said softly, "You''re taking over Valentine''s Day for me next year."


    "Damnit Kyle," Xing Han hissed, "You were cheating!"


    "Alls fair in love and war, baby," Kyle replied, still laughing, "And V-Day is certainly war indeed."


    [Kay, check out this name - Sheng Xian] Kyle said suddenly [Cornelius seems agitated when he said that name]


    Just then, their meal arrived and Kyle disentangled himself from Xing Han, saying after the waiter left, "Cornelius appears to be connected to Sheng Xian, so I''ve asked Kay to check him out"


    Xing Han nodded, as he started to eat.


    Kyle handed the burger to Little Kyle and noted that he as trembling a bit.


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked, putting down the plate and looking at him in the eye, "Are you worried about your stepdad? Look, he doesn''t recognise you at all. He hasn''t looked here since the time he entered."


    Kyle held his little hand, patting it while trying to reassure him.


    Little Kyle nodded, then shook his head and turned to look at Kyle.


    He looked like he wanted to say something, but was hesitating. Kyle was patient and simply waited.


    Finally, Little Kyle took a deep breath and he said in a soft voice, "Please. Don''t let him take me to Uncle Xian."

 Chapter 301 - A Bond Is Formed

    "Uncle Xian?" Kyle said softly, then looked intently at Little Kyle.


    "Kyle, I know this is hard but you need to tell me all that you know about Uncle Xian," Kyle asked gently, looking at him with pleading eyes.


    Little Kyle shivered and put his hands on his lap. Kyle noticed with a twist in his heart how those little hands were clenched tightly in a fist, as he gripped his jeans tightly.


    Kyle put his own hands on Little Kyle''s hands, and held it tightly, "I am here. I will never let anyone hurt you in any way."


    Little Kyle nodded in understanding.


    "You don''t have to say anything right now," Kyle replied, "Calm down first and go back to the cabin with Xing Han. Have your burger in peace in the cabin."


    Little Kyle looked at him, an unspoken question in his eyes.


    "I have something to do first," Kyle explained, "Just wait for me and when you''re ready, we can talk."


    All this time, they had been talking softly, so Xing Han hadn''t heard anything. He just focused on eating his meal and was almost done. Kyle, on the other hand, hadn''t touched his food yet. Also, as a girl, he couldn''t wolf it down so he had to be much more ''delicate'' about it.


    Kyle gave a side glance at Cornelius and noticed he was looking their way again. This wasn''t the first time he was doing so. He kept glancing their way.


    At first, Kyle thought that he vaguely recognised Little Kyle and was trying to confirm it, but it soon became apparent that Little Kyle wasn''t the one that he was looking at. Each time Kyle did some sort of PDA with Xing Han, he''d have this disgust on his face yet, at the same time, he kept looking back.


    Kyle leaned closer to Xing Han, whispering in his ear, "Xing Han, can you bring Little Kyle back to the cabin after you''re done? Tapau* Little Kyle''s and my food?"


    "You know Cantonese?!" Xing Han said in surprise, turning to face Kyle, their noses banging on each other.


    Kyle rubbed his nose, and Xing Han quickly looked concerned, kissed Kyle''s nose and then asked softly, "Oops. Sorry. Why? What are you going to do?"


    Kyle caressed Xing Han''s cheek and smiled, saying without moving his lips, "First, yes. I know Cantonese, as well as Hokkien and Mandarin. As for the other, well, I have a hunch that Cornelius over there is itching for something. Am going to use that to get some information."


    Xing Han took Kyle''s hand and kissed it, while saying, "Isn''t that dangerous? What about his lady friend?"


    Kyle''s smile just got wider as he leaned closer, their faces close together as he said softly, "There''s always a risk in everything, but I can handle it. I believe the lady won''t disturb him."


    Kyle took Xing Han''s face with his hands, positioning his palm to be directly over the side of Xing Han''s lips. He brought his face close and said, "Be careful. Lock the cabin door and don''t let anyone in other than the ticket master and me."


    From their positioning, it looked as if they were kissing, especially when Xing Han put his hand at the back of Kyle''s neck. Kyle was thinking that Xing Han was truly a natural at this, acting as if it was nothing. Then again, perhaps it''s because it was with him that Xing Han was not inhibited in any way.


    "Okay, be careful," Xing Han said, looking at Kyle worriedly as they parted.


    Kyle smiled, patted Xing Han''s cheek and said, "I will."


    Xing Han called for the waiter and asked for the food to go.


    Kyle stroked the back of Little Kyle''s head, silently giving him some support and comfort. Whoever this Sheng Xian was, Kyle wanted him to pay. He didn''t know what he had done to Little Kyle, but it was enough to know that it was bad as it made this innocent child be this scared.


    Slowly, but surely, Little Kyle had snuck into Kyle''s heart and Kyle was beginning to see him as something more than just someone he rescued. It was different from Dahlia - though he did love her deeply, like a daughter/sister. He himself did not know which type of love it was under and quite frankly, it didn''t matter at all to him. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why must one categorise the type of love of feeling one had for another? As long as he knew he wasn''t in love, then it was fine. All these labels were annoying.


    However, the bond with Little Kyle was something even Kyle didn''t realise yet. He simply put it down as being the same as what he was feeling for Dahlia. That he was growing fond of him and he loves him.


    Much later in the future, the bond became something even stronger, as they shared a connection neither of them knew was possible.


    Life is funny that way.


    You meet people, think it''s a coincidence but it is Fated.


    But that is a story for another day.**

 Chapter 302 - Getting Hit On

    Once the food was packed up, Xing Han took them and stood up from the table. Kyle got up as well to allow Little Kyle to scoot over and get out from the booth.


    People watched as the little girl took the guy''s hand, and were puzzled by that. Usually, the girl would be doing so ... did this mean ...?


    To their excitement, what they thought was happening, did happen. The guy said a few things, and she shook her head. He sighed, nodding, then kissed the girl on the forehead after she sat down, and left with the little girl. She watched them as they left, a smile on her face then focused on her unfinished drink.


    She took out her phone and started looking at it, presumably her social media or something as she was busy smiling and texting.


    Some guys were gathering the courage to go up to her to strike a conversation, even though they knew she was with someone. Yet, that guy was just average looking while they envisioned themselves as better looking. Plus, he wasn''t around, right?


    Just thinking of those luscious assets pressing against them like she had been doing to the other guy got them all excited. Everyone wanted to try their luck.


    However, before they could even get up, they saw one middle-aged guy already heading to her table. They scoffed, thinking he was shameless since he had been sitting with a lady - and he was so old! Why would the girl even entertain him? Her boyfriend may not have been the best looking, but at least he wasn''t old.


    They stayed to watch a good show.


    Cornelius walked confidently towards the table, his eyes never straying from the delicious piece of meat in front of him. The way she was dressed and the way she behaved showed clearly that she was no angel and most likely a devil in bed. His pants were already uncomfortable with his hard-on, and he was looking forward to its release. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He put his hand in his pocket, feeling the little sleeping pill he had. Well, it used to be a pill but now it had been crushed and was wrapped up in a tissue. Seeing that the girl was drinking orange juice, it seemed to him that she was basically begging for him to do this. After all, the orange juice would mask the slight taste of the sleeping pill.


    Kyle was fully aware when Cornelius got up, but pretended to be fully engrossed in his phone. When he sat down next to him, Kyle looked at him in disgust.


    "Excuse me?" Kyle said, looking up and down at him, "That seat is taken."


    Cornelius appeared unfazed, looking surprised as he scooted over closer, "Yes, by me."


    Kyle laughed, making Cornelius even more fascinated. Her face blossomed even more, and even the laughter didn''t appear jarring even though she was laughing in disdain.


    "Good try, but no. Dad jokes are so lame," Kyle said with a roll of his eyes.


    Kyle was taking a gamble. He didn''t want to appear too easy going and ''fall for'' Cornelius charms too easily, for he believed that would make Cornelius wary. After all, the way that Cornelius had been careful with regards to Little Kyle, it meant that he wasn''t a fool. Kyle wasn''t going to underestimate him.


    Since Cornelius had seen how lovey-dovey he had been with Xing Han, it would be ridiculous that ''she'' would suddenly be interested in such an old man who didn''t appear rich or whatever. Kyle had to remain in character, and that meant he couldn''t be interested.


    Kyle was sure Cornelius knew this, so what did he have up his sleeve?


    When Cornelius came closer, Kyle went further and glared at him, "If you don''t leave now, I''m going to scream."


    Cornelius put his hand on the table, smiling as if to look harmless, then said, "I don''t mean any harm. I just want to get to know you."


    "Not interested," Kyle said, waving his fingers at him as if ''shooing'' him away, "I have a boyfriend."


    "So?" Cornelius said, putting his hand on his chin as he looked at her.


    "So, go away," Kyle muttered, gritting his teeth, "On a count of three, I will scream."


    Cornelius put his hands up, saying, "I mean no harm. I''ll go, I''ll go. Here, your drink."


    Cornelius swirled the orange juice in its glass when he picked it up, and handed it to Kyle, who didn''t make a move to take it. Shrugging, he placed it in front of Kyle and got up, leaving. Kyle watched him go, and only took a sip after he saw Cornelius sit back down at his table.


    Cornelius, seeing Kyle drink, smiled. He then waved at Kyle, as if he was trying to be friendly.


    Kyle stuck out his tongue at him and proceeded to ignore him. He continued drinking while playing with his phone.


    Cornelius watched, satisfied, as the girl continued to drink her fill. The sleeping pill that he managed to put into the drink without her noticing was already taking effect. Even before she finished, he noted how her movements got slower, and her eyelids seemed to be drooping. She rubbed her eyes but it was obvious that she was starting to sway a bit.


    Seeing that, Cornelius said to the lady in front of him, "You wait for me here. I''ll be back in an hour or two."


    The lady shrugged, not bothered by it all, "Just make sure you''re done before the next stop. That boy could slip out by then."


    Cornelius smiled, nodding as he hurried over to the extremely drowsy girl.

 Chapter 303 - Getting Intel

    Kyle swayed a bit more for extra effect, noting how excited Cornelius looked as he came closer. Kyle inwardly scoffed but had to keep up the pretense.


    He had, of course, noticed when Cornelius had slipped in that powdery form into his drink. He just pretended not to have seen it. From one sip, he detected that it was a harmless sleeping pill so he was assured.


    Kyle noted its slight taste and after sifting through his memory banks, noted that it was of the more milder dosage. Actually, even if it was of a higher dosage, it would have been fine. Kyle''s body had been building up a tolerance for all sorts of drugs and poisons* since he was 6 years old - all under the careful guidance of Master Shifu, of course.


    So this stupid sleeping pill would have no effect on him whatsoever.


    Just as Kyle slumped over, seemingly asleep, he felt arms catching him. He did not resist as he felt himself being carried and leaving the dining carriage.


    Cornelius was happy.


    He caught the bird. Though she was much heavier than he anticipated, and not as soft as he imagined, the ample bosom and round ass were more than enough. He had taken the opportunity to feel her behind, squeezing those round cheeks in satisfaction. He wanted to do the same to the breasts as well, but he had to maintain a more ''caring'' attitude to the public.


    Once he reaches the cabin, though, it would be another matter altogether.


    ? Cabin ?


    Cornelius lay the girl down on the bed in eager anticipation and quickly started to take off his pants. Initially, getting this sleeping cabin had felt too extravagant but now, he was so glad that he did. As he bent down to push the pants off his legs, he suddenly felt something hit him at the back of his neck and the last thought he had was ... who?


    When he awoke, he found himself lying down on the bed. He cursed. This was the second time he had been knocked unconscious. Who was it?


    To his anger, he found out that he had been stripped and was only in his briefs. His legs were tied with his pants and his hands were tied above his head with the sleeves of his shirt. He looked about, to see the lovely face of the girl he had captured, looking at him seriously.


    He smiled.


    "My, I didn''t think you''re into this," Cornelius said, "But come on, let me be the one who ties you up."


    The girl pursed his lips and slowly shook her head. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I like being the one in control," she said softly, leaning in closer.


    Cornelius thought the girl was really naive. Sure, he was tired up but what was to stop him from just getting up and grabbing her? It''s not like he was tied to the bed.


    He waited until she was almost touching him when he reacted.


    Or, at least, he tried to.


    His arms wouldn''t move. His legs wouldn''t move. It wasn''t due to his limbs being tied, but he literally couldn''t move a muscle. Other than his head. Panic filled him. What was wrong with him?


    "What did you do to me?" he shouted at her, convinced that she had done something. Even though it sounded ridiculous.


    Kyle smiled at that, enjoying the panic that was in his face.


    He wanted nothing better to do than break the guy''s dick like he did with Jason, but he had other things to get from this one. This guy had sleeping pills, for fuck sake. It was unlikely that Kyle was the first victim and he shuddered to think that Little Kyle could have been one.


    From what he had seen, Little Kyle did not show the signs of having been sexually abused. He was not withdrawn or aggressive and did not shy away from Kyle''s touch. Also, he had no problems in changing in front of them, indicating that he was not ashamed of his body or that he had something to hide.


    Although he wasn''t fazed by the PDAs Kyle and Xing Han had been displaying, Kyle could tell it was because he knew they were faking it. Little Kyle did not talk about sexual matters or shown that he had truly understood what Kyle had been pretending to touch in the first ''act''.


    Since Cornelius was most likely a rapist, yet had left Little Kyle alone could either mean Cornelius is a homophobic or Little Kyle had greater value elsewhere. So, he had to find out just what sort of value it was and who this Sheng Xian was.


    For that, Kyle had to clamp down on his desire to make this person suffer physically that he couldn''t talk. That would have to wait. For now, he would need the Kato Art. Luckily, he had just been practicing before the trip so he was more confident of what he could do, and what he should not do.


    Kyle didn''t say a thing to Cornelius, who was now glaring at him. Putting his hand on Cornelius''s neck, he started pressing a few points on it and along his shoulder. This was slightly delicate work, but he couldn''t have Cornelius shouting and having people come in to check. So he pressed those points to make him relax then started the hypnosis.


    "There, there," Kyle said softly, his voice carrying the certain nuances needed to enter the subconscious, "Calm down and talk softly. Tell me everything I need to know."


    Cornelius, upon hearing that, was slowly swayed and fell into the magic of the voice. He could hear what the girl was saying and his common sense was telling him ''NO'' but his mouth wasn''t obeying.


    "Of course, darling. Anything for you," he breathed out, smiling stupidly while looking at Kyle with eyes full of lust.


    Kyle groaned.


    This method would get the person compliant, but it also meant their behaviour would reflect the condition as to why they would do so. Obviously, Cornelius was the type that would reveal secrets to his lover. Just those words and the look in his eyes made the hairs on Kyle''s arm rise up.


    At this moment, Kyle made a mental note to always bring his truth serum around.

 Chapter 304 - Satisfying End

    "So tell me," Kyle began, going straight to the point, "Why did you take Kyle?"


    "His uncle wanted him, baby," Cornelius answered with a pout, "What else could I do? The money was good."


    "His uncle? Sheng Xian?"


    "Of course," Cornelius replied, "The one, the only, Sheng Xian!!"


    Kyle rubbed the space between his eyebrows. Who would have thought Cornelius was this stupid in bed?


    [So who is this Sheng Xian?]


    [He''s part of the Sheng Enterprise. Brother of the current CEO. As per normal, power struggle, yadda-yadda. The same boring stuff] Kay reported.


    [So is Sheng Xian winning? Who''s the CEO?]


    [Sheng Pihua]


    [What''s Kyle''s connection to them?] Kyle asked.


    [Unknown. There is no Kyle in their registry]


    [That can''t be. This guy says Sheng Xian is his uncle]


    [Well, Sheng Pihua did have a son by the name of Sheng Wenyu, but he died along with his mother in a fire three years ago. Pihua was never the same after that]


    [Did Sheng Wenyu have any other name?] Kyle asked on a hunch.


    [No .... not officially, at least. Records don''t say anything but ... wait. Hang on] Kay was saying as she was going through various reports and articles in newspapers and magazines [It says here in Dynasty magazine that he''s known fondly as Kai. Something about his love for chicken.]


    Kai. Kyle. Close enough?


    Turning back to face Cornelius who was trying to lick him, Kyle asked, "Isn''t the boy with you named Kyle? Is he really his nephew?"


    "Don''t know, don''t care," Cornelius answered, "Some guy just came to me with a picture of Kyle when he was younger and asked me if that was Kyle. Then offered me lotsa lotsa money just to hand him over."


    "And you were willing to just hand over your own stepson like that?" Kyle asked through gritted teeth.


    Cornelius laughed, "Why not? It''s more money than I''ve ever seen in a lifetime. Sure, his mother''s a good fuck once in a while but she''s getting old. And she was going to divorce me just because I got my kicks elsewhere? Giving me her son is the least she could do, right?"


    "Not like you, baby. You''re so young and fresh. Come to Papa ..."


    Kyle resisted the urge to give him a good punch to the throat. He couldn''t leave a mark on the guy. After asking him a few more questions, it was quite apparent that there was nothing else he could get out of him.


    Once he had milked out enough from him, Kyle smiled as he thought of the best punishment for him. Breaking his dick wasn''t good enough. That was too good for him.


    Kyle leaned closer to Cornelius, his face so close but just barely out of reach. Cornelius stuck out his tongue, desperately trying to have a taste of those luscious lips. Kyle looked deeply into his eyes, and said a few words while his hand went down and started stroking Cornelius''s manhood.


    At first, Cornelius''s eyes glazed over in pleasure until intense pain racked his entire body. It kept happening repeatedly. Pleasure, then pain. Pleasure, then pain. All the while, those words kept going into his mind. His mouth was open in silent screams and moans, each pain being recorded into his very being. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ten minutes later, Kyle was done. He looked at his hand in disgust and wiped it on Cornelius''s briefs. He couldn''t wait to be able to do this without having to have the additional physical stimulant - or to take this long. He still didn''t have the proper mind control skill and to do it entirely via hypnosis wouldn''t have the desired effect.


    Time to test if it worked as it should.


    Cornelius had fainted, and Kyle untied him.


    He then got up and went to the other side of the room. He messed up his wig a bit, pushed down the blouse to reveal more of the fake boobs and then sat down with his legs slightly open, facing Cornelius.


    Then he waited.


    Cornelius''s eyes fluttered open, his mind in a haze. The last thing he remembered was that he was taking off his pants ... and then? He looked around and his gaze landed on the rather deliciously helpless looking girl in front of him. She was breathing heavily and looked positively scared as she stared at him. She tried to get up but fell back down, bent over and showing him her lovely ass.


    Putting the pieces together, Cornelius came to the conclusion that she must have woken up and tried to escape but failed. Now, Cornelius only needed to finish the deed before she did leave. He got up eagerly, fully intending to grab her when his whole body racked with pain.


    It started from the most precious part of his body and filled his entire being. He fell back down on the bed, shivering from the intense pain. His mind blanked over what had happened. What was wrong? Was that why he was knocked out just now?


    Then he saw the girl come over, and since the pain was gone, he reached for her again. Immediately, the pain started and he doubled over, unable to withstand it as his mouth opened to shout. The girl put her hand over his mouth, saying, "Ssssshhh."


    The pain ended.


    She smiled, and then touched his dick and the pain started again. This time, it was so intense that he felt like he was dying. He looked at the girl, convinced that she had done something when her face started blurring in front of his eyes. He blinked, trying to look through the haze of pain but failed. Eventually, she faded from his sight and he fainted.


    Kyle got up, straightened his clothes and hair (wig) and gave a long look in the cabin. After making sure that there was nothing in there that could tie to him, Kyle left. Closing the door, he felt quite satisfied.


    From now on, each time Cornelius wanted to touch a girl sexually, he''d be assaulted with pain. If a girl tried to touch him as well, then the pain would double. Heck, even if he got morning wood, he''ll be in pain.


    Kyle smiled.


    Satisfying indeed. Touching him had been worth it.

 Chapter 305 - Wrapping Things Up (I)

    Once Kyle exited the cabin, he headed back to his sleeping cabin, feeling unhappy.


    There were just too many loose ends to tie right now.


    Cornelius had been taken care of, but it wasn''t enough.


    Just before he left, Kyle had altered Cornelius''s memory of what happened in the room. To Cornelius, he had been successful in his r*pe, she had woken up in the midst of it and that he had scared her so much she ran out of the cabin.


    However, Kyle wasn''t confident of the success of the mind alteration as it was his first time doing it. Though he had done it with Samantha to make her believe they had sex, it was different because it was merely ''continuing the fantasy''. In this case, it never happened and there was a lot more work involved.


    So there was a risk that he''d remember what truly happened and he''d go after Kylie, and worse, Xing Han had not been in disguise. Kyle could take down Cornelius easily, but he did not want the train ride to be disrupted for Little Kyle''s sake. The most important thing to do now is to get him to a safe location, along with his mother.


    Doing anything to the couple right now, while the train was moving, would only result in an investigation that would delay them even more. Such an investigation would also prevent them from leaving until all the evidence and statements had been taken.


    Not a path he wanted to take.


    On the way back to his sleeping cabin, Kyle mused over what he had learned. With this, there needed to be a change of plans.


    Initially, he had banked on Cornelius being thrown out of the train due to the lack of tickets but with the value Little Kyle had, that was unlikely. Cornelius and his lady friend needed to go.


    [Kay, any agents at the next stop?]


    [No, but one can be dispatched and will reach there as the train arrives] Kay said, after checking MIB''s database.


    [Good. Arrange for a team to be here, incognito. They need to get Cornelius and his lady friend out of the train at the next stop] Kyle directed.


    [On it] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [And what is that lady''s name anyway? Calling her ''his lady friend'' all the time is quite tedious]


    Kay laughed [I was wondering when you''d ask. It''s Belinda. Seems she''s his half-sister]


    [Makes sense they''d be related in some way. She had no qualms about whatever Cornelius was doing]


    [What do we do with them afterwards?] Kay asked [Kill order?]


    [No. Just contain them for a while] Kyle replied [Release their whereabouts to the person they were supposed to meet before letting them go. Make it seem like they had sold off Little Kyle to someone else for a higher amount of money]


    [Noted] Kay nodded back at home.


    She understood Kyle''s methods. If the person, being alive, would result in other lives being ruined - then, the kill order would be made. Otherwise, Kyle preferred to let them live and suffer constantly. Either in fear, or in pain. Something about those people didn''t deserve death.


    Kay noticed that Kyle has an extremely twisted mind. No one would actually think that such a cheerful Kyle could actually be so cruel. The fact that he''s an experienced killer was one thing, but this ... Kay felt she ought to keep a closer eye on her brother. She was worried that his world of darkness might overwhelm him one day.


    With Kay''s words, Kyle felt reassured. Once Kay has taken over, he knew things would be as it should be and he could basically take Cornelius''s issue off his shoulders. Now, the other thing would be to find out about Little Kyle''s connection with the Sheng''s.


    Kyle knocked on the cabin door and after ensuring that it was him, Xing Han opened the door.


    When Kyle walked in, he noted with a smile how Little Kyle was still munching on his burger. He was almost done, so Kyle took his own meal and started to dig in. All that mental exercise truly drained him in a way that physical exercises would. Actually, it was worse because the fatigue that hit him with only 10 minutes of it was equivalent to over an hour of physical exercise.


    "What happened?" Xing Han asked, curiously.


    "Turns out the douchebag is a rapist as well," Kyle said as he slurped the pasta, chewing fast, "He put in a sleeping pill and brought me to his cabin."


    "What the -!!" Xing Han exclaimed, "How did you get out of that?"


    "You mean the sleeping pill bit? No worries," Kyle replied, "I''ve gotten immune to it."


    Kyle continued to eat and noticed Xing Han''s questioning eyes, so he explained, "Well, it''s quite simple. Since I was 6, Master Shifu had been feeding me with all sorts of poisons in small dosages. You know how vaccinations work, right? You''re not injected with the cure, but a weaker version of the thing. Thus, your natural body''s immunity system can fight it, and create its ''antidote''."


    "So, the concept is the same for building immunity with poisons but got to be careful. It can destroy the body,* but Master Shifu knows acupuncture so the negative effects were neutralised. Had to do eat some really nasty medicinal concoctions, too, just to aid in recovery and build immunity."


    Kyle''s face grimaced when he remembered those foul-smelling and even worst tasting things. He also learned meditation and ''qi'' to aid in the body''s recovery and adaptation of the poisons. Took him over 8 years to finally finish the whole thing and he wouldn''t want to go through that again. But he would, if it meant saving his kids ...


    Kyle looked at Little Kyle, who was now finishing up his fries. Seeing him made him miss his two kids even more. He wondered idly whether Little Kyle would have been good friends with his own kids if they ever met.

 Chapter 306 - Wrapping Things Up (II)

    Once Little Kyle was done eating, Kyle turned to him and looked at him gently.


    "I know we just met, Kyle, but do you trust me? At least, do you trust that I won''t do anything to harm you?" Kyle asked softly, looking him straight in the eyes.


    Little Kyle looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes and the concern he had. Little Kyle struggled a bit, thinking of what he should do. Could he trust Big Brother Kyle? He thought of everything that had happened, and how Big Brother Kyle did things without even asking for anything in return.


    Even before he knew what was going on, he helped. Even after he knew that the situation was worse than first thought, he still wanted to help.


    Tears formed in Little Kyle''s eyes and he sniffed. It''s been a long time since he felt he could truly depend on someone.


    Little Kyle didn''t say a thing and he nodded.


    "Are you okay now to talk?" Kyle asked, "I want to be able to help you and your mother, but I can''t do so if I don''t know the details."


    Little Kyle nodded again, taking a deep breath.


    "Are you Sheng Wenyu?" Kyle asked.


    Little Kyle looked at him in shock, his eyes and mouth wide open. All he did was nod.


    "My real full name is Kai Sheng Wenyu," Little Kyle said, "But


    Kyle blinked. This was highly unusual.


    A name was important and a name was carefully chosen for the Chinese. Sheng Wenyu was his traditional name, with ''Sheng'' being the surname. Usually, when one didn''t want to be referred to their traditional name, they would choose an English name, placed before the surname.


    This often aided when one was dealing with people outside their Country. In Little Kyle''s case, the name that was chosen for him was Kai? Which was, essentially, not an English name but still Chinese and in the Cantonese dialect, it meant ''chicken''.


    What mother would call her son ''Chicken'' officially? Though Kay did say that it was not registered as Kai but still ... then again, in some countries, like Country Hw, ''Kai'' meant ocean. Kyle just found the whole thing weird, but who was he to judge?


    Getting his mind back on the matter at hand, Kyle asked the next question.


    "Do you remember what happened three years ago?" Kyle asked softly, taking Little Kyle''s hand in his own. Xing Han was keeping quiet, observing everything and waiting for whatever revelations Little Kyle would be giving.


    Little Kyle looked at that big hand in his. He thought of how that big, warm hand just covered his hand completely. Is this how it felt to have a brother? He shook his head. Little Kyle looked at Big Brother Kyle. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Too young to be a father, but somehow, the vibe he felt from Big Brother Kyle was just like his father. He couldn''t really remember how his father looked like, but the feeling was something he never forgot.


    The warmth. The love. The security.


    But all of that got burned down along with the house.


    He still couldn''t believe what had happened, and his memory was a bit hazy. But he wanted to tell Big Brother Kyle about it. He had been holding it in for so long, and he couldn''t talk to his mother about it. She would just go pale and cry silently when she thought he wasn''t looking.


    Taking several deep breaths, Little Kyle began his story hesitatingly.


    "I ... I do not remember much," he began, then looked at Kyle pleadingly.


    Kyle patted his hand, saying gently, "It''s okay. Just tell us what you do remember. Everything and anything is fine."


    Little Kyle nodded again, and closed his eyes as he thought back, "I know Dad is not my real father, but ... I remember a big house. Somewhere. I only remember a bit but I remember a man. I think he is my father. But ... but ..."


    "But?" Kyle said encouragingly.


    "But he was always so busy. I ... I cannot remember what he looks like ... I .. I ..." Little Kyle sniffed, "Uncle Xian always came to visit. I don''t like him."


    "Why?"


    Little Kyle shrugged, "I don''t know. He ... I ... I just didn''t like him."


    "Did he do anything to you? Say things that you didn''t like?" Kyle asked, prodding gently.


    Little Kyle shook his head, "No. He always brought sweets."


    Kyle frowned. A child''s instinct was normally correct, so in this case - even though Sheng Xian was nice and tried to bribe Little Kyle, it was obviously futile.


    "Do you remember the fire?"


    Little Kyle shook his head, "Not really. I just remember it was hot. Mother carrying me. We escaped but Mother said our old life was gone and we had to live a new life."


    Kyle sighed softly to himself, thinking about what Little Kyle was saying. He was too young to truly remember what had happened. The one that would really know, would be his mother.


    Time for Phase two. Pick up the mother.

 Chapter 307 - Agent Milk

    [Kay, Little Kyle''s mother needs protection and to be picked up. I''ll send a video of Little Kyle with me, so that should convince her to follow quietly]


    Kyle turned to Little Kyle and said, "We''ll stay in here until the next stop, so you can take off your disguise for now."


    Little Kyle nodded, and both of them ''turned back'' into their real selves. Kyle took out the make-up remover and gently wiped off the make-up on Little Kyle, then gave him a wet towel to wash his face. It wasn''t as good as washing over a washbasin, but it''s better than nothing. It was too risky for him to go.


    As for Kyle, he headed for the washroom once he wiped off the make-up and wore back his clothes. He needed to clean his face properly as he had much more make-up on is face. He also wanted to check out Cornelius and his lady friend.


    Once Kyle left, Xing Han smiled at Little Kyle, and said, "Come on, let''s record the message for your mum. She is very worried about you."


    Little Kyle nodded.


    "Do you remember what Kyle said?" Xing Han asked.


    Little Kyle nodded again.


    Xing Han had to smile at that. Little Kyle wasn''t really the talkative type, but he did talk quite a lot with Kyle. Otherwise, it was always this nodding bit which made Xing Han think of a chick. As in, a baby chicken.


    "Okay, are you ready?" Xing Han asked, as he aimed his phone camera at Little Kyle.


    ? Kay ?


    Kay stood outside the house, ready to knock.


    Truth be told, she was a bit nervous. Ever since the Kazuya incident, she had decided to be in the background. However, for this case, she felt that it was important that she came personally. There was no danger in this situation and she couldn''t hide behind four walls forever.


    Kay could also sense that Kyle was slowly ''loosening the rope'', so to speak - and she wasn''t blind to the fact that he was putting more responsibilities and duties on her. Other than the hacking, that is. Letting her make decisions, implementing plans and such were all pointing to one direction.


    He was grooming her.


    For what, she didn''t know but she trusted Kyle. Coming out of her comfort zone after the Kazuya scare was necessary.


    She looked at the two agents behind her. Agent Oreo and Agent Milk. The father and daughter pair really made good agents and a striking pair to look at. Agent Milk, despite her codename, was not fair. She was a chocolate beauty. While her father was the tall and dark type of man, she was petite and delicate.


    But underneath that delicate features, lay a powerhouse. She as like ''chilli padi'' aka birds eye chilli. It looks like a miniaturised version of chilli, but it was much, much hotter than one. Of course, it wasn''t in the same category as the ghost pepper, but you get the idea.


    Two years ago, Agent Oreo had raised the request to allow his daughter, Nialla, into MIB. She had been working as an executive in Zen Industries, and like any other employee at Zen, was closely monitored as potential MIB agents.


    Agent Oreo had been over the moon when the approval was given and the name was chosen by Nialla herself. Since her father was an oreo, then she should be milk, right?* After all, Oreos and Milk are perfect together.


    Kay brought Agent Milk on this round for her final test. Rather, compatibility. Although there were Zero and the others, they were more for Kyle than her. Thus, she wanted her own exclusive team to help her with her job. Zero and the others were more suited for Kyle''s sort of activities.


    It was time to have more teams, anyway. They couldn''t rely on Zero and the others all the time. They were being stretched too thin as it was. The older they grew, the more things they needed to be done that were not MIB.


    Kay finally knocked on the door, putting on her sweetest smile as the door swung open.


    "Yes?" said a very worried looking and rather haggard woman at the open door.


    They were separated by the security screen door, which was why Little Kyle''s mother dared open the door in the first place.


    "Mrs. Fudge?" Kay asked gently, while making sure that her stance was not threatening.


    Reimonna, or Ramona as she was known here, looked at the young girl in front of her.


    She looked very angelic and sweet, and she subconsciously let her guard down. She was also wracked with worry and had no one to turn to while the girl in front of her seemed to have a calming effect on her.


    "Yes? How can I help you?" she asked softly. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "May I come in? I have some news about your son," Kay said in a low voice, putting up her phone and showing her a picture of Little Kyle.


    Ramona put her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide as she looked at Kay.


    "Don''t worry, he''s safe, and I mean no harm," Kay said softly, "But we can''t talk here as there may be eyes and ears nearby."


    Ramona hesitated for a second, then nodded, unlocking and opening the security screen door.


    Kay walked in, followed by Agent Milk. Agent Oreo stood outside, on guard.

 Chapter 308 - Persuasion

    Ramona led them to the living room and told them to have a seat while she went to the kitchen.


    Kay followed her in and hesitated for a while as she watched Ramona go to the kitchen. She indicated to Agent Milk to stay in the living room, while she followed Ramona.


    Inside, she saw Ramona filling a kettle with water. Ramona did not realise Kay had entered, and Kay observed as her trembling hands struggled to lift the heavy kettle. Kay reached over, taking it from her hands.


    Ramona jumped, completely taken by surprise at Kay''s gesture.


    "It''s okay," Kay said gently, putting the kettle on.


    There were a small dining table and chairs in the kitchen, and the two of them sat down while waiting for the kettle to boil.


    Kay handed her the phone and played the video without saying anything.


    Ramona watched, tears streaking down her face as she saw her son, smiling and waving happily at her, "Hello Mama!! Mama, don''t cry and don''t worry. I am fine. I am here with Big Brother Kyle and Big Brother Xing Han and they are taking very good care of me."


    The camera then turned and showed Xing Han, who smiled and waved, saying "Hello Auntie."


    The camera went back to Little Kyle, "They saved me."


    Then, Little Kyle became all serious as he said, "Mama, Dad wanted to give me to Uncle Xian."


    Ramona, upon hearing this, almost dropped the phone.


    "Mama, I''ll be home soon. I miss you! Love you soooooooo much!!" Little Kyle finished, blowing kisses to the phone.


    Kay watched silently, not saying a word as she waited for Ramona to calm down and gather her wits. Ramona gave the phone back to Kay and went back to the kitchen sink, washing her face. Her back was slumped over, and she started crying again.


    Kay came and simply held her while she sobbed.


    Finally, she wiped her face and looked at Kay ruefully, "I''m sorry. I''m such a mess. I ruined your clothes."


    Kay smiled, saying, "This is nothing. It''s just clothes. Are you feeling any better?"


    Ramona nodded.


    "Thank you," she whispered, "Thank you for saving my son."


    "I am sure you know that the danger isn''t over yet," Kay said gently, looking at her seriously, "We need to know everything there is to know about Sheng Xian and why he wants your son so badly." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ramona shook her head, "No. You''ve done more than enough. I can handle this by myself."


    Kay shook her head as well, "No, I''m sorry but we can''t let you do that."


    Ramona looked at her fiercely and said firmly, "I am grateful for all that you''ve done but believe me, this is not something you should get involved in."


    Kay merely smiled, and led her to the seat, "We are already involved."


    Ramona sat down while Kay went to the cupboard, finding cups, saucers and a teabag. She quickly made tea while Ramona was sitting dazedly on the chair. When Kay placed a cup of tea in front of her, she jolted out of her thoughts and looked horrified.


    "Oh gosh! I made a guest .." Ramona began, stumbling over her words when Kay sat down, with her own cup of tea.


    "Do not worry about it," Kay said, sipping the tea, "It is a small matter. Why don''t you just tell me your story?"


    Ramona shook her head again, saying gently, holding onto Kay''s hand, "Listen to me, my child. You''re still so young and you should be out there, having fun. Please do not worry. Kyle and I will be fine. I have done this before, and I can do it again."


    "You mean, hiding away? If they could find him this time, they can find him again," Kay said, making Ramona''s eyes fill up with fear. She knew that, but she still didn''t want to involve anyone else. It was just too dangerous.


    "How long do you plan to run away? Or perhaps, marry again just like you did with Cornelius, just so that you can give Kyle, or should I say, Sheng Wenyu, a new name officially?" Kay asked with a tilt of her head.


    "How did you know?" she asked, feeling shocked that Kay figured out her true motive for marrying Cornelius. At that time, he had been a very nice man and although she didn''t love him, life with him was not bad. He treated her decently and in return, she took care of him.


    Despite the fact that she didn''t love him, it did not mean she would tolerate his cheating on her. She could never forgive anyone who did such a thing.


    "I am like you," Kay began, "In the sense that what you see, is not what is true."


    Ramona studied Kay, who looked back at her with her clear, blue eyes. There was confidence in them, and a strength that she sometimes felt she lacked. Why did it seem like the girl was far more capable than what is portrayed? Is that what she meant by ''what you see is not what is true''?


    "So you''re not a teenager?" she asked.


    Kay laughed a bit at that, "Yes, I am but that is not all that I am. Let''s just say that my brother and I have the capabilities to save you, and your son - but only if you let us."


    Ramons smiled ruefully, "If only that was true. Since you know Kyle''s real name, I am sure you know who is behind all of this. The Shengs are not one that you can mess with."


    "Why don''t you tell me the story, and let me be the judge of that?" Kay replied, "They found Kyle once, and they can do it again. The only way to stop it is to pull it out of the roots."


    Ramona laughed at that. Not a laugh to ridicule her, but a laugh that was borne out of desperation and fear. Again, Kay didn''t say anything but let Ramona laugh to her heart''s content. She had so many things bottled up and pent up that it was a miracle she wasn''t more stressed out.


    "At the very least, you''ve been holding onto the story for so long. Talking it out would help ease the burden a bit," Kay persuaded.


    Ramona sighed, nodding her head.


    "Perhaps I should," Ramona said, looking into the distance as she held the warm cup of tea in her hands. As if she was gathering courage from the heat, to fill up the coldness in her heart.

 Chapter 309 - Intricate Plots

    Kay listened attentively as Ramona began her story.


    "My name is Reimonna Sheng Xue, and I was the wife of Sheng Pihua. Our marriage was a happy one. At first. Then he just got so busy, especially after Kyle was born. Then ... then I heard he had a mistress," she said, her eyes looking into the distance.


    "Sheng Xian was the one that told me about that, and even where they would meet up. I went to confront him, bringing Kyle along. But ..." she sighed, "He had already left. All over the bedroom ... there ... well, there were things. His things were still there. It was so obvious what had happened in the room."


    Kay was puzzled when she heard all of this.


    If Pihua was having an affair, why was he so devastated over her supposed death? Also, he was still unmarried now. Wouldn''t he have married his mistress the moment the mourning period was over? And what about the fire? What happened then? How did it happen?


    Although she was itching to know the whole story, she reigned in her curiosity and impatience. So, she waited patiently as Ramona continued.


    "I thought that was the last of it but no," she said, her face reflecting intense sadness, "When I tried to go out of the bedroom, I found it locked. Then his voice came from beyond the door, laughing while saying goodbye."


    "I didn''t understand what he meant at first. I thought it was a normal goodbye. Until I smelled the smoke," Ramona''s voice hitched, "I managed to escape, somehow. I have been hiding with Kyle ever since then."


    Kay was getting more of a headache listening to this.


    The house certainly did burn down, but there had been two charred bodies found. A woman and a child. They identified the female corpse as Sheng Xue, as there was the gold bracelet that had been a gift to her from Pihua on their wedding anniversary.


    There was too much plot going on. Obviously, the couple had been the victim of a very intricate plot to get Kyle out of the way. The CEO''s chair was in danger. But why was Sheng Xian looking for Kyle when it was obvious that they didn''t want to be found or even be involved in the fight for the chair?


    Kay shook her head.


    That was a mystery to be solved in another time. For now, Little Kyle''s safety was of paramount importance.


    "Why would Sheng Xian want Kyle then?" Kay asked.


    "For the succession, of course," Ramona answered. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But the Sheng believes that you and Kyle died in the fire," Kay pointed out.


    Ramona looked at her in shock, "Died? Us? But we didn''t. I don''t understand."


    Since she ran, she never looked at newspapers or kept up with what was happening with the Shengs. She had felt so hurt by the betrayal of her husband that she cut everything off. Even going to another state to cover her tracks.


    She never touched anything that could tie her to the Shengs and she didn''t even contact her friends or relatives. She had been an ordinary person before marrying Pihua, so surviving on a limited budget and working was not a problem.


    She truly was in the dark about what was currently going on with the Shengs.


    Just when Kay was about to explain, her eyes got sharp when she noticed a glint in the window. She got up, pushed Ramona to the side and threw a projectile out. There was a muffled sound, the table bursting a bit when a bullet hit it, just barely missing Ramona.


    "Milk!" Kay shouted, making Ramona - who was already in a state of shock, even more shocked.


    "I .. there''s some in the fridge," she stammered, worried at the sudden aggressiveness from the angel that had been in front of her.


    Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kay couldn''t help but laugh a bit, "Sorry, no."


    Agent Milk burst in to the scene, while Oreo was already at the back.


    "It''s secure," Agent Milk said, as she stood at the doorway of the kitchen, gun in hand and in a ready position.


    Ramona looked at the angel in front of her, then at the other girl looking so bad-ass at the doorway and she finally believed that they really weren''t what they looked like initially.


    "It was a sniper," Kay said, "We have to get Mrs. Fudge to a secure location."


    Kay looked at Ramona and asked, "Are you okay?"


    Ramona managed to croak out, "Yes."


    "You''ll have to follow us," Kay said firmly.


    "Okay," Ramona replied meekly, "Let me get .."


    Kay shook her head, "No. Leave everything behind. We have to go NOW."


    "But .. but .." Ramona stammered again, but Kay was firm.


    "Whatever you need, we can get for you later. For now, you need to get to safety. Do you want to make Kyle an orphan?"


    That did it.


    Ramona stood up, nodding. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 310 - High Speed Chase

    Agent Oreo had secured the perimeter. He was cursing himself for the lapse in security, even though he couldn''t truly be blamed. He was, after all, only one person and couldn''t be everywhere at the same time.


    Added to that, the sniper wasn''t close by. He looked at the body that had fallen off a tree in the neighbouring yard. His back had a bloodied patch and if you look closely, there was a small hole right where the heart would be. This indicated that Kay''s needle-like knife had gone clean through his heart and he had died swiftly.


    Agent Oreo looked at the body in admiration. A good, clean hit.


    The skillfull shot was one thing, but what also impressed Agent Oreo was the technology behind the weapon. The power needed to be able to hit its target at that distance wasn''t small.


    Looking everywhere with his eagle eyes, he made sure that there were no more hidden dangers. Once satisfied, he said tersely into their communications, "All''s clear."


    Agent Milk went out first, looking around to double-check before indicating to Kay that it was okay. Kay went out first, after ensuring that her hidden knives were in place.


    Kay had a special contraption on both of her wrists, that held her weapons: thin, needle-like knives. With a certain twist of her wrist, those knives will shoot out and could hit a target at 100 yards,* and she could actually control the power behind the contraption.


    It had taken some time, but with intense collaboration with the MIB tech and weapons team, they managed to find the proper system and wrist movements that were the best for her. Initially, it had been quite dangerous whenever she tested the contraption and Kyle was often laughing at one corner when her shots went wild.


    She even shot at him deliberately, confident that he could avoid it. Master Shifu approved of it as well, saying that Kyle needed to be put down a peg or two sometimes. Those were fun times.


    As the four of them headed to the car, Agent Oreo took the wheel while Kay sat behind with Ramona. Once inside, they could relax a bit as the car was fully bulletproofed.


    The hit was completely unexpected. They had anticipated an attempt at kidnapping, so Kay brought Agent Oreo and Milk. The three of them were more than enough to handle any such kidnapping attempts - but instead, it was an assassination attempt? S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ths Sheng Xian was truly despicable.


    [Kyle, we''re fine but there was an attempted hit on Little Kyle''s mum] Kay told Kyle, then proceeded to give him a summary of what Ramona had told about the Shengs.


    "We have a tail," announced Agent Oreo.


    "Is it a problem?" Kay asked.


    Agent Oreo smirked, "Not at all."


    Kay nodded, fully confident in Agent Oreo''s driving skills. He merely informed them so that they would be prepared for the high-speed chase.


    "You should buckle up," Kay advised Ramona, "And hold on to something."


    Ramona quickly did as she was told, her fingers gripping at the side handles like it was a death grip.


    Kay sighed, reached under her seat and opened up a secret compartment by keying in a code. She took out her laptop, started typing and instructed Agent Oreo on where to go.


    There were two motorcycles and one car on their tail.


    The two motorcycles sped up ahead of the car and were soon beside them, one on the left and one on the right. They wore helmets with blackened visors, hiding their faces. Guns were taken out and shot: the one on the right was aiming at Agent Oreo and the one on the left aimed at the passengers seat behind.


    Of course, the bullets only did some damage but did not pierce through.


    "Orders?" Agent Oreo asked.


    "Terminate," Kay answered.


    With that, Agent Oreo hit the brakes, which made the motorcycles rush in front first. He then hit the accelerator as he pulled the handbrake and turned the steering wheel, which made the car do a complete 180 degrees turn.


    In quick succession, he reversed till he was beside the motorcycles that had slowed down to turn to face them and did the brake/steering wheel move again. The front and back of the car spun, hitting the motorcycles to the side.


    Once righted to the correct direction again, Agent Oreo sped forward.


    The car had been specially fortified, so it wasn''t just bulletproof but it was also very sturdy. Agent Oreo had timed it so well that the toughest part of the car - the bonnet and boot - had hit the motorcycles. Thus, it suffered no damage.


    The motorcyclists had been flung to the side, and if they hadn''t died from the impact of the car, they certainly did upon landing on the ground - one had even landed on a car that was parked at the side, crushing the windscreen.


    The car that was behind them sped past the two bodies that were lying down on the ground and chased after the speeding car that was escaping.

 Chapter 311 - Getting To Safety

    Inside a car, two guys were gritting their teeth. The co-driver was on the phone, shouting at the person at the other end, "You said that this was an easy job!!"


    Sheng Xian, who was on the other end, took the phone off his ear and looked at it with a frown. How dare this lowly person shout at him? He hired them. He paid them. They were to be respectful to him!


    Bringing the phone back to his ear, he hissed, "How hard is it to kill off a housewife? Don''t tell me your skills are only that much? Your reputation isn''t well deserved then."


    "The target isn''t the issue," the man shouted, "It''s those people with her. They''ve already taken out three of my men!!"


    Sheng Xian laughed, not believing the words. He felt they were just exaggerating so to escape liability for their incompetence.


    "So let me get this straight," Sheng Xian said coldly, "That the little woman who has absolutely nothing to her name, or money, actually has friends that are capable not only to protect her from being killed, but also off three of your men?!"


    When he said it that way, even the ones who were in the high-speed chase found it ridiculous. But it was the truth! They were experiencing such a surreal moment.


    "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Sheng Xian shouted, standing up as he huffed, "Get rid of them all!"


    With that, Sheng Xian hung up the phone.


    The guy, having been hung up on, glared at the phone. He looked at the car that they were chasing, that was getting further and further away.


    "Are you even driving??!" he shouted at the driver, who then glared at him.


    "Are you blind?! I''m already flooring it!!" the driver roared back at him, feeling unjustly accussed.


    The guy looked at the speedometer and his eyes popped out.


    It was true.


    They were already at the maximum speed that the car could handle, and yet, the car in front that looked quite ordinary ... was obviously getting further away. It wasn''t just the fact that the driver of the car in front could weave in and out of the traffic easily, but it was actually faster.


    "Ah, fuck this," the guy shouted, banging the dashboard, "Let them be."


    "Huh?"


    "This was not what we signed up for," he growled, "The price is not worth the loss we suffered."


    The driver nodded in understanding, slowing down.


    They had entered the highway, so he took the first exit out. As he turned, he gave one last look at the car that he had been chasing.


    His skill wasn''t lower than the driver in front (in his opinion) for he could weave in and out of traffic just as well. It''s just that the car in front was fast. Before reaching the highway, there was nothing that was in its path to slow it down. Even the traffic lights that they came across were green! What were the chances of that?


    He chalked it down to them being just too damn lucky. Little did they know, that they, too, were extremely lucky. With their decision to stop the chase, their lives were spared.


    "They''ve stopped chasing," Agent Oreo reported as soon as he saw the car behind them take the exit.


    Kay nodded and closed her laptop. Hacking into the traffic system had taken her a little bit longer than expected, due to the shaking car and the intensity of the chase. She made a mental note to train hacking under such conditions .


    All this while, she had been hacking in the security of the room. It didn''t have the same sense of danger. It was only the danger of being caught, but she never had to worry about external factors or her surroundings. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [All''s clear. We''re heading to the safehouse for Ramona] Kay told Kyle.


    ? ? ? ?


    On a train, in a certain part of the country, a young boy was sitting alone in a corner of the train carriage. He was certainly drop-dead gorgeous and many girls wanted to go over to him ... if it wasn''t for the fact that he was also pretty scary.


    He was actually looking out the window, but there seemed to be this dark aura above him that people would swear that they could see wisps of the Grim Reaper forming above his head. Anyone who was brave enough to even venture close to where he was sitting would feel fear hitting their hearts and a coldness in the air that was unexplainable.


    No one dared to get close because of it. In fact, half of the train carriage was empty, with everyone else sitting at the top part of the train carriage, away from the ''Aura of Death''.


    The boy was, of course, Kyle.


    When Kay had told him about the hit, he didn''t think much other than relief for the failed attempt. He didn''t blame the ones who were doing the hit as they were just doing their job just like any normal person. He didn''t hunt down the two that didn''t continue the chase either. Of course, if they had continued, then even though they would have failed in their mission, he wouldn''t let them off.


    As for Sheng Xian.


    Well, that''s a completely different story.


    Just thinking about him made him even angrier as he thought of the various ways he was going to make Sheng Xian pay.


    When Kyle finally reeled in his emotions, he looked around and blinked.


    The train carriage was empty.

 Chapter 312 - Settling Ramona

    Ramona was still in a daze.


    She kept quiet as the vehicle she was in sped on, and the other occupants were also quiet. It suited her just fine. There were so many questions in her head, that it was giving her a headache. Questions about what was going on, questions about Sheng Xian and most of all, questions about these people.


    Why were they so adamant at helping her?


    She was just a simple person.


    A simple person, who had a simple life and so, when the most popular guy in school started courting her, she felt like Cinderella. Everything was like a dream and really like a story. The school hunk with the school outcast?


    It was too good to last, she supposed, but even until now ... despite the betrayal he had done, she couldn''t help but still be in love with him.


    It was stupid, she knew, and the only way she could cope in order to carry on was to cut herself off completely from that world. Kai needed her, so she had no time to wallow in self-pity or break down. Out of sight, out of mind was her thinking.


    That was also part of the reason why she married Cornelius. It had only been a traditional sort of marriage rather than a legal one, so that had bypassed the need to authenticate her identity. She was still someone else''s wife on paper, and if she was honest with herself, in her heart as well.


    But why waste her life on someone that didn''t want her? She didn''t care about the legalities of her marriage to Cornelius. She may not be his legal wife and entitled to protection and rights as afforded by the law, but he did take care of them. What was more important was that he had adopted Kyle, giving him his name.


    Now, she discovered that he had wanted to give her son up to Sheng Xian?


    Her heart twisted. They may have not been deeply in love, but she had been faithful and treated him well. Perhaps this was her Fate, due to some bad karma that she must have accumulated in her past life. She was destined to end up with b*stards. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''re here," Kay said gently, shaking her out of her thoughts that were getting darker.


    Ramona quickly wiped her eyes and formed a smile before she turned to face the girl. She nodded and went out of the car and followed them quietly. When she finally snapped back to her senses, she realised that they were in a hotel room.


    "Your son will meet us here once he arrives," Kay explained, "Agent Milk and Agent Oreo will be here to ensure your safety."


    Ramona nodded, a little amused at their names.


    "The train that they''re on will arrive tomorrow morning, so you have plenty of time to rest. Just stay in the hotel room, do not call anyone or email anyone," Kay stated.


    Ramona nodded her understanding. She had left the house with only the clothes on her back, so she didn''t have anything at all. Not even her ID or phone.


    "There''s a set of clothing in the closet and all the toiletries are in the bathroom," Kay told her, "Those are for you to use. Just treat this like a holiday, and these two, as your friends-slash-employees."


    Ramona nodded again and if Xing Han was around, he would be thinking that Little Kyle''s habit of nodding must be from his mother.


    When Ramona saw Kay heading out the door, she couldn''t help but call out, "You''re leaving?"


    Kay smiled, and said as she walked out the door, "You''ll be fine."


    Kay could tell that Ramona was feeling nervous, and she found it a little bit funny as she was only 14. Agent Milk and Agent Oreo were more than enough to keep her company, and be safe.


    "I''ll send you back first," Agent Oreo said, following her.


    Kay nodded, knowing that refusing would mean getting an earful from Kyle. That, and the fact that Agent Oreo was as stubborn as a mule and would never listen to her. After all, she was only another agent under MIB and not the boss ''K''.


    Kyle would be returning tomorrow and she couldn''t wait. She missed him a lot and wanted to be at the train station to greet him. She also knew that he would want to see her as soon as possible, especially after today''s adventure.


    Kay double-checked her weapons out of habit, and walked beside Agent Oreo as they headed to the car.

 Chapter 313 - Little Kyle

    Kyle sighed, ran his fingers through his hair and got up from his seat.


    Whenever Kay was involved, his emotions would get out of control. The empty train carriage was evidence of how bad his killing aura must have been. Master Shifu would be knocking his head several times right now if he knew.


    "Aaaaaah!" Kyle muttered out of frustration under his breath, rubbing his head vigorously.


    It messed up his hair completely, but instead of looking like a bum who just woke up from bed, it just gave him a rather unique messy hairstyle that had its own charm.* He went to the other carriage, keeping an eye out for Cornelius.


    Right now, he wished he hadn''t taken off his disguise.


    Messing with Cornelius in his female disguise would have been so good to release this pent-up stress.


    As it was, he had to wait until the train stopped. Luckily, it wouldn''t be long now.


    Kyle looked at his watch and noted the time. If the train was on schedule, then they would reach their stop in 10 minutes. He would need to find Cornelius and shadow him, then get him to get off the train and let the MIB men take him.


    Before that, however, he figured he ought to tell Xing Han what he was going to do.


    Taking out his phone, he called Xing Han while he walked through the train carriage.


    "Yo! Whatssup?" came Xing Han''s cheery voice, trying to imitate a street thug (or rather, what he thought a street thug would say).


    Kyle couldn''t help the smile that formed, thinking the way his BFF''s mind works was truly unique, "Nothing much. Just to let you know I''ll be tailing Corn."


    "Gotcha. You want to take care of him personally?"


    "If I have to," Kyle said, "I just want to make sure he gets off. Both of them."


    "You can handle them?"


    "Not a problem, Xing Han. Do not worry," Kyle assured him.


    "Okay, but be careful. So we''re to remain here?"


    "Yeah," Kyle answered, while entering the next train carriage, "It''s much too risky to be walking about right now. It won''t be for long. Another 10 minutes or so then you guys can wander about."


    "Not a problem," Xing Han repeated, "We are fine here. Right, K... OMIGOSH. KYLE. HE ISN''T HERE!! HE ISN''T HERE!! HE WENT OUT!!"


    Kyle gripped the phone, while Xing Han continued to panic on the other end. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han rushed out the door, looking left and right of the corridor to see where Little Kyle could have possibly gone. When did he leave? Why did he leave? How come he didn''t hear him leave? Xing Han''s heart was pounding hard in his chest as he made a decision and turned to the left.


    All the while, he kept wailing on the phone to Kyle when he heard Kyle bark at him, "Xing Han!! Calm down!!"


    Xing Han shut his mouth, pressing his lips tightly together as he kept on running in the corridor. Kyle could hear the heavy breathing over the phone and knew what Xing Han was doing.


    "Did you turn left or right?" Kyle asked.


    "Left," Xing Han replied.


    "Turn around and check out the other direction," Kyle instructed, "I''m at the left side so I can check here. If you see him, don''t scold him. He must have had his reasons."


    Kyle was worried but not too much as the train was still moving. What got to him more was the reason Little Kyle leaving the cabin. He wasn''t the type that would cause trouble and Kyle wanted to give him a chance to speak and explain himself. The scolding and punishment, if any, would be based on the reasons for his actions.


    Kyle thought of the many times people jumped to conclusions and would scold their child loudly over some supposed wrongdoing. Most of the time, their actions were innocent but after being scolded unjustly, it would affect their temperament and personality.


    He didn''t want that to happen to Little Kyle. Little Kyle had gone through enough already.


    Xing Han''s gritted his teeth upon hearing Kyle''s words, but he still agreed as made an about-face and headed in the opposite direction. Putting down the phone, Xing Han vowed to himself, ''I may not scold him, but I will as to heck nag him to death!!''


    ? ? Kai (Little Kyle) ? ?


    Kai was scared. Very scared but he walked on, his eyes darting to the left and right as he tried to find Big Brother Kyle. He also had to make sure not to be seen by his dad and aunt.


    When he heard that Big Brother Kyle was going to confront his dad, his heart plummeted to the ground. He had to convince Big Brother not to do it. Dad was scary. He didn''t want Big Brother Kyle to get hurt.


    He had to protect Big Brother, just like how Big Brother was always working hard to protect him.


    That desire gave him the strength to take each step forward, making him determined to save Big Brother. As he slowly made his way forward, he saw his aunt in the distance. His little feet stopped and he held his breath as he slipped into a seat. His eyes were glued on her through the gaps in the seat.


    When he felt it was safe, he got out and turned, intending to escape from there as fast as possible. However, he hit a solid wall instead. As he staggered back a bit, he felt his shoulder being gripped tightly and the most dreaded voice saying, "So here you are."


    Little Kyle looked up, the normal fear hitting him as he saw the angry look on his Dad''s face. He looked back down, his heart thumping hard on his chest and he started breathing rapidly, panic slowly rising in him.


    Then, the image of Big Brother Kyle filled his mind. He remembered how confident Big Brother was, how he just did what he needed to do without complaint or fear. He had this aura around him that just spoke ''strength''.


    Little Kyle wanted to be exactly like him. Just thinking of Big Brother Kyle made Little Kyle calm down. His breathing became more even and he looked back up at his stepfather.


    Cornelius was taken aback by the clear eyes that stared at him.


    What had happened to his normally timid stepson?

 Chapter 314 - Escape

    The moment Kyle put down the phone, he didn''t waste anymore time.


    What was important now was to get to Little Kyle as soon as possible and any semblance of politeness towards the other passengers went out the window. Kyle closed his eyes for a second then when he opened them, he was already in active combat mode.


    Though he didn''t release his killer aura, of course.


    He simply heightened his senses. His eyes swept the entire train carriage in one motion and after confirming that neither Cornelius nor his sister was around, he ran to the other end. Though he nimbly avoided people who were in the way, he still gave them a fright.


    All that they were aware of, was this person suddenly appearing before them, a gust of wind and the said person had passed them. Quite a few passengers also found themselves moved from one spot to another as he ran by. Any one who actually was angry and wanted to protest, found themselves shouting at empty air or shaking their fists in the face of an innocent passerby.


    It didn''t take long for Kyle to reach the carriage that Cornelius was in. Just as Kyle went pased through the door, he saw Belinda, Cornelius''s half-sister sitting there, staring ahead of her. In one swift glance, Kyle saw Cornelius holding onto Little Kyle, who was looking up at him.


    Kyle stood there, right next to Belinda. In this carriage, the seats were all arranged to face only in one direction - which made what Kyle wanted to do much easier. Just as Belinda was beginning to realise that Kyle was not moving, he had reached out and quickly knocked her out by pressing her acupuncture points behind the neck.


    When she started falling forward, Kyle quickly moved to intercept. He cradled her gently, as if taking care of precious cargo as he arranged her position back on the chair. His face was showing nothing but tenderness and care even though he truly wanted to choke her.


    It''s bad enough when a man does things, but Kyle found it worse when a woman does nothing to stop it. You would think women would stand up for each other, right? Wrong. Women are normally the ones to bring down another woman; as if it makes them better.


    To anyone who was watching, it appeared that he was simply a good samaritan who happened to have caught the lady that fell asleep from hitting her head on the chair in front. His finger movements from pressing the acupuncture points had been too fast for the naked eye to see, so no one was aware that he had done it.


    Kyle could do a secondary job as a magician ... or pickpocket, if he wanted with that sort of hand speed.


    There was one girl who did see this, though, and she was rather envious. Perhaps she should pretend to fall asleep as well just as he passes by? The temptation was strong, but she witheld it. She didn''t think she would be able to pretend to be asleep anyway. Watching him would be better.


    As he passed her by, she smiled.


    Oh yes, she thought as those long legs and tight butt walked by ... watching him was definately far, far better ...


    ? ?


    Cornelius tightened his grip on Little Kyle''s shoulder, making that angelic face wince but he still refused to cower. Cornelius turned him around, and pushed him forward to make him walk.


    Little Kyle had no choice but to obey as he stumbled forward.


    However, his eyes fell on familar looking feet and he was surprised. It couldn''t be, could it? He looked up and wanted to smile at first, but decided against it. He didn''t want his Dad to know that he knew Big Brother Kyle - otherwise, he would know that it must have been Big Brother Kyle that helped him before.


    So he schooled his face not to show any expression, pretending not to know Big Brother Kyle. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle, upon seeing his, was impressed at Little Kyle''s quick thinking. Even at that young age, he was not just thinking about himself but thought of the big picture. Kyle smiled, though his eyes were not looking at Little Kyle.


    He was giving Cornelius a polite smile and nod, as he would when meeting any stranger. Cornelius, however, ignored him and was about to pass him by but Kyle was in the way.


    "Get out of the way," Cornelius said to him.


    Kyle gave him a puzzled look, then said in Mandarin, <Kai Sheng, can you understand me? Blink once if you do, twice if you don''t>


    Cornelius glared at him, frowning while saying slightly loudly, "What the fuck is that nonsense you''re spouting? You''ve got blue eyes and you can''t speak English?!"


    Little Kyle blinked once.


    Kyle jerked back at Cornelius''s outburst, seemingly surprised with his eyes wide open.


    He put on a very concerned face, pointed to himself and shook his head while both hands clasped in front of him as if he was apologizing.


    <Does your Dad know you can understand?>


    Little Kyle blinked twice.


    <Good. Pretend that you don''t> continued Kyle, who was bowing repeatedly by now.


    Those who were witnessing this scene felt that Cornelius was being too much of a bully. Although it was unusual to see a guy who looked like a native of Country Tz not to be speaking in English, it wasn''t unusual. There were so many mixed marriages that sometimes, the features didn''t truly reflect the person''s background after a few generations.*


    The guy was obviously looking apologetic but the other guy was just shouting. Even the little boy with him looked a bit worried over what was happening. What sort of example was this father giving his son?


    Yet, even though people who were watching felt it was too much, no one bothered to interfere. It wasn''t any of their business, and it didn''t look like the boy was in any trouble. It was just words being shouted at.


    Kyle could see, from the corner of his eyes, how people were watching but not doing anything. He smirked inwardly. Typical human beings. Unless it involved them directly, no one would be bothered to help.


    In this case, it worked very well for him that no one interfered. Yet, if someone did step in to help, he had contingency plans for that as well. Either way, it was not a problem to him but it still disappointed him in humanity.


    Kyle looked briefly at Little Kyle.


    Hopefully, the little fella would grow up to be much more humane.

 Chapter 315 - Disabling Cornelius

    Kyle put on an extremely worried look while saying to Little Kyle without looking at him,


    <Hit your Dad in the balls when I say now and run behind me>


    "Speak English, damnit. We''re in Country Tz! Don''t fuck with me," Cornelius was ranting, pointing his finger at Kyle while his grip on Little Kyle became stronger.


    Little Kyle blinked once.


    Knowing what Big Brother Kyle wanted him to do gave him a sense of purpose and he was eager to prove to Big Brother Kyle that he could do it.


    And do it well.


    Little Kyle looked up at his stepfather, who was still busy insulting Big Brother Kyle. He was so angry that Little Kyle could even see the spittle that flew out of his mouth. Little Kyle shuddered a bit at the disgusting sight but he endured it.


    He looked at his target.


    At his height, hitting there was not a problem. He even thought it would be a good thing.


    Little Kyle was truly afraid of going against his father for the first time. However, he had already caused trouble by getting caught when Big Brother Kyle had done so much to help him. So, he was determined to help.


    Mama always said that a man would keep to his word. He had already told Big Brother Kyle that he would do it, so he had to do it. He could not go back on his word.


    Cornelius was getting more and more agitated by the stupid fool of a boy in front of him. The more he shouted, the more the boy cringed backward, looking all pathetic. He scoffed and looked at the boy in disdain.


    The boy was truly a looker, and that was something that Cornelius hated. Such boys always got the girls easily, always got the teachers to treat them well, always had the best things. They never had to work and things would just fall on their laps.


    It was people like the boy in front of him that got Cornelius all fired up. He stomped forward, and Kyle''s eyes grew wide.


    <Now> Kyle said softly but loud enough for Little Kyle to hear, while hiding his face.


    Little Kyle sprung into action. Wtihout another thought, and before he lost his courage, Little Kyle did a backhand punch to Cornelius''s crown jewels.


    Truth be told, the punch wasn''t that hard. What sort of strength did a small 7-year old doing a backhand have against a grown man? Still, it was the most sensitive part of the man and it would still cause some pain.


    However, since Kyle had already ''programmed'' Cornelius''s mind, any sort of touch there that wasn''t from his own hands would cause excruciating pain. So, Little Kyle''s punch, which would cause pain that Cornelius would have been able to endure, was now so intense that he doubled over forward, his eyes tearing while he held in the shout that he wanted to make.


    It would be too shameful for him to shout out loud in public, you see.


    Little Kyle, in the meantime, had run forward and was now behind Kyle. As Cornelius bent over in pain, Kyle caught him with a surprised and worried look on his face. Kyle held on to him tightly, as if struggling to hold up the big guy (while his fingers were tapping a few spots).


    Kyle dumped him at the nearby chair and told Little Kyle to pull up the armrest. Little Kyle squeezed through and did as instructed, upon which Kyle laid down Cornelius on the two seats.


    Little Kyle looked up at Kyle in nervousness, his lips quivering. Kyle didn''t say a word, but simply smiled and patted his head.


    "Big Bro Xing Han is very worried about you," he said gently, "Let me call him first to let him know that you''re safe."


    Little Kyle nodded, still not daring to look at Kyle in the face, his guilt causing him to be mute.


    Kyle sighed, then picked him up. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Little Kyle sat in his arms, head down and staring intently at Kyle''s chest, Kyle put his hand under Little Kyle''s chin and made him look up.


    However, Little Kyle had his eyes closed tightly, his eyelashes wet with unshed tears while he was biting his lips.


    Kyle looked at him, a small smile on his face as he stroked Little Kyle''s cheek and said, "I am not going to scold you."


    At this, Little Kyle finally opened his eyes, and a tear trickled down, "You''re not?"


    Kyle smiled wider, shaking his head, "No."


    Little Kyle wiped the offending tear, "Why not?"


    "Do you want me to?" Kyle asked with a small laugh.


    Little Kyle shook his head vigorously and Kyle leaned on the chair where the unconscious Cornelius was. Kyle didn''t say a word but simply hugged him tightly to him, while putting his cheek on Little Kyle''s head.


    Little Kyle didn''t understand a thing but he knew one thing.


    He didn''t want Big Bro Kyle to stop hugging him at that moment.

 Chapter 316 - Safe And Sound

    Once Kyle felt that Little Kyle had settled down, he pulled out his phone and called Xing Han.


    "Kyle! Kyle! I don''t see him. I can''t see him," Xing Han was panting over the phone, his voice frantic.


    "Don''t worry. I got him," Kyle said.


    "Oh thank goodness!" Xing Han exclaimed, sitting down at the nearest chair, "Is he okay?"


    "Yes," Kyle assured him.


    "Thank goodness, thank goodness," Xing Han repeated, really relieved as he patted his chest.


    Little Kyle could hear the phone conversation and he felt even more guilty, so he said, "I''m sorry, Big Brother Xing Han."


    Xing Han''s retort was at the tip of his tongue, but he held it in. He remembered what Kyle had said so he refrained from doing what he really wanted to do: shout at Little Kyle for wandering off like that. Yet, he didn''t think it was right not to reprimand him in some way.


    As if knowing what was on Xing Han''s mind, Kyle said, "Kyle is already feeling very bad about the whole thing and he knows that he was in the wrong."


    Kyle explained further, "You know the saying right. Don''t promise when you are happy, don''t reply when you are angry and don''t decide when you are sad.* It isn''t just limited to when you are replying."


    "What do you mean?" Xing Han asked, confused.


    "It is for any situation. If you''re angry, just don''t talk. Only do so after you''ve calmed down," Kyle explained.


    "So, scolding him right now, when he already knows what he did is wrong, would not be about teaching him that he had done something wrong. It would just be an excuse for you to release your anger. And when you''re scolding him while you''re angry ... " Kyle shook his head, sighing as he remembered his own spouse in his past life, "You''re doing more harm than good. All your good intentions would go out the window." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle''s voice got a bit softer as he reminisced his past life. Things his spouse used to say really cut deep, even though he didn''t mean it as to how it sounded. Whenever the kids did something - as kids do despite being told before that it couldn''t be done - then he''d scold them in frustration with words such as ''why are you so stupid / do you think I''d love you like this'' and so forth.


    Even though Kyle would explain to them what the father truly meant, it didn''t mean they hadn''t been hurt. It didn''t mean that the damage was not done. He couldn''t even intervene when the tirade was going on as that would only fuel him further and the words would be harsher.


    Xing Han was quiet for a while then said, breaking Kyle out of his journey to the past, "You''re right. I never thought of it that way. But how would you know if he truly has learned his lesson?"


    Kyle smiled, looking at the clearly distressed Little Kyle in his arms, "You''re just going to have to make that judgment call yourself. So long as you''re calm, you can tell."


    All this while, Kyle was talking with a lowered voice so the surrounding people couldn''t hear anything.


    When Kyle became aware that there was someone approaching, he quickly ended the call with Xing Han and said to Little Kyle softly, "I''m going to pretend not to be able to speak English, so you talk for me, okay? Just say that your dad fell sick and is resting while I am helping you."


    Little Kyle said softly, "Okay."


    Kyle could tell, from the way the person walked, that he (or she) was not just another passenger who was going to walk past. It had been a purposeful stride, a bit fast as it headed to him and then noticeably slowed down.


    One could think that the slowing down was because Kyle was standing on the passageway itself (though he was not blocking it), but Kyle could tell that the slowing down was to stop, not to pass.


    "Is everything okay?" a gruff, male voice penetrated the air.


    Kyle turned to look at him, a middle-aged man that was wearing the uniform of the train conductor. Perhaps someone did report what was happening, and Kyle''s faith in humanity was restored a bit.


    Little Kyle nodded, without any prodding from Kyle.


    "Daddy is sleeping," Little Kyle said softly, putting a finger on his mouth as if telling the conductor to be quiet, "He wasn''t feeling well."


    The train conductor looked at Kyle, then at Little Kyle. From what the passenger who reported this told him, these two had no relations.


    Was the teen holding the boy as hostage or something? But it didn''t look like the boy was in any distress. Other than when he was looking at his sleeping father in distress.


    Which was pretty normal, as the father wasn''t feeling well.


    <Did I do good?> Little Kyle asked in Mandarin, his pronunciation a bit choppy as he said it slowly.


    He knew the language well, but he wasn''t proficient in speaking it. He could only practice at home with his mum when no one was around. Something about ''must know own language'' and not speaking it to others as he had to ''fit in''.


    "And who are you?" he asked Kyle.


    Kyle looked at him, and answered with a slight Chinese accent, "Kyle."


    "Do you know this person?" the train conductor asked Kyle, pointing at Cornelius.


    Kyle looked a bit confused, then looked at Little Kyle who then spoke to him in Mandarin. Kyle''s face brightened up and he replied, "No."


    The train conductor''s face changed a bit but before he could ask another, Kyle told Little Kyle <Tell him that I just want to help. That you told me your uncle is coming so I will stay until your uncle arrives at the next stop>


    Little Kyle did as Kyle instructed, and the train conductor was satisfied. He told Little Kyle, "If there is anything you need help with, just ask anyone around. If you''re not feeling safe with this person here, do not worry. We will help you."


    Little Kyle nodded and answered politely, "Thank you but it is okay. He is nice."


    Satisfied, the conductor left while Kyle looked at Little Kyle proudly, praising him, "That was nicely done. Good job!"


    Little Kyle''s face lit up.

 Chapter 317 - All’s Clear

    Kyle and Little Kyle sat at the chairs on the other side of the train, directly beside the chair Cornelius was on.


    It didn''t take long for the train to reach its stop and just as Kyle noticed the train slowing down, Kyle took out his phone to call his MIB men.


    Pressing a few buttons on the phone, it activated the voice synthesizer and he dialed the Lead Agent waiting outside.


    "Two targets, one female and one male. Female is 5''6", dark hair, wearing a blue floral printed dress and white 3" heels. Unconscious, at Seat 32B, 4th carriage. Male is 6''2", dark hair, an orange T-shirt with brown pants, black loafers, slumped over two seats. 14A and B, 4th carriage," Kyle reported, "One male teen undercover agent will walk out with you with a young boy as cover when the male target is picked up."


    "Affirmative," the Lead Agent responded. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle put down the phone, not needing to give any more instructions. All they needed to know was who the targets were and they would do what was necessary to avoid raising suspicions from the people around.


    Little Kyle listened to the phone conversation and was in awe. The way Big Bro talked, it was decisive and firm. He fired away those concise and precise instructions to the person on the other end as to where they were.


    Little Kyle''s eyes darted all over, noting the seating arrangements and what his dad was wearing, and realising how accurate Big Bro Kyle''s descriptions had been. He berated himself for not even noticing these details, completely neglecting the fact that he was only 7 years old. Heck, even an adult wouldn''t be noticing these details unless he, or she, was an agent (be it CIA, FBI and so forth).


    Once the train stopped, MIB agents came in quickly. If it wasn''t for the fact that they headed straight to Cornelius and Belinda, Little Kyle wouldn''t have known that they were there because of Big Brother Kyle. They looked pretty normal and even looked a little bit like Cornelius and Belinda. As if they were relatives.


    The one that went to Cornelius had this worried look on his face, and tested Cornelius''s forehead for temperature. He seemed to discuss something with the other, and together, they gently raised him up. Each of them took one side of Cornelius, putting his arm across their shoulders. They slowly made their way out, walking sideways.


    Kyle and Little Kyle followed behind them, and when the train conductor saw this, Little Kyle waved at him, saying, "Thank you, Sir."


    The conductor nodded his head, seeing that everything was in order.


    He stretched, watching people go in and out, before he headed out himself. This was his stop as well, and his shift was over. He would be glad to go home and rest, but he had to wait for his replacement to come first. Upon seeing a familiar face jogging up to him, his face broke into a smile of relief.


    "Hey, Bob," said the oncoming guy, "Anything interesting?"


    "Nah, same-o, same-o," Bob replied, "Have fun then, Saget."


    Bob wanted to get home ASAP so he was not in the mood to spend more time talking about things. Whatever happened on the train was insignificant anyway. Bob looked at where the group of men had gone, but couldn''t see anyone anymore.


    He did notice another couple leaving, with the guy tenderly carrying his wife (or perhaps, girlfriend?) in his arms in a princess carry, but thought nothing of it. He had seen weirder stuff. They must have had one heck-a party for her to be knocked out like that.


    Saget nodded, gave a salute playfully and jumped onto the train. Bob straightened his collar and quickened his steps to go home.


    "Is it clear?" whispered Little Kyle, his arms holding onto Kyle''s neck tightly, not daring to move.


    Kyle smiled, as he tilted his head a bit and nodded, "All''s clear. We can move about freely in the train now."


    Kyle put down Little Kyle and both of them walked on to meet Xing Han.


    Little Kyle''s heart was full and at peace. Seeing his Dad and Aunt being taken away easily like that, and no one stopping them, made him feel like it was all magic. He looked up to look at Big Brother Kyle, and his heart felt full.


    ''I want to grow up to be just like Big Brother,'' Little Kyle swore in his little heart, ''So I can protect my mother well.''


    Kyle noticed the little one looking up at him, but he pretended not to notice. He could tell the sort of almost worshipful gaze he was giving, and Kyle didn''t want to encourage that too much. After all, after this, their paths would not pass any longer.


    That''s not to say that Kyle was going to wash his hands off Little Kyle.


    On the contrary, he already had all the plans laid out in his head. It was just that it would be executed by MIB and he wasn''t going to show himself anymore. He wanted Little Kyle to grow, and not depend on him. Kyle was also well aware of the fact that if he kept in contact personally, he might not be able to cut himself off.


    Little Kyle was growing on him, so he had to nip that in the bud. He had other things to do, and his own kids to take care of. Let MIB handle everything about Little Kyle.


    Well, except for Sheng Xian, of course. That one, he will have immense pleasure in keeping track. He was simply going to take away everything Sheng Xian felt was dear to him, one by one, slowly. Of course, Kyle could accomplish this within a day but he wanted to drag it out.


    Let him feel the despair of loss, then hope. Then block that hope, then despair again. The cycle will continue until Sheng Xian would have nothing left.


    Kyle smiled.


    Try to harm Kay, would he?

 Chapter 318 - Home

    After the rather exciting drama that had ensued, the rest of the train ride was rather boring. Nothing else happened (unless you want to count the number of girls that kept coming by the get to know them ... ok, fine: get to know Kyle).


    Thank goodness.


    Well, other than having to fend off the girls once in a while, that is.


    Little Kyle was getting out of his shell slowly, and it was a wonder to see. Without the danger of Cornelius looming over his head, the natural curiosity of a child started to shine through. Xing Han was just amazed at the amount of questions that came out of that little mouth ... and how patient Kyle was in explaining everything.


    It wasn''t the typical ''why'' questions either.


    He''d ask how the train moved. How did Kyle train to notice things as detailed as he did when he told the guys on the phone? When did Kyle learn Mandarin? What did he do to be able to be so fluent in it? And so forth, and so forth.


    Xing Han was getting dizzy just listening to him.


    Finally, after what seemed like ages, Little Kyle stoped with the questions. Well, that''s because he was so tired out that he fell asleep. Xing Han watched as Kyle was looking at Little Kyle tenderly, brushing his hair aside and pulling up the blankets. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the first time, he wondered what it must be like for Kyle. To reincarnate was already mind-boggling. To remember your past and not being able to be a part of that past ... how much pain was he truly under?


    Xing Han wanted to ask, but held himself back.


    Ever since he knew of Kyle''s greatest secret, he noticed the little things that he had either missed or taken for granted as being ''normal''. The way Kyle bonded with Dahlia, for example. Xing Han had just taken it to be Kyle being, well, Kyle. The charming and likable boy that would make anyone become close to.


    Yet now, when he looked at how Kyle was treating Little Kyle, Xing Han imagined a little ''mother halo'' above him that added on to the charming factor. It was an innate aspect of Kyle that children gravitated towards. The tender looks, the gentle touch: all of that was from him being a mother in his past life.


    It was a revelation for Xing Han and he was quiet as he looked at Kyle, who looked lost in thought. Knowing Kyle''s secret made him feel even closer to Kyle, something that he never thought possible. He thought he had already reached the ''pinnacle of closeness'', so to speak.


    Xing Han found that laughable now.


    People change, people evolve and no matter what, the bond that they had would only grow stronger. So he envisioned that they''d be even closer than ever. It may not be as close as how Kyle was to Kay, but Xing Han felt it was close enough.


    The thing about bonds that is that close is that ... there is a flip side. As happy as you are when together, the grief that assails you when apart is higher. So long as the status quo remains the same, there is not a problem but people grow. People have their own lives and will live their lives differently. If one doesn''t learn to adapt to the changes, one can fall.


    Of course, at that moment, Xing Han never thought about all of that. Even if he did, he would scoff at it for he truly was confident that nothing could ever happen that would threaten their friendship or bond.


    Yet, Xing Han forgot one crucial thing. The only constant thing in life is change - and there are no absolutes. Little did he know, that there was going to be a crisis that happened between them in the near future ... three years to be exact ... that shook the foundation of the entire Elite Five.*


    But for now, things were happy. Life was good.


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle, Little Kyle and Xing Han were waiting for the train to stop. Finally, they have reached their destination.


    Home.


    Little Kyle watched with interest at Kyle, who was practically brimming with excitement. Little Kyle could imagine seeing these little sparks of energy coming out of Big Brother Kyle. He wondered what was going on.


    "Kyle, calm down," Xing Han said with a laugh, "Will be reaching soon. I suppose from now on, you''re going to take a flight after all?"


    Xing Han thought Kyle''s excitement was him being happy at finally reaching his destination and that the train ride had been too long. Whilst he was correct on the former, he wasn''t on the latter.


    "No, the train ride was fine," Kyle said, peering out the window, his face practically stuck on it like how Little Kyle had been when the drone went out, "If it wasn''t for the train ride this time, I wouldn''t have met Kai, right?"


    Little Kyle was also curious as to what Big Brother Kyle was looking out for, so he imitated Kyle. He didn''t know what he was looking for, but he figured it didn''t matter.


    His little eyes darted left and right at the passing scene, his hands stuck to the window as he concentrated. As the train slowed down, his eyes fell on one particular figure that was getting closer and closer as the train went on.


    She stood out amongst the crowd, and in his clear, innocent eyes, she looked like an Angel. Literally. The sun just happened to shine through the clouds just at that moment, and it hit her squarely as if she was in the spotlight.


    "Whoooaaaa," Little Kyle breathed out in amazement, mesmerized.


    Kyle shot up in the seat, pushing Xing Han aside and lifted Little Kyle that seemed stuck to the window. Little Kyle was feeling a bit sad as he could no longer see the Angel and he pouted.


    Why couldn''t Big Brother Kyle just wait until the train stopped, at least? Then he could have continued watching until then. Aggrieved, he just sat in Kyle''s arm with his little arms crossed against his chest.

 Chapter 319 - Home (cont)

    <Finally> Kyle thought to himself. Home.


    To be more specific, where Kay was. Home is where the heart is and his heart was with Kay.


    To see that she was waiting at the train station, even though he already knew she would be there, calmed the agitation in his heart. He didn''t like being separated from her for long, but he knew it was necessary.


    The feeling that he experienced was akin to how a mother felt when their kids were away ... but different. Worse, in a sense, for he felt a part of him was missing. As a mother, it had been more like ''missing'' and ''pining'' whereas as a twin, it felt like you were incomplete.


    However, despite that feeling, he could handle it. He knew they couldn''t be together 24/7 and eventually, she would have her own family and such. They needed to learn to live separately.


    Usually, he could handle it but since Kay had been in danger ... well, his uneasiness, and consternation over the whole thing couldn''t be contained. It boiled over and he just had to see her with his own eyes.


    See that she was safe. Even though he knew she was, it wasn''t enough.


    So, naturally, the moment he did see her, he couldn''t wait anymore. Everyone was in the way. Everyone was slow. He had to literally push Xing Han and he carried Little Kyle so that they would be faster.


    Luckily, Little Kyle was keeping still and letting him do whatever he wanted.


    ? Kay ?


    Kay had been waiting at the train station for the past half an hour. Though she knew the time that the train would arrive, she didn''t want to be late. Or even be on time. She wanted to be early.


    This entire year had been one of the hardest things she had ever gone through.


    Being separated from Kyle.


    It felt strange, like a part of her was missing. She did her best not to show how much it affected her and she was very careful not to let her feelings leak out. Even though they talked everyday mentally, even though she could view him anywhere with her hacking skills ... it could not replace actually having the person next to you.


    She missed her brother terribly.


    So she was extra nervous as well as full of excited anticipation to know that he was coming home. Home.


    She was so focused on the train that was arriving that she tuned out everything and everyone around her. The only thing that was important, was the very precious cargo that a certain train was bringing.


    As she stood there, wringing her hands in nervous anticipation, she cut a truly ethereal picture. The older generation saw her stance like a wife waiting for her soldier husband to come home. She looked positively divine, in her dress that was pristine white, accentuating her figure and flowing with the wind.


    Her shoulder-length wavy hair clipped in place with a hairpin at the side and her youthful, innocent - and beautiful - face, looking at a certain approaching train with love in her eyes.


    ? Kyle ?


    Even before the train stopped fully, Kyle had already wrenched open the door and jumped down, landing neatly on the platform without a problem. Little Kyle''s eyes bulged wide open and thought it was just so cool.


    Just then, another thing happened that made his mind go blank.


    The Angel was there.


    The Angel was coming closer.


    And then Big Bro Kyle was running towards her. No, he couldn''t be, could he?


    He was.


    Much to Little Kyle''s consternation, just as they reached her, Big Brother Kyle put him down. He actually put. him. down!! Then he went and hugged that Angel of his ... without him!!


    Everyone was watching this touching scene with a hitch in their hearts. A truly enchanting girl being hugged by a devastatingly handsome young man. It wasn''t just that they were aesthetically pleasing, but that the way they held each other tightly showed such intense emotion and pure love between them.


    It was picture perfect.


    It made those with significant others reach to hold each other''s hands, or have them make that call just to say ''I love you'' and ''I miss you''. Those who were single felt jealous and sighed, hoping that they would be able to share that sort of love.


    Suddenly, a loud booming voice echoed at the train platform, "Damnit Kyle! How could you run off and leave me behind?" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That shout broke the spell that everyone seemed to be under and they went on their own business.


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle laughed, and broke the hug with Kay. Turning to face Xing Han, he smiled sheepishly, "You''re just too slow, Xing Han."


    Then Kyle noticed the pouting Little Kyle. So did Kay.


    She gushed upon seeing him, squatting down to meet him at eye level, "Oh Gosh, Kyle, is this him? This is, isn''t it? He''s soooo cute!! And adorable!!"


    Little Kyle smiled, the pout becoming the cutest smile ever, which made Kay squeal in delight, "Oh Smol Kyle is cute! Hello, I''m Kay, Kyle''s twin sister."


    Little Kyle blinked.


    Twin sister? Not girlfriend?


    He looked at Big Brother Kyle, puzzlement in his eyes.


    "Yes, she is my twin sister. We haven''t been able to spend much time together this year," Kyle explained, "And we missed each other terribly. Isn''t it the same for you with your mum?"


    Comprehension dawned on Little Kyle. He understood completely. The look Big Brother Kyle gave Big Sister Kay was full of love, but it wasn''t the same as the sort of look between a husband and wife. Then again, he suddenly realised that he never saw that sort of look between his mother and Dad either.


    Little Kyle found that strange now, but didn''t think much about it.


    "Come on, let''s get you to your mother," Kay said, offering her hand. Little Kyle was more than happy to take it.

 Chapter 320 - Saying Goodbye

    Throughout the journey, Kay and Kyle were inseparable ... well, okay. That wasn''t quite true. There was one little being sitting right between them. Xing Han was sitting in front while Agent Milo was driving.


    When they arrived, Little Kyle could hardly contain his excitement. At that moment, he understood truly what Big Brother Kyle must have felt when the train was stopping. His mother was so close, yet so far! He wished he could be like Big Brother Kyle, and dash out and go to where his mother is. Be there in a flash!


    But as it was, he couldn''t.


    Well, he was determined then, to work hard. Big Brother Kyle was strong and skilled, so Kai made a promise to himself to be just like that. Luckily, he met Big Brother Kyle now. He had been quite overwhelmed with his feminine features but after hanging out with Big Brother Kyle, he was slowly accepting it.


    He had seen how Big Brother Kyle used whatever he had, to do things. Be it as a man, or as a woman. If Big Brother Kyle could do it, why not he? The seed that was planted from the first time they met, was slowly sprouting.


    When they reached the hotel room door that they said his mother was at, Little Kyle looked with awe at the imposing man guarding the door. Agent Oreo gave a smile to Little Kyle as he knocked on the door in code.


    The moment it opened, Little Kyle dashed through and ran straight into his mother''s arms.


    ? ? ? ?


    Ramona sat on the couch, not believing what she was hearing.


    "No, that cannot be," she denied, shaking her head.


    Kyle sighed.


    Despite showing her all the evidence, Ramona was still in denial. Then again, he didn''t really blame her. She wasn''t such a strong person and the years of the lies that Sheng Xian had been feeding her took a firm hold in her mind. That was the truth, while all the documents were a lie.


    It would take time, but at least the seed of doubt has already been planted.


    Kyle looked at Little Kyle, who was looking at his mother worriedly.


    "Kai, come, walk with me," Kyle said as he headed towards the balcony.


    Little Kyle nodded, leaving his mother who kept looking at the files and shaking her head. She was lost in her own world and there was nothing he could do, so he followed Big Brother Kyle reluctantly. Not because he didn''t want to talk to him but because he didn''t like leaving his mother.


    Still, it must be important.


    Once outside, Kyle closed the sliding doors and leaned on the balcony railings, looking at the view. Little Kyle stood next to him, doing the same.


    "I need to ask you something very important, and you must think carefully before replying," Kyle began.


    Little Kyle nodded, saying, "Okay."


    "Do you want to return to your real father as Sheng Wenyu, or do you want to live your life separately from that, as Kyle?" Kyle asked, "But before you answer that, you must know a little bit about the Shengs."


    "So listen closely," Kyle said, before he then began to tell Little Kyle about the power and struggles in the Sheng Family. He explained it in simple terms, so Little Kyle could understand that though the family was rich and he wouldn''t be struggling like this anymore, it was also full of dangers, lies and traps.


    "To return to the Shengs mean that you must learn to fight back. Adapt. Be strong," Kyle said, "The risks are high, but the rewards are there as well. You would be able to protect your mother, and you would have your father again."


    "If you do not want to return, there is no shame in that either. The sort of life that the Shengs provide isn''t really a life for those who cannot adapt. It would only kill you slowly. You may not have your father with you, but you''ll have your mother who loves you dearly and unconditionally. You can be happy."


    "Whichever one you choose, I will help you get there," Kyle said, "But that is as far as what I will do. We will separate from here on, as you will need to grow by yourself."


    "Does this mean I won''t ever see you again?" Little Kyle asked, his lips quivering.


    Kyle took a deep breath, and looked down at Little Kyle, "I''m sorry."


    Little Kyle sniffed, and tears began to fall. Kyle''s determination to do what was right faltered but he knew he could not be soft in this. It wouldn''t do either of them any good.


    Kyle knew himself very well.


    He was soft. Very soft. Towards anyone that was special to him, he would take care of that person - be it from the sidelines, or directly. The Elite Five was an example, Dahlia was another. Things that her parents were trying to get for her, he would be helping silently in the background.


    He couldn''t be that way for Little Kyle. No, Kai. Kai had to be strong and for that, he would have to face tribulations and sufferings. If he was to stick around, he cannot guarantee that he wouldn''t step in and help ... which wouldn''t do well for his growth.


    Kai had to grow strong to stand against the vipers in the Sheng Family, or be strong to support his mother and still keep an eye out for anything the Shengs may fling at him. What he faced with Cornelius was just one incident. There would be many more, presumably.


    Little Kyle took in the look of intense regret on Big Brother Kyle''s face. He couldn''t understand why Big Brother Kyle would want to cut their friendship.


    "Was it something I did?" he asked, and was relieved when Big Brother Kyle went down on his knees to look at him straight in the eye.


    "Listen to me, Kai," Kyle said, "I wish I can be with you all the time, but I can''t. It has nothing to do with you, but just that Life can be like that. No matter what we want, doesn''t mean we can get it. Just know that you''re a good, strong boy and I am proud to have met you."


    Kyle hugged him, and said with a slight hitch in his voice, "This is as hard on me, as it is on you."


    Then he let go, looking at Kai seriously, "Have you decided?"


    Kai took several deep breaths, before wiping his eyes. With quiet determination, he nodded.


    "I want to go back to Father," he declared firmly. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 321 - The Ellen Show (I)

    It had been a week since Kyle had left Kai, and since MIB didn''t report anything, Kyle knew everything was okay.


    He had left the monitoring of Kai to Agent Milo, and left instructions that he was to do what was needed as per the file Kyle gave him and only report to him if there was a situation that he couldn''t handle.


    Kyle was confident that Agent Milo could do it, so once that was done, he decisively cut Kai from his thoughts. He focused on other things.


    Like the Ellen show that they were going to do.


    They were now in State C, of Country AS, near the WB studio where the Ellen show is recorded. They were staying at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which was only 8 minutes away from the studio itself.


    The reason why Kyle had chosen this particular hotel was because it had a 3,200 square foot Penthouse Suite, known as the Gable & Lombard Penthouse, named after the legendary Clark Gable and Carole Lombard that were the previous owners.


    It was a three level suite with two Master Suites and a third bedroom, with a dining and living room with a sound system throughout the suite. Best of all, there was a 1,500 square foot rooftop deck that gave them the view of the Hollywood Hills and Hollywood Sign.*


    Kyle''s parents took one Master Suite, Kyle and Kay took the other and Xing Han with Sam took the third bedroom. It certainly was a very, very luxurious accommodation but Kyle felt it was money worth spent. They were going to spend Christmas here after all.


    "Arent the guests going to be so stoked that you and Keanu will be there?" said Xing Han gleefully as they lounged in the living room.


    "Actually, they don''t know yet," Kyle replied, "They''re only told on the day itself. And I think only Keanu will generate a scream cuz I''m not famous. They''d probably look at me and wonder who the heck I am."


    Kay smiled knowingly while Xing Han scoffed, "You ... you ... frog living in a well you."


    "No, that''s wrong Xing Han," Kay replied, "It''s ''the frog under the coconut shell'' in this case."


    Xing Han thought about it.


    The first proverb meant that your view was limited to only what you could see from the bottom of the well, whereas the second proverb meant that your knowledge was very limited. Though it may sound the same, there was a minute difference. The former is related to limited knowledge based on a narrow viewpoint whereas the latter was lack knowledge based on a limited viewpoint.


    "You''re right," Xing Han said, "Kyle has extensive knowledge about the world yet, when it comes to himself, he''s rather blind, isn''t he?"


    Kay nodded, "Now you know my sufferings."


    "Oh come on," Kyle protested, "I know I''m popular back home but this is Country AS, okay? The movie isn''t even out yet so no one knows me, okay??"


    Kyle grumbled about how they were looking down at him. He wasn''t that obtuse, okay?


    In response, Kay, Xing Han, and Sam just looked at each other with the first two laughing their heads off. Sam, on the other hand, simply rolled his eyes and shook his head.


    "What?" Kyle huffed, seeing their reaction.


    Patrick and Delilah came in at that moment, seeing the warm scene in front of them. It certainly was very nice to have the whole family again - even though there were two who weren''t blood related. It was a pity that Ali couldn''t join them. Otherwise, it would have been complete.


    "My, you''re certainly having fun," Delilah commented with a smile.


    "Oh, Auntie. I just cannot," Xing Han said, wiping his eyes, "Your son is truly dense in some areas."


    Delilah smiled widely at that, but didn''t say a thing in response.


    "Are you sure you do not want to sit in for the recording, Mr and Mrs Smith?" Sam asked politely, sitting up straight with his notepad in his hand.


    "Oh, come on Sam," Delilah said with a frown, "Why are you being so formal suddenly?"


    "Because he''s in work mode," Kyle explained.


    Understanding dawned on her and she smiled, "No, it''s okay Sam. Patrick and I are going on a date first. We''ll meet up here after the whole thing is over."


    "Noted, Mr and Mrs Smith," Sam replied respectfully.


    "Oh, and if Keanu is free, just invite him over for Christmas Dinner," Delilah said. The recording was going to be done on Christmas Eve morning, so they definately could extend the invitation. However, Kyle was hesitant.


    "I ... I''ll try," Kyle said, "But let me see how he''s like first. I mean, Christmas Eve was when he lost his baby girl, so he may not exactly celebrate Christmas anymore. He''s a very private person."


    Delilah nodded in understanding but she said, "Just try, Kyle. Sometimes, the best way to overcome such intense grief is to replace it with happy memories."


    "Okay, Mum," Kyle said with a sad smile as he thought of his own two kids, "I''ll give it my best shot."


    Sam got up to make a call, saying, "I''m making the final confirmation for the VIP seatings for us so that they can finalise the seating arrangements." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once Sam left, Xing Han jumped about happily, "Can you imagine. The Ellen show. These tickets are just so hard to get and we have VIP tickets! Awesome."


    Anyone can request a ticket to the show, but whether you get it or not is purely by luck. The Ellen website will indicate when requests can be made, and once done, there would be a lottery system. Some people can be really unlucky and never get picked even though they have sent in hundreds of requests.


    It really is like winning a lottery.


    As for a VIP ticket? That is even harder to get, and it would be via personal invitation. Sometimes, one gets lucky like one person, who had received those gold VIP tickets due to a viral post about ''the Ellen quilt'' that she made. The ''right'' people saw it and lo and behold! She got tickets.**


    Xing Han glomped on Kyle, messing up his hair while saying, "And look at you! Trying to act cool and all that when you''re probably the most excited one of us all! You just ADORE Ellen, don''t cha? Don''t cha?!"


    Kyle retaliated, of course, and flipped Xing Han over as he tickled him. The two horsing around on the sofa, eventually falling off yet still continuing with their shenanigans.


    Sam, coming back from the call, saw this and rolled his eyes again.


    Kids.

 Chapter 322 - The Ellen Show (II)

    It was the day of the show''s recording.


    Kyle stood in front of the mirror and asked Kay, "Is this okay? Do I look ok? Is it too much? Too little?"


    Kyle was wearing an off-white turtleneck sweater, with dark blue jeans and dark high top sneakers. His hair was back to black (Kyle conceding to Delilah''s nagging to get it ''back to natural colour before school'') and had the hairstylist actually style his hair into the high textured modern quiff.


    Kay laughed, coming over and fixing the fold of the turtleneck sweater behind his neck.


    "I''ve never seen you this flustered before," Kay said, patting his chest as they both looked in the mirror.


    Kay was wearing a white tight-fitting T-shirt, dark jeans, and ankle-length leather boots. The outfit was completed with a long-sleeve mid-length dark cashmere jacket/sweater. Simple, and warm. The studio would be heated, of course, so she could easily take off the jacket and fold it nicely on her lap if it was too warm.


    "Won''t you be too hot with that sweater?" Kay asked worriedly.


    "One has to suffer to look cool," Kyle said with a smirk, upon which that earned him with a huge smack on the shoulder.


    He laughed, then hugged Kay and answered, "Don''t worry. It''s not wool and I''m wearing skin tight undershirt. It''s just nice. Not too warm or too thin to be cold later."


    Kyle reached out for his black trenchcoat and wore it, and looked at Kay.


    "I guess we''re playing up the twin thing today? Our outfits match," Kyle said, putting his arm across Kay''s shoulder.


    "Yeah, we look good," Kay replied with a smile.


    "Did you get the questions that they''re going to ask?" Kay asked him as they headed down. Their room was on the top floor while the living room and dining room was below.


    "Nope," Kyle said, "Something about wanting it to be all-natural or what-not. I think Ellen has something up her sleeve."


    "Will you be ready for whatever she dishes out?" Kay asked with a smile.


    Kyle shrugged, "No idea. Let''s see how it goes, shall we?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ? ? ? ?


    They arrived at the studio in plenty of time. Sam, Kay and Xing Han were ushered to their VIP seats without having to wait in the cattle call area. They were led to the front row itself, and Xing Han was nervous.


    "Do you think they''ll ask us questions?" he whispered towards Kay.


    "Possibly," Kay said, "Anything is possible."


    "Just remember not to pick your nose or something, Xing Han," reminded Sam, "Even if it doesn''t seem like the camera is facing us, it''s likely that there would be constant shots. You never know what can happen."


    "I do not pick my nose!" Xing Han retorted, sitting back in his chair in a huff, "Not in public anyway."


    Kyle, in the meantime, was being led by one star-struck girl to the dressing room.


    She had been working at the studio for a few months now and was always nervous during these times. It was a dream job and she didn''t want her unprofessionalism to cause her to be fired. When she heard that today''s guest was Keanu, she was ecstatic.


    Unfortunately, she was assigned to the other guest. Some Kyle Smith. She had been so disappointed that she didn''t check up on who the guest was. So when she saw this ''Kyle Smith'', she kicked herself. She was almost lost in those deep, blue eyes and dimple that she nearly drooled.


    She led him to the dressing room, and saw her co-worker leading Keanu there as well.


    Kyle, seeing Keanu, waved happily and jogged over, giving him a handshake. Keanu laughed, patted Kyle on the back and said, "Great to see you again, kid. Ready to face your first ever show?"


    Kyle patted his chest, smiled widely then said, "No."


    Keanu laughed even harder, and they chatted as they went into the dressing room. Just before closing the door, Kyle turned back to the two girls and gave them his Million-Dollar Watt Smile and said, "Thank you."


    The girls just nodded.


    ? ? ? ?


    The show started.


    The Ellen Show music starts and then the camera pans to show Ellen behind stage, tossing a mint in the air. Today, was a good day as she managed to catch it in her mouth and she grinned at the camera while giving a fist bump in the air.


    She then came out, running through the first and second-row seats before going onto the stage. Her energy was contagious and everyone whooped and clapped loudly. The show went on for a few things before it was the highlight.


    The guest stars.


    After the break, the crew go the stage ready and two single sofa seats were placed side by side, and Ellen''s chair was placed on the other side. In the middle, was a round table with three dark ''Ellen'' mugs and there was a big screen right behind the setting.


    "Our guests tonight just happen to be trending right now, with this particular teaser trailer," Ellen said as she stood there, grinning away.


    Behind her, the screen started showing John Wick 4 teaser trailer, causing the audience to scream throughout, thoroughly amusing Ellen. Once it was over, she just looked at the audience, laughing a bit and said, "My, that was a rather mild reaction."


    The audience shouted again.


    "Yes, please welcome, Keanu Reeves!"

 Chapter 323 - The Ellen Show (III)

    In walked Keanu, wearing a pinstriped suit and smiling warmly. He went to the first chair, gave Ellen a hug before sitting down.


    "Welcome back, Keanu," Ellen began.


    "Thank you for having me back," Keanu replied with a smile.


    "So, Keanu," Ellen said with a cheeky grin, "I hear you''ve done yet another John Wick movie. Is it never going to end?"


    "Why yes, Ellen," Keanu said with a smile, nodding his head, "It will end when they stop filming it, I suppose."


    The audience laughed.


    Ellen held back a grin, as she looked at Keanu who gave her an equally cheeky grin, "That was unexpected. You actually gave a comeback line."


    "Ah, blame that on my co-star," Keanu said, "His youthful energy just rubs off on you."


    "Ah yes, your new co-star," Ellen said, "What''s that all about? From the teaser trailer that we''ve seen, it certainly caused a huge sensation."


    "You know I can''t tell you that, Ellen," Keanu said with a smile, "The movie isn''t out yet. Let it be a surprise."


    "Well, really, if you can''t tell me, maybe he will," Ellen said, "Please welcome, Kyle Smith!"


    Kyle walked in then, and the audience screamed again. He flashed his Million-Dollar Watt Smile, gave a slight wave and walked over to where Keanu and Ellen were. He shook hands with Keanu again, as well as Ellen.


    He didn''t know her well enough to give a hug and he figured a handshake was fine.


    "So, Kyle Smith," Ellen began.


    "Yes, Ellen DeGeneres," Kyle replied.


    Ellen gave her amused smile and faced Keanu, "I understand now."


    "I know, right?" Keanu said, flinging an arm across Kyle''s shoulder, "Lame comebacks are a thing now."


    Ellen laughed, then pointed to the screen behind her, saying, "Your producer just gave us this little snippet, which is being shown for the very first time. The first official trailer for John Wick 4."


    "Oh, it''s ready already?" Kyle said with surprise, "That was faster than expected."


    "Yes, now shush," Ellen said while the trailer came on.


    The trailer came on, and it more or less had the same type of ''background explanation'' but this time, showed even more action scenes. There was even a snippet from the final showdown, with Kyle and Keanu fighting side-by-side.


    "That''s really so amazing," Ellen said after the trailer ended, "I am really awed how each movie can come up with fighting scenes that would top the previous movie. The last one had motorcycles and even horses. This one, however, seems to be more of the basics?"


    "In a way," Keanu said, "There were a lot of one-on-one fights as compared to before. John Wick 3 was about him being chased whereas in this one, he''s the one doing the chasing."


    They talked a bit more about the movie, about how they did their own stunts and a little bit of the plot and characters that they played. Not revealing too much, but enough to whet their appetite. Then, Ellen turned to Kyle, a rather sly smile on her face.


    Kyle had a bad feeling about this.


    "You say that you did almost all of the stunts and did not use a body double, correct?" Ellen began.


    "Ye-es," Kyle replied, wondering where this was heading.


    "So confess now. This shot. It was a body double, right?" Ellen said, and a picture of Kyle doing the training routine came on.


    It was a frontal body shot, which showed his perfect abs to the world, as he lifted some dumbells in both hands.


    As his face was tilted down and to the side (watching the arm that was lifting the weights), one couldn''t see the face. His arm muscle could also be seen due to the weights and the whole picture was just breathtaking.


    Kyle covered his face and laughed softly, before he brought his hands down, "No, that''s not a body double."


    Ellen''s eyes went wide and she said, "No, that can''t be. You''re what? 14?"


    "Yes, but I''m turning 15 next week," Kyle replied.


    "Still, you''re 14 while doing the film. You''re a student, aren''t you? What sort of student has that sort of physique? Stop lying now?" Ellen said, still smiling while her eyes were twinkling.


    "No, no," Kyle responded, "I''m not. I also do bouldering, so being fit is just part of it."


    "Ah yes," Ellen said, nodding, "You were the youngest ever to win that championship. Congratulations."


    The scene changed to a picture of Kyle with the rest of the team, after receiving their medals and trophy.


    "Thank you," Kyle replied politely, glad that the other picture was gone.


    He groaned when it came back immediately.


    "Still, that is that. This," Ellen said, "still doesn''t look like it could be you."


    Keanu nodded, "Trust me, Ellen. That''s all him."


    "Well, it''s not that I don''t want to trust you, Keanu," Ellen said, patting Keanu''s hand, "But let''s face it. It is pretty unbelievable."


    She gave a rather evil smile towards Kyle, "Why don''t you show us, and the audience, solid proof?"


    "Oh, come on Ellen!" Kyle said, "You''re really doing this to me? On nationwide television?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ellen gave him a look, used her thumb to point to the picture behind and said, "That scene is in the movie and it''s going to be shown worldwide. You expect me to believe that you''re shy now? Or is it because it isn''t you?"


    Ellen faced the audience, "What do you say?"


    The audience played along (there were cue cards telling them to do so, actually) and Keanu just laughed at Kyle''s discomfort. Keanu patted Kyle''s shoulder while Kyle groaned loudly.


    "She has a point, you know," Keanu said, throwing Kyle under the bus.


    "Et tu, Keanu?" Kyle lamented.


    With the audience egging him on, Keanu pushing at him and Ellen giving him that smug look, Kyle stood up and pulled up his sweater halfway up. The camera zoomed in, and his six-pack was captured perfectly and shown at the big screen behind.


    The audience screamed.


    This time, they did not need any cue cards.

 Chapter 324 - The Ellen Show (IV)

    Right after the slight strip tease, they went on a commercial break.


    "Thank you for being such a good sport," Ellen said to Kyle off camera.


    "Well, thank you for not asking me to take the whole sweater off," Kyle said as he leaned back in the chair.


    "And thank you, Ellen, for doing something to make this boy fluster," Keanu said, "I kid you not, working with him was like working with a mini adult. It''s nice to see him act all shy and such."


    "I cannot believe you, Keanu!" Kyle wailed, hiding his face in his hands again, "How could you do this to me."


    Keanu patted Kyle''s abs and said, "This treasure should be shown to the world more often, you know."


    Ellen laughed hard at that, while Kyle swatted Keanu''s hand away. Keanu was about to grab onto Kyle, intending to mess up his hair but Kyle dodged it easily.


    "You guys are really close," Ellen observed.


    Kyle and Keanu stopped horsing around, smiling at Ellen and not answering the obvious question. Just then, the commercial break was over so the interview continued. This time, the questions focused on their working relationship.


    "So tell me, Kyle," Ellen began, "What was it like, working with Keanu Reeves?"


    "Oh gosh, it was surreal! Totally awesome," Kyle gushed, "I mean, come on, it''s Keanu Reeves! It was pretty daunting at first, really."


    "Really?!" Keanu said, turning to face Kyle in disbelief, "You hardly showed it."


    "What do you mean?" prompted Ellen. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This kid," Keanu said, "Is one of the most professional people I knew. He went into his role immediately, with such seriousness that I could have sworn he was a veteran in the field. He hardly showed the normal vibes of a new actor."


    "Oh come on, Keanu," Kyle said, smiling shyly, "You''re making me blush."


    ? ?


    Back at the audience, Xing Han was watching all of this his mouth wide open.


    "Oh GOSH. Did you see that? Did you? Kyle acting all shy and such?!" Xing Han whispered fervently towards Kay, "What medicine did he take this morning?!"


    Kay laughed softly, patting Xing Han''s arm, and whispered back, "Just continue watching, Xing Han. Kyle''s just having fun."


    "There''s still one more surprise Ellen has for Kyle," Sam revealed.


    Xing Han, who was sitting inbetween Kay and Sam, turned to him and grabbed his arm, shaking it as he said, "What? What? What is it? Was it you that gave Ellen that picture?"


    Sam pushed back his glasses up his nose, it having fallen down a bit due to Xing Han''s vigorous shaking, and said, "Not technically. I got it from Chad and gave it to Ellen."


    "Nice," Xing Han said, giving Sam two thumbs up.


    "Wait till Kyle finds out you were the one behind that picture," Kay said with a smile, "But if you give me a copy, then I''ll make sure you''re safe."


    "Not a problem," Sam said, sending her the file immediately.


    Upon getting it, Kay put it up on Kyle''s Insta with the caption ''Revealed at the Ellen Show'', followed by a picture of Kyle pulling up his sweater and that big screen shot of his abs.


    Kay smiled.


    ? ?


    The talk went on for a bit more on the movie, when Ellen asked Kyle, "So, Kyle, I hear that you''re single and looking?"


    "Where did you ..." Kyle started, then stared into the audience, "It was Sam, wasn''t it?"


    The camera panned over to the audience, zooming in on the trio. Sam gave a huge smile and a peace sign.


    "I swear, Sam, you''re going to get it from me later," Kyle hissed, his voice perfectly captured on the collar microphone he had on.


    The audience laughed.


    "For those not in the know, Kyle here is not only a new actor, but he''s the top student at school, the Heir to the International corporation known as the Smith Industries, bouldering and parkour expert, knows martial arts and as you can see, drop-dead gorgeous with a body to drool over," Ellen said, reading from her cue card.


    She looked at him in exasperation, "What''s wrong with you? Young, rich, handsome and single?"


    Kyle raised his hands in surrender then leaned forward, "Aren''t we supposed to be talking about the movie?"


    "Yes, we have and we did," Ellen replied, leaning forward as well, then putting up the cue card to cover the side of her face, as if covering her mouth as she whispered, "But your parents also wanted me to set you up on a date."


    Of course, everyone could hear this as she had her microphone on and the audience went wild.


    Kyle gripped the sofa armrest in horror, his eyes bulging wide open.


    "They did not," Kyle gasped out.


    Ellen gave a very serious nod, saying, "They did too."


    Keanu started laughing like crazy now and said, "See? It''s not even been an hour and you''re already infected with the lame comeback replies."


    Ellen tried hard not to grin and one could see how her lips kept going up but she brought it back down. Clearing her throat a bit, she then said, "So we have set up this little game. Ever heard of speed dating?"


    Three backstage crew members then came out suddenly, bringing a table and two chairs, putting it into position on stage. They left as quickly as they came.


    Keanu couldn''t help it by now and started laughing, even banging his hand on his knees while doing so.


    "Just look at his horrified expression!" Keanu said, pointing at Kyle.


    Kyle just leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs while his head was in his hands, "This is so embarrassing."


    Kyle then pointed at Keanu and said, "He''s single, too! And has way more charisma than me What do you say, audience? Shouldn''t Keanu be part of it too?"


    Everyone started whooping.


    Now it was Keanu''s turn to look horrified and Kyle laughed.


    "He has a point," Ellen said, "And we so happen to have a list of the single ladies here as well."


    With that, the same three backstage crew members that came out earlier, came out again with another table and two chairs. They rearrange the earlier setting so now, the tables were side by side with some space inbetween, and the two chairs facing each other (with the table in between).


    "When we get back, we shall have our own rendition of ''speed dating'' with Keanu Reeves and Kyle Smith!" Ellen announced, her face sporting the biggest grin ever.

 Chapter 325 - The Ellen Show (Final)

    The whole ''speed-dating'' thing was just a game, so Kyle wasn''t really that appalled by it. Ellen was known for doing pranks and setting up games to fluster her guests, so Kyle played along.


    Well, he still had to drag Keanu in as well, right? After all, he betrayed him first!


    "Okay, there''s going to be a twist to this speed dating," Ellen declared.


    "What? No! Really?!" Kyle said in an exaggerated tone, his face full of disbelief as he put a hand on his chest.


    Ellen gave him an equally surprised look, saying, "I know, right? Totally shocking!"


    She then gave a silly smile while looking left and right, laughing a bit and then continued, "You know the game, ''Know or Go?''"


    "No?" Kyle replied, but said it in such a way as if he was saying yes.


    "So you do know?" Ellen asked.


    "No," Kyle said with a smirk.


    "So are you saying no, or know?" Ellen asked then flung her cue cards in the air, "You know what? He can go forever with that, can''t he?"


    The audience laughed.


    "Anyway, for those who are not familiar with this game, it''s simple. We have this high podium with a trapdoor. I will ask three questions each about the girls in the speed date and if you get it wrong, I press a button to open the trap door and you''ll fall down," Ellen said.


    "That''s all?" Kyle asked.


    "Well, for you, it''ll be a bit different," Ellen said with a mischievous smile.


    She pointed to one part of the stage, where there were two huge curtains around something. Kyle assumed it was the high podium. One curtain fell, and it was as he suspected.


    "That is Keanu''s podium," Ellen said, then the other curtain fell, "While that one is yours."


    "ELLEN!" Kyle said, jumping up, "That''s not fair!!"


    Ellen blinked innocently at him, then said very seriously, "But Keanu is a veteran actor. You don''t expect me to dunk him now, do you?"


    Yes, ladies and gentlemen.


    Kyle''s podium had been modified into a dunking booth. While Keanu''s podium''s lower half was covered, it was not so for Kyle''s. One could see that there was a pool of water right underneath the trapdoor of the podium.


    Kyle sighed and shook his head, then looked at Ellen and said, "You''re really hazing the newbie here, aren''t you?"


    She just looked at him with an innocent smile on her face.


    ? Speed Dating ?


    There were ten girls in all for each of them, and they had one minute to ask questions and get to know each other. They weren''t allowed to jot down the answers but there were stage crew members doing so behind Kyle and Keanu.


    Kyle took the game seriously.


    He had a photographic memory, not eidetic memory. Although both terms were often used interchangeably, there were slight (but extremely important) distinctions. Both did deal with being able to visualise what they had seen like an almost faithful mental image snapshot or photograph.


    However, an eidetic memory can include auditory memories as well as various sensory aspects which are related or associated with a visual image.*


    Kyle''s photographic memory, on the other hand, was the ability to recall pages of text, numbers, or similar, in great detail. In other words, he absorbed the knowledge. He did have that ''visualisation'' skill on any past memories (which he figured was a mutation of the photographic memory due to his reincarnation) but he would be in a state similar to when one is daydreaming. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His mind detaches and delves into the memories that he wants to see and recall, but he can''t function normally. So that was not something he could do at the Ellen Show!


    So there was a huge chance that he would actually fail in this, more so because he was getting nervous and the pressure from his surroundings. Didn''t help that the girls would be gushing over him while he had to maintain a friendly, yet distant stance.


    The girls were starting to look the same (all gaping mouths, tweeting birds and squealing screams) so he started to get things mixed up. By the time the ten minutes were up, Kyle knew he was screwed.


    He looked over at Keanu who was just smiling away happily.


    Well, yeah. He didn''t have to fear getting dunked now, did he?


    ? Know or Go ?


    Keanu and Kyle were standing atop their own high podium, facing Ellen who was in front of a rostrum or sorts that had a control panel.


    Kyle had changed into T-shirt and shorts, courtesy of Ellen. After all, he couldn''t get his clothes wet now, could he?


    "Keanu," Ellen began, looking at her cue card, "What is the name of the third girl?"


    "Abigail," Keanu answered confidently.


    "Correct! Kyle," Ellen said, "What is the fifth girl''s favourite food?"


    "Spaghetti!" Kyle answered, able to remember this since it was his favourite food as well.


    Ellen looked disappointed.


    "Keanu, what is the name of the girl with a short, dark bob hairstyle?" Ellen asked.


    Keanu thought for a bit, wringing his hands while he said, "I know this one ... it''s ... it''s ... Karen!!"


    "Correct! Kyle," Ellen turned towards Kyle, "What''s the name of the girl that said ''I love you'' four times to you?"


    Kyle glared at Ellen. That was an unfair question! Most of them declared it to him and he didn''t count them!


    "They all did!" he said with a huff, closing his eyes and putting his hands close to his chest.


    Ellen laughed, pressed the button and Kyle fell through, getting drenched.


    The height of the fall wasn''t much, and there was plenty of water to cushion it. Kyle started treading the water and blew his hair above his face, "You were just waiting to do that, weren''t you?"


    Ellen raised her eyebrows, grinned and turned to the audience. The end music started playing, with Ellen giving the final words and Kyle. Well, Kyle decided to just stay in the water until the show was over. After all, once he got out, the wet clothes would stick to his body like a second skin.


    No way was he going to show that on nationwide television.


    After all, he wasn''t wearing underwear ...

 Chapter 326 - Scrapbook

    The moment the show was over, Kay walked over to the stage, followed by a bouncing Xing Han and serious Sam.


    Sam approached Ellen first, introducing himself and Xing Han decided to follow Sam. Kyle could wait - after all, they were staying together while he wouldn''t be able to meet with Ellen anymore after this.


    Kay, of course, headed straight towards Kyle and was standing in front of the dunking booth/podium and tilting her head, she asked, "How long are you going to stay in there?"


    Kyle grinned. He turned around, reached up to the opening of the trap door and pulled himself up, making sure to be facing away from the stage. Even though the cameras were no longer on, it still didn''t mean that he wanted to give a free show to those who were still there. Be it of his abs or Kyle Jr.


    A large chunk of the audience still hadn''t left. All of the girls and women that had taken part in the speed-dating were given a voucher from Target worth $500 and (after obtaining Kyle and Keanu''s agreement), autographed pictures of them. They were waiting for those autographs, so they were lounging around but not daring to step onto the stage.


    So the eyes on Kay was, undoubtedly, with some jealousy.


    Kay took the towel a stage crew member had brought over for Kyle, and climbed the stairs behind the podium.


    Kyle was relieved that the shorts were dark coloured so even though it stuck to his behind, it wasn''t obscene. At least, he didn''t think it was. He had to resist the urge to pull out the shorts that were riding up his butt-crack, though.


    Kay was busy laughing at the drenched Kyle, as she used the towel to wipe his face. She stepped back a bit as he took off his shirt and then stepped forward to wipe his body.


    "I can do that myself, you know," Kyle said, even though he was enjoying being pampered.


    "Oh, let me take care of you once in a while," Kay said with a smile, "Bend over a bit."


    Kyle obeyed and she proceeded to dry his hair a bit. Kay sneaked a glance behind Kyle and giggled when she saw where most of them were looking. She dried his hair as best as she could, and as quickly as possible, so that the butt vision wouldn''t be that long.


    Once done, Kay gave the damp towel to Kyle, who then wrapped it around his waist.


    "It''s best you dry as much as possible before changing. I don''t want you walking around wet in the studio as it can be cold," Kay told him.


    "Yes, Mam," Kyle replied cheekily and she hit him on the chest. He laughed and ushered her to go down the stairs.


    The girls in the audience kept chanting in their heads, ''turn around, turn around'' but Kyle didn''t seem to want to comply.


    All of the PDA made those watching even more jealous. But they were also curious as Ellen had said he was single. Then who was the girl? S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once his figure disappeared as he went down the podium with Kay, he didn''t appear again until much later. Fully dressed.


    Kay was beside Kyle, and with the two of them walking, side-by-side in their matching outfits, it truly made a beautiful scene. Like straight from a Vogue magazine.*


    Even Ellen had to stop for a while and pointing at them, she asked Sam and Xing Han, "They''re twins, right?"


    For those amongst the audience who heard her, were flabbergasted. Siblings??


    "Yes," answered Xing Han with a long, sad face, "You''re only catching a glimpse of what us mere mortals have to face every single day."


    Ellen''s mouth twitched at that, and it turned to a peal of full-blown laughter when Xing Han suddenly shouted, "Kyllleeeeee!!" and ran off, his excited voice filling up the entire studio as he bounced over happily.


    "Yes, I am the only normal one among them," Sam said solemnly.


    Ellen couldn''t help but laugh again then replied with a very serious voice, "Definitely. You being his PA at 13 - and an extremely efficient one, I might add - is pretty normal."


    Sam felt that the words were like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Where did he seem to hear something along those lines before ...? He shrugged, putting it down to his over-active imagination.**


    ? ? Penthouse ? ?


    Later that night, Kay was happily flipping through several autographed pictures of Kyle.


    "I''m right here, you know," Kyle said in amusement, "Your fascination with those is rather creepy."


    She stuck out her tongue at him and waved a particular A5 glossy one at him, courtesy of Ellen, "This one is going to be framed."


    Kyle groaned, "Oh please, don''t."


    She took out her scrapbook from the dressing room table drawer. She sat down on her bed and opened it, flipping the pages to find an empty page to stick the A5 picture inside. Kyle went over and looked over her shoulder curiously.


    "Why do you even have that when you have the Insta account?"


    "It''s fun," she answered, lying down on her stomach on the bed, "The feel of the paper, the way to decorate the pages and jotting down those special moments ... all of this cannot be replicated on a computer. It''s much more personal and special."


    "You sound like an old lady," Kyle commented, lying down next to her and watched as she took a photo corner,* arranged it in a certain way on a page and then slipped the picture in. She started drawing a bit around the picture, making a ''frame''.


    She lovingly touched the photo, saying, "This is really a good picture of you."


    It was the same picture that Ellen had shown at the show. Kyle''s signature was at the bottom right corner of the photo, and it was the same picture that had been given to all the girls at the speed date game.


    "What else do you have in here?" Kyle asked curiously. Kay smiled, and started showing him the other pages, explaining every single picture and why it was important to her.


    When Delilah came to their room to remind them about dinner, she saw the two of them sharing that special, intimate sharing moment on Kay''s bed. Their faces were glowing, with smiles of pure joy and love that Delilah felt tears come to her eyes.


    Seeing them like that, she thought to herself, just how did she ever think that there could have been anything inappropriate developing between the two? It was such a pure, close bond that defied the categories humans had placed.


    Instead of being happy, she had been worried.


    At that moment, her worries disappeared. Platonic soulmates,# that''s what they were.


    Now, the only thing left was to get someone for Kyle.

 Chapter 327 - Christmas Eve

    Delilah knocked on the open door, making Kyle and Kay look up towards the sound.


    "Yes, Mum?" said Kyle, as he got up from the bed. Kay closed the scrapbook and returned it to its safe spot.


    "The chefs are almost done with dinner," Delilah said, "What time is Keanu arriving?"


    Kyle looked at his watch, "It should be soon. I did send a driver to pick him up so that he won''t get lost."


    "Not that he wanted it, though," Kay said with a shake of her head.


    "So we''re pretty lucky you put on your ''distressed maiden'' act to pull at his heartstrings," Kyle replied with a chuckle.


    Kay smiled sweetly, putting a finger under her chin while adopting an innocent expression, "My, brother. Whatever do you mean? I did nothing."


    Delilah watched this with a shake of her head. When the twins got together and did things, there was always something. But they got the job done.


    ? Keanu ?


    In Country Tz, the Family Dinner would be held on Christmas Eve, rather than on Christmas Day. For those in Country AS, it''s normally on Christmas Day, so that is why Delilah felt it wouldn''t trouble to invite Keanu for their special day.


    Surprisingly, Keanu did agree.


    What they didn''t know was that Keanu was actually trying to become more positive and to move on. Being more active lately, seeing the good in everything, finding joy in everyone ... all of that contributed to his more cheerful personality and abundance of energy.


    No longer would that Sad Keanu meme* crop up that he would need to talk about and explain sometimes during interviews. Lately, it''s been the ''you are fabulous'' phrase of his that is trending. It wasn''t that he was a depressed person but he was a very private person.


    The more cheerful and open he was, the less likely the press or media were to ask him very personal questions. It was more about the movies, the acting, his co-stars and so forth. Thus, the cycle was broken. The change has worked wonders and he found himself to be much more at peace now as compared to before.**


    And happier.


    Thus, Christmas Dinner with the Smiths sounded pretty awesome at the moment and he was extremely touched (and honoured) to have been invited for a family dinner on a special occasion. He was seen as part of the family, rather than just ''a friend'' or a ''co-star''.


    That warmed his heart tremendously.


    Kyle had told him that he''d better dress casually, or else he''d strip him and make him change. Keanu smiled at that memory and thus, he was dressed in T-shirt and jeans. In his hand was a bottle of wine, a gift for the family. He also had a bag of Christmas presents for everyone, for he didn''t want to come empty handed.


    ? ? ? ?


    Kyle was excited when he opened the door and welcomed Keanu in warmly.


    Everyone was excited to see him - not because he was a star, but well, just because. He was a genuinely nice guy that Kyle had bonded with and the family was more than happy to welcome into the fold. They couldn''t get to see each other often since they lived in different countries, so this was truly special and wonderful.


    Seeing the presents in the bag, Kyle led him to the living room. There was a Christmas Tree there, with presents at its base and the tree had been decorated by Sam and Xing Han.


    You could tell which one was Sam''s work and which one was Xing Han''s. Just look at the nice row of decorations - that was Sam. Xing Han just flung them on, saying it was ''artistic''. Kyle and Kay didn''t do much except make the popcorn string.


    That particular decoration was placed by Sam. He did not allow Xing Han to touch it at all - mainly because he kept taking bites out of it. There were also miniature candy canes (yes, Xing Han stole some as well) and one special tradition of the Smiths.


    Miniature envelopes that held letters of their wishes for the new year. Sealed and not to be opened at all.


    Kyle gave Keanu a small piece of paper and the miniature envelope, telling him of this tradition. Keanu was surprised to be included in that as well, and his hands trembled a bit (out of joy, not sadness).


    He wrote ''Peace'', folded it and sealed it in the envelope. His name, ''Keanu'' was written in gold ink on the envelope and he looked for a perfect place to put it. He saw the other envelopes on the tree, idly wondering what sort of wishes were on there, before he finally placed his envelope. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stood back, admired the tree and smiled.

 Chapter 328 - Christmas Eve Dinner

    All of them were gathered in the living room, with Delilah and Patrick monopolizing Keanu''s attention. He talked to them amicably, being engaging and warm as always.


    Yet, despite that, Delilah and Patrick couldn''t help but feel like they weren''t talking to someone who was of their own age, but rather, to the friend of their son.


    Technically, the latter was true but due to Keanu''s age, one would think they''d be more ''compatible''. At first, Delilah and Patrick thought it was their imagination, then realised it wasn''t until finally, they simply accepted it. Strange as it was, they had long discovered that whenever it came to their kids - and friends - ''strange'' was normal.


    The kitchen was abuzz with all the help that Delilah had hired just for the dinner. She insisted that the kids didn''t help or do anything, even though preparing for the dinner was normally viewed as a ''bonding'' and ''family'' moment.


    In her case, however, Delilah felt that all of them were so busy (either with work or school) that they hardly spent time together as a family. Quality time. What sort of quality time would you truly have if you''re slaving in the kitchen?


    It was best to let the work be done by professionals so that they could truly just rest, relax and spend time together. Delilah watched her kids playing around in the living room (which Keanu soon joined) and leaned on Patrick.


    "We are truly blessed," she said, hugging his arm. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not only did she manage to have children, but she also had a pair and they never gave her problems (as in, drugs / stealing etc). Although she never got pregnant again, she didn''t mind nor did she go for testing to find out the cause. She was content enough with the two she has.


    Patrick nodded, then put his arms around her shoulder, bringing her closer and hugging her to him, "Yes. Thank you for giving birth to them."


    Delilah was a small-framed woman, and carrying the twins had actually been a great burden on her. Thus, 14 years ago, on this date, she had been confined to the bed until the twins were born. She didn''t mind at all, but it made Patrick be filled with intense guilt and immense love for his wife.


    It was moments like these that brought the Smiths closer.


    ? Dinner ?


    "This ... is your Christmas dinner?" Keanu said with his eyes wide open.


    "Awesome, right?" Xing Han replied, his mouth drooling. He noticeably swallowed his saliva but still managed to wait until Patrick and Delilah sat down before taking his seat.


    Country Tz''s origin was rather unique. The large, barren land was discovered by several people from different countries, all fleeing to find a better life. As they had all experienced the horrors of oppression and discrimination due to various reasons such as being of mixed race, religion and so forth, they didn''t fight upon discovery of the New Land.


    In fact, they banded together. The land was huge, so they worked and fought together to build it up. Hundreds of years later, the entire land was populated and people lived in harmony. It was unheard of at that time, and still a rather unique feature at the present time.


    Thus, the culture and traditions of Country Tz fused together to create a rather beautiful blend.


    So, Christmas Dinner was also a combination of various types of food.


    For the appetizer, there was Coquilles Saint-Jacques, which is scallops with herbs and cheese, served in little shells - and for the more adventurous, the Chiles en nogada (fire-roasted poblano peppers stuffed with meat and covered in a creamy walnut sauce and a pomegranate seed garnish).


    The highlight of the whole meal was the roasted goose. It was stuffed with apples, chestnuts, onions, and prunes, then spiced with mugwort and marjoram. For its side, there was red cabbage, dumplings, gravy, and sauerkraut.*


    The other main dishes were tamales (corn dough mixture that is filled with pork, wrapped in a banana leaf and then steamed), Janssons frestelse (meaning Jansson''s temptation - a creamy potato and fish gratin, made with julienned potatoes, onion, ansjovis and cream) and spiced beef (silverside beef cured with spices such as pimento, cinnamon, ground cloves and black pepper, and saltpetre and then semi-steamed in water and roasted).


    For dessert, there was B?che de No?l aka chocolate yule log (sponge cake, chocolate buttercream and shaped like a real log) and two versions of Melomakarona (sweet orange-zest cookies) : the traditional version (soaked in honey and topped with walnuts right after it is baked) and the variation (dipped in dark chocolate).


    "This spread is breathtaking," Keanu couldn''t help but say and everyone just smiled. "But pardon the question. How do you even finish all of this? Isn''t this a bit too much?"


    Xing Han almost snorted and he pointed at Kyle, "You haven''t seen him eat, have you?"


    "Today is a good day. It is cheat day," Kyle announced solemnly, his eyes glued on the feast in front of him, rubbing his hands.


    Before they began, everyone held hands and bowed their heads as Patrick said a few words of gratefulness and wishes for a good new year.


    "Amen" they chorused at the end and the feasting began.


    It was noisy. It was rowdy.


    It was fun.


    By the time dinner was over, everyone waddled towards the living room for the last event of the day. Opening the presents. The tradition was to open each other''s gifts at the same time - meaning, Kyle would open Kay''s gift for him and she would open his gift for her.


    There was squealing again, wrapping papers ripped open ... except for Sam. Sam was the only one that actually took time to open the presents slowly, taking care not to rip the wrapping paper. The presents each got was chosen with great care, bearing in mind what the person receiving it, liked.


    Oh, except for the gifts by Delilah and Patrick. They gave what they felt was needed - for example, Kay got a make-up set and some jewelry while Kyle got a dozen ties. Their faces when they opened those presents were priceless. Their parents were "subtly" telling them that they''re going to have to be more active socially and in the business community.


    As Keanu left the penthouse late that night, he looked again at the gift given by Kyle. He hadn''t expected it, and it was obvious Kyle had prepared the gift way in advance. It was a miniature model based on the ''Sad Keanu'' but which had been modified.


    Instead of him slumping over on the bench looking down dejectedly, he was sitting up with his back on the bench, smiling. On his left was Kay, and his right, Kyle. Both were grabbing on his arm and smiling widely.


    Xing Han, Ali, and Sam were there, standing at the back of the bench - Xing Han putting a peace sign behind Kyle''s head, Sam standing stiffly behind Keanu while Ali leaned forward a bit, his arm on the bench backrest, a smile on his face.


    A small plaque at the bottom had the words, ''Friends Forever''.


    Keanu smiled.

 Chapter 329 - New Year’s Eve

    They spent the rest of the year at the penthouse.


    Partly as a holiday and partly to avoid the havoc, the Ellen Show made after it was aired. As expected (except to Kyle), the moment the episode was shown, his popularity hit the roof. The Insta account hit a million new fans more overnight, nearly crippling the servers from the sudden surge at almost the same time.


    No one knew that Kyle had never left Country AS, and those in Country Tz were abuzz. Now that it was fully confirmed that Kyle was the ''correct'' Kyle, the hype was high.


    All of that wasn''t in Kyle''s mind though. He had cut off all communications to the outside world, leaving everything to MIB during his break. He didn''t want to be distracted and seriously just wanted to chill and relax.


    So while the whole world was getting excited over the upcoming John Wick movie (making its investors and Chad extremely happy beyond belief), Kyle and his family were safe and sound in their own little cocoon at the penthouse.


    It was nearing midnight of the final year.


    Everyone (except Delilah and Patrick, who were asleep by then) went up to the rooftop deck and lay down on the deckchairs there. Kyle and Kay were sharing a deckchair and had a blanket wrapped around them.


    The penthouse rooftop was the best place to attend the grand celebration that is done at the nearby Grand Park, without actually having to be there physically.


    They had drinks and food with them, privacy and just the company of the four of them. Well, five really, since Ali was also there virtually. Using the group video chat, Kay had Skype''d Ali using two different laptops.


    One laptop was facing the direction they were facing while the other was facing them. So at Ali''s end, the computer screen was split into two. The left side showed the scenic view and the right side showed the Elite Five.


    It was another tradition of the Elite Five to usher in the new year together, though this was the first time four of them were physically together and only one was there virtually. Kay had modified the laptops, of course, so the video and sound system was top-notch. Ali could see and hear everything clearly, more so since he was wearing headphones.


    Still, it wasn''t the same as actually being there so Ali was feeling a bit sad about that.


    Sad, because it was only natural human feeling but he didn''t let it make him act badly. What was important was that they were together now, and still sharing the end of the year together. Music could be heard blasting from Grand Park though it wasn''t quite clear what it was.


    "Wow, another year has passed," Xing Han commented with a sigh, looking ahead, "Three more years of freedom before I get engaged." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ali was silent at that, thinking about his Sophia.


    "And you have two years to find someone before your parents do," Xing Han commented to Kyle, "What''s your plan on that?"


    Kyle gave a huge sigh.


    "I ... seriously don''t know. No, actually, I do but not that keen on it," Kyle confessed, "I just have to start dating."


    A collective gasp was heard from all of them.


    "Are you serious?!" Ali shouted at Kyle.


    "How else am I going to choose or find someone? It''s just dating," Kyle said with a slight shrug, "To get to know them better. There''s no one I''m particularly interested in so might as well try and see them in another setting?"


    "Anyone in mind?" Kay asked, "Like Sarah?"


    Kyle shook his head and said firmly, "No. Definitely not."


    "Why not?" Kay asked, looking up at him.


    "You know how she feels about me," Kyle replied, "But I cannot see her as anything other than ... well, a friend."


    [To be honest, I can''t see her as a woman. Going out with her is like going out with a kid. I can''t see anyone from Sakura Academy as anything other than a kid, unfortunately] Kyle explained [Please do all you can to discourage her]


    [I''ll try] Kay said [But her feeling is pretty deep. Just keep your options open]


    Kyle didn''t reply nor did he reject it, so Kay knew Kyle was considering it. He just hadn''t decided yet so he couldn''t say anything.


    "Actually, I''m not going to date anyone from Sakura Academy," Kyle said out loud to explain, "Too much drama. I''ll be using the promotional tours and even the exchange programme to meet people."


    [Maybe, I won''t see them as kids. Maybe I''ll end up with a matured woman. I don''t know. I''m keeping my options open at least] Kyle explained to Kay.


    [Then what about Sayuri?] Kay asked [She''s not really part of Sakura Academy]


    [Euw. No. No no no] Kyle replied with a shudder [She''s more likely to kill me than date me]


    Sam took off his glasses, pinched the space between his eyebrows and thought of the huge headache and amount of work that Kyle is going to be giving him with that plan of his. Luckily Kyle paid well.


    Xing Han just stared at Kyle, understanding his dilemma. He may look like a teen, but he wasn''t one. Xing Han made a fist bump to himself, and a promise, that he would be the best wingman ever and help Kyle.


    The countdown began. They could hear it clearly from the rooftop deck, and all were quiet as the shouts began.


    Ten - Nine - Eight - Seven - Six - Five - Four - Three - Two - One


    Screams. Shouts. Everyone wishing each other that the sounds meshed together. The Elite Five were quiet, savouring the moment. Kyle hugged Kay tighter and she lay her head on his shoulder.


    Fireworks adorned the sky, illuminating the entire place.


    For Kyle, each new year was a celebration. A celebration of life. A new beginning, a new venture. And a year closer to meeting his kids.


    Kay hugged Kyle tighter, feeling his melancholy mood. He was always like this at the end of the year, and she knew he just needed her silent support. Kyle returned the hug, kissed the top of her head and sighed.


    Kyle felt that he was really, really lucky in this life.

 Chapter 330 - Food Poisoning

    Beatrice was uncharacteristically nervous.


    It was the first School Assembly of the Year. A new year. Normally, at this time, she would be checking things backstage with Sam to make sure everything was in place while Kyle would be outside, greeting the students coming back.


    Her nervousness was due to two things.


    One, this would be the first time she would be spending time with Sam ever since he got together with Betty.


    It wasn''t that she avoided him ... well, technically, she didn''t. After all, they were Student Council members. They would meet and see each other at the ''office''. However, there were always other people around and she as doing her thing while he was doing his.


    Right now, whilst it was true that there were other people around, she was side-by-side with Sam as they did the usual sound check, equipment check and the such. Sam was being Sam, meticulous and serious as he looked over everything.


    Surprisingly, and to her utter relief, Beatrice found that she could talk to Sam normally. Okay, that was not entirely true. She was nervous and sometimes her voice quivered a bit but overall, she managed to carry a conversation with him.


    The best thing was, Sam was treating her like normal and didn''t even flinch or react to her slightly unusual behaviour. It helped her calm down and carry on. She knew that he noticed, and the way he was treating her was his way of taking care of her.


    Betty truly was very lucky.


    "Okay, that''s the last of it," Sam said, ticking the list on the board he as holding. He looked around one last time backstage and nodded, satisfied.


    "So, are you ready?" he asked as he looked at her.


    Beatrice took a deep breath. She turned and glanced at the hall that was filling up. Even from where she was standing, she could see the intense disappointment on most of the girls'' faces. Perhaps it was her imagination?


    "They don''t look too happy, do they?" Sam said with an eyebrow raised. He shook his head and pushed his glasses up his nose.


    Apparently, it wasn''t her imagination.


    "Well, that''s to be expected, I suppose," Beatrice said in resignation, "After all, Kyle''s not here. They''re probably wondering where he is."


    Sam nodded, agreeing with her, "Who told him to eat raw oysters anyway?"


    For some strange reason that Sam could not understand, Kyle had wanted some seafood when they returned to Country Tz. No, not it was strange that Kyle wanted seafood, but it wasn''t just the typical grilled seafood dishes. He wanted to try raw oysters, sea urchin and jellyfish. You get the idea.


    So, a day before they were to come to Sakura Academy, Kyle got his craving satisfied.


    Unfortunately for Kyle, there was one particular bad oyster.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    Kyle loved seafood but in his previous life, he couldn''t afford them. Not to have on a regular basis, anyway. There were some of the more exotic variety that he had never been able to try, and so, this year, he was going to have some.


    Most of them were pretty ok, but the oysters was surprisingly delicious. He knew what people said eating raw oysters was about with regards to libido but that was not on his mind as he used a finger to detach the oyster from its shell then squeezed a lemon wedge onto it.


    "Man, Kyle," Xing Had said as Kyle tilted his head back and slurped in another oyster, "How can you eat that?"


    Just as Xing Han asked that, Kyle''s face had a slight grimace. The last oyster didn''t go down as smoothly as the previous ones. It had been a smaller one, so he didn''t really chew it even though that meant missing out on really tasting it.


    He sniffed the oyster shell, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.


    Kyle found out soon that it hadn''t been his imagination when he started getting diarrhea. He was still in the middle of eating (not oysters by then) when the pain began. He felt chills and some stomach cramps, so he hurriedly went to the bathroom.


    It went downhill from there.


    Xing Han had been in a panic then.


    He had never seen Kyle sick and having a pale, obviously-in-pain Kyle in front of him turned Xing Han into a highly vocal and excitable worried person. Okay, so that''s how Xing Han normally is (without the worry part).


    When Xing Han went to check up on Kyle in the bathroom for taking so long, he nearly screamed. Kyle was leaning over the sink, his face pale and face wet as he had just washed it. Xing Han quickly whipped out his phone, calling an ambulance, shouting that his best friend was dying which caused the other restaurant patrons to be in a state of panic as well.


    It was vibrio vulnificus food poisoning.


    This was something that could happen by eating seafood infected with the bacteria frequently found in oysters in warm coastal waters during the summer months. It was also known as the ''flesh-eating bacteria'' - though if one ingested it, it didn''t mean that Kyle''s insides were being eaten up.


    It only meant that he got diarrhea, cramping, fever, chills, and on top of that, vomiting. These symptoms usually last ''only'' 3 days. It was rare to get this as restaurants nowadays do not source their oysters from the wild but would farm it, thereby reducing the risk of such contamination.


    Kyle was just ''lucky''.


    Well, he really was lucky in one sense. As he was such a fit person, and he got treatment quickly, the complications that can arise from this type of food poisoning was not serious. There had been deaths before, but that was normally from people who had underlying health issues already.


    Thus, Kyle would only be returning to school the following week. Kay decided to stay behind (of course) to take care of Kyle while Xing Han was kicked out of the Smith Mansion. There was no way the Smiths would allow Xing Han to play hooky.*


    They had a responsibility to Xing Han''s parents. Sam had to literally drag Xing Han away from Kyle. He grabbed Xing Han by the collar and pulled, nearly choking Xing Han. Xing Han allowed Sam to take him away, though his sad eyes never left the weak-looking Kyle on the bed.


    Xing Han''s hand stretched out to that pitiful figure, not realising that he, himself, was making a more pitiful figure as he was dragged out of the room. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 331 - First Assembly Speech

    Thus, with Kyle not in the picture, it meant that the speech normally given by him after the Principal, fell on Beatrice''s shoulders. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the second reason why Beatrice was nervous.


    She felt it was ridiculous, though, because speaking to the students was something she had been doing ever since her appointment. Yet, each time, she would find herself getting butterflies in her stomach and her heart beating fast.


    She should already be used to all of this, right?


    Beatrice looked out at the crown again and patted her chest.


    "Just imagine them naked," Sam said suddenly.


    Beatrice turned to look at him in shock and Sam smiled. Something he did quite often since Samty (Samuel + Betty. Horrible couple naming, but it somehow just stuck).


    "It''s said to alleviate your nervousness when having to do public speaking," Sam explained.


    Beatrice blinked rapidly, her face slightly red and Sam laughed a bit under his breath at this, "Okay, maybe that technique is a bit too advanced for you."


    He indicated the crowd with his chin and said, "Focus on the people that you''re familiar with. Choose at least three that are situated around so that it would be obvious. They won''t know that you''re looking at them unless you stare too intently, of course. Move your eyes around as well, rotating differently between those that you chose."


    "This method works if it''s a familiar setting. When it''s a new place, choose faces that you can identify with," Sam continued, "For the ones that are very close, do not look at their faces but at their chest, because you''d be more nervous otherwise. Don''t look at those that aren''t listening or looking at their phones. Their inattentiveness will only fluster you further. Focus on those that give off a positive vibe."


    Beatrice looked at Sam with wide eyes.


    Never before had Sam actually spoken so much and he was giving her such valuable tips on public speaking.


    "Thank you, Samuel," Beatrice said to him and he gave her a smile, nodding.


    "You''ll be fine," he said and though Beatrice was still ultra nervous, those simple, confident words calmed her down immensely.


    Sam walked off then and she looked at his strong back leaving, sighing a bit.


    What a pity.


    She turned back to look at the crowd from backstage, using that time to go through the notes for the speech.


    The Hall quietened down once Principal Godric walked to the podium. He stood there, majestically imposing (in his mind) as he faced the crowd. Another year and things were running smoothly, making Principal Godric extremely happy.


    "Welcome back, returning students and to the new students, welcome to Sakura Academy!!"


    Huge round of applause and even whoop whoop whoop could be heard.


    Principal Godric grinned even wider.


    He started off with the usual ''summary of last year'' events and the end-of-the-year exam results. He congratulated those that did well and for those that had failed, not to give up and soldier on. The teachers were always here to help.


    "Now, as I am sure all of you are aware, we are missing one person today," Principal Godric said solemnly, looking down at the podium.


    People gasped, thinking the worse from the stance that Principal Godric was making. He took a deep breath, his face all sad and said, "It''s such a pity. Such a promising young child ... "


    "Nooooooo!!" a scream suddenly pierced the air.


    " ... to have fallen so sick just before school begins," Principal Godric finished, not fazed a bit by the sudden outburst and the obvious agitation of the students.


    "But, he''ll be back next week, all fine and dandy!"


    "Principal Godric!!!" some of the students were shouting and some even waved a fist at him.


    Principal Godric just grinned and said, "Was that bad of me?"


    "YES!" was the resounding answer.


    "Well, next time, wait until I finish before interrupting," he replied with a grin.


    The students groaned.


    Principal Godric was getting worse at teasing them.

 Chapter 332 - COP

    "Okay, back to serious business now," Principal Godric began, clapping his hands three times loudly, his demeanor now all serious.


    The students quietened down, paying full attention.


    "As you know, our very own Student Council President, Kyle Smith, has become a bit of a minor celebrity with this upcoming John Wick movie."


    Claps filled the Hall. Some teachers, namely Ms Julie and Mr Andrews, weren''t quite happy but they maintained a neutral expression. These were the teachers in charge of the Community Outreach Programme that Kyle had started last year but was never around to do the details.


    Their impression of him wasn''t quite good due to that. Despite the gushing Principal Godric did about Kyle, they were the types that only would judge as per what they saw and they haven''t seen much. The idea was from Kyle yet the work was done by Beatrice. While he was gallivanting all over the place making a movie.


    "I would like to remind you that while he may be a rising star out there but once he is in this hallowed halls of Sakura Academy, he is a regular student. This is a school of learning, and we are here to learn," Principal Godric said sternly.


    Then, for good measure, he said as his eyes swept the entire hall, "Kyle even told me ... if his presence here disrupts classes, he will transfer out. Along with his sister. Most likely the other Elite Five will as well."


    There was pin-drop silence at that bombshell.


    "You know how much he values school and everyone here. He''s not just the Student Council President, but also the Leader of Sage Class. He has done more for this school than anyone can imagine. So, Sakura Academy Students. Are we here to learn, or we here to ogle at Kyle?!"


    Silence.


    "Okay, fine. You can ogle at him but do it at a distance," Principal Godric said with a laugh.


    The students cheered.


    Some of the teachers sighed. Never before have they seen such a Principal. But, he did get the job done. Also, their pay was slightly higher than the normal teacher''s pay due to him fighting for their ''specialised status''.


    Since each class was catered to specific types of teaching, they had obtained additional certificates of skills, which allowed them to be qualified for the higher pay bracket. For that, they were grateful to him. And the working environment here was very good.


    "But seriously, remember what is important," Principal Godric said, "School, not disruptive ogling. Be it Kyle, or any other student here at Sakura Academy."


    Amongst the students, Sayuri listened to all of this with a shake of her head.


    The way the Principal was talking, it was as if Kyle was such a gem of the school. What? Just because he was good looking? Smart? Well-loved? Hard-working?


    However, the more Sayuri went on, the more she realised there were a lot of positive traits of Kyle. She gritted her teeth in annoyance at first then she hit herself (which made the student next to her stare weirdly at her).


    Sayuri didn''t see this, however, for she was so focused on berating herself to notice anything else. She was scolding herself for doing it again. Letting her prejudice and personal feelings affect a proper judgment of the target.


    This was much, much harder than she thought.


    Once she got her thoughts back, it was only then she noticed the girl next to her giving her a certain look. Another weakness she has to overcome. She should be on high alert at all times yet the safe environment has made her lax.


    Sayuri gave a nervous smile to the glaring girl, saying, "Sleepy".


    Which just earned her more glare points.


    "One final announcement before I hand-over the podium to our Vice-President, Beatrice Chin to say a few words about this year''s activities," Principal Godric said, "This year, we have one new Sage Class member. Sayuri Hinata, a new student coming in as a second year. Sayuri, please stand up."


    Sayuri was surprised, and did as she was told, bowing a bit to the Principal in front and to those on her right and left. Her eyes then landed on the Elite Five that were in front, but they hadn''t even turned around to look.


    Sayuri sat down, a bit peeved.


    "Okay, Beatrice. All yours," Principal Godric said as he sat down.


    Beatrice took a deep breath and walked on stage.


    She looked at the people and did what Sam had suggested. To her surprise, she found that it worked and a smile worked up upon her face.


    "This year, we have a new programme known as the ''Community Outreach Programme'', or COP, and it will be implemented for the third years," Beatrice began, "and it will be for a week during the school holidays."


    (slight groans could be heard)


    "The purpose of COP is to help the less fortunate. We will be teaching the little ones to read, or help them with their homework, or take care of the elderly. While it is compulsory for the third years, anyone else can join."


    (the groans got louder)


    Beatrice could see how some didn''t quite like the fact that this was something they were forced to do. On a holiday, even. She couldn''t quite blame them but she also truly believed the COP was something that everyone could benefit from.


    Best case scenario is that it creates one to be more empathetic to the less fortunate. At the very least, one would have some sort of self-awareness of how lucky they were compared to those they were helping.


    "Each participant will get a certificate," Beatrice continued and the faces brightened up a bit. Although the certificate of participation would not contribute to their CGPA,* it was something that would give them an edge when applying for college or work. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And for those who do exceptionally well, they will get a written testimonial."


    Now that got their interest.


    A written testimonial!! It could be anything such as a simple letter of sincere gratitude (but all the details needed to be there) to a formal note of acknowledgment of the skills or contributions given. In Country Tz, a written testimonial wasn''t given easily, thus making it very valuable to indicate the character of a person.


    A written testimonial would even be the deciding factor in college and work applications.


    Beatrice was satisfied. Now the students actually looked eager to try it out.


    The written testimonial had been Kyle''s work and idea. He was the one that managed to convince the residents (charm them, of course) and the management. How he actually managed that when he was hardly around was still something Beatrice found amazing.


    Beatrice might have handled the logistics, but the smoothness of it all was something Beatrice felt was owed to Kyle. That was just how he worked though - silently, selflessly, in the background. Af first, Beatrice thought Kyle was silly for not blowing his own trumpet but after a while, she saw that Kyle truly didn''t care.


    When she had asked him, he simply stated, "An empty vessel makes the most noise."

 Chapter 333 - Protect

    Beatrice looked at the crowd, who was now looking rather excited about the COP. She smiled, and for the first time in her life, she did something off-script.


    She was actually done with her speech but when she thought about how tirelessly Kyle worked for the school without saying anything, and how he didn''t care about what people thought of him, she felt it would be wrong for her not to say something.


    More so since Kyle wasn''t here.


    So she stood there, and held her hands in a firm grip as she looked at the entire Hall.


    "The COP is the combined effort of everyone in Student Council," Beatrice began, "but what is not known is that it was actually the brainchild of President Kyle."


    When Mr Andrews and Ms Julie heard this, they were not impressed.


    Yes, it may have been his idea but he did nothing to implement it. He had been off making a film. In fact, it had been Sam that came up with the report and it was Beatrice''s meticulous efforts and rounding up the other Student Councils that it got to the stage that it was right now.


    "What is less known, is that even though President Kyle had been somewhere else to film John Wick 4, he would skype me often regarding COP," Beatrice went on, "I may have been the one who did the physical work but he was the one that thought of everything."


    She looked at everyone, from the students and to the teachers behind, and repeated, "Everything."


    She looked back to the Hall, saying, "His detailed plan-of-action was so meticulous that all we had to do was simply follow it. For the more difficult jobs like getting the licences approved quickly, getting companies to pledge donations regularly to support the programme, and even the agreement to give a written testimonial ... all of that was done by Kyle."


    Everyone was silent, absorbing this sudden information.


    Ms. Julie and Mr. Andrews were shocked beyond belief, and were feeling very ashamed for their earlier thoughts (even though they weren''t really to blame of them).


    "And remember. He did this all while filming," Beatrice said, "Which is why Principal Godric also said, Kyle is one that has done a lot for this school, more than what people realise."


    She took a deep breath, looked at her hands in front of her and spread them on the podium.


    "The reason why I''m telling you all of this is because President Kyle would never do so. He''s a strange person. Others would be shouting this from the rooftops but President Kyle?"


    Beatrice shook her head, "He''s just too strange, I guess."


    The students laughed, their eyes shining. They were in awe.


    "Everyone here knows how nice President Kyle is, correct?"


    "YEEEAAAAAA!!" they all shouted, while Xing Han being one of the loudest (of course).


    "So now, I am asking everyone for one huge favour," Beatrice said, finally reaching the point of the whole revelation.


    "I think everyone would agree that President Kyle is Sakura Academy''s Treasure ..."


    Beatrice had to stop at this, for the whole Hall erupted in loud shouts, cheers and ''whoop whoop''. She waited for everyone to calm down before she continued. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So I am asking you. Students of Sakura Academy. Please take care of President Kyle," Beatrice said with a gentle voice.


    Everyone was dumbfounded. What did she mean? Take care of Kyle?


    "Just like Principal Godric pointed out. In here, President Kyle is just a normal student. Out there," she said, waving her arm in front of her, indicating the world ''outside''.


    "He isn''t just the Smith Heir anymore. He''s a rising idol that people are going crazy over. He needs to be protected. From the insanity and madness of people out there, be it fans or paparazzi," Beatrice explained.


    "So help me, protect him. Such as, don''t give interviews revealing information about him, or take inappropriate photoes of him. You know he doesn''t mind you taking pictures, and even his sister Kay has some pretty impressive shots for sale. But don''t cross the line and don''t let other people do so as well."


    "He''s our School Treasure. Let us take care of him and protect him."


    "Just as he has always done so, for us," Beatrice said.


    The Hall was silent for a full second before Xing Han suddenly stood up, jumping on his chair (nearly toppling it) and faced the crowd. Fist bumping one arm in the air, he shouted, "PROTECT KYLE!!"


    Everyone stood up, copied Xing Han and started chanting as they continuously fist-bumped the air, "Protect Kyle! Protect Kyle! Protect Kyle!"


    Xing Han then crossed his hands, signaling them to stop. They did.


    "But remember!!" Xing Han shouted in his booming voice, "Kyle is MY BFF!!"

 Chapter 334 - Her Mission

    Sayuri found herself standing up together with everyone, shouting, ''Protect Kyle'' along with everyone else. Inside, however, she was grimacing and wincing but she had to blend in.


    she thought to herself <I''ll certainly protect him. From my punches and kicks!!>


    She started thinking of his pained face should she actually kick him and that made her smile. To everyone else, she appeared to be enthusiastically joining in and they banded together as one.


    After Assembly, the first-year students were ushered to their classrooms by the Prefects. As for Sayuri, who was amongst the second years yet, was new, she did not know where to go. She did have a map and she knew where Sage Class was, but she was unsure whether she was meant to go there now or was she expected to join the second years first?


    Sayuri had never been to a public school before, hence her confusion. Things which were common sense to others took her a bit of time to figure out. That was also part of the reason why she was given this mission.


    Though she didn''t know that part.


    All she knew was that her mission involved getting to know Kyle better. She was to become his friend and dig up any information that is not in the records that she had been given. That, in itself, was already difficult since the reports compiled by the Clan was quite detailed already.


    The only thing left to find out was extremely personal questions such as his favourite food (since the report says he eats everything), how did the Elite Five form or even what he looks for in a life partner. Sayuri shuddered at the last one.


    She was never, ever going to ask that one. He might think she was interested in him if she did!


    Sayuri stood amongst the crowd that was slowly thinning out as she held the map of the school grounds in front of her. In truth, she already knew the layout very well but she had to pretend she was new, right? Was her confused face enough, she wondered.


    Just then, she heard a voice calling out her name. Looking up, she saw that it was Samuel, the Student Council PRO, and fellow Sage Class member. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, here!" she shouted, waving her hand, which made Sam look at her a bit strangely. It''s not like he was calling out attendance now, was he?


    Sam took in her appearance in one swift glance, his facial expression not changing at all. Her features truly did not match the picture in the biodata that Kyle had sent him.


    The picture had been a rather attractive girl with silky dark, wavy shoulder-length hair, deep-set chocolate brown eyes, high cheekbones, and a pixie-like nose amidst smooth, fair-skinned face.


    Yet, in front of him, was a girl that tied her hair up tightly in a ponytail, her nose was sprinkled with freckles (Sam thought that was ridiculous, considering she''s not a redhead), round glasses hiding hazel eyes and had braces. Braces!!


    Sam thought with a smirk the amount of work she would have to go through each morning for this disguise. Why she would even do so was beyond him. All he knew was that Kyle told him about her and to keep an eye out on her.


    Which he can do, not a problem.


    If he could stop himself from laughing or rolling his eyes.


    "I''m Sam, your classmate," Sam introduced himself and she shook his hand with a smile.


    "Sayuri," she answered then laughed at herself, "But of course you already knew that."


    Sayuri studied Sam closely, appreciating what she was looking at. He wasn''t as pretentious as Kyle that seemed to scream ''look at my handsomeness'' (all in her head, of course). Sam had his own aura that was striking. Her eyes traveled to his physique and from her training, she could tell that there was more there than meets the eye.


    Just then, Sayuri saw a girl looking at them with narrowed eyes, and at their hands clasped together. Before she could figure out what was going on, that girl ran up to them and hugged Sam from behind.


    Sayuri''s eyes nearly popped out of her sockets at such a bold, public move.


    "Betty?" Sam said in surprise, as his little bunny buried her face at his back, "What''s wrong?"


    Hearing the concern in his voice, Betty felt guilty. She didn''t know why but seeing the way that new girl was looking at Sam had made Betty nervous. Very nervous. She trusted Sam but she didn''t like the vibes she was getting from the new girl.


    She could tell that the new girl was checking Sam out. The way her eyes studied his face. The way she looked at his body. No, no, no. That''s her Sam. Hers! Before she knew it, she had run over to stake her claim.


    Now that Sam was asking her, she was embarrassed and her face turned red.


    "Nothing!" she said peeking out of his back and looked at him with a smile, "Just missing you. See you at lunch!!"


    She gave him one last squeeze and was about to dash off but Sam caught her easily. He pulled her back to him, hugged her properly and replied, "I missed you too."


    Sayuri just stared at such blatant PDAs and looked around. No one was even looking their way. Was this normal!? What sort of school is Sakura Academy??


    Sam resisted the urge to kiss her, so he just smiled. Betty turned and skipped away, with Sam looking at her until she left the Hall. He wondered what the heck was going on as Betty wasn''t the type to be so clingy - be it in public or when it was just the two of them ... but he liked it. He couldn''t wait for lunchtime.


    Sayuri watched with envy at the loving gaze Sam was giving towards the escaping girl.

 Chapter 335 - Birthday Talks

    ? Smith Mansion, Kyle''s Room ?


    "Being sick on your birthday is the pits," Kyle lamented, thinking of all the wonderful food he was missing. It would have been another cheat day!!


    "Auw," Kay said, patting his chest consolingly, "Is Little Kyle sulking?"


    Kyle turned to glare at Kay, who was giggling now.


    "It''s my birthday. You can''t bully me," Kyle retorted.


    "It''s my birthday, too, so I can," Kay responded.


    "I''m older, so you have to listen to me first!"


    "I let you go first, so that doesn''t count," Kay pointed out.


    Kyle was suddenly quiet and Kay went up on her elbows to look at him in the face. She waved her hand in front of him and asked, "Hello? Anybody home?"


    Kyle blinked and smiled.


    "I was just thinking ..." Kyle began, "I never did ask you. Do you have memories of yourself as a fetus?"


    Kay lay back on the bed, wrapping her arm around Kyle''s waist with her head on his shoulder, "Bits and pieces, but not the full thing. Why?"


    "What was your first memory?"


    "You," she answered.


    "Huh? Come again?"


    "I don''t know how to explain it," she said, "The first thing I remember is you. Before that, nothing."


    "But what do you mean, me? As in, when? I''m confused. I mean, for me, I was already conscious and it was darn boring in there but you?" Kyle said puzzedly.


    "No, I just sensed something around me that was warm," Kay struggled to explain, "And it was only much later that I found out that was you."


    "Of course, once you started talking, it was like a flood," Kay continued, laughing, "It''s just things like that. More like, feelings and such but once we connected mentally, it was like a whole new world ... but just that it revolved around you."


    "Wow," Kyle said, "That sounds pretty intense."


    "Yeah," Kay replied, "You were a nagger even then."


    "HEY!"


    Kay laughed and hugged him tighter, whispering, "Maybe it''s because we connected like that while still a fetus that I just ... don''t know what I''ll do if anything ever happens to you. We''re fraternal twins, yet we''re even closer than identical twins."


    [Even being able to talk telepathically like this, no matter the distance. And feeling each other''s feelings] Kay continued [I can understand why Mum is worried about you. About us. Can we actually find someone when we have each other?]


    Kyle sighed.


    [I know] he answered [I understand where they''re coming from. We have each other so we''re quite content not getting married or whatnot. Even for so-called ''normal people'', finding someone is not easy.]


    Kyle thought about his past life and how long it had taken him to finally meet ''the one'', so to speak. Let''s face it. How do you meet people once you leave school? Your colleagues? Dating apps? What? You''re so busy earning money that you don''t really have time to actually socialise.


    Before you know it, the time has passed by.


    Leaving it to ''Fate'' or hoping that we''d actually just meet someone is rather difficult.


    "Next year, we''ll be of legal age," Kyle said suddenly, "So that''s why the deadline for me is next year. This is the best time for me to meet people so I guess they''re being pretty fair. It''s not like I have got to get married then, but they just want me to actually get with someone - other than just being with you, I suppose."


    "16 years old. The age of consent* ... wow." Kay mused.


    Kyle tightened his hold on his sister and growled, "Just because you can, doesn''t mean you should."


    "Oh please, brother," Kay scoffed, "I know about protection." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She paused for a while and then said, "And you know I wouldn''t do it unless it''s with someone I love."


    Kyle sighed.


    "I know," he admitted grudgingly, and took a deep breath, "I know."


    "What was your first time like? Did it hurt a lot?"


    Kyle couldn''t believe they were having ''the talk'' now. Then again, when else? They always celebrated their birthdays like this. Sharing thoughts, sharing dreams. This was the first time she was asking about his past sex life though.


    Then again, it could be because she''s gotten more curious.


    "I was lucky," Kyle said, "My first time wasn''t painful at all. Perhaps it''s because he was caring enough to make sure I was ... erm, well, wet enough ... *cough cough* ... or maybe it''s because he wasn''t that big? Or both? I don''t know."


    Kay didn''t ask further as she pondered on that.


    Kyle was relieved. He found it extremely hard to talk about it to his own sister and was stumbling with his words. He just hoped her first time would be memorable, and special like it had been for him.

 Chapter 336 - New Development

    "So there are different sizes?" Kay''s soft voice broke the air.


    Kyle suddenly had a coughing fit.


    Kay just waited and when it subsided, she said, "You''re not getting out of this, my dear brother. Or would you want me to ask these questions to other people? Like, my Knights?"


    "Don''t you dare!" Kyle hissed.


    Kay giggled, loving the fact that she could fluster him.


    "But I''m serious, Kyle," she said after a while, "You should be the best person for me to ask. It''s not like I can ask Mum. It''s just so awkward."


    "There''s always the internet!" Kyle pointed out, "Don''t tell me you haven''t even looked it up or watched p*rn yet."


    Kay sighed, snuggling closer to Kyle, "It''s so icky."


    "Er, huh? What''s icky?"


    "There''s absolutely no quality to them," Kay explained, "There''s no storyline. Though they try for the first minute or so of bad acting and then it''s just pure bang bang bang. Worse, they''re so ugly."


    Kyle had another coughing fit.


    "How do people even watch those things?" Kay complained with a pout, "And p*rn is hardly the place to find out things."


    "I know that," Kyle said, "I was referring to the sizes, not the whole storyline bit."


    "Well, yeah," Kay said, "I think those actors are chosen for their sizes rather than looks. An average size when erect is 5.6" (14.2cm) while the average girth is 4.8" (12.2cm). Also, its size when flaccid is no indicator of what it''ll be like when erect and girth is more important."*


    Kyle could feel a headache coming on. This was worse than when the Elite Five were discussing his d*ck during the Initiation. Kay and Sam could compare notes.


    "You said your partner''s size was smaller? How small?" Kay asked curiously.


    "Using your measurements earlier, it was below average," Kyle replied.


    "But you still had two kids," Kay mused.


    "What has that got to do with his size?!"


    "I just meant that even though it may have been smaller than average, you still had a pretty active sex life," Kay explained.


    <Yeah, at first> Kyle thought to himself, and he wondered once again what had happened to have made his spouse change. Not that he could ever find out now.


    "Well, yeah, I guess," Kyle said, "There''s a whole lot of difference between having sex, and making love. Well, to me at least. I''d prefer the latter, though maybe there is something to just making out without commitment."


    "Don''t you dare!" Kay said, pounding on his chest.


    "Why not? If the girl is willing ..."


    "Are you listening to yourself? You''re Kyle Smith. What girl wouldn''t be willing??"


    Kyle laughed, not saying anything else.


    After all, it was true.


    In his past life, he had been a nerd and a loner so hadn''t exactly been open with the opposite sex. He had seen how some of the popular and/or handsome ones would sleep around. Those girls weren''t exactly unwilling and in fact, flung themselves at the guys.


    At that time, he did judge them to be rather loose girls that didn''t respect themselves but then, he realised that he was imposing his own views and morals to other people.


    Who was he to judge others? He wasn''t in their shoes, living their lives.


    Perhaps, his ''high moral ground'' then was on the basis that he had never tempted.


    He had never been in a position to actually make a choice. It''s like being proud of not stealing and looking down on those who did. However, if you had not been eating properly for days and a $50 bill is in front of you - what would you do?


    If you still do not take the money, then you can be proud of not being a thief. Otherwise, you''re just putting yourself on a pedestal and judging others based on a narrow and skewered viewpoint.


    True, his first crush had tried to get him, as Kylie, to bed but then again, the guy had been too forceful. His actions clearly showed that he didn''t have feelings for her so she could push him away. If he had slowly wormed his way into her heart? What would she have done then?


    In this life, girls were more than willing to show their love to him. So, as long as both parties were willing, and he made it clear to them from the start ... was it wrong? Two consensual adults, right?


    Truth be told, Kyle Jr seems to be waking up more often nowadays - and it wasn''t just the morning wood either. His body seems to have ''awoken'' a bit more. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle was puzzled by this.


    Previously, girls could squash their boobs on him and he didn''t feel a thing. Now, he found himself slightly more fascinated by them. That didn''t mean he started ogling and Kyle Jr would stand at attention easily, but certainly, there was a change.


    And his appreciation of such beauty wasn''t limited to girls, but also to guys. He noticed that the type of guys he had been attracted to as Kylie, were just as fascinating to him now.


    Kyle groaned a bit thinking about this new development.


    Perhaps it was due to his hormones getting more out-of-whack, or perhaps it could be due to Samantha triggering it or it could be a combination of both. Once a person is sexually awakened, the feeling intensifies. Huge difference between imagination and actually experiencing it.


    Whatever it was, Kyle didn''t think it would be a problem though. He has faith in his willpower. No matter what was flung his way, he would be rationale about it and would be able to control the situation.


    They continued talking throughout the night until Kyle fell asleep. He was basically recovered but still a bit weak and still under medication. Hence, the drowsiness soon took over and he let it.


    Kay, upon hearing his steady breathing, smiled and soon fell asleep too.

 Chapter 337 - New Sage Class Member

    Sayuri followed Sam quietly as he brought her to Sage Class.


    He was telling her about the school rules and what Sage Class was all about. She was a bit shocked at the sort of things Sage Class members were allowed to do.


    That hadn''t been in the report. It only stated that it was an elite class and she had assumed it just meant the best of the best, but classes ran as per normal.


    Why wasn''t that in the report?


    Was the Clan''s intelligence division that bad? Or was the information never made public? Either way, it did not bode well for the Clan. She should raise this up with her grandfather. How hard could it have been to find out this sort of information from a public school?


    "Everyone, this is Sayuri Hinata, our new classmate," Sam said as they entered the class.


    There was a chorus of welcome greetings and each person in there shouted their own names. Sayuri''s head reeled at the rather lax and informal attitude of the supposed Elite Class. She had thought they''d be aloof or too busy in their own worlds to take note of anyone around.


    "As you''re new, just take this week to familiarise yourself with the class," Sam said as they reached the Sage Class. When she entered, she was shocked senseless yet again at its rather free and luxurious layout.


    She hadn''t bothered to check out this classroom since it was well, just a classroom. What sort of secret could it hold? So, she had only gone through Kyle''s room and the Student Council Room. The latter was a place she thought she could get some private information about Kyle but sadly, nothing there.


    So. yet again, she was caught completely unawares yet again. She started ticking in her head the number of things that she had not been doing properly. This set her thinking. Was this perhaps why the Clan''s intelligence report was also lacking? Their thinking and mentality towards information gathering had something missing.


    This just would not do.


    She would have to go through a thorough check-list once school was over.


    "That''s your desk," Sam said, pointing to one area at the far corner, "We put it there for the time being, but you''re free to move it anywhere you want, so long as it doesn''t affect the common areas."


    "Which would be which area, exactly?" Sayuri asked since the room was not in the usual ''classroom'' style layout. To her, anything that didn''t have a desk and table on it meant it was a common area.


    "This," Sam indicated a place that had bean bags and cushions strewn on the floor, "And the kitchenette." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you do want to move, just let us know and we''ll help you," Sam said, "Don''t move it by yourself, okay?"


    "Okay," Sayuri answered, "And thank you, Senior Samuel."


    Sam grimaced and said, "Just Sam, please. We''re classmates so there''s no ''senior'' or ''junior'' here. Having the one rigidly formal Beatrice call me Samuel is more than enough."


    "Hey! I heard that!" Beatrice shouted.


    "You''re meant to!!" Sam shouted back, "When are you going to start calling me Sam, anyway?!"


    "When you get married to Betty," she shot back, "I''m only informal to family."


    Sam''s wide-open mouth of shock, followed by a red face that he quickly tried to hide, made Beatrice smile widely.


    Xing Han slid over to Beatrice and put his palm up towards her. She looked at him in puzzlement and he rolled his eyes. He took her hand and smacked it to his, making her give him a high five.


    "Good one, Beatrice!" Xing Han complimented and gave her two thumbs up.


    Beatrice was starting to ''loosen up'' but still needed work, Xing Han thought to himself.


    Still, it was a good start.


    Once Sam had his blushing under control, he cleared his throat and turned to face Sayuri again.


    "One last thing," he said, "Please write up a report about what you want to do in the future and your plans to achieve it. Kyle will be back next week, so the report needs to be ready by then."


    "Wait. Report?" Sayuri asked, "Sure, but why must it be ready by the time Kyle gets back?"


    "Because he''s the one that will evaluate it and propose the most suitable method in order to achieve it," Sam explained.


    "Kyle," Sayuri said slowly, her mind slowly processing this information, "As in, a 14-year-old boy is going to plan out how to achieve my life''s goal? No offense, but that''s seriously ridiculous."


    Sam raised an eyebrow at that but before he could explain, Xing Han had already exploded, "How dare you!"


    He stomped over, pointing a finger at her as he approached, "You you ... you Neanderthal!!"

 Chapter 338 - Xing Han’s Tirade

    Neanderthal? Sayuri blinked rapidly at the obviously angry Xing Han, not fully understanding where the rage was coming from. She knew he was Kyle''s BFF, but wasn''t this a bit too much?


    "What sort of rock have you been living under? Sage Class member or not, genius or not, for one who does not know Kyle and his capabilities is not fit to be called human!"


    "Xing Han, calm down," Sam said, trying to placate him, "She''s new and not from here. So how is she to know?"


    Sayuri nodded, glad that someone was rational.


    "New or not, the fact that she''s in Sage Class means her IQ is high. Couldn''t she use that supposed brain of hers to think properly before mouthing off? Did she honestly think that after all you told her about Sage Class, that Kyle was normal?" Xing Han huffed at Sam, glaring at him.


    "Added to that, did she really think Principal Godric would allow Kyle to do so if he wasn''t capable? Can''t she even put two and two together?!" he hissed through his teeth.


    Elite Five or not, he wasn''t going to mince his words.


    He turned to focus his glare at Sayuri and was slightly taken aback, thinking that she looked kind of familiar.


    He shook his head, thinking that it wasn''t possible and snorted, "Your prejudice and narrow-mindedness will bring you down one day. Before even looking at Kyle''s report, you already determined it to be ridiculous."


    "You judged him solely on the basis that he''s a 14-year-old - though he''s 15 now, but still!! The point is, you were looking down on him and was extremely offensive!!"


    "Starting a sentence with a ''no offence'' already means that you''re already intending to BE offensive and you''re not sorry at all about it. HAH!! Can''t even figure that out??"


    "Based on your two minutes here and the few sentences you''ve uttered, I can already determine that you''re snobbish and blind. HAH! HAH!!"


    Xing Han had gone full bullet-train mode, and at the end of it, he breathed heavily as if out of breath and stomped off. Reaching his table, he sat on his chair, snorted again and purposefully swirled his chair so that his back faced Sayuri. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone else in Sage Class was quiet.


    Never before had they seen Xing Han fly off the handle like that. True, they knew that he was a true-blue Kyle fan but he had always been positive and energetic and ... well, a bundle of joy.


    They looked at the fuming Xing Han, then at the shell-shocked Sayuri and went back to their work, pretending nothing happened.


    Sayuri was, undoubtedly, in a state of shock. Never before had anyone talked to her like that. She couldn''t even retaliate as every word uttered by Xing Han hit her hard. It was true. There was nothing she could say to refute it.


    She had already noticed her prejudice but she thought she had been working on it. Obviously, she hadn''t and failed miserably. Before she had even thought about it, those words came out of her mouth and it was only after Xing Han''s tirade that she realised how stupid she was.


    Angry as she was, he was right.


    She wasn''t blind to that fact.


    Which made her even angrier. At herself, mostly. Despite figuring out her problem, she hadn''t improved even one bit. It took a mere stranger to figure her out in two minutes!


    Worse, that stranger was someone she had wanted to get closer to, as he was the closest to Kyle. He would have been the best source of information - other than Kay - to get about Kyle. From the files, she thought it would be easier to approach Xing Han as he was much more fun-loving and carefree, unlike Kay, who was more guarded when it came to Kyle.


    Now, from her careless words, she had caused a huge situation.


    ? Sayuri Apartment, Night ?


    Sayuri lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling.


    Today had been a complete and utter failure.


    She went through the day over and over in her mind and one glaring thing kept coming back at her: in her arrogance, she had looked down on everyone. Finding out something about yourself, that wasn''t a nice thing, left a bitter and sour taste in her mouth.


    She had always been proud, and had every reason to be. She worked hard to get where she is right now, and her efforts paid off. She had to fight against the tide, as she was a girl and the GrandMasters'' grandaughter. She did not want people to think that she didn''t deserve to get what she got.


    Little did she realise, her pride made her arrogant. She felt she was better than anyone else and rarely listened to other people.


    It took this mission and Xing Han to make her see that. She remembered what her Grandfather had said to her, rather cryptically, "Arrogance is knowledge minus wisdom."*


    After Xing Han''s tirade, she felt she kinda understood what her grandfather had been trying to tell her. What her grandfather meant was that she had been arrogant, thinking she knew everything but in reality, she lacked wisdom.


    Sayuri sighed. Knowing is bad enough. Finding out a negative trait of yourself can really get you down. On the one hand, it''s the first step in improving yourself.


    On the other hand? It was not going to be easy to change.


    More so because she can''t seem to get rid of the annoyance she felt for Kyle.


    They say that first impressions are important and in her case, it seemed to have been set in stone. It was hard enough not to have that feeling of annoyance each time she thought about him and how he mocked her at the airport. She had to interact with him properly??


    Sayuri screamed into her pillow.


    She''d rather have a mission to kill people than have to deal with Kyle.

 Chapter 339 - Kyle’s Promise

    Kyle had fully recovered by Friday, and he decided to head back to Sakura Academy then.


    Delilah stood at his bedroom door, seeing her son pack up to go back to school.


    "Why are you in such a rush to go back?" she asked, "Why not stay a couple of days more? After all, school only starts on Monday."


    Kyle placed the shirt he was holding into the suitcase before looking up at his mother. He noted her sad smile, and sighed. He remembered what Kay had told him, so instead of simply explaining himself, he walked over and gave her a hug.


    Delilah was shocked. She couldn''t remember the last time Kyle was ever so expressive before. Let alone be the one who initiated it.


    She felt his warmth, the sturdy body and how tall he really was. She only reached up to his chin! When did he grow so much?


    "I''m sorry, Mum," Kyle said softly as he hugged her tight, "I haven''t exactly been home much but I''m not avoiding you. I just have a lot of things to do and responsibilities to fulfill. So it''s best I go back earlier so that I can attend to them sooner."


    He released her a bit and looked at her in the eye, saying, "I will be staying at Master Shifu''s house for a day to rest before heading back to school. So don''t worry about me, okay?"


    Delilah nodded and gave him one last hug.


    Perhaps she was being greedy.


    Kyle was already under a lot of pressure, as the Smith Heir and as a student. He was handling both - and could even act outside? He maintained his grades, didn''t cause trouble, achieved results in the company and yet, she was griping over him not being home often?


    Instead of being more supportive, she was making it more difficult.


    Delilah sighed. Being a mother was hard. You want your child to be independent yet dependent. Did that even make sense?!


    Little did Delilah know, Kyle understood perfectly. Which was why he initiated the hug. He made a promise to himself that he will, from now, be more expressive with her. As Kylie, he had always been pampered by his son with daily hugs and kisses. Several times a day even.


    Well, he was only going to be more loving with his mother, but not Patrick. His father wasn''t the expressive type anyway, so he wasn''t going to go all out for that one, if at all. Kay was his princess so she can pamper him.


    Kyle was simply the Smith Heir to Patrick.


    At least, that was Kyle''s impression.


    ? Master Shifu House ?


    Xing Han was waiting impatiently for Kyle.


    He kept looking at this watch, peering out the window and looking left and right, wondering just how much longer was Kyle going to take? Xing Han would shift the weight from one leg to the other, then look through the window every five seconds.


    "If you''re going to fidget like that, it''s best you just go back home," drawled Nitocris in amusement as he was flipping through the newspaper.


    Both of them were in the living room, with Nitocris on the single-seat sofa reading the newspaper and Xing Han was directly in front of him.


    Xing Han growled and hissed at him, saying, "What''s it to you? Don''t look if it bothers you so much."


    Nitocris couldn''t help the small drawl of a smile that formed on one side of his face while he thought of how innocent the little puppy is. Little did the little puppy know that it bothers him immensely that all he could do, for now, was only look.


    He couldn''t help the smile that spread when he thought how the little puppy would react if he did know what he was thinking. He raised the newspaper up to hide his face.


    "Old man, still reading newspapers in its ancient form. Why doesn''t he just read it online?" Xing Han mumbled under his breath, cursing Nitocris. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Kyle was going to spend the night here, Xing Han would never come at all. At one time, Nitocris was hardly home so it was fine but lately, even Xing Han noticed that Nitocris was always home whenever he dropped by.


    So annoying.


    It was so obvious to Xing Han that Nitocris was taking his role of Kyle''s ''big brother'' to the extreme. At first, Xing Han had been slightly worried but then, who was by Kyle''s side all the time? Him. Why should he be worried then, right?


    He just needed to keep an eye out on this Nitocris whenever Kyle came over to visit.


    Xing Han thought smugly to himself.


    No way would Nitocris push Xing Han''s position aside.

 Chapter 340 - Fan Club

    When Xing Han saw a car arrive at the front gate, he didn''t have time to take note of Nitocris any longer. He squealed happily, causing Nitocris''s eyebrow to shoot up. Oblivious to this, Xing Han dashed passed Nitocris and rushed to the door.


    Flinging it open, he excitedly called out, "Kyyyyylllleeeee!!!" as he ran off.


    Nitocris watched him go, pursing his lips, a bit unhappy. Seems like the puppy needs a lot of training in the future ... or at least, that bundle of energy has to be directed somewhere else. Nitocris harumphed as he started thinking of a few things.


    Kyle was getting out of the car when he heard Xing Han. He grinned as Xing Han came and glomped on him.


    "Are you ever going to stop doing that?" Kyle asked in amusement.


    "Never ever ever ..." Xing Han began, "No, wait. Probably when I''m too old and feeble to do so."


    Kyle laughed as he went to the boot of the car and took out their bags. Kay came out gracefully and pouted at Xing Han.


    "Only Kyle?" she asked, putting on a sad face.


    "Angel Kay!" Xing Han hugging her tight and then swung her around.


    "Be careful," Kyle said, "You may have gotten taller now, but you''re still round and unstable."


    "OUCH," Xing Han said, putting down the laughing Kay, "It just means there''s more of me to love!"


    "Fluffy Xing Han," Kyle said, walking past him as he carried the suitcases in each hand.


    "At least you know," Xing Han said, taking one suitcase from him, "But I don''t plan to remain fluffy forever."


    "It''s fine if you can''t," Kyle said, "What is important is that you''re healthy."


    "How can you be healthy if you''re also fat?" Xing Han pointed out.


    "Well, being slim isn''t possible for everyone, actually. It all depends on the body frame, metabolism and so forth," Kyle said as they walked into the house, "Your body type may actually require twice the work other people would need to maintain a certain weight. In the end, you may suffer as you''re controlling your food so much."


    "As long as you have your vegetables and fruits, exercise often and avoid oily food once in a while, I believe you''ll be fine. Don''t smoke or drink excessively either," Kyle said, putting down the suitcase.


    "Big Bro Nick!" Kyle greeted Nitocris as he saw him in the living room.


    Nitocris merely looked up and nodded an acknowledgment. Xing Han scowled silently beside Kyle, ignoring Nitocris and then said to Kyle, "Come on, let''s go up and put the bags away first."


    "Just leave them here," Kyle said, "These are the just the stuff for school. We don''t need anything since our stuff is here as well."


    "Oh, ya. True," Xing Han replied, putting down the bag.


    They arranged it to be at the side near the door, so as to make it easier when they leave on Sunday. Xing Han was silently cursing though. He had wanted to pull Kyle away as quickly as possible before ...


    "Kyle," came that darn annoying voice.


    "Be right back," Kyle said.


    Kay noticed the scowl on Xing Han''s face and she patted his back, saying, "Come on, let''s go to the kitchen and see what sort of snacks Auntie Rheia made for us."


    Xing Han''s face brightened up a bit at that, and followed Kay obediently.


    "Yes, Big Bro?" said Kyle as he came over.


    Nitocris put down the newspaper, folded it and placed it on the coffee table.


    "Nothing," he replied with a drawl, getting up.


    Kyle rolled his eyes and sighed, "You did that just to mess with Xing Han, didn''t you?"


    Nitocris turned his head a bit, showing his smile, then walked off without saying a word.


    <Seriously> Kyle thought to himself as he walked to the kitchen <Those two are like little kids whenever they meet>


    ? Sakura Academy ?


    "This looks like Sakura Academy," Kyle said, looking left and right, then took a deep breath, "It certainly smells like Sakura Academy ..."


    Kay laughed and smacked him on the shoulder, "What nonsense are you spouting now?! Smell like Sakura Academy??"


    Kyle laughed, spreading his arms around him and asked, "Come on. You find it strange too, don''t you?"


    Kay was walking beside Kyle, and they were heading towards classes. Yes, there was an obvious difference. They had been back since last night but the buzz wasn''t as big as it used to be. It''s not that she was conceited, but it was a fact.


    Normally, everywhere they went, there would be people staring, pointing, whispering and the such. She had learned to tune it out and it didn''t bother her at all now unless people were being more obvious than normal.


    However, now, it was rather ... tame? Yes, there were people who were looking and such but it wasn''t the same. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s because they''re now the Protectors of Kyle!!" announced Xing Han proudly, puffing his chest out.


    "What are you talking about, Xing Han?" Kyle asked as he turned to face Xing Han.


    Xing Han was giving a very silly smile and then proceeded to tell them about what happened during the First Assembly.


    "Then, like a King delivering his speech to rally the troops, I stood up and shouted, ''Protect Kyle!!'' ... my shout stirred their feelings and the whole Hall erupted in chants to protect our one, our only, Sakura Academy Treasure!!" Xing Han exclaimed, his face all excited.


    Kyle''s mouth twitched while Kay was busy hiding her giggle under her hand.


    "Wow, that''s great, Xing Han," Kyle said, "But that doesn''t explain this situation."


    "Hold your horses, I''m getting to that," Xing Han huffed, "You need to know the background first, right?"


    Taking a deep breath, he blinked, "Where was I?"


    "Sakura Academy Treasure," Kay supplied, a twinkle in her eyes.


    "Ah yes. Kyle, our Sakura Academy Treasure," Xing Han said nodded, "After that, the students started a movement."


    "A group, so to speak, that will be in charge of ensuring that you''re safe and protected. There are rules and regulations on how to treat you and what to do when someone violates that said rule."


    "Membership to this group is not easy and strictly filtered to ensure that only the true-blue appreciators of Kyle are members."


    [Sounds like a fan club to me, brother]


    [Indeed] Kyle agreed [Though I''m surprised it''s only formed now]


    Kay laughed at that and replied [Trust me, brother. You have had fan clubs even in Primary School. Not this organised though. I supposed this is your first official one? Maybe you should endorse it or something?]


    Kyle snorted.


    Xing Han to turn to face Kay, his eyes narrowed as she was still laughing.


    "Sorry," she said apologetically, "It''s not what you said. I was just thinking ... anyway, what''s this group called?"


    "I already told you. Protector of Kyle!" Xing Han exclaimed.


    [Oh Dear Lord] Kyle lamented [That''s so lame]


    "And Sarah here, is the President!!" Xing Han announced, "She came up with the brilliant idea and it just rolled so quickly."


    Sarah cringed when both sets of Smith twin eyes landed on her at that moment.

 Chapter 341 - Too Cool

    Sarah gulped.


    It''s been a very long time since Kyle actually looked at her, and for a while, she felt that he was avoiding her. No, not avoiding but putting up a barrier of some sorts. So, when he looked her way, she felt that his gaze seemed especially sharp and striking.


    It made her all nervous for some reason.


    "I just thought it was about time there was something more organised," Sarah explained, "Especially once the movie comes out, I believe that there will be a whole lot of buzz about it." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle tilted his head, thinking about it and said, "I truly do appreciate your effort, Sarah, but the movie is a one-off thing. I don''t plan to act anymore in the future so having a fan club isn''t useful."


    "On the contrary!" Sarah argued, "You are already a mini celebrity, you know. Just being the Smith Heir is stirking enough, then you started adding other things like bouldering. People are curious and want to know."


    "It''s more than a fan club, actually. Our purpose is just to disseminate information properly and to make sure that the fans out there don''t go overboard," Sarah continued to explain.


    "She has a point, dear brother," Kay said, "Whether you like it or not, whether you accept it or not, people are fawning over you."


    "We can just let it be and it''ll die out eventually," Kyle insisted, "The club would only fan the flames."


    "If it was a normal fan club," Sarah said, "But that''s not our purpose."


    Kyle sighed, and nodded, "I know. Your intentions are good and I sound pretty much like an a*shole after you''ve put so much effort into it."


    They had reached the building of Sarah''s class so they stopped for a while, to allow Sarah to go to her class. Just as she was about to go, Kyle patted her arm and said, "Sorry for being such a downer. It''s not you and I do thank you. Just promise me one thing."


    Sarah''s eyes pratically sparkled as she looked at him, "Anything."


    Kyle laughed a bit at that, "You really shouldn''t agree so fast before hearing what it is."


    "But it''s you," Sarah said puzzedly, "I trust you."


    Kyle shook his head a bit and then said, "You know me well, so I trust you in running the club, or organisation, or whatever you want to label it. However, I do not want to be involved in it at all. It has absolutely no relation to me. Once things die down, then let it die down, okay?"


    "Meaning, disband the club? Or can we just let it be? Just as a place to share things and monitor the situation?" Sarah asked pleadingly.


    Kyle thought about it and replied, "I leave that to your discretion."


    "So this can''t be an official thing, huh?" Xing Han said with a slight pout of his lips.


    "It can," Kyle said, "Through Kay, I suppose. I just don''t want people to think that I''ll be making public appearences or anything via the club. It''s a verified club in the sense that the information that it releases or clarification of rumours would be true."


    "So you''re putting all the work on me?" Kay said with raised eyebrows.


    "You created my Insta," Kyle pointed out, "Sarah is just expanding on that. Maybe you can stop with the Insta and just let Sarah''s club take over? Less work, right?"


    Kay shook her head, "Not totally stop. How else can I justify taking your pics to post anyway?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes.


    "Could you at least verify it personally?" Sarah asked tentatively, "Otherwise, we would not have any validation."


    "Sure," Kyle replied.


    The bell rung by then so Sarah hurried in, a smile on her face.


    At least one thing was cleared up.


    With the club formed, she would have a closer relation to Kyle. Even though he wasn''t going to get involved, it gave her a better chance to get information and take care of him. Even if she can''t be by his side physically, at least she can help protect him virtually.


    One step at a time.


    As they watched Sarah go, Kay asked Kyle openly, "Was that a good idea?"


    "I didn''t have the heart to tell her to disband it," Kyle said, "And she really did a good job. I mean, we''re not like zoo animals any longer."


    "Perhaps," Kay acknowledged as they walked to class.


    "Well, it''s better that she is there," Xing Han said, "Rather than someone we completely do not know. It could be chaos then."


    "Whether I approve or not," Kyle said, "It would happen anyway. It still feels unnecessary though."


    "Why do you still say that? You don''t think you''re getting popular?" Xing Han asked, really puzzled at how Kyle was regarding the whole thing.


    "It''s not that," Kyle explained, "It''s the fact that I don''t reallly care. If they bad mouth me, or talk crap or even idolise me - in what way would that affect me? It''s not like my life is dependent on their thoughts, or whatnot. My reputation online, or in the entertainment world, has absolutely no bearing to the Smith Industries."


    "They may still belittle you though, if your reputation is bad," Kay pointed out.


    "Action speaks louder than words," Kyle responded, "If they belittle me because of some unsubstantiated or over-glorified rumours, then it''s their demise. Anyone who would listen to such things aren''t worthy to be in business. I''ll simply crush them."


    Xing Han heard the cold edge to Kyle''s voice and shivers went up his spine. Not out of fear though. Out of admiration.


    Kyle won the ''Smith Heir'' position through sheer, hard work. He constantly proved himself, time and time again with his business acusense and decisions. He was cold and ruthless when needed be. Just remembering what Kyle had done to Company LV put stars in Xing Han''s eyes.


    Kyle was just too cool!

 Chapter 342 - Just Who Are You?

    When Kyle entered Sage Class, he swept his gaze over everyone in the class, making sure not to focus on anyone in particular - even though he was. One particular girl that was in the far corner and who was trying hard not to pay him any attention.


    Which was really bad, actually.


    Not about the fact that she was doing a bad job about ''not looking'' but rather, the act of ''not looking'' itself was bad. She is a new student, and the Sage Class Leader has returned. Not to mention, he is the Student Council President.


    It wasn''t that Kyle was pretentious or big-headed, but it is a fact that a normal person in her position would have paid attention to him arriving. So her act of actually ''not looking'' was much more glaring and obvious.


    Thus, it would have caused her to stand out more, rather than blend in.


    Kyle smirked.


    Looks like her agitation towards him has impaired her judgment.


    Kyle knew from the records that he and Kay compiled that Sayuri is, despite all appearances right now, very skilled. She was almost a female version of Kyle. A much lower version and probably a prototype, but a female version nonetheless.


    Genius from a young age. Budding CEO. Skilled ninja-in-training.


    There were obvious flaws but she was good. Just not good enough. Kyle remembered what Master Shifu had said. Not to make it difficult for her.


    Didn''t mean that he was going to make it easier either.


    He saw that she had immense potential, so he would drop certain hints and see how it goes from there. Since this was her initiation test, then it would be remiss of him not to help out, right? The Kylie in him would help train her, the Kyle in him ... well, that''s another story.


    As Kyle walked through the door, he shouted, "I''M BACK!!"


    Then with a big grin, he posed, running his hand through his hair as he said, "Admire my greatness".


    Sayuri, who was busy with her head down and yet trying to look at Kyle, nearly splat her head on the desk at that.


    THAT was the Kyle that was so great? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han was beside him and started ooohing and aaahing, bowing and saying, "Oh great Kyle! I am cleansed by your awesomeness shining bright like a diamond upon me."


    "Kids," Kay said while rolling her eyes and glided to her desk.


    Kyle flung an arm around Xing Han, then forced Xing Han''s head down as he rubbed his hair vigorously.


    "KYLE! Noooooo!! NOT THE HAIR!!" Xing Han shouted, trying to get free.


    He was flailing his arms all about, while moving his feet to the back. He then grabbed Kyle by the waist, trying to get him to let him go but Kyle held on tight.


    While both of them were struggling there, Ali suddenly came from behind and pounced on Kyle.


    Or, at least, tried to.


    At the last minute, Kyle made a slight step to the side and Ali flew past him.


    Sayuri''s eyes narrowed at this, her heart beating rapidly.


    Just what was that? That move of his ... to others, it may have just been a fluke but she knew better. He had his back to Ali, but the stance of his feet was ready at a certain position. When Ali rushed forward, he made a move that was a slide and a step, a move so slight that it appeared normal.


    But it wasn''t.


    The precision and timing had been perfect. It was not a fluke.


    She started paying closer attention to the three stooges.*


    Ali rushed to Kyle again, and he moved to the side while bringing Xing Han along.


    "Kyle! I''m getting dizzy ..." Xing Han said, holding on to Kyle''s waist tightly.


    Ali lunged at Kyle''s head, his arm reaching for his hair when Kyle leaned back and fell, right onto the cushions and bean bags. Ali also fell and the three of them were laughing like crazy on the floor, with Kyle in the middle while Xing Han was on his left and Ali on his right.


    Everyone else in Sage Class was ignoring them, which just meant this was a normal thing.


    Sayuri twirled the pencil in her hands, concentrating hard.


    The old Sayuri would have scoffed at Kyle, at his rather playful nature and the way he was just goofing off. The ''trying hard to improve'' Sayuri, however, saw something she would have normally missed.


    The first sidestep was the hint. After that, she concentrated on all of Kyle''s movements with an open mind.


    Okay, fine. It wasn''t quite that open as she had to repeatedly tell herself, ''focus, focus'' ... but it was a start. Because of that, she saw how his seemingly random movements were actually all meticulously done. The side step, the swipe, the tilt ... and the way his feet moved, avoiding tables and somehow, bringing them all the way to the bean bags and cushions.


    From start until the end, everything had been within Kyle''s control.


    Yet, he made it look like he was only goofing off and everything was ''coincidental''. No one thought anything was out of the ordinary.


    With that thought, her mind went blank for a second.


    He had training. True, the report said he had self-defense classes but the moves he made were not ordinary.


    She looked up, and coincidentally, met his eyes.


    He gave her a knowing smirk, raised an eyebrow and turned his head to talk to Ali.


    Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    He knew!


    He knew that she knew.


    Worse ...


    The only reason she noticed his skill was because he had let her see it. He had deliberately done those moves for her to observe.


    Her pride in being able to notice something about him became deflated immediately.


    She stared at his back, as he got up and straightened his clothes.


    <Just who are you, Kyle Smith?>

 Chapter 343 - His Little Puppy

    Nitocris walked into the building, his face stoic and stern as his heels making a sharp, crisp sound on the floor as he walked. His subordinates clicked their heels together and bowed respectfully as he passed.


    He merely gave them a slight nod, if any, and walked to the elevator.


    Once he reached his office, he closed the door and he headed to his chair, sitting down. He looked around and closed his eyes for a second, calming himself as he cherished his ''alone'' time before starting work.


    Away from the prying eyes of people, alone in his room. Opening a drawer, he keyed in the code and pressed his thumbprint and opened the lid.


    His treasure was there.


    Slowly, he took out a pile of pictures and spread it on his table.


    Every single one was a picture of Xing Han. Xing Han at home. Xing Han at school. No matter what he was doing, or where he was, Xing Han always had this smile on his face. His entire being was like a piece of sunshine.


    Nitocris had looked at these pictures countless times but he was never bored of them.


    Everyone had their routine to start the day. A big breakfast. A cup of coffee. Going through the news. Those sort of things.


    For him, it would be going through pictures of Xing Han. It never failed to give him a sense of peace, and happiness. He touched the pictures lovingly, a soft gaze on his face that no one had ever seen before, not even his mother.


    "Soon, my little puppy," Nitocris whispered longingly, "Soon."


    Nitocris didn''t know when it began.


    At first, he had found Kyle''s best friend slightly annoying.


    He was always so chirpy. Energetic. Nothing seemed to get him down.


    In his world of darkness, that sunshine was a bit too glaring. Too bright.


    Yet, no matter how hard he tried to tune him out, he couldn''t.


    Xing Han was like this persistent fly that kept buzzing about with his chirpiness. A bundle of energy. A puppy that couldn''t sit still.


    Then, an itch began within Nitocris to poke fun at that little puppy. See what would make him stop, or deflate, so to speak. He just wanted to tease him a bit.


    He didn''t know then how much fun it would be to tease him and how little of an effort it would take to do so.


    All he had to do was just ''steal'' Kyle''s attention away from him.


    The way Xing Han just puffed up indignantly, the way his face just seemed to go red or even pout. There were so many expressions! Nitocris found himself doing it over and over again just to see what sort of expression would come next. Or what would he do or say.


    Xing Han was simply just too adorable!


    The more Nitocris teased him, the more he wanted to do it.


    Xing Han was just too pure.


    Soon, Nitocris found himself thinking of Xing Han constantly and a sense of protectiveness arose within him. He wanted to protect that purity. That smile. That sunshine.


    No one could taint him or tease him. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one but him, of course.


    Once he realised his feelings, he had his men tail Xing Han.


    All for his protection, of course.


    However, he also left explicit instructions not to do so when Xing Han was with Kyle. After all, Kyle would have noticed his men following them and that would have alerted Kyle to ... his fascination with Xing Han.


    His men found the ''mission'' strange enough but the additional order was even stranger.


    Yet, who were they to question him?


    Only the rookies were used for this tailing mission.


    They were told that it was for training purposes. All they needed to do was follow this one guy, take pictures and make a weekly report. They were to submit it to The Big Boss himself, and many rookies didn''t survive this ''easy'' mission.


    Why did many fail such a simple mission, you ask?


    There were many reasons given by the Big Boss. Mostly, they weren''t professional. The pictures were blurry or the reports were too boring. Worse, they had to maintain a stoic expression when giving the reports.


    No expressions. If you looked bored or excited about the subject, you get kicked. Literally.


    Nitocris sighed as he collected the pictures and kept them securely once again.


    If there was one thing Nitocris was good at, it was being patient. Claiming this little puppy for himself would take time and a lot of effort but it would be worth it. It''s best to let the fruit ripen properly.


    Nitocris smiled, thinking of the day when he can finally hold that little puppy in his arms.


    His little puppy.


    His.

 Chapter 344 - Dated??

    The Elite Five were at the cafeteria, causing a minor sensation, as always. The group at their table was now much bigger, making those watching completely envious and wishing they could have been the one that had been added.


    Sayuri observed the group, wishing that she could have a spot that could see Kyle clearly. That would have made it easier for her to read his lips but nope. Turns out the seating positions in the cafeteria were well ''booked'' in advance and was very organised. All thanks to that ridiculously named ''Protectors of Kyle'' group.


    Ali was sitting there, staring at Sophia.


    After a while, she put down her spoon and glared at Ali, "If you wanted me to go on a diet, you should have said so rather than making me uncomfortable to eat with your staring."


    Ali went into a panic and quickly put his hands out to take hers, saying, "No no no! Please, continue eating! Eat, eat, eat all you want!"


    Sophia''s eyes narrowed, "So you''re saying I eat a lot?"


    Ali reached over and gripped Sophia''s hands tightly, his eyes full of worry, "No no no! It''s not that at all ... I''m just saying, you should not worry about anything but just eat all that you want like always. "


    "So you''re saying I''m a glutton?" Sophia asked with a frown.


    "No! I mean, you can eat whatever you want and I wouldn''t mind! Not even if you''re fat!"


    "So now you''re saying I''m going to be fat?!"


    Ali''s eyes bulged wide open, wondering how he got into this mess. Just why is everything he is saying being twisted? He gulped, wondering if he should even say anything anymore since he was only digging his grave deeper and deeper.


    Just why is he such a dork whenever he is talking to her??


    Just then, Sophia couldn''t stand it any longer as she watched Ali''s panic-stricken face and started laughing.


    "I''m just messing with you, Ali," Sophia said gently, "But please stop staring. I really can''t eat when you''re looking at me like that."


    "I''m sorry," Ali said sheepishly, "I just can''t help it. You''re just too beautiful."


    Sophia blushed, and awkwardly tried to pull her hands out of his, but he held on.


    "I can stare at you all day long and not get bored," Ali said without reserve.


    "Ali. Please," Xing Han said from the side, "Some of us are trying to eat here."


    With that, Sophia''s face got really red and Ali reluctantly let go of her hand. He turned to glare at Xing Han who was beside him. Xing Han wasn''t perturbed at all, as he gave a gagging motion and then stuffed some food in his mouth.


    "Did you really have to say that?" Ali asked.


    "Yethh.." Xing Han answered, splattering some food particles out of his mouth. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "EWW, Xing Han!!" Ali shouted, jerking back.


    Xing Han just grinned at him, wriggled his eyebrows and swallowed, "Yes, that''s how your PDAs look like to me. So there."


    "My PDAs look like parts of chewed up food being strewn around?" Ali asked, his eyebrow raised.


    Xing Han raised an eyebrow as well and replied, "Looks like being in love has turned your brain to mush, dear brother. I was referring to the gagging motion earlier."


    Xing Han then pointed at Samty who were at the end of the table with his chin. They were in a world of their own as they ate silently, their eyes on each other. Betty had a shy smile on her face while Sam would occasionally feed her some of his food (and she, hers) or wipe the edge of her mouth.


    "See, now that is a proper couple," Xing Han stated, "They don''t disturb normal people around them and manage to look so sickeningly sweet at the same time."


    "You mean, single dogs like you can''t take looking?" Ali smirked.


    "I can look, not a problem," Xing Han said, "It''s your cheesy lines that sends shivers up my spine."


    "Oh, stop making it hard on the poor man, Xing Han," piped up Kyle in front, "Different people have different ways of expressing their feelings."


    "Yes, thank you!" Ali said, spreading his arms towards Kyle.


    "We just have to learn to live with his cheesiness," Kyle continued, "After all, not everyone can be Sam or a Kyle."


    "Hah," Ali snorted, "We''ll see just how much a smooth talker you''ll be when you start dating."


    Sarah''s ears perked up at this, and paused slightly in her eating. Dating?


    Kyle darted a look at Ali, then felt it was best that Sarah knew beforehand anyway. Since she''s the President of the ''PoK'' (Protectors of Kyle), she would find out sooner or later.


    "Well, yeah," Kyle replied, looking at Ali (and at Sarah from the corner of his eye), "Just wait and you''ll be amazed by my suaveness and awesomeness. My lines won''t be cheesy."


    "My lines aren''t cheesy, are they?" Ali asked Sophia worriedly.


    Sophia shook her head, wishing that the conversation topic would be something else so she asked Kyle, "You sound like you''re .... I don''t know. I mean, is there someone you''re seeing right now?"


    Kyle turned slowly to face Sophia, who was beside him, giving her a rather sexy smile as placed his chin on his palm with his elbow on the table.


    "Why? Are you interested in being my first one?" Kyle asked, his voice deep and sexy, his expression making one think of the double meaning to the sentence.


    "Kyle ... " Ali growled warningly.


    Kyle gave Ali a flying kiss, "Oh relax. Sophia only has eyes for you. See how shell-shocked she is. Just making my point to you that I''m not cheesy."


    Kyle went back to normal and said, "Sorry, Sophia. Just wanted to mess around with Ali. To answer your question, not now but yes, I had when filming John Wick ..."


    "WHAT?!" screamed Sarah in complete surprise, making everyone turn to their table.

 Chapter 345 - Making Things Clear

    Sarah put her hands over her mouth at the shout that came out before she could stop it.


    "Sorry! Sorry! I was just so shocked," Sarah said. She was. Kay had never said anything? Why? She couldn''t help but take a look at Kay, who caught her look. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What could Kay say, though? That it had been a mission? No.


    [Just what are you up to, brother?]


    [Simple. I need to cut certain dreams down. I''m sorry, Kay but it has to be done before it gets any worse. I''ve never done anything before because she''s your friend and she never crossed the line but ... well, I have to make things clear. This is the fastest way to kill her hopes without letting her know that I know about her feelings. At least, I won''t embarrass her that way.]


    Kay sighed to herself but she knew he was right. Kyle had always been decisive whenever it came to girls who harboured romantic feelings towards him. He didn''t want them to have hope so he would often be ruthless (in their eyes) whenever he set the boundaries.


    "Wait. What?" Ali said in surprise, "Why didn''t you tell us before?"


    Sarah felt a little bit better, upon seeing that the other Elite Five didn''t know either. Even though it was most likely only Ali and Xing Han from the looks of it. It must have been that private?


    "Too many things happening," Kyle explained, "It was during filming and time was tight. Didn''t really contact any of you guys during that time, right."


    "But you didn''t even tell me??" Xing Han said, his face aggrieved and he pouted.


    Kyle got up, went over to the other side of the table and sat down beside Xing Han, pushing Ali to the side with his butt as he did so. Ali rolled his eyes at Kyle''s move but moved position happily, taking the seat beside Sophia that Kyle had just vacated.


    Flinging his arm across Xing Han''s shoulder, he brought Xing Han close to him, while saying out loud, "There, there. It wasn''t intentional. Was just too busy at that time."


    Under his breath without his lips moving, Kyle explained succinctly to Xing Han, ''MIB mission. Tell you later. Need to make it clear to Sarah. No hope with me.''


    Xing Han''s face didn''t change to show that he heard and understood that. He put on a sad face as he leaned on Kyle, saying, "Too busy even to even tell me??"


    Then grabbing Kyle''s face in his hands, he growled, "So spill. Who is this woman that managed to capture the great Kyle''s heart??"


    Kyle laughed slightly and Xing Han let go.


    Sarah noted that even as he laughed, there was a slightly sad expression on Kyle''s face. Was it her imagination?


    "Fine, just the short version, okay?" Kyle replied.


    "It was that bad?" Ali asked.


    There was a wistful look on Kyle''s face before he shook his head, "No, not really."


    [If you can call psycho Samantha constantly wanting to fuck you as being ''not bad'' ...]


    Even with Kyle''s training, hearing that from his own beloved sister cracked his armour a bit. He had to turn his head aside so that no one would see the notable change in expression. He was supposed to give a sad, rather ''forlourn'' look, not a shocked one.


    [Kay, please! I''m trying to make a point here]


    "Samantha is enigmatic, gorgeous and there was just something about her ..." Kyle said softly and then sighed, "but it wasn''t meant to be. We broke up amicably as she had to leave to live with her uncle."


    "So, you mean, if she hadn''t had to leave, you''d still be dating her?" Xing Han asked.


    Kyle smiled wistfully, and nodded, "Yeah. Would have introduced her to you guys. You would have loved her."


    Luckily Kay was strong in her training. It certainly took all of it not to snort, since she knew how Kyle truly felt for Samantha. Seeing his dejected, ''I-am-broken'' look made her think yet again, just how high a level Kyle''s acting skills were.


    And he had been worried about acting in the movie?


    Kay almost snorted out loud again and she focused on looking concerned.


    "Enough with these depressing thoughts!" Kyle said with a grin as he clasped his hands together, "So anyway. All of this is hush-hush, okay?"


    Kyle turned to Sarah and said, "If it gets dug up somehow, just clarify through the club that yes, I had dated but we went our separate ways amicably due to circumstances."


    "You okay, Kyle?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    "As well as anyone can be seeing his special one walking away," Kyle answered softly, "But I''ll get her back someday."


    Sarah felt like her heart just broke.

 Chapter 346 - Final Nail In The Coffin

    Sarah couldn''t believe what she was hearing. What she was finding out right now.


    All this time, she had silently loved him from afar and told herself that she was content to just be by his side. She remembered telling Beatrice, at what seemed so long ago, that she would be able to let him go if he found someone else.


    To love him, meant to let him go.


    Yet, when the time came ... the reality was not the same as what she envisioned it to be.


    Even though he was no longer with the girl, her heart still felt pain. To see him feeling sad at the break-up, to see him affected by it meant that he had truly been in love with that girl.


    Why that girl?


    Why not her, who had been by his side all this time?


    Did he not see her?


    Was she not good enough?


    What was so great about that girl that he would have fallen for her so fast? Just those few weeks or months?


    All sorts of questions arose in her head and her heart couldn''t take it.


    "You know, the best way to get over a heartbreak is to be in another relationship," Xing Han said.


    Upon hearing this, Sarah''s ears perked up.


    "Like, seriously Xing Han?" Kyle said in ''disbelief''.


    In truth, Kyle was very impressed with the way Xing Han was steering the conversation. Just from the brief few words he had given him earlier, Xing Han knew that Kyle wanted to use the MIB mission ''Samantha'' and what he had revealed during the New Year''s celebration to achieve ''stopping Sarah''s hopes and dreams on him''.


    "But of course, Kyle," Xing Han said, "I''m not saying you should start getting girlfriends left, right and centre - though you could - but I''m just saying you should start seeing more girls. Just for fun, and to ease your heart right now. Samantha hasn''t been contacting you, has she?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle shook his head, though the reason for that was because he had blocked her number from any of his and the Elite Five contacts.


    Even now, Samantha was still trying to make contact. Luckily, it wasn''t as bad as it was when they first broke up. Samantha might turn out to be a problem in the future, so MIB was tasked to keep an eye on her.


    "So it''s time to move on! Date! See other girls! Go!!" Xing Han said, flailing his hands about.


    Kyle laughed at that, then said with a thoughtful look on his face, "I guess you''re right."


    Sarah looked down at that, her heart beating really, really rapidly. Would he now consider her?


    This was great!


    Suddenly, her disdain against this ''Samantha'' lessened. If that made Kyle start dating, then it was a good thing, right?


    "So, anyone you have in mind?" Xing Han pressed on.


    Kyle smiled at Xing Han''s obvious method to get straight to the point. A part of him was feeling a bit sad at having to be rather ruthless now but it had to be done.


    Sarah just had to move on. There would never, ever be anything between them and he didn''t want her to keep on carrying this torch for him. Since she had never initiated any move, he couldn''t just go up to her face and tell her, ''Let go'' now, could he?


    She had held on to this secret for years, so for him to expose her could possibly break her. He didn''t want that.


    "Of course I do," Kyle replied, leaning back a bit with both of his hands on the table, "Well, not a person really. First, go for all of those blind dates Mum has been setting up for me. Secondly, meet girls from other countries during my promotional tour."


    "Huh. Really," Xing Han scoffed, "Why them? Why go so far when you have so many girls here who are interested in you?"


    "Easy," Kyle replied, "There''s no one here that I like in ''that way''. I mean, yeah, there''s a lot of awesome girls here but really. If I had felt anything for anyone here, I would have made my move long ago."


    Sarah bit her lips to stop the tears from forming. She felt her eyes stinging and she took long, deep breaths to steady herself.


    She had long suspected it but to actually hear it from Kyle''s mouth was painful. Until she actually heard it, she could live in the dream. The hope that one day, he would look at her and realise that there was someone for him. Right there. Just beside him.


    "Believe me, Xing Han, I tried," Kyle began, then took a deep breath, "Well, you know about my deadline. Find someone by next year. So I was always looking. I just didn''t make it obvious and unfortunately, there''s been no one here that has ever sparked my interest. and no one ever will."


    The final nail in the coffin.


    "OH, I just remembered something I gotta do," Sarah suddenly said as she stood up, taking her plate that still had half of her food on it, "Sorry, gotta go."


    She left, without looking at anyone and quickly dashed off.


    Everyone watched her go, waving or saying ''bye'' as she left.


    "Did you have to be that blunt, brother?" Kay asked.


    Kyle looked at Kay seriously and answered solemnly and simply, "Yes."


    He looked at Sarah''s retreating back and then at Kay, "You should go and comfort her. I believe she''d appreciate a good friend right now."


    "I don''t think I''d be a good choice, though," Kay replied, "I may be her roommate, but I''m also your sister."


    "I think that''s the best of both worlds," Kyle answered and Kay, thinking about it, nodded.


    She got up, and gave Kyle a hug from behind as she said, "It''s okay, brother. She''ll get over it eventually."


    Kyle nodded, turned and kissed her cheek.


    "Thanks."


    With one final squeeze, Kay left.

 Chapter 347 - Changes

    Kyle watched Kay leave, following behind Sarah before catching up to her. He sighed and turned back to face the others at the table.


    He smiled wryly at Sophia, who had watched the entire ''drama'' in front of her with confused eyes. He didn''t explain, leaving it to Ali to do so if Sophia did want to ask. Not like Ali would have known fully what was truly going on anyway.


    The less people who knew, the better.


    "Mrs. Smith also has a list of candidates for you to choose from," Sam piped from the other end of the table.


    "Perhaps next year, Sam," Kyle answered, "For now, I''ll try to find one on my own."


    As Kyle sat there, looking around at the cafeteria, he began thinking ... as much as he enjoyed school life and the carefree days, perhaps he should speed up the plan after all.


    There were so many things going on right now and so many new revelations that Kyle began thinking that he needs to focus on some other things that had not been contemplated before. After all, 12 years ago, he would have never thought he''d be part of the Black Dragons or find a clue concerning Rex Industries.


    Did he really need to stay in school now?


    It would be a big step and it wouldn''t just involve him. There were just too many things to take into consideration and he didn''t want to rush things. For now, though, it was an option that he would need to consider.


    And plan for.


    ? Sayuri Apartment ?


    Sayuri sat on the floor, staring at her wall.


    The entire apartment living room wall that she had left bare, now had several pictures and things she had put up. It was her own ''crazy wall'',* or to be more accurate, her ''big board'',** (even though it was the wall and there was no ''board'' per se).


    She had taken the liberty to stick things on the wall and even write on it. Sayuri would repaint the wall when she moved out, and the crazy wall helped her think.


    There were various pictures that she had arranged in similar to an organizational chart, with her own personal tweaks.


    The centre of the crazy wall held the biggest picture, and it was of Kyle.


    On his right, in a smaller picture, was Kay with the words ''twin sister'' on it. On his left, Xing Han (BFF). Above Kyle, which was split into two, was Sam (PA) and Ali (???).


    Below Kyle, there were several categories and its respective notes about it:


    Hobbies: bouldering / ???


    School: Student Council President / Sage Class Leader / Top IQ Test Scorer


    Activities: Acting / CEO-in-training / ???


    Love life: ???


    Skills: Self-defence / ???


    Sayuri had just added a further ??? under self-defense, as she remembered those smooth steps. She bit her lips, as she observed the number of ??? that she had on the wall. There were many things that she did not know and would need to find out.


    Yet, her disastrous first day at Sage Class had made it difficult for her to approach any of the Elite Five for information.


    Xing Han had, like a little kid, refused to even look at her. Thus, Sayuri decided that the best course of action was to let him calm down first before approaching him.


    She had tried to approach Ali, but he was all serious during class time and after that, he would be spending it entirely with Sophia.


    As for Sam? She figured that with his position as Kyle''s PA, he would have a lot of information about Kyle, right? Unfortunately, he was so tight-lipped about Kyle that Sayuri felt getting blood from a stone would have been easier. She couldn''t even find out how Sam became part of the Elite Five!


    She couldn''t push too much as it would only arouse suspicion. Worse, he might even think she was romantically interested in Kyle!


    Sayuri sighed and turned to look at the opposite wall. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There, hung three framed calligraphy words that Sayuri had written and hung side-by-side to each other.


    She now looked at those words, to relax her mind and to remind her of the things she needed to work hard on.


    The first was "Humility", to remind her that she must always be humble and never look down on others. Never be arrogant.


    The second was "Perseverance", to remind her to never give up and always work hard.


    Lastly, "Wisdom", to remind her to use her mind to think and analyse, rather than judge.


    She wrote these words on pieces of paper as well and placed them all over the apartment. She had also written it on the inside of her pencil case so that she is constantly reminded of it.


    Sayuri sighed and went to study the crazy wall again.

 Chapter 348 - The Path To Take

    Kay walked silently behind Sarah, her steps light and without any unnecessary steps.


    She simply followed quietly as she instinctively felt Sarah needed some time to gather her thoughts and her emotions. Once they were in a more secluded spot, Kay let her steps be heard.


    Sarah turned and her face paled a bit upon seeing Kay.


    "K-Kay," she stammered, quickly wiping her eyes. She berated herself for not doing so before turning, but she had been so upset and muddled-headed that she didn''t think.


    Kay smiled gently and took out her handkerchief, and wiped some of the streaks before handing the handkerchief to her.


    Sarah took it, blinking rapidly, her mouth trembling.


    "You knew?" she asked.


    "I suspected," Kay answered.


    "Does he know?" she asked nervously, looking up at Kay.


    "No. I felt it was your secret, not mine to tell. Anyway, you never even told me so why should I say anything?"


    "I''m sorry," Sarah said with a sigh.


    Sarah sat down on the grass.


    She had walked on until, before she realised it, she had reached the school field. Whilst the field was in the middle of the two school building wings, one part of it was lined with trees that provided shade.


    It allowed anyone who wanted to watch the practice to sit there rather than on the bleachers, since the latter was not covered. It was a popular shaded spot for students to relax and chill as well, but at this time, there weren''t many students around because there were no sports activities today.


    Kay sat down next to her and asked, "Why are you apologizing for?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For not telling you about it," Sarah said, "I just didn''t want it to be awkward between us. I mean, I was crushing after your brother."


    Kay shrugged, replying, "I can see how it would have been uncomfortable for you."


    Which was true. How would you feel if your good friend confessed that they had feelings for your brother? There were several possibilities.


    If you felt like your brother is a pain in the as*, then such a revelation would be regarded as insane. That the friend has bad taste and all that jazz.


    You might feel the friend is only being your friend, in order to get close to your brother.


    You might feel that if she tried to hook up with your brother and it didn''t work out, what would their friendship be like?


    Things like that.


    Kay didn''t blame Sarah for the course of action that she took. After all, her feelings probably started when they were only 13. So young to fall in love and let''s face it. Who could resist Kyle? Judgment impaired, decisions made may not be good and the path taken may not be ideal.


    Even Kay, who had Kyle to guide her, would often make mistakes. Just remembering Jason and Kazuya was enough to give her a taste of what it was like: trying to be an adult and actually being one.


    The important thing was not the mistakes, or the path that you had taken.


    It was what you do after that which is what matters.


    So right now, what would Sarah''s choice be?


    Sarah looked at Kay seriously and asked, despite knowing the answer, "So ... Kyle ... he never talked about me?"


    "Not in the way you mean," Kay answered, "The things he asked were the same as for anyone else. Whether I was okay with you as a roommate. Whether there were any habits of yours that I found annoying. Whether I could get along with you."


    If Sarah had heard this before Kyle stating that he had never been interested in anyone at Sakura Academy, she would have been living in the continued delusion that it meant he was interested in her. To find out if she was a good person, and could get along with Kay.


    She realised at that point that everything Kyle did or said, she had seen through ''hopeful'' eyes and it got twisted.


    It left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    Every kind gesture of his. Every sweet word of his.


    All were heard and seen through love hazed ears and eyes.


    Sarah laughed at herself.


    Love truly was blind.


    However, knowing it and moving on are two different things.


    She had held on to that flimsy piece of hope for so long that simply letting go was not possible.


    "What can I do, Kay?" Sarah asked, tears forming again, "I don''t think I can let go."


    Kay sighed, shaking her head.


    "You can, and you must," Kay replied, turning to face her, "Kyle will never have feelings for you. Holding on like this is useless."


    "But what if - " she began again.


    "There is no what ifs," Kay stated firmly.


    Kyle was right. Sarah needed to get a firm grip on reality. There was no sugar coating it with her. Otherwise, she''d keep on having these hopes and dreams.


    "But anything can happen, right? No one knows the future, right?" Sarah persisted, "I''m working hard to change and improve. He may ..."


    "Sarah!" Kay said sharply, "Are you even listening to yourself? Why are you grasping at straws* like this?"


    Kay really did pity Sarah. She had been harbouring feelings for Kyle for so long so her reaction was pretty normal. It''s not like she can switch off those feelings now, can she? What would it take for her to be able to let go and walk on a different path?


    Sarah took a deep breath, seeing how the normally angelic Kay was actually angry at her.


    Deep down, she felt a bit ashamed for the way she was acting.


    But she couldn''t help it.


    "You''re his sister," Sarah said, the words coming out of her mouth before she could stop it, "Couldn''t you please put in a good word for me?"


    Kay''s eyes narrowed at that but she chose not to say anything.


    She simply looked at Sarah straight in the eyes.

 Chapter 349 - The Tough Decision

    Sarah put her hand over her mouth, after her brain caught up with what she had said.


    What did she ... how could she have ...


    She reached out to Kay, putting her hands on Kay desperately, "I''m so sorry Kay. No, I didn''t mean that."


    Kay patted her hands, then looked at the field. Sarah was feeling relieved until she heard Kay said, "I forgive you, but I can''t say it''s okay."


    Sarah''s hands fell to her side, as she said, "I ... I understand."


    Though in truth, she didn''t, really. How can you say it''s not okay if you have been forgiven? Kay was silent for a while, her mind racing as she thought of certain things.


    Sarah was her first friend here in Sakura Academy. First girl friend.


    It had been a really good time together as they practically shared everything. Sarah also never asked her for things or made things difficult. She had never tried to get to know Kyle through her, and that alone had made Sarah have a special place in her heart.


    Yet now, the good friend was turning into something that wasn''t so pleasing.


    Were her feelings for Kyle so deep and so strong that she was losing her rationality? She may have said that her words were not intentional, but that was a lie. It was actually her greatest desire, and in her agitated state, the words came out unfiltered.


    It meant that she did have such thoughts and hopes. She just never expressed them before.


    One might say that so long as no one actually acted on their thoughts, it was fine. In most cases, it would be. You cannot stop how you think, but you can have control over what you do. You can hate a person, for example, but you can still treat them nicely.


    However, in Sarah''s case?


    She may act properly but now, Kay wouldn''t know what her true intentions were from those actions. One may say that she''s being overly suspicious and disregarded two years of friendship ... but Kay had already been exposed to the darker side of human nature.


    Trust, once gone, would be hard to gain back. If ever.


    Still, it did not mean that Kay was going to cut ties or sever her friendship. No, that would be too harsh and cruel - more so since Sarah appeared genuinely contrite about it.


    It just meant that Kay had struck off Sarah from her heart. In the sense that she would not ''invest'' in their friendship. She would treat Sarah the same, but not the same. In other words, she wouldn''t be mean but she wouldn''t confide in her any longer.


    Not the really deep things, that is.


    Kay felt sad for having to lose a friend, but it was a decision that she had to make. As a Smith, and a twin to Kyle, there would be many people who would try to cozy up to her just to make use of her. She had to be strong and steel her resolve.


    Making tough decisions were the norm.


    Kay put on a gentle smile as she faced Sarah, nothing about her troubled mind and sad heart showed.


    "I know you wouldn''t make use of me to get closer to Kyle," Kay said, "So that is why I forgave you but what you said wasn''t nice either, so it is not okay. Words, once spoken, can''t be taken back."


    Kay took a deep breath and got up, brushing her skirt to get rid of the grass stains and pieces of fallen leaves on it.


    She turned to face Sarah and said firmly, "Sarah, if Kyle was ever to have feelings for you, he would have by now. So please, wake up and give up. Nothing you can say, or do, will ever change his mind or how he feels."


    Sarah nodded, saying, "I know."


    She watched as Kay left, appreciating the fact that Kay seemed to understand that she needed to be alone right now.


    Kay made it sound so easy. ''Forget Kyle'' / ''Stop Loving Kyle''. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How was that even possible? Easier said than done!


    To be fair, Kay never did tell her those things for she was well aware that one can''t just stop feeling. ''Giving up'' did not mean ''stop feeling'' but to Sarah, it was the same thing. To give up on Kyle meant to stop loving him, right?


    Sarah spent the rest of the evening figuring things out.


    Luckily, Kyle did not know how she had felt so she could still interact with him. She is, after all, the Founder and President of the Protector of Kyle group. She would have plenty of chances to stand by his side.


    Give up?


    Not while her heart still beats.

 Chapter 350 - Change Is Not Easy

    Sayuri was determined to change.


    She had to.


    It wasn''t just to pass the test, but it was also to improve her character. If she was to be the next CEO, how could she have such a weakness? The company may crash because of her and that would make those people happy.


    Those who wanted to put her down. Those that looked down on her. Those that were waiting for her to fail.


    Knowing your weakness was the first step in overcoming it. Taking that first step, however, required a lot of effort. Changing your mindset and manner of thinking isn''t easy. It''s not like one was changing clothes, but changing a basic nature of yours that had gotten a firm grip.


    If a person was lazy, and he knows he is lazy, does it mean that he would suddenly be able to become hardworking?


    No.


    It would take supreme effort to push himself to work hard when his entire being was saying ''sleep'' or ''another day''.


    It was the same for Sayuri.


    She was well aware of the fact it would take a long time for her to truly change, but if she did not overcome it, then she was doomed to fail.


    She couldn''t afford that.


    This was her last chance and she had worked her whole life for it.


    How could she not put her all into it?


    That''s why she had to have those reminders around her. That''s why she had to consciously think of her actions and thoughts every day.


    In the morning, she would start on her mantra. She would do her meditation while thinking of positive thoughts, of improving herself. Then she''d go for an early morning run before school. At night, she would go through in her mind what she had done and reflect on it.


    Was there anything that she could have done better? Did she judge people? Did she analyse properly? She wrote everything down and would review it every day.


    It was during one of her mornings run when she discovered that she wasn''t the only one doing so. She heard some shouts in the distance and out of curiosity, she headed towards the source of that sound.


    It came from the school field.


    To her surprise, she saw Kyle and Xing Han running at the tracks. She watched as Kyle was gaining on Xing Han, who was slightly ahead.


    "Kyle!" Xing Han was shouting as he panted, "Stop it!!"


    Kyle ignored him, laughing as he ran up, smacked him once on the butt then ran off. It didn''t take long for Kyle to have made one round and was going to reach Xing Han again. This time, he smacked Xing Han at the back of the head as he passed by.


    On the third round, just as Kyle was about to reach Xing Han, Xing Han just slumped on the ground and lay on his back, breathing heavily.


    Xing Han had done one round while Kyle had done three.


    Sayuri was mesmerized by the scene, much to her consternation. Even after three rounds, Kyle didn''t look out of breath and she had seen those powerful legs running smoothly, as if he was gliding.


    She felt like she was fangirling over Kyle, something that almost every living person in Sakura Academy was doing - and she didn''t like it.


    She hid behind the trees, observing them from a distance.


    The results of her constant training to improve herself surely bore fruit today. She wasn''t as agitated as she normally would have been upon seeing Kyle. During the two weeks that she had been observing Kyle, she acknowledged that he was very skilled and capable.


    She remembered the day when she had handed him her report about her future plans.


    He returned it the next day and she had been puzzled by it. Why? Was there something wrong with her report? However, when she opened the folder to check, she found that it had small notes written by the side.


    Suggestions. Options. Possible solutions.


    It wasn''t directions or orders.


    He had written it in such a way that it was easier to accept. The notes were in green (rather than red), there were no sentences canceled. Just simple notes about the possible routes to take. She was the one that had the freedom to choose what was the best path for her. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The person that she had been seeing as an enemy was actually someone that she should emulate.


    That sudden thought had not been well received at first.


    The report in her hands was solid proof of his superior knowledge over hers, yet she was still feeling hesitant?


    It was like a troubled teen when getting good advice but rejected it simply because it came from his parent, whom he regarded as ''not understanding'' him.


    Sayuri forced herself to take a deep breath, recited her mantra and read the report again with a clear mind and an open heart.


    She did the research and looked up on every suggestion. It was perfectly tailored for her.


    She felt ashamed of her earlier resentment.


    Kyle obviously knew what he was doing and his proposal was good. Yet, when he had handed her the report, he had done so with a genuine smile and had even said her ambitions were admirable. He wished her all the best and he went and did some other work.


    Unlike her, he was humble.


    That had been another wake-up call for her and her realisation of Kyle''s competency. He truly was a worthy Smith Heir. A capable leader.


    Despite her initial negative reaction, she was appeased by the fact that she had not let it impair her judgment again.


    So Sayuri decided to take a month to overcome this personal obstacle of hers before starting her mission. After all, she did not want a repeat of the Xing Han episode.


    For now, it was simply to observe.


    Problem was, she felt she was becoming a ''Kyle'' fan.

 Chapter 351 - Silently Observing

    Sayuri climbed the tree and hid amongst the foliage. This gave her a better view and she felt safer there. Getting into a comfortable position, she continued to watch silently.


    "Come on, Xing Han," Kyle said, taking his arm and trying to pull him up.


    Not successful.


    Xing Han used his entire weight to just lie there, which only caused Kyle to drag Xing Han around rather than get him up.


    "You have to cool down after exercising," Kyle reminded him.


    "Too ... tired ... dead ..." Xing Han panted, breathing heavily.


    Kyle rolled his eyes and proceeded to help Xing Han with some basic stretching exercises. He lifted both legs up and held them up, timing it.


    "You''re the one that wanted to get fit, remember," Kyle said as he looked down at the heaving BFF.


    "It''s only the first day!!" he wailed in response, stretching his arms open wide beside him.


    "I just had you run one lap," Kyle pointed out, changing positions.


    "One? Really? It wasn''t a hundred?? Felt like a hundred," Xing Han complained.


    Kyle just laughed and continued the low stretches.


    "Done," Kyle said, offering his hand, "Come on. A slow walk back to the dorm, okay? Can you handle that?"


    Xing Han took Kyle''s hand and sat up.


    "I can handle that, I think ..." Xing Han answered, "I want pork chops."


    "Not for breakfast. Take oats," Kyle replied, pulling Xing Han up completely.


    "I''m not a goat!"


    Kyle laughed, "You have a lot of common with a wild goat since they''d eat almost anything. And combination of oats and alfalfa is a very balanced diet for a goat. "


    "Meat. I need meat!!" Xing Han wailed, flailing his arms in the air and then glomped on Kyle, hanging on his shoulders, "Meeeeaaaattttt!!"


    Kyle staggered a bit under the sudden weight but he adjusted easily. Half carrying, half dragging Xing Han, he endured the sweaty, wailing baby demanding meat all the way back to the dorm.


    Sayuri''s mouth twitched at the scene, but at the same time, there was envy.


    She had read the reports about how close the Elite Five were but was nothing compared to actually seeing it. It was real. It didn''t appear anything fleeting, especially if you looked at how Kyle treated Xing Han and vice versa.


    That genuine smile on his face while he cared for his best friend while exercising, the way Xing Han would stand up for Kyle unhesitatingly with righteous anger ... that was a real bond.


    Sayuri sighed and jumped down from the tree, pulling up her hood. She did some slight stretching before running off at full speed. She felt agitated in her heart, thinking of her own lonely existence. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had shut herself out from everyone and everything, save her Grandfather and Uncle, just so that she could focus on improving herself. She had put her all into that, and that had most likely warped her personality as the only time she met with people, were those that constantly put her down.


    She needed to be able to stand up against them and she would shoot them down with her words and her skills.


    Unfortunately, she had been too blind to see others who didn''t deserve such treatment from her.


    Just thinking about Kyle and the Elite Five made her re-evaluate her life as well.


    Kyle could reach such a high position yet still have close friends. People he could trust. What had she been doing?


    She ran faster to get rid of this frustration in her heart. The wind in her face felt good.


    ? Kyle''s Dorm ?


    Kyle sat at his desk while Xing Han showered. Sounds of him belting out ''It''s my Life'' by Bon Jovi could be heard through the closed door. Xing Han has a very good voice though he only sang in the shower, so only Kyle was privy to it (and those close to his dorm). The choice of songs would be what he was feeling that morning.


    Obviously, the morning run triggered this intense feeling of frustration as even the sounds of water splashing about could be heard.


    Someone would need to clean up that mess later, and it certainly wasn''t going to be him!


    [So what''s the status with Sayuri?] asked Kay Kyle was busy thinking and tapping the pen on the table.


    [Same-o, same-o] Kyle replied [She''s just observing silently]


    [What do you think her mission is?]


    [Don''t know, don''t care] Kyle replied lazily.


    [You''re so bad]


    [So long as it doesn''t interfere with what I''m doing, it doesn''t really matter to me. Father said to give her some slack, so I am.]


    Kay sighed. Kyle could so easily call Master Shifu ''Father'', but hardly called Patrick, ''Dad''. Would that be a problem in the future, she wondered.


    She hoped not.

 Chapter 352 - Student Council Changes

    A month flew by, just like that.


    After being away for so long, there were quite a few things that Kyle had to do and finish up before he set off again in February. He needed to set things in motion and made sure everything was finalised so that he could concentrate and focus on the things he had to do on the promotional tour.


    After all, the promotional tour wasn''t just about the movie itself. He had to dig information for Big Bro Nic and check out girls. The latter being something on that he wasn''t really serious about but he had to leave the option open.


    Kyle sat at his desk, sighing as he closed the Community Outreach Programme file and placed it on his desk. The things were set and would be up-and-running during the semester break, so there wasn''t anything for him to do now.


    He went over to Beatrice''s table and handed her the file, saying, "I''m handing this over to you now. I doubt I''ll be around to do much, so you be the main liaise from now on. After all, they know you more than me."


    Beatrice took the file and nodded.


    He basically left the Community Outreach Programme entirely to Beatrice, telling her that she was more than capable of handling it.


    Kyle then sat down at the edge of Beatrice''s desk, causing her infamous eye twitch as she looked at him, her eyebrow raised.


    "I plan to abdicate the Student Council President position, and pass it to you," Kyle said slowly.


    Beatrice stood up, her face in horror, "NO!"


    Kyle looked at her, tilting his head to one side and asked, "Why not? You''ve been doing most of the work last year when I was hardly around. I may be equally busy this year as well, so why don''t you just take the position properly? Make it official?"


    "I may have been around physically, but you still did the work!" Beatrice insisted, sitting back down, "And grab a chair, will you. Looking up at you is killing my neck."


    Kyle did so, with an apologetic smile. Sitting next to her now, he was serious as he said, "Look, this is your final year, right? Being Student Council President on your school leaving certificate will also be much more impressive. Let the hard work you''re doing be seen in black-and-white."


    Beatrice wavered, but despite the fact that she did cover up for Kyle last year, she didn''t acknowledge that the work she did was all done by her. Kyle still did a lot, and she felt that he deserved the position more than her.


    "It''s only for this year," Kyle pressed on, seeing her hesitation, "You be President and I''ll be Vice-President with Sayuri as the Acting VP while I''m not around. After all, her test results were very high as well, right? If you weren''t around, she would be VP anyway."


    "That''s true ..." Beatrice said, thinking but still wanted to reject it. After all, she was quite satisfied already with her CV.


    "Then it''s settled! Great! I''ll go tell Principal Godric right now!" Kyle said quickly and dashed off before Beatrice could finish her sentence.


    She sat there, her mouth agape as Kyle disappeared. Why did it feel like she had been duped, just like how it had been when she somehow accepted the Vice-President position?


    Sam, who heard the whole thing, just sat at his desk with a smile. He was busy himself, trying to juggle Kyle''s schedule. Just looking at it made his head spin.


    While Kyle managed to somehow juggle all three positions : Student Council President / Smith Heir / Actor, it was all due to Sam''s meticulous planning and scheduling as well. He made sure Kyle remembered all the notable points to be done for the day, plus gave him a weekly report of what was pending and what had been achieved.


    Kyle abdicating the President position and putting Sayuri as Vice-President was Kyle''s idea, but only after Sam pointed out that his schedule for the year didn''t leave him much time to spend as President. Both of them worked together, like one well-oiled machine - with Sam being the oil to make sure Kyle''s gears could work at its optimum.


    Kyle never regretted hiring Sam, and Sam has become indispensable to him even now. Sam never regretted taking the offer, for his life was so much more fulfilling and enticing as before. Him being rich as well was just icing on the cake.


    Sam remembered the day he handed his parents the keys to the house he had bought. All this time, they had stayed in that small rented house, but just by working with Kyle for a year, he had earned enough to buy a house!


    After all, his living expenses were very low while at school, and when he followed Kyle around, he also received living expenses allowance (which was insanely high). Sam felt Kyle was being overly generous to him since he is an Elite Five but when he had raised the issue once, Kyle smacked him on the head.


    Literally. He even has the bump to prove it.


    Kyle said simply that he paid according to ability.


    "Don''t think I am blind to the amount of work that is on your plate, Sam. Ever since you started, my life has become more organised and smoother. Simpler. Your efficiency is one thing, Sam," Kyle had said, "Your loyalty and dedication is another. Your pay hardly reflects how valuable you are to me. So don''t you ever raise this again."


    Sam rubbed his aching head and nodded, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside though he didn''t show it.


    "Unless you think I''m not paying you enough, then you can ask for a raise," Kyle finished with a smile.


    Even thinking about that made Sam smile. It gave him even more drive to do all he could for Kyle. Right now, Sam was busy arranging his promotional tour schedule and making sure that all that was arranged properly.


    As Kyle was a new actor, there was a lot of information that Sam needed to dig up. Simple things that people tend to take for granted, like the silent rules when walking the red carpet.


    To walk the red carpet sounds simple. You literally walk the red carpet. It allows photographers to snap pictures of them on the way to an awards ceremony or party, and some also give interviews.


    However, what was the positioning - that is, who goes first? What sort of outfits were allowed? How long was one allowed to linger on the red carpet, if any? All of these would surely be told to Kyle at the event itself but Sam prefered to be prepared beforehand.


    Why wait until the last minute, right? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While all of this was going on, one particular girl at the other side of the classroom was still in a state of shock.


    What just happened? Why did she hear Kyle say she was to be the next Vice-President? Why wasn''t she informed? How was this done?


    She was so confused.

 Chapter 353 - Delaying The Inevitable

    It was a relaxing day after school. Both Ali and Sophia didn''t have any extra-curricular activities after school - mainly because they had worked it out so that they would have one day in a week that was ''free''.


    To date, of course.


    Some may say it isn''t romantic to have their ''dates'' in school, but for Ali and Sophia, what was important was that they could spend time together.


    The only problem was, Ali was constantly wondering when was the ''best'' time to talk about his faith. Too many times and it would get boring, wouldn''t it? If the interest wasn''t there, and one forced it, wouldn''t one start feeling a bit miffed?


    But if he didn''t bring up the subject, wouldn''t it mean that he''s just delaying the inevitable?


    He hadn''t told Sophia about the deadline as he didn''t want the added pressure to be on her, but there was no denying the fact that time was passing them by. One may think 11 more months is a long time, but to Ali, it wasn''t.


    How could any talk or discussion about God, and his belief, be covered within a day?


    It would need the correct moment. The correct words, the correct time to ponder and think upon.


    He just wanted to spend time with her.


    Before they confessed, they did spend time together as friends. Yet, it was different now. Even though they had talked constantly and hung out together, time spent as a couple felt completely different.


    More precious, in a way. He noticed things about her that he didn''t before. Well, perhaps he did but it was all subconscious.


    The way she smiled. The way she talked. The way the sunlight glistened in her hair. Little things like that.


    He also felt that if he broached the subject, it would ruin the day. Each time before they met, he had his resolve to talk about it. However, the moment they met, he''d think, ''There''s always next week. Plenty of time.''


    He just enjoyed her company and before he knew it, weeks would have passed.


    Ali sighed to himself, watching Sophia as she animatedly talked about her day. Her family.


    He loved hearing all about it for it meant that he was getting to know more about her. However, she never truly asked him about his family and he wondered.


    Was it because she wasn''t interested or was it because it was just not within her mind at all? He wondered, but never asked.


    What Ali didn''t know was that Sophia was also in a dilemma and had a few questions of her own.


    She would talk to him about her day and even her family yet he never offered any sort of stories about his own day and family. He would just sit there, smiling and listening to her intently. While it was all nice and good that he was paying attention, she wanted more interaction, you know?


    More sharing. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wasn''t her talking about her day a cue for him to add in about his day? When she talked about her family and things that they did, wasn''t that a cue for him to compare with his? Give his own anecdotes about his family?


    Once, she did try to ask him instead of waiting for him to share. It was a simple question. How was his day? What did he do?


    He''d just say ''The same, nothing new''.


    If he was like this when she asked about his day, what would he be like if she asked about his family? Would he think that she was being too nosy? Why was it so hard for him to share his thoughts? Must she always be the one to keep asking him?


    Would he think that she was too chatty?


    Would he get too tired of her?


    These two silly fools were just so conscious of each other and scared to rock the boat that they didn''t really talk about their fears. Their feelings for each other were new, and precious, so they made the mistake of wanting to just live in the moment.


    Actually, there was nothing wrong with what they were doing - if they were an ordinary couple. After all, they were only in their teens and both were each other''s ''first love''. There should have been plenty of time to explore their feelings and just use the time to get to know each other.


    But time was ticking.


    ? ? ? ?


    Ali wasn''t the only one delaying the inevitable.


    After Kyle''s shocking announcement that he was going to appoint Sayuri as the vice-president, that particular person went missing from class.


    At that moment, she was pacing about in her apartment, her heart and mind in a mess.


    Don''t misunderstand.


    It wasn''t that she was having feelings for Kyle. Rather, she was feeling nervous. For the first time in a long while, Sayuri wasn''t feeling confident.


    Why would she be so nervous, you may ask? Well, if you were asked to step into the shoes of a legend, would you feel like you were up to it?


    Even Beatrice, whom Sayuri saw as a capable and efficient person, who had carried the mantle of ''President'' last year - didn''t think she was capable enough to fill in Kyle''s shoes.


    Although Sayuri wasn''t filling in Kyle''s shoes like Beatrice, she would be acting in his stead when he''s not around. It was not the same as Beatrice, but it certainly did have some similarity.


    Sayuri groaned.


    What was wrong with her?


    Did her constant mantra of ''humility'' rob her of her sense of self-confidence?


    She was supposed to be less arrogant, not become weak! This was unacceptable!!


    Just then, she heard the doorbell.


    Surprised, she looked around and wondered who it could be. After all, she didn''t have friends and the only one who knew she lived here was her grandfather and uncle.


    She walked to the door and peered through the spyhole, gasped and almost fell down.


    It was Kyle.

 Chapter 354 - Ulterior Motives

    Just *what* was he doing here?? How did he know ... oh, of course. He''s the Sage Class Leader aka the ''teacher in charge''. Naturally, he would have the information about the students in the classroom.


    She quickly ran to her living room and released the cloth above her crazy wall. It unfurled, and a huge cloth that had a watercolor painting of mountain scenery completely covered the crazy wall.


    Satisfied that nothing showed, she rushed to the door again as she vigorously rubbed her hair to mess it up. She patted it down and pinched her nose until it became red, then she rubbed her eyes. Taking a peek of herself in the mirror, she was satisfied.


    With her ''bed'' hair, and dopey looking face, she looked like she was sick. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.


    Kyle was just about to press the doorbell again when it swung open.


    "Student Council President," Sayuri said, her voice a bit raspy, "What are you doing here?"


    Kyle put down his hand and looked at her in concern, "You hadn''t come to class for some time, so I thought I''d check up on you."


    Sayuri sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve and she replied, "I''m fine. Just a little cold. Sorry I didn''t call to inform."


    "Not a problem," Kyle said, putting his hand on the door and pushing it open.


    Sayuri staggered a bit at that and her eyes went wide as he walked in, uninhibited.


    "Your father isn''t home?" Kyle asked casually.


    In the school records, it indicated that Sayuri was a one-parent family. Her mother had passed away while she stayed with her father. As her father got work here, they transferred.


    "No, he went to work," Sayuri explained, closing the door behind her.


    Kyle''s eyes swept the apartment once. From the doorway, he could see living room in front and the kitchen at the side. At his feet, there were some adult shoes as well.


    Kyle''s face didn''t betray how impressed he was at the set-up.


    Despite the fact that she wasn''t expecting him, she still had prepared for the possibility that guests could come. There were little signs here and there to indicate that Sayuri wasn''t living in the apartment alone, though Kyle knew very well that she was.


    "Do you mind?" he asked politely as he indicated the slippers to be worn in the house.


    Sayuri''s mind raced.


    This was a good opportunity for her to get to know Kyle better, right? Why waste the chance that dropped on her lap? Even though it was inappropriate for a girl to be alone with a guy in the apartment, Sayuri decided to take that chance. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, Kyle was the one that came alone, and he''s supposed to be an exemplary student, right?


    "Go ahead," Sayuri answered, shuffling in, "But why are you here, Student -"


    "Please, just call me Kyle," Kyle interrupted, "That''s such a mouthful to say each time. Why would you call a person by their title or designation anyway?"


    Kyle walked in and headed straight to the kitchen, opening the fridge door.


    "Stud- I mean, K-Kyle," Sayuri stammered, not being used to saying his name, "What are you doing?"


    "Have you had anything to eat yet today?" Kyle asked.


    "Er .." Sayuri couldn''t answer that. She ate only when she was hungry and she hadn''t really been feeling hungry since she was so caught up in her thoughts and work.


    She heard Kyle tsked and watched him take out some raw chicken.


    "Is chicken congee okay?" he asked politely, while taking out a knife and proceeded to debone the chicken.


    "Ah? Er?" Sayuri stammered again, her mind going blank. Why was she so stupid at that moment? She was just so shocked that she couldn''t comprehend what she was seeing.


    In her kitchen, was the Smith Heir, Student Council President, and Sage Class Leader, expertly cutting chicken and going around in her kitchen like it was his own. All three identities did not seem to gel with this man who knew his way around the kitchen.


    "Sit," Kyle commanded, "You''re sick so you should always have proper food and nutrition."


    Kyle knew she wasn''t really sick, but he could also tell that she hadn''t been eating properly. There were no washed plates in the dish rack, the counter was clean and the sink was dry. It all indicated that the kitchen hadn''t been used yet that day or even last night.


    Since she hadn''t eaten properly, congee was the best to ease an empty stomach. He washed the rice, placed it into a pot with the bones of the chicken and sprinkled salt. The chicken meat had been sliced and marinated slightly before he pan fried it.


    He also minced some garlic and sliced some shallots. These were fried, then placed on a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Once done, he placed it in an airtight container and put it next to the plate of chicken that he made earlier.


    Sayuri was mesmerized. The way Kyle cooked was like poetry in motion.


    There was no superfluous motions. The way the knife flew by in a blur of motion ... the way he tossed the chicken as he fried it ... the way he plated everything. Sayuri could cook as well but next to him? She was like a student while he was the Masterchef.


    "The congee will take a bit of time to be ready," Kyle said, "There''s enough to last you for a day or two. Make sure you eat, okay?"


    "Th-thank you," Sayuri stammered again and she could have kicked herself.


    Why was it, in front of him, she was a blabbering idiot??! Luckily he didn''t know she was that ranting lunatic at the airport, though she didn''t know which is worse. A stammering fool or an angry monkey.


    Kyle smiled, then leaned back as he said, "Well ... don''t thank me yet, since I do have an ulterior motive."


    "Huh??"

 Chapter 355 - Budding Friendship

    Kyle laughed, but it was a slow, low laugh rather than a straight-out laughing. It was as if he was amused at her blank face and was quite enjoying the situation.


    Which, of course, he was.


    He just sat there, smiling while she blinked at him.


    "Ah," he suddenly said, "The congee. Hold on."


    He went and lifted the lid of the pot, bending forward a bit to check its contents while stirring it with a ladle.


    As she watched him, she realised what it meant by all those novels she had read before. She had thought it was utterly ridiculous then, but the proof was right in front of her.


    It really was very hot to watch a guy cooking in the kitchen.


    It didn''t help that the guy in question was hot in the first place; it just added to his charm even more. Once she got past the veil of prejudice over her eyes, she could truly appreciate and admire the guy in front of her.


    Mind you, it was just that. Pure admiration and acknowledgment of a person and not that blind fangirling people did over his looks.


    Definitely, not a Kyle fan like those in the Protectors of Kyle group. Still, if those girls ever got to know that their idol was in her kitchen, cooking for her, they''d probably flip. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri shuddered at the thought.


    "So what is this ''ulterior motive'' that you were talking about?" Sayuri asked as he didn''t seem to be bringing forth any sort of information.


    "Softening you up for the kill," Kyle answered with a slight smile, as he turned to her slightly, which only emphasized his dimple.


    Sayuri sighed, while massaging her forehead, "Could you please be serious for a minute? My brain can''t seem to compute what you''re saying."


    Putting down the ladle, Kyle closed the lid at an angle to let it breathe so that it wouldn''t overflow. He sat back down on the table and looked at her seriously.


    "Alright, first, I''ve got to apologize for doing it before asking you," Kyle said, "It''s about the vice-president position. I''m sure you heard about that, right? And the fact that I''ve nominated you as the acting Vice-President while I''m away."


    Sayuri nodded.


    "The thing is, in our school, the top two scorers would automatically be the President and Vice-President without any votes. Of course, you''re free to reject it and the position will be offered to the next high scorer," Kyle explained.


    "I realise that you''re a new transfer, and it really was unfair of me to propose it to Principal Godric without consulting you first," Kyle admitted, "But I was banking on the hope that with your nature, you''d take up this challenge.


    "My nature??" Sayuri asked in surprise, "What do you know about my nature??"


    "Ah, you forget," Kyle said, "I read your report of your goals and dreams."


    "Just on that, you could figure out what I''m like? I don''t think I''m that easy to read," Sayuri protested.


    "On the contrary," Kyle said, "Your report was so detailed and well done that it was quite glaring."


    "What do you mean?"


    "One, you''re responsible. The way you wrote it showed that you put a lot of thought into the matter - even though you didn''t think I''d be capable enough to truly analyze your report."


    Sayuri looked ashamed at that point, and she started, "About that -"


    Kyle put up his hand and shook his head, "Not an issue. It''s a natural reaction. Xing Han tends to over-dramatize the whole thing."


    "But what he said was true," Sayuri insisted, "Even if you want to say that he over-reacted, and his words may have been harsh, but he only spoke the truth."


    Kyle put his hands down at that, and looked at her in admiration, "Wow. That''s ... well, that just confirms another thing. Two, you''re brave."


    "Huh? Come again? How did you ever come to that conclusion?"


    "First, your goals really require guts. Secondly, you admitted your mistakes openly. Most people would be too proud and too cowardly to actually own up to their errors. There are very few people who are willing to, or can - and even less who are able to say it out loud."


    Sayuri hung her head down, feeling a bit embarrassed by the sudden compliment.


    "Three: despite how you detest me, you''re still open-minded enough and hard-working enough to do what is right," Kyle finished with a grin.


    "I - I don''t hate you," Sayuri denied, then biting her lower lip as she saw Kyle looking at her knowingly, she admitted, "Though I did find you very annoying."


    Kyle laughed, and Sayuri smiled in return.


    At that point, the small barrier that had existed between them, fell down.


    A budding friendship was forming.

 Chapter 356 - Softie

    "Wait, how did you know how I felt?" Sayuri asked after he stopped laughing, "I mean, that I was annoyed at you?"


    Kyle propped his elbow on the table and his chin on his palm, giving her a smile as he said, "I remember you at the airport. And if I was you, I would be annoyed at me, too."


    Kyle laughed again at the expression of horror on Sayuri''s face. Right now, he guessed that she was thinking her cover was blown or that something wasn''t right.


    "You knew that was me?!" she squeaked, her worst nightmare realised. How did he know?


    She thought hard on her disguise then and realised on a fatal mistake on her part. As she had been confident then that he would not be paying close attention to her then, her disguise had been rather simple.


    Basic, even.


    Thus, when she decided on her disguise this time around, there wasn''t much difference. She naturally had not put much thought into her disguise.


    She had been overconfident then, and she had been overconfident when she first entered Sakura Academy. Unfortunately, even though she was getting better and not doing the same mistake, it was too late to change her disguise now.


    Sayuri sighed.


    She had chosen this disguise because it wasn''t complicated. She would be able to put it on quickly at any given time in case there were unexpected incidences. However, unlike before, she wasn''t going to take things for granted anymore and was ''in disguise'' even though she hadn''t gone out.


    Which was a good thing, too. Things would have been very awkward and difficult otherwise.


    "I didn''t at first," Kyle lied, "It''s just that your face was familiar but it only clicked the other day."


    "My apologies for the airport stunt. That was pretty mean of me. I was feeling a bit miffed at the fans and you just happened to have borne the brunt of it." Kyle said, then offered his hand.


    "Truce?"


    Sayuri nodded, taking his hand and shaking it with a smile, "Truce."


    "About the airport thing ..." Sayuri began but Kyle shook his head.


    "We have shaken the Hands of Truce. The past is the past. Let it lie there. The slate is clean," Kyle said, "But I do feel bad about the money you spent though."


    Sayuri waved her hand in front of her, "Oh, don''t worry about that. It was my fault as well. Like you said, truce. Slate is clean."


    They nodded, reaching an understanding.


    Once the congee was ready, Sayuri placed a bowl for Kyle as well but he refused politely.


    "It''s for you, not me," Kyle said, pushing the bowl aside, "Don''t worry. I didn''t put anything in it other than what is supposed to be there."


    Sayuri looked at him strangely for that statement. Why would he think she would think so? It never even crossed her mind. Strange indeed, but she didn''t ask.


    However, she found it wasn''t comfortable to eat in front of a person who wasn''t. Kyle seemed to know that, since he got up and said, "You eat, and I''ll wait in the living room."


    Although one said ''living room'', it was essentially just him getting up from the dining table and walked a few steps and whal-lah. He was in the living room. It was a studio apartment, after all.


    Sayuri began eating, as she watched Kyle look at the cloth painting.


    "This is really nice," Kyle said, pointing at it, "Where did you buy it?"


    "I didn''t," Sayuri replied, "I painted it myself."


    "You did?!" Kyle said in surprise and looked at the painting again, "You have amazing talent. I can''t draw to save my life."


    "Wow. There''s actually something you''re not good at?" Sayuri couldn''t help saying, her mouth holding back a smile.


    Kyle turned to face her, giving her his Million-Dollar Watt Smile, thoroughly blinding her, "There are many wonderful things these hands can do, but painting was never one of those skills I had time to cultivate."


    Sayuri almost chocked on her congee.


    He didn''t ... no, he couldn''t have meant that double meaning. It''s just her mind that was a little bit in a gutter. Yes, that must be it. She just wasn''t used to being alone in an apartment with a guy. Sayuri shook her head.


    There was a ghost of a smile on Kyle''s face as he turned to admire the painting again.


    A part of him was thinking, that he could understand a bit why Big Bro Nic loved to tease Xing Han so much. The way her face just kept going into shock was very funny. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looks like she needed more training to constantly maintain her expression. So, he was just helping her out on her training, right? Kyle grinned to himself.


    Kyle and Sayuri spent about an hour to discuss the duties pertaining to the Vice-President post. She accepted it, of course, as it gave her an opportunity to hang around Kyle without raising suspicions.


    She had been wondering what was the best way to actually do so when this chance landed right on her lap. She would be a fool to refuse, right?


    An hour later, as Kyle left Sayuri''s apartment, Kyle heard Kay laughing through their telepathic link.


    [What?]


    [For someone who said he didn''t care what she''s up to, he''s quite caring today, isn''t he?] Kay teased.


    Kyle shrugged, even though Kay couldn''t see it.


    [She''s a good kid] Kyle replied [I could see how hard she was working to improve herself and she didn''t cause any trouble. So it''s the least I could do]


    [You''re still a softie] Kay accused him [She is supposed to be doing this mission by herself, right?]


    [She still is] Kyle insisted [I merely made it easier for her to blend in and hang around. As Vice-President, and as one who is working with me for it, means she has a better chance, right? Whatever that mission may be]


    [Softie]

 Chapter 357 - Too Weak?

    That night, Kyle was looking through the files that Sam had given him. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He leaned back on his chair as he sighed deeply. Xing Han came up to him and peered down at his face from behind him.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    Kyle handed him the file and explained, "The first part is the promotional tour events. The second part is the MIB stuff and things I need to do for Big Bro Nic."


    Xing Han sat on his bed, gritted his teeth upon hearing Nitocris''s name.


    "Why''d you gotta help him anyway?" Xing Han complained, "Doesn''t he have his own men? I mean, isn''t he like some big shot company guy?"


    "Well, ye-es," Kyle replied then grinned as he looked at Xing Han, "But if you were to choose between having me do the work, or your men, which one would you pick?"


    "You, of course," Xing Han replied without hesitation.


    "It''s the same for Big Bro Nic," Kyle explained patiently, though the real reason was more than that. Kyle simply chose a method that Xing Han would be able to accept easier.


    Xing Han couldn''t find the words to refute him so he grumbled and mumbled under his breath instead.


    "So, why the long sigh? That ... thing ... demanding too much?"


    Kyle shook his head, "No. It''s ... this."


    Kyle took the file from Xing Han, turned the pages and gave it back to him.


    Xing Han read the report and his face scrunched up.


    "What? This doesn''t sound so bad," he said, pointing at it, "It''s just an interview at a few entertainment news portals. I would think you''d be more upset over this ... ''Lip Sync Battle'' thing? What the heck is that?"


    Kyle licked his lips, which were suddenly dry as he struggled to form the words, "It''s at Country M. Where I used to live previously."


    "Where you used to ... ohhhhhh," Xing Han said, his eyes wide open, "Country M is big ... you mean, one of these interviews is where you actually used to live?"


    Kyle nodded.


    "How old are your kids now?" Xing Han asked.


    Kyle smiled wistfully, "My son is 9 and my daughter is 6."


    "So ... are you going to meet up with them?"


    Kyle shook his head.


    "I can''t. Can you imagine the time paradox that it''ll create? I''m very careful not to have any sort of contact with myself, and my former life, while ... erm, well, while I am still alive. I am worried that it''ll affect the time line in some way and ''Kyle'' will not exist or something," Kyle replied.


    Xing Han shook his head vigorously, "No no no. We do not want that to happen. I do not want to lose my BFF."


    "It''ll be like I never existed, I think," Kyle said, "So you wouldn''t know what you''re missing."


    Xing Han suddenly glomped on Kyle, sitting on his lap. He hugged Kyle tightly.


    "Do NOT say that. Do not even think that. I .. I can''t even imagine what my life would be like without you," Xing Han said, his voice full of emotion.


    "How can you miss something you don''t know?" Kyle pointed out.


    Xing Han started shaking Kyle, wailing, "NO!! Stop it! My heart can''t take it!!"


    Kyle put his hand over Xing Han''s mouth, saying, "Sssshhh! It''s late! We''ll get into trouble if you make too much noise."


    Xing Han sniffed and pouted, putting his hands across his chest as he glared at Kyle, "Then stop talking nonsense. We shall never speak of this again, you hear?"


    "Fine," Kyle said, "Now can you please get off me? The chair is breaking down under your additional weight."


    "Humph," Xing Han snorted, "I''m not that heavy to break the chair. Just admit that you''re too weak to handle me."


    Kyle''s grin got bigger.


    "Too weak, huh?" he growled under his breath, his eyes glinting dangerously.


    Before Xing Han could react to the sudden feeling of danger, Kyle had lifted him up, dumped him on the desk and slammed his arm beside him. Xing Han''s eyes went wide open. Was this the infamous kabedon?*


    Though, to be fair, it was more likely a ''Tsukue''-don (desk-don) in this case.


    Kyle leaned forward, tilted his head to the side a bit as he took a deep breath, as if smelling Xing Han, his nose running to the side of Xing Han''s face.


    "Trust me," Kyle said, his breath a whisper in his ear, "I am hardly weak and can do so much more than this."


    Before Xing Han''s mind could process anything, Kyle laughed and stood up straight, stretching and rotated his shoulders, "Though granted, you are rather heavy. Looks like more exercise is needed!"


    Xing Han puffed up his cheeks and pouted, "Fluffy Xing Han does not need more exercise!"

 Chapter 358 - Left Behind

    It was a Saturday and the Elite Five were gathered together at the cafe.


    It was a normal cafe. Cozy, warm and a place you''d hang out while eating. Ali wondered why Kyle had called them up, and to be in such a public setting, no less.


    Kyle normally avoided such places as they''d always be under the intense public gaze. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just what was he up to?


    "Why so serious?" Kyle joked as he looked at them.


    Well, okay, maybe not Kay who knew what was going on and was busy on her phone.


    Or Xing Han, who was grinning away as he looked at the menu while mumbling, "Should I have the burger? The chicken chop? Heck, why chicken? It should always be meat! Chicken is ... meh ... oh oh ... Maybe .."


    Or Sam since ...


    Well, okay, so it was only Ali that looked like he had something stuck in his throat.


    Obviously, Ali felt it was only him that was regarding this whole thing as weird since no one else looked bothered.


    "Can you blame me?" Ali asked, "You have never really asked us all out like this before. And in such a casual dining place, too. What''s going on? And why does it feel like I''m the only one who doesn''t know what''s going on?"


    At that, Xing Han looked up above the menu and said, "Not true. I have no idea what is going on either. The difference between you and me?"


    Xing Han went back to studying the menu, "Is whether the food here is good or not."


    Ali shook his head and faced Kyle, "So?"


    "I just wanted to discuss a few things but didn''t want such a stuffy atmosphere," Kyle explained, "We haven''t had a chance to just hang out lately, so why not kill two birds with one stone?"


    Ali nodded. That made sense.


    "Though it does have to do more about you, Ali," Kyle said as he looked around for the waitress, "Everyone ready to order?"


    "I haven''t even looked at the menu yet," Ali said, taking one from the table.


    Once everyone had decided and made their order, Kyle went down to ''business'', so to speak.


    "Okay, there are two main things I want to lay it out to you guys here," Kyle began, "The first is about the promotional tour that I''ll be doing."


    "I''ll be away for several months, as I won''t just be doing the promotional tour. I''ll also be working to initiate and foster contact and view some of the places for expansion."


    "So ... naturally, Sam will be with me as he''s my PA. Kay because she''s going to be my partner once I take over the CEO position, so she''s gotta know everything as well," Kyle explained.


    "And I am going because ... well, just because!!" Xing Han declared.


    Kyle shook his head with a slight laugh, "Well, you are also going to be looking into possible collaborations for the Tan Clan, right. From what your father told me, nothing concrete but just to scout the area."


    Xing Han snorted.


    "I''m not you," he declared, "I haven''t been working to establish myself so no one really knows me. Heck, I''m just a 15-year-old kid so all that talk about me scouting the area? Hogwash."


    "No one in their right mind would take me seriously and I would not get any sort of useful information. I don''t even know why Dad thinks that it''s a good idea for me to do all that," Xing Han finished with a flourish.


    He wasn''t even feeling angry. He was just stating facts. Did his father really think he was blind to the sort of obstacles that were in his way? So Xing Han decided to ignore all of that and just focus on doing what he does best.


    Being Kyle''s BFF.


    Kyle grinned, understanding what Xing Han was saying, "So wouldn''t it be even more satisfying if you could actually get that information?"


    Xing Han shook his head, "No using your resources, Kyle. If I was to do this, I would do it. I know my limits and I''m not going to pander to the Tan Clan who is pushing Dad to make me do this. They are setting me up for a fall and so what?"


    "If they''re going to use you as a comparison, I''ll just point out that they''re older, have been in the business for donkey years and not even half as capable as you. What more me?"


    "Doesn''t mean I won''t scout around," Xing Han clarified, "I''m just not going to get all stressed out about it. If they''re not satisfied with what I can get, then tough."


    Kyle smiled.


    This was one of the reasons why Xing Han is his BFF.


    Kyle knew very well that anyone by his side could get intimidated by his capabilities. One would either feel inferior and pale beside him, or use him to get what they want (whether consciously or not).


    To Xing Han, all of that wasn''t an issue.


    He knew of Kyle''s capabilities and was in awe of them yet, he never compared himself to him. He knew what was his strength, and his weakness, and he worked on that. He was confident and happy with himself, and he accepted himself wholeheartedly.


    He knew what Kyle could do for him but not only did he never ask, he would flat out reject it.


    Kyle took a glance at Kay, who was quiet all this while. He felt a bit sad for her as he had thought - or rather, hoped - that Sarah would have been for her, what Xing Han is, to him.


    It wasn''t any easier since they''re roommates, and the strain for Kay was there. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything other than just be there for her. It was her own personal storm to weather.


    "Wait wait," Ali said, holding up his hands, "We''re getting side-tracked here. Bottom line is, I''m the one being left behind again?"

 Chapter 359 - New Teacher?

    Kyle uncharacteristically grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck.


    "Well ..." he began, "Not by choice. I''d love you to come, but I believe you have a much more important job to do here?"


    Ali looked at him in puzzlement, "Job?"


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "Sophia."


    "Oh," Ali said, a bit surprised, "I didn''t think you were referring to her when you said ''job''. I thought you were talking about the company."


    "Well, since she''s going to be part of your future, don''t you think you should take it more seriously like a job?" Kyle pointed out.


    Then he narrowed his eyes as he stared at Ali, "Or are you doing what you normally do?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What I normally do?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "Do you need a cotton bud? When was the last time you dug out your earwax? That''s twice you need to repeat what I just said."


    Ali glared at him. Before he could retort, the waitress came over with their orders. He paused for a while as she placed their food on the table.


    Kyle thanked her with a smile and she blushed as she went back to the kitchen.


    "It''s not that I can''t hear you, but that you''re not making any sense!" Ali snarled, "Being all cryptic and stuff."


    "Look, Ali," Kyle said, looking serious, "Let''s face it. You tend to avoid things. You know what you need to do, yet you drag your feet and convince yourself that there''s time. Next time. Later. That sort of thing."


    "You''re falling in deep with Sophia and if you don''t address that elephant in the room,* that elephant is going to destroy the room before you know it."


    Ali gritted his teeth.


    "As much as I''d love to literally beat you down to force you to talk, this is something I really can''t help you with," Kyle said with a sigh, "It''s your burden and your duty. How long are you going to drag it for?"


    Ali looked away, not answering even though he knew that Kyle was right. He didn''t like it and he had been ignoring it. Putting it off for another day.


    Simply said, he''s scared.


    Scared to death of the uncertain future. A possible future without Sophia.


    He couldn''t imagine his life without her but he knew that it was a possibility. So long as he never broached the subject, then he can live in the present happiness. Being with her.


    "I know it''s hard, Ali," Kyle said softly, "And I''m feeling pretty bad leaving you alone to face all of this. So I hope you don''t mind me taking the liberty of ... doing something."


    At that, Ali turned to face Kyle so fast that it was like he whipped his head over.


    "Just what did you do??" Ali hissed, dread in his heart. He vividly remembered the headlock that Kyle put on him while baring his feelings to Sophia.


    "I''m not in a position to give you guidance or help since I''m not a Muslim. Your struggles are beyond me. Heck, I''m not even a devout Christian," Kyle admitted, "But I know someone who might be able to help."


    "Who?" Ali asked, wondering where this was going.


    "Just someone," Kyle said vaguely.


    He couldn''t very well tell Ali it was an MIB agent now, could he? Kyle prefered to be vague as to the identity of the agent rather than lie about who he was. As far as possible, Kyle didn''t want to add on "lying" to the things he hid from Ali.


    Things he hid, for now.


    "The point is, he''s a Muslim and his wife was not a Muslim," Kyle said, "He can share his experiences and help you."


    Ali nodded. Makes sense.


    "He''s also the one that will be the Teacher in charge of Sage Class," Kyle then revealed, "I pitched the idea to Principal Godric about having this specialised teacher to guide the members of Sage Class."


    "Specialist ... " Ali began then shook his head. He almost did it again.


    "What specialisation does he have?" Ali asked again, changing the way he was going to phrase things.


    "He''s a consultant, and his CV is quite impressive," Kyle said with a smirk, "After all, he works for me."


    Kyle deliberately phrased it that way, and Ali was under the impression that Kyle meant ''Smith Industries'' but in reality, it was MIB. He was one of those that had been headhunted to help steer the companies Kyle was creating and establishing.


    In short, he was one of the key personnel that Kyle and Kay had. One who would do his job without question - even if it meant teaching school kids for a year.


    "I''ll introduce him to you before he starts work at the school," Kyle said.


    Ali nodded, truly touched.

 Chapter 360 - Ali’s Fears

    After that, they started eating while talking about normal, routine and non-heavy stuff.


    After all, if one was to talk seriously even while eating, it might cause heartburn.


    Of course, that wasn''t true but Kyle simply wanted the atmosphere to be lighter after the slightly ''heavy'' talk with Ali. The rest had kept quiet but it didn''t feel awkward or strange. It simply was two people talking while the rest were listening while not really appearing to be intrusive.


    Ali smiled at all of this, cherishing the moments they shared together.


    It was true that he was starting to feel slightly neglected though he didn''t show it. It wasn''t apparent at first, but as Kyle got busier, the moments they interacted were even less. It was as if Kyle was the glue that held them together, and when he was gone, things were rather mundane.


    It all started when Kyle ventured into acting.


    So, he was away but he also took Sam. After that, Xing Han disappeared with him. Then, naturally, Kay would as well. Soon, before he realised what happened, he was the only one left out?


    Though granted, everything that had happened, wasn''t something planned to exclude him. Yet, it didn''t mean that he didn''t feel a little bit ... sad about it all. True, he had Sophia with him and that was the main reason why he didn''t go into some sort of depression but it still affected him.


    He knew that he was being irrational.


    The Elite Five couldn''t stay together forever. Not to say that he thought they''d ''break-up'', so to speak, but rather, that they would soon go their separate ways. Each of them bore responsibilities that couldn''t be ignored. Worse, they didn''t live next to each other. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knowing it, and accepting it, however, were two different things.


    Ali was disappointed in himself, actually.


    Why, you may ask?


    He felt that he had let his sense of insecurities overshadow common sense and all the teachings that he had been brought up with? What had he been doing?


    All his life, whenever he was faced with adversities, or things that brought him down, the thing that brought him back up was his unwavering faith in God. By placing his life in God''s hands, believing whole-heartedly in God''s plans for him, he would attain a sense of peace.


    Peace, that also gave him the strength to carry on.


    Those who didn''t understand, would often mock him for it. Stating that he was weak. To them, the one to rely on, is oneself.


    But really, is that true?


    Do you really just rely on yourself and no one else?


    Do you not gain strength from family, from loved ones and so forth?


    Just because you get that from God, as well, did it mean that you''re weak?


    So right now, the reason why Ali was upset with himself is that he seemed to have lost his way a bit.


    He had been so focused on Sophia. On how the Elite Five seemed to be ''different''. On how he seemed to be ''excluded'' ... that he had sort of neglected another part of himself. His faith. It was time to revisit himself, and go back to his roots. Roots of his faith, that is.


    Kyle was right about the fact that Kyle couldn''t help much.


    What Ali needed was to have a proper talk with someone of his own faith, about his struggles. He couldn''t turn to his parents for he feared they would think Sophia was the cause of his confusion. And in turn, something ''bad'' may happen.


    "You said that there were two things," Ali pointed out as they were waiting for dessert.


    "Yup," Kyle replied, leaning back on the chair.


    Kyle took a deep breath and let it out very slowly.


    The others suddenly sat up straight.


    This was Kyle''s habit whenever he had something really serious to bring up. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. The deeper the intake of breath was, the more serious it was.


    And this one was serious.


    Kyle licked his suddenly dry lips, started rubbing the back of his head then leaned forward on the table.


    Kyle was super nervous at what he was going to say, not because it was that drastic an announcement (well, okay, maybe it was) but more for the fact that he hadn''t even told Kay about it. She was sure to be both sad and pissed.


    The first part of the news would make her sad as he didn''t even consult her like he normally would have. The second part of the news would get her pissed ... because he didn''t consult her. Yes, two different reactions for the same reason: he didn''t share.


    He was going to be in SO much trouble.

 Chapter 361 - Love Vs Hate

    Kay narrowed her eyes when she saw the slight, furtive glance Kyle gave her.


    "Just what did you do??" Kay hissed, leaning forward.


    Sam, Ali and Xing Han quickly distanced themselves from Kay.


    Kyle gulped. When Ali asked that question earlier, Kyle had simply grinned. When Kay asked, however ...


    He gave her an innocent smile but before he could open his mouth, Kay pointed a finger at him, "Straight to the point, oh my *dear* brother."


    Sam, Ali and Xing Han shivered noticeably as she said those words sweetly, while emphasizing the word ''dear''. One could tell how much anger oozed out of that single word.


    They glared at Kyle. Even Xing Han.


    Their Angel hardly ever got angry, but when she did, she became the Devil. All Hell would break loose. They could even see a slight sheen of sweat on Kyle''s forehead and was appeased.


    A bit.


    "Wait wait wait," Kyle said, putting up his hands in surrender, "I didn''t do anything ... yet ... no, I did for one, but but but!!"


    "Spit. It. Out. NOW," Kay replied, not taking any nonsense from Kyle.


    "I bought a house!" Kyle announced suddenly.


    Kay sat back, puzzled, "That''s it?"


    What was so surprising about buying a house? Well, true, he had never done so before. It had always been shares for investments or buildings for MIB. Nothing for personal reasons like a house or a car.


    "Under our names," Kyle continued, "Next door to Master Shifu''s houses."


    "Why?" Kay asked.


    Kyle looked at Kay and said seriously, "Because you can''t stay at the dorms any longer."


    Kay stared at him.


    "You''re not happy, Kay," Kyle said softly, taking her hands in his, "But I know you don''t have the heart to move out and let go." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She''s not a bad person, Kyle," Kay said, "I''m just sad, but I''ll get over it."


    Kyle shook his head, his expression tender but sad, "No. You won''t. I know she''s not a bad person, but you''re suffering. I can feel it, even though you try to hide it from me."


    Before she could protest, Kyle put his finger on her lips and said, "We''re hardly going to be around the school this year, since I''ll be busy with the promotional tours. We can''t be selfish and take up the rooms that other people would need."


    "We?"


    "All three of us will move out. You, me and Xing Han. We''ll stay at the new house and commute. Father will be happy as well that we''re around and I''m sure Auntie Rhea will love pampering you."


    Xing Han''s mouth drooled, thinking of Auntie Rhea''s home-cooked meals. He wiped the side of his mouth, looking about to see if anyone saw it.


    Then his face scrunched up. Wait. That would also mean that ... thing ... would be there as well. Food vs the Thing. Xing Han felt conflicted. The emotions he felt for both were equally strong, though one was positive while the other was negative.


    Love vs hate.


    Urgh, Xing Han resolved to steel himself. For the sake of good food, he''ll just put up with the Thing. Hopefully, that Thing would be so busy at work that he would hardly be home.


    What Xing Han didn''t know, or realise, is that both ''love'' and ''hate'' are extremely strong emotions and two sides of the same coin.


    There is no love without hate; and there is no hate without love. The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference; the opposite of feeling can only be the absence of feeling. Love and hate must go hand in hand; and the people we love most we hate also, because hate is grounded in the nature of love.*


    Nitocris knew that very well.


    His teasing and constant ribbing of Xing Han wasn''t just to rile him up to show him all those sorts of expressions that he so dearly loved. It was also to make Xing Han think of him all the time. He wanted to occupy a space in Xing Han''s heart, even if it was ''hate'' or ''annoyance''.


    It was far better than indifference.


    Kay understood what Kyle was saying, and his last sentence was an excuse for her to give to Sarah without any guilt. It was true that the accommodations were limited, and for them to use up the resources when they were hardly around wasn''t fair.


    Seeing the gentle care in Kyle''s eyes, she felt him project his worry onto her and she sighed, nodding her head. Her anger dissipated as she knew that he had done so for her; and him not telling her beforehand was because he also knew she would reject it.


    "Fine," Kay said, "You''re forgiven."


    The other Elite Five gave out a breath of relief, having avoided the missile.

 Chapter 362 - Disagreement

    Kyle was also relieved.


    He managed to survive the worst.


    "As for the second thing," Kyle said, "It''s just something I am seriously considering, so it''s best you know about it now."


    "I plan to graduate early. Next year, to be specific," Kyle stated, "It all depends on the sort of information and research that I''ll be doing this year, but if it is like what I think it is ... then the possibility is quite high."


    Kay, Sam, Ali and Xing Han stared at Kyle.


    "Look, I know this is being very unfair to all of you," Kyle said with a sigh, as he leaned forward and clasped both hands together and laid them on the table, "After all, you all chose to come to Sakura Academy because of me. You could have chosen better high schools ..."


    "Stop," Xing Han said firmly, "I think I speak for all of us - excluding Kay, of course - that we knew what we were getting into. We chose what we chose, and you don''t have to stay at the school if that''s not the path for you."


    Ali and Sam nodded.


    "I will go where you go," Sam said, "For my life is forever intertwined with yours."


    "HEY!" Xing Han huffed, wanting to protest more but then realised ... he couldn''t.


    Sam works for Kyle. Sam is Kyle''s PA, both as per Smith Heir and MIB. While he, Xing Han, was tied to the Tan Clan. He could only be by Kyle''s side during school days.


    Not after.


    Xing Han paled a bit, pouted and looked at his dessert that had arrived.


    Taking a fork, he stabbed the apple pie and started eating while saying, sniffing a bit, "Stop making it sound like you''re his lover or something."


    Then he said under his breath, ''Life intertwined. As if.'' sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh please," Sam said, "I can''t beat the ''overly jealous wife'' act or your lines."


    Xing Han stuck out his tongue at him and continued eating. Both didn''t take the words to heart, knowing that they were no real hard feelings.


    "Then what about college? University?" Kay asked, "Have you talked to Mum and Dad about this?"


    Kyle shook his head.


    "No, not yet," Kyle replied, "I don''t think I would need to ... well ..."


    "That''s not fair, Kyle," Kay said firmly, "How can you not talk to them? Discuss this with them first?"


    Kyle took a deep breath to calm himself down before answering.


    "Because I know what''s best for me," Kyle said, "I will tell them, but not seek their permission. Why should I stay another year in school when I can do so much more outside?"


    "Still, they are your parents. Our parents," Kay insisted, pointing it out.


    "Yes," Kyle admitted, "I literally owe them my life, but you know as well as I do that I''ve been mapping my life myself. I show them respect but I will not put my life goals in their hands."


    "I understand that, brother," Kay said softly, "I really do."


    [But you should know better than anyone as well, brother. How much Dad gets hurt by your indifference to his opinions]


    [And you know why, dear sister. I''m doing my best here but I can''t ... swallow having to follow his plans or listen to it]


    [Aren''t you an actor? A ninja? A master of disguise? Why can''t you just pretend?]


    [Because at the very least, I should respect them. Him. I can''t pretend to be their obedient son when I''m not. I just can''t.]


    [I''m not asking you to! Can''t you just be more accommodating to their feelings? Especially Dad''s feelings. He''s always supporting you. Give in]


    Ali, Xing Han, and Sam just watched the two twins silently glaring at each other.


    Xing Han knew that they were most likely arguing telepathically, so he went back to eating his dessert. Slower.


    He could see the agitation on Kay''s face and Kyle''s rather indifferent one, and knew that this was not going well. Whatever their greviences were, they weren''t privy to it. Furthermore, when they were ''at it'' like this, all of them knew.


    Back off.


    Sam turned to Ali and asked, "So what about you? What are you thinking about or planning to do?"


    Ali shrugged, "I''ll have to ask my parents about it. Most likely they''ll have me finish school first before I can graduate."


    "If you feel like you''re ready, we can just take the graduating exam," Kyle stated, "You don''t exactly have to be in school for the entire 5 years before taking the exam."


    "You don''t?" Ali asked in surprise.


    "No," Kyle replied, "I wasn''t planning to just leave school without something formal."


    He looked pointedly at Kay, "I simply don''t plan to stay in school. For secondary school, one can apply to take the exam as long as you are a student of a school and the school registers you. There is no age barrier."


    "As for college, I still do plan to enroll but only turn up for exams," Kyle went on to explain, "Just to get that fancy piece of paper."


    Kay was silent, not looking at Kyle.


    She knew he would have taken into consideration all the formal education requirements, and the fact that the shareholders would still view that ''piece of paper'' as being important. It was just that in his constant planning and desire to move ahead, he tends to forget his ''parents''.


    It wasn''t so bad with Mum. So long as Kyle showered her with attention and love, she was fine. She trusted him enough to do what is right and could see that he didn''t need her ''permission'' or guidance. She could let it go.


    Dad, however, was different.


    Perhaps it was a male thing? Dad just couldn''t seem to accept the fact that Kyle never consulted him. Worse, Kyle didn''t even seem consider him as a ''father figure'' to listen to.


    It was already apparent when they were kids, and it was only getting worse.

 Chapter 363 - The Move

    Ali nodded in understanding.


    "That sounds plausible," he said, "And if it means being able to go into College earlier, why not? I am sure my parents would be supportive of that. I won''t be like you, though. I think I''ll be attending classes."


    "I''ll probably just take online courses or part-time," Sam said, thinking hard, "My life is full already with the amount of work Kyle does and my paper qualifications don''t really matter. I learn more from doing what I''m doing rather than going to school for it."


    "I''ll need to talk to Mum and Dad for this," Kay said, "Unlike someone here, I would like to include them in my life decisions."


    Kyle ignored the jab and turned to Xing Han, "What about you?"


    Xing Han was poking the ice-cream that came with the apple pie, swirling it as he watched it become a gooey mess.


    "It''s obvious," he said, "If you go, I go. There''s no point staying in Sakura Academy without you guys. I''ll just enter College earlier, like Ali."


    It just meant that he would be separated from Kyle a year earlier. Thinking about the future made him depressed and he had this really ''lost puppy'' look.


    Then, as he thought about that, he shook his head.


    That is still a long way more.


    For now, he would be spending all his time with Kyle. So he should cherish that and make the most of it. Rather than be sad over something that has yet to happen, right? Otherwise, he would not be able to truly enjoy the present.


    Like what Master Oogway said, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift¡­ that''s why they call it the present"*


    Cherish the now.


    With that thought, his face went all smiley again and he picked up the plate, drinking the ice-cream.


    "Euw!! XING HAN!" Ali grimaced, seeing the scene.


    "What?" Xing Han asked, putting down the plate, while licking his lips.


    Kyle laughed, took a paper napkin and wiped the ice-cream mustache Xing Han had.


    May this innocent soul never change.


    Once everything was cleared up and Kyle paid (he insisted), he paused at the counter and turned to face them at the table.


    "Oh," he said casually, "One last thing."


    "There''s more?? You said just two," Kay replied.


    Kyle looked at his watch, "Yes. It was, at that time. Now it''s over."


    "What''s over?" Xing Han asked.


    "As of now, Xing Han and I have officially moved to the new house," Kyle said, "I had some professional movers clear out our dorm rooms and move it all to the new house."


    Of course, that included the specially altered wardrobe (which he replaced). The items inside had already been cleared out by Kyle the night before.


    Kay, Ali, and Sam just sat there, staring at Kyle.


    As for Xing Han?


    He just grinned and said, "Cool. Saves me the trouble of packing!"


    "I didn''t do yours, Kay," Kyle said, "As I know you need to say goodbye to Sarah. I just want to escape the crowd that is surely to form when I move. So, doing it now, during the weekend, was the best move."


    Kay nodded in understanding then said, "You deliberately chose this public place just so that I couldn''t go full-anger-mode, didn''t you?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle blinked innocently and smiled.


    ? ? ? ?


    It certainly was a depressing scene. If one didn''t know better, one would be thinking that someone had died. That it was a funeral.


    The entire lounge was filled with people. Crying.


    There were people sitting at the couch, sobbing. Tears streaming down their cheeks unchecked. There were some leaning against the wall, crying silently, hiccuping while constantly dabbing their eyes.


    There were some standing there, wailing into the shoulders of their friends, who were also crying and trying to comfort the other. Failing miserably.


    What is this scene, you may ask?


    It was the Sakura Academy Dorms. Yes. Dorms. To be more specific, the waiting lounge on the ground floor.


    Today was the day that Kay was moving out of the dorms.


    When the movers had suddenly turned up that day, it had sparked intense curiosity. What was happening at the dorms? Then, it was said that they were emptying Kyle''s room. Yet, Kay''s room was left alone.


    The twins wouldn''t separate, would they?


    Kay wasn''t seen around either until Sunday - but there was no sign of Kyle. It only fueled the mystery.


    What had happened?


    Finally, PoK issued a statement.


    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han would be moving out of the dorms in order to provide space to those who needed the rooms.


    Once that news was released, there was a collective wail of despair heard from the dorms. Their greatest nightmare was realised.


    No more Kyle sightings.

 Chapter 364 - Parting Ways

    Kay appreciated Kyle''s gesture of giving her time to say ''goodbye'' and ''close the final door'', so to speak. She had spent the previous night just reminiscing with Sarah, talking and laughing. Kay looked around the room, her ''home'' for the past two years.


    It held a lot of memories.


    She sighed, and looked at the last bag that was packed. As she closed it, it felt like she was closing one part of her life right now.


    Sarah stood by the side, looking sad and Kay went over to give her a hug.


    "You were a great roommate for two years," Kay said, "And I hope you''ll get along with your new roommate just as well."


    Sarah shook her head, hugging her back, "No one can ever replace you."


    Kay smiled sadly at that, but hid it from Sarah. By the time they broke apart and they faced each other again, Kay''s expression was back to normal.


    Kay knew Sarah was sincere. As sincere as Sarah could possibly be but unfortunately, it wasn''t enough. Their talk last night has simply sealed the deal and confirmed the nagging doubt in Kay''s heart.


    Sarah''s deep feelings for Kyle could be seen clearly in what she said, and how she said it. Perhaps, after knowing that Kay knew of her feelings for Kyle, the inhibition that Sarah had initially was lifted. Sarah wasn''t so glaringly obvious, but it couldn''t exactly be hidden any longer.


    Whenever they talked about their past together, Kyle inadvertently was mentioned as well. Of course, Kyle was normally with them 90% of the time, but why did she need to relate everything to him? Wasn''t it supposed to be a girl-to-girl talk about them? Their friendship?


    The longer they talked, the sadder Kay got but she didn''t show it.


    Sarah, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to everything. She laughed like normal. Talked like normal and even asked a few things about Kyle (after asking about Kay first). Unlike before, Kay didn''t tell about what they were going to be doing after this.


    Instead, Kay gave vague answers that didn''t reveal much information. Just enough to make Sarah not realise that Kay wasn''t being as forthcoming as before.


    "We''ll still see each other in school, right?" Sarah asked, more for confirmation rather than a question.


    Kay nodded with a smile, though she knew it wasn''t going to be the same.


    They wouldn''t be having breakfast and dinner together any longer. No longer would they walk together to class (or rather, they walked Sarah to class). They weren''t even in the same class, so the likelihood of them meeting up would be less, unless it was planned.


    "So when will you be flying?" Sarah asked.


    "Sometime next week," Kay replied, not giving specifics, "Not too sure exactly when, though. Still ironing out the details."


    "All ready?" came Kyle''s voice from the doorway.


    Kay rolled her eyes when she turned to face him. Behind him, she could already see two or three star-struck (and sad) girls looking at his back. Kay could imagine the sort of scene in the corridor. Made her think of her first day here, when it was almost filled to the brim with curious girls.


    It''s most likely the same, or worse this time.


    Kyle obtained special permission from Matron to come up to the girls'' wing, just to help Kay carry her bags down. Kay''s packing was the ''normal'' packing and that which was expected of a student. Unlike Kyle, her equipment was at Master Shifu''s place.


    Kyle was the one that had all the ''spy stuff'' hidden in his room and needed to move them all out without being too conspicuous. He was high profile already. That was why he had the professional movers do so, taking away the attention from him. If he had done it personally, he''d be under scrutiny all the way.


    Like what Kay was experiencing now.


    "Yup," Kay replied and Kyle walked in, taking the suitcase from the bed. He gave a smile to Sarah, nodding to her as he did so.


    Kyle then offered his arm, asking, "Shall we?"


    Kay held on to his arm, smiling.


    "How is it out there?" she asked. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not bad. Just lots of crying and looks of utter despair."


    Kay laughed and then turned to Sarah, "See you at school tomorrow."


    Sarah smiled, nodded and walked them to the door.


    She wasn''t going to send Kay off, as it was just too crowded. Even though it was an opportunity to walk next to Kyle, she didn''t like the way others looked at him.


    She gave one last look at their retreating backs and sighed as she closed the door.


    [You alright?]


    Kay held on tighter and leaned on him.


    [I will be]

 Chapter 365 - Horsing Around

    There was a welcoming party at Master Shifu''s house.


    As expected, Master Shifu was ecstatic that Kyle had moved next door. Now, it felt like the family was complete.


    Kyle''s room was turned into a nursery, in preparation for the baby while Kay''s room was turned into a study room for Hawthorn and May. Hawthorn wanted to improve himself and May wanted to learn more about raising a baby.


    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han had been shooed to the living room while Master Shifu, Rheia and Hawthorne were in the kitchen. May was also banned from the kitchen and she was resting at the dining table, watching Hawthorne cooking with a smile.


    "So how did you manage to get the house anyway, Kyle?" Xing Han asked curiously, "And you must have been planning this for quite a while. I mean, we just needed to move in? Everything was already there?"


    "Wow," Kyle said, "So many questions at one shot."


    "I''m curious!!" Xing Han huffed.


    Kyle smiled and said, "It''s easy. Anything can be done quickly with money."


    "Well, lah-dee-dah," snorted Xing Han, "Aren''t we getting cocky now?"


    Kyle gave a lazy drawl of a smile as he leaned back more into the sofa, looked up at the ceiling and said with an exaggerated sigh, "What can I do? Looks, money ... I have it all ... it''s such a sin to be me!"


    "Aaargghh!" Xing Han screamed, exasperated and he rushed towards Kyle. Kay, who was at the other end of the sofa, quickly moved while shaking her head.


    She should have known better than to be anywhere within the vicinity of these two clowns. Now that they had a place of their own, it was most likely that they''d not be inhibited with their horseplaying.


    As she watched Kyle move slightly to the side, not really avoiding Xing Han, she knew she was going to have a long, long two years. She had always felt boys were so immature and hence, hadn''t really been interested in any guys so far.


    Having Kyle as a yardstick didn''t help either. Right now, though, Kyle was really acting like a typical, goofy teen boy. What the heck? Wasn''t he part female?


    Or maybe it was just her being too uptight since it really did look like fun.


    "I thought I got the wrong house at first," came a rather cold voice from the doorway, "Since it''s more like a circus than a home."


    All three pair of eyes snapped to the front door, a bit surprised at the cold tone and displeased look from Nitocris. He was normally so laid-back.


    Kyle was on his back on the sofa, his hair utterly messed up with Xing Han''s hands being in his hair and on his chest. His shirt was pushed up, exposing his abs and Kyle''s hands were on Xing Han''s chest, trying to stop him from falling on top of him.


    Xing Han, who was straddling Kyle on the sofa, looked unhappily at the man at the door.


    Why must he spoil all the fun? He was winning! A little bit more and he would have had Kyle pinned under him and at his mercy.


    Xing Han squirmed, his butt wiggling on Kyle as he threw a slight mini tantrum to show his displeasure as he said under his breath, ''Stupid Thing. What? Can''t even play now?''


    Kyle''s face scrunched up a bit. Xing Han was directly above Kyle Jr and that wriggling about that Xing Han was doing caused some slight pain.


    Kyle put his hands on Xing Han''s thighs, his fingers at the inner side as he hissed, "Xing Han! Stop that."


    Xing Han looked down, then saw where he was sitting then grinned. He leaned down closer to Kyle''s face, putting his hands on Kyle''s chest as he said, "Why? Is this uncomfortable?"


    He wriggled his butt more, this time moving up and down as well. All this while, Kyle had always had the upper hand so Xing Han loved being on top and in control. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both were wearing jeans and Xing Han wasn''t exactly light either.


    For Xing Han, he didn''t really feel anything other than the zipper of the jeans under his fleshy butt while for Kyle, it felt like a huge rock was grinding on top of him.


    "XING. HAN!" shouted Kyle, bringing his face really close to Xing Han, staring into his eyes dangerously while their lips were almost touching.


    "If you don''t get off me right now, I''m going to kick you off so hard that you''re going to see stars," Kyle said softly, his lips curled in a smile but you could feel the coldness in them.


    Was Xing Han affected? Was he scared?


    Heck no.


    He just laughed and rubbed their noses together, thoroughly enjoying the flash of pain on Kyle''s face as he bounced on Kyle. He was confident that Kyle would never be able to do anything to hurt him, so he wasn''t bothered at all.


    He was laughing happily as he continued to torture Kyle.


    Kyle''s earlier words were too soft to have been heard by anyone other than Xing Han, so to those watching, their positioning appeared rather intimate.


    Kyle had had enough and with several quick movements, had reversed the position and now had Xing Han under him instead.


    "Do not tempt me, Xing Han," Kyle growled, referring to his earlier threat of kicking him off, "Next time, I really will go all the way."


    Right after he said that, Kyle''s eyes narrowed.


    In a flash, he got off Xing Han and jumped over the sofa. His eyes darted to the direction where he felt the killing aura had come from, some blades already inbetween his fingers.


    Kyle blinked.


    It was only Big Bro Nic, who was just staring at him in displeasure.


    Where did that feeling come from? It was gone now. Kyle spread his awareness around to double-check and surveyed his surroundings.


    Nothing.


    That was really weird.

 Chapter 366 - Unhappy Nitocris

    Nitocris was not happy.


    Not happy indeed.


    When he had first heard from Father that Kyle was moving in next door with Kay and Xing Han, it had taken all of his willpower to keep up with his signature ''expressionless face''. It was really unexpected and fantastic news.


    It was like candy falling straight onto his lap!


    The puppy was willingly delivering himself to him, so he should not disappoint him, right? He can up the game now.


    Xing Han was still the forbidden fruit, but Nitocris could slowly nurture and care for that fruit so that when it was ripe enough, it would be so sweet when plucked.


    However, when he walked into the house that night, he was greeted with a sight that set him on edge immediately.


    His puppy was straddling his own brother.


    He knew that there was nothing going on between the two of them but it didn''t mean he could accept seeing how intimate they were being at that moment!


    To see his little puppy being so free with his hands on Kyle, his face full of sunshine and happiness. The moment he said something, though, that face became moody and pouty. Though he normally would have cherished that pouting look, his brain could not fully accept seeing his little puppy in that position.


    Why the heck wasn''t he getting off Kyle?? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, despite the agitation Nitocris was feeling, he could hold it down and not let the aura of death leak through. Kyle would have noticed the danger immediately and react. He couldn''t have that.


    So he had to endure. Endure.


    Then he saw his little puppy go down on Kyle, his face inches away with his darn hands still on Kyle''s chest!


    His eyes saw red then, and he wanted to rush over and pick up that little puppy from the collar and put him on his own lap.


    Nitocris gulped at that thought and bit down on his inner cheek so hard that blood flowed. The metallic taste of blood and the slight pain cleared his mind a bit. He wished it didn''t for his vision became clearer, too and the sight in front of him was worse.


    That stupid little puppy of his was ... Nitocris''s breathing became harder. Watching the way that tempting, fleshy butt wriggling about and the innocent, smiling face ... Nitocris had to take several deep, deep breaths to calm himself down.


    The fact that the heat was already pooling downwards was not a good sign.


    This little puppy of his is going to be the death of him.


    Nitocris closed the front door slowly, turning his head away in order to regain his senses. He closed his eyes, his hand gripping tightly on the doorknob as he slowed down his heartbeat.


    Then, those words from his little brother''s mouth shattered everything.


    "Do not tempt me, Xing Han. Next time, I really will go all the way."


    Before he could stop it, the desire to kill the person saying those words just gushed forward.


    HIS puppy! HIS!


    Nitocris immediately quashed the feeling and retracted the killer aura, but it was still too late.


    As expected, Kyle reacted quickly, turning towards him to neutralize the danger. His stance was in a ready, fighting position and his weapons already in his hands.


    Despite the anger Nitocris felt from the earlier words, and the jealousy for the skinship Kyle was having with his little puppy, Nitocris couldn''t help being impressed with this brother of his.


    Black Dragon was truly fortunate to have Ice.


    By the time Kyle faced him, Nitocris had already managed to school his face back to normal, only showing some displeasure.


    "Sorry, Big Bro Nic," Kyle said sheepishly when he saw that, thinking how they had ignored him when he came in, "We''ll keep it down next time."


    "There should not BE a next time," Nitocris growled, thinking how horrible it would be that this would be a regular occurrence.


    Seeing his little puppy playing so well with his brother while he, himself, could only watch at the sidelines was not what he''d like at all.


    No, siree. Not a little bit.


    "After work, I''d like some peace and quiet," Nitocris stressed, his eyes glaring at him.


    Kyle nodded in understanding, looking contrite, "Yes, you are right, Big Bro Nic. Sorry. It won''t happen again."


    Nitocris nodded in satisfaction, pleased that he''d stop the two kids from going overboard, "Good. See that it doesn''t."


    "Don''t worry about it Kyle," Xing Han said, patting Kyle on the shoulder as he sat back down next to him, "We have our own house now. No rules! So no one can disturb us at all."


    Nitocris frowned.


    His little puppy really requires a lot of training indeed.


    As Nitocris turned away, he saw that Master Shifu was looking at him.


    Instantly, Nitocirs knew that his Father had seen the whole thing and knew that the killing aura had come from him. However, since he wasn''t saying anything to expose the fact, Nitocris understood that he would have some explaining to do.


    Master Shifu just looked at him, then faced the kids in the living room. He raised an eyebrow, made a questioning glance towards Xing Han and back to Nitocris. Nitocris smiled and gave a slight nod. Master Shifu nodded, gave him a warning look and walked back to the kitchen.


    Nitocris was relieved. Obviously, Father knew that Nitocris did not mean any harm but he was still warned with a look. Nitocris knew that Father was simply telling him not to go overboard.


    The killing aura had been unintentional. He would have to work on that, as he is sure today''s scene wouldn''t be the last.


    Any other annoying fly around his little puppy would have been eliminated. Only Kyle could get away with the things he did since he had absolutely no designs on his little puppy.


    Otherwise, he would have a talk with him.


    A really, really long talk.

 Chapter 367 - Dinner

    Xing Han pointedly did not look at the Thing that walked by. He focused his attention on Kyle, smiling and joking as normal. However, his eyes did follow the Thing''s movements in his peripheral vision because you know, he had to be vigilant.


    The Thing was sneaky.


    As Nitocris walked past and headed for the kitchen, a ghost of a smile on his face appeared.


    Oh, could his little puppy be any more cuter? The way he sat there, pretending not to notice him walking by but those cute little brown eyes following him.


    "Nitocris, dear, what are you doing here?" asked Rheia, upon seeing her beloved son entering, "Dinner will be ready soon. Go join your brother and friends in the living room."


    Nitocris gave her a gentle smile and took the dish that she had scooped into the serving plate. He bent down a bit and kissed her on the forehead, saying, "I can help with this much, at least."


    Nitocris greeted Master Shifu with a slight nod of his head, "Father."


    Master Shifu nodded in acknowledgment, "Nitocris. Your mother is right. You''ve just got back from work. Freshen up, at least."


    "I will, Father," Nitocris replied, then went out to put the dish on the table.


    May smiled pleasantly at him and was setting the table, her big belly looking like a ripe watermelon ready to burst.


    Nitocris gave May a slight hug and rubbed her belly, "Be good, little one."


    May smiled wider, "He''s been very good, Brother Nitocris. Your godson is good and strong."


    Nitocris smiled, then walked back to the kitchen. He talked a while before heading to his room to freshen up a bit.


    Meanwhile, back at the living room, Xing Han saw the entire scene in surprise. He had never seen such a kind look on Nitocris''s face before, nor show such gentle care and administration to other people.


    Well, he was Kyle''s ''brother'', so to speak, so he couldn''t be that bad but still! When he remembered the way Nitocris looks at him smugly, and the way he always monopolized Kyle''s attention as he did so, he couldn''t help but feel agitated.


    Xing Han decided to ignore the Thing for real this time and turned to interrogate Kyle, "What was that all about? The snapping up and flipping over sofa whooosh whoosh thing?"


    "Whoosh whoosh?" Kyle asked, while trying very hard to hold back his laughter. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, ye-ah! I mean, you got up so fast and jumped over like the wind. Whoosh whoosh!" Xing Han explained, looking at Kyle as if it was so obvious.


    "Oh, that?" Kyle said, waving his hand dismissively, "Thought I felt something. It was nothing, so forget it."


    Xing Han nodded, fully accepting the explanation.


    Kay, too, had felt the killer aura and looked inquisitively at Kyle. Her senses weren''t as sharp as Kyle so she could not determine where it came from. All she felt was the sudden increase in the feeling of ''danger''.


    Kyle shrugged [It''s nothing. It came and left very quickly, so it is highly unlikely that whatever - or whoever - it was, poses any danger. Master Shifu is also here and he didn''t react]


    Kay nodded, understanding. It was just as Kyle said. If the person meant any harm, the killer aura wouldn''t have been extracted that quickly. Still, it wouldn''t hurt to be more cautious.


    ? ?


    The dining room was lively, livelier than it normally is since the addition of three teenagers. They brought a certain ''youthfullness'' atmosphere. Normally, mealtimes would be quiet, or have a little bit of conversation here and there.


    Generally, the temperaments of the original occupants were just like that. Master Shifu only spoke when there was something profound to say, Rheia was the quiet type and only spoke when she saw people weren''t eating.


    No need to mention May, that would only speak when spoken to - not because she was in her little shell like before, but because she was more focused on Hawthorn. Hawthorn was the non-inquisitive type so he never asked nor took the initiative to share anything.


    As for Nitocris? Even more so.


    But now, with the three young ones, it was different.


    Granted, the one that was causing the most ruckus was Xing Han. He would talk animatedly about his day, giving accounts of ''Kyle moments'' in an exaggerated manner, filling the table with laughter. Even Hawthorn was listening and laughing along.


    Only Nitocris was silently eating, seemingly oblivious to the ruckus around. Doing his own thing, in his own way, nothing out of place.


    Xing Han rolled his eyes at that.


    Why was that man always so perfect? Even though he was annoyed by the Thing, he couldn''t deny how perfect he always was, be it in his mannerisms or his features.


    The way that silver steak ran through the perfectly slicked back black hair was perfect. The way his suit fit his sculptured body perfectly, not a crease in sight. For dinner, he had taken off his jacket and his sleeves were rolled up - but even then, it was so neat!


    The way he ate even, with movements so fluid and delicate, yet strong. His hands, that looked like it could snap a person in two, could hold a pair of chopsticks so well as he aimed towards the dishes.


    Xing Han had no idea how to put it into words but it felt like Nitocris was this perfect shell of a person. Nothing out of place. Like a picture cut-out. Perfect, and cold.


    Yet before, he was warm.


    For the first time in his life, Xing Han was curious.


    Just what sort of person was this Thing, really?


    "Kyle, see me after dinner," Nitocris said, as he took another piece of meat.


    "Sure thing, Big Bro Nic," Kyle replied, "Where? The office?"


    Nitocris gave a slow smile as he turned to look at Kyle, "No. My room."


    Xing Han gritted his teeth, chomping on his food.


    The Thing IS annoying.

 Chapter 368 - Xing Han’s Quirk

    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han were clearing up after dinner. At first, Rheia wouldn''t let them, but Kyle insisted.


    "It''s the least we can do, Mother," Kyle said, "After all, we didn''t help at all in the cooking."


    "Let them be, Rheia," Master Shifu had said, "Let this be their chores from now on. We cook, they clear up. It''s only fair."


    Rheia finally relented, patting Kyle''s cheeks as she let them be.


    Between the three of them, the work didn''t take long. Wiping his hands on the dishtowel meant for exactly that, Kyle said, "You guys head on home first. I''ve still got to see Big Bro Nic."


    Xing Han gave a slight pout but didn''t say anything.


    "Okay," Xing Han said as he walked out the kitchen with Kay, "I''ll be waiting for you then."


    "Please don''t, Xing Han," Kyle said, "I don''t know how long it''ll be. It''s best you go to sleep first."


    "No," Xing Han said stubbornly, "I''ll wait."


    Kyle sighed.


    Xing Han has this quirk. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He is unable to sleep alone in a new place. It''s okay once he is used to the place, but if it is a hotel, for example, he would need to share the room. Sleep with someone. Not necessary on the same bed, of course. He just can''t sleep alone.


    They had just moved in, thus, the whole place made Xing Han uncomfortable. It would take him at least a month to acclimatize himself to the place and be able to sleep by himself.


    It was something Xing Han couldn''t quite explain. On the empty bed, it''s ... scary.


    Xing Han''s lower lip quivered a bit, as he thought of the big, empty room.


    When he lay down on the bed, and there was no one there, it felt like he was in an empty abyss. All alone. Like, he was the only person in the entire world. He would be filled with such intense fear and feeling of desolation that his heart would beat so rapidly.


    Just like it would if one was watching a horror movie, or on a roller coaster. It didn''t make sense at all, but he couldn''t help feeling it. No matter what he did, nothing calmed him down.


    "How about I stay with you until you fall asleep?" Kay asked.


    "NO!" Xing Han said in horror, "You''re a girl! You can''t stay in a single guy''s room! Even if it''s me!!"


    Though Xing Han was pure, and he had absolutely no thoughts of the lurid kind, it was ingrained into his deepest bone that ''girls and guys'' cannot be alone in a room together. The girl''s reputation can take a dive and he would not jeapordize Kay like that.


    Kyle rolled his eyes internally.


    There were still some things Xing Han was really traditional about, and this was one of it. Nothing would be able to change his mind. He wouldn''t even try anyway. It''s just how Xing Han is.


    All the while, Nitocris was leaning against his bedroom door, listening to all of this.


    His little puppy can''t sleep alone? Interesting.


    Then his eyes narrowed.


    "Are you telling me that you guys sleep together?" Nitocris asked, his voice having a slight edge to it.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, "We share a room."


    "Same bed?" Nitocris drawled, his voice lazy but there was a dangerous glint in his eye that flashed by too quickly to be noticed.


    "Of course not," Kyle said innocently, "He''s like an octopus in bed. Can''t sleep with him at all."


    "So you have shared a bed before," Nitocris said, picking up on that sentence, his fingers digging into his palm unnoticed, "So you''re telling me Xing Han can''t sleep by himself?"


    Xing Han turned to glare at Nitocris, and he puffed up his chest, "So?!"


    "Didn''t think you''re still such a baby," Nitocris replied, while lowering his eyes downwards, his lashes hiding his eyes darkened a bit.


    "Yes, I''m a baby! SO WHAT?!" Xing Han shouted, unabashed.


    Nitocris grinned, completely captivated by the straightforwardness of Xing Han.


    Not only was his little puppy so pure, so honest. He didn''t hide anything at all. You can see how he felt from his facial expressions, and his mouth was never full of honeyed words or false praises. He said whatever was on his mind.


    It was so refreshing.


    Nitocris always had to be on high alert whenever he listened to people talk, or when he read reports. He had to be able to ''read between the lines'' or determine whether someone was lying or not. He had to constantly check if the people around him would betray him at any time.


    He was always on edge, and could never trust anyone fully.


    People rarely said what they think.


    But Xing Han?


    "Then sleep in my room first, while I talk with Kyle," Nitocris said, going into his room, not waiting for an answer.


    Xing Han stood there, his mouth wide open.


    "Did he ... did he just say I can stay as well?" Xing Han asked Kyle, grabbing his arm and shaking it. He couldn''t believe it. After making fun of him like that, he .. he .. he said he could sleep in the room?


    "Yeah, he did," Kyle answered, surprised.


    Kyle figured that if Big Bro Nic said Xing Han could stay, it meant that they weren''t going to discuss Black Dragon matters. Despite that, Kyle knew that they would be discussing confidential matters, so he was very happy that Nitocris trusted Xing Han enough to let him in.


    "Coming?" Kyle asked.


    Xing Han rushed forward to stand next to Kyle. You didn''t need to ask him twice! Not only can he hang around, he will make sure that the Thing won''t take advantage of his BFF! Not too much work!


    Kyle knocked on Nitocris''s bedroom door. Upon hearing ''Enter'', he opened the door.


    Xing Han stood outside, his eyes wide open as he looked inside Nitocris''s room for the very first time.

 Chapter 369 - Testing His Limits

    Hawthorn walked Kay back to her house, which was just across the street.


    Once she arrived, she put in her key, and at the same time, placed her thumb over the hidden scanner above the keyhole. Hawthorn heard a whirl and a click, then Kay pushed the door open.


    Without the thumbprint, darts coated with sleeping potion would be shot out instead.


    Once inside, the house was more secure than Fort Knox.* That was why Kyle wasn''t worried about Kay being alone in the house. Hawthorn made sure Kay had closed the front door and locked it first before he walked back home.


    ? ? ? ?


    Xing Han was amazed at the simplicity of Nitocris''s room.


    Everything was in its place, too. Just like the owner, he supposed. Was Nitocris perhaps OCD?*


    Nitocris looked up at the two boys that walked in and he pointed at a towel and a set of pajamas on the bed.


    "Bathe and change before lying down on the bed," Nitocris commanded.


    Xing Han frowned then said, "I''m not planning to spend the night! Just to rest for a while, while you guys talk."


    Nitocris ignored him, taking a file out of the shelf as he said, "I''m not having your clothes that are filthy from being outside, touch my bed. You want to rest here, then bathe and change."


    Xing Han pouted, but did as he was told.


    Looks like he was right. Nitocris was a bit of a clean freak. Since he was actually allowing him to stay, the least he could do was accommodate that guy''s weird habit, right?


    While Xing Han went out to bathe, Nitocris handed the file over to Kyle.


    "Here''s the latest information on Country M''s underground human trafficking railroad," Nitocris said, referring to the route that the people were being taken as they were shuttled from one place to another.


    As Kyle looked through the information, Nitocris said, "As you can see, two of those locations are in your promotional tour. I need you to scout the place and touch base with some of the moles I''ve planted. They seem to have difficulty sending out information."


    Kyle nodded, flipping through the file quickly.


    When Xing Han entered, he found that Nitocris and Kyle were deep in discussions. He went over to the bed and plopped there, watching and listening. Unfortunately, it was as if they were talking Greek.


    Not that they were talking in a different language, but that a lot of it didn''t make sense. He lay down on the bed, watching them intently. He could see how serious Kyle was as he pointed out a few things.


    Occasionally, Nitocris would answer, his deep voice a compliment to Kyle''s smooth one.


    Xing Han idly thought that when the Thing wasn''t being annoying, he had a really pleasant voice indeed. Even though they were both talking serious stuff, to Xing Han''s ears, it was like a soothing lullaby.


    It was like white noise. Instead of being annoying, it was lulling him to sleep. As he lay there, he found his eyelids getting heavier and heavier until finally, it closed.


    Several hours later, Kyle and Nitocris finished their discussion. They turned and saw the sleeping Xing Han, and Kyle grimaced a bit. Once he''s asleep, it takes a LOT to wake that log up.


    "I''ll wake him up and go home," Kyle said, about to walk over but Nitocirs held him back, shaking his head. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just let him sleep there," Nitocris said, "I''ll sleep outside. You should go home first. It''s not good to leave Kay there alone, even though the house is secure."


    Kyle hesitated.


    "Don''t worry," Nitocris said with a smile, "I''m not going to do anything to him."


    Kyle looked at Nitocris in horror, "No! I wasn''t thinking that at all! I just felt bad that you can''t sleep in your own room. We''ve inconvenienced you too much."


    "Not at all," Nitocris answered, "I''m the one that held you back. It''s fine."


    ''More than fine'', Nitocris thought to himself.


    He didn''t think his plan would work so well. Now, his little puppy was wearing the clothes he bought for him, and sleeping on his bed. He wasn''t going to be doing anything to him, of course, but just the thought that his little puppy there made him so happy.


    "Once he''s deep asleep, he won''t wake up until tomorrow morning," Kyle said, "So you don''t have to worry about him freaking out in the middle of the night."


    Nitocris walked Kyle out the door. Closing it, he turned and walked back to his bedroom with a smile. As he walked in, his heart warmed to see his little puppy there.


    Nitocris sat on the edge of his bed, watching with satisfaction the sleeping Xing Han. He tenderly, and gently, brushed the hair away from the sleeping face. Awake, his little puppy was cute. Asleep, he looked like an angel.


    His lips curled in a smile, as he watched his little puppy move again, his arms flinging about widely. An octopus indeed. Suddenly, a wayward arm hit Nitocris, and like some hound dog, Xing Han came closer, seeking warmth.


    He mumbled something under his breath as he wrapped his arms around Nitocris''s waist, burying his face at his back. Snuggling and holding him tight.


    Nitocris took several deep breaths while pinching the space between his eyebrows. Then he thought of how Xing Han was like this with anyone that he slept with and he frowned.


    Just then, Nitocris''s breath hitched, for those hands started to move. It roamed across Nitocris''s stomach and he could hear Xing Han mumbling, "Where is it ... it must be here somewhere ..."


    Those devilish hands were freely touching him all over, probably looking for whatever it was that he was dreaming about. One hand went under his shirt and another further down, the fingers lightly brushing against the bulge that was slowly forming.


    Nitocris groaned.


    Seriously, his little puppy is testing his limits so much.

 Chapter 370 - Best Sleep

    After ''relieving'' himself, and taking a cold shower, Nitocris went back to his bedroom.


    Seeing his beloved puppy sleeping soundly on the bed filled his heart to the brim. Carefully, he went on the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping puppy. Even though Kyle said that once asleep, he''s dead to the world, Nitocris didn''t want to take any chances.


    He lay there on his side, an arm under his head as he blissfully admired the deeply asleep puppy in front of him.


    He couldn''t believe it that his little puppy was right there. On his bed, lying on his pillow, wearing the pajamas he got for him.


    This was the sort of sight he would never get tired of.


    Just then, Xing Han moved again, restlessly turning in his sleep. Nitocris watched in amusement as he rolled over, until his back hit Nitocris.


    Nitocris didn''t dare move, but he really was in 7th Heaven right now.


    Having his little puppy in his arms as he fell asleep. What could be better than this?


    As if answering Nitocris''s silent question, Xing Han moved again.


    This time, he turned a complete 180 degrees so that he was now facing Nitocris. Feeling the warmth in front of him, Xing Han instinctively reached out.


    Nitocris felt like crying in happiness right now.


    When Kyle said that Xing Han was like an octopus, he thought Kyle meant that he''s a restless sleeper. Well, Xing Han was but he was also the type to hug and hold onto whatever fell into his arms.


    Like an octopus, not only were his hands around Nitocris''s waist, he had also lifted up his leg and put it over Nitocris''s legs. In short, Nitocris was Xing Han''s bolster. Somehow, his head snuggled under the crook of Nitocris''s arm.


    Nitocris looked at the sleeping face of his beloved puppy, and couldn''t help but kiss his forehead. Slowly lifting up his other arm, he placed it around Xing Han''s waist.


    This was surely heaven sent and he wasn''t going to waste the opportunity given to him. He hugged his little puppy, content.


    Despite the awkward position, Nitocris found it extremely comfortable. He closed his eyes and soon, he fell into a deep sleep.


    ? The Next Morning ?


    Xing Han woke up in a daze. As he opened his eyes, his brain went blank for a while as he looked at the unfamiliar room.


    He blinked and rubbed the grit out of his eyes, as he slowly became more aware of his surroundings.


    ''Oh yeah. This is Nitocris''s room'', he thought.


    Even as that thought came into his mind, he was still too groggy to have any sort of reaction. As he sat there, he thought that the bed was nice and the room was rather cozy.


    Xing Han is one of those people that isn''t ''quite there'' when first waking up.


    His thinking is slower and one can always tell that he''s not really paying much attention. Kyle had gotten used to the dead log waking up acting like a zombie, and normally just gave concise instructions to make sure he gets ready.


    Sometimes, Kyle would have to lead him to the bathroom. Xing Han normally ''wakes up'' after a bath.


    As Xing Han sat there on the bed stupidly, he thought about the really nice sleep he had. He had a nice dream, too, but he can''t remember what it was right now. All he can recall is that he had the best sleep ever.


    His eyes landed on his uniform that was hanging at the coat rack. He blinked a bit, realising that Kyle must have put it there.


    After a while, it clicked.


    Oh, that means Kyle is outside. He yawned and stretched lazily.


    The bedroom door suddenly swung open and Xing Han looked in a daze at the immaculately dressed man walking in.


    His hair was all nice and dandy, sleeked back like normal and that silver streak looking more striking than before. Some of the buttons of his shirt were not done up yet but overall, he was all dressed up to go to work.


    Such a handsome man, Xing Han thought to himself.


    "Good. You''re awake," Nitocris said, as he buttoned up his sleeves, "Go and get ready for school. Mother has already made breakfast."


    At the sound of ''breakfast'', Xing Han''s eyes sparkled with a bit of life and he smiled goofily. He somehow garnered the energy to get out of bed. He turned to his stomach, wormed his way to the edge of the bed and slid off.


    His butt landed on the floor and Xing Han lay his head on the edge of the bed for a while before standing up, yawning again.


    Once he stood up, he turned and headed over to take his uniform. He was about to pass Nitocris when he suddenly stopped, his eyes falling on those offending unbuttoned shirt, which showed a lot of skin.


    He frowned a bit, then walked over to Nitocris, pouting.


    "This is not right, should button up properly," he mumbled under his breath, his eyes squinting as he concentrated hard on the buttons.


    His fingers were having a bit of trouble coordinating between holding the button and putting it through the buttonhole. In his numerous attempts to get it through that darn hole, his fingers would be brushing against the naked skin underneath the shirt. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he finally got the last button done, Xing Han smiled happily.


    He ran his hand down the entire length of the shirt, intending to get the creases out. Problem was, there there were these two spots that wasn''t quite flat.


    Xing Han frowned and would try to flatten it but to no avail. Worse, it seemed to get more sharper? Weird. Finally giving up, Xing Han patted the chest and looked up at Nitocris, smiling happily as he said, "There. All done."


    Yawning again, he scratched his butt, took his uniform and soon dissapeared from sight.

 Chapter 371 - Lethal Puppy

    Nitocris watched his little puppy walk out without a care in the world. Throughout the entire ordeal, Nitocris was absolutely frozen.


    What the hell just happened?!


    His mind was slowly processing every single detail from the moment he walked in until the end. He looked back down on his buttoned-up shirt and then further below, where his pants were starting to feel just a little bit too tight.


    Damn, that puppy was lethal! How could anyone so innocent be such a devil?


    Nitocris looked at himself in the mirror.


    Now, that was a true Devil.


    He knew very well the sort of dark, imposing figure he made. It was a part of him. The darkness. He welcomed it, really. He couldn''t deny the blood of his father in him, and he never did.


    However, ever since he got to know Xing Han, a little seedling of hope grew within him. Could that little bundle of sunshine ever be a part of his life? Love. Could he ever deserve that little puppy? He had too much blood on his hands.


    Maybe this was wrong. Maybe he shouldn''t try to win the little puppy''s heart. Maybe he should protect his little puppy''s innocence by staying away from him.


    Nitocris looked at his bed, all messed up from his little puppy''s vigorous activity. He remembered how warm his little puppy was in his arms as they slept together. How warm he felt, and how at peace he was.


    Nitocris touched the buttons of the shirt that his little puppy had done up.


    No, he knew he couldn''t give him up without trying, at least.


    He will be patient. He will wait. He will reel in the little puppy slowly. If ... if his little puppy rejected him later on, he will walk away. He definitely wouldn''t do anything to taint that purity and innocence.


    Waking up early that morning was like a dream. Nitocris''s mind wandered to that moment in time.


    ? Two hours earlier ?


    Nitocris got up reluctantly, slowly extracting himself from his little puppy''s embrace. Once he got up, he saw how his little puppy''s face scrunched up, and he started flailing about again. A ghost of a smile formed on Nitocris''s face, as he thought his puppy missed his warmth.


    With a sigh, he smoothened the pillow that he had been sleeping on to erase any trace of him being there. He didn''t have to worry about the bed, as Xing Han was thrashing about and destroying all evidence anyway.


    Giving his bed, and his little puppy, a final glance, Nitocris walked out to get ready for work. He couldn''t have Kyle come and not see any traces of him ''sleeping'' outside.


    His timing was perfect, for he had already taken his breakfast and was drinking his coffee when Kyle arrived.


    "Morning, Mother, Big Bro Nic," Kyle said as he walked in.


    "Morning, Kyle honey," Rheia said, "Where''s Kay?"


    "Oh, she''s not coming. She''ll be having breakfast at home and I''ll pick her up on the way to school," Kyle said, "She didn''t want to wake up so early."


    Rheia nodded in understanding.


    "Come and have your breakfast first then," she said, going into the kitchen.


    "Will do, Mother. I''ll just put away Xing Han''s uniform first," Kyle said, "May I?"


    Nitocris nodded and Kyle went into his room.


    Unsurprisingly, Xing Han was still asleep. Since it was still early, Kyle figured on letting him sleep more so he didn''t wake him as yet. He looked around and placed the uniform on the coat rack before walking out.


    "I''ll be going off first," Nitocris told Kyle, after he finished his coffee.


    "Okay," Kyle mumbled between mouthfuls of eggs, "Could you please wake up Xing Han when you go to your room? He should get up by now."


    Nitocris nodded, not showing any sort of enthusiasm for it.


    "Thanks, Big Bro," Kyle said gratefully, "Sorry for the trouble."


    When Nitocris went in, he saw that Xing Han was awake. Yet, from the looks of it, he wasn''t really ''quite there'' yet. His eyes had that really glazed look in them and he was still lying down on the bed. Nitocris''s heart jumped.


    His little puppy just looked so cute!!


    Then the little puppy went and got off the bed. But the way he did so!


    Nitocris lips were twitching badly, caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to just hug the little puppy of his. The way he just rolled over, then wriggled his butt until he slid off the bed. He was like a human slinky!


    When that sleepy puppy finally managed to get up, he did the unexpected. Again. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stopped and started to help him button his shirt.


    The way those fingers brushed against his chest, touching yet not. Fingertips on the skin. The way his face scrunched up as he was trying so hard. Nitocris was absolutely captivated. He felt like Xing Han was his beloved already, helping him get ready for work.


    It was such a beautiful dream.


    Then, those evil, evil hands did its work again.


    After he buttoned up the shirt, he started to smooth it down. Nitocris could feel those soft palms roaming all over his body, completely oblivious to the effect he was having on him. Especially when those d*mn fingers kept touching his nipples.


    No one had ever been so brazen like Xing Han. He''d rub on it, then pinch it as if he was trying to get it out, then tried to flatten it again as he rubbed his palms on it in a circular motion.


    Nitocris groaned inwardly. He gritted his teeth and his breathing was becoming more laboured as those hands kept on ''helping'' him. Just when Nitocris thought that there was no end to his torture, it stopped.


    He looked down and was rewarded with the most breathtakingly innocent smile beaming up at him.


    As if Nitocris was his world.


    Nitocris gulped.


    Damn his puppy was lethal indeed.

 Chapter 372 - New Routine

    Things settled into a new routine after that.


    Previously, they''d head to the school cafeteria and have breakfast with Sarah, Beatrice, and Betty before going to class. Sam would meet up with them after breakfast to walk Betty to class whilst the rest walked Sarah to class.


    Now, everyone was staring at the former Elite Five breakfast table.


    Despite the fact that Kyle, Kay and Xing Han had moved out and would not be having breakfast at the cafeteria anymore, their regular table still stood there in all its lonesome. Like a shrine. It lay empty.


    People were hoping that they would come back. If they did, wouldn''t it be a shame that they didn''t have a table to sit at? There was even a flower in a vase on the table, as if it would somehow bring them back?


    A tribute?


    Whatever it was, there seemed to be a silent agreement by all to leave the table alone.


    No one knew - or even questioned - why the table was so revered to the point of it being worshiped. Sarah, who was eating at another table nearby, was content.


    It had been quite easy to guide the PoK to have the idea of leaving the table empty. After all, they harboured the hope that Kyle would come back. At least, to eat. They simply spread it and reinforced the idea.


    They didn''t know that Kyle had far better food at his ''Mother''s place.


    Kyle and Xing Han would have breakfast each morning at Master Shifu''s house. Kay wasn''t much of a morning person - and though Xing Han had trouble waking up early as well, the motivation not to have Kyle ''brave the lion''s den'' all alone was not in the cards.


    Kyle felt it was only right that he would have breakfast and dinner at his second home. Xing Han joined them all the time, of course, while Kay only went for dinner.


    After that, they''d walk to the bus stop to get to school.


    Xing Han would prefer to take the cab, though. Still, Kyle somehow prefered to take the bus even though he could well afford to take a cab. Xing Han sighed. Ah well. The bus that they took was also the one that Sam took, so they timed it so that the bus they took would be the exact same one.


    Thus, halfway through the journey, Sam would get on and they''d arrive in school together. Sam would head to the cafeteria to meet up with his bunny while Kyle, Kay and Xing Han would head to class. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes, Kyle would disappear suddenly. The first time it happened, Xing Han had been completely shocked while Kay giggled by his side.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    "What is your fascination with taking a bus anyway, Kyle?" asked Xing Han as he stretched a bit. Seriously, the seats on the bus weren''t exactly soft and sometimes, he''d had to endure body odour as people walked by.


    Kyle smiled and shrugged, "Don''t you think it''s such a wonderful experience? The way you can sit there and watch the scene pass you by."


    "You can do that in a car," Xing Han pointed out.


    "A car moves too fast," Kyle replied, "And anyway ..."


    Xing Han waited but there was nothing. He turned to face Kyle, wanting to ask what it was when he realised. There was no one there.


    He blinked.


    He looked left and right - and even up and down but nothing. Wait. He was just there.


    Xing Han turned to Kay who was beside him, on the other side but before he could ask, he heard a familiar voice calling out to them.


    "Kay!"


    Xing Han looked and saw that it was Sarah.


    "Eh? Kyle isn''t with you guys?" Sarah asked as she reached them.


    Xing Han frowned a bit. Wasn''t it obvious that Kyle wasn''t with them? Couldn''t she have seen that even before coming over? And why was that the first question she asked instead of greeting Kay?


    Xing Han wasn''t stupid. He was just innocent in most cases but when it came to the Elite Five, his senses were quite sharp about the atmosphere. Seeing Sarah, Xing Han knew that Kyle had done his disappearing act to avoid her.


    What he was impressed with though, was that he did it so effortlessly and quickly. It wasn''t like there was a lot of places to hide. One minute he was here, the next, POOF!


    Xing Han looked at Sarah. He was a bit annoyed.


    Kay, on the other hand, didn''t look like anything was wrong. She just smiled gently and nodded, answering the obvious. Xing Han wanted to rush off as well but he couldn''t leave Kay alone. He had to protect her!


    Unlike someone that could just go POOF!

 Chapter 373 - A Pattern

    However, one could say that Sarah''s delusional persistence created an opportunity for another person.


    Sayuri continued her silent observation of Kyle. She was slowly collecting all sorts of information about Kyle, from their interaction in class and from the way he is in school. Being the Acting Vice President also allowed her to study him in the Student Council.


    She knew that he would be leaving soon for the promotional tour, so she increased her surveillance of him. She would even follow him when he went home, and she only went back to her apartment after he was asleep.


    Sayuri noted that Kyle was the type that had a rather set routine. He did everything like clockwork. In the morning, before breakfast, he''d do his morning jog. Then, he would head over to the neighbouring house for breakfast with Xing Han. Pick up Kay, take the bus, Sam joins them, go to school.


    It''s just that something funny would happen whenever they reached the school They''d head straight to class except for Sam, who would go to the cafeteria. Once Sam reached the cafeteria, a particular girl that was waiting there would run off towards Kyle.


    Most of the time, Kyle and the gang would reach their class before she actually reached them, and thus, she could only look around in vain. However, during the times that she did manage to catch them, Kyle himself ran off before that girl could reach them.


    Sayuri would observe this all from the vantage point of higher ground, thus was in a position to see the whole thing unfold. Unlike the girl that ran to catch up with Kyle, Sayuri could see exactly what was happening.


    She found the whole thing fascinating.


    The first time Sayuri saw Kyle rush off, Sayuri had been completely shocked. Like Xing Han, she had not noticed it at first as her line of sight was focused on the approaching girl. She had noticed Kyle''s reaction about something so when she studied where he was looking, she noticed a girl.


    At first, she thought the girl was someone Kyle as interested in, so she paid very close attention to the said girl. With this information, wouldn''t her Grandfather be satisfied and the mission is completed?


    So she was studying the girl closely then when she turned back to look at Kyle, he wasn''t there.


    The second time it happened, she was stumped.


    Thus, the next time that girl came into view, Sayuri focused her sight on Kyle instead.


    What she saw was something unbelievable. His speed was unlike anything she had ever seen, even amongst the elite in her Clan. The fact that he was always on alert, and could even pick out the ''target'' from a distance all seem to point to one thing. A thought slowly formed in Sayuri''s mind.


    Was he a ...??


    Sayuri shook her head at that insane thought.


    Nah. It couldn''t be. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t because she didn''t think he was incapable of being a ninja. She just had absolute faith in her Grandfather. He would never make another ninja the source of her test. After all, that would be completely unfair!


    With that thought, Sayuri was satisfied.


    So Sayuri started studying both Kyle and the girl. She found out that the girl''s name was Sarah. What she found amazing was the fact that Sarah''s life seemed to revolve around Kyle. It wasn''t anything obvious and it really was these little things.


    Things like, how she''d be the one that changed the flower on the ''Elite Five'' table everyday. How she''d be looking out for Sam and rush out. Sayuri was sure, that if she observed her longer, she would find out more things.


    Although the girl wasn''t someone Kyle was interested in, the fact that he would constantly avoid her spoke volumes. That fact went down to her ''Kyle'' File.


    It certainly was getting thick.


    ? Mr. Sharif ?


    The weekend before Kyle was to leave, it was also the weekend that Kyle introduced Ali to the mentor that would begin the following month. Mr. Omar Sharif.


    They met at the same cafe that Kyle had brought them to before. It really was a nice cafe, so Ali didn''t mind.


    Neither did the people who worked there, too. To have Kyle return was heaven sent and the waitresses were scrambling to take his order - even pushing the waitress normally assigned to that table.


    For some reason, Ali was extremely nervous so even noticing this thing about the people around him didn''t make him laugh like normal. He wondered why he was so nervous. It was only him, Kyle and Mr. Sharif - and it was only to get to know the man yet Ali felt like he was attending the most important meeting of his life.


    Which, in truth, it was in a way. After all, the man was going to be his advisor and mentor.


    The man, Mr. Sharif, was a very distinguished-looking man with an impressive moustache. His entire demenour screamed ''royalty'', or rather, charm and grace. Yet, he wasn''t pompous and very soft spoken.


    "Mr. Sharif," Ali began, "Peace be unto you."


    Omar smiled, and replied, "And unto you, Peace. You must be Ali. Kyle has spoken about you a lot to me."


    "He did? Of course he did. Yes, nice to meet you, Mr. Sharif," Ali responded.


    "Please. Just Omar will do. Except when we''re in school, of course," he replied amicably.


    "Oh, I couldn''t do that, Mr Sharif!" Ali protested.


    "I insist. Sit, sit. Don''t just keep standing there," he said with a smile.


    "I think I''ll make a move now," Kyle said, "Thank you, in advance, for all of your help, Omar."


    Omar waved his hand in front of his face, saying while shooing Kyle away, "It''s the least I could do."


    Kyle nodded and left.


    Ali began fidgeting in his chair, not knowing how to start. Seeing the uncomfortable Ali, Omar smiled then began telling him his life story.

 Chapter 374 - Serious Discussion (I)

    Ali listened intently as Omar began telling him about the love of his life, Faten.


    For him, she had converted to Islam and their life was blissful. Perfect. He had a perfect wife, a perfect family. Then, he got promoted and went overseas for a job.


    After a while, his performance made him well-known. People sought after him. Flinging money at him. He saw his family less and less as he dove into work. He had been so engrossed with earning money for his family that he neglected the very people he was working so hard for!


    How ironic.


    It was only after his wife filed for divorce that he woke up.


    From a dream, to a nightmare. No matter what he did, he couldn''t salvage the situation. His wife was adamant and distant, while his children loathed him. He fell into despair.


    Just as he signed the divorce papers, he drowned himself in work. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet ... miracles of miracles, three months later, the love of his life came back.


    She told him about this job offer. However, if he was to take up that offer, all the things he achieved currently would be gone for he would need to move to an obscure place. At half the pay with twice the work. His position was also far lower than what he was holding on to now.


    The only thing was, it was at home. To be exact, where his family and ex-wife lived.


    She asked him simply, "Are you willing?"


    Even though they had divorced, Omar never lost hope. Seeing her there, asking him this, he made his decision without a thought. He resigned and followed her home.


    Once he arrived, he started work like normal. He didn''t care that he started from the bottom again. He did his best to repair his life with his family. Even though he was no longer the husband, he was still a father. And she was still the mother of his children.


    After?fourth months,?his ex-wife finally told him that it was okay. That he was forgiven.


    And that she had never filed the divorce papers.


    Now, his life was perfect again. He even had more children after getting back together again.


    ????


    Ali looked confused.


    Sure, Omar''s life story was really touching and beautiful, but how was that related to what he was experiencing? Omar seemed to be focusing on how his marriage was saved, rather than how he managed to ''capture'' his wife.


    Why did she convert? How did he convince her?


    Omar saw the confusion on Ali''s face and he smiled again.


    "In my life story, who was the one that was in the wrong the first time? The one that shattered the bonds of marriage?" Omar asked softly.


    Embarrassed, Ali still answered, "You."


    "Yes, and who was the one that converted? Who was the one that remained true to the Faith?" he asked again.


    Ali blinked.


    "Yes, it was my wife," Omar said with a gentle smile, "When a girl truly loves you, she will convert for you."


    "But ... I don''t really need her to convert now, do I?" Ali said.


    It was one of the things that he had been thinking hard about. Why should he insist that Sophia believe in what he did, if he could marry her anyway? As long as there is love, isn''t it enough?


    Despite the fact that he had first felt it would be great that she converted, as time went by ... he began questioning it. Since it was allowed, why should he be so particular about it?


    Omar shook his head.


    "It is not that simple," he said.


    "It''s not?" Ali asked, surprised and not understanding.


    "It is said that a Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim woman," Omar continued, "That is a fallacy due to its inaccuracy."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Yes, it is true that you can marry a non-muslim woman. However, only one who is Kitabiyah."


    "A ''person of the book?"* Ali repeated and understanding dawned in his eyes. So, Sophia wouldn''t ''qualify'', so to speak. She was not a?Kitabiyah.


    "Even then, it is still highly discouraged," Omar stressed, "My Faten was Kitabiyah but she still converted for me. She loved me wholeheartedly. She didn''t fail me. I failed her."


    His eyes had a faraway look in them.


    "For me, I did not do much in terms of ''persuading'' her, so to speak," Omar explained, "She learns on her own. She asked me things. This is all-natural as she wants to know more about you, and what makes you, you."


    "A woman is like that. When she loves, she loves wholeheartedly."


    Omar looked at Ali squarely in the eyes, "It is the Man that often fails her. You are to be her pillar, and you must never, ever forget that. You are her protector, and you must care for her unconditionally. She is your wife, and the mother of your children. She is the pillar of the family and you, as her husband, must always, always, protect her."


    "So I ask you this," Omar continued, "What have you done so far to prove yourself worthy of this woman, to convert for you?"


    Ali was stumped.


    He looked down, thinking hard.


    "I .. I treat her well," he began hesitatingly, "I don''t scold her or look at other women."


    "Who are you to scold her?" Omar countered, "Is she your daughter?"


    Ali shook his head, confused.


    "You are to be her protector, not her father!" Omar stressed, tapping the table, "What has our religion taught you? Have you been following its teachings? Its commandments? On how to treat your wife?"


    "But she''s not my wife," Ali mumbled.


    "Do you not want her to be? Why are you with her then? As a passing phase?"


    At that, Ali lost it, "NO! My feelings are true! I ..."


    "Then why aren''t you treating her like she is your wife?" Omar asked again.


    Ali was still confused. What''s his point?


    Omar sighed loudly.

 Chapter 375 - Serious Discussion (II)

    "My point is this. First, do not preach," Omar began.


    "Preaching works because the people who come to those sermons, actually want to listen. But if the person goes to those sermons to cause chaos, the words spoken will not enter their hearts."


    "So are you saying that Sophia is one who wouldn''t listen? She''s not like that," Ali insisted.


    "I told you that when a woman loves you, she will do anything for you. Even convert," Omar continued but Ali cut him off.


    "I won''t ever force her to convert," Ali insisted.


    Omar felt like slapping the back of the boy''s head, "Did I say you are to do so? Islam forbids force and commanding someone to convert or blackmailing them emotionally would be ''force'' as well."


    "Now stop interrupting and?derailing the point I am trying to make!"


    Ali blinked. Oh yes. Right. Omar had a point to make.


    "The best way is by example," Omar finally got to his point with relief, "Since you want her as your wife, and see her as your wife, then treat her like your wife. With respect. With care."


    "She will see you, and know that you are as you are, due to your belief. She will naturally become curious. If she ask, you answer. Don''t be stingy in sharing," Omar continued.


    "You are going to share a life together, and keeping quiet about anything is detrimental to the relationship," Omar pressed on, "Talk, share, show example."


    "If it''s meant to be, it''ll be."


    Was it really that simple?


    Omar watched the boy who was seriously contemplating what had been said.


    The boy was a good seedling.


    He could tell how much Sophia meant to him, and he was truly scared. Omar had been lucky, in the sense that he had been much older than Ali right now when he met Faten. He had also been through a few relationships.


    So, he was more ''mature'' and stable in emotions.


    Ali, on the other hand, was still a growing and emotional teen. Meeting his love for the first time. Was this a good thing, or a bad thing?


    Only God knows.


    Omar thought back of how he really started working for MIB.


    Although he had told the truth, he had just left out a few things. Like, Faten had come to him with the offer by "J". How, after he had proven himself, and Faten admitted she never divorced him - he was promoted.


    J had convinced Faten that Omar had changed. How he regretted everything. She didn''t believe J at first, but soon, decided to give him a chance. She didn''t trust Omar fully for he had betrayed her so badly.


    So the entire ''low pay job'' was all a test.


    Previously, he had been so intense at earning money that he neglected his family. After that, however, he changed and focused on his family. Even though he was offered better pay to work elsewhere, Omar never changed jobs.


    Thus, Omar felt he owed his life to "J". Anything J asked of him, he would do willingly. After all, if it wasn''t for J, he would have lost his family - his heart - forever.


    Since J wanted him to help guide Ali in finding his true love, it was the least he could do. He would do that, and more.


    "Think back on all your conversations with your beloved," Omar started to say, "Has she ever shown interest in your life?"


    Ali nodded.


    "So what did you tell her?"


    Ali mumbled something. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What was that? Speak up," Omar grunted, wondering what was wrong with the boy. He was suddenly looking quite guilty.


    "Nothing," Ali finally admitted.


    "WHAT?!" Omar couldn''t help but shout in surprise, "Whyever not? Isn''t that the best time to show her what life is like in your house? Does she not need to know these things? If she''s showing interest, why are you killing it?"


    Ali''s eyes were wide.


    "NO! I am not doing that!" Ali said, in denial, "I just wanted to hear about her, and hear what she ..."


    "So you can know about her, but she can''t about you?" Omar cut in, looking at him then shook his head, "You''re actually sabotaging your own relationship."


    Ali slumped back in his chair, realisation slowly dawning on him.


    "Try putting yourself in her shoes," Omar continued mercilessly, "How would you feel if she didn''t share her thoughts or answer your question properly?"


    Ali felt bad.


    "What do you think she would think, if you''re not willing to share?"


    Ali''s heart started beating rapidly.


    "At the end of the day, God can show you your soulmate, but it is you who has to earn the right to have her."


    "Is it too late??Have I already lost her?" Ali asked fearfully.

 Chapter 376 - Time To Leave

    It was finally time. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Elite Five were at the airport, along with the Smith couple. It was the day that Kyle had to go on his promotional tour.


    Delilah was sniffling away, dabbing the corner of her eyes constantly as she watched her only children talking and laughing animatedly. Why was she the only one that felt sad about them leaving?


    They were only 15 years old, yet acting like adults. Her babies weren''t supposed to leave the nest yet at that age.


    Patrick patted her back, saying consolingly, "They''re only leaving for a few months. They''ll be back before you know it."


    Delilah bit her lips, thinking, ''They haven''t left yet and I am already missing them. How can he think I''d not feel every single day? Before I know it? Hah''


    But Patrick had always been like that. He comforted her often but he didn''t really show his emotions to his children.


    No, wait. That was not true.


    He didn''t really show his emotions to his son. Kay was his little princess after all, but Kyle was the next Smith heir. There was no way Patrick would be soft on him.


    Delilah sighed.


    Perhaps that is why Kyle was rather aloof with his father. He was constantly doing things on his own, making monumental decisions by himself and often taking his sister along for the ride. She hadn''t been keen on him gaining legal independence for the chasm between them would grow bigger.


    Patrick didn''t think so and felt that it was the best move.


    Delilah still doesn''t agree in her heart but she didn''t show it. There were so many things she disagreed with her own husband, regarding the raising of their children. However, just like any parent who had conflicting ideas, one would have to compromise or give in.


    It was not easy.


    Luckily, she had Kay.


    A daughter truly was a mother''s best friend to whom she could pour her grievances on. Sharing, that is.


    Delilah would often talk to Kay about it, and it made her feel closer to Kay. Not in the way Patrick chose to do things regarding Kyle - that would feel like she disrespected him. She didn''t want to cause Kay to start feeling discontent with her own father.


    So, instead, she would just talk about her feelings and her fears. At least, Kay seemed to understand far better than Patrick about that.


    Lately, she had noticed the change in Kyle. She attributed this partly to Kay (who must have had a talk with Kyle) and to her own acceptance of Kyle. Kay was the middle man, so to speak, that helped her bridge the gap with her own son.


    It was a pity that Kyle and Patrick''s relationship didn''t seem to improve.


    Both of them just had too much of the ''Smith'' stubborn and arrogant genes to truly get along.


    ??


    Ali sighed as he looked at the four of them.


    While he truly did wish he could follow them, his heart knew that he couldn''t. After that talk with Omar, Ali had gone back and contemplated a lot on his words. He spent days seriously thinking of all the things he had been doing, and everything he wanted.


    What Kyle had told him about himself was so true.?About how he tended to avoid conflicts.


    It''s not as if ignoring the matter would make it go away and he knew he had to buck up.


    When he had asked Omar whether it was too late, whether he had already lost Sophia, Omar had given him such a gentle, caring smile that Ali almost cried in relief.


    He wasn''t.


    So he spent days praying, thinking, contemplating.


    Now, he was much more relaxed and much more focused.


    He felt he could face the trials God had set for him, but he would have to constantly keep at it. Keep up the positive energy. Keep up the Faith.


    Just then, the announcement about their plane was ready for boarding came over the intercom. Fresh new tears formed in Delilah''s eyes.


    Her babies were leaving!!


    Kyle, upon seeing this, gave a soft smile and walked over to Delilah.


    "Come on, Mum," he said gently as he hugged her tight, "I''ll send a message every morning and every night, okay? I''ll call often."


    Delilah nodded, sniffing, "You''d better. Or else I won''t be able to sleep."


    Patrick watched all of this stoically.


    His son.


    A sense of pride swelled up within him but he didn''t show it.


    "Remember, you are the Smith Heir," Patrick said gruffly, looking at Kyle sternly, "You have to make sure your behaviour does not tarnish the Smith name."


    Here we go again, thought Kyle in exasperation.


    Why on Earth does this man find it a need to constantly drill into him his responsibilities? As he listened on to Patrick''s normal drivel about ''the Smith Name'' and the ''Smith Reputation'', he used up all his training not to let his true emotions show on his face.


    He had promised Kay, after all.


    But the man could go on and on.


    If Kyle had been a problematic child or one that did bring shame to the ''Smith Name'', then Kyle could understand this mini-lecture. Hadn''t he always proven himself? That he was capable and would not do anything to embarrass the family name?


    Though granted. The movie may be an eyesore to some of the older generations. After all, an ''entertainer'' could hardly measure up to the ''respectable'' job of a businessman.


    Kyle found that ludicrous, of course.


    The only reason why the Smith Family didn''t create such a fuss and ruckus was because the movie was ''high class''. Its predecessor was all box office hits and the actors were all the top. Thus, it was ''befitting'' the Smith Name.


    Such hypocrisy and sense of elitism. Kyle couldn''t be bothered with all of that.


    As Patrick ended his spiel, he nodded with satisfaction about how Kyle was actually listening this time.

 Chapter 377 - Suites

    The four of them were in first class.


    It was the best choice right now, because they would be going for long trips and more importantly, this was not the typical ''first-class'' or the type of ''first-class'' cabin of yesteryear.


    Many airlines had opted to remove the first-class cabins because it took up too much space and it wasn''t often used up. Business-class was upgraded instead. While it was not as luxurious as first class, it was close and did not take up as much space as first-class did.


    However, the airline they were on, was one of those few that not only retained their first-class cabins, it was?upgraded it.


    Some planes had first class, this one had ''suites''.*


    It was, literally, a room inside a plane.


    The suite cabin only had four suites, with each of its suite being separated by a partition that had a door. The four suites were placed alongside the window with two suites on the left side and two on the right side.


    This was the latest suite cabin, and both cabins were actually double cabins. It meant that the wall partition between the two rooms on the left and right could be lowered, so the two single suites combined to become one larger suite.


    Of course, Kyle had set it that they would have double cabins, so the partitions were retracted into the ceiling. Kay stayed with Kyle in the double suite on the right, while Xing Han stayed with Sam (much to Sam''s dismay) in the double suite on the left.


    Each suite had a richly?upholstered in full-grain leather by Poltrona Frau single sofa that was reclinable to 45¡ã and freely swivels. There was also a 2m (78 inches) bed, which folds out from the back wall, with several other components of the suite lowering to accommodate the mattress. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was even a dining/living area that had a?32" touchscreen monitor in high definition paired with noise-cancelling headphones. A table that was enough for one (two, when you combine the rooms) that one could do work or have their meals. There were power points whereby one could plug in their devices and a small shelf to put their work or devices.


    There was also?an ensuite wardrobe that was spacious enough to put your cabin luggage and hang clothes.


    In addition, it was wall to wall comfort. From the hand-tufted carpets to the ultra-leather padded compartments, everything was like a hotel room.


    As Kyle and Kay entered their suite, Kyle couldn''t help but be impressed.


    The cost was well worth it.


    Kay opened their bag and took out the clothes they were going to wear when landing. Kyle entered one of the bathroom, he admired how spacious it was. There was a lavatory, a sit-down vanity counter, and a shower. The other bathroom was the same.


    He placed Kay''s toiletries in one of the bathroom, even though the airlines provided them. The?toiletries such as the EDT, body lotion and facial mist from Lalique that the airline provided, however, wasn''t good enough for Kay in Kyle''s opinion. For him, it was okay but Kay needed the best.


    "Do you think you''ll get airsick in this place?" Kay asked as she popped her head through the bathroom door.


    Kyle took a deep breath and shook his head, "I doubt it. I don''t feel the usual nausea from the cabin smell, nor do I feel the pressure. It may be a good thing. We shall see."


    "It''ll be great if that was so," Kay said, "Too bad this sort of suite is quite limited."


    "True, but Sam was great. He actually managed to plan the route and all so that all my trips would be in suites. Be it this airline, or another," Kyle said, "He''s definitely getting a bonus for this."


    Suddenly, they heard some wailing (of excitement) from the other end. Excited chatter and squeals of joy could be heard as the person went through every single thing in the suite.


    Of course, that was Xing Han that was completely amazed by the whole thing. He was like a country bumpkin who came to the city for the first time.


    "OMG. Look at this! Look at this! Are you looking at this, Sam! This is amazing. Feel the leather. Oh my gosh. And the carpet! It''s so plush! Why are you still wearing your shoes? Come on, Sam! Take those shoes off! Feeeeeeeeeeel this carpet inbetween your toes."


    "Oh! Oh! The bed! BEEEED!! Oh Gosh, Sam! It''s so comfortable!! Come here! The pillows are so nice and soft. Look! They put chocolates on the pillow!!"


    "Yummy ... SAM! Where are you going?! OOOOOOO. The bathroom!!"


    "I think you should double the bonus, dear brother," Kay said with a laugh.


    Kyle agreed.

 Chapter 378 - Feeling Human

    Kyle found the 14-hour flight to be quite pleasant.


    For the first time ever, he didn''t get airsick. He didn''t feel like just curling up in his chair and wish it was all over. He didn''t need to spend 99% of the time just knocked out.


    It was such a luxury, feeling human while on the plane.


    It was something he had never felt before and it was Heaven.?He could even enjoy the meals provided.


    Kyle didn''t usually eat because his tastebuds and sense of smell were so sensitive whenever he was on a plane. The food served had this plastic smell (the heat of the container, he supposed) that permeated the food.


    Every single bite was torture for he felt the actual flavour of the food being tainted by the ''plastic'' taste. In the end, he opted not to eat.


    Or just took the peanuts.


    Even when he took business class, it was there. It could be psychological since business class food didn''t come in those plastic containers, but he still smelt and tasted it.


    In the suite, however, food was served on bone china tableware from Wedgwood. It was placed on the dining table that had crisp linen. Perhaps it was the ambiance of it all, but he really could eat and there was no ''plastic-ness'' to it. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The meals?were prepared by well-renowed chefs, and the meals were chosen pre-flight from an extensive menu. The best ingredients were used. Once cooked, the meals were ''blast chilled'' to lock in the colour, texture, structure and nutritional value of the meal.


    Thus, the food that was served was as good as one eating in a restaurant, and it was as if it had just been cooked.


    When the mealtime was going to be served, Xing Han requested that his meals be taken over to Kyle''s suite. Initially, he tried to get Sam to go as well but he refused.


    "Workaholic," Xing Han said to Sam, "You should relax with us - even if it''s during mealtimes."


    Sam smiled and said, "Don''t worry. This is relaxing for me, honestly. I know you can''t sit still and eat here while knowing that Kyle is next door. So go on."


    Xing Han shrugged and ran off, opening the door of the suite and crossed over.


    Inside, he found Kyle was sitting cross-legged on the bed as he leaned on the bedpost. Several files were strewn on the bed


    Xing Han shook his head. Sam was just like his boss. Workaholics indeed.


    "Hey!!" Xing Han said as he bounced over to the bed, "Why are you working right now? Why the heck do you have so many files? Where did you put all of them? Your bag was so small."


    "The files are flat, Xing Han and I only have the essentials in my bag. So there''s more than enough space," Kyle replied as he placed the papers down and set the files aside. He already knew its contents but he just liked holding the paper while he thought out his plans.


    Xing Han plopped himself on the bed beside Kyle while Kay was at the dining room, watching a movie.


    Just then, a knock sounded at the door before the stewardess came in.


    At the door, there was a sign that said ''privacy'' that could be closed. If it was flipped as such,?the occupants wouldn''t be disturbed unless there was something important, such as the plane was landing. Meals wouldn''t be served either but kept on stand-by until the occupants requested for it.


    Since the ''privacy'' sign was not flipped on, the stewardess knew she could enter.


    Just as she entered, however, she almost stopped in her tracks. Luckily, her training was quite good and her professionalism took over. Despite the extremely good eye candy that was sitting on the bed half-naked, she didn''t let it show on her face.


    She gave them all a smile as she walked in, headed over to the dining table while pushing a food cart. On the cart, there were three plates of starters (Ceaser salad) and some freshly cut fruits. She set the table and placed the food, before leaving.


    At the door, she turned, and said politely, "Enjoy your meal."


    Her eyes didn''t betray the fact that she was busy admiring the good-looking young man and his impressive toned body on the bed.?Once outside, she fanned herself and walked excitedly to share the news with the others.


    "Why the heck are you shirtless anyway, Kyle?" Xing Han finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind. He had been momentarily distracted by the files on the bed, then the food, before he remembered to ask.


    Kyle stretched and did some movements to relieve his sore muscles.


    "I was exercising earlier," Kyle explained, "So my shirt got drenched with sweat."


    "You were exercising?" Xing Han exclaimed, "You''re on a plane!"


    "Yeah, so?" Kyle answered as he got off the bed and walked barefooted to the dining table, "I have nothing else to do in here. I''m actually human and not curled up like some tortilla wrap so it''s only natural I would, right?"


    Kyle walked over to the dining table. He picked up a fork, placed it in the bowl of Ceasar salad and handed it to Kay before heading back to the table. Kay smiled and thanked him before getting engrossed in the movie again.


    "So what''s the plan once we land? Do you have any MIB stuff??Or whatever it is that ... that ... Nitocris needs you to do?" Xing Han asked, stumbling a bit at Nitcoris''s name.


    He couldn''t quite say ''big bro Nic'' like Kyle, and so, opted to just use his name instead.


    Kyle shook his head, "Not at this stop."


    Then he looked up at Xing Han, "Why are you against Big Bro Nic anyway? I thought he''s been pretty nice lately. Not teasing you as much and you even slept on his bed that day."

 Chapter 379 - Unknown Cupid?

    Xing Han paused for a full minute as he seriously pondered the question. His face scrunched up as he thought back and went through the days since they''d move.


    It''s true.


    Nitocris hadn''t been teasing him like he used to. Ever since the day he had slept over, actually.


    When Xing Han thought of that day, his face flushed a bit. He had been so zoned out that he didn''t quite register what he had been doing. When he remembered how he slinked off the bed, then buttoned up Nitocris''s shirt ... he felt like he could just die.


    It was a miracle that Nitocris hadn''t shouted at him or push him away. Instead, Nitocris had been patient and quiet, letting him be.


    All this time, he thought that Nitocris hated him. Well, not hate hate but ... perhaps, annoying? Just like how he found Nitocris annoying? Xing Han was getting really confused. He vaguely remembered a really gentle smile on Nitocris''s face.


    But it couldn''t be, right? He must have been dreaming it.


    Whatever it was, the ''cold, cruel Nitocris'' image was shattered. Though he didn''t feel THAT annoyed with Nitcoris, he just didn''t know what it was that he felt.


    Xing Han scratched his head.


    Kyle watched his best friend struggle as the question seemed to stump him quite badly.


    He didn''t think it would have generated such a response, though. Big Bro Nic wasn''t a bad guy and Xing Han was just so easily triggered.


    Finally, Xing Han shrugged and replied, "I guess he''s ... pretty ... okay. Maybe."


    Xing Han looked up and saw Kyle just studying him.


    "Okay okay! He''s not bad, once you get past that annoying smug look of his," Xing Han muttered grudgingly.


    Kyle smiled and?patted Xing Han on the shoulder as he got up, "It''s okay. Just be yourself. I was just curious."


    Little did Kyle know, he had become Cupid. With his question, it made Xing Han view Nitocris differently.


    Kyle stretched then, putting his arms above his head as he pulled on those muscles. Hearing the cracks felt rather satisfying.


    Just then, the stewardess came again, this time, with their main meal.


    It was a different stewardess this time, and the tray clattered a bit as her eyes were assaulted with the sight in front of her.


    Oblivious to this, Xing Han jumped up excitedly, "Ooh Ooh! REAL FOOD!! Not the rabbit food like before!!"


    The stewardess recovered at that shout.


    She then cleared up the table and placed the meal, all the while maintaining a professional smile. There was spaghetti for Kay, lamb stew with buttered slices of baguettes for Kyle, and pork chops for Xing Han.


    Xing Han was practically drooling as he waited at the dining table, the cutlery in his hands. When the dish was placed in front of him, he thanked the stewardess and dug in immediately.


    "Enjoy your meal," she said as she walked out.


    Just like the previous stewardess, once out, she leaned back on the door.


    She had thought Jan had been exaggerating but no. In fact, not only was in not exaggerated, she had underplayed it.


    The scene of those tight abs, the slight V-line that peeked through the waistline as he stretched made her throat dry.


    It was such a pity that they were going to Country AS.


    If it was Country I, or Country Cr,* then she would have slipped him her number or something. It was not unheard of for some of these occupants ask the stewardesses for some ''extra'' service.


    Anyone on duty for these flights was warned of such incidences. The airline was strict about it, and stated that they were professionals and not there to provide such ''services''. The clients knew it so they never forced. They just ''persuaded'' and the stewardesses (and stewards) were free to make their own choice.


    When they had been given the passenger list, the stewardesses had been partly glad, and partly sad. Fully booked, but all four were teenagers. Though three were guys, the fact that they were underaged meant that the stewardesses would not jeapordize their job for that little bit of ''fun'' and benefits.


    Now, however, their thoughts had changed.


    Young, handsome, well-built, rich ... aish. What a pity.


    She shook her head and joined her colleagues, her hand on her chest.


    "Aren''t you ever going to put on a shirt or something, Kyle?" Xing Han asked as he cut a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. It was so delicious that he had this dreamy-like look on his face.


    Kyle laughed, "I''ll put on a shirt when we''re about to land. I only have one change of clothes, you see. It''s more comfortable like this anyway."


    Of course, Kyle''s decision was quite popular with the stewardesses. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 380 - Feelings

    Sophia was feeling slightly apprehensive.


    Ali had wanted to have their date at a cafe outside of school. They had actually ditched co-curricular activities to do so, and the slight ''rebellion'' made her nervous. Yet excited. Yet worried.


    Why here?


    To avoid suspicion, they had agreed to meet up here separately. It would be easier to slip out and not get caught. It wasn''t as bad as it sounded, though. It''s just too embarrassing to actually admit that they''d be ditching class to go on a date.


    When Sophia pushed the cafe door open, the slight tinkle of the bell that sounded as the opened door hit it made Sophia pause for a while. Such a quaint sound. She looked around and saw an extremely nervous Ali waving at her from the other end of the cafe. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sight of the nervous Ali made her even more nervous.


    An ominous feeling began to rise in her heart.


    Was there another reason for this ''out-of-the-way'' meeting? Sophia couldn''t help the fear that began slowly rising up but she still managed to bring out a smile.


    Ali stood up as she approached and only sat down when she did.


    "Sorry for not walking you over," Ali said as they sat down, "And thank you for meeting me here on such short notice."


    Sophia tilted her head a bit at Ali''s behaviour. Since when did he act so polite and respectful? It wasn''t that Ali was normally rude, but he just appeared .. different.


    He didn''t look at her at first, signaling for service. After they ordered, Ali smiled nervously at her as he sat stiffly.


    "What''s wrong, Ali?" Sophia asked directly, not wanting to beat around the bush.


    Ali licked his lips nervously and couldn''t seem to look at her straight in the eye. The fear that had been slowly rising shot up quickly.


    Were her fears true? Did he want to break up?


    "Sophia, I''m sorry," Ali began, his head down.


    Sophia put her hands on her mouth, tears already forming in her eyes. Why? Was the thought that went through her mind. What did she do? What did she not do? Was this why he never truly shared about himself?


    "I haven''t been fair to you," Ali continued, still looking down.


    He had to say this all in one shot before he lost his courage.


    He couldn''t look at her for he was worried his fear of losing her would make him lose his mind. He knew that this was the best way of keeping her by his side but his brain and heart wouldn''t work the same way.


    "I love you so much, Sophia, that I was so scared that any talk about my faith, and my family, would scare you away. I wanted to take my time and slowly talk about it to ease you into it but ... well ... I guess I haven''t," Ali said, finally looking up, "I ... Oh my God! SOPHIA! What''s wrong?!"


    Ali was shocked at the scene in front of him. Sophia was crying so badly that her chest was heaving and her face was completely wet. She wasn''t making a sound, though, as she was closing her mouth. Ali quickly dashed over to her side, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him.


    He took out his handkerchief and slowly wiped her tears, his heart twisted in pain.


    "Sophia, my love, what happened? Who made you cry?" Ali asked gently.


    Sophia looked at him, completely flabbergasted and hit him on the chest, "It was you, stupid!!"


    "Me?!" Ali gasped.


    "I thought you wanted to break up!" she sobbed, and Ali groaned.


    He cursed himself when he thought of what he had said and how it sounded.?He felt really stupid right now.


    He had also committed another sin - he made her cry. Great. Just great.


    "I''m sorry, Sophia. I''m such a fool. Why would you even want to be with me?" he asked, thinking of all that he had done.


    Sophia smiled at that and put her hand on his cheek. He leaned on it, and held on her hand as he gazed at her tenderly.


    "I don''t know," Sophia said honestly, "I just do."


    Ali took both of her hands in his, and gripped them tightly as he lay them on his lap.


    He still had a lot to say but this time, he was going to do it properly.


    "Sophia, all I know is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Ali said, "I know that is a lot to take in, and it''s very heavy, but I have never been so sure about anything as I am about this. About us."


    He sighed and took a deep breath.


    "I want you to truly think about a future with me. A forever with me," Ali said, his face becoming slightly reddish as he said that, "So date me with that thought in mind. Not date me just to get to know me."


    "If I am being stupid, then tell me. Teach me. Talk to me," Ali said earnestly, "In my heart, you are already my wife. So I will treat you as such."


    Sophia''s eyes went wide, "Ali ... what does that even mean?"


    "I want to show you what my life is like. What being with me is like," Ali explained.


    "It''s something a wise man pointed out to me. Marrying me isn''t just about converting, it''s also about embracing a different culture and way of life. As my wife, you are a precious treasure to be protected and treated well."


    "I mean, if you agree to be my wife, of course," Ali quickly added.


    "My Faith is my way of life and I hope to share its beauty with you. However, if you don''t agree with it, then it''s best we part ways. Don''t force yourself to believe."


    "We will always be friends," Ali finished, though his heart broke at that sentence.

 Chapter 381 - Meeting The Parents (I)

    Sophia nodded, understanding a bit where he was coming from.


    She tried hard to see it from his perspective, even though she felt that she was too young to be thinking about marriage.


    Dating, being in a relationship and having a serious relationship were all different things.


    One dated to find someone compatible then would enter a relationship. Finally, it becomes a ''serious relationship'' when you want to get married. Some actually live together first before getting married, just to ''test'' the waters or perhaps, not truly wanting to take that final step that they deem ''unnecessary''.


    People normally do it in that order, more so when one is young. There is always time, right? And how sure are you that the person is the one? You don''t want to tie yourself down so soon, right?


    Thus, the older you get, the less time is spent on dating, or rather - you date with a view of going into a serious relationship.


    That is how Sophia always viewed it and that is how it is for her.


    For Ali, however, it was completely different. His culture, or way of life, is such that the person you date is the person you marry. He had told her that before, and she hadn''t quite truly understood that.


    Now, however, she could see the slight difference.


    When she was just viewing him as a ''boyfriend'', she didn''t think about getting along with his family, or stuff like that. Those were supposed to be for ''later''. But if she was to view him as a potential husband, then all of those ''later'' stuff ... was actually very important, wasn''t it?


    When you decide to commit yourself, into the relationship, your thoughts and views are different.


    That is probably what Ali meant.


    "Sophia," Ali began again, "I''d like to bring you home to meet my parents."


    Sophia''s eyes flew wide open.


    Her first instinct was to scream, ''It''s too soon!''


    But when she saw the earnest desire in his eyes to bring her into his life, she swallowed it down.


    This is definitely what he meant by treating her seriously, and she should reciprocate as well. She had been curious before but had never asked. So, this would be a good first step.


    Thinking about the existence of God was too profound. Sophia figured that it would be better to see what Ali''s family is like first. What would living with him be like? As his wife? What would her mother-in-law be like?


    Just thinking about it made her go into a cold sweat.


    Ali, still awaiting and answer, saw how much she was starting to look very scared.


    He gripped her hand tightly and said, "I will be there with you. I will protect you. But if you don''t think you''re ready yet, it''s okay. We don''t have to do this now."


    Sophia looked at him again and saw the sincerity in his eyes.


    "Okay," she answered.


    Ali nodded, "Just tell me when you''re ready, and I''ll bring you home."


    "No, I mean, okay to meeting with your parents," Sophia explained. She realised that her answer was a bit ambiguous, and he had thought she meant ''okay'' to him saying that she need not meet them now.


    Ali''s eyes shone and he broke into a huge smile, "That''s great! I''ll let my parents know. Is next weekend okay?"


    Next weekend? Great. At least she had a week to mentally prepare herself. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay," she said again.


    "But before then, I should meet with your parents first," Ali said, dropping another bombshell.


    "Okay?" she squeaked.


    ? The Weekend ?


    Sophia felt nervous.


    She was at home, all ready and waiting for Ali to come. He would be picking her up from home, but before taking her to his house, he had wanted to meet up with her parents.


    To formally ask them permission to date their daughter.


    She found that so-old-school, but then again, most of the things he did was rather ''old school''. At least he wasn''t going to go and tell them that he was dating her with a view of marriage. They''d probably flip at that.


    Sophia wasn''t worried about her parents not accepting Ali, even though he''s a Muslim and of a different race. They''re very laid back in that sense.


    She wasn''t nervous because of that.


    Oh no, she was nervous over the fact that they''d be having dinner at Ali''s house later.


    Sophia was already downstairs, waiting for Ali to come. Her brother was beside her, grinning away at her obvious discomfort.


    "You? Got a boyfriend?" scoffed her brother, "Which dork actually had such bad taste?"


    Just then, the sound of a car driving up their driveway was heard. Sophia''s brother''s head whipped to the window, not believing the sound that he was hearing.

 Chapter 382 - The Car

    The sound of the engine was undeniable. That was not an ordinary car. It didn''t have the distinctive roar of a Ferrari, but it certainly was a sports car. The anticipation that he was feeling could not be described.


    When the car came into view, Sophia''s brother''s eyes widened even further.


    Is that a..? No, it couldn''t be. Sophia''s brother quickly took out his phone and did some googling to confirm it.


    What was that sort of car doing here?


    "Is that your boyfriend?!"


    "I don''t know," Sophia answered.


    The windows were tinted, and she couldn''t see who was inside. Ali didn''t call her either, so she wasn''t sure if he was still on the way.


    Sophia looked carefully at the car.


    It was not something she recognised. Then again, her knowledge was quite limited, and she could only identify a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.


    "Is that an expensive car?" Sophia asked her brother tentatively.


    "Expensive? Expensive?!" he nearly shouted, "Well, if you consider a price tag of several million dollars being expensive, then yes. It is!"


    "That is the Lycan Hypersport, one of the top ten most expensive cars in the world. In. The. World."


    Sophia gulped.


    Sophia''s brother was nearly hyperventilating. He was a sports car enthusiast, and he started on his spiel upon seeing the confused look of his sister.


    "It has a RUF-based mid-rear engine, a flat-six 3.7-liter unit with a pair of turbochargers to produce 740 horsepower and 960 Newton-meters (708 pound-feet) of torque. That supercar only weighs about 1,400 kilograms (3,086 pounds) and uses a seven-speed, dual-clutch PDK gearbox."


    "It can go to 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.8 seconds and a 0-124 mph (0-200 kph) run in 9.4 seconds! Its top speed is 245 mph (395 kph)!!"


    Sophia just looked at him blankly. Other than the speed thing, she had no idea what her brother was talking about regarding the car''s specs.


    "Is that fast?" she asked softly.


    "SOPHIA!" her brother couldn''t stand it anymore. Why was his sister so ignorant and dense? How could anyone even fall for such a person? Unbelievable!


    The sleek door opened then, and instead of swinging vertically like normal, it seemed to glide upwards. Sophia''s eyes glittered. It looked like a spaceship!


    The shape of the car was already so sleek and stylish, and the way the door opened was really like some sort of science fiction thing. It looked so cool!


    Her brother saw a rather handsome young man step out of the car, the sort of person that any woman would fling themselves on. Some may have not liked his ''olive skin'', but when he''s that rich, who is going to bother?


    Sophia''s brother still couldn''t quite wrap his mind around the whole thing and mumbled, "Only seven cars were built. There was this rumour about there was an eighth one. A really special edition made for this oil prince. It''s special because it''s bullet-proof and had a unique colour ... "


    Suddenly, something clicked in his mind and he looked at the car again.


    "No. Freaking. Way," he looked at his sister in pure terror and then pointed at the guy that had walked out of the car, "Is that your boyfriend?!"


    She nodded, and he wanted to puke seeing the stupid dreamy look on her face.


    "And you''re going to meet his family tonight? Oh man, that''s going to be priceless!" he started laughing then walked off with the parting shot, "Don''t come crying home later!"


    Sophia cursed her brother in her heart. She was nervous enough already. Did he have to put on the pressure?! What did he mean, come crying home?! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sophia had known that Ali was well-off, but she had not thought at all about the level of ''well-off'' he was. He had been so unassuming and ''normal'' that she was under the impression it was the same as her.


    Seeing that car, and her brother''s reaction, she knew that the gap was way, way bigger than she had ever expected.


    However, when she saw Ali, her fear abated a bit. She walked out to greet him and upon?seeing her, his face had this really gentle, loving look that all her nervousness melted away.


    He always had this effect on her.


    Just by smiling at her, she felt her world brighten. It sounded so cheesy and corny but that was how she felt. He looked at her like she was the only one that mattered and that eased her heart.


    It wasn''t her background, or lack of it, that he looked at.


    He saw her.


    When he had asked her before, why she stayed with him, this was the reason.


    No matter the obstacle, how he made her feel made her want to face it all.

 Chapter 383 - Meeting The Parents (II)

    "Was it hard finding the place?"Sophia asked as Ali closed the door.


    "Nope," he answered, flashing his smile at her, "Easy peasy."


    Definitely easy. He didn''t make several rounds earlier because he was lost. No, he did not. He was just ... admiring the view ... and getting to know the neighbourhood better. Yes, that''s what he was doing. Yes, indeed.


    "Ali?"


    Sophia''s gentle voice broke him out of his thoughts and he asked apologetically, "I''m sorry. Did you say something?"


    Sophia shook her head, "No, but you just looked like you zoned out for a while."


    "Oh, sorry. Was just taken aback by you," Ali said smoothly, causing her to blush.


    "But how did you drive here? You have a driving licence already?" Sophia asked, wanting to change the topic.


    "Ah, yes," Ali said, "Abba, I mean, my father, obtained special permission for me. Back at my home country, the age allowed to drive is 14 and I do have a valid licence there. So it was just a matter of procedure and taking some tests here."


    "Wow," Sophia said, "14, huh? And you''ve been driving since then?"


    "Pretty much," Ali said, "Around the house compound mostly. This car was my 14th birthday gift. Kyle says it''s a bit flashy. Is it?"


    "It''s nice," Sophia said instead.


    Ali beamed, feeling happy, "Are your parents in then?"


    "Yeah, come on in," Sophia said, "I''ll introduce you."


    At the door, Ali hesitated, "Is it really okay to walk in with my shoes?"


    Sophia looked at him strangely, "Yes, of course. Why?"


    "Oh, nothing," he answered as he used the welcoming mat to clean the dirt from the soles of his shoes.


    No matter how many times he sees it, it still felt strange to him. The shoes were from outside, and the house inside is their home. Why do they allow such dirt to be brought in?


    "Mum, Dad," Sophia said as she brought Ali into the living room, "This is Ali, my boyfriend."


    "Mr. and Mrs. Hanson," Ali greeted them politely, "I hope you don''t mind me dating your daughter."


    Sophia''s parents stared at him for a while, then Mr. Hanson said, "It''s her life and her choice."


    Mrs. Hanson nodded, shrugging, "Just remember to use protection."


    "MUM!!" Sophia shouted her face beet red.


    "If you don''t have any, I have some spare in my bag," she continued, as she reached out towards her handbag.


    "No, thank you," Sophia said, "We''ll be going now. Don''t wait up for me."


    Grabbing Ali''s arm, she hissed under her breath as she pulled him along, "Come on, let''s go."


    Even though she was super nervous to go to Ali''s house, it was far better than staying here. Who knows what her mother would say next?!


    "Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, I''ll be making a move now," Ali said politely. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Make sure to bring her back before midnight," Mr. Hanson told Ali.


    "I will, Sir," Ali answered, "I will take care of her and bring her back safely."


    They nodded and hardly glanced up as Sophia practically dragged Ali out.


    Once outside, Sophia buried her face in her hands, "Oh gosh, Ali. I''m so sorry. That was embarrassing."


    "Sophia, am I your first boyfriend?" Ali asked suddenly.


    Sophia brought down her hands and answered, "Yes, why?"


    "You''re my first girlfriend, too," Ali said with a smile, hiding his immense relief. Just hearing how helpful Sophia''s mother had been in supplying him with a condom made his head spin. He knew the people here were quite liberal but still!!


    He was just shocked, but he had no ill feelings or thoughts about them. It was their way of showing care for their daughter, so he didn''t blame them or looked down on them at all.


    Ali opened the car door and once Sophia went in, he closed it before heading to the driver''s seat. The nervousness that Sophia was feeling now overrode the embarassment she felt earlier.


    ? Dinner, Ali''s House??


    Sophia felt like she was in another country. Literally.


    Ali''s mansion was huge. Everything here was modeled after their home back in their home country.


    Her first shock hadn''t been the huge mansion that was Ali''s house. She was already mentally preparing herself for that.


    No, it was the fact that at the door, she was to take off her shoes!


    "In my home," Ali said, "Shoes are only meant to be worn outside the house, and the home is not to bring in the dirt from outside."


    In a daze, Sophia took off her shoes and followed Ali''s lead. Thinking of the many movies she watched of Country J, she couldn''t help ask, "Are there indoor shoes?"


    Ali shook his head, "No, we walk barefooted inside. But if you''re not comfortable, I can get some slippers for you?"


    Sophia hesitated for a while, then shook her head, "No, it''s okay. I''m here to learn as well, aren''t I?"


    Ali smiled at that. He smiled a lot whenever he''s around her.


    The whole night was a night of shocks for Sophia.


    So much so, that meeting Ali''s parents wasn''t the difficult part.


    Her second shock came from the manner in which Ali greeted his parents.


    First, he gave that greeting she had already known, ''Peace be upon you'' and they responded accordingly. Then, he took one of their hands in both of his hands and kissed it.


    "Abba, Ummi," Ali said, "This is Sophia. Sophia, these are my parents."


    "Nice to meet you," Sophia said nervously.


    Now what? Was she supposed to do the same hand gesture, like Ali had done?


    As if knowing her dilemma, Ali''s mother stepped forward and took Sophia''s hands in hers, "Sweet child, welcome. Just call us Auntie and Uncle."


    Sophia nodded and barely managed a "Thank you, Auntie, Uncle."


    "Come, dinner is ready. We were merely waiting for you," she said as she led them to the dining room.


    That was where she had her third shock.


    There was no cutlery.

 Chapter 384 - Lots To Think About

    Sophia was led to one spot on the table that actually did have cutlery. For everyone else, though, it was only the plate.


    "We eat using our hands," Ali explained, "Specifically, our right hand. Our left hand is considered unclean ... because, erm, well ..."


    His face flushed a bit as he explained in lowered tones, "Erm *cough* .. we use the left hand to wash ourselves after using the toilet."


    It took Sophia a second to realised what he meant.


    She blinked at him, while he looked away, his face beet red.


    He turned back to her, realising one more thing to explain, "We don''t use tissue, but water and soap. Sorry, this is not really the sort of thing to mention at the dinner table."


    Clearing his throat, he pointed towards something on the table.


    Sophia looked, and it was a jug (that was shaped like a coffee pot) on top of a round shaped container.* The entire setup was crystal and thus, she could see the water inside the jug.


    "That is what we use to wash our hands, though when at home, we normally just wash our hands in the washbasin there," Ali said, pointing towards a small basin near the dining table.


    "It''s cleaner, really but when we have guests, we put that hand washing kettle jug on the table for their convenience, and choice to use," Ali went on to explain.


    "But don''t worry, you''re not used to it so using cutlery is normal," Ali assured her.


    Sophia was relieved. She would feel like such a fool to start eating with her hands, for the first time, in front of Ali''s parents. She doubted she would ever get any food in!


    Sophia spent the rest of the dinner in silent observation and contemplation. Of how they ate, how they interacted, how they basically ... lived.


    It was a lot to take in and her head was swirling by the time Ali sent her home.


    The silence in the car was deafening.


    To Ali, he felt that the dinner had gone well. His parents didn''t seem like they objected to Sophia, and Sophia appeared to adapt well and was being her normal, sweet self. He wasn''t worried that his parents wouldn''t like her.


    I mean, what''s not to like, right?


    She was kind, polite and sweet. Every word she said in her sweet voice was perfect and respectful. She may have stumbled a bit at all the new things in front of her, but she took it all in with a smile.


    Yet, her silence right now was making him a bit nervous for she was hardly quiet. She was always talking, sharing her thoughts. Filling the air with laughter.


    He didn''t want to ask, as he felt she would tell him once she was ready. He knew that there had been quite the culture shock upon bringing her home, judging from her expressions.


    The only thing he could do now, was just ... wait.


    As they reached her house, Ali was very reluctant to let her go. He walked her to the door and stood there, looking at her face intently as if he was trying to capture her image in his mind like a camera.


    "Thank you, Ali," Sophia said, "Your family is nice."


    Ali smiled, and took her hand in his as he looked at their hands joined together.


    How he wished he could do so much more than this. In actual fact, some were so strict that even holding hands was forbidden.


    Bare skin touching bare skin between men and women is not allowed.


    But he was willing to bear this little sin for her.


    Ali sighed.


    Things which he had taken for granted before now felt so restrictive. He hoped that Sophia could understand him, and his limitations. He prayed that she would not misunderstand him and think that just because he wasn''t more expressive physically, he didn''t love her.


    Just thinking of her mother offering him a condom was ... he shook his head.


    Bringing her hands up to his lips, he kissed them gently and looked at her, "Thank you for coming. See you on Monday?"


    Sophia nodded.


    "Be careful on the road," she said as Ali put down her hand.


    "I will," he replied, "You go in first." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay," she said, unlocking the door. Both were reluctant to leave each other and the parting took much longer than it should be. After Sophia closed the door, Ali stood there for a second, staring at it before walking back to his car.


    From the living room, Sophia looked at Ali walking off. He turned to wave at her, as if knowing she was watching, before he got into his car and drove off.


    Sophia sighed.


    There was a lot of things to think about.

 Chapter 385 - Feeling Weird

    There wasn''t much to do in the first stop of the promotional tour ''event''.


    "How many stops are we doing anyway?" asked Xing Han as they were in their hotel room, snacking. Well, Kyle saw it as snacking as there were plates of fruits whereas Xing Han just stared at the ''offending'' offerings.


    Kyle was holding onto an entire peeled mango, eating it straight like that and licking the juice that fell inbetween his fingers as he bit into the fruit.


    "Euw. Kyle, please," said Xing Han, "Can''t you at least cut that into slices and eat like a normal human being?"


    Kyle looked at him innocently, then took another big bite of the fruit, "I''m not normal anyway, so that means this is normal."


    Xing Han couldn''t really refute that.


    "Well, be thankful for the small things," Kay said, "He could be eating it like that in public."


    Xing Han looked at Kyle, who was lazing away on the sofa. He was actually sitting horizontally on it, so his back was leaning on the left side of the armrest while his legs were dangling over the right side of the armrest.


    The hotel room light above was the ''warm'' type, thus it seemed to give him that rather ''dreamy'' look that one achieved through the filter app in the phone. The way his lips moved as he bit into the fruit, his lips all moist from the juice, and then that tongue licking his hands and arm.


    What was worse, some juice seemed to have splattered on his shirt, staining it right at a certain spot ... it triggered a certain memory within Xing Han''s subconscious and he felt his heart palpitate.


    Xing Han shook his head.


    "Damn it," he hissed, rubbing his head while shaking it, "What the ff-... "


    "What''s wrong?" Kyle asked as he put the mango fruit seed on the plate, looking at Xing Han worriedly.


    He got up, intending to go over but Xing Han waved him back.


    "Nothing," Xing Han muttered, "Just thought of something. No big."


    No way was he ever going to tell Kyle that for some reason, flashes of an annoying face went through his mind. To be more specific, his fingers seemed to tingle from some sort of muscle memory and he shivered subconsciously.


    With Kyle as his best bud, Xing Han was used to seeing a rock-solid body, so he was hardly ever affected by other people. Who could compare to his best bro, right?


    So why did he feel differently when it was him? Okay, sure. Perhaps it''s because he never truly did realise that he actually had a killer body, as it was normally hidden underneath that shirt of his. Then again, perhaps that''s because he never really did look at him.


    Still! That''s not the point!


    The point was ... was ...


    Xing Han shook his head again. Damn it. He can''t believe he did that. Xing Han had had sleepless nights whenever he remembered that, and he could hardly look at Nitocris in the eye anymore. So, he had treated Nitocris like always: he ignored him.


    But he couldn''t deny that he was more aware of him now.


    "Xing Han?" Kay looked at him worriedly. He seemed to be agitated about something.


    Xing Han looked at her, blinking, "What?"


    "Are you okay?" she asked, rubbing his shoulders.


    "Of course I am!" he said, jumping up and pointing at Kyle madly, hoping his antics would divert their attention away.


    "It''s HIM who is not!! If his fans knew how uncouth and unrefined he is, ya think they''d want that?!"


    Kyle grinned, stretched and patted his abs, "Oh yes, they would. They''d be alllll over me. Probably help me lick off the juice, too."


    Xing Han put his hands over his ears, "I did not hear that! Aaaaah!! My ears!!"


    He ran off to hide in the bedroom, with Kyle laughing behind him.


    Once Xing Han was out of earshot, Kyle stopped suddenly and looked at the closed door.


    "Something is definitely wrong," she said.


    "Yup," Kyle agreed, "He was just using that as an excuse to escape."


    Kyle pursed his lips, thinking hard, "Well, it''s obvious he''s struggling with something but until he actually wants to face it, he''ll be like this."


    Kay nodded, "He''s still our bubbly Xing Han, but occasionally, you''ll see this far-away look on his face." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked at his fingers, "What will be, will be. Gotta bathe now. So sticky."


    He looked down at his shirt, "This was a good shirt, too."


    Kay snorted, "You''re such a messy eater. I pity the woman that marries you."


    Kyle smirked, saying with a drawl, "It''ll just make our sex life more exciting. Instead of whipped cream, we use mango juice."


    Kay threw a cushion at Kyle.

 Chapter 386 - The Talk

    After a quick shower, Kyle headed towards Xing Han and Sam''s room.


    When he went in, he saw that Xing Han was still in the bathroom, belting out a song.


    Kyle frowned a bit at the words he was singing.


    "Yes I''ve tried so hard not to remember


    And people I''ve tried so hard to forget


    I''ve tried so hard not to remember


    And people I''ve tried so hard to forget"*


    Kyle listened on, and noted that those chorus were the only ones he was singing. This meant, that that is what he was feeling the most.


    Xing Han tended to sing his heart in the shower, and often excluded any parts of the lyrics that wasn''t quite fitting. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I need to talk to Xing Han for a while," Kyle said to Sam.


    Sam nodded, closed his laptop and took it with him as he went to the living room.


    ? In the shower ?


    Xing Han sang out to his heart''s content. His head was in a mess, truly, and felt only alive under the shower while shouting out those lyrics.


    That''s how he basically dealt with things. He normally didn''t keep his thoughts or emotions down, for it just weighed him down. He had his moments of stress, anger, frustration, sadness and even did have some dark thoughts.


    But, when he sang in the shower, it just melted away. Like he was washing away those feelings down the drain.


    Somehow, though, it wasn''t working so well this time and it made him frustrated.


    Finally, after who-knows-how-long, Xing Han decided it would be best to just get out. His skin was puckering already. He sighed, his head hanging low as he stopped singing and let the water just hit him for a few more minutes.


    He watched the water drain out, wishing his uneasiness would go away like that as well.


    Getting out, he wiped himself dry first and wore the hotel bathrobe before heading out.


    He stopped, seeing Kyle was on the bed, arms crossed across his chest as he had *that* look on his face.


    Oh boy.


    Xing Han gulped.


    That was Kyle''s ''you better talk'' look.


    Xing Han didn''t move from the bathroom door, looking down and fidgeting like a kid that was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.


    Kyle must have heard him singing, too, so he definitely knew something was up. Xing Han cursed himself. Why couldn''t he have sung softer? If they had been at the dorms, he would have, to hide it from Kyle. Here, he was a bit too lax and didn''t think much.


    "Xing Han," Kyle''s voice came, breaking him out of his thoughts.


    Xing Han looked up, his lips down in a slight frown.


    "Come here," Kyle said, patting the space beside him on the bed.


    Xing Han trudged over, his face in a huge pout, while he gave this really sad, sad look.


    "That puppy face won''t work on me," Kyle said with a slight smile, "Come on. Spill it."


    "It''s embarrassing!" Xing Han wailed as he flopped on the bed, then he burrowed underneath the blanket. He brought it up all the way to his nose, and he peeked at Kyle who just waited patiently.


    "It''s obviously bothering you," Kyle said gently, "Just get it out and perhaps, you can deal with it better."


    "I''m fine," Xing Han insisted.


    "If you were fine, what''s with the ''I''ve tried so hard not to remember'' line you keep repeating?" Kyle pointed out.


    Xing Han went underneath the blanket completely and mumbled, "It''s nothing, but I''m never going to sleep in Nitocris''s room ever again."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed.


    "What do you mean? Did something happen?"


    Xing Han went into a fetal position, bringing up his knees up to his stomach as he held it, still under the blanket.


    Kyle didn''t think Big Bro Nic did anything. After all, other than a slightly red-faced Xing Han that morning, Xing Han didn''t appear traumatised or upset about anything.


    Just what exactly happened then?


    "Did Big Bro Nic do something to you?" Kyle asked, even though he didn''t think it was possible.


    "No," Xing Han answered begrudgingly.


    It wasn''t Nitocris. It was him. Him! He was the one that did something to Nitocris.


    "Did he say something that upset you?" Kyle continued asking, probing gently.


    "No," Xing Han answered, softer this time.


    No, he didn''t say anything. He was just so patient. He wasn''t being as annoying or snarky at all.


    "Then? What happened?"


    "I plasfhsdk hsd nisdff" Xing Han mumbled.


    "What? You''re mumbling, Xing Han," Kyle said exasperatingly.


    "I played with his nipples!" Xing Han shouted.


    "I mean, I didn''t mean to. I wasn''t playing, as in playing, you know? I was just smoothing his shirt and well, that thing was in the way. So I kept rubbing and pinching on it and all that. I ... I ... argh!"


    Kyle''s mind went blank for a second. Of all the things that flashed through his mind, that was the last thing that he would have thought.


    Xing Han, now fully under the blanket, was waiting for some sort of reaction from Kyle after that big revelation. What would he say? What would he think?


    However, as he lay there, Xing Han couldn''t hear a thing. There was not a single sound coming from Kyle.


    Slowly, while biting his lips, he brought the blanket down and was shocked to see the empty space on the bed.


    Where was Kyle? When did he get off? Why didn''t he feel him getting off?


    His eyes darted to the other places in the room but saw nothing. Sitting up, he finally saw Kyle.


    On the floor.


    Rolling about.


    Holding his stomach with tears streaming down his face.


    Laughing hard.


    Silently.


    Xing Han saw red.


    Here he was, pouring out his heart, and told him THE most embarrassing thing that had EVER happened to him and his BFF is laughing?!


    How dare he!


    With a roar, Xing Han pounced.

 Chapter 387 - The Talk (II)

    Kyle saw the huge mass hurling towards him and he quickly adjusted to catch him.


    He didn''t want Xing Han to get hurt hitting the floor, even though it was carpeted. However, there was no way that he would be completely cushioned by Kyle, but at least he would be less injured.


    Xing Han found himself on top of Kyle, with Kyle having his arms positioned right under his armpits, somehow stopping him from falling completely on him. Before he could react, however, Kyle started tickling him.


    "Aaaahhh!!"


    Xing Han didn''t want to lose and he held back - well, tried to - his laughter while he started flailing his hands all about. He didn''t care what he hit, as long as he hit something!


    Kyle deftly avoided the octopus hands and soon, both of them were rolling on the floor as each tried to get the upper hand.


    Well, at least Xing Han was while Kyle was simply doing his best to allow Xing Han to release some stress without hurting himself too much. He could handle whatever punches Xing Han gave out - Father''s cane whacks were far more painful, after all.


    After a while, Xing Han finally stopped, and lay on the floor, panting.


    "It''s a good thing you wore your boxers underneath the bathrobe," Kyle commented, laughing.


    "Pah," Xing Han said, while heavily breathing, "Don''t think ... I didn''t .. know ... you were ... letting me ... hit ...you." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Meh," Kyle retorted, "Feeling better now?"


    Xing Han sighed loudly, covering his face with his hands.


    After catching his breath, he said finally as he put down his hands, "I guess. For now."


    "But I''m just so confused. I''ve always taken Nitocris to be this annoying, and cold person. Yet, despite what I did, he didn''t get angry. Is he holding back or something?" Xing Han asked, as he turned to look at Kyle.


    Kyle sat up, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, if Big Bro Nic never said anything, then it''s nothing. Trust me, if he was upset, you''d know."


    "Yeah, he''s always scolding me when I''m playing with you," Xing Han mused, thinking hard, "So I really was surprised he didn''t do anything."


    "Probably because he could see that you didn''t mean it. I mean, you do look rather dopey when you''re zoned out right after waking up," Kyle pointed out.


    "I guess," Xing Han said, sighing.


    Xing Han turned to look at Kyle then asked seriously, "Kyle, who do you like more? Me or Nitocris?"


    Kyle looked at him strangely, "What sort of question is that?"


    "Come on, you can tell me, I can take it," Xing Han said with a pout.


    "I like you both," Kyle replied, "Though it would be more accurate to say love?"


    "Love?!" Xing Han was almost hyperventilating, "What do you mean? How can you love Nitocris?! He''s just your brother by marriage! I''ve known you longer!"


    Kyle had a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    Xing Han was reacting in almost the same way his son did, when his daughter was born. In fact, the question was almost the same


    ''Who do you love more, Mama? Me or Liana?'' he had asked, his face all sad and worried over the answer.


    "Xing Han," Kyle said gently, "I love you both."


    Before Xing Han could protest, Kyle continued, "When someone new comes into your life, you don''t stop liking, or loving, the old one. Your love doesn''t divide. It multiplies."


    It was the same thing he had told his son. It was true then, it is true now.


    "I love you, Xing Han, for you are my best friend and have always been there for me," Kyle said, "And I love Big Bro Nic because he helps me deal with the darkness inside of me."


    "It''s not about who I like, or love, more, okay?" Kyle said.


    "Wait. Darkness? What darkness?" Xing Han asked, picking up on the most crucial part, "And why is Nitocris able to help you with that?"


    Kyle had a far away look in his eye, something Xing Han noticed happened whenever he was thinking of something really heavy. So he waited.


    "Xing Han, a ninja is an expert in espionage," Kyle said finally, and Xing Han nodded his head. He knew this.


    "And as an assassin in the shadows," Kyle finished.


    Xing Han''s nodding of the head stopped.


    "I chose this path specifically because of that," Kyle said slowly, "I needed to be able to kill, because I was murdered."


    Kyle stopped for a moment, letting it sink in.


    Xing Han looked at Kyle in shock.


    Then, suddenly, his eyes watered and he glomped on Kyle, crying.


    Kyle, not expecting this sort of reaction, was stunned and didn''t know what to think. He rubbed Xing Han''s back consolingly, asking, "What''s wrong?"


    "Just how much were you suffering all this time?" Xing Han sniffed, as he hugged Kyle tighter.


    "Oh, come on, Xing Han," Kyle replied, "I was an adult when I died. It''s not like my innocence was lost when I started learning it all."


    "I was prepared, and I was willing. I didn''t suffer in that sense," Kyle explained, "But with the Smith blood in me, each time I did, it boiled. Part of me loved it, part of me loathed it."


    Xing Han nodded again, understanding. Kyle told him long ago about this infamous Smith temper and bloodlust.


    "So the Smith in you loved it but the Kylie in you didn''t," Xing Han said, "But what has Nitocris got to do with all of this?"


    "Big Bro Nic has a lot of enemies," Kyle began slowly.


    The fact that Big Bro Nic was the King of the Underworld is not something ordinary people should know. So Kyle couldn''t tell him that.


    "I help him get rid of dangerous enemies," Kyle said, "Criminals that would have gotten the death penalty anyway, so it''s a win-win situation. Big Bro Nic is safe, I get to release stress."


    "Killing is releasing stress?!"

 Chapter 388 - Beautiful Misunderstanding

    Kyle simply gave Xing Han a slight smile and shrugged.


    Xing Han tapped his chin, pursing his lips then with a big sigh, he got up, "Okay. Got it. You. Elite assassin. Big Bro Nic, needs protection."


    Kyle''s mouth twitched as he tried to imagine the King of the Underworld needing protection. Well, Xing Han wasn''t wrong but the way Xing Han said it, made it sound like Big Bro Nic was a helpless and weak person.


    "I will be nicer to Nitocris then," Xing Han declared, "Poor guy. He just looks so big and capable, but in reality, he has all these problems."


    Kyle coughed. Again, Xing Han wasn''t completely wrong yet he wasn''t exactly right either.


    "Xing Han, Big Bro Nic is capable in what he does," Kyle felt compelled to tell, lest Xing Han started painting Big Bro Nic as harmless, "He has to be, considering his line of work. I just help him for things that he has to do in the dark as those people are rather hard to get to."


    Xing Han nodded, patted Kyle on the shoulder and said, "I understand. It''s okay. Yes, yes, your big bro is very capable."


    "He is!" Kyle insisted, "His father built an empire but there were a lot of problems and he made a lot of enemies. Big Bro Nic not only had to fix that, he had to be tough to handle it."


    "Kyle, I get it," Xing Han said, his eyes full of understanding, "The whole ''tough guy'' routine is needed. No worries, I got this."


    Xing Han started whistling and went to get some clothes. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked at his back, wondering if he should try to correct Xing Han''s misunderstanding. Tough guy is a facade? Hardly. But Big Bro Nic is kind to those dear and close to him.


    From what Kyle could tell of his observations, Big Bro Nic put the Elite Five within that category, though perhaps not the same as ''family'' as him but certainly, ''good friends''. All because of him, Kyle.


    However, the longer Kyle thought about it, perhaps the misunderstanding was for the best? If it made the relationship between the two better, why not, right? Xing Han was like this prickly puppy, yapping away at Big Bro Nic - as if protecting his territory.


    This way, that prickly puppy would not be so defensive.


    After all, it''s not like the truth would make that much of a difference. With that decision made, Kyle didn''t say a word.


    Again, unknowingly, Kyle became Cupid.


    With Xing Han''s innate kind nature, the beautiful misunderstanding made him much more tolerant of Nitocris spending time with Kyle. He thought he ought to be much more magnanimous, considering that Nitocris didn''t get to ''hang out'' with Kyle as much as he did.


    Which, in turn, made Nitocris change his method of ''getting Xing Han''s attention'' to something less annoying. Which, eventually led to ...


    But that is a story for another time.


    ? Four Days Later ?


    Sam was debriefing everyone about their next destination.


    They were on the plane, on their way to Country I.


    As usual, Kyle was lying back on the bed with Xing Han. Kay was at the chair, inclining it a bit so that she was much more comfortable. Sam was standing beside the dining table, looking at all of them.


    "Keanu won''t be here for this stop as well," Sam began.


    "Auw man! Is it a teen''s show again?" Xing Han exclaimed, rolling about on the bed.


    Kyle was glad to see his BFF back to his normal, sunshine self, acting all goofy and unrestrained without that shadow in his eyes. He had managed to come to terms with that embarrassing incident so he didn''t go off into his ''zoned out sad look'' now.


    "Hey, don''t knock teen shows," Sam huffed, "Even though Kyle does not intend to pursue acting, his presence helped promote the movie."


    "Yeah," Kyle said, "The movie is geared towards the teens as well with all of its actions and such. So it''s building the audience."


    "But to get slimed?" Xing Han scoffed, "Though it was funny seeing you in green goo."


    "And those slimy clothes got auctioned off at a very good price, too," Kay interjected.


    "PoK website has the list of all the hospitals that we''ve been donating to, but there wasn''t much of a difference until now. Once PoK revealed which hospital the auction proceeds were donated to, the hospital reported that there''s been an increase in donations there."


    "That''s good," Kyle said with a smile, "PoK does have its moments."


    "Can''t be denied that Sarah knows how to milk your popularity," Kay agreed, "After all, she''s your greatest fan."


    Kyle sighed.


    Sam cleared his throat, and everyone was silent again, looking at Sam.

 Chapter 389 - Plans

    Sam glared at them, while tapping his feet.


    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han immediately went silent, adopting a very obedient stance - just like students who were facing an annoyed teacher.


    Nodding his head at them, Sam tapped at his Surface on the dining table, while saying, "Country I sent out their request because some of the scenes were supposedly shot there."


    "But it was," Kyle said, puzzled, "I mean, technically, as some of the flashback scenes of John Wick 2 were put in but the latest one wasn''t in Country I at all." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So doesn''t that mean it wasn''t?" Xing Han pointed out.


    "Strictly speaking, you''re right but since it''s shown, it would be?" Kyle thought about it and then stopped when Sam cleared his throat again.


    "Frog in your throat, Sam?" Kyle couldn''t help but ask with a grin.


    Sam rolled his eyes, "If you stop interrupting me, I wouldn''t need to."


    Kyle just grinned wider, while saying, "Oh, silly me. Carry on."


    "Considering the movie hadn''t been released yet, it''s only natural that Chad would take up this opportunity to market it in Country I now, wouldn''t he? After all, Country I was one of its film locations before," Sam said.


    "Also, there can''t be too many interviews regarding it for fear of revealing too much of the plot. They want to still create the hype so this is one of the methods to gain more traction."


    "Kyle is an unknown and though Keanu may be a big pull, some may not watch because of this unknown factor."


    "I get it," Xing Han said with a sigh, "It would have been nice to be how it was with the Ellen Show. She was the best since she had talked about the movie and had fun games."


    "Well, not everyone is an Ellen," muttered Sam.


    "Anyway, while there''s no Keanu, your co-star Harold will be there."


    "Ah yes. Harold. The one who played my mentor in the film," Kyle said, "That makes sense. They can''t have too many spoilers so the other co-stars would most likely reveal too much of the plot. A mentor, on the other hand, is only expected."


    "Yes, indeed," Sam replied.


    "But he''s old," Xing Han said, "I mean, it won''t be a teen game show like it was previously. So would this be a proper interview?"


    "Yes," Sam answered, "Just a short 30minute interview, in the normal ''minimalist'' type of background. You know, no prop or backdrop. Just you guys on this chair, possibly a table to lean on and that''s it."


    "Again, nothing like the comfy chairs of the Ellen Show," lamented Xing Han.


    Sam rolled his eyes, "Stop comparing to Ellen! Nothing can compare to Ellen."


    "True," Xing Han replied, rolling about on the bed again.


    "We will arrive a day before the session," Sam went on, "And will be staying an extra three days after to ''sightsee''. Edward is already in place."


    "Oh ya," Xing Han said, "You''re doing some stuff for Nitocris at Country I, huh?"


    "Yes," Kyle confirmed, "Edward will disguise himself as me and go around sightseeing with you guys while I do what needs to be done."


    "Man," Xing Han wailed, "We won''t be going around together?"


    "No," Kyle said, "But can you treat Edward like you do with me? You have to be natural, okay?"


    Xing Han looked at Kyle and thought hard, "I don''t know if I can, honestly. I mean, you''re you. Edward is Edward."


    "But you are you," Kyle said, "As long as you''re comfortable and friendly with him, it''ll be enough. Country I doesn''t know how ... erm, well ... "


    "How much of a BFF-complex you have," Kay finished with a laugh.


    "Hey!" Xing Han protested, "It is not a BFF-complex. It is BFF-love, thank you very much."


    "After the interview, Edward and I will exchange positions," Kyle said to Xing Han, "So that should help you get more comfortable around him when I''m not around."


    "Huh? You mean, you''re not going to be with us at all?" Xing Han asked, completely surprised.


    "No," Kyle said, "Edward''s room has all of the stuff that I need for my mission in his room, so it''ll be too much of a hassle to go from one room to another all the time. Plus, doing so would increase the risk of being discovered."


    "Fine," Xing Han replied with a sigh, "But I''ll miss you!!"


    "Oh please, Xing Han," Kyle said with ruffling his hair, "It''s only going to be three days."


    "THREE DAYS?!" Xing Han wailed, looking like he was ready to roll about dramatically.


    "I''ll get you pork chops for dinner while he''s gone," Kay said.


    "Ooooo! Pork chops!!" Xing Han shouted, his face brightening up.


    [You got replaced by pork chops, dear brother]


    Kyle laughed.

 Chapter 390 - Preperations

    Once they arrived, everything went by pretty normally.


    As Kyle wasn''t a known figure in this part of the world, it was quite easy to move about on the first day. Kyle figured that things may get slightly more ''hectic'' once the interview was done, but even then, it wouldn''t be too bad.


    So why the precautions on having Edward take his place?


    Simple.


    There was too much at stake to take things for granted.


    He would rather be overly cautious than be caught unawares. Having Edward take his place meant that he would have an alibi while he did his mission. Even though it would seem far fetched i.e. how would anyone ever think Kyle would be connected to what he was going to be doing next?


    Call him paranoid, but Kyle would rather not take the risk -?even if the risk was minute.


    To minimise the risk even more, Edward did not make any contact with them. Except for that night, of course, when Kyle slipped over to his room undetected.


    Edward hardly batted an eyelid when he found Kyle inside the room, simply giving his normal ''heels together, stiff-back and bow'' greeting, "Sir." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "At ease," Kyle said even though he felt rather silly for saying it.


    However, it was how his team operated and he couldn''t get them out of this habit so, in the end, he just gave in.


    "Did Big Bro Nic give any additional instructions?" Kyle asked.


    After all, anything could arise during the time he last saw Big Bro Nic, and when he arrived at Country I.


    "Nothing, though he was very insistent and stated that you need to be very careful. Mr. Nitocris is rather apprehensive about the method you''ve decided to use," Edward said, "The target is known to be quite possessive."


    Kyle nodded.


    It was the same thing Big Bro Nic had stated that night when Kyle first proposed the idea.


    They had thrashed it out for quite some time, which was why they had taken so long to finalise the details. Big Bro Nic didn''t really like the idea of Kyle putting himself in that position but finally admitted that it was the fastest method.


    Kyle wasn''t a fool.


    He knew it was a dangerous move and thus, he had been practicing his hypnotism regularly. He''s more confident now, but he still had to be extra careful. After all, Samantha was easy enough as an emotional woman would be easier to control. This one ...


    Well, this one was an underworld person. It would be tougher.


    Kyle went through the equipment and items that Edward had brought.


    "Is it complete, Sir?" Edward asked nervously. Even though he had double-checked the list, he was afraid that he may have missed something.


    "Yes, this is fine," Kyle replied as he took out a vial and looked at it carefully.


    It was quite pretty, really. Light blue and looks so harmless. Truth serum.


    This would certainly take a whole load off Kyle''s shoulders, and he could concentrate on other things rather than using up his energy on the hypnotism. It was only after Kyle told Big Bro Nic about this was he finally able to relent.


    A bit.


    "I took the liberty of also bringing in additional fly bugs, should you need it," Edward said, "It has an additional feature."


    "Oh? Something new?" Kyle said with interest.


    "Yes, taser capabilities," Edward replied.


    "Impressive," Kyle said, making Edward puff out his chest in pride. After all, it was something that his team had come up with.


    "Thank you, Edward," Kyle said with a smile.


    Kyle looked through the items one last time. Fake ID, clothes, hair dye, and weapons.


    "You''ve confirmed his weakness and preferences?" Kyle asked one last time.


    "Yes, Sir," Edward answered, "Nothing has changed."


    "Good," Kyle said, "The interview is tomorrow, so we shall change positions during dinnertime."


    "Yes, Sir," Edward replied, "1900 hours?"


    "Make it 2000 hours," Kyle said after thinking it through, "We might take longer during the recording, so best to be safe."


    "Affirmative, Sir."


    ? Next Day ?


    Kyle, Kay, Xing Han and Sam were having dinner at the hotel lounge.


    Harold had gone back immediately after the interview, saying that there was nothing in Country I that he wanted to ''sightsee''.


    "That was a rather boring interview," Xing Han complained, "They kept trying to dig out information and spoilers."


    "Of course," Kyle answered, "Wouldn''t you?"


    "Then they started asking personal questions," Xing Han continued to complain, "Do you have a girlfriend? What is your type? blah-blah-blah. SO imaginative. NOT."


    "Oh come on, Xing Han," said Kay, "Give the interviewer a break. She was practically drooling over Kyle that she couldn''t think straight."


    "So unprofessional," Xing Han complained again, "She had this ''come hither'' look and you. YOU!"


    Xing Han pointed at Kyle, "You flirted with her, too!"


    Kyle laughed, put his elbow on the table and his chin on the palm of his hand, "Well, Xing Han. Have you forgotten? I am also looking for girls to date, right?"


    "But she''s so oooolllddddddd," Xing Han said, dragging the last word.


    "Xing Han, she''s only 25," Kyle pointed out.


    "Yeah. Ancient," Xing Han reiterated.


    Kyle didn''t say a thing, then wiped his lisp while getting up, "I''ve got to go to the bathroom now."


    "Okay," Xing Han replied.


    "Er, I wasn''t asking for permission, you know," Kyle retorted with a laugh. He patted Xing Han on the shoulder as he left.


    [Take care of the little one for me, will you?] Kyle asked his sister kindly.


    [Not a problem] Kay replied [Food is his best distraction]


    Kyle smiled at that.


    [Be careful, brother] Kay said worriedly, though she did not show it on her face.


    She knew what Kyle''s plan was, and she didn''t like it. Yet, other than telling him about it, there was nothing much she could do.


    She turned to watch him go, silently praying for his safety. Somehow, that back seemed lonelier than usual.

 Chapter 391 - The Switch

    Kyle headed straight to the men''s toilet.


    It was empty, save for Edward, who was waiting inside. He had been waiting in the cubicle until the toilet was cleared out before finally texting Kyle.


    Once he entered, they started their exchange.


    Kyle took off his denim jacket and shoes. Edward took off his sweater, revealing the exact same shirt Kyle was wearing and handed it to Kyle while taking Kyle''s jacket. Each of them wore the exchanged item. Edward slipped off his shoes and wore Kyle''s shoes and vice versa.


    Finally, Edward took off his blond wig and styled his hair like Kyle''s.


    Kyle took the blond wig and wore it, then turn to study Edward.


    He did a few adjustments and nodded his approval. Edward left, not looking back.


    Kyle looked at himself in the mirror and fixed himself up so that it looked natural. Taking a cap that Edward had placed on the sink, Kyle put it on and walked out while facing away from the cameras. His first stop?


    Edward''s room, now his.


    He needed to complete his disguise.


    ? Soul Bar ?


    A rather sour-looking man was busy puffing away at his cigar as he looked at the dance floor. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pathetic.


    Full of sweaty, ugly, men and women grinding at each other as they danced to the beat of the music. Not a single person was interesting.


    He was surrounded by so-called beauties, trying to get his attention but he was repulsed by them. Well, not completely as they were still useful for him to release some stress but they weren''t what he truly wanted.


    He wasn''t satisfied fully.


    He sighed, leaning back on the chair and ignoring the girls trying to get his attention.


    Work was a b*tch lately and finding that mole was a huge dent to his ''good mood''. Even getting rid of him wasn''t any fun.


    Just then, his right-hand man came to him excitedly. He could tell that something was up, and that something was good. Could it be?


    "Boss! Boss! You won''t believe this!" his man said, barely able to speak properly in his excitement.


    The guy frowned and noticing this, the guy didn''t waste any time, "Fresh blood! Exactly how you like it!"


    At this, the guy''s eyebrow went up.


    "Look! That''s him!!"


    As if in slow motion, the guy in question walked in.


    Despite the blasting music, the glaring lights and smoky atmosphere, one couldn''t deny the impact that person made upon entering. People made way as he walked, as if it was his due. Women stared blatantly at him while some guys were already giving him the goo-goo eyes.


    "Get him here," the guy said, his eyes not leaving the young man''s figure.


    "Got it, Boss! On my way, Boss!!"


    "Auw, Randall baby," one of the girls beside him said in a cutesy-voice, "Why get him over? Aren'' we enough?"


    "Get lost," Randall shot out, glaring at the girl who then literally stumbled back. Without another word, she and her friend ran off, practically tripping over themselves in their bid to escape.


    Randall ignored them and turned his attention back to the young man in front.


    He was rather angry that he even had to take his eyes off for a minute, as that meant a minute of not being able to admire that magnificence.


    The young man was exactly how he liked them.


    Young, strikingly handsome, amazingly fit, with this rather dangerous aura around him.


    Randall loved power and strength.


    He loved subduing that power even more.


    He watched as his subordinate, Lou, went over to get the young man to come over. He saw how the young man didn''t give him any attention and shook his head. Lou wasn''t happy and tried to use force but the young man just grabbed him by the neck and threw him aside.


    Randall''s smile got wider, and he licked his lips.


    Oh, yes.


    It was as if that young man was made for him.


    Randall got up, seeing that security had started congregating around the young man. From his perspective, his security team would be beaten easily so it''s best that he stepped in. After all, he still had a business to run.


    Randall walked over and reached them, just as things were about to get heated.


    "Boss," croaked Lou who stumbled back.


    Randall pushed Lou aside and waved the security people away.


    "I''m Randall, the owner of this place," Randall introduced himself, "I''m sorry that my men were rude to you earlier. Come, let me compensate you with the best seat in the house, and a meal. All on the house, of course."


    "Mighty generous of you," the young man answered, his voice as smooth as silk which sent shivers down Randall''s spine, "What''s the catch?"


    "No catch," Randall replied, "Just a meal."


    "Even after I beat up your man?"


    Randall shrugged, "He probably deserved it. I asked him to invite you over, and I suppose he wasn''t quite polite about it."


    Kyle smiled slowly, then blatantly studied the man in front of him, causing all of his men around him to shiver, "And are you part of the deal? In keeping me company, of course. You see, I''m new in town and don''t know anyone yet."


    Randall noted how the young man''s eyes were full of appreciation as he looked at him unreservedly.


    ''Oh, ho. Interesting'' thought Randall to himself. He tilted his head and gave a dangerous smile as he walked closer.


    The young man didn''t even flinch and stood his ground as Randall came right up to him and was literally just inches away. They were about the same height, so Randall could see the strikingly blue eyes slowly smoldering.


    The same sort of intensity that was reflected in Randall''s eyes as he asked a low voice,?"New, huh? Name?"


    "Dean," Kyle answered, his voice low and slightly husky.


    "Dean," Randall said softly, bringing his face closer, his eyes focused on Kyle''s lips, "Lovely name."

 Chapter 392 - Intense Kiss

    ? Boy-boy Scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable ?


    Randall never broke eye contact nor retracted his imposing manner as he went within an inch of Kyle''s lips. He stopped, and parted his lips, blowing a soft breath of air at Kyle. He didn''t do more, but simply stared at Kyle.


    Kyle smiled slowly, as he looked up at Randall and lowered his lids to go down to his lips - even though he couldn''t see it at that distance. They were too close. From Randall''s view, it made Kyle even more enticing as he seemed to be closing his eyes.


    Before he could say a word, however, his lips were taken forcefully by the young man.


    Randall''s eyes shot wide open.


    This had never happened before.


    In every case, his target would either be waiting in excited anticipation for the kiss, or would be scared sh*tless for the kiss. It was Randall''s way to not only gauge whether person bent that way, but also insert his dominance. He would eventually obtain what he wanted, even if the other party had seemed reluctant at first.


    Well, those that didn''t always seemed to say ''no'' but in the end, ended up begging for it. He wasn''t one to brag, but he was just that good.


    This, however ...


    As the young man''s lips took over his completely, Randall''s mind went a bit blank. It was supposed to be him that was the Alpha, damnit!


    Despite his initial shock and indignation, he couldn''t help but respond to the kiss.


    Dean was no softie.


    He went straight for the kill, as his tongue pushed its way in immediately and easily, running amok inside and exploring its depth with ease. He twirled and sucked, retracted and bit his lips then plunged back in, his head often moving as well to get into better position as he went for the kill again and again.


    Randall had never experienced such an intense kiss and the fact that they were doing it in public made it even more exciting and hot. Randall gave as good as he got, both of them oblivious to the stares that they were getting from everyone around as they continued in their own little world.


    It was Lou and the bodyguards that had followed Randall down that were the most uncomfortable. They didn''t know where to look. The bodyguards had to keep an eye out on the young man for he could be using this as a means to get to Randall but the longer it went on, even they were starting to get red in the face. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just how long were they going to keep sucking on each other''s faces?!


    Randall was thoroughly enjoying the moment and he was getting turned on like never before. Just as he brought up his hands to grab the back of Dean''s neck to deepen the kiss even further, Dean suddenly broke it off and before he knew it, was walking away.


    Randall turned with a growl, reaching out quickly in an attempt to grab Dean''s wrist but all his hands clutched was empty air. Dean was just out of his reach, aggravatingly so.


    Dean stopped, turned and raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you coming? Weren''t we were going to have a wonderful meal in a very special room?" he said, his voice dangerously low and husky as his eyes roamed all over Randall''s body once more.


    Dean licked his lips and smiled, "I was just having my starters and am looking forward to what you''ll be giving me as the main course."


    Randall gulped.


    He quickly walked over to join Dean, who waited patiently for him, a sexy smile on his face. Seeing this, Randall was mesmerized.


    Finding a partner that was just as strong as he was had been a dream but right now, that dream was right in front of him.?How could anyone be so perfect?


    They were now facing each other and Randall didn''t hide his desire for the young man that brought out the beast in him so easily. His hand reached out to grab Dean''s ass but Dean blocked it and shook his head.


    "Don''t be greedy now," he whispered in Randall''s ear as he leaned close, "There''s a time and place for everything."


    Just as Dean stepped back, Randall sucked in his breath as he felt his crotch get rubbed enticingly, then his inner thigh was pinched before his hand was taken.


    "Come on," Dean said with a smile, giving him a light peck on the lips, "Let''s go."


    Randall nodded and led the way.


    Lou and the bodyguards looked at the scene of Randall, holding hands with the young man, and walking obediently beside him like a besotted, whipped boy.


    Their mouths were hanging wide open.


    Was that their Boss?!

 Chapter 393 - Getting Hot And Heavy

    ? Boy-boy Scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable ?


    The moment they passed through the door of the VIP room, Randall pulled Kyle over and slammed him against the wall. He placed both of his arms beside Kyle and a leg inbetween Kyle''s legs.


    Kyle just gave a slight smile as he tilted his head, looking at Randall then ran a finger down his jawline, "What''s the matter? Can''t wait?"


    Randall growled deep in his throat and started sniffing Kyle''s neck. The smell was amazing and Randall''s mind went into overdrive. As he took a deep breath, all that was Kyle''s essence seemed to seep straight to his brain.


    Kyle simply tilted his neck more, allowing Randall free access as he started raining kisses from the earlobe to his collarbone, then his lips landed right at the point where the pulse throbbed. He licked it then nipped at it slightly.


    Before Randall could mark this young man as his, Kyle had lifted up his knee and started rubbing in between and touching his crotch, grinding him slowly. His hands reached up the sides of Randall''s head, his fingers raking through Randall''s hair. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The way those fingers played with his hair and his leg dry grinding him, Randall groaned further. Kyle brought up Randall''s face and started kissing him again, running his tongue along the lips before going deep into his mouth.


    Kyle had discovered what really turned Randall on from the experiments he had done in the previous kiss, so he fully utlised it now. Kyle could feel Randall''s arousal getting bigger and felt him slipping his hands underneath his shirt and touching him all over.


    Kyle shivered, pretending that Randall''s touch turned him on as he leaned towards Randall more. Then, in one swift move, he turned Randall around and it was Kyle now that had Randall locked inbetween his hands and the wall.


    They were both breathing heavily, with Randall''s hair all messed up and Kyle''s shirt pulled out from his pants and crumpled up. Kyle gave Randall one last soft, lingering kiss on the lips and stepped back, saying, "I''m hungry."


    Without another word, Kyle turned and headed towards the sofa, while taking off his jacket and flinging it onto the chair beside it. Kyle only had a skin-tight singlet underneath the jacket, so without it, one could see his well-toned physique even more.


    Randall took in that sight with a glare. He had already known what sort of body Dean had, especially after he was busy roaming his hands all over it earlier.


    Randall glared at the bodyguards that were in the room, daring them to look at the young man that was sitting nonchalantly on the chair, not caring about the sort of eye-candy he was giving everyone.


    "Get some food over now!" he barked as he went to join the very tempting, but mischievous boy in front of him.


    He was the elder here, darn it. He was the boss!


    But why was it that each and every time, this young man had the upper hand?!


    It both aggravated and excited him immensely.


    All he wanted to do was get this young man underneath him and have his way with him. To bury himself in him so deep and see that young face moaning while he kept thrusting inside that tight little hole of his.


    Just thinking of it almost made him cum.


    Damn his pants was getting too tight.


    "What brings you in this part of town?" Randall asked as he sat down next to Kyle. He put his hands on Kyle''s thigh, stroking it.


    "Nothing, other than the usual," Kyle replied, spreading his legs slightly wider, allowing Randall free access.


    From the files, Kyle knew that Randall was a bisexual, though he preferred men. To be specific, he loved powerful men but since he was such a powerful figure, there wasn''t many that fit his exact needs.


    He liked it rough, and he wanted to be in control but there was something in the file that made Kyle think Randall might actually really be looking for someone to control him instead. That was part of the reason why Kyle took the initiative to dominate him earlier on and his gut instinct proved to be correct.


    Each time Randall made a move, he was actually respectful enough not to cross the line until he got the green light. Which was why he made that move as if he was going to kiss him but did not take the final step.


    He gave off that domineering aura to subdue him, but when Kyle made the first move, Kyle felt Randall losing control quite easily. Each time Kyle made the move, or directed him, he obeyed.


    So Kyle adopted the pull-and-push method.


    Let Randall do what he wants at first, then Kyle would swoop in and take control. Let him see who truly was the Boss in this.


    Randall''s hand got closer to Kyle''s crotch and his fingers hovered over the button of the pants. Kyle looked at those fingers, then turned his head towards Randall that seemed to be seeking permission. Kyle didn''t say a word, but neither did he make a move.


    Emboldened, Randall slowly unbuttoned it, all the while not breaking eye contact with Kyle. His breath becoming slower as he was half afraid the young man would stop him and half in excitement if he wouldn''t.


    Seeing that Kyle was not making a move, he took hold of the zipper and slowly pulled it down.


    All he could see was a lazy smile on the young man''s face, as if granting him a huge favour and benefit in allowing him to do this. Yes, allow! Him, the Big Boss was being granted permission to undress him.


    Just as the zipper reached the bottom, Kyle''s hand went over his and pushed it away.


    Randall almost whimpered.


    So close! Just a little more! He wanted to try and press his luck but when he saw the dangerous glint in Kyle''s eye, he stopped.


    He didn''t want his favour to be taken away. He knew instinctively that if he did push it too far, this young man would leave.


    So he obeyed.


    With reluctance deep in his eyes.


    "Doesn''t seem fair that I''m the only one with an open zipper now, is it?" Kyle said huskily, putting his hand on Randall''s chest.


    He pushed Randall down, leaning forward and going on top, towering over him as he looked at the man underneath him.


    Then, with one finger, Kyle trailed it all the way down the middle of his chest to reach Randall''s navel then slipped underneath the waistband of his pants.


    Randall gasped as he felt those warm hands somehow not only slipping underneath his pants, but also his boxers. He was directly touching his bare c*ck and it felt damn good. Just that touch alone felt so good ...


    Randall''s thoughts then went haywire. Just what sort of skill does this young man have? How many lovers did he have before this?! He was suddenly enraged.


    But that only lasted a moment as that breathtakingly handsome face came closer, and those damn fingers started moving.

 Chapter 394 - Getting His First ....

    ? Boy-boy Scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable ?


    Randall couldn''t stand it.


    Without a word, he unbuttoned his own pants, pulling it down and freeing his own erection. Well, technically, it wasn''t free as it was gripped within the lovely hands of the young man that was busy kissing him along the neck, his tongue making a trail along his skin.


    Randall couldn''t think straight anymore. He barely heard the door opening, until those magic fingers and tongue stopped.


    "We have company," Kyle said in his ear, as he nibbled at the earlobe and licking alongside it before running the tip of his tongue along the inner lobe.


    "Umm-mmm-mmm," Randall mumbled, trying to think straight as his eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he felt that tongue being evil.


    He just got harder and he felt Kyle grip him even more as he played with the pre-cum that was already leaking out, his fingers swirling around the most sensitive part of his shaft. Randall shivered in pleasure.


    "Sorry, couldn''t help that," Kyle said with a laugh, obviously not the least bit sorry at all.


    Kyle let go of the huge c*ck in his hands and sat up, leaving Randall in a very embarrassing - and frustrating - position. Lying on his back, his c*ck high in the air. Then he felt his boxers being pulled back up to cover it as Kyle said with a smile while patting it, "That''s not just for anyone to see."


    The warmth hit Randall''s heart in such a force that he quickly got up with a growl, intending to kiss the young man senseless. The sense of possessiveness that seemed to come out of that young man''s lips was just too tempting and ignited his passion further.


    Kyle stopped Randall, one hand on his chest and a finger on his lips while shaking his head, "We have an audience. I forgot about that."


    Randall turned to glare at the poor men that had entered while his bodyguards were standing stiffly, their faces seemingly stoic but the redness along their necks was a dead giveaway.


    "OUT!! ALL OF YOU!!" Randall roared.


    Everyone, except two of his bodyguards that stayed behind.


    "But Boss," one bravely said, "We can''t leave you alone. Orders."


    Randall hesitated, knowing that these two were given to him by his Boss. As he was thinking, he heard Dean say, "That''s fine. I don''t mind a foursome. They''re not bad, really ... "


    "OUT!!" Randall shouted, "OUT! OUT! OUT!"


    Once they were all out, Randal turned towards Kyle and growled menacingly, "Foursome, huh? You really wanted a foursome?!"


    He grabbed Kyle''s shirt and ran his hands underneath it, saying as he brought Kyle close to him, "I will show you that I am more than enough to satisfy you. Several times over."


    Kyle smirked.


    Randall pulled up Kyle''s singlet up and over his head, throwing it impatiently to the side.


    He stared at the beautifully exposed skin, tight abs, and pink nipples. It was already all puckered up, making Randall even more excited. To know that he was capable of making this young one''s body react to him made him feel special.


    Randall paid very special attention to the porcelain-like skin in front of him. He couldn''t get enough of it. He kissed, bit and sucked, relishing in the fact that the young man allowed him to do so.


    Randall was no fool.


    There was no way he would be doing all of this if Dean didn''t let him. Randall was getting impatient, as he kissed lower and lower, getting closer to the one spot he so desperately wanted.


    His hand was already touching it, feeling its hardness and its length through the boxers.


    "No," Kyle said, stopping Randall just as he was about to pull down the boxers.


    "Why?" Randall asked, hurt in his eyes as his hands didn''t stop stroking Kyle.


    "You stink," Kyle said simply.


    Randall''s eyes narrowed.


    "Of cigar smoke," Kyle explained, "Despite cleaning your mouth twice, I can still taste it."


    Of course, ''cleaning'' here was the deep kisses they had been sharing before.


    "I don''t like it," Kyle said, poking Randall''s forehead, "And the smell is also ruining the mood."


    "Well," Randall said as he pulled the top of the boxers down a bit and started twirling his thumb slowly on the slightly exposed tip, "If I have this in my mouth, I''m sure it''ll get the smell out."


    "That wouldn''t work," growled Kyle, his eyes darkening further with lust, as he was getting turned on despite doing his best to control it.


    Damn the hormones that decided to spike right at that point.


    Randall only got more excited seeing those desire-filled eyes of Dean, as he smiled and said, "You wouldn''t know until you try."


    With that, he quickly brought his head down and took just the tip into his mouth, licking the slight pre-cum that just emerged, causing Kyle to hiss through his teeth.


    ''Fuck,'' Kyle thought to himself, ''This is bad.''


    The feeling was beyond anything Kyle could have ever imagined. Just having the head of his c*ck in the man''s mouth sent shivers of intense pleasure right to his soul.


    Kyle grabbed Randall''s head, his hair held in his fingers, fully intending to bring that stubborn man''s head up before he lost all sense of reason. Even going into Zen mode at this point was neigh impossible, as he couldn''t get calm enough to do so.


    Unfortunately, the moment Randall felt those hands, he immediately went down and in one swift motion, had pulled aside the boxers and Kyle Jr was fully inside Randall''s warm, wet mouth.


    Kyle''s head exploded and he couldn''t stop the moan that escaped his lips.


    So this is what it felt like. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To have that part of your body deep within the mouth of another. Kyle had thought it would be something similar to when a woman had her breasts fondled and nipples sucked. But he was so wrong. The area of the sensitivity of the breast was rather small but this .. this was the entire length.


    Everything was sensitive.


    And it seemed to be connected to every single part of his body. The sensation was incredible.


    Damn, no wonder guys loved BJs so much.


    Randall sucked hard, hardly believing that Dean was allowing him to do this. He wasn''t letting this golden opportunity let him by and he cherished the moment, as bobbed his head up and down, running his tongue along the hard length and relishing the taste of him.


    Hearing the young man groan as he did this made Randall harder than ever before.


    Randall also groaned in satisfaction when Dean started moving his hips, thrusting himself into his ever willing mouth.


    Randall cupped Dean''s b*lls in his hands, stroking them while never stopping the sucking. The entire room was being filled with the sounds of him slurping and Dean''s low moans that he was trying hard to suppress.


    When Randall felt that Dean was at his limit, Randall took his entire length deep into his throat. He felt it pulse, then warm, thick ''cream'' was shot right down his throat as Dean grunted.

 Chapter 395 - Getting The Information

    ? Boy-boy Scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable ?


    As the final wave finally ended, Kyle sighed and mentally berated himself.


    He looked down at the man that was still in between his legs, who looked like the cat that got the cream. Kyle was amazed, really. The guy not only swallowed everything, he did not have a gag reflex.


    Randall looked up to see Kyle observing him and he smiled while saying, "Delicious."


    Kyle couldn''t help but cough a bit at that and raised an eyebrow, "Such intense skill you have there."


    Randall climbed up, leaning on top of Kyle, "You are, by far, the best. From the load you just gave, it seems like you''ve been holding it for quite some time?"


    Kyle smirked, "It''s always like that. Young, virile man that I am."


    Randall smiled, and he brought his head down, about to kiss Kyle when Kyle immediately put his hands over his mouth.


    "What? There''s no cigar smell by now," Randall protested through Kyle''s fingers.


    "Yeah, but the last thing I want to taste is myself," Kyle replied, pushing Randall off him and getting off the sofa.


    Kyle pulled up his pants but didn''t zip it back up, and walked over to the liquor cabinet. With his back to Randall, Kyle took a bottle of wine and a glass. He poured the wine in the glass and slipped in the truth serum.


    He turned, put the wine bottle down and walked slowly towards Randall, while swirling the wine in the glass slowly. Just as he reached Randall, he took a?gulp of the wine then sat on Randall''s lap. He placed his lips on Randall''s lips.


    Randall willingly opened his mouth, and allowed Kyle''s tongue - with the wine - enter.


    There wasn''t that much wine that was being transferred, and what little there was, Kyle used to swirl inside Randall''s mouth as if he was slowly cleansing every single part of Randall''s mouth. Randall swallowed the wine slowly, hardly tasting anything and just feeling that wicked tongue.


    Once the wine was all gone, Kyle broke the kiss and took another gulp of wine before putting the glass down and continued kissing Randall. This time, his hands went to the back of Randall''s neck as he caressed it and ran his fingers through the hair.


    Randall''s hands weren''t being idle either as he gripped Kyle''s a*s, kneading it and groaning over the way their c*cks were rubbing on each other. Despite the fact that they were still wearing their boxers, Randall felt like he was in Heaven.


    His mind was in a daze, his body weak and hot at the same time.


    When they broke the kiss for the second time, he felt Dean coming closer and leaning on him as he started kissing Randall''s ear, neck then collarbone - all the while, grinding himself on Randall.


    Kyle rubbed the back of Randall''s neck, shoulders and pressed a few points between the shoulder blades and finally, just below. After that, he continued kissing Randall, starting from the collarbone back to his ear.


    Kyle started licking his ear again and said a few words. Randall was barely conscious of what was being said and what he answered automatically.


    He didn''t know what he was saying, really.


    All he knew was that he was feeling good.


    Very, very good.


    ????


    Once Kyle was sure that the truth serum was working, Kyle got off Randall''s lap and leaned against the sofa. He rubbed the top of his head vigorously as he continued to ask the?zoned out Randall some questions.


    It was good to be back on track but damn, that was one hell of a detour.


    Kyle sighed as he zipped up his pants and continued asking the pertinent questions. The truth serum only worked to give the information, but it didn''t mean that Randall would be cooperative without the additional measures.


    Hence, Kyle had pressed the necessary acupuncture points to make him more pliant and weak, while continuing to caress him once in a while.


    "How did you find out about the mole?" Kyle asked while steadily taking off Randall''s pants.


    Unlike Samantha, which only required some massage techniques to make her think she had been having intense sex the entire time, Randall needed ... a little bit of extra effort. There was absolutely no way he would not be feeling the pain that no massage could simulate.


    There was only one way to get that sort of sensation.


    "We caught him in the act," Randall said, breathing heavily while biting his bottom lip.


    Kyle frowned at that. The mole wasn''t an amateur.


    Kyle asked a few more questions to get to the bottom of it. After finding out how, Kyle sighed. Turns out his woman did him in. This is why the Underworld can''t really have relationships.


    No matter how good you are, there will be times you let your guard down. Most of the time, that happens in bed, or the person you share your bed with. The more mind-blowing the sex, the less guarded one gets.


    Kyle continued to ask a few more questions and when finally done,?Kyle took out what appeared to be beads on a rope.


    The sizes of the beads increased, from small to large and there were about 2 inches of space between each bead. Taking a packet from his pocket, he tore it open and poured all the lubricant onto the beads. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked at Randall and took a deep breath. He had already blocked the sense of pain on the lower part of Randall''s body, but he still needed to loosen up that butthole.


    Damn, Big Bro Nic. The things I do for you, Kyle thought to himself as he first massaged some of the lubricant right at the b*tthole before inserting the first bead. Once he was sure it was stretched enough, he pushed in another, then another.


    ''Oh please let there not be any poop in there'' Kyle prayed.

 Chapter 396 - Saying Goodbye

    ? Mild boy-boy scene. Don''t read if you''re uncomfortable with it ?


    Randall slowly woke up, feeling rather dazed.


    He fell asleep? When did he fall asleep?!


    In a panic, he realised he was alone and he got up, not caring about his nakedness. Sharp pain hit immediately, and he hissed loudly.


    Memories of what had happened filled his mind and he leaned forward a bit, as he adjusted to the pain from his throbbing butt. Damn, but that boy was ruthless.


    "Careful," came that lovely voice he thought he wouldn''t be hearing again, "Sorry, I got a bit carried away."


    Randall turned, and saw a half-naked Dean walking over, his chest littered with all the love bites he had given.


    That sight made him smile and a part of him wanted to awaken again, so he quickly covered it. The last thing he needed right now was another round. He didn''t think his body could take it at the moment.


    "What time is it?" he croaked, his throat rather dry. Was it due to the number of times he cried out at each climax?


    Dean sat down beside him, as Randall scooted painfully to the side.


    Kyle saw the grimace of pain that flashed by Randall''s face and he couldn''t help the small smile that formed on his face. His hand was sure tired, pumping that dildo up Randall''s a*s, but the effects were good.


    So good, in fact, that Randall had actually climaxed as well.


    Kyle gave him a soft kiss before handing him a glass of water. Randall took it gratefully, drinking it then frowned as he saw Kyle picking up his singlet and wearing it.


    "What are you doing?" he demanded.


    "Getting dressed, what else?" Kyle replied, reaching for his jacket.


    Randall jumped up, grabbing Kyle by the wrist and pulled him back down, "No, you can''t leave."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow and simply stared at him, displeasure evident on his face.


    "No, I mean, don''t leave," Randall quickly corrected himself, "Stay."


    Randall saw as Dean looked disturbed at that, as he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. There was some hesitation in his eyes, and Randall could sense that Dean was feeling conflicted about something.


    "Dean, please," Randall said softly, hardly believing that he would lower himself like this.


    Yet, he had never felt so strongly about a person before and he knew, he didn''t want this young man to walk out of his life.


    "Randall," Kyle said, making his voice really sad, "I ... I''m a free bird, you know? I fly from one place to another, never perching long in one place."


    Kyle sighed, then put his forehead against Randall''s forehead, "I would die if I was to be in one place for long."


    Randall gripped Kyle''s arms, hissing, "No. No, you won''t. It''s not like I would cage you. You can go wherever you want. Just ... just stay with me. By my side."


    "I can''t," Kyle insisted, "Look, commitments are just not my thing."


    Randall didn''t like what he was hearing. He didn''t want to hear it, so he kissed Dean, wanting to shut that mouth from saying the words he didn''t want to hear. He felt satisfied to feel Dean returning his kiss, their tongue doing the tango all over again.


    "You can''t say that you don''t feel something," Randall said breathlessly, as he broke the kiss, looking at Dean who appeared to be equally affected.


    Kyle closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, opening them, he looked deep into Randall''s eyes, "I admit, there was something about you that pulled me. I''ve never felt that before but ..."


    "But??!" Randall desperately said, gripping Kyle''s arm harder.


    Kyle looked own at those hands, and Randall, realising what he was doing, quickly let go. Kyle got up, and this time, Randall didn''t stop him.


    "Look, Randall," Kyle said, slowly taking his jacket and looking at it before putting it on, "I don''t know what this is. We had amazing sex ... but for me to stay ... I just can''t."


    Kyle walked to the door, holding onto the handle and turning to face the man that was looking at him intently, "For what''s it worth, it was the best fuck of my life. Goodbye, Randall."


    Randall watched as Dean walked out the door. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew that he could have easily shouted to his bodyguards outside, and they would have restrained Dean. Tie him up. Make him stay by his side.


    But he also knew, doing that would make Dean hate him. Worse, he may be killing the wild side of Dean that he had grown to love.


    Love? Love?!


    Randall''s eyes widened as the realisation hit him.


    "Follow him!" Randall shouted.


    There was no way he was going to let Dean go now.

 Chapter 397 - Bring Him Back

    The moment Kyle left the building, he knew he was being followed.


    Well, that was within his calculations though he had half expected Randall to stop him at the door itself. Luckily, he didn''t and Kyle could leave before the chase began. It made his escape far easier to pull off.


    Kyle walked normally, not showing any indication that he knew he was being followed. As he turned the corner of the building, he grabbed the rope that was already there and scaled up the wall quickly, blending in the shadows.


    He was literally just sitting vertically on the wall, using the rope as help to keep him straight. He watched in silence as some of Randall''s men walked by within seconds of him hiding. They started shouting in panic, going in several different directions. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was one that looked up, and Kyle leaned back further even though he knew that there was no way he could be seen. It was just too dark.


    Indeed, the man just glanced by, not even focusing on anything in particular.


    Kyle watched as the area was soon cleared of Randall''s men. He waited another five minutes before finally making a move. He continued going up the building and looked ahead to the left.


    The buildings here were linked, thus Kyle could jump from one building to another for several blocks undetected.


    Once he reached the end of the line, Kyle scaled down the wall. Taking the clothes he had hidden, he changed out of his disguise and walked out normally, joining the crowd.


    ????


    Upon reaching his room, Kyle went straight to the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. He closed his eyes as he looked up towards the shower head, letting the hot water droplets stream down on his face.


    The mission had been successful and he had gotten all the information that he needed. He didn''t even need the extra days to go back and gather more intel. Randall had, surprisingly, known of all the secrets in the organisation. If it hadn''t been for the truth serum, Kyle would have thought he was lying.


    Kyle sighed inwardly, recalling that expression on Randall''s face when he left.


    He could see the genuine fear in Randall''s eyes. Fear of losing him. The intensity of that hit Kyle in a way that he didn''t think possible. Kyle was feeling slightly guilty at that, and he had to keep telling himself that Randall wasn''t an angel.


    He was involved in activities that would curl your toes.


    Still, he wasn''t that bad a person, really. He simply did what needed to be done. Big Bro Nic''s empire was in the way of that. It wasn''t anything personal.


    Well, at least he gave Randall the fake memories of mind-boggling sex. Kyle shuddered a bit when he, himself, remembered how skillful Randall''s mouth had been.


    In his past life, he wasn''t quite keen on giving his spouse such a treatment.


    Partly because he could never quite control the gag reflex, and partly because ... well, let''s face it. Sperm doesn''t taste nice. Having it squirt deep in your throat is one thing, then having that taste stuck at the back of your throat ...


    Randall not only could take it all, he actually could take it so deep in his throat.


    Kyle shuddered, his body reacting already.


    Urgh.


    Kyle sighed again and took Kyle Jr in his hands. Damn it.


    If the person he marries was anything like him in his past life, then it''s best he never gets another BJ again. It would be like settling for spam when you can have ham.


    Once done, Kyle went out of the shower. Seeing all the love bites on his chest, he shook his head again. Looks like turtleneck sweaters for the next week or so, or until the lovebites fade away. He certainly could hide it with make-up but it was just so troublesome.


    ????


    "What do you mean, he disappeared?!" screamed Randall.


    What could they say? He just did! One minute, they were following him and the next, he was gone. They had looked for over an hour but there was no sign of him and finally, they had to return to face the music.


    "Go check the CCTV," Randall growled to another person, "Distribute his picture to all our men. Find him. Bring him back to me."


    Once everyone left, Randall sat down at the sofa again, wincing a bit at the shot of pain that hit him as his butt hit the cushion.


    If he had known that bird would fly away so fast, he would have clipped his wings from the start. Well, it''s not like it''s too late.


    Once he captures that little mischevious bird of his, he''s going to make sure he stays.

 Chapter 398 - A Part Still Female

    Putting on a pair of bermuda pants, Kyle went and flopped on the bed. It had been an exhausting night.


    [Mission accomplished. Back safely] Kyle finally reported to Kay.


    [That''s great, brother] Kay said, though there was a slight hitch to her voice.


    Kyle frowned [What''s wrong?]


    There was silence.


    [Kay?]


    [You seriously need to work on blocking strong emotions]


    It took Kyle a second to realise what Kay was referring to.


    [Oh Shit! Kay! I''m sorry!]


    [I almost moaned out loud right in the middle of watching television! Damn it, Kyle!]


    Kyle winced. For her to actually use his name was bad.


    [It was totally out of my expectations. And you''re right. I''ve got to block it better]


    [Next time, when you''re doing these sort of missions, I''m just going to block you out until you get back. It''s way safer]


    [Agreed]


    Kyle sighed and buried his head in the pillow.


    They had already learned that it was possible to tune out each other''s feelings, and had been practicing on doing so. However, keeping it up all the time was draining so they only would put up their ''shields'' when there was any spike of strong emotions.


    What had happened, though, had been too sudden and too strong for Kay to block it out in time. All she knew was she had this intense feeling of pleasure and getting hot all over. She had literally bit her own tongue to stop herself from moaning, get rational and put up her shield.


    [What happened anyway? I thought you had everything under control? You weren''t like this at all when it came to Samantha] Kay asked.


    Kyle squirmed uncomfortably on the bed, and kept punching his head.


    [Do you really need to know the details?] Kyle asked.


    Kay thought about it then decided, [No, I guess not. Just tell me one thing though, brother]


    [What is it?]


    [Are you still a virgin?]


    [Yes] Kyle answered through gritted teeth.


    [Oh] Kay replied, while connecting the dots together [So you got a blowjob then] S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Er ...]


    [He must have been good] Kay continued ruthlessly.


    After all, she had to get back at him for her near embarrassing condition. In front of Xing Han and Edward, too (who had been watching television with her).


    [Really good, for you to lose control like that. I mean, come on. The waves were so strong]


    [Are you done yet?] Kyle whined.


    [Nope] Kay replied [I''ve not even begun yet]


    ''Please kill me now'' Kyle thought to himself as he had to continue ''listening'' to Kay rant. Too bad he couldn''t block out his ears to stifle out the sound. The disadvantage of telepathy.


    ????


    Kyle spent the next two days by himself in the room, going through the mission and figuring out his weaknesses. He told the others that he needed time to gather more intel, which was partially true. It was just intel on himself.


    Kyle didn''t even tell Kay why he needed the extra two days by himself.


    He didn''t lie to her. He just told her that he needed ''me'' time and she accepted that. She didn''t press for the reason why he needed the ''me'' time. She knew he lied about his reason to the others, and for her, so long as he didn''t lie to her, it was enough.


    They may be twins, and even platonic soul mates, but it didn''t mean that you needed to share every single detail of each other''s lives with each other. Each respected the other and trusted the other fully, and wouldn''t think that by not revealing everything, it was due to lack of love or trust.


    In short, they didn''t take it personally.


    The mission had drained him more than he thought it could be, and he just needed to seclude himself. He didn''t go out of his room and had his meals inside, and would meditate to attain some inner peace while he analysed what had happened and how it could be avoided.


    The main thing here was the fact that he was becoming more sensitive. In the sexual sense.


    Prior to the Samantha mission, he thought he had been asexual. Nothing he looked at or studied could arouse him at all. Despite the fact that he had already entered puberty, and his hormones were raging, he really was not interested at all.


    After Samantha, he was more aware of women''s bodies and men, for that matter.


    After Randall?


    If this was an anime or manga, there would be a sweatdrop right above Kyle''s head right now.


    Just thinking of what happened could make him aroused already. If he went out and saw women''s cleavage, would he now be interested to touch them? If he saw a guy that was fit and just the way he likes it, would he be interested in starting something?


    It was as if Samantha had unlocked the door and Randall had swung it wide open.


    In short, Kyle was now like a normal, horny teenager.


    Which was not good. He was a matured adult (in mind) but his hormonally charged body was becoming stronger than his mental strength. So he now had to train and get his mental strength back so that he wouldn''t be a victim of his own body.


    Kyle knew that Randall had seen the desire in his eyes. So Randall had taken it as permission to do what he did. Kyle had been in total control until that moment, and during the entire session, he was out of it.


    Completely at the mercy of his own desire and lust.


    He hated that.


    So for the entire two days, Kyle trained hard so that his mind would be able to ignore and overcome what his body was begging for. After all, for Kyle, he didn''t want to just fuck anyone - even if that person was willing and wanted it.


    Kyle wanted to only make love with the person he loves.


    That part, at least, was still female.

 Chapter 399 - Country Tz

    Nitocris was feeling agitated.


    No, that was not it. Sad? No. Upset? No.


    What was this feeling?


    Well, he definitely was feeling agitated, over the fact that he didn''t know what he was feeling.


    It began when Kyle went for his promotional tour. His little puppy followed and he was fine. He was. Really! After all, it''s not like he had been seeing his little puppy every night. Well, okay, he did, ever since that night.


    Maybe it''s the fact that the bed and the pajamas his little puppy had used didn''t have his smell anymore. Nitocris had taken the pajamas from the laundry basket and it had not been washed yet. He was very, very reluctant to do so, even now.


    Nitocris found that since that night, he could sleep very well. Even though his hands felt really empty, it was not so bad. Using the same pillow that his little puppy had used, holding onto the pajamas that he had worn, gave him a feeling as if his little puppy was still there.*


    It eased his loneliness a bit.


    How could just one night with his little puppy make him so dependent on him? It was ridiculous. Yet, true.


    Nitocris sighed, something that was so unusual for him that his subordinates around him started feeling like they were on the edge of a cliff.


    Their boss had been rather moody lately.


    Usually, he''s just cold, like an ice block. An ice block of Death, that is.


    You were always on edge, and each time he was around, you felt like you were the naughty student that was in the presence of a strict Principal, ever ready to mett out punishment for any mistakes.


    However, for the past few days, he was more easily triggered. It''s not to say that he picked on them, but rather, things that he would have normally let slide ... he didn''t. There was even once, Boss''s Right-hand man had actually managed to get to his side without him realising it.


    He had been so deep in thought about something that he completely zoned out everything.


    That had never happened before!


    They were worried about their Boss. So they kept a closer eye on him, even though they were scared of triggering his wrath. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, he was their Boss.


    ?.?.?.?


    Patrick was pursing his lips, reading a report about the last venture Kyle had done for the company. There wasn''t much fault in it, and he could hardly reprimand his son for it. The skills he was showcasing here was impressive.


    Yet, he couldn''t help but feel rather upset about this.


    Kyle seemed to be completely independent, and all his actions seemed to be purposely avoiding any sort of dependency on them. Kay was different.


    Ever since they were small, you could tell the stark difference between the two.


    Kay would be the sort of baby that wanted to be spoilt by everyone, demanding attention and seeking love from all - even though most of the time it was towards her brother rather than her own parents.


    Kyle, on the other hand, never seemed to need it. He shied away fom any sort of show of physical intimacy. He would even cringe a bit from hugs, let alone kisses on the cheeks. He never voiced it, however, and the fact that he was suppressing his dislike for it made them subconsciously stop giving it.


    Yet, the more he seemed to keep pushing him away, the more Patrick wanted Kyle to know that he was still a kid. He still needed his parents. He is still a young boy, learning about the ways of life.


    Aggravatingly, Kyle had not been showing any signs of the typical ''teen boy problems''. No fights. No girl drama. Top student. Role model. All the teachers had only good things to say about him, and the Principal.


    Patrick snorted. The Principal even appeared to be Kyle''s fan.


    Any parent would have been ecstatic to be in his shoes, but they didn''t know.


    They didn''t know how much Patrick feared for Kyle.


    He was extremely worried that Kyle was setting himself up for a fall. To be this good, this self-sufficient, was abnormal. How would he cope when he makes a mistake? Can he handle it? He had smooth sailing all this while and never suffered.


    How would he handle a set-back?


    Patrick had been keen on Kyle getting his legal dependency - not because he was pushing him away, but because he was convinced that with this last ''line'' cut, Kyle would be more reckless. More at risk. And Patrick would be there to help pick up the pieces and finally, finally show to Kyle that he needs his parents.


    After all, he was still a kid and Patrick was the adult here.

 Chapter 400 - Country Tz (II)

    Sayuri was in a quandary.


    Truth be told, she felt that she had managed to get enough information about Kyle to be able to actually complete her mission.


    She managed to obtain quite a number of such good information from PoK itself, with Sarah being more than happy to divulge all sorts of things that she, personally, had noted about Kyle.


    Things he ate. What clothes he normally wears. The colours he wore the most. The type of food he ate more than others. Things like that.


    Thinking about it, Sayuri felt it was rather creepy.


    So she could actually go back now, but she was reluctant to do so.


    She was actually having fun at the school. She had friends, or people close enough to be called friends. Being the Acting Vice President also opened up a whole new experience for her and she embraced the role happily.


    Going home meant back to the endless training. She had gotten quite comfortable living the life of a normal teen.


    Sayuri sighed.


    Then again, she had responsibilities. The company. Her family.


    She couldn''t be selfish now, right? She sighed.


    Yes, she had to go back, since her mission was completed.


    Then, her eyes brightened at a sudden thought.


    Actually, she hadn''t really finished her mission, did she? There was one more question that her Grandfather had posed, that she hadn''t managed to find the answer for yet.


    What was the type of girl that Kyle liked?


    Sayuri conveniently ignored the fact that it was merely an example her Grandfather had given with regard to the sort of things she was supposed to gather: things about Kyle that wasn''t in the report. She just focused on the fact that she didn''t know yet what sort of person Kyle liked.


    The more she thought about it, the more curious she became. It set off all sorts of questions in her mind. Why hadn''t he ever shown any interest anyway?


    It seemed unbelievable that someone that popular, good looking, clever, and rich, did not have a girlfriend. He didn''t seem to overtly show any sort of interest in any girl in school, so it made figuring out the type of girl he liked, quite difficult to know. He treated all girls the same, and it was also with great respect. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Sarah, the Kyle expert, didn''t know.


    However, Sayuri did find out something quite interesting. Sarah told her that he did have a girlfriend before, but it had not lasted very long. In fact, he had broken up with her even before introducing her to the Elite Five.


    That was certainly good news for Sayuri.


    For this meant that the only person she could dig out the information from, was the source of it all: Kyle himself.


    So, she just had to wait until he got back, right.


    It wasn''t because she was interested to know the answer. She was a professional. It was merely for the mission.


    ?.?.?.?


    Sarah had just filled up yet another scrapbook and she sighed.


    Her new roommate, Charlene,? didn''t know of her real feelings for Kyle. So, she had hidden her personal collection of Kyle. Those were not to be shared at all. Putting it away, she sighed again.


    Sarah took out her diary and began writing.


    ''Dear Diary,


    I have to keep an eye out on this new girl, Sayuri. I don''t quite like how she''s always asking about Kyle. At first, I thought she was a normal Kyle fan, but her questions were really quite deep. She didn''t even look that excited like any normal person.


    So when she asked about Kyle''s preference, I made sure to let her know about his ex-girlfriend and that I am the one that has known Kyle the longest. I know Kyle the best. She has to know that she has absolutely no chance with Kyle.?


    Sure, she is the Acting Vice-President but that does not mean anything. It wasn''t because Kyle likes her. He''s kind that way. She''s new, she got good scores, so he''s just helping her fit in. That''s why he''s just so perfect.


    He needs me by his side. He will see. PoK will prove it. It will show him how much I help him. It''s a perfect complement to his greatness. He does not needs someone who shines brightly by his side. He is the bright sun! No one should.


    So, you see. I am perfect. No one in Sage Class is. He needs a low-key, normal person to help him. Like me. Right? I know I am.?


    He will see it. I know.''


    Sarah closed her diary in satisfaction.


    Taking the key that was on her necklace, she locked it and hid it amongst her books. One could never be too careful with such things.

 Chapter 401 - Horsing Around Again

    Xing Han was staring intently at Kyle.


    "What?" Kyle asked, deliberately not looking at Xing Han as he flipped through the magazine.


    Xing Han scooted over to Kyle, who was sitting on the bed and leaning back on the headboard. He stared at Kyle seriously, not even blinking.


    "What''s up with you?" Xing Han asked suspiciously. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nothing," Kyle said.


    Xing Han narrowed his eyes.


    It definitely was not ''nothing''.


    When Kyle had exchanged positions with Edward, Xing Han had noticed it then. Kyle was acting rather unusual. At first glance, it may appear normal, but no. Xing Han could tell but he couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    He was laughing and joking as per normal, but there was just ... something.


    And now?


    Now he was actually reading a magazine? And come to think of it, he had been sporting this ''turtleneck sweater/shirt'' look for quite some time. Sure, he looked really dashing and all that, but it was so ''not Kyle''.


    It confirmed something was wrong.


    They were already on the plane, in their lovely hotel-like room in a plane space ... and Kyle was still fully clothed?! He''s usually so relaxed since he, in his own words, was human on the plane.


    Xing Han pushed the magazine out of the way, put both of his hands on Kyle''s cheeks and made him face him, "You''re not acting normal, Kyle. Come on, out with it."


    Kyle sighed inwardly.


    He should have known Xing Han would have noticed something eventually, but he had hoped it would be much, much later - after the lovebites had faded away. As it was, right now, it was still rather bluish, like a bruise.


    He counted them, too.


    30 bites. Thirty!! That Randall surely was an animal indeed.


    Kyle couldn''t help the smirk that came from thinking about it, though.


    He had done all that he could in those two days to lessen the marks. However, since he couldn''t start the ''treatment'' immediately after being ''marked'', the effects were much less. A lovebite is like any other bruise: it''s a bruise underneath the skin.


    A typical love bite would take 5-12 days to heal, if it''s left alone. To quicken the process, one could do several things like massaging the affected area to improve blood circulation or place an ice pack/cold compress on it for several minutes, several times a day.


    The problem was, Randall''s lovebites were quite intense. It wasn''t just the amount, it was the fact that he really had made a deep mark. The darker the colour, means that the ''bruise'' was more and it takes longer to heal.


    Randall obviously had wanted to mark Kyle as his, and his possessiveness could be seen from the amount of lovebites and its location. He even had several along the main pulse points, which only meant the mark was even darker.


    At least Kyle managed not to get too many on his neck. The two there was bad enough, though.


    Right now, Kyle looked innocently at Xing Han, smiling sweetly as he said, "No, I am serious Xing Han. I''m fine. Nothing is up."


    Xing Han pouted and squished Kyle''s cheeks.


    "Fine, fine," he said after he satisfied himself with the squishing and the pinching of cheeks, "If you say it''s nothing, then I won''t ask anymore. Just one thing, though."


    "What?"


    Xing Han grabbed the bottom of the sweater, "What are you hiding under here?!"


    Kyle quickly threw the magazine and grabbed onto Xing Han''s hands.


    "You wouldn''t want to go there," he said with a drawl.


    "Oh yeah?" Xing Han countered, narrowing his eyes but grinning nonetheless, "I DO TOO!!"


    And so, the normal horsing around started.


    Kay, at the side, was giggling while Sam just rolled his eyes and continued his work.


    Kay watched her brother and his best friend having the time of their lives. Xing Han sitting on top of Kyle''s legs, trying to pull up his sweater while Kyle was effectively shielding himself, protecting his chastity - (as if).


    Both of them were quite dishevelled by now, their hair and clothes all messed up. Xing Han''s face had this frustrated look as he had one hand on Kyle''s shirt and another just on his naked stomach while Kyle was looking up at him, laughing.


    Kay snapped a picture and posted it on Insta with the heading, ''Boys Horsing Around''.


    In Country Tz, Nitocris heard a ''ping'' sound, indicating a new picture had been posted on Kyle''s insta. Eagerly, he clicked on it, hoping it would be a picture of his little puppy.


    He loved being able to see his little puppy. The way Xing Han enjoyed the sightseeing at Country I made Nitocris want to bring him around once they get together.


    When he saw the latest pic, however ...

 Chapter 402 - Eating Vinegar

    Nitocris saw red.


    His hand gripped on the phone so hard that the screen cracked and he watched as the screen slowly went dark.


    He clenched his jaw so tightly that if one was there to see him, one would be able to see the muscles straining underneath his cheeks.


    A part of him wanted to throw things but he refrained. It was too much like his father and he loathed to do anything that reminded him of that piece of trash.


    Instead, he made do with smashing the phone onto the table. After all, it couldn''t be used anymore. It didn''t quite abate the frustration in his heart but at least, it let off some steam.


    The worst thing was, it was his own little brother. If it had been anyone else, he could have captured the guy, tortured him slowly and then feed him to the sharks.


    Of course, he wouldn''t really do that but it was certainly a nice thought.


    Really, he wouldn''t.


    Maybe.


    Nitocris glared at the broken phone.


    The picture flashed through his mind again.


    Just what the hell were these boys thinking? Why on Earth do they always like to play around like that?! It was bad enough walking in on them the other day, and this time, it was immortalised in a picture for the whole world to see?!


    And that stupid hand ... his little puppy was holding onto Kyle''s stomach. What the fuck was that all about?! Why is his little puppy so touchy-feeley with Kyle?!


    More importantly, Nitocris wished his little puppy would be that touchy-feeley with?him.


    This is bad. Very, very bad.


    He''s already missing his little puppy so much and now? Now, he had to be tortured by the thought that his little puppy was ... was ...


    Nitocirs pressed the intercom and barked, "Iris, get me a new phone and two tickets to Country M. Tonight."


    "Sir?" came the shocked voice of his secretary.


    "What? Are the instructions not clear?! Do you not understand English?! Just do it!" Nitcoris shouted, causing Iris to jump.


    Iris put her hand on her chest, feeling it beat really fast in fear. She had only started work last month and this was the first time she had heard him shout like that. Even though he was all the way in his room, behind a closed door, she could feel his wrath and coldness.


    She shivered.


    Her boss was really a dashing and deathly sexy guy. Like any normal woman, she had entertained the foolish dream of hooking up with him. From what she had heard, he didn''t have anyone, so she thought of trying her luck.


    Wasn''t this why she had worked so hard to be a secretary? To be the one closest to the boss was a good way to the top quickly. That''s basically the dream of most secretaries (in her mind, of course).


    Right now though, that thought was far from her mind. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!" she shouted back, standing at attention for some reason.


    Inside the room, Nitocris stared at the intercom and thought his new secretary had a screw loose somewhere. Whatever. As long as she got the job done.


    She was an efficient secretary and he needed a ''normal'' person to handle the ''normal'' stuff at the company. This way, he had a basic cover-up. No one in their right mind would think someone like Iris worked for the underworld.


    "Also, get Yuri and Zack ASAP," Nitocris said, ending the call.


    ?.?.?.?


    Yuri and Zack stood at attention, waiting patiently while Nitocris was busy staring at his broken phone.


    Yuri and Zack were Nitocris''s right (and left) hand men. Basically, the 2nd in charge.


    It might sound strange to have two people who were ''second'' in charge but these two were unique. They were identical twins that couldn''t be told apart. In short, they acted like one entity.


    They looked the same, sounded the same and to further mess up people''s minds, they wore exactly the same clothes.?They answered to either name and never revealed who was who.


    The only time you would be able to know which twin it was, was when you are fighting with them. Their style of fighting was slightly different. Or, to be more accurate, their method of killing was different.


    Yuri likes a clean stab to the heart (with minimal amount of blood produced) while Zack liked the messier way of slice the stomach open (splitting it open and having the guts spill out).


    So, obviously, by the time you could tell them apart, it''s too late because you''re either dead or dying.


    The only person who could tell them apart was Nitocris.


    They had no idea how, but it was the main reason why they decided to follow Nitocris. They have never regretted the decision. He was the only one that understood them and thus, they were loyal to him.


    Right now, they were looking at Nitocris who was staring at a broken phone. his usually cold face appearing quite angry and upset at the same time.


    He didn''t even look up when they entered, even though he was the one that summoned them to be quick. They didn''t mind at all. They waited patiently until he was ready to address them.


    Nitocris finally looked up at asked them one question, "What is the situation at Country M?"


    Unlike Iris, there was no confusion on their faces or their voices as they answered.


    "No new information, Boss," said Yuri.


    "And no new movement," continued Zack.


    "So they are keeping low? Do they know we know?"


    "Unlikely," Yuri said.


    "We''ve been monitoring their mole here and he hasn''t made any move yet," assured Zack.


    Nitocris was silent, staring at them and they felt their backs starting to get drenched with sweat. What was with their Boss today? His aura was particularly oppressing today.


    "I am going to Country M tonight," Nitocris declared.


    "Boss?!" they shouted in shock, "You can''t!"

 Chapter 403 - Taking A Break

    Nitocris slammed his hand on the table loudly.


    "You dare?!"


    "Boss, it''s too dangerous," Yuri said, "They''re already targetting you and if you go there, it''s like handing yourself on a silver platter to them."


    "You''ll be in their territory," Zack said, "What is it that you need to do? You don''t have to go. I''ll go."


    "You really think I''m stupid enough to get myself killed like that?!" Nitocris roared.


    "No, Boss, of course not!" Yuri replied quickly.


    "But ..." Zack began hesitatingly.


    "But what?!"


    Zack flinched visibly, even though he''s one of the Black Dragon''s top assassins.


    "Boss, let''s face it," he said, "You''ve not been yourself lately. You''re moody, out-of-sorts and even now, you''ve not stopped shouting."


    Nitocris was about to shout a denial when he stopped.


    Only Yuri and Zack dared to tell him the truth in his face, and that was one of the things he valued. He needed people who were competent and honest to him. If Zack said he wasn''t acting normally, then he wasn''t.


    He stared back at his broken phone, conflicted.


    Nitocris wanted nothing more than to rush over to his little puppy, make his presence known and fill in the void that was in his heart. He had even actually been considering telling Kyle of his plans to woo Xing Han.


    Yuri and Zack were wondering what was so special about that broken phone. Each time he looked at it, he got angry. Or was the phone making a decision for him? Not literally, of course.


    "I know the dangers," Nitocris said finally, sighing, "Fine."


    Nitocris put his broken phone in his drawer then threw a thumbdrive towards Zack, who caught it deftly.


    "Latest intel on Country I," Nitocris said, "They found our mole. He was stupid to get caught."


    "Zack," Nitocris continued, "Make sure you let the others know the consequences of being so stupid. Even if they''re not caught, they still have to answer to me."


    Zack nodded, understanding and left.


    "Yuri," Nitocris said, as he pointed to some files on the side, "I need you to handle the more urgent matters here. I''ll be away for a couple of days."


    "Boss, you''re not ..?"


    "No," Nitocris said firmly.


    Yuri nodded as well, not asking any further. As long as Nitocris wasn''t going to Country M, then it was fine.


    Nitocris got up and took his jacket.


    "You''re going now?!" Yuri asked in surprise. Too many surprises today.


    "Why else would I call you guys over?" Nitocris answered, with a raise of his eyebrow.


    Yuri looked at the pile of files on the desk, and then at Nitocris''s retreating back. With a deep sigh, he took the pile and went to his own office.


    Outside, Nitocris stopped by Iris''s desk and asked, "My phone?"


    Iris quickly handed him a phone, which was the same type and model as his old one. Nitocris was impressed. It hadn''t been long, yet she managed to get it replaced - and she had known his previous phone model.


    Efficient, even though she was a bit skittish.


    Hardly glancing at the woman who had her cleavage out there in the open, as she used her arms to subtly push the sides of her breasts so that it made it ''pop'' out more, he then grunted, "Cancel the tickets."


    He walked away, while putting in his sim card into the new phone.


    Iris pouted a bit in disappointment at Nitocris''s lack of interest in her assets. She looked down and wondered whether it was because it wasn''t big enough? She began squeezing them at the sides more, thinking of making it look bigger. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, she saw a hand cupping her left breast and squeezing it.


    She screamed, jumped back while placing both of her hands across her chest.


    "Not bad," Yuri said as he leaned on the desk, looking at her intently, "At least they''re real."


    "How dare you!" she screamed, pointing a finger at him.


    He grabbed that offending finger then pulled her, bringing her face right next to his, "If you''re going to flaunt it like that, then be prepared for someone to accept your invitation."


    Her face flushed red, completely embarrassed that her actions were called out like that.


    Letting her go, he picked up the files he had placed on the table while she had been busy ''plumping up her breasts'' to even notice him.


    "One word of advice. Give up on the Boss," Yuri said, "He''s not interested in you and never will be. Annoy him, and you''ll be gone."


    He turned to go, took a step then stopped. He gave her a sexy smile as his eyes roamed all over her body, "My brother and I, though, wouldn''t mind."


    He whistled as he left, leaving her with her mouth wide open.

 Chapter 404 - Creating The Illusion

    Xing Han was poking Kyle''s chest.


    "Wow, Kyle," he said as he looked at all the love bites on his body, "That''s really a lot. She must have been quite intense."


    Kyle coughed a bit, then admitted, "It was a he."


    Xing Han''s mouth went to an ''O'' and started staring back at the lovebites.


    "Why is this one darker than this one? Oooo ... how did he manage to get one there?! Oh em gee, Kyle, and this one ... the angle of his head must have been like, gosh," Xing Han was gushing as he rubbed the spots with absolute fascination.


    Kyle put his hand on Xing Han''s head and pushed him away, saying, "Enough already, Xing Han. Gah, seriously."


    "What? It''s so interesting!" Xing Han was saying with stars in his eyes, "I didn''t think all of this was actually possible."


    "Well, go ahead and experiment on your beloved once you get one, then," Kyle said as he got off the bed. Since everyone knew about it already, there was no point in hiding it anymore. He got a singlet out of his closet and put it on.


    "Maybe I should take a picture of that," Kay said, "That you got some hot-and-steamy action back in Country I. Get someone''s dreams shattered." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you crazy, Kay? If Mum or Patr - I mean, Dad," Kyle said, quickly changing as he saw Kay''s eyes narrow, "If they ever saw it, I''ll be dead. Well, dead from listening to their lectures at least."


    "Obviously not your naked chest, DUH," Kay replied exasperatingly, "Just give me a hint of that hickey on your neck."


    Kyle got up and went to the mirror, tilted his head to the left and right as he looked at the marks on his neck.


    "So I get the reputation of being one who is rather loose then?" Kyle asked.


    "As if that''s much of a problem when it comes to guys," Kay scoffed, "You''ve always had this elevated position in most of those people''s minds anyway. Perhaps smearing some dirt on you would be better."


    "Our parents will still flip, though," Kyle said, going back to the bed.


    "Hardly," Kay said, disagreeing, "They are the ones who are worried that you''re not a normal boy with interests in girls other than me. What better way to make them all panic and such?"


    Kyle thought about it.


    "You know," he said, nodding his head, "You could be right about that. I''ve never given them any trouble now, have I?"


    A slow smile started to form on his face and Xing Han shook his head.


    "Look, he is making that expression again," Xing Han said, "That sort of smile like he has something up his sleeve."


    Kyle looked at him innocently, then turned to Kay.


    "Make it like you got a sneak shot," Kyle said, "That I was hiding it or something."


    Xing Han rubbed his hands gleefully, "Right, let''s do this! Let''s create the illusion of Kyle having loads of fun women? time!"


    Kay, Xing Han, and Kyle put their heads together in order to come up with a believable method of that ''sneak shot''. After all, if Kyle was hiding it, how come Kay would be fast enough to capture the image?


    If it looked staged, then it would definitely defeat the purpose of it being posted.


    Finally, after a long heated discussion (with Xing Han coming up with the most outlandish ideas), they agreed on one.


    As usual, Xing Han watched Kyle get ready with great fascination.


    He was in his shorts, that was rather short for a short but big for boxers. That was the first thing that Xing Han noticed. It covered the important part pretty well but it left nothing to the imagination as to the long, slightly muscular legs and it dipped low enough just to have a hint of the V-shape without exposing anything.


    "Are your clothes always that sexy?" Xing Han asked, pointing to his shorts.


    "Erm, no," Kyle replied, "This is one of those mission-type shorts."


    Kay said, "Don''t ask. I''ve learned not to ask. Saves your brain cells."


    Xing Han nodded, his eyes wide open, accepting Kay''s advice.


    Kyle took out some make-up which consisted of liquid foundation and various shades of powder foundation. Xing Han watched as Kyle started applying it, making all the lovebites on his chest disappear, including the ones on his shoulders and left only one mark on his neck.


    "So much effort," Xing Han said, and he looked at Kay, "Is this what girls go through everyday when they apply make-up?"


    "More or less," Kay answered, "Depending on how heavy the make-up is."


    "But you don''t take so long," Xing Han pointed out.


    "That''s because she doesn''t need make-up," Kyle answered, "She just does the face-care routine and applies the basics."


    Kay laughed, "Kyle''s make-up kit is far more extensive than mine, actually."


    Once done, Kyle asked Xing Han, "So? How does it look? Are the bites hidden well?"


    Xing Han brought his face really close and looked properly, "Yup, very well. If I hadn''t known it was there, I wouldn''t have known it is there."


    Satisfied, Kyle got up and took a towel, wrapping it around his waist, tying it a bit low right below the navel.


    He went to the bathroom, and carefully wet his hair, making sure no droplets of water fell onto his chest. He then styled it with his fingers, giving it a messy yet sexy look.


    "Why don''t you just towel dry your hair to get that messed up look?" Xing Han asked.


    "It wouldn''t have the same effect. Towel drying would make it look messy, while this is made to look sexy," Kyle explained.


    "Gah," Xing Han exclaimed, "So, all these times, you''ve been putting so much work just to look sexy?"


    Kyle turned, his head slightly down as he gave half a smile while looking through his eyelashes, "It''s different for me."


    "I''m just naturally sexy."

 Chapter 405 - Fan Service

    There moment Kay posted the picture, a huge commotion started, and it was the beginning of a huge wave that kept on going strong for a very long time. It was also the start of many more personal questions posed in the interviews,


    It was all within Kyle''s calculations, of course, as he had wanted to create that illusion of him actively looking for ''the one'' - and even acting like a horny teenage boy at the same time. Time was ticking and he had to show to his parents that he was going all out in finding someone.


    Why?


    So that he can make them get off his back on the whole matter.


    Finding ''the one'' at 17? Like, really?


    Kyle was well aware of the fact that they didn''t think he was ''normal'' since he had never shown any interest in girls and perhaps, even homosexual. So the push was to make him ''take up the responsibilities'' of continuing the Smith Line.


    If he continued to appear uninterested, then they''re going to push all sorts of women at him and that was something he did not want. Although he was open to ''blind dates'', he wasn''t keen on the ones that would show up.


    After all, they''d be there because he was the Smith Heir, not because he was Kyle.


    In fact, he suspected that seeing that lovebite on his neck would make them relieved that he was normal yet, at the same time, make them worried he would be sowing his seeds everywhere.


    Kyle had to admit.


    He was doing this to annoy Patrick more than anything else. Having to hear him make those speeches about being responsible, taking up the Smith Mantle, and yadda-yadda-yadda when Kyle had never given him a reason to worry ... well, he''ll now really give him something to worry about.


    Kyle smirked thinking of the headache Patrick would be under, thinking of the sort of mayhem Kyle must be up to during this promotional tour.


    Serves him right.


    ?.?.?.?


    Sarah screamed.


    How could this be?! How? How on Earth?!


    She looked at the picture in total shock. Her mind was literally blank, unable to process what she was looking at.


    Although she knew that Kyle had said he would be looking for people to date while he was on his promotional tour, she didn''t believe he would. After all, Kyle was such a gentleman. He had also never shown any interest before, so why?


    Why this? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not only did he go out on a date, he had ... he had ...!!


    There, on Kyle''s insta, was a picture that Kay had taken secretly.


    The caption was #secretexposed #hotdate #whatisnext


    Kyle was in the bathroom, and the door had not been closed properly. Through the crack, one could see that Kyle was in his towel and leaning at the bathroom sink as he was looking in the mirror intently.


    The angle of the picture showed his back, his perfectly round butt captured nicely and his reflection was clearly seen on the mirror.


    Despite the fact that one could see his six-pack clearly, that muscled chest exposed for all to see, that still did not detract from the one more obvious, more important factor.


    His head was tilted to one side, and his hands were on his neck. The tip of his fingers just barely touching the tip of a very, very obvious hickey.


    A hickey!!


    What''s worse was that smile on his face. That made it seem like he was remembering the moment when he got it.


    No wonder the past few pictures had him in turtleneck sweaters!


    He was hiding it!!


    Sarah screamed again, completely angry that Kyle had allowed such filthy lips to taint his perfect skin. She wasn''t angry at Kyle. Oh no. It wasn''t Kyle''s fault.


    It was the sl*t who obviously did all sorts of tricks to get Kyle. Country I girls were all sl*ts. Always dressed up so skimpily, and acting all brazen. How dare they.


    Charlene, who had just entered the dorm, looked in fear at the scene. Sarah had her back to her, and had not noticed that she had entered. Slowly, Charlene backed away and went back outside.


    Closing the door, she breathed a sigh of relief and put her hand over her chest.


    What a psycho!


    She really wanted to move but unfortunately, there was no available room. Getting this one was a miracle already.


    Sarah wasn''t a bad girl, but she just gave off this weird vibe sometimes. This was one of those times.


    Cursing her luck for getting such a weirdo for a roommate, Charlene made a mental note to be careful and never take her guard down. She''s definitely going to apply for a change the moment there is one.


    Crazy woman.

 Chapter 406 - Reactions

    Patrick looked up upon hearing the clatter of the phone on the table.


    "Butterfingers," he commented with a smile, seeing the shocked expression of his wife as she stared at the phone.


    The phone was fine, as the height it fell wasn''t that high. The shocked expression on his wife''s face, however, made him extremely amused. It''s not like she had never dropped her phone before. In fact, all of her phones had to be replaced because she always dropped them.


    "Patrick," she said, turning to him, her face deathly pale.


    Upon seeing that, he was shocked and now, was worried.


    "What is it?" he asked quickly, grabbing her hand, "What happened?"


    "Kyle ..." she began and Patrick panicked, standing up.


    "What? What happened? We''re going there ... where are they now??!"


    "Patrick, Patrick," Delilah said, pulling his hand and making him sit down, "It''s ... well, look at this."


    She showed him her phone, and taking it, his eyes went wide open then narrowed. He let go of Delilah''s hand and studied the picture. He zoomed it in, staring and then sighed, putting down the phone.


    "Country I, huh?" he muttered, "He had better have used protection."


    "PATRICK!" Delilah gasped.


    He looked at her, perplexed, "What?"


    "How .. how could ..." Delilah stuttered.


    "He''s a 15-year-old boy, away from home and unsupervised, in a land full of beauties who are most likely throwing themselves at him," Patrick said, "I''d be thinking something is definitely wrong with him if nothing happened."


    "But .. but ..." Delilah stammered, unable to take it in. Her baby couldn''t have ... could he?


    Though Patrick appeared nonchalant over it all, his mind was actually reeling.


    Kyle had always been in control and never stepped out of line. He had been worried about Kyle being unable to handle failure since he had never failed before.


    However, Patrick realised that he had forgotten one small detail about Kyle. Well, it''s not that he forgot but rather, since Kyle always acted matured, one tended to forget it.


    Kyle is a teenage boy. He may never act like one but he certainly was one. If there was one thing Patrick knew, is that teenage boys were always horny. Girls would call them perverts, or that they only think with their third leg, but the fact of the matter is, that''s just how they were made.


    The teenage years is the time when the hormones rage the most and guys have it tough, holding that at bay. Some failed miserably, some struggled and some were fine. Kyle had never shown any problems in that aspect - so much so that Patrick felt Kyle was abnormal.


    Hence, the ultimatum for him to choose a bride by 17 years old.?He had actually wanted Kyle to think of girls in that way.


    Now, though ....


    If that hickey was any indication, it meant that Kyle had already started going down that path. Patrick had always thought he''d be around to guide and advice Kyle when it happened. He was already preparing himself when he came of age next year.


    Again, the unexpected happened.


    Rather, Patrick hadn''t thought far enough. Different countries had different ages of consent. Country I was one and thus, society''s thinking was much different there. They were more open and daring about sexual matters from a young age.


    Luckily, the age of consent in Country M is 17, so Kyle wouldn''t be crossing the line there now, would he?


    Patrick''s heart went cold.


    If it had been the ''old'' Kyle, Patrick would not have any doubt. Kyle would never do anything against the law or get into trouble. And just because the law stated age of consent is 17, if both were below age and willing - would they really care about the law?


    Kyle is promoting a film. He is going to be famous. Even without that, he was good looking and young. Even Patrick wasn''t blind to Kyle''s charisma. Can he really be sure that Kyle wouldn''t go overboard?


    Thinking about how Kyle always seemed to attract women, even when he was so young, made Patrick gulp.


    Perhaps he ought to find a reason to go to Country M. Just in case.


    .?.?.?.?


    Sayuri looked at the latest picture on Kyle''s Insta and was impressed.


    She had guessed that he had a fit body, but what she saw in that picture went beyond her wildest imagination.


    Every muscle was well-defined, without a single ounce of fat on that perfect body.


    The way those six-pack could clearly be seen outlined on his abdomen was a result of strict discipline and dedication. Achieving such taut and tight muscles was not an easy feat.


    People only saw the results, but Sayuri knew very well the amount of work taken to achieve those results.


    He may have been born with that handsome face, but that body was achieved through sheer, hard work. Even his butt was perfect. It was round but not flabby, tight but not muscular.


    From this, Sayuri felt that Kyle knew just how much exercise to do so that he achieved the muscle without too much mass, so he didn''t have those huge, hard muscles of professional body-builders.


    Everything was just right.


    Sayuri was really glad that Kyle was her mission.


    Not only did he manage to shatter her having all these horrible pre-conceived prejudices, but he was also a shining example of working hard and discipline. He was perfect inside and out.


    Sayuri thought idly that whoever ended up with Kyle would be one lucky woman indeed.


    As for the hickey? Sayuri saw it and completely ignored it. She wasn''t bothered by it and it was not of any significance.


    After all, he had gone out on a date - obviously with someone he liked. With such mutual attraction, wasn''t it obvious what would happen? At the very least, they would be sharing a kiss, right?


    What she found more interesting was his perfect physique and the work that went into it.


    A smile formed on Sayuri''s face unknowingly. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 407 - Country M

    Upon landing, Kyle''s heart was in turmoil.


    This would be the first time he is back in the country of his previous life. Seeing the familiar sky, view and airport brought havok to his heart and mind.


    Country M was a small peninsular, thus he had been everywhere here. The first stop was, of course, the capital and his home was nearby. Their two stops were East and West of Country M, with his ''ninja'' job being here but at the ports on the outskirts of town.


    Kay put a hand on Kyle''s shoulder, asking worriedly, "Are you okay?"


    "I''ll be fine," Kyle replied, though his eyes were showing otherwise.


    Right now, Kyle would love to go into Zen mode so that he wouldn''t have to feel this sense of longing. However, that would mean he would be placing too much of a reliance on it. Zen mode was only for emergencies and this was something he just needed to deal with by himself.


    On his own.


    Zen mode was also something he would need to be able to access whenever he could. He couldn''t get it on when Randall was ''getting it on'', after all.


    Imagine if that had been an intense fight? If he had been affected by some psychological mind game? Zen mode gave him an edge when the chips were down, so he would need to be able to activate it, no matter what the condition.


    Another thing to train on.


    Sam watched this with curiosity but didn''t ask.


    As Kyle''s PA, it meant that he kept all of Kyle''s secrets but it didn''t mean he was privy to all of it. His role was to keep his secrets and not pry. All he knew was that Country M held a very significant place in Kyle''s heart and that was all he needed to know.


    Xing Han chose to be quiet, as he studied everything around him. This was Kyle''s old home. Old place. From what he told him, ''he'' was still alive and thus, would take all means to make sure that he doesn''t meet ''her''.


    But what about his children?


    Xing Han turned to look at Kyle.


    "Kyle?" Xing Han called out tentatively.


    "Hmmm?" Kyle answered absent-mindedly.


    "We''re staying here the longest, right?" Xing Han asked.


    "Yeah," Kyle replied, "About a month or two."


    Xing Han grabbed Kyle''s arm and shook it, "Will you take me around? When you''re free. Just the two of us."


    Kyle turned to look at Xing Han, his face puzzled, "Erm ... you want to go on a date with me?"


    Xing Han pouted, "Well, DUH. You''ve been so busy lately. If it''s not school, it''s the promotional tour. If not that, it''s that-other-thing or something for Nitocris. We haven''t had our BFF times for like, forever!!"


    Thinking about it, Xing Han was right.


    Even though they stayed at the same house, Kyle was usually extremely busy so there was no ''quality'' time, so to speak.


    "And more importantly, this is Country M," Xing Han said softly.


    Kyle understood.


    Flinging an arm around Xing Han''s shoulders, Kyle said cheerfully, "Of course we can. Just us two bros, ya? Sam, slot BFF time for me and Xing Han okay?"


    Xing Han grumbled with a pout, "Does this mean I would need to make an appointment each time just to meet you? What about when you take over the CEO post?"


    Kyle brought XIng Han closer, hugging him from the side, "For you, Xing Han. I''d drop anything I have just to be with you."


    "Anyway, you''re the one who''s probably going to be busier than me. With your wife and all," Kyle said teasingly, "Probably with a whole truckload of kids, too."


    XIng Han shuddered, "Let''s not talk about that for now. I still have 5 more years before the wedding."


    "Your families have already decided on a date?" Kay asked in surprise.


    "Yup," Xing Han sighed, "They took our birth charts, did the calculations, and established that 15 June 2xxx is the most auspicious date. I''m getting married at 20 years old." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked at Xing Han, who didn''t look sad, or angry or upset. He just accepted it as fact. Perhaps it''s because he''s been told about it since birth, so he took it as another responsibility to be fulfilled.


    It was his way of life.


    Kyle felt immense pity for Xing Han. At least he had experienced love and had kids but Xing Han was just going to be fulfilling his duty. He should have some fun, at least.


    "Let''s go pick up some girls then!" Kyle decided suddenly, "Sightsee, hit the town, pick up girls, have some fun!"


    Xing Han''s eyes twinkled in excitement and agreed happily, "Yeah!"


    Back in Country Tz, Nitocris felt a sudden chill.

 Chapter 408 - To Figure Things Out

    Kyle and Sam went to the first venue for the interview. It was for a Satellite TV Channel, and it was one of the top entertainment news portal of the country.


    "How did you manage to get this gig anyway?" Kyle asked Sam as they headed towards the venue, "I mean, this is a rather obscure part of the world." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not that obscure," Sam said, pushing the glasses up his nose, "Chad did want to penetrate the Asian market and this is a good spot as any."


    "People would normally go to Country Sg though," Kyle pointed out.


    "Yes, but you would have preferred Country M, right?" Sam replied.


    Kyle couldn''t say anything to that, other than, "Thanks, Sam."


    He was also grateful that Sam didn''t ask why Country M was so special to him.


    It wasn''t because he didn''t trust Sam or that he didn''t want to tell Sam. Rather, he wanted to tell him at the same time as when he told Ali. After all,?Ali was the last of the Elite Five to know about his other life, so he felt it was fair that when he finally revealed everything, there would be something that Sam hadn''t known as well.


    In truth, Kyle was beginning to feel like things were unraveling a bit. Or rather, things were going slightly beyond his control.?He may have made his plans since his conception, but there were just so many variables and changes that have happened since then.


    Not only that ...


    But ever since he came to Country M, there was a restlessness in his heart that he couldn''t quite contain.


    They were so close!


    All this time, he could withstand the feeling because they were so far away. Across the other side of the globe. Now, however, he was here. He could just get a cab and go to their school, just to watch them.


    15 years. He had to endure for 15 years. Worse, he has to continue enduring for another 4 more years.


    The funny thing was, his son is only 9 years old this year while his daughter is 7, just entering primary school for the first time.


    He had been missing his children even before they were born. The torture for the first year had been unimaginable. He could only live with their memories in his head and heart, as he slowly built up his ''empire''.


    He had to lay out the foundation first.


    Kyle had filled up his mind with work, training and of course, Kay. Thus, by the time his first son was born, he had the basics to start monitoring them covertly. Unfortunately, the really proper monitoring could only begin after Agent Oreo had been recruited formally but even then, it was enough.


    There were MIB that had been recruited here though they didn''t know at first they were MIB. Later on, MIB infiltrated Rex Industries and were deep undercover, only to be activated after Kylie''s death.


    Slowly, slowly at a snail''s pace, he was getting there.


    Things were gaining traction, getting closer to that point in time when he died.


    At the same time, Kyle was also beginning to notice that he was also starting to have some sort of personal ''crisis''. He had always been in complete control of himself and he knew what he wanted. However, he was beginning to lose his sense of self as he grew older.


    Kyle figured it was his male hormones clashing with his female mind, more so since his male side was becoming stronger as his female ''death'' was approaching.


    Kyle knew he had to figure this out. Figure himself out, before that time.


    For now, though. He had the interview to get over with.


    ?.?.?.?


    The set-up was supposed to be the relaxed type, with sofas placed in a semi-circle. The interviewer was at one end while Kyle was at the other.


    Kyle wasn''t the only ''celebrity'' here, and he took the opportunity to get to know them before the shooting began.


    The first was Shahdee, an actress that was rising in the local scene. She had that fresh look that screamed ''victim'' so Kyle guessed she''s typically the type of female lead that would be bullied by a rich and spoilt heiress, and rescued by an equally rich and handsome CEO.


    The second was JJ, an up-and-coming rap singer. Something unusual in the local scene as doing rap in the national language wasn''t common. Still, he had a decent following.


    Both did not know who he was, which was fine by him.


    He was the only foreigner here, and thus, his treatment was slightly more special. They didn''t want him to have a bad impression of their country, so one person had been assigned to stay with him and explain things.


    Kyle was the youngest there, and everyone was surprised that he was there unsupervised. Unlike some of the foreign actors that came, he did not have an entourage or an agent with him. They found that strange, but didn''t ask.


    "So ....," began JJ, looking at Kyle, trying to start a conversation while they were waiting for shooting to begin, "Promoting a movie?"


    Kyle nodded, and responded accordingly, "Congrats on the new single."


    "Whoa. How did you know?" he asked in surprise.


    He had guessed Kyle was an actor rather than a singer, for foreign singers would normally go to radio stations for exposure. JJ would have done so as well, but since his song was the background music for a movie, he thought of expanding his base more.


    With that, Kyle jerked his head at Sam, saying, "I have a capable assistant."


    As if on cue, Sam started reciting all the information about JJ - his life, career, albums and even played the latest single that he had bought on Spotify. Without being asked, he did the same for Shahdee.


    "You''re an assistant?!" JJ said, his eyes wide open, "How old are you again?"


    Sam answered stoically, "14."


    Their jaws dropped.

 Chapter 409 - First Interview

    Ramona, the interviewer-cum-hostess, couldn''t help but be affected by the young foreign actor sitting at the other end of the sofa.


    He was very striking to look at, and was always smiling, which made the whole thing much more heart-pumping-inducing moments. Ramona wondered why she could be so affected, as she wasn''t exactly inexperienced.


    Yet, here she was, acting like a love-struck teenager. It just wouldn''t do!


    So, she had to do her exercises to calm herself and be more objective.


    To be fair, on ordinary days, Kyle was already striking enough. This time, he took extra care in his dressing as well, which made the whole visual much more devastating.


    Kyle was wearing a dark blue slim fit shirt which gave a hint as to his muscular physique as the shirt moulded his figure. He folded up the long sleeve up to his elbow, which showed off his muscular arms as well and the slightly high mandarin collar with black tip at the top.


    He had buttoned it up till the second last button and the collar was high enough to hide his love bite. However, if he was to turn his head a certain angle, the bite could still be seen a bit, peeking through the edge.


    Kyle deliberately did not hide it, and only had hints of it to be shown. With the reserved nature of Country M, there was no way that they would ask him anything about it but it certainly would cause a bit of a commotion when it is aired.


    Especially to his fans that follow his Insta.


    His look was finished off with black jeans and sneakers and had on his favourite watch to match it all. Silver-tone platinum (round) case with a black alligator leather strap. Black dial with platinum hands and index hour markers.


    He loved this watch because of its simplicity yet the technology and precision of the watch were unrivalled. It was the Patek Philippe Grand Complications Perpetual Tourbillon Black Dial Watch 5316P-001 worth?$810,000 - about 3.5 million in Country M''s currency.


    It was also the first watch he bought with his own money.


    There is always something of significant value, not associated with money, that makes something extra special. He could always get another watch if this one was lost, but it wouldn''t be the same. Of course, people would say it was of sentimental value but the fact of the matter is, the fact that the watch was expensive was the reason why it had sentimental value to Kyle.


    His first luxury watch.


    The best thing was, unless a person knew the brand, no one would know that he was wearing something that cost several houses on his wrist.


    As Kyle sat there, he knew the sort of impact he was making on the poor hostess but the peverse side of him started. For some reason, he just wanted to make her blush and fluster even more, just for fun.


    He wasn''t going for the ''youthful teen'' persona for now. After all, he still had that hickey to subtly show off. He was wondering as well what her reaction would be towards it.


    Why was Kyle exhibiting such ... naughtiness?


    Even he himself didn''t know, but he just went with the flow.


    ?.?.?.?


    Ramona felt that the interview was getting out of her control.


    It started off well enough, truly. She had started off with Shahdee, and things were great. Then, JJ. Also good. Finally, the highlight of the programme: the young, rising star of the ever famous movie. The only foreigner in the group.


    He was the youngest, so why was he just oozing with so much sex appeal?


    Was it because he was a foreigner, so he was much more open about it?


    For he was looking at her appreciatively yet not in a sleazy manner. Like, she was really beautiful and he seemed to be ... making an invitation without saying anything?


    Not to mention, when he smiled and turned his head, she caught a glimpse of a very telling red mark on his beck. Just barely hidden by the mandarin collar.


    And why was it so hot? Was the airconditioning faulty? S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ramona mentally slapped herself.


    What was wrong with her today?!


    Kyle leaned back on the sofa. As the sofa did not have a backrest, he had to use his arms to lean on, which simply made him arch his chest forward a bit.? He placed his right leg on across his left knee, and was easily answering any questions posed to him in a relaxed manner.


    So why was the entire scene so hot?!


    Ramona felt like she was becoming a pedophile, though granted, no one would say that Kyle Smith was anything like a ''child''.


    She was ready to cry inside.

 Chapter 410 - First Interview (II)

    Sam watched with amusement at Kyle''s antics.


    He has been aware of this side of Kyle for quite some time, though it was rare that Kyle would actually show it. Rather, it was rare that he would use it in this situation. From his constant observation of Kyle, Sam deduced that Kyle knew how to use his charm and the such, to get what he needed to be done.


    Right now, though, he was simply ... having fun?


    There was no ''end game'' or something to be achieved at that point, and it was a bit funny to see how Kyle played with the hostess - and indirectly, affecting those around him as well.


    Sam shook his head inwardly.


    Kyle was dangerous enough as it is. If he suddenly started using those killer moves, he''s going to be opening up a whole new truckload of problems in the future.


    Sam took out his trusty ''ol notebook from its hidden place, looked at all the notes he had put in there (in code) and made an important note in it:


    Keep a closer eye on Kyle. Prepare for possible repercussions. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam kept the notebook and hoped that was not the path Kyle was starting to tread on. Otherwise, he''s going to have one heck of a headache clearing up the mess.


    ?.?.?.?


    Ramona gripped her hands on her laps, her face not showing the discomfort she was under, being scrutinized by that deathly charming and sexy boy (yes, boy! Boy!) in front of her.


    It was towards the end of the segment and she decided to be more daring in her questions. If it had been a local celebrity, she would never have dared ask personal questions, as they would take it as an insult but he was not local, was he?


    That darn hickey also proved it.


    Clearing her throat, Ramona turned her flustered gaze towards Kyle, "Thank you, Kyle, for actually coming all the way here just to promote the movie."


    "I am glad to be here," Kyle answered smoothly, "Your country is amazing and wonderful. Everyone is just so nice."


    Ramona smiled at that, taking what he said at face value. It racked up good points amongst the audience, of course, for they always lapped it up when their country and people were being praised.


    "I''m sure everyone is eagerly awaiting to see the movie," Ramona said enthusiastically, "From the reactions of the audience earlier when we showed the trailer."


    The audience watching in the studio shouted happily as well, agreeing.


    Prior to introducing Kyle on stage, they had aired the John Wick trailer, though the ''sexy'' bit (of Kyle being strapped ''naked'' on the chair) had been blurred out. Censorship in Country M was strict, though that part would still be shown in the movies when aired at night.


    "Thank you for the support," Kyle said, "We truly do appreciate it."


    "So, tell me, can I ask a personal question?" Ramona ventured, testing the waters.


    "You may ask, but it doesn''t mean I will answer," Kyle replied, giving her a small smile as he tilted his head then sat back up. He leaned forward a bit, looking at her intently as if waiting eagerly for her question.


    Ramona''s breath hitched a bit, and she gulped.


    His eyes were so blue! She felt herself drowning in them.


    Snapping herself out of it, she was relieved to note that no one noticed her faux pas,* for no professional interviewer should get so distracted by their own guest.


    "I''m sure all the girls here are dying to know," Ramona began, "Do you have anyone in your life right now?"


    "Of course," Kyle said, then paused as he had this far-away look in his eyes, then answered, "I''m very lucky as my life is surrounded by loved ones. Kayla, my twin sister, my best friend Xing Han, and my bros for life, Sam and Ali."


    "Oh, my parents too, of course," Kyle added, as if in an afterthought.


    "How about a girlfriend?" Ramona pushed on, digging further, "You''re young and handsome. Surely you have one?"


    She knew that he knew what she was really asking for, yet had chosen to take the ''safe'' route. She was now itching to find out.


    Kyle suddenly gave this rather knowing smile, licked his dry lips before answering, "Ah, alas, I do not have a girlfriend. Haven''t met the right one yet."


    He looked at her in the eyes, his gaze rather intense as he continued, "Who knows? Maybe I will meet someone while doing this promotional tour. I find the people here to be so friendly and nice. Meeting your beloved can truly be by chance."


    He turned his gaze away from her and looked at the audience, giving them a great big smile, "Country M is so full of beautiful people!"


    Ramona''s heart was beating so fast that she felt she was losing it very, very fast. Although he was answering her question, why did it feel like he was actually referring to her?


    At that moment, everything around her seemed to fade away and she could only see the intensity of his gaze on her. So she was glad when he turned to face the audience, breaking her out of the chains he had set on her with just that look.


    Undeterred, she pressed on further, earning curious glances from her director. She chose to ignore him for the time being as she knew she still had time. She wasn''t going beyond the time limit yet - just meant no time to wrap it up with the other guests.


    "Does this mean, you are currently looking?" Ramona asked bravely.


    Kyle turned to face her, and flashed his sexiest smile ever, saying, "Most definitely."


    Ramona found that she had stopped breathing for a second.


    She gulped, then quickly ended the segment. She had already caught?the glare and angry gestures from her boss, and she knew she couldn''t continue the line of questioning anymore.


    What a pity.

 Chapter 411 - Having Fun

    Sighing inwardly, she knew she couldn''t press on and finally wrapped up the segment.


    Kyle bid his goodbyes to Shahdee and JJ, then walked over to Ramona.


    Currently, she was being berated by her boss for the way she had gone off-script. Though the boss noticed Kyle approaching, he did not stop the reprimand, for he was speaking in their local language.


    He did, however, lower it a bit so that he didn''t sound so angry.


    Kyle pretended not to understand a single thing as he came closer, keeping his face neutral. Once he reached them, the Boss stopped and gave Kyle a smile, thanking him.


    Kyle shook hands with him and said, "It''s my pleasure, Mr. Han. I must say, this was one of the most pleasant interviews I''ve had. Ms Ramona was truly a joy to work with."


    Han puffed up his chest, appeased a bit and happy at the praise, then said, "My apologies for the very personal questions at the end. We do not normally invade our guests'' privacy like that."


    Kyle looked surprised and looked puzzledly at him, saying, "No apologies needed. I didn''t find it intrusive at all. In fact, I''m always asked such questions for some reason but Ms. Ramona was the first to actually be so nice about it."


    He turned to her, smiled and gave his hand out for a handshake as he said, "Thank you. You knew what to ask and how to ask it to get the audience''s interest. I had a good time."


    Ramona nodded, and took his offered hand.


    Instead of shaking her hand, however, Kyle held it gently and made a bow from his waist. He turned her hand over and lightly kissed her knuckles, deliberately brushing his lips across them as he did so.


    He then brought her hand down gently while slowly straightening his back, as he looked into her eyes and gave her a soft smile.


    "In my country, we show our appreciation in this manner," Kyle explained, "I hope you don''t mind."


    Ramona shook her head, hardly trusting her self to say anything.


    Kyle smiled wider, then with a nod to her and Han, he turned around and left.


    "I suppose it was not that bad then and it worked out for the best," Han grudgingly admitted, "YOu made the right call."


    Kyle wasn''t out of earshot when he heard this and he was satisfied.


    The last thing he wanted was to have gotten Ramona into trouble with him playing around like that.


    "Is this going to be a normal thing from now?" Sam asked as they left the studio.


    "Maybe," Kyle said, "Depends on my mood. It was fun though, wasn''t it?"


    Kyle grinned at Sam rolling his eyes.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle, Kay and Xing Han were dressing up to go to Z, which was the hottest place to be for a night out. A club, much like Randall''s Soul Bar.


    Although Xing Han had wanted a ''BFF date'', he understood that there was plenty of time for that. Right now, Kay also needed a day out, so he wasn''t feeling miffed or anything like that.


    "Sam?" Xing Han called out, "You sure you don''t want to join us?"


    Sam resolutely shook his head, "Such scenes are not for me. I won''t have fun in them at all."


    Kyle nodded in understanding.


    In fact, he understood perfectly. In his past life, he had never been able to go out like this, nor did he have any inclination to once he was old enough that his parents let go of the reigns a bit.


    So, in fact, this would be his first time as well. Missions didn''t count, as he wasn''t there to have fun but do the job.


    He found that he was rather excited about it all as well.


    What would it be like?


    Of course, they weren''t going to drink - and definitely, won''t do drugs as well. Kyle knew of the wild and crazy stuff that went around in such places, but he was confident enough that he, and Kay, were capable enough to ward off any untoward incidences.


    Between the two of them, they should be okay and would be able to protect Xing Han as well.


    Xing Han''s eyes nearly popped out of his face when he saw Kyle placing something in the hidden compartment of his shoes. It looked like shuriken, but he wasn''t sure as it was quite small and Kyle had placed them quickly.


    "Are those really shurikens?" Xing Han queried, "And why is the colour so weird?"


    Kyle stood up, and nodded, "Yes, they are. They may be small but it''s sufficiently deadly with my skill. As for the matte black colour? It''s black ceramic, not metal. All our weapons are made of this, so as not to trigger the metal detectors."


    "You''re really going in armed to a club?" Xing Han asked as he looked at both of them.


    Kay answered as she was putting on her earrings, "Of course. He''s never unarmed, didn''t you know?"


    "Kay''s armed, too," Kyle answered as he took his jacket. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was essentially wearing the same thing he did in Country I, except he was wearing a tight-fitting white T-shirt and ankle-high leather boots this time.


    Xing Han stared at Kay, looking and down, then shouted in amazement, "Just where are you hiding it?!!"


    Kay was wearing?a red, glittering strapless micro mini dress that was (at Kyle''s insistence) not as short as a normal micro skirt. He didn''t want to have to worry about that skirt riding up and exposing more than it should, though Kay told him he was worrying for nothing.


    Kay had the legs for it, and the dress showed it off to the fullest. The dress was paired with a black jacket and she wore black heels with it.


    Kay just gave him a mysterious smile, put up her pointer finger and shook it while tut-tutting, "A girl would never reveal her secrets."

 Chapter 412 - The Entrance

    "One final touch," Kyle said as he went over to Kay.


    Kay sat down and Kyle took out his make-up kit.


    "What are you doing?" Xing Han asked curiously.


    Kyle gently tipped Kay''s head upwards and studied her face, "I''ll do the smoky style, is that okay?"


    "Sure," Kay replied, "Whatever you think is best."


    "I''m putting on Kay''s make-up, what does it look like?" Kyle replied with a smile.


    Xing Han glared at him and Kyle laughed softly as he started his work.


    "There are age restrictions here for entering clubs, you know?" Kyle said, "The lowest is 18 years old, so we need to look slightly older."


    "Generally, as we''re not local, it would be hard for them to really distinguish whether we''re below age," Kyle said, "But it''s better to be safe than sorry."


    "I believe Kay and I can pass off as 18," Kyle said, "While we''re going to say you have a babyface."


    "ME?! Babyface?!" Xing Han exclaimed, looking at himself in the mirror.


    Kyle stopped putting the eyeshadow on Kay for a while as he went to pinch Xing Han''s cheeks, "Yes, my babyface Xing Han. Cute Xing Han."


    Xing Han grinned, as he puffed up his chest, "I know, right? Who can resist this face?"


    Back at Country Tz, Nitocris sneezed several times.


    ?.?.?.?


    There was a line of people queuing up to enter into the club, Z. Loud music could be heard each time the door opened to let the people in. The club had strict regulations about the number of people that could be admitted inside, as it could not be too crowded.


    Thus, a lot of the club-goers would come rather early, for they tend to stay the whole night. Those who came later would have to take the chance and wait for a long time, or come another day. It was barely 10pm, and the line was already long.


    Still, they waited as they were hoping someone inside would come out.


    Just as they were standing tiredly, a car came rolling by. It wasn''t a fancy car, and from the phone stuck on the dashboard showing ''Wze'' (a?GPS navigation software app) - a surefire sign that this was an e-hailing car/cab/taxi.


    Thus, no one was really curious about the occupants and initially, no one really paid any attention to them. Other than just one glance at the car, they continued waiting in line.


    That is, until the first passenger came out.


    Tina was idly watching the car out of boredom as she had been waiting in line for nearly an hour now. Yet, her girlfriends didn''t want to go, saying ''a little bit more, just a little bit more''. She sighed and told herself that she would leave soon rather than be bored to death in line.


    She was still in a daze as she saw the first person coming out. Obviously, a guy from the tuft of hair as he leaned out. The moment he stood up, however, she immediately gripped the arms of the nearest girl.


    ''OW, TINA!'' Stella hissed.


    Tina ignored her, shaking her arm hard, "Stella. Look. Look. Dreamboat alert." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stella looked at where Tina was looking and she didn''t mind the death grip on her arm anymore.


    The obviously foreign guy, was standing straight and the white shirt clung to his well-muscled body like a second skin, giving everyone a clear impression of the sort of body that was underneath.


    With his chiseled and breathtakingly handsome face scanning the crowd, his striking blue eyes hitting every single person who happened to glance up straight to the heart, said in the most dreamboat silky voice ever, while looking absolutely disappointed, "Oh dear. I didn''t think it would be this crowded."


    His kissable lips pursed into a slight pout, as he turned and leaned down to talk to the person inside, giving everyone a clear view of a very well shaped a*s in that sinfully tight pants. They couldn''t hear what he was saying, but apparently, the person inside must have still wanted to try.


    He got up, turned to face the crowd again while his hand was offered out.


    A dainty hand took his hand and a pair of long legs came into view. The guy pulled a bit and another striking vision came into view. Despite the smokey make-up she adopted, her features were soft and delicate so it gave the impression of an angel.


    Her wavy, brunette hair cascaded down on her shoulders, framing the most innocent yet seductive face that one had ever seen, and yet, the way the dress clung to her body, indicated she had the right curves in all the right places.


    The face of an Angel and the body of a Devil. Such a combination was lethal and the guys felt their heart pumping hard.


    She went beside the guy, and he brought his arm around her waist, bringing her close to him. He gave off this really, slow sexy smile that made people''s mouth dry. The girl brought her ruby red lips to his ears, saying something.


    The guy''s eyes seemed to be twinkling while that sexy smile did not leave his face. It seemed like she was whispering sweet nothings to his ear and he was enjoying the sort of things she must be promising him.


    The whole scene made everyone feeling rather hot under the collar.


    "Oh emm gee," Stella hissed, as she looked at them, "What a couple. They are the personification of??an incubus and a succubus."*


    "Hell, if that is what a incubus looks like, then take me!" Tina replied, much to the total agreement of the people who heard her.


    Just then, a loud wail was heard, as another guy got out from the shotgun seat, "How can you guys leave me behind?!"


    The couple turned to face the pouting guy, who was now leaning over the top of the car and glaring at them. They laughed.


    The spell was broken.

 Chapter 413 - Allowed Entry

    "Xing Han," Kyle said, "We''re not sure yet if we can get in. Stay with the car first and if we can''t, we''ll just go elsewhere."


    Xing Han pouted even more, "It''s not fair."


    Kay laughed, "We won''t be long, okay?"


    Xing Han nodded but didn''t go back in the car, "I''ll wait here then. Right here. I can see you from here. So be quick. I''m counting the minutes. No, the seconds! Don''t be long now, okay? Okay, Kyle?"


    Kyle laughed, waved at him as he and Kay sauntered over to the two buff looking bouncers at the entrance.


    The two stationed there were standing at attention, seemingly not paying any attention to anyone or anything but was, in truth, on full alert. Their eyes were trained on the very striking, and young couple that walked over to them.


    These two were experienced, having met all sorts of people who tried to get in. Rich ones, poor ones, doesn''t matter. All were demanding and whiny, some more arrogant than others. They weren''t bothered by any threats, bribes, seduction or even sexual favours.


    Whatever these two would give them, they had seen it all.


    So they were prepared.


    Or so they thought.


    "Boss," Kyle said, using the ''title'' used in Country M when talking to someone in the service industry. It was a sign of respect and comradeship, and the bouncers were a bit surprised at Kyle''s familiarity with its term.


    Kyle said, "We just flew in here the other night. Could you tell us which is the next best club that is near here?"


    The two blinked.


    The foreigner was actually talking to them in their national language! They were shocked at how fluent he was, actually using the correct intonation and slang. Yet he said that they had just flown in?


    Although they were feeling slightly suspicious, but couldn''t help warming up to him quickly. There was just something about seeing a foreigner able to be fluent in their language, and more so when he seems to be able to seamlessly integrate within the local flavours as well.


    "You mean, you''re not interested in entering here?" one couldn''t help but ask suspiciously.


    Kyle looked surprised at them, then shook his head, "Of course we are. What are you saying? But it''s obvious that the place is full. It''s not like we can ask you to let us in, right?"


    He looked at them in respect, and at the long queue, "I wouldn''t want to do anything to cause any trouble to anyone, more so to you who are only doing your job."


    Kay smiled serenely at them and nodded, saying, "Yes. We had wanted to experience the nightlife here before going back. We heard so much about this place, but if it''s not meant to be, then it''s not meant to be." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay had learned the language as well, with Kyle having taught her long ago. She had wanted to know as this was his previous life''s world. She had wanted to be a part of it.


    "Yeah," Kyle said, his face full of disappointment and hugged Kay tighter, "It''s okay, love. There are other places."


    Kay turned towards Kyle, smiling and patted his chest, "Don''t worry. I''m fine."


    Kyle kissed her on the forehead, his face gentle and full of love.


    He then asked the bouncers again, "So, where else would you recommend us to go to experience the famous nightlife of your wonderful country?"


    The bouncers looked at each other, then one said, "Hold on for a minute."


    The guy walked away, taking out his walkie-talkie. After a few minutes, he came back to them with a huge smile, "Boss said since you guys are visitors to the country, he''ll make an exception. You and your friend can go in."


    Kyle and Kay looked surprised, and immediately, Kay grabbed their hands and gushed, "Thank you! That was so sweet of you!"


    The bouncers blushed despite themselves and started fidgeting. Kay then turned to Kyle, gushing, "Aren''t they the sweetest people ever?"


    "Yes they are," Kyle said with a smile.


    He then turned around towards their grabcar. Curling his thumb and ring finger, he placed them in his mouth and blew. A shrill, clear whistle was heard and XIng Han bounced out of the car.


    Kyle gave the ''OK'' sign and Xing Han happily paid the driver before practically running over to them. He rushed inbetween Kay and Kyle, breaking them apart and putting his arms across their waists.


    "We can actually go in?!" Xing Han said excitedly, in English.


    "Yes," Kay replied, "They kindly gave us an exception."


    Xing Han bowed to the two bouncers, making them embarrassed again. Waving them in, they said, "Have a nice time."


    "Oh, we will," Kyle said with a smile.

 Chapter 414 - Having Fun (II)

    As they entered, Kyle couldn''t help but compare it with Soul Bar.


    Same sort of atmosphere with its loud music, grinding dancers, and so forth. He wouldn''t be surprised if someone came over to invite him / them into their private VIP room or something.


    As if on cue, someone really did come over towards them.


    It was, regrettably, a guy. Around the early twenties, wearing rather high-end clothes, so Kyle knew he was one of those rich kids. Whether it was his own or his parents, Kyle wouldn''t know yet until he gets to know the person more.


    The way his eyes seem to land on Kay, though, made Kyle narrow his eyes at him and reach out to put his arms possessively around her waist again. Kay smirked at Kyle''s actions, knowing that he was being overly protective.


    [It''s okay, brother. I can handle him]


    Kyle snorted, mainly at himself because he knew he was being unreasonable but he couldn''t help it. Kay had already been taking her self-defense classes and have been training with the Team whenever they were free.


    He, himself, had been sparring with her and he was well aware that she could take care of herself. More so since he''s here as well. Still, he couldn''t help that sense of protectiveness that arose within him. He wanted nothing more than to roll her up in cotton and keep her safe and sound from the world.


    [Remember, I was taught all of this when we were going to be doing that Honey Trap two years ago] Kay continued, her mental voice softer, [I may have failed miserably then, but I truly have learned a lot since then]


    Kyle sighed.


    The best lesson in life is, well, life. Failure is part and parcel of life and learning from it is what defines you. Improves you. Kay may have taken a huge setback then, and she picked herself up. Worked harder, improved herself.


    He was the one that had to learn to let go, for otherwise, her growth and improvement would be stunted.


    But do you know how hard it is for him to actually do that? He''d rather run into a burning building than sit back and watch his sister go into danger. Or take risks. Kyle clenched his teeth hard, hiding the glint of frustration in his eyes as he turned to look elsewhere.


    [Urgh. Fine. But if he goes overboard, he''s going to get it from me] Kyle growled in his mind.


    [Only after I am done with him] Kay replied [or them].


    Kyle rolled his eyes internally. One was not enough?! He reluctantly let go of Kay''s waist, but not before he kissed her cheek and whispered, "Be good."


    Kay smiled as she raised an eyebrow at him, saying back, "I''m the one who should be saying that to you."


    Kyle laughed low at that, and they turned to face the guy who had now reached them.


    "Hi, the name''s Jaxon," the guy said smoothly, his eyes mainly focusing on Kay, "Care to dance?"


    Jaxon knew that the two in front of him were a couple - their intimate actions showed that clearly. However, he was also hoping that unlike most locals who were very possessive boyfriends, that this guy would be much more open to any guy flirting with their girl.


    After all, he was a foreigner that had a much more open mind about relationships. Having an ''open'' relationship was the best for Jaxon for he could have fun with various women without making any commitments.


    Jaxon was blissfully unaware of his misconceptions and naivety about ''foreign couples''. Just because the guy didn''t chain the girl next to him did not mean that they weren''t possessive. Of course, the fact that Kyle wasn''t Kay''s boyfriend never entered his calculations.


    Kay looked at Jaxon, the dance floor. It wasn''t too crowded and the music was an upbeat one. She smiled, then replied, "Sure."


    She turned to Kyle, giving him a much more breathtaking smile that made Jaxon''s breath hitch. She placed a hand on his chest, saying, "I''ll be back. Be good, okay?"


    Kyle''s mouth twitched.


    Xing Han, who had been completely mesmerized by the entire scene around him, finally came up next to them and said excitedly, "This place is soooooo awesome. Wait. Kay. Where are you going?"


    Kay started walking away when Xing Han said that and she pointed to the dance floor.


    "OoooOooOo!!" Xing Han was practically bouncing and shamelessly joined her, putting his arm around Kay''s shoulders, "Come on. Let''s move it, move it. I like to move it, move it!"


    Kay laughed, and as they walked off, she introduced Xing Han to Jaxon (who was glaring at the third wheel). Kyle watched this with a smile. Xing Han, the shield.


    Kyle looked around the place for an empty spot to occupy but didn''t seem to see any. His gaze landed on the upper floors, but he couldn''t see much. Thus, he headed over there. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he was walking up the spiral staircase to go up, he felt his a*s being groped and squeezed from behind. Kyle stopped, one foot on the top steps and the other still on the lower step. He turned slowly, his face with a soft half-smile and his eyes closed slightly.


    He saw a skimpily dressed woman who''s breasts looked like they were ready to pop out of that low cut dress and she was looking at him with these ''come hither'' eyes while biting her lower lips.


    Kyle had no doubt that if he brought her to a room right there and then, he''d be having one heck of a time in bed. She was practically drooling there, anticipating some great boom-kacha-wow-wow time as she continued to grope his a*s.


    He took that hand, pulled her up so that she stood on the higher step. Leaning forward,?he brought his lips to her ear, he said softly,?"My a*s is expensive,"

 Chapter 415 - Having Fun (III)

    Kyle leaned back a bit, seeing her flushed face. He then looked down, at those ample assets and could even see the faint outlines of her nipples through the material. She wasn''t wearing a bra, so it must be some breast tape at the side as such huge breasts wouldn''t be able to handle gravity so well.


    He brazenly stared at it, studying it carefully while the girl was getting all heated up by the way he was doing so. She pushed her chest forward, nearly hitting Kyle''s face with it and he stifled a laughter at that.


    He looked up at her, giving her a very sexy smile as he then groped one breast, his thumb fiddling with her nipple. She didn''t move away nor look annoyed but instead, leaned into his hand even more.


    Giving her breast one final squeeze, Kyle side-stepped her and walked away. As he passed her, he said softly but loud enough for her to hear, "Payment for groping my a*s. Do that again, and I''ll strip you and push you down the stairs."


    The girl''s smile froze on her face while her hand gripped the handrail so hard that her knuckles turned white.


    She had no doubt that he meant exactly what he said, for his voice had been so cold. She had even felt this sense of danger emitting from him and her instincts were screaming at her to run for safety. It was like facing a predator.


    She turned her head slowly to look at his retreating back, the pressure on her getting less as he went further away. She gulped and quickly ran down the steps, cursing herself but being utterly glad for escaping that calamity.


    No one paid any attention to the scene that had just happened, taking it as just ''one of those things'' that happened at the club. So long as it didn''t go overboard, the security wouldn''t step in and there had been far worse things before.


    There even had been rumours of a daring couple ''doing it'' right in the club in front of everyone. They were doing it covertly, with their clothes still intact and no one had noticed at first until the guy climaxed right into the girl and she screamed in anger.


    Well, it was an urban legend. No one really believed it but it was exciting enough.


    Kyle rubbed his hand, thinking of the sensation of the breast on it. Nodding to himself, he was satisfied. When he had let himself go, he could feel his body already reacting to the enticing dish in front of him but it was just that.


    He didn''t feel like he would lose control. So he went a step further and touched her directly, but still, no sudden primal beast raging to come out to ravage the girl at all. Kyle was immensely gratified that his two days of meditation and training was paying off.


    It was really soft and nice to hold, though. That, he admitted to himself.


    Once Kyle reached the top, all eyes fell on him.


    Such a strikingly handsome young man that was alone would be the focus of anyone and they watched him as he headed towards an empty table and chair.


    Their eyes nearly popped out when he took off his jacket, revealing that breathtakingly drool-worthy physique, the T-shirt clinging on to every well-defined muscle like it was taped there. He flung his jacket on the chair beside him and turned to face the dance floor.


    He leaned back a bit on the chair, his face having this ghost of a smile that made people''s heart palpitate for some reason.


    It looked like he was presenting himself to the public and inviting anyone daring enough, to entertain him.


    ?.?.?.?


    Jaxon was frustrated.


    He had wanted to dance with the hot sexy siren and take advantage by grinding his body onto hers in the name of ''dancing'' ... but there was this rather excitable, slightly plump guy blocking him all the time!


    Each time he got close, that big a*s would be swinging around and getting in-between them. The girl, aggravatingly enough, was just laughing and dancing with both of them. The more she moved her hips, and the way her breasts bounced from her dance movements, the more agitated he felt.


    He gritted his teeth and decided to be more aggressive in his ''dancing''.


    Just as he got closer, as expected, that fat blob was coming at them. He avoided it only to be met with that figure again. This happened a few times, and to others, it appeared as if they were dancing. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, after one major move, Jaxon escaped and bumped into Kay. He quickly grabbed her to ''save'' her, his hands?directly on her a*s.

 Chapter 416 - Getting Even

    Jaxon felt that soft, firm flesh under his palm and immediately, the lower half of his body reacted. He couldn''t help but squeeze it a bit as he brought Kay closer to him, wanting to mould his body next to hers and have her squish her boobs on him.


    All of this on the pretext that he was saving her from falling, of course.


    However, before he could do so, there was intense pain right in-between his legs.


    With tears in his eyes, he let go of Kay immediately as he clutched his family jewels. His knees were weak and he crouched on the floor, his face in absolute pain.


    Kay was above him, her face having this horrified look as she reached out in concern for him, shouting, "Oh my goodness! I''m so sorry!!"


    She rushed over to help him, only to trip and stumble, causing her foot to accidentally hit him in the face. Jaxon''s head was smashed to the side, and his head jarring at the force of it and his mouth started filling up with the metallic taste of blood.


    He even spit out a tooth, and he didn''t know which was worse. The blinding pain at his crotch, or the splitting pain on his head.


    "Oh my gosh! I''m so sorry, so sorry," Kay was saying agitatedly, as she stepped back to avoid him, only to step on his hand. Her stilettos piercing through and crushing one finger, and people watched as she lost her balance because of it.


    Her arms were up in the air as she fell backwards, but was immediately caught by Xing Han who was right behind her.


    "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he held her tight.


    Kay smiled at him as she stood up properly with his help.


    "I''m fine, Xing Han," she said, "But Jaxon isn''t." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han looked at the poor man writhing on the ground, and bent down to help him. He put his arm behind Jaxon''s neck and helped him up, his hand on his shoulder.


    Jaxon screamed in pain, and Xing Han looked up at the other people who were staring, "What are you guys doing? This man needs medical attention!"


    Jaxon whimpered, holding back the pain that Xing Han was causing by pressing his thumb hard on the little space just at the tip of the collarbone. Xing Han may not know self-defence like Kay and Kyle, but he knew where the weak spots of the body were.


    He knew how to inflict the most amount of pain with the least amount of effort.


    This was the first time he was actually putting into practice what he had learnt, and he didn''t feel guilty at doing so. He had seen what the scumbag had done to Kay, and he felt the pain Jaxon had suffered under Kay''s careful administration was not enough.


    Xing Han may be the happy-go-lucky one in the group, but it didn''t mean that he was weak or useless. He was the innocent one that really saw nothing but the good in people, but he wasn''t blind either.


    His nature was such that he couldn''t be ruthless like Kyle, but he was extremely protective over those that he loves and were dear to him. Even if he couldn''t win, he would be the first to jump out there and do something. He had learnt all these moves after that kidnapping attempt on Kay so many years ago.


    He never wanted to feel that useless again, even though he had put his life on the line in saving her.


    So now, he felt immense satisfaction at being able to make Jaxon be in pain.


    Kay kept on that worried look on her face, and patted Xing Han on the shoulder. People in the club weren''t really paying them any attention, being as apathetic as they were. So what that there was a man down and in pain.


    In fact, instead of helping, they were either ignoring them or taking pictures of the whole thing. Xing Han and Kay weren''t worried about the pain that Jaxon was under would subside soon, and it wasn''t as if he was that heavily injured.


    Kay looked up and saw a group of guys heading their way.


    Ordinarily, she would have ignored them as people came and went around them. However, the fact that they were staring at them, she knew that there may be trouble brewing.


    They didn''t look happy at all.


    Yet, it didn''t stop them from staring at her brazenly with those filthy eyes, as they seemed to strip her naked. Some even had on a lewd smile. Seeing this, Kay''s dissatisfaction and anger at Jaxon''s audacity in touching her, start to build up again.


    Birds of a feather flock together indeed.

 Chapter 417 - Not An Easy Prey

    Jaxon saw his friends approaching and he was relieved.


    The pain that he was under seemed to abate a bit and he quickly pushed aside Xing Han that had loosened his hold. Jaxon was in such a rush to get to his friends that he stumbled and fell, hitting his face on the floor.


    His friends rushed over to him then and helped him up. Jaxon mumbled a few things to them, something that neither Kay nor Xing Han could hear over the blast of the music. As his side was to them, Kay read their lips and her low opinion of them hit rock bottom.


    Jaxon complained about how her clumsiness caused him his injuries and that Xing Han had deliberately injured his shoulder. The worst thing was him describing how her a*s had felt in his hands.


    Looks like a broken finger was not enough.


    From the way they were listening to him, then started staring back at her, made it obvious what they were thinking and what they''d do next.


    As if she would let them.


    There were four of them, not counting the injured Jaxon.


    All came towards them, which Kay guessed it was them trying to be imposing and menacing. Kay scoffed inwardly.


    They weren''t even a millionth of Kyle''s imposing manner. To Kay''s eyes, they were like pretentious kids trying to act tough ... and failing miserably.


    "You hurt our friend," one of them said in a low voice that Kay thought he was trying to be threatening, "So you''ve got to pay."


    Kay shrugged, "Sure. How much? The hospitalization costs wouldn''t be too high." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The guy licked his lips and shook his head, "There are many other ways for you to pay."


    Kay rolled her eyes while Xing Han bristled, "Shut your mouth, you ... you ... degenerate! And what''s with this licking of lips huh? Huh? Don''t you know there are these things called lip balm? What? You think you''re too macho to use them? Pffffft."


    The four blinked, not believing what they were hearing before they all started roaring with laughter, "Oh look. A clown. Quite entertaining. You can watch then, while we have our fun."


    "Watch what? You making a fool of yourselves?" Xing Han scoffed.


    "Can you believe this?" one of them said looking at the rest before turning back to Xing Han, "You injured our friend as well, so you need to pay as well."


    "Pah, not a problem," Xing Han said, taking out his wallet, "How much do you want? A thousand? Two thousand?"


    For a moment, they hesitated. That was a lot of money the guy was willing to fling at them.


    Then, they looked at Kay and at each other. Such rare high-quality goods right in front of them, and only that clown beside her as a threat ... it wasn''t a hard decision to make, really. All of them conveniently forgetting that there was one more person that had been with her.


    Then again, even if they did remember, they would have dismissed it. What could one extra guy do when there were so many of them?


    Making a decision that they would regret for the rest of their lives, they shook their heads.


    "I don''t think you get it. We don''t want money. We just want to have some fun."


    With that, one of them reached out towards Kay. She avoided that arm easily, and taking it, twisted it behind the guy''s back and pushed him forward, making him smash into his friends.


    They looked at Kay, who was standing there unperturbed. It hit them right where it hurts: their ego.


    So they rushed at her all at once, even though they thought it was overkill.


    However, to their surprise, and embarrassment, she managed to easily avoid them and somehow get them to be pushed away instead. Each time it happened, a part of their body was hurt terribly but they couldn''t see how she had hit them.


    It was only then that they realised that she was not an easy prey.


    Still, they were confident that with their numbers, she would be overwhelmed soon enough. Despite the pain of each hit that she had landed on them, they weren''t incapacitated.


    What''s more, they had friends coming up behind her. She, and the clown, would be subdued soon enough.


    Unfortunately, Kay truly was unaware of the danger approaching her from behind.


    This was because she was too focused on the threat in front of her. She was taking?extra care not to really want to hurt them despite the fact that they disgusted her, as they hadn''t done anything yet. She didn''t think they deserved it. Also, she didn''t want the clubgoers around them to be injured accidentally.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle was watching everything from the balcony.


    The moment he had seen that douchebag touch Kay, he had gotten up and stood at the railings. He kept telling himself to calm down and to just watch. His fingers, however, were itching to throw something at Jaxon.


    Seeing how she handled Jaxon made Kyle smile.


    Two girls came by his side then, stood beside him and started some small talk. Kyle barely registered what they were saying, but he managed to keep up a conversation, albeit rather absentmindedly.


    What he didn''t realise was that even that inattentiveness made the girls'' hearts palpitate. They thought his aloofness was more charming and they got closer to him. There was just something about this sexy, indifferent guy that just called out to their primal instinct.


    That sense of power emitting from him, that was simmering underneath, was mouth-watering. He didn''t need to do anything and he attracted people to him.


    His aura sung to them and played them like a violin.


    They were talking amicably when he turned towards the girl on his right and gave her such a killer smile that she felt she was going to melt right there and then.


    "Could you look after my jacket for a while?" he asked, gently as he brought his face close, whilst indicating the jacket that was on the chair behind them.


    The girl nodded, barely registering much other than seeing that gorgeous face so close to her.


    His smile never left his face as he thanked her, gave her a kiss on the cheek and then jumped over the railing.


    It took her several seconds to realise what he had done and she quickly looked over the railing. The girl that had been on the other side had screamed a bit, and she was already looking over the railing.


    What they saw made them blink rapidly.


    He had landed on his feet, like some sort of superhero. As if he had just jumped a few steps rather than a floor high. He was crouched down a bit, as if that softened the landing before he got up.


    Even from that height, they could sense the power that emitted from him as he faced towards the dance floor.


    Their eyes followed where he was facing and finally realised some sort of drama was going on there. They gulped and said a prayer.


    For those poor souls who were on the dance floor.

 Chapter 418 - Chaos

    Kyle''s entrance caused every pair of eyes to land on him.


    Those that had not seen his jump, was told about it and they could hardly believe it. People kept looking at the balcony, then at the young man that was slightly crouched at the floor.


    When he straightened his back and stood up, those within his line of sight were so taken aback that they took a step back. Even from a distance, they could feel his explosive anger. Those around him instinctively went further away, their senses screaming at them that they were in danger.


    His eyes had this dangerous glint in them, as he stared at the dance floor. He flicked his head, flipping the fringe that had gone over his eyes as he took his first step towards there.


    The closer he got, the more oppressive the aura he gave. So much so that everyone - other than Jaxon and his doofus friends - had made way and stood far, far away.


    Kay saw Kyle approaching and was slightly miffed. She was handling things okay, so why was he here? In fact, she was just about to disable the last guy when he made that overly dramatic entrance.


    Before she could ask, however, he disappeared from sight and she heard three grunts and thuds behind her. She turned, to see that Kyle had one foot on the head of a guy on the floor while he was twisting his arm.


    She winced upon hearing the bones crack, and he flung the useless arm aside in disgust. In less than a minute, Kyle had downed three guys. Two unconscious while one was groaning in pain as he clutched his broken and dislocated arm.


    Jaxon''s eyes bulged wide open at what he had seen Kay''s partner do. Sweat poured down his back and when that guy looked up to lock eyes with him, all the instincts within him screamed, "RUN!!"


    He ran.


    He had seen what had happened but he couldn''t believe it.


    That guy was like a predator when he first came over. Like the hunter, targetting its prey. Jaxon had thought his over-active imagination was fucking his mind. Until he saw the guy move.


    One minute he was there, walking towards them like Death Personified, and the next? Gone. He appeared next to the three guys that were sneaking up on Kay. One of them even had a small knife hidden in the palm of his hand.


    That was Yanni''s way. He loved using knives to threaten people, liking the sense of power he had over others. Loving the fear he saw in their eyes as he played with them. The fact that Yanni had the knife out meant Kay was really enticing to him and he wanted to subdue her quickly.


    Because Yanni had his knife out, Jaxon didn''t think that he was in any danger. Even though that guy was so scary. He had no weapons, right?


    Seeing him in action made him realise how stupid that thought had been.


    Who needs weapons when his hands and legs were the weapons?!


    Kyle had grabbed Yanni''s hand, twisting it and causing Yanni to grit his teeth and drop the knife. He went down on his knees, his face in agony as his hand was in a weird angle within Kyle''s hand.


    At the same time, Kyle did a round-house kick, getting the two other guys squarely in the face, one after another.?The force of it literally had them spin aside, their eyes rolling to the back of their heads as they fell to the floor. Thud - thud they fell, like dominos, never getting up.


    As for Yanni, Kyle twisted his entire arm, as he turned his own body and pulled. One leg on the head for traction as he did so, popping that shoulder out of its socket while breaking the wrist bone. Only when he heard the crunch was Kyle satisfied.


    Jaxon''s mind was playing that scene over and over, making him so terrified that dignity was the last thing on his mind. Survival was. The look on Kyle''s face as he had finished off Yanni was so cold and calculative, as if it was nothing, made Jaxon fear for his life.


    Seeing those angry eyes lock on him made him lose it.


    So yes.


    He ran.


    The other four that had been frozen solid, turned to run as well. It was as if Jaxon''s movement broke the spell they were under.


    It was too late.


    Kyle rushed forward, easily passing them and hitting each person at the back of the neck once. All they felt was wind, sharp pain, and nothing. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These were the small fries. His target was Jaxon.


    Kyle grabbed Jaxon by the collar of his shirt, effectively stopping the running smurf* in his tracks, choking him. Jaxon tried to loosen the hold but it was futile.


    He pulled him close and hissed in Jaxon''s ear, "You dared lay a hand on Kay? Looks like her breaking a finger wasn''t enough of a warning."


    In one swift move, Kyle crushed the knuckles on the hand that had touched Kay. It wasn''t enough to just fracture it, but he had completely crushed the bones within it. The force required was tremendous and Kyle had gone into Zen mode to get the required strength to do so.


    With the adrenalin pumping, feeling the bones shatter under his hands was truly satisfying.


    Such an injury would require surgery to get the bones back into place, with the recovery period taking several weeks, if not months. Jaxon''s use of the hand will never be the same again as he would not be able to make a proper grip or have the same strength in his hands any longer.


    Fitting punishment for such a filthy hand.


    Kyle didn''t care if Jaxon''s livelihood depended on that hand. That hand did not deserve to live.


    It was good enough Kyle didn''t snuff out his life.


    He was that pissed.

 Chapter 419 - A Surprise

    Once done, Kyle stood up and just looked apathetically at the writhing man crying on the floor.


    He looked up and finally saw some security guys coming over, looking all tough and serious. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle knew something was up. They only showed themselves now, and not during the entire time Kay had been under attack. Whilst it was true that Kyle''s moves had taken down the boys quickly, they should have been here much more earlier than that.


    It was as if they were observing. Or perhaps, the guys had been in the pockets of the young boys?


    Whichever it was, the situation was not simple.


    [Tell Xing Han to stand down, okay Kay? Let me handle this]


    [Sure]


    [Is he okay?] Kyle asked worriedly.


    Kyle knew that Kay had protected Xing Han well, and he had not been touched. None of the guys had managed to penetrate the safety barrier she had created, and the guys had been pushed away before Xing Han could even react.


    Rather, Kyle was worried that Xing Han may be affected by what Kyle had done to the guys. That would have been the first time Xing Han saw him in action, albeit, in a much safer environment.


    [Are you kidding me?] Kay said, her voice tinged with laughter [He practically has these stars coming out of his eyes! If he didn''t worship you before, he sure does now.]


    Kyle couldn''t help but smile at that, and the security head that came over was startled for a while. Seeing such a warm smile on the guy that had just knocked out several guys made him think he was seeing things.


    Only the Security Head walked over to Kyle, while the others tended to the downed boys.


    "Sir, our Boss would like to see you," he said politely, gesturing with his hand to follow him.


    "Just me?" Kyle asked slowly.


    "Yes," the guy answered, "Your ladyfriend and friend may wait in the VIP room. On the house."


    One other person came up beside him then, inviting Kay and Xing Han to follow him. Kay looked towards Kyle, who nodded. She then hooked her arms with Xing Han, and followed them.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle was led to the upper parts of the club, passing through a section that was not accessible to the public. It was quiet all the way, and Kyle didn''t ask any questions either. He simply walked quietly behind the guy, appearing nonplussed.


    All the while, his eyes were scanning the entire place. He took note of the escape routes, location of camera and blind spots. Right now, he wished he had his jacket, for it contained most of the finer equipment-slash-weapons that he had. Well, it''s not like he was defenceless but it certainly would have been easier.


    The Head Security, in the meantime, couldn''t help but be on high alert all the time. Ex-military man, who had served active duty - twice - meant that he was very sensitive to dangerous people. And to him, the young man that looked like he wouldn''t hurt a fly ... was very dangerous.


    Even if he hadn''t seen the fight, he knew.


    Yet, the Boss wanted to see him. He couldn''t help but be nervous that the Boss may be biting off more than he could chew.


    At the door of the office, he knocked politely and only opened it when he heard the command "Enter".


    "I''ve brought him over, Sir," he replied, standing stiffly.


    "Marvellous!"


    Kyle looked and saw a bald middle-aged man, with a pot belly, sitting on his desk as he looked at them. He had this really friendly smile about him, and he looked really, really happy.


    "Welcome to my humble abode," the guy was saying, spreading his arms around, "Ruben''s the name, Clubbing''s my game."


    He gave a nod to his Head Security, who then turned and walked out.


    "Come, come. Sit sit," he said amicably, "Sorry about the trouble earlier. Please enjoy the rest of your stay here, free of charge. Order anything you want."


    Kyle didn''t make a move but instead, asked, "What is it that you want?"


    Instead of being offended, Ruben merely smiled and said, "Ah. Straight to the point. Yes, yes."


    He shook his head, "You sure you don''t want a drink first? Something to munch?"


    Kyle just stared at him, not answering.


    Ruben grinned, clapping his hands together, "Wonderful. A guy after my own heart - no funny business. No small talk. I like that. Well, he said you were like that."


    Kyle frowned.


    He?


    Ruben got down from his desk and went to sit on the chair. He pulled out his laptop and opened it, saying, "There is someone here who would like to talk to you."


    Turning the laptop around, Kyle nearly took a step back.


    "Hello, Dean."

 Chapter 420 - Unforgettable

    There, staring at him from the other side of the laptop, was Randall.


    Luckily, Kyle had been mentally preparing himself for some sort of shock, so he managed to (barely) stop his face from showing any sort of reaction that would give him away.


    Kyle frowned and gave this really puzzled look as he said, "Excuse me? Sorry, but I''m not Dean."


    Randall gave a slow smile, while nodding a bit, his eyes never straying away from Kyle''s face as he said, "I admit. The hair colour is different, and your nose appears sharper ... but trust me. I know every inch of your face and body to be mistaken."


    Kyle clenched his teeth a bit at that.


    Randall should have not been able to remember how he looked like, exactly. He may have some vague impressions or memories, but not anything concrete. Kyle had known the dangers of going in for the mission, as he had only done the most minimal of disguises as Dean.


    After all, considering what he had to do, any sort of extensive disguise would have been discovered. Kyle had even anticipated the possibility of Randall being much rougher in his passion, so even a wig was out of the question.


    All Kyle had done was use a temporary hair colour spray to colour his hair dark blue with some silver highlights. He had darkened his eyebrows and a little bit of shadow blending to ''soften'' his chiselled face.


    Thus, when Kyle had given him the fake memories of having hot steamy s*x several times throughout the night, he had also made his face blurry in those memories.


    In other words, Randall would have remembered the s*x, but would have difficulty to truly remember Kyle''s features properly. In time, even that would have faded entirely from Randall''s mind. Without a picture, it would have been near impossible to truly be able to recall how Kyle looked like.


    However, like everything in Life, there is no absolute. There was a risk that it wouldn''t work. If the person had really strong feelings, then it could fail.


    Obviously, it did fail in Randall''s case.


    ''Damn'', Kyle thought to himself, ''Am I really that unforgettable?''


    Kyle was curious.


    Even if Randall had remembered how he looked like, how did he manage to find him?


    After all, Kyle had also taken precautions with all of his images at Soul Bar. Every single digital trace of him had been tampered with.


    As if answering that unspoken question, Randall said, "You are really one hard person to find, Dean."


    "All the pictures of you on the CCTV at Soul Bar were too blurry to make out. Even using my facial recognition software was a no-go."


    Instead of looking angry, however, Randall actually looked very impressed, "To think that you have the capabilities to even fool and confuse the software. That''s truly impressive."


    Facial recognition software reads the geometry of your face. Key factors include the distance between your eyes and the distance from forehead to chin. Thus, the software measures 68 facial landmarks, making the unique facial signature.


    With that, no matter how you are disguised, you would be recognised.


    Kay had made a software that would tamper with any facial recognition AI software. Her own unique AI software would confuse the facial recognition software so that it could not make the necessary measurements required in order to create that facial signature. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without it, it would be impossible to find a match.


    "Look, Sir," Kyle said, "I have never met you before in my life. You have mistaken me for someone else."


    Kyle noticed the flash of hurt in Randall''s eyes as he said that, but he steeled himself to remain firm.


    In response, Randall just looked gently at Kyle and said, "I would never be mistaken about something like this, Dean."


    He sighed, as his shoulders seemed to slump forward, all fight seemingly leaving him.


    Kyle watched as Randall went closer to the laptop then said clearly, "Ruben, let me speak to Dean alone."


    Ruben just grinned and said loudly, "Okie-dokie. Not a problem. Take your time."


    With that, he whistled as he walked out, closing the door behind him with a click.


    Spotting this kid that Randall had been searching for truly paid off. He got a tidy sum of ''appreciation money'' just because the kid came to his club. Luckily the bouncers at the front door took the initiative to ask him if they could enter.


    When he had seen that image of Dean through the security feeds at the front door, he whooped out loud in delight, thoroughly shocking the people around him. Once Dean entered, Ruben called up Randall.


    ''That boy really did a number on Randall,'' Ruben thought to himself as he walked away.

 Chapter 421 - His Dean

    Meanwhile, at that moment, in a private plane that was heading towards Country M, Randall stared at Kyle''s image through the laptop. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Ruben had contacted him about the possibility of Dean being found, he had been ecstatic. He couldn''t believe his longshot had actually worked. Since Dean was the type to travel around (sowing his seeds, so to speak), Randall had sent his images to all of his contacts in the world.


    He didn''t care if it was a slim chance, he took it. After all, Dean may very well enter another club just like he had entered his.


    Randall may have not been able to get any clear images of Dean, but Randall had one talent. He could draw.


    He could draw very, very well.


    Thus, Randall had drawn a very realistic black-and-white sketch of Dean and distributed that. Sure enough, he got lucky. Ruben had sent him a screenshot of Dean that as he was waiting at the entrance of is club. Immediately, Randall knew it was him.


    Even though the features were slightly different, he just knew it was him.


    Being a cautious man, however, Randall didn''t want to take it for granted.


    After all, living doppelg?ngers* do exist. Two completely unrelated people could look so similar and identical to each other that one would think they were twins.


    Thus, even though Randall''s heart was screaming at him that that was Dean, he didn''t want to jump the gun.


    Though his head was telling him that, he still found himself heading towards Country M. His eyes never left the tab he had, as he studied Dean while he was in the club.


    Randall did not like the way Dean was clinging onto that woman, and how they were acting so intimate with each other. For someone who didn''t want commitment, he sure was showing off his girl to the world.


    Randall spent the entire time watching Dean from the CCTVs in the club to confirm what he already knew in his heart - despite the fact that Dean appeared to be a couple with the girl.


    He watched as Dean handled the girl who had groped his a*s. He clenched his teeth at seeing Dean groping the girl in return but smiled widely when she ran down the stairs in fear when he passed her.


    When he saw how Dean''s ladyfriend was being harassed, he told Ruben not to step in to stop the fight.?He wanted to witness Dean in action. He remembered the ruthless way Dean had struck Lou, and he was sure that there was no way Dean would let those boys go after insulting his ladyfriend.


    And he was so right.


    Everything just clicked there and then.


    When he saw Dean jumping down from the balcony, that figure full of power and deathly aura, he knew. There could not be two people with that sort of presence in this world.


    More so when he saw Dean in that tight-fitting shirt of his which showed his physique completely. Randall knew that body very well. After all, he had marked it very meticulously and he remembered every single inch of that body. Every well toned muscle. Everything.


    He knew without a doubt.


    That was his Dean.


    It was during his observation of Dean that his subordinates came back with the report on Dean.


    With that clear picture of Dean, Randall had shouted at his men to find out his identity. He had been insanely jealous of the girl that Dean was clinging onto, and his eyes were blood-red as he couldn''t keep his eyes off the screen.


    When Randall read the report, he was flabbergasted.


    Turns out he was still a kid, and the girl was his twin sister. His identity was completely different from what he had thought.


    Kyle Smith, heir to the Smith Industries. Perfect son. Perfect student. Rising star.


    With that, Randall came to the realisation of why ''Dean'' was created. Kyle must have needed to escape the stifles that his traditional family put him under. Being so perfect, and yet a homos*xual, must have made him find ways to simply be himself.


    No wonder Dean could not commit. No wonder Dean never stayed.


    But Randall was convinced he could make Dean ... no, Kyle ... stay. Now that he knew his secret, they could work it out, right?


    Right?


    With that thought, Randall was more assured.


    He continued to stare at Kyle, hardly believing his luck in being able to find him. That meant they were meant to be.


    Kyle waited patiently for Randall to say something, preparing himself once again for the sort of things Randall was going to say. After all, he had asked Ruben to go out.


    "Dean," Randall said, "Or should I say, Kyle Smith?"


    Kyle froze.

 Chapter 422 - Denial

    ?.? Mild Mature (BL) Scene Warning ?.?


    Taking a deep breath, Kyle sat down and looked intently at Randall, admitting, "Yes, I am Kyle Smith."


    The fact that Randall managed to identify him shouldn''t have been a surprise, since Randall admitted having a facial recognition software. There were a LOT of images of Kyle online, some of them from his own Insta.


    There was no point in denying it.


    Still, Kyle was worried about what Randall actually knew about ''Dean'', so he continued to deny that part. After all, there was no real concrete proof he is Dean, right?


    It was all in his mind.


    "But I am not this Dean that you are speaking of," Kyle said clearly, and slowly, with conviction.


    Randall sighed.


    Stubborn boy.


    Then again, that''s why he loves him, right? That wildness, that stubbornness, that ruthlessness.


    That passion.


    All of it.


    Randall knew that if he pushed too much, it would not do any good. So despite him dropping that bombshell, Dean didn''t look like he would admit anything.


    Fine.


    Randall gave this really sad look and nodded, "I understand. Sorry to have troubled you then."


    With that, Randall cut the connection.


    On the other side of the world, Kyle stared at the black screen.


    That''s it? After all of that, Randall just let it go? Kyle shook his head in confusion but was grateful nonetheless.


    [Kay, is everything alright?]


    [Yes, nothing unusual] Kay replied [It''s you that I''m worried about]


    [All''s clear here as well. Tell you about it later]


    Kyle got up and went out, nodding at Ruben along the way. Ruben just watched him go, smiling as he went back to his office.


    ?.?.?.?


    Randall looked at his watch.


    Another 10 hours to go before he reached Country M. It was a 12-hour flight from Country I to Country M, and Randall had a lot of things to do before landing.


    Since Kyle wouldn''t admit that he''s Dean, there was a lingering doubt within Randall whether he was right or not. Though his senses were telling him that they were one and the same, he didn''t want to make his desire for Dean make him see ''Kyle'' as Dean.


    Perhaps they really were two different people.


    There was only one way to find out.


    He had to go see him. Talk to him face-to-face. Only then would he be sure. No matter how much Kyle would deny it, he would have proof.


    "Are you sure this is his schedule?" Randall growled at Lou.


    Lou nodded vigorously, "Yes, Boss. Most definitely Boss. We don''t have his full itinerary but he is definitely going to City K on that date."


    Randall grunted.


    Right now, Dean was at City KL, but he wasn''t sure how long he would hang around there. After this, Randall suspects that Dean would not be going out as often. Even though Dean may not know that he was heading there, Randall would not leave anything to chance.


    It was him being this meticulous that allowed him to find that elusive boy.


    He was not going to let him get away again, so he had to spread his net far and wide before reeling him in. If he did it too fast, Dean would struggle and escape. It had to be done slowly, so that by the time Dean realised the trap, it was too late.


    Randall sighed, closing his eyes.


    Just remembering that night would make his body hot.


    He had buried himself into work and satiated his lust with a lot of women - and men - since Dean disappeared but nothing came close to the feeling he had with Dean on that one night.


    Nothing could compare to that tight, muscular body and smooth skin. How could anything so firm be so soft at the same time? Randall remembered clearly how that skin had felt under his lips and tongue as he had made all those marks on that perfect body.


    Randall groaned, remembering how that strong boy had been completely under his control when he had taken him full in his mouth. Randall licked his lips, remembering just how that boy tasted and how enticing the moans had been coming from those kissable lips.


    Then his thoughts went to the moment that same boy took control and completely dominated him, taking him to heights he had never thought possible. He was like putty in that boy''s hand and that excited him.


    Dean had been ruthless in their lovemaking and he loved it.


    Groaning, Randall took out his sizeable erection and started pumping, not caring that anyone would be watching. Not that anyone was crazy enough to come close and they had to shut their ears and mind to the sounds Randall was making. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All of them hoped this Kyle really was Dean.

 Chapter 423 - Acting Out

    Once Kyle entered back the main part of Z, he took a deep breath and let it out.


    That was close. Very, very close. Way too close.


    He had known from the reports that Randall was a very possessive person, and from this, he could also see how obsessive he is. Kyle had never underestimated Randall when he was doing the mission, and had done all that he possibly could to erase his tracks ... and yet, he still found him?!


    How insane was that guy?


    Kyle got a headache just thinking about it.


    Kyle went to get his jacket back, and saw with amusement how the girl was really taking care of the jacket. She had folded it neatly and had placed it on her lap, guarding it as if it was some treasure. (Well, to be fair, it probably was to her).


    He sauntered over, and gave her his usual ''make-you-swoon'' smile (a.k.a. Million Dollar Watt Smile) and thanked her.


    "As thanks, I''ll pick up your tab for today," Kyle said generously as he put on his jacket (making the people around groan in disappointment).


    Seeing the girl pout a bit, Kyle tilted his head and asked, "Something wrong?"


    She shook her head, and a flush crept up her face.


    "Actually, the bill has already been paid," she said and Kyle assumed she was blushing because she was feeling embarrassed at having to tell him that.


    However, was she blushing because she was embarrassed for him since he now had to either offer something else (or awkwardly walk away) ... or was she embarrassed because it made it seem like she wanted something else in return?


    After all, if he had tried to go and pay, and was told that it was already settled - he could have walked away, right?


    Did she actually want something else but was now too shy to be so bold to seek a reward?


    "Oh," Kyle said, smiling and thinking she was rather cute when blushing like that. Made him want to tease her more. Just what was it that was on her mind?


    Leaning close, he then asked, "So, is there another way I can show you my gratitude?"


    She blushed even further, having that drop-dead gorgeous face so close. She couldn''t speak but nodded instead.


    "What is it?" Kyle asked softly, looking at her with an amused smile.


    She still couldn''t say a word, but instead, her eyes fell onto his lips. When she saw that he had caught her doing so, she blushed even more and took a step back, gulping, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her right now.


    Just what had she been thinking?!


    She put her hands over her cheeks, feeling them warm from the blush that was now making her entire face very pink.


    Kyle reached out and grabbed her by the back of her neck and he brought his face closer as he pulled her to him and placed his lips on hers.


    Softly at first, as he simply gave her a few light kisses on the lips. When he felt her returning the kiss, he immediately plunged his tongue into her slightly open mouth, going in deep and exploring that delicate cave seriously.


    He brought his other hand down to her waist, bringing her closer to him. Partly to make it easier to kiss her and partly to hold her up as he had felt her go down a bit, as if her legs were losing strength.


    Finally, after what seemed like ages to her, he broke the kiss and there was a thin sliver of saliva connecting their lips for a moment.


    She looked up dazedly at him, her breath uneven as he gave her one final peck on the lips and said,?"Payment for your help."


    Kyle then turned and left.


    The girl just stood there, her eyes glazed as she touched her slightly wet lips. Her friends around her were just staring at her, hardly believing that hot scene that had happened right in front of them.


    As for the girl ... well, that had been her first French kiss, and she did not regret it one bit.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kay rolled her eyes at Kyle when he arrived.


    "Did you really have to do that?" she asked.


    "Do what?" Xing Han and Kyle asked simultaneously.


    Kay turned towards Xing Han, her face full of disdain.


    "He just played tongue tango with a poor, unsuspecting girl earlier," Kay replied.


    She had seen the whole thing from their room, that, coincidentally, had a clear view of the place Kyle had gone to. She had been keeping an eye on him the moment he stepped out, for she had been worried about him.


    Looks like it had been nothing if he could start playing around like that.


    Kyle just grinned at her and licked his lips, "She was asking for it. I was merely obliging."


    Kyle sat down and Xing Han pounced on him, pinching both of Kyle''s cheeks, hard.


    "Who are you and where did you put my best friend?!" Xing Han growled, "Back home, you wouldn''t even touch a girl, let alone kiss her!"


    Kyle laughed and ruffled Xing Han''s hair, not minding the pain from the pinching of cheeks.


    "Ah, but that is back home," Kyle replied with a smirk.


    Xing Han let go of Kyle''s cheeks and pouted, "Do you mean to say that you''re going to be ... like this when not at home?"


    Kyle shook his head, taking a glass of water and drinking it before replying, "Depends on what you mean by ... ''this'' ..."


    Xing Han glared at him and snarled, "Acting out like this!"


    Kyle laughed again, dismissing Xing Han''s attempt at being tough, "Well, I am searching for the one, aren''t I? And we are here to have fun and pick up girls, aren''t we? So I''m not going to be all up-tight like I would back home."


    "It''s unlikely that I''ll ever see these girls again, so a little bit of fun here and there wouldn''t hurt. So long as the girls are willing participants, of course," Kyle explained.


    Kyle smirked, "And that girl was definitely willing."


    "Shameless," Kay said to him, throwing a cushion.


    Kyle caught it then sighed, leaning back on the chair.


    Truth be told, even he didn''t know why he had done that. Ordinarily, he would have just given her a sexy smile or something, say a few suggestive words and walk away, pretending not to have known what she was silently asking for.


    Yet, this time, he just did.


    She had been inexperienced, and just that slight touch of his tongue had made her all weak.


    It wasn''t like Randall, who was just as aggressive and passionate in returning the kisses. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle sighed again, closing his eyes and leaning back against the chair.


    Kay and Xing Han, upon seeing this, wisely kept silent and let him be. They knew from his stance that something was bothering him but he wasn''t ready to talk just yet.


    Kyle, on the other hand, was just getting a headache and was under a lot of stress thinking about Randall. That, and the stupid mindblowing BJ.

 Chapter 424 - Kylie

    Kyle was on alert since the incident with Randall, but nothing else happened. He didn''t notice anyone following them, nor were there any suspicious activities.


    After a week of constant vigilance amidst Kyle taking them around to sightsee, nothing happened. So much so that Kyle was beginning to think that Randall really did finally accept that he wasn''t Dean.


    So they spent the next week or so, just sightseeing the City. For Kyle, it was more like reliving his past life as he went through the familiar places. It was also a bit painful for him as he could ''see'' the times he had gone there with his family.


    Where did he take them, you might ask? Well, when in Country M, there was only one true thing to do besides going to the beach. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eat.


    As a country that boasted as much of a multiracial country as Country Tz, the cuisine was plentiful and of various types. Kyle deliberately brought them to the places that had types of food that they had never eaten before.


    Be it in a restaurant or street food.


    They did it all.


    It was during their last week that Kyle finally did what he had been putting off for the entire time.


    Meet his kids.


    ?.?.?.?


    "Are you sure about this, Kyle?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    He studied his best friend''s face intently, trying to see if there was any sign of distress. There were there, just barely under the surface. The way Kyle narrowed his eyebrows a bit. The way his jaw seemed tighter than usual.


    Still, he gave this cheerful smile and answered, "Yes, don''t worry. I''m fine."


    They were in the vicinity of the school where Kyle''s kids were, and were ... well, basically being stalkers. This was the only time he could catch a glimpse of them as they led a very sheltered life. The only times they were actually out and about, were when they went shopping as a family, or when they were in school.


    Even though Kyle had all his memories of his past life, it did not mean he could access each day like he would for a file. Without some sort of memory landmark, everything was just jumbles of mass information.


    So, since he can''t remember their shopping outings, school was the only other place he could stalk - er, watch, them.


    However, they had to hide. Kyle was too obviously a ''foreigner'' and would attract attention.


    Xing Han could fit in easily since those from Xing Han''s original country had migrated to Country M long ago. However, as for Kyle who is a native of Country Tz? Not so much. His striking features and physique would turn heads already, and the fact that he wasn''t a local made him a novelty.


    Wearing a disguise would be useless, as he couldn''t become an entirely different race and wearing a mask would only attract more attention. So where were they?


    Hiding behind some trees a distance away.


    "If anyone is to see us here, they''re going to think we''re pedophiles," Xing Han muttered.


    "You didn''t have to come," Kyle whispered, his eyes surveying the school entrance.


    Xing Han shook his head. How could he have let Kyle come alone? He couldn''t let his BFF deal with this by himself now, could he?


    In response, Xing Han whacked Kyle at the back of the head, hissing, "Stupid BFF."


    Kyle rubbed the back of his head dramatically, but his heart was warm.?Just then, Kyle went all silent as he stared into the distance.


    Xing Han looked where Kyle was looking and saw a woman in her early twenties walking towards the school. Seeing how his gaze was intense on the woman, Xing Han gasped, "Is ... is that you?!"


    Kyle nodded.


    Xing Han studied the petite woman, who had tied her hair into a ponytail, and wore simple clothing of a shirt and jeans. She appeared rather homely, but kind looking. Nothing strikingly beautiful but there was something about her that made Xing Han feel positive about.


    "I thought you said you were, like, old or something?" Xing Han whispered, clutching on Kyle''s arm.


    "First, I''m not that old right now. Only 36."


    Xing Han''s eyes popped out and looked again at Kylie, "THAT is you at 36 years old?!"


    Kyle shrugged, "Genes."


    "You look kind," Xing Han muttered, "I would have liked you."


    Kyle smiled softly, "I would have liked you, too. Probably take you as a younger brother or something."


    Just then, the bell rang and it wasn''t long before the sounds of screaming kids and thunder of feet began. Xing Han watched as Kylie stood at the gate patiently, a smile on her face as she waited.


    Soon, two kids ran excitedly over to her, hugging her legs.

 Chapter 425 - Set For Life

    Xing Han watched as the kids kept hugging her legs until she crouched down. They then hugged her neck, kissing each side of her cheeks. She reciprocated by kissing them as well, starting with the elder son then her younger daughter.


    She snuggled her face onto their cheeks and gave rapid kisses, eliciting excited giggles from both of them. The elder boy didn''t even look embarrassed at such a public display of affection and he grinned openly.


    Even from that distance, Xing Han could see the adoring look on their faces as they looked at their mother.


    The boy, Joseph, had this really adorable face, which was beaming with a huge smile that his eyes seem to have almost disappeared. The girl, Lianne, had such a beautiful mass of curly hair framing a cherubic and angelic face that Xing Han wanted to go over and pinch her cheeks.


    They were truly very beautiful children.


    He continued to watch as Kylie got up, a huge loving smile on her face as she took their bags and carried them. They grabbed her sleeves, one on each side and walked towards their car that was parked nearby.


    Xing Han could see how both of them were chatting away happily as they both wanted their mother''s attention. She made sure the kids were in the car first, putting on their seatbelts and placing their schoolbags in the car before getting in. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The entire scene was so beautiful, too. The love between the mother and children were so plain to see.


    Xing Han''s heart clenched at that and he turned slowly to look at Kyle, who had been silent the entire time as well.


    From the side, he could see Kyle''s Adam''s apple bobbing up and down as he seemed to be continuously swallowing. His lips were so pale, probably due to him biting it so hard that the blood had long stopped flowing there.


    Tears were streaking down his cheeks, yet he made no noise nor make any move to wipe them away. It was as if he was afraid that if he was to wipe his eyes, he would be missing a second of watching his kids.


    Without a word, Xing Han hugged Kyle from behind.


    Kyle didn''t move at first, as he continued to watch until the car was out of sight. Finally, when he could no longer see them, he turned held onto Xing Han''s arms that were around his waist. Xing Han went to the front and hugged him tightly.


    Kyle placed his head on Xing Han''s shoulder, sobbing silently. Xing Han held him tight, his own eyes also wet with tears as he rubbed Kyle''s back until those shoulders stopped heaving.


    Finally, when Kyle got himself under control, he sniffed and stood back. Seeing his beloved BFF''s face also wet with tears, he shook his head and laughed a bit under his breath. He wiped the tears off Xing Han''s face and took a deep breath.


    "Feeling better?" Xing Han asked, as he sniffed and used his sleeves to wipe his eyes.


    Kyle took a long, deep breath, "I guess."


    Kyle looked longingly at the school, the place devoid of anyone now. He could have gone into Zen mode the moment the grief hit him, but he didn''t want that. Suppressing his emotions too much couldn''t be good.


    After all, he had been doing that for the past 15 years, and it just boiled over and erupted at that moment. Seeing their faces just made it all so bittersweet. His heart felt like it was literally breaking, and he actually felt pain right in his chest as he watched his kids.


    How he missed them.


    His emotions were still in turmoil, but he was handling it.


    He had cried most of the grief away, and he wanted nothing more than to just be by himself. However, he knew that was not good as he could get lost in his dark thoughts, so he let Xing Han lead him away.


    Xing Han brought him to a mamak store,* one that Kyle had brought him to before. Plopping the zombie-like Kyle, he ordered instant noodle ''special'' i.e. a bowl of hot piping instant noodles with vegetables and a raw egg dropped into the hot soup (thus, making it half-cooked).


    Comfort food.


    Slowly, Kyle became a bit more human as he listened to Xing Han chatting away unreservedly, laughing and joking. Kyle smiled, thinking about how truly lucky he was to have Xing Han in his life.


    "I have to ask you this," Xing Han said to Kyle as they were eating, "Your kids ... they look like they''re kinda ... "


    "Yes," Kyle answered, knowing what Xing Han was getting at, "My husband''s surname is Yang."


    "Wow. Really?" Xing Han mused, "So is that why you''re so proficient in my culture and such?"


    Kyle shrugged, "Yeah, though I never learned the language."


    Taking a deep breath, Xing Han ventured on, "About your kids ... well, you said you won''t initiate any contact until your first death. So what are your plans for them?"


    Kyle played with the fork on the table, twirling it around in his hands and flipping it around before answering, "I''ll slowly get into their lives. I plan to offer them a scholarship. Use my death as a reason for why a kid like me would do so - that is, I felt pity for two young kids for having lost their mother."


    "I want to continue supporting them, and in ways, I couldn''t before." Kyle continued, "I''ve opened up Swiss bank accounts for them, and made some investments in their name. Passive income, which earns them a million a year. It''s managed on trust and they''ll be given an income when they are of age."


    "Wow," Xing Han whistled softly, "So you''ve basically set them up for life already."


    "Yeah," Kyle said, "So they don''t really need to work. They have the freedom to do whatever they want."


    "Not like us."

 Chapter 426 - One Last Time

    At that, Xing Han nodded, bobbing his head up and down.


    "It''s funny," he said as he looked at the people around them, "Everyone wants and desires financial freedom. Yet, they do not realise the sort of burden we are under to obtain and maintain that."


    "You don''t get one thing for nothing," Kyle agreed, "So that''s why I want to give my children the best of both worlds. There is the danger that they''ll get spoilt, or be taken advantage of though. I just hope the MIB is enough to protect them."


    Although that is Kyle''s hope, he knew that anything could happen. You can have the best of intentions, the most meticulous of plans but it can unravel all so easily.


    Just take that darn Randall for example.


    ?.?.?.?


    That night, Kyle started dressing up to go out.


    This time, Kyle was sharing a room with Xing Han while Kay and Sam had their own rooms. It wasn''t fair to have Sam deal with Xing Han and his antics at night all the time, after all.


    "Where are you going?" Xing Han asked as he watched Kyle put on dark track pants and sweatshirt with a hood, "You look like you''re going to steal something."


    Kyle looked at himself, dressed all in black and he was going out at night. He shrugged.


    "More or less," he answered, "Not to steal anything but I just don''t want to be noticeable."


    "You''re not going to look for your kids again, are you?" Xing Han said, getting up and staring at him.


    Kyle turned his head to the side. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han stomped over, grabbed Kyle''s head and forced him to look at him, "Kyle."


    "One last time," Kyle said in a whisper, his eyes pleading, "I won''t be coming back to Country M for quite a while after this."


    Xing Han''s heart wrenched at the pain and longing that was so evident in Kyle''s eyes.


    "Kyle, you have to be strong," Xing Han said, trying to persuade him, "If seeing them just for a brief moment earlier was enough to break you down, what more if you go and watch them at home?"


    Kyle closed his eyes, "I need to do this, Xing Han. Please."


    Xing Han bit his inner cheeks,?sighed, then squished Kyle''s cheeks even more before finally saying, "Fine.?Be strong. Come?back soon."


    Kyle shook his head, and said through his fish lips, "I won''t be back tonight. I''ll need some time alone to just gather my thoughts after that. Don''t worry, I''ll be okay. I''ll update Kay."


    Xing Han frowned and?squished Kyle''s cheeks one last time before letting go.


    "Will you be okay alone tonight?" Kyle asked worriedly as he headed towards their bedroom door.


    "Yeah, go on," Xing Han said, "I''ve gotten used to the room already."


    Xing Han waved him away and sadly watched Kyle go out.


    Kyle headed towards the exit and then turned to look at Kay''s room door.


    [Kay, will be back tomorrow. I don''t know what time. It could even be in the afternoon.?Just block out till then, okay?]


    Kay, who was in her room and on the bed at that time, gripped the bedsheets with her fingers. She didn''t like it that he wanted her to block him out.?She had hoped she would be able to project happy feelings to Kyle so that he could cope better.


    It pained her that he didn''t want that.


    [Don''t shut me out too much, brother] she said softly [If it gets too much, reach out. Okay?]


    [I will] Kyle said as he walked out the door [I promise]


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle stood outside the window, peering into his children''s bedroom. They had lived in a small bungalow, with an ample garden,?and in a cul-de-sac. It was a house that Kylie''s spouse inherited and thus, it was old.


    But it was enough.


    They really didn''t have security and Kyle had easily climbed over the walls and blended into the night. The curtains were not drawn and he spent a few hours just watching them have dinner, play in the living room and finally, enter the bedroom.


    When the lights were turned off, Kyle waited for half an hour before stealthily making his way to the bedroom. He scalled the wall and quietly entered their bedroom. The night light gave the room a warm glow and he looked at them.


    His children shared a room until Joseph was 10. His bed was on the left side of the room while Lianne''s bed was on the right. Kyle went to his son''s bed first, reaching a hand and ever so softly, touched those cheeks.


    Tears were spilling down his face again, as he pulled the blanket up and he kissed his son''s forehead. Joseph''s eyebrow twitched a bit, but he didn''t wake up. Kyle then walked over to Lianne''s bed and did the same, stroking her soft curly hair before kissing her forehead.


    Lianne was a much deeper sleeper compared to Joseph, so Kyle could touch her more.


    He sat in the room for a few hours, positioned so that he could watch both of them at the same time. Finally, when it was 2am, he forced himself to get up to leave. Giving his kids one final kiss, he also hugged them softly before going out the window.


    Closing it quietly, he jumped down.


    Landing softly on the ground, Kyle crouched for a minute, gathering his emotions. Gritting his teeth, he kicked off and ran at his fastest speed.


    The hotel they were staying in was 10 miles away, but the distance was nothing to Kyle.


    In fact, he relished the distance and only wished it was further.


    He deliberately pushed himself more than normal, wanting the pain in his legs to overcome the pain in his heart. He wanted the wind in his face to sting his eyes and let the tears be caused by that rather than the ache in his soul. He wanted to be out of breath from running rather than having his chest heaving?from crying.


    It took him just 30 minutes to reach the hotel.*


    Kyle skidded to a stop outside, gasping for air while his entire body was in pain.


    He had never run that fast for that long, and he was feeling it now. Sweat was pouring down his face, his heart was pumping hard, his muscles were screaming at him and his eyes were red from the tears he had let go freely.


    He leaned back on the wall, putting his hands in his hoodie pockets, as he closed his eyes, breathing heavily through the mouth. There was hardly a soul around, and Kyle relished the peace and quiet.


    Until he heard some footsteps.


    He didn''t open his eyes but maintained his vigilance. He was in no condition to fight, but he was confident that he could handle whatever came.


    He concentrated on regulating his breathing by taking a few deep breaths. He groaned, thinking of how sore he was going to be for the next few days.


    Kyle frowned when the footsteps stopped in front of him.


    He opened his eyes.


    "Hello, Dean."

 Chapter 427 - Weakness

    ? BL scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable??


    Kyle visibly jerked, taken completely by surprise. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Randall saw this and moved forward, placing his hands on the wall beside Kyle''s shoulders, effectively?trapping Kyle.


    Randall looked at the young boy that bore such an uncanny resemblance to Dean, and his heart beat faster at that thought. He saw the redness in the boy''s eyes and knew that the boy had been crying.


    Why?


    Was he struggling so hard the past few weeks that he just broke down tonight?


    Was being ''Kyle'' so hard?


    Randall leaned forward, and took a long, deep breath at Kyle''s neck.


    His eyes fluttered closed, his heart was full as the all-too-familiar smell of Dean wafted into his nose.


    This is it. This is him.


    There was no longer any doubt in Randall''s mind.


    No matter how much Kyle would deny it, no two people had the same smell. Randall felt those hands on his chest, trying to push him away but he held firm.


    "Dean," he said breathlessly into Kyle''s ear, "I finally found you."


    "No," Kyle hissed, feeling frustrated at being caught when he was at his weakest.


    His senses had not dulled but his reaction did.


    That''s how he found himself in this predicament. Randall''s strong aura also affected him, and Kyle experienced for the first time, how such an oppressive aura could freeze and weaken someone.


    "You can''t lie to me anymore," Randall said with a smirk as he brought his face close to Kyle''s, "I would never forget how you smell."


    "What are you? A dog?" Kyle growled, bringing up his leg to hit Randall where it hurts.


    Randall laughed, easily blocking that leg and held on to it, making Kyle having to lean more on the wall. He was already so weak from the running, and having to hold himself up with one leg wasn''t easy.


    "Damnit, Randall," Kyle cursed, "Let me go."


    "No," Randall replied, "Not until you admit it."


    "You''re crazy, old man," Kyle said, glaring daggers at him.


    "Dean, Dean," Randall breathed as he brought his face closer, "I may be an old man in your eyes, but I certainly have enough energy to last through the night."


    Randall captured Kyle''s lips in his, taking what he had been dreaming of for so long. He didn''t care about the weak struggles the little one was giving under him. It only made it all much more exciting.


    The usually strong boy was really vulnerable right now and Randall wasn''t one to waste such a golden opportunity.


    He had been observing the hotel for quite some time but never followed Dean around. He was biding his time, while his plans were being executed. He had to spread that net out, to make sure that if this boy was truly Dean, he could not escape.


    Today was truly his lucky day.


    He just got the news that everything was in place, and coincidentally, that Dean had gone for a jog. Alone. So he came to stalk the entrance of the hotel to wait for Dean''s return.


    Randall was amazed at Dean''s speed as he arrived, and saw how much pain Dean was in. He knew that he had to save Dean. Help him be himself. He will show Dean that being with him was the only way to truly set him free.


    Even if he didn''t want to admit it at first, he will show him.


    Kissing Dean felt good.


    Kyle clenched his teeth shut, not wanting to let Randall win. He ignored the?rough way Randall''s lips bit, sucked and pulled on his own lips in his kisses. He didn''t respond, hoping that Randall would get frustrated and stop.


    He didn''t.


    In fact, he just got more aggressive.


    Kyle brought his hands to Randall''s hair, pulling at it roughly but all it did was make him laugh a bit at Kyle''s lips. Randall easily caught Kyle''s hands and gripped his wrists, bringing his hands up over his head.


    Kyle couldn''t believe what was happening.


    Never, in his entire life since being reborn as Kyle, was he this helpless.


    It was his own stupidity for letting his guard down. Father would surely berate him for this. Still, that was for later.


    For now, he had to find a way out of this situation. He couldn''t let this go on. Luckily, he had told Kay to block him out, for he didn''t want her involved in this.


    After all, it was unlikely that Randall was alone.


    Kyle continued to resist in whatever little way that he could, refusing to let that slippery tongue of Randall to penetrate through. Even though his lips felt swollen by now from all the bites and hard sucking that Randall was doing.


    He even managed to stifle his gasp when he felt Randall go into his sweatpants and under his boxers, to get a hold of his c*ck. Randall tsked a bit, feeling that it was still limp. He started stroking it, letting his hands and fingers go down all the way to the b*lls then back to the soft member.


    He growled in delight when he felt it slowly grow under the careful administrations of his hands, and he started pumping harder.


    "I want you, Dean," Randall said breathlessly when he broke the kiss, "And you want me, too."


    Kyle shuddered, feeling himself getting harder and harder under Randall''s manipulation. Randall started kissing Kyle''s jaw, ears, neck and ran his tongue right at Kyle''s earlobes before going back to Kyle''s mouth.


    He ran his tongue all over Kyle''s teeth, then said, "Let me in."


    Kyle didn''t answer nor complied and Randall squeezed Kyle''s c*ck harder. He leaned closer, putting his hands down to the b*lls and caressed them.


    "Come on, Dean, let go," Randall said, as he continued his caresses then slowly slid his hand down and behind,?placing?a finger right at the entrance of?Kyle''s b*tthole.


    FUCK! screamed Kyle in his mind.

 Chapter 428 - Losing It?

    ? BL scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable??


    "Randall, please," Kyle pleaded, "Not here."


    Randall stopped, his finger still pressing right at the entrance, asked, "Do you admit you''re Dean?"


    Kyle closed his eyes, as if in defeat and replied, "Yes."


    With a growl of satisfaction, Randall let go of Kyle''s c*ck and hands. He brought his hands to grip Kyle''s chin and said gently, "Now, was that so hard to admit?"


    Kyle tried to turn his head away, but Randall wouldn''t let him, holding his chin firmly in his grasp "Kyle. Dean. Whatever name you go by, know this. I love you. I want you. Be mine."


    Kyle looked at Randall seriously.


    Just what was it that Randall knew about him? There were so many things he had to find out. He didn''t look like he knew about the mission, so what did he think about ''Dean''?


    He had to dig out more information. More so because Randall knew his real identity as Kyle.


    "I can''t, Randall," Kyle replied, "I -"


    Randall didn''t wait for Kyle to finish, sealing his lips with his, taking the opportunity of Kyle''s open mouth to push his tongue in. He sucked hard on Kyle''s tongue, growling in satisfaction when Kyle finally responded.


    Both of them were fighting for dominance. Their mouths were the battleground, their tongues the weapons. They danced, parried, and clashed while going from one spot to another.


    Randall deepened the kiss, running his hands underneath Kyle''s shirt. His hands went behind Kyle''s waist then slipped below to go under the pants and he started groping Kyle''s a*s. His palms were on the fleshy buttcheeks while his fingers kept sliding in-between them.


    "Just for tonight," Randall said, breaking the kiss but not taking out his hands, "Stay with me tonight. Let me love you."


    Randall pulled Kyle closer to him, causing both their c*cks to rub against each other.


    Kyle sighed, as if resigning to the situation, putting his forehead on Randall''s chest.


    "Just for tonight."


    Ecstatic, Randall grabbed?Kyle''s hand and dragged Kyle along to the hotel at the opposite side of the road. Kyle truly was exhausted and his legs were weak, but he still managed to keep up with Randall without stumbling too much.


    Once they reached inside the room, Randall didn''t waste any time and pulled Kyle into his arms.


    "Randall," Kyle said, pushing at his chest, "I''m sticky."


    "I don''t care," Randal replied, taking off Kyle''s sweatshirt. His eyes gleamed upon seeing Kyle''s body, as he ran his hands all over, "This little sweat is nothing."


    "Urgh," Kyle said, "Be serious. I''m here right? I''m not going anywhere."


    Randall let go of Kyle reluctantly, "Fine. Go and shower then, if you must."


    "Yes, I must," Kyle hissed and he turned around. However, when he entered the bathroom, Randall was close behind.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "What? We''re going to fuck later, so why can''t I just watch you bathe?" Randall asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "No," Kyle insisted, pushing at him to get out, "Just let me have some peace first."


    "Either you bathe while I watch, or I bathe you ... or we can skip all of that and just go fuck in here," Randall growled.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "You''re hopeless."


    "I spent weeks looking for you," Randall replied, "There is no way I''m going to let you out of my sight now."


    Kyle glared at him, "What do you mean?"


    "Nothing," Randall said, coming closer, "Just strip and bathe already. I don''t know how long I can stand not taking you right here, right now."


    Kyle clenched his teeth and had no choice but to do just that. Since his body was aching so much, his movements were slow. To Randall, it appeared even more enticing as Kyle seemed to be doing a striptease.


    His eyes continued to bore into Kyle, as he watched Kyle take off his pants, sliding it over his round a*s and exposing the boxers underneath. With a tsk, he watched as Kyle entered the bathtub, pulling the shower curtains closed before taking off his boxers and throwing it out.


    Seeing the clothes on the floor, Randall smirked and picked them up. He rolled them up and stuffed them down the toilet bowl, closing the lid. He then took off his own clothes and waited for Kyle to finish bathing.


    In the meantime, Kyle was leaning forward in the shower, his hand on the wall as he let the water fall upon him.


    Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!?  Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His mind had been so consumed with grief and thoughts of his kids that he had pushed all thoughts of Randall out of his mind. He didn''t think Randall would be making a move anytime soon since there had not been even the slightest hint of any movement.


    So careless.


    Ordinarily, if he had been fine, he could rely on the Kato Art to hypnotize the guy again - or his martial arts to subdue him. As it was, he had pushed his body past the limit today and had no energy left.


    Following Randall back was the safest choice, so that Randall himself would let his guard down. There was no way Kyle could have overpowered him at that point, and he needed to be conscious and alert to deal with Randall.


    Still, this move was very risky.


    Kyle took the time to meditate under the shower, letting the hot water soothe his aching muscles. It was his leg muscles that were affected the most. Though his arms were better, he was obviously too weak against Randall, as was evidenced earlier.


    When Kyle felt he could move without too much pain, he soaped himself and ended the shower. Sliding the shower curtain aside to get a towel, he stopped to stare at the impatient man that was waiting.


    Fully naked with his c*ck high in the air.


    Kyle groaned.


    Was tonight the night that he is going to lose it?

 Chapter 429 - Incredible Sensations

    ? BL scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable??


    Randall just stood there, watching as Kyle took a towel and dried himself. Before Kyle could wrap that towel around his waist, however, Randall took it out of his hands.


    "You''re not going to need this now," he growled, then grabbed Kyle''s wrist.


    He dragged Kyle along, his steps fast and quick, which made Kyle stumble a bit. Throwing Kyle onto the bed, Randall quickly leaned over him, staring at him from above.


    "Gah, Randall," Kyle said with annoyance, "Stop being such a prick!"


    Kyle was only half on the bed, while his legs were dangling on the side. Randall didn''t say a word, but continued to stare at Kyle''s face, then chest and with extreme disappointment over Kyle Jr being limp.


    "I can''t believe that you''re really here," Randall finally said.


    "Yes, I''m here. Now get off," Kyle said, turning around to get off the bed.


    Randall stopped him, saying, "No."


    "Don''t be ridiculous," growled Kyle, getting really annoyed, "This isn''t exactly a comfortable position for me."


    "Kiss me first," Randall said.


    "Seriously?!" Kyle said exasperatingly, "Why are you acting like such a girl?"


    Seeing that the stubborn man wasn''t budging, Kyle rolled his eyes. Pushing himself up with his elbow to meet Randall''s lips, Kyle kissed him as he demanded.


    A long, slow and deep kiss.


    Surprisingly, Randall didn''t do anything other than just kiss him and when they parted, Randall got off him and lay down on the bed. Patting the empty space beside him, he said, "Come here."


    Kyle got up and sat on the edge of the bed, fully conscious of his naked self and the other naked man in the room. Raking his fingers through his hair that was still damp, Kyle cricked his neck and rotated his shoulders.


    "Can we just sleep? I''m really exhausted," Kyle said, looking at Randall pleadingly.


    Randall lay there, staring at the vision of loveliness in front of him. He noted that Kyle really did look tired.


    He didn''t agree, but neither did he reject as he patted the empty spot next to him again.


    "We''ll sleep," Randall said, "Come here."


    "Don''t you have any pajamas?"


    "I always sleep in the nude," Randall replied with a smirk.


    "Well, I don''t," Kyle replied.


    "Tough," Randall countered, "Are you coming here, or do I have to drag you over?"


    Kyle glared at him and obediently trudged over, and lay down next to Randall, being careful not to touch him in any way. He reached over to the edge of the blanket, intending to cover himself when Randall rolled over and went on top of Kyle.


    "Randall, come on. Stop it," Kyle said, putting his hand on Randall''s chest.


    Randall just stared at Kyle, relishing the feel of their naked skin touching. His already hard shaft became harder, and rubbed itself on Kyle.


    He was busy paying very close attention to Kyle''s chest, feeling rather miffed that all his previous love bites were gone. So he gave more.


    His head came down, and he started his ''work''. His tongue ran over that muscular chest, his lips kissing that soft skin.


    While he was doing that, his hand was busy rubbing on Kyle''s nipples, rubbing on them and flicking at it till it hardened. He then ran his tongue over it before biting it, then sucking before doing the same on the other side.


    "Randall," Kyle said breathlessly, "Stop. it. I''m serious. I .."


    "Sssshh," Randall replied, ignoring Kyle, "You''re tired, so you can''t be on top this time."


    "No!" Kyle hissed, struggling to push him off.


    Randall gripped Kyle''s waist tightly, not letting him move as he continued his careful licking and biting on the chest.


    "I know, you''re always on top," Randall said in a whisper, but loud enough for Kyle to hear, "Don''t worry, I''ll be gentle." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle brought up his legs, but Randall pushed them down, going lower. His strong arms gripped Kyle''s sore?thighs, forcing him to widen his legs.


    "This is not like you, Randall," Kyle said breathlessly, trying to get up.


    Randall then pushed himself up so that he was face-to-face with Kyle and smirked, "Don''t worry. Just let me do all the work."


    He kissed Kyle, feeling like he''ll never get tired of doing this. He ran?his hands from Kyle''s head, to the shoulders then arms, caressing each part as he touched it. Upon getting to Kyle''s wrists, he brought them up above Kyle''s head.


    Kyle jerked back, wanting to bring his arms down but Randall was too strong.


    He couldn''t break free and felt Randall bang the back of his hands on the headboard of the bed. Then, he felt something cold encricling his wrists and then a clink sound.


    "RANDALL, WHAT THE FUCK!" Kyle shouted, upon discovering his two hands were now securely handcuffed to the top of the bed.


    He glared at the extremely satisfied man who didn''t say a word. Randall just kissed him briefly on the lips then went back down to Kyle''s legs.


    "You were my first," Randall said as he continued kissing down, stopping at Kyle''s bellybutton. He ran his tongue around it and plunged it inside, causing Kyle Jr to twitch.


    It was as if a line of electricity ran from his navel right to his core point. Kyle bit his lower lips, to stop himself from making any sounds.


    Randall cupped Kyle''s balls and slowly stroked the hard shaft.


    "So I will be your first," Randall said, before taking Kyle''s c*ck deep in his mouth.


    Kyle groaned out loud, unable to stop the sounds from escaping his lips. His back arched as he felt that tongue swirling all over his c*ck. It was the combination of sucking and that tongue swirling which made Kyle''s head spin.


    Kyle couldn''t think anymore.


    Randall started sucking harder, his head was bobbing up and down faster while his tongue swirled inside. Kyle''s arms rattled the handcuffs as he tried to move, his hips seemingly having a mind of its own as it thrust to the rhythm of Randall''s head movements.


    Randall gripped Kyle''s a*s in his hands, as he helped Kyle thrust himself into his mouth.?How he loved to hear those moans from Kyle, and the heavy breathing he gave as Randall continued sucking him off.


    He placed one hand around the shaft of Kyle''s c*ck, moving it up and down the entire shaft at the same time as his mouth. Sometimes, he would take the c*ck out of his mouth, then used his palm to slide and twist over the head (akin to juicing an orange), before gliding the hand back down and taking the c*ck in his mouth again.


    Kyle felt like he was losing his mind.


    The feeling was beyond incredible. Kyle''s thrusts became faster, as he just wanted that sensation to continue. He wanted to grab that head and move it faster.


    As if hearing him, Randall did.


    With a loud shout, Kyle climaxed, and his body shuddered while Randall continued sucking softly, swallowing everything. Once it was over, Randall gave a final lick on the head, kissed it, and smiled.

 Chapter 430 - Close Call

    ? BL scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable??


    Kyle lay back on the bed, breathing heavily as the sensations slowly died down.


    Truly, that man had insane mouth skills.


    Kyle was suddenly depressed.


    He lay there, exhausted physically and mentally. Sure, he had the second most mind-blowing BJ in his life (then again, he''s only 15) but everything just seemed to crash down at that point.


    Being handcuffed to the bed was the trigger.


    When he had died, it was this intense feeling of helplessness that filled his heart. He had managed to bury it as he worked hard to be strong.


    Right now, it seemed like all of his hard work was for nothing.


    He was helpless.


    He was weak.


    A tear rolled down Kyle''s cheek.


    Randall noticed the change in Kyle and frowning, he looked up and he saw that single tear.


    He cursed out loud, angry at himself for making his Dean cry. He went up to Kyle and wiped the tear.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered, kissing Kyle''s eyes, "I didn''t mean to make you cry."


    Kyle rattled the handcuffs and said, "Then let me go."


    Randall kissed Kyle then, plunging his tongue in and exploring that cavern all over again. Despite the fact that Kyle had told him he didn''t like to taste himself, Kyle didn''t protest this time. He even returned the kiss.


    When he broke the kiss, Randall looked at Kyle gently in the eyes and said, "No."


    Kyle blinked.


    "What? No?!"


    "No," Randall repeated as he continued to rain kisses on Kyle.


    "Randall, this isn''t funny," Kyle said angrily.


    "It''s not meant to be," Randall answered.


    Under Randall''s expert administrations, Kyle felt himself go hard again.


    Damn this lustful body! Kyle cursed himself while Randall smiled languidly at the rising flag.


    He took hold of the hard shaft and started pumping slowly again, saying, "It''s obvious that it''s not that uncomfortable."


    "But I''m still unwilling!" Kyle hissed.


    "Doesn''t matter," Randall replied, letting go of Kyle''s c*ck and getting up. He walked over to the dresser and took out a tube of lubricant.


    "It''s always scary the first time," Randall explained.


    Kyle had gotten up the moment Randall had left the bed, and his eyes widened upon seeing that tube.


    "Shit, Randall, no," Kyle hissed, pulling at the handcuffs.


    "Sssshhhh," Randall said, walking back to the bed and smiling upon seeing the boy he loved all helpless, "It''ll only hurt the first time."


    Sitting down on the bed while Kyle scooted over to the side as far as the handcuffs allowed him, Randall said, putting a good amount of lubricant in his hands, "But it will get better. Come on, if you don''t let me prep you, it will hurt more."


    Kyle kicked out towards him, and Randall just dodged it. Before Kyle could make another move, Randall had grabbed the ankle in a vice grip and pulled.


    Kyle slid down and Randall''s hand went straight to the crack between his butt.


    Despite all the struggles, Randall managed to insert one finger smoothly into the virgin hole.


    Randall grinned, twirling his finger a bit while Kyle gritted his teeth.


    "There, that''s not so bad, is it?" Randall said, while slowly expanding the tight hole.


    Randall was getting a bit impatient, to be honest. Just feeling how that hole seemed to be sucking his finger in just made him want to thrust himself in immediately.


    But he endured.


    If he caused too much pain, Kyle would not agree to this again. Though Randall didn''t mind Kyle on top, he wanted to change once in a while. For that, Kyle had to get used to this.


    The first time is always the hardest.


    Randall was so engrossed with trying to keep himself from r*ping Kyle there and then that he didn''t notice the leg coming up at him.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle lay on the bed, gasping with relief.


    He had barely managed to get some strength into his leg and give Randall the kick right at the spot that would knock him out immediately. It was a delicate and hard move, and luckily, it worked this time.


    All the other attempts had just resulted in him getting caught and fucked.


    Unfortunately, when he knocked Randall out, his damn finger was still inside.


    Fuck, I hate this, Kyle thought to himself.


    In his previous life, his spouse did try an*l sex, but he had not been as gentle as Randall.


    It had caused Kylie a tremendous amount of pain and she wouldn''t allow him to do it ever again. Kyle did have trauma for that. Even now, Kyle couldn''t quite handle it, despite the fact that it wasn''t as painful as it had been then. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He just couldn''t enjoy it.


    Worse, he had to bear with that finger inside of him until he could escape from the handcuffs.


    Kyle dislocated his thumb on his right hand and slid one hand out, then placed the thumb back into position. He grabbed Randall''s hand to pull that finger out first before doing the same with his left hand to escape the handcuffs.


    He sat there, staring at the unconscious Randall and sighed. He clenched his butt, still feeling like there was something there and grimaced.


    Kyle brought his knees up to his chin and poked Randall''s head.


    "Stupid man. R*pe is not good, you know? Even if the body is reacting, if a person says no, it''s no." Kyle knocked his head for good measure, just wanting to get the frustration out.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that he needed information out of Randall, he would have killed him already. Then again, he needed Big Bro Nic''s approval before he did so, as the repercussions from Randall''s death may be something that they couldn''t afford.


    Sighing, Kyle pressed a few points on Randall''s shoulders and head, which caused his eyes to open. Then, Kyle began.


    In Randall''s subconscious, an image was beginning to form. Scenes starting emerging.

 Chapter 431 - Randall’s Dream

    ? Hardcore BL scene. Skip if you''re not comfortable??


    Randall felt a sharp pain at the side of his head and noticed Kyle feebly trying to kick him. He laughed, pushing that leg aside and moved his finger slowly so that Kyle could adjust easily. Twirling, then going in and out of the hole that was clenching his finger so tightly.


    When he felt that the fluttering entrance was sufficiently expanded, he inserted another finger. Kyle''s back arched at the additional appendage, and Randall had to lean on one leg to stop the struggling boy from causing more trouble.


    Randall bent down, taking Kyle''s c*ck in his mouth again while never stopping his fingers from their slow movements. His tongue would mimic the movements of his fingers inside of Kyle, causing him to struggle and moan at the same time.


    Randall sucked hard and inserted a third finger. Kyle screamed in pain and his body reacted instinctively but Randall ignored him.


    "Randall, please stop," Kyle was begging, "It hurts."


    Although Randall felt sympathy for Kyle, he didn''t stop. He needed to make sure Kyle would be properly prepared.


    It''s just like when it''s a girl''s first time, right? The whole experience can be scary, to have yourself submitting to someone else. To open up those legs and allow something to enter. It can also be painful when your insides are stretched for the first time, and when the hymen breaks.


    The pain is inevitable, but there was no way to avoid it. So despite the pain that will happen when a c*ck enters and the hymen breaks, it had to happen.


    So Randall continued his care of Kyle, loving the fact that he had this strong boy completely helpless under him. To be his first, was a very special thing.


    It had been hot to be subdued, it was just as hot to be the one subduing.


    "You''re ready now," Randall said, taking his fingers out with a pop.


    He put a large amount of lube on his c*ck that had been waiting impatiently, and then placed it right at Kyle''s entrance. He grabbed Kyle''s legs and spread them, then positioned his c*ck right at the hole.


    "I''m going in," he announced as he rubbed the head of his c*ck to the slightly open hole that seemed to be waiting for him.


    With a grunt, Randall slowly pushed his c*ck inside, allowing Kyle to get used to his size.


    Kyle trembled, shaking his head but was unable to do anything as Randall held his legs down and he was handcuffed. Randall kept on pushing himself inside until he reached the hilt, his b*lls hitting the flesh.


    It felt so good and it took a lot of willpower to stop himself from moving.


    Randall let go of Kyle''s legs and touched Kyle''s face. He saw the tears at Kyle''s eyelashes and he bent to kiss them away.


    "I''m sorry," Randall whispered at Kyle''s lips, "It''ll get better, I promise."


    With that, he kissed Kyle roughly, entering Kyle''s mouth with complete abandonment. He captured Kyle''s tongue in his mouth, sucking on it hard and upon feeling Kyle reacting to that, he started thrusting his hard c*ck inside.


    Kyle struggled, trying to pull away from the constant, rhythmic motion within him.


    Randall ignored everything. He didn''t let go of Kyle''s mouth while continuing his hard, even thrusts. His hands weren''t being idle either, as he caressed Kyle all over, as if he was touching the most delicate thing on Earth.


    It was such a contrast, between the hard thrusting below and the soft touches above.


    Randall broke the kiss breathlessly, and he peered at Kyle''s face that was slowly getting flushed.


    He smiled, loving that expression.


    Such a stubborn boy, refusing to submit, even though he was beginning to enjoy it. It was evident from how Kyle''s body was responding to him, and how dark his eyes had become, full of desire.


    Randall slowed down his thrusting, as he kissed and licked Kyle''s neck. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Feeling better now?" Randall asked with a rough voice.


    He smirked when Kyle didn''t answer. He went back to kissing him, knowing how much Kyle seemed to like being kissed.


    He could feel how tight Kyle was, as his c*ck went in and out of that slick hole of his, clutching his c*ck in ways that made his head spin.


    It felt so good and he couldn''t have enough of it.


    Without stopping his waist movements, Randall grabbed Kyle''s c*ck and started pumping to the rhythm of his thrusts. Kyle started moaning then, unable to stop the sounds from coming out of his mouth and that only made Randall speed up his own movements.


    He was nearing his climax and he could feel Kyle was, too.


    He quickened his hold on Kyle''s c*ck, using the precum that was leaking out in abundance as a lubricant. Kyle started panting hard, a sure sign that he was going to climax again and Randall gripped the c*ck in his hand harder.


    That seemed to be the trigger as Kyle climaxed with a shout, his arms rattling the handcuffs as his entire body tensed up. Randall groaned, feeling that tight butt squeezing his c*ck even more and he quickened his thrusting, ramming hard into Kyle.


    Kyle was gasping and moaning with each thrust, and Randall gripped Kyle''s butt to move his position a bit and started ramming himself inside Kyle at a different angle.


    It appeared to be a much more sensitive spot as Kyle shook his head left and right, unable to endure the pleasure Randall was giving him.


    The entire room was filled with the sounds of their intense lovemaking. Randall grunting, sounds of flesh smacking at each other and Kyle''s constant moaning and gasps.


    Even with all of that, Kyle still managed to gasp out, "No ... Ran ... Randall ... not ... not inside ..."


    Randall grunted, not stopping nor slowing down his thrusts.


    He wanted nothing more than to fill him up inside but upon hearing Kyle''s plea, he gritted his teeth, hesitating. Seeing that face, hearing that plea, Randall groaned and pulled out right at the last minute, ejaculating onto Kyle''s smooth abs.


    Both were breathing heavily, and Randall went to kiss Kyle deeply, not caring about the fact that their s*men was all over both of them.


    Breaking the kiss, Randall peered at Kyle''s face lovingly, kissing him all over.


    "That was amazing. If you weren''t so tired, I''d go for another round," Randall said, grinning.


    Kyle, who just barely got his breathing under control, rolled his eyes. Rattling the handcuffs, he said, "Now can you uncuff me?"


    Randall didn''t answer but kissed him alongside his jaw instead.


    "Randall!" Kyle hissed.


    "It''s really hot, seeing you all tied up like this," Randall said with a growl.


    "Randall, I swear, if you ..." Kyle began, cursing at him.


    "I changed my mind," Randall said hoarsely, getting more turned on by Kyle''s resistance and cursing.


    "What do ...? AH!" Kyle gasped as Randall rammed his c*ck back inside.


    "One more time," he moaned as he began thrusting hard into Kyle.

 Chapter 432 - You Are Mine

    ? Small BL scene. Skip if you''re uncomfortable??


    Kyle was sitting on the bed, staring intently at Randall, who was writhing and moaning, his mind in a completely different place. Kyle wondered idly what sort of scenes he was seeing.


    Kyle had hypnotized Randall to see his greatest sexual desire being realised. The only thing he had added was that Randall would not cum inside of him, as he wouldn''t be able to explain why there would be no semen leaking from his butt later on.


    Kyle leaned back on the headboard, his head heavy and dizzy.


    Utilising the Kato Art in his weakened condition had really taxed his mind.


    He had recovered slightly under the shower and, surprisingly, when he had climaxed. The rush of adrenalin that and hormones that were released during that time actually cleared up his mind and relaxed his body.


    So, Kyle immediately put his plan into action.


    Though he could have escaped from the handcuffs at any time, he did not dare do so until he was confident of disabling Randall. Otherwise, Randall would have just caught him and tie him up even more securely.


    Holding back was damn hard, though. He had to bide his time carefully and even endure that finger being shoved up his a*s.


    Urgh.


    Kyle looked at Randall.


    From the way Randall was writhing about and moaning in complete ecstasy, Randall sure is getting the f*ck of his life. Randall''s c*ck was standing up so stiffly that Kyle shook his head. Wrapping his hands around it, he slowly started pumping. It was already so slick and wet from Randall''s pre-cum, a sure testament to the sort of hot dream he was having.


    It didn''t take long for Randall to reach an orgasm, and Kyle clenched his teeth as he aimed that shooting gun right at his chest. Feeling the warm, sticky mess hitting him, Kyle resisted the urge to wipe it away just yet.


    Man, that guy had a lot to unload.


    When it was over, Kyle took Randall''s hand and used it to wipe the semen off, and wiped his hands on the bedsheet. He thought of the most logical place to do so, just in case Randall was that meticulous in his observations.


    Kyle was getting really, really tired and had difficulty even keeping his eyes open at that point. It was as if his body was shutting down at that point, with Kyle having gone beyond normal when he used the Kato Art.


    Still, he pushed himself as he had to get everything in place before Randall came out of his illusion.


    Seeing the bed as it should be, Kyle turned towards Randall and groaned.


    Seriously?


    Why the fuck was the man hard again?!


    ? Next Morning ?


    Randall woke up slowly, feeling extremely happy and satisfied. Memories of what transpired the night entered his mind and he smiled. He opened his eyes, and his smile widened upon seeing the young boy deeply asleep in front of him.


    However, he immediately frowned upon seeing that Kyle was still handcuffed to the bed. Feeling utter remorse, he quickly went to the dresser and got the key. Unlocking it, he choked to see the red marks left on the delicate fair skin of his beloved.


    Guilt assaulted him.


    He peered at that sleeping face. Until now, Randall couldn''t believe how wanton that face could be in the middle of their lovemaking, Right now, those perfect features looked so peaceful and innocent, just like the young boy that he is.


    Randall lovingly stroked the hair, pushing it aside so he could see his features better The touch seemed to have awoken him and he saw those eyelashes flutter before the eyelids opened.


    There was slight hazy confusion for a second before his domineering Dean came back. With a growl, Kyle swung a punch right at his face.


    Randall caught that fist easily, and then kissed the knuckles, while apologizing, "I''m sorry, Dean. I mean, Kyle. I didn''t mean ..."


    "What? Didn''t mean to be such an as*hole?!" Kyle hissed.


    Retracting his fist, Kyle turned to get off the bed, only to jerk a bit, as if in pain.


    "Where''s my clothes?" Kyle asked, not turning to look at Randall.


    "I threw them away," Randall answered.


    "You WHAT?!" Kyle shouted, turning to glare at him, "Why the fuck would you do that?!"


    Randall shrugged, not showing a bit of remorse, "How else can I ensure that you won''t run away?"


    "Er, hello? Excuse me? Who was the one that handcuffed me to the bed? ALL night?!"


    At that, Randall really did look contrite, "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to. I guess I fell asleep without realising it."


    Kyle snorted and got up, saying, "And who was the one that said he could last the whole night?"


    Kyle got up gingerly and walked rather stiffly to the closet. He opened it and found it to be empty. Frowning, he opened another and it was the same. He headed to the bathroom and it was empty as well.


    "Randall, where are your clothes?" Kyle asked from the bathroom door, staring at the self-satisfied man on the bed.


    "Oh, won''t need them for a few days," he said nonchalantly.


    "Don''t fuck with me, Randall," Kyle hissed.


    "No, I just plan to fuck you, not with you," Randall answered with a smirk.


    Kyle rolled his eyes


    "Oh, har-har. Very funny. Look, I''m practically laughing my guts out here," Kyle said, his face dark.


    Randall was unfazed and got up from the bed, heading towards Kyle. Kyle stood his ground, not running away like some scared maiden. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Randall closed the gap, he couldn''t help but feel his heart so full of love for that prickly boy in front of him, his eyes flashing with anger and not an ounce of fear within him.


    There was no one else more perfect that him to be by his side.


    "You can''t leave, Kyle. You are mine."

 Chapter 433 - Forever

    Kyle pushed him aside, angrily stomping towards the bed. Taking the blanket, he held it horizontally and wrapped it around his back. Pinching one side, the then wrapped it all the way across the front of his body until he could tuck the end underneath the opposite arm.


    Kyle then grab the top corner and brought it over his shoulder from behind. Finally, he took the top?corner and tied the two of them together at his shoulder.


    Kyle was now wearing a toga.*


    Randall''s eyebrows shot up at Kyle''s innovation and admired him even more.


    He didn''t say a word, nor did he stop him while Kyle was doing all that mumbo-jumbo with the blanket until Kyle reached the door.


    "You might want to think twice before stepping out that door," Randall said.


    Kyle''s hand stopped at the doorknob and he slowly turned, "What do you mean by that?"


    Kyle had planned to settle with Randall after he had fully recovered. He couldn''t fully utilize the Kato Art right now, and last night had drained him completely. So all he could do last night was place the fake memories and not extract information.


    He didn''t have the truth serum with him after all.


    But now, Randall was giving him a threat? What did he do?


    Randall sat on the bed, tilting his head as he said, "I''ve placed my men to monitor your parents and ... what is it? The Elite Five? Their families. At my word, you and your friends will become orphans."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed, and he didn''t bother to hide the anger that he was feeling right there and then.


    "You did WHAT?!" Kyle said, heading over to Randall and swiftly grabbed him by the neck. Randall didn''t even flinch but laughed.


    "They are all in position. One word from me and poof!" Randall smirked, "Of course, if they don''t hear from me everyday, they''ll also go poof!"


    Kyle released his killer aura, that had been simmering ever since Randall''s revelation. Randall''s eyes bugled wide, but instead of being subdued, he opened his legs wide. To show that he was hard and ready.


    "You''re sick," Kyle hissed, letting go of Randall''s neck.


    Randall stood up, putting his hand behind Kyle''s neck, "You made me this way."


    "What do you want?"


    "Haven''t I told you already? Be mine. Stay," Randall said, "As long as you''re with me, you and your friend''s families will be safe."


    "I will treat you well, Kyle. You won''t be short of anything, and you''ll be free from the chains of being the Smith Heir. You can be yourself. Love anyone," Randall said, leaning closer, "As long as that one is me."


    Kyle jerked back, avoiding Randall and said, "Is that why you''re doing all this? Because you think I''m being burdened as the Smith Heir?"


    "I don''t think," Randall replied, "I know. You created this Dean persona to escape once in a while. Believe me, I know. It can be tiresome, hiding who and what you are. I was like you."


    Kyle''s mind churned as he processed this information. So it was true that Randall didn''t know the truth about Dean. But what is this fantasy story he had made up? And he truly believed it, too.


    Just how did that guy''s mind work?! Then again, he actually got aroused from being choked, so ...


    "If that''s the case," Kyle said slowly, "Why are you threatening my family anyway?"


    "Because you''d never admit it," Randall explained, "You''re too stubborn and too responsible to agree to my proposal."


    Kyle snorted, "I''m not stubborn. You''re the stubborn one. Look, Randall. I told you ..."


    Randall put his hand over Kyle''s mouth, shaking his head, "See. Stubborn. If I don''t do this, you''ll never even consider it. No matter what, you''re staying."


    "Be reasonable, Randall," Kyle said, "Even if I decide to be with you, it doesn''t mean I have to stay by your side 24/7. I have my own life as well. My family."


    Randall shrugged.


    "That''s why they think you''re dead," Randall said.


    Kyle looked at him in shock, as Randall continued, "Soon, authorities are going to find your clothes, ripped and bloodied. You went for a jog and never came back." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What the hell, Randall?!" Kyle roared, coming at him.


    "It''s the only way for me to keep you with me," Randall replied, easily blocking Kyle''s punches, "Your parents would never allow you to stay, right? It''s for your own good."


    "My own good, my a*s! You''re such an as*hole, Randall!" Kyle kicked at him, "How can you make my sister go through that pain?! My mother?!"


    Randall grabbed Kyle, pinning him down and replied, "It''s better this way, trust me."


    "You are mine forever,"?Randall said softly as he kissed Kyle''s neck.

 Chapter 434 - All’s Clear

    Kyle didn''t move and simply lay there like a log. Stiff as a board and his head was turned away, his face showing how angry he was.


    Randall reluctantly got off Kyle, deciding not to push any further. He was well aware of how angry the boy was, and that if he pressed on too much, the boy would retaliate in ways that would be destructive to the both of them.


    Kyle''s blatant anger and displeasure at him did not bother him at all, though. He knew that it would happen and he was confident that in time, Kyle would see and understand his actions. The boy was still young, and impulsive.


    Randall was more than prepared for the cold war that would happen.


    He had plenty of time to coax him.


    All his life, actually.


    ?.?.?.?


    It didn''t take long for the news to hit the headlines.


    "Uprising star missing"


    "Smith Heir suspected dead"


    The police made a statement, urging the public for any information that they might have. They stated that the investigations were still going on, and that it was too early to make any conclusions. The clothes were suspected to be Kyle''s but until forensics went through it, they could not make any conclusion.


    There was Kay there as well, standing beside him and crying. Xing Han was beside her, holding her by the waist and she was leaning on him for support. She would be wiping her eyes daintly with a handkerchief, while Xing Han''s own eyes puffy and red. Sam''s face was impassive, his posture stiff but if anyone knew him, they could tell how much he was affected.


    Once the chief of police made his statement, Kay stepped forward and made a heartfelt plea to anyone to come forward. Her sad, angelic face on a girl that was trying to hard to be strong, tugged at everyone''s heartstrings.


    A reward was offered for any information, no matter how small.


    Kyle was watching the news and he threw the remote control at the screen, smashing it. He kicked the chair he was on and went to the window, to look at the hotel on the opposite side - where the press statement was being made.


    Not once did he spare a glance towards the man that was watching him from the desk.


    Randall was equally silent, letting the young boy vent.


    Of course, it would be painful to watch, but he wanted Kyle to watch.


    To see the helplessness of the whole situation, and surrendering himself completely to him.


    Though Kyle appeared to be looking out, in reality, he was thinking hard.


    It had been only two days but it felt like a lifetime. During that entire time, Randall didn''t touch him nor try to speak to him. He just observed. He waited.


    Kyle admired Randall''s persistence and patience. He was also familiar with this mindgame that Randall was playing. He wanted Kyle to see how his ties to this world were being cut, and burned, so that the only person that he could rely on, was him.


    Kyle couldn''t leave as the threat over his parents and the Elite Five families were still there.


    At least he didn''t have to wear the makeshift toga anymore.


    Clothes had been delivered by Randall''s henchmen, and they didn''t stay. Kyle and Randall ate in the room, sometimes the hotel''s food, sometimes delivered by food deliveries. Kyle would refuse to eat at the same table as Randall, choosing to just sit near the window.


    It may be a childish move, but Kyle wasn''t going to budge on this matter.


    No one was guarding the door as Randall didn''t see the need to.


    After all, he had the best bargaining chip.


    Although Kyle couldn''t leave, he wasn''t idle. He spent the time at night to get information out of Randall. Once he was asleep, Kyle would press his acupuncture points to ensure that he remained asleep.


    However, he could still hypnotize Randall by having him open his eyes. Using hypnotic voice, he would be ''talking'' to Randall''s subconscious, who would be replying as if he was sleeptalking. Randall wouldn''t remember a thing the next day.


    This was the Kato Art.


    At least, a part of it.


    Kyle also used the day to fully recover and he was itching to just get to it. But he couldn''t rush anything. Too many things were at stake.


    Randall looked at Kyle''s silhouette at the window, completely mesmerized by the vision that was in front of him.


    With the golden glow of the sun hitting him, his perfectly flawless skin shone even more and his sharp jawline looked especially enticing in that light. He gulped as he saw the lovebites that he had given Kyle, peeking through the shirt and just underneath the collar.


    Randall''s eyes glazed over a bit as his mind replayed their intense lovemaking session a few days ago. He had been holding himself back but it was getting really, really hard - er, the holding back, that is although his pants were getting rather tight as well.


    The sunlight also teased him to show him the outline of Kyle''s muscular lean body underneath the shirt that he was wearing. Randall licked his lips, then bit his bottom lip, as he took in all that was in front of him with his eyes.


    Unable to handle it anymore, Randall walked over to Kyle, hugging him from behind and placed his chin on his shoulder.


    Kyle elbowed him but, as usual, Randall didn''t care about the pain. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, he hugged Kyle tighter, sniffing his neck. Kyle could even feel his d*ck right at his butt, its hard form dry grinding him. As he did so, the bulge got bigger and the breathing at his ear got heavier.


    Randall had abstained for two days now and he was starting to get impatient.


    Having such a delectable meal right in front of him and not being able to eat it was torture. Still, he held back despite the growing hard-on he was getting just from holding and smelling Kyle.


    Kyle crossed his arms across his chest, not saying a word.


    "We''ll be going back home soon," Randall said breathlessly in Kyle''s ear, kissing it, and running his tongue along its side, "Our room is finally ready and it just needs you to complete it."


    Kyle jerked his head to the side, away from that tongue and with all his strength, he pushed Randall away. He glared at him, his hand on his chest, "Stay. Away. From. Me."


    "You can be on top this time, Kyle," Randall said breathlessly, looking at Kyle in the eye as he started unbuckling his belt.


    "Not interested," Kyle hissed, "You really think I"m in the mood for anything, considering what you''re putting me through? My family through?!"


    Randall unzipped his pants and he said, "Don''t you want to make me suffer then? Do whatever you want to release that anger inside of you. Hit me, punch me, whatever. Rough me up while you ram your deliciousness in me."


    Just as Kyle opened his mouth to respond, he heard that beautiful angelic voice in his mind.


    [All''s clear, brother]

 Chapter 435 - Crossed The Line

    Hearing the all''s clear that he had been waiting so patiently for, Kyle felt like jumping in joy.


    [Finally!! Is Mum okay? Dad?]


    [They weren''t hurt from Randall''s men. You being dead, however? Not so much. They''re on their way. I couldn''t hold them back anymore.]


    Kyle sighed, [Everyone else in position?]


    [Yup. Just come home now, please]


    Randall, upon seeing that slight hesitation from Kyle, got excited. Hearing him sigh, he waited as he watched Kyle then focused back on looking at him. Then at his c*ck that he had just pulled out from his pants.


    It was as if Kyle was coming towards him in slow motion.


    Randall looked up at Kyle, and became instantly captivated by his eyes. His clear blue eyes. Everything around him seemed to blur out and he found himself unable to move.


    His mind was going blank. He felt like he was falling into the endless depth of the ocean. Suddenly, he started gasping, feeling like he really was underwater and was unable to breathe.


    He reached out, but there was nothing.


    Randall panicked as he fell to the ground, his heart pumping hard from the lack of air. All sounds and sight were cut off from him. He couldn''t see anything. He couldn''t hear anything.


    What was happening? A heart attack?!


    He clutched his chest, feeling the intense pain there, which seemed to be pumping hard without being able to get any oxygen.


    It felt like something was clutching hard at his heart, and he couldn''t breathe. His last thought was on his beloved, Kyle. Would he be alright?


    Kyle looked at Randall that was now lying still on the floor and sighed.


    It had been a horrendous two days here.


    Planning everything with Kay, settling things back in Country Tz, finalising details in Country M. Randall sure made him do a lot of work in such a short time. Luckily, MIB is efficient.


    With the ''all clear'' sign, it meant that all the people sent to monitor the families were caught and executed. Big Bro Nic was really happy about that as more moles were caught that wouldn''t have been otherwise.


    Turns out that Randall had pulled out all the stops to trap Kyle. The information Kyle had gotten from Randall before had been lacking in some aspects as there were people in Country Tz that even Randall didn''t know.


    However, when Randall started calling up favours and offering hefty rewards, those that Randall knew contacted others. Even the deep undercover moles came out. Randall had gone beyond his authority, which most likely would make the higher-ups jump up and down in anger.


    His normal rational thinking went out the window this time, due to Kyle.


    The silver lining.


    ''All''s clear'' also meant that Big Bro Nic gave the green light for the hit.


    Which was good, as it was the only way to properly stop the insanity. No one would be safe otherwise. While Kyle got rid of Randall, MIB in Country M were getting rid of every henchmen of Randall''s while Big Bro Nic worked with MIB in Country M to clear the moles there.


    Anyone who knew about ''Dean'', was dead.


    As Kyle sat there, looking at the body of Randall, Kyle couldn''t help but feel ... sad. He checked Randall''s pulse and confirmed that he was dead and looking at the wide-open eyes. Kyle closed the lids, and gently stroked Randall''s cheek.


    Kyle hadn''t felt anything when he ''broke up'' with Samantha yet, with Randall - his feelings were a bit more complicated.


    Was it because they had oral s*x? He knew that the brain did form a sort of connection during the intense sexual activity - which was why it is such a good tool to use. The false feeling of warmth that would arise.


    Or was it because Kyle felt it was partly his fault?


    After all, Randall became obsessed with him due to what he had done. Kyle never thought he would have such a huge impact on Randall, though.


    Randall''s death would look like a heart attack, and Kyle deliberately chose the quickest method that wouldn''t leave a trace to him. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Getting up, he carefully wiped the room for any of his fingerprints and cleared the bathroom and bedsheets of any hair particles of his.


    He wasn''t worried about the carpet as ... well, let''s face it. Country M''s forensic team is not as detailed and thorough as most countries. Sad, but true.


    After making sure he got all traces of him gone from the room, Kyle took one last look at Randall. Going over, he?kissed Randall on the forehead, and whispered, "I''m sorry, Randall, but you crossed my bottom line."


    Taking a final look at the still form of Randall, Kyle walked out.

 Chapter 436 - Showtime

    Delilah was crying silently on the plane, while Patrick was holding her close. He had his arm around her shoulder, and she was holding his waist, crying onto his chest.


    "I shouldn''t have let him go on this tour. My baby, my baby," she kept mumbling, her tears streaking down her face.


    "It''s not your fault," Patrick said for the millionth time, "He wanted to go. You know how he is."


    "But I should have been firmer," Delilah argued, "He''s only 15. What was I thinking?! They are all just kids! How could I .."


    Patrick put his hand at the back of her head and stroked her hair while pushing her onto his chest more. Effectively stopping her rants that he had been hearing for the past 24 hours.


    They had wanted to come immediately, upon hearing Kyle had gone missing. He had also been angry initially at Kay, for keeping the news from him. He actually had to find out from the police! Imagine his shock when he got that call. He had blasted and shouted at her on Facetime, while she just sat there, crying.


    His anger wasn''t abated but he stopped upon seeing that. Delilah also scolded him relentlessly, telling him he was going overboard. As they talked, they found out that Kay hadn''t known that he was missing until the next day.


    Turns out, Kyle had slipped out at night without anyone telling anyone. Where he went, or what he did, nobody knew. Not even Kay.


    When Kay had woken up the next day and didn''t see Kyle, she thought he had gone for his normal morning jog. It was only when he didn''t turn up after breakfast that she got worried. She didn''t contact them because she didn''t want to panic them yet.


    She had made a police report at 11am, after finally confirming that he didn''t seem to be back yet. It was not like him not to call either. She gave them the last clothes he was seen in - and only when those clothes were found that all Hell broke loose. Being below 20, and a visitor to the country, the police went into action immediately.


    Naturally, his parents were contacted as well.


    "There is no evidence yet that the clothes belong to Kyle," Patrick said as he tried to soothe the distraught Delilah, "And even if it was, he is still missing. Why were only his clothes found?"


    Delilah clutched at his shirt, saying hoarsely, "But they were bloodied!"


    "Stop overthinking things," Patrick admonished her, "Until we actually see the body, our son is alive. You hear me?"


    Delilah could only nod weakly and didn''t say a word anymore.


    ?.?.?.?


    "So? Is it done?" Xing Han asked worriedly, wringing his hands, "Is he safe?"


    Kay nodded, "Yes. He''s in position."


    Xing Han slumped on the sofa, patting his chest, "I know Kyle is skilled but this seriously is damn scary ... that Randall guy ... " sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay patted his shoulders, then said, "You should wash your face, really. You wouldn''t want Kyle to be worried about you, right? Put some used teabags on those puffy eyes, too."


    Xing Han really did cry and had been unable to sleep for the past couple of days. He had been so worried over Kyle that it took Sam knocking him unconscious to stop him from rushing out and ruining everything.


    Sam never thought he had to use his skills on his own brothers, but it sure came in handy.


    "How can you be so calm?!" Xing Han pointed at Sam, who was busy tapping away at his keyboard.


    "I''m not," Sam said, "But I have a job to do. If I can''t handle this, how am I supposed to be his PA? He''s both the Smith Heir and kidnapping situations are pretty normal, after all."


    Sam now knew everything about Kyle, save for the past life issue.


    Kyle had contacted Kay the morning after, detailing her about his condition and what Randall had planned. They took quite a long time to discuss things, and things were really hectic. In order to be able to work smoothly, Kay had to tell Sam about Kyle''s underworld activities.


    As expected, Sam took it in with a calmness that, quite frankly, scared Kay a bit. It was truly abnormal that anyone could just take such explosive news with such clarity of mind. But she was grateful for it. It made everything so much more smoother.


    All Sam had said was, "No wonder. That certainly explains a lot of things. What do we need to do now?"


    "Ms Kay," came the respectful voice of Zero, "Everything is ready and Agent Pie is ready to contact the police."


    "Noted," Kay said, dusting some imaginary dust from her skirt, "It''s showtime."

 Chapter 437 - Special Kind Of Stupid*

    Just as the plane was about to land, Delilah got a call. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Patrick! Patrick!! They found Kyle!!" she screamed, her hands trembling while she held the phone, her face wet again with tears.


    "What?!" Patrick shouted, jumping up and taking the phone.


    It was Kay. She repeated what she had told her mother.


    "Brother is fine," Kay said, sniffling, "He was being taken care of in some lady''s house. She found him unconscious and injured at the side of the road, so she took him in."


    Turns out, the lady was an illegal settler who lived in a dilapidated hut right in the middle of the city. Thus, she did not contact the authorities about Kyle, yet she did not have the heart to leave him on the street.


    She had taken him in and took care of him, but being superstitious, she had thrown out Kyle''s bloodied clothes out the window - which was directly beside a huge monsoon drain that led to the river.


    When she happened to have seen the press statement right outside the hotel, she knew she had to let his kin know. Thus, she had gone to find Kay and told her all about what had happened.


    Kay said, "I''m with Kyle right now. He''s very weak and appears to be in-and-out of it. It looks like he was hit on the head, so he may have a concussion."


    "Why is he still there then? Why haven''t you called the ambulance?" Patrick nearly roared at Kay, but held back, scared of scaring her.


    "His saviour is staying here illegally, Dad," Kay said in a whisper, "I don''t want to get her into trouble. She will end up in jail, and she had saved his life. She took care of him these two days."


    "I will be bringing Kyle to the hospital now, but I wanted to let you know first. Please do not say anything about his saviour."


    Patrick let out a breath, glad that he had given her the chance to speak, "Fine. I''ll meet you at the hospital. What''s the cover story on how you found him?"


    "An anonymous tip," Kay replied simply, "They can''t force me to tell them where I got him, and I will say it was my promise to them for letting me know where he is."


    Patrick nodded, "Good. I''ll get the legal team ready just in case they press the issue."


    "Thank you, Dad," Kay said, "I''ll be going now. The cab is here."


    ?.?.?.?


    Xing Han stared at Kyle.


    He shook his head.


    "I can''t believe you did all that," he hissed, pointing at the knife wound on the legs, multiple bruises on the chest and a bump on the head.


    Kyle shrugged, saying, "It has to be realistic. After all, the doctors would know otherwise."


    Pointing to his chest, "This was needed to cover the love bites, by the way."


    Xing Han came over to him, his eyes wet with tears again, "Did he hurt you? Did he .. did he ... "


    Kyle shook his head, lying with a straight face, "No. He just tried but didn''t go all the way."


    "Where is he now?"


    "I don''t know," Kyle said, "The moment I recovered, I escaped."


    Kyle didn''t like lying to Xing Han but there was no way he could tell Xing Han that he had killed Randall.


    "This is all that darn Nitocris''s fault!!" growled Xing Han.


    Kyle blinked. Wait. What?


    "If you weren''t helping him gather information, could this guy have latched on to you? It was so dangerous! Why?!" Xing Han rattled on.


    Kyle patted him on the hand, saying, "It''s not his fault, Xing Han. No one could have predicted this to happen."


    "You may be a genius, Kyle," Xing Han said, "But you''re really a special kind of stupid."*


    Kyle blinked again. Wait. What??


    "Did you really think, that anyone, could forget you?" Xing Han said, rolling his eyes, "I mean, just look at you. Just by doing nothing, you cause ovaries to burst. Imagine when you actually do something? Pfffft. They''ll probably die."


    Kyle looked helplessly at Kay and Sam, who simply nodded.


    "Oh come on," Kyle said, putting up his hands in surrender, "What normal person would go to that length just because he can''t forget me?"


    Xing Han shook his head and tsked, "You''re not normal in the first place. What makes you think you''d attract normal people or cause normal reactions?"


    Kyle''s mouth was wide open then. He couldn''t quite refute that now, could he? Considering how twisted Randall turned out to be, Xing Han had a point.


    [You should really stop with the honey traps, brother. We escaped this time, but who knows about the next time?]


    Kyle sighed, leaning on the bed.


    [You''re right. Maybe I should]

 Chapter 438 - Showdown

    Delilah burst into the room and ran right to Kyle. She cried again seeing all the injuries on him.


    "Oh my! My baby! Are you okay?!" Delilah said, "Of course you''re not okay!"


    "Mum, I''m fine," Kyle assured her, "This looks worse than it is. Really."


    The Agents had done their work very well. The hits were as such that it maximised effect but minimised damage. It was all external injuries - except for the knife wound but that was shallow. The pain was bearable and nothing more than normal injuries sustained during training.


    He''s had worse.


    "This is the result of overconfidence and stupidity," Patrick said sternly, "What did you think you were doing?! Going out at night?? Where was your brain?! Do you know what you put your mother through!!"


    Once Patrick started, it seemed to gain traction and escalate.


    "Oh, Patrick, enough," chided Delilah, "He''s injured right now. He''s safe. That''s all that matters."


    "Delilah! No," Patrick replied, giving her a stern look, "Not this time! He has been too wilful and irresponsible!!" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Delilah kept quiet immediately, looking down.


    Patrick had a point, but she disagreed with him blasting away at Kyle when she just got him back. She hadn''t even had time to hug him, or anything when he started.


    Problem is, once the Smith Anger comes in, there was no point in raising any issue and the best was to keep quiet. Couldn''t he have waited, though?!


    Delilah was not happy.


    Kyle, in the meantime, started to feel his own anger starting.


    He was prepared for Patrick''s scolding for the cover-up story they came up with had him slipping out like that. It was the only way to deflect the blame on Kay and the others.


    However, he was NOT prepared for Patrick raising his voice at his mother. He did not like the tone of voice that he used. Even if he didn''t have the sort of emotional connection most kids have with their mothers, it did not mean Kyle was apathetic towards her.


    He loved her very much, in his own way and he was very protective of her as well. No person can disrespect his mother, even if it was his own father.


    He glared at Patrick.


    "What? Not satisfied?" Patrick demanded, seeing the way his son bristled on the bed, staring at him in anger.


    This was the first time he had seen Kyle truly angry, and it triggered the anger in him as well. How dare this son of his not see what he had done wrong? Not only did he not feel remorse over his actions, he was rebellious like this?


    Kyle was his son, damn it!


    How dare he be so disrespectful. He was already lying there, on the hospital bed, and so severely injured. If it hadn''t been the random act of kindness from a stranger, he wouldn''t be looking at an injured son - but a corpse instead.


    That thought had terrified him so much that he felt his previous actions of letting his son do what he wanted, was wrong. His son was too wilful, too stubborn and too arrogant to learn properly. Patrick had to?remain steadfast, and get through that blockhead son of his that he was still a kid.


    He was not invincible.


    He has to learn this.


    Patrick needs to instill some discipline within him before it was too late, if it wasn''t already.


    "You will go home after this and cancel all your engagements. There will no longer be any activities outside of school and you are to stay in school until the end. No more deviations, and detours. Stay home and in school," Patrick announced.


    "No," Kyle replied, not breaking eye contact at all, "I have responsibilities and contractual obligations. You can''t expect me to drop everything just to please you."


    "It is NOT about pleasing me!" Patrick said, his voice getting louder, "You are only 15 years old and you are supposed to stay in school!!"


    "Not pleasing you? Only 15 years old? Are you hearing yourself?" Kyle countered, unabashed at his rudeness, "Perhaps you haven''t noticed, but there is nothing in school that I don''t already know! In what way is me staying in a school all year round if I don''t need to, unless it is just so that you feel better about it?"


    "Your arrogance astounds me," Patrick said, clenching his teeth, "Since you''re not learning anything from Sakura Academy, I''ll transfer you to the Royal Military College. Perhaps some discipline will knock some sense into you."


    "You can''t make me," Kyle hissed, his eyes narrowed into slits, "I''m already a legal adult. I make my own choices!!"


    "Not in this case!!" Patrick said, slamming his hand on the bedside table.


    Delilah jumped but remained quiet. That only triggered Kyle even more.


    Kay held on to her hand, her face showing her worry as well but she knew she couldn''t say anything. She looked at her father and brother. It was a pity that both of them were just too stubborn and angry to see anything clearly.


    Xing Han and Sam had already slipped out quietly, for this was a private family matter and they felt uncomfortable witnessing it all.


    "Whether it is this, or any other case, it is MY life and MY choice!! Stop trying to control me!!" Kyle shouted.


    Kyle was enraged at this point. Partly because he found Patrick unreasonable and partly because he had made his mother scared. He could see how worried she was, staring at Patrick - and him - but he couldn''t back down from this.


    He had been trying to keep his voice down but the more Patrick shouted, the more the anger boiled within him.


    "I am NOT controlling you!! What you''re doing is wrong!" Patrick roared, "No matter what, you are MY son and you WILL do as I say!!!"


    "NO I WILL NOT!! Perhaps if you had actually acted like a father, I would!!!" Kyle roared back.

 Chapter 439 - Showdown (II)

    Kyle''s words cut Patrick to the core.


    It was true. He had not been much of a father while Kyle was growing up.


    After all, Kyle was the prickly one that kept him at bay, and Kyle seemed to be much more closer to his mother than him. Since he was so busy with the company and Kyle didn''t seem to warm up to him as much, it was only natural that he left the raising up of Kyle to Delilah.


    It wasn''t that he ignored Kyle, but he didn''t exactly guide him in anything either.


    When he thought about it, he had never done any father-son activities either.


    All of this was irrelevant, though. The past is the past and no matter what, Patrick couldn''t change that.


    A heavy silence hung in the air, both Patrick and Kyle''s chests were heaving up and down from suppressed anger and the latest shouting match. Luckily, there were in a VIP room so they didn''t disturb anyone in the same room but their voices still carried out to those who were outside.


    Nurses and families of patients walking by would often stare at the door of the room, but no one bothered the occupants. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So you''re bearing a grudge against me? For not being there for you?" Patrick finally said, his voice lower this time.


    Kyle turned to look away, his frustrations clearly evident on his face. If he continued to have this verbal war with Patrick, he would end up saying things that could not be taken back.


    Even now, he already regretted what he had said. Though it was true that Patrick had not been there for him, it was his own actions that kept him at bay.


    It was an unfair statement.


    Kyle knew it, but it didn''t detract from the fact of the matter that yes, Patrick did neglect him. He couldn''t suddenly now want to dictate his life? Raise him up? Tell him what to do?


    Kyle knew that he wouldn''t be able to handle having to obey Patrick''s demands unquestioningly. Transfer him to a military school? Like, seriously?


    "I''m not that petty," Kyle said finally, "You had your reasons and you did the best that you could. I don''t blame you."


    Turning to look at Patrick, he continued, "But don''t expect me to suddenly be able to tolerate you wanting to be a father right now."


    Kyle meant that he did not want Patrick to treat him like a kid that had to obey whatever his parent stated and planned. Unfortunately, it didn''t sound like that and it appeared as if Kyle was rejecting Patrick completely as his father.


    Patrick clenched his hands, his fingers digging into the palm and the pain helped to stop him from blasting at his son again. The anger that he had managed to suppress flared up again and it was as if there were sparks in his eyes.


    "Fine. Since you don''t see me as your father, and since it''s so obvious that you don''t need me, you can stay and rot here for all I care," Patrick declared.


    He turned towards Delilah and Kay, saying, "We are leaving."


    Delilah looked at Patrick helplessly, and towards Kyle. She knew more than anything that when the Smith Anger came out, nothing could be done. But how could she leave her son right now?


    Patrick saw that and he grabbed her hand, holding it tightly while looking at Kay, "Kyle is fine. We are going home now."


    Kay nodded, not understanding at first what Patrick meant.


    "Alright, Dad. I will take care of him," she assured them, more to Delilah.


    "Did you not hear what I said? We are going home now," Patrick said with a frown, "Kyle can take care of himself. He doesn''t need anyone."


    Kay''s eyes went wide open and she turned towards Kyle in a panic, "But Dad ..."


    "No buts!" Patrick cut her off sternly, "Or are you going to disobey me as well? I am not your father as well?"


    Kay''s mind was reeling.


    [Go with him, Kay. You can''t afford to offend him right now]


    Kay bit her lower lip and bowed her head.


    Patrick, satisfied, turned to look at Kyle gloatingly, "At least one of my children knows how to be grateful. Since you''re such an adult and don''t need your family, you are free to do whatever you want."


    ''Hah,'' Patrick thought smugly to himself, ''Let''s see how well you do without the Smith money and your sister beside you.''


    He felt it wouldn''t take long before Kyle came back home, contrite and ready to be obedient. Patrick believed Kyle was so arrogant and blind because he always had the Smith money and power behind him. Without it, what was he?


    In his anger, Patrick completely neglected the fact that Kyle had proven himself to be a capable CEO-in-training more than once. Kyle had never really spent the money Patrick had given him, unless it was on food and clothing - and even then, the things Kyle owned and wore had cost far more than what Kyle had ever ''claimed'' from him.


    Patrick would soon find out that this action of his to subdue his son cost him far more than he ever thought possible. Of course, at the end of it, they reconciled and reached an understanding. However, the journey was filled with tons of regret.


    For now, the first step on that path had been taken.


    Kyle glared at Patrick, his words causing the anger within him to flare up all over again.


    What was wrong with the man''s mind??


    When did he ever say he didn''t need his family? When had he shown ungratefulness? Just because he didn''t want to follow whatever that man dictated? Other than his personal life, did he ever disobey? Did he ever perform badly?


    Now, he was even taking Kay away from him when he knew how tight their bond was? He was using his ''father authority'' to force Kay to separate from him, which would only cause them pain??Yet make it sound like he was the one that was the cause of it all?!


    Fine.


    Since that''s his game, bring it on.


    "I never said that, but does it matter?" Kyle said, his eyes cold, "You obviously believe it and it''s set in stone."


    Kyle looked at his sister and his mother tenderly, "I"m sorry, Mum. I''ll be fine, it''s okay."


    Delilah sobbed a bit and wanted to go over to Kyle but Patrick held her back. She couldn''t escape and glared at him. He ignored her and practically dragged her out of the ward.


    Kyle watched them go.


    [Take care of Mum for me]


    [Kyle, what are you going to do?]


    Kyle sighed, knowing how agitated and upset she was at the situation since she actually called him by name.


    [What I should have done long ago] Kyle said [Just take care of yourself, and Mum. She''s going to be pretty upset with all of this]


    [Kyle, can''t you please just give in this time? Just a little?]


    Kyle was silent for a while, causing Kay untold anguish.


    [I''m sorry Kay, I can''t]

 Chapter 440 - Heavy Heart

    Xing Han and Sam came back in, with the former looking extremely worried.


    Before Xing Han could say anything though, Kyle shook his head and said softly, "I don''t want to talk about it."


    Xing Han bit his lips, looking at his forlorn friend who was looking out the window.


    "I''m just too angry right now," came Kyle''s voice. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han sighed, went to Kyle''s side and hugged him, saying, "I know. That''s precisely why you need to talk about it. That was quite intense and it''s best you let it out rather than keeping it in."


    Kyle closed his eyes and simply allowed himself to be hugged.


    His heart was heavy, truly.


    "I can''t be the sort of son he wants," Kyle said softly, "But I am doing the best that I can, as me. Why can''t that be enough?"


    To Kyle''s surprise, he felt tears prick at his eyes.


    Why? Why would he feel so upset over this? It wasn''t as if he was that close to Patrick. So why would Patrick''s words, and actions, cause this sort of reaction?


    He frowned.


    He angrily turned away to face the window, fearing that they would see should the tears fall.


    Xing Han saw as Kyle turned away, but he had already caught the expression. The way his eyes seemed to glisten with unshed tears but the unsatisfied and angry look remained on his face.


    He sighed inwardly, knowing that for Kyle, what he was doing as a Smith was enough. The usual spiel of ''family piety'' and ''filial son'' wouldn''t work as he viewed things differently. He performed as what one should, as a son: never got into trouble (no drugs etc), top student, performed well in everything.


    What more could one want, right?


    Xing Han understood Patrick''s point of view well, so he couldn''t fault Patrick for it. After all, Kyle was not the typical son who would often act without taking his father''s point into consideration.


    Kyle does come off as an ungrateful child, simply because he acts on his own and does not listen to his parents who have provided him with everything (even if he never really used it). Patrick had been working hard to provide for Kyle and Kyle showed him attitude? What father could stand it?


    Kyle, on the other hand,?with his ''old lady'' soul, could hardly look at Patrick as someone above him that he had to obey. He saw Patrick as an equal, and to Kyle, that was already showing respect. After all, if push-comes-to-shove, Kyle''s performance was far better than Patrick, at his age.


    He neglected the fact that Patrick is a powerhouse in his own right. It wasn''t so much that Kyle thought he was better than Patrick but, he just couldn''t stomach having to quietly obey his demands. He was already giving concessions by trying to find ''the one'', so to speak. Why wasn''t that enough?


    Both were highly egoistical as well and with the infamous Smith Anger, it would be very hard for the two to ever see eye-to-eye.


    ?.?.?.?


    Once they left the hospital, Delilah pulled her hand away from Patrick and stomped off, ignoring him. Patrick took several deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down. He turned to look back at the hospital, his steps slowing down a bit.


    Then Kyle''s words, and his angry face, filled his mind, ''Perhaps if you had actually acted like a father.''


    Gritting his teeth, he pressed on forward.


    ''Well, I am acting like father now, aren''t I?'' Patrick thought to himself, ''See how long you can keep up your arrogance without your family by your side.''


    He watched as his daughter, Kay, went to comfort his wife.


    He knew Kyle was capable of living by himself, as was evidenced by him being at Sakura Academy. However, everything was easy for him. Everything had been provided. He even had his twin sister and the Elite Five with him - his so-called family.


    His son had to learn.


    Friends are friends, sister is sister. Sooner or later, they will part. However, Kyle is part of the Smith household, the future heir. He could not act as willful as he had always done.


    So long as he lived under his roof, Kyle needed to follow the rules.


    His rules.


    Patrick regretted never sending Kyle to military school from the start.


    He should have done so the moment Kyle gave this ridiculous wish to go to Sakura Academy. He just didn''t have the heart then to refuse Delilah, who had been the one that raised them when he had been busy at the company.


    Patrick wasn''t belittling Delilah, but a mother was just too weak. She catered to his whims. No longer. His son needed to be strong, but he also had to listen to others.


    Military school was the best. It had certainly instilled strict discipline within him and straightened him out. Patrick had certainly caused a lot of headache with his rebellious nature, and he only saw this in his son now.


    He had been too lax with his son.


    It was just that Kyle never showed any real rebellious behaviour, so he had been lenient. It was against his better judgment, and he regretted it so much now.


    It was a mistake. He now had to be firm and strict.


    Taking out his phone, he called up his personal assistant, "Derek. Send someone to shadow Kyle. Yes. Just shadow but do not do anything. Yes. Daily reports."


    Delilah and Kay were too far to hear Patrick''s conversation, as he made his plans.


    After making his arrangements, Patrick felt satisfied.


    It may take a bit of time before the men arrived to shadow Kyle, but he had time.


    He had already talked to the doctors in charge of treating Kyle, and knew that Kyle did not suffer from any internal damage. He would, however, be required to be warded for a few days. Patrick didn''t need to make any payments, as Kay had already handled the deposit during registration. The rest would be made upon discharge.


    Patrick smiled at that thought.


    He didn''t cut off the credit card that he had given Kyle, but he knew Kyle would be too proud to use it since they fought. Imagine his face when he was handed with the hefty bill. He would probably borrow from Xing Han or something.


    If Kyle did use the credit card, Patrick would still pay. However, he would then lower the limit as long as Kyle didn''t come home.?He wasn''t going to make it easy for Kyle but he wouldn''t cut him off. Not yet, anyway.


    Sooner or later, Kyle will crumble when he slowly ran out of money, or when he finds working as a ''normal person'' becomes too hard. He would definitely come crawling back.


    Patrick snorted. He definitely would not be the one that would offer the olive branch. That was the role of the son.


    He was sure that it would not be long before his son would call him, seeking forgiveness and promising to be obedient.


    There was a huge smile on his face as he thought about that day.

 Chapter 441 - Drastic Change Of Plans

    "What are you going to do now?" Xing Han asked tentatively.


    "Something I should have done long ago," Kyle said, looking out the window, seemingly focusing on the scenery outside.


    Kyle gave a short snort through his nose as he shook his head, thinking of how much he had done and worked for the past 15 years just so that he could balance both lives properly.


    Just from this one miscalculation, everything went out the window.


    He had always considered his current family and thus, would have never thought of leaving them in pursuit of going after those that had killed him. He had suppressed his intense longing for his children because he didn''t want to cause that same amount of pain on the mother of this life.


    It took a lot out of him to take each step, each day and each year to follow the path he had mapped out for himself.


    The plans he had made were not only to ensure he had laid down the foundation, it was also to force him to focus on something else rather than dropping everything and rushing here.


    Now? S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His heart was filled with intense sadness that he couldn''t quite explain. Perhaps it was frustration over his supposed father for not bothering to get to know him. Talk to him. He had to just be that dictator type of person.


    Kyle shook his head, thinking of how similar Patrick was to his spouse.


    Maybe it was a ''Man'' thing? Or a Neanderthal man? Unable to accept it when their own son has a mind of his own? Unable to accept it if their own son has different views, or ideas? The son must follow whatever he thought was best?


    What got to Kyle the most was the fact that Patrick had always been an absent father. Whilst it was true that he appeared to be supportive, Kyle saw it more as him either being apathetic, or didn''t think much about it.


    Xing Han saw the ''lost'' look on Kyle''s face, and his heart clenched. He had a bad premonition about what Kyle was about to do and he truly did not know if he would be able to persuade Kyle otherwise.


    Kyle may look easy-going and happy-go-lucky (not in the same manner as Xing Han, of course) but he had this really stubborn streak in him. Once he made up his mind about something, he rarely changed it.


    One could try to persuade him but he would be able to shoot down any sort of arguments one raised. It was as if he had already considered all angles, and was willing to accept whatever risks that came ... so how could one then say what he wanted to do was wrong?


    "What would that be?" Xing Han asked, his voice cracking a bit.


    Kyle gave a soft smile, turned to look at Xing Han and Xing Han, seeing that smile ... gulped.


    It was the sort of smile that was a prelude to something horrible. Something that he wouldn''t want to hear, something that Kyle didn''t really want to do but had to - and knew that he, Xing Han, would not like it.


    "I''m staying here," Kyle said.


    Xing Han''s mind went blank for a while, and his mouth was gaping open and closed. Sam, on the other hand, asked calmly, "What about school?"


    "I''ll go back to end things properly in Country Tz, of course," Kyle said, grateful for Sam''s rationality and unquestioning support.


    Xing Han, on the other hand, looked like he was ready to cry.


    "Once all is finalised, I''ll come back here and stay," Kyle explained.


    "But ... but," Xing Han faltered, "What are you going to do here? You''re a foreigner and still a minor. Wouldn''t it be difficult?"


    Kyle shook his head, "I know the workings of this place, so it won''t be a problem. I have people here as well."


    "Your family? Kay?" Xing Han pressed on.


    "You heard my Dad," Kyle said bitterly, "I can stay here and rot for all he cares. So I shall do exactly that - just not the rotting part. Since he finds me such an eyesore, why should I go back?"


    "But ... but," Xing Han tried again.


    Just where did the responsible Kyle go to? The caring one? Why did it seem like he was shutting himself out at that moment?


    In truth, Kyle did feel he was being unfair to the others but this was the only thing he could think of which calmed himself down. All his life, he had always been thinking about how his actions would affect others, so he would go out of his way to accommodate them (even though they never asked). Be it as Kyle, or as Kylie.


    This time, however, he made his decision without taking them into account at all.


    He felt ... perhaps, it was time for him to finally do something just for himself.


    The Elite Five were his sworn brothers, and he was confident that they would understand. They ought to know that he wouldn''t make this decision recklessly, or just to hurt them ... even though, it would cause them some problems and pain.


    All of them had ties with Sakura Academy in one way or another.


    Ali had Sophia, Sam was the sole son and couldn''t drop out, Xing Han had that deal with his parents when he wanted to study at Sakura Academy. With Kyle leaving, where would it leave them?


    It was supposed to be the best years of their young lives before they all went their separate ways. It had been planned so well and meticulously.


    Now, with Kyle''s decision to stay, there was a drastic change of plans.


    "What about me?" Xing Han whimpered, tears going down his face as he went to Kyle, "You''re leaving me behind? How long are you planning to stay? Are you ever coming back?"


    Kyle looked at Xing Han sadly, his heart in pain, "I''m sorry, Xing Han."

 Chapter 442 - Changes

    "You''re never coming back?!!" Xing Han wailed, sobbing uncontrollably.


    Kyle quickly got up from the bed, hugging him tight, "No, no ... I didn''t mean that. I''m sorry. No. I will come back. One day."


    He gently wiped the tears off Xing Han''s face, putting his forehead on his, saying, "I just can''t go back now and have him dictate my life. He will only spoil everything I have been working my entire life for."


    Kyle then brought his head up, and looked at Xing Han in the eyes, and said softly so only Xing Han heard, "I have my children to save."


    Xing Han cried again, for he couldn''t find an answer to that. He couldn''t be selfish now, could he? Not when he put it like that.


    He knew, Kyle had all of this planned out. From their talks before, Kyle''s plan to come to Country M was after he finished schooling at Sakura Academy, and was planning to enroll in one of the top Universities here in Country M.


    He was supposed to have more time with Kyle. More time to adjust. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not this.


    Not this sudden thing.


    If only Kyle hadn''t been so eager to help that darn Nitocris.


    ?.?.?.?


    Meanwhile, at that exact moment in Country Tz, Nitocris had this really, really cold feeling come over him. He had been feeling agitated the past few days, like something was not right. When Kay had called him about Kyle''s situation, it made sense.


    However, everything was already settled. Kyle was fine and had never been in any danger.


    So why was he feeling like this now, and the sense was even worse than it had been several days ago? Did something else happen?


    He immediately took his phone to call Kyle.


    ?.?.?.?


    Patrick sat in the plane, and ignored the two women in his life that were equally ignoring him.


    Delilah refused to sit next to Patrick, and stayed with her daughter instead. She couldn''t believe how callous and cold-hearted her husband was. Even if Kyle was not injured badly and recovering, how could he just up and leave?


    Why couldn''t she have stayed and comforted her own heart to take care of Kyle?


    He was all alone now in Country M.


    True, there was Xing Han and Sam so that made her feel a bit more at ease, but it didn''t detract the pain she had in her heart.


    She missed her son, damn it. She had been under a lot of pain and sadness upon thinking he had died. Yet, her stupid husband didn''t even let her be with her own son!


    She just lay there. grumbling.


    Kay, in the meantime, was just staring out the window of the plane. The sky was dark and there was nothing to see, really. Her mind was back at Country M.


    To be specific, of a certain incident and a really special person that got imprinted into her heart. If it wasn''t for that, she doubted she would have been able to follow her father out of the ward.


    Kyle assuring her to leave helped, as well, but it was really what she had learned from that night which gave her the strength to do so.


    Kay knew, once she followed Patrick, it meant that it would be a long time before she could see Kyle again. This would be the first time that they would be separated like this. Even though they had the mindlink, it didn''t mean it made the pain go away.


    She took a deep breath, fearing for the future.


    A future without Kyle by her side.


    She closed her eyes, thinking back on that night, to garner strength.


    It had been when Kyle had gone out for his ''jog'' and told her to block him out. She was upset. She was agitated. She needed her own release.


    Thus, she had slipped out that night to go to the clubhouse right below the hotel. The ''Rock'' Cafe. It was neither a cafe, nor was the theme full of rocks. It was a disco/pub, and a place one goes to, to just let loose and have fun.


    Kay thought it was ironic that Kyle had gotten into trouble for slipping out without telling anyone, when it was actually her that had done so.


    She dressed up and made herself look older. Kyle wasn''t the only one that could do the make-up, but she liked being pampered by him. This time, her make-up was slightly heavier and though her dress was still figure-hugging, it wasn''t a micro skirt. A shimmering silver dress that reached just mid-thigh.


    When she entered the place, it was full of loud music and blinking lights. It was perfect.


    It was also the place she met that special person, who changed her life.


    Raine.

 Chapter 443 - Unwritten Girl Code

    Kay can''t really say what was it about her that pulled Kay.


    When she walked through that door, unsurprisingly, lots of eyes fell on her with interest. After all, she certainly cut a very attractive figure, and being alone, meant she was fair game.


    Kay scoffed at such hungry eyes and she stared at them coldly, making them shiver and hesitate in actually getting up to go. Kyle had taught her how to utilise the Smith Anger to get that ''cold'' look and she used it to the fullest right now.


    It helped get rid of most of the annoying flies.


    Still, there would be some who would be persistent and Kay decided on using the unspoken ''girl code''. She made as if she was looking about and her face brightened, as it fell on that one figure that had struck at her.


    Everyone looked towards the direction she was looking at and they tsked. She had company. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lady was at the table by her lonesome, nursing some drink and from the looks of it, she has had quite a few. There were several empty glasses on the table, and she was absent-mindedly running her fingers up and down the glass while her face deep in thought.


    Perhaps it was that expression that called out to Kay, who was feeling exactly like how the lady seemed to be showing.


    Upset. Down. Something heavy on her mind.


    Kay sauntered over and sat down with a huge smile, saying under her breath without her lips moving, "Please pretend you know me."


    The lady looked up then, and Kay got a good look at her. She appeared to be in her late twenties, or perhaps early thirties, and had a homely appearance. Her cheeks already had this light pink tinge, which clearly showed that she was already slightly drunk.


    It only added to her charm, though.


    She wasn''t dressed up, but instead, she was just in a blouse and jeans. Kay was studying her closely, trying to figure out why she was feeling attracted to her. She had never felt that way before.


    Was it because she was feeling upset over Kyle, so it made her want to seek comfort from someone else? Someone who didn''t know her - and in this case, someone that?appeared to be in the same sort of pain she was in?


    Or was she seeking some sort of companionship from a girl?


    When she thought about it, she never really had any girlfriends. Acquaintances, yes. Of course, Sarah had been a huge bust but it had been fun while it lasted.


    Then her mind started to wonder ... why was she actively seeking out a girl to be her friend? She had good friends by her side: the Elite Five. Why must it be a girl then? She knew how hard it would be, to have such a friend, since Kyle is her brother.


    She had thought she found that friend in Sarah, and the truth was hard to swallow. Was she such a terrible person that no one could really like her? Was Kyle''s light too bright?


    It was so strange, though. Why couldn''t she get close to the girls who didn''t appear attracted to Kyle, like Beatrice? She was friends, but not ... friends, friends. She couldn''t quite get that ''connection''.


    Kay looked at the lady, who was now observing the area. So why was this absolute stranger someone that just seemed to be ''right''?


    While Kay was observing the lady, the said lady was feeling quite surprised.


    Why would this young girl come and sit next to her? She came alone, so wasn''t it obvious that she was looking for a good time? Yet, instead of lapping up the attention she would be getting from all the guys who looked interested, she wanted to avoid them.


    Unwritten girl code, rule #30:?Be Any Girls Security Guard When Trouble Arises


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t know her, if you see any woman uncomfortable because of a man or someone else, help her."


    So, she gave the beautiful young woman in front of her and she gave a huge smile, "Oh, my dear! You''re finally here!"


    Kay smiled sweetly at her, relieved that the lady was playing along, "Yes, yes. I''m so sorry for being late."


    "That''s fine," the lady said, "You called to let me know."


    She gave a dramatic sigh, "I started first though."


    Kay grinned, liking the lady more and more. She was really piling on the act but it was truly convincing.


    "It''s okay," Kay replied, "You were working, so you should unwind first. Though I think you drank a little bit too much now."


    The lady waved her hand, saying, "Oh, pish posh. Don''t be a fuddy-duddy."


    Kay''s mouth twitched as she tried to hold back her laughter.


    The lady narrowed her eyes and looked at her in the eye, "You''re laughing at me, aren''t you?"


    "N..no," Kay said unconvincingly.


    "You are!!" the lady pouted.


    "Okay, okay," Kay said, putting up her hands in surrender, "I''m sorry. I couldn''t help it. But that was just so cute. Fuddy-duddy?"


    "Yes," the lady said seriously, "Fuddy-duddy. Stick-in-the-mud. You know, that sort of thing. Come! Let''s order another round!!"


    With that, the lady called the waiter and so it began.


    By the time an hour had passed by, Kay found herself truly warming up to the lady and vice versa. Perhaps it was the alcohol? She only had one glass, but she did feel less inhibited.


    There seemed to be a connection that was strange, yet not. How could two people, who had such a gap in age, be so in tune with each other?


    "You know," said the lady, "I''ve always wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl."


    Kay leaned forward and kissed her briefly on the lips.


    "Wonder no more," she said.


    The lady''s eyes seem to cloud over for a minute, then said, "Let''s get a room."


    "Okay."

 Chapter 444 - First Kiss

    ? Mild Girl-girl scene. Skip it if you''re uncomfortable ?


    Right after Kay answered, the lady got up, then sat back down, her eyes wide in horror.


    "Just what did I say?" she gasped, patting herself on the chest, "I''m so sorry. I ... I didn''t mean that. No, I did mean it but not in the way it sounded. Wait, I mean ..."


    She found herself feeling very muddled and head was fuzzy. Probably due to the alcohol that she had consumed.


    Kay just smiled gently and reaching over to her, patted her hand.


    "I know," she said, "You just want a quiet place to talk."


    The lady blinked her eyes, and slowly nodded.


    "Come on, don''t worry," Kay said as she got up and took the lady''s hand, "You''re in no shape to drive anyway. Let''s stop drinking, get some food and just hang out in the hotel room. Once you''ve sobered up a bit, you can go home. If not, stay the night."


    The lady shook her head and said softly, as she allowed Kay to bring her away, "I can''t stay the night."


    Kay didn''t ask, but simply nodded. Neither could she, really. Xing Han would freak out if she had disappeared, too.


    It was quite easy to book a room - the Rock Cafe was connected to the nearby hotel. The entire stretch of road was filled with hotels, as it was within the City''s ''Golden Triangle.


    The Golden Triangle is actually a large area within the city. Three major roads formed the point of the ''triangle'', the ''border'', so to speak. Within the Golden Triangle is the commercial, shopping and entertainment hub of the City.


    Hence, hotels were in abundance for tourists like her.


    It was relatively easy for Kay to get a room. The lady wanted to pay but Kay pushed her hand aside and said, "This is on me."


    Kay whipped out her own credit card, and the hotel clerk''s eyes immediately lit up. Country Tz''s black credit card was famous throughout the world as having an unlimited credit limit and can be used anywhere.


    Anyone in the service industry knew of the existence of the card though very few could actually see it, let alone hold it. She took the card with shaking hands and immediately gave her the room. Though it was unusual that the room that she booked was not the VIP room, did it matter?


    Once they reached the room, the scene was rather awkward. The lady was fidgeting and was wondering what on Earth possessed her to say those words, and then follow the young lady up? Why did her feet not obey her brain?


    No, that was wrong. Her brain was telling her to follow.


    She watched at the breathtakingly beautiful, and young, woman walk elegantly in the room, looking through the small kitchenette.


    "You drank quite a lot just now, so it''s best to drink a lot of water," Kay said, coming over with a glass of water.


    "It''s a pity I can''t make?Yakamein," Kay said, "It''s a scientifically proven method for a hangover."*


    "What''s that?" the lady asked, taking the water and drinking it gratefully.


    "It''s a special soup which can have noodles, meats such as beef, chicken or shrimp, onions or chopped scallions, a sliced hard-boiled egg and a spicy and salty broth with soy sauce. It''s from Country K, and also known as hangover soup."


    "You mean it really works?"


    "Yup," Kay replied, "Though I never did try it yet."


    Kay wasn''t really worried about getting a hangover as she?had chosen drinks that were low in congeners, a substance that is known to exacerbate hangovers.


    Drinks that were high in congeners were darkly coloured drinks such as bourbon, scotch and tequila while colourless drinks as vodka, gin and rum were low in congeners.


    Also, she had been drinking alcohol and alternating it with water and had been snacking on the peanuts. It wasn''t to say that she wasn''t slightly tipsy, though.


    Her actions this night proved it as she was less inhibited as usual.


    Or perhaps it was just her wanting to let loose due to the frustrations that had been piling up.


    "Why are you being so nice to me?" the lady whispered.


    Kay tilted her head, her hair cascading down the side of her face as she thought about it.


    "I can''t explain it," Kay said, "There is just something about you that wouldn''t let me leave you alone. You looked so miserable, really."


    "You''re so young and beautiful," the lady said, "You should be down there, dancing away and having fun rather than taking care of an old lady like me."


    Kay shook her head, putting a hand on the lady''s chin and made her look up. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look, why are you constantly putting yourself down?" Kay asked, "You are a beautiful woman, in your own way and in your own right."


    The lady scoffed, turning her face away, "You don''t have to lie to be nice to me."


    "I''m not lying," Kay insisted, forcing her to look at her again, "Do I look like I"m lying?"


    Kay waited for an answer, but it was obvious that the lady wouldn''t say a word. Sighing, Kay then thought that actions would speak louder than words.


    The lady obviously felt ugly, and unworthy of attention - more so by a so-called ''beauty'' like Kay. Thinking back on?what Kyle had said so long ago, Kay brought her face closer to the lady in front of her.


    Kay could see the lady''s eyes widening a bit in wonder but didn''t pull away.


    Smiling softly, Kay closed her eyes and gently placed her lips on hers. When there was no reaction, she began giving soft, slow pecks on the lips. Bottom lips, upper lips ... just brief but repeated and constant kisses.


    The lady soon began responding and returning Kay''s kisses. It was all innocent kisses ... until Kay felt something slippery brushing past her lips, entering her mouth.

 Chapter 445 - New Experiences

    ? Girl-girl scene. Skip if you''re uncomfortable ?


    When Kay felt that tongue enter, it felt strange at first.


    ''Kyle was right'', Kay thought to herself, ''It''s like hard but pliable jelly''


    Kay wasn''t sure at first what to do, so she focused on letting her do all the work.


    As her tongue touched hers, rolling about and even sucking it, Kay felt a bit strange ... not weird, but she was basically starting to enjoy the sensation.


    Kay then mimicked the movements and did the same, tentatively at first but soon gained confidence.


    Their kisses became more intense and naturally started to gravitate towards each other. They were sitting down on the chair in the small dining room, and Kay couldn''t help but wish the table wasn''t between them.


    When they broke apart, both were breathing heavily.


    "You''ve never kissed before, have you?" she asked.


    "No," Kay replied honestly.


    "You certainly learn very fast," the lady observed.


    "Am I the first girl you kissed?" Kay had to ask, remembering what the lady had said previously.


    "Yes," she replied, nodding, "I guess ... I was curious. I am married and I do enjoy sex with my husband but ... sometimes, I wonder. I''ve always found women interesting. What about you? Are you a lesbian?"


    Kay shook her head, then explained, "I don''t know, honestly. I guess I''m like you? I''m curious. I never thought I would be, though but somehow, tonight, when I saw you, I just couldn''t help but wonder."


    "Wonder what?"


    "Wonder whether I am," Kay replied, "There''s never been a guy that I''ve found interesting or been attracted to, yet with you, I am. So maybe I am a lesbian?"


    The lady smiled, shaking her head, "Just because you find a woman attractive, doesn''t mean you''re a lesbian, you know. Perhaps you never found the right guy yet?"


    Kay shrugged, saying, "Perhaps. I don''t know. How did it feel when you fell in love? How did you know he was the one? Rather than she being the one?"


    The lady shook her head, "In my family, homosexuality is frowned upon. Since I wasn''t repulsed by guys, I just never explored with women before."


    Kay nodded then leaned closer, touching the lady''s face, "I ... I have a rather audacious request. Please feel free to say ''no'', okay?"


    The lady seemed to lean on Kay''s hand and asked, "What is it?"


    "I ..." Kay began, then hesitated. She looked at the lady, then bit her bottom lip, "No, I''m sorry. Forget it."


    The lady seemed to be looking at Kay''s lips, wet from their earlier passionate kisses. Seeing that bite, the lady took a gamble and kissed those delectable lips again.


    Kay was surprised, but didn''t push her away.


    This time, she had gone straight to the French kissing. However, it wasn''t just that as Kay felt her hands on her face, then it went down to her neck and slowly, just above her breast.


    Kay was lost in the sensation of the kiss and how her touch made her feel all weak and warm at the same time. She shivered as the fingers lightly brushed her nipples that slowly hardened upon her touch. She felt her breast being cupped and the nipples further being teased. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay couldn''t help but moan a bit in her throat, and the kiss was broken; but her hand hadn''t stopped slowly kneading the underboob and her thumb and forefinger was now tweaking her nipple.


    "Is this what you wanted to ask?" the lady whispered, looking at Kay, "To see what it''s like doing it with a woman?"


    Kay nodded, her breaths coming out raggedly as her breasts were being stimulated.


    The lady then got off her chair and came to Kay. Letting go of Kay''s breast, she led Kay to sit on the table. She stood right in front of Kay and looked at her seriously, "Are you sure about this?"


    "Yes" Kay said breathlessly, all of her insides seeming to scream out for more.


    "I have to be honest," the lady said, "I am curious as well. And you are so breathtakingly beautiful. Every single part of you is perfect."


    Kay blushed, not knowing why such words coming from this woman would make her feel shy. Whenever she heard it from others, she cringed yet from this lady, it wasn''t? Was it because Kay felt that the lady was being honest rather than lewd?


    Ever since the time she had felt?Kyle when he had been sexually stimulated, it triggered something within her. Her body felt unsatisfied, as if she had been played with and brought to the heights of pleasure and then, nothing.


    She had, of course, tried to explore her own body to find some sort of physical pleasure and release, but she had been so embarrassed that she couldn''t do it until the end. Even just touching herself felt wrong, somehow.


    Kay had found that to be so laughable. Why was she so weird?


    Yet, this ... this was different.


    Kay couldn''t quite explain it but it didn''t feel wrong right now. It just felt so right somehow.


    "I don''t even know your name," Kay said finally, as she broke out of her thoughts.


    "Just call me Raine," Raine replied, then started kissing her again, not allowing her to speak.


    Raine pushed Kay''s dress up her thigh, and then spread Kay''s legs a bit wider so that she could stand closer and in-between Kay''s legs. She plunged her tongue into Kay''s mouth again, thinking that this sweet mouth was so delectable and pure that she couldn''t have enough of it.


    She pressed herself closer to Kay, so that their breasts were pressed together and she started moving her body a bit, making their nipples brush against each other as they kissed deeply.


    The tantalising and soft touch on her nipples, combined with the tongue inside her mouth made Kay feel heat pooling all over and her panties were getting wet. She couldn''t help but moan and feel like she wanted more.


    Raine broke the kiss and kissed her cheek, while cupping her breast again and said, "You have such beautiful, full breasts."


    With her other hand, she unzipped Kay''s dress from behind. Bringing up her hands to rest on Kay''s shoulders, she slowly brought down the dress to expose Kay''s perky nipples and twin peaks.


    "No bra?"


    "Didn''t need one," Kay said, shy under that intense and admiring gaze, "The dress has a bra cup on it."


    "Interesting," Raine replied then took both of Kay''s breasts in her hands, caressing them slowly while her fingers brushed against the nipples.


    "I envy your full breasts," Raine said, "It''s so soft and nice to touch."


    She pinched the nipples a bit, not too hard but enough to cause Kay to feel like a jolt of electricity passed through.


    Raine took one nipple in her mouth while playing with the other in her hand. She ran her tongue at the nipple, twirling it right around before taking it full in the mouth and sucking on it.


    Kay moaned and then leaned back until she was lying down on the table.


    She gasped when she felt something touch her core.

 Chapter 446 - Raine

    ? R18 Yuri. Skip if you''re uncomfortable ?


    Although this was Raine''s first time with a woman, she couldn''t believe how natural it was. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The way the girl moaned and shivered under her touch made her want to make that girl moan even more. Everything she did, had excited the girl, and that made her happy.


    A part of her pained, thinking of how her husband had not been paying her much attention in the past few months.


    He was always busy. Always too tired. All sorts of excuses were given until Raine felt like she was not being an understanding wife. So she held back and swallowed the words.


    But it hurt.


    Deep down, she felt undesirable.


    Weren''t men supposed to always want to do it? So why hasn''t her husband touched her for so long?


    Right now, though, there was this beautiful creature under her that wanted her, and craved for her touch. She was so lovely and so soft to the touch.


    Her pure, unhibited reactions were addictive and Raine felt like she wanted to give the girl even more pleasure.


    Raine had seen the confusion, hurt and loneliness in the girl''s eyes. She had seen how the girl looked at all the boys in disdain.


    Perhaps, due to her beauty, she became jaded against all men and naturally, her thoughts fell towards women?


    A part of her wanted to help the girl figure herself out, but the bigger part wanted to also see how it was like with a woman.


    When the girl lay down on the table, it gave Raine the opportunity to pull up her dress even more and without hesitation, she touched the bud of the young girl through the panties.


    Her panties were already soaking wet, and pulling it aside, Raine slid a finger underneath to touch her directly.


    "What''s your name?" Raine asked, belatedly remembering that she asked.


    "K..K..Chris," Kay replied, her mind whirling at the sensations that were being invoked within her.


    "Ah," Raine replied, then kissed her deeply, sucking on her tongue hard. At the same time, her left hand was groping Kay''s left breast while her right hand was on her sopping, wet cave.


    First, she played with the sensitive bud that sent untold pleasure to Kay. She then slid down her finger from the bud to the slick cavern below and brought it up again. She continued this motion continuously, using the sweet wetness that allowed her finger to slick up and down that soft folds.


    First, it was one finger then it became two as one finger would slick up along while her thumb played with the sensitive bud.


    Kay''s mind was reeling.


    All three of her most sensitive parts were being stimulated. All three sensations, being done at the same time, created havok within her. The heat was rapidly building up within her and Raine teased her, as she broke the kiss for a while, saying, "You are so wet, my dear."


    With her mouth finally freed, Kay was breathing out of her mouth and soft moans were echoing in the room.


    "I''ve always wanted to do it in the kitchen," Raine said softly, her fingers on Kay''s cave not ceasing its torturous touches, "So that each time we eat, he would be reminded of what we had done on the dining table."


    Raine started sucking on Kay''s nipples again, first left then right and one had was kneading the same breast that she was suckling on greedily. Raine couldn''t get enough of it. With the young Chris writhing and moaning under her, she felt this sense of empowerment that she found she thoroughly enjoyed.


    Raine kissed her again, plunging her tongue inside roughly and immediately sucked hard on Kay''s tongue. At the same time, she entered a finger into Kay''s cave, causing Kay to jerk at the sensation. Even the hand groping at her breast became rougher as her finger pinched and pulled at her nipples.


    Kay''s hands were in Raine''s hair, gripping them tight and she wanted more.


    The roughness wasn''t painful, in fact, it incited further pleasure and she wanted it to be more. She was slowly starting to lose any rational thoughts as the sensations were building and she felt like she was drowning in them.


    Raine broke the deep kiss and paid attention to Kay''s breasts, while Kay didn''t stop playing with Raine''s hair. She couldn''t stop the moans and gasps that were coming out of her mouth now.


    Vaguely, she wondered ... is that me? Do I really sound so ... so ... loud?


    Raine''s fingers in her most private place was twirling and plunging, her thumb was busy on her nub and Kay could hear the squishing sounds of those slick fingers doing their magic touch below. Even her gasps and moans couldn''t drown it.


    Kay''s moans were getting louder and louder, a sure sign that she was reaching her climax. Raine''s fingers sped up and her suckling became rougher as well. Kay''s toes curled as the unfamiliar but strong sensations engulfed her until finally, it felt like her head exploded as she let out a huge and long scream which filled the room.


    Kay could feel Raine''s fingers still inside of her, but it wasn''t moving. She could feel her cave twitching, the insides seemingly sucking at the finger. Even though she had just climaxed, her body didn''t feel satisfied.


    Raine smiled and slowly pulled out her finger, wet from the juices that Chris had splurted. From her own experience, she would be extremely sensitive now and any further stimulation would be something hard to endure.


    "Congrats," Raine said with a soft laugh, "Your first orgasm. May it not be your last."


    Kay laughed at that, as they slowly got up and Kay sat on the table, her eyes glazed over while the sensations from the orgasm faded.


    Kay looked at Raine, leaned forward and kissed her.?Softly at first, then more passionately while her hands reached for Raine''s breast.

 Chapter 447 - Loving

    ? R18 Yuri. Skip if you''re uncomfortable ?


    Kay felt her hand being held just as she touched Raine''s breast. Surprised, she broke the kiss and looked at Raine, who shook her head.


    "No, It''s okay," she said softly, "You don''t have to do anything. I''m satisfied as it is."


    Kay frowned, and gripped Raine''s arms, "What are you talking about? You just did me, so now it''s your turn."


    There was a look of horror in Raine''s eyes as she shook her head vigorously, "No no ... I''m ... I''m happy enough to be able to touch you and kiss you."


    Kay stared at Raine, hesitating. If Raine was saying ''no'', Kay couldn''t force it now, could she? Yet, Kay wasn''t really convinced. Why was she so adamant at drawing the line now, when she had been so brazen and open earlier?


    Taking a deep breath, Kay nodded her head, "Okay, if you''re not comfortable with it, then I can''t force you."


    Raine saw the sadness and disappointment in Kay''s eyes and she bit her lower lips.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to, but she was embarrassed. She was twice this girl''s age and she had nothing to offer this angelic beauty. Underneath these clothes was the body of an old lady that had gone through childbirth, so it was saggy and wrinkled.


    Even her breasts were small, hardly fitting the smallest size bra! It was her greatest shame, but she couldn''t bear the look on Chris''s face should she see her body. Raine was really satisfied with being able to satisfy this beauty, and she wasn''t foolish enough to think that the young one truly wanted to experiment with such an old lady like her. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her first experience should be with another young one, right?


    Kay didn''t know what was going on in Raine''s mind, but she had an inkling, based on the earlier statements that Raine would often make. She belittled herself, she shamed her own body and Kay guessed (correctly) that Raine simply did not want to ''taint her eyes'' or cause her a horrible experience.


    If that was the case, then Kay would slowly tear down her defences. If Raine still rejected her, then she would back off.


    Kay stroked Raine''s cheeks tenderly, and said, "You know something?"


    "What?" Raine asked, mesmerized by Kay''s eyes.


    "From this, I know that I am not repulsed by women," Kay said, "But I do wonder whether I can - or want - to do what you did to me, to another woman."


    "I''m sure you can," Raine said, nodding and smiling.


    "Would you ... let me ... just try a litte on you?" Kay asked softly, "I won''t go all the way. I just want to touch and feel. Is that okay?"


    Raine hesitated then seeing the plea in Kay''s beautiful eyes, she subconsciously nodded. When she realised what she had done, she didn''t want to take it back upon seeing how happy Kay was.


    Perhaps, she really wouldn''t be repulsed?


    Raine shook her head. Impossible.


    "But not here. In the bedroom, with the lights out," Raine insisted.


    Kay smiled, got off the table and placed her dress on the table. Clad only in her silk underwear that had a big, wet patch in front of it, Kay took Raine''s hand and said, "Not a problem."


    ? Bedroom ?


    The room was pitch black but there was enough light streaming through the window for them to be able to see some form of shape. Raine was lying down on the bed, undressed but still in her underwear and bra.


    "Just tell me when you''re feeling uncomfortable, and I will stop immediately, okay?" Kay said to her, as she loomed over Raine.


    Raine nodded, finding it difficult to breathe a bit. She felt exposed, even though they were in the dark and when Chris brought her head down to kiss her, she got lost in the kiss.


    Raine was always weak to kisses. She loved it more than anything. Closing her eyes, she let herself go and enjoyed the kissing as their tongues danced about. Raine whimpered a bit when Chris took her tongue in hers, just like she had done so before.


    Feeling Chris''s hands on her breast, her breath hitched as Kay''s soft, gentle hands went into the bra and started kneading the small mound. Kay started kissing Raine''s cheecks, jaw and neck as she said breathlessly, "You are so beautiful."


    "No.."


    "Sshh," Kay said, licking the side of Raine''s neck, "You can''t convince me otherwise. I find you truly beautiful."


    She brought her head down, kissing the collarbones, chest and finally, the breasts. She copied what Raine had done to her and Raine thought this young woman truly was a fast learner. She gripped the bedsheets as she moaned, and kept listening to the beautiful voice telling her how wonderful her body was.


    Raine couldn''t believe it at first, but the more Chris kept on her vocalising her admiration, the more Raine was starting to believe it.


    She could hear the sincerity in Chris''s voice.


    Each time she admired a part of her body, Chris would voice out how wonderful it was, kiss it and give a nip and a bite. Soon, her entire body was laden with lovebites and Raine didn''t care.


    She was feeling special.


    Her mind was fuzzy, as months of abstinence being fulfilled right now made her want to enjoy the sensations.


    Just as she felt it couldn''t get better, she suddenly realised that Chris had gone way down and was now kissing her most private part through her underwear.


    "Wait! No! It''s dirty!!" Raine managed to gasp out, just as Kay sucked right on her bud.


    Raine felt utterly embarrassed then. Back home, she would always shower first before having s*x with her husband so she wasn''t worried about any body ordour and whatnot.


    But this?


    She was aghast but soon, the sensation overrode anything else.?She moaned loudly then, unable to stop it from escaping her lips.


    Kay smirked, and brought down Raines''s underwear, to expose the delicate flower that had been hiding underneath.


    Raine was trimmed well, and Kay could see the meticulous care that she had taken in that. She could see all the love juice leaking through the pink opening and how some of the surrounding area was soaking wet.


    Without a word, Kay started licking the sopping wet cave, running her tongue up and down the delicate folds. She remembered the movements of Raine''s fingers and she mimicked that, but this time, with her tongue.


    Twirling, licking, sucking ... all of it.


    Hearing Raine moans getting louder and breathing harsher, Kay inserted a finger in as she continued her careful administrations with her tongue.


    As Raine felt her climax coming, she covered her mouth, muffling all sounds.


    Kay felt Raine climax but she didn''t stop, licking everything up with her tongue while her mouth covered Raine''s entire entrance.


    It caused Raine to have multiple orgasms. The waves came crashing by, stronger and stronger than the last until finally, she couldn''t help it but scream loudly as her body jerked upwards.


    Once done, Kay lay down next to Raine, hugging her close, their naked bodies touching.

 Chapter 448 - Finding Oneself

    Raine felt Chris snuggle next to her and she smiled. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can''t believe that''s your first time," Raine said, stroking Kay''s bare back.


    Kay giggled, hugging Raine closer and smashing her breasts against Raine''s side. Both felt comfortable, and the positioning did not mean that they were getting turned on. In fact, it was just nice to snuggle up and talk right after.


    "I had a good teacher," Kay replied, kissing Raine''s shoulder.


    "So? Did this answer your question?" Raine asked, "About your sexual preference?"


    Kay thought hard about it and said, "Well, to be honest, I still do not know. I mean, I enjoyed it immensely but ... "


    "But?"


    Kay hesitated, then said, "It''s not you, but after it was all over, I felt ... well, like something was missing."


    Raine smiled at that, then asked, "Was it perhaps, you just felt like me fingering you wasn''t enough?"


    Kay blushed at the direct question.


    "It was as if you wanted it deeper, right? Despite the stimulant, despite reaching an orgasm, something was missing."


    Raine laughed a bit, "What your body craved for, was a p*nis."


    "So I''m not a lesbian? But I have not gotten attracted to any guy yet," Kay protested.


    Raine laughed more at that, "I never said you weren''t, or you were. Just what your body wanted. You could still be a lesbian but would need to use a dildo or a strap-on to be fully satisfied sexually."


    "If you''re not turned on by a man, then you''re a lesbian. What you do for sexual pleasure is not determined by what you use, or do after all," Raine explained.


    Kay sighed, "So that means I still don''t know."


    "You''re still young, my dear," Raine said softly, "You have time to explore, and find yourself. What''s the rush?"


    "No rush," Kay said softly, "Just curious. It''s not like I can go out like this all the time. My brother would kill me if he knew what I had done today."


    "You have a brother? And he is that controlling of you?" Raine couldn''t help but ask in amazement.


    Kay nodded, laying her head on Raine''s shoulder, "Twin brother. It''s not that he controls me, but he is super protective. I was almost r*ped once, and he had saved me. So he''s been extra vigilant."


    Raine gasped, and looked at Kay. However, she didn''t look traumatised. Thinking, Raine then said, "Perhaps that r*pe attempt has affected you, even though you don''t think it did? Subconsciously, you reject men because of that dark episode?"


    Kay thought about it and felt that it was most likely true. It was buried so deep inside that she wasn''t thinking, but her body remembered?


    "Perhaps," Kay said, not refuting.


    "If that''s the case, then all the more you need to go out there and meet boys," Raine said, "Don''t reject them and get to know them. I''m not telling you to go and sleep with them, but go on dates. Find yourself."


    Dates?


    Like what Kyle was doing, in order to find ''The One''?


    Why didn''t she think of this before?


    Then she sighed.


    "That sounds like a good plan, but there''s one problem," Kay said.


    "What is it?"


    "My twin is the perfect guy. Drop-dead gorgeous, sexy, smart, sweet, kind and wonderful. How can I find a guy even close to that?" Kay said exasperatingly.


    Raine turned to look at Kay and then smacked her lightly on the face.


    Though it didn''t hurt, Kay was still shocked.


    Rubbing her cheek, she asked, "What was that for?"


    "To bring you to your senses," Raine said, staring at her.


    Grabbing Kay by the chin, Raine said, "Why the heck are you comparing guys to your brother? He''s your twin brother, so of course he''s perfect!"


    "After all, you are just like how you described your brother: gorgeous, sexy, smart, sweet, kind and wonderful. You reached out to me and treated me like a precious jewel. You saw and understood, without me telling you, what was bugging me and you healed me."


    "Are you telling me that he''s not been with any girl because they don''t measure up to you?"


    "Well, he hasn''t found anyone yet either," Kay mumbled.


    "Is he trying?"


    "Suppose so?" Kay replied, thinking of his plan on going out on dates.


    "So? What''s stopping you? Stop comparing, and see the guy for the guy," Raine said, "If your brother is even 1% like you, you''ll never find another guy - or girl."


    Kay giggled.


    "So is that why you were out tonight? On a prowl?" Raine asked curiously.


    "No," Kay replied, sighing. "I was upset at my brother. He went out earlier because he was feeling depressed."


    Raine gave Kay a hug, and said, "So you are feeling left out?"


    "I feel like a part of me is missing," Kay confessed, her voice getting smaller, "And when he shuts me out like that, I feel like he doesn''t need me anymore."


    "If your brother went out to sort himself out, he''s not shutting you out," Raine said, "You may be twins, but it doesn''t mean you''re not separate individuals, right? He''s probably needing time just to find himself and settle the emotions within."


    "You should find yourself, too. An identity other than your brother''s twin," Raine suggested.


    Kay blinked. Raine was right.


    In a whisper, Raine continued, as if she was talking about herself as well, "If you put your worth based on someone else, sooner or later, you''ll find yourself being just a shell of a person."


    "What would you do when he gets a girlfriend? Or married? What if he lives in another country?"


    "I am not saying that he will abandon you," Raine clarified, "But there is a possibility that you would live separately. What will you do then?"


    Kay hugged Raine tighter.


    "I never thought it would ever happen. We''ve always been together," Kay replied.


    "Then perhaps, you should start doing things for yourself?" Raine suggested, "I''m not saying leave your brother. But find some interest that is different from his, or has no relation to him. It''s a start, right?"


    Kay didn''t answer.


    Raine''s words made sense but she couldn''t see the future without Kyle being by her side at the moment. She knew that there was such a possibility, but she had shut it out of her mind.


    Perhaps, this is a wake-up call for her?


    She has to learn to live separately from Kyle.


    "Don''t worry," Raine said, as if sensing Kay''s distress, "You are stronger than you think. When the time comes, you''ll know what to do and you can do it."


    Both were silent then, and before long, both had fallen asleep.


    ? Flashback Ends.?


    Kay jolted back to the present.


    She really had not known that the talk with Raine would come true sooner than expected. Although it was abrupt, and Kay was reluctant to go, she found strength in the words Raine told her.


    She needed to find herself. She needed to live without Kyle beside her.


    This was a good time as any.


    Still, there was a hole in her heart.


    [I miss you already, brother]


    [I miss you, too]

 Chapter 449 - Buried Memories

    Kyle sighed and he got off the hospital bed.


    "Kay''s on the flight home already," Kyle announced as he reached for his shirt in the closet, "I''m getting out of here."


    "Wait, you can''t do that," Xing Han said, "You''re still injured."


    "This? This is nothing," Kyle said stubbornly. He placed his shirt and pants on the bed then took off the hospital gown, standing only in his boxers.


    Just then, there was a slight knock and a nurse entered immediately. She stopped abruptly upon seeing the scantily clad Kyle who quickly took his jeans and put it on.


    "I''m sorry," said the nurse.


    It was a hospital ward, so it was normal for nurses to enter the room without even knocking, but most did still knock out of respect However, they still wouldn''t wait for an answer and anyone who wanted privacy would have closed the curtains around the bed.


    This was a well known fact.


    However, Kyle had forgotten to do so, and thus, he was not blaming the nurse for it.


    "No, I''m sorry," Kyle said, "I forgot to close the curtains."


    The nurse nodded, and handed him a small container with some pills. Although she appeared professional, she was screaming inwardly at the devastating eye candy in front of her. He should have a warning label on top of his forehead - you know, like those warnings you get before going on a roller coaster.


    Anyone with a weak heart cannot attend to the young man. They''re likely to get a cardiac arrest or lose control to primal urges. The nurse laughed at herself for these insane thoughts.


    "It''s time for your medicine," the nurse replied, handing it to him.


    Kyle gave her his Million Dollar Watt Smile, took the proferred medicine and swallowed the pills with a gulp of water.


    "Sam, I''d like to check out now," Kyle said, looking at Sam.


    Sam got up, saying, "Okay."


    "But you''re still injured," the nurse said.


    "That''s what I said!" Xing Han retorted, looking smugly at Kyle.


    "Minor injuries. I don''t need to be hospitalised for it," Kyle pointed out.


    Kyle handed Sam a black credit card, "Use this."


    Sam looked at it and raised an eyebrow upon seeing his name on it.


    "It''s a supplementary card," Kyle explained, "As my PA and to be used accordingly. It took some time to do, and I didn''t have a chance to give it to you until now."


    "Ah, and the pin is your birthday. Change it as soon as you can."


    Sam nodded and left.


    "What now?" Xing Han asked.


    "The next interview is in two weeks'' time," Kyle said, "I''ll go back first, settle things at home then come back for that."


    "You think you can settle everything in a week or so?" Xing Han asked in amazement.


    "You forget," Kyle said, "I have my own Team. They can handle most of what needs to be done."


    Xing Han sighed and wished Kyle wasn''t so efficient.


    ?.?.?.?


    After that, Xing Han felt like everything went by in a blur.


    The hospital discharge, answering the police questions, the purchase of flight tickets, the packing and finally, there they were, waiting for their cab to take them to the airport.


    However, just as they went out when their cab arrived, Kyle stopped.


    "Wait," he said, his eyes on something in the distance, "I''ll be back. Just have the cab wait for a while."


    Sam nodded and went to the cab first, handing him some money as compensation to wait.


    Xing Han wondered why Kyle had gone off, and quickly followed him. Kyle heard Xing Han''s footsteps behind him, and he slowed down to allow Xing Han to catch up.


    "What''s wrong?" Xing Han asked, seeing the dazed look on Kyle''s face.


    "Strangely enough, I forgot about this place," Kyle said in wonder as he stood outside the building that was close to their hotel.


    Xing Han looked at where Kyle was staring at.


    The entrance had a covered patio, and on top of it was a replica of a vintage Harley Davidson. Above the entrance in a bold, gold and black lettering, were the words, "The Rock Cafe."


    Kyle entered and looked about. Just like what he remembered. The foyer was the reception area and on the right, was the restaurant that sold mainly western food and on the left, was the nightclub.


    The nightclub was only opened at night, starting from 7pm until dawn.


    "Why are we here again?" Xing Han asked, following Kyle obediently.


    Kyle shook his head, flung his arm around Xing Han''s shoulders and led him out, "Was just reminiscing a bit."


    "You used to come here a lot in your past life?"


    Kyle shook his head.


    "No. I came a few times, too few to mention," Kyle replied, "But ... the last time I was here ... well, let''s just say that ever since then, I never did step into the place ever again. Or touched a drink again."


    "What? Why? What happened?"


    Kyle sighed.


    "Something that I regret to this day," Kyle said softly, looking back at the building as they walked out, "I wish I could turn back time and redo the day, but I can''t. It was my little dirty secret."


    He gave a loud sigh, "I guess I was feeling so bad about it, I buried the incident deep down. I don''t know why I suddenly remembered now."


    Xing Han gulped, "Stop with these hints and what-not. Can''t you just say outright what happened?! You''re worse than an Evil Author giving cliffhangers!"


    Kyle laughed at that, ruffling Xing Han''s hair and replied, "It was the day I cheated on my husband."


    "WHAT?!!"


    "It''s not something I''m proud of, and I never thought of cheating at all," Kyle said softly, "Despite how unhappy and unsatisfied I had been, I never thought it would happen. The guilt ate up inside of me."


    "So who was it?" Xing Han asked, "That person?"


    Kyle pursed his lips, "Chris." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 450 - Flashback

    "Chris?" Xing Han said, "So who was he? What was he like? What did he look like?"


    Kyle shrugged.


    "I don''t remember," Kyle replied.


    "Huh?"


    "As Kylie, I suffer from alcohol blackouts,"* Kyle revealed, "I forget everything whenever I am drunk. The last thing I remember was coming here, downing a few drinks and then ... the next morning. He was gone."


    Kylie had a drinking problem, though she didn''t think it was serious. She simply drank a lot to help her tide the days, and when her spouse wasn''t around or not interested.


    Such heavy drinking caused her to have these blackouts. It didn''t mean that she fainted, but rather, she just could not remember anything at all. She was conscious and even appeared rational, but retained no memories.


    Kyle sighed.


    The guilt ate at him because of that night and he finally stopped drinking because of it. He had also been more tolerant of his spouse and inattentiveness.


    Even now, Kyle was very careful about drinking and would not want to fall into that trap anymore.


    They reached the cab then, and they finally started their move to the airport. During the ride, Kyle''s mind went back to that fateful night.


    ? Flashback??


    The ringing of the phone entered Kylie''s subconscious mind and it took her a minute or two before it registered in her mind what the sound was.


    Reaching out groggily, she stumbled towards where the sound was coming from and picked up the phone, mumbling, "Yes?"


    "Ms. Raine, this is your wake-up call at 3am," came the voice on the other line."


    Huh? Raine? Who is this Raine? Wake-up call? Wrong number?!


    Slowly, Kylie''s muddled mind came into focus.


    Wait.


    She looked around in a daze and a panic. She''s not at home! And it''s 3am?!


    "Ms. Raine?" came the voice on the other line.


    "Oh, yes. Yes, sorry. Thank you," Kylie replied, putting down the phone quickly. There was no sign of anyone else in the room, but there was a note on the dresser.


    Taking it, she read, "Thank you for the wonderful night and the talk. It cleared up a lot of things for me. I will cherish this night forever - Chris."


    Raine groaned and banged the pillow.


    Her mind was fuzzy still but seeing her undressed state, it was obvious what had happened. Yet, her legs didn''t feel weak or anything.


    Her heart beating rapidly, she quickly touched herself and reached in to check something for confirmation.


    Nothing.


    She checked the dustbin and the surrounding area.


    No used condoms.


    Kylie checked her body and groaned. Although there were?lots of love bites, there were no sticky residue.


    Kylie hit her head and swore never to drink again. She didn''t think she would have a blackout this time, for she hadn''t touched a drink for nearly a year! Why? Oh, just why was her body like this??


    She had just been so agitated by her husband''s apathy and after the latest rejection, she had to go out. She lied and told her husband that she was meeting up with the girls and he waved her off.


    She thought it was safe. Obviously not.


    Picking up the paper again, she cringed.


    Chris, huh? It sounds like a foreigner, most likely a tourist that was in the area.


    Guilt assailed Kylie.


    She had cheated on her husband with another man, but fortunately, they hadn''t gone all the way. Not that it absolved her of any fault, of course.


    Then she got depressed again. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What sort of man would do that? A half-naked woman and they had obviously done things, but he hadn''t gone all the way? Had he been so?upset with her body or her reactions, so he stopped?


    Kylie laughed bitterly, thinking that at least, it had been good for something.


    She quickly got dressed and left.


    When she found that the room had already been paid for, Kylie sent a silent thanks to the unknown Chris.


    Thinking about it, Chris had been a real gentleman.


    After calming down, Kylie realised that it may not have been that he had been repulsed by her. That had been her own low self-esteem talking.


    Chris had not taken advantage of her. From the positioning of all the love bites, it was obvious that he had not been repulsed by her body. It had been everywhere! He also arranged for the wake-up call so that she would not go home too late and paid for everything.


    She also felt guilty for not feeling that guilty. Did that make any sense? Even though she didn''t remember what had happened, there as this sense of peace she had inside.


    Kylie sighed as she walked out. She took a cab home and swore never to drink again.


    ? End of Flashback??

 Chapter 451 - Your Fault!!

    As much as Kyle hated to admit it, the infidelity had been for the best. Though some may not think so or feel that the wrong would never make a right.


    It wasn''t that he was justifying the means, but rather, the outcome had been for the best. From it, he had learned to focus on what had to be done.


    As Kylie, she had been wallowing in self-pity, depreciating thoughts about herself and had been slowly spiraling down the path that was perhaps, not too good.


    However, upon knowing that some person had found her desirable did a lot for her self esteem. She had even tried to be braver and try to communicate with her husband, but he still shut her out.


    Despite that, instead of questioning herself like she used to do, she had focused on her children instead.


    Whether that was better for her marriage, Kyle wouldn''t know. Not even now. But it did save him from going into depression, and he was forever grateful to Chris for it.


    Kyle sent a silent prayer to Chris, wishing him all the best, wherever he may be.


    ?.?.?.?


    The first thing Kyle did upon touching down in Country Tz was to go to and visit Father. He had to explain things to him.


    Kyle told Sam to go home first, and that he would contact Sam once he was finished with the things here.


    However, Sam insisted on staying with Kyle, saying, "Since you''re going back to Country Tz, I shall stay and help until then."


    Kyle nodded, grateful to Sam for his unwavering support. Why couldn''t Patrick be like that?


    Master Shifu had, naturally, been surprised to see him since he knew that Kyle was supposed to be back after the second interview. Upon seeing his serious expression however, he simply waited for Kyle to approach him.


    When Kyle went off to talk with Master Shifu, Xing Han was being fed by Auntie Rheia. He was happily gobbling down food when Nitocris came back. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris couldn''t believe his eyes when he opened the door and saw his beloved puppy stuffing his face with food. Nitocris had to hold back his smile, upon seeing how adorable his puppy looked, with his cheeks puffed up full like a chipmunk and his eyes practically sparkling with joy.


    Still, Nitocris was a bit worried. Why were they back so early? What had happened?


    When he had called up Kyle the other day, Kyle had not mentioned that they would be coming back, and that everything was fine.


    Although the discomfort and nagging feeling of something not being right, Nitocris didn''t push it. After all, what could he do on the other side of the globe, right? Even if he had shouted over the phone or insisted for Kyle to tell him, there was no way Nitocris could threaten or glare at him to talk.


    He had been planning to ask Kyle when they came back and lo and behold. They were back.


    Nitocris took off his jacket and sat down at the table.


    WIth surprise, he saw Xing Han turn towards him and glared at him, his chewing becoming chomps of anger.


    What was with him? Before they left for the promotional tour, Xing Han had been rather cordial with him. Friendly even. But now?


    "What''s wrong?" Nitocris asked gently, seeing how agitated Xing Han was.


    Xing Han pouted, which made him look even cuter than ever. It took all of Nitocris''s willpower not to go over and pinch those cheeks. He had been missing his puppy so very badly and now, seeing how agitated he was, Nitocris''s heart was in pain.


    "It''s all your fault," Xing Han said, spluttering a few pieces of food out of his mouth as he said so, "Because of you, Kyle is leaving."


    Nitocris frowned.


    "What? Kyle is leaving? To where?"


    Xing Han swallowed and stared at his sandwich.


    "Xing Han," Nitocris said softly, "What happened?"


    Xing Han''s mouth started quivering.


    He wanted to be angry at Nitocris, damnit. He was the start of all of this. But somehow, seeing this gentle side of Nitocris, he couldn''t.


    Xing Han was trying to be strong, but it was getting hard. Just thinking about Kyle going off and leaving him behind made him fear for the worst - or rather, for the change.


    "He had a huge fight with his father," Xing Han began, "So Kyle decided not to go back home."


    Nitocris raised an eyebrow at that, saying in surprise, "Kyle is throwing a tantrum?"


    "No!" Xing Han said, his voice getting louder, "Uncle Patrick is the one who kicked him out!! It''s your fault!! If he wasn''t helping you, he wouldn''t even be in this position in the first place!!!"


    Nitocris mind reeled. Now it''s his fault?!

 Chapter 452 - Plain Abnormal

    Master Shifu listened to Kyle telling him about his plans to stay at Country Tz for a couple of years. He noted the exasperation on Kyle''s face and voice each time he mentioned his father, and chose to remain silent until Kyle''s rant was over.


    Patting Kyle on the shoulder, he said simply, "Just keep in touch."


    Kyle blinked and looked at him, "That''s it?"


    Master Shifu laughed, "What do you want? You''ve obviously made up your mind.? Though it may appear as if it''s something sudden, I am sure that you have thought of everything by now."


    Kyle took a deep breath and nodded.


    Master Shifu smiled, patted Kyle on the back and said, "Calm your mind first before going in."


    Kyle nodded again, and leaned back, looking up at the sky. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the wide, open air always gave him a sense of peace. It was as if he was a little dot in the wide scheme of things and it helped him focus his mind.


    There were still things that he had to figure out, but basically, he had already planned out the next couple of years. The only thing he wasn''t going to compromise was coming back earlier than planned this time.


    One of the things he had been worried about was the possibility of him not being able to actually be there for his kids when his first life ended.


    It was getting harder and harder to predict and plan, more so when his life was not entirely in his hands.


    Kyle looked down, and for some reason, he stared at his hands. The same hands that have killed people and he idly wondered what he would do when he comes face-to-face with his killer.


    A slow smile started forming on Kyle''s face.


    Oh, he had very special plans for that someone. Kyle hoped he was a tough one so that he could play with him a bit longer.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That, however, was for another day.


    ?.?.?.?


    When Kyle walked in, he could hear a little bit of commotion happening inside the house. Kyle caught the voices of Xing Han and Big Bro Nic.


    "It''s your fault!!"


    "But Xing Han," Nitocris started saying gently.


    "No buts!" Xing Han interrupted, "You gotta admit, if you hadn''t asked, he wouldn''t have done it. If he hadn''t done it, then he wouldn''t have been in danger, and if he hadn''t been in danger then Uncle Patrick wouldn''t have gone ballistic and if Uncle Patrick ..."


    "Okay, okay, I get it," Nitocris said, "It''s my fault. It''s my fault. There, there ..."


    "Yes, yes, it''s your fault," came Xing Han''s voice, now muffled.


    When Kyle entered the dining room, he was greeted with the sight of a sobbing Xing Han, being hugged tightly by Big Bro Nic, who was patting his back and stroking his hair.


    Xing Han was struggling a bit, as if he didn''t want the hug but his hands that were holding Nitocris''s waist proved otherwise.


    "Yes, yes," Nitocris was saying, "I won''t do it again."


    "It''s too late!" Xing Han wailed, "He''s going away! He''s going to leave me!"


    Xing Han''s grip on Nitocris''s waist became stronger while his body was struggling and he was rubbing his face on Nitocris''s crisp, white shirt. His tears and snot completely ruining it, but Nitocris didn''t seem to mind at all.


    Xing Han had his back to Kyle, so he didn''t know Kyle had entered. Nitocris saw Kyle and he put a finger on his lips.


    Kyle nodded in understanding and left as quietly as he came.


    His presence wouldn''t be good and Big Bro Nic looked like he would do a better job than Kyle would, in consoling Xing Han.


    Still, as he left, he gave another glance at his elder brother and best friend ... and something finally clicked. Kyle looked at Nitocris, who seemed to be utterly at bliss as he continued to patiently console Xing Han.


    Shrugging, he headed out towards the front door.


    Seeing Sam, he said, "I''m heading out. I will be back tomorrow morning."


    Sam nodded and thought, "I might as well go back to the house then. At least, it''s quieter than here, what with the?wailing baby there."


    "You''re taking my move quite well, I have to say," Kyle said as he observed Sam.


    Sam gave a lopsided grin, "Well, honestly, after learning about you designing that bunker at the age of four, nothing - and I mean NOTHING - you can say or do now would ever faze me anymore."


    "Trust me. I have long ago accepted the fact that you''re just plain abnormal."


    Kyle laughed at that, "Fair enough."


    Sam headed out with Kyle, and he headed over to Kyle and Kay''s house while Kyle disappeared.

 Chapter 453 - Lethal Puppy

    It took Xing Han several minutes before he finally calmed down.


    He sniffed, then stared in horror at Nitocris''s stained shirt. His mind went blank at the moment, as he tried to think the proper words of apology.


    He frowned in nervousness, biting his bottom lips in worry as he gripped Nitocris''s waist tighter, "I ... I''m sorry. I ruined your shirt."


    Xing Han braved himself to look up, only to see Nitocris looking down at him without any anger. Only gentleness. And ... worry?


    Xing Han was so shocked at that. He had only seen that face not showing any expression and so, he had thought Nitocris was a rather unfeeling person. Well, other than those times when he would bully him.


    Yet now, there was some emotion in those eyes? That face didn''t look as rigid as it normally did. He touched Nitocris''s cheek in wonder, "You ... why do you look like that?"


    Nitocris blinked.


    He had forgotten how lethal his innocent puppy is.


    First, when he just held on to him as he cried his eyes out. Nitocris knew just how much Xing Han had been holding everything back in his attempt at being strong. The fear and uneasiness of ''losing'' Kyle, yet, having to give a show of support had been slowly eating up at him until the dam finally burst.


    Instinctively, Nitocris had taken him into his arms, to give him support.


    When he reached out and grabbed Xing Han''s hand to pull him close to him, Xing Han had resisted at first. He shook his head while tugging feebly at his hand as if he wanted Nitocris to let go.


    Yet, once Nitocris hugged him, Xing Han''s own hands went around Nitocris''s waist on its own and hugged him tightly in return. He buried his head in Nitocris''s chest while shaking it, as if he was still denying the warmth, comfort and security Nitocris''s firm and broad chest was giving him.


    This contradictory action of his tugged at Nitocris''s heart even more.


    It was as if Xing Han didn''t want to appear weak so he was actively rejecting it, yet his actions of him hugging him tightly proved otherwise.


    Now, after releasing all that sadness within him, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Sometimes, that is all that is needed: a good cry, and to be true to your own feelings. Suppressing them can be detrimental.


    However, Xing Han was back to the oblivious, innocent puppy who did things without thought.


    Nitocris gulped, took that hand that was busy touching him all over his face. He put that hand down and asked softly, not trusting his voice, "Look like what?"


    Xing Han seemed to come out of a daze as he jumped back, hands in the air.


    "Nothing! Nothing!" Xing Han said, rubbing his hands nervously at the side of his pants.


    Nitocris frowned at that, causing Xing Han to be even more flustered.


    "Wait! I''ll clean your shirt for you!" he said enthusiastically, rushing back towards Nitocris to unbutton his shirt.


    Nitocris just stood there, amused, as he watched his little puppy undressing him with such a serious expression on his face. It was similar to the time when Xing Han had buttoned up his shirt that time. The memory made him smile.


    This was a sight that he could get used to, too.


    Xing Han unbuttoned the shirt quickly and as he spread it open, his mouth gaped wide, "Oooo... my goodness! You''re almost as fit as Kyle!"


    He held the edges of the shirt with both hands and spread the shirt wider, exposing Nitocris''s muscular physique. He knew that Nitocris was fit but he didn''t think that underneath the stuffy shirts Nitocris wore, hid this sort of body. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everything seemed to scream ''strength'' as if there was power hidden underneath that was ready to explode out. Yet, when he had hugged him earlier, it didn''t feel hard? Xing Han started touching the chest, placing his palm all over it.


    "What do you mean, almost?" Nitocris said, his voice low, growling in displeasure. He didn''t like the thought of being compared to Kyle, that little pipsqueak.


    Xing Han was oblivious to it all, though, as he peered even closer then, he leaned back to get another view.


    "Yeah, almost," Xing Han replied, nodding decisively after studying the chiseled body in front of him with his memories of Kyle, "Your chest is broader, while Kyle is leaner. Your muscles feel firmer and it''s slightly bigger than Kyle''s as well. Gosh, both of you are brothers indeed."


    Nitocirs''s eyes narrowed at that.


    So his little puppy had been touching Kyle all over as well?!


    Xing Han pouted, then looked at his own tummy, "You have this well-defined six-pack of hard muscle while I have this one round fluffy pack."


    As Xing Han was looking down, he missed the warm smile that enveloped Nitocris''s face, the darkness gone from those words.


    "Each person is different," Nitocris said replied, "There is someone who likes you just the way you are."


    Xing Han grinned and said shamelessly, "Yeah, I''m adorable, right?"


    "Yes, very," Nitocris agreed softly.


    "Sorry? What did you say?" Xing Han asked, not quite catching it as he was busy trying to strip Nitocirs.


    He was pushing the shirt off Nitocris''s shoulder, taking care not to be too rough. Nitocris was taller, so Xing Han had to tip-toe a bit.


    "Nothing," Nitocris replied, letting his little puppy take off his shirt.


    However, the moment the shirt was off, Nitocris took it out of Xing Han''s hand and said, "It''s okay. Don''t trouble yourself with this. I''ll just dump it into the washing machine."


    With that, he turned and walked away towards his room.?Xing Han watched him go, his mouth agape.


    "Then why the heck did you make me go through all of that in the first place?!" Xing Han said under his breath, shaking his fist at Nitocris''s back.

 Chapter 454 - Goodbye, Sakura Academy

    The first place Kyle headed to, was Sakura Academy.


    It was late evening and the school had already ended. However, Kyle knew that Principal Godric would still be in his office. He had double-checked by looking at the cameras that were still hidden there.


    He made a mental note to come back later that night to remove everything. After all, he was going to stop schooling here now. As he walked through the front gate, he couldn''t help but stop for a while and look at the school.


    He may have only been here for three years, but it also held a lot of memories and special moments for him. It also seemed to represent his carefree days and by stopping school, it was as if he was leaving all of that behind.


    Kyle sighed and headed toward the Principal''s office.


    ?.?.?.?


    Principal Godric was looking at Kyle in total shock. His mind could hardly process what Kyle was saying.


    "You ... you''re leaving?" Principal Godric repeated.


    "Yes," Kyle said, "It has nothing to do with Sakura Academy. I''ve been nothing but happy here but it''s just that ... "


    Kyle sighed, looking sad and then looked at the Principal, "Principal Godric, I''m sorry to put you through this as it''s quite sudden, but I can''t stay."


    "What about Kay?"


    "I believe my father will be seeing you in a few days'' time to transfer her," Kyle said.


    Principal Godric frowned, "Wait. This does not make sense. Why do you say Kay is transferring, but earlier, you said you''re quitting school? I thought you''re quitting to go to another school but your choice of words was specific, isn''t it?"


    Kyle lowered his head, knowing that Principal Godric would catch that.


    "Principal Godric," Kyle said slowly, "What I''m going to say next is highly confidential. I trust you''ll keep it to yourself."


    "Of course," he replied.


    "To put it bluntly, I''ve had a falling out with my father," Kyle revealed, "The details aren''t important. Suffice to say, he''s kicked me out of the house."


    Principal Godric''s eyes went wide open.


    If you had told him the world was ending tomorrow, that news was far more believable than Kyle being disowned by his family!


    He looked at the boy in front of him that had never given him any problems, and one who was extremely respectful and capable.


    It wasn''t like Principal Godric had never heard of parents kicking out their problematic kids ... but Kyle?


    He felt like he was getting really stupid right now.


    Why was everything Kyle telling him, not making any sense?!


    "I do not plan to go back home and will be making my own mark in this world," Kyle revealed, "My father believes in tough love and wants to break me but I''m going to prove him wrong."


    Even then, Kyle didn''t want to paint Patrick in a bad light. No matter what, the issues between him and Patrick were private, family matters.


    "So you''re just going to up and leave?" Principal Godric asked.


    "No, of course not. I will be leaving as I can''t stay here. However, I will be taking my DSE* at the end of the year as an independent student. So I will be back for that since it''s only held once a year," Kyle explained, detailing his plan.


    "In fact, I''ve already been given a conditional offer for an accelerated degree. I simply need to get at least Bs for my DSE."


    "I am informing you of my plans so that you''re kept aware of them. However, I need you to keep this information to yourself. It must be kept a secret. Even from my parents. Especially, my parents," Kyle repeated, his face showing the seriousness of the situation as he stressed it. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why is that, if I may ask?" asked Principal Godric.


    Kyle grinned, "Because I''m being childish. Since he feels I''m incapable, why disappoint him?"


    Principal Godric had no reply to that. Since Kyle himself admitted it, nothing he said would dissuade him.


    "My own father looks down on me," Kyle said bitterly, "And though I admit that I still have a lot of things to learn, having him disregard everything I''ve ever done makes me want to punch him in the face."


    At that, Principal Godric''s eyes did pop wide open.


    He had never seen Kyle act like this before - a normal, angsty normal teenager. Seeing this side of him shocked him to the core.


    However, he truly understood why Kyle was feeling and acting that way. He also felt honoured that Kyle trusted him enough to reveal his plans.


    An hour later, Kyle left the office, holding the school leaving certificate and Principal Godric''s personal testimonial of Kyle''s contribution to the school.


    Kyle was now no longer a student at Sakura Academy.

 Chapter 455 - Saying His Goodbyes (I)

    Once he left the building, Kyle whipped out his phone and called Beatrice.


    "Kyle?" Beatrice answered the phone in shock upon seeing his name on the caller ID.


    Why was Kyle calling all the way from Country M?


    "Beatrice, you''re going to hear it soon but I want you to hear it from me," Kyle said as he walked out the gates of Sakura Academy.


    Beatrice was silent, hearing the utter seriousness in his voice. Her heart, though, was pumping hard. What was this ominous feeling?


    "I''m leaving Sakura Academy," Kyle said clearly, while he turned back and looked at the school one last time.


    Kyle had managed to get all of the bugging devices from Principal Godric''s room, so he didn''t need to come back later that night after all. It had been an unexpected harvest, for the Principal had left him in the room for a while in order to settle the leaving procedure.


    "You''re WHAT?!" Beatrice shouted, hardly able to contain her shock. She was glad now that Betty had left earlier, and so no one could hear her screech.


    "Yeah," Kyle said softly, "Don''t tell anyone. Principal Godric will make the announcement when the time is right."


    "Beatrice, you''ve been one of the best buds I have at Sakura Academy. Thank you for always watching my back and being a true friend. Especially for the ''Protect Kyle'' movement," Kyle said.


    "Wait. Why does it sound like we''re never going to meet again? I mean, even if you''re leaving school, you''re not exactly leaving us, are you?" Beatrice asked, "No. Are you?!"


    Kyle sighed, looking at the building in front of him.


    "Yeah, I am," Kyle replied, "For a few years at least. I don''t know when I''ll be back. I''ll certainly give you a call when I do."


    Beatrice took a deep breath.


    "You''d better, or else don''t bother coming back!" Beatrice growled.


    Kyle laughed, "Stay as you are, Beatrice. Take care."


    Beatrice put down the phone, feeling sad.


    Kyle was her first real friend here. Because of him, she had done things that she never thought possible. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking back of how she had been before she met him, and now, she knew that all of her improvements and coming out of her shell had been due to his gentle prodding and guidance.


    She wished she could have seen him one last time, though.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle knocked on the door, and smiled widely when Sayuri opened it.


    She was just staring at him, not believing that he was right outside her door again. She wasn''t sick this time, and wasn''t he supposed to be at Country M?


    After a full minuted, Kyle finally asked, "Can I come in?"


    Sayuri jumped at that and hit her own forehead, "Oh my goodness! I''m so sorry. Yes, yes. Please come in."


    "When did you get back?" Sayuri asked as he went passed her and entered the apartment.


    "Oh, not too long ago," Kyle replied.


    "And you came straight here?!" Sayuri gasped out.


    Kyle laughed at that, "No."


    "No, of course not," Sayuri said in relief. What was she thinking?!


    "Why are you here?"


    "What? I can''t be here?" Kyle teased.


    Sayuri rolled her eyes, "Of course you can, but you still need to tell me why."


    "Two things, really," Kyle said as he sat down in the living room.


    Sayuri walked over to the kitchen, asking, "Is hot chocolate okay? It''s just the 3-1 packet though."


    "Of course it''s fine," Kyle said.


    He waited until Sayuri came back with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. He took one mug with thanks, and had a sip or two before he began.


    Putting down the mug, he clasped his hands together and said, "First, I want to apologize."


    Sayuri frowned.


    "Why?"


    "Well ... because I am leaving Sakura Academy and I''m not coming back."


    Sayuri almost splurted out the hot chocolate she had been drinking.


    "So I apologize for the inconvenience," Kyle said.


    Sayuri put down her mug and stared at him in shock.


    "On the plus side!" Kyle said, putting his hands up in the air, "Congratulations!"


    Sayuri''s head was reeling and she rubbed her temples.


    "Kyle, you''re really giving me a headache here," Sayuri said with a sigh, "First, you drop a bombshell and now, you''re going straight into saying nonsense. What''s wrong with you?"


    "Are you even going to ask why I''m congratulating you?" Kyle said with a grin.


    "Do I really want to know?"


    Kyle nodded, his eyes wide open in innocence.


    Sayuri rolled her eyes again, picked up her mug of hot chocolate and said, "Fine. Why are you congratulating me then?"


    "You have passed the final test and your name has been added into the Koga Clan scroll."


    This time, Sayuri did splurt out her hot chocolate.

 Chapter 456 - Saying His Goodbyes (II)

    Kyle had already anticipated the spray, so he had moved before his sentence was done. Thus, dodging the splurt of hot chocolate easily, with a grin.


    "That''s certainly going to leave a stain," Kyle said with a tut-tut.


    Watching her shocked face, with the hot chocolate dripping a bit at the side of her mouth, he laughed softly. He certainly was going to miss this. He had to admit, teasing Sayuri had been kinda fun even though he didn''t do it often.


    "Wha-" Sayuri began, when Kyle interrupted her, raising a hand up.


    "It''s one of the rules in the test, actually," Kyle said, "If a target is chosen, that said target is ... get ready for this ... part of the ninja family as well."


    "After all, what will happen should you fail in the mission and the target found out about our hidden world?" Kyle pointed out.


    Sayuri groaned, hiding her face in her hands, "Oh gosh. That''s so obvious!! Why didn''t I think of that?!"


    "Because you never thought you''d fail," Kyle said, "And even if you did fail, you never considered the possibility that I''d find out about it."


    She sighed, her head still in her hands, "This is so embarrassing. So you knew the whole time?"


    "Well, yeah," Kyle said, "Part of the test was to see if you could actually remain hidden. I''m one of the assessors, after all."


    Sayuri was mortified.


    To think that she had once been so arrogant as to dismiss Kyle as a useless rich kid when he was actually part of the ninja clan as well. For him to be an assessor meant that his skills were higher than hers.


    It was another face-slap, but not as hard as it would have been. It only served as a reminder to her to never judge a book by its cover ... and that there will always be a higher mountain.


    Didn''t mean she wasn''t still feeling bad about it, though.


    Kyle took her hands in his, and forced them open, to reveal her face. He looked at her closely, bringing his face near to hers and tilted his head a bit, smiling gently.


    "You are good, Sayuri," Kyle said, and she could hear the sincerity in his voice. He wasn''t just saying it. He truly meant it.


    Sayuri was touched.


    "I wanted to tell you that personally before I left," Kyle said seriously.


    He let her hands go and she sat back, not caring to admit that having his face so close to her just now had affected her a bit. She hadn''t noticed it before, but he also smelt nice.


    She couldn''t identify the smell, though. It was just ... nice ...


    "Where are you going?" Sayuri asked, shaking her head, "Is it a ninja mission?"


    Kyle shook his head, "No. Personal mission. I''ve decided that it''s time for me, to do something for me."


    "I''ve lived my whole life for others, so this time, I''m going to be selfish a bit," Kyle said.


    Sayuri nodded in understanding.


    The past few months here gave her a sense of liberation that she hadn''t had before. However, unlike Kyle, she couldn''t afford to just leave it all behind on a whim.


    "Grandmaster told me to tell you that you can stay and finish your schooling here if you want," Kyle said.


    "What? Really?" Sayuri said in surprise.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, "It''s only another two and a half more years after all. The company isn''t going anywhere and it''s not like you''re disconnected from the ninja world. Though you are to report to my Master at least once every two months." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Er, why is that? Are you part of the Koga Clan as well?"


    "Heck no," Kyle answered with a laugh, "We''re not even a clan. There''s just me and Master Kato now. Father and your Grandfather seem to be very close friends, so he asked Father to take care of you should you decide to stay."


    "Ah, so it''s just an informal thing," Sayuri said in understanding, "Like visiting family."


    "Yeah, though in this case, it''s a Ninja family," Kyle replied.


    "I heard about the Kato clan. There''s really just the two of you left?"


    "Well, not really. There are many side branches but no direct descendant of pure blood," Kyle said.


    In the ninja world, ''pure blood'' meant that the person wasn''t associated with any other ninja clan and did not mean he had to be blood-related. Since Kyle had no ties with any ninja clan, he is considered a ''pure blood'', even though he was adopted.


    "It''s a pity. The clan used to be so huge," Sayuri said with a sigh.


    The Kato clan was one of the clans she admired during her studies.


    "No plans to revive it?" she asked curiously.


    "Well, I don''t quite think I can repopulate the entire clan all by myself," Kyle said with a straight face.


    "Why not?" Sayuri answered, with an equally straight face, "It''s not like you''re the one who''s going to be carrying the babies. All you need is 100 concubines and within one generation, the clan will be huge again."


    Looking at Kyle up and down, "And I doubt you''re going to find it difficult to find that 100 concubines."


    Kyle gave a slow, sexy smile and leaned closer to her, asking, "So, are you going to be one of those 100 concubines?"


    Sayuri snorted and pushed him away "You wish. Stop using that Seduction Art on me. Won''t work."


    Kyle snapped his fingers, "It was worth a try."


    "So many things make sense now!" Sayuri said as she got up to go to the kitchen. Getting a hand towel and wetting it, she proceeded to wipe the sticky stain on the table.


    "Such as?"


    "The way you could disappear so quickly whenever Sarah came into view," Sayuri said.


    "Ah, yes. Sarah," Kyle grimaced.


    "Are you going to see her before you go?"


    Kyle stared at Sayuri, hardly believing that she had asked that.

 Chapter 457 - Saying His Goodbyes (III)

    "Why on Earth would you even ask that?!" Kyle asked, his face aghast, "After all the things I did just to avoid her? I certainly don''t have a death wish!"


    "Oooo," Sayuri said with a laugh, rinsing the towel in the kitchen, "The great Kyle Smith is afraid of a little girl."


    "I am not afraid!" Kyle said, rolling his eyes. He knew Sayuri was teasing him, but he still didn''t find it was something to joke about.


    "The last thing I would want to do is?feed her fantasies. It''s best to just have a clean cut," Kyle said with a sigh.


    Sayuri, seeing how serious he was, replied, "Sorry, that was an inappropriate joke. But wouldn''t telling her straight be the better way though?"


    Kyle thought about it and frowned.


    Would it be better?


    Was he being a coward to just keep avoiding her, and hope that Sarah would eventually just give up?


    Thinking about Randall, Kyle knew that Xing Han was right about him being a special kind of stupid when it came to things like this. Even though he had been female in his past life, he was a quiet, nerdy and timid girl who didn''t have any experience in situations like this.


    "I don''t know," Kyle admitted, "I tried hinting before. I even told her about my ex-girlfriend and gushed about her. Told her that I''m not interested in anyone at school. Isn''t that clear enough?"


    "If I was to see her to tell her ''goodbye and don''t think or wait for me because I''ll never like you'', wouldn''t that still give her some sort of hope? Because, you know, I actually bothered to go see her?"


    Kyle wasn''t being egotistical here but the experience with Randall did worry him. He had said ''goodbye'' to Randall. He had told him ''it can never be'' yet, see where that got him.


    True, Sarah doesn''t appear to be the obsessive type but if she had carried the torch for him despite the fact that he didn''t shower her with any special attention ... Kyle shuddered.


    "You have a point," Sayuri said, sitting back down in the living room. Then, a slow smile spread on her face.


    "You know, I could help," Sayuri began, "You do know what one of my Clan''s ancestor is famous for, right?"


    Kyle nodded, "Of course. You''re the direct descendant of Mochizuki Chiyome, who specialises in the ninja art of espionage and assassination for women."*


    "However, I couldn''t trouble you with this," Kyle said, shaking his head, "I do appreciate the offer, though." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri frowned at him, "Stop being so polite. Do you want to solve this problem, or not? Going about it like you have, in the hopes that she will just forget you, is not enough."


    Kyle winced.


    "See, you know I''m right," Sayuri pressed on, seeing that slight reaction from Kyle.


    "Take it as my ''thank you'' gift of appreciation for my Ninja Assessor," Sayuri pressed on, using the custom within the ninja family, "Or are you going to reject that as well?"


    Kyle couldn''t say no anymore now, could he?


    ?.?.?.?


    Sarah was on the way back to the dorm after dinner when she saw something that made her stop and rub her eyes.


    The figure was across the road, and she couldn''t see his face, but there was no way she would mistake that profile.


    It was Kyle!


    Despite the fact that her brain was telling her it was not possible since he is on Country M right now, her heart was telling her brain that it was stupid. That was Kyle. He must have come back or something.


    He was standing outside a shop, leaning on the tree that lined the street and playing with his phone. With her heart beating rapidly in her chest, Sarah checked herself and made a few adjustments to be more presentable.


    Putting on a smile, she started walking over, her eyes fixed on his handsome profile.


    Just then, he looked up, and even from that distance, she could see him giving out a big smile. She looked towards the direction he was looking at, and she saw a petite girl walking out.


    She had shoulder-length brunette hair, its soft waves cascading upon her shoulder. Her face was delicate and fresh-looking, with minimal make-up. She was wearing a simple white dress that seemed to flow around her like a gentle breeze.


    Sarah''s eyes went wide open at that scene and she shook her head while blinking rapidly.


    She had never thought anyone could match up to Kay, but seeing that girl, Sarah realised she had been too naive. This one had a different sort of charm: the sort of childlike innocence that would make a man want to protect and pamper.


    She watched with mouth open as the girl ran straight to Kyle, wrapping her arms around his waist. Kyle didn''t even push her away but returned the hug and kissed her forehead, looking down on her.


    Sarah saw him nodding, listening as the girl was excitedly telling him about something.


    Sarah''s heart felt like it got squeezed painfully.


    Despite the pain that was filling her up, her eyes didn''t leave the couple and her legs didn''t stop walking over.


    Maybe ... maybe it wasn''t Kyle. Maybe ... maybe that girl is his younger cousin or something. The loving scene in front of her may not be what it seemed, and Sarah was determined to find out the truth.


    As she got closer, she could finally see his face and it merely confirmed what she already knew. It really was Kyle.


    Her steps quickened, and she could now see the gentle and loving expression on his face as he was busy looking and listening to the girl in his arms.


    He was so engrossed in her that he hadn''t even realised she was standing right there! She had reached there a minute ago and yet, the two fools were oblivious to everything.


    Sarah gritted her teeth.

 Chapter 458 - ’Girlfriend’

    Sarah couldn''t believe what was happening


    Who was this girl? Where did he meet her? Was she the one that gave him the hickey?!


    Sarah''s mind went back to that day when she had first seen that photo.


    After her initial rant, she had calmed down. Screaming it out surely did release a lot off one''s shoulders.


    She had zoomed in on that hickey, touching it over the computer screen. She started imagining that it was her that had put that hickey there. She continued looking at the hickey, then at the reflection in the mirror as it showed his perfectly toned body.


    Her eyes roamed downwards to that towel that dipped so precariously low. She gulped and stroked the screen just at that point. Her eyes closed as she imagined touching there as she gave him that hickey.


    Now, being confronted with the girl that may have been the real one that had given him that hickey, Sarah''s mind seemed to stagnate at that point. It took all of her willpower to stop herself from rushing over and separating them.


    Sarah quickly glanced at Kyle''s neck but couldn''t see any hickey and she let out a breath of relief.


    If this girl was the one that had given him that hickey the last time, then it meant she followed him all?around on his promotional tour?! But that did not explain what she was doing here. What they were doing here.


    She stared at Kyle, who appeared completely smitten by the girl in his arms.


    She had to save him. He''s acting all weird and not like the responsible Kyle she had always known. Why did it seem like he was being led by the nose?


    Looking at the shopping bags that were on the ground near them, it was obvious that the girl had been doing some major shopping.


    Sarah felt angry again.


    This gold-digger was using up Kyle''s money to finance her shopping spree! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kyle?" Sarah called out, unable to stand the lovey-dovey scene in front of her anymore.


    It seems that if she was to wait for them to actually realise that there was someone nearby would be something beyond their capabilities at the moment.


    Kyle looked up while the girl turned around, and Kyle smiled upon seeing Sarah.


    Sarah gloated a bit at that, until she heard the girl ask, "Baby, who is she?"


    Baby? BABY?!


    "Schoolmate," Kyle replied, "Hanni, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Hanni, my girlfriend."


    Hanni reluctantly let go of Kyle and turned to face Sarah, giving her smile and a polite nod.


    "Nice to meet you, Sarah," Hanni said sweetly.


    Sarah didn''t answer at first for Kyle''s words seem to echo in her mind repeatedly.


    Girlfriend ... girlfriend ... girlfriend ...


    Sarah''s mind reeled at that word. Though it did appear like they were close, she hadn''t thought their relationship had gone that deep that fast!


    And what sort of a name was that? Honey?! Obviously, with that face and that name, it was confirmed she is a gold-digger! Kyle was being utterly blind!


    But how can she show it to him without making him angry and upset at her? She had to think things through properly.


    Not showing any emotion of the unrest within her heart, Sarah gave a stiff smile and replied, "Nice to meet you, too."


    Turning to Kyle, she asked, "Weren''t you supposed to be in Country M? Your second interview is coming soon, right? Did something happen?"


    Kyle merely smiled, and hugged Hanni from behind, saying, "I just wanted to show Hanni around here first before going back. The interview is in two weeks after all."


    Hanni held on to Kyle''s hands that were around her waist and she turned to look at him, her face facing upwards, "Baby, it''s lovely here, but we really should be getting back."


    "Tired?" Kyle asked worriedly.


    "A little bit," Hanni admitted, "I didn''t get much sleep last night after all."


    Kyle grinned, kissing her nose, saying softly (but was loud enough for Sarah to ''hear''), "I''m sorry. I''ll hold back tonight."


    Hanni pouted, lowering her voice as well, "You said that last night too."


    Kyle laughed and said, "Who asked you to be so adorable?"


    "You''re so mean," Hanni replied, but her gentle smile showed she wasn''t really angry. She caressed his cheek and he smiled lovingly at her.


    He took that hand and kissed her palm, his lips staying on it far longer than necessary while his eyes were closed.


    "Baby, stop it," Hanni said softly, "We''re in public."


    Kyle opened his eyes and looked at Hanni, and replied with his lips brushing against her palm, his voice low and sexy, "So now you''re all shy, huh? You weren''t like this last ..."


    Hanni pushed her hand over Kyle''s mouth, her face beet red.


    Sarah felt like scratching her eyes out and stuffing her ears with wool. They had not only completely ignored her while they retreated into their own little world, they were ... they were ...


    Sarah shook her head hard.


    No, it couldn''t be like how it sounded. It just couldn''t! Kyle was not that sort of person.


    He treated women like gold. He never would have a one-night stand or sleep around. He was just not that sort of person.


    Although Sarah was right about that, it did not mean he was abstaining himself or saving himself for marriage. If he found the right girl, and both were willing, he wasn''t going to ''hold back''.


    In truth, Sarah knew this deep down, but since she was unwilling to accept that Kyle would ever find ''the one'' since she is the one, she blocked out all other thoughts.


    Sarah gritted her teeth in annoyance.


    Hanni turned her head back to face Sarah, and apologized, "I''m sorry. We have to go now. It was nice meeting you."


    "Do you really have to go now?" Sarah asked, "Would you mind very much if I interview you? This is huge news, you being his girlfriend."


    Hanni appeared puzzled, tilting her head to one side, "Interview? I don''t understand."


    "I''m sure you know how popular Kyle is here," Sarah said enthusiastically, "He''s practically the dream guy and all the girls are constantly flinging themselves at him."


    "In fact, I don''t know how he managed to stay single, other than that girlfriend he had before," Sarah continued.


    "So?" Hanni replied with a smile, "It doesn''t matter how many girls fling themselves on my Baby, or how many still do. If he was interested in any of them, he would have ended up with one of them. He didn''t."


    "They are as inconsequential as a fart," Hanni said, "They can be as loud as they want, but at the end of the day, they''re just air that smells."


    "They never stood a chance, and they never will," declared Hanni confidentially, "They want him? They''re welcome to try."


    Then, staring at Sarah straight in the eye, Hanni said, "I will simply crush them. He is mine."


    Sarah found herself shivering a bit at that. It was as if those words were directed at her. It couldn''t be, right? No one knew how she felt about Kyle, right?

 Chapter 459 - Tenacious Or Delusional?

    Sayuri observed Sarah closely.


    This girl was more troublesome than she thought.


    Due to her mission on gathering information on Kyle, she had also collected and observed those around him - and this included Sarah.


    That was why she knew Sarah''s schedule. She always had her dinner at a particular cafe once a week, as it had ''special memories of Kyle'' - though he had never brought her there. It was a place Kyle would go to sometimes with the Elite Five.


    Sayuri had chosen to go all out on her disguise this time, for Sarah must not know that it was actually her. Thus, she had chosen what she felt Sarah would subconsciously create as the ''perfect'' girlfriend for Kyle.


    That had been Sayuri''s analysis of Sarah''s behaviour. Her almost obsessive behaviour - with the flower tribute in the canteen - not to mention the controlled methods and actions she had in guiding the fans of Kyle.


    Sayuri wouldn''t be surprised if there was a Kyle shrine somewhere.


    So she created this ''Angel on the streets, Devil in the sheets'' character. More importantly, the girl has to be someone that could be comparable with Kay''s beauty.


    Partly because Kyle''s partner couldn''t be overshadowed by Kay and partly because only ''the best'' is suited to stand beside Kyle.


    Despite all that, however, Sarah didn''t appear to be giving up. There was a determination in her eyes that seemed to want to drive a wedge between them. Even though Kyle was obviously showering her with so much love and affection, Sarah wasn''t giving up.


    Was this because the girl was being tenacious, or delusional?


    She had even said all of those things to create discord between them. To make her feel worried about Kyle''s past, especially this ''girlfriend'' that he had supposedly been so in love with.


    Sayuri already knew that the ex-girlfriend was just a mission, but even if she didn''t, she wouldn''t have been bothered. That was his past, after all. So replying to Sarah about it was actually her honest belief and stance.


    As a ninja, she had been brought up in a rather liberal way, more so because of her training in the female ninja arts. They would utilize anything in order to achieve their desired goal. Even having sex, for that was the most powerful tool a woman can have against a man. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had long been able to accept that men (and women) would be able to perform such intimate physical acts without any emotional attachments, what more when they are in a relationship. So what the guy had done before hooking up with her is completely irrelevant.


    What was important, was how he is when he is with her.


    Deathly loyal.


    She would be the same. She would never demand something out of her partner unless she, herself, was willing to give it as well.


    Sayuri now looked at Sarah, who had still not given up despite all the hints she and Kyle had given about the nature of their relationship. She looked completely shocked but yet, still looked determined to keep at it?


    This was going to be tougher than she thought.


    "Baby, you don''t mind me staking my claim like that, do you?" Sayuri asked, turning her head again to look at Kyle.


    Kyle simply hugged her tighter, smiling indulgently, "Of course not. I''m yours completely, just like you are mine completely."


    "Maybe I should put the hickeys in more obvious places then," she declared, touching his neck while licking her lips, "That would keep most of the annoying pests away."


    Then she turned to look at Sarah, "Only the stubborn and delusional ones won''t get it."


    This time, Sarah''s mouth worked faster than her brain. She had already been having it hard to keep it down so as not to spoil her image in front of Kyle. However, after hearing all the talk about hickeys and her claiming possession made her see red.


    "What are you trying to say?" she screeched, her voice going up a notch in her agitation.


    Sayuri disentangled herself from Kyle and slowly walked over to Sarah.


    The smile on her face never faltered but her eyes were sharp and full of anger, "Since you do not seem to be able to get the hints, let me say this to you clearly."


    "Stay. Away. From. MY. Man," Sayuri hissed, her aura and demeanour completely changed from the young, innocent angel of before.


    Sarah wasn''t backing down.


    "I''m his friend and have known him far longer than you. Who are you to dictate who he can see and not see?!"


    Sayuri laughed at that, and looked at her in disdain, "Are you listening to yourself? Who am I to dictate that? Who else is better to stop the women who covet him?"

 Chapter 460 - Feeling More And More Stupid

    "I am not coveting him!" Sarah screamed, deathly afraid that Kyle would think that.


    She hadn''t made her mark yet and as such, she did not feel it was the right time to reveal her feelings. Sarah didn''t feel like she stood at par with him at the moment, so she had to bide her time.


    She looked at Kyle desperately, worried that he may be thinking badly of her, completely oblivious that her current actions already made him think that.


    Truth be told, Kyle was rather shocked.


    He knew that she harboured feelings for him but then again, so did half of the school. So he didn''t put too much thought into it.


    Kyle was beginning to feel more and more stupid at this point.


    Although he knew he was good looking, and that he could charm a person, but he truly did not believe that he could impact anyone so deeply like this. It was as if he detached himself from that thought or possibility, never thinking fo a second that he, Kyle, could make anyone so obsessed.


    Xing Han''s words went through his mind.


    Even now, he still could not fathom or truly believe it was due to him.


    That part was still the Kylie in him. It was not easy to overcome nearly 40 years of low self-esteem.


    Even in this life, everything he did was something he saw as fun. He always took the things he did to get a reaction, like a game he was playing. It gave him a sense of empowerment and satisfaction to see the admiration and awe in their eyes when they looked at him.


    Who wouldn''t like to be admired, right?


    But that''s all it was to him. It was just harmless fun and stroking of the ego after years of being ignored and treated like a wallflower. So even though he knew that in this life, he was the exact opposite of Kylie, he somehow never considered that he was not an easy person to forget.


    Somehow, the wires in his brain could not quite make the connection.


    So right now, Kyle was rather surprised at how Sarah was acting. Was she really this sort of person?


    Even he, who had been at the sidelines, frowned a bit when Sarah had inadvertently revealed about his ''ex-girlfriend''. Who was she to say such things to his ''girlfriend''? That had been something personal, and even though it was not a secret, it wasn''t for Sarah to reveal.


    Kyle was glad that he had Sayuri to handle this. This was way beyond his depth.


    The mind of the female is truly a mystery.


    He watched as Sayuri gave a little laugh then said,?"Seriously? Did you honestly think that anyone would believe that? I''ve seen how you were looking at my man."


    Sarah bristled inside. The anger that she had been suppressing coming out again. The way she was looked down upon by that person in front of her, as if she knew everything. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had this disdainful look on her exquisite face, and Sarah wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look more than anything.


    Sarah shook her head, "You''re crazy. He''s my friend and I wasn''t looking at him in any weird way! I''m just worried for him."


    "Oh really?" Sayuri said, "Worried about what?"


    "This is just so sudden, getting together with you," Sarah said, forcing herself to look worried, "It''s obvious that he''s on a rebound from his last love. He was even almost crying at that time. He must have been so confused and when you flung yourself at him, he couldn''t resist."


    Kyle frowned.


    What the heck was she saying? Has she forgotten that he was right there?


    This time, Sayuri laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. Even then, it wasn''t an obnoxious laugh that detracted from her charm. Her laugh was like bells twinkling.


    Kyle shook his head. Her ninja skills were truly impressive.


    Sayuri took out a handkerchief and dabbed the side of her eyes delicately, "Oh dear, thank you for such a good laugh."


    She turned to Kyle and asked openly, "Baby, is that true? Your friend here is saying that you are a shallow person and would hook up with anyone just to fill in that emptiness in your heart."


    "I did not say that!" Sarah screamed, stomping her foot.


    "Oh? You said he was confused, and took any woman who flung herself at him. Doesn''t that mean he''s shallow? And that he''s using me?"


    "I ... I ..." Sarah stuttered, not being able to explain herself.


    She was also mortified. She had been so caught up in her desire to make this person feel uncertain that she completely forgot Kyle was right there!


    What had happened to her?

 Chapter 461 - Cutting Ties Completely

    Kyle had to turn his head away a bit, to hide the smile that was threatening to break out.


    Sayuri really did play Sarah like a fiddle.


    It may not seem like much, but every gesture, look, and words were meant to make Sarah lose control. Sayuri was staking her claim over him while making Sarah feel inferior, causing the latter to fight to stay on top.


    "Yes, Sarah, what did you mean when you said that?" Kyle asked, his face clearly unhappy.


    Sarah gulped, and stepped forward, her hand up to touch Kyle as she said, "No, that''s not what I meant, Kyle. I just meant that ... that you ... "


    Sayuri took a step to the side, effectively stopping Sarah from getting close to Kyle.


    "You can say what you want to say from over there," Sayuri said, waving her hand and shooing Sarah away like she was some annoying pest, "We can hear you very well from that distance."


    Sarah glared at Sayuri, who was practically right in front of her face now.


    "What? Are you so insecure that you can''t even handle a female friend being in close proximity to him?" Sarah goaded.


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow and gave a slow smile as said, "Me? Insecure? Hardly. I''ve been pampered silly with his love for me."


    She then leaned forward to say close to Sarah''s ear, "Especially at night, when he''s busy?thrusting himself deep inside of me while shouting how much he loves me."


    With those words, Sarah''s rationality went out the window.


    "You slut!!" she screamed, bringing up her hand up to slap Sayuri.


    The slap never landed. Instead, Sarah found Sayuri had a firm grip on her wrist. Twisting it aside with one hand, Sayuri slapped Sarah with her other hand.


    Sarah''s eyes went wide open in shock and she put her hand on the cheek, her eyes glistening with tears. The slap hadn''t been that hard, but she felt as if her entire cheek was stinging painfully.


    "How dare you," Sayuri said, "That was for calling me a slut."


    Before Sarah could pull back her hand that was being held by Sayuri, she received another slap on the other cheek.


    "That was for coveting my man," Sayuri said as she let go of Sarah''s wrist.


    Sarah stood there, feeling the pressure from the figure that stood in front of her. Like some Queen.


    She glanced at Kyle, who was looking at her with displeasure and unhappiness. There was a coldness in his eyes that she had never seen before.


    "Baby," Sayuri said as she looked at Kyle with loving eyes, "You know I''m not the type to tell you who you can be friends with, but ... "


    She then turned to Sarah, "I don''t think she''s being a true friend right now."


    Sarah''s mouth was quivering and Kyle''s lips opened, making her hear the words she never had wanted to hear ever in her life.


    "You''re right," Kyle said, wrapping his hands around Sayuri. She hugged him back, leaning on his chest.


    Sarah, who had been feeling utterly wretched, couldn''t stand the scene in front of her. The smug look on that b*tch''s face made her blood boil. Kyle couldn''t see it, for he wasn''t looking down at her at all.


    Sayuri turned to look at Sarah, raising an eyebrow and rubbing her face on Kyle''s chest. She leaned up and kissed Kyle''s Adam''s apple and Sarah saw how Kyle''s eyes seem to glaze over as he gulped when those filthy lips touched him.


    He was being misled by her! He hadn''t heard the way she had goaded her! It wasn''t her fault!


    That woman was using her body to charm and blind Kyle!


    She had to make him see it! She had to rip off that mask of innocence off her face!


    Who else would be daring enough and love him enough to do so?!


    With a scream that would have put a banshee to shame, Sarah rushed over to them, intending to grab Sayuri and throw her off Kyle.


    Kyle reacted quickly, putting Sayuri behind him and using his firm chest to block Sarah. He glared at her, releasing his killer aura towards her. Not a lot, for she was just a normal person but it was enough to incapacitate her.


    She stood frozen to the ground, unable to breathe and feeling like the whole world around her was darkening and threatening to swallow her up. Sarah gasped, falling to the ground on her knees.


    All this time, Kyle didn''t say anything nor do anything.


    He just stared indifferently down at Sarah, all semblance of any pity gone. Initially, he had never wanted to be this cruel to her. For the sake of her friendship towards Kay, he had taken the soft route.


    However, seeing how she had been acting today - and after his experience with Randall - made Kyle realise that there are times being soft was not helpful at all.


    Sarah may be young, and may have had good intentions at first but it was clear that she would pose a danger towards those around him. Especially towards anyone that he would be interested in.


    Luckily the girl today was Sayuri. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What if it was someone else? A normal person?


    With that thought, Kyle steeled his heart.


    "I''m sorry, Sarah," Kyle said firmly, "But this is where we part our ways."


    Sarah started crying then, shaking her head as she looked up at him.


    Against all odds, she managed to get up. Kyle frowned at this, for it showed how much she was fighting against the pressure he was putting on her.


    She reached out and was going to clutch at Kyle''s arm but he avoided her easily.


    "No, please Kyle," Sarah said, "You have to open your eyes! Look at her! She''s just pretending to be all nice. You didn''t hear what she whispered to me! She .."


    "ENOUGH!" Kyle roared, taking a step back and hugging Sayuri tightly to him.


    "On account of the years we have known each other, and for the fact that you were Kay''s friend, I am holding back right now," Kyle said, gritting his teeth, "From now on, I am cutting ties with you completely. Do what you want, but leave me and Hanni alone."


    He turned to go, picking up the shopping bags around them, "And for the record, even if she was the evilest being on Earth, I wouldn''t care," Kyle said, "I love her, and that is all that matters."


    He walked off decisively, never looking back.


    Sarah watched them go and went back down on her knees, wailing, not caring about the people that had gathered around and who had been watching the whole incident with interest. Most had not heard what was being said in the beginning, but they certainly did towards the end.


    Some looked at Sarah in pity, some in disdain. Pity, because of the rather embarrassing play that happened. Disdain, because of the way she called the girl a slut and tried to harm her.


    Overall, Kyle''s parting words made all the girls giddy and sighed.


    When can they ever find a guy as perfect as that?

 Chapter 462 - Ali

    Kyle was quiet the entire time they went back to Sayuri''s apartment and Sayuri wisely kept silent. She could sense the turmoil of emotions that were shivering underneath that calm facade.


    Once inside, Kyle asked, "Where do you want these?"


    "Anywhere is fine," Sayuri answered.


    He placed them in the living room, next to the coffee table and slumped onto the sofa. He jerked a bit when he felt soft hands on his shoulders, slowly kneading them and easing the tension within them. He didn''t reject her kind gesture and relaxed.


    "Sorry if that was a bit rough on you," Sayuri said, exerting just the right amount of pressure, "I had to show you how desperate she had become."


    Kyle leaned back, sighing as he closed his eyes, "No, I''m the one who''s sorry for making you go through all that. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to truly see what''s happening."


    "What are you apologizing for anyway? I''m the one that offered to help and to be frank, that was hardly even a challenge," Sayuri said, using slightly more force in her massage, "I''ve been taught about all sorts of personalities and behaviour, so her reactions were within my calculations."


    Kyle sighed and patted her hands as thanks as he sat back up straight, thinking hard on the past few weeks.


    "It''s you who is too soft and kindhearted, really," Sayuri pressed on, "You have to be ruthless in situations like this, to nip it in the bud. Sarah''s situation got to this stage because you didn''t deal with it from the start."


    "She was 13 when it first began!" Kyle protested, "I could hardly crush such a young girl''s budding feelings, could I?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But that''s how obsessive behaviour can start, you know," Sayuri pointed out and Kyle started rubbing his head vigorously, messing up his hair.


    He still looked sexy though.


    Seeing how agitated and lost Kyle looked, made Sayuri laugh. So he was human after all. This was the first time she ever saw him flustered and it was a nice change.


    Kyle shrugged, smiling sheepishly at her.


    "Xing Han did say I''m a special kind of stupid," Kyle mumbled.


    "Xing Han is truly wise," Sayuri replied in admiration.


    ?.?.?.?


    There were two more stops Kyle needed to make before heading back. The side-quest with Sarah had been unexpected but it didn''t take up too much time.


    He just called back to let Father know that he wouldn''t be back for dinner.


    The first place he headed off to was to see Sam''s parents. He basically went to inform them of him quitting school and transferring out. They had been shocked, and listened closely as it involved their son. He didn''t reveal much about himself, but they were satisfied.


    "Sam has been nothing but an indispensable help to me these past few years," Kyle said, "I just want him to grow now, while I do my things. When I get back, the position is still there for him should he want it. I just don''t want you to worry about him right now."


    They nodded, grateful that Kyle even bothered to come and inform them personally.


    "Sam is rather busy right now, but he will come home once everything is finalised for my departure," Kyle told them. They were appeased and Kyle left. This was the only thing he could do for Sam, for he didn''t want Sam''s refusal to go home be something that bit him back later.


    The last stop was the stop that he dreaded the most.


    Ali.


    Kyle decided that the best place to talk to Ali, was at Ali''s house. It was late at night already, at a time that Kyle knew Ali''s parents would be in their room or in bed.


    He easily entered the compound, avoiding all the security cameras and detection wires. Scaling up the wall, he jumped onto Ali''s balcony and called him.


    "Hey, what''s up?" Ali''s voice cheerfully sounded over the phone.


    "I need to talk to you," Kyle said softly, leaning on the balcony and looking out.


    Noting the seriousness in Kyle''s voice, Ali sat up straight on his chair. He closed his laptop and asked, "What is it?"


    Kyle sighed, then said, "I have really a lot to tell you, so I''d rather tell you personally rather than over the phone."


    "Not a problem!" Ali said, jumping up, "I''m on the first flight over to Country M!"


    "No, you don''t need to," Kyle said.


    Ali was already at his closet, swinging it open and grabbing a few clothes, "No arguments. I''m packing right now as we speak."


    "Just go out to your balcony, Ali," Kyle said.


    "Balcony...?"


    Although puzzled, Ali did as Kyle said. Opening the doors to his balcony, he froze at the sight.

 Chapter 463 - Only Time Will Tell

    "Kyle?!" he screeched, only to have the rest of his words muffled by Kyle''s hand.


    "Sssssh," Kyle said, "Your parents are asleep, you know."


    "But - why - how ..." Ali stammered, then looked aghast at his smashed phone at his feet. Dang, another one bites the dust.


    Kyle didn''t answer, but walked over to the balcony railings again and waited until Ali came to stand beside him. Ali just stared at Kyle curiously, his mind not fully processing yet that Kyle was right there.


    The moment Kyle started talking, Ali''s brain went into overdrive.


    ?.?.?.?


    It had been several minutes since Kyle stopped talking. During the entire time, Ali had kept silent. He was slowly processing the multitude of information that seemed to overload his brain.


    MIB. Team Zero''s true capabilities. Randall. Kyle leaving. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One after another, as the bombshell dropped, Ali literally felt like the floor beneath him had opened up and he had fallen through. He still felt like he was falling.


    He stood next to Kyle, not looking at him but towards the horizon. The sky was dark, the night was silent save for the sounds of the guard walking below and the occasional sounds of cars zooming by.


    "Do the others know?" Ali finally asked, his face not showing any expression.


    "Yes," Kyle answered simply.


    "So, again, I am the last to know?" Ali said, unable to let the bitterness out of his voice.


    "It''s not intentional, Ali," Kyle said, trying to explain.


    "I know it''s not, but it doesn''t make me feel any better," Ali replied with a sigh, "I''m not blaming you. Really."


    Ali continued to look into the distance, not sparing a glance at Kyle at all.


    "It''s just that among the four of us guys, it seems as if I''m the only odd-one out. Sam is your PA so it''s natural that he knows. Xing Han is your BFF, so well, duh. Of course, he would know. As for me?"


    Ali looked at Kyle in the eye, "Where do I fit in this Elite Five of ours? I know I''m like a brother, but the others have their own unique identities to you other than just being part of the Elite Five."


    "I will always be the last to find out because it''s the natural order of things. I feel like I''m a part of you guys but yet, am not," Ali said, "It''s frustrating. It''s also equally annoying that there''s nothing wrong with it and it''s nobody''s fault but I still can''t help but feel left out!"


    Kyle didn''t have an answer to that.


    "In my heart, you are one of my brothers," Kyle said slowly, "From the moment you risked your life to save Kay, I swore to myself that I''d do anything for you."


    "But I also understand what you''re saying, Ali. It''s never been something planned, nor was I ever consciously shutting you out. These were secrets that I held since young and it wasn''t something I could just casually bring out."


    "At first, I didn''t want to tell any one of you as it''s my burden, my secret," Kyle said, "It''s a life of mine that no one is privy to."


    "Slowly, that changed and I wanted to tell but there didn''t seem to be the right time. It just got harder and harder to find the opportune time," Kyle tried to explain.


    "It wasn''t that I didn''t trust you. Despite how it looks like. I can''t explain it."


    Ali kept quiet, "I know. I can''t either. I need time to process this. Perhaps you leaving is the best for all of us."


    In his Faith, it is believed that everything that you encounter is for a specific reason and it is always for growth. The hurdles are there for you to overcome and grow, improve. It depends entirely on how you react to the situation that is important.


    Ali could wallow in anger and resentment towards Kyle for what he was going to do, or, he could use this chance to forge a path for himself. Kyle (and the Elite Five) always had his back so he was rather complacent.


    "For the first time, the Elite Five is going to be broken," Ali said softly.


    "No," Kyle disagreed, "Apart, but not broken."


    "Do you think our bond will never break?" Ali asked.


    Kyle looked at him, and said, "All I can say is, I hope not. I have faith in all of the Elite Five in that no external factor can ever come between us."


    Kyle clenched his hands together tightly, "It is only us who can break us apart."


    "The human heart is fragile and the mind is weak. This separation will truly test all of us," Kyle said softly.


    Ali nodded, agreeing, "May God Help us all."

 Chapter 464 - An Opportunity

    The next morning, Kyle, Xing Han and Sam were at Master Shifu''s house for breakfast.


    "Father, I have a request," Kyle said respectfully during the meal.


    "What is it? You know you can ask me anything," Master Shifu replied kindly.


    "Could Xing Han stay here if he''s continuing at Sakura Academy?" Kyle asked, "He can take my room."


    "Of course he can," Master Shifu said, "If he is agreeable, that is. Our home is your home, Xing Han. You know that."


    Xing Han, who was in the midst of putting in a mouthful of food, stopped and stared at Kyle.


    What was this? Why the sudden question? Why didn''t Kyle ask him first? What is going on in that BFF''s mind of his? Stay here?


    Xing Han put the fork down slowly, his eyes darting left and right while his mind processed this sudden information.


    For some reason, his gaze landed on Nitocirs a tad longer and he was a bit miffed at how unaffected that guy seemed to be at the possibility of him staying here. He was ignoring everything and just eating his food like this was a normal thing.


    Kyle noticed Xing Han''s hesitation, and the way he looked at Nitocris a bit nervously before being upset. Seriously, his BFF feelings could be seen on his face so clearly.


    Kyle looked at Nitocris and could tell how nervous his big brother was. Perhaps, waiting for Xing Han''s answer?


    These two really needed a lot of work, it seems.


    "It would make me feel better, Xing Han, if you stayed," Kyle said, "After all, over here, you have Father to keep an eye on you and Mother to feed you."


    Xing Han''s eyes brightened at that.


    "And Big Bro Nic can help as well," Kyle helpfully said, "He has his own organisation, after all. You can see what it''s like at his place and get some ideas on the different types before you graduate."


    "You''re still being the Sage Class Leader, even now?" Xing Han muttered, referring to the file Kyle had done to recommend a few steps in honing and expanding Xing Han''s business acumen.


    "No, I''m being your best friend," Kyle said, "You didn''t think I''d just up and leave you high-and-dry now, did you?"


    Xing Han''s bottom lip quivered and he flung his hands up in the air, before glomping on Kyle from the side.


    "Waaaahh!!" Xing Han wailed while hugging Kyle tightly, "You''re still the one who knows me best! Who loves me the most!!"


    A loud clang sounded, breaking the wailing that was in the air. Everyone''s head whipped to Nitocris, who nonchalantly picked up his fork that had fallen onto his plate, "Sorry. Hand slipped."


    Then, Nitocris looked at Xing Han, "I think your BFF is turning blue."


    Xing Han didn''t let go of Kyle, and instead, rubbed his cheek onto Kyle''s cheek.


    "No, he isn''t," Xing Han protested, "I gotta get my dose of Kyle before he leaves. I won''t be able to hug or glomp him for a long time."


    Xing Han pouted and looked at Kyle, "How long will you be gone? You''ll come back and visit often, right?"


    Kyle couldn''t look at Xing Han in the face and Xing Han grabbed Kyle''s cheeks to force him to look at him.


    "You''re doing that again," Xing Han growled, "Whenever you are going to do or say something you know I wouldn''t like, you can''t look at me in the eye."


    "Then don''t give me that sad look on your face! I can''t handle it," Kyle protested, closing his eyes.


    "Then don''t do it if you know I won''t like it!" Xing Han argued back, shaking Kyle.


    Then, without warning, Xing Han found himself being picked up. Two strong arms went under his armpits and lifted him up easily, effectively separating him from Kyle and being plonked back down on his chair.


    "Enough," Nitocris''s low voice sounded in Xing Han''s ear, his breath tickling it, "Kyle''s having it hard enough as it is without you adding on to it."


    Xing Han turned to glare at Nitocris, nearly kissing him on the cheek when he did so and he jumped back a bit in shock. His ears turning red a bit, he turned to glare at his unfinished breakfast instead.


    "I wasn''t trying to make it hard on him," Xing Han muttered weakly. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning to face Kyle and ignoring Nitocris, he asked, "From that look, I know you''re not coming back for visits. But you will at least keep in touch, right?"


    Kyle sighed, playing with his food, "I''ll be contactable, so if there''s anything, you can get me that way. Big Bro Nic has my number, so you can get me through him."


    "You''re not even giving me your number?!" Xing Han screeched, his eyes wide open.


    "Knowing you, you''re going to rack up quite a bill calling me," Kyle said, "And you can always ask Big Bro Nic, right? Also, don''t forget. there''s always email, you know."


    Kyle decided on this after thinking about it for a long time. Just like Kay, Xing Han was relying on him too much and Kyle, too, was pampering him (and Kay) too much. If they were to grow stronger, they needed to be strong as individuals as well.


    Currently, only three other people have his new number, other than Big Bro Nic. He couldn''t go off the grid completely and these four knew that Kyle was contactable at that number only during emergencies.


    And they knew what an ''emergency'' would actually mean.


    Sam, as he was the PA. He would continue to monitor the Smith Industries and let Kyle know if there''s something.


    Ali, for he would be the one that was most likely to be disconnected from everyone else - and Kyle needed the assurance that Ali would not feel more cut out than he already does.


    Team Zero (Kyle regarded the team as one unit), for obvious reasons. They hated that Kyle told them to stay, but they obeyed.


    Kyle looked at Xing Han, who understood what Kyle was saying. He pouted, puffing his cheeks and didn''t say another word.


    Kyle turned to look at Nitocris and said, "I''m leaving Xing Han in your care."


    Nitocris raised an eyebrow, hearing the hint of warning in Kyle''s voice. At first, Nitocris had been completely shocked that Kyle had ''given'' Xing Han to him. Kyle had created opportunities for them to interact with each other.


    Seeing that look from Kyle, he understood. Kyle was giving him a chance but Nitocris had better not hurt Xing Han. Nitocris smiled slowly, nodding.


    "Don''t worry, Kyle," Nitocris assured him, "I will take very good care of him."


    Nitocris then looked at Xing Han, who was busy eating. How could that adorable puppy of his munch while pouting?!


    Xing Han was not happy as he munched on his breakfast angrily.


    Why did Kyle act like he was such a baby? He wasn''t a baby. He didn''t need that man to keep an eye on him or take care of him. He''ll show Kyle. When Kyle gets back, he, Xing Han, will be a much tougher person! Hah!!

 Chapter 465 - The Smiths

    "Mum, let''s go out," Kay said to Delilah, "I''ll take you to your favourite restaurant, okay?"


    Delilah sighed, closing the book she had been staring at for the past few minutes without really reading. Her sad eyes landed on the eyes of her worried daughter. The rejection that was on the tip of her tongue died and she nodded.


    Kay smiled brightly, gleefully taking her hand and tugging her along.


    "What? Now?" Delilah stammered, hastily putting down her book.


    "Yes, now!" Kay said, "Before you change your mind."


    "I''m not ..." she started, then saw Kay look at her knowingly and embarrassed, she bowed her head, quiet. It wouldn''t be the first time she had done so, thus, Kay had every right not to believe her.


    It''s just that she didn''t have the mood, or energy, to do anything right now. She knew she wasn''t being fair to Kay, but she truly could not get out of the depressive thoughts that seemed to be prevalent nowadays.


    She felt she needed time. Time to come to terms as to what had happened.


    Seeing her daughter though, she realised belatedly that her daughter was under a lot of stress herself. She had lost her twin, and now, her mother was withdrawn within herself. Both of them needed each other, now more so than ever.


    Both were having cold wars with Patrick and as usual, he would just go and work rather than deal with the mess he had created. Instead of talking it out, he''d shut himself out for he felt he was doing the right thing.


    Stupid Smith Stubbornness.


    ?.?.?.?


    "What do you mean, he''s gone?!" roared Patrick over the phone.


    "By the time we arrived, he''s discharged himself from the hospital, Sir," came the polite voice on the other side of the line, "And also checked out of the hotel. The bills were paid by credit card and they left on the same day you flew back, Sir."


    "Credit card?" Patrick muttered. There had been no notification by the bank that the card had been used, and he frowned at the thought.


    "Where did he go? If even Sam and Xing Han left, perhaps they went to the second interview place early?" Patrick asked.


    "We do not know, Sir. The airlines will not release the information of its passengers, and their original tickets are for next week."


    "Contact Remy," Patrick said, giving him a number, "Tell him I sent you. He should be able to help you get the necessary information from the airlines."


    "Noted, Sir."


    Patrick put down the phone, visibly upset.


    "Just where the Hell are you, Kyle?" Patrick cursed, though he was not truly worried yet. After all, knowing that the interview was still pending, Kyle would turn up there eventually. With Sam and Xing Han with him, there was no possibility of him doing anything stupid.


    He was just upset that Kyle slipped off. More importantly, how did he pay the bills?


    Patrick picked up the phone again, calling up more people.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kay had booked the private room in the restaurant, even though there were only two of them. The restaurant did not care that the room normally for ten people were only seating two - so long as the room was paid for.


    Delilah sighed, staring at the menu blankly, her mind not really thinking about the dishes but she made an effort to concentrate.


    She heard the door open and close, ignoring the server that had entered. She needed to think and focus now, for Kay was making such an effort to cheer her up. When the server poured the water into the glass, she automatically looked up to thank the server when she froze.


    "Hi, Mum," Kyle said gently, putting down the jug of water he had taken from the server.


    Delilah started crying as she stood up, and Kyle hugged her tightly while she sobbed.


    She hugged him back, hardly believing that her son was right here, standing in front of her. Suddenly remembering that he was injured, she let go and wanted to step back but he didn''t let go, "I''m fine, Mum."


    Nodding, she stared at his face as if memorising it into her mind. She brushed his hair off his face, touched his face all over and asked, "Are you really okay?"


    Kyle nodded, "Yes, I''m fine. The injuries were not serious."


    Then he looked at her sternly, "But what is this? You''re so skinny and haggard-looking now. You should take better care of yourself."


    Delilah hadn''t had much appetite nor could she sleep well, thinking about Kyle so it was natural that she had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was rather pale.


    "I - I ..." Delilah stammered, seeing the serious expression on Kyle. She had never seen him so stern before and she was both flustered and warm inside.


    Kyle made her sit down and ordered a few light dishes, all her favourite. She just sat there, staring at him and holding his hand while he did so. It was as if she was afraid that he''d disappear if she let go of his hand.


    Kay had been silent all this time, letting Kyle reunite with their mother. Now, however, while Delilah was holding Kyle''s left hand, Kay was hanging onto Kyle''s right arm. The servers that came and went did not bat an eyelid at this scene. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The meal was pleasant, with lots of small talk and Kyle paying extra care and attention to his mother. The elephant in the room* was not addressed, as if there was a tacit agreement not to spoil the moment.


    At the end of the meal, while waiting for dessert, Kyle took both of his mother''s hands in his and said to her seriously, "Mum, I''ll be away for a while but rest assured, I will be fine."


    Delilah bit her bottom lip, her eyes wet with tears again, "Where are you going? What will you be doing?"


    Kyle smiled at her, patting her hand, "I''m sorry, but I can''t tell you that. I don''t want Dad to know."


    "You think I''ll tell him?" Delilah said, upset to think that her own son doesn''t trust her.


    Kyle shook his head, "No, it''s not that. I just don''t want to put you in the position to lie to your own husband. This fight is between Dad and me, and you have your own battles with Dad. I will not put you in a position where you have to choose between me, and him."


    Delilah gripped his hands tightly, her heart in pain.


    The depth of his concern and understanding of her made her feel even more inadequate as a mother.


    When she thought about it, he had always done this, taking care of her feelings and thoughts. She had never truly seen it until now, for he had done it all so subtly that she never realised. It should have been the other way around!


    Putting her hand on his cheek, she smiled and said, "You''re always like this. Taking everything upon those shoulders of yours. Why do you do this to yourself? You should rely on other people more."


    Kyle smiled, nodding, "I am the Smith Heir, Mum. This is just a fraction of the responsibilities I bear. Rest assured Mum. I have been truly lucky and blessed, Mum. I have you, Kay and the Elite Five to keep me grounded and I have never lacked love."


    Turning serious, Kyle said firmly, "But ... the fight with Dad just showed me how much stress I am truly under. I need to find myself. I''ve lived my life working hard and trying to please Dad but now, it seems like it''s all been for nought. I need this time away, Mum. Please understand."


    Kyle wasn''t lying about the reasons. It''s just that those were not the only reason.


    "I will keep in touch and email you every week," Kyle said, "I can''t tell you not to be worried for me, for that is impossible. But I can tell you that I have everything covered."


    "You''ll really keep in touch?"


    "Of course, Mum," Kyle said, "Just be prepared. I don''t plan on letting Dad know where I am."


    "He can find you," Delilah said confidently.


    "Oh, he can try," Kyle replied, equally confidently.


    Kyle gave his Mum and Kay one final hug before walking out.

 Chapter 466 - A New Year

    Beatrice stood at the entrance of Sakura Academy, upholding the tradition Kyle had started as Student Council President.


    In actual fact, she had already graduated the previous year but she was helping out right now. She was here simply as alumni and upon invitation by Sayuri (who is now the Student Council President). Sayuri had felt that Beatrice''s presence would be a calming effect on those who were expecting Kyle.


    Beatrice welcomed the new students who entered with a smile and ensured everyone was adhering to the school rules. This time, inside, it was Sayuri who was with Sam to make sure that the Hall was ready for the opening ceremony.


    She looked at everyone and noticed that there were still some who had not moved on from the Smith Twins departure. Even though it had been nearly a year since they had left.


    She saw the returning students having some sort of insane hope on their faces as they came but reluctantly walked on with sadness upon seeing her.


    When Principal Godric made that announcement during a special assembly, the students had given a collective wail of despair. At first, they thought he was joking or pulling their leg like he had the first time, but when they realised that he was not ...


    All Hell broke loose.


    It had been so sudden. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Smith Twins had left the school, without any word to anyone or warning. Even the ''Protectors of Kyle'' had been caught unawares.


    Everyone then focused on Kyle''s Insta, which had not been updated for quite some time. On the day of the announcement by the Principal, one minor post was made on that Insta.


    It was a short video of Kyle, his breathtakingly handsome face being as devastating as ever as he thanked all of his supporters but he was going on a break. He apologized, and said that although he wouldn''t be deactivating the account, it wouldn''t be updated anymore.


    He also stated that he no longer was connected to PoK and any news from that portal was not substantiated by him. He gave a simple bow, blew kisses and the screen went black.


    It had caused a lot of commotion and it made any interviews that Kyle had gone on, become even more in demand. The last interview he had done created lots of speculation as to why he suddenly transferred.


    The most popular version was that Kyle needed to be placed under protection.


    ? Mini Flashback [Interview] ?


    Kyle was at the interview alone this time.


    Xing Han didn''t follow him back to Country M whereas Sam had been left behind in the peninsular of Country M. Kyle knew Patrick was tracking him, so he purposely split up with Sam at the airport. Sam went to City K again whereas Kyle stayed behind for a day at the main airport and took the connecting flight for the interview.


    It was a useless move since there was someone at the interview location already. Kyle simply wanted Patrick''s men to let their guard down into thinking that he was incompetent.


    While he was recording the interview, Kyle knew that one of Patrick''s men was in the audience. He simply pretended not to know.


    "So, Kyle," began the host after the initial introductions were done, "First, we''d like to apologize for the horrendous experience you had gone through in our own country."


    The host turned to the camera, "For those not in the know, Kyle had been robbed and attacked, going missing for two days while the whole country had been looking for him."


    Turning back to Kyle, Kyle put up a hand and gave a warm smile as he said, "Please, let''s not talk about that. There is nothing to apologize for. Every country has its beauty and darkness. There had been someone who saw me, rescued me and took care of me during that time, despite the danger and risks."


    "Ah yes, the good Samaritan," the host said, nodding.


    "Yes, truly a wonderful person," Kyle said, "And that makes Country M even more unique and beautiful."


    They went on to talk a bit about other things, such as the movie and Kyle''s impression of the country. It ended well and everyone took group photos at the end of it. As Kyle shook hands with everyone after the photoshoot, he blended into the crowd and disappeared.


    Rex, who had been following Kyle, cursed when he realised that he could no longer see Kyle amongst the people on stage.


    This was not the first time the lad had given him the slip but that time, it had not been their fault. No one anticipated that Kyle would leave early. Still, Patrick had not been happy.


    This time, Kyle had been right in front of him and then, he wasn''t.


    Cold sweat broke out all over his body, despite the humid weather. He started looking for Kyle frantically but to no avail. It was as if he was a ghost.


    At the end of the day, Rex had to inform Patrick that his son had gone missing again.


    ? End of Flashback??

 Chapter 467 - The Ones Left Behind : Ali

    Inside the Hall, the remaining Elite Five were still sitting together at the front row. This time, they had their girlfriends with them, save for Xing Han.


    Ali and Sophia, Xing Han, Sam and Betty.


    This would be Ali''s final year at Sakura Academy, as he decided to take the DSE at the end of the year. Sam and Xing Han decided to stick around for another year.


    Sam, because his parents were here and he wanted to be with Betty as well. Sakura Academy was as good as any school, so there was no reason for him to leave.


    Xing Han, because he truly was learning a lot from following Nitocris around. Staying in Kyle''s room gave him a sense of peace as well. In addition, he was not willing to go home and become the serious ''Tan Xing Han'', the one who was getting married soon.


    Everyone who entered would gaze at that row of seats and sigh. At least, they still had those three to look at.


    At that moment, Ali and Sophia were holding hands. Even though it was not allowed as she was yet his wife. Still, he allowed himself to ''sin'' for this, willing to accept the consequence. At least it wasn''t one of the greatest sins - but it didn''t mean that it was ''okay''.


    Ali felt he was already doing the best he could to balance out between wanting to be more intimate with Sophia and respecting her as what his Faith teaches him. Although Sophia was willing to do more than just hold hands, he had to hold back.


    He had to be a good example for her, right? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If he was to disregard everything he had believed in for her, would that not mean that his Faith was weak? There were reasons for everything that his Faith allowed and forbade, and the best teacher would be by example.


    He did not want to confuse her either.


    She had to think of his Faith without thinking of him.


    If she accepted his Faith because of him without truly believing in it, then what would happen if ... if they separated? Would she also abandon the Faith?


    She could leave him, but not Him.


    It was the greatest sin of all, known as the ''Unforgivable Sin''.* To reject and abandon God. Ali did not want that for her. Even if she didn''t believe, he did. He would rather die than push her down that Road to Hell.


    He had to do this properly.


    Over the past year, Sophia had slowly integrated herself into Ali''s family.


    She learned his culture, his way of life and was exposed to all of their ''rituals'' : the praying, fasting and so forth. She was never forced to do them either, but they would tell her the meaning behind everything.


    They treated her well, and she was starting to feel part of the family.


    However, did she believe?


    Even now, Ali did not dare ask her yet. He did not want to seem like he was pushing her to make a decision. It was not something that one can decide so fast, right?


    Sophia, in the meantime, was starting to feel a bit depressed.


    It was a new school year and Ali had decided to graduate early. Unlike him, she was not confident enough to be able to learn the entire secondary school syllabus in order to take the DSE. This meant that this was the final year that they would be together.


    Everything had changed since the time Ali confessed.


    Her life settled into a routine that she even found comfortable now, even though she was immersing herself in a different culture.


    It wasn''t just the culture, but their way of life.


    She wasn''t talking about just his Faith, but the way he viewed things. They were so rich that things that were not normal, was normal for him. Spending millions without batting an eyelid, for example.


    Just the other day, Ali''s father accidentally bought two airplanes as a birthday present for his nephew instead of a model of the planes.*


    Yet, his family was extremely generous and was involved in a lot of charity work. They didn''t just donate regularly, but even offered their ''services''.


    Sophia once followed Ali''s mother during one of the times she went out to volunteer and it boggled her mind even more. A woman, who lived in the lap of luxury, not minding mingling around with the homeless and such. Yet, it wasn''t fake or made up.


    Sophia wasn''t unkind but she didn''t have this sort of innate selflessness either.


    Sophia had so much to think about and now, there was the added pressure: Ali leaving.


    Could she live her life like before?


    Without him?


    Ali took Sophia''s hand and kissed the back of it, the most that he would allow himself to do.


    She smiled, gripping his hand tighter.


    These were things she knew he was not allowed to do, but he did so for her. She had been talking to Ali''s mother about the ''do''s and don''ts'' of Islam and it all seemed strange to her.


    In truth, it felt like archaic means of behaviour ... but a part of her was starting to understand - a little bit - of their point of view. There was a part of her that automatically felt like it was too controlling and did not let them have free will ... but yet, a small voice within her was whispering that people do need rules for guidance in Life.


    Sophia looked outside the window, marveling at the beauty of nature and then towards the people in the Hall.


    Everything, and everyone, was perfectly designed.


    When you look at nature and leave it by itself, there was an order of things that were perfectly in harmony. When she thought about it, if Man did not interfere and nature was to run its natural course, everything was perfect.


    She remembered something Ali had told her about the human body as well.


    Just like nature, everything within the human body was perfectly designed to function with each other.


    In his eyes, how could something so perfectly created, not be due to a Higher Being? Even the way life was created, from nothing, to cells to a fully formed human being. It was just too amazing to be due to ''chance'' and ''nothing''.


    Sophia had never thought of it that way, and had always taken everything for granted. That was how life is. You are born, you live, you die.


    It was now, that she was slowly beginning to see it from a different perspective. With new eyes.


    Perhaps ... perhaps there truly was such a Being?


    Sophia bit her bottom lips.


    This was the first time she was actually thinking seriously about it and the small seed that Ali (and family) had placed on the barren soul of Sophia started sinking inside, planting itself into her subconscious.


    Previously, Sophia was rejecting all thoughts about it, thus the ''seed'' was not accepted. Now that she was beginning to open up, the ''seed'' was planted. For it to grow, it needed nourishment - in this case, Sophia had to look at the seed and care for it.


    If she accepts, then the seed will grow and she would have a chance with Ali. If she does not ... well, the ending would be obvious.


    For now, it was still too early to tell whether the seed would sprout, or not.

 Chapter 468 - The Ones Left Behind : Xing Han

    Xing Han was sitting there, crossing his arms as he stared at the stage, ignoring everything and everyone around him. He looked unperturbed, as if he was bored waiting for the ''show'' to begin.


    This was completely unlike how he had been when Kyle first left.


    He had been a total emotional wreck, despite him swearing that he would be strong. It was so much harder than he thought it would be. True to his word, Kyle went off the grid completely after he left. He did not keep in touch at all except for the occasional very short email once in a while.


    The sudden silence had eaten up at Xing Han and initially, he had a lot of trouble coping. He felt like such a fool yet no one made fun of him.


    Most surprisingly, the one that had been the kindest and greatest help to him was Nitocris.


    He hardly showed any expression though, but that was what made Xing Han feel even more at ease. The way Nitocris was curt, to the point and said things that - though hurtful - was the truth. He didn''t dismiss Xing Han''s feelings but rather, he told him to deal with it.


    Xing Han''s mind went back to the first month when Kyle had left.


    ? Flashback??


    Xing Han was sitting on the bed, in the dark room with the light from his phone giving the room a weird glow as he stared unblinkingly at the wall.


    He had to do this. He could do this. He needed to sleep.


    Sam had stayed with him at first when he had moved here to Master - no, Uncle Shifu''s house. Uncle Shifu told him that he was no longer teaching Kyle, thus dropped the ''title'' and he wanted Xing Han to feel more at home.


    Sam couldn''t stay with him forever and it had already been two weeks. Sam had his own home, and parents, so Xing Han resolutely told Sam that he was okay.


    In truth, he was not.


    He had nightmares. He kept it to himself, not wanting to bother anyone and was actually too ashamed to have his fears be put to light.


    Taking several deep breaths, he finally calmed himself down and lay on the bed, and soon enough, he fell asleep.


    It didn''t take long for his nightmare to begin.


    It was always the same. Kyle was in the distance, looking like he was in pain. Xing Han''s heart felt the pain as well, and he ran after Kyle but Kyle couldn''t see him. Couldn''t hear him.


    Kyle didn''t look lost, but he had this look of utter despair on his face that made the tears on Xing Han''s face fall down. He ran after Kyle, but as usual, Kyle would turn at that point and walk away. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter how hard Xing Han ran, he never could catch up to Kyle. Kyle just kept getting further and further away until he could no longer be seen.


    Xing Han woke up then, shouting out Kyle''s name, his face wet with tears. He was gasping, clutching his chest when he realised he was not alone. Looking up, he saw Nitocris glaring at him.


    The desperate feeling of helplessness that had filled him up in the dream, was washed away by those angry eyes. Indignant, Xing Han pouted and wiped his face hastily. He pulled up his blanket and was about to turn away from Nitocris, only to have his movement blocked.


    Nitocris held on to his shoulder, and asked, "How long are you going to keep hiding these nightmares?"


    Xing Han froze, his back to Nitocris, "I can handle it. I''m not a baby."


    He heard Nitocris sigh then the bed creak and the mattress lower a bit. Shocked, Xing Han was going to turn but Nitocris simply pushed him down back on the bed and commanded, "Sleep."


    "What -" Xing Han started to ask when he felt Nitocris hug him from behind.


    "Just sleep," growled Nitocris, "I''ll be here to keep the nightmares away."


    Xing Han opened his mouth to protest but realised ... he was calming down. The rapid beating of his heart was slowing down and there was this sense of peace that started enveloping him.


    Xing Han was amazed.


    Nitocris was so scary that even his nightmares were scared away!!


    Not questioning further, Xing Han closed his eyes.


    He fell asleep almost immediately and for the first time since Kyle left, he slept well.


    ?.?.?.?


    Xing Han''s mind came back to the present as the clapping started. He started clapping as well, welcoming the Principal in giving the New School Year opening speech.


    He wasn''t listening, his eyes glazed over as he thought of the past several months of having ''no Kyle'' in his life.


    He was getting into a routine that was good, and he was coping. He was getting stronger (in his mind). Although ... night times were still not good times. In the end, Nitocris ended?sleeping with him all the time.


    It was just something that naturally happened and Xing Han was grateful for it.


    It was he, Xing Han, that was inconveniencing Nitocris yet, he never complained and never teased him about it.


    Ever since that night when Nitocris had caught him having the nightmares, he would come over to check up on him every night upon coming back from work. Each time he saw Xing Han tossing and turning, or whimpering, he would get on the bed and hug Xing Han. Upon feeling Nitocris''s familiar presence, Xing Han would calm down and get into a deep sleep.


    It got to be so bad that when Nitocris wasn''t there, Xing Han couldn''t get proper sleep.


    Xing Han found that it wasn''t really good for it felt as if he was using Nitocris to fill in the gap that was left behind by Kyle. He promised himself that he will get stronger. He was just so weak emotionally that it was pathetic.


    Luckily, Nitocris indulged him.

 Chapter 469 - The Ones Left Behind : Sam

    Amongst the three of them, it appeared as if Sam was the one that did not change much. The only difference people could see was that he was not following Kyle around anymore.


    On the outside, his serious expression was the same. His gentle look on Betty was the same. His behaviour all looked the same.


    However, nothing could be further from the truth.


    His greatest headache right now was Patrick.


    ? Flashback ?


    Sam was sitting in the Smith Industries CEO''s office.


    In front of him, sitting stiffly on the chair while staring down at him, was Patrick Smith, Kyle''s father.


    "Samuel," Patrick said, tapping the table with his finger, "I know you know where Kyle is. Tell me."


    "I''m sorry, Sir," Sam said politely, "I do not know where he is, and even if I did, I wouldn''t tell you."


    Patrick bristled at that.


    Turns out his son''s PA was as stubborn as his son is. Patrick could not understand how Kyle could just disappear off the face of the Earth. No matter what resources he employed, Kyle could not be traced.


    Worse, he had no idea how his son was living.


    At first, he was not worried so long as Kyle had that credit card. Even though he didn''t seem to be using it, he had it and Patrick was assured that Kyle would have some access to money once he ran out of it.


    Yet, as the weeks passed by, there was nothing.


    Not a single transaction on the card!


    Then, the card was returned to him in a letter. There was nothing in the envelope save that credit card, cut in two.


    Patrick had been livid at the gesture, Was Kyle''s ego and stubbornness so high that he would shoot himself in the foot like that?! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Kyle would write to his mother once in a while, he would actually think his son was dead. Or living in the slums.


    Worse, Kyle actually wrote letters. Handwritten letters, mailed in an envelope.


    It wasn''t an email, so he couldn''t trace it. Each letter originated from different parts of the world and it was nigh impossible to send his men to each and every one of those places.


    Patrick was ready to lose his mind.


    And now, he was facing what was supposed to be a secondary school kid. It should have been easy to intimidate him, right? RIGHT?


    He even had three of his toughest bodyguards to be in plain sight in the office, to stare down at this young boy that was sitting there. Yet, he seemed unaffected.


    Patrick often used this tactic whenever he confronted his employees or executives that he suspected were hiding things from him. If he had the evidence, he wouldn''t need to use such methods and the pressure they got often betrayed them.


    The weak ones would break down and confess. The stronger ones would take longer. There were some who never broke down but they showed various signs of discomfort or fear.


    Yet why was this young boy so calm?


    Sure, he knew that Sam must be somewhat capable for Kyle to actually hire him but this was ridiculous.


    The composure and confidence this young boy that was sitting in front of him was even superior to some of his executives that had been working for him for years.


    Perhaps it was because Sam was used to him as Kyle''s father, so he didn''t see him as a threat? Perhaps he was too young to understand the sort of pressure he was under?


    Patrick gritted his teeth.


    "May I remind you that as you are my son''s PA, it means that you are working for Smith Industries. Hence, if you do not tell me what I want to know, I''ll have you fired for inappropriate behaviour in employment."


    Patrick was citing one of the standard clauses in the employment contract. Although the incompetent HR department could not locate a copy of Sam''s employment contract, Patrick was confident that Sam had signed the standard one.


    Sam looked at him unflinchingly, his face not showing any expression or fear. He got up, smoothing his shirt and took a slight bow.


    "With all due respect, Sir," Sam said as he straightened his back, "I do not work for you or Smith Industries. I work for Kyle. I came upon being summoned out of respect for you being my boss''s father, but you have no power over me."


    "I''ll have HR Department halt your pay if you continue to be stubborn!" roared Patrick, staring at him.


    Only then did Sam smile and he gave a brief nod, "That would be impossible, Sir, since they aren''t the ones who pay me."


    With that, Sam turned and headed out the door. However, just before he walked out, he turned for a while and couldn''t help but add, "If your PA was half as capable as I am, you would have known that."


    ? End of Flashback??


    Everytime Sam thought of that day, he couldn''t help but smile to himself. It had been extremely satisfying to say those words, seeing the way Patrick''s face went all black from suppressed anger.


    Sam scoffed inwardly over Patrick''s attempt to scare him.


    First, that stare and aura that he had shown - though impressive, hadn''t even been a fraction of Kyle''s when he went serious.


    Secondly, Sam had gone through intense training under Team Zero and his instincts had already been honed to adapt to danger. Thus, even the presence of those burly bodyguards around hadn''t been enough to make him nervous.


    Child''s play.


    Ever since that day, Patrick had Sam shadowed. Patrick was sure that Sam was in constant contact with Kyle, and sooner or later, he''ll find out where Kyle was hiding.


    Of course, Sam knew he was being monitored but he played along, pretending he didn''t know. He simply went by his days like normal.


    After all, Sam wasn''t in contact with Kyle either.

 Chapter 470 - The Ones Left Behind : Kay

    Kay looked at the strange building in front of her.


    For the first time, she was going to do something all by herself. Kyle had always been by her side, either providing support physically or emotionally.


    This time, she was starting school in an entirely new place, without him.


    It wasn''t just Kyle, but the other Elite Five guys as well. They had always been there for her, with her; shielding her from most of the talks and stares of people. Kyle may have been the magnet that brought people to them, but it was the other three that filtered the ''bad'' ones out.


    She didn''t know a single soul in this new place. All of her friends (what little she had) were all still schooling in secondary school.


    The building in front of her was University Maya, one of the top Universities for its Business and IT Faculty.


    Kay had taken her DSE last year as well, for she wanted to be at the same level as Kyle when he came back. She couldn''t imagine how bad it''d be for her to still be in college if Kyle had already graduated? She would not be able to go back and be by his side to help, right?


    She could do this.


    The College she had chosen was quite far away from home. Initially, Patrick had been against her going there, but he couldn''t really find a good reason since it was a prestigious institution.


    In the end, he compromised but essentially, Kay was living in a house with maids and bodyguards.


    Patrick did this for two reasons.


    One, to assure himself that Kay would be well taken care of. Two, to keep an eye out for Kyle. He couldn''t believe that Kyle would actually not be in contact with his twin sister, bearing in mind how inseparable those two had been since their birth.


    The number of resources Patrick put into finding and keeping an eye out for Kyle was piling up and Patrick was getting more and more frustrated as time went by. Kyle was still nowhere to be seen.


    As for Kay, she knew what her father was doing but she didn''t take it to heart. After all, having the people around her undoubtedly was a huge help for she didn''t need to clean or cook. All she needed to do was just study.


    Who wouldn''t like that, right?


    She smirked as she thought of how closely her father was keeping an eye on her. Her emails were being monitored and traced. Her phone was bugged. Like Sam, she pretended she did not know - although she was a bit annoyed at the invasion of privacy.


    Well, at least he wasn''t reading her emails nor listening to her phone conversations. He had a little bit of some semblance of integrity. For that, she grudgingly gave him some respect. For his tenacity, too.


    He could bug her all he wanted, but he would never get anything out of her regarding Kyle. After all, they shared the mental hotline.* She wasn''t even feeling guilty for keeping him in the dark about Kyle.


    After all, he was the one that had gone overboard so he should suffer a bit. In truth, she didn''t resent him but she wasn''t going to make it easier for him either.


    Right now, she had her own battles to fight.


    College.


    Taking a deep breath, she took that step to go forward.


    Despite her first instinct to mentally call out to Kyle, she did not do so.


    This was something both of them decided they needed to do. The connection was there, but they actively cut themselves off during the day. At night, they still reached out and talked, sharing about their days.


    They were twins, so it was impossible to cut themselves off completely. Kay felt that if they had done so, she would die. Literally. It made her fear for the day if - or when - one of them should go first, the one left behind wouldn''t be able to cope. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So this was a good first step ... not that she wanted to think about it. Even agreeing to this had been hard.


    ? Flashback ?


    [You can''t be serious] Kay grumbled [What''s the point of being gifted with this ability if you''re going to limit it?!]


    Kyle sighed as he stood by the window, looking out.


    [You know that this is for the best, Kay. We''re linked so closely and depend on each other so much that it can''t be healthy. If we''re going to do this, we have to do this properly]


    [No!] Kay wailed, punching her pillow. It was night time for her, though it was morning for Kyle.


    [It''s not fair. I only get to talk to you at night but you can talk to me in the morning. You won''t feel it as badly as I would]


    Kyle closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the cold window.


    He could hear the despair in her voice. Luckily, the distance cut off their emotional connection, so Kay couldn''t use it to guilt trip him even more.


    This was one of Kyle''s weaknesses. He would do things for his loved ones without thinking, forgetting that they were more than old enough to do it themselves. People call it spoiling them rotten but for Kyle (then, Kylie), it had been something she did naturally without thinking.


    She had to consciously stop herself.


    The problem persisted into this life.


    [Believe me, Kay, it would be just as hard for me. To hear what you had gone through and not being able to do anything about it tears me apart]


    [So why limit our talks? Just ...]


    [Kay ...]


    [Fine. Fine] Kay cut him off [Whatever you say]


    She had been so annoyed at him persisting in this matter that she had cut their conversation short. Till now, she regretted that childish action, for she suffered tremendously afterwards. Kyle wouldn''t respond to her call until it was nighttime.


    ?.?.?.?

 Chapter 471 - Cliché

    Whenever Kay thought of that day, she grimaced.


    She had acted like a little kid, whining and trying to cajole Kyle into giving in to her. Luckily,?Kyle had been adamant and strict, and slowly, she got used to only ''calling'' her brother at night.


    It had been quite hard initially but?It was much better now.


    She still missed her brother terribly, though.


    Especially now, when she was starting her new journey.


    In another part of the world, Kyle was also beginning a new school and she was sure that he was adapting much better than her. He was always the one in charge anyway, while she tended to follow.


    Kay sighed, thinking that it was funny and ironic that there would be things she was confident in and no one would be able to guess that she could be this bumbling idiot, scared to do something new by herself.


    No, she had to take charge. Of herself, that is. Of her life.


    Kay shook her head to get rid of those depressing thoughts of not having Kyle beside her during this momentous occasion.


    As Kay was so focused on her inner thoughts, she was completely oblivious to her surroundings. Unknown to her, her presence had already attracted a lot of curious and interesting gazes the moment she arrived.


    People around her were completely mesmerized by the sight of this angelic beauty that appeared at their front gate.


    Her delicate face framed the bluest and clearest eyes that they had ever seen. Even her eyelashes were pretty, as it was naturally dark with a slight curl. Her ruby red lips were not too thin nor too thick and looked like it was ready to be kissed.


    She wore simple attire: just blue jeans and an intricately designed blouse. Unlike most girls that wore high heels even to school, she had on a pair of black ankle boots. Her make-up was minimal and the only jewelry she sported other than earrings was a simple leather wrap bracelet.


    The bracelet two thin leather weaved cords intertwining, with a small rose-gold plaque with the initials K.R. Smith and a small heart engraved on it. Kyle was wearing an exact matching bracelet,* and it was the only ''twin'' thing they wore.


    She was definitely not dressed up nor made-up like most of the girls in campus ... but there was no denying that her freshness and simplicity far outstripped everyone else. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay took a deep breath again and started walking towards the office to handle the registration process. She looked at the map in her hand and passed by two very good-looking boys that were watching her with wide eyes.


    "Did you see that?!"


    "What?" smirked Lance, "You mean the ethereal beauty that walked by just now? Nah. Didn''t see a? thing."


    "I haven''t seen her before," gasped his friend, clutching his chest, "I''m in love!"


    "Oh please," Lance scoffed, "First, you haven''t seen all the girls in college and secondly, you''re always in love."


    "No no no no no," insisted his friend, "This time, it''s for real. Like, really."


    "Oh yea, suuuuree," Lance replied, rolling his eyes, "Love at first sight. Without knowing the person at all, how she''s like, and so forth and you''re in love."


    "Oh come on," said his friend indignantly, "Love at first sight exist!"


    "Hah," Lance snorted, "Come on, lover-boy in fantasy land. Do you honestly think a drop-dead beauty like that is still single? Didn''t you notice the bracelet she was wearing?"


    "What about it?"


    "It''s obviously a couple bracelet," Lance declared, "It isn''t something girls normally wear."


    "Dang, Lance. How can you make a sweeping statement like that? And may I point out, that fine specimen is definitely not a normal person so ..."


    "You wanna bet?" Lance asked with a smile, "Whoever loses, must treat the other for two weeks."


    "Deal!"


    "Are you sure, Mark?" Lance asked, "Your luck is rather shitty."


    "Hah," Mark replied, "This is one bet I won''t lose!"


    They shook on it and then Mark said, "And even if that is a couple bracelet, the fact is ... she is here, and so am I. The other person is not around ... Heh heh heh..."


    "Hopeless," Lance said, "I''m here to see you crash and burn then."


    "Just you wait," Mark declared, hitting his chest like some neanderthal, "That woman will be mine."


    Lance didn''t answer and simply shook his head.


    The entire conversation was heard by a group of girls nearby.


    One girl was having her back patted, as the other was saying, "I''m sure it''s nothing, Erica. You know Mark. Always chasing after girls he sees."


    "Why can''t he be more like Lance?" Erica was complaining, "Pauline, why did I have to fall for such a player like Mark?"


    "That''s still better than the unemotional block of wood like Lance," Pauline replied, "And Mark really isn''t a player. He''s just ... easily distracted."


    "Yes, but you don''t have to worry, Erica," another said, "You''re the Campus Belle. That title isn''t easily won, for it isn''t just beauty that gives you the title. It''s your beautiful nature inside."


    Erica flipped her hair with her hand, nodding, "Yes. You are right, Ethel. She''s just an empty vase."


    Gaining back her confidence, she declared, "Once I win it again this year, Mark''s attention will focus on me."


    "Yes, yes," Ethel agreed, nodding her head up and down like a chicken bobbing for food, "Once you catch him, there''s no way that he''ll go."


    Glaring at the area Kay had left, Erica said, "I believe we should give the new girl our very special welcome, right?"


    All three gave a knowing smile.


    Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is how Kay''s first day at College began. While she was busy thinking of studies and Kyle, a drama was already beginning to unfold.


    I mean, come on. There is no way that an unprotected beauty like Kay would not be faced with the normal College drama clich¨¦, right?

 Chapter 472 - The One Who Left : Kyle

    In a convenience store, one store employee was seen arranging some drinks into the cooling cabinet. There was nothing outstanding about that figure.


    In fact, one could even say he was rather ... scruffy. His head sported a messy mop of black hair that was too long, its fringe covering almost half of his brown eyes that were behind these thick black-rimmed glasses.


    The uniform of the store that he wore was rather big for him and his pants were rather baggy, with the pant legs folded several times. He was tall, so it made the whole sight even more comical.


    Still, the other store employees didn''t mind that strange boy that liked to keep to himself. He didn''t make trouble and he did his job well. He was just a loner and often looked to the ground, even when talking to people.


    "Abang, how much is this?" a small voice piped out behind the said store employee.


    The guy turned, a gentle smile on his face as he looked at the drink, and answered, "$2.50, dik."


    The young girl smiled widely, "Thank you Abang!" and rushed off to the counter, where her mother and brother were waiting.


    The store employee stopped what he was doing for a while, watching the little girl and the family at the counter.


    "Mama! Mama! It''s $2.50! It means I can get it, right? Right?" she was saying excitedly.


    The young lady laughed, ruffled her curly hair and said, "Yes, of course. I said you can get anything here as long as it is $5 or below, right? Is that all you wanted?"


    The little girl nodded, saying, "This is enough."


    Her brother looked at the Milo packet in her hand and at his own haul which was exactly $5. His eyes darted to the chocolate bar displayed at the counter longingly but kept quiet.


    "Oh wait," the little girl said, "I want this as well. How much is it?"


    Her mother pointed to the price tag and asked, "What does this say? You know your numbers, right?"


    The little girl''s face scrunched up as she read the price easily. She knew the numbers, but she still like to ask as she could get the information faster. Using her fingers to calculate the price of the chocolate bar and her drink, it was just below $5.


    She took it and put it on the counter, looking up excitedly and expectantly at her mother. She smiled, paid and they all walked out towards their car.


    Kyle watched them go, his heart still causing pain within him.


    Hearing her call him ''Abang'', which meant ''Big Brother'', clutched at his heart.


    It was a common form of address used in Country M towards an older person, even if the said person was a stranger. Similarly, Kyle had called her ''dik'', short for ''adik'', which basically meant ''younger sibling''.


    The moment Lianne had called out to him, her familiar voice hitting his ears, he had to take several seconds to get his act together. It may have seemed like nothing happened, but to him, a lifetime of pushing down an intense desire to rush over and hug her had to be quashed in seconds.


    He was still so weak when it came to his kids.


    Looking at the scene now, he recalled it.


    Lianne had bought that chocolate bar for her brother.


    The moment they had entered the car, she had put it on his lap, telling him that she changed her mind. He had taken it happily, after making sure that she was serious and wouldn''t regret it.


    Kyle had taken this part-time job in order to toughen himself.


    The convenience store was close to his kids'' school, and they would come in here once in a while to buy treats. Kyle was careful never to come into contact with himself, as he would hide himself amongst the shelves whenever they came in.


    He would be watching them from afar.


    Today had been unexpected for two reasons.


    First, because they were actually here when they shouldn''t be. He knew they had entered, so he slowed down his movements in stacking up the shelves. Secondly, Lianne had approached him.


    Kyle remembered this particular day but not the fact that Lianne had talked to the store employee. Kylie had brought them here to get some treats as a reward, and she had let Lianne explore on her own. Kylie had had to follow Joseph around.


    This was because although Lianne was the younger sibling, she was more mature. She would not leave the store or follow strangers. Furthermore, the convenience store was small, so there was no danger of someone taking Lianne out without her knowing.


    Kylie had to guide Joseph on how to keep to the budget set. Kyle remembered how hard it had been to teach Joseph the concept of ''choosing wisely'' rather than ''choose whatever you wanted''.


    Kyle frowned.


    This current life was rather complicated and confusing.


    He often spent the days recalling his past memories, trying to catch anything he may have missed. Or if he had met Kylie. Until now, nothing cropped up.


    So what was this about Lianne meeting him? Had he always been here but hidden?


    When he thought about it, it was possible. It''s not like his kids would tell him of every single person they talked to, right? So perhaps he did have contact with his kids and it didn''t affect his existence as Kyle?


    Did this mean ... he could be friends with them in this life?


    The thought excited him.


    Once he started thinking it, he couldn''t let go of it. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the situation was delicate.


    He had to be able to get to know his kids, yet be insignificant enough that they wouldn''t think of talking to Kylie about it. You only shared things when it is interesting or out of the ordinary, right?


    Kyle began humming to himself in happiness.?He needed to plan this properly.

 Chapter 473 - Kyle (II)

    [You sound pretty happy, brother]


    Kyle''s hands paused for a while and he resumed stacking the shelves, the ghost of a smile still on his face.


    [Yeah, thought of a few things. Met Lianne today. She called me ''Abang'']


    [How are you?] Kay asked worriedly, as she sat up on her bed in her room, worried for her brother''s mental health. Even though he was humming (even mentally), it may be hiding something darker underneath.


    Also, it was strange that he had met his kids today, since it was a public holiday in Country M. It had been Diwali on Sunday, which meant that the holiday was replaced on a Monday.


    [I''m fine] Kyle replied [In fact, better than fine. I was just thinking that I can be in contact with my kids, so long as I don''t meet myself. Or be interesting or dangerous enough to warrant them to talk to me about it]


    [That sounded confusing but made sense at the same time] Kay replied wryly [Do you think that''s a good idea, though?]


    [It certainly helps ease the future. If I can integrate myself into their lives before my first death, then coming into their lives after that should be easier]


    [But, brother. Your initial plan was to be their scholarship sponsor thing. How are you going to say that, using your identity right now as a part-timer at a convenience store in the morning, and security guard at night?]


    [It makes it even better!] Kyle replied excitedly [Imagine this. The missing Smith Heir working part time undercover, meets two kids and gets attached to them. Hence, upon their mother''s death, decides to ''adopt'' them as his younger siblings]


    [You ... managed to adapt your plan to incorporate this variable so fast?]


    Kyle closed the cooler cabinet door and flattened the boxes the drinks had been in originally. Going to the storeroom, Kyle asked, [Is that even a question?] S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay sighed.


    [So how was your first day at school?] Kyle asked.


    [I wish I can do the accelerated degree online like you, brother] Kay whined, lying back down on her bed and hugging her bolster [There were just sooooo many people and it seemed like all of them wanted to be my friend]


    [It''ll get better] Kyle said consolingly [Right now, you''re a novelty. After the weeks pass by and the assignments pile up, I''m sure the hype will die down by then]


    Kay sighed [I hope so. I know going to school is better for me to learn to adapt to people, but I didn''t think it was going to be this hard and overwhelming]


    [Well, you''re taking the accelerated degree too, so you''ll be swamped with work to bother too much about it, I suppose] Kyle said [Just make sure you don''t hole yourself up too much. The purpose of you going to school is to learn how to mingle]


    [I know, I know. Doing a four-year course in half the time will certainly mean I''ll be busy but I will go out one in a while]


    [That''s good. Any problems so far?]


    [Nah] Kay replied [Just wish you were here.]


    Kyle sighed, leaning against the wall in the storeroom.


    [I wish you were here, too]


    They continued chatting for another hour, with Kay telling him how their parents were doing. She couldn''t tell him what the other Elite Five were doing, as they weren''t in daily contact with each other.


    Still, since there had been no SOS of any kind, Kyle wasn''t too worried about them.


    ?.?.?.?


    That night, Kyle changed disguise.


    Instead of the sloppy, grunge-like teen from the morning, he was a well-built young man in his early twenties patrolling the site.


    It wasn''t a dangerous job as it was mainly a mind-numbing walking about the entire building three times in the night. Rex Industries wasn''t a high risk area, and the area was locked down during the night. It was more of ''for show'', Kyle supposed.


    Kyle took this night job to familiarise himself with the building and get to know the workings of the inside, from the inside. Even though he already had a few MIB people working here, their positions were of the executive and managerial level.


    There were things that happened at the lower level that the higher ups may never know.


    It also served as a training ground for him. He noted all the security cameras, slowly got himself into the trust of the security officer-in-charge and worked hard.


    Hard at finding out more things, that is.


    Kyle went up again to secure the building. He was being watched by Dan, his boss, who was in the security room.


    "How long has he been working here?" Dan asked the others who were there, busy looking at all the camera feeds.


    "Six months, at least?"


    "And during these six months, he''s never slacked off, has he? He even takes up other people''s rotation duties when they''re not up to it," Dan mumbled. Though ''not up to it'' here meant they were too lazy, not that they were sick.


    "Yeah," the same person answered, "He said it''s good exercise for him. Look at that. He''s running like always. Crazy guy."


    Dan thought about this boy that came up to him, begging for a job. Dan took pity on him, so he accepted him on probation. The kid had the basic fighting skills, and adding him in wasn''t a problem.


    After all, Management had only provided him with the barest minimum number of people to patrol the building, rather than the optimum. Thus, though they weren''t short-staffed, it didn''t mean that they weren''t pushed to their limits.


    The arrival of Rex not only helped them ease their burdens, but he was also so gung-ho about it. His enthusaism and sincerity made him became a fast favourite of all the security guys here, and the canteen aunties kept feeding him, too.


    Darn. He was jealous over that last bit. The food was good.

 Chapter 474 - Kyle (III)

    Kyle slowed down his jog, walking leisurely along the corridors.


    He made a show of looking everywhere diligently, opening doors of the manager''s rooms and shining his flashlight into it without entering.


    His mind was busy comparing what he was looking at while noting in his mind the minute changes the rooms had. It wasn''t that he was looking for anything specifically, but merely honing and training himself.


    And planting bugs, of course.


    Rex Industries had its own internal server, which made it hard for Team Zero to crack through without a proper backdoor. For now, all the hacking and infiltration was being done by Team Zero so as to allow Kay to focus on her studies.


    Kyle didn''t want her life to be too mixed up with his old life, so he intended to keep her out of this issue in these two years. The foundation had to be built up and then, together, they can deal with the issue as it came.


    In truth, the fight with Patrick had given him this golden opportunity and he was grateful for it. He wasn''t really angry at him anymore but neither was he going to back down and go back.


    A smirk formed on Kyle''s face as the thought of the frustration Patrick must be under in his failure to locate him. It became a game to him now, and he was enjoying it to the fullest. Pitting his mind against his father.


    He had to admire Patrick''s tenacity and vigilance, in trying to track him down. Trying to intimidate Sam, following them all of the Elite Five around and so forth. There was absolutely no guilt on Kyle''s part about him keeping away from Patrick, for it wasn''t like he was not keeping in touch.


    The ''snail mail'' method had been a change from what he originally promised his mother. Emails would just too troublesome to keep masking, so physical letters were what worked better. All he did was place his mail to his mother in one envelope, then placed that in another envelope to mail to one MIB agent.


    The address to Country Tz was a P.O. Box address that he had rented on a long term basis, fully paid in cash for three years. So even if Patrick knew it had been him to rented it, there was no way for him to be traced.


    After all, the address Kyle put was the Smith Residence.


    Kyle jogged the entire length time of the surveillance, which took him about 45 minutes. By the time he reached back down, he found Dan waiting for him.


    "Yes, Sir?" Kyle approached him politely.


    Dan observed the young man in front of him seriously. Despite that vigorous exercise, he was not out of breath.


    "Rex," Dan said, "You''ve been doing a fantastic job and I''ve decided you will be shifted to another division."


    "Sir?" Kyle looked puzzled. It sounded like a promotion of some sorts but what was this about another division? Also, would that affect his ability to spy on the place?


    "But Sir, wouldn''t that make others unhappy? I''ve not even been here for a year yet."


    Dan waved his hand in front of him, "Of course they would be unhappy. That''s even better. You''ve been spoiling them too much anyway. They are all getting fat."


    Kyle laughed softly at that, understanding.


    "And you don''t have to worry," Dan assured him, "It''s still the night shift. I know you are studying still, so that won''t affect you at all."


    "Thank you, Sir!" Kyle said, giving him a salute.


    "Oh, stop that," Dan replied, saluting him back. Dan had been ex-military and Kyle started giving him salutes out of respect.


    "You''ll start next month," Dan told him, "And your pay will rise accordingly."


    Kyle''s eyebrow rose up at that. A pay rise? That would mean that his job scale went up the notch. So he would be given a different type of job, and that would entail higher risk.


    "It''s basically the same as what you''re doing now," Dan explained, "But you''re now transferred to the top-level floors."


    Kyle couldn''t help but give a huge grin at that.


    To Dan, it appeared like he was extremely happy ... which, of course, Kyle was. But not for the reason Dan thought it was.


    It wasn''t because the post gave him a much higher pay, but because Kyle now had one problem solved.


    He didn''t need to sneak into the top floors anymore.


    While Kyle was busy with his own things, there was one particular girl that hadn''t quite given up on him just yet.


    On the outside, Sarah appeared to be extremely calm and rational.


    She handled the rejection well, and even when Kyle left the school, she hadn''t made a fuss. She even made her own announcement on the PoK page, stating that she, and everyone in PoK, fully supported Kyle''s decision and move.


    "It is time for him to spread his wings and fly. We, at PoK, have always supported him wholeheartedly."


    With that announcement, Sarah''s reputation went up even more. She was the most understanding and supportive of all of Kyle''s followers.


    Sayuri, who had seen this, made a decision then to keep a close eye on Sarah.


    Now, 8 months later, she knew she had made the right choice.


    She used this as a training mission to observe Sarah''s movements and make her own detailed study concerning the development of a particular behaviour. It was both fascinating and a little bit creepy, to see how this seemingly normal girl becomes so obsessed over someone.


    Sayuri was shaking her head while looking through Sarah''s scrapbook that she had found.


    All of it was filled with pictures of Kyle. Some taken from the Insta, some were cut-outs from magazines, some were pictures from a phone.


    Whoever ended up with Kyle had to be strong enough to handle this.


    Sayuri wondered whether the ex-girlfriend from his previous mission was this bad.


    sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 475 - The Smiths

    ? Patrick ?


    Patrick looked at the financial reports for the umpteenth time.


    His eyebrows furrowed.


    "Sir, here are the other reports you requested," came a voice in front of him.


    Patrick raised his head, and looked at his assistant of over 10 years.


    "Quentin, do you also think I was too harsh on Kyle?"


    When Quentin didn''t answer immediately, Patrick sighed and supported his forehead with the palm of his hand. He continued to flip through the documents, trying to focus while not thinking of his missing son.


    "He''s a Smith, Sir," said Quentin eventually, "It''s inevitable that the two of you would clash. It was the same between you and your father."


    "I was not as stubborn as Kyle!" protested Patrick, shutting the file he was reading in a huff, "At least, I didn''t run away from home!"


    "Your father never kicked you out either," Quentin pointed out.


    Patrick glared at him.


    "Are you working for me, or for him?" Patrick snorted, "If you were half as capable as Sam, you would have found out that Kyle had hired him independently. I would have known that all this time, Kyle had not been using my money at all. If ..."


    "Would you like me to steal Sam over for you, Sir?" Quentin cut in, hardly bothered by the rant that Patrick was going on.


    It had been like this ever since Sam had met up with Patrick.


    Quentin wasn''t feeling offended at all by Patrick''s rant for he, himself, felt rather ashamed that he did fail to detect that.


    He, like Patrick, had underestimated the capabilities of Kyle and Samuel.


    He had been utterly depressed for a while until his wife managed to get out of him why he had been so moody the past few days. The moment she heard it, she started laughing.


    In fact, she had laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes and she said, gasping, "Did you really think that a monster like Kyle, would not have a monster by his side as well?"*


    It was as if he reached an epiphany then.


    Why hadn''t it ever occurred to him before? It was so obvious that he felt pretty stupid. When he looked at his wife, she just smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, you were stupid."


    Sometimes, it wasn''t that great to be married to your soulmate.


    His wandering mind came back to the issue at hand when Patrick slammed the file onto the table in frustration.


    "Hell would freeze over before you could steal Sam away from Kyle," complained Patrick as he harumphed and?his chair to face away from Quentin. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Quentin left without a word, but he had caught that ghost of a smile on Patrick''s face.


    Patrick didn''t turn until he was sure that Quentin had left.


    Once the door was closed, Patrick pulled out his desk drawer and took out a small photo frame. In it, there were only two pictures. On the right was of Kyle and Kay. On the left, were the Elite Five as they called themselves.


    He touched Kyle''s face for a second before putting it back into his drawer.


    He was truly glad that Kyle had the Elite Five by his side. If they were anything like Sam, he had a solid support system. It was hard enough to get one person to trust. Kyle had three (other than Kay).


    The only thing that was getting at Patrick was his son''s ability to vanish into thin air.


    Patrick was annoyed by Kyle but ...


    He was also proud. Very proud.


    He smiled.


    ? Delilah [Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there] ??


    Delilah carefully placed Kyle''s letters into her decorated shoebox.


    True to his word, he wrote often. It wasn''t an email as he had originally said, but this was far better. Kyle had taken the effort to actually write a letter and although it didn''t give any hints or indication of where he was, it was enough.


    He would seemingly be talking about mundane stuff but to Delilah, they were truly special.


    It eased the pain in her heart, and it comforted her to know that he was doing well.


    The letters were actually just him talking about his day. What he ate, people he met, things he learnt. He was also schooling but he didn''t say where. Just that it was a good school. There was never any mention about money.


    The only thing that she felt was lacking was that she couldn''t write back.


    However, the strange thing was, whatever she had talked to Kay about concerning Kyle, Kyle would reply in the letter. Yet, according to Patrick, Kay was never in contact with Kyle. She never wrote to him or called him.


    This was the information Delilah could get out of Patrick in exchange for letting him read Kyle''s letters. She knew that he was tracking him and monitoring not only Kay, but the other Elite Five.


    She never told Patrick about Kyle''s unerring ability to answer her unspoken questions, and Patrick never suspected. Kyle always answered her questions in a very natural way, as if it was something he would naturally say rather than state it was because she, Delilah, had been wondering about it.


    Although Delilah was curious, she never asked Kay.


    There was a tacit understanding between them not to touch on the issue.


    Kyle would also send pictures once in a while, and these pictures she kept in an album that she brought around in her bag.


    She was able to handle Kyle being away by telling herself that he had gone overseas to study - rather than him refusing to come home due to Patrick.


    It made coping easier.


    She prayed that Kyle would come home soon.

 Chapter 476 - Dealing With The Problem

    Kay frowned. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had been three months already, but those girls have yet to leave her alone.


    It wasn''t anything serious, actually. Just lots of snide remarks, a few belittling comments and stuff like that. Kay basically ignored them as she believed in the saying, that ''nothing affects a person more than not being affected by said person''.


    Erica, the leader and her two minions, Ethel and Pauline.


    Seriously, why must she have to face these three stodges?


    Since they didn''t really bother her, she let them be.


    It was the other two that were more of a headache.


    Mark and Lance.


    No matter how many times she refused him, he did not give up.


    First, it had been to go for a meal. Then, to study with her. She''d see him practically everywhere she went, posing like some strutting peacock yet under the impression that he was being cool.


    "Kayla!" Mark shouted out as he saw her approaching.


    Kay sighed.


    She had asked Kyle about this.


    She had wanted his opinion about what should be the best step to reject Mark without being too mean?


    Guess what?


    Kyle had been completely useless.


    ? Flashback ?


    [Brother, I have a bit of a problem]


    [Oof] Kyle grimaced.


    It was the one thing he had been dreading. Okay, fine. It was one of many things he was dreading.


    What could he do all the way in Country M?


    More importantly, could he stop himself from flying back to help if it was truly bad?


    [Oh come on, brother. I just want to ask your opinion about something]


    [Okay. Shoot. What is it?]


    [There''s this guy ...]


    [You like him?]


    [No, it''s not that ...]


    [He''s disturbing you?]


    [Well, yes, but ...]


    [Big Bro Nic can annihilate ...]


    [AAARGH. KYLE!! Can you let me finish a sentence?! Urgh. Seriously]


    Kyle winced and he could feel his head pound a bit.


    Okay, so Kay was truly upset to have sent out that strong a mental shout. He had felt it even at that distance.


    [Sorry] Kyle apologised sheepishly [So what''s the problem?]


    [Well, there''s a guy on campus that has been trying to date me. I''ve refused him constantly, but he doesn''t give up. What should I do?]


    [Erm ...] Kyle scratched his head.


    [Kay, I''m sorry but I''m not the best person to ask. Heck, I''m not even someone you should ask about this]


    [What do you mean? Aren''t you some sort of ninja with skills of disguise and infiltration? Honey traps galore?] Kay asked in surprise.


    [Yes, but it''s more of getting the person and not rejecting them. We either love them to get information and kill them when we''re done]


    [And ... well, I haven''t exactly been very successful in rejecting people either, remember. Like, hello? Sarah and Randall?]


    Kay sighed [You have a point. You are useless]


    [Hey!]


    Kay giggled.


    [Maybe you can ask Sayuri? Her ninja skills are more in tune with what you''re facing. She deals more with the human nature of things whereas the Kato Art is more about hypnotism and killing]


    [I can''t ask her!] Kay protested.


    [Why not?]


    [I don''t know her that well. You were the one that was in constant contact with her, not me...]


    [True, that] Kyle replied when he thought about it.


    [Are you interested in her?]


    [What?] Kyle was shocked at the question [Why would you even ask that?]


    [Because in the last 16 years that we have been together, she''s the first girl you ever mentioned outside of school]


    [It is NOT] Kyle protested [You make me sound like I never have any girl friends]


    [You miss the point, dear brother] Kay said with a sigh [Granted, you have lots of girl friends but you have never, and I mean never, put any thought to them. Let alone ask me to seek one out for advice]


    [That''s because there was ever any need to] Kyle protested [Sayuri is a capable and skilled ninja. She has the knowledge and you have this problem. So it''s only natural that I would think of her when you''re faced with a problem that she can help with. Stop overthinking things]


    [Okay, okay. Don''t get your boxers in a twist. I was just saying]


    [Well, stop saying it. There''s nothing between me and Sayuri, okay?]


    [Okay, okay. I got it] Kay replied with a laugh [I do think someone doth protest too much]


    [KAYLA!!]


    ? [Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there] ?


    Even thinking about it now made Kay smile.


    It was really fun to tease her brother. Helped ease her missing him.


    "Wow," gasped Mark as he reached her. He was completely mesmerized by her blinding smile. She smiled? She smiled for him?!


    Yes! Score!!


    However, his face fell when he saw that as she lifted her gaze and saw him, that dazzling smile fizzled and a frown was formed instead.


    Lance who was beside him, laughed softly.


    "You really thought that smile was for you? You''re more delusional than I thought," Lance replied, then said, "This is your final chance. It''s been months already, man. How long are you going to take?"


    "You never said that our bet had a time limit," Mark replied with a grin, his confidence coming back,


    "No," Lance insisted, "You can''t make this indefinitely. All this time and she''s not warmed up even a little bit. Give up, man."


    "She hasn''t rejected me either, has she?"


    Lance looked at him in surprise, "Seriously? How many times must she say ''no'' before you count it as a rejection?"


    "She''s never said ''no''," Mark replied, "She gave me excuses for not being able to accept but she has never rejected me completely. Thus, she is just playing hard to get."


    "Unbelievable," Lance said with a roll of his eyes.


    Mark rubbed his hands together and said, "This is it. I can feel it in my bones. Today is my lucky day."

 Chapter 477 - Déjà Vu

    Kay smiled to herself.


    So that is what he thought she had been doing all this time?


    Kay was glad that she had learned to lip read. It had been extremely torturous and Yume had been a strict teacher. She had taken it out of curiosity and did not think that she would actually ever use it.


    After all, she wasn''t a field agent.


    Now it served to be a very useful tool indeed.


    She now knew that she had to be clear and straight to the point with Mark.


    She hadn''t wanted to be too mean to Mark as he wasn''t a bad guy. He was rather chirpy and honestly, she wouldn''t mind being friends with him. However, it was obvious that he wanted more, so she wasn''t going to encourage him at all.


    Since he was a nice guy, she didn''t want to be mean to him. She had just refused his invitations by giving him excuses such as she was busy, or had to study and things like that.


    After all, she was in the accelerated course and thus, had more assignments and work to do.


    Kay had thought that Mark would eventually give up.


    After all, what sort of guy would be willing to be constantly rejected like that, right?


    "Yes, Mark?" Kay asked once he got close.


    "Your class is over, right? Shall we go for dinner together?" Mark asked with a winning smile.


    Kay had to admit, Mark was good looking. He had that ''boy-next-door'' look that was refreshing. It was a small wonder that he was the heart-throb of campus.


    But that''s all it was.


    There was nothing else about him that appealed to her.


    It wasn''t that Kay could not appreciate good looking people, but when you grew up with Kyle - and not to mention the other Elite Five that were good looking and had charms of their own ... it took a lot to impress her.


    Her standards were naturally high. Being good-looking and nice wasn''t enough to move her at all.


    "I''m sorry, Mark," Kay said with an apologetic look.


    "I know, I know," Mark said, putting up his hand and said the words she always used to refuse him, "You''re really busy with work, right? But you still got to eat. Take a break. It won''t be long and it''ll recharge your energy!"


    Kay gave him a smile and replied, "Yes, of course, I will eat. But I just don''t want to eat with you."


    Mark blinked rapidly.


    Wait.


    He put a finger into his ear and moved it about vigorously. He looked at her incredulously and said, "Sorry. I thought I heard you say that you didn''t want to eat with me."


    Kay gave him a dazzling smile, "Yes, I said that."


    Mark blinked rapidly again, his mind not able to comprehend fully what she was saying.


    By now, Lance couldn''t stand it anymore and he started laughing out loud, hitting Mark on the shoulder hard.


    "Come on, man, do you still not get it?" Lance said, grinning widely, "She doesn''t like you."


    "Oh, I wouldn''t go that far," Kay protested.


    "So it means I have a chance?!" Mark recovered quickly.


    "Yes," Kay said, "As much as a chance as Hell freezing over."


    "Great!" Mark said, "At least there''s still a chance!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now it was Kay''s turn to blink rapidly.


    She turned to Lance and asked, "Is he always like this?"


    "You have NO idea," Lance said, his lips twitching.


    Watching how these two good friends interact made Kay suddenly miss Kyle even more. It was a sense of?d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Their closeness was obvious, similar to how Kyle and Xing Han are.


    Mark seemed to notice Kay looking rather melancholy and he asked worried, "Hey, are you okay? You kinda ... look down all of the sudden."


    Kay gave a smile that was tinged in a little bit of sadness, "Yeah, I''m fine. Just missing my brother. Seeing the two of you reminded me of him."


    "Your brother? You have a brother?" Mark asked with interest, "Elder? Younger?"


    Kay was surprised.


    They didn''t know?


    Lance hit Mark at the back of his head, "Hey, that''s a personal question. Stop it."


    Mark rubbed the back of his head, and mumbled, "Well, I gotta know my brother-in-law now, wouldn''t I?"


    Kay and Lance looked at each other, as if reaching some sort of tacit understanding.


    "He''s hopeless, isn''t he?" Kay asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Yes, to my dismay," Lance said, "But he''s harmless."


    Then, with a gentle smile, Lance asked, "Come on, you look like you need some company today. Dinner, with us, no strings attached. I''ll even keep him in check."


    Kay was tempted.


    "Is that even possible?" Kay asked, pointing at Mark who looked like a dog waiting for his treat.


    He was standing there, stars in his eyes as he waited for Kay''s answer. You could practically see the tail wagging behind him as he tried to appear nonplussed.


    Lance looked at Mark, then at Kay and frowned.


    "You''re right," he admitted grudgingly, "He does look pretty hopeless, doesn''t he? But trust me, he''ll behave."


    Kay thought for a while and then, answered, "Okay. I''ll trust you this one time."


    ?.? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?.?


    "Your brother ... is Kyle Smith?" Mark was saying, his mouth wide open, "THE Kyle Smith? Zenith from John Wick?!"


    Kay nodded, dipping her spoon into her lasagne, "I thought you knew. It wasn''t a secret."


    "How on Earth would I know that?!" Mark demanded, ignoring his own food.


    Kay shrugged.


    She honestly thought everyone knew.


    After all, even those three stooges did, which was why they hadn''t been too overt in their ''bullying'' - if you could call it that.


    "I was at the premiere with him," Kay replied, "And the?media had a field day on that day."


    After all, the missing Kyle heir actually attended the premiere.

 Chapter 478 - Movie Premiere (Flashback)

    Kay sighed as she thought of that day.


    It had been both a good day, and a bad day.


    It was the day that she could see Kyle for the last time, and it was also Patrick''s last chance at capturing Kyle. Well, capture to bring back home, that is. And shove him into Military School.


    Her father had been like an absolute maniac when he couldn''t find Kyle. He had fired all the security that had been on Kyle''s trail in Country M as he had lost him - right in the middle of an interview! How incompetent can a person be, to lose a young teen boy, in plain sight?!


    Patrick had been absolutely livid and the entire security detail had been revamped. Quentin had a huge headache in trying to meet the raised standards of Patrick''s, and despite the better team ... Kyle was still missing.


    Patrick hadn''t been a barrel of fun at that point.


    Not like he was any fun most of the time anyway.


    With the added pressure of the last team being fired, the new team was taking things seriously when the premier came.


    It was Kyle''s last public appearance, after all.


    They had to catch him this time.


    ? Flashback ?


    Kay was all dressed up in the hotel room, waiting for her ride to the red carpet event.


    When Delilah saw her, she thought that her daughter had truly grown up. It seemed like it was only yesterday that she was a little girl, trailing after her while dragging her brother along by the hand.


    Now, she stood there, just on the eve of her adulthood yet looking like the Angel that she is.


    There was no dress code, and since she was accompanying Kyle, she would definitely be walking the red carpet with him. She followed the ''better to be overdressed than underdressed'' mindset, she opted for a light champagne fitted knee-length lace cocktail dress.


    The form-fitting dress had a strapless bodice with a sweetheart neckline, and she wore a lace wrap that covered the front. However, as it was lace, one could see through it somewhat, thus gave the ''peek-a-boo'' effect.


    One could see the silhouette of the strapless dress but the lace wrap covered it well enough that one would need to stare to see anything clear. It was the same for the length of the dress. The lace dress was knee length, but the inner cloth was above the knee.


    All in all, it was the perfect ''young adult'' dress.


    "Thank you, Mum, for allowing me to attend this," Kay said with a smile.


    At first, she had been surprised when her Mum told her that Patrick allowed her to attend the red-carpet premiere with Kyle. Then, the real reason dawned on her. However, she didn''t blame her mother for participating in it.


    "Yes," Delilah answered with a smile, slight tears in her eyes, "This was something you guys had planned for ages ago, right? Kyle will be there, right?"


    Kay smiled, and nodded, knowing that her mother was feeling a bit conflicted right now.


    "Are you sure about this, Mum?" Kay asked gently, "Do you want to walk the red carpet with Kyle?"


    Delilah shook her head, "No. He shouldn''t have his old mother hanging on his arm at this event. It''s best that you go. You look so beautiful."


    Kay hugged her, "Thank you."


    Just then, the phone rang to indicate that her ride was arriving. Giving her mom another hug, she walked out with a little sigh.


    It was so obvious that their parents were going to use this opportunity to get Kyle. Then made it sound like they were granting her this golden chance to be with her brother, yet was waiting in the sidelines to pounce.


    [Looks like our mother sold us out, brother]


    [It''s to be expected, Kay] Kyle replied gently [You can''t expect her to be mad at Dad for a long time now, right? Also, she''s confident Dad will win, more so with his new team]


    [You sure about this, though?] sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Oh come on, it''ll be fun] Kyle replied [Just make sure that you''re not caught in the cross-fire]


    Kay smirked.


    [Rest assured, brother. I''ll play my part well]


    Meanwhile, above in the hotel room, Delilah watched as the limousine arrived. The security team that was with Kay inspected it before Kay went in. As the car pulled away, another car followed them.


    Kyle wasn''t in the car, as expected. He wouldn''t have been that stupid to come into the warzone, so to speak.


    Delilah took a deep breath. She truly did miss her son, even though it had only been a few months. When Patrick had told her of this plan, she didn''t oppose it.


    If it worked, she would have her son back - even if it meant the clashes would continue between father and son. That was something both of them would need to sort out.


    For some reason, though ... she didn''t think it would succeed.


    Her instinct told her that her son had been hiding his true capabilities all this time. It was just Patrick that was too stubborn to see that.


    Or perhaps he did, but he was simply ignoring it.


    Only time would tell.


    Inside the car, Kay was giggling, "Seriously, brother? You''re the driver now?"


    She leaned forward in the car and took off his hat.


    "They never look at the help," Kyle muttered, "So much for a better elite force."


    "Auw, come on," Kay said, "They never expected you to be able to drive, you know."


    "Still, they should check for every possibility, right?"


    Kay sighed, saying,?"It''s good to see you. It''s just not the same."


    Kyle patted her hand and soon, they arrived.


    Flashes of camera were going about as they were trying to look into the car, to see which celebrity it was that arrived.


    "Ready?" Kyle said as he turned to look as his sister.


    "Ready as I''ll ever be," Kay replied.

 Chapter 479 - Movie Premiere (Flashback) - II

    The media and fans that were congregating at the entrance of the movie premier were excited. Just who had arrived?


    They watched as the driver got out of the car, his head bowed low. The hat covered his hair and he walked with a purposeful gait towards the back. Opening the door, he held out his hand to help the person inside come out.


    Every watched as a slender beauty appeared from inside the car.


    "Who is that?" one asked.


    "I dunno. You''re asking me? Who am I to ask?'' her friend answered.


    "If I don''t ask you, then who else am I going to ask?" the friend countered back.


    Kay stood up with a smile, seeing everyone looking at her in confusion.


    Just then, someone walked out from amongst the crowd to head to them. The driver took off his hat, ran his hand through his hair and looked up.


    Everyone gasped.


    "It''s Kyle!!" S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, there were screams of excitement, girls fanning themselves and chants of ''Kyle'' piercing the air.


    Kyle gave everyone his Million Dollar Watt smile, causing more girls to scream and the media was going crazy.


    Kyle handed his hat to the person Kyle had hired just for this moment. He also took off the driver''s coat, revealing his shirt underneath.


    It was a light champagne coloured shirt with a mandarin collar. There were intricate designs along the button line, and just at the edge of the sleeve. Kyle wore dark pants and dress shoes, and standing side-by-side with Kay, they made a breathtaking sight.


    With Kyle''s jacket and hat, the guy entered the car and drove off.


    Kyle and Kay stood there for a few seconds, allowing the media to take some pictures. They had been briefed about the proper etiquette on walking the red carpet, and knew that there were rules to obey.


    First, one must allow pictures to be taken but they are not to hog or take too long on the carpet. Just a brief few seconds would be fine. They are to walk leisurely, and preferably not stop but was allowed to for interviews by the media at the event (within the red carpet, not those who were outside the barrier) and giving autographs.


    For this event, the ET News had the exclusive rights to interview on the red carpet.


    As they started walking on the red carpet, Kyle would often smile and wave at his fans. Once in a while, he gave autographs as there were quite a few who were waving his picture about.


    In truth, he would rather not but felt it was only nice to do so.


    It also allowed him access to look at the crowd without being suspicious, taking note of those who were most likely Patrick''s men. Kyle smiled, counting them to be four and he knew that there had to be more hidden within those who received invitations to attend the movie screening.


    Kay, who was holding onto his arm, was smiling as well but did not make any eye contact or look towards the crowd. She was more focused on watching the people who were arriving.


    As it was a movie premiere, it meant that there would be normal people watching as well. They would not normally walk the red carpet, but be ushered to the lobby from a separate entrance. However, she didn''t take things for granted and would make a sweeping gaze once in a while.


    Just as they were halfway, they met with Keanu who had arrived just before they did.


    He was standing there, waiting for them to reach him. By his side, was a particularly striking platinum blonde woman. They were holding hands.


    Keanu let go of her hand and spread his arms wide.


    "Kyleeeee," Keanu shouted out with a huge grin on his face.


    "Keanuuuuuu," Kyle responded with an equally loud shout.


    Both gave huge laughs as Keanu grabbed Kyle and gave him a huge hug.


    Then, grabbing Kyle by the shoulders as they broke the hug, Keanu looked at him in the eye and asked with a low voice, "Everything ok with you?"


    Kyle just wriggled his eyebrows.


    Keanu rolled his eyes, understanding that all was okay and Kyle didn''t want to talk about it.


    Kay, in the meantime, had introduced herself to Keanu''s partner,?Alexandra Grant. They were chatting amicably while the two males were giving out huge amounts of sexy male testosterone, causing all those nearby to nearly faint.


    "One is bad enough, but when there''s two of them," Kay muttered, her face not breaking out from the smile that was plastered there.


    Alexandra laughed, agreeing.


    After that, things went by pretty smoothly.


    The media that were there were in a dilemma.


    It was the movie premiere for John Wick 4, thus they could not ask any questions other than that related to the movie. Yet, there, standing in front of them were not just one, but two huge news!


    Keanu had a girlfriend! They were making their first public appearance!*


    Kyle actually appeared after being missing for months!! Where had he been all this time?


    The reporters were feeling frustrated.


    Only the ET news could interview them. The others had to make do with just taking photos, and the ET reporters didn''t break their professionalism by asking personal questions.


    It was the same, boring stuff like ''who are you wearing'' to the ladies and ''how is your co-star'' sort of question. Kyle and Keanu answered them with smiles, their partners standing silently beside them with smiles of their own.


    Once in the lobby, everyone waited for the doors to open.


    There was a strict rule that the celebrities were not to be disturbed, so the general public that had been lucky enough to get an invitation just watched from afar.


    It was enough. Just being in their vicinity was making them giddy.


    Keanu and Kyle could have some peace.


    "Are you attending the after-party?" Keanu asked Kyle.


    Kyle gave a slow smile.

 Chapter 480 - Movie Premiere (Flashback) - III

    Keanu gave Kyle a side glance, and shook his head, "I know that smile. You''re up to something."


    Kyle didn''t answer at first, and just kept that ambiguous smile on his face.


    "Just ..." Kyle began, looking at Kay and then around him as if he was staring into space.


    Turning back to Keanu, he tilted his head at a slight angle, to hide his lips from the public view, Kyle said to Keanu, "I hope to impose on you a little bit later. Could you keep an eye on Kay and make sure she gets back safely after the movie?"


    Keanu looked at him, noticing how he was keeping his voice low.


    Kay turned to talk to Alexandra, stepping to the side to get closer to her but yet, at the same time, hid the view of Kyle and Keanu talking together. More specifically, she blocked out anyone who might be reading their lips.


    They were in a position that could not be seen from afar as there were pillars about and there was no balcony to spy on them from above. Only those close by would be able to see them, and they would have to rely on lip reading to know what Kyle was talking about.


    Kay knew that her Dad''s men would be about and vigilant, and would not leave things to chance. Their plan did not necessarily need Keanu but it would definitely make it smoother.


    "Just what are you up to?" Keanu asked Kyle in a whisper, his eyes straight ahead.


    He suddenly felt like a real life John Wick, the way Kyle was acting.


    "Nothing," Kyle said, "I''m just going to slip out before my father''s men catch me."


    Keanu looked at him with raised eyebrows, "You sure you''re not Zenith right now?"


    Kyle grinned, bringing up the drink to his lips as he said softly, "Oh, Zenith is hardly close enough but it''ll do."


    Keanu caught that and stared at Kyle for a bit before he just shook his head and took a gulp from his own drink.


    There were some things better left unasked.


    They put down their drinks the moment the doors to the cinema opened up, signaling that the show was about to begin.


    Taking their partners by the hand, both of them walked in and led their ladies to their designated seats before heading to the stage.


    Slowly, the stage was filled up with the cast members that were there, all on display as they smiled to the crowd. It was a straight forward event, without any fancy small sketch like how it had been done with Marvel''s ''Thor Ragnarok'' movie.


    A simple speech to thank the audience and at the same time, showing off of crew members which allowed the public to take pictures of them. Once that was over, Kyle and Keanu headed down to their seats, where Kay and Alexandra were waiting for them.


    Kyle had to admit.


    Watching himself on screen was a bit weird.


    Kay found the whole thing fascinating and was giving off the appropriate oohing and aahing with screams during intense moments. She held on tightly to Kyle''s arm, occasionally shaking it in excitement.


    Well, she is his Number 1 fan - Sarah didn''t count.


    After the movie was over, Kay had stars in her eyes, "That was so awesome!! It''s such a pity it''s your first and last movie."


    Keanu, hearing this, nodded, "It truly is."


    ?.? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?.?


    The after-event party was both glamorous and casual. It was basically a gathering of all the cast members and all those involved in the film, such as investors. So it was a social event where people could mingle.


    Kyle was impressed that there were two of Patrick''s men in here, which meant that they managed to secure the invitation to this exclusive event. He wondered idly what identity the two men were under.


    Still, it was within his plans.


    He stayed for a while, mingling and talking to other people, laughing and drinking non-alcoholic beverages while munching on some hors d''oeuvres that he picked up on the trays of passing servers.


    Patrick watched his son from the of pin-hole button camera that was placed on his two men monitoring Kyle.


    He was extremely happy right now, seeing his son right in front of him, oblivious to his surroundings and having fun.


    ''Soon, soon,'' Patrick was gloating in his mind, ''Soon I''ll have that stubborn son of mine, all tied up and ready to be flown back home.''


    After the last fiasco, he wanted to be able to see what his men were seeing.?He wanted to make sure that things go by smoothly and he wanted to be in control.


    So even though he couldn''t be there, at the very least, he could monitor everything closely.


    "Don''t lose him," instructed Patrick over the headset.


    The two did not answer, and it was not needed.


    Kyle was within their sights at all times, and only a few metres away from them.


    When they saw Kyle whisper to his sister, and kiss her on the cheek, they paid more attention. They watched as he walked away, and they quickly followed him. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Patrick could clearly see Kyle''s figure, in that light champagne shirt, walking in front. A server passed by them, carrying a tray of drinks, blocking the image of Kyle for a few seconds.


    When he passed by, Kyle was a distance away, but still in sight.


    They quickly ran after him, noting with glee that he was heading towards the bathroom. This time, they were not going to wait until the event was over.


    As Kyle touched the door handle to the bathroom, the two that had been trailing him grabbed him by the shoulder. One for each shoulder.


    "Hey, what gives?" he shouted.


    Patrick cursed when he saw the young man turn.


    It was not Kyle.

 Chapter 481 - Tears

    Kay''s thoughts came back to the present as Mark''s face was suddenly close to hers.


    However, before she could say anything, Lance''s arm streaked across and his hand planted itself right on Mark''s face. With a shove, he pushed Mark back and said nonchalantly, "Behave."


    "Ew ew ew ew," Mark complained, and got up, "Your hand is so sticky! How could you do that!"


    Lance looked at his greasy hands in disgust as well, "Now I''ve got to wash my hands again."


    He sighed as he got up, while Mark pointed a finger at him, "You''re the one that smeared my beautiful face with your burger-greased hands first! I''m going to lock the door!!"


    With that, he turned and ran to the bathroom, Lance hot on his heels.


    Kay sat there, shaking her head in amusement as those two disappeared into the distance. She could hear a loud bang as a door was slammed shut, a shout and another bang. Obviously, Mark did not succeed in getting to the bathroom first as the muffled shouts continued.


    Shaking her head while she thought how boys never grew up, she finished up her meal.


    The waitress came to take away Mark''s and Lance''s empty dishes. Boys being boys, they ate very fast. It was as if they didn''t chew, but instead, inhaled it.


    "Could I have the dessert menu, please?" Kay asked politely as the waitress was about to leave.


    "Sure thing, honey," she replied with a smile, "Would you like me top up your drink?"


    Kay looked at her soda and shook her head, "No, but could I please have some plain water instead?"


    She was the one with the sweet tooth and tended to take too many sugar-laden drinks but she was trying to change. There was no Kyle to stop her from going overboard and she was slowly learning to be more aware of her eating habits.


    While Kay was looking through the menu, the sound of three annoying voices made Kay sighed internally.


    "Oh look what we have here," sneered a very annoying voice.


    "What? What?" picked up the annoying side-kick Pauline, "Oh, a sad, sad person having to eat all by her lonesome?"


    "You mean, like a pitiful creature that no one really wants to hang out with?" commented another equally annoying but with a twinge of nasalness in her voice.


    Kay looked up at them and replied, "I wonder who that can be."


    She gave them a slow smile, putting her chin on the palm of her hand as she looked up at them.


    Erica bristled. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why was it, when she was the one who was standing, felt like she was being looked down upon? She even looked unbothered by the whole thing and looked at them like they were specks of dust.


    "You ... you ..." Erica stammered, "Who else could it be but you?!"


    "Yes, yes," Kay answered, waving her other hand, "Me, me ... just because you say so, I am thus?"


    With a sigh, Kay sat back and tilted her head a bit as she continued to look at them, "What''s with all of this antagonism? Hmmm? Have I said or done anything to bother you? Here I am, minding my own business, and you just have to pass by and make some snide comments about me sitting here?"


    Kay then looked like she suddenly realised something, as she smacked a fist onto her palm, "Wait ! I got it!! I''m supposed to feel bad about it, aren''t I? Did I perhaps not give the proper reaction? Hold on for a bit."


    Kay looked down and took a deep breath. In a second, her shoulders started shaking a bit before she looked up, her eyes wet with tears that were threatening to fall. She bit her bottom lip that was quivering and she looked so pitiful and sad that everyone who saw this scene had a sense of protectiveness rise within them.


    One of them was Mark, that was about to rush out when Lance stopped him, putting a hand over his mouth.


    "Shut it. Can''t you see she''s handling it fine?" Lance hissed in his ear, "Now be a good boy, stand here and watch."


    "Mmhmmsdfmmm," Mark mumbled against Lance''s hand.


    "No. If you''re going to be stubborn, I''ll put you in a headlock against the wall," Lance warned him, glaring at him.


    Mark''s shoulders slumped down and he nodded, knowing how painful that can be. He shuddered as he remembered some rather painful memories.


    Lance was the school wrestling champion and he had been the recipient of Lance''s practice sessions many a time, and there was no way he would volunteer himself for this torture.


    Once he was satisfied that Mark would behave, Lance let go.


    The two boys watched with interest from the back.


    The three girls had their backs to them, so they didn''t realise that they had an audience. In fact, they were so incensed with Kay that they didn''t even realise the entire place was looking at their little show with interest.


    Kay took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the side of her eyes, "I ... I ... I know no one likes me ... I ... have to eat alone like this ..."


    Her voice hitched, and tears flowed down her face as she tried vainly to stop the tears as she tilted her head up.


    "I''m not like you, so popular. So beautiful. I''m nothing," she said, her voice soft.


    Everyone''s heart wrenched at that. Even with tears falling down her face, she did not look any less beautiful. In fact, she looked so heavenly as she struggled to stop herself from crying.


    Usually, when people cry, they look rather ugly with their contorted expressions, their noses red as snot falls from their nose. Yet, when Kay cried, it was like watching a delicate flower with dew upon its petals.


    Kay turned her head, as if to hid her tears from everyone''s view.


    When she turned back, the tearful girl was gone.

 Chapter 482 - A Warning

    The three were looking at her with wide-open eyes at Kay''s convincing performance.


    The Crying Beauty was gone, replaced by a confident woman who wasn''t bothered by anything. Her expression was back to normal and she wiped the few tears that had fallen.


    "Well? Was that what you were aiming for?" Kay asked with a smile, "Are you satisfied now? Has that somehow made you feel all good inside, seeing me cry and look helpless? If you like, I can do that all the time so that you can feel good about yourself."


    "How dare you!" Erica shouted, banging her hand on the table.


    At that, Kay banged her hands on the table as well and brought her face close to Erica''s, "No, how dare you. Just because I have not said anything before, don''t think I''m such a pushover. I ignored you all this time because it''s not worth the effort."


    "However," Kay continued, as she stood up and gave her a slow smile.


    She ran a finger down the jawline of Erica, who was now frozen. and said softly, her voice tinged with some sort of danger in them, "If you continue to push me, you''re going to be wishing you never got up from bed that day."


    Taking her chin, she gripped it hard, causing tears to form in Erica''s eyes, "Ever."


    To everyone else, it looked like Kay was flirting with Erica as she ''caressed'' her face. The expression on her face was still gentle and kind, as if she couldn''t hurt a fly.


    It was only Erica and the other two popsicles knew better.


    The way her eyes stared at them, the way her voice sounded ... it scared them sh*tless.


    All of their arrogance went out of the window. Being pampered young ladies of their household, they had never encountered any danger and right now, they were looking at one hecka scary person.


    Erica and the other two were visibly shaken.


    This was the first time they had seen this side of Kay and they felt immense regret for even confronting her today.


    They knew of her powerful background but they also knew that the Smiths never ''attacked'' anyone for personal reasons. Business was business. That was how they got to the top and stayed on top.


    That was why Erica had been confident - so long as they didn''t do something stupid like hurt Kay physically, there was no danger of any sort of retaliation from Kay''s father.


    They only made fun of her and tried to instigate others against her (though the latter hardly worked as Kay was as sweet as can be).


    How were they to know that Kay, herself, was someone to be wary of?


    As Kay sat down, the smile on her face never wavering, she added, "Oh, just a word of caution."


    Erica still had the presence of mind to ask, "Oh?"


    "If," Kay began, slowly drawing out her words, "Something was to occur to me like, say, some unsubstantiated rumour aimed to tarnish my reputation or something, then three things would occur."


    Erica kept a straight face, though inside, she was shocked.


    In fact, she had been entertaining that exact same thought already. If confronting Kay directly wouldn''t work, then she would spread some rumours about Kay online. The campus community loved to gossip, after all.


    "One. The campus newsletter will receive someone''s picture taken before and after certain operations. To be specific, nose, cheeks, and ... " Kay paused, smiling, "breasts."


    Erica paled.


    "Two. Someone''s father will get a detailed bank statement about purchases for a certain young man instead of textbooks as was he was told."


    Pauline paled.


    "Three. Someone''s mother will find out what really happened to her most favourite vintage dress worth thousands."


    Ethel paled.


    "Wha..." Erica started, coughed and cleared her throat, "Whatever do you mean?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay looked at her innocently, "Nothing. Nothing at all. Just saying what would happen if the scenario I gave out happens."


    "How can you say that?" Pauline hissed, "If it''s something we did, then fine. But to say if something is posted about you online then it''s automatically because of us? How can you say we did it?! Why would you do that to us?!"


    Kay looked surprised, "What? Did I accuse you of doing something like that? Did I say I was going to do something? I was merely saying what would happen if something like what I thought would happen, did happen."


    Their minds whirled. What was this round-a-bout way of talking?


    "Stop talking in circles!" protested Ethel, "You are clearly saying that we are going to post something bad about you later on and that you''re going to do those things in retaliation to us! It''s not like we own the internet! Anyone could post something bad about you!"


    "Ah, but that''s the thing," Kay said, "I never said you would be behind it. I just said if something did happen, then the other three things would naturally occur as well. Which part do you not understand?"


    She looked at them, "Listen well and listen carefully. I am a Smith. If you think I''ve never had a bad report or news written about me, think again. Yet, the person behind each unsubstantiated report was never seen working in the field again - and I am not affected in the least."


    "If you think you can survive when countless others haven''t, then, by all means, be my guest. The internet is not as anonymous as you may think it is," Kay finished as a warning.


    "Use your brains a little bit before mouthing off," Kay said, "Didn''t you wonder how I knew about the earlier things? I only warn once."


    Realisation dawned on them and they were now really in fear.


    "Now, scram," Kay said, as she gazed at them with a raised eyebrow.


    Erica tried to stand her ground but failed miserably. She was shaking too much. Taking whatever was left of her dignity, she left quickly.

 Chapter 483 - Matchmake

    Once the three girls left, Kay looked at the two boys who were watching from afar. She shrugged and called the waitress to order her dessert.


    "That. Was. Awesome," Mark gushed as he sat down in front of her, "I''m in love."


    Kay, who was busy punching the keys on her phone, ignored him. Once done, she put down the phone and looked at him lazily.


    "You know, you''re a pretty nice guy."


    "Thanks!" Mark answered, grinning.


    "Until you open your mouth," Kay finished.


    His face fell for a second, "Then I won''t open my mouth then. I''ll just sit here, look pretty and be by your side. I won''t say a single word."


    "For five seconds," Lance commented, sitting down.


    "Hey! That''s not fair!" Mark protested.


    "Make that one second," Lance corrected himself.


    Kay giggled.


    Perhaps these two could be friends after all.


    Outside, Erica was slowly getting her sanity back. The further she got away from the cafe, the better she felt. Once her heart calmed down, she stopped and clenched her fists.


    There was no way she was going to let Kay get away with this. There has to be some way for her to get back at her without getting caught.


    She had to get in touch with some hackers. Who could she contact?


    Just then, her phone received a notification. A message. Pauline''s and Ethel''s phone also gave off the sounds of a message notification.


    "Wait ... why did you send me a message?" Ethel asked Erica.


    Erica''s face was pale.


    "I didn''t," she whispered, her hands shaking as she looked at her own message. It was from her own phone. She sent a message to herself ... that was not possible.


    Opening it, the pictures of her ''before'' and ''after'' the operation were shown. Simple words below, saying, "I dare you."


    Pauline and Ethel looked at their messages. Both received pictures as well.


    Pauline received pictures of bank statements, with one zoomed in and one particular purchase was highlighted while there was a picture of Ethel in a vintage gown, all dirtied and with a huge tear in it.


    The same words were given, "I dare you."


    The three of them gulped, looked at each other and finally, Erica said, "I think we should keep ourselves away from her."


    No words were needed.


    ?.?.?.?.


    While Kay was handling the three stooges, Kyle was facing his own dilemma.


    For the past few weeks, there had been this particular girl that frequented the convenience store he worked at. Every time he was on duty, she would also be dropping by. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle was only a part-time worker, thus only worked at the store 4 days a week. He did this so as to balance his work life and studies - after all, he worked the night shifts at Rex Industries as well. For the latter, it was during the weekends, which was the unpopular times for those with families.


    Thus, his work time at the convenience store was not set on any particular day, although he did have his schedule set for each month.


    Was it a coincidence that this girl appeared each time?


    He didn''t believe in coincidences.


    The thing is, he wouldn''t really be bothered ordinarily by her presence. What bothered him immensely was ...


    How his heart seemed to beat faster each time she walked through the door.


    Kyle cursed himself.


    This could not be happening to him.


    Having lived one life, he knew exactly what this stupid palpitating of heart meant and it was ridiculous.


    He was Kyle Smith, for goodness sake!


    He was a ninja. An assassin. A ''mother''. A movie star, albeit a short while.


    He was not a typical teenager.


    So...


    Why was he flustered whenever she came by?


    It did not make any sense and he was extremely frustrated with himself.


    Perhaps it was because he was far away from home, and there wasn''t any of his close friends or Kay with him.


    Perhaps he was lonely, which was made worse by him pining for his kids.


    Whatever it was, he couldn''t deny that she affected him.


    It wasn''t that she was a beauty.


    On the contrary, she was quite ordinary.


    Petite, soft-spoken, rather tomboyish and heck, if you were to be brutally honest, she didn''t have the curves. She was 15, yet looked 13.


    So what was it that made him feel so attracted to her?


    It was driving him crazy.


    His head whipped up when he heard the familiar tinkle of the doorbell, indicating that there was a customer.


    He gulped when he saw who it was.


    Slowly, he walked backwards to head to the storeroom when he hit something solid. Turning, he saw the store supervisor, Alia, staring at him.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" she asked, as she pushed his back.


    "It''s your turn at the cashier. Go," she insisted, putting some force into her push.


    She found it unusual that the usually quiet, obedient boy was being a bit stubborn today. Did he suspect anything?


    She looked at Sari, who had just walked in.


    That poor girl had a huge crush on this sloppy boy here, God knows why. So, she had helped out by giving her his schedule.


    But how could anything happen if the boy kept hiding away?


    Kyle felt the push and he unconsciously resisted, "Kak,* let me off this one time? Please? I''m not really feeling so well."


    He looked at her pleadingly, giving her the saddest look he could but she was having none of it.


    She glared at him, knocked his forehead and said, "What is wrong with you? Don''t tell me you''re scared of that little girl?"


    Kyle shook his head.


    "Then go. You need to meet more people. You''re a nice boy, but you''re just too moody. Go now. Don''t keep the customer waiting," she admonished him.


    Kyle groaned and shuffled forward.


    If he didn''t know any better, he would be thinking that she''s trying to matchmake him or something.


    ?.?.?.?.

 Chapter 484 - Sari

    Kyle grudgingly walked to the cashier counter, while looking down at his feet all the while. He let his hair fall over his face so that she couldn''t see him properly.


    Or rather, he couldn''t see her properly.


    But that was pretty stupid, considering his skills.


    He sighed.


    Perhaps the best way to get out of this stupid crush was to actually keep in contact with her. It seemed as if the more he avoided her, the more fascinating she became.


    Kyle knew very well that the more mysterious a person was, the more one could fall. You become enthralled by the image you had set up for the person in your mind.


    You don''t see his or her shortcomings because you had already put that person on a pedestal. Even their ''bad'' points were all good points.


    Kyle was sure that once he got to know her, the thrill would fade and he would get back to normal again.


    Silly Kyle.


    He was thinking like a girl at that point, rather than being a boy.


    A girl would constantly ask her boyfriend, ''What do you like (or love) about me?'' She would be waiting in complete fascination and utter seriousness for the answer. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A girl would often not believe that there was something about her, that would appeal to a guy. Sometimes, it''s just that she wants reassurance. Confirmation. Validation.


    Sometimes, it makes it worse because if the guy said something like, ''I like your smile'' then she would always be thinking that if another girl had a cute smile, he would fall for her. Or, she would think he was so superficial.


    Guys never win in these situations.


    As for the guy?


    He just goes for what he feels. He acts instinctively.


    It really could be something as simple as the way she smiles.


    A guy does not think about it.


    If she makes him feel nice, and he likes her, then he likes her.


    It''s not rocket science.


    Right now, Kyle didn''t take into account his male physiology ... but perhaps, even if he did, ''Kylie'' would have talked it to death.


    It was, after all, the first time he started to get attracted to someone.


    ?.?.?.?


    Sari waited patiently at the counter and saw with delight as Rex came over.


    He was just so cute, the way he shuffled his feet while looking at the floor all shy. She had been observing him for weeks and was completely captivated at how nice he is.


    Rex didn''t talk much but did his work diligently. He never complained. He may not look at people in the face, but that was far better than having a sour expression as he served you.


    Like right now, he was obviously feeling rather uncomfortable yet he wasn''t taking it out on her. After scanning the items, he?said in that lovely low voice of his, "$6.50 please."


    She paid and left, her heart happy.


    She would have to thank Auntie Alia who helped her.


    Although they hadn''t done anything other than the usual ''store employee'' and ''customer'' interaction, Sari was quite content.


    Soon, she would garner enough courage to go up to him and make small talk.


    As she was thinking, she stopped by the side of the road and opened the packet of wet cat food she had bought earlier. Pouring its contents at the side, away from people, she waited patiently as two kittens came meowing tentatively over.


    She had placed the food in separate places so that they wouldn''t fight over it. She crouched there, protecting the kittens from the bigger cats that were trying to come over for the food. She wanted to pet them but they were still wary of her.


    "I''m sorry I can''t bring you home. When I am all grown up and have a place of my own, I will bring you back, okay?"


    She sighed and once they had their fill and left, she opened up the second packet of food. Pouring its contents out, she left. They were too wary of her, so this way, they could eat in peace.


    Kyle watched this from inside the store.


    "She''s a very nice girl, right?" Alia said as she came to stand by his side.


    Kyle quickly looked back down on the floor, saying nothing. That didn''t stop Alia though.


    "Her name is Sari. I''ve known that girl since she was knee-high," Alia went on, "Always cheerful and sweet. Heart of an Angel that one. Lost her parents in an accident and stays with her uncle now. I heard her aunt doesn''t quite like her though."


    "Pity," Alia sighed, "But she''s not mistreated. Just ... lonely, I guess?"


    "Maybe that''s why she likes to feed those strays. Uses her own savings, too. Not like she has a lot of it."


    Kyle was silent as Alia went on and on, giving the girl a huge CV to Kyle.


    Finally, patting Kyle on the back, she said, "Both of you have a lot in common. You should become friends with her."


    With a chuckle, she said as she left, "Don''t worry, she won''t bite."


    Kyle shook his head as he turned, not believing what had happened.


    This was one thing he had forgotten about Country M.


    People were always trying to matchmake you. Even if you''re total strangers. Wait, no, that was not true. Not total strangers. But so long as they know you, and they see someone they feel is perfect for you, they''ll help in setting each other up.


    It was like a national pastime or something.


    If you were young and single, bam - get together.


    If you were a young couple, bam - get married.


    If you were a young married couple, bam - get kids.


    The list goes on and on.


    Still, Alia was right about one thing.


    This girl is quite a good girl indeed.


    ? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?

 Chapter 485 - Sam’s Worries

    While the Smith Twins were facing a new scenario in their lives whereas the other Elite Five ... were certainly facing their own battles.


    ? Sam ?


    Sam was sitting in the Student Council Room, tapping the pen on the table repeatedly in frustration. His face was scrunched up in concentration as he stared at the notes in his notepad while his fingers never stopped the pen movements.


    The tikka-tikka-tikka rapid sound of the pen like a machine gun was starting to get on Sayuri''s nerves. She looked up from her desk and saw that scene, sighing and got up. Swiping the pen from his hands, she tapped his forehead with it.


    "Stop it, Sam," she said, putting back the pen into his hands, "What''s wrong?"


    Sam looked up at her, then around them.


    Seeing that it was empty, he said, "Sayuri, you''re the next CEO in your company, right? I need to dig your brains a bit on this, if you don''t mind."


    "Sure, not a problem," Sayuri said, getting all serious and sitting down next to him.


    "There appears to be some sort of undercurrent going on at Smith Industries. I can''t quite put my finger on it but ..."


    "What sort of undercurrent?" Sayuri asked.


    She didn''t need to know the details of why Sam was feeling that way, for she has already seen his capabilities. He had a knack for analysing the situation so if he felt that there was something, then there would be something.


    "Well, it''s been a year now that Kyle''s gone MIA," Sam said, "And Patrick had been keeping the lid on the actual situation."


    "Officially, Kyle has gone off for further studies so should not be disturbed. No more of these so-called CEO-in-training work."


    "That sounds solid enough, so what''s the problem?" asked Sayuri.


    "Despite that, there are some rumours floating around that Kyle ran away from home," Sam said, "And though that''s all that it is, I can''t help but feel that something''s not right there."


    "I mean, why would this rumour be persistent? Sure, Patrick had been sending those people to try and capture Kyle, but he always did it covertly and the cover story was that they were simply monitoring Kyle. Keeping tabs on him, rather than trying to catch him."


    He sat up, "I''ve been monitoring the situation at the company but nothing seems out of the ordinary. It''s running as per usual from what I can see, with the stocks being stable and no one raising the issue of Kyle being missing at meetings ..."


    "But you still feel something is happening that can''t be seen yet?" Sayuri said, putting it into words.


    "Exactly," Sam said in frustration, flinging his pen on the table, "What if this was the start of a power take-over? You know how these internal strifes have been."


    "So far, it''s always been quite well contained in the Smith Line, since the manner of succession is through trials of blood and sweat."


    Literally, blood and sweat, too. Kyle had fought for his position, showcasing his strength by not unleashing the Smith Anger in fights.


    At that time, Kyle had only used the basic skills he had learnt from Master Shifu, plus the extra lessons Patrick had put him through. At that point, he was already good enough.


    Kyle had only learnt the Kato Art, and the deeper skills of ninjutsu from Master Shifu after he had become the official Smith Heir.


    So Patrick was completely unaware of the true skills Kyle had. He just knew Kyle was skilled but not that skilled.


    "Once they have passed the test, it is undeniable and unquestionable," Sam said, "But then again, there''s not been a Smith Heir that disappeared before."


    "It sounds like your instinct is spot-on, even if you can''t see any evidence yet," Sayuri agreed, "So the only thing you can do now is just to monitor the situation and have your men in place."


    "Which, I am sure you are already doing," she said with a smile.


    Sam rubbed the back of his neck, and sighed while admitting, "Yeah, but ..."


    "It''s still frustrating not to be sure," Sayuri nodded, "I understand. That''s normal."


    Betty came in at that moment, and saw how Sam and Sayuri were talking seriously. Their heads were close together, that smile on Sayuri''s face and the tender look on Sam''s face.


    Betty''s heart wrenched in pain.


    The entire atmosphere looked so cosy and private - and she was the outsider.


    Sam looked up upon hearing the door open and his face lit up to see that it was Betty.


    Betty, seeing her beloved''s joyful face, put on a bright smile as well as she hopped over.


    Sayuri got up then, and said, "Well, I''ve got to get going now. See you two lovebirds later."


    "Oh, no no," Betty said aghast, "You don''t have to go just because I came. I''m sorry to disturb you."


    Sayuri looked perplexed at that, "No, I''m not going because you came. I really do have to go because it''s getting late."


    "Oh, alright," Betty said, tugging on her twintails.


    Sayuri went to her desk and cleared up her files, putting them in order for the next day. There wasn''t really much to do, and she had basically done the urgent things already.


    She just didn''t want to be around when Betty came as Sam hardly had time for her anymore. These were the few moments they had to themselves and no way was she going to be a light bulb there.


    All the dog food was too much to take.


    All this time, she was never bothered at her single status. After all, she''s still so young and all thoughts about love and romance were not important right now.


    However, seeing those two whenever they got together was too much to take, really.


    Sweetness overload is what it is. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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 Chapter 486 - Sam: The Future

    Betty sat down next to Sam and he caressed her head.


    She smiled, loving the way he just indulged and pampered her. Betty knew that Sam loved her. She wasn''t doubting that at all.


    It''s just that she couldn''t help but feel jealous over the fact that there seemed to be this world that Sam is in that did not include her.


    Yet, Sayuri was part of that world and he would often consult her on certain things since Kyle wasn''t around.


    What if ... what if ...


    Betty couldn''t help but think that she was becoming rather useless and could offer nothing to Sam. What if, one day, he felt that?


    Right now, things were good but who can say what would happen in the future?


    Sam saw his little bunny looking down, which is not normal. He caressed her face, asking worriedly, "What''s wrong?"


    Betty shook her head, smiling at him but the sadness was still in her eyes, "Nothing, nothing!"


    Sam frowned, not liking this Betty one bit.


    "What are you thinking about now, huh?" Sam said softly, brushing her lips with his thumb, "Didn''t I tell you never to hide things from me? Talk to me."


    "No, there''s really noth- mmmfh"


    Sam kissed her then, stopping her from talking.


    His hand was behind her neck, preventing her from moving away as his lips skillfully kissed her, running all over her lips as he bit, sucked and gave repeated kisses.


    "Tell me," Sam said breathlessly between kisses, "Or I''ll use my tongue."


    Betty''s eyes popped wide open.


    "Sam, no, I wasn''t ..."


    "Wrong answer," Sam said, as he did just as he threatened.


    Betty went weak all over and felt like she was going to melt right there on the chair.


    Sam''s kissing skills increased over the years and she was utterly weak to them. She felt him put his hand on her back and somehow, she was now on his lap as he continued to kiss her, exploring her mouth meticulously.


    When he finally broke the kiss, he put his forehead on hers, and said, "Betty, you''re driving me crazy, you know that? You always overthink things, and put yourself down."


    He looked at her in the eyes, "I can tell whenever you start having those ridiculous thoughts. My bunny disappears and I get sad. Why don''t you trust me?"


    Betty''s lips quivered and she patted his cheeks, "I''m sorry. I''m so weak."


    "I just love you so much, Sam," Betty whispered, "I can''t believe that someone as great as you can love me like you do. When I saw you and Sayuri just now, it just made me feel ... "


    "You know there''s nothing between us," Sam said, frowning.


    "I know!" Betty said, kissing him all over the face to appease him.


    Sam hated it when his love for her was doubted.


    People felt that they got together too young and there were a lot of rumours going around about them breaking up. Or people shipping him with someone else that they felt was more ''worthy'' of him.


    He didn''t care for such things, so long as his beloved bunny never paid any attention to it. But if she was ever to doubt him, his anger was a sight to behold indeed.


    "It''s not that, please Sam," Betty said, giving him one last peck on the lips, "It''s just that I feel left out. I don''t know anything about business ... or stocks ... or ..."


    Sam kissed her again then, stopping her words that were getting more and more depressing to hear.


    "Betty," Sam said after the long, deep kiss, "It''s because you don''t know any of it, makes me feel at peace."


    "Huh?" she said in confusion.


    "You bring me back to Earth," Sam explained, "It''s very stressful, working as Kyle''s PA. More so when he''s not around as I have to consider many things. What makes me be able to recharge and face all of the things I have to do everyday ... is you."


    He stroked her cheek lovingly, "You''re my bunny that keeps me sane. I can''t imagine my life without you by my side."


    "I love you because you''re you," Sam emphasized, "Don''t ever change just because you think you''re not fit for me. I''m just me. I''m not some heir to some multinational company like the others. I''m just a normal man. Samuel Johnson, who is very much in love with his Bunny Betty."


    Betty pouted, wriggling on his lap and smoothened his collar as she said, "I''m not a bunny."


    Sam closed his eyes and gulped, "Betty, you really shouldn''t move so much."


    "Why?" she asked innocently as she did it again, "You''re the one that put me on your lap."


    Then, she felt something hard poking her underneath.


    "I may be the one that put you here," Sam said huskily, "But you''re the one who''s waking up something that shouldn''t be woken up."


    Betty''s face went beet red and she scrambled to get up. Sam''s arms held her tightly, though and she said, "No, don''t go. Just ... stay for a while."


    Betty nodded, stroking his hair and stopped moving.


    Sam sighed, and lay his head on her chest, inhaling her scent and loving its softness. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the most both of them ever got to.


    Three years as a couple, and they''ve never crossed the line. That was partly why the rumours went about.


    Sam thought it was ridiculous since they were so young, but it appeared to be ''quite natural'' that if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, then that would happen.


    Though Sam had to admit, it was getting harder to abstain.


    Betty''s body had matured more, and she grew slightly taller and had more curves now. Sam was both happy and aggravated at that for more boys were getting interested in his little bunny.


    "Let''s get married after graduation," Sam said suddenly.


    "HAH!?"


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 Chapter 487 - Xing Han : Nitocris At Work

    Xing Han was feeling quite content.


    He has stopped having nightmares and had told Nitocris that he need not come and keep the nightmares away anymore.


    He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes, but he thought it must have been his imagination. It wasn''t disappointment. It was relief, right?


    After all, Xing Han knew very well how troublesome he was as a bed partner. Kyle was always complaining about him being black and blue the next day with him flinging his arms and legs about.


    He was feeling pretty proud of himself right now.


    Another aspect of Nitocris that he found amazing was when he followed Nitocris to work one day.


    The building was so impressive!


    The security was phenomenal!


    His secretary was so hot!


    Oh, yeah, and capable, too.


    But what he found to be the most amazing thing was the twins.


    They were like two peas in a pod, the same yet different.


    When he met them for the first time, he had been flabbergasted.


    "Oh.Emm.Gee," Xing Han said, his eyes sparkling when those two came in to report, "Carbon copies!"


    Yuri gave a languid smile while Zack just raised an eyebrow. Both didn''t say anything and simply gave Nitocris their report.


    Xing Han was sitting at a desk that was placed in Nitocris''s office. He was using this month or two to observe Nitocris at his workplace.


    It was nothing really different (from what he could see) than what his father did, until they came in.


    His father would have his personal assistant handle all the minute details and simply inform him if there is a meeting for the day.


    Nitocris had these two detail to him the entire day''s schedule, including what to expect during the meetings and the biodata of the ''problematic'' ones.


    Once they were done, Nitocris said a few words then nodded, waving them away.


    However, instead of leaving, they congregated at Xing Han''s desk instead. All manner of professionalism and seriousness? gone.


    "Boss, who is this?" Zack asked, smiling with his head tilted as he studied Xing Han sitting there.


    Xing Han stood up immediately, his eyes not having lost its sparkle as he took Zack''s hand enthusiastically, pumping it up and down and said, "Xing Han at your service! I am just here to observe Nitocris at work and learn a few things! And you''re Zack, right?"


    Zack blinked.


    "How''d you know?" he asked slowly, accepting the rapid movements of his arm.


    He was beginning to like this energetic boy, who looked at the both of them with pure fascination.


    "Nitocris told me about his two personal assistants," Xing Han explained as he took Yuri''s hand and started his aggressive handshake as well.


    "That doesn''t answer the question," Yuri pointed out.


    "It doesn''t?" Xing Han asked back, puzzled.


    Yuri and Zack looked at each other, seeing mirror images of themselves and then back at Xing Han who was, truly looking bewildered.


    Zack cleared his throat, then pointed at Yuri''s face, then his face, "Not many people can tell us apart. How did you know?"


    "Ah!" Xing Han exclaimed, "You mean that. Like I said, Nitocris told me about you. When I asked him why he had two, instead of normal people having one .."


    At that sentence, Yuri''s eyes went wider a bit while Zack pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing.


    Someone dared call Nitocris abnormal?


    And was still alive?


    To be more accurate, did not seem to be afraid of Nitocris in any sense whatsoever?


    "... and he said because their strengths complemented each other. One was meticulous and detailed while the other was observant and intuitive. From your reports, it was obvious who was who."


    Understanding dawned on them.


    So he figured it out from listening to their reports to Nitocris.


    "Don''t you have work to do?" growled Nitocris from his desk.


    Yuri and Zack looked at each other, then at Nitocris that was staring at them darkly. Their gaze landed on Xing Han that was still looking at them with stars in their eyes. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yuri raised one eyebrow, and Zack reciprocated with raising his own.


    They smiled at each other.


    Zack leaned closer to Xing Han, whispering close to his ear, "Since you''re Nitocirs''s understudy, we shall take you out for lunch later. Show you the ropes."


    "Really?!" Xing Han exclaimed, "That''ll be great. Thank you very much!"


    Xing Han gave a slight bow and Zack ruffled his hair, "Anything for .."


    "Zacharias Dante," came a very low voice, "I believe there''s an issue at the factory in City Ng. Go check it out and don''t come back until it''s resolved."


    Zack''s hand stilled on Xing Han''s hair.


    He gulped.


    City Ng was the most unlawful city in State P, located at the most northern part of County Tz. In other words, it was far away, in an obscure mountainous place.


    To reach City Ng, he would have to walk several miles or, if he was lucky, ride a donkey to reach the top.


    "B-boss¡­" Zack said, turning around to face Nitocris, his hands clasped together, asking for forgiveness, "Our men there are monitoring the situation very well. It''s not in any trouble at all."


    "Good," Nitocris said with a smile, "Then you can go and check it out to verify that and come back."


    Yuri patted Zack''s shoulder, swinging an arm around it as he brought him out. He said under his breath, "Give up. You crossed the line."


    Zack looked at Yuri and sighed, "But he looked so cute! I couldn''t help it."


    As they walked out the door, Zack couldn''t help but take another look back and then said to Yuri, "It''s up to you to take care of the situation now and of Xing Han. He''s too pure."


    "Affirmative," Yuri replied, "Looks like we have more work now."


    ? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?

 Chapter 488 - Xing Han: Positions Changing

    Xing Han found that the twins were always there for him at the work place, which made learning much more fun.


    They hung out together during mealtimes, causing people to stop and stare at them all the time. Xing Han took it that it was because the twins were such an eyecatching scene. After all, they were very good looking and striking - and there were two of them!


    Little did he know that everyone knew how unapproachable the twins were.


    They were not antagonistic, but just ¡­ not sociable.


    Yet, they were hanging out with this unknown person, who appeared to be quite close to the Big Boss.


    Slowly, Xing Han''s standing at the company rose.


    All of Nitocris''s men had a tacit agreement.


    No one messes with Xing Han.


    Xing Han is to be protected.


    And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Xing Han became Black Dragon''s Protected Species.


    While the one being protected was oblivious to it all.


    However, there was one thing he was slowly starting to find quite unsettling.


    The fact that Nitocris was extremely popular.


    Sure, when one thought about it, it was quite obvious.


    Nitocris had it all.


    Looks? He had that dark, brooding look down pat on that chiseled features of his.


    Physique? He had that firm, muscular toned body that Xing Han already had the privilege to see.


    Wealth? Obviously, considering he is the boss of this huge place.


    Xing Han sighed.


    He had been around handsome, rich dudes all his life so why was this little fact so bothersome to him?


    It''s not like he was feeling inadequate.


    He couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    And another thing.


    That secretary of Nitocris. Iris.


    Initially, Xing Han thought she was a nice, hot girl.


    Now, she was an annoying hot girl.


    She would be friendly and extra sweet to him, but it was mainly to get into Nitocris''s good books.


    She was his secretary, for goodness sake!


    It wasn''t that he was looking down on her for being a secretary, but rather, he was of the firm belief that one should always be professional at work.


    Gossip and stuff?


    It wasn''t that Xing Han thought such things do not happen at work, but rather, it should be well contained. People will be people, and humans need drama.


    All of that should be done behind closed doors!


    You can have all the internal strife you want, but you must never bring it out to the open for outsiders to see.


    To Xing Han, he was an outsider here so Iris should not be cozying up to him to get into Nitocris''s pants!


    It was starting to get very old, very fast.


    But what could he do to stop it? She was Nitocris''s secretary and an efficient one, too.


    Just this one habit of her got him gnashing his teeth all the time.


    So much so that Nitocirs actually noticed it.


    "Just what is wrong with you?" Nitocris finally asked, looking at the obviously angry puppy.


    He looked like one who had his back rubbed the wrong way. The way he sat there, studying the reports with his entire body seemingly on edge.


    Xing Han sighed and put down the pen that he used to jot down some notes.


    "Nitocris," Xing Han began, his voice sending shivers down Nitocris''s spine. Just the way his little puppy called his name would make him smile.


    A smile that he never showed, of course.


    "How would you handle the situation when an efficient employee of yours was causing discomfort towards another person? And that person was not related to your company at all?"


    Xing Han leaned back, "It''s not sexual harassment at the workplace, and the other person has no bearing to the workforce at all."


    Nitocris''s eyes narrowed.


    He could read between the lines very well.


    Who had made his little puppy uncomfortable?


    "This efficient employee is quite indispensable to the company," Xing Han mused, "So it''s not an easy thing to settle, is it?"


    "There''s not enough information in that scenario," Nitocris replied, "To me, the only indispensable people are Yuri and Zack," Nitocris replied, "And if that ''other person with no bearing'' truly was a complete stranger, it''s a no brainer."


    "However, if that person happened to be my beloved, then it''s also a no brainer who would win," Nitocris said.


    "Yuri and Zack?" Xing Han said, "After all, they help run the company to the way it is. It''s not easy to find a capable assistant like them."


    "Yes, but it''s harder to find your soulmate as well," Nitocris said, "They have to get along. If they do not, then Yuri and Zack will go."


    "But that is not right!" Xing Han protested, "What if that girl happens to be a useless person?"


    "Are you judging my taste?" Nitocris growled, his eyes narrowing.


    "Well, I don''t know your taste," Xing Han replied, "Just look at Kyle. He''s gorgeous and all, but so far, all he''s attracted are these psycho girls and guys."


    "You. Compare. Me. With. Kyle?" Nitocris continued dangerously.


    "Why not? He knows a lot of things too, you know," Xing Han continued, "He taught me a lot of things. He even taught me how to kiss."


    "He did what?!"


    "Yup, yup," Xing Han said, nodding as he sorted the paper on his desk, "Good thing he did, too. I was hopeless. Made him kiss me just to show me how it''s done."


    Then he pursued his lips, "But he wouldn''t teach me how to French kiss. Pah. ''It will come naturally'', he said. Like, really?"


    Xing Han snorted, then looked up in surprise to see Nitocris there.


    "Wha-" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His lips were sealed instantly by Nitocris''s lips. Xing Han felt Nitocris''s tongue slid through his open lips and teeth, and started a long, slow exploration inside his mouth.


    Xing Han''s mind exploded.


    ? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?

 Chapter 489 - Xing Han : I’m Sorry

    Xing Han''s mind couldn''t quite process what was happening.


    Other than the fact that Nitocris was kissing him.


    With tongue.


    Xing Han''s eyes naturally closed as Nitocris continued to explore the inner depth of his mouth with slow precision.


    He could feel that slippery yet tender form going all over inside his mouth, capturing his own tongue and playing with it.


    ''Oh gosh,'' XIng Han thought in a daze, ''Kyle had been so right. This type of kiss is so intense.''


    Xing Han found himself melting, and if he hadn''t been sitting down, he would surely have fallen down.


    When Nitocris finally broke the kiss, Xing Han''s slowly opened his eyes to stare wonderingly at Nitocris''s dark eyes.


    He found himself breathing quite hard, his heart beating rapidly inside his chest as if it was ready to burst out.


    Parting his lips a bit, Xing Han managed to slowly gasp out, "Ni..Nit¡­"


    "You were saying you wanted to know how to French kiss?" Nitocris slowly drawled, enjoying that glazed look on his puppy''s face.


    His own breathing was quite irregular, and Nitocris was mentally kicking himself in the head.


    It had been hard enough to wait patiently by the side for his puppy to grow up before finally taking the steps to slowly woo him. But now ¡­ now that he had a taste of his puppy, it was getting to be really, really hard to just sit back and follow the plan.


    It didn''t help that his puppy was looking at him so mesmerized, and sitting there like he was some delectable meal ready to be eaten.


    A flash of disappointment went through Xing Han''s eyes upon hearing Nitocris''s answer.


    He blinked, then he nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat that he didn''t know was there, "Oh, yeah. Right."


    Nitocris caught that disappointed look and hope started building up in his heart.


    He caught Xing Han''s chin in his hands, forcing him to look at him, "Why? Did you hope for something more?"


    Xing Han''s eyes went wide open as he tried to shake his head. When that didn''t work since Nitocris''s grip was quite firm, he crossed his hands in front of his chest.


    "No no no," Xing Han denied, avoiding Nitocris''s eyes. To be specific, Nitocris''s lips.


    For some reason, Xing Han was feeling quite agitated and flustered to have Nitocris so close to him. He was also feeling upset that the sudden kiss had just been a lesson.


    When Kyle did it, he had felt nothing. But when Nitocris did?


    Is this what Kyle meant by the sensations produced from such intense kissing?


    No wonder Kyle didn''t want to teach him how to French kiss. It would have been so awkward afterwards.


    Even now, Xing Han felt he was semi-hard, and that made him rather embarrassed. What would Nitocris think if he knew he had been kinda turned on by those skillful moves of his?!


    There he was, being so nice and kind to teach him about French kissing since he was the one complaining ¡­ and yet, he was getting a reaction?!


    How mortifying.


    Nitocris saw all of the emotions fleeting through his beloved puppy''s face.


    How could he not know?


    He had been observing his puppy for so long, and every minute expression was imprinted in his heart and mind.


    Right now, he could tell that his puppy was feeling confused, upset, and ¡­. His gaze fleeted over Xing Han''s crotch. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hope that was budding in his heart started sprouting more.


    "Xing Han," Nitocris said seriously, as his lips brushed against Xing Han''s lips, "There''s something I need to tell you."


    "Huh?" Xing Han replied, dazed as he felt those fleeting butterfly kissed on his own lips.


    What was happening and why wasn''t he resisting?


    "I like you," Nitocris said, before he kissed Xing Han again.


    Xing Han''s mind went into overdrive as the words ''I like you'' echoed in his mind over and over again while Nitocris continued plunging that delectable tongue of his inside his mouth.


    Xing Han found himself putting his hands around Nitocris''s head, and he returned the kiss. Clumsily at first, as he mimicked what Nitocirs was doing.


    Soon, both were completely engrossed in the deep, sensual kiss that the entire world around them faded out.


    Finally, Nitocris broke the kiss, both of them breathing heavily.


    Nitocris cursed himself, and looked at his puppy, who was gasping and gulping his saliva while licking his lips.


    "I''m sorry," Nitocris said with a sigh as he straightened up.


    "Sorry? Sorry for what? For kissing me?" Xing Han demanded, feeling hurt and upset.


    Nitocris ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at his angry puppy.


    "Hardly," Nitocris said with a smile, "I''ve been wanting to kiss you for a very long time now."


    Xing Han gulped.


    "I am sorry for springing this on you," Nitocris said, looking suitably contrite, "I don''t want to force my feelings on you ¡­ but I just lost it earlier. Hearing how Kyle kissed you made me ¡­ more upset than I ever thought possible."


    "Oh, it''s okay," Xing Han replied, feeling shy suddenly.


    Taking Xing Han''s hands in his own, Nitocris knelt down and looked intently at Xing Han, "Does this mean, I have a chance? I can woo you?"


    Xing Han stared back at Nitocris. The seriousness and the deep love in his eyes were so plain to see now.


    How come he had never seen it before?


    How come seeing those feelings made his heart warm and he felt so happy?


    Then, reality came crashing down on him.


    Xing Han looked down, unable to look at Nitocris in the eyes.


    "I''m sorry," Xing Han said, "You can''t."


    "Why?" Nitocris urged, gripping Xing Han''s hands tighter.


    He had seen that look in his puppy''s eyes earlier. He had actually looked happy, as if he had some feelings for him as well.


    Xing Han brought his face up and smiled sadly, "I''m getting married."


    "WHAT?!"

 Chapter 490 - Ali : Please, Don’t ...

    Sophia felt very conflicted right now.


    The more she learned about Ali''s religion, the more she felt torn.


    It did not help that she was beginning to see that Ali was becoming more ¡­ how does she say it? Less religious? No, that''s not it. However, she noted that the things he was not supposed to do, he was doing more now.


    It was all because of her.


    He would hold her more often. Kiss her hands more often. Soon, it ''graduated'' to kissing her cheek. She suspected that it might even become kissing her lips.


    She remembered the first kiss they had shared and her face blushed. Despite that being their first kiss, it had been intense. And he had been racked with guilt afterwards.


    Yet now, it seemed like he was justifying whatever he was doing?


    Accepting the sin because he couldn''t let her go?


    That wasn''t right.


    She didn''t like that.


    She didn''t want to be the reason why he would lose his way. Would he lose his way? Would this just be the impetus that makes him question his Faith?


    Sophia shuddered.


    She couldn''t have that. She couldn''t live with that guilt if that was so.


    But that did not mean she was willing to accept his Faith just because she wanted to ''save'' him. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He never asked her directly what were her thoughts, or how she felt - most likely because he did not want to pressure her. Yet, at the same time, she suspected that he was afraid of what she might say.


    Did she believe?


    She was beginning to.


    She was beginning to see things in a different perspective and the concept of a ''Higher Being'' became much more plausible. It was as if the moment she accepted the possibility, the door was open.


    Everything seemed different.


    Every action, every result.


    When she stopped questioning things like ''If there is a God, then why is there famine?'' and looked at it from a different perspective ¡­ she felt enlightened.


    Why do humans like to put blame? Or expect some sort of miracle? Or ¡­


    Sophia shook her head.


    It was difficult, truth be told.


    Too many things going on in her mind.


    One thing for sure, though.


    The existence of God is one thing that she has begun to accept ¡­ but this did not necessarily mean she accepted Ali''s faith.


    Not that she was rejecting it, but how sure was she that it was the one for her?


    There were so many religions out there, not to mention beliefs as well. There are ''major'' religions such as Islam and Christianity. But that was not all.


    There are also Bah¨¢''¨ª, Buddhism, Confucianism, Druze, Gnosticism, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Rastafarianism, Shinto, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, and not to mention the various religions from Country Af, and the Indigenous religions of Country AS.*


    Heck, there was even the following now of Scientology - though she didn''t really feel that was a ''religion''.


    The bottom line was ¡­


    How was she to tell Ali that she wasn''t sure about embracing his Faith?


    He had, after all, been telling her that he would never force her and was willing to answer any questions about his Faith.


    But would he be able to accept the fact that he had opened her heart to God, but not to his Faith?


    Sophia''s thoughts were disrupted upon the arrival of Ali. He came over, gave her a kiss on the cheek and sat down next to her.


    "Hey, what''s up?" Ali asked, looking at her lovingly.


    Sophia gulped, and looked away, feeling guilty.


    "Sophia? Love?" Ali asked worriedly, turning to face her.


    "I''m sorry," Sophia said, smiling at him.


    She looked at him, putting her hand on his cheek.


    He was so handsome, with his chiseled dark looks. His face matured more since the year before and Sophia knew that he was one of those types that would age well. In fact, the older he got, the more striking-looking he became.


    And this same handsome man loved her with all of his heart.


    Her heart clenched in pain.


    "You''re sorry? For what?" Ali asked, his heart dropping upon seeing her sad face.


    Why?


    What was happening?


    Things were going so well so why did he have this sense of foreboding?


    He didn''t want to overthink this.


    Perhaps she was apologizing for not looking at him earlier? For averting her gaze?


    Then again, why did she do that?


    He gripped her hands harder, feeling like there was this huge lump in his throat suddenly.


    Sophia closed her eyes and her head hung low. She had to do this. She had to. It had been going on for quite some time already and it''s not fair to drag it for so long.


    But it was so hard.


    Opening her eyes, tears formed and Ali shook his head.


    "No, don''t say it," Ali said pulling her close and hugging her tightly, "Please, don''t say it."


    Sophia started crying then, softly and Ali felt his shoulders getting wet. His mind was denying what was in front of his eyes and he took her face in his hands, wiping her tears.


    "Please, Sophia my love," Ali pleaded, "Don''t leave me."


    Sophia blinked, and her tears kept falling, "Ali, I .."


    Ali did the unthinkable then.


    In desperation, and in his immense fear of hearing those words he never wanted to hear, he kissed her. Kissed her to stop her from talking. To stop her from saying those words.


    Sophia closed her eyes, the tears falling and mingling with their joined lips. She returned his kiss, thinking, ''one last time''. Ali, upon getting a response, did not stop but instead, the kiss became more intense.


    Their breaths became one, their tongues mingling desperately and soon, his hands started roaming. It was only when Sophia felt his hands go under her shirt did she pull away abruptly, grabbing that hand.


    Ali froze, realising what he had just done.


    He looked at her in horror, with intense guilt hitting him.

 Chapter 491 - Ali : Finding Peace

    Ali sprang backwards, putting his hands in the air and started walking in circles to calm himself down.


    He turned to face Sophia, who was still sitting down, her head downcast. She wasn''t crying anymore, but she wasn''t saying a word.


    "I''m so sorry, Sophia," Ali said, bending down and taking her hands in his, "I ¡­ I don''t know what came over me. I''m sorry for losing control like that."


    Sophia looked at him and smiled gently, stroking his cheek.


    "I don''t blame you, Ali," Sophia said softly, "I wanted the kiss, too."


    Ali hung his head down in shame.


    After all he had been teaching her about his Faith, he was the first to go against it. He was supposed to be an example but he was just too weak.


    He looked up at her and she said, "I love you Ali."


    He smiled, saying back, "I love you too."


    "But I am breaking up with you," Sophia continued, her lips quivering.


    "No!" Ali said reaching out to grab her hands. She avoided them and hugged herself as she looked at him pleadingly.


    "Ali, please," she said, her voice quivering, "Don''t make this harder than it already is."


    "But ¡­ but why?" Ali asked.


    "You know why," she replied, looking at him in the eyes.


    Ali felt the tears sting at his eyes and he breathed out through his mouth, as he looked up. He did not want to cry in front of Sophia and he definitely did not want to lose it in front of her either.


    The tears were stinging his eyes so much right now and he kept gulping, as if it helped in stopping those tears from falling.


    "Fine," Ali said eventually, after getting some control over his emotions, "I can''t force you. I guess ¡­ we''re just not meant to be."


    He gave a sad smile, not coming closer as it took all of him not to take her into his arms and never let go.


    "I wish you all the best, Sophia," Ali said as he turned on his heels and walked away.


    Once he had turned his back, the tears came falling down hard. He did not break stride, however, as he continued walking away. He wanted to run more than anything. He wanted to shout out in anger but he did not.


    The least he could do right now, was give her some peace of mind.


    He had promised her that he would accept whatever decision she made and he had broken that promise once. He had kissed her in his desperate move to stop her from leaving.


    A stupid move, indeed.


    He touched his lips and he closed his eyes as he remembered how it had been.


    It was so bittersweet.


    Once he was out of sight, he ran.


    Sophia watched Ali walk off steadily, her heart being ripped apart. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For each step that he took away from her, she felt like a piece of her heart broke and fell to the ground.


    She bit her lips so hard that blood flowed, but it helped her from calling out to him. From stopping him.


    She had to be strong.


    She had to do this.


    She hadn''t been completely honest with Ali. She had not told him the real reason for the breaking up with him.


    It wasn''t because she couldn''t accept his faith - but rather, she didn''t know yet if she wanted to. She did not want him to keep on waiting for her, so she let him go.


    She had thought of this path long and hard, and had already discussed it with her parents.


    They were supportive of her move, though they thought she was crazy.


    Sophia stood up and hugged herself tightly.


    She was going to take a break from school and go on a journey of discovery. Kyle had given her this idea, truth be told. When Ali told her that Kyle had really gone to ''find himself'', it gave her the thought as well.


    Though in her case, she wanted to find out about all of the other religions and see which one was best for her.


    She had already done some basic research on all of the religions she came across. She narrowed it down to several which seemed to appeal to her, and she was going to go on a journey to find out more.


    The first stop would be T''bet, the place where Buddhism is the main religion and is the most ''pure'', so to speak. She will live there for a while, learning and immersing herself before heading off to another location to learn about Christianity.


    She didn''t know how long her journey would take. It could be months ¡­ or it could be years.


    The uncertainty meant that she did not want Ali to wait for her. He had to find himself as well. Get back to the path of his Faith.


    If they were meant to be, it''ll be, right?


    That was what Ali had said.


    With a sigh, Sophia went back home. She had already informed the Principal and her journey would begin tomorrow.


    ?.?.?.?


    Ali was throwing a tantrum in the gym at his house.


    Well, rather, the poor stuffed dummy in the gym was getting plummeted by Ali''s fists. After half-an-hour of this, Ali finally stopped, his energy spent as he lay his forehead on the dummy, the tears falling again.


    He jerked upon feeling a hand on his shoulder.


    He looked up, and saw his father.


    "Abba," Ali said, standing up respectfully.


    His father didn''t ask anything, though he guessed what must have happened. Why else would his son cry so badly?


    "Find peace through prayers, my son," he said softly, "Give yourself completely and place yourself entirely in His Hands."


    Giving his son''s shoulder one last squeeze, he said before leaving, "Find your way back, my son. Everything happens for a reason."


    Ali sighed deeply, knowing his?father was right. He needed to go and seek His help.

 Chapter 492 - Love Lives

    Kyle sighed heavily while scratching his head.


    He had not told Kay about this stupid infatuation he was having over the unknown girl, Sari. It felt utterly ridiculous and he figured it would pass soon. He put Sari into a little box and set it aside, finding that it was rather interesting that he could ignore it.


    As he went about his duties at the store, he went through the differences he was experiencing as a guy, and as a girl.


    Previously, as a girl, he would overthink a lot of things. Initially, he put it down to the fact that he had been an extremely insecure person with low self-esteem.


    In this life, he was, to put it bluntly, living the dream. So he didn''t overthink things but naturally accepted the effect he had on people. Played up to it a lot, too.


    Still, the experiences with Randall - and Sarah - opened up his eyes to the fact that he was rather dense in some areas.


    He sighed again, wondering what the Elite Five were up to, and how their love lives were like.


    Sam, he figured, would be the first to tie the knot with Betty. At the very least, do something to make it more solid and confirmed. He seemed the type that would not change his mind once he fell, and Kyle could see how deep his feelings for Betty was. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ali was a wild card. Despite the deep love between the two, it was hard to say whether it could survive when they have a difference of faith, or opinion. He did the best that he could by introducing Mr. Sharif to Ali, to help guide him.


    As for Xing Han, now that had been completely unexpected. It was only when he was about to leave did he find out that Big Bro Nic had deep feelings for Xing Han. When Kyle thought about it, he felt that Big Bro Nic would be an ideal partner - so long as Xing Han wasn''t opposed to it.


    He wondered whether he should have warned Big Bro Nic that Xing Han was engaged. He didn''t say a thing for he felt that was something Xing Han would need to settle himself.


    If Kyle had known from the start when Big Bro Nic became interested in Xing Han, he would certainly have told him. However, he could plainly see that Big Bro was already in it deep. So anything Kyle could have said would most likely have been useless.


    As for Kay. Well, there was no one that interested her yet. As her brother-cum-mother (he had to admit that to himself), he didn''t think any guy was good enough for her.


    But, he would respect her choice. He hoped that he would be able to act civil when the time comes.


    So far, the clown Mark appears harmless. Kay had assured him that she had Mark under control, so he did not need to worry.


    He had to admit, she did have things under control. He smiled widely when he recalled what she had told him had happened the other day.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    Kay was walking out of the library, having borrowed a book she needed for her assignment. Just then, Mark came over, swinging his arm around her shoulder playfully.


    Without a word, Kay took his hand that was on her shoulder, gripped it in a certain hold, and turned to face him. She gave a sweet smile, as she put her hands on his shoulder.


    Mark gave a huge grin, then his eyes widened.


    In one swift movement, she had placed her nice rounded behind on his hips. Before he could appreciate that softness, he found himself flying in the air as she flipped him over her shoulder.


    He groaned as his back hit the floor hard, and she had her hand around his neck, squeezing for a second before slapping his head.


    "Don''t touch me," Kay said, with a raised eyebrow and flipped her hair.


    Even though he was in pain on the ground, that sight made his eyes all starry-eyed. Lance, in the meantime, gave a standing ovation (though he was already standing, ignore the minor details).


    "That was fantastic!!" he gushed, "You did such a wonderful flip. Ever think about joining our judo club?"


    "Hey, I''m the one in pain down here," Mark said as he got up, wincing.


    Lance scoffed as rolled his eyes and ignored him, turning to Kay, "It''s obvious from the move just now that you''re really skilled. We can use you."


    Kay shook her head, "No thanks. I don''t have the time."


    "Ah, a pity," Lance said with sadness on his face.


    As Mark stood up, Lance did the same move on Mark, making him land on the ground again.


    "What did you do that for?!" Mark shouted angrily.


    Lance shook his head, "Damn. Not as smooth as Kay''s. And I''ve been doing this for ages."


    "What the fuck, Lance?! I told you I''m not your practice dummy!"


    "Language, Mark, language," Lance tutted at Mark, "We have a lady here."


    Kay just laughed.


    ?.?.?.?


    What Kyle didn''t know was that his smile was seen by Sari, who became completely captivated.


    She did not know what was it about Rex that made her gravitate towards him, but figured it was because he cut this really sorrowful figure. Like the poor abandoned kittens outside.


    Auntie Ramona told her that Rex lived by himself, and she had agreed to hire him because she pitied him. He was a moody boy, she said, but had the heart of gold.


    It was that high appraisal that made Sari pay attention to Rex and found that it was true. Soon, watching him from afar became a hobby and a favourite pastime of hers.


    Was she becoming a stalker? She certainly felt like one, but she wasn''t following him everywhere. She just liked to watch him until she gathered the courage to talk to him.


    That''s okay, right?

 Chapter 493 - The ’One’?

    Kyle was thinking hard.


    Was this girl, Sari, the ''One''?


    He was not going to put any stock into the way he was feeling right now but then again, perhaps he should?


    Why was he rejecting the possibility of anything with her? Why not get to know her first, and then decide?


    But, as Rex or as Kyle?


    Thinking about it, he felt it was best as Rex first and if there was anything to this, then he would reveal himself as Kyle.


    He couldn''t help but think this was something like straight out of a shojou manga.


    A loner girl, getting together with a grunge-type guy who turns out to be a hidden rich handsome heir.


    Kyle shook his head.


    ''I''m living the life of a novel,'' Kyle thought to himself.


    Still, it was a new experience for him.


    These sort of ''teenage-like'' emotions was something he never thought he would experience in this life. He supposed going off on his own had this sort of effect that he could not have predicted at all.


    Kyle looked up, sensing someone looking at him and his eyes locked with Sari''s.


    Both of them turned their heads, their faces flushed a bit.


    Alia, who saw this scene, rolled her eyes.


    It had been months now!


    All these two had done was simply look at each other. With these stupid bashful look.


    "Rex!" Alia shouted, unable to stand it any longer.


    "Yes, Kak?" Kyle answered politely, going over to her.


    "Here," she said, putting some money in his hands.


    "Kak?" Kyle asked puzzedly, looking at the cash and then at her.


    Alia didn''t answer, but instead, held on to his wrist as she shouted, "Sari!!"


    Kyle gulped and instinctively pulled but Alia held on tight. It wasn''t that he couldn''t escape if he wanted to, but he couldn''t do that to Alia.


    Or was it that he didn''t really want to escape ¡­?


    "Yes, Auntie?" Sari replied, her voice hitching a bit when she saw who Alia had in her hands.


    "Rex", Alia said, staring at Kyle in the eyes, "I notice Sari hasn''t eaten yet and your break is due soon. Go and have lunch with Sari."


    "B-B-Bu¡­" Kyle


    "What b-b-b-? Hah?" Alia said, "Go. Eat. Sari. Follow."


    Sari was trembling at the side, shaking her head, "No, no, Auntie Alia! I-I"


    "You! Another one! What Auntie Auntie. I am not that old! It''s Kakak to you, okay?!" Alia said, giving a fake hurt look, "Make it up to me by making sure Rex eats, okay? He''s so skinny!"


    Alia patted Kyle on the chest and faltered a bit, as her hands landed on a firm, muscular frame.


    She looked at him in shock, but Kyle was looking down, cursing inside his head as he tried to think of various excuses to escape.


    Alia cleared her throat, and pulled Kyle, saying, "Rex, make sure Sari eats."


    Kyle nodded, and only then did Alia let Kyle go.


    Both of them shuffled out of the store, walking side-by-side but not talking to each other. Kyle made sure his pace matched Sari, and he stepped forward a bit to open the door for her.


    She thanked him as she went out, and waited for him to join her.


    As the door closed, Sari said, "You don''t have to do this. You go eat. I''ll head on home."


    Kyle shook his head, "No. Kak Alia said to make sure you eat."


    Sari gulped.


    This was the longest sentence Rex ever said to her, and she just loved the way his voice sounded.


    Kyle, on the other hand, was thinking exactly the same thing.


    Everytime she came to buy something, she would just hand the items over and not say a word. The only thing she ever said to him was ''thank you'' as she left and even then, her soft voice was sweet to the ear.


    Kyle was mentally hitting himself on the head. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They went to the cafe right next to the convenience store, and sat down.


    [Hey, brother! What''s up? Sorry I''m late today. Was finishing up my project]


    Kyle kept a straight face, thinking the timing was truly awkward indeed.


    [Nothing much]


    [I''m not disturbing you, am I? With a customer right now?]


    [No]


    There was silence for a bit before Kay asked tentatively [Brother, are you okay? You sound a bit ¡­]


    [I''m on a date]


    Kay, on the other side of the world, literally stumbled as she was walking to her bed.


    [Wait. What? Where did this come from? Who is she? What is going on? Why haven''t you told me anything about this before? Aren''t you supposed to be working right now?!]


    Kyle turned his head away, as the barrage of questions entered his mind like rapid bullets.


    [It''s break time. We''re going to eat]


    Kay took several deep breaths and lay down on her bed, hugging her bolster.


    [I won''t disturb you then. Report to me later]


    Kyle''s mouth twitched at Kay''s choice of words. Report?


    Sari watched as Rex appeared absent-minded, staring into the distance before she saw a twitch on his lips, as if he was trying not to smile.


    Was he as nervous as she was, to be sitting right in front of him? Nervous because of the hidden feelings, and not because he was generally uncomfortable being with people?


    Kak Alia did say he was a loner and just kept to himself.


    She felt torn and conflicted now.


    The way Alia had put them together, neither of them would feel good in just leaving. ''Make sure Sari/Rex eats'' gave both of them a sense of responsibility so that they didn''t run away and not eat together.


    Kyle was thinking that Alia was too evil.


    "Have you ordered?" Kyle asked, turning his attention back to Sari.


    He gulped.


    Gah, this was his first time with a girl. Alone. No Kay. No Elite Five.


    It really was a ''date''.


    Kyle was lost.


    What is he supposed to do?!

 Chapter 494 - The ’Date’

    Kyle was panicking and all sorts of things were going through his head at the moment, though none of it was displayed on his face.


    What DO people talk about while on a date?!


    Wait.


    Maybe it wasn''t a date.


    He shouldn''t have called it a date.


    It was just eating.


    Just two of them.


    A girl and guy.


    Who liked each other.


    Urgh.


    Kyle felt like banging his head on the table. He was not making it easy on himself.


    It''s not like he hadn''t been on dates before in his previous life, but that was only when he had gotten into a relationship already. Prior to it, it was always a group thing.


    He thought that it was rather funny.


    He had all sorts of training, which incorporated the Seduction Art and the such; but he didn''t know what to do in a normal situation. He couldn''t be using his seduction skills now, could he?


    Whatever he had done then, was over-the-top and not really ''him'', in a sense.


    This was the first time that he was actually going on a date with a potential love interest.


    Kyle groaned.


    Is this what teenage boys go through?


    They always seem so ''with it'' and so unfazed, unlike girls who seem rather over-emotional at times (the drama that came along with it was also something that Kyle, as a girl, couldn''t handle or understand. What more as a guy).


    The truth of the matter was, guys have the same sort of nervousness as a girl. It''s just that they didn''t show it because it was expected of them not to.


    Okay, he could do this.


    Just look at it from another perspective.


    It''s just two people ¡­


    Of the opposite gender ¡­


    Who do not really know each other at all ¡­


    But have crushes on each other ¡­


    Having a meal ¡­


    Together ¡­


    Alone ¡­


    Okay, that wasn''t working.


    He''s just repeating the same thing over and over again in his head, causing him to be more agitated than normal.


    Kyle felt very, very stupid right now.


    In the meantime,?Sari was looking at Rex, who was looking at her, waiting for an answer to his earlier question. Had she ordered?


    She was finding it hard to think.


    His eyes were so clear and beautiful.


    "Yes," Sari was saying to his earlier question, "Roti canai."


    Kyle frowned when he heard what she had ordered.


    "What? Only roti canai??That is not filling enough," Kyle insisted.


    He turned to the server and told him to cancel that and ordered rice for the both of them, and added all sorts of dishes.


    "No! That''s too much! I can''t finish all of that!" Sari said in horror as she listened to him listing out the food one by one.


    "We are sharing," Kyle said with a smile, thoroughly throwing her for a loop.


    Damn, Sari thought. He kills people with that smile.


    First, those mesmerizing eyes.


    Then, his breathtaking smile.


    The fact that those two things were hidden from people because he normally would be looking at the floor was such a waste.


    Then again, perhaps not, because she could pretend that she was the lucky one that could see all of that. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This really was not good for her heart, though.


    After ordering, they were silent again.


    What now?


    Small talk?


    He leaned onto the table, crossing his arms and placing it onto the surface of the table. He was careful not to look too much at Sari, for he didn''t want her to get too good a look at his face.


    So far, he had been careful to only give brief glances at her, so he was confident that she hadn''t seen much of his face. Even though he wanted to look and study her face properly while they talked, he knew he should not.


    She might recognised him.


    Even though the chances were slim, he was not going to jeopardize everything just because his heart was doing the disco dancing, head-banging sort of thing.


    Just sitting there, he was filled with nervousness. Kyle hit himself mentally.


    What the fuck was wrong with him?


    He was an old soul so he should be far more mature than this.


    So what if this young, virile, horny teenage boy body was acting up in a strange way. His mental strength was far stronger than this. Should be stronger than this.


    Once he thought of this, he found that he was getting calmer.


    He had been too flustered by the way he was feeling that he got too caught up in the whole thing.


    However, calm as he was ¡­


    He still had no idea what to talk to Sari about.


    Should he start with personal questions?


    No. That was a bit weird.


    In the end, both of them were utterly quiet until the food came.


    Sari gasped upon seeing the various dishes that were laid on the table.


    It was a typical ''banana leaf'' meal, which meant that the plate was actually a banana leaf (cleaned and steamed). The banana leaf was placed horizontally in front of her, and the hot, white rice was placed on the leaf, at the lower middle part.


    The top part was filled with three types of vegetable dishes such as fried bitter gourd, cucumber yogurt, and fried spinach.


    That was the typical ''vegetarian'' rice set, and Kyle had also ordered lamb masala, fried chicken, and fried ladies fingers.


    All of the other dishes were placed on small plates and the portions were enough for one person.


    "I ¡­ I can''t eat all of this," Sari said softly, seeing everything on the table, her eyes wide.


    "Don''t worry about it," Kyle assured her, "I didn''t know what you''d like, so I ordered a bit of everything. Just eat what you like and I''ll finish the rest."


    Surprised, Sari stared at Kyle, who had started eating already, his head bowed down.


    She smiled, her heart full at Kyle''s thoughtfullness.


    The whole meal was eaten in silence.

 Chapter 495 - Save The Kittens

    After the meal, Sari thanked him and left to go home.


    Kyle stood at the entrance of the eating place and watched as she left. When he got back to the convenience store, Alia was there waiting.


    "So ¡­ how was it, huh?" she asked, smiling.


    "It was a nice lunch," Kyle answered before going back to work. Alia sighed and shook her head.


    Kyle didn''t use her money, and made a mental note to take Alia out for a meal as a return gesture. He knew she wouldn''t take back what she gave, so that was the least he could do.


    [Are you not done yet?] came the impatient voice of Kay.


    [Done] Kyle replied.


    [So why didn''t you get back to me once you were done? Are you hiding things from me now?]


    Kyle detected the hurt in Kay''s voice and he quickly assured her.


    [No, no. I just finished. I just got back to the store and was talking to Alia earlier]


    [Oh. Now, spill. What happened during the date?]


    [Nothing to spill]


    [Seriously, brother? You''re doing this to me now?]


    Kyle sighed [No, I''m serious. Nothing to report really. We didn''t do anything other than eat. We hardly talked]


    [You''re pathetic, you know that?]


    Kyle groaned.


    [I know]


    [So who is this girl? What is she like? Why didn''t you tell me anything about her earlier?]


    [Sari. Nice. Not sure]


    [KYLE!!]


    Kyle laughed at that. He missed all the teasing and horsing around with the Elite Five. Still, a small sacrifice for what he needed to do. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle then told Kay about Sari. The little bit that he knew, and the fact that he was having a bit of a crush on her.


    [This is big news indeed] Kay said after he was done.


    [Oh please] Kyle said in exasperation [It''s just a crush]


    [What is it about her that you like?]


    Urgh.


    The dreaded question.


    Kyle had been thinking of this for quite some time and he had yet to come up with an answer. He didn''t know Sari well enough to actually formulate any sort of opinion, right?


    Even knowing how kind she was, was only after he had already been affected by her.


    [I don''t know. I don''t even know her. It''s just a crush. There''s just something about her that appealed to me but I don''t know what it is yet. I guess she''s pretty?]


    [Oh please. You''ve been around gorgeous girls before and had never been interested. Why now?]


    [Like I said, I don''t know. I''ll figure it out slowly]


    [At the rate you''re going, I''m most likely going to be a grandmother before you''re even going to get together with her]


    Kyle grimaced.


    Kay was probably right about that.


    ?.?.?.?


    Things changed a few days later.


    Earlier, Sari had come like normal to buy cat food. The progress between the two after the lunch ''date'' was that they talked more now at the cashier.


    That''s it.


    The normal, perfunctory ''How are you?'' or ''How was your day?'' sort of question by Sari and a one-syllable answer by Kyle.


    "Fine", "Good" and occasionally followed up by a "You?"


    To which she would answer, "All''s good."


    Alia, at the side, was ready to tear her hair out. The two kids were utterly hopeless.


    After Sari left, the sky turned dark suddenly.


    This was quite common at Country M. Thunderstorms could happen at the drop of a hat. It could be very sunny one minute and the next. BOOM.


    Lightning, thunder and heavy rain.


    It was just like that now.


    Kyle became very worried as the rain this time appeared to be quite bad.


    An umbrella was placed right at his face.


    "Go," Alia urged, "See if she''s alright. You know her route home, right?"


    Kyle nodded sheepishly.


    He knew. He knew where she lived, her routine and the route she takes. He even knew her schedule - she was like clockwork. Doing everything exactly the same.


    It was all to learn more about her, you see.


    Kyle thanked Alia profusely, tucked the foldable umbrella into his pocket and ran off into the rain, following the route she always took. It would be too troublesome to use the umbrella now, and much faster to just run.


    It didn''t take long for him to see a sight that caused the anger to rise within him. Something that hadn''t happened since he left home.


    There, he saw five figures hitting and kicking a small figure on the road, who seemed to be hunched over something.


    There were shouts and laughter, as they continued their ''game''.


    Kyle could see that the punches and kicks were not that strong but that was not the point. The point was, it was Sari that they were using as a punching and kicking toy.


    With a roar, he dashed over, grabbing one guy at the back of the neck and giving him one solid punch on the face, causing teeth to shatter, before flinging him aside. He grabbed another into a chokehold, squeezing tight as he did a side kick to the face of the friend beside him.


    It took all of his will power not to twist the neck of the boy he was holding in his arms, as he only squeezed tightly and the boy fainted due to lack of oxygen.


    The remaining two, seeing how three of their friends were downed in seconds (and not getting up), did the one thing they knew best.


    They ran.


    Kyle resisted the urge to chase after them, and bent down to the huddled form of Sari.


    She flinched when he put his hands on her shoulder, not daring to look up. He could hear her mumbling, "Please, stop. They''re innocent. Go away. sssssshhh ... I''ll keep you safe. Hang on."


    "Sari," Kyle said, "You''re safe now."


    Sari stopped trembling. She lifted her head in surprise and relief.


    "Rex?" she said softly, then brought out her hands, showing two badly wounded kittens, "Save them, please?"

 Chapter 496 - Save The Kittens (II)

    Kyle''s heart lurched at seeing Sari like this.


    He scooped her up in his arms and held her close to him as he ran to the nearest vet.


    Sari wanted to protest at first when she felt his strong arms reach down and lifted her off the ground. She wasn''t that badly injured and she could walk.


    Yet, the moment he lifted her up, with one arm below her knees and the other around her back, the protest died.


    It was so surreal, being in his arms.?As he held her close to his firm chest, she could hear his heartbeat and it sounded faster than normal.


    Any thoughts of protest flew out the window.


    She snuggled deeper into his embrace, feeling warm and safe despite still being pelted by the rain. She was holding onto the kittens, but she didn''t feel scared at all being carried like that.


    He was holding on to her so tightly that she didn''t feel that she was in any danger of falling out of his embrace.


    She could even smell him, and she felt like he had the best smell ever.


    It was nice, sweet and musky all at the same time.


    She smiled.


    "Please, can someone look at these kittens?" Kyle asked as he dashed through the door.


    The receptionist was startled, to see a young man carrying a girl into the clinic, both of them soaked to the bone.


    "Rex, put me down," Sari said softly, as she looked up at him.


    Kyle ignored her and walked to the reception desk. Sari had no choice but to show the kittens in her hands.


    The kittens were gently taken, as the receptionist said, "I''ll take them inside."


    "Please, I''ve got to take her to the doctor as well. Could you have them looked at first? I''ll come right back," Kyle said, as he looked at the receptionist pleadingly.


    She hesitated.


    There were many incidences of people abandoning injured animals right at the doorstep, taking for granted that the vet would take care of the animals. The clinic did not run on charity, as they had their costs to cover as well.


    "Take my wallet," Kyle said, turning over, "It''s in my back pocket. There''s a debit card in there, so take it and take out RM500 as a deposit."


    The receptionist and Sari''s eyes went wide open.


    "Rex, please, I can stand up," Sari tried again but Kyle just shook his head and held her tighter.


    "You''re injured. Don''t move and shush," he admonished her.


    He then turned towards the receptionist, and she relented.


    "That won''t be necessary. Just get back here right after you settle your matters," she said, waving them off.


    She felt that she could trust the young man, who was protecting the girl so fiercely. If her judgment was wrong, she would take the kittens as a charity case and a lesson.


    For now, she felt this was the right decision.


    Kyle nodded, thanking her profusely then ran off again.


    Luckily, the rain had stopped by now but they were still drenched. Sari had begun to feel cold in the clinic as it was air-conditioned, but the warmth of Rex''s body took away most of the chill.


    Now that she didn''t have the kittens to hold, she wondered what she was supposed to do with her hands. Put it around his neck? It would certainly ease the burden, right? S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rex, please," Sari said softly as she put her hands around his neck, pulling her weight up, "I can walk. Put me down, I''m heavy."


    Kyle snorted, and adjusted her higher in his arms, saying, "You''re so light. You should eat more."


    "It''s embarrassing," Sari said, feeling everyone''s gaze on them as they entered the hospital.


    Kyle finally put her down on the chair as he went to the nurse''s station to register. It didn''t take long before they were called. Sari went into the doctor''s room while Kyle went to buy some towels and dry clothes.


    As it was a hospital, there was a mini-mart just outside, catering for patient''s carers. Only the basics were there, and there wasn''t any choice of clothes. One type of T-shirt, shorts and disposable underwear. What was important was that they were dry.


    Kyle got one towel and a pair of everything else: T-shirt, bermuda shorts (though for Sari, it became 3/4 pants) and one disposable underwear.


    He changed in the toilet nearby and dumped his soaked uniform in the plastic carrier bag that the clothes be bought were put in.


    He reached the doctor''s room just as Sari came out, all patched up.


    She held a prescription slip in her hand, which he took and he placed the items he got into her hands.


    "Here, change over there," Kyle said, indicating the nearby toilet, "I''ll get your medicine."


    Sari just nodded, and did as she was told obediently.


    By the time she came out, Kyle was waiting for her and had a hot cup of milo in his hands.


    He took her by the hand and made her sit down, putting the cup of milo in her hand.


    "Drink," he commanded.


    Sari found that Rex was really, really talkative and extremely bossy .. and very caring.


    She liked it.


    It was far better than the moody, always-looking-down boy in the store.


    "Careful, it''s hot," Kyle said unnecessarily.


    "I know," she said softly, blowing at the top.


    Kyle took the cup from her and blew at it, to cool it down. Sari just blinked as she looked at him, doing these things for her without asking.


    It felt nice to be taken care of.


    His hair was not covering his face this time, and it was actually slicked back as it was still rather damp. One stray lock fell down over his eyes, and without thinking, Sari reached over and pushed it back.


    Her fingers touched his face as she did so, and both of them froze as they looked at each other.

 Chapter 497 - Girlfriend

    "You have really beautiful eyes," Sari said suddenly, "Why do you hide them behind those fake glasses and cover it up with your long hair?"


    Kyle looked away, and handed her the milo, saying, "After you finish this, we''ll go see how the kittens are."


    Sari bit her lower lip, thinking that she had been too forward and pried into his personal matters. It was just that he had been so caring and open that she had forgotten that they weren''t really close.


    She held the warm cup in both of her hands, warming them as she slowly drank the milo.


    Kyle sighed.


    When he had seen her being attacked like that, everything became crystal clear to him at that moment.


    He wanted to protect her, and take care of her. He doesn''t want her to ever suffer and he wants to be by her side all the time.


    As stupid as it sounds, he had fallen for this little stranger and time did not make his feelings any less.


    It did not make any sense to him, and he did not believe in love-at-first-sight, but he couldn''t deny his feelings any longer.


    Psychologists say that a crush would typically last for four months and if it lasts longer than that, then it is ''being in love''. Kyle knew this but still pushed it aside. He felt that the psychologists just pulled a number out of a hat.


    Although his crush on Sari had been going on far longer than four months, he vehemently denied that it was him ''being in love''.


    But today.


    He wanted to kill those five boys.


    He really did.


    It was then that reality came crashing down on him and he stopped denying what his heart wanted.


    In truth, this was the first time in his two lives that he had such strong feelings for someone. His love for his spouse in his past love had been a comfortable type of love, not this ''giddy and tongue-tied'' type of love.


    Which was why he had initially thought it was a passing phase.


    It did not feel ''real''.


    Now, he knew otherwise.


    The only thing now was, how was he going to do this.


    She knows him as Rex Smith, not Kyle Smith. Kyle took his middle name (which, he found to be rather ironic that the company he was investigating is Rex Industries).


    How is he to tell her, and what would her reaction be?


    Perhaps, that is something he can save for another day? Wait for the right moment to reveal the truth to her without scaring her off?


    For now, what was important is to get to know each other more.


    He was already sure about his feelings for her. It was now to see how she felt for him.


    Was he like the kittens she liked to save? A stray that she adopted? Perhaps.


    He still had those two boys that escaped to beat up though.


    That could wait. He already knew what they looked like, and hunting them down would be a good way to pass the time later. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once Sari was done drinking, he took the empty cup from her. He nonchalantly threw the empty cup into the dustbin a few meters away and then took her hand.


    "Come on, let''s go," Kyle said.


    Sari just stared at their intertwined hands with a stupid grin on her face, not saying a word. She obediently followed him, hardly believing this turn of events.


    If this was a dream, she didn''t want to wake up.


    Kyle smiled to himself as well.


    Once he made a decision, he felt it would be much easier to move on now.


    He still had a lot of things to settle, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t just enjoy the moment, right? The fact that she didn''t resist when he held her hand (like it was the most natural thing to do) meant that things were going in the right direction.


    He will just take this as it is, one day at a time.


    When they reached the vet, the receptionist greeted them with a sad smile.


    "Miss, how are the kittens?" asked Sari worriedly.


    The receptionist shook her head a bit, "I''m sorry. One did not survive. Its injuries were just too severe."


    Sari started crying then, and Kyle took her into his arms.


    "You did the best you could," Kyle said gently, stroking her hair.


    Sari knew that, but it didn''t mean that it didn''t hurt.


    "The other one needs a lot of care," the receptionist said.


    Sari gripped Kyle''s shirt and looked up, worried. There was no way she could take care of the kitten, as her aunt was allergic. She gulped, thinking that she''s causing a lot of trouble right now.


    Her impulsive actions caused Rex to fork out his own money to pay for the medical fees - both for her, and the kittens - and there was no way she would be able to repay him anytime soon.


    Now?


    After all of that, what would happen to the surviving kitten?


    She had not thought it through ¡­ but even if she did, she would have still done the same thing.


    She will think of something.


    Just as she turned to take the kitten, Kyle had already done so.


    "She''ll stay with me," Kyle said.


    He lifted the bottom of his t-shirt and formed a ''pouch'' with it. Gingerly placing the kitten in it, the kitten started purring.


    "What''s her name?" Kyle asked Sari.


    She looked up at him, dazed.


    "You''re going to keep her?"


    Kyle smiled gently at her, nodding.


    "Your boyfriend is so caring," the receptionist said with slight envy. He may not be much to look at but the way he cared for the girl was really worth far more than looks.


    Blushing, Sari said, "He''s n-"


    "Thank you," Kyle said, cutting in, "My girlfriend is so wonderful. How can I not take care of her properly?"


    Sari''s eyes bulged wide open.

 Chapter 498 - Be Mine

    Sari looked at Kyle in complete and utter disbelief, and she opened her mouth to say something but found that she couldn''t. He just looked at her, so lovingly, that she started to blush.


    It wasn''t that she hadn''t been wanting this but this ¡­ this was rather sudden, wasn''t it?


    She was seeing so many sides to Rex right now that her head was spinning. He had been so manly earlier and now, so loving. Her heart beat rapidly.


    It just made her smile goofily while her face became a deeper shade of pink.


    Kyle found that utterly adorable and quickly grabbed her hand after he made the necessary payment. He had also bought some kitten formula, a nursing bottle, and a hot water bottle. Luckily the vet had that as well.


    Sari had been in such a daze, just staring blankly at Rex who was taking charge and doing things all so naturally that she did not hear how much it had been.


    It was only when he started walking that she pulled on his hand, and asked, "Rex, how much was it? I can''t pay you all right now, but will do so bit by bit."


    Kyle gripped her hand, thinking how small her hand was.


    Come to think of it, other than Kay, this was the first time he was holding a girl''s hand.


    He never thought about it when he held hands with Kay, but a girl''s hand really was small. It was soft, but not in the sense that she had soft skin - more like, it wasn''t hard. In fact, her hands were rather rough, which indicated she did a lot of housework. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle frowned a bit, thinking that when they got married, he would make sure that she never needed to do any housework ever. She could just be a housewife if she wanted and he''ll pamper her completely and endlessly.


    Kyle didn''t even think it was strange that he had already thought of her as his wife, taking it for granted as it being something that would naturally happen.


    "Don''t mention it," Kyle replied, "I had the cash, and you don''t have to pay me back."


    "No!" Sari protested, standing her ground.


    Well, she tried to but he just pulled her along.


    "Rex, please," she begged, changing tactics, "I can''t have you pay for everything. Actually, I can''t have you pay for anything!"


    "Why not?" Kyle asked as he stopped, and looked at her.


    "Be-because I was the one that ¡­ that took the kitten," Sari said, "You were just passing by and got caught up in all of this."


    Kyle looked at her seriously, and said, "I wasn''t passing by."


    "I was looking for you because I was worried when it started to rain suddenly. I was angry at those boys for beating up on you. I was hurt when I saw how hurt you were."


    Sari looked down, biting her bottom lip.


    "Sari," Kyle said gently, pulling her closer and looking at her properly, "When I said you were my girlfriend earlier, did you dislike it?"


    "No," Sari admitted softly, unable to look at his face.


    "Then are you unwilling to be my girlfriend?"


    "No," Sari replied, her voice even softer than before.


    "Then will you be mine?" Kyle asked gently, expectantly, squeezing her hand.


    She couldn''t answer but just nodded.


    "Thank you," Kyle said happily, his heart bursting. He may have done it in a round-a-bout way, but the point of the matter is, it was achieved.


    However, the last thing he wanted was any misunderstandings to occur and he wanted her to know the real him.


    "But ¡­" Kyle began, hesitating.


    Sari looked up then, hearing the fear in his voice, "But what?"


    Kyle took a deep breath.


    "Sari, I like you," Kyle said as he looked at her in the eyes, "I really, really like you."


    Dazed, Sari replied automatically, "I like you, too."


    "And having you agreeing to be my girlfriend makes me happy beyond belief," Kyle said slowly.


    "Yes, and ..?" Sari prompted, encouraging him to continue.


    She could see the struggle in his eyes and her heart started beating rapidly over what he might say next.


    Kyle closed his eyes for a while then opening them, he confessed, "But the ''Rex'' you know isn''t really me."


    She looked puzzled, "What do you mean? Not really you? How can that be?"


    Kyle looked at the ground, fearing what her reaction would be. He wasn''t going to tell her that he was Kyle - not yet, at least. But, he wanted her to know that the slouchy boy was not what he truly was.


    "There are many things about me that you don''t know," Kyle admitted, "Maybe I was too hasty. Maybe we should rethink this whole ''going steady'' thing."


    Sari frowned.


    "Rex, do you like me?" she asked.


    "Yes, more than anything," Kyle said.


    "And I like you," she said, "That is all that matters for now. You say that the Rex I know, isn''t what you''re really like. Do you know what I know about you?"


    "What?" Kyle asked.


    "That you''re kind, and sweet, and always thinking of others," Sari replied, "Are you telling me that you''re not all of that?"


    "Well ¡­ I suppose I am ¡­"


    "Then that is enough. You don''t know everything about me either," Sari said with a smile, "We will get to know each other better right now. Being your girlfriend makes me happy."


    Kyle grinned then, and if Kay could see him then, she would be smacking her forehead at how goofy her brother actually looked at that moment.


    Feeling utterly relieved, Kyle nodded and walked Sari home. He stood at the gate, and stayed until she went through the door before leaving.


    He sighed, stroking the heavily bandaged kitten that snuggled into his hand, "Looks like it''s just you and me now, little one. She never did name you now, did she?"


    He smiled, thinking that the kitten was like their baby now.

 Chapter 499 - An Ordinary Girl??

    When Kyle told Kay about it the next day, Kay could hardly believe it.


    [You finally did it? You asked her out?] came Kay''s disbelieving voice.


    [Yup]


    [O-kay] Kay replied, wanting to support her brother.


    However, in truth, she wasn''t quite happy about it. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was due to a number of factors.


    One, she didn''t know this Sari girl.


    Two, she had never met this Sari girl.


    Three, she doesn''t know this Sari girl.


    Okay, that was the same as the first one.


    The point was, Kay didn''t like the fact that her beloved brother was now the boyfriend of a total stranger. It didn''t sit well with her that he was all the way over there, alone, and now with a girlfriend?


    Was he, perhaps, so lonely (without him realising it), that he fell for the first kind girl that he came across?


    In truth, the fears that Kay had were the same as what Kyle had been under before. They were legitimate concerns, for Kyle was not living as Kyle Smith at the moment.


    [Why does it sound like you''re not quite happy for me?] Kyle asked, detecting the slight hitch in her ''voice''.


    Kay sighed.


    Even if he couldn''t feel her emotions, he knew her too well.


    [I am happy for you, brother] Kay said sincerely [but I''m not entirely happy about the whole situation]


    [You''ll like her] Kyle said confidently.


    [I''m sure I would] Kay replied, sighing internally.


    She could hear how happy he was and she didn''t want to be a downer in this. So she listened to him talking about Sari, and the things that they had done. How she wished she was by his side at that moment, so that she could make her own judgment.


    After their talk, Kay got up from her bed and started powering up her laptop. At the same time, she picked up her secure phone and contacted Zero.


    "I have a mission for you," Kay said the moment he picked up the call.


    She started typing, her fingers flying across the keyboard while her eyes darted to and fro over the information that filled up the screen.


    This was something she had already gathered the moment Kyle had told her about his crush. However, she had not done any real deep research as it hadn''t reached ''that stage'' yet.


    It was now, ''that stage''.


    "Find out everything you can about this girl. I''ve just sent you the email with her details," Kay said as she pressed the ''sent'' button.


    "Noted, Ms. Kay," Zero''s voice came over the speaker phone, "May I know what exactly are you looking for?"


    "Nothing in particular. Just dig up everything about her life, and those around her. I want to know everything," Kay said.


    "Is she a threat?"


    "If you call being Kyle''s girlfriend, a threat, then yes," Kay replied.


    A loud clatter sounded over the phone before Zero''s voice came on again, "Apologies for that, Ms. Kay. I will get right on it."


    On the other side of the phone, the rest of the team was looking at him - and the phone that was on speaker - in great horror.


    The sound had been when Lucka had dropped his book, that fell on Edward''s laptop, which caused it to fall and hit Yume''s mug and splash on Akira''s lap.


    All of them were highly trained and could have stopped any of those actions, but they were just too shocked. Even Akira, who was sitting there with coffee stained lap.


    No one moved.


    "Sir got a girlfriend?!"


    Dropping everything, they set to work immediately.


    Zero was mumbling, "I knew I should have followed him!''


    ? 24 hours later ?


    They stared at all the information they had managed to gather.


    Then, they looked at each other.


    "Are you sure you dug up everything?" Zero asked.


    "Everything," confirmed Edward.


    "School record, birth certificate, social media accounts, phone logs, bank accounts," listed Lucka one by one, "Of her, and her now deceased parents, and the uncle and aunt that she lives with."


    "I even checked about the accident," Edward said, "But it was a normal thing, nothing like an assassination or something like that."


    All of them then stared at the file.


    "Maybe she''s a ninja?" ventured Akira tentatively.


    "No, she''s not," answered Yume, "I checked with Master Shifu. She''s also not some hidden missing heir of some company."


    All of them sighed.


    "Whoever she is, she is Sir''s choice," Zero finally said after a very long silence.


    They all nodded.


    "Looks like Sir fell for an ordinary girl," lamented Akira, "So very, very ordinary."


    "Maybe that''s for the best?" said Lucka, "She''s kind to animals. So that is a plus in my book."


    "I guess," Akira reluctantly agreed, "Sir''s life is pretty hectic. Having some sort of normalcy may be good for him."


    They looked again at the file, and the picture of Sari.


    She really was just an ordinary girl.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kay read the file that Zero had sent over.


    She had done some digging of her own, and also came up with nothing.


    There was nothing bad about the girl, though a part of her was a bit unwilling.


    Her brother was so awesome and he''s chosen this rather sub-par girl for his partner?


    Kay sighed and hit her head.


    Was she being snobbish now?


    She had begun reading romance books lately and had subconsciously been quite angry whenever the normal plotline came up: parents not approving of the son''s choice as the girl was not from a ''proper'' family, or the girl not wanting to have the relationship known until she had proven herself to ''be worthy of standing next to the male lead''.


    She had scoffed then, thinking that so long as there was true love, what has ''proving yourself'' or ''be of same social standing'' got to do with anything?


    Yet, with it involved her own brother, she felt the girl was not good enough for him?


    What was wrong with her?

 Chapter 500 - Kyle Has A Girlfriend?!

    Kay was thinking so much over the matter that she was in a daze the whole day at school


    Mark and Lance noticed this immediately.


    The three of them were having lunch, with Kay poking at her food.


    "I think the pasta is quite dead by now," Lance said with a straight face.


    Kay, breaking out of her daze, looked up at them.


    "Sorry," Kay apologized, "I''m a bit out of it today."


    "We can see that," Mark said, inching closer to her.


    Without missing a beat, Kay grabbed his head, twisted it to the side and as his body moved on instinct to avoid the twist, she placed both hands on his back and pushed him off the chair.


    Lance, who was sitting opposite of Kay, tilted his head and asked while ignoring the tumbling Mark, "Anything we can do to help?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay shook her head.


    Mark got up hastily, dusted himself and sat back down, acting as if nothing had happened.


    It was the normal routine.


    Kay hung out with the two boys often, causing a lot of people to sigh and wish they were part of that group.


    Without doing a thing, Kay became the Belle of the Campus, while Lance was the King of Campus. Many shipped them together and thought that they were the ideal couple.


    They even had Mark, the loyal follower-slash-entertainer.


    After all, Kay was always flinging him about. Literally. The perfect companion to Lance, the judo champion.


    Of course, all of that was just the campus''s own delusions.


    The three of them had settled into a comfortable routine and companionship. Even if Mark never gave up trying to woo Kay despite her being firm at keeping him at a distance. Mark hoped that his persistence would, some day, win her over.


    He was persistent, but not too annoying. So Kay didn''t take it to heart.


    Looks like Kyle wasn''t the only one that attracted strange, obsessive people ¡­ though in Kay''s case, Mark did appear harmless. There was always Lance to keep him in line as well.


    Despite the fact that Kay appeared to get along very well with Lance and Mark (and she did, truly), it did not mean that she trusted them whole-heartedly.


    She enjoyed their company and hung out with them but she never talked about herself or her family. It was usually the normal small talk or school stuff.


    She even had a file on both of them.


    If, for any reason, any of them crossed the line, they would not only have to face her Team, she would plant a virus into their computer and she would cause as much havok on their lives as they had done to her.


    In other words, she wouldn''t do a thing unless they did, and the extent of what she would do, would depends on them.


    For now, even though they were okay, Kay didn''t let her guard down 100%. After all, she had seen what Kyle had gone through - and her own experience with Sarah had made her extremely wary.


    She simply didn''t trust easily anymore.


    She just looked like she did.


    "Kayla?" Lance probed gently.


    Kay shook her head, saying, "No, there is nothing you can do. It''s simply something I am dealing with and need to deal with, by myself."


    She smiled at Lance, "But thank you, I appreciate the thought."


    "Well," Lance said, "We may not be able to do anything, but we can still listen. Maybe give you either a listening ear for you to vent, or an opinion if you need it."


    "Yes, yes," Mark agreed enthusiastically, as he continued eating, "Use us as a sounding board. Not a problem. I''m a good sounding board."


    Lance smirked, "Yeah. A board indeed. I can see that in the way you flip over so easily when Kay throws you."


    "Hey!" Mark protested, "That''s different. I let her."


    "Yeah, right," Lance grinned, "You let her because you''re not good enough to be able to stop her."


    "Of course," Mark agreed, "But it still means I let her."


    Lance looked back at Kay, and reiterated, "Remember, we''re here okay?"


    Kay smiled.


    "Thanks," she said.


    Perhaps she would, one day. For now, she didn''t trust them enough to actually talk about this.


    Then, her eyes brightened.


    How could she forget?


    There''s always the Elite Five!


    They may not be in constant contact due to them being physically apart like this, but it didn''t mean she couldn''t contact them to talk about it, right?


    When she thought about it, she realised that Kyle had truly been the glue that held them together.


    All of them had taken it for granted, so when he left, a huge hole was left in all of them. It was different for each person, but it was there.


    Kay had also never thought about the Elite Five when she was struggling with this problem, for her connection to them was different than Kyle''s.


    They were close, yes but she hardly shared her innermost thoughts with them. They were her friends, her ''protectors'', but as she was the only girl, it was only natural that she didn''t talk to them about a lot of things.


    This, however, was different.


    It would involve all of them even though it was Kyle''s love life. He had been there for theirs, so it was only fair that they''ll be there for his, right?


    Most importantly, she could be herself and reveal all her innermost fears without fear. They would understand and not judge. Perhaps they, too, would have their own reservations and they can also give their perspective as guys.


    With that thought, she immediately sent a message to all of them to meet up fo a chat (online, of course) that weekend.


    ?.?.?.?


    Xing Han stared at the computer screen.


    What did Kay just say?


    He could even see the shocked expression on the others. Even Sam, who was normally stoic and was easily adaptable.


    Kyle had a girlfriend now?

 Chapter 501 - Only Time Will Tell

    Xing Han was still sitting at the table in a daze, staring at the computer screen without truly registering anything in his mind as yet.


    When Kay had sent the S.O.S. the other day, and wanted to meet up to talk, he hadn''t been too worried. It hadn''t been urgent, so it could not be serious.


    Xing Han was just curious as to what it could be.


    Not serious?


    Oh, he was so wrong.


    Kyle had a girlfriend now?


    It was strange that none of them even thought of the possibility that Kyle would find someone in Country M. He had never shown any interest in anyone, be it a girl or a guy, and yet, after a year abroad, he got himself a girl?


    Like Kay, Xing Han felt slightly miffed.


    Perhaps, to be more accurate, left out.


    Who was this girl who had been able to capture his BFF''s heart?


    More importantly, how could Kyle get a girlfriend without him?


    No, not without him, but without him actually being by his side to knowing?


    Then again, Kyle was not around.


    Xing Han couldn''t stop Kyle from meeting people, right? They could come from all sorts of unexpected places. Or time.


    Like ... Nitocris.


    Xing Han''s eyes dimmed a bit when he thought of Nitocris.


    Ever since Nitocris had confessed to him, and he telling Nitocris about his impending marriage in four years time, Nitocris had kept his distance.


    He wasn''t being mean, nor did he get angry at him. He just ¡­ seemed to shut down, and withdraw into himself.


    Even though they were staying in the same house, Xing Han never saw him anymore after that. He always had his breakfast super early and left for work before Xing Han even got up, and he came back very late at night after Xing Han had gone to bed.


    He tried staying up once, and he did manage to hear Nitocris walk through the door ¡­ but Xing Han could not come out of his room.


    What was he to say?


    His hand had been on the doorknob, his entire being had wanted to rush out at that moment just to see him ¡­ but he didn''t.


    Xing Han found himself missing Nitocris and this hurt him far more than he thought it would.


    He didn''t even know when he started having feelings for Nitocris. All he knew was, once Nitocris was ''gone'', Xing Han felt it.


    It was different when Kyle had left.


    This.


    This was more painful.


    Xing Han sighed.


    Though his first reaction had been disbelief, coupled with a bit of being ''miffed'', Xing Han hoped Kyle was happy.


    At least one of them should be.


    "How long has it been?" Xing Han asked.


    ""Less than week into the relationship but it''s been over six months since he had been crushing on her," Kay said.


    "And you''re only telling us now?" Xing Han said in shock.


    Kay shrugged, "I don''t know ¡­ I guess, I just wanted to see how far it would go. He was being so wishy-washy about it and he kept downplaying it as just a passing phase, so I didn''t think too much about it."


    "But ¡­"


    "But?" prompted Ali, curious.


    His heart was still quite raw from the break-up with Sophia, but he found thinking about Kyle finding his ''fated one'' helped ease the pain a bit. Perhaps, he was getting some happiness and hope vicariously?


    It did help that he had turned to pour his grievances in his ''talk'' with God (when he prayed). When he sat down on the prayer mat, after performing the obligatory prayers, he would cup his hands together and pray, as he poured his heart out when he was ''talking'' to God.*


    When he had found out about Sophia having left the school, he had been devastated. However, now, he was beginning to be able to accept her leaving. He did not blame her, or God, or the situation.


    He had met, he had loved, and even if he knew this was the outcome, he would do it all over again.


    With greater restraint, of course.


    He still missed her so much.


    "But I''m still worried for him," Kay admitted, "And even a little bit unhappy about it. I mean, he''s all the way there. Alone. She is going to be his entire world now."


    Kay couldn''t explain it.


    It wasn''t that she was afraid that Kyle would forget her, or abandon her, but ¡­ this was such a momentous part of his life and she wasn''t a part of it.


    Though this separation was also to get them to be more independent of each other, it didn''t mean major events like this should happen!


    "You''re worried that he''s falling too fast, too deep, and there is no one to help him?" Sam probed.


    Kay sighed, leaning on the table as she looked at the three familiar, and concerned faces.


    "I suppose that''s part of it," Kay said, "But I''m also unsure about this choice of his."


    Kay had sent the file on Sari already to them.


    "You object?" Sam asked.


    "No!" Kay denied, "I don''t object ¡­ well, not in the sense that I refuse to accept her as Kyle''s girlfriend ¡­ but more in the sense that it''s hard to accept her ¡­ I mean ¡­ she''s just so ¡­"


    "Normal? Girl-next-door type of person? Average student?" Sam said, "Like my Betty?"


    Kay bit her bottom lip.


    "It''s not the same," Kay said, "You may be abnormal, but you have a normal background. Betty fits."


    "But this? Our worlds are so different. Can she really fit in?" Kay asked worriedly.


    "Why not?" Xing Han asked.


    "Kyle would take care of her, and treat her well, right?" Xing Han said, confident of his BFF, "And I am sure you would help her with whatever she may not know. With both of you protecting her, why shouldn''t she fit in?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I guess," Kay replied, "Will he be okay?"


    "Only time will tell," Ali replied.

 Chapter 502 - Strong Feelings

    Meanwhile, back in Country M, someone was completely oblivious to the concern he had caused for the others.


    He was, for the first time in his life, experiencing quite strong feelings of attraction towards another person. Knowing that the person you like, likes you back, made Kyle giddy with happiness.


    His spouse had been a sort-of arranged marriage, in the sense that they had met via introductions by their families. They dated for a while and since they were comfortable with each other, they got married.


    In time, he did develop feelings for his spouse. He did love his spouse, but it was not this sort of feeling that he was experiencing with Sari.


    The uncertainty? The excitement? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn''t quite describe it but the intensity of the feelings was rather overwhelming.


    He would be thinking of her all the time, missing her when she wasn''t around, having this stupid grin on his face whenever she was ¡­ all the things he was feeling was so new.


    Because of that, and coupled with the fact that he''s an old soul, thinking of her as his wife was the most natural thing for him. However, he knew that if he came off that strongly right from the start, Sari was most likely to run away.


    Who talks about marriage at 15 anyway?


    Or even think it would last that long?


    For Kyle, it was a sure thing and he was convinced that he would not feel for another person the way he felt for Sari, so why should he be looking anywhere else? For anyone else?


    It may be rare, but childhood sweethearts that have lasting marriages do exist. There was even a couple who got married a week after their first date, and that marriage was happy and they had been married for over 20 years already.*


    When you know, you know.


    The thing is, Kyle knew already - but not Sari.


    She was, after all, too young.


    Kyle sighed when he thought of that.


    A little meow sounded and Kyle smiled gently at the kitten that was snug as a bug in a rug, in a ''baby'' sling. When he first got the kitten, it had been too small to survive on its own.


    Thus, he brought her around with him everywhere. He had bought a sarong (i.e. a rectangular cloth, normally with batik patterns) and used it to wrap around his back and shoulder to create the sling.**


    Those from Country Ind would use this. Although Kyle could have easily have bought the product that some companies have been making based on this design, Kyle preferred to be more low-key in this.


    It was also fun, to wrap it around himself.


    Practice for his future kids, maybe?


    Luckily, Alia was quite supportive of this.


    He could not leave the kitten back home alone, as it needed to be fed often and be taken care of. Alia found it utterly cute, too, the way Rex went about his business with that kitten in the ''baby'' sling.


    The kitten was a bit skittish but somehow, was very attached to Kyle.


    He had initially tried to just leave it in a box, and out of the way, but it would meow pitifully, non-stop, until Kyle picked it up. In the pouch, it would just snuggle in and purr, until it fell asleep.


    It was a very intelligent kitten, too.


    If it was hungry, it would start kneading Kyle''s chest as it looked for a mother''s teat, so Kyle would plop the nursing bottle into its mouth and it would feed.


    Kyle would then stimulate its bowel movements after each meal by using a wet towel and massaged its bottom. This was something the mother cat would do, until the kitten learnt to defecate on its own.


    All of this were things Kyle had already learned in his previous life, so it was nothing new to him.


    The kitten was now big enough to eat and drink on its own, but it still loved to be next to Kyle. It had grown up in the baby sling, thus, it took the baby sling as its home away from home.


    It was far better to have it in there than walking all over his head and shoulders, after all.


    Of course, it just made him more adorable to Sari.


    Kyle still did not dispense with his brooding, dark grunge sort of look but whenever he was with Sari, he would act normally. He wanted Sari to know him, as Kyle, rather than the persona ''Rex''.


    In other words, he talked clearly and not mumble and look at the floor - but he didn''t look at her in the face either.


    Sari found the new Rex, who was more assertive and confident, to be much more fascinating.


    Also, she did notice that he was only like that with her, so she felt even more special.


    She would drop by the store after school whenever Rex was on duty, and he would take a break then. Alia was flexible as to his break time, so he would take it only when Sari came.


    It worked out pretty well.


    Alia was so supportive of them for two reasons. One, she felt she was the one that brought them together and two, Rex never slacked at work despite spending time with Sari whenever he could.


    Right now, Kyle was busy stroking the kitten with one hand while cleaning the store with the other.


    His shift was almost over, so this was something he did before he left. Today, Sari had not come yet and he was getting slightly worried.


    Where was she?


    She hadn''t said anything about staying back for any school curricular activities.


    Did something happen?


    The moment his shift was over, Kyle changed quickly and was about to dash out when Sari walked through the door.


    Relief flooded into him, but he noticed that she didn''t look good.


    He stroked her cheek lovingly and asked, "What happened?"

 Chapter 503 - Too Charming

    Sari smiled, and shook her head, saying, "Nothing. Sorry I''m late. Something came up and I had to settle it first."


    "Oh?" Kyle said, "Anything wrong?"


    Sari sighed.


    "No, nothing''s wrong," she replied.


    Kyle frowned.


    He took her hand in his, and walked out as he said, "That does not sound like nothing is wrong."


    Sari rolled her eyes inwardly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes, having a boyfriend who was astute could be troublesome. She had heard people saying that boys were immature, little kids and were rough and very dense.


    Yet, Rex was not any of that at all.


    He was so loving and caring that she could not find any fault at all.


    He was so perfect.


    His circumstances may not be ideal since he wasn''t in school. However, he had told her that he was actually learning online while working.


    That was so amazing!


    To be so independent, and strong, and doing his best to secure a bright future. She knew he was a twin, and that he had an argument with his father that led him to ''strike out on his own''.


    They had shared a lot of things, talking about their families and such, but she had never dared to ask what sort of argument he had had with his father. All he told her was that it was a difference of opinion.


    Right now, what was important to her is the present and the future.


    "No, really," Sari said, "Nothing is wrong. It''s just that ¡­ well, our school is having a prom. Or rather, something like a prom."


    "Prom? Isn''t that normally for the final years at school?" Kyle asked.


    "No, of course not," Sari replied, "It''s just the typical ''end of the year'' celebration thing our school has and yes, the final years make it grander than it needs to be because well, it''s their final year."


    "Yeah, okay," Kyle said, nodding, "So¡­?"


    Sari sighed, shuffling her feet, "So, nothing. That''s it."


    In truth, Sari wanted to go with Rex, but she didn''t want to burden Rex with it. The tickets were a bit on the expensive side and she couldn''t afford to buy two tickets.


    Also, even if she did manage to somehow scrape enough money for it, what about clothes? She doubted Rex would have anything formal, and though she wouldn''t mind him going in normal clothes, she didn''t want to have people judging him because of it.


    Not only that, all of the money he was earning went to funding his schooling and living expenses, right? On top of that, he had used his savings on the medical expenses and raising Kitty.


    So how could she be selfish and expect him to attend this dance?


    Earlier, they had been selling the tickets and she watched as everyone was getting excited about attending. Some of them were already dreaming about any seniors asking them to the prom.


    They were only 15, and there were another two more years before they graduated from school. Yet, they acted as if this was something important to go to.


    Before Rex, Sari didn''t quite get the hype of it.


    It was just a school dance, right?


    Where people dress up and pretend to be grown-ups.


    Now, it was different. She had Rex.


    She wanted him to see her school, her friends, and going out with him for a nice, proper date would be so great. It wasn''t that her dates with Rex were bad, but it didn''t mean one wouldn''t want something special once in a while, right?


    Reality though, was cruel. Neither of them could afford to attend.


    Sari knew this and she accepted it, but she couldn''t help but feel a bit sad about it. That was why she said nothing was wrong because, quite frankly, nothing is, right?


    Sari grabbed onto Kyle''s arm and looked up at him excitedly, "How was your day? How''s Kitty?"


    Right on cue, Kitty popped her head out from the sling.


    Sari cooed and stroked her head, scratching behind the ears, "She loves you so much."


    "She probably thinks I''m her mother," Kyle said wryly.


    "She''s getting bigger. Soon, she won''t fit in there any more," Sari said, lifting her out from the sling bag and carried the kitten.


    "Oh, a cat is liquid, don''t you know?" Kyle said with a laugh, "If it fits, it''ll sit. Somehow, I imagine that she''ll find a way to fit in, no matter what."


    "Then you should stop spoiling her," Sari said, "Once she''s old enough, you should leave her behind at home. She needs to roam about more. Be a cat."


    "I will," Kyle promised, "For now, she''s all alone and still small. I am sure she''ll start exploring more once she is older.."


    The kitten''s head gravitated towards Kyle whenever he talked until finally, she struggled in Sari''s arms and reached out towards Kyle.


    "She''s really like a human, you know," Sari said as she handed the kitten back to Kyle, "I have a feelings she wouldn''t want to leave your side though. I mean, I wouldn''t."


    Kyle grinned at that and held Sari''s hand again, "Really? I wouldn''t mind that."


    Sari blushed.


    She had said those words without thinking and when she remembered what she had said, she was aghast. It was almost as if she had proposed to him!


    The kitten wrapped its paws around Kyle''s neck (or at least, tried to. Just two dainty paws on his shoulders) as she licked his chin.


    "Urgh, no, stop that," Kyle scolded her gently, "How many times do I have to tell you? No licking."


    In response, she bopped her head onto Kyle''s chin and rubbed along his face.


    Sari watched all of this with slight envy, but her heart was full.


    Envy, because she wanted to be in the kitten''s position. She blushed again, just thinking about it, and turned to look away.


    What the heck had she been thinking?!


    How embarrassing.


    She patted her hot cheeks. Rex was too charming.

 Chapter 504 - Interrogation

    As Kyle walked Sari home, they found that Sari''s aunt was waiting at the door. Sari quickly let go of Kyle''s hand.


    She looked at them sternly and said, "Sari, why are you late today?"


    Sari bowed her head down, apologizing, "I''m sorry, Auntie. I was held up in school. I forgot to call to let you know."


    Sari''s aunt looked at Kyle and he stepped forward, giving a slight bow, "Hello, Auntie. My name is Rex. Nice to meet you."


    "Who are you?"


    Kyle blinked. He just introduced himself, and she''s still asking who he is?


    Well, he knew what she was actually referring to but he still found it funny.


    Kyle looked at Sari for permission, unsure if she was okay with him telling who he was. If her aunt was anything like how his parents had been in his former life, she wasn''t supposed to have a boyfriend.


    Then again, the aunt had already seen him walk hand-in-hand with Sari, so any sort of story to cover up their relationship would only put him in her bad books.


    He didn''t want that.


    "I am just a simple guy who has fallen for Sari," Kyle declared, "My intentions are pure, and would just like to stay by her side."


    Sari''s aunt looked at Kyle''s uniform and asked, "I see that you''re working instead of schooling? What happened? Did you drop out of school or get kicked out?"


    Sari stood by Rex nervously, looking at her aunt in horror. What''s with the interrogation?


    "Neither, Auntie," Kyle replied patiently, "I am working part-time to supplement my schooling."


    "Don''t lie," Sari''s aunt spat out, "This is just after school hours, and you''re working at this time. Or are you saying that you skip school to work?"


    With every question, Sari became even more agitated. She was about to say something when she felt a gentle tap on her back. Startled, she turned towards Rex, who was calmly facing her aunt.


    "No, Auntie," Kyle replied, "I don''t go to a physical school. I take my classes online."


    "Online?" she repeated, "You mean they have classes and such on the computer?"


    Kyle nodded, "Yes, Auntie. It is flexible, and allows me to work and study at the same time. It''s perfect for people like me."


    Sari''s aunt, who was much older, found this concept to be extremely dodgy. Online school? What sort of thing was this? How reliable was it? Was this boy that terrible or something?


    As if sensing her confusion and disdain about it, Kyle explained further, "Online schools are becoming more popular now, so this type of schooling is meant to help people like me who is unable to go to school regularly."


    "I am also enrolled in a certified school, and it''s a degree that is recognised worldwide," Kyle said. He gave the information to help Sari''s aunt think about it, and said it humbly enough not to make it sound like he was belittling her knowledge.


    Sari''s aunt stood there for a while, quiet while she thought about it. She glossed over the fact that the boy had said ''degree'' and took it that Kyle was just using the wrong term.


    Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "What about your parents? What do they do?"


    By now, Sari was fidgeting.


    "My mother is a housewife while my father is in business," Kyle revealed, "Currently, I am staying by myself because my father wanted me to be more independent."


    Kyle decided to reveal this bit because if she was to find out from someone else that he lived alone, then misunderstandings could occur.


    Kyle knew that Sari''s aunt was giving him the 3rd degree to determine whether he could continue to see Sari or not, thus, he had to lay everything on the table right now.


    This was something quite common in Country M. Even while growing up, he had had to give a report to his parents about his friends, from ''what is your friend doing'' and ''who are their parents/what do they do'' were the basic information that had to be given.


    So this was not unexpected. Still, he was not giving the full picture but he was not lying either.


    Even if he was being low key and hiding his identity, he was not going to lie outright for anything. He may give information that would lead them to make slightly different conclusions, but the main point was: he did not lie.


    Sari listened nervously and looked at her aunt again.


    Was it over?


    Did he pass?


    Sari hadn''t told her uncle and aunt about Rex because she didn''t know how to raise it. She wasn''t their daughter, and they had never asked about her personal life before. They took care of her, and she took care of them in return - but they never shared things.


    In other words, she viewed her uncle and aunt like kind landlords, but she also knew that they had their own set of rules that she had to abide by. She did, and now she was worried if they had a ''no boyfriend'' rule that she was unaware of.


    "Sari, what are you still doing standing over there? Are you coming in or not?" Sari''s aunt finally said as she glared at Sari.


    Sari jerked up, apologizing profusely, "I''m sorry, Auntie."


    "Bye, Rex," Sari said as she quickly headed to the house.


    Kyle smiled, saying, "Bye, see you again next week."


    As Sari passed by her aunt and entered, Sari''s aunt stepped inside. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then looked closely at Rex and said to the very calm boy, "If you''re serious, you should not just be walking her home only some of the times."


    With that, she slammed the door shut.


    Kyle stood there for a second, blinking, then let go of the breath he didn''t realise he had been holding.


    He turned and left, thinking that that interrogation had been scarier than when he had presented at the Smith Industries board meeting.

 Chapter 505 - Preperations

    Sari was waiting nervously for her aunt inside.


    When she heard those words from her aunt, she was relieved. It looks like her aunt did not object to Rex at all.


    Her relief didn''t last long as she saw the frown on her aunt''s face.


    "Why did you not tell us about this Rex boy?" her aunt asked, now turning her interrogation towards her niece.


    Zals had been wondering about the changes she saw in her niece for the past couple of months, and looks like this Rex boy was the reason.


    When her husband, Rahim, told her of his intention to raise his niece after the death of his brother and sister-in-law, she had not been keen.


    It wasn''t because she hated Sari.


    On the contrary, she was just scared. She had been unable to have children, and she had been convinced that the reason for that was due to her being unsuitable to raise children.


    She believed in the old-wives tale, that when you are physically unable to bear children, it is due to the fact that you would not have been a good parent. She was raised with such thinking, thus she was scared to death of destroying this young life.


    As such, she kept her distance.


    She didn''t want to cause such a poor, young child to be tainted by her. She never made any move to get close to her but she did her best to make sure Sari was well fed and had everything (in terms of basic necessities) that they could afford to give her.


    She had seen this girl who was kind, and hard working, never complaining girl grow up. Even though she was a good girl and did not cause any problem, she was like a lifeless doll.


    However, she became much more animated and ''alive'' lately ¡­ and it turned out to be due to this Rex person.


    Zals had no objections to this, even though both of them were very young.


    Rex had impressed her earlier. Despite her constant interrogation, he stood his ground. His answers were also good and he did not appear to be hiding anything. The last thing she wanted was for her niece to fall for a degenerate person without a future.


    Rex gave her a very mature feeling, so she felt that he could be a good influence on Sari.


    Sari''s eyes went wide open at her aunt''s question.


    "I ¡­ I ¡­" she began, unable to know how to explain.


    "What? Are you ashamed of him?"


    "No!" Sari denied immediately, "He''s the nicest, sweetest, kindest and most hardworking person I know. He''s always mindful of me and takes care of me very well. He ¡­"


    Zals put up her hand to stop Sari.


    She had a feeling if she did not do so, her extremely besotted niece would have gone on and on about it.


    Seeing this, she couldn''t help but laugh a bit.


    Sari stopped upon seeing that hand go up, but was absolutely shocked to hear her aunt laugh.


    Did she laugh?


    She really did laugh, didn''t she?


    She hadn''t heard wrongly, did she?


    Zals shook her head, and taking a deep breath, she said, "Even if we are not your real parents, you should still inform us of these things. You are our responsibility until you get married. Then, you''ll be your husband''s responsibility."


    Sari stood there, listening intently.


    This was the first time her aunt was talking to her about something other than school, and chores.


    "He seems like an okay boy," Zals said finally, "But remember. You still have your studies. Never rely on a man 100%. You need to be able to rely on yourself. Okay?"


    Sari nodded like a robot, her eyes still wide open in surprise. Zals found this to be utterly cute, but she still kept her face stern. She needed to get her point across.


    Satisfied at Sari''s response, Zals left, leaving a very dazed Sari in the living room.


    ?.?.?.?.


    Kyle was busy talking to Kitty all the way home.


    "Your mummy definitely wants to go to the prom, right baby?" Kyle mused, "Shall we make her dream come true?"


    "Meowww," Kitty answered.


    "Hmmmm," Kyle replied, "You''re right. I still have to be low key, right? Mummy will certainly have a heart attack if I turn up like Kyle Smith, right?"


    Purrrrrrrr


    "You''re so clever, Baby," Kyle said with a chuckle, "Even as Rex, I can dress up, right? Just not be too sloppy."


    "Now how shall we go about this without letting her know? Oh, we have a lot of things to do now. Get the tickets, make sure she is free, get her dress ¡­" Kyle rambled on while Kitty just lay down in the sling, falling asleep.


    Her Daddy was so silly sometimes. Okay, make that all the time.


    But he was a good Daddy. His voice lulled her to sleep and she snuggled closer, hearing his heartbeat.


    ?.?.?.?.


    Kyle found planning for the surprise to be more exciting than anything he had ever done.


    Getting the tickets had been relatively easy. All that it involved was getting them. The tickets were for sale, so all he had to do was buy them from the person selling it.


    Clothes? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He browsed the popular online shopping portals of Country M: Zalaro, Lasada and Shopi. Getting Sari''s measurements were easy enough as ¡­ well, not to sound too perverted, but his training was such that he could gauge it from sight.


    Of course, he had to double-check everything?


    So, he took ample opportunity to hug her in order to make sure her waist size ... and certain other body parts ... were correct.


    It was all for making sure the dress size would fit, okay.


    *cough*


    His own clothes were pretty simple. Just dark pants and a white shirt. It was a size bigger, so that his body shape could not be easily discernable. He just wanted to look decent, not hot.


    After all, the prom was about Sari, not him.

 Chapter 506 - A Problem In The Future?

    Time seems to fly when he was doing all of the preparations.


    Kay could tell how excited he was, hiding it from Sari and making all the plans. Kay listened patiently, thinking that her brother got it so so so bad.


    Would she be as silly as this when she found her ''the one''?


    She hoped not.


    Her brother really was the complete opposite of all that she had always known him to be.


    As she lay on her bed, listening to Kyle ramble on and on about the whole thing, he suddenly asked her.


    [Kay, when should I tell her? Do you think she''ll think I''ve been lying to her all this while?]


    [Well ¡­] Kay said [This isn''t something that is easily revealed, is it?]


    [But it''s been months now that I''ve been going out with her. When is the right time to tell? When it''s been a year? Two years? When she graduates?]


    [Maybe after the prom?]


    [No!] Kyle protested, his eyes wide as he sat in from of his computer.


    Today, he didn''t have any shifts at work so he was finishing up on the assignments due at school.


    [I mean, I don''t know how she''ll take it, right? The prom is supposed to be a good thing. If I tell her then, the whole night may be spoilt. I want to leave some good memories]


    Kay frowned.


    [Are you saying that you feel she''ll dump you upon learning who you really are?]


    Kyle sighed.


    [No, of course not] Kyle replied confidently [But you can''t deny that it''s shocking, right? It''s not something you can accept immediately. She''s not Sam]


    Kay laughed at that [Nobody is]


    [How are they, by the way? Has Ali recoverd from Sophia leaving?]


    [I wouldn''t really know] Kay admitted [When we meet up to chat, he looks okay. But you know how it is. He could be hiding it]


    Kyle sighed.


    [Is she okay?]


    [Yeah, looks like it] Kay answered [You really don''t plan to tell him where she is and what she''s doing?]


    [No, it''s best that he doesn''t know] Kyle said [This is between her and Ali. I just wanted to make sure that she''s safe.] S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Okay. It''s just really funny though]


    [What is?] Kyle asked curiously, typing away furiously at the computer.


    [You seem to know the best step and method to deal with other people, but when it comes to your own, you''re lost. You''re always second-guessing yourself and wondering if it''s the right move or not]


    [Isn''t that natural though? You can see other people''s situations because you''re not emotionally involved.]


    [Yeah, but I didn''t think you would be affected this much]


    [Neither did I] Kyle admitted.


    When Kay pointed it out like this, he realised that this could turn out to be a problem in the future. As the CEO, he would need to make rational decisions. If people found out about Sari, and how weak he was with her, would that make her a target?


    He wasn''t worried about her safety, but rather, he was worried whether he would make rash decisions based on his emotions because of her.


    How did Patrick do it?


    It was obvious that he had deep love for his wife, but Kyle had never seen him be affected negatively because of it. Was it due to the fact that his mum was strong?


    Initially, he had thought she was weak as she had kept silent when Patrick had blasted at him at the hospital. He had seen the way she flinched ¡­ so his own anger over that made him blind to anything else.


    However, Kay had been keeping him updated about their mother and it was obvious that she wasn''t afraid of Patrick like he had initially thought. She just chose not to press the issue and create a scene at the hospital.


    Kyle was also aware that both of them had been beyond rational thinking then. Anything said would have most likely not been heard.


    [Kay] Kyle said suddenly [Do you think I was too impulsive?]


    Even though they had been talking about the prom and his feelings, Kay seemed to know exactly what he was referring to.


    [It''s hard to say, really] Kay replied [You know I feel you are too harsh on Dad, even though I know you''re trying your best in your own way. It''s just that ¡­ yes, you and Dad are too much alike, really. Both speak before you think]


    Kyle sighed.


    [The fact that Dad is still trying to find you - and yet, not asking for help - is just like you]


    [Huh? In what way?]


    [Stubborn, not wanting to admit defeat ¡­ and I suspect he''s having fun, too, trying to find you. It''s become like a game between both of you, hasn''t it?]


    Kyle was silent.


    [Though you can still hear him throwing a tantrum whenever he fails. And I''m sure you''re gloating when he does]


    [Heh]


    [Once you''ve settled your kids there, you need to reconcile with Dad properly. Talk to him, for goodness sake]


    [I tried before, you know. It didn''t work]


    [Try again]


    [It''s easy for you, you know] Kyle said with a sigh [He actually listens to you. With me, he''s just dictating things. Ah, there''s no real solution to this right now. I''ll think about it after this is all over]


    [You''d better]


    [Now, about the prom ¡­]


    [Kyle! You''re still going on about that?]


    [Hey, I''ve never been to a prom before, you know]


    [Wait. What do you mean, you''ve never?]


    [I was an antisocial nerd in my past life, you know. In this life, I''m too popular to go]


    [Har har har. Looks like your narcissism hasn''t lessened at all]


    [Truth hurts]


    Typing the final word for his assignment, Kyle read it once over before submitting it.


    He picked up the dress he got for Sari. Just a little bit more to fix before it would fit her nicely.


    He smiled, imagining her looking so cute in it.

 Chapter 507 - Stamp Of Approval

    Today was the day.


    No, not prom day.


    Prom was in two weeks'' time.


    Today was the day that Kyle would surprise Sari with the prom tickets.


    He had everything planned out.


    Today was a very special day as it was her birthday. He had the night all planned out, and he was waiting for her excitedly outside her school.


    Even Kitty was brought along. She was already old enough and independent enough to stay home alone, but she couldn''t be left out from this, right?


    Kitty was inside a huge pouch of his hoodie, that was akin to a kangaroo pouch. The hoodie was made of light material, and Kyle was only wearing a white singlet underneath, so he didn''t feel it was hot even with Country M''s tropical weather.


    He had already obtained permission from Sari''s guardians to take her out tonight, and he grinned thinking of that day.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    Kyle had brought over a basket of mangosteen, which was Sari''s aunt''s favourite fruit. He came an hour before Sari''s school was over, timing it so that he would arrive when her uncle came home.


    He waited patiently as Uncle Rahim''s car arrived and parked in the driveway. Upon seeing Kyle waiting there, he invited him inside.


    Kyle was a regular face at the house now and had even stayed for dinner once in a while. Rahim was satisfied with his niece''s choice and did not forbid the relationship. He kept a close eye on them, however.


    Kyle handed the basket of fruits to Auntie Zals, who then headed to the kitchen.


    Uncle Rahim told him to sit down and then asked, "Yes, what can I do for you?"


    "Uncle," Kyle began politely, "I''d like to seek your permission to take Sari to the school prom."


    "Oh?" he said, surprised, "When is it?"


    Kyle gave the date and time. He waited nervously as Sari''s uncle thought it over.


    When there was no answer after what seemed like hours (though it was ''only'' 3 minutes, each second of silence caused Kyle to break into a cold sweat), Kyle volunteered more information.


    "If you agree, I''ll take good care of her. I''ll pick her up and also make sure she gets back by whatever curfew time you set," Kyle said, "I''ve also got her the prom dress as a birthday gift."


    "Hmmmm," Rahim went on, while studying the boy in front of him.


    When Zals told him about this sudden boyfriend of Sari''s, he had initially been indignant and wary. Teenage boys couldn''t be trusted.


    He should know, he had been one.


    However, this boy turned out to be quite decent. He showed proper respect towards them and even now, he sought permission to take Sari to the school dance. Who did that nowadays?


    He didn''t have any objections to him taking Sari to the prom, but he wanted to test this boy to see what else he would do should he just prolong the decision.


    He didn''t disappoint.


    He had never met a boy this mature before. Perhaps, the fact that his father had made him go out and prove himself, was the main reason for such maturity.


    "Okay," Rahim answered, holding back a smile when he saw the obvious relief on Rex''s face. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This boy was really easy to tease, wasn''t he?


    After giving Kyle a few more words of warning, plus the rules to be obeyed when taking Sari to the dance, he let Kyle off.


    Kyle quickly drank the tea that Auntie Zals served as they had been talking earlier, and took back the tray to the kitchen.


    Zals scolded him for doing so, and chased him out of the kitchen, saying that he was a guest and Sari would be finishing school soon.


    When Kyle left, Rahim turned to his wife and said, "If she does end up with him, I would be happy and assured."


    Zals agreed.


    "She is very lucky," Zals said, smiling.


    With the appearance of Kyle, Zals superstition about her being ''cursed'' for her inability to bear a child, was slowly being whittled away. Kyle was a ''lucky'' charm.


    Kyle had received the guardian''s ''stamp of approval''.


    ? End of Flashback ?


    Kyle was waiting for Sari to finish school. He didn''t wait at the gate, for he didn''t want to trouble her.


    Kyle knew very well the sort of teasing, questioning and all the curious questions that could naturally occur when one saw him there. It can be overwhelming, especially to Sari who was an introvert.


    If news got out that Sari had a guy wait for her at the gate, it would certainly be big news to gossipy girls. The last thing Kyle wanted, was to do anything that would make her uncomfortable.


    Still, it wasn''t like he could hide from plain sight completely (even though he could). If he did that, he would scare her half to death each time he appeared, and that wouldn''t be good either, would it?


    So he would wait for her at different places each time.


    Of course, she could just meet him at the store but he wanted to be the one that fetches her once in a while. Not have her look for him all the time.


    Yes, love does make you do stupid things all the time.


    So even though it was inconvenient and risky, Kyle still prefered to fetch her on days he wasn''t working. He liked seeing her expectant look on her face as she walked out the gate.


    He liked seeing her look for him, wondering where he was hiding this time. He especially loved seeing her smile when he showed up.


    Seeing Sari come out, Kyle broke into a smile. When she came close, and was just about to pass by, Kyle called out to her softly. She turned towards him, smiling widely and took his hand.


    ? Content is stolen if this is not in w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. Please support me there ?

 Chapter 508 - Birthday Celebrations

    "Rex!" she cried out happily as she gazed at him lovingly, "Did you wait long?"


    "Of course not," Kyle assured her, "I just arrived."


    "You brought Kitty!!" Sari gushed, seeing the kitten (though she should be called a cat now) popping her head out of the pouch upon hearing Sari''s voice.


    "Oh my gosh! She''s so cute!!" Sari said, taking Kitty out of the pouch.


    Kitty was dressed up today. Her usual collar that had Kyle''s contact name on the pendant was replaced with a pink collar.


    It was something Kyle made himself, using the collar of a pink shirt. He had cut out the collar: the entire top part of the shirt that made up the collar, including the top-most button.


    He then took some small pink flower patterns and sewed it in several areas, creating a splash of flowers on it. It just needed to be buttoned on to be worn, and it wasn''t tight to be uncomfortable.


    "Where did you get this adorable collar for her?" Sari asked, as she held on Kitty, stroking her head and scratching behind the ear.


    Kitty purred contentedly, stretching her head into Sari''s hands. She may be partial towards Daddy, but Mummy was good, too.


    "I made it," Kyle said as he started walking, Sari following beside him.


    "Wow, you''re so talented and creative," Sari complimented him sincerely, "You can sew, too. Is there anything you can''t do?"


    "Nope," Kyle answered, grinning widely.


    Sari laughed, not taking what he said seriously.


    He was, after all, already perfect in her eyes but to find out different and new things about him made her be more in awe. She vowed to step up in learning how to cook more dishes, for she couldn''t have him top her in everything now, could she?


    As she was busy playing with Kitty, she didn''t realise at first that Kyle wasn''t walking towards her house. She was just automatically walking beside him, trusting him completely and not looking at her surroundings.


    Her entire world was with her at the moment, so why look anywhere else?


    "Wait, where are we going?" Sari asked belatedly, as she suddenly realised that she was not near home.


    "It''s a surprise," Kyle said mysteriously as he kept on walking, "Don''t worry, Uncle Rahim and Auntie Zals already know."


    "Oh, okay," Sari replied, her worries gone.


    Kyle led her to the park, which was a 15 mins walk from the school. He took Kitty from her, put it in his pouch and held Sari''s hand.


    At the park bench, he wiped the seat and had her sit down. Taking the backpack from his back, he started setting it up.


    Placing a tablecloth on the table, he put placemats, biodegradable plastic plates, cups, and cutlery before taking out a four-tier stainless steel food container that was in a thermal cover to keep the food inside warm.


    All the while, Sari watched Kyle do all of this with her eyes wide open in surprise.


    Taking the food container out of its covering, he separated each container and laid it out between them. There was rice, one meat dish and one vegetable dish.


    The last container had a small round cake with the icing, "Happy Birthday, Sari."


    This was the one that he showed Sari last, smiling as he said "Happy Birthday" then kissed her forehead.


    Sari blushed beet red then, feeling those soft lips on her forehead.


    "How did you know it was my birthday today?" she asked softly, her eyes slightly wet with unshed tears.


    She was so touched.


    This was the first time, since her parent''s death, did she have her birthday celebrated. Her guardians didn''t believe in celebrating birthdays, and it would just pass her by without any celebrations - or even a wish.


    "Oh, I have my ways," Kyle said, as he took out some citronella candles and started lighting them. They were small, and yellow, about 6" high and he placed them in some glass containers after lighting them.


    Though it did look romantic, it also served another purpose: to keep the mosquitoes away. Citronella is naturally occurring oil that repels mosquitoes, and would be effective for about two hours.


    As they were outdoors, he had to light several and soon, the nice smell of citrus wafted in the air. This was the scent that Kyle chose from the variety available, as he felt it was not too strong nor too mild.


    He also liked citrus smells.


    Kyle also took out Kitty''s food bowl, placing it on a placemat on the table. He opened up a can of cat food, pouring it into one compartment of the food bowl and some water in the other.


    Kitty popped her head out upon smelling the food and immediately meowed, looking up at Kyle from inside the pouch.


    "Yes, yes, hold on, Baby. Be patient," Kyle said gently with a smile. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once everything was set up, he placed Kitty in front of her food and all of them started eating.


    Kitty was well behaved, and only ate her food, leaving their food alone.


    Sari''s heart was so full, she didn''t want the night to end. Everything was so wonderful. The food (which Kyle actually cooked, as he felt it was more personal), the ambiance and most of all, the company.


    Sari helped Kyle clear up after their dinner, throwing all the disposables into the nearby dustbin and cleaned up Kitty''s food bowl. They ate the cake straight from the container, after Kyle sang the ''birthday song'' loudly, making her completely glad the park was relatively empty.


    Kyle was sitting next to Sari by this time, instead of across the table when they had dinner.


    Finally, he took out the present and placed it in her hands, saying again, "Happy Birthday."


    "For me?" Sari asked stupidly.


    "Of course," Kyle said redundantly.


    "Can I open it now?"


    "You''d better," he answered with a laugh.


    She opened it excitedly and gasped upon seeing the beautiful dress inside.

 Chapter 509 - Promposal

    Sari gingerly took out the dress, standing up as she did so.


    It was a simple white lace mermaid dress, that had a lace shawl covering the upper top part of the body, and wrapping itself until the back. The inner dress had a satin-like material, that was a round collar neckline, and sleeveless. It was fitting until the waist, then finished off as a high waist pleated skirt that reached the knee.


    The dress was to accentuate Sari''s highlights, and hide the ''flaws'', so to speak. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sari was petite with a slim figure. The lace shawl covered the upper body part to de-emphasize the chest area, and the high waist skirt was to create the illusion of longer legs.


    Sari had a slim waist, thus the high waist skirt had a belt around it, and the pleated skirt created a less formal and playful look. Sari was the type that liked simplicity and was playful, thus Kyle felt it was suitable for her.


    Sari saw that there was a pair of shoes and a small box as well, which were revealed when she took the dress out of the box.


    With trembling hands, she took out the shoes from its thin muslin wrap and gasped again. It was high heels, silver in colour with straps that would be wound around the ankle. The box contained simple teardrop pearl earrings, completing the whole outfit.


    The entire outfit was so beautiful.


    Sari turned towards Kyle, her eyes full of tears of happiness, only to find - in shock - that he was on one knee.


    Holding up a box, he opened it and revealed the prom tickets inside, "Sari, will you go to the prom with me?"


    It was a prom-posal.


    In her school, prom-posals were a big deal.


    Guys normally ask the girl out to the prom in an elaborate manner, as it served one other purpose: it was asking the girl out to be his girlfriend.


    By accepting being his date to the prom, she was also accepting his ''proposal'' to go steady.


    Although Sari was already Kyle''s girlfriend, this gesture of his touched her so much she couldn''t stop the tears now.


    Crying happily while smiling, she said, "Yes."


    Kyle grinned, got up and hugged her tight, putting his cheek on her head but making sure that he didn''t squish Kitty between them. There was a slight gap between them at the pouch area.


    Sari hugged him back, also being careful not to squish Kitty. Kyle looked down at her tenderly, and she smiled up at him, totally mesmerizing him.


    He blinked.


    He gulped.


    He sat down at the table, pulling her closer to him as he did so. Now they were at the same height, and he stroked her cheek gently.


    "Sari, can I kiss you?" Kyle asked softly.


    Due to the extreme reserved nature of Country M, Kyle was very, very careful not to overstep his boundaries. Sari was already what one would call a ''protected species'', just like how he had been in his past life.


    Holding hands, hugging and the occasional kisses on the forehead were the most that could be done, and even then, brief hugs and kisses.


    Now, though, Kyle wanted to have a taste of those lips.


    Just a little bit.


    Just from the question, Sari''s face became beet red.


    Kyle smiled at that, then shook his head, laughing a bit as he said, "I''m sorry, forget I asked. Did you like the present?"


    Sari didn''t answer him, biting her lower lips.


    "Sari?" Kyle asked worriedly, taking her hands in his.


    "I''m sorry, sayang," Kyle said, using the endearment which meant ''darling'' in the national language of Country M.


    He would only use this for special occasions, like right now, when he was feeling bad for putting her on the spot earlier. He had most likely made her uncomfortable, for she felt bad for refusing him after what he had done for her birthday.


    He mentally kicked himself for the bad timing.


    It really did look like he did all of this just to get a kiss from her, when in fact, it had been a completely spontaneous request. When she had looked up at him earlier, all sorts of rational thoughts went out the window and he seriously felt like ravishing her there and then.


    "I didn''t mean to make you uncomf-" Kyle began, when suddenly, Sari kissed him on the lips.


    It was a quick peck, with their lips just barely brushing each other and she pulled away, quickly wanting to run away after doing it.


    Kyle was in complete shock when she kissed him, his mind going completely blank. Luckily, his training kicked in, so his hold on her hands didn''t lessen when she tried to pull away and run off.


    He held her tightly, and pulled her closer, kissing her again.


    This time, it wasn''t just a peck on the lips but a lot of kisses on her lips as he savoured the gentle, shivering in nervousness girl''s lips. His lips would kiss her top lips, bottom lips and then her cheeks, before going back to her lips again.


    It took all of his willpower not to let go of her hands, for he knew that if he did, he would be doing other things with those hands. He didn''t do more than just those innocent kisses, feeling it was more than enough.


    When they finally broke apart, their breaths were a bit uneven. Towards, the end, Sari had started to return his kisses and he knew that if he didn''t stop, he would be deepening the kiss.


    That would have been too much, too soon.


    Kyle smiled at Sari gently, and said, "Let''s go home."


    Sari kept quiet.?She was still in a daze.


    Her first kiss.


    All of her imagination paled in comparison to the real thing.


    She looked as Rex got down from the table, her eyes on his lips.


    She gulped.


    It was seriously addicting.

 Chapter 510 - The Prom

    Sari was excited.


    The day of the prom was finally here.


    It had felt like it took forever for this day to arrive and now that it did, she was a bundle of nerves. She stood in front of the full length mirror in her room, unable to believe that the creature reflected in it, was her.


    Not being narcissistic, but she looked like a beautiful princess!


    She had never felt this way before, as she was always a plain girl. Although she loved wearing dresses, she did not as she always felt she looked horrible in them. With her petite figure, the dress often fell flat and was not complimenting at all.


    But this?


    What was this magical dress?


    She twirled around, smiling widely.


    Her hair cascaded upon her shoulders, with a couple of white flower clips at the side. The shoes and earrings made the whole simple, casual dress look formal and breathtaking. She had light make-up on, even though it was night.


    "You look beautiful," came a voice from the doorway.


    Sari turned, her face in a huge smile as she faced her aunt, "Thank you, Auntie Zals."


    "What time is Rex coming?" Zals asked.


    Just then, the doorbell rang.


    Sari took off her shoes in excitement and carried them downstairs in her hands. It had not been used yet, so it had been okay for her to wear it in her room. However, it was still frowned upon to be walking in shoes in the house, even if the shoes were clean.


    Her uncle was already at the door, and Rex could be seen at the open doorway.


    He looked up to see her coming down the stairs, and his eyes lit up.


    Rahim and Zals saw as the two kids were just staring at each other, Sari now frozen on the stairs while Rex was just grinning stupidly at the door.


    Zals shook her head and gently prodded her forward, "Go, Rex is waiting for you."


    Sari nodded, taking in Rex''s figure.


    He was wearing a white shirt and black pants, with dark dress shoes.


    His hair was still long, which reached to his shoulders but this time, it did not cover his face. It was actually combed properly, though it still covered the sides of his face.


    Kyle now had a mustache and a beard, something Kay had suggested as to disguise his face better. He chose the ''Tony Stark beard'', and with his usual thick-rimmed glasses was slightly tinted this time.


    Sari found him to be very, very dashing at the moment. His clothes may be simple, and it wasn''t like he was drop-dead gorgeous (though in her eyes, he was) .. but ¡­ there was something else about him.


    He had an aura that Sari couldn''t quite put a finger on it. She had been used to him being the sloppy, slouchy-grungy guy and this guy in front of her was completely different.


    It made her heart beat so fast and caused her feet to stop.


    This is her boyfriend?!


    When Sari felt the gentle push behind her, she broke out of her daze and came running down the stairs with a grin.


    "Uncle, Auntie, I''m going now," Sari said as she faced her guardians.


    "Uncle, Auntie, thank you. I will bring her home by 11.30pm," Kyle said as he bowed a bit at them.


    "Go, have fun, and behave" Rahim said as he watched them go towards the waiting Grab car.


    Kyle opened the door for her and went in the other side.


    Even though the school was close by, Kyle didn''t want Sari to have to walk to the prom. He made private arrangements earlier with the Grab driver to come and pick them up at 11pm, giving him some cash as a deposit and promising him more when he came later.


    Seeing Sari''s happy face made Kyle feel happy as well.


    She held his hand and said to him, "Thank you, Rex, for all of this. I feel like a princess."


    Kyle smiled, squeezed her hand and said, "That''s because you are."


    Sari blushed, looking down shyly when Kyle lifted her face up with his hand, stroking her cheek gently, "Don''t you realise yet how beautiful you are? Inside and out."


    "Oh, Rex," Sari said softly, "Stop it. You''re embarrassing me."


    "Why? It''s the truth," Kyle said seriously, "No one compares to you. I''m kinda regretting now, asking you to the prom."


    "Why?"


    "Cuz now everyone is going to see how beautiful my angel is," Kyle replied, pouting a bit.


    Sari smiled, and tweaked his nose, "I''m yours, and only yours. No one else would ever come close to you and how I feel about you."


    Kyle brought her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers. They were in public, so there was no way he could kiss her like he wanted to.


    In the meantime, the Grab car driver was silently crying in front, thinking that his passengers were just too cruel to single guys like him.


    ?.?.?.?


    Kyle helped Sari out of the car when they reached the school. No one really paid them any attention as they weren''t exactly eye-catching. However, things were slightly different when they walked in. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sari?!" came a very loud shout from inside the hall that was richly decorated, "Is that you?!"


    The unknown girl screamed, grabbing Sari by the arms and started jumping up and down, "You look so beautiful!! You should dress up more often!!"


    Sari smiled, though she had a slight grimace on her face, "Dina, please. You''re too loud."


    "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!! Who is this?!" Dina said, pointing at Kyle.


    Sari smiled, grabbing him by the arm, "He''s my boyfriend, Rex."


    Kyle had his head lowered a bit, and with the dim lighting of the hall, his face was not clear. Kay''s idea for the facial hair was good, and it lessened the burden on him to avoid people all the time.


    "Hello," Kyle greeted politely.

 Chapter 511 - Sari Has A Boyfriend?!

    "You have a boyfriend?!" Dina screeched.


    Kyle rolled his eyes internally.


    Such drama, and the fact that Dina completely ignored him was not unexpected. Girls tend to do that, though not on purpose most of the time. They were so engrossed with their friend in front of them that they blocked out everyone else.


    Kyle didn''t take it personally. He took the time to survey the hall, taking note of the blind spots, risky spots such as fire hazards, and escape routes.


    Spotting the food table, he bent down to bring his lips to Sari''s ear to say, "I''ll get us some drinks. Stay here."


    Sari nodded, while Dina just stared at the scene in front of her with her mouth open. When Kyle left, she grabbed Sari''s arm again and started shaking it again.


    "Oh mah gosh, he''s so suave," Dina gushed, "How long have you guys been together? Why didn''t you tell me? Were you keeping it a secret?"


    Sari frowned.


    This classmate of hers was not really a close friend, and highly excitable, but harmless. Well, not that she really knew what she was like since Sari hardly mixed around.


    Still, what''s with the barrage of questions anyway? Despite that, Sari answered as politely as possible.


    "I wasn''t keeping it a secret," Sari answered, "It''s just not something to I find the need to announce to everyone."


    Sari didn''t feel a need to answer everything. After all, who was Dina? She was just curious and this was her personal matter.


    "He looks kinda familiar, though," Dina mused, "Couldn''t get a good look at his face though. His hair just covers everything ¡­ oh mah gosh. Wait. He''s that ¡­ that guy that works at the convenience store, isn''t he?!"


    Sari turned to look at her, detecting the slight anomaly in her voice, "Yes. Why? Anything wrong with that?"


    Dina smiled, shaking her head but covered her lips a bit, "Oh, no, no, nothing. Nothing. Ah, I gotta go."


    Sari frowned.


    The way Dina said ''nothing'' clearly showed ''something''. Kyle came then, and handed her a drink. She smiled sweetly at him and thanked him.


    "Your friend left already?" he asked.


    "Not really my friend. Just a classmate," Sari clarified, "Thank goodness she left. She was giving me a headache with all the ''oh mah gerd'' and gushing and twenty questions. Seriously."


    Kyle laughed, and put his hands on her waist, "It''s huge news, I guess, when someone gets a boyfriend."


    "Well, so long as she knows you''re mine ¡­" Sari started, then stopped, blushing. She sounded so territorial!


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you sound like an object," Sari said, turning towards Kyle worriedly.


    He just smiled, saying, "Don''t worry. I don''t feel that way. You said it in the car earlier. You are mine, and I am yours, entirely and completely. So make use of me in any way you want. I''ll gladly do anything for you."


    "Hee hee," Sari giggled, "You''re so suave, you know that?"


    She leaned on his arm subconsciously, thinking that she was truly lucky to have him by her side.


    On another side of the hall, several girls were watching this scene while laughing.


    "I kid you not," Dina was saying, "She actually got herself a boyfriend. And not just any boy, but a matrep!"*


    "Oh come on, he''s doesn''t even look like he''s from here. So he can''t be a matrep," protested one, "Plus, he''s working."


    "But not schooling," insisted Dina, "Probably too poor to continue schooling, or his grades just not good enough. I would bet that he''s too troublesome and got expelled!"


    "So, he''s a matrep!!" she said with a flourish.


    "Reasoning is faulty but I agree," another said, "Just look at the guys that are here. They''re either our schoolmates, or from other schools. She''s the only one that dare to bring a date that isn''t even in school."


    "That''s the best that girl can get, I guess," another snorted, "She''s so reclusive."


    "But it''s still funny. Is she that desperate? Why scrape at the bottom of the barrel even if she wanted to get laid?" yet another raised.


    With that, they all looked towards Kyle and Sari, and seeing how they appeared to be glued to each other, they started laughing again.


    "You think they''ve already done it?"


    "Of course they did. Just look at how shameless they are! Not just that, why would anyone get together with that girl anyway? If not for that, right?"


    "Tsk," Dina said, "She doesn''t even have the figure for it."


    "You just need what''s between the legs anyway," another said.


    All of them continued to gossip needlessly, completely ignoring the fact that the closeness Kyle and Sari were showing was normal for any couple. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were blind to the rather outrages things other couples were doing.


    Some were even blatantly kissing in the darker parts of the hall, and it wasn''t just a small peck, either. If this was being done in a hotel ballroom, it wouldn''t be surprising if they went to a room.


    "Hey," Dina said suddenly, "Wanna have a bit of fun?"


    "What?"


    "Don''t you think that dress is wasted on Sari?"


    Everyone''s eyes glistened as they listened to Dina''s suggestion.


    Oblivious to everything but Rex, Sari was happily showing Rex around the hall. She told him about the organising committee, the school, and her friends.


    "Where are your friends? Didn''t they come today?" Kyle asked as he piled a plate with some food.


    "Most couldn''t come," Sari said sadly, "I don''t see the others yet. Hold on while I check."


    Sari took out her phone from her clutch bag, going through the messages. Kyle waited, and noticed the girl from before coming towards them while holding two glasses of juice.


    She was headed towards Sari, when she suddenly stumbled and fell.


    One glass flew into the air as Dina let go of it, to use her hand to break her fall.


    It was headed towards Sari.

 Chapter 512 - ’Mulut Masin’

    Kyle moved swiftly.


    Upon seeing that glass of juice being thrown, he was already in front of Sari. The plate of food he had held was thrown onto the table, landing neatly without any food being spilled.


    He tilted his body to the side a bit so that he could angle the palm of his hand to capture the bottom of the glass. Using the momentum of the glass, he immediately twisted his wrist to turn it so that the glass that had been facing Sari was now facing Dina.


    Without missing a beat, he placed a burst of power onto the palm to propel the glass of juice towards Dina. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, the juice that had been thrown from the other glass was blocked by his body, thoroughly drenching him but leaving Sari, who was behind him, completely dry.


    All of this happened in less than a minute and no one saw what had truly happened.


    All that they did see was that Dina tripped and fell, one glass of juice falling on her and the other glass of juice falling on Sari''s boyfriend that blocked it.


    They didn''t even know when he was suddenly there, but he was.


    A loud screech was heard from Dina that was on the floor, her entire body (from the hair to the dress) was completely orange from the juice. She was wet and sticky, the juice dripping down her face from her hair, and onto the floor.


    She didn''t know what had happened.


    It had all been perfect and she was sure she had thrown the glass of juice towards Sari. So how did it end up falling on her instead? Did she miscalculate and threw up instead of forward?


    She was sure she hadn''t but the evidence proved otherwise.


    She glared at Rex, and was flabbergasted.


    He had somehow managed to block all of the juice from the other glass from reaching Sari, and just like her, he was completely drenched. His face and shirt was orange as well.


    But it was not that which caused her to freeze.


    His shirt now clung to his body like a second skin, and the tight abdominal muscles could clearly be seen through. It looked like it had been drawn there, and she blinked rapidly to check whether she was seeing it properly.


    She wasn''t the only one.


    That guy had that sort of body?!


    Seriously?


    Before anyone could take a good look, he had pulled at the bottom of his shirt to unstick his shirt from his body while Sari went in front of him in worry.


    "Oh gosh, Rex, are you alright? You''re so wet! Quickly! You need to wash this off!" Sari said desperately, taking Rex''s hand in hers.


    She brought him out of the dance hall and into the school corridors. The school had a unisex toilet on that floor as the hall was often used by the public as well. The sign could be flipped, indicating whether there was a girl, or a guy, inside.


    Seeing that the toilet was unoccupied, Sari went in while dragging Kyle along.


    She put a stopper on the door so that people could see inside, and know that the occupants were of both genders.


    "Quickly, we have to take off your shirt," Sari instructed, "I''ll wash off the juice from it while you wash your face and hair."


    Kyle nodded but before he could start unbuttoning his shirt, Sari was already doing so.


    Kyle looked down at the serious Sari who looked so agitated and worried, that she did not even realise she was undressing him.


    For some reason, Kyle didn''t stop her either as he watched her and her expressions as she unbuttoned his shirt.


    Sari, at that moment, was feeling very upset.


    The whole night had been magical and wonderful, so why did this accident have to happen? Poor Rex, getting all wet and sticky from the juice when all he was doing was protecting her.


    The only thing on her mind right now was to take care of Rex and make sure that he was clean.


    His shirt had to be rinsed immediately, as it would stain otherwise. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt, hardly registering what she was doing. It was only when she opened the shirt wide and her eyes landed on the naked chest in front of her did her brain tell her she had just undressed a man.


    She blinked.


    There was a naked chest in front of her eyes.


    This was her first time seeing a naked chest.


    And that naked chest was right in front of her face.


    She gripped the shirt tightly, not believing what she was looking at.


    "Sari," Kyle said gently, trying to stop the grin from showing on his face.


    Somehow, seeing how she was completely mesmerized by his body made him feel rather content. He always had people admiring it, but having her do so was different.


    She didn''t seem to have heard him, so he placed his hands on hers and only then did she snap out of it.


    She looked up at him, gulped, and looked back at his lean, muscular physique with a well-defined six-pack, and there was this rather sexy ''V'' shape dipping down ...


    "Sorry," she said, her face beet red.


    She quickly took off his shirt, not daring to look at him anymore and started rinsing his shirt in the sink. She was careful to only wash the front part, and not wet the entire shirt. After all, he would need to wear the shirt back again.


    Kyle went to the other sink and took off his glasses. He stared in the mirror and saw that his eyes were already red.


    He cursed under his breath.


    Some of the juice had managed to get into his eyes, and the contacts he was wearing was now stinging in pain. Taking it off meant revealing his blue eyes.


    Damn.


    Kay really had ''mulut masin''* indeed.

 Chapter 513 - Small Revelation

    Kyle took a deep breath, steadying himself. He glanced at Sari, who was diligently and seriously trying to get the stain out of his shirt.


    How is she going to take this?


    He looked back at his eyes and tried blinking several times, in order to induce tears and wash away the juice. However, it was not effective and too late.


    The contacts had to be taken out and thrown away.


    It was something that had not been possible to stop from happening. He could not avoid it as he had to throw the glass back at Dina while simultaneously blocking the juice with his body to protect Sari.


    As such, he did not have the freedom of movement to avoid the juice getting to his face. He not only needed to see properly in order to catch the glass and throw it, but he also had to be at a certain angle to do so.


    Thus, he could only helplessly endure as the watched the juice fly towards him. Although the glasses did block most of it, some still managed to get through.


    He clenched the sink and sighed loudly.


    Sari, upon hearing this, turned towards Rex worriedly, "Rex? What''s wrong? I''m sorry this had to happen to you."


    Kyle shook his head, "No, it''s not that. It''s just that ¡­"


    He hesitated. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sari stopped scrubbing his shirt, and forced herself to look at him.


    She had been trying very hard not to, because ¡­ well, heck, because he was so darn hot being half-naked like that. She didn''t know where to look!


    For such a sheltered young girl, the vision in front of her was just too much.


    "Sari, I have never lied to you and was always myself around you, but I have hidden things from you," Kyle began slowly.


    She nodded.


    This was something she already knew but she never asked. Even though they were in a relationship, it didn''t mean that she could force him to tell her everything.


    Even spouses kept things from each other, what more boyfriend-girlfriend?


    "Yes, I know that," Sari said, "You already hinted at it when you said you''re not like the Rex I know. Despite that, I have found you to be exactly the Rex I know, so it never bothered me."


    She smiled at him, saying, "I suspect the reason you''re wearing those fake glasses is because you want to hide yourself? Like, be low-key or something. You don''t like to bring attention to yourself."


    Kyle grimaced.


    Well, she was partially correct. The only thing was, the reason why he didn''t want to bring attention to himself was not that he didn''t like being in the limelight, but because he was hiding his identity.


    Kyle took a deep breath and made a decision.


    He wouldn''t tell her who he was, but he would show her his real face.


    Well, except for the fact that he now had facial hair.


    Would she recognise him as Kyle Smith? The only way was through the John Wick movie, and that was over ages ago. He didn''t even know if she was a fan, as he met her after the hype was all over.


    Well, whatever it was, he had to take the first step sooner or later, right?


    Guess this is a good time as any.


    He still wasn''t going to tell her his identity. That should be saved for a day that they can really have a proper talk. This certainly was not the time.


    "Yeah, you''re partially correct," Kyle said, "Part of the reason why I want to be low-key is because ¡­ well, to be frank, I get too much attention otherwise."


    Kyle turned away and took off his contacts, then washed his eyes and face properly before facing her.


    Sari gasped.


    "So you were wearing coloured contacts all this while?" Sari said in amazement as she gingerly touched his face, "Your eyes are so blue. Like the deep ocean."


    She took a deep breath, "I''ve always said you have such beautiful eyes. Now, it''s worse. No wonder you want to hide them."


    Blue eyes in Country M?


    He would be swarmed with girls wanting to get to know him.


    Kyle had also tied his hair back so that he could wash his face properly, and she caressed his jawline, saying, "And you have such sharp features. Your hair normally hides them."


    She stared at him and started studying his face properly.


    This would actually be the first time she did so since they got together. She was normally too embarrassed to look straight at his face. It didn''t help that most of the time, Rex never looked up as well.


    "I''ve always thought you were handsome," Sari said breathlessly, realising for the first time that her boyfriend was perhaps much more than ''just handsome'' and it wouldn''t be just in her eyes alone.


    His bone structure proved that. Plus, his skin was very smooth and fair. His eyes, that she had felt was the greatest feature, was just one of the many things that made him so striking looking.


    And when he smiled.


    That dimple.


    She gulped.


    If anyone was to realise how he truly looked like, she was in big trouble. There were so many more beautiful girls out there.


    Suddenly, her heart felt a bit uneasy.


    Could someone this great really stay by her side?


    "But I never really realised that you really are just so? ¡­"


    "The only person I want to look handsome for, is you," Kyle said, cutting her off, "I don''t care about other people."


    Kyle leaned close and kissed her on the lips gently.


    Sari giggled.


    "It tickles," she said.


    "Really?" Kyle grinned, wriggling his eyebrows, "That''s interesting to know."


    "Wait .. no .. what .. Rex!" Sari protested while laughing as Kyle rubbed his face all over her face. He grabbed her by the waist and held her to him tightly while doing so.


    Soon, however, the laughter died as they stared at each other breathlessly.

 Chapter 514 - Kyle’s Home

    Kyle brought his face closer to her, kissing her on the lips again. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it was just a brief kiss before he let her go. She stumbled back a bit, and he steadied her with one hand while grabbing his shirt with the other. He gently pushed her to the back and stepped forward.


    He held the shoulder part of the shirt and flicked it hard, sending sprays of water outwards. A slight scream was heard as a person who was outside got hit by the shower of water.


    "Oh, I''m sorry," Kyle said innocently, "I didn''t know anyone was there."


    Dina had covered her face when the water came spraying at her, and by the time she looked up, Kyle had already worn the shirt and was buttoning it up. She was so focused on trying to see the bare skin that she didn''t even bother to look up at his face at all, or answer.


    Kyle smirked and turned his body to face Sari, who was behind him. Dina tsked as she barely managed to see the firm pecs as it flashed by when he turned.


    To think that this person had hidden such a physique under such baggy clothes was such a waste. It didn''t make sense that he would hide it, and suspicion arose in her heart.


    She looked up to study his face, but Kyle had his head lowered and was facing away from her. Dina wanted a closer look at that face, as she did feel he had looked familiar but had put it down to having seen him at the convenience store.


    Maybe it was something else?


    She didn''t remember anyone with so much facial hair, though.


    Kyle took Sari by the hand and walked passed Dina and her friends as they went out of the bathroom. He had brushed his hair to cover his forehead and eyes a bit and squinted his eyes in order to hide them.


    They managed to leave without Dina or her friends stopping them (or talk to them). As Dina watched them go, she frowned as she tried desperately to think. She hated when something seemed like it was right at the tip of her tongue but she couldn''t remember.


    "What''s wrong, Dina?" one girl asked, upon seeing that expression on her face.


    Dina shook her head.


    "Nothing," she mumbled, "Let''s just wash this. Urgh. My night is ruined."


    As for Kyle and Sari, they went out of the school building. Going back to the dance hall wasn''t that suitable even though the damp shirt didn''t really bother Kyle. Sari insisted, saying that he should go back and change out of the dirty clothes.


    Kyle looked apologetically at Sari, and said as they headed out, "I''m so sorry that your prom was ruined."


    Sari smiled, and shook her head, saying, "It wasn''t."


    "But it''s still so early," Kyle said, looking at the time. Only one hour had passed from the time they arrived, so they had another 3 hours to go before her curfew. He sighed.


    "Why don''t we go back to your place first?" Sari suggested.


    Kyle blinked and then looked at her in surprise.


    Sari, upon realising what she had said, widened her eyes and smacked his arm as she said, "For you to change! Then we can just have a normal date elsewhere. With Kitty!"


    Kyle grinned, kissed the top of her head and agreed.


    ?.?.?.?


    Sari gulped.


    Even though this had been her idea, to actually be at Kyle''s house right now made her extremely nervous. This was the first time she was at his house, and she was partly curious, partly scared.


    It was a guy''s house.


    Her boyfriend''s house.


    At night.


    Only both of them were there.


    She gulped again.


    Kyle opened the door and led her in.


    She was surprised that it was a house, actually, rather than an apartment. It was a small single storey house, and located deeper into one part of the housing estate. It was only 10 minutes away from the convenience store that he worked, so everything was accessible.


    It was the ''last'' house at a cul-de-sac, and though the house itself was small, the lawn area was huge. It was as if the house was an island in the sea, with the lawn being the ''sea''.


    Sari was completely ignorant of market prices and value of houses, so she had absolutely no idea that the small house that Kyle lived in, was actually valued at a couple of million.


    It was located in one of the golden areas, and the value of the land itself was high. Land was scarce nowadays, and the more recent housing developments would be apartment blocks. Landed properties, like Kyle''s, was rare and thus, expensive.


    It was getting to be something similar to the situation with Country Sg. Scarcity of land, rise in population - you get the idea. If you owned a house, it meant you were rich.


    "You live here? All alone?" Sari asked breathlessly, her heart lurching thinking of how lonely Kyle must be.


    "Yeah, no biggie," Kyle said, "I have Kitty now, right?"


    "I''ll give you a tour later," Kyle said, "You can wait for me in my room while I shower and change."


    "Huh?" Sari said, this time it was her blinking in surprise.


    Kyle grinned, "Kitty stays in my room. Don''t you want to play with her?"


    "Oh," Sari said, blushing.


    They passed the living room, and into Kyle''s bedroom.


    When Kyle opened his door, Kitty was already sitting there on the other side, her eyes in excitement as she waited expectantly. She pounced upon his feet the moment he opened the door, and he scooped her up immediately.


    She was purring loudly as he gave her a few kisses on the head and passed her to Sari.


    "Make yourself comfortable," Kyle said as he took out some clothes from the closet, "I won''t be long."


    Sari nodded as she watched Kyle enter the bathroom.

 Chapter 515 - Behave

    Sari sat on Kyle''s bed, looking around her.


    The bedroom was spacious and simply decorated.


    There was the double-size bed that she was sitting on, with two pillows and a bolster. A desk with a computer and some books piled neatly at one corner, a bookshelf full of various types of textbooks and his closet that filled one side of the wall.


    There seemed to be a metal bar at the top of the bathroom doorway, and Sari wondered what that was supposed to be for.


    When she heard the shower running, her face started going red as the image of Rex ¡­ naked ¡­ Sari screamed silently, squishing Kitty to her face as she rolled on the bed in total embarrassment.


    She was becoming such a pervert!!


    It was all Rex''s fault!


    Never before did she see a real-live-naked-chest in front of her, it was the perfect example of what a man''s body should look like.


    Not only that, when he had tickled her with his beard and all, her hands had touched that naked chest. At that time, she had been too caught up in the moment where her hands had been.


    When he pushed her behind him, her hands had grazed over his chest and she gulped.


    Even remembering it right now made her face flushed.


    Her palms seemed to remember the touch of his smooth and soft skin, and the firm muscle underneath ¡­ Sari bit her bottom lip in agitation.


    What the heck was wrong with her?!


    She let go of Kitty, who was staring at her with her wide innocent eyes.


    Mummy was acting really strange. Her face would go red and she would squish her and roll about, got redder and she would kick her legs high up in the air. Was Mummy chasing after something?


    Sari petted Kitty and scratched under her chin before getting up from the bed. Kitty watched her Mummy go off, and decided to ignore her. She was tired. Sniffing around, she got to her favourite spot on a pillow and slept.


    Sari rubbed her palms at her skirt, feeling she needed to do something to get her mind out of the gutter. So she started exploring Rex''s bedroom.


    Meanwhile, Kyle wasn''t faring any better in the bathroom himself.


    His mind was in a turmoil at that moment, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he had Sari in his bedroom.


    Well, it did, but not in the sense that he wanted to pounce on her and eat her up ¡­ okay, so he did want to but he wasn''t going to.


    Sari was an untouched girl, and he wanted to protect that purity until they were officially husband and wife. She was too conservative, and the last thing he wanted to do was push her boundaries.


    Kyle knew full well the impact and guilt that would arise from it, as she had been raised in one manner. Though he was more than sure that she would not object, more so if he turned on his charm, she would still feel some guilt from it.


    He couldn''t do that to her.


    So, thoughts of sleeping with Sari had been one that he had never entertained, though he did dream of it.


    He took a deep breath as he let the water fall down on him.


    What he was thinking so hard about at the moment, was the fact that he should tell her who he was.


    She trusted him so much, and just accepted whatever he dished out to her.


    He really should tell her who he is.


    He began thinking seriously about how to break the news to her as he continued his shower.


    As he dried himself, Kyle cursed out loud.


    "What''s wrong?" came Sari''s concerned voice from the bedroom.


    Kyle let out a breath and wrapping his towel around his waist, he opened the bathroom door.


    "Sorry, I forgot something," he said as he walked into the room, went to the closet and got his briefs in the drawer, and returned to the bathroom.


    His face showed no expression as if he didn''t see anything when in fact, he noticed quite clearly see the expression on Sari''s face as her eyes landed on him. And how she couldn''t stop staring as moved about the room.


    Urgh.


    He had to hold it in and forcibly stop himself from teasing her.


    Sari looked at the closed bathroom door in a daze.


    When she heard the door opening earlier, she thought Rex had been done.


    She was completely unprepared for seeing this vision of nakedness walk in and out. Although she had already seen his naked chest, it was completely different when there was only a towel that he wore now!


    It was also tied so low that she could imagine seeing something dark just below the V-line, and when he turned, it molded around his round butt so well that it was a sin to watch.


    The stimulation was too much for her virgin heart.


    She hit her head a few times and fell onto the bed, face first and screamed into it.


    How could he do that!


    That towel barely hid anything! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kitty was jolted awake upon the sudden movement of the bed. Upon seeing her Mummy punching and kicking the bed as she laid face down on it, Kitty tilted her head in puzzlement.


    She trudged over and placed her paw on Mummy''s head. Slowly, gently, Kitty started patting it like how she saw Daddy do.


    Inside the bathroom, Kyle stared at his briefs.


    He had been stared at before, and had felt as if he was stripped naked before ¡­ but this was the first time he felt self-conscious about his bare skin.


    He had wanted to walk slowly over to Sari, enjoy the appreciation in her eyes as she oogled him, and then kiss her senseless.


    He stared at himself in the mirror, scolding himself.


    "Behave, Kyle," he hissed softly, "Don''t let the beast out."

 Chapter 516 - Why Do You ...?

    Kyle stood and stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, psyching himself up.


    He had tied back his hair, revealing the sharp features he was well known for. His face was clean-shaven, and his natural blue eyes were staring back at him. His fake glasses were on the sink, discarded.


    He sighed.


    This would be the first time he was revealing his true face to Sari, and he was nervous.


    He didn''t even know why he was nervous.


    After deliberating for a long time and arguing with himself in the bathroom, he finally decided that he was going to tell her who he was after all.


    Why was he not doing so, anyway?


    Why was he so reluctant?


    When he asked himself that question, he found that he had no answer.


    Was there a part of him that was afraid that she''d not be able to accept him?


    He had only one more year to go before he finished his degree.


    He had three more years before his first ''death''.


    When he had impulsively run away from home in complete anger, he had done so without truly considering the timeline.


    All that had been on his mind was his explosive anger at his father, his deep longing for his kids and his intense desire to just ¡­ be free.


    Sari gave him the sort of peace of mind, and heart, that he had been sorely lacking and longing all this time. It completed him and gave him a sense of calmness that he had not had for a long time.


    To be exact, since his rebirth.


    And he was deathly afraid of losing that.


    But he also knew that he could not keep his identity from her forever.


    He had to go home soon.


    He had responsibilities that he couldn''t shirk for too long. For now, things were pretty stable and he was studying ¡­ but after he was done? Then what?


    He had, according to his calculations, one year left. At the most, two.


    The thought of leaving Sari behind ¡­ was something he did not want to consider. At least, he didn''t want to be separated from her without some sort of firm tie to her.


    If it was up to him, he''d marry her and bring her home.


    He laughed a bit at that, while shaking his head.


    That would certainly make his father shocked to the core.


    But he would only be fulfilling their condition, right? Just not in the way they''d imagine.


    He looked at himself in the mirror again.


    "You can do this, Kyle," he hissed, "Wuss."


    Kyle walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed this time. He wore a T-shirt and jeans, even though he would normally wear singlet and shorts if he was alone at home.


    He thought it might be too much for Sari to handle if he did do that right now.


    When he came out, he saw that Sari was looking through his books.


    She didn''t turn, most likely because she was so engrossed in whatever she was looking at, that she had not heard him come out.


    Her back was to him, and he noticed that she was standing quite stiffly. Her body language all screamed ''shock'' and he wondered what it was that made her so frozen.


    He silently went behind her, and hugged her from behind, asking, "What are you looking at?"


    She screamed, flinging the book that had been in her hands high in the air. Kyle caught it deftly with one hand without letting go of her waist with his other hand. He looked at the cover, and then at her.


    She was clutching something to her chest, the piece crumpled in her hands as she had been shocked senseless. Sari gasped, and looked down at the crumpled piece of paper, not daring to look at Kyle as she apologized.


    "I-I-I''m so sorry," she mumbled, "I ruined your precious picture."


    "Picture?" Kyle said then realisation dawned on him, "Ah. Picture."


    Sari was trembling, and Kyle sighed.


    "This was not the way I wanted to tell you," Kyle said with regret.


    Sari''s eyes started glistening with tears and her lips trembled. She bowed her head even lower and Kyle pried the crumpled picture from her hands.


    He went in front of her, and sat on the desk, looking at the forlorn girlfriend of his. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He smoothened the picture, and in it, was a picture of Kay as she was smiling beautifully at the camera. Behind it, were the words, ''Loving you always and missing you deeply''.


    Sari couldn''t look at the picture, her heart in a mess. Why did she have to be such a busybody and look through his books? Then again, why was he hiding that picture in the book?


    He forced her to look at him, and said, "She''s my sister."


    Sari blinked.


    Her ears were hearing what he was saying, but her brain was having difficulty processing what she was hearing. Rather, what she was looking at fried her brains so much that she couldn''t understand a single word.


    She gasped, took a step back and pointed a finger at him, saying, "Who .. who ¡­ Rex?!"


    "Oh come on, Sari," Kyle said with a laugh, "I don''t look THAT bad now, do I?"


    Her eyes were as wide as saucers and she covered her mouth with her hands, shaking her head, closing her eyes and opened them again.


    "Rex?" she said again, calling out to him.


    "Yes, sayang?" he said gently, taking her by the hand and bringing her closer.


    The voice was his. Truly it was.


    But his face ¡­.


    "Rex, why do you look so much like Kyle Smith?"


    Kyle was startled, to say the least. All this time, she had never recognised him but now, she did immediately? What happened? Why was she so sharp all of the sudden?


    "That''s because I am," he said with a sigh.


    Sari promptly fainted.


    Kyle caught her deftly and looked in surprise at his unconscious girlfriend.

 Chapter 517 - Give Me Some Time

    Kyle held Sari in his arms for a while as he studied her.


    Fainting wasn''t something serious, so he didn''t panic. He did find it amusing, though.


    Wiping the stray hair that fell on her face, he kissed her forehead and carried her outside to the living room. He placed her on the leather sofa that was here, and put some cushions under her leg to alleviate them. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The legs had to be raised above the heart level, ideally about 12 inches (30 centimeters) to stimulate the blood flow. Fainting is caused by the fact that the brain didn''t receive blood flow temporarily, which is a result of low blood pressure caused by several factors.


    In Sari''s case, it was the shock that did so.


    Kyle sighed, and took off the belt around her waist. Anything constricting needed to be loosened or taken off, and he hoped she didn''t think he was up to any hanky-panky. If her guardians were to find out that he had her in his home, all alone, all hell would break loose.


    He folded the belt and placed it at the coffee table right in front of the sofa, then covered her with a light blanket. He headed to the kitchen, and decided to make something light for supper.


    They hadn''t really eaten at the prom, and he, for one, was getting hungry.


    ?.?.?.?


    Sari''s eyes fluttered open.


    She was puzzled for a while as this was not her room and she panicked until she remembered what happened.


    Her eyes went wide open all over again as she thought back.


    It couldn''t be.


    But the evidence had been right in front of her eyes.


    She looked around, wondering where he was. She heard some sounds nearby and she got up gingerly, turning her head towards the sound.


    There, she saw Kyle in the kitchen.


    Kyle''s house had the open kitchen concept, that is, there was no wall seperating the kitchen to the living room. A breakfast bar served as the seperator between the kitchen and the dining room, and it was only halfway from one end of the wall to the other.


    She sat on the sofa, leaning on it as she admired her boyfriend in the kitchen, frying some rice.


    Kitty was actually perched on his shoulders, watching him doing so. Her head kept bobbing up and down as Kyle flipped the wok while frying the rice.


    "Yes, yes Baby, but this is not for you, okay?" Kyle said as Kitty meowed in his ear.


    "No," Kyle insisted, "This is human food. I already buy you the best wet food, you know."


    Kitty wailed a bit, sounding quite pitiful.


    "Stubborn girl," Kyle scolded her, "Who do you take after? Certainly not me."


    Kitty purred then, and rubbed her face on his cheek, then started licking his face.


    "Aaaah! Baby!! I told you! No licking!" Kyle said, glaring at her and bobbing her on the head.


    Kitty ignored him and rubbed herself on his head even more.


    Kyle sighed, "What am I going to do with you, huh?"


    Without turning around, Kyle said, "Supper will be ready soon, Sari. Drink some of the juice there first."


    "How did you know I was up?" she asked.


    "I heard you," Kyle said simply.


    Kyle turned towards Kitty, kissed her on the nose and said, "Be a good girl and get down now."


    Kyle looked down towards the floor and Kitty followed his line of gaze. She tilted her head, giving him a puzzled look.


    Kyle frowned at her,? then said more firmly, "Down."


    Kitty gave a mournful meow and jumped down.


    "You''re getting to be more stubborn, young lady," Kyle scolded her, "Looks like I have to be more strict with you."


    Sari watched all of this with a smile.


    Slowly, her mind was beginning to be able to accept seeing her idol standing in the kitchen. Her boyfriend turned out to be her idol.


    What sort of fantasy was this?


    She gulped and stared at the vision in the kitchen.


    How could she not have seen it before?


    She had seen his face countless of times, but it never occurred to her that he was Kyle Smith. Could it be because with his brown eyes, anything to that possibility went out the window?


    As her mind was subconsciously blocking it and thus, she could never make the connection?


    When she had looked at him earlier, everything just seemed to click.


    She had been so shocked that she had actually fainted.


    How mortifying was that?


    Kyle placed a plate of chinese fried rice in front of Sari, and another plate for himself in front of her. He handed her a pair of cutlery and then, kissed her on the top of the head before sitting down.


    Sari watched as Kyle sat down, and began eating.


    "I''m starving," he said as he seemed to swallow the food, "I hope you don''t mind something simple."


    "No, this is good," Sari said, taking a bite.


    "Rex," Sari began after taking a few more mouthfuls, "No, I mean Kyle ¡­ why ¡­ I mean, how ¡­ I mean .."


    Sari didn''t know where to begin.


    "It''s a long story," Kyle said.


    "Are you really here to prove yourself?" she asked, then looked around, "And I suppose this is your own house?"


    "Yes, to both questions," Kyle answered, "I never lied to you about anything. I just never told you everything."


    Kyle began to tell her about his fight, and him leaving to prove himself. He was working part-time just to pass the time and to break the boredom.


    Kyle went over to her side, and took her hands in his, saying, "The last thing I expected was meeting you. My feelings for you are true, but I didn''t know how to begin telling you who I am."


    Sari bit her bottom lip and stared at Kyle.


    "I can understand how hard that must have been," Sari said softly, "Just give me some time to process this."

 Chapter 518 - Completely Lost

    "It''s kinda hard to get used to ... to seeing that my boyfriend is THE Kyle Smith," Sari said breathlessly.


    I mean, come on. That utterly gorgeous face and that divine physique ... what girl would not feel like she hit the jackpot?


    More so because he had always been so attentive and loving, caring for her in so many wonderful ways that she had always felt like a princess. Now, she really felt like she was in a dream.


    She seriously could not get used to that face staring at her like she was the most important person to the world to him.


    It made her feel all giddy all over again.


    "Can I ask, though," Kyle then asked, "How did you figure out who I am so fast?"


    Sari blushed a deep red then.


    "That''s because I''m a fan," she said softly, looking down.


    "A fan?" Kyle blinked. That was the last thing he expected, for some reason, "You mean, because of the movie?"


    Sari nodded.


    In fact, her room was littered with posters of Kyle.


    She had been a fan of his from the John Wick movie and had dug out all sorts of information about him. She admired him, even more, when she looked through his Insta, and all the things PoK had stated about him.


    She viewed him as a role modal.


    Kyle was rich and handsome, yet he chose to do a lot of charity work even at a young age. Not only that, he did a lot of work besides what he already had to do as the Smith Heir.


    Sari was enthralled completely by his work ethics and the success he achieved. She knew that was through blood, sweat, and tears.


    Although everyone around her felt that Kyle was just lucky to be born in such a good family, Sari felt she knew better. He had worked hard to achieve all that he did, and he made it look all so effortlessly.


    There was no way that things were handed to him on a silver platter like that.


    "But it was only one movie, and it was so long ago," Kyle mused, "Didn''t think I would leave that great an impact on anyone."


    Sari gasped, and grabbed his hand, saying, "How can you say that? That was the best movie ever! And you acted so seamlessly with Keanu Reaves. Oh gosh, you know Keanu Reaves. Then you just disappeared, so people started being even more obsessed."


    "Oof," Kyle said with a sigh, "I really thought after the movie was over, things would just naturally settle down."


    Sari looked at him in surprise, "Don''t you know?"


    "Know what?" Kyle asked.


    "Because of you, the John Wick movie became something like a cult thing," Sari explained, "It reached unprecedented box office hits, and when people found out that your earnings went to charity, you became even more popular."


    "Oh," Kyle said, "Even more reason to be low-key here then."


    "PoK is always posting things about you, too," Sari said.


    "Wait. What? PoK?" Kyle said in surprise, "I''ve already disassociated myself from them, so why are they still so active? And what sort of posts?"


    And why didn''t Kay tell him anything about this?


    "Just some stories about your school life, and people talking about how their lives were changed by you," Sari explained, "Even the hospitals you donated to gave testimonials."


    "Urgh," Kyle groaned, "I don''t do all that to get all this publicity!"


    Sari studied Kyle and smiled.


    Her initial fear and nervousness slowly faded away. The Rex she knew, and the Kyle in front of her, was one and the same. The caring, and sweet person that she had always known.


    Without her realising it, she reached out and touched his cheek, her face showing her love for him so clearly.


    Kyle smiled, took that hand and kissed her palm.


    Her face went beet red as she felt those sinful lips on her sensitive palm. She looked in a daze, completely mesmerized when he looked at her, giving that sexy smile of his and leaned closer.


    She closed her eyes instinctively and felt him kiss her.


    The kiss started soft and gentle, as if he was tasting her lips.


    She responded, feeling very light-headed ... yet something else was stirring within. She felt his hands go to the back of her neck, as if it was to keep her in position as he continued his assault on her lips. What began as light kisses became much more intense as his lips sucked on her lips with each contact.


    When she felt something touch her lips and slide across, she gasped, opening her mouth.


    As for Kyle, well ... he was truly losing it right now.


    It was only meant to be a small kiss. Then it became several kisses. When she returned his kisses, his body seemed to have a mind of its own as his kisses became slightly more aggressive.


    It wasn''t enough.


    He wanted to taste her.


    Just a little bit.


    His tongue darted out and just licked her cherry red lips briefly.


    It really did taste like cherries.


    Sari didn''t wear lipstick, but instead, it was tinted cherry lip balm.* It made her lips so beautifully moisturized and pink.


    When he heard her gasp and open her lips, his tongue naturally entered without a second thought.


    To Kyle, it felt all so surreal.


    He had kissed a lot of people before in this life, but kissing his beloved was completely different.


    She was like candy, as she tasted so sweet. Her responses were utterly cute. He explored her mouth thoroughly, enjoying the softness and more importantly, her reaction to it.


    It ignited something within him that had never been ignited before. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He felt his desire rise up and his hands went to her back, bringing her close. It wasn''t enough to taste her, he wanted to feel her. Every single inch of her.


    His tongue plunders, his hands roamed.


    He was completely lost.

 Chapter 519 - Favourite Poster

    It was only when he heard her start to moan a bit that his brain kicked in and smacked him. He stopped, taking his lips away and took several deep breaths to calm himself down.


    When he opened his eyes, what he saw almost made him pounce on her again.


    She was looking at him in a daze, her face all flushed and her eyes full of desire that made him gulp.


    "I''m sorry," Kyle said, as he placed his forehead on hers, "I got carried away."


    "Huh?" she said, not fully comprehending.


    Kyle smiled and laughed softly.


    This girl was going to be the death of him.


    The death of his good senses, that is. The beast was still raging within him and he hoped she wouldn''t notice his hard-on.


    He kissed her forehead, saying, "Come, let me take you home. It''s getting late."


    Sari looked at the time. It still wasn''t curfew time yet.


    As if answering her unspoken question, Kyle said wryly, "If I don''t send you back now, I may not send you back at all."


    Sari was confused a bit, and when she realised what he meant, she quickly got up with an extremely red face. She couldn''t believe what he had just said.


    What he meant.


    In fact, when she remembered what they had been doing and how she just melted in his arms, she knew that if he had gone on, she would have given herself to him completely.


    Oh God, she didn''t know where to look.


    Kyle just grinned at her reaction and didn''t say a word as he led her out.


    Outside, Kyle took out his bicycle and asked, "Want me to call Grab, or do you want the Rex Express?"


    Sari grinned, her eyes shining, "The Rex Express!!"


    Kyle was glad that her nervousness and red face was gone.


    All the way home, Sari held on tightly to Kyle''s waist, and leaned her head on Kyle''s back. It was so sturdy and strong.


    The speed wasn''t slow nor too fast, but she still reached home earlier than she wanted.


    The moment had been special, and she was smiling to herself the entire way.


    Kyle held her hand and said gently to her, "Go in. I''ll have to talk to your uncle about who I am as well soon. I don''t want him to think I''m just playing with you."


    Sari nodded, all shy all over again.


    Kyle resisted the urge to kiss her upon seeing her like that, and made a mental note not to do more than just kiss.


    No, scratch that. He should stop even that.


    He couldn''t afford to lose control again.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t think he would be able to stop himself, but rather, it wouldn''t be good to keep stringing her along like that.


    It couldn''t be healthy to suppress himself all the time as well.


    Kyle stood there, holding on to his bicycle as he watched her go in. Once she did, he got on the bicycle and dashed back home. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sari dashed up to her room and plopped herself onto the bed. She stared at her bedroom wall and grinned. Walking over to her favourite poster, she ran her fingers on it.


    It was of Kyle, in his business suit - one of the few formal ones that he had taken in the earlier days. He had had two shots taken. One with him posing next to a desk while in a suit and a vest that showed off the shape of his lean abs, and the other was him wearing a long overcoat walking with the wind blowing at him.


    She liked the latter one the most.


    Her classmates, when they found out about it, made fun of her.


    Teased her to be the innocent one, unable to take the picture of him pulling up that shirt and showing off the tight abdominal muscles. While it was true that she had been rather shy to put that poster up, it wasn''t the real reason she didn''t.


    Sari felt this business pose was more dashing and sexy. It portrayed the success he was going to achieve. He wasn''t just a gorgeous guy with a body to drool over. He was the whole package.


    This poster showed that the best.


    Now that she thought about it, she had seen ¡­ and touched ¡­ that perfect body.


    Her face flushed red all over again.


    At that moment, one thing hit her.


    Since Rex is Kyle, then it means ¡­ he wasn''t going to stay, was he? He wasn''t a native of Country M and his family were in Country Tz.


    She got cold, her heart in fear.


    What was going to happen then?


    ?.?.?.?


    [I don''t get it, brother] Kay said [You treat Sari''s uncle and aunt far better than you treat your own father]


    Kyle frowned.


    Kyle had just told Kay that he revealed his true identity to Sari and his plans on tackling her guardians.


    [What do you mean?]


    [You tell them everything that you plan for Sari, and you don''t just tell them but you are talking to them. With Dad, you simply tell him what you''ve decided]


    Kyle was quiet, not refuting the fact.


    Kay chose to press on the issue then.


    [That is the part that makes him upset the most, you know. You always say that you respect him, and you show him respect by being the perfect son and student ¡­ but it''s more than just being polite and getting good grades]


    [Then tell me, Kay] Kyle said through gritted teeth [What DOES it mean to be respectful to your parents? Be subservient and obey their rules without question?]


    [You know that isn''t it, brother] Kay said softly.


    [Then what is it?] Kyle complained [Because quite frankly, other than the fact that I do not discuss my thoughts with him, and that I often object to their plans, what do I do wrong?]


    Kay didn''t have an answer to that at all.

 Chapter 520 - Unwanted Attention

    After that disagreement with Kay, Kyle''s mood was affected thereafter.


    He understood where she was coming from, truly, but it was something that he couldn''t do. She couldn''t quite comprehend that part.


    She said she did, but by the fact that she was always trying to speak up for Patrick showed otherwise. It wasn''t that Kyle was jealous that Kay chose Patrick over him, but it proved that she had that mindset.


    No matter what, Kay is Patrick''s daughter.


    True daughter, that is.


    Kyle sighed.


    That part hit him the most.


    For a couple of reasons.


    One, the fact that Kay, who is supposed to be the one that understood him the best - did not. Two, he would always feel like he was the one outside, looking in.


    He didn''t quite fit in, even though he was born and raised in the Smith Household.


    The feeling was perhaps similar to how an adult would feel like if they were adopted into a family. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You are grateful for the family that adopted you, and you do feel the love showered upon you ¡­ but the feeling of ''connection'' is never truly the same as one who is born in the family.


    His situation was even more unique. He was, yet, not.


    Biologically, he is Patrick''s son.


    Even his temper came from him. In his previous life, Kyle had been a very mellowed and patient person. Yet, in this life, he found himself quick to anger.


    In his previous life, bending over backwards for Patrick would not have been rocket science. He had been an expert in giving way, and swallowing whatever grievances he may have had, for the sake of peace.


    Kyle knew, more than anything, how it felt to be a parent - but in this life, he just could not bring himself down a level just to make them feel happy.


    He did his best, truly he did.


    But his best was not good enough.


    How could he possibly pretend to sit down obediently, listen intently and then follow their advice ¡­ when he, himself, knew what was best? For himself, taking into account what he had to do to protect his own children.


    Which would not be of the same interest as his parents.


    It was a conundrum.


    There was no clear right answer or any good solution. One side had to suffer. In this case, Kyle would choose his kids over Patrick.


    Anytime, all the time.


    Kyle sighed again.


    Other than the problem he faced about the situation with Patrick, another more pressing problem arose since the prom.


    The attention he got from girls that came by the convenience store arose dramatically. Kyle was getting a headache from all of this.


    All this while, he was Mr. Ignored. Now, he was Mr.Girls-Staring-at-Chest Guy. So much unwanted attention.


    Luckily, his continued indifference, sloppy appearance and grunts for answers slowly whittled away most of the girl''s interest. The novelty wore off.


    The problem was, the ones who persisted was Dina and her ''gang''.


    Kyle had done some digging on her since the prom.


    Dina Styles, spoilt little Daddy''s girl. Nothing really major about her, other than the fact that she had tried to bully his beloved Sari


    Dina was the typical teenage girl that had her nose high in the air, looking down on people that she deemed beneath her. She was in the ''popular'' clique, and she essentially dictated the sort of ''acceptable'' behaviour and demeanor of girls in the school.


    Her redeeming quality was that she wasn''t a bully, in the sense that she didn''t target anyone that didn''t appear to follow the unspoken rules. She ''teased'' people once in a while but it never went overboard.


    As to why she targetted Sari that day?


    Kyle had no idea.


    But she was on his blacklist.


    He let her go this time, for in an indirect way, if it hadn''t been for her, he might never have gotten round to revealing his identity to Sari. If she dared to go overboard one more time though ¡­


    Well, she would regret it. Simple as that.


    What got to Kyle was the fact that she wasn''t really trying to get his attention. You could still see the slight disdain in her voice and manner when she interacted with him.


    It wasn''t that she was trying to be friends with him - she only talked to him to ask where things were, and when paying. She was trying to see his face clearly.


    She always failed.


    But she always came back.


    She was a persistent little bug.


    So what did Kyle do?


    He wasn''t going to quit because this was his only connection with his kids. He wasn''t going to let this weird little girl make him leave.


    What harm could she do anyway, right?


    It just meant he had constantly play ''hide-and-seek'' with her.


    No biggie.


    With that, Kyle put her out of his mind and stopped paying her any attention. So much so, that he never even realised when her behaviour towards him started to change.


    Not too drastic, but there was a change in the new year.


    She wasn''t as condescending as before. She was even ¡­ friendlier.


    ?.?.?.?


    Dina was flabbergasted.


    It didn''t make sense, but she couldn''t deny the evidence.


    She was staring at her computer and at the picture she had scanned and uploaded there.


    It was an embarrassing picture of her during prom -? on the floor, wet, while Sari''s equally wet boyfriend ''showing off'' his impressive physique.


    Someone had managed to capture that moment, and they deemed it funny and memorable enough to put it in the school magazine.


    (The school magazine was published and given out at the beginning of the new school year, and the seniors who had graduated would get it in the mail.)


    It was the only clear picture of Sari''s boyfriend''s face.


    Dina had removed his glasses and ''shaved'' him using photoshop. The result wasn''t perfect, but it was good enough.


    Rex is Kyle Smith.

 Chapter 521 - Moody Kay

    Kyle wasn''t the only one that had been affected by their little disagreement.


    Kay, naturally, had been as well.


    She was extremely frustrated over the fact that Kyle couldn''t compromise even a little bit.


    Why could he not understand the need to do so? He''s an old soul, so shouldn''t a small compromisation be easy for him?


    She understood completely the fact that he prioritized his kids, but did that mean he had to be so stubborn about their father?


    She missed her bother, damn it.


    The fact that he was happily living his normal, carefree life all the way in Country Tz while she was here, all alone, didn''t help.


    Sure, they agreed that they''re supposed to learn to be more independent from each other, but why ¡­ why did it feel like he was the one that managed to adapt faster?


    Kay bit her lips.


    She didn''t want to admit it but, a small part of her was deathly worried over the fact that Kyle didn''t quite need her.


    It was a ridiculous thought, but one which she could not completely banish.


    It was her greatest and deepest nightmare.


    When they were together, such a thought was suppressed. It never arose.


    When he first left, she was still fine.


    When he got his girlfriend, though, it started.


    It was as if it signified him, having a life, that did not include her.


    Of course, they were aiming to learn to be independent of each other.


    Yet, why did it feel like such ''independence'' meant ''complete isolation''? She didn''t think she would be feeling this way.


    She felt like she was going crazy, with her thoughts going round-and-round in her head.


    She was happy for him, she truly was - even though she still wasn''t that keen on Sari.


    She knew he wouldn''t cast her aside, she really knew that - but why did she feel as if she was?


    Kay was so upset over the whole thing - and her reaction to it - that for the first time since entering college, she didn''t attend class.


    She just didn''t feel like she was up to any social interaction. Seeing another human being while she was being this moody would just make her snap.


    So, she holed herself up in her room while doing her work. The food would be delivered outside her door and the empty plates are taken away when she was done.


    After a couple of weeks, Kay got a visitor.


    "Ms. Kay," came her maid voice on the other side, "There''s a visitor here for you."


    "Huh," Kay mumbled, as she munched through another packet of cookies, "Tell whoever it is that I''m not in."


    "But I know you''re in," came a voice on the other end.


    Kay blinked and scowled.


    How dare they let anyone in before asking her? It looks like she needs to set the house rules. Wouldn''t something this simple have been ingrained within their training, though?


    "Go away, Lance," Kay said, rolling about on her bed, not caring about the cookie crumbs falling.


    Even from the other side of the door, Kay could hear him sigh.


    "Come on, Kay," he said gently, "Open up. And I''m not just talking about the door. What''s wrong with you? Don''t you know you''re worrying us? Mark can''t even eat now."


    Kay gulped guiltily.


    "You''re exaggerating," Kay said nonetheless.


    "Kay¡­" Lance said softly, "I told you we are always here to listen to you. Something is obviously bothering you. Talk to us. To me, at least."


    "Why do you even care so much?" Kay mumbled to herself, her heart touched.


    Growing up with Kyle, and then the Elite Five, Kay had been used to always being pampered. Pampered in the sense that there was always someone who took care of her, noticed her needs, protected her.


    It was the little things that you take for granted, that you miss the most.


    Well, it wasn''t that she didn''t know they were there, or that she didn''t appreciate them when they were; but they were such permanent fixtures of her life that one didn''t think about it.


    Kay sighed.


    The separation was meant to make her stronger, not weaker.


    Lance, who was outside, waited patiently and true enough, the door slowly opened. A rather unkempt Goddess emerged, and Lance couldn''t help but think that no one else in the world can still look so good even though they were ''messy''.


    Her hair was a bit out-of-place, her face devoid of any make-up, and she was dressed in loose-fitting T-shirt and shorts.


    Kay ran a hand through her hair, smoothening it a bit and said to Lance, "Okay, okay. I got it. Go to the living room and I''ll be right down."


    Lance''s face broke out in a grin and Kay asked, "You''re alone? No Mark?"


    "Heck, no," Lance said, waving his hands in front of him, "Are you crazy? If I brought that wailing kid, you''d be busy flipping him away most of the time."


    "Oh wait," he mused, "Perhaps that would have been better. Give a smile on your face or something."


    Kay laughed and waved him off, feeling a lot better somehow.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?.


    10 minutes later, Kay went down. She saw Lance flipping through the TV channels, looking utterly bored. In front of him, there were some snacks and drinks.


    He didn''t say a word until Kay sat down. Not even sparing a glance at her, or stopping what he was doing, he said, "Hey." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey yourself," Kay replied, "Nothing to watch, huh?"


    "Nope," Lance replied, putting down the remote, then looked at her, "Better to look at you instead."


    Kay rolled her eyes, and leaned back on the sofa, bringing her legs up and sitting cross-legged, "Don''t you ever worry someone might misunderstand your words?"


    Lance shrugged, saying, "I don''t say them to people who would misunderstand."


    "True," Kay said, "You should say it to Mark instead."

 Chapter 522 - Friends

    Lance sighed, "So you knew? About my feelings for Mark?"


    "The signs were there," Kay replied, "And you just confirmed it."


    "Maybe that''s why I''m comfortable with you," Lance replied, "You''re very sharp, and straightforward. No issues of girl drama. Also not judgmental."


    "Same reason why I''m comfortable with you," Kay responded, "There''s no danger of girl drama. You''re straightforward, no hidden agenda and I can be myself."


    "But you''ve never been interested in Mark?" Lance asked.


    "No," Kay replied, "I don''t mind hanging around with him as he''s harmless. I wouldn''t take his actions seriously."


    "I''m curious though," Lance said, "Why haven''t you fallen for him? He''s smart, good-looking, playful - every girl''s dream guy."


    Kay raised an eyebrow, "I have Kyle."


    "Somehow, that sounds so wrong but I understand what you mean," Lance replied, "But this isn''t about me. We''re here about you."


    Kay sighed and brought her knees up to her chin, "I''m just missing my brother."


    "It''s more than that. You show the signs of depression," Lance replied, "Don''t go down that rabbit hole."


    "Oh please," Kay said, dismissing it, "It''s not depression, don''t worry. Just feeling a bit down, the normal thing."


    "It''s been two weeks already that you''ve missed class," Lance pointed out.


    "It''s the end of the semester," Kay reasoned, "And I''m up-to-date on my assignments. I am just not in the mood to meet people at the moment."


    "Not even your friends?" Lance said with a frown, "That''s not good."


    "I don''t really have friends here. All the girls here are such drama queens," Kay mused, "Or maybe it''s just me that can''t find the patience to form any friendships. Guys are also a pain. Other than you and Mark, they seem to want to get into my pants."


    "The perils of being a beautiful Smith, huh?" Lance said with a laugh.


    "It''s not funny!" Kay pouted, "I don''t know how Kyle does it. Making friends so easily. He''s my twin yet I am such a total opposite of that."


    "He''s a fraternal twin, not identical," Lance pointed out, "And he''s a guy. It''s different."


    Actually, why does it even bother you if you didn''t manage to find friends?" Lance said, "Well, I mean, if I''m not mistaken, you already have the Elite Five. That''s more than what most of us have: true friends to stick by you."


    "People come and go," Lance continued, "There are people you forge bonds with, and there are those that are meant to be just passing clouds. What you need to learn is not on making friends, but on getting along with people. Just basic socialisation. Don''t put so much pressure on yourself."


    "I suppose," Kay said, "Doesn''t help that I live here by myself. If I was in a dorm, I guess I can socialise more."


    "You can reach out to those you are close to. The Elite Five. Me," Lance said.


    Kay tilted her head to look at Lance, and said, "You going to be my BFF then?"


    "Why not? We get along, we don''t worry about either of us falling for the other, right?" Lance pointed out. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I ¡­" Kay said softly, "I find it hard to trust people. I had a very good friend before, and she turned out to be a bit of a psycho. It hurts to lose a friend."


    "But you can''t let that fear stop you from making friends," Lance said, "Just be wary. No one is asking you to pour your heart out. You already have good friends that you can trust."


    "Some people don''t even have that. You do. Utilise what you have and don''t wallow in self-pity or doubt," Lance said softly, "Rather than looking at what you don''t have, appreciate what you do.".


    "You sound very experienced," Kay said, tilting her head.


    "Look, I''m gay," Lance replied with a straight face, "Even in this day and age, there are a lot of people who can''t accept that. So, I hide. I am not brave enough to come out of the closet."


    "Every single friend I have, are not really my friends. Except for Mark," Lance continued, "And even then, he doesn''t know my sexual orientation. I don''t dare tell him, for fear of losing the one friend that I have."


    "Mark doesn''t strike me as being homophobic," Kay said.


    Lance sighed, "No, he isn''t. But I''ve been hiding things for so long that I don''t even know where to begin."


    "True. It''s not something you can just bring up," Kay said, "It''s a personal matter anyway."


    "Yup," Lance said, "And even though I have feelings for Mark, I''m never going to act on them. He''s straight, so my love is doomed from the start."


    Kay patted his shoulder, then gave him a hug, "You have me as a friend."


    Lance hugged her back, smiling, "As you, me."


    "What is going on here?" came a gruff voice from behind them.


    Startled, Kay let go of Lance and stood up.


    "Dad! What are you doing here?"


    Patrick didn''t answer her but fixed his eyes on the guy that had been hugging his princess. His eyes narrowed and Lance got up, introducing himself.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith," he said, "My name is Lance and I''m Kayla''s schoolmate."


    "Just a schoolmate?" Patrick growled.


    "Yes, Sir," Lance replied with a smile.


    "Schoolmates don''t hug each other," Patrick said, staring him down.


    Kay rolled her eyes and grabbed Patrick''s arm, "Come on, Dad. Stop being so old fashioned. It''s just a hug."


    "And you," Patrick said, his face still in that scowl, "I heard that you''ve not stepped out of the house? What''s up with that?"


    Kay gave a pout and shook Patricks'' arm, "I was just doing work from home, Dad. I got permission. Is that why you''re here?"


    Patrick sighed.


    "I was worried. I lost one son, and I certainly don''t want to lose my daughter," he said sadly.


    Kay bit her bottom lip, feeling guilty seeing this.

 Chapter 523 - Confession

    Lance cleared his throat, and said to Kay, "Since your father is here, I''ll be making my move then. Remember what I said, okay?"


    Kay nodded. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Smith," Lance said politely and Kay walked him to the door.


    "Thank you," Kay said softly as he was about to leave.


    Lance smiled, and ruffled her hair.


    "Hey!!"


    "Remember to come to school tomorrow. Mark is too lifeless without you," Lance said.


    Kay sniffed, rubbing her nose, "Oh, he''ll survive. But okay, See you guys for lunch?"


    Lance waved and left.


    When Kay went back to the living room, she found her Dad looking a bit melancholy but he immediately hid it upon realising she was there.


    Kay''s heart lurched in pain at that, knowing how much her father was missing Kyle. She wished she could tell him where he was, but that would be betraying Kyle''s trust in her.


    She couldn''t do that to him.


    Yet, she was also feeling the guilt and pain at seeing her father''s obvious sadness.


    Being caught in the middle wasn''t a nice feeling.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?.


    Xing Han was tired of the whole thing.


    Seriously, he was damn tired.


    He tried.


    Ever since he was born, he lived his life to meet the expectations of his parents without question. He was the filial son and did everything as they dictated.


    Even the marriage bit.


    There had not been a single ounce in his body that even entertained the idea of rebelling. He may not like the situation, but he would bite the bullet and follow on.


    But right now, he was feeling that all of it was a pain-in-the-ass.


    How much of his life was he supposed to sacrifice just for the family?


    Before this, it had never bothered him.


    His fiancee was a nice girl. Not demanding, lovely and had absolutely no objections to him having multiple mistresses. So long as he treated her right, she was fine.


    But now, how could he do so?


    He wondered how his parents did so, and how his ancestors did so.


    It was something he grew up with and it was a natural thing for him but now, it felt all wrong. Well, to be honest, he felt it was screwed up before but since he never intended to get a mistress, it was a moot point with him.


    However, seeing how it affected Nitocris was like a knife was cutting his heart.


    How did those mistresses feel?


    Then again, perhaps those mistresses were not truly in love with his father, but his money?


    After all, what woman would be willing to be with a man and not have children with him? Never having an official title? Sure, life would be great and there was nothing lacking ¡­ except, love.


    Were they truly happy?


    Was pursuing happiness really him being selfish?


    Xing Han rolled about in his bed, clutching the bolster to his chest. His chest was feeling so tight, his eyes were stinging with unshed tears.


    He could see the effort Nitocris was putting into keeping his distance.


    His heart clenched whenever he remembered the expression on Nitocris''s face when he had told him about his impending marriage.


    Shock, sadness, and most of all, despair before he turned away.


    If Nitocris had become angry, Xing Han would have been able to accept it more.


    The more Nitocris worked hard in order not make him feel uncomfortable, the more Xing Han felt restless. Useless.


    He decided, to respect Nitocris efforts, that he should keep away from him just as he was keeping his distance.


    Xing Han had never gone against his family, and it was ingrained within him to do what needed to be done, as the sole son.


    However, for the first time in his life, he didn''t want to do that.


    He had been tossing and turning over this for weeks now, and finally, he decided. He needed to confront Nitocris once and for all.


    Xing Han waited until Nitocirs came home.


    At 1am, he heard the door open and the steady steps of Nitocris could be heard. Xing Han waited at his door, his head leaning on it as his heart beat in his chest so hard and rapidly.


    He could do this.


    He must do this.


    He would regret it forever if he didn''t.


    In order to move on, he needed to get this matter settled.


    Taking a deep breath, Xing Han resolutely walked to Nitocris''s bedroom and knocked on the door.


    "Come in," came his deep, sexy baritone voice from the other side of the door.


    Xing Han gulped.


    His hands shaking as he touched the doorknob,


    Taking another deep breath, he opened it.


    Nitocris was in the midst of taking off his shirt and his hands froze upon seeing who it was at the door. He had thought it was his mother, wanting to check up on him.


    She had been scolding him for his long hours at work, so he felt she would be coming to scold him for coming home late again.


    Without missing a beat, he turned and said coldly, "What is it?"


    Xing Han gulped, and gathered the courage to say, "Can I talk to you?"


    "You''re already talking, aren''t you?" Nitocris replied, and flung his shirt into the laundry basket.


    Xing Han bit his lips and he thought, perhaps, talking to Nitocris''s back was better.


    "I''m sorry," Xing Han began.


    "For what?" Nitocris growled, wondering what was going on with his little puppy ¡­ no, not his. He belonged to someone else.


    "For doing this," Xing Han said as he went to hug Nitocirs from behind.


    Nitocris didn''t move, shocked beyond belief.


    "I tried, Nitocris, I really did," Xing Han was saying, his voice soft, "But I can''t do this anymore. I miss you so much that it hurts."


    "What are you saying?" Nitocris asked nervously.


    "I love you," Xing Han said, while crying.

 Chapter 524 - Puppy

    ? Mild BL scene. Skip if you''re uncomfortable ?


    "But I can''t be with you," Xing Han said, "I''m being selfish right now, I know. I should stay away but I missed you. So much. I ... "


    Xing Han couldn''t finish his sentence as Nitocris had turned and claimed his lips.


    At that moment, Nitocris didn''t care about the future.


    All that was important, right now, was that his little puppy loved him.


    All that played in his mind was his little puppy saying ''I love you''. Those words echoed in his mind over and over again, and his heart just burst.


    So he kissed his little puppy, completely and utterly without restraint.


    And his little puppy returned his kisses.


    Xing Han opened his mouth willingly, letting Nitocris have his way as his tongue plundered inside. His hands were on Nitocris''s naked chest, and his legs were getting weak as Nitocirs expertly manipulated his way around.


    This was so much more intense than the ''lesson'' Nitocris had given him before. This time, Nitocris didn''t stop and kept on kissing him as his hands roamed all over his body.


    Xing Han couldn''t help the low moaning at the back of his throat from escaping and that only fueled Nitocris to be more aggressive. Before Xing Han knew it, he was now lying down on the bed, with Nitocris above him.


    Both of them were breathing heavily, and Xing Han could feel Nitocris''s hard-on, on his own crotch. That only made him shiver, and he licked his lips as he gulped. Nitocris''s eyes seemed to darken further at that move, and he leaned down to kiss him again.


    After a few minutes of the deep, intense kissing, Nitocris suddenly stopped and got up, his breathing ragged. Xing Han was on the bed, blinking in confusion.


    Why did he stop?


    Nitocris sat at the edge of the bed, closing his eyes as he tried very, very hard to calm himself down. He couldn''t even look at his puppy that was on the bed, looking so delectable and his for the taking.


    But he couldn''t.


    Not only was his puppy a minor, but he had also just confessed. How could he devour his puppy right now? He had to reign in his desire, and it was not easy.


    Xing Han looked at Nitocris''s back, and came over to hug him again from behind. His hands brushed against Nitocris''s hard-on, causing him to jerk a bit.


    "Xing Han," Nitocris managed to croak out, "Please stop that. I am trying very hard to restrain myself."


    "But ¡­" Xing Han said innocently, as he touched Nitocris boldly, "This must be so uncomfortable. Let me help you."


    Nitocris turned to look at his puppy.


    "Help me?" Nitocris asked, "Are you sure about this?"


    Xing Han nodded vigorously, blinking innocently.


    Nitocris groaned.


    He said it before, and he''ll say it again. His little puppy is lethal.


    He looked at Xing Han''s crotch, "What about you?"


    Xing Han blushed and tried to hide it, but Nitocris just smiled, oh so sexily. He brushed his fingers upon Xing Han''s cheek, leaned down and kissed him again. Without breaking his kiss, Nitocris lay down in front of Xing Han, his hands going into Xing Han''s pants.


    Xing Han gasped at that, and Nitocris released Xing Han''s lips, saying, "We''ll do this together."


    Xing Han felt his eyes roll back to the back of his head upon feeling Nitocris touch on his c*ck, stroking it.


    Ok, so the feeling is completely different than when you''re doing it yourself ¡­


    Gingerly, Xing Han did the same for Nitocris. Nitocris had already unbuckled his pants and pulled it down a bit, so Xing Han had easier access.


    It was the first time he was touching another c*ck besides his own, and he was a bit nervous. Nitocris watched all the expressions on his little puppy''s face and he smiled.


    His little puppy was just so cute!


    When his little puppy''s hands wrapped itself around his c*ck, Nitocris immediately kissed him passionately, while increasing the strokes on his little puppy''s c*ck. Xing Han learned quickly.


    Whatever Nitocris did to him, he mimicked.


    It didn''t take long for both of them to reach their climax, and Nitocris gave a slow smile, satisfied. Xing Han looked at the mess they had made and he bit his lower lips again.


    "This is such a mess," he lamented.


    Nitocris got up, took his shirt from the laundry basket and wiped his chest. Xing Han was looking at his own shirt, now stained and Nitocris grinned.


    "Join me for a shower?" he invited.


    "Er ¡­" Xing Han hesitated.


    "Don''t worry. Just a shower," Nitocris replied.


    "Okay!" Xing Han readily agreed. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han was soon to learn not to trust Nitocris whenever he said ''just''¡­


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    After the shower - and another round - Nitocris said to Xing Han as they lay on his bed, "From tonight, you will sleep with me."


    "In my room," Xing Han insisted, "Your hours are not stable and I don''t want to be waiting inside your room until you get back."


    "Since I know you''re waiting for me, I would be back for dinner," Nitocris replied, kissing him briefly, "I can''t let my little puppy wait now, can I?"


    "Huh? What did you call me?"


    "Puppy," Nitocris said softly, kissing him all over the face, "Adorable, obedient and innocent. My fluffy bundle of joy."


    Xing Han pouted.


    "I need to give you a nickname too then," he mused, thinking hard, "I know! Cookie!!"


    Now it was Nitocris turn to look flabbergasted, "Cookie?! In what way do I resemble a cookie?"


    "You know, like Oreos?" Xing Han said excitedly, "The crunchy biscuit on the outside and the sweetness inbetween? You look tough, but is actually so sweet."


    Xing Han looked at Nitocris with loving eyes, "Cookie."


    Nitocris grinned.


    It didn''t sound so bad coming out from his little puppy''s mouth.

 Chapter 525 - The Ring

    "Cookie it is," Nitocris said with an indulgent smile as he looked upon his beloved puppy who was looking at him so happily.


    The past few weeks had been a nightmare for him.


    Finding out that his puppy was an engaged man had hit him hard. All the years of patiently waiting, only to find out during that one sliver of hope ¡­ it was dashed before it could even begin. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had already made a promise that he would not force his love upon his puppy, so he resolutely buried himself in work. However, no matter what he did, his feelings didn''t lessen at all.


    Nitocris knew that it would take time.


    Lots of time.


    He kept telling himself that even though it didn''t feel like it, it would get better.


    It had to.


    And now?


    Nitocris watched as his beloved puppy was finally in his arms, looking as pure and innocent as he always did. He had already fallen asleep, and his head was snuggled at the crook of his arm, while his legs and arms were wrapped around him like an octopus.


    Nitocris kissed the top of Xing Han''s head and thought to himself, that, for now, he''ll take what he can get.


    As the saying goes, ''yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.''*


    Nitocris chose to enjoy his present very much.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sam was nervous.


    Today, was the day, that he was going to ask Betty''s parents'' permission to marry their daughter. After the initial shock, Betty had accepted his rather sudden proposal with tears in her eyes.


    He promptly brought her that weekend to choose an engagement ring.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    Betty stood in front of the well-known jewelry store and hesitated. She turned to Sam, saying, "We should just go to another store. This place has only .."


    "The best," Sam finished, "Which is why it has to be here."


    "But Sam!" Betty hissed, "It''s too expensive. We''re still just students."


    Sam smiled sweetly at Betty, kissing her hand that he was holding, "Don''t worry. One, I can afford it. Two, we''ll choose a design that is simple. One of the things I learned from Kyle was that you can still have things of high quality that looks ordinary. Did you know that his normal outfits actually cost hundreds of dollars?"


    "What? Really?" Betty said, her eyes wide.


    She had always wondered why Kyle, who was the Smith Heir, would wear such normal clothes. Now she knew better.


    "Come on. If there''s nothing you like, then we''ll go elsewhere, okay?" Sam said, gently persuading her.


    "Okay," Betty agreed reluctantly.


    Naturally, when two teenagers enter a high-class jewelry store, it is unlikely that anyone would think they are there to buy anything. After all, the cheapest item was at least four figures.


    As such, most of the salespeople there ignored them. These kids were just browsing, right? What was the point of servicing them when they wouldn''t result in any sales?


    Of course, not all were like that.


    In this case, Helena decided to help the two kids. They just looked so cute and adorable. Were kids really so serious so soon? Even if they weren''t going to buy anything, Helena thought that the effort the boy was putting in would be worth it.


    As she walked over to them, she could hear how some of her colleagues laughed at her doing so, but she ignored them. What was their problem anyway? The way they acted, it was as if they, too, could afford the items in the store. What right did they have to be so high and mighty anyway?


    Putting on her sweetest smile, Helena asked, "Hello, my name is Helena. How may I help you?"


    Sam looked up, and nodded, grateful that someone was kind enough to come over, "Could I have a look at your engagement and wedding ring sets?"


    "Certainly, Sir," Helena replied with a smile, "Any particular design or stone that you have in mind?"


    "Minimalist design, with pink diamond," Sam answered.


    Helen''s eyes widened at that.


    White diamonds were actually the cheapest type of diamond. The rarer the colour, the more expensive it is. While pink diamonds were not the rarest and most expensive, it certainly was not cheap. It could cost 20 times more than a white diamond.


    Although Helena was surprised at his choice, she kept quiet and led them to the display. She took out the tray and showed them, and Sam studied all the rings seriously.


    He pointed to one set and said, "May I see this, please?"


    "Certainly, Sir," Helena said politely and took it out.


    The engagement ring was a small pink heart-shaped diamond while the wedding band had a slight ''v'' shape and small pink diamonds were in a row.


    The engagement ring would be worn above the wedding band, so that the bottom of the heart-shaped diamond would fit into the ''v'' shape of the wedding band.


    The male wedding band was a simple gold band with one singular pink heart-shaped diamond in the middle.


    "Do you like this?" Sam asked Betty.


    Her eyes sparkled and she gingerly touched the ring.


    Sam knew that her favourite colour was pink, so that''s why he chose it. He had deliberately avoided a stone that was big, as he did not want to garner any attention. It wasn''t too small either, so that it didn''t look like a toy ring.


    "It''s beautiful," Betty said breathlessly.


    Then, her eyes fell onto the price, and she gasped.


    "Actually, it''s not really my taste," Betty said with a straight face, her nose twitching.


    Sam stared at Betty and suddenly brought his face really close to hers.


    "Say that again?" he said, his voice having a warning tone in them.


    Betty gulped.


    He wasn''t going to threaten to kiss her in public for lying, would he?

 Chapter 526 - Oops

    "I ..." Betty began and Sam got even closer.


    Betty panicked and pushed at his chest, "Sam!"


    "I dare you to lie to me," Sam said with a slow smile and a raise of his eyebrow, "You know I always carry out what I say I''d do if you do."


    Betty looked down and pouted, "But it''s so expensive."


    Sam sighed and hugged her, saying, "You know how careful I am. Trust me, okay?"


    Betty nodded.


    Helena, watching this, was smiling so widely that she felt like her face was going to burst. These two kids are just so sweet and pure.


    She had seen so many couples come in to buy their wedding rings and all, but all of them paled in comparison to the sincere emotions this very young couple were showing. Perhaps, it''s because they were still young that they did not appear jaded.


    At first, she had been worried that it had been the girl that forced the guy to come to the shop, but it appears that was not so. It had been the guy''s choice.


    Seeing the calm expression on the boy, Helena realised that still waters run deep. If he had been the one that chose this store, and he wanted a pink diamond, it could only mean one thing.


    He was not a simple teen.


    "It''s settled then," Sam said and took the engagement ring.


    Taking Betty''s hand, he slipped it onto her finger, "Look, it fits perfectly. It doesn''t even need any adjustments."


    Betty looked at the ring on her finger, biting her bottom lips.


    "But Sam ¡­"


    "No buts," Sam said decisively.


    He turned towards Helena and said, "We''ll take these. Also, I''d like a simple gold chain."


    She nodded, and led Sam towards the other display case with the gold chains.


    Sam looked at Betty and said, "You choose this."


    "What is this for?" Betty asked curiously.


    "We''re still in school, so you can''t wear the ring on your finger," Sam said regrettably, "So it''s best that you wear it on a gold chain and hide it under your uniform."


    Betty''s nose twitched a bit as she played with her hair, then she sighed, "You''re right. It''s such a pity, though."


    She looked at the ring on her finger, mesmerized, already in love with it. Sam took that hand, kissed her fingers and smiled at her.


    "Just think of it as the ring being close to your heart," Sam said, "The ring is normally worn on the ring finger of the left hand, as it is believed to be the one that has the vein that leads to the heart."


    "We don''t really need a ring, though," Betty said softly, "I already agreed, and the ring is just a symbol."


    "It''s not just a symbol and quite frankly, I''m selfish," Sam said.


    "Huh?"


    "I want the world to know that you''re already taken," Sam explained, "This ring is to tell all those pesky flies to go away."


    Betty blushed a pretty pink, and she hit him on the shoulder, "What are you talking about? There have never been any flies around. You''re exaggerating." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, she smiled and turned to choose a simple chain. Sam watched her, saying under his breath, "That''s because I got rid of them first."


    Indeed. Sam may look like he''s harmless and wasn''t aware of anything around but any guy that seemed to show an interest in Betty, soon found out that was not the case.


    Sam would call them out, warn them to stay away and for the more stubborn ones ... well, let''s just say that Sam found some physical activity to be a stress-relieving exercise. All of this was done without Betty''s knowledge, of course.


    Once done, Sam placed the ring onto the chain and put it on Betty. She kept looking at it with a smile, thinking like all of this was like a dream.


    As a final step, Helena checked Sam''s ring size and said, "We''ll need to resize this. Are you willing to do so?"


    "Yes, of course," Sam replied, then handed her his card, "I''ll collect the wedding bands when it''s resized, while she will wear the ring out."


    "Of course, Sir," Helena said, taking the platinum card and swiping it.


    Unsurprisingly, the card did not reject the payment. She had made a huge sale unexpectantly, and the others were also looking on enviously.


    Helena obtained Sam''s contact details, handed him the receipt and promised to call him once the ring was ready.


    After Sam and Betty left, Helena turned and was startled to find the owner of the shop suddenly behind her. Before Helena could say anything, the owner patted her on the shoulder and said, "Well done."


    Helena smiled, and bowed in appreciation, "Thank you, Sir. I was merely doing my job."


    "Yes," the owner replied, "I could see that. I have been observing you the past few months, actually."


    "Sir?" Helena said, puzzled (and a bit worried). Why had she been under observation? Had she done something wrong to be monitored like that?


    "Ms. Matthews will be transferred to another branch that I am opening," the owner explained, "Thus, the manager position here is now available. Would you be interested in the position?"


    Helena''s eyes went wide open before she accepted eagerly. Looks like the young couple brought her good luck indeed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sam, thinking about the whole buying of the ring incident, smiled when he found out the lady that had served them got promoted. She certainly deserved it.


    Right now, his moment of truth had arrived. Standing outside the door to Betty''s house, Sam began going through his mind about all the things he had prepared to say to Betty''s father.


    Suddenly, Sam realised one fatal mistake that he had done.


    Betty is already wearing the engagement ring, while he hadn''t even asked her parents for her hand.


    Cold sweat poured down his back.


    Oops.

 Chapter 527 - Confused

    Sam found it to be truly ironic that when it came to Kyle, his work was meticulous. This slight miscalculation on his part may cause him a bit of a problem.


    As he sat nervously in front of Betty''s parents, the stern look on Betty''s father''s face confirmed it.


    On the outside, Sam appeared cool as a cucumber.


    On the inside, however, the storm was raging.


    "So let me get this straight," said Betty''s father, leaning back on the sofa and staring down at the little pipsqueak that decided to take his princess, "You are here to ask for my precious daughter''s hand in marriage?"


    "Yes, Sir," Sam said politely.


    "My permission is important, is it?" he growled, "Considering you''ve already given her a ring. If I was to say no, wouldn''t she hate me then?"


    Sam stood up and bowed then, saying, "My apologies, Mr. Chan. That is not my intention. I had gone ahead of myself out of excitement and for that, I beg your forgiveness."


    Daniel Chan, Betty''s father, stared at the stiff boy who did not get up from his bow. Such a sight appeased the anger in his heart, and he grunted. He still wasn''t going to make it easy for the boy, though.


    "Fine," Daniel said, granting Sam the forgiveness he was seeking. Only with that word did Sam straighten himself and sat back down.


    Daniel continued to study the boy in front of him.


    He had known of this boyfriend of his daughter from the beginning and took it to be just the normal puppy love. Relationships formed at this stage hardly lasted and as long as they didn''t cross the line, he had no objections.


    Sam was also a good kid.


    Serious and obviously in love with his daughter. He had not seen Betty be sad during the entire time they were together.


    "You are only 15 years old," Daniel said, "Isn''t this too young to be thinking of marriage?"


    Sam nodded, "Not for me. I have never thought of Betty as just a passing phase. My feelings for her are true and will not change."


    Daniel snorted, "So easy to say now. You haven''t even gone through the challenges of life yet. Everything is so cozy for you, and you bear no responsibility other than school."


    "With all due respect, Sir," Sam said, "While it is true that I haven''t gone through the challenges of life, I am not just a simple student."


    Daniel waved his hand, as if dismissing the statement, "Yes, yes, I know that you''re a Sage Class member. Hence, part of the elite. But that is still just school."


    "No, Sir," Sam said, "I was referring to the fact that I''m already working and earning my own income. As the only son of my family, I also bear the responsibility of? taking care of my parents and have already started doing so, even before I graduate from Sakura Academy."


    "Hmmm? Meaning?"


    "I give them an allowance each month," Sam began, "And I have already bought them a house. Although my parents are working, they don''t have to as all of their living expenses are borne by me."


    Daniel was shocked.


    "Just how much are you earning to be doing all of that now?!" Daniel couldn''t help but screech out in shock.


    "Enough to be able to support Betty in whatever she decides to do," Sam said.


    At first, Daniel thought that Sam had been so caught up with playing adult, he had not considered the reality of married life. As students, how could they actually have money to support each other?


    He was under the impression that he, as the father, would still have to provide for his daughter even though she became someone''s wife. Yet, now, this boy is saying that he had it all planned out?


    He probed further.


    "What are your plans for Betty then?"


    "Nothing," Sam said, "Her life is her choice. Whatever she decides to do, I would support her whole-heartedly. If she wants to continue to college, I''ll be behind her. If she decides to be a stay-at-home wife, I will support that as well. It all depends on her."


    "I have also opened an investment account under trust for her," Sam revealed, "So, should anything happen to me before we get married, her future is secure. Should anything happen to me after we get married, then most of my assets will go to her. Either way, you don''t have to worry about her future."


    Daniel''s head was reeling.


    The more Sam talked, the more Daniel''s head spun.


    The more he was convinced that Sam''s feelings would never change for Betty. Now, for the first time, he was worried that Betty''s feelings might change for him!


    This boy is a gold mine!


    There would not be any other guy that would be able to take care of his princess as well as this boy. Of that, he is convinced but now, he''s actually worried that his daughter may be too young to appreciate this. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He gulped.


    "When do you plan to get married then?"


    "With your permission, the moment we are of legal age that is, 18," Sam said.


    "What if ¡­ not that I am hoping for this, but just ¡­ what if, before that time, your feelings change? Her feelings change?" Daniel asked, staring at Sam seriously.


    Sam sighed at that, and took a deep breath before answering, "I know my feelings won''t change, and I believe hers won''t either. But, I''m a realist. If she does have a change of heart, I will release her from the promise of marriage. Everything I have given her, is hers forever - and that includes the trust fund."


    "NO!"


    Sam and Daniels'' head whipped towards the sound, to see a crying Betty at the other side of the room.


    "Betty?" Sam was shocked and stood up. Why is she crying?


    She ran over to him, and hugged him tightly, crying uncontrollably.


    Sam was confused.

 Chapter 528 - Time Heals All Wounds?

    "Stupid Sam. Stupid stupid stupid Sam!!" Betty was cursing and started banging his chest. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She looked up at him, her eyes all wet and Sam tenderly wiped them away.


    "How could you even think, for a minute, that my feelings for you would ever change?" Betty complained, "Do you not know yet how much I love you?"


    Sam sighed, and kissed her forehead, "I know you do, my love, but I''m also realistic. I.."


    She hit his chest again, harder this time, "Realistic my foot!! Saying it just means you don''t trust me!"


    She stomped on his foot - twice - and Sam''s face winced in pain but he endured it. He could have avoided it, but doing so wouldn''t have abated her anger.


    "You''re right," Sam said, putting his head on her forehead, "You''re right. I''m sorry."


    Daniel watched the two in front of him, who had completely ignored his presence and sighed inwardly.


    Although he was glad that his daughter managed to find such a fine, young man as her other half, he was unhappy that it happened all too soon. She was still his little princess.


    Well, at least he was indulging her and tolerated her tantrums.


    "Ahem," Daniel said after a while, seeing that those two were not disentangling themselves as yet, "I am still here, you know."


    Upon hearing her father''s voice, Betty squeaked and jumped out of Sam''s embrace. She pulled on her twintails and her nose twitched nervously, "I''m sorry, Daddy."


    Sam, seeing this, had to fight the urge to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her senseless. To be more accurate, he seriously wanted to pounce on her right now.


    All these while, his weakness never failed him whenever Betty acted so cutesy ¡­ or, to be more accurate, more ''bunny-ish''.


    He groaned.


    Waiting three years more is going to be so hard ¡­


    "Go," Daniel said, "This is between Sam and me right now."


    "Yes, Daddy," Betty said with a pout.


    "Until you''re married to him, you''re still my little girl. Remember that," Daniel said sternly.


    Betty turned to give him a wide smile and replied, "I''m always your little girl, Daddy, even after I marry Sam."


    With that, she skipped away and Daniel shook his head, a smile on his face as he watched her go.


    Then he turned to look at Sam sternly.


    "All this sounds well and good," Daniel said, "But why must you get married so early?"


    Sam looked at him in genuine puzzlement, "I''m sorry, Sir, but I do not understand. Why should I wait? What is the point of doing that?"


    Daniel blinked.


    He realised Sam was right. What is the point of waiting until they were older? To be more stable? To be sure? Getting married young means they''ll grow together, learn together and the boy had a good head on his shoulders.


    He knew what he was getting into, and he was willing to work hard to make it work. That is what marriage is all about. Commitment.


    With that out of the way, Daniel then had something more important thing to ask.


    "So, tell me," he said, "When are you planning to have kids?"


    Sam gulped.


    How did a simple ''can I marry your daughter'' meeting become ''tell me your entire marriage life plans''?


    He groaned. This was going to a very, very long talk.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Ali sighed.


    It felt like everyone was getting their life in order, except for him. How long had it been since she had left him? Though it was less than a year, it felt like a lifetime.


    How was she? Where was she? What was she doing?


    These thoughts still plagued him and each time he prayed, he prayed for her as well. For her well-being, her safety, her peace of mind.


    They say time healed all wounds, but that was a lie.


    Time did not heal the wound. It just made one get used to the pain. The pain of losing the one.


    How does one get over losing the one person who made you feel alive? Head into another relationship?


    Perhaps.


    It would have been easier if she had been a jerk, or if they had broken up because of differences of the heart - rather than differences of faith. The first few months had been hard. Yes, he had started to question God ¡­ ''why''?


    Ali sighed again and sipped his hot chocolate as he looked at the horizon from his balcony.


    He loved this sight and this moment.


    Looking at the distance, he would find peace within himself.


    So he would do this every night, just to settle his thoughts and to come to terms with all sorts of things.


    Would he ever forget her?


    Of course not.


    Did he resent ever meeting her?


    No, not anymore. At one point, he had thought that perhaps, it would have been better not to have loved and lost - he believed the ones who said ''it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all'' was a lot of crock.


    The pain of the loss was far greater than the love that had been felt. Then again, the pain was so strong because the love had been so strong.


    As time passed, and the pain became more bearable, he began thinking more about what they had shared. The things he learned by being with her, the person he was by being by her side.


    And he knew, it was something he would do all over again as the experience, and memories were precious to him.


    Ali glanced at the book on the table behind him and shook his head.


    He couldn''t go through the list right now. His heart was still locked with her, and he couldn''t imagine another person to be with right now. It wouldn''t be fair on the other party.


    Ali sighed again, drinking his hot chocolate.


    Maybe next year.

 Chapter 529 - Patrick

    Patrick sat in the cafe, carefully observing Shifu that was calmly drinking the tea.


    A part of him resented the man that was sitting across of him, for the said man had spent more time with his son than he, himself had done.


    Had it been a mistake to agree to Kyle''s request all those years ago to seek out this man and persuade him to be his son''s teacher?


    Shifu had been Kyle''s teacher for only 6 years, yet Kyle never broke contact with Shifu. In fact, Patrick even found it amazing that Shifu never returned to his home country, but chose to stay - even coincidentally settling in the same city that Kyle studied in.


    He was jealous of the bond that seemed to be there between the two and he never did anything to discourage it. After all, a teacher of martial arts was like a second father in the olden days.


    With the amount of training that Kyle went through under Shifu, it was most likely that such a bond was created as well. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Shifu had not been around, would his son have turned to him, instead?


    Patrick shook his head out of his thoughts.


    No, that was unlikely.


    Patrick had not been around most of the time, so at the very least, Kyle did have Shifu to turn to. Patrick was grateful for that, even if he was deeply jealous of it.


    Also, thinking of all of the ''what ifs'' were useless at this point, for what is done, is done.


    Right now, he wanted to know ¡­ no, he needed to know.


    What was his son like?


    Shifu slowly put down the cup and then sat, waiting patiently.


    The man in front of him was his ''employer'', and his son''s biological father. He knew that this day would come sooner or later, The older Kyle got, the more likely Patrick would be dissatisfied with the way Kyle seemed to disassociate himself from his own father.


    How Patrick reacted to that would determine whether the relationship between the two would heal or not.


    Patrick was the typical ''old school'' type of father: the absentee one who dictated the rules and expect them to be obeyed. Yet, Shifu could see that Patrick did try to be the more liberal type and break free from that - yet, it was too ingrained in him to truly let it go.


    Kyle was also the stubborn one that could not be dictated to. If he was to do something, he would do it whole-heartedly so long as he believed in it, but he cannot be told what to do.


    That was why Shifu had to modify his training method. Every action had to be explained. A military-style type of training would not work with Kyle for he would fight it all the way. Too stubborn to follow orders blindly.


    Which was why Patrick and Kyle were like oil and water. Cats and dogs. One who liked to dictate and one who could not be dictated to. Add the Smith Temper.


    Both needed to compromise.


    Patrick saw that Shifu was looking at him, but suddenly, he didn''t know where to begin. In the end, he looked at his hands, the cup and said, "Do you know where Kyle is?"


    Shifu chuckled a bit at that and answered unhesitatingly, "No."


    At that, Patrick looked at him, "Aren''t you worried about him?"


    "Should I be?" Shifu countered back.


    "He''s only a 15 ¡­ no, 16-year-old boy," Patrick said, "Alone and vulnerable. How can you not be worried?"


    Shifu shrugged, picked up his cup and took another sip of his tea before he answered, "Because it is Kyle."


    "Yes, yes," Patrick replied in exasperation, "I know he is. I know he''s capable. I know that, but he is still my son. What if he gets sick? What if he''s attacked? How is he living? Where is he getting the money from? He''s all alone!"


    Shifu had a smile on his face as he watched Patrick rant on, agitated and could see the similarities between father and son at that moment. Kyle often ranted and raged like this, about his frustrations with his father and Shifu did the same thing.


    Just smiled, and listened while he ranted and raged on.


    Once Patrick started, he couldn''t stop and all his grievances and worries for Kyle came pouring out. Perhaps it was the way Shifu just sat there and listened without judgment in his eyes that pulled the stopper on his mouth.


    At home, Delilah would often blame him for Kyle staying away and Patrick couldn''t quite refute that. He had been convinced that Kyle would soon be coming home, with his tail tucked between in legs.


    Once his son''s ego and stubbornness were whittled away with the harsh life experiences, he would be more pliable.


    But it never happened.


    After Patrick seemed to lose some steam after several minutes of ranting and raging, Shifu calmly poured more tea into his now empty cup.


    Patrick had his hands clenched into tight fists on the table as he took several deep breaths to calm himself down.


    It did feel good to let go but it was still frustrating when he thought about his son.


    "I am sure you''ve noticed that your son isn''t quite normal," Shifu began, as he took a sip from his cup, "The way he is able to learn things quickly, the way he seemed to be so serious when younger."


    "Yes, of course," Patrick said, "That''s why I had the best tutors start teaching him even before he started school."


    "Yes, you did," Shifu said, "You provided him with the best resources and education even from a young age."


    "And he absorbed the knowledge like a sponge," Patrick said proudly, "He showed exceptional talent and skill."


    "Yes, and so you continued to raise him as you would a robot," Shifu said mildly, "Or perhaps, to be more accurate: a product."


    "I did not!" Patrick protested strongly.

 Chapter 530 - Needs A Father

    "Kyle is a Smith," Patrick hissed, "The foundation has to be set properly! One has to be strict and disciplined from the start. He has the capabilities, and must be molded from young to be responsible."


    "In what way did Kyle ever show you that he wasn''t disciplined in his studies? In his work?" Shifu asked, looking at him with his clear eyes, "Did he ever fail in any task you set for him?"


    "No," Patrick said with a frown, "Which only goes to show how good his teachings were."


    Where was Shifu going with this? What has this got to do with Kyle?


    "Did you ever praise him for it?"


    Patrick''s frown got deeper, "Praise? Whatever for? The tasks are for his own personal development and improvement. I want him to do it for himself, not for praise. He won''t get far if he was doing it to get praised!"


    Shifu shook his head, wondering about the way Patrick himself was brought up. How could he not understand something so basic and simple?


    "We''re all human," Shifu pointed out, "Being acknowledged for a job well done is not asking for too much, is it?"


    "Have you forgotten? He was only 7 years old when he completed the first task you set for him. He did it flawlessly, yet all you said and did, was simply give him another task. As if the success was something normal and not really an achievement. That it was expected of him."


    "Of course it was," Patrick said, "He needs to learn that with his capabilities, people would be waiting for him to fail. He needs to keep on pushing himself, strive more, do more."


    "He needed a father," Shifu said softly, "A father''s acknowledgment, a father''s praise and most of all, a father''s love."


    "You keep saying that Kyle is the one that was cold and pushed you away but think about it. Did you ever try or do anything to bring him closer to you?"


    Shifu laughed a bit when he recalled something, "Did you know that Kyle was simply an awkward child that did not know how to show affection towards adults? Or, to be more specific, towards adult males?"


    "The first time I patted his shoulder and praised him for completing an exercise, he jumped in complete surprise," Shifu revealed.


    "He shied away from my touch at first. Not because he was rejecting me, but rather, I could see that he simply did not know how to react. As time went by, Kyle soon warmed up and well, the seemingly playful teenager you know was a result of that."


    Patrick listened to all of this in shock. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had always taken his son''s cold attitude as being part of his unwillingness to be close to him. Since Kyle always stood behind Kay whenever Kay went to hug them and kiss them, he never pressed the issue.


    Had he been waiting for some sort of signal from him instead?


    "With you, he quickly learned that the only way to get any sort of acknowledgment was to do the tasks assigned to him," Shifu went on relentlessly, "Since all you demanded of him was to perform perfectly and provide results, that''s all he eventually felt he owed you. In return for the education and training, he provided results."


    "Kyle doesn''t realise it himself," Shifu said softly, "But he is missing a father figure. Not a father that controls him, but a father who guides him. I may have filled in that void, but deep down ¡­ he wants you for that."


    Shifu looked at Patrick seriously, "Your son is a gem, but he is also not one that can be dealt with by being harsh. You want to get to know your son?"


    "Be a friend first," Shifu said, "Don''t treat him like a kid that needs constant disciplining. Start looking at him as a capable adult that is able to reason well. Talk to him, not dictate. You''ll be surprised at what he can truly do."


    "And how much he is actually willing to listen," Shifu said.


    Shifu sighed, got up and patted Patrick on the shoulder as he left, "You can''t raise Kyle the same way your father raised you. See your son for what he truly is. A boy still seeking for his father''s approval."


    Patrick sat alone at the cafe for a long time after that, thinking deeply over what Shifu had told him.


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    In a private room, several people were staring at each other as they thought deeply about their next move.


    Files were strewn on the table, smoke permeating the air as some puffed away on cigarettes and empty bottles of wine on the table.


    "Are you sure about this information?" one asked.


    "It''s reliable," another answered.


    "Still, we can''t be too hasty," a larger man warned, "To go against tradition is not easy. We do not have solid proof."


    "We have time," the other replied, "Just how long do you think he can hide his disappearance?"


    "How come you''re so sure he won''t be coming back?" another asked, "Are you planning to eliminate him? If Patrick himself can''t find him, what makes you think you can?"


    "There are many ways to eliminate a threat without actually getting rid of the person, you know," the guy said with a laugh, "You''re so old-fashioned."


    "It''s easier that way. Less hassle," the guy protested.


    "The stupid age-old tradition of proving through the Ritual needs to be scrapped," the guy growled, "Our blood is what makes us this powerful and feared. Why stifle it? It''s obvious that it makes one weak."


    He snorted, banging his hand on one file, "A kid, throwing a tantrum and running away. What sort of Leader is that? Push him, and he falls. We need to uproot him from the ground and take back what is ours."


    The others nodded in total agreement.

 Chapter 531 - A Bad Father

    While the men were meeting in the dark, Patrick was going through his own demons. He had been severely affected by his talk with Shifu.


    As the conversation played in his mind, Patrick sat there, his mind drifting back to the day he had first become a father.


    ? Flashback ~ The Birth of the Twins ?


    Patrick had been in a state of panic when he saw how his beloved wife was suffering. She was screaming, even though she tried so hard not to. His heart was torn.


    Although he knew this was part of the process, and the pain inevitable, it did not mean that he wasn''t affected. He held on to his wife''s hand, and let her grip him as hard as she could. He had felt the pain, but he knew it was but a drop in the ocean compared to what his wife was experiencing.


    Sure, she was under drugs right now but it didn''t seem to work.


    Her forehead was full of beads of sweat, and the doctor was being as encouraging as he could.


    "You can do it! Yes, you''re doing great! Just a little bit more," the doctor was saying as he sat there, in between his wife''s legs to welcome a new life.


    Patrick knew better than to be where the doctor was. He had already heard horror stories of that and even the thought of seeing a baby being pushed out of that particular opening sent him into a state of panic.


    The last thing he wanted was to be traumatised over something that was as miraculous as this.


    So he stood at where his wife was, watching the doctor as he welcomed his firstborn.


    "It''s a boy!!" the doctor yelled.


    Patrick''s heart swelled upon seeing that tiny baby, being brought out.


    They hadn''t wanted to know the gender of the babies, for they wanted it to be a surprise. Whether it was a girl, or a boy, it didn''t matter. They were getting two and that was already a miracle in itself.


    Patrick watched with eyes of love as the nurse took his son, who was full of mucus and his skin was red. His eyes were tightly shut and face was scrunched up while he was wailing at the top of his voice.


    People say that newborns look like potatoes or were really ugly with all those wrinkles and red skin but to Patrick?


    Nothing was more beautiful to his eyes than his newborn son, who was crying his heart out. Such a healthy boy, with such a strong pair of lungs. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "One down, another to go! Push! You can do it!" the doctor was yelling.


    Patrick''s attention turned back to his wife, as his gaze relunctantly left the nurse who went to take his son away. He gave his wife''s hand a gentle squeeze and kissed her sweaty forehead.


    "You''re doing wonderful, sweetheart," he said, his voice having a slight hitch, "Thank you so much."


    The second one came out pretty fast, much to his surprise. It was as if the baby couldn''t wait to get out since the first had already left the womb.


    Unknown to Patrick, that was exactly the reason why his daughter came out so fast right after his son. She had felt the womb to be so scary and dark, and she didn''t want to be in there anymore.


    She had quickly willed herself to the entrance and practically shot herself out, kicking through as if she was swimming. Since her brother had gotten out first, the passageway wasn''t as tight so it was easier for her.


    The doctor was actually caught unprepared and had barely managed to have his hands in a ready position to welcome the newborn as she came out.


    "YES! It''s a girl!" he yelled happily, covering his nervousness and near mistake. Luckily, no one had caught that.


    Patrick watched with amazement as his beautiful princess was brought out.


    He had a pair. A boy and a girl.


    He as going to spoil them rotten.


    He watched as the nurses took his kids away and they were wailing like crazy. He had found it wonderful at first, then got worried when they wouldn''t stop. However, when they were together, they were content.


    That was the first hint he got about how close his children would be. At first, it felt like the most natural thing but soon, he felt that it was not so good.


    It was more of the fact that the twins were so different. Like, ying and yang.


    Kay had been the sweet child that depended on them for anything whilst Kyle had been the independent one that never turned to them at all. At first, Patrick was quite involved in the raising of his children but ¡­


    Patrick sighed when he thought about it.


    It had happened so naturally that he didn''t realise it at all.


    When did it start?


    The fact that Kyle would do things without being asked? He didn''t even need to be potty trained though he had some difficulty at first in aiming. He was always polite that Patrick didn''t need to reprimand him for anything.


    Patrick was also extremely busy and worked long hours at the office. Being the CEO was not easy and he was fortunate that his wife was so understanding and could hold the fort.


    So, it was only natural that the moment Kyle showed the vast potential of being the next CEO, Patrick felt that it was his duty to ensure that Kyle could withstand the pressures that came with it.


    He had been so engrossed and amazed at Kyle''s ability that he had forgotten one crucial detail.


    His son was, ultimately, still a young boy.


    He remembered what Shifu had said : "You continued to raise him as you would a robot"


    The more Patrick thought about it, the more Shifu''s words pierced his heart, right to his soul.


    He really had been a very bad father. Patrick sighed.

 Chapter 532 - Reminiscing

    Patrick''s thoughts came back to the present. He remembered the heartache he felt when he had caught his wife tenderly looking through those letters that their son had been sending her. He was angry at Kyle as well, for putting his mother through this.


    Was his pride so big that he was willing to make his own mother suffer like this?


    Patrick sighed deeply.


    He wondered whether their family would ever be whole again. He didn''t doubt Kyle would return, but what he was worried about was ... what would he be like? What would his relationship be like with his own son?


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Whilst Patrick in Country M was reminiscing about his past, Kyle was, too.


    His past life.


    He was trying hard to truly understand himself right now.


    He sat in his room, pondering about what he had been doing so far and what he needed to do. The connections he had in this life, and the ones that he had in the past.


    Kyle truly could understand what his current mother was going through, which was why he tried to appease her via the letters.


    It was not the same though, he knew.


    No matter what, she would obviously be hurt and missing him. That part made him feel guilty but whenever he thought about his father, Patrick ¡­ the agitation he felt washed away the guilt.


    Was he always destined to have this sort of strained relationship with his parents?


    In his past life, he wasn''t close to his mother - to the point that he had even wondered if he would ever mourn for her when she passed on.


    When he became a parent, he was extremely close to his own kids ¡­ but ended up passing on before he could raise them longer.


    In this life, he has a strained relationship with his father - if any, at all.


    Was this is destiny?


    Would he ever be able to have some sort of good relationship with his parent, or as a parent?


    It hurt.


    He had once made the decision that when it came to choosing between his parents, and his children, he would choose his children''s well-being over anything - and everything - else. This carried on to this life.


    Though he was choosing his past life children over his present life parents.


    Of course, that meant that he was unfilial.


    Kyle sighed, and leaned back on his chair.


    How wonderful it would be if he could have the sort of family that would have the best of both worlds. Where all three generations could gather together in one, big, happy family without the parent (him) being torn between the two.


    Kyle wondered if this was something that only he was going through, but he doubted it. It was just that those that were around him, didn''t seem to have that problem.


    When he first got married, it had been quite tumulous.


    All due to his own mother.


    Upon marriage, it wasn''t ''losing a daughter, but gaining a son''.


    Which sounds all good and nice ¡­ until you realise that she truly meant ''she had gained a son'' in the sense that she could treat him as such.


    Sounds good?


    Not so, when she expected her new son to be just like how she raised her own kids. Filial (not: be obedient and obey without question). Take her thoughts and opinions into account (note: take priority). Always be respectful (note: ask permission when going out, doing things, making decisions).


    For a man, that sort of ''caring'' attitude was not something that could be accepted easily. More so when he had been independent and working as an adult before marriage. Suddenly, after marriage, not only was he NOT the head of the household (mother had the last say) but he was relegated to a ''subordinate''?


    When Kyle thought about it, it was only natural that her spouse would have been disgruntled and extremely unhappy. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, she was caught in the middle.


    She, who had been raised as such, accepted her mother''s behaviour to be normal. It had been the start of countless arguments that were eventually settled by her moving out of the house.


    Yes, she lived with her parents right after marriage because her spouse wasn''t a local and they had difficulty purchasing their own home.


    It would not only save money, but also let them take care of the parents who were getting by in their years.


    It was a mistake.


    A huge mistake.


    Perhaps it may have worked for a family who''s parent was not the dictatorship type. Kyle''s mother never saw that she had done anything wrong, and in fact, felt wronged.


    How could he refuse to follow them to attend a wedding? Why didn''t he come home early enough to have dinner with them? Why didn''t he drive her to where she needed to be?


    All the nagging ¡­


    Kyle shuddered.


    Just how did his spouse stand that all this while?


    For him, just this one thing and he blew up, ran away from home and is hiding in another country.


    His respect for his spouse grew even more.


    He wasn''t in love with his spouse any more though. It would be impossible for him to get back together with his spouse in his current form. His spouse was straight, and would never be able to accept a man as his partner.


    Kyle wondered just who was ''The One'' out there for him now.


    He was still quite romantic. He believed that there is ''The One'' for each person. However, whether you meet that person is another matter - and whether you actually end up with ''The One'' is also not certain.


    His spouse actually had not been his ''The One''. He did love him, and was comfortable with him, but it the ''I''ll die for you'' type of love. Kyle felt that ''The One'' was like that.


    Was Sari truly ''The One'' for him in this life?

 Chapter 533 - Kids Come First

    Kyle looked at the calendar.


    Tomorrow would be his 17th birthday.


    Yet another birthday celebrated without his twin.


    It felt strange.


    He sighed.


    He vowed that next year, with it being their 18th year, they would celebrate it together somehow. He had already taken away the ''sweet 16'' birthday celebration, so he won''t do that for their 18th.


    After that, he didn''t know how things would turn out.


    His Death Day would be the following year and there were still too many variables that he had to settle as Kyle Smith before he could focus on it.


    He sighed loudly again.


    He seriously needed to fix this cold war with Patrick.


    Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, thinking hard on all that he had done since he was born, until now. He knew he had to find some middle ground with his biological father, but somehow, he just didn''t know where to start.


    His words he had spoken to Kay still stood, for he could not change himself no matter how hard he tried. It was a part of him, that was so deeply ingrained, that it could not be scooped out.


    "If you''re going to sigh one more time, Rex, I swear, I''m going to smack you with this broomstick," came Alia''s voice from behind him.


    Kyle turned towards his supervisor sheepishly, "Sorry, Kak."


    "What? Missing Sari already?" she teased him.


    "No, I mean, yes," Kyle said quickly, "But that''s not why I''m sighing."


    "Hey, look," Alia suddenly said, "Your favourite customers are here."


    Kyle looked up eagerly, seeing his two kids walk through the door. Joseph held the door open for his sister, who went in after thanking him. Kyle looked out, and saw that ''he'' was waiting in the car outside, double-parked.


    Her face was serious as she looked at them entering the store, and only when the door was closed did she look away.


    "Abang Rex!" greeted Lianne happily and Joseph did the same.


    "So, what are you here for today?" Kyle asked happily, resisting the urge to scoop up his daughter in his arms, "Milo? Hot dog bun? Or perhaps it is chicken ball today?"


    Lianne giggled, "Abang Rex, how do you always know what I want?"


    Kyle spread his arms wide and said "Magic."


    "And you, Joseph? Milo and Kit Kat, right?"


    Unlike Lianne, Joseph never changed his choices.


    "Yes, Abang Rex, thank you," Joseph answered politely.


    "Well, you know where the milo is," Kyle answered with a smile as he went to the hot counter to get the chicken balls.


    Joseph nodded and headed over.


    "Remember to get one for your sister," Kyle reminded him gently.


    Joseph nodded again, and felt like Abang Rex was as naggy as his mother but he didn''t say that out loud. He went to the chiller behind and promptly took the milo box drink and went back to the counter.


    Lianne was busy telling Abang Rex all about her day, and how they were on their way back home after visiting their grandparents. This was their treat for being on their good behaviour at the house.


    Kyle''s smile didn''t falter while he listened, though his hands stilled for a brief second when he was putting the chicken balls into the plastic bag.


    His parents.


    He had been here for over a year now yet, he never had the inclination to go and check up on his aged parents. Well, he didn''t have to, right, considering that ''Kylie'' was here to do so.


    His mind wandered as he thought about his parents, and how he was treating Patrick at the moment. His mother had been the type that demanded things of him, as the elder daughter. Initially, he had no problems in obeying everything and doing everything his mother demanded but as he got older, and had kids of his own, he had had to make a choice.


    There were times when his mother''s requests clashed with what his kids wanted. It was ''little'' things like his mother needed someone to send her to the store, when Kyle had already promised his kids that they''d go to the park.


    At first, Kyle had ''sacrificed'' his kids for his mother. He told them that their grandmother was old, and needed help and they were to be understanding. However, as time went on, he began putting his kids'' interest and welfare first.


    It may seem like a ''little'' thing and the younger generation should aways give in to the older generation but the hurt was there. Kyle didn''t want them to think that he prioritized his mother over them. They were as important to him (if not more) than his own mother. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thought that sounded callous, but it was the truth. He balanced out the needs (and urgency) of what his mother wanted, with what his kids needed. Most of the time, his mother ''lost''.


    Kyle had to learn to harden his heart whenever that happened and he tried to make it up to his mother in other ways - but it was never enough. No matter what he did afterwards, she still resented him for what he had not done before.


    This was a trait that he could not get rid of, even in this life. Hence, most of the time, Patrick ''lost''.


    While he was thinking of all of this, he was also asking his kids on calculating how much the times they were buying cost, and how much change they would get.


    It was automatic, and it only hit him what he was doing when Joseph commented, "You''re really like Mama, Abang Rex."


    Kyle chuckled and didn''t really have words to say to that.


    They picked up their items and left with a wave, saying, "Bye Abang Rex!!"


    Kyle waved back at them, his smile immediately gone the moment they left. He sighed and was immediately rewarded with a smack at the back of the head from Alia.


    She glared at him and he just grinned sheepishly.

 Chapter 534 - The First Crack

    ? Several months later ?


    Kyle was at his desk at home, the computer in front of him and a bunch of files beside him.


    He was busy looking through the pictures he had of his kids and Sari. He stared at them hard and then looked at the calendar on the wall. He flipped through the files of reports that his Team had been giving him since he left.


    In it, there were Sam''s observations and fears as well. His Team had acted upon those observations but nothing concrete could be determined. Whatever was happening, it was either too soon to tell or the other party was too good in concealing their movements.


    In frustration, Kyle slammed the files shut.


    He had gone through the files numerous times and it was all the same, pointing to one thing.


    He had to go back.


    His heart clenched at that.


    He thought he had more time.


    He looked back at his kids and Sari.


    Leaving his kids was going to be hard, but it wasn''t that which he was worried about. He had managed to have time with them, be friends with them and soothe most of the ache in his heart.


    It was leaving behind Sari that tore at him. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ever since she found out who he was, there had been slight changes in her behaviour. That was to be expected, of course, more so since he found out she was a fan of Kyle Smith.


    It wasn''t that she treated him any differently ¡­ but more of the fact that she did not seem to be confident in their relationship. It wasn''t apparent at first but as time went by, Kyle began to notice the patterns.


    She would ask him about his past - which he didn''t hide. Well, except for the ninja stuff. Whatever cover story he had done then, he had to continue giving her.


    The first crack began when she started asking him about Samantha.


    ? Mini Flashback ?


    "How many girlfriends did you have before me?" Sari asked him.


    Kyle frowned a bit at that question, but figured it was something that would eventually arise once she knew about him. The typical questions of the past. Sari had raised the question during one of their walks back to her house from school.


    "One," Kyle replied, even though that wasn''t the truth.


    "Seriously?" Sari said incredulously, "I saw that post on PoK, but I thought perhaps it was only that one that they knew."


    "Nope," Kyle said.


    "Who was she?"


    Kyle sighed, dreading the twenty questions but it had to be told. Sari, upon seeing this reaction, started getting slightly worried though she didn''t show it. She kept up her appearance of showing interest, but nothing more.


    In truth, she wanted to find out just what sort of girl had managed to attract Kyle before her. How similar were they? Or different? What had their relationship been like? What does he feel for her now?


    PoK said that they broke up amicably - so did this mean that there was a chance she could come back? Was she a potential threat in the future? Sari waited nervously.


    Was Kyle thinking back on the past with regret? Was that why he sighed?


    "Samantha was the daughter of the place one of the scenes in the John Wick movie was being shot at," Kyle explained, "We just hit it off, I suppose."


    "You suppose?" Sari prodded.


    Hadn''t she and Kyle just ''hit it off'' as well? Did this mean they might break up in the future because of circumstances as well?


    Kyle looked at Sari and said, "Yes. I can''t give you some detailed low-down of why and how, other than the fact that we liked each other. We got along, and things just happened."


    "Was she pretty?"


    Kyle smiled at that and put his hand on Sari''s waist, saying, "Not as pretty as you."


    Sari didn''t fully believe Kyle about that, but accepted it then.


    However, her insecurities flared up even more when she did more research on who the ex-girlfriend had been. Using the clues Kyle had said, it wasn''t really hard. Going through the various articles about the movie, she found the mansion that had been one of its sets.


    Richard Greene and the daughter.


    Samantha Greene.


    Sari gulped seeing how beautiful she was, and how rich she was. That, and the fact that there had been numerous pictures of her with different guys. An older, beautiful woman had been Kyle''s girlfriend.


    Worse, there had not been any more news about her after the death of her father. This was also the time that she had broken up with Kyle, and yet, she didn''t appear to have found any more guys after Kyle.


    What Sari had not realised was the fact that previously, Samantha had been in the news due to her being in ''high-society'' as Richard Greene''s daughter. After his death, she lived a low key life and she was no longer ''worthy news''.


    Sari, however, thought the lack of news was due to the fact that Samantha was pining for Kyle - or that she never did truly get over him.? Since they broke up because she was moving away, what would happen if she came back?


    Sari couldn''t help but fear that.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Although Kyle didn''t know the depth of Sari''s thought process, he did notice that she required more convincing since then.


    What''s worse is that she would apologize profusely each time, then asking him if she was annoying whenever she asked him these questions.


    What could he say?


    If he was to say that she was annoying for doing, then she would be even more insecure. Worse, she might even suspect that he was hiding things from her (well, he was but not in the manner that she was thinking).


    It was a lose-lose situation so Kyle did the best that he could.


    It was hard, though.

 Chapter 535 - Little Thief

    Samantha had just been the tip of the iceberg.


    The start.


    Sari also asked about that hickey he got from Country I.


    If Kyle had known that little picture he, Kay and Xing Han had come up with to throw off his parents would bite him in the butt later, he wouldn''t have agreed to it.


    He didn''t really regret it doing it, really. Kyle lived by the motto that he would only do something after thinking of all the consequences. It would be impossible to forsee all the variables, and thus, whatever decision he makes would be the best at that time.


    Regretting something done, based on future events, was a waste of time and emotions.


    Whatever happens in the future, he would deal with it then.


    So it wasn''t really ''regret'' that he was feeling - more like, frustration.


    He was starting to feel rather frustrated that Sari would pick on his past and question him about it constantly.


    In truth, he truly did understand that she was feeling worried and perhaps, feeling like she couldn''t believe he could fall for her. However, it didn''t stop the frustrations from slowly rising at having to keep convincing her of his feelings.


    In what way had he ever given her any reason to doubt him?


    What Kyle did not know was that her fears stemmed from two things.


    One: she had insecurities that someone as great as him could actually be in love with her and two: these insecurities were being fueled by a certain classmate.


    She had said she believed in him. It wasn''t that she thought he''d cheat on her, but more of the fact that she believed one day, he would perhaps ''wake up'' from this dream and realise she wasn''t for him.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Dina was happy.


    Sari was truly a gullible and easily manipulated girl.


    All Dina needed to do was be her friend and just drop these little hints and remarks. Nothing too obvious but enough to make her think and ponder on it.


    At first, she tried to get Kyle''s attention but that didn''t work. He hardly gave her any time of day and treated her like he did with any person that came to the store.


    Indifference.


    Even when she turned on the charm and treated him nicely, he didn''t change.


    So, she changed her target.


    In fact, she wondered why she hadn''t done this from the start.


    They were classmates, so she had 5 days a week, 6 hours a day, to slowly get herself into Sari''s life.


    Dina never told anyone about Kyle. If others knew, chaos would ensue. She didn''t want that. She wanted to get Kyle all for herself.


    For that, she had to get rid of Sari first.


    Dina was confident that she could get Kyle once this eye-sore was out of the way. It had been so simple to play with Sari''s mind as well.


    First step.


    Get to know Sari better. Rather, get to hang out with her more.


    So Dina started slow.


    She greeted Sari more often. "Hello, how are you" sort of greetings as classmates. Then, asking for help with school work.


    The next step was to create an illusion of closeness through mutual interest. That, of course, meant Kyle. She created an opportunity by sticking a picture of Kyle into one of her textbooks, and having that picture ''accidentally'' fall out just as Sari walked by.


    That was the beginning of the end.


    The end of Sari, that is.


    Dina acted like she was amazed that Sari was also a fan, so she would share all sorts of information she knew about Kyle. Including what she thought about Kyle''s popularity with the girls. The sort of girls Kyle must have been exposed to since young.


    She smirked when she remembered how pale Sari''s face had been then.


    Poor, innocent Sari never really thought about Kyle''s past before: how rich he is and the fact that he was an idol to many women. What she knew him now, is not the real him. Not really.


    Working part-time in a convenience store? Having all this time to himself?


    That was laughable.


    How could this little normal person fit into his actual lifestyle?


    It''s better she knows now, how much she isn''t worthy of him and step back.


    Although it appears as if Kyle''s feelings for her were strong - and he was very protective of her - just how long would that last?


    Dina was patient.


    More so when she could see as time went by, the more Sari appeared to be less confident. More worried.


    Perfect.


    ? Back to the present ?


    As Kyle was thinking hard about what he had to do, he heard a thump behind him. Turning quickly, he saw a little black streak pass by, dragging something in its mouth.


    "Kitty!!" Kyle roared in exasperation.


    He dashed after the little bundle of nottiness, that was now hiding under the bed.


    "Come here now, you little thief," Kyle grumbled as he went on his stomach to look under the bed.


    In response, two innocent green eyes stared back at him, his treasure in its mouth. When she saw Kyle''s hand reaching in, she backed away, growling a bit.


    "Baby, that is mine, you hear me?" Kyle hissed and quickly shot his hand forward to grab the item.


    Kitty didn''t let go and Kyle not only got the item, he also dragged the little Kitty along. Kyle had to laugh as he picked up the item and Kitty was still hanging on to it by her teeth.


    He stared at her, and tenderly took her in his arms. Once cradled, she grabbed the items with her paws and hugged it like it was the most precious thing ever.


    "Baby, if you keep doing this, I''m going to have to go commando you know," Kyle said exasperatingly.


    For some reason, his Kitty loved to steal his underwear.


    S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 536 - Coming Home?

    Kyle placed Kitty on the bed and let her be.


    She wasn''t letting go of her ''treasure'', and he didn''t have the heart (again) to wrench it out of her teeth. He had already moved his underwear to the top drawer but she still managed to get to it.


    She would open the drawer below, then go inside. She would trudge to the end, push the top drawer open from the bottom and then climb up. She did this until she reached her destination, grab what she came for and ran off.


    He had no idea where she hid most of it, as she often got to mischief when he wasn''t at home.


    "Sometimes, Baby, you being intelligent is horrible," Kyle admonish her as he rubbed her head.


    Kitty ignored him, purring contentedly.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    [Kay, I think it''s time we told The Core about us] Kyle said to Kay.


    [What? Really? Why the sudden decision?]


    ''The Core'' here referred to the Main Heads of MIB: Oreo, Cornetto and Twisties.


    [Too many variables] Kyle said [I feel like there''s something going on at Smith Industries and I''ll need MIB to take action. Doing so while being in the dark wouldn''t be beneficial to them at all]


    [I agree] Kay replied [But how are you going to do this? Via Skype? Or are you coming back?]


    Kyle tapped the table and said [I''ll be coming back for this. I ¡­]


    Upon hearing that, Kay''s heart leaped and she jumped up from the bed happily.


    [For good?] Kay interrupted his sentence, feeling too excited.


    There was short silence.


    [Yes]


    Kay gasped.


    She had hoped but she didn''t think he would actually say so. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [But not right now. I still have some things to settle before I do.]


    [You mean, Sari?]


    [Yeah] Kyle replied [It''s complicated. I can''t have her existence known, however, until this danger is cleared. I have no idea what is being planned but I do not want her being used against me]


    [She''s your Achillies Heel, huh? We can always put some agents on her, and her guardians]


    [Definately, but that has too many holes. Too dangerous. It''s best that no one knows about her, or where I''ve been all this while so that it doesn''t get traced back. The agents will be as an additional precaution]


    [I presume that this will only be put into place after you''ve told The Core?]


    [That would be for the best. So they''ll know which agents would be best to be placed. Only the high-level security ones will be used and The Core will be the best to identify who that would be]


    [When ¡­ when will you come back?]


    [Within a month or two] Kyle said [But ¡­ Kay. I''m only coming back to Country Tz. I''m not going home yet]


    [WHY?!] Kay wailed.


    [Whoever it is that is causing trouble is quite well hidden. They''re using my disappearance for something and me coming back openly would only alert them]


    [Urgh. I hate this. This isn''t fair]


    [It''s the life of the Smiths, dear sister] Kyle said [Too many snakes in the grass, too many greedy people]


    [And you think Sari can fit in all of this?]


    Kyle was silent for a while at this question before he answered [As long as she is willing, I will do anything to have her by my side]


    Kyle, after all, had been a ''normal'' girl before he was reborn into this life. He knew and could understand what Sari would be facing, and it wasn''t that hard. He did not have any doubt that she could fit into his world well enough.


    It would be different if it was the other way around: a rich family becoming bankrupt. Kyle would pamper her and she could live the life of leisure.


    How hard could that be, right?


    As for this undercurrent of danger going around at the moment, so long as she stayed within the MIB protection, she would be fine.


    Truth be told, he was a bit excited at the looming danger.


    To pit his brains against others. To flex his muscles, figuratively and literally. He didn''t realise how much he missed this until he started thinking and planning on the counter measures.


    It also showed him how much of his current life personality as Kyle was becoming more dominant. The only tie he had now with his past life, and as a woman, was basically his kids. He didn''t even think about his spouse and parents.


    Well, he did make arrangements about his parents but he didn''t really worry about them. He had paid off all their debts, increased their pension payments secretly and all their medical expenses were covered by him.


    They, however, did not know that he had done all of that. They were just told that they were the lucky recipient of some crazy rich dude that wanted to ''give it back'' to random people.


    It was like striking the lottery without needing to buy a ticket.


    [Please get the Team here as well. Separately, at different times in order to avoid detection. They''ll know the drill]


    [Okay, brother] Kay replied, smiling to herself. Even if Kyle wasn''t going to go home, he would be back in the country. She could see him again, even if it was secretly.


    Two years never passed by so slowly before but she had to admit, she had learnt a lot on her own. She also gained an unexpected best friend, too.


    After finalising a few more details, Kyle ended the conversation with Kay.


    The only thing left now is to tell Sari.


    Kyle sighed. That wasn''t something he looked forward to. Leaving her behind was bad enough, but not being able to tell her the full story was worse. More so since she''s been rather clingy and insecure lately.


    He''s going to have to talk to her about it. Get it settled before he leaves.

 Chapter 537 - Sowing His Wild Oats?

    "No way," Edward shouting, his hands on the table and leaning forward at Zero''s face.


    "Yes, way," Zero answered, his facial expression not changing as his eyes didn''t leave the computer screen.


    "WOOT!!" Edward shouted, turning around and giving a high five with the others - except for Zero, who hadn''t moved from his spot.


    "Finally, he''s coming home," sniffed Akira, his hand on his chest.


    "Not yet. We have to go there first and help Sir settle things," Lucka pointed out.


    "Pish posh, a small matter," Edward said and grinned, his eyes twinkling, "It''s even better. We can finally meet this Sari person. Dibs on being first!"


    "No!" protested Yume, "You were first the last time!"


    "You snooze, you lose," Edward snorted then his eyes widened as Yume attacked him.


    "You can''t be first if you''re in a wheelchair!" he roared while trying to find an opening.


    It didn''t take long for the other two to join in the fray.


    Zero, on the other hand, ignored them.


    He didn''t really care and let them all argue it out amongst themselves. The order of who goes first wasn''t important to him. He was just happy that Kyle finally called upon them again.


    While they were busy arguing, Zero already started on the preparations to go, putting himself on the list as the first to go. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he finalised the methods and arrangements and sent it to Kay.


    A ''ping'' sounded and his plans were approved.


    A slow smile formed on his face.


    Soon, they''ll be whole again.


    "Wait. What was that ping?" came a voice belatedly.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "You know, it''s been almost two years now that Kyle has gone off the grid," Dina said with a huge sigh.


    Sari nodded, hardly paying any attention while she was doing her homework. She liked to do as much as she could in school during any free time, so that she had more time to relax at home.


    "When do you think he''ll be back?" Dina looked at Sari, asking innocently.


    She hid a smile upon seeing that face scrunch up a bit, and the pen stopped moving for a second before she answered, "I wouldn''t know."


    "It should be soon, don''t you think so?" Dina said while exaggeratingly spreading her hands up in the air, "It''s been two years!! Two whole years. I wonder where he went. Studies? Sowing his wild oats?"*


    At that, Sari did turn her head towards Dina, "Whatever do you mean? Sowing his wild oats?"


    Dina laughed, waving her hand in front of her face, "Sorry, sorry. You''re such an innocent girl. I shouldn''t corrupt you."


    Sari frowned at that and Dina sighed.


    "Think about it," Dina said, rather reluctantly, "Kyle is from Country Tz. He''s a young, handsome guy and according to the laws of his country, he''s already an adult. You know, he can ¡­ *cough* ¡­ let''s just say that I wouldn''t be surprised if he''s out there, somewhere, just having fun before he has to go back to being the Smith Heir."


    "I mean, come on," Dina said with a wistful smile, "What girl would refuse him? I certainly wouldn''t."


    "I''m sure Kyle isn''t that sort of person," Sari denied, continuing her work although her mind was reeling.


    Dina laughed at that, "What? What sort of person are you talking about? One who hasn''t had sex yet? He''s a guy, for goodness sake! And remember that hickey he tried to hide? The fact that his own sister didn''t see anything wrong about exposing it shows you what sort of life they lead?"


    "Wild and free," Dina said with an exaggerated sigh, "Not like us, with a more conservative society. Mark my words, he''s no virgin. He''s certainly seen the world ¡­ and a whole lot of beautiful girls flinging themselves at him."


    Dina lay on the table, but gave a side glance at Sari, noting with pleasure the way her face contorted.


    Looks like her guess was right.


    Though during the prom, they had talked trash about her already doing it with Rex, Dina didn''t believe it had truly happened. Sari was just too naive and innocent - and from her interactions with Sari, it was obvious that she was still ''untouched''.


    Dina smiled at that.


    Of course Kyle wouldn''t do anything to Sari. She didn''t have much to offer anyway.


    "He''s a walking sex stud," Dina said with a grin, laughing at the way Sari''s face turned deep red, "You can''t deny that. With that perfect body, that gorgeous face ¡­. Oh, man. Just imagining those ¡­ erm, lips are indeed hot."


    Sari didn''t say a word, trying hard to ignore Dina''s ramblings.


    However, she coudn''t help but think about Kyle''s past. Also, the fact that he seemed less ''touchy-feely'' since prom. He has not kissed her since then, and the most he did was just hug her.


    Has he already cooled down? Has his interest in her slowly die? Does he not want her anymore?


    She blushed thinking that.


    She remembered so well how his lips had felt and how she had reacted to that. He had stopped, and had even said he was holding back but now, he hadn''t even looked like he was interested enough anymore.


    No, it wasn''t that she wanted to sleep with him but the fact that he didn''t seem interested in even giving her a kiss made her a bit worried.


    Dina was right that Kyle''s lifestyle was completely different. Just how far had he gone with Samantha? Kissing, obviously ¡­ but what about that?


    Sari gulped.


    Could she ask? Should she ask?


    Did she want to know?


    Sari bit her bottom lips. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps she should be more pro-active?


    Instead of waiting for him to make a move all the time, she should be the one that does so. Maybe he was just waiting for the right moment?


    With that thought, Sari steeled herself to do so.

 Chapter 538 - A Date

    It was the weekend, and Kyle had asked Sari out on a date that day.


    It was also the day that Kyle decided he had to tell Sari about him leaving. The date had been planned from morning till evening, so he figured he had plenty of time to bring it up and talk it through.


    He also had to make sure that she didn''t start having weird thoughts once they were apart. This would be the first true test of their relationship, he supposed. If they could handle being apart, then they would be able to weather any storm.


    Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?


    Of course, Kyle chose to blatantly ignore the opposite of that: out of sight, out of mind.


    Kyle rode his bicycle over, and parked it at the side of the gate when he arrived. He was wearing a cap, with his long hair tied back in a ponytail and his eyes hid behind dark sunglasses.


    He took them off at the door, of course, and waited patiently after ringing the doorbell.


    He could hear Sari shouting, "I''m going now! Will be back late tonight."


    The door flung open and Sari quickly pushed Kyle ahead, "Quick, quick, before Uncle comes out. Once he starts talking, it''ll be hours before we can make a move!"


    Kyle laughed at that and did as he was told.


    Kyle had modified his bicycle in order to allow Sari comfort as a passenger on his bicycle. He had mounted a backrest just above the wheel at the back,* which was essentially a cushioned seat with a backrest.


    Similar to how a child seat would be placed at the rear end of the bicycle, though this was meant for adults.


    He had placed bike pegs at the back wheels as well, so all Sari needed to do was sit down on the backseat, place her feet on the bike pegs and hold on to him as he cycled off.


    Sari smiled widely as Kyle pedaled off, happy to escape the confines of the house and spend time with Kyle.


    They went for lunch at a cozy cafe nearby before going to a movie.


    Sari chose the movie and she asked nervously, "Is this okay?"


    Kyle didn''t care, really. He didn''t have any preference for any movie, and all he wanted was just to spend time with her.


    "Sure. Anything is fine," Kyle replied.


    Sari was a bit nervous at that.


    Was it really fine? She tried to choose something that she thought he might like, and it appalled her to realise that she didn''t really know what he would like.


    "Really?" she asked, just to make sure.


    "Yes, really," Kyle told her, smiling, "Don''t worry. I like anything."


    Sari nodded, but not fully convinced. Kyle always indulged her and she was afraid that her choices were too boring. He never complained but how long would that be?


    Figuring it out could be exhausting as well.


    "I''ll get the snacks. Do you want anything other than popcorn?" Kyle asked as he led her to a resting area.


    "I can follow you," Sari said, but Kyle shook his head.


    "The queue is long. You''ll get tired," Kyle replied, "You just wait for me here."


    Sari opened her mouth to insist, then changed her mind.


    She didn''t want to be a bother, so she obediently sat down and watched him go with a sigh. Sari started fiddling with her phone while she started thinking of how she would bring up the subject of his lack of intimacy.


    Her face started going red as she thought about it, feeling that it was really going to be her acting completely out of her comfort zone. What is she going to say?


    ''Hey, Kyle, why haven''t you been kissing me lately?''


    Even the sound of that made her feel like a pervert.


    All throughout the day, she had been thinking when would be the ''right'' moment for a kiss but to her dismay, there wasn''t any.


    Was she overthinking things?


    Although it may sound like it''s a simple thing, in reality, it isn''t, is it?


    They couldn''t do it in public and they were hardly together alone in any place.


    Then, she thought of the cinema that was dark. She quickly dismissed the thought, however. They wouldn''t be alone and their seat tickets weren''t right at the back. Not only would those beside her notice anything, but those behind them would also as well.


    Sari sighed.


    Who would have thought that getting a kiss from your boyfriend would be so hard?


    Kyle came then, the goodies in his hands and his face with a smile. Sari smiled back at that, and figured that she was just being silly now. Kyle had always respected her and never went beyond what''s ''acceptable''.


    Thus, she should be the one to indicate to him that she was not averse to more ''lovey-dovey'' moments.


    It was going to be hard to bring it up, though.


    They watched the movie (which was okay) with just him holding out the popcorn for her (so he couldn''t hold her hand even if he wanted to). Sari wanted to take the opportunity by leaning on his shoulder, but she was too embarrassed to do so.


    Thus, the movie watching went by with just them watching the movie.


    At the end of the movie, it was late evening. They walked out and Kyle took her hand in his after he threw away the empty drink cups and popcorn container.


    "So, where to next?" Sari asked with a smile.


    Kyle smiled and said, "It''s a secret." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh?" Sari said, tilting her head while looking up at him, "A surprise?"


    "You could say that," Kyle replied, his smile faltering bit.


    Sari leaned on his arm. Kyle felt a bit conflicted, and nervous, about ''the talk''. The talk itself was nerve-racking, but one more important question arose before this.


    Where the heck does one go to have these talks?

 Chapter 539 - Breaking Up

    Since it was going to be a serious and personal talk, Kyle had to figure out the best place for such a talk. It had to be one that allowed them the freedom to talk, yet Of course, the first thing that came to his mind which he dismissed immediately, was his house.


    It would definitely give him the privacy that they needed, but he was also worried that he may not be able to control himself having her all to himself at home.


    Public places were too public, for he wasn''t sure what her reaction would be upon finding out that he was leaving.


    It was a dilemma indeed.


    Googling didn''t help either. All he got was that the places you go to should match what you were going to talk about.


    For example, if you''re going to ask the person out, then ask right after sharing a fun and special moment together. If you''re going to be talking about having kids, then do so right after seeing kids at school or something similar. If you''re going to break-up, it''s best to do it in public if the person is prone to anger.


    In his case?


    In the end, he decided to book the entire helipad lounge at Tower KH. It was actually a functional helipad by day, but at night, it becomes a rooftop bar.


    Ordinarily, it would not be open for private bookings, but with the amount Kyle was willing to pay, Kyle managed to do so. He simply gave an offer the owner could not refuse: twice the amount the owner would have gotten from a normal day''s earnings.


    He also paid extra to have just one table and chair near the edge of the rooftop so that they got the best view. They wouldn''t be drinking, of course, and it would mainly be just desserts and normal drinks.


    All of the stuff had been planned and arranged beforehand, so all Kyle needed to do was head on over.


    Tower KH was in the middle of the golden-triangle of the City. The roads were closed for vehicles, and people could only walk or cycle in the area. Hence, Kyle had no problem reaching the place.


    Sari''s eyes were wide open to be in the city, for she hardly went to such places. All the way to the rooftop, Sari was nervous and felt she was underdressed. The whole area screamed ''luxury'' and she felt a little bit out of place.


    However, Kyle was non-plussed and simply walked through like it was nothing. Even though he was in casual clothes, too, Sari couldn''t help but think that on Kyle, he didn''t look out of place at all.


    Perhaps it was his aura? Or the way he carried himself.


    When Kyle had dressed up for the prom, that aura was seen trickling through. Now, it was more prominent to Sari because he exuded it even though he was not dressed up. It was the first time she got a glimpse of his ''real'' self.


    It made her even more nervous, but she held it in.


    When Kyle brought her to the rooftop, she gasped.


    There was a single table, with a white table cloth and a rose in a vase. A waiter stood nearby, waiting for them and waited patiently as they walked towards the table.


    Sari took in the whole scene in a daze. The setting was sweet and romantic, the view was breathtaking and surreal.


    "Like it?" Kyle asked as he pulled the chair for her.


    She sat down, nodding. "It''s like a fairy tale," she said.


    Kyle smiled and replied, "Nothing but the best for you."


    Sari smiled shyly.


    "I know you''re still full from the snacks we had at the cinema, so it''ll only be light snacks and dessert," Kyle explained before Sari could ask.


    As if on cue, the finger food were delivered and the waiter left them, so they were all alone on the rooftop. Kyle was sitting right next to Sari, as they faced the city skyline. The sun was about to set and they were both quiet for a while, as they basked in the scenery.


    As the sky became golden upon the sun setting, Kyle took Sari''s hand in his. Sari turned to look at him, and noticed his serious expression.


    "Sari, there''s something I need to tell you," Kyle began, as he gently stroked the back of her hand as he stared at their joined hands.


    "What is it?" Sari asked, her heart in her throat.


    He lifted his head, and Sari could see his clear eyes looking slightly sad. This made her even more nervous and she held herself back from jumping to conclusions.


    The day had been so great, so he couldn''t be breaking up with her, could he?!


    "I''m leaving," Kyle said, dropping the bombshell, "I''ll be heading back home soon."


    Sari''s lips quivered and she found herself being a bit out of breath.


    "When?" she managed to ask in a whisper, gripping his hand tightly.


    She knew this day had to come, even from that first time she found out who he was - but she had been too scared to ask him. Now that the day is here, she found that she had difficulty breathing, just thinking about it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The end of the month," Kyle said.


    "That''s in two weeks'' time!" Sari shouted, agitated, tears falling down her face.


    Kyle reached over, wiping the tears with his thumbs, "I''m sorry."


    Sari shook her head, sniffing as she looked down, "Don''t be. I knew you had to leave some day. I ¡­ I just didn''t think it would be so soon."


    "Well, it has been over a year," Kyle pointed out.


    "I know that!" Sari hissed, a bit annoyed at Kyle stating the obvious.


    "I will be back for you," Kyle said, "Will you wait for me?"


    Sari was surprised, "You''re not breaking up with me?"


    Now Kyle was surprised, "No! Whatever gave you that idea?!"

 Chapter 540 - Don’t Tempt Me

    Sari fidgeted in her seat, looking away, feeling a bit flustered at how annoyed and angry Kyle seemed to be.


    "I mean, well, you''re going home to Country Tz while Country M is my home," Sari said meekly, "The distance isn''t short, so naturally I''d think you''d want to break up."


    "Why is that the first thing that comes to your mind?" Kyle hissed, getting slightly more annoyed, "Do you think so little of me? Of my feelings for you?"


    "No, it''s not that," Sari said, denying what Kyle was saying.


    She wanted this relationship more than anything but she didn''t think ¡­ she didn''t think he''d actually want to go through the entire long distance relationship thing.


    "Then what is it?" Kyle pressed on, "Sari, don''t think I haven''t noticed. You''ve ¡­ well, you seem to have become unsure about us. About me."


    Sari shook her head vehemently, denying his allegations and avoiding looking at his eyes, "You broke up with Samantha when she moved. And she was just moving to another state. She didn''t even go to another country! What else am I supposed to think?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle sighed and grabbed Sari''s hands.


    Just how was he going to get through to her? Granted, considering what she thinks she knows of Samantha, her fears were probably legit, but it still annoyed him. Did he, in any way, give her any indication that his feelings for her had waned?


    Was she not feeling his love for her?


    Kyle pulled her to him, making her sit on his lap. She resisted at first, but he was too strong and she found she could not escape from his firm hold.


    He buried his head in the crook of her neck as he said, "Sari, Samantha is the past. Whatever it had been with her, it''s long gone. My relationship with her was different. What I felt for her is nothing to how I feel about you."


    "With her, maintaining any long-distance relationship wouldn''t work, so it was best that we set each other free," Kyle explained. Which was true, if they had really been a couple. Samantha needed lots of physical intimacy and abstinence was hardly her strong point.


    He hugged her tight and continued, "I won''t lie and say that there hadn''t been anyone before you, but it''s also the truth when I say that you''re the first person I have truly fallen in love with."


    He breathed in her unique scent at the base of her neck, sending shivers down Sari''s spine.


    Kyle leaned back and stared at her, saying, "I have never lied to you and I never will lie to you. For any relationship to work, this is the most basic thing. So trust me, okay?"


    Sari bit her lower lip, feeling extremely nervous.


    Somehow, the words, ''trust me'' set warning bells. The more someone says so, the more you doubt. Trust is strange that way. You either trust a person, or you don''t - but when someone asks you to trust the person, you start wondering if there''s something he or she is hiding.


    Sari felt she was being ridiculous but she couldn''t help feeling what she felt.


    Also, the fact that they were so close made her unable to think properly. For all her talk about wanting more intimacy, now that she''s actually in his arms, she couldn''t help but feel very, very nervous.


    Kyle caressed her cheek, hardly noticing the sort of effect he was having on her as he was concentrating too much on getting his point across.


    "Promise me as well that you''ll never lie to me," Kyle said softly, his fingers trailing along her jawline, "That you''ll always talk to me. Tell me your fears, your dreams, your wishes."


    He ran his thumb on her lips, feeling its softness and his mind was wandering a bit at that.


    He had held himself back so many times, and he suddenly thought that putting her on his lap was perhaps not the best move. Before he could process that, Kyle claimed the lips he had been dreaming of, for so long.


    It was as if a dam broke between them.


    From the first touch of their lips, Sari instinctively opened them, allowing Kyle easy access. He slipped his tongue in, feeling her quiver as their tongues touched.


    This time, he didn''t go in deep and hard, but slowly explored her mouth as he gently licked, sucked and nipped all over her lips and tongue. His hands slipped underneath her shirt, feeling the soft skin of her back as he slowly caressed it.


    Sari wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, her fingers playing with his hair as she let herself be swept away by the sensations that Kyle was invoking within her. Everything seemed to fade away, and she even forgot that they were actually out in the open.


    Kyle groaned inwardly, feeling his pants getting to be very, very tight and uncomfortable. It certainly was a very good thing that they weren''t at his house.


    As it is, he reigned in his desire and stopped the kiss, giving her a peck on the lips before just holding her tightly to him.


    Sari was breathing heavily, and with unprecedented boldness, she whispered, "Kyle, before you go, please ¡­ make me yours."


    Kyle blinked and was oh, so tempted. So very, very tempted.


    He gulped and in response, he kissed her hard once again, before saying, "Oh God, Sari. No, I can''t. Not until I have put the ring on your finger."


    Sari gripped his shirt, tears forming in her eyes.


    It had taken a lot out of her to make such a bold request. Now that he had actually refused her, she didn''t know where to put her face. She was so ashamed that she wanted to bury herself into a deep hole.


    Did he think that she was so cheap to offer herself like that?


    "Don''t tempt me so," Kyle said hoarsely in her ear.

 Chapter 541 - Don’t Doubt My Feelings

    "Your first time should be special, without fear and without guilt. No matter how much I want you, and how much I am touched by what you just offered, I can''t."


    "You are my Sari, my one and only," Kyle said, his eyes full of love, "The day I take you, is the day that you''re my wife."


    Then, with a mischevious glint in his eyes, he said, "And I''ll truly savour that moment, too. I''ll make love to you all night long. And the next morning. And the afternoon, and evening, and night ¡­"


    Sari went a deep, deep red and put her hands on his mouth, saying, "Okay! I get it!"


    Kyle grinned under her hand and kissed her palm.


    "So ¡­" Sari began, hesitatingly, bringing her hands down.


    "So..?" Kyle prompted.


    Sari gulped and then gathered her courage once again, to ask, "So it''s not because you don''t .. you know, don''t feel that ¡­"


    Kyle blinked for a second before he realised what she was referring to. Was that what she was worried about? That he didn''t desire her?


    Flashes of his past life suddenly went through his mind and he sighed, shaking his head. Knowing how sheltered Sari is, the question she is asking seriously took a lot out of her.


    She was certainly far braver than he had been. Then again, his spouse hadn''t exactly been forthcoming about sharing either. Just having him ignore her attempts was already bad enough.


    So Kyle wanted Sari to know that his decision wasn''t because he didn''t want her. He took one of her hand and put it on his chest.


    "Do you feel that?" he asked gently.


    She gulped, feeling the hard muscle of that perfect body.


    "That''s my heart beating fast for you," Kyle said.


    Sari blushed, thinking, ''oh''. It was his heartbeat that he wanted her to feel.


    She felt that she had just managed to get her face back to normal when he just had to go and do something like this, making her blush again. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She tilted her head, and pressed a bit more, nodding as she felt the rhythm.


    It was true.


    It was beating as fast as her heart was.


    Then, with a smirk, Kyle brought her hand down lower and Sari''s eyes widened as it slid from his chest, to his navel ¡­ and down below.


    She could feel the well-defined muscles, even through the shirt, and it made Sari''s head spin and she seriously felt like she would get a nosebleed. Just when she was getting her head to function again, Kyle had placed her hand right on his crotch.


    "And that," Kyle said, bringing his face close to her extremely red face, "Is proof of how much you affect me."


    Kyle took her hand off, and kissed her palm again before giving her a brief kiss on the lips.


    "So don''t ever doubt my feelings and desire for you," Kyle said.


    Sari couldn''t say a word, not knowing what to say or where to look. She was that embarrassed.


    Kyle sighed, putting his forehead on hers, and said, "Maybe that was a bit much for you, but your reaction is exactly the reason why I''m taking this slow."


    "So remember," Kyle said as he looked into her eyes, "Always be open and honest with me, okay? You can ask me anything and I will always be truthful to you."


    Sari nodded.


    "I''ll be busy for the next couple of weeks," Kyle said, "Packing and stuff. I''ve already resigned from work, but will still walk you home next week. If Uncle is fine with it, my house is always open for you to come over. My people will be arriving from tomorrow, so it''s safe."


    "Your people?"


    "I have my own team of subordinates," Kyle explained, "So they''re coming over to help me with the move."


    Sari nodded again, "Okay, I''ll ask Uncle. I''m sure he''ll be fine. I want to spend as much time with you as I can before you leave."


    Kyle smiled, "I''d like that, too."


    "How long will you be gone?" Sari asked.


    Kyle took a deep breath, "One year. Maybe, two. I will try to be back for a visit when you graduate secondary school but no promises."


    He sighed as he looked at the city skyline, "I have a lot of issues to deal with back home. Once that is settled, I will be bringing you home to meet my parents. Until then, we have to keep our relationship a secret."


    Sari looked at him in puzzlement, her heart getting worried about that. A secret?


    "Why?" Sari asked in a whisper, afraid of the answer.


    Kyle hesitated. Should he tell her? He looked at her innocent face and knew that she wouldn''t be able to handle the full truth.


    He had to slowly bring her into his world and telling her ''I have many enemies and you may be in danger'' may not exactly be the best words to say at the moment. So he decided to be vague, but enough to give her an idea.


    "I don''t want to disrupt your life," Kyle said, "If the media finds out that you''re my girlfriend, and I had been hiding her all this while, your life is going to be hectic. I won''t be here to protect you."


    Sari''s eyes went wide at that, "They wouldn''t be interested in me, would they?"


    Kyle laughed and said, "You''re my beloved. It''s going to be something like a Cinderella type of story, or they may twist it and make it sound bad. Whatever it is, please. Until I can bring you to my side, you have to keep my identity a secret from everyone."


    "Okay," Sari agreed.


    Although it sounded too much like a movie to be true and that Kyle was over-reacting, Sari agreed. She looked at him and was sad again.


    "I''m going to miss you so much," she said, tearing up again.


    "We''ll make this work," Kyle promised.

 Chapter 542 - Who Is She?

    The days passed by like a blur for Sari then.


    There wasn''t much that she could do when she was in school, and she was truly glad that the following week was the mid-school break.


    She wanted to spend all her free time with Kyle, and getting her Uncle''s permission to do so had been difficult. Luckily, he relented in the end.


    So, here she was.


    Right outside the gate to Kyle''s house.


    She didn''t tell him she was coming as she wanted to surprise him.


    She noted that the gate wasn''t locked, and with a slight frown, she opened it and entered. It was dangerous to have the gate unattended as anyone could just enter.


    Like her.


    Sari reached the front door and noted that there were a lot of shoes outside. Like Kyle had said, his subordinates were here to help him move, and she was suddenly nervous thinking about meeting them.


    She was going to knock on the door when, on a hunch, she tried the doorknob.


    With a bigger frown, she noted that it was unlocked!


    How careless could Kyle be?


    "Hello?" Sari said tentatively as she opened the door nervously.


    She looked into the living room, which was empty of people but full of boxes. Some were already sealed and some were still open. The sealed boxes had labels on them and she noted with interest that they were labeled with addresses on them.


    She then heard a sound coming from Kyle''s bedroom, so she went towards it.


    The door was ajar and when she walked through, she froze.


    There was a woman in his bedroom.


    The woman was gorgeous and was looking at her with a smile as she said, "You must be Sari. Sir is at the back with the others." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you doing in here?" Sari asked, not able to keep the edge out of her voice.


    It was bad enough to find a woman in her boyfriend''s bedroom ¡­ it was worse as Sari had seen how she seemed to be hiding something. She pretended not to have noticed, however, but her eyes darted towards the item that the lady was holding behind her back.


    "I''m getting a towel for Sir," the woman answered, as she held out a towel in front of her. She smiled, and headed to the door, her other hand stuffing whatever she had held earlier, into her pocket.


    Sari''s eyes narrowed.


    Why did it look like Kyle''s underwear?!


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    Agent Milk cursed under her breath as she walked past Sir''s girlfriend.


    It really had been bad timing.


    Like she had told Sir''s girlfriend, she had entered to take a towel for Sir. As she opened the drawer, she had seen something dark peeking out from behind the cabinet. Since Sir was packing up, it was only natural for her to get it, right?


    Who would have thought she would have found a pile of Sir''s underwear?


    She had just taken the last one when she heard a sound behind. On instinct, she twirled and groaned to see that it was Sir''s girlfriend.


    She wasn''t doing anything wrong, but how was she to explain holding Sir''s underwear? So she had to hide it but turns out, Sir''s girlfriend still noticed it.


    Milk hoped that even though Sir''s girlfriend noticed something, she wouldn''t know what it was. Who would believe that she found the underwear and that she hadn''t been trying to steal it?!


    So, with a straight face, Milk walked on like she hadn''t done anything wrong.


    Which she didn''t.


    She is innocent!


    Still, Milk was rather flustered upon discovering the type of underwear Sir uses. She gulped, remembering the size of the underwear pouch.


    There were things she didn''t want to know about her boss, and his size was one of them. Now she won''t be able to look at him without imagining it and she felt like hitting her head to get the image out.


    "Sir is this way," Milk said with a smile as she tried to keep the expression on her face as neutral as possible.


    Sari was quiet as she followed the woman.


    Leaving through the back door of the kitchen, Sari watched in amazement at the scene in front of her.


    Kyle was half-naked, wearing only loose track bottoms and was barefoot in the back garden. He had one guy in a choke-hold, and had just turned to kick another guy before he seemed to twist the neck of the guy he had in his arms.


    The guy twisted his body along with that and landed on his back while another came attacking Kyle from behind.


    Kyle just moved his body slightly to the side, grabbing the guy''s wrist and swept the guy off his feet by swinging his legs behind. The guy fell flat onto the guy that had been on the ground.


    Sari had her hand on her mouth then, unable to fully comprehend what she was looking at.


    Kyle could fight?


    It didn''t look anything like the movies and the guys around him appeared to be attacking for real. Her eyes darted to the others that were nearby and she screamed when she saw him throw a knife at the back of Kyle''s head.


    Kyle''s head jerked up upon hearing her scream, and just when she thought she was going to see her beloved''s head being split open - he actually grabbed the hilt of the knife in mid-air.


    Without missing a beat, he threw the knife back at the guy who had thrown it, who also caught it expertly.


    "Sari!" Kyle said excitedly, "Why didn''t you tell me you were coming?"


    He got up, and Sari gulped, seeing the perfect body exposed for all to see.


    His lean muscles seemed to ripple as he moved, his well-defined six-pack with beads of sweat glistening tantalizingly on his skin, with some dripping down ...


    Sari felt her mouth became dry.

 Chapter 543 - Kyle’s Aides

    "Sir, your towel," Milk said as she held out the towel to Kyle as he got close.


    Kyle flashed her a smile, taking it and wiped his face and chest before grabbing Sari by the waist and pulled her close.


    He kissed her nose and asked, "How did you get here?"


    Sari didn''t know where to put her hands.


    His chest was bare, and she was too embarrassed to put it there. If she put it around his waist, she would also be touching bare skin. If she went lower, then she''d be touching his firm butt.


    In the end, she simply held her hands together in front of her chest, in the small space between them.


    Kyle couldn''t help but grin at that, thinking that this little pure one had actually offered herself a week ago. Thank goodness it had been at a place that he couldn''t take her there and then - and that he could hold back.


    No matter how you look at it, it would be like he was bullying a child.


    He loved this girl, so his body naturally reacted to that, despite her young age. Even if he had the soul of a 40-year-old when he had been reborn, it wasn''t as if he continued to age in his mind.


    Well, he did in a way, but not like what some people would think.


    There wasn''t much difference between the thoughts of a 40-year-old with a 50-year-old after all. Also, since his experience in this life was really that of a young boy - he didn''t feel ''old''.


    You are, after all, as young as you feel and the only difference now is that his physical age seemed to be catching up to his mental maturity. His experience as ''Kylie'' didn''t exactly help his life as Kyle either.


    Whatever he achieved in this life, may have gotten a jump start because of his past life experiences but it wasn''t much. It was his current life that gave him that edge and that much needed push.


    Without the Smith money in the beginning, and the Smith genes, he would have taken far longer to achieve what he did.


    Right now, he was kinda enjoying the sort of effect he was having on Sari as well. Seeing her ears go red and her looking flustered made the beast in him want to tease her more.


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    "GET OFF!" roared Edward, pushing Yume off off him.


    Yume rolled over, and lay on his back, staring at the sky, "Sir hasn''t lost it at all."


    Akira came to sit next to them, using the handle of the knife he had thrown to scratch his head a bit, "Worse, he got better."


    "He wasn''t holding back at all," groaned Edward, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "He told you he wasn''t going to," Zero pointed out, his face stoic as ever when he heard this as he reached them. He hadn''t been part of the little exercise, choosing wisely to just watch from afar.


    Lucka came over then, holding a black and white cat in his arms, "I''ve never seen Sir have that expression before."


    All of them turned to look at Kyle, who was laughing while holding on tightly to Sari.


    They all sighed.


    Kyle turned his head and shouted at them, "How long are you guys going to laze around there?"


    "Ooops," Edward groaned, getting up, "Back to work."


    Sari watched as five young, good-looking men came their way.


    "Those are your subordinates?!" she said in amazement, "They''re so young!"


    "Sari, these are my most trusted aides," Kyle said, introducing all of them, "Zero, Akira, Yume, Edward, and Lucka. You can ask them for anything."


    Five of them clicked their heels together, gave a slight bow and said, "Young Mistress."


    Sari was flabbergasted at that.


    "That''s how it''s done at my country," Kyle explained, "It''s a formal manner of them acknowledging you as my other half."


    Sari gulped.


    Kyle''s world was so mind-boggling.


    "And this," Kyle said, indicating Milk, "Is Nialla. She''s my bodyguard-slash-personal assistant."


    Nialla aka Milk nodded her head, "Young Mistress."


    Sari pursed her lips at that, "PA? And bodyguard? She''s such an all-rounder?"


    "My Team deals with most stuff, while Nialla is here in that capacity just to help me with the additional stuff," Kyle explained.


    "So, you mean she''s not normally your bodyguard-slash-PA?" Sari asked again, looking up at him.


    "No, not normally," Kyle said, "She fills whatever capacity I need."


    "Anything?" Sari asked, her eyes narrowed.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, tilting his head and looking at her, "Why?"


    "Even personal matters?" Sari asked, staring at his chest, thinking that was far easier than looking up at his face.


    Not by much, but still ¡­


    "Of course," Kyle said, not understanding where she was going with this.


    Milk was MIB, and be it for the Smith Industries (work), or what he needed done for his kids (personal capacity), she was more than qualified.


    Sari''s mind whirled a bit at what Kyle said.


    She couldn''t help but think of what Dina had been rambling on once. About how some rich kids were like the olden days Eastern Fantasy novels that had a person assigned to them to help them ease their physical needs.


    She thought of how comfortable Nialla had been in Kyle''s bedroom, and how she tried to hide his underwear from her sight. It all pointed to her ''servicing'' Kyle in that capacity.


    "What is on your mind, Sari?" Kyle asked, bringing her closer as he peered at her face.


    "Nothing," Sari mumbled, "I was just thinking that your life is really like a fairy tale. Such young, capable aides. A beautiful woman as your PA that attends to your every need."


    Kyle smirked.


    "Are you jealous of Nialla?" he asked, as he brought his lips to her ear. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No!" Sari denied, then pouted when she saw his knowing smirk.


    "Maybe a little," she admitted.

 Chapter 544 - A Promise

    Kyle hugged her close, and Sari was flustered to be having such skin contact with Kyle''s naked chest.


    "There''s nothing to be jealous about," Kyle said leaning back, "Though I am happy that you are jealous."


    Sari pouted, starting to twirl her finger on Kyle''s chest, "You''re so bad."


    Kyle gulped and lowered his head, saying, "Sari, if you keep doing that, I''m going to show you how bad I can be."


    Sari froze when she realised what she was doing and started blushing. Kyle laughed a bit, kissed her forehead and let her go. It was only then that she realised that they were alone.


    "Where did everyone go?" she asked, looking around in puzzlement.


    "Oh, they went to work," Kyle said with a laugh, "Apparently, can''t stand PDAs."


    Rather, they are so unused to seeing their beloved boss being so lovey-dovey that it made their skin crawl. Playful boss, yes. Skilled boss. Killer boss even.


    But this?


    He looked like a normal teenager in love.


    It was just too weird.


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    The week flew by in a flash. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sari spent all of her days during the school break at Kyle''s house, and got to see another side of Kyle that she had never seen before.


    First, since he was in the house and rarely went out, he didn''t bother with his disguise of having his long hair and those big dark-rimmed glasses covering his face. His contacts were not on either and he tied his hair back.


    So she got used to seeing ''Kyle'' more often, and he was acting like a real live ''working'' Kyle. Something like how she envisioned Kyle would be from the poster of him in her room.


    The way his men acted around him: with respect and a little bit of awe. The way Kyle ordered them around: with authority and confidence.


    It was amazing how they emptied the house within that week.


    Everything that Kyle didn''t need, had been packed.


    All the furniture and kitchen appliances were going to be donated to a shelter a day before he leaves, the books had all been donated to the library and most of his clothes had been given away.


    The one that required the most preparation, however, was Kitty.


    Sari was stroking Kitty, who was purring contentedly on the sofa.


    "I wish I was you," Sari whispered.


    Kyle was bringing Kitty back home with him, since she couldn''t take care of Kitty. She had been surprised at that, thinking that he was going to find her a new home. When she had said that, he had looked completely shocked.


    "Kitty is family," Kyle said, "Family means no one gets left behind."*


    Nialla had obtained the services of PetAir, a company that specialises in relocating animals. They had handled everything: from the vaccination process, getting the necessary approval from the airlines and countries (both Country M and Country Tz), providing the carriers and check-ups.


    Kyle opted for a more personal service, whereby Kitty would be in the carrier in the cabin with him. Even though they had assured him that they were experts in handling animals on long-haul flights, Kyle didn''t want Kitty to be sedated, alone and in the cargo hold.


    Thus, Nialla arranged that Kitty would be with him and a vet and/or nurse would follow them all the way to Country Tz and back.


    Kitty had been made to get used to the carrier, so that she would not be too agitated in the plane. Kyle had also booked the entire first-class suite cabins, so he did not need to worry about Kitty disturbing other passengers.


    It made going home more tolerable as well since he''ll be in a ''hotel suite'', of sorts.


    The vet/nurse would be in the suites to the left while he and Kitty would be using the other remaining two suites. The Team would leave separately, and after Kyle, for they had to handle the final arrangements of the furniture and appliances.


    Nialla would be staying the longest, for she needed to settle the house and would be on bodyguard duty to Sari until a replacement came. The latter being something Sari would not be aware of, of course.


    Sari watched as Nialla carried herself around the house and with Kyle, with envy in her eyes. She didn''t like the jealousy that sprouted within her, but she couldn''t help it. All the while Kyle had been here, he had not given any girl any sort of attention but this time, he did.


    Seeing him interact with another girl - a gorgeous, capable one at that - made her feel unsettled.


    This separation would truly be a test for them.


    Kyle had already assured her that he will call her everyday if he could, but that there would be times that he would not be able to due to work. After all, it would be daytime at his place during the times she is free here.


    Sari sighed again.


    Two years, huh?


    Sari didn''t think it would be two years. It may be longer.


    She is 16 now and would graduate from secondary school next year. She would most likely take some sort of foundation course before entering university, which would take another four years.


    "What are you thinking about?" Kyle asked, hugging her from behind.


    Sari jumped in shock.


    Just how does Kyle go about silently like that? She could have sworn he was across the room earlier, with Nialla and now he''s here?


    Kitty came alive then, getting up and jumping onto his shoulders.


    "Traitor," Sari said under her breath as she looked at Kitty who was now rubbing her head on Kyle''s cheek.


    Kyle laughed.


    Sari leaned against Kyle''s back and said, "This is our last day together and tomorrow, you''ll be gone."


    Kyle hugged her tighter, "Wait for me."


    "I will," Sari promised.


    Kyle kissed her, their final kiss together, sealing the promise made between them.

 Chapter 545 - The Core

    ? Six months later ?


    "Gah, Kitty!" Kyle said with his head bent down due to the weight of his cat on his head, "You''re no longer a cute little kitten, you know?!"


    In response, Kitty simply kneaded his head, her well-trimmed claws coming out once in a while as she made herself comfortable.


    The upper half of her body was on his head while her legs were on his shoulder. While perched there, she surveyed her surroundings like some Queen.


    Nialla came and took Kitty off his head and Kitty looked at her in disdain.


    "If you were more strict with her, Sir, she wouldn''t climb all over you," Nialla remarked.


    Kyle grimaced, hearing the nagging for quite some time already then pointedly ignored her as he continued to type on the computer.


    The plans were finally coming to fruition and Kyle was ecstatic.


    It had taken six months of pure, hard work and lots of infiltration to be able to come up with the comprehensive report that they compiled. He had pushed himself to the limit because he wanted to be able to return to Sari as soon as possible, and he could only do that once this whole ''taking over Smith Industries'' threat was over.


    It wasn''t over yet, but it was close.


    So close.


    Nialla watched her boss go full ''work-mode'', and sighed inwardly. He had been like a demon, hardly sleeping and doing so many things at once. If he hadn''t had his Team, he would have probably been admitted to the hospital for exhaustion already.


    As it was, even the Teams were near exhaustion themselves. The fact that Kyle pushed them to the limits had never been a grouse, for Kyle pushed himself even more than he pushed them.


    All of them worked hard to match his pace (futilely, of course) and didn''t want to be the cause of him not achieving his goals. They were proud that they were the ones who he called upon and they weren''t going to let him down.


    Kyle had only activated the team that he trusted the most, for he wasn''t that egotistical to think that his MIB was completely impenetrable. Luckily, all of his investigations came out clean but it didn''t mean his vigilance was lessened.


    Never take things for granted.


    The Core really ran MIB like it was their own personal family.


    Kyle remembered the day he revealed who they were to them.


    ? Flashback ?


    Oreo, Cornetto, and? Twisties were in the VIP Meeting Room, curious about the sudden summons that day.


    It was rare that their bosses would actually initiate the meeting, for they normally were in contact via emails or calls. Everything encrypted. Face-to-face was really rare, for it only denoted one thing: something extremely important and secretive.


    Well, though one said ''face-to-face'', they''ve never seen their bosses faces. It was always that shadowy silhouette with that voice changer. Though they had been insanely curious about the identity of their bosses, none felt any anger or frustration for not knowing.


    If they weren''t told, it must be for a very good reason.


    They trusted their bosses that much.


    That was why, they were The Core. Any other individual would have started having doubts and MIB would be threatened.


    Exactly on the time of the meeting, the room became dark.


    The bullet-proof windows, which was a one-way mirror that reflected sound, turned grey and the bullet-proof curtains closed. The lighting in the room dimmed and the hidden panel on the wall slid open before the screen behind it flickered to life.


    Their two bosses were there, their shadowy silhouette behind a desk as they sat side-by-side.


    "Boss," the three chorused, seeing them.


    "You must be wondering about this sudden call, right?" came J''s voice, his amusement apparent.


    "Yes, Sir," said Oreo, "Is there an impending crisis looming for MIB?"


    Oreo had tried to think of various reasons for the call and could only come up with that thought.


    "In a way," J replied, "It depends on your perspective."


    "Sir?" Cornetto queried, puzzled.


    "The one that is in danger right now is the Smith Heir. As you know from the preliminary investigations, there seemed to be an undercurrent of a hostile takeover."


    "Yes, Sir," Oreo replied, "We''ve been digging, but nothing so far. The perpetrators are really in deep."


    "Yes, which is why I''ve decided I need to step in personally," J said.


    "Sir, with all due respect, that''s too dangerous," Twisties chimed in, "We can handle this. Just give us more time."


    "How is it dangerous?" J questioned.


    "Erm," Twisties began, stammering. Yes, just how is it dangerous? Nobody knew what J looked like, and his connection to MIB. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I believe Twisties mean that this is a normal operation for us," Oreo stepped in, "To have you take charge personally would be increasing the risk of your exposure and we can''t have that."


    J laughed a bit at that, and said, "Well said, Oreo but in this case, the matter is extremely personal to me and I have to step in."


    Suddenly, the shadowy silhouettes started getting fainter, and soon, the people behind them were revealed.


    Instead of two middle-aged people that they were expecting, it was the Smith Twins.


    "Sorry for the deception all this while," Kyle said in his normal voice with a smile, "But I believe it''s time for The Core to know who we are now."


    Twisties couldn''t help it but stand up, pointing at the screen, "You .. you .. no, it can''t be?! Has it been the two of you all this time?!"


    "Yes," Kay confirmed, leaning on Kyle, "Unbelievable, right? That''s why we couldn''t reveal this sooner."


    Oreo''s mind was reeling over this revelation.


    The person who had saved his life, and his daughter, is Kyle Smith?


    The person he had been tasked to protect when younger? Is his boss?!


    Wait.


    How old were they when they started MIB?! When his daughter was saved?!


    Oreo gulped.


    What sort of monsters were they?

 Chapter 546 - Never Poke A Sleeping Dragon

    Oreo wasn''t the only one who was left in shock.


    Kyle and Kay sat there for a second before Kyle said kindly, "This is why we didn''t reveal ourselves until now. Who would, in their right mind, think a couple of four-year-old kids were the ones behind MIB? Probably would have put it down as a rich-man kids game or that we were crazy."


    "So we had to have time, to let our skills and what we do, be what convinces you," Kay said, "MIB is very important to us. To Kyle."


    "We needed people we could trust, who would stand with us. To grow as we grow," Kyle said seriously, "And now, as I had feared, there is an unprecedented move against my position as the Heir."


    "Taking advantage of Kyle''s leave of absence, they have started making a move," Kay said with a frown.


    Kyle gave a slow smile, "A move that they''re going to regret soon. We''re going to uproot them."


    "Make them as an example of why it is never good to go against tradition. Once the Heir has been chosen, that choice is immutable," Kay declared. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And there is a reason why a Smith who can handle the Smith Anger is chosen," Kyle said, his smile becoming more devious, "They think it''s a weakness. They will soon find out that is not the case. Never poke a sleeping dragon."


    "I. Will. Make. Them. Regret. This," Kyle hissed, emphasizing each word, his simmering anger leaking through.


    The Core could literally feel like that whole room got enveloped in sub-zero temperature. Even though they were on another side of a screen, that could be felt. Oreo, who''s instinct for danger never waned despite not being in active service anymore, had his radar beeping red immediately.


    Oreo''s loyalty towards the MIB boss, that had already been set-in-stone, became even firmer as admiration (to the point of worship-ness) was added to it. He was one that appreciated kindness, reciprocated loyalty, and admired strength.


    To think that a 17-year-old boy had all of these qualities - and more - made Oreo''s eyes sparkle and his heart full.


    Kay put her hand on Kyle''s shoulder, saying, "Brother, your aura is leaking."


    Kyle took a deep breath and sat back, "Apologies for that."


    "Sir, with your permission, I''d like to tell my daughter your identities," Oreo said humbly, "She''s one of MIB''s most loyal agents and has personal reasons for it. After all, you literally saved her life."


    Kyle took it to mean that Oreo meant MIB gave him the opportunity to have the operation which saved her life. He had no idea Oreo already knew that he was the donor that provided the life-saving stem cells.


    Kyle turned to look at Kay, who nodded.


    "Fine," Kyle replied, "The Core will need to find your successors as well. I will take Nialla as your successor, Ralph, so please start training her for taking over your position one day. This goes for the rest of you as well. The decision is important, so take your time in choosing but no longer than two years."


    Everyone nodded, their head still reeling from the revelation.


    ? End of Flashback ?


    Nialla stroked Kitty, who still seemed to be sulking, as she studied the back of Kyle who was engrossed in work.


    When her father told her who the MIB bosses were, she had literally fallen down on the floor. Her knees had become so weak that she couldn''t stand up properly.


    She had known that J had been the one that saved her life, but to think that it was Kyle, had been mind-boggling, to say the least. She had been overwhelmed by the thought of what sort of life the Smith Twins had truly led and her heart felt extreme sadness.


    It was not normal at all.


    She had spent her childhood in hospital, and that had been something that she had lamented about. The fact that she could not be out there and play, to have friends, to be normal.


    When she recovered, she obtained the sort of life she had missed but it could never replace the years lost as a child.


    That was nothing compared to what the Smith Twins had to face.


    From such a young age, they were already building an army, so to speak, to battle the hidden dangers and enemies that were constantly hidden in the shadows.


    Unlike her, they never got back their childhood.


    For some reason, that hit her hard and she vowed that she would do all that she could to protect them. To protect Kyle.


    "Come on, Kitty," Nialla said, "Your Dad needs to work. Don''t disturb him, okay?"


    Nialla placed Kitty on the ground and sat down on the sofa. She took the latest report that had been given yesterday by Kristi to read.


    Kitty jumped onto the coffee table, turned and faced Kyle. Lying down, she yawned and slept.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "I still don''t understand what Sir sees in that girl," complained Grace.


    Kristi, her partner, said without looking at her as she flipped her book, "That''s not for you to think about. All we need to do is protect her."


    Grace stared at the unassuming girl for the umpteenth time.


    With her flowing hair in a ponytail, her slightly babyish face in a smile, she certainly gave off this really wholesome ''girl-next-door'' look coupled with the ''can''t-hurt-a-fly'' vibe.


    "This is the most boring job EVER," Grace continued to complain.


    Finally annoyed, Kristi slammed her book shut and whacked the back of Grace''s head, "Stop that, will you? It''s annoying. She''s a nice girl, anyway."


    "But she''s not in any danger here," Grace said, "So why do we need to go through boring school? again?"


    Kristi pinched the gap between her eyebrows. If it wasn''t for the fact that Grace was really good in her job, she''d bury her alive.


    "Just shut up," Kristi hissed.

 Chapter 547 - A Pattern

    Grace and Kristi were the two agents Milk decided would be best for the job for ensuring Sari''s safety. Although one would have been enough, she also knew how boring it would be to put them into school again.


    Hence, the two were also meant to be company for each other, and to allow a much more seamless method of tailing Sari. Milk knew that the security detail could be boring, but it had to be done.


    This way, Kyle could have peace of mind as he focused on more important things.


    So sacrifices had to be made. Grace and Kristi were the ones who were sacrificed in this case.


    As Nialla read the latest report by them, she wondered whether she ought to tell Kyle about it. He entrusted her fully to handle Sari''s security and had told her to inform him only if there were any danger signs.


    Nialla tapped the file.


    There was no danger per se, but there was a rather worrying observation by Grace. The problem was, it had nothing to do with the sort of danger that Kyle was thinking about.


    Nialla looked back at the studious form of Kyle, then back at the file.


    She shook her head.


    No, this was something rather personal and it had everything to do with Sir''s girlfriend''s personality. This was something that Sari herself would have to go through and learn, rather than have Sir step in.


    He had a lot on his plate right now, and having to pander to his girlfriend would not be beneficial to him. He calls her practically everyday, even though it was difficult.


    Nialla decided that she was not going to interfere with Sir''s choice of a life partner - but that did not include having to do things for her. Not until she is officially his, that is. For now, that girl had to grow on her own.


    With this thought, Nialla sent an order to the two girls : ''Continue to observe and step in only when necessary''


    Back at Country Tz, the two agents got the message.


    "What does it mean, ''step in only when necessary''?" Grace asked, looking at Kristi, "We don''t need to eliminate Dina?"


    Kristi frowned as she looked at Grace, "What the heck are you talking about? Do you hear yourself? Eliminate?"


    "She''s maligning Sir!" Grace hissed, "I mean, come on. That''s enough to already send the death warrant!"


    Kristi rolled her eyes, "She''s a kid, Grace. She''s not endangering Sir''s life in any way."


    "One stupid girl believing the sort of nonsense another stupid girl is feeding her with," Grace mumbled, "Can I at least push her down the stairs?"


    "Who? Dina or Sari?"


    Grace grinned.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sam was having a headache now.


    The moment Kyle got back, his work tripled.


    The problem was, he had to do all of this in secret, without tipping anyone off. If they were to see him work more than normal, that would have raised flags.


    Sam knew that the probability of him being monitored by the enemy was high. It was not a secret that he is Kyle''s PA, and for the past two years, he had been living the ''normal'' life of a teenager in school.


    Except for the fact that he is now an engaged man.


    So if he was to suddenly do things out of the norm, the enemy would be alerted.


    In the end, he had moved to Kyle''s house as that allowed him security and easy access to MIB''s branch below Shifu''s house. Xing Han still stayed at Shifu''s house since his boyfriend was there and that only gave Sam the excuse he needed to constantly visit.


    For this, he had also got his parents to move to another city and MIB managed to secure different jobs for them there. This allowed Sam the reason to stay at Kyle''s house without raising any suspicion.


    He didn''t think anyone would know that was Kyle''s house but it was better to be safe than sorry. The records at the Land Office was for public viewing anyway, and Kyle didn''t want to tamper with those records.


    Right now, he was at Shifu''s house and was on babysitting duties, of all things.


    Hawthorne had to bring May to the hospital as she was feeling rather sick, and Shifu was away on a short holiday with his wife. Xing Han had tagged along with Nitocris to his office so there was no one else at home.


    Sam looked at the one-year-old baby gurgling in the cot and he couldn''t help thinking about the future. And his own kids. With Betty.


    He was good with books, and reading, and analysis.


    This, though.


    This was a human being.


    A little human being.


    The headache was getting worse. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How on Earth could Hawthorne trust him with his son?!


    Sam prayed the doctor''s visit would not take long.


    Fortunately, Baby Joshua was a good baby and didn''t cry unnecessarily. Sam studied the baby''s face and felt it looked like a wrinkled potato.


    Would his kids look like a wrinkled potato?


    He shook his head.


    Definitely not.


    Betty was so adorable, so there was no way his kids would turn out weird.


    Sam poked Joshua''s cheek and the baby didn''t react. He was too busy staring at his own hands, as if it was some sort of unique puzzle to decipher. He was clenching his fist and opening it. Clenching, opening.


    His face has this really studious expression as he did so, and he didn''t appear to be tired doing so.


    With a sigh, Sam sat back down and continued his work.


    He didn''t think Kyle would return due to his vague observations about the undercurrent he felt was there. In six months, Kyle actually managed to find evidence about the move.


    Kyle had planted numerous bugs and compiled all the rumours, no matter how small.


    From there, a pattern was discovered.

 Chapter 548 - Stubborn Puppy

    Once the pattern emerged, it was much easier to pinpoint things and get to the root of the cause.


    Sam had been amazed at the meticulous planning that had been going on, and from the looks of it, it had been going on for quite some time.


    Kyle throwing that tantrum and leaving had actually been a good thing, for it caused those in the shadows to move quicker. They saw it as an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot, not knowing that in their haste, crumbs fell.


    Crumbs that Kyle picked up.


    Sam shuddered when he remembered how angry Kyle had been upon discovering who the main perpetrator was.


    Though Kyle''s reaction had been understandable, the intensity of it had been beyond what he thought possible. It was to the extent that Sam felt it was an over-reaction, but he kept quiet about it.


    Perhaps that was the Smith Anger boiling over. Perhaps there was an underlying reason for the explosion.


    Perhaps it was both?


    Whatever it was, Sam knew that those who were in the thick of it, was doomed. Kyle was creating his own trap, making the noose and closing it tightly around their necks without them realising it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What they gave, they''re going to get back.


    Multiplied.


    Sam couldn''t help the smile that formed.


    When he realised it, he stopped, then sighed.


    Being Kyle''s PA meant some of that mean streak rubbed off on him.


    With that thought, Sam smiled again.


    It wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Xing Han sat at his desk, staring at Nitocris instead of working.


    Nitocris pointedly ignored him as he continued to work.


    Well, he tried to ignore him but he wasn''t successful.


    So in reality, while he looked like he was busy going through the documents, his mind wasn''t on it at all.


    Finally, unable to take it any more, Nitocirs turned to stare at Xing Han, "Just what is it?"


    Xing Han blinked.


    "Oh, nothing," he said, flustered and then began looking down at his desk.


    Nitocris''s eyes darkened at that, and he got up silently and headed over to Xing Han''s desk.


    He leaned down on Xing Han''s left side and gently said in his ear, "Puppy."


    Xing Han jerked upwards, the paper in his hands flying up all over the place.


    "COOKIE!" he shouted, his face beet red as he turned to glare at his beloved, "I told you to stop doing that!"


    Xing Han never knew how Nitocris could walk so silently when he''s so tall. Just when did he come over all the way from his desk?!


    In response, Nitocris tilted his head and licked Xing Han''s earlobe, running his tongue all over the outer parts of the ear before flicking inside a bit.


    Xing Han gripped the edge of the table with his hands. If his fingernails weren''t short, they would have been chipped by now.


    "Co-coo-cok.." Xing Han stuttered, his breathing becoming very shallow and then he gulped, "Stop that."


    "Or else what?" Nitocris asked softly, not stopping his tongue movements.


    Xing Han stood up suddenly, flinging his hands wide apart, declaring, "I"m going to the bathroom!"


    He turned to the right, intending to get away from Nitocris as fast as possible, only to bang straight into a familiar sturdy chest.


    "Just where do you think you''re going, hmmmm?" Nitocris said with a drawl, stepping forward.


    Xing Han stepped back, and the back of his knees hit the chair, making him fall back down. Nitocris leaned forward, putting his hands on the side of the chair, trapping Xing Han.


    "B-b-bathroom," Xing Han squeaked, as Nitocris''s face loomed closer.


    "Oh, really?" Nitocris asked again, putting his lips just inches away from his.


    Xing Han leaned back further into the chair, his eyes darkening, replying softly, "Really."


    "Stubborn puppy," Nitocris said before claiming those sinful lips.


    Xing Han''s eyes fluttered close, his body weakening like always whenever Nitocris kissed him. The way he just forcefully dominated his entire being made Xing Han whimper and submit.


    Nitocris just took and took and took, controlling the kisses and deepened it as he bit, sucked and plundered. By the time he broke the kiss, Xing Han''s lips were rather bruised and wet with saliva while his eyes were glazed over.


    "Next time you stare at me like that, I''ll take you there and then, on the desk," Nitocris growled in warning.


    Xing Han gulped, and blinked rapidly as he looked at his beloved lover.


    Never, in his wildest dream, did he think he would have ended up with Nitocris.


    His first time had been really painful but Nitocris had been gentle and patient. There had been a lot of foreplay and ''preparations'' before the ''big day''. When it finally happened, Xing Han had felt a fulfillment he never thought possible.


    To love is great.


    To be one with your loved one, is even better.


    But truth be told, each time they did it, Xing Han was assailed with some guilt later on.


    He would lie there, looking at his beloved Cookie''s face as he slept. Xing Han would even cry sometimes, thinking about how he might lose his Cookie one day.


    No, not might.


    Will.


    Both of them were pointedly ignoring the fact that Xing Han was not a free man. They never talked about it, they never brought it up and they simply lived for the moment.


    Xing Han didn''t want to lose this and as time went by, his feelings for Nitocris only became stronger.


    Each time he thought about losing Nitocris, he would cling on him even more. For it was at that moment that Nitocris felt real and was there.


    Xing Han looked up at Nitocris and licked his lips before he leaned forward and kissed him. This time, he was the instigator as he kissed Nitocris forcefully.


    "What''s stopping you now?" Xing Han asked when their lips parted.

 Chapter 549 - Filial Piety

    In response, Nitocris grabbed a pen on the table and flung it at the door. It accurately landed right on the keylock of the doorknob, and the force caused it to be pushed inwards, locking it.


    Iris, outside, looked up upon hearing that click.


    She gritted her teeth and started punching on the keyboard even harder.


    Soon, music started wafting through the air from the speakers of the computer, effectively drowning out the sounds coming out from the other side of the door. She made a mental note to propose her boss to have his room sound-proofed.


    Yuri and Zack walked in at that moment.


    They saw the expression on Iris''s face, the loud music blasting in the room and then the closed door of Nitocris''s office.


    They looked at each other, sighed and stepped out.


    Zack looked at his watch, "One hour?"


    Yuri rolled his eyes, "Two."


    "Oh come on," Zack protested, "There''s no bed in there so it shouldn''t be more than an hour."


    "You want to go in there right after they''re done?" Yuri asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Zack opened his mouth then closed it.


    Yuri had a point.


    "Two hours it is," Zack said with a sigh.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Ali sat at his parent''s living room, his face deathly pale.


    "Abba, Ummi, you can''t be serious," Ali said.


    Ali''s father, Johan, sighed, "I''m sorry, my son but I am."


    "Ummi? Please?" Ali begged, his eyes pleading.


    His mother shook her head, "It has to be done, Ali. It''s time."


    Ali stood up suddenly, earning a death glare from his father. Ali clenched his fists tightly, fighting the urge to run off there and then.


    How could his parents do this to him?


    "Sit down," Johan commanded, "This is a prime example of how these different cultures of Country Tz have affected you."


    Ali took a deep breath and sat down, his head bowed low.


    Filial piety was the most important and ingrained part of their lives - both culturally, and due to religion.


    In the olden days, having kids talk back to you was unheard of. Questioning your parents was a sin.


    Now, it''s much more lenient in the sense that some parents are willing to actually listen and compromise. But, it didn''t mean that they could act so wilfully.


    Ali understood this, and what he did wrong. His father had a point but what they were proposing was something that he just could not accept.


    "We have waited long enough, my son," Johan said with a sigh, "It has been over a year now."


    "But I''m only 17, Abba. I am still so young!" Ali protested, "What is the rush?"


    Johan frowned at Ali''s raised voice, and Ali gulped, saying quickly, "I''m sorry, Abba. I didn''t mean to shout."


    Nodding in satisfaction, Johan said, "At the rate you''re going, you can be 25 and still haven''t moved on yet."


    Johan looked straight at Ali and asked, "Are you telling me, if I give you more time, you can do it? You haven''t even touched any of the files we have given you, saying ''later'' all the time."


    Ali hung his head lower, not answering.


    "Don''t talk about the file," Johan said, "Even going out on a casual date with a girl is rejected. You''ve not been willing to meet new people, so how are you ever going to heal?"


    Ali clasped his hands together, finally saying, "How can I do that when my heart is still unsettled? I feel like I would be lying to those girls."


    "Then this is the only way," Johan said, "You will marry the girl we have chosen for you on your 18th birthday."


    Ali shook his head, wanting to reject but what reason could he give? His parents had done more than required. They had been patient. Willing to accept Sophia. Didn''t reject nor object.


    They stood by him. They gave him time.


    He understood it all too well. How long were they supposed to wait?


    They were right.


    If it was up to him, he would most likely never take that first step. He would never get married.


    "Who is she?" Ali finally asked, resigned to his fate. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A good girl," his mother assured him, "You will love her, my son."


    Johan pushed a file in front of Ali, who just stared at its cover.


    ''Love her?'' Ali knew that he could never do that. His heart was too full of Sophia and time didn''t make it any less. He could not envision ever loving another person.


    He looked up, seeing the loving and warm gazes of his parents. Deep in them, was care and concern. He knew his actions had placed a heavy burden on his parents. He didn''t seem to be moving on, and they only wanted the best for him.


    Without even touching the file, Ali got up and put his right hand on his heart, saying, "I trust your judgment and choice, Abba, Ummi."


    He turned and left, his heart breaking.


    Although he could never love another after Sophia, he resolved to be a good husband. He will care for her, treat her well and never cheat on her. He may even love her, in the sense of caring for a good friend.


    But he could never love her like how he loved Sophia.


    Since he couldn''t have her, no other girl would do, right? So he might as well rely on his parents'' judgment and choice. It couldn''t be worse than his and it relieved him of the headache of choosing one.


    With that thought, Ali closed his bedroom door, like he was closing his heart.


    Johan watched his son leave, and sighed. He picked up the file, opened it and closed it again.


    "Do you think this is a mistake?" his wife asked him worriedly.


    "No," Johan answered, "His actions and attitude shows exactly why it isn''t. He will understand, in time."

 Chapter 550 - Misunderstandings

    Time flew by in the blink of an eye.


    Kyle got busier and busier, and the times he could not call Sari increased.


    His plans required delicate work, and he was deathly afraid of missing out on something. He would go through his plans over and over again, even having others going through it with a fine-tooth comb.


    A mistake at this juncture could be the tip that balanced it away from him.


    Although he missed Sari terribly, there was no way to keep up with the daily calls. It now was twice or three times a week call. Each time Kyle called her, he would apologize profusely.


    Sari told him that she understood, that he was busy and she was fine. She missed him, of course, but she knew that as the Smith Heir, he would naturally be working. He was not a student like she is.


    Still, it didn''t mean she didn''t wait for his call every night, hoping that perhaps, he could call her more.


    She missed him so.


    But she couldn''t help the fear in her heart.


    Each time he didn''t call, she worried.


    Was he really working?


    It wasn''t that early at his place, right? He could always give her a short call just before he leaves for work.


    These little thoughts became more persistent until one day, Sari thought that she should give Kyle a call. After all, while it was true that Kyle could afford the calls (which was why he always insisted on doing the calling), it didn''t mean she couldn''t once in a blue moon, right?


    She could afford that one call a month thing.


    With that thought, Sari took courage and dialed Kyle''s number.


    It only rang twice before a female voice came over the line.


    "Young Mistress," said the voice, "I''m sorry, but Sir is still asleep right now."


    Sari gripped the phone hard.


    "Who is this?" Sari asked steadily, surprised that her voice didn''t waver.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. This is Nialla," Nialla said, introducing herself, "Sir worked late last night, and only went to bed an hour ago."


    "I see," Sari replied, "Please let him know that I called. I was just missing him."


    "Noted, Young Mistress, I will tell him," Nialla assured her as she put down the phone.


    Sari stared at the phone, then started crying.


    So it was true that Nialla was someone that served Kyle in all capacities. For her to be at his house and pick up his phone showed familiarity that Kyle had never shown anyone else.


    Sari knew that Kyle loved her but she knew that she couldn''t be able to totally accept him being with another woman - even if he didn''t love her. It might be normal in his life, but it wasn''t in hers.


    She sniffed, thinking that if she wanted this to work, she would need to be more open-minded.


    But she just couldn''t.


    Back at Country Tz, Nialla put down the phone on the coffee table. Kyle had forgotten it and left it there when he went to bed. When she had seen Sari''s number flashing on the screen, she hesitated a second before picking it up.


    If she didn''t pick it up, Sir''s girlfriend might get worried.


    Nialla wasn''t going to wake Kyle up as he needed the sleep. He hadn''t slept for three days already and the bags under his eyes were so obvious.


    She had been working with him until late night, then left to go home. She came early this morning, only to find that Kyle was still working. It was only after she put her foot down that he went to the bedroom for a much needed sleep.


    Nialla was about to go out when the phone call came.


    She wrote a note to say that Sari had called. She also left instructions for Kyle to rest and that she would be back that evening. She placed some food and fresh water for Kitty then left the apartment.


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    Dina noticed Sari being less energetic today and she wondered what had happened. When she found out that ''Rex'' had left, she had been livid.


    All the work she had done, and before anything could happen, he had gone?!


    At first, she had despaired until she found out that Kyle would come back for her.


    With that thought, Dina became even happier.


    Imagine the amount of damage she could do with the separation. So when Kyle came back later on, and they broke up, Dina would be there to swoop in and soothe him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wasn''t that naive to think that Kyle would fall for her there and then but she was hoping that she could, at least, ease the pain he was feeling. Perhaps, when he was at his lowest, his defences would be down.


    If she could sleep with him, even if it was for one night, she could have some material on him.


    Dina couldn''t help but feel rather hot thinking about it.


    Ever since she discovered the pleasures of the clitoris, she couldn''t help but touch herself while looking at all of Kyle''s sexy photos. The fantasy would just intensify and make her even more determined to break the two up.


    So she upped the stakes.


    "Sari," Dina said when Sari came and sat down next to her, "You have to help me."


    "What is it?" Sari asked warily.


    "It''s like this. There''s this mixer that I''m supposed to go to but my cousin couldn''t come at the last minute," Dina said, her face sad, "I am too scared to go by myself as I don''t know anyone there."


    "Then don''t go," Sari said with a frown. What was so hard about that?


    "I can''t," Dina said with a sigh, "I promised my friend."


    Just then, Grace passed them by and sneered, "So what? What has your promise got to do with anyone else?"


    Dina glared at her.

 Chapter 551 - The Second Crack

    Ever since this girl transferred, it was as if she had a problem with her. Dina never disturbed her in any way yet, she seemed to find every opportunity to take a jab at her.


    It made her ''work'' of getting to Sari slightly more difficult.


    "What''s it to you?" Dina hissed, "Maybe you wouldn''t know the concept of helping out a friend? Keeping a promise?"


    Grace raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, "That''s the promise YOU made, not her."


    "Sari''s my friend," Dina insisted, turning towards Sari, "Right, Sari? You wouldn''t let me down at a time like this, would you?"


    Sari hesitated.


    Grace looked at her lazily, then rolled her eyes, leaving. However, she said as she passed by Sari, "Know the difference between helping a friend, and helping yourself."


    Sari looked at Grace retreating back in puzzlement.


    What did she mean about that?


    Dina now focused back her attention towards Sari, her face looking all worried and pleading, "Please please? You just need to make the numbers. You don''t have to do anything. We can leave quickly, too."


    Sari sighed.


    "When is it?"


    "This evening, after school," Dina said eagerly.


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    "Just WHAT does Sir see in that stupid girl?!" Grace hissed again, sitting at a booth and watching the scene in front of her.


    Kristi grabbed Grace by the back of the neck, brought her head down and banged her quickly once on the table before bringing her head back up.


    Grace rubbed her sore forehead and ignored the people who were looking about trying to find out where the source of the loud bang sound came from. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn, woman," Grace muttered, "That hurt."


    "Your voice hurts," Kristi said without batting an eyelid, as she took a long sip from her drink, "So shut up."


    Grace glared at Kristi, but kept quiet.


    She was watching Sari sitting in a booth with some guys. Dina was seating across from Sari while Sari was being sandwiched by two guys.


    Two good-looking guys, though they paled in comparison to Sir, of course.


    Yet, there she was, having a red face as she timidly answered the questions one particular guy was asking. He seemed to be interested, for he gave of a smile, and was gentle.


    "Why is she blushing?" Grace hissed, "And laughing? And giving a time of day to that douche-bag? And ¡­"


    Grace suddenly moved to the side, narrowly avoiding Kristi''s hand.


    Grace then made a zipping motion across her mouth, twisting it at the end as if locking it and ''threw'' away a ''key''.


    Kristi didn''t say a word and continued to observe Sari.


    Indeed, she also had the same thoughts as Grace but the difference was that she didn''t voice them.


    She could understand Sari''s need to help out a so-called friend, but did she need to react so? Is she so innocent and pure that any sort of attention from a good-looking guy would make her flustered?


    Was the separation with Sir make her feel lonely, and thus more vulnerable to any sort of care and attention from the opposite sex?


    Just thinking about it made her blood boil.


    Sir was working almost non-stop just so that he could settle things and return to Sari. Yet, what was his supposed beloved doing?


    Having fun. With other guys.


    Kristi clenched her jaw and gripped the glass she was drinking from, harder.


    Maybe she should have let Grace push her down the stairs after all.


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    Kyle woke up rather late, his body finally succumbing to the exhaustion that had been building up. When he opened his eyes groggily, he noted that the time was already late afternoon.


    "Shit," he cursed, rubbing the grit from his eyes. Another day he didn''t manage to call Sari.


    Then he stared at the sleeping cat on his chest. He poked her, but she didn''t stir at all. He got up, and she slowly slid down and as she tumbled onto her back, she stared at him with her wide eyes.


    She made a lazy stretch, then climbed up his chest to lick his chin.


    Kyle grabbed her from under her armpits and lifted her to face him. Looking at her sternly, he said, "Baby, I told you. No licking."


    She licked his nose.


    "Argh!" Kyle grimaced and put her down onto his lap, scratching behind her ear.


    "To think that the elite ninja boy would be defeated by a cat," came an amused voice from his bedroom door.


    Kyle looked at Kay lazily, and did one long stretch which Kay thought was eerily similar to the way Kitty had done just moments earlier.


    Kyle got up from the bed, clad only in his bermudas, as he trudged to the bathroom. Just as he was about to go in, he grinned as he said to Kay, "My elite ninja cat has the lethal cuteness skill."


    Kay laughed and Kitty ran to her. Kay picked her up and walked to the kitchen, "Come on, let''s whip up something simple for lunch now, shall we?"


    Kitty meowed.


    When Kyle came out from the bathroom after a refreshing shower, he could smell the food that Kay was cooking. Rubbing his hair vigorously with his towel, he walked into the kitchen.


    "Great timing," Kay said as she poured the dish onto the bowl. Kyle kissed her on the cheek as he took the two dishes that were on the kitchen counter.


    Tomato with egg, and stir-fried chilli chicken. Kay took the rice cooker and scooped out some rice onto a plate before handing it to Kyle.


    Kyle closed his eyes as he moaned in appreciation after taking one mouthful of rice with the pieces of chicken, "This is so good."


    Kay grinned happily, "I''ve been practising."


    "Oh, it shows," Kyle said as he quickly shoved food into his mouth, "I am in Heaven."

 Chapter 552 - Reconciliation?

    Kay watched in complete happiness as Kyle ate everything quickly, showing how much he thoroughly loved the food. Cooking for your loved one and having them appreciate your cooking gives you a warmth inside that could not be described.


    After everything was cleared, Kyle patted his stomach and burped, "That was sooooo good. Thank you, Kay."


    Kay smiled, "I''m glad you like it."


    "The man that marries you is going to be one lucky man indeed," Kyle said, "Well, even before you could cook, he is already lucky. Now he''ll be a lucky fat dude."


    Kay laughed and Kyle got up, taking the empty dishes and plates to the sink, "You cook, I clear up. You want milo?"


    "Milo?" Kay said, "You still have some?"


    Kyle grinned.


    "We are now the sole distributor of Milo in Country Tz," Kyle said smugly, "As the boss, it''s only natural that I get endless supply."


    "It finally got approved, huh?" Kay said, watching Kyle from the dining room.


    "Yup," Kyle said, as he placed the newly washed dishes on the drying rack, "So much red tape just for this slice of heaven."


    Kay laughed.


    When Kyle came over and handed her a cup of iced milo, she asked, "So, when are you meeting Dad?"


    Kyle took a sip of his own hot milo and said, "Soon. The plans are finalised but I need one final check on a few matters."


    Kay was silent, pondering on this before she looked up at him, "When will it begin?"


    "It already has," Kyle said, "I just hope they don''t make a move yet though. We still have some loose ends to tie. Those variables are tricky, even though I do have some back-up plans."


    Kay nodded, "I hope Plan A runs smoothly."


    Kyle sighed, taking a big gulp from the scalding drink, "So do I."


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    It was already late evening, yet Patrick was still in the office. The light outside was slowly fading as the sun set, making the clear blue sky horizon becoming bathed in orangey red.


    Patrick glanced briefly at the scene. He shook his head.


    He had so much to do, and he couldn''t go home yet.


    Patrick then frowned as he looked at his PA, "Are you sure about this?"


    "Yes, Sir," Quentin replied, "Several of our shareholders have already been selling off their shares."


    "But not to anyone we know?" Patrick stressed.


    "No," Quentin replied, "All those who bought were from different companies, or individuals, that have no connection to any Smith Line."


    "It doesn''t make sense, though," Patrick mused, "Why would there be the sudden sale of our shares?"


    "It isn''t unusual, Sir," Quentin replied, "It wasn''t sudden and it was over the year or so."


    Patrick tapped the files and sighed, "Maybe I''m overthinking all of this."


    He just didn''t like it.


    Kyle was still nowhere to be found and there was these sales going on. Then agian, Quentin could be right. The sale and purchase of shares is part and parcel of any company.


    Yet, why now?


    They were stable. The shares were not in bad shape. Any normal investor would not be thinking about selling.


    On its own, it appeared harmless but if you added up all those sales, it could cause? trouble.


    Then again, it was not just one person buying them so ¡­ there was no danger, right?


    Patrick sighed again and pushed the files aside. He really was overthinking this. Perhaps it''s because Kyle was not around.


    Two years.


    No, more than that.


    How did he look like now? From the pictures he still sent, one could see how much he had grown and matured but you couldn''t really tell from pictures, can you?


    The room soon got darker and Patrick reached out to switch on his table lamp when someone else already did.


    Patrick jumped back, in a ready position to strike.


    Then he froze.


    "Hello, Dad," Kyle said.


    Patrick''s eyes darted to the door, then the window and then back at the door.


    The window was slightly open, but he dismissed that. They were on the 18th floor, for goodness sake! He didn''t even know why he looked there.


    "How did you get in?" Patrick asked, his eyes narrowing.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "What? No hug?"


    "Cut the crap," Patrick hissed then was about to touch the intercom to call Quentin when Kyle covered it.


    "Still the same old father," Kyle sighed, sitting down on the chair after he disconnected the intercom, "Can''t even welcome your own son that you haven''t seen for years?"


    "You''re the one who stayed away," Patrick said with a huff.


    "You''re the one that kicked me out," Kyle pointed out, non-plussed.


    Patrick stared at him, quiet and Shifu''s words floated in his mind.


    Suddenly, his anger abated. He swallowed the initial words he had wanted to say and instead, he said what was truly in his heart.


    "You know the house was open and we would have welcomed you back home. Why did you have to stay away?"


    Kyle stared at his father, surprised.


    His father was actually offering an olive branch?


    For some reason, he felt his eyes start to water and he looked away, as he said softly, "I know. I needed time."


    Patrick was quiet as he studied Kyle''s side profile.


    His son had truly matured, and looked like a young adult now. There was no semblance of any teenager on that chiseled face, and the loose clothing did not manage to hide the lean, muscular physique underneath.


    His eyelashes were long and there was a suspicious shine to it, as if he had been crying.


    Then Kyle turned to face his father, his eyes clear, saying clearly, "I''m sorry."


    Patrick?banged his hands on the table and got up, his face showing the inner turmoil that he was struggling with.


    Without a word, he grabbed Kyle by the collar, pulling him up.


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 Chapter 553 - Welcome Home

    Kyle stood up along with that pull.


    It wasn''t as if he couldn''t resist it, as Patrick wasn''t really pulling that hard ¡­ well, okay, he was, but not enough that Kyle couldn''t stop it.


    Kyle had come with one intention.


    To bury the hatchet.


    In order to truly fight against those hidden enemies, he needed his father. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, Smith Industries wasn''t just about him. He was the Heir, but his father was the current Leader.


    More importantly, Patrick is his biological father.


    So Kyle steeled himself, closing his eyes as he prepared himself for a punch or something.


    Kyle acknowledged that his disappearing act wasn''t commendable. It was hardly the act of a filial son.


    No matter how angry he was, no matter how aggrieved he felt - no matter the reason ¡­ what he had done was undeniably bad.


    Patrick watched as his son just stood there, not resisting and not flinching as he grabbed his collar.


    His grip on the shirt became stronger, his frustration at seeing his son''s submissive reaction hitting him so deeply that he was subconsciously choking Kyle.


    Shifu''s words went through his mind again.


    ''You were raising a robot''


    Was his normally stoic, rebellious son really a robot?


    Why was he submitting himself right now, as if he had given up?


    Why was his reaction so ¡­ so much like what he had been demanding of him all along?


    Patrick found he didn''t like this Kyle.


    Where was that streak of fire in his eyes? Where was that spark?


    The old Kyle would never have even said those words, ''I''m sorry''.


    Or would he?


    Patrick didn''t really know his own son but he certainly didn''t like the one in front of him right now.


    It felt strange.


    It was only when he began to see the red line forming around the neck that he realised what he was doing.


    Even then, Kyle did not react?


    Patrick let go and punched him on the chest.


    "You stupid boy," he rasped, "Where is your smart mouth now, huh?"


    The punch had been light, hardly a tap but it made Kyle open his eyes to look at his father. He could see the anguish in them, and guilt assailed his heart.


    He never meant to hurt his father.


    He ¡­ just didn''t know how to act around him.


    When he had been reborn, he had the soul of a sheltered woman. He had not been comfortable in being so open with the opposite sex - even though he was a boy in this life.


    His own experience with his father, and seeing how his spouse had been with their children, he took it that the man of the house was always cold and firm with their sons. They would not openly show affection (if they had any) and expected them to be the man of the household.


    They were strict and expected the son to follow.


    So, Kyle acted accordingly.


    Patrick never did do anything as well to dispel that notion in him, and was so strict with his training and teachings.


    Thus, Kyle always kept his distance with his biological father.


    He never felt any connection to him in any way. He was simply the ''man of the household'' that he had to obey .. which he did, so long as it didn''t touch his bottom line: his kids.


    Right now, though, seeing that raw emotion in Patrick''s face, Kyle realised for the first time that Patrick was not as unfeeling as he thought he was.


    Before Kyle''s mind could process this, Patrick hugged him.


    Kyle''s mind went blank.


    Patrick held onto his own son, for the first time, and squeezed hard.


    He didn''t care that Kyle didn''t reciprocate.


    All he wanted was to hold his son.


    Then, amazingly, he felt his son return the hug and his mind went blank.


    So there it was.


    Two men whose minds were blank, just hugging each other.


    After what seemed like ages, they broke apart.


    Patrick looked at his son and his son looked back at him.


    Without a word, Patrick stepped back and started folding his long sleeve shirt up to his elbows. Kyle raised an eyebrow, realising what Patrick was doing.


    He loosened his shoulders and neck, then tilted his head to the right and left.


    Father and son looked at each, both sporting identical smirks on their faces.


    "You know that your actions mean you need to be disciplined," Patrick said solemnly.


    "That''s only if you''re up to it, old man," Kyle retorted, raising an eyebrow.


    "Ah, the folly of youth," Patrick responded, kicking off his shoes.


    "Ah, the fantasies of the elderly," Kyle replied, his smirk getting bigger.


    Patrick glided over, throwing a punch at Kyle''s face.


    Kyle didn''t move until the last minute, only moving his head slightly to the left as he then twirled to the right and patted his father on the head.


    "Too slow, old man," Kyle taunted as Patrick turned to throw another punch, this time to the gut - which barely missed as Kyle stepped to the side.


    When Quentin walked in a few minutes later, he saw a sight that made him rub his eyes.


    Kyle had Patrick in a headlock, both on the floor.


    "Give up, old man!" Kyle was saying.


    Patrick roared, struggling to escape but failed. Finally, in the end, he tapped the floor reluctantly.


    Kyle released his father, sitting up as Patrick sat up, too.


    Patrick looked at his son, who was hardly breaking a sweat or breathing heavily.


    He reached over and ruffled his son''s hair.


    "Ew, Dad," Kyle protested, smoothing it again.


    Patrick laughed and ruffled Kyle''s hair again. In retaliation, Kyle messed up Patrick''s hair as well.


    Both laughed, then Kyle stood up. He looked at his father who was still sitting on the floor, and offered his hand.


    Patrick stared at that hand for a while before taking it.


    "Welcome home, son," Patrick said as he stood up.


    "It''s good to be home," Kyle replied.

 Chapter 554 - Eliminate

    Patrick gave him a pat on the shoulder as he walked by and sat back at his desk. Quentin was still shell shocked, and looked around the room.


    Just how did Kyle enter?


    He had been outside all this while, and no one passed by him. He stared at Kyle, who noticed him staring and Kyle simply gave him a knowing smile. Yet, kept quiet.


    Kyle sat down, and Patrick asked, "When did you get back?"


    "About nine months ago," Kyle replied.


    Patrick''s eyes went wide and his head whipped up, "NINE MONTHS?!"


    "Enough time for a woman to carry a baby and give birth," Kyle said.


    "You got someone pregnant?!" Patrick gasped, "I''m a grandfather?"


    Kyle stared at his father, "What? No! What gave you that idea?!"


    "You did, with all the talk about babies and all," Patrick pointed out.


    Kyle blinked, realising why Patrick would think so. He just said it randomly, as he had always associated ''nine months'' that way.


    "So there''s no one?"


    "Yes, I did meet someone ¡­" Kyle began when Patrick cut him off.


    "And you''ve been using protection properly?"


    " I don''t need to ..." Kyle replied.


    "Why?" Patrick asked suspiciously, cutting him off again, "You''re gay?"


    Kyle narrowed his eyes at his father, and said through gritted teeth, "No. I''m bisexual ¡­"


    "Really?!" Patrick said in surprise, "So when will I meet your boyfriend?"


    Kyle pinched the gap between his eyebrows, "Dad, if you actually let me finish my sentence ¡­"


    Patrick snorted, "If I did, I''ll probably have to wait another two years to know something."


    Kyle sighed, looking at the ceiling.


    Since when was his father this ridiculous?


    Then again, he didn''t really know his father well, did he? When was the last time they actually had a conversation?


    When Kyle thought about it, they never did.


    Kyle looked back at his father, who was expecting some sort of answer. For some reason, he kinda looked like a gossipy old woman, hanging on his every word for some sort of tit-bit.


    That imagery made Kyle smile.


    His father had changed.


    "It''s a girl, and I''ll bring her to meet you and Mum in a while," Kyle promised.


    "So when are you going to meet your mother?" Patrick asked, "I''m surprised you came to see me first. Or does she already know?"


    Kyle shook his head, saying, "Mum would never be able to keep my presence a secret."


    Patrick''s eyes narrowed, "Why do you need to keep hiding?"


    Kyle looked at Quentin, then at his father, "Because someone is threatening my position as Heir."


    Patrick slammed the desk in anger, "Someone dares?!"


    Kyle smirked and started looking at his fingers before he turned to face his father again, "Not someone. Five."


    "But, yes, someone did start the ball rolling," Kyle said.


    Kyle liked the fact that his father didn''t question him at all on this. He simply took what Kyle said as truth and that confidence and trust in him made his heart swell.


    "Who?" Patrick asked, twirling a pen in his hands. It was a habit he had when he was either thinking hard or trying to calm down.


    "Philip," Kyle replied.


    The pen that Patrick was holding snapped in two.


    Kyle studied his father, as the confusion, hurt and anger flitted across his face as he processed this information.


    He was tremendously impressed with his father. Even after that revelation, Patrick had not exploded. Not like how he had.


    Kyle remembered how scared the others had been, never fully seeing the Smith Anger at its finest. They had all stepped back, and the Team was actually in a defensive stance against him.


    Remembering that day was not something he was proud of, but he was glad that his Team still acted responsibly and not rashly. They didn''t attack him but protected the others they deemed weaker.


    Strangely enough, their level of awe towards him increased.


    Kyle thought his Team was masochists at heart.


    "Are you sure?" Patrick asked finally, after settling his emotions.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, "I found out three months ago, but wanted to confirm it first before coming to see you."


    Patrick threw his broken pen onto the table and leaned back on the chair, crossing his arms across his chest as he let out a deep breath, "What do you intend to do about it? About him?"


    "I''d do what any Smith Leader would do," Kyle said slowly, gauging his father''s reaction.


    "Eliminate," Patrick replied.


    "Total annihilation," Kyle confirmed.


    "You okay with that, Dad?" Kyle asked softly, tilting his head, "He is, after all, the brother you trusted the most."


    "The day he plotted against you, is the day he ceased to be my brother," Patrick said coldly, "He doomed himself, and his family, with what he is doing. All I ask is that you make his death slow, and painful."


    Kyle studied his father, and nodded, "I will make you proud."


    Patrick smiled, and it was tinged with sadness and anger at the same time, "I already am, Kyle."


    Both were silent as they stared at each other while Quentin stood silently at the side.


    His head was swirling, his heart was beating extremely fast as he looked at the father-and-son duo.


    Quentin had always known his boss, Patrick, gave the impression that he was a stern, but kind man. He dealt with the competition harshly, but he was fair. He was not cold and ruthless like some.


    However, Quentin knew better.


    If you touch his bottom line, he became a cold, ruthless killer.


    Quentin had not seen that part of Patrick for a long time and now, he could see the cold aura emitting from him.


    What made him more nervous was the fact that Patrick''s son, Kyle, had a more menacing aura. He never thought it was possible that anyone could ever surpass Patrick when he was serious.


    Quentin gulped. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was scared, but he was excited at the same time.


    The next generation was scary indeed.

 Chapter 555 - Xing Han’s Decision

    "There is on thing I''m wondering, though Dad," Kyle began, looking at his father.


    "What''s that?" Patrick asked curiously.


    "You didn''t seem upset when you thought I was gay," Kyle said, "I thought the whole ''get a fiancee by 18'' was because you thought I was gay."


    Patrick started twiddling his thumb in embarrassment.


    "Well, that wasn''t the reason really," Patrick began, then sighed deeply, "It was more your Mother who was worried."


    "Mum?"


    "She was worried you were too close to Kay," Patrick explained, "Your world revolved around your sister too much that she was worried you may not be able to hook up with anyone."


    Kyle looked at his father in horror.


    Patrick put up his hands in surrender, "I know, I know! But it was a legitimate fear for her then. She realised it wasn''t so a couple of years ago but ¡­ well, since you never looked interested in anyone at all, we thought it was best to just leave it as it is."


    Kyle rolled his eyes and said, "What is with you guys and getting married at 18? Is that some magic number? Even Ali and Xing Han''s parents are saying the same thing."


    "Well, to be fair," Patrick said, "Your lives aren''t exactly normal. This is the best time to find someone rather than when you are older. You''ll only get busier and more people would be after your money and position rather than ''you''. We wanted you to be able to have a proper love, at least."


    Kyle was silent about that.


    He could see what his father was getting at.


    He had been so busy the past year that he wouldn''t have been able to meet anyone at all. Luckily, he had Sari, so he didn''t really need to worry about that part.


    Even then, he had met her when he hadn''t been the Smith Heir, and was basically lazing about. If he couldn''t have found ''the one'' while in school, what are the chances when he''s working?


    Perhaps that is why Ali and Xing Han''s family were like that as well, though Kyle figured for Xing Han, it was much more complicated. Connections made via marriage were a big deal in the Tan family.


    Kyle was worried for him.


    He sighed. He hadn''t even seen any of the Elite Five - even Sam. The latter being told to keep mum about him being back.


    Kyle wondered when the gang could get back together again.


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    Xing Han stared at his suitcase.


    He hadn''t told Nitocris yet what he was going to do, and he wasn''t going to. He didn''t want to burden his beloved for this, and he was worried over his reaction.


    He also didn''t want to give Nitocris any hope.


    Xing Han bit his lower lips, going over the words he was going to say to his beloved, and hoped that he believed him.


    Xing Han had thought about his situation long and hard. He wanted to be with Nitocris forever, and luckily, Country Tz did allow same-sex marriage.


    The only problem was: his family.


    He hadn''t told anyone in his family about Nitocris and Xing Han knew that his father would never accept him.


    His sisters would most likely support him, judging from their reactions when he and Kyle had played it up the other time.


    Xing Han''s hand shook as he closed the suitcase.


    This would be the first time that he was going to go against his family.


    He was deathly afraid of doing so.


    Actually, he was more afraid of the fact that he would not be able to stand his ground against them.


    He loved both Nitocris and his family deeply.


    Would he have to choose between the two? Either Nitocris or his family?


    He didn''t want that.


    He had to convince his father of this.


    Xing Han had tried hard to let go of Nitocris but he couldn''t.


    So he wanted to fight for this love of his.


    He looked at his hands, which were still trembling.


    Despite the fact that he''s much stronger now and more independent as compared to before - deep down, he still was weak.


    "What are you doing?" came that deep, sexy baritone voice of his beloved right at his ear.


    "AAAAAAAAHH!!" Xing Han shouted in surprise, and turned to glare angrily at Nitocris.


    "COOKIE!!" Xing Han shouted, hitting Nitocris on the chest, "Why do you keep doing that?!"


    Nitocris looked quite aggrieved and wronged, "I called out to you several times. You were so deep in thought that you didn''t hear me."


    Xing Han blinked.


    "You did? I was?" he said, in puzzlement, thinking, "I guess I was."


    Nitocris hugged him, asking again, "What are you doing? Why are you packing?"


    "Oh, this?" Xing Han said dismissively, "I''m going home for a visit. Haven''t seen them this year yet."


    "How long will you be gone?" Nitocris asked.


    "A week," Xing Han said, "Maybe two."


    Nitocris frowned, "Why so long?"


    "Since I haven''t been home for so long, I may need to follow my Dad to the office and all that," Xing Han explained, fidgeting slightly as he held on to his beloved''s waist.


    Nitocris''s frowned got deeper.


    His puppy was lying.


    He would fidget or play with his hands when he lied, a habit that his puppy was not aware he did.


    Nitocris looked down and could see the nervousness on his puppy''s face. Nitocris sighed and decided not to ask. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Going home, and not wanting to tell him the full story?


    It must be about his fiancee.


    Nitocris''s heart clenched and he hugged Xing Han tighter.


    "Cookie?" Xing Han called, looking up at him with worry in his eyes.


    Nitocirs grabbed Xing Han''s chin and kissed him deeply, his hands already busy undressing his puppy. Xing Han shivered, his desire rising under the loving touch of his beloved, who was being more passionate and rougher than usual.

 Chapter 556 - The Confrontation

    After a rather vigorous workout, Xing Han fell into an exhaustive sleep.


    Nitocris looked at his beloved puppy breathing as he lay there, naked on the bed. Nitocris got up and with a wet cloth, gently and slowly, wiped his puppy clean.


    Xing Han was so deep in sleep that he didn''t even stir, let alone do his normal octopus act.


    Nitocris''s eyes landed on Xing Han''s suitcase and he clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to empty that suitcase and tie Xing Han down, preventing him from leaving.


    He didn''t know why, but he had this rather ominous feeling about it.


    Nitocris turned to look back at his puppy, kissed him on the forehead and whispered, his voice hitching a bit,? "Don''t leave me."


    Xing Han''s face frowned, as if he heard him but he didn''t wake up.


    With a sigh, Nitocris got up and limped to the bathroom to take a shower. He rubbed his sore back and butt, thinking that his puppy became a completely different person in bed.


    From a cute little beagle, into a wolf.


    He hadn''t been prepared to be the bottom this time, but didn''t have the heart - or desire - to resist his puppy today.


    It was actually even sexier seeing his normally adorable puppy be so aggressive.


    Nitocris gave one last look at his puppy before he entered the bathroom. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a good thing that he had this connecting bathroom built when he and Xing Han become an item. Made some things more fun, too.


    He sighed again, thinking how much he didn''t like his puppy going, but he couldn''t stop him. He prayed his fears were groundless.


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    It had been three days since Xing Han returned home.


    Yet, he had not managed to catch hold of his father for that talk. He didn''t have breakfast, for he left early in the morning. He came home late at night, so Xing Han couldn''t bother him then either.


    It was frustrating.


    His eyes widened when he saw the familiar figure of his father actually entering the dining room and sit down at the table.


    Not wanting to miss an opportunity, Xing Han immediately asked, "Father, can I see you later? There is something important I need to talk to you about."


    His father, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn, looked at his watch then said gruffly before getting up, "In my study. 10 minutes."


    "Now?" Xing Han exclaimed in surprise.


    "What? You said it was important," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn said.


    "Yes, but you should at least eat first," Xing Han said, feeling guilty.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn shook his head, "I''ve already eaten. I came because I wanted to spend some time with you."


    "Oh," Xing Han said, feeling re-assured, then put down his chopsticks. He had already finished and was simply munching in nervousness, "Okay."


    In the study, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn sat at the sofa and asked, "So, what is this important thing you needed to talk about?"


    Xing Han gulped, and sat nervously on the sofa across from his father. Taking a deep breath, Xing Han looked at his father and said while clenching his hands tightly together, "Father, I am sorry but I can''t marry Xuelin. I am in love with someone else."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn glared at him, "What nonsense are you spouting? You know we have no objections to you having mistresses. That has nothing to do with marrying Xuelin."


    "Are you saying she refuses to be a mistress and demands to be the wife?" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn asked angrily, "The audacity of her. You should know better!"


    Xing Han shook his head.


    "No, that is not it," Xing Han said, "I am the one who cannot marry someone I don''t love, and have the one I do, be relegated to the position of a ''mistress''."


    "Ridiculous," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn scoffed, "She''s the one that must have put the idea in your head and you are stupid enough to think it was all your idea. This is why we have this rule. Otherwise, we would have been destroyed long ago."


    Xing Han gritted his teeth, "This is my idea and he doesn''t know I am here talking about it. He never even raised the subject at all."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn sat up straight suddenly, banging his fist on the table, "Say. That. Again!!"


    Xing Han flinched a bit but stood his ground, "This is entirely my idea. My desire."


    "It''s not that, and you know it," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn hissed, "You said ''he''."


    "Yes, I did," Xing Han replied.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn got up and towered over Xing Han, who then got up to face his father.


    "Are you telling me that you are throwing away everything this family had been working for, for another man?!" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn roared.


    "A man I love," Xing Han said firmly.


    Xing Han''s head whipped to the side, turning at the force of the slap his father gave him. It had been so strong that his head was reeling a bit and he tasted blood inside his mouth.


    He turned to face his father again, and said, "I am serious, Father. I cannot do this anymore."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn slapped Xing Han again, this time on the other cheek as he said, "No son of mine is gay. No son of mine is going to break the tradition that has been in place for generations. I will not allow this!"


    Xing Han felt a huge stone in his throat with each word that his father uttered. He knew that his father would have trouble accepting this, but he had ¡­ at least ¡­ hoped that he would have been willing to listen.


    To be a bit more open-minded.


    "I''m sorry, Father," Xing Han said, lowering his head, "I just can''t do this anymore."


    "Yes, you can," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn said, as he put his hands on Xing Han''s shoulders, "I will help you get over this. We''ll cure you."


    Xing Han stared at his father, tears in his eyes, "I''m not sick, Father. I''m just deeply in love."

 Chapter 557 - Cerberus

    "NO!" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn shouted, "This is not you. You must have been corrupted somewhere. You''re just confused. I will help you, mark my words!"


    Xing Han couldn''t help the tears that fell now and that only made Zh¨¨nl¨ªn angrier.


    "Men do not cry," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn hissed, "You will be fixed, whether you like it or not."


    With that, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn turned on his heels and left, banging the door closed.


    Xing Han stood there for a while, gathering his emotions while the tears flowed.


    He had known this could happen but with the reality facing him, it was much harder to accept. Why couldn''t his father just listen? Why was it so hard to accept the fact that his son was in love with another man?


    It was just that. Human beings were made to love.


    Xing Han was prepared to fight this through.


    No matter what, he was not going to leave Nitocris.


    He was also not willing to give up trying to persuade his father. His father wasn''t bad, really, but he was too ingrained with such ''old-school'' thoughts that he tended to be too narrow-minded.


    It showed as well in business and Xing Han knew that they were heading downhill because of this. Unable to adapt, unable to think out of the box had placed the Tan Industries into a rut. That''s why his father was even more adamant at him getting married to Xuelin.


    It was their lifeline, so to speak. They truly felt that this was the only way to save their business.


    Wiping his face, Xing Han took several deep breaths before heading to the door.


    He froze.


    It was locked.


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    Nitocris sat there, like some King of Yama, as he glared at his two most trusted aides.


    Yuri and Zack stood in front of him, actually shivering for the first time. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They knew the death glare was not directed at them but still, that oppressive aura was getting a bit too much to handle.


    This was a report that they dreaded giving him, but they had to. In fact, they had been angry as well but the anger they had was like 0.01% of what Nitocris was showing right now.


    "You are telling me," Nitocris said, his voice heavy with killing intent, "That Xing Han is being imprisoned in his own home?"


    "Yes," Zack said slowly, struggling to bring out his voice without shaking.


    "There have been loads of specialists coming in and out of the house," Yuri said, flipping? through one document, "Psychologists, mostly, but there have been a couple of spiritualists."


    "The help at the house are extremely tight-lipped about what is happening," Yuri continued, "but we did manage to find one person who was willing to talk."


    Zack grinned, "After some persuasion, of course."


    "And?" Nitocris hissed, impatient with the delay in this.


    He had been extremely worried the first night that his puppy had not called him. There was no way Xing Han would miss a call. So Nitocris called but was directed to voice mail.


    That was the first sign.


    When there was no contact the next day as well, Nitocris put Yuri and Zack on the case immediately.


    And now, listening to what they were telling him ¡­.


    "Xing Han wanted to break the engagement," Yuri said calmly, and the twins got prepared for the reaction to the next news.


    At this point, Nitocris sat there in shock, his face unable to suppress the intense joy that flitted across his face.


    "So they refuse, and thus, keeping him locked up until the big day or something?" Nitocris asked, the chilling aura getting lower - if that was even possible.


    "No, worse," Yuri said softly, thinking whether he was going to survive being the bearer of bad news.


    He knew Nitocris wouldn''t kill him but he was barely holding on in fighting off the pressure Nitocris was giving off right now. The next piece of news will be the one that would make him blow his top.


    "They''re basically trying to cure him of his ¡­" Yuri faltered, gulping, "¡­ homosexuality."


    Yuri and Zack flinched, stumbling back as pieces of furniture blasted all around them. Their training saved them from being injured from the flying debris and they said a prayer for the poor, supposedly sturdy, desk.


    Which was now smashed, split into two, when Nitocris slammed his fists onto it.


    He stood up, staring at them, "Get Cerberus. We have someone to extract."


    "They are already waiting," Yuri said.


    "All that we''re waiting for, is your orders," Zack declared.


    Cerberus was Nitocris''s elite team, headed by Zack, which was trained to infiltrate, destroy and assassinate. They were only activated for sensitive and/or highly dangerous missions.


    It was a no-brainer that Nitocris would activate this team to save Xing Han.


    "Our mission is solely to get Xing Han out," Nitocris commanded, "Leave his family alone."


    As much as Nitocris wanted to annihilate all of those that made his puppy suffer, he knew that he couldn''t do so.


    This was Xing Han''s family, and no matter what, his heart was with them. If he did destroy them, Xing Han would most likely never recover.


    The fact that Xing Han had chosen him made Nitocris happy beyond belief and he swore to protect his puppy from all those prejudiced eyes. He would shower him with all the love he deserved, to replace the ones he lost.


    It would never be the same, but he certainly won''t let his puppy be tortured any longer.


    Nitocris didn''t say a word, as he slowly walked to his coat hanger. Yuri was already holding out his coat and helped Nitocris put it on.


    Yuri and Zack went into position right behind Nitocris. As they walked out, Iris couldn''t help but shiver seeing them.


    Their imposing presence, from the moment they stepped out of the office and out, was like a hot forest fire, burning everything in its path.

 Chapter 558 - The ’Cure’

    Xing Han sighed.


    He wondered how his Cookie was doing.


    He hoped Nitocris was fine and not freaking out.


    Well, if it was him, he would freak out.


    Xing Han sat on his bed, staring at the four walls. It was dark, and he didn''t bother to switch on the lights.


    Why should he?


    There was nothing to see.


    The windows were blackened out and locked securely. So was the door. In front of it, there was one bodyguard who stood guard.


    Xing Han hardly ate, his appetite not quite there so he had lost a bit of weight in these past three days. Or was it four?


    He had lost count already. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His face was not as swollen as before, though it still hurt from the slaps he had gotten.


    His days were filled with people asking him all sorts of intrusive questions. Xing Han was cooperative, mainly to show his family that there was nothing wrong with him.


    He felt that if he resisted, they would be more rigid in their stance.


    He even had monks come and talk to him, to heal him with speeches of spirituality and such.


    Everything was basically fine, and things that Xing Han accepted as his parents'' (or rather, his father) attempts at ''understanding'' him and ''curing'' him.


    That is, until the second day.


    A really beautiful girl came in, carrying his meal: bacon and eggs.


    The smell of the food was enticing and she didn''t do anything other than give him the food and sat down to watch him eat. She said that she was tasked to ensure that he didn''t starve himself since he wasn''t eating properly.


    Even then, Xing Han found it hard to swallow it despite it being so delicious.


    So, for every meal, that was what she did and each meal, was his favourite.


    Dinner was pork chops, and it seemed like she upped the game as well. Instead of just watching, she sat down next to him. Not touching, but just being near as he ate.


    Xing Han found the whole thing extremely puzzling.


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    "Do you think this would work?" asked Xing Han''s mother, Puay Kiow.


    Dr. Vicky nodded, saying, "Yes, with time. We are doing what is known as the pavlovian conditioning, also known as classical conditioning."


    "In very simple terms, we are conditioning Xing Han to respond to something he would not normally do, by associating it with something he loves. Like those things people post, where you sniff a roast chicken then bite into a healthy fruit, or bland salad. You trick your mind to thinking the fruit or salad is as delicious as the roast chicken."


    "On the reverse side, you can also use it to condition a person not to do something," Dr Vicky replied, "Like how Hitler had made those he deemed unworthy, not to want to read books. He had babies in an enclosed area with some books."


    "Each time they touched one, they would get an electrick shock. Soon, they associated the book with pain and would avoid it."


    "This carried on until adulthood, with them not understanding why they were adverse to books and studying, hence making them forever be the underdog."


    "So, in Xing Han''s case, we do that with a girl. Since he''s attracted to men, we now make it possible for him to be attracted to females," Dr Vicky explained, "Later on, we will also do this with men, but with pain instead."


    "This is all so confusing," Puay Kiow said, "You make it sound like he''s going to eat the girl or something."


    Dri Vicky smiled, nodding. It was hard to explain the complex process to a lay person, so she was grateful that Zh¨¨nl¨ªn simply told her to do it without asking for much.


    "Point is, research has already shown that you can get the ''gayness'' out of a person," Dr. Vicky assured them, "It is a combination of this classical conditioning, spiritual teachings and, most importantly, the desire of the person himself."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn looked upstairs, his heart in pain.


    This had to be done, in order to save his son. And the family.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Without waiting for a response, the door was blasted open.


    Everyone in the living room were startled, and stared at the gaping doorway.


    The women screamed, while Zh¨¨nl¨ªn stood up, staring at the imposing figure at the doorway.


    He exuded power, strength and had the aura of one not to be messed with. He just stood there at first, looking all around the room lazily, yet no one doubted that he was not on edge.


    He was dangerous.


    "Where is he?" the man asked, staring at Zh¨¨nl¨ªn.


    "Who?" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn asked, confused.


    Just who was this man? Why was he here, attacking them? Zh¨¨nl¨ªn looked around and saw that there were people in dark suits all over the house. Inside, and outside.


    In response, the man just turned his head to the left, and jerked it forward.


    A man, that had been right behind him, came into view on his left, and an identical man to that also showed himself on the right.


    "Be gentle," the man commanded.


    "Yes, Sir," Zack replied, heading upstairs.


    "Wait! What are you doing!!" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn shouted.


    The man that had been commanding everyone, walked towards him, standing imposingly in front of him.


    "I am here to pick up my boyfriend," Nitocris announced.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn stared at the man in horror. He looked at him from top to bottom and shook his head.


    How could this powerful figure be gay?


    In his mind, all homosexuals were effeminate, which was why he had been so strict on Xing Han when he was growing up. He had to be a ''manly man'' to avoid the danger that he was facing right now.


    Yet, in front of him, was the most ''manly man'' ever. And he was gay?!

 Chapter 559 - The Rescue

    Nitocris looked at Xing Han''s father.


    He studied him intensely through half-open eyelids, and he said as Zack and Yuri searched the house, "On account that you are his father, I am not going to hurt you."


    He ran his eyes over everyone else in the room, and the gaze he gave was like a Supreme King looking down on ants, "Or the rest of you. No matter what, you are his family and he loves you."


    Then, Nitocris''s eyes became even colder, "But that does not mean I will allow you to hurt him any further."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn found himself unable to breathe, the oppressive aura coming out from the man in front of him subdued him in ways he never thought possible. Any sort of thought to retort back, or resist, was quashed before it even started. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn gulped.


    How could this man, be his son''s lover?


    How could this man, actually like men?


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn felt like his entire thought process was crumbling and he couldn''t grasp the concept that such a strong and powerful man, could actually lean ''that'' way.


    What was wrong with the world?!


    Zack came down then, and said respectfully, "Boss, I found him. He''s in the second room to the left upstairs."


    Nitocris nodded.


    He wanted to be the one that went up to see his puppy, so all that the others needed to do was find him. Unexpectedly, Xing Han wasn''t in some dark dungeon and Nitocris felt his imagination had been too wild.


    Still, being held against his will was not something he condoned either.


    "Keep an eye on them," Nitocris commanded.


    Zack and Yuri nodded, both in a defensive position. They took out their guns and displayed it conspicuously while staring at them and daring them to make a move.


    "Just sit down quietly," Yuri said in his soft, melodious voice, "It will be over soon."


    Nitocris stood outside the door Xing Han was said to be in. He looked at the unconscious man right outside, and wondered why Xing Han hadn''t come out by himself.


    He opened the door, and the sight that greeted him inside made him freeze.


    There, his beloved puppy was sitting on the bed while a woman was inbetween his legs, her head bobbing up and down. Xing Han wasn''t doing anything other than sitting there, with his eyes closed. They were so engrossed in their own little world that even when he had opened the door, they didn''t react.


    Silently, decisively, Nitocris came up behind the girl. He grabbed her by her hair and she screamed, letting go of Xing Han''s d*ck. Irritated, Nitocris flung her away.


    As she landed on her butt, her eyes widened when she saw who it was. She shivered, not daring to move, let alone breathe.


    Nitocris didn''t say a word, but just glared at her once.


    The girl wasn''t stupid. She ran out like her life depended on it.


    And she knew, it did.


    She was a high-class escort, and knew all sorts of people. The reason why she was one of the top in the field was not only because she had the skills, but also because she knew who she should not mess with.


    That man inside there ¡­ was the King of the Underworld.


    Without a doubt, if she had not left immediately, she would not have left at all.


    She trembled as she entered the bathroom to catch her breath.


    This was not what she had signed up for.


    All she had to do was slowly get to know the boy inside the room.


    On the first day, she was simply to give the food. The second day, she was to try and initiate contact and conversation while he ate. On the third day, she was to be bolder in her actions and words.


    In short, she was to seduce him and let him feel the pleasures of the flesh with a woman.


    His food had contained some relaxant and aphrodisiac that would make him weak physically and susceptible to her administrations. It was in small doses, but the doctor said it was required to make him more pliable.


    The drugs were used to speed things up, for it would normally take weeks - if not months? - to achieve the desired effect.


    Things were going well, but who knew that that Devil would appear? If she had known the boy was the Devil''s beloved, she would never have taken the job.


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    Nitocris stared at his beloved puppy who was simply sitting there on the bed, unmoving. He seemed to be a bit out of sorts, like his mind was elsewhere. He didn''t seem to have any sort of reaction.


    He wasn''t naked, but his pants were wide open with his c*ck, that was slowly going limp, was exposed.


    As much as he wanted to kill the girl earlier, he didn''t.?At once glance, the King of the Underworld knew what she was, and that she was only doing a job.


    It wasn''t her fault.


    Right now, what was more important was to get his puppy out of here.


    Nitocris went on his knees and looked at his puppy, and it was only then that he managed to see his puppy''s face clearly.


    There were tears falling down his puppy''s face, though his eyes were closed. His face was also slightly puffy from some sort of swelling, an obvious sign of being hit.


    Thoughts of killing Xing Han''s family went through his mind, and he hissed, causing Xing Han to open his eyes.


    Xing Han blinked, unable to fully comprehend that the one person he wanted most, was right in front of his face.


    "Cookie?"


    He started crying then, as he wailed, "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to ... she ... she ..."


    Nitocris kissed him deeply, stopping his words, before saying, "Ssssh, I know, Puppy. I know. It''s okay."


    Xing Han just cried harder.

 Chapter 560 - His Choice

    Nitocris pulled Xing Han into his arms and held him tightly.


    He let Xing Han cry his eyes out, all the while telling him that it was okay, that he didn''t blame him, that it wasn''t his fault. He rubbed his hands along his back while Xing Han held on to Nitocris, holding him tight as he continued to cry.


    At that moment, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was right outside the door and he witnessed this scene. Zack had brought him up, forcing him to see what he had actually done to his own son.


    Nitocris knew they were there, but he pointedly ignored them.


    What was important was his sobbing puppy in his arms.


    When Xing Han finally calmed down, Nitocris wiped his tears and held his face in his hands, staring at him, "Listen to me, okay Puppy? I love you. Always have and I always will. Nothing will ever change that. This ... that ... nothing. Understand?"


    Xing Han sniffed, his eyes looking at Nitocris''s eyes that were full of love and tenderness for him.


    Then, Nitocris kissed him. A long, slow and sweet loving kiss.


    Nitocris wanted Xing Han to feel his love for him, that nothing had changed and his feelings for Xing Han remain steadfast.


    Xing Han was nervous at first, but was soon lost in the moment.


    The kiss started becoming more passionate, as Nitocris deepened the kiss further upon feeling his sensitive puppy respond. He brought his hand to hold the back of Xing Han''s head as he plunged his tongue inside, delicately exploring the delicious cavern slowly.


    Xing Han''s flaccid little brother started rising, and Nitocris laughed a bit when he realised that.


    He broke the kiss and whispered in Xing Han''s ear, "When we get home, I will replace every single touch of hers with mine. I will cleanse your c*ck with my mouth and let you bury yourself deep within me. Use me as you will in order to get her stench out from your body, okay?"


    Xing Han gulped, and he slowly nodded as he went to pull his underwear and zip up his pants.


    "Let''s go home, okay?" Nitocris said, caressing his cheek.


    Xing Han nodded again.


    It was only then that Nitocris turned to face his ''father-in-law'' at the doorway, who was standing there, his entire body just frozen solid. He couldn''t escape and had been forced to watch his son making out with another man.


    The sight was abnormal and horrible to endure.


    But despite all of that, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn couldn''t deny the pure love between the two men. The depth of love, the purity and the intensity of the emotions portrayed ¡­ all of it hit him in a manner that he, himself, was too stubborn to acknowledge or see at that moment.


    He was too caught up with the ''horror'' instead.


    It was, however, a start that was buried deep in his subconscious mind. It was only many, many years later that Zh¨¨nl¨ªn could finally talk to his son normally again.


    For now, however, none of it showed.


    All that Nitocris could see was disbelief and an unwillingness in that man''s eyes to accept what he was seeing.


    "I am taking him with me," Nitocris declared, getting up. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He walked over to Zh¨¨nl¨ªn and said, so that only he could hear, "If you say anything to stop me, or say anything to hurt Xing Han, I will not hesitate to destroy the precious company you hold so dearly."


    He stared at Zh¨¨nl¨ªn in the eyes as he said coldly, "I, Nitocris Bianci, promise you this."


    When Zh¨¨nl¨ªn heard that name, his heart dropped and he felt cold sweat dripping down his face and back.


    Who, in the business world that had some dealings with the underworld, did not know this name?


    His eyes finally had fear in them as he stared at Nitocris with wide eyes. Nitocris, seeing this, was satisfied and he gave a smile.


    He turned, to see that his puppy was still sitting on the bed, as if gathering his thoughts.


    Nitocris knew that Xing Han was having conflicted feelings.


    This was a choice he never wanted Xing Han to make. His family, or him.


    That was why he never brought up the matter at all. Xing Han loved his family dearly, and there was no way Nitocris was going to force him to choose.


    When you truly love someone, giving them an ultimation to choose between the two was undeniably cruel, and selfish. How could anyone be so presumptuous as to think they could replace the family their beloved grew up in?


    It was different if Xing Han had been abused from the start and/or Xing Han never had any feelings for his family.


    So Nitocris was silent, letting Xing Han settle his inner demons.


    Xing Han slowly got up, and he looked at Nitocris, then at his father.


    He gave one long look at his bedroom, as he turned around to look at everything.


    He took a deep breath, and walked over to Nitocris, slipping his hands in his.


    "Let''s go," he said resolutely, but sadly.


    "Are you sure?" Nitocris asked.


    Xing Han looked at his father, and he gave a deep bow, saying, "Father, I thank you for raising me all these years. I am deeply sorry that I cannot be the son that you need. Forgive me for my selfish desire to be with the man that I love deeply."


    Xing Han didn''t wait for a reply, for he knew that he wouldn''t get any approval. All he wanted to do was say his piece, and leave.


    He got up from his bow, gave one last sad look at his father, and he left.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn came down the stairs in a daze, to see his entire family in the living room. Also in a daze.


    They looked up at him, and then looked away.


    "You used drugs on my son?!"

 Chapter 561 - Taking Back What Is His

    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn couldn''t help but shudder for a little while upon hearing that cold voice asking him. His wife had always been the perfect example of the ''submissive'' and ''obedient'' wife.


    She had been trained since young to always act appropriately, behave properly and never do anything to bring down the Tan family name.


    She had been groomed from young to be in that position.


    The thing is, she had a very strong personality. She had to be, since she was the wife. She had to endure a loveless marriage and watch her husband have ''happiness'' with other women.


    She endured it, for the sake of the children and for the Family.


    Now, however, to know that her son had been played out by her own husband, the thin line that had held the family together, broke.


    "I ask you again, you drugged my son?" she hissed.


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn, however, was not going to cower and back down.


    He was the Head, and no woman should talk to him like that.


    "I did what was necessary to cure him," Zh¨¨nl¨ªn declared, unremorseful, "It was for the sake of the Family."


    "Sake of the Family?!" screamed Puay Kiow, "It was for your sake, and you know it. You couldn''t bring the business back up and now you''re relying on my son to help you."


    "Sacrifices need to be made fo the better of the Family!" Zh¨¨nl¨ªn shouted this time.


    Puay Kiow snorted, "Do not talk to ME about sacrifices. No one has sacrificed more than me. In fact, all the wives of the Tan Heir have always done so. What have you really sacrificed? Everything has been catered to ensure you enjoy life, yet for us?"


    She stood up, going over to him steadily, "I am proud of my son. Daring not only to go against the stupid Tan tradition, he did it brilliantly. He found someone that is willing to go to the ends of the Earth for him."


    She swished past him, saying, "At least one Tan got it right. Perhaps the future of this dying family can rise with him."


    Zh¨¨nl¨ªn watched as his daughters didn''t say a word and followed their mother up the stairs.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The news that Xing Han broke off from his family was something Philip was ecstatic about. He had been extremely worried about this ''Elite Five'' of Kyle''s. Specifically, Xing Han and Ali.


    The two''s families was powerful and highly influential. Even though the Tan appeared to be dwindling, once Xing Han married into the Xin Family, they would continue to rise.


    With such connections, the support for Kyle was unshakeable.


    Philiip wasn''t stupid.


    Kyle was the youngest Smith to have passed the test.


    He had always performed well for the company. His friends were all capable - even the unassuming Samuel showed skills that belied his young age. He had powerful friends that could bring the already strong Smith Industries to greater heights.


    Now, however, things seemed to be falling apart for Kyle.


    The previous brilliance was replaced by a boy that followed his emotions too much. Disappearing for two years now? Not continuing his studies? Ignoring everything about the company?


    All that was already damaging enough, but now, he was also losing support of his friends?


    Philip was truly excited.


    The news that Xing Han had rejected the marriage had caused big waves in the business world.


    It also eliminated one power house from Kyle. No longer was the ''Tan Family'' going to be one that would recover and become strong again.


    What was better, was the fact that the reason why Xing Han broke off the engagement was to be with his lover.


    A male lover.


    The reason why that was such good news was due to the rumour that arose from it. A rumour that Philip perpetuated and fanned the flames of.


    It was said that Kyle was the one that had ''turned'' Xing Han. In other words, Kyle made Xing Han gay.


    That served two things for Philip.


    First, a lot of their shareholders were rather conservative, and thus, such action was severely frowned upon. Since Kyle was the one that had ''turned'' a straight man, it only meant his morals were questionable and his capabilities dodgy.


    It would be so easy to sway them to his side.


    Secondly, it meant that the Tan backing was gone.


    It was said that the Tan''s were so enraged by Kyle that they had cut off all ties with him. Philip had managed to gather some intel on the going on in the Tan Family, and discovered that Zh¨¨nl¨ªn, the current Leader, had blacklisted Kyle.


    The Tan Family did not have many business dealings with the Smiths, and Zh¨¨nl¨ªn was not crazy enough to sever that connection. What he did was that he had forbidden his family from contacting Kyle and was trying to entice Xing Han back.


    Philip couldn''t discover the identity of Xing Han''s lover, though, for anything connected to that mysterious man was erased. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although this told Philip that Xing Han''s lover was most likely one not to be messed with, he was not concerned at all.


    After all, Xing Han had left the family completely and it was said that the lover did not bother himself with any other issue. All he wanted was to be with his lover.


    Philip scoffed at that, thinking how stupid it was to throw everything away just to be with a person you claim to love.


    It all worked out for him, though.


    All the years of careful planning, of bidding his time was finally coming to an end.


    He could taste the Leadership position already.


    It should have been him, not Patrick.


    Their skills were almost the same. It was only the fact that Patrick could control the Smith Anger better that he lost.


    What sort of faulty reasoning was that?


    Soon, what was supposed to be his, would be his.

 Chapter 562 - Treasures

    Xing Han was silent all the way home.


    Nitocris sat at the back of the car with Xing Han, who was lying down on Nitocris''s lap. Nitocris was looking out the window, his chin on one hand while the other hand was busy, and steadily, stroking Xing Han''s hair.


    Zack, who was driving, kept glancing back to look at the quiet couple while Yuri stared in front like a robot.


    "Let''s go on a holiday," Nitocris said suddenly.


    "Huh?" Xing Han said in a daze, his mind still on his family.


    "I''ll inform the help at Hades," Yuri said, picking up the phone, "You can head there immediately."


    Xing Han sat up, looking at his beloved in puzzlement.


    "Hades is my private island resort," Nitocris explained, "It''s also where Cerberus stays. I go there occasionally when I need some time off alone."


    He stroked Xing Han''s cheek, "Of course, since having you, I never needed to go there. It''s your home too now, so anytime you need a break, just tell Yuri or Zack."


    Xing Han nodded.


    "We''ll also have your wounds attended to," Nitocris said, his eyes narrowing, "We have a doctor staying there as well."


    Xing Han placed his hand on Nitocris''s hand. The one that was gingerly touching the slight swelling of his cheeks.


    "We will stay on the island for as long as is needed," Nitocris continued, "You can do your school work from there and Yuri and Zack can hold the fort back here."


    Xing Han nodded, "Okay." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris caressed the slightly swollen cheek, "Is it still painful?"


    Nitocris knew how easily his puppy''s skin bruised, but even then, the injury on his beloved was quite severe. He knew the sort of force that was required to injure his puppy so.


    The thought of his puppy in pain ripped him apart.


    Never, in his wildest dream, did Nitocris think Xing Han had gone back to break the engagement.


    If he had known, he would have been there by his side, to help him face the music and shield him from the danger.


    He should have listened to his instinct then. He should have insisted on either his puppy to stay or for his puppy to let him follow him.


    Xing Han could see the anguish in his beloved''s face and it tore him apart as well, "It''s okay, Cookie. I''m fine. Just give it a few days and it''ll go down soon enough."


    Nitocris clenched his jaw, and Xing Han saw the way those muscles moved on his beloved''s face.


    He smiled gently, and kissed Nitocris on the cheek, saying, "I am fine, Cookie. Really."


    Yuri and Zack, who were sitting in front, kept getting goosebumps each time Xing Han called their Boss ''Cookie''.


    Then they saw how Xing Han tried to placate his beloved, by kissing him all over the face while still calling him ''Cookie''.


    Without a word, Yuri brought up the private divider screen between the driver and back seat.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kitty was in Heaven.


    Once again, she managed to get Papa''s special item.


    Amongst all of Papa''s stuff, this one had his smell the strongest.


    Kitty just loved the smell so much.


    Kitty didn''t know why, but Papa''s smell always calmed her down. When he was not around, these special items of Papa''s always made her be able to handle missing him. She could wait patiently for him to come back.


    If it wasn''t for these treasures of hers, she would be lost, meowing pitifully without anyone hearing her. It had been like that when she was much, much younger.


    Not being able to see Papa, or smell him, made her feel so upset. Like the end of the world.


    When Papa started leaving her alone at home, she got so agitated.


    The loneliness almost killed her.


    She still remembered the first time she found these treasures. She had been so happy, that she fell asleep on them.


    Papa had not been happy.


    So she learned that the best thing to do was take them and put them in her special hiding spots.


    The one Kitty was playing with right now was her most favouritest of favourite of all the items Papa had.


    She didn''t know why, but this item of Papa''s came in all shapes and sizes.


    There was one that was kinda big, like those things Papa wear sometimes when he goes out. This one was the best to pile up and sleep on. It was a pain to drag all over the floor, though.[1]


    She could only take this one when Papa was not home.


    It was also the one that Papa wore the most, so maybe that was why he was always chasing her for it. Whenever he saw her with it, he would just take it back.


    Kitty growled at that.


    Once she took it, it was hers!


    How could he take it back?


    All of it was hers.


    There was another that was much smaller, and much easier to carry. She liked to put her head inside and gnaw at the part that seemed to pop out more. Sometimes she would play by putting her paw on it to smoothen it, but it never did.[2]


    There was another type that was even smaller than that. She didn''t quite like it as much, though. Maybe because Papa didn''t really wear those.[3]


    But this one.


    Her most favouritest favourite was this funny one that had strings all over and just one cloth. The strings were fun to play with and she would often get entangled in them. Papa hardly wore these, so she could ¡­ erm, take them without him noticing most of the time.[4]


    But right now, she was in a bit of trouble.


    The darn strings were wrapped around her paws and neck, while the cloth part was covering her face. She couldn''t get free at all.


    She whimpered, meowing pitifully.

 Chapter 563 - Hers

    Kyle''s head popped up when he heard the mournful meow of his Kitty.


    Kyle was in the kitchen, getting some dinner, when that sound filled the air. He got up and closed his eyes. He focused on the sound and started walking towards it.


    Despite the fact that his eyes were closed, he did not hit any of the furniture. His heightened senses led him straight to where the sound was originating from and he opened his eyes.


    And sighed.


    In front of him, was the bookshelf.


    Studying it, he listened again and his hands went straight to a box on the fourth shelf. He tilted it towards him and a tied up Kitty - with several of his underwear - tumbled out.


    Kyle shook his head at the scene.


    "How on Earth did you get tangled so, you stupid Kitty," Kyle complained, as he carried her to the sofa.


    With expert hands, he slowly untangled the strings and finally, Kitty was free.


    She sprang up, climbing up his chest and started licking his chin.


    "Urgh, pffft," Kyle hissed, but Kitty was not bothered.


    With one final lick on his nose, she jumped down and ran off.


    Kyle held up his jockstrap that he was holding, not realising that Kitty was busy transporting the fallen underwear to another place.


    His mind was filled with certain memories, for that particular jockstrap was one that he had worn during the Randall mission. He had forgotten all about it, and had thought it had been thrown away.


    Seemed like Kitty the Underwear Thief had been the culprit.


    Where the heck did she find it anyway??


    He stared at it, and all the cat fur that was on it. It had not been one comfortable thing to wear, but it had been needed to seduce Randall even more.


    Just thinking about it made him shiver as he remembered how that string would go right inbetween the crack of his butt. Man, that had been so uncomfortable.


    Kyle got up, intending to throw it away and noticed that his underwear thief was nowhere to be seen again.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kitty was not in Heaven.


    Right now, she was asleep and dreaming while hidden underneath Kyle''s boxer briefs. Her little legs kicked out, as if she was agitated and in pain while whimpering slightly.


    ? Kitty''s Dream ?


    It was painful, so painful.


    It was getting so hard to breathe.


    Everything was going dark.


    It was so scary.


    Why?


    Why was this happening?


    As the pain was at its worst, it suddenly stopped.


    Puzzlement.


    Realisation.


    Despair.


    Then, a voice wafted in softly as the scene flickered to something else ...


    "I''m sorry ¡­" was all that was heard until everything went black. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Darkness.


    Nothing could be seen.


    So dark.


    Then, pain.


    Yet, fear wasn''t in the heart.


    For one felt safe.


    Despite the pain.


    Darkness again.


    Fear filled the heart, filled it to the brim and a sense of dread came.


    Was Death coming again?


    No.


    I refuse to submit again!


    Fight. Fight.


    Finally, exhausted, slept.


    In the drug-induced haze, that smell came.


    That familiar smell that tugged at the heart-strings.


    That smell which made the heart beat more.


    Struggling, the eyes opened.


    The sight that greeted the eyes hit him so deeply, he couldn''t breathe.


    ''Kyle'' he shouted, but instead of a voice, a meow came out.


    It was only then, that he realised.


    Kyle''s face was so much bigger than he remembered. He looked down and saw a furry body. He looked at his hands and saw paws.


    He wailed, and it came out as pitiful meows.


    He had died and now he was reborn.


    As a cat?!


    How could this be?


    How could the Heavens be so cruel?


    Then he thought of all the things he had done in his past life and he wailed again.


    Obviously, his past sins had made him unworthy of being reincarnated as a human being.


    Just as he was getting more upset, he felt strong hands lifting him up. He was then placed into a rather comfortable hammock-like thingy, which had his smell.


    Randall closed his eyes, calming down and snuggled deep inside.


    He didn''t care anymore.


    It didn''t matter what had happened, how it happened and why it happened.


    All that mattered was that right now, he was right where he wanted to be the most.


    In the arms of his beloved.


    Just as he fell asleep, he felt his memories were becoming fuzzy and that his thoughts became simpler.


    Soon, he even forgot that he had been a human male.


    All he knew, as he fell into a deep sleep, was that this person was his.


    Nothing else mattered.


    Kitty''s legs stopped jerking then and Kitty fell into a deep sleep.


    Several hours later, Kitty opened her eyes and she looked about.


    Taking one last sniff of the underwear she was on, she growled. The smell was getting weaker now, and so she needed Papa.


    She stretched first, then started licking herself clean.


    Her mind was a bit puzzled at first, wondering about the dream she had ¡­ a dream that she couldn''t quite remember the details of.


    All that she could remember was that Papa had been in it.


    Kitty''s head jerked up.


    Papa!


    Where is Papa?


    She trudged along, looking for him, feeling worried and agitated.


    When she found him in the bedroom, the sense of relief washed over her immediately.


    Papa was on the bed, asleep.


    Was it already night time?


    She looked out the window and saw that indeed, it was already dark.


    She jumped onto the bed, carefully making her way to Papa.


    She settled herself at the crook of the armpit, putting her nose right at his neck. Kyle stirred, patted her absent-mindedly and went back to sleep.


    Kitty purred, contented, her senses filled with the smell that always made her calm down.


    This was her Papa.


    Hers.


    She was never going to let him go.

 Chapter 564 - Ali: Preperations

    Ali was in his bedroom, hardly caring about the festivities going on outside. He was reading a book, casually flipping the pages as he finished one page after another.


    Once in a while, his sister - or his mother - would come in and ask his opinion about something. He would look up, take a glance, give an answer and get back to reading his book.


    After the tenth time his sister came in, she finally lost it and said through gritted teeth, "Are you even looking properly?!"


    With a sigh, Ali closed the book and clasping his hand together, he said, "Yes, I am, Baihyah. Is there something wrong with my choices?"


    "No, but ¡­"


    "Did I not look at the stuff you brought?" Ali asked.


    "Yes, you did, but ¡­"


    "Did I not give an opinion of which one I would prefer?" he asked again.


    "Well, yes, you did, but ¡­"


    "Did I not follow the theme when making my choice?" Ali asked again.


    She fidgeted.


    "Then, there is nothing wrong," Ali replied, going back to his book.


    In exasperation, his sister nearly screamed, "Can''t you at least show some semblance of excitement?"


    With dead eyes, Ali turned to her and said, "I have agreed to the wedding. I have promised that I will be a good husband. Feeling ''excitement'' was not part of the deal."


    Sighing, Ali said, before turning back to his book, "Look, I truly do appreciate all that you''re doing to prepare for the wedding. I know it is a lot of work, but you can''t expect me to be excited about marrying someone I do not know."


    ''Or love,'' he added silently in his heart.


    His sister stood there for a while, observing the rather forlorn figure of her brother.


    "You know Abba and Ummi honestly feel this is the best course for you," she finally said softly, "When the girl was chosen, it wasn''t due to her background but by her personality. You know that, right?" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without looking up from his book, Ali answered, "I know."


    She waited, but Ali didn''t say anything else and with a sigh, she left.


    Outside his bedroom, she bumped into their second youngest sister, Fadilah.


    "His attitude is to be expected, Big Sister," Fadilah said, upon seeing her second eldest sister frown, "After all, men, in general, aren''t that concerned about the wedding preparations anyway. Just think of it that way and let him be."


    She walked away, then stopped upon thinking of something. She turned and looked at her elder sister and added, "Maybe you find it hard to understand, because you''re happy with your husband. But remember, you never loved and lost like Big Brother did. So leave him alone and stop expecting perfection."


    Bahiyah watched as Fadilah walked away, then looked at the garment in her hands.


    She sighed again, thinking that her brother had a lot to live up to. She trusted him, in the sense that he wouldn''t treat his wife badly.


    But shouldn''t he, at least, be interested in knowing who she was?


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The whole wedding preparations took nearly a year to do. Although they did have professional help, Ali''s mother, Raika, loved to do some of the things herself.


    The personal touch, so to speak.


    After all, it was the wedding of her only son and it had to be perfect.


    The entire theme was ''fairytale'', thus there would be lots and lots of flowers decorated all over the house and outside. The wedding would be held at the mansion, of course, so the few weeks before the actual day had the entire mansion bustling with people.


    The colour scheme was pastel, which had been Ali''s choice. He wanted something soothing for the wedding at least ¡­ though deep down, it was also because it had been Sophia''s favourite colours.


    Though he may not be marrying her, and though it may seem like he was betraying their love by having the colours on his own wedding day ¡­ he wanted, at least, to pretend that he was marrying her.


    That was the reason why he didn''t want to look at the file.


    It wasn''t that he was not curious, but rather, he did not want to know yet and break the illusion he put himself under. He found that this was the only way he could gather some sort of interest in the whole situation.


    Each time his sister or mother came to ask his opinion, he would ask himself, ''Would Sophia like this?''.


    It made the whole thing bearable, and that he would not pull a long face and make everyone unhappy.


    All of them truly believed he would be happy, even though it was an arranged marriage. Their parents were happy. The eldest sister was happy.


    So, in time, he would be as well.


    The pastel colours he chose was a combination shades of lavender, peach and pink. Peach, being his favourite and lavender being Sophia''s favourite. The pink was to added by the wedding planner to create more variety.


    As Ali walked through the halls and seeing part of the decorations up, his heart clenched a bit.


    He admitted, his family did a beautiful job.


    If this had been his wedding with Sophia, it would have been a truly magical and wonderful wedding indeed.


    Ali forced himself to walk through the entire mansion, to look at all the decorations and preparations going on. Even though he was indifferent, he should not belittle and disrespect the efforts his entire family was going through.


    He entered the main hall, where the wedding would take place. The place where he would say his solemnization vows and become a husband.


    Next to the hall, was the waiting room, where the bride would be at.


    Where she would wait while the wedding ceremony was on.


    Where he would enter to greet his new wife after the ceremony was over.


    He sat on the bed, silently crying.

 Chapter 565 - The Wedding

    It was his big day.


    Funnily enough, none of the Elite Five were here.


    Not even Kay.


    In truth, he didn''t invite them.


    News of his wedding would most likely hit the newspapers, and the headlines would scream about this fairytale wedding.


    He didn''t want his brothers and sister to be here.


    This farce of a wedding.


    If he had been marrying Sophia, he would have had them come a week before the wedding, have those stag party (with one girl along) and basically hang out with his brothers till the actual day.


    They would dress him up, poke fun at him and all that.


    He couldn''t bring up such feelings of joy and excitement, so why bother having them come?


    He hadn''t even told them he was getting married, so he could imagine the backlash from there.


    That would be for another day.


    For now, he just wanted to get this day through.


    Ali took a deep breath as he looked at himself in the mirror.


    He had bathed in the specially prepared bath water, trimmed his beard and mustache, combed his hair neatly, and dressed properly.


    He looked like a proper groom, in his traditional wedding outfit.


    The only thing missing was the spark in his eyes. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was a knock on the door, and his mother entered after.


    She put a hand on her mouth upon seeing her handsome son in all his wedding finery, "MashaAllah,* my son."


    Ali gave his mother a genuine and warm smile, seeing the tears of joy in her eyes. He went over to her and gave her a hug.


    "Thank you, my son," she said softly in his ear as she hugged him back.


    She knew how much he was relunctant for this wedding, yet, he had not caused any trouble. He had kept his word and had been the perfect son. He would be the perfect husband, as well.


    His wife-to-be was very lucky indeed, and soon, Ali would also know how lucky he is as well in their choice for him.


    Ali knew what his mother was thanking him for and he was silent.


    Breaking apart, she smoothened his shirt and smiled, saying, "The bride has already arrived, and is waiting in the room."


    Ali nodded.


    This was a slight deviation from the normal tradition.


    Usually, the wedding ceremony would be done at the bride''s house.


    The bridegroom would arrive, bearing gifts on trays, and place it in the main hall, in front of the gifts that the bride reciprocates with. The number of gifts varies, but it would need to be in odd numbers with the girl giving less.


    Ali''s family was giving 19 gifts, while the bride was reciprocating with 17 gifts.


    There was the dowry, which was $10,000 and the banknotes of $50, $100, $1000 had been folded and arranged to create a beautiful bouquet of flowers.


    The wedding rings were on another tray, nestled and shining brilliantly in its casing.


    The other trays were clothes (traditional clothes, formal dress), a pair of shoes, a handbag, jewellery set (earrings and necklace), make-up, perfume, Godiva chocolates, a fruit basket of exotic fruits, the Al-Quran (holy book of Muslims), a prayer mat, two sets of prayer outfits (one simple, one with intricate designs), a car key, a house key, a bankbook with a deposit of $500,000 and a traditional item known as ''tepak sirih'' [1].


    Every single tray had been decorated lavishly, with ribbons and small pastel flowers and baby breaths. Every single item was from well-known brands.


    Thus, having the bride come to Ali''s mansion was breaking tradition, and Raika had explained it was because the girl''s family was not around.


    Ali had been curious about that, but not curious enough to inquire further.


    In the current times, the girl would be witnessing the wedding vows.


    However, since they were already deviating from the main tradition of going to the bride''s house, Ali''s family decided on maintaining as much tradition as possible. Thus, the bride would be waiting in the room.


    "It''s time," announced Haleema, the youngest.


    Ali took a deep breath and stepped forward.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    In the hall, everyone''s eyes was fixed on the handsome young man sitting on the intricate cushion. He was holding the hand of the Imam (Muslim cleric), the one who was officiating the wedding.


    There is traditionally, no wedding vows in Muslim marriages. All that is required is for the bridegroom to recite the words signifying his acceptance to the marriage.


    The bride would have been asked by the Imam about her willingness to enter into the marriage, and signed the marriage contract.


    The Imam had first given a whole speech to Ali about his responsibilities as a husband, and sternly told him that he was the protector who had to treat his wife well. Then, the ceremony began.


    "Do you, Muhammad Ali bin Johan, take Nur Sofiya binti Abdullah, to be your legally wedded wife?"


    "I, Muhammad Ali bin Johan, do take Nur Sofiya binti Abdullah, to be my legally wedded wife."


    The Imam looked to his right and the witness declared, "Valid". The Imam looked to his left and the witness declared, "Valid".


    The Imam smiled and nodded, "Valid." before letting go of Ali''s hand.


    Everyone shouted in joy and the Imam gave a doa for the couple.


    Ali brought his hands together, listening and thought, ''I am married now.''


    Ali signed the wedding contract, received the rings from the tray and walked over to the bedroom where his wife was waiting.


    He stood at the doorway.


    His wife was sitting on the bed, dressed in the traditional wedding outfit and her face covered in a veil.


    When he reached her side, she took his hand and kissed it in greeting. He slipped the ring on her finger, and she slipped the ring on his.


    Finally, he lifted the veil.


    "Sophia?!" Ali shouted in absolute shock.

 Chapter 566 - Questions

    Ali went down on his knees, his eyes not believing what he was seeing. He peered at her face, asking in fear, "Sophia, is that really you?"


    Was it really her? Or someone that looked like her? Was his innermost desire so powerful that it makes him see her in another person? Has he gone mad?


    Sophia smiled, her smile lighting up his entire being as she said in that all too familiar voice, "Yes, Ali. I am back."


    Ali''s face lit up and his eyes sparkled, gulping, "It''s really you. Oh my God, it''s really you!"


    He smiled, his entire face gentle and loving as he came closer, holding her hands, "Sophia, my Sophia ¡­"


    He blinked, his brain finally truly registering what had happened, "MY Sofiya."


    Sophia ¡­ no, Sofiya ¡­ smiled again.


    Her smile was as sweet and serene, and Ali''s felt a lump in his throat. He caressed her cheek, saying, with a hitch in his voice, "I missed you so."


    "My wife."


    He smiled very stupidly then and kept repeating, "My wife. My sweet, lovely wife. Mine. MY wife." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sofiya giggled at that, which made Ali stop.


    "And I missed you," Sofiya answered, equally softly.


    Ali brought his face closer but stopped suddenly upon hearing his father clearing his throat. He was so caught up in the moment that he forgot that there was an audience.


    "We still have a ceremony to complete," Johan reminded him.


    "The guests are waiting," Raika continued.


    Ali looked down, a bit embarrassed and then stood up. He looked at his new wife, love in his eyes as he held out his hand. She took it, and he held her hand tightly.


    Together, they walked out to greet the guests, who cheered loudly as she emerged. Sofiya looked down shyly, and Ali pulled her to his side. He put his hand on her waist and grinned happily at everyone.


    At that moment, he was happy.


    But, it wasn''t truly complete for the Elite Five weren''t around.


    He regretted not calling them, but the past is the past.


    What''s done, is done.


    Although he was sad that they were not by his side, he wasn''t going to let that ruin the rest of the event.


    He kissed Sofiya''s forehead and the crowd went wild. Sofiya hit Ali''s chest in embarrassment and everyone laughed.


    They headed to the patio, to start the banquet.


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    That night, Ali looked at Sofiya who was taking off her bridal make-up, still wrapping his head around the fact that he was married, and he was married to her.


    Sofiya saw him staring at her from the reflection in the mirror, and she smiled, yet did not say a thing. Once everything was removed, she started taking off the various hairpins in her hair.


    Ali came up behind her and helped her, taking them out one by one, carefully and putting it on the dressing table. Sofiya sat up straight, watching her husband take care of her.


    "I thought you said Islam wasn''t for you," Ali said softly as he continued his gentle care.


    Sofiya knew that Ali had many questions, and she had been prepared to answer them. This, obviously, was the most important one and must have been on his mind all this while.


    "Let''s play a game, shall we?" she suggested.


    "What sort of game?"


    "The question games, of course," Sofiya replied, "Each of us will ask the other questions."


    "Oh," Ali said, nodding.


    He had lots of questions, but what sort of questions did she have for him? He was now curious about that.


    "I lied to you," Sofiya admitted, "I wasn''t sure yet at that time, but I didn''t want to tie you down and wait for me."


    "You did what?!" Ali exclaimed in surprise. Despite his surprise, he was still careful about the pins (there certainly was a lot of them!), "How could you do that? You mean, you broke up with me ¡­"


    "Ah ah," Sofiya admonished him, "One question per time. It''s now my turn, right?"


    "Oh, yes," Ali said, properly chastised, "I''m sorry. Yes, your question?"


    "Why were you so willing to get married?"


    Ali sighed at that, and pulled out the last pin. He ran his fingers through her soft curls and let it fall nicely onto her shoulders and back, "I wasn''t. But I figured, I owed my parents that much, at least. Since I never wanted to get married if it wasn''t you, I might as well accept their choice for me."


    He looked into her eyes through the reflection in the mirror, "I can''t believe that my parents planned all of this behind my back with you. When did you get back?"


    "A month ago," Sofiya replied.


    Ali''s face scrunched up, "A month? But ¡­"


    His parents had brought up the issue of them getting married before she came back? It meant that they knew where she had been?


    It didn''t make sense. How ¡­?


    Before he could think on it more, Sofiya had got down from her chair, turned and took his face in her hands. She asked, "I''m sorry for leaving, Ali. I''m sorry for breaking up with you, Ali. But I had to, in order to find myself."


    She touched his face so lovingly, and she said softly, "I heard how it was for you this entire time. I ¡­"


    "Ssssh," Ali said, taking her hands in his, "That is in the past. I don''t resent nor blame you for it. It made me stronger. I resigned myself to Allah, and the plans that was made for me."


    He pulled her closer to him, putting his hands around her waist, "And His* plans for me is truly wonderful."


    Ali kissed her then, softly at first, then more passionately. His tongue slid in as she allowed entry and soon, the sounds of their kissing filled the air.


    This time, he didn''t need to stop before getting his fill.

 Chapter 567 - The Journey

    Sofiya opened her eyes, feeling a bit disoriented as she looked at an unfamiliar room. Memories of where she was flooded her mind and then she blushed beet red, remembering what had happened last night.


    Ali had been a beast ¡­ a gentle one, but a beast nonetheless.


    After the initial pain, she had been swept away by the intense emotions that Ali invoked within her. Never, in her wildest dreams, did she imagine it could have been like that.


    The way Ali had carefully, and tenderly, loved her in many ways made her gulp and her face go red as she remembered last night.


    Her body truly ached right now and she wondered whether the times he had suppressed himself when they had been together turned him into that seemingly high-stamina man that lasted almost the whole night.


    She said almost, because she got so exhausted that she had fallen asleep after the fourth round. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Sofiya started entering dreamland, she had a vague recollection of Ali kissing her forehead and doing something, but she was too deep in sleep by then to know what it was.


    Sofiya looked to her side, and noticed that Ali wasn''t around. She touched the bedsheet, and noticed that it was not warm anymore, so he must have woken up extra early.


    She groaned, looking at the time and was in relief that it was still early. She had not missed the first prayer of the day as yet.


    Sofiya quickly got up and tenderly walked to the bathroom to bathe.


    When Ali entered the room, he was struck with the vision of Sofiya praying.


    Ali didn''t know how to describe what he was feeling, other than a sense of pride and love that enveloped his entire being. Even without him prompting her, she had started performing the prayer.


    Ali placed the tray with breakfast on the dressing table and waited for her to finish. Just watching her gave him a sense of peace that went deep into his soul.


    Once she was done, she spent a few more minutes after, to recite a few dzikir* before putting her hands together to pray, to seek guidance and happiness.


    Once done, she turned to Ali with a smile, but scolded him, "Why didn''t you wake me up? I might have missed the Subuh prayers."


    "I was going to when I get back," Ali explained, "I was getting breakfast first. There is still time."


    "But it is still not good to delay it, right?" Sofiya said as she took off her prayer garment.


    For females, the area that had to be covered for praying was extensive. Only the face could be shown. For men, the area is between the belly button to the knee (but of course, no one prays shirtless).


    Sofiya folded her prayer garment and prayer mat and set it aside.


    Ali came over and kissed her, saying "Yes, you are right. I am sorry."


    "From now on, we must pray together," Sofiya told him as they sat down on the bed, "You are, after all, my guide."


    "Yes, you are right," Ali said again, kissing her again, this time more passionately.


    "Ali, I''m hungry," Sofiya protested.


    "So am I," he growled, pushing her down on the bed.


    Looks like breakfast would need to wait for a while ...


    Much later, as they lay intertwined on the bed, Ali asked, "Tell me all about your journey."


    Sofiya snuggled up to Ali, and began her story.


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    Sophia stood hesitantly at the door into the monastery. It looked rather imposing, in the sense that it was really big yet the entire building was simplistic. It was unusual to view something majestic, yet simple.


    There was a course that the monastery offered, which provided an overview of Buddhism in which the fundamental principles are taught. One would learn how to apply these principles into daily life so that the teachings become meaningful.


    Meditation is also taught, in which it can be used to calm the mind.


    Sophia had opted for the ten day course, which included a two day silent retreat at the end. She wanted to get as much as possible from her stay, and the retreat was a great opportunity to gain practical experience of meditation.[1]


    This ten day course was just the foundation and if she wanted to delve in deeper, there were more advanced programmes. Sophia was going to immerse herself completely in this ten day course and if this was the path for her, or if she was curious for more, then she would take the advance course.


    Sophia was greeted and she had to check-in first. At the counter, Sophia had to hand in her handphone and all electronic devices. This was to ensure that one would be completely devoted to learning, rather than be distracted by such devices.


    However, this did not mean that they were cut off from the world, as they could use the private phone line for emergency cases. Families could also contact them in that manner.


    After she finished her registration, she was led to her accommodation. Food and lodging are provided, so things were simpler for her.


    The course began the very next day, at 6.30am. They would have breakfast before the morning session began. Lunch is provided, and the session continues again until 9pm.


    Right after lunch, they were to observe strict silence which was to last until 10pm. However, since the day ''ended'' at 9pm, who would really go out of their rooms to seek out other people to talk to?


    It also felt like they were going against what the whole course was about. They were to reflect on the day, and meditate.


    They were to observe strict silence during breakfast and lunch.


    In fact, one could even ask for a yellow ribbon to tie on their door, to indicate that they chose to be silent throughout the course.

 Chapter 568 - It’s Time

    Initially, Sophia found it truly strange to be eating in complete silence.


    There were people around, but the only thing that could be heard were the sounds of people moving about.


    This practice was to help one develop the practice to focus one''s attention and have outer and inner awareness. When you are silent, you tend to think - some overthink.


    But nonetheless, you start to reflect on the day, on your life and such situations.


    Another thing that Sophia had to get used to was that they did not have dinner. Thus, she had to learn to eat what she really needed in order to last the day yet not be too greedy that she overstuffs herself.


    Their days were full of sessions of meditation, teachings and discussion groups. Everyone was to attend every session.


    One could even approach the lamas of the monastery if they wanted personal guidance.


    One could not, however, disturb them (and the monks) of their studies. They were to observe propriety and never invite them to the room - even if it was to learn more. They had to learn to respect them by learning their habits and way of life, and follow accordingly.


    In other words, no matter what your own perception and beliefs are, you are to follow and respect others.


    They were also expected to live like monks, in the sense of being serious in their meditation, studies. To keep to the five precepts: no killing, stealing, lying, sexual activity, tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs of any kind.


    Men and women were to be in separate rooms, and one is not allowed to visit the rooms of the opposite sex. Even couples who attended were separated, and would even sit separately in the meditation hall.


    Lastly, the dress code was loose, simple, comfortable and appropriate for the monastic environment. Nothing sexy, short or revealing was to be worn.


    The more Sophia stayed and learned, the more she felt that it reflected Islam in so many ways. Rather, the teachings and the core aspects of it were all the same.


    Meditation? That was the five prayers in Islam. The five precepts were also things that were forbidden in Islam. Eating was also the same. Though in Buddhism, they only had two meals, the purpose behind it was the same in Islam.


    In Islam, you are to eat only what you need to. Stop when you are full and never waste food. Never eat excessively or lavishly. They even had their fasting, which was to cleanse the body. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the end of the ten day course, Sophia knew that this was not for her.


    The fact that she could understand the principles behind Buddism yet see it to be similar to Islam was disturbing.


    Disturbing in the sense that she would never truly be able to immerse herself in the teachings of Buddism if she was to constantly compare it to something else. Although, more importantly, she felt something was missing from Buddhism for her.


    Since she started believing in a higher being, the fact that Buddhism doesn''t meant that it wasn''t for her.


    Despite that, she didn''t leave the area immediately.


    She stayed in a hostel for two weeks to truly reflect on what she had learned from the monastery and see if she was making a decision properly. At the end of the two weeks, she knew for a fact that it wasn''t for her.


    So she went to the next location, to learn about Christianity.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sofiya spent the next few days to tell Ali all about her spiritual journey. She had gone and tried out quite a lot - though not all.


    In the end, she realised that all of the religions had, in essence, the same concepts. Even Christianity (especially the Old Testament), forbade drinking and pre-marital sex. She also found that the contents of the Bible were almost similar to the contents of the Al-Quran.


    With that realisation, she then focused not on its teachings, but in the core belief of those teachings. Just who were they praying to, or what did they believe?


    Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana and did not believe in any deity. It may teach the concept of gods, heavens, and rebirths, but it considers none of these gods as a creator.


    Christians believed in God and that God is the Creator and in Trinity i.e. God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It wasn''t that there were three separate Gods, but one God, that was three.


    The more she learned, the more confused she got.


    When she came to Islam, however, it was as if everything fell into place. Everything made perfect sense.


    There was only one God.


    Her heart felt peace.


    With that, she knew, without a doubt, that Islam was the religion for her.


    After hearing this journey of Sofiya, Ali was amazed. He was born into the religion, so seeing it from the perspective of one who was seeking it actively, was fascinating and enlightening.


    "When did you revert?" Ali asked.


    "Three months ago," Sofiya replied.


    "Wait, if you had decided on Islam so long ago, why did you only come back a month ago?" Ali enquired in puzzlement.


    "I wasn''t sure if you ¡­ well, I did break up with you," Sofiya said softly, "I was scared."


    Ali hugged her tightly to him, "There was not a single day in my life that I didn''t think about you. I always prayed for you, that you were happy and safe, wherever you may be."


    Sofiya smiled, hugging him back.


    While the two lovebirds were getting to know each other all over again, one gleeful man was looking at the report about Ali''s wedding.


    It made huge headlines, partly because Ali was so young but mostly because despite the lavish wedding ... his best friends, the Elite Five, were not there.


    He picked up the phone and said, "It''s time."

 Chapter 569 - Smith Heir Test

    "Are you sure?" the voice on the other end inquired.


    "Definitely," Philip answered confidently, "This is the best time to strike. He is still missing. His two most powerful friends are not in contact with him. His sister is not a threat and neither is the last Elite Five."


    "Get the plan into motion. Contact all our people and we strike," Philip said with a huge grin, "Call the board meeting to oust Kyle out as CEO Heir and brand Patrick as being incompetent to continue to lead."


    "That was not what we agreed on," the voice hissed, "It was only to oust Kyle, not Patrick."


    "Do you honestly think Patrick would leave this alone? If he remains in the seat, who do you think he''ll get rid of first for having his son taken off?" Philip said with a laugh, "Did you really think that was possible?"


    The voice was silent, realising that he had been played as a fool.


    Philip was right.


    As much as he hated it, it was too late to back out now. They had to go all the way and get rid of any potential threats.


    He prayed that they would do this quickly, for he did not want to witness Patrick displaying the infamous Smith Anger. He had seen that happen before, and the Smith Anger was no joke.


    Thus, he was unafraid when they were talking about bringing Kyle down. That boy was really unlike any Smith.


    Playful. Happy-go-lucky. Frivolous.


    Patrick had been tempered from young, being strictly brought up by his father and had even gone through the toughest military school. One had heard stories about how Patrick had beaten up fellow soldiers when they ribbed him too much.


    Kyle?


    Sure, he passed the Smith Heir Test - whatever that was.


    Only those who went through the test really knew what it was, and Philip had revealed to them that a psychological test to try and make the other lose their temper. Since Kyle had taken it when he was so young, they had put it down to him not being matured enough.


    Thus, it had given a false positive i.e. the results wrongly indicated that Kyle had been successful in withholding and controlling the Smith Anger.


    It was due to that they agreed to Philips''s absurd plan.


    It was only after the dust had settled that the other accomplices found out that Philips had lied to them. Rather, he had not revealed the full truth.


    The test was not a mere psychological test.


    That was, of course, part of the test but only a minor part.


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    ~ Smith Heir Test ~


    The test was split into three parts.


    The first was the mind games. It was a way to test whether one can continue to be calm despite being made fun of.


    Kyle, even from such a young age, would not respond to any sort of taunts, slurs and degrading remarks. He would either ignore such jibes or reply to each accusation calmly with clear eyes that it made those who were testing him, deeply ashamed.


    They were only following a script, yet found that they felt guilty when the young child scolded them for their narrow-mindedness and pettiness.


    They were also ashamed because if it had been them, they would have already flown off the handle and beat up the person and yet, this young Smith child did not?


    It was beyond amazing.


    The second part of the test was to watch an illusion (created by CGI) of their greatest fear (or what they perceived to be his greatest fear), being realised.


    In Kyle''s case, it had been seeing his twin sister being tortured and killed. Everyone knew about the ''abnormal'' closeness Kyle had with Kay and yet, even with that scene, he did not react angrily.


    Well, he was angry but it was within the acceptable level. If he had not shown any reaction, that would have indicated some psychological problem.


    However, he did not go irrational with the Smith Anger to smash everything in his path.


    He simply shouted angrily at those who were responsible for making such a horrible video. He sat there, his face full of wrath as he coldly detailed out every single thing he was going to do to the people responsible for it.


    Suffice to say, that when those who had created the CGI''s heard of this, they immediately quit and disappeared.


    The last test was a physical one.


    He had to fight skilled people. Six peers, to be exact.


    However, since Kyle was so young, no one wanted to have strong, skilled youngsters to fight Kyle. After all, such skilled children were the future of the Nation. The next generation.


    They could not risk the Smith Anger severely injuring those young children, and destroying their future.


    So, in reality, Kyle had to fight adults.


    The adults were told not to ''go all out'' since Kyle was so young. Heck, he barely reached their waist. Those adults found the whole thing laughable but they complied. They were being highly paid, after all.


    At the end of it, not only did they have to go ''all out'', they seemed to have lost their rational thoughts and attacked Kyle far more seriously. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, many were crippled and needed intensive treatment at the hospital. Turned out, those so-called ''adults'' were the ones who had become angry and irrational because they were being beaten by a young child.


    Kyle was injured heavily as well, but not as bad as the ones he had beaten up.


    The fact that he could still maintain rational thought and thus, accurately control the situation meant that he would never let the Smith Anger cloud his judgment in his actions. He could be cruel and decisive, but only to those who deserved it.


    The adults who had attacked Kyle the strongest were the ones who were crippled for life.

 Chapter 570 - Bring It On

    Philip sat in his chair, swiveled around on it like a little kid and laughed out loud.


    Those old fools had truly fallen into his net.? They had helped him out tremendously in laying this trap for Patrick and Kyle. Without them, none of this would have been possible.


    Everytime Philip thought about the test that he had done, and how Patrick had passed while he did not, made him see red.


    The results were so close.


    So very, very close!


    He may have lost it a little bit in the first test, but he didn''t injure anyone too badly. He got hold of himself before he did.


    As for the second test, well ¡­ what normal human being would not have been angry, right? His reaction was normal and he hadn''t killed anyone. Again, he managed to reign it in before it got too bad.


    As for Kyle?


    Philip scoffed and snorted.


    What stupid child would be matured enough to truly understand anything? He was just too immature.


    In fact, Philip truly believed that the test did not test Kyle properly and he was unworthy.


    Too young to understand the taunts in the first test. Too stupid or too in-tune with CGIs to be affected by the second. As for the last? What capable child was there, out there, that would have received the sort of training Kyle did at a young age?


    The entire test was flawed!


    Stupidly flawed!!


    So, one had an unworthy heir and the current CEO was there by luck. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This whole plan of Philip was actually to overthrow Patrick, but he had to get rid of the useless Kyle first.


    Philip knew that Kyle was Patrick''s reverse scale.* In fact, his entire family was, but somehow, Philip suspected Kyle had the highest position in that ''scale''.


    Even though he may look unperturbed and not disturbed, anyone who touches his family, or harms them in any way, then he''ll go batshit crazy.


    Philip was going to show everyone how Patrick had truly lost it. That he could no longer control the Smith Anger and hence, he, Philip, was the only one left to lead.


    Kyle had been missing for over two years now, so Patrick must already be at his wits end. All his rational thoughts and thinking would not be there and it would be so easy to manipulate him now.


    Philip had tried many ways to oust Patrick as the CEO but all of them failed.


    There were seven ways to oust a CEO.


    One: feed the CEO bad information.


    A CEO cannot micromanage or do everything, so he had to rely on trusted individuals to give him the information to base his decisions on. If one made bad decisions constantly, the stocks would plummet and the board of directors would not be happy.


    Unfortunately, Patrick always managed to either find out the correct information, or he could turn the situation around. It only solidified his position.


    Two: replace his trusted people with those who were loyal to him, Philip.


    Obviously, that was a bust. Who would have thought those people could not be bribed? Even if he managed to eliminate one trusted person, he could not get his own people to replace him. It was frustrating.


    Three: overload him with work.


    Failed badly. Patrick knew how to delegate his duties and his team was well trained.


    The other methods were not applicable to Patrick. Things like, give him a job or situation that was beyond his capabilities. Patrick was very capable so nothing seemed ''byond his capabilities''.


    Thus, he was left with only one method: smear his image. Make those confident in him, feel doubt and fear.


    This was his final chance to do so and the path had been so smooth Philip wondered why he didn''t think of this method in the first place.


    Place doubt, show alternative: him, Philip.


    After all, it wasn''t that he, Philip, had totally failed the test.


    He simply scored lower than Patrick.


    His results were higher than most, so that should appease all and any doubters.


    That''s how he, Philip, got those four to help him out in the first place. If he had not been worthy, he would not have been able to garner such support.


    Philip got up, a huge smile on his face.


    Soon.


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    "What''s this?" Patrick growled angrily as he stared at the notice.


    Quentin stood there silently, knowing that an answer wasn''t really needed. After all, it was obvious but Patrick still found the need to say it out loud.


    That showed how annoyed he was.


    "These old fools really think an emergency meeting is needed? To discuss about the CEO heir''s position?"


    Patrick flung the paper on the table in disgust.


    "What, ''discuss''? It''s so obvious that they aren''t doing this to ''discuss''. Have they forgotten who I am?" Patrick hissed, "Do they think I''m senile or something? Kyle isn''t even taking over yet. So what is the rush?!"


    Patrick slammed the desk, then started twirling his pen.


    "An emergency meeting, set for 48 hours time," Patrick mused, "Just enough time for the main shareholders to arrive upon the notice, but not enough time to do any real preparations on our part."


    Patrick turned to look at Quentin, "Who else is involved? How did this emergency meeting get passed?"


    Quentin handed him a list.


    Taking it, Patrick read through quickly and laughed. The names there were all the names that Kyle had already identified.


    His son was truly capable.


    What made him sad was that he was not the one that helped his son be this capable. It was entirely his own effort.


    In fact, Kyle was so capable, he had already surpassed him. Patrick?was proud beyond belief.


    Kyle could take over as CEO right now, and bring it to greater heights.


    Patrick leaned back. Then smiled.


    "Want to fight us, huh Philip? Bring it on, fool."

 Chapter 571 - Board Meeting

    Patrick entered the meeting room, striding in and giving a cold glare at everyone who was there.


    Philip was unperturbed, smiling as he watched Patrick walk in. All the while, he imagined Patrick being led out while he, Philip, sat in the chair that Patrick was sitting on right now.


    Philip laughed to himself, thinking that the unsuspecting Patrick was going to go down before he even knew what hit him.


    Once seated, Patrick gave all the major shareholders a stern look, "Just what is it that this emergency meeting was called so suddenly?"


    The oldest shareholder, Luther, cleared his throat. Obviously, as the oldest one there, people tended to give him some face and form of respect.


    "Patrick," he began, a bit nervously but soon gathered courage upon seeing everyone around, "All of us here fully acknowledge and accept you as our CEO, but the same cannot be said for your son, the heir."


    Patrick tilted his head, not saying a word and Luther got braver, "We are here to oust your son as the Heir, and replace him with Philip."


    Patrick started playing with his pen, twirling it around in his fingers as he listened to Luther. The moment Luter''s lips stopped moving, so did his hands - to throw the pen straight at Luther''s forehead.


    "You dare?!" both Patrick and Luther shouted at the same time.


    Philip, sitting by the said, was gleeful at this turn of events.


    Patrick got physical, earning the wrath of the other shareholders and sealing the deal. Philip had already planted the seed of doubt within them, telling them that Patrick would always choose his son over them.


    His aggression against them clearly showed this.


    Luther stood up, pointing a finger at Patrick, shouting, "How dare you hit me! I merely make a suggestion and you turn violent! It''s obvious that you are no longer fit to be the CEO."


    "Oh?" Patrick said languidly, the anger in his face completely gone at this time, "And you, alone, is enough to determine this?"


    "He is not alone," another replied and this was soon followed by three other voices.


    "Ah," Patrick looked at them, and at the remaining members of the board.


    In the Smith Industries, there were 13 board members, and all were shareholders. This was to ensure that the board of directors would be more involved in the company, rather than be a ''ghost'' partner that simply raked in the profits.


    "Do all of you feel the same way as well? Patrick asked.


    "Four out of 13 say I am to let Philip take over as Heir," Patrick continued, "As according to our rules, since the Smith Heir has passed the test, two things are needed."


    "One: a majority vote, and two: reasons why it should be so," Patrick finished. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So before we even go and take this to a vote, on what basis is the Smith Heir to be replaced? By one who failed the test, even," Patrick said, rubbing it in.


    Philip gritted his teeth, since Patrick touched on his sore point, "I am still more deserving than Kyle."


    "Really?" Patrick drawled, "Do tell, my ''dear'' brother, how a failure is better than my son?"


    Philip hissed, "There are just so many reasons. The main one being your son has been missing for years now and he hadn''t even finished high school. How can such an irresponsible person be our CEO?!"


    Murmurs of agreement were heard in the room.


    "Didn''t finish high school?" Patrick asked with surprise, "Just what nonsense are you spouting? Not only did he take the DSE, but he was also the top scorer of that year!"


    Philip was taken aback for a while but recovered.


    He had dug around but he couldn''t get any information about Kyle taking the DSE. The Principle at Sakura Academy had been tight lipped, and the hackers he had hired didn''t find Kyle''s name in the system at all.


    Philip was surprised that Patrick would blatantly lie to cover his son''s irresponsible ways, but that was even better. Now he had clearer evidence to show how low Patrick had fallen.


    Philip laughed out loud at that, and his gaze swept the room, "I thought only Kyle was the one who didn''t deserve the seat. Looks like Patrick is also one that should be replaced."


    Patrick''s eyes narrowed.


    "He has physically assaulted one of our oldest board member, and now, he''s trying to fool everyone about his son''s capabilities," Philip went on, unperturbed by Patrick''s death glare.


    He was feeling the coldness, but he was a Smith as well and he could soldier on.


    Patrick had to admit, Philip did have balls.


    Too bad Philip was all brawns and no brains. Patrick knew he was being a bit unfair to Philip for the latter did have some brains. Not much, but still ¡­


    "Kyle has gone MIA for years," Philip went on, his voice getting louder, "He''s too immature!"


    Patrick hissed back, "Kyle is not missing! He is studying! And mind you, Kyle''s performance has been impeccable throughout his training. How dare you question his position!"


    Yet, despite what Patrick said, he could see how the others were being swayed and he was angry beyond belief.


    It was true what they said.


    You could take twenty years to build a good reputation, but only one bad incident to wipe it all away. People tended to remember you forever for the bad you had done, rather than all the good that you''ve achieved.


    Philip laughed, waving his arms at the board members, "Not missing? Really? Then I dare you. If Kyle can walk right through that door, right now, I will take back my words."


    "I believe, taking back your words is hardly enough," came a voice from the doorway, "Too lame."


    Everyone''s head turned towards the sound, wondering who had the audacity to crash a private board meeting?


    A young man stood there, radiating power and strength. Everyone''s eyes popped open.


    It was Kyle.

 Chapter 572 - Kyle’s Return

    After over two years of being away, Kyle had matured physically.


    Philip looked as the young man, now 18-years-old, and was immensely glad that he had started this plan. If he had not, just looking at Kyle would make one already believe that he had all that was required to be a CEO.


    Even at that young age.


    His features were much more chiseled now, and any semblance of ''child'' was gone.


    Granted, Kyle hadn''t really looked like a kid even at 12 years old but there were still some ''growing up'' to do that could not be denied.


    Now, Kyle seemed to have officially stepped into adulthood and he would only age better. He looked like a young man: physique-wise and had the aura of a CEO.


    His physique was also lean and with the slim fit suit - that was made popular by those idols in Country K - one could tell that underneath it, he was muscular.


    The ladies in the room couldn''t help but gulp at the scene, for even the way he just stood there, it seemed ethereal.


    On Kyle''s left, was his trusted PA, Sam.


    As befitting the Personal Assistant of Kyle, he, too, looked rather imposing but in another manner.


    While Kyle was like a powerful figure ready to burst, Sam was like a rock, steady and firm.


    He wasn''t in a suit like Kyle, but merely a vest and tie with the shirt. It was a slim fitting type of outfit as well, and for a PA, Sam was surprisingly fit as well.


    Sam stood by Kyle''s side silently. Neither behind nor in front, but by his side.


    If anyone had noticed this, they would have known the positioning was a significant matter.


    To Kyle, Sam wasn''t just a PA.


    Sam was his friend, confidant and trusted aide.


    Philip was shocked for the second time that day, but again, he recovered quickly.


    He snorted, and said, "So you finally decided to show up. Well, it''s too late."


    Kyle walked languidly towards his father, hardly glancing at Philip - as if deeming the latter unworthy of his attention.


    "Father," Kyle said respectfully before sitting down.


    Patrick nodded, "Son."


    "You were saying? I am too late?" Kyle then turned to Philip, "Pray tell in what way I am late."


    Philip shook his head, as lamenting that he had to explain something so simple and basic to a child.


    "Your transgression has led to your dismissal," Philip announced pompously.


    "Oh wow," Kyle said, raising an eyebrow, "Counting your chickens before they hatch? I have yet to hear any reasons for my dismissal, let alone a vote."


    Philip rolled his eyes, an action not befitting such a supposedly professional man.


    He found the words coming out of such a young chick, that was hardly a threat, to be the last words spoken by a dying kid who refused to die.


    "I was just listing the reasons when you entered," Philip said, "And the vote is to come after."


    "Oh yes," Kyle nodded, "The supposed reasons. The first is that I hadn''t even finished high school?"


    As if on cue, the projector behind Patrick came to life and Kyle''s DSE''s certificate, and his results, were displayed. Next, was the official website of the Education Ministry, showing the top scorers for the DSE throughout the years.


    Kyle was the first.


    Not just the top scorer of the year he took it, but the top scorer of all times.


    "Impossible!" Philip said, his eyes wide.


    He had already checked and Kyle''s name was not there. Why is it there now?!


    "Not believing what you see, is it?" Kyle said, "Unless you''re saying I have the ability to bribe the Ministry to put my name there. If you want, I can take the DSE again right in front of you and have it graded immediately."


    "Of course, if I do that, and it turns out that I am the top scorer, you and your entire family - together with all your generations - are banned from Country Tz forever," Kyle said, "Care to make that bet?"


    Philip bristled and said, "I am not childish to make such a bet!"


    Though he had almost agreed until Kyle added the last bit.


    "And I am not so stupid as to lower myself to pander to your whims and fancies just because you don''t believe what''s right there in your face," Kyle said, his eyes cold.


    "Then why even say it in the first place?!" Philip asked, his voice already raised a notch.


    Kyle shrugged, "For fun." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You may have done your DSE, but your disappearance ¡­"


    "What?" Kyle butted in, "In what way had I disappeared? Just because you didn''t know where I was? Who are you for me to report where I am?"


    Kyle turned to his father, "Dad, did you know where I was?"


    "Of course," Patrick replied, "Why shouldn''t I?"


    "Lies!!" Philip screeched, "You kept sending those people to look for Kyle!!"


    Patrick laughed, "So you had me monitored? You were spying on me? To what purpose, oh my dear brother?"


    Patrick turned to the others, saying, "Not that it''s any of your business, but it was a game between Kyle and me. Who better to test my men than Kyle? If they can''t even find him, what use are they?"


    Patrick waved at the dark suit guys at the entrance, "As a result, I have the best of the best, tempered by my own son, the next CEO."


    "Of course. Since they will be my men in the future, I need to test them," Kyle said, "If they can''t even beat me, then what is the use?"


    "But they still didn''t beat you," Patrick pointed out.


    "True, but they were close!" Kyle replied, "So that is good enough for me."


    The board members, hearing this, started sweating as?they witnessed the might, power, and skills of the current CEO and his Heir.


    In what way were they incompetent that they needed to be replaced?

 Chapter 573 - It’s Begun

    Though everyone was sweating upon witnessing the banter between the two, the reasons behind them were different.


    You could say that there were two groups, or camps, in the board room right now.


    One group was sweating because, at that moment, they could see the working dynamics between the current CEO and the Heir.


    They were calm, unperturbed and managed to counter every single point raised by Philip so far. Worse, their answers showed that they were beyond ordinary and did things out of the box.


    Kyle, top scorer of all times?


    Kyle, testing the elite security team of Smith Industries?


    The Elite Security team, that were well known for their skills, couldn''t fulfill the mission of locating Kyle?


    What he had done was unbelievable and impressive.


    The other group was sweating because, at that moment, they truly regretted being swayed by Philip.


    It had sounded so good and convincing then, but seeing Kyle in action right now made them realise how blind they had been.


    How easily swayed they had been.


    It was only now that some began to suspect that Philip hadn''t exactly told them the truth. Like, what the Smith Heir Test was like.


    If Kyle, who Philip had said was not tested properly and would have most likely failed it big-time if he had been - could shoot down the points raised by one who claims lost by default ¡­ S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a no-brainer that there was no way the Smith Heir test was faulty.


    The one that was faulty, was them, for believing Philip.


    Right now, they could see how Philip was the one that appeared incompetent and slowly losing his temper while the current CEO and Heir displayed skill and ability while remaining calm despite the provocative words Philip threw at them.


    "It doesn''t matter!!" Philip was now standing up, staring at the two with bloodshot eyes, "Even if you don''t accept the reasons, one thing cannot be denied! The majority vote!!"


    It was true.


    One only needed to give the reasons, but the reasons did not necessarily have to be valid. The reasons were needed to convince the board members when they gave a vote.


    The fact that Philip didn''t care that his reasons were invalid and weak, and that he was confident the vote would be in his favour, could only mean one thing.


    He had ''bought'' the board members.


    The board members, upon hearing Philip''s screeching, had a sour taste in their mouth. Did he have to say it so?


    Why must he push them all under the bus?


    Why did he make it seem like all of them were in on it to oust Kyle?


    Kyle turned to look at all the board members there, saying, "All of the board members here comprise of the Smiths most trusted members, and together, we hold the controlling shares."


    "In this way, although the CEO does not control everything, the Smiths do," Kyle continued saying, while looking at his fingers.


    "We are strong, for the Smiths are strong together. Never did I think that one day, the Smith Line would allow outsiders to enter our sacred den and break things from within."


    "Our ancestors must be rolling about in their graves right now," Kyle said with a sigh.


    Philip laughed gleefully.


    "What''s the point of thinking of dead people anyway?" he asked with a sneer, "They even came up with the stupidly flawed Smith Heir Test."


    Kyle gave a languid smile to Philip, tilting his head to one side, "Oh, really? Flawed?"


    He looked at Philip and gave a soft chuckle, "Only one who failed it would say such a thing. You never did understand what the test was about, did you?"


    "But, enough about that," Kyle said, waving his hand in front of his face, "It''s beyond your limited cranial ability to comprehend something intricately deep and profound."


    "So, shall we vote then?" Kyle asked.


    In the Smith Industries, shares of common stock were sold and held by members of the public. The shares allow them the right to dividend payments and one vote per share - but what they can vote on, are only on small issues and nothing related to what the board members can do.


    The board members comprise of the founding members (ie the ones who passed the Smith Heir Test) and the trusted allies and branch families. They are the ones who hold the preferred shares and can vote on things such as the CEO.


    Though it is understood that one would vote according to the results of the Smith Heir test. Also, no one would ever dream of voting to oust the CEO - or its heir - once the test has been done.


    This was the first time in history of the forming of the Smith Industries, was it being done.


    In order to protect the company from being taken over, only those that were fully trusted were allowed to have the preferred shares.


    No one was crazy enough to sell off their shares, or give them up, as it gave them continued income that they would not find anywhere else. Such shares could not be sold openly as well, as once it is found out, those who try to sell their shares would have their power stipped and the shares absorbed back into the company.


    In short, if any of the board members did sell their shares, they would have done it through dubious and devious means.


    Only the brave - and stupid - would dare to do so.


    From the sounds of it, there were those who were brave and stupid.


    Philip couldn''t help the grin that was on his face.


    Just as the vote was about to begin, there was a knock on the door.


    Quentin walked in, his normally stoic face looking rather worried. He went over to Patrick silently and quickly.


    Leaning down, he whispered a few things to Patrick, which only made the latter frown.


    Philip''s grin got wider.


    The real show was about to begin.

 Chapter 574 - New Collaborators

    Everyone turned to look at Patrick, wondering what sort of news made him so upset.


    Of course, some in the room already knew what it was, but pretended not to know as they kept a straight face. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It seems that some of the shares have been sold off," Patrick began slowly, "Not the common shares, but the controlling shares."


    His gaze was cold as he looked at the board members and seemed to pierce their souls, "We have never restricted your rights to sell those shares, but it was always with the proviso that it should be offered back to us instead."


    "With such an action, you''ve started to weaken us," Kyle continued.


    He held up a bunch of pencils and said, "United we stand, strong and is able to withstand anything."


    He made a show of breaking that bunch of pencils into two with both of his hands, but failed.


    "Divided, we fall," he continued, then let go of the pencils, which clattered to the table, making a deafening sound. He picked up the pencils one by one and began snapping it into two with just one hand.


    "By your actions, it is evident that you''re not even thinking about the Smith Industries anymore," Patrick said with a sigh.


    "It''s because we were, that we had to!!" one shouted indignantly.


    "Oh, really?" Kyle said, "Then please tell me for I don''t understand it at all."


    Philip snorted, "What? Is it so hard to understand how the share capital works?"


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, gave his uncle one brief look before he turned to face the board members, "Why would you even feel the need to sell the shares? If you were so convinced that I should be ousted, why not just vote it that way?"


    "Obviously, you''re still so green," Philip sneered, "Do you think that the Smith Industries can continue to thrive if you do not collaborate with more people? With just these current board members? Sooner or later, the Smith Industries will fail."


    "We need new blood, new investments, new collaboration," Philip said and announced, "And I, the worthy one, have found three such collaborations."


    "Patrick has not sought to expand at all," Philip pointed out, "And Kyle? What can he do? He might have, at one point, but now the Tans and the MA Oil have ostracised him."


    "With such powerhouses already shunning him, what other company would even dare collaborate with the Smiths if he was to take over?" Philip finished with a flare, his face plastered with a huge grin.


    "Oh wow, really?" Kyle said, "You''d go there?"


    Philip looked puzzled.


    "What do you mean?"


    "First," Kyle began, ticking off the list with his fingers, "You decided, all by your lonesome, that collaborations are needed."


    "Secondly, you encouraged the sale of our controlling shares - and I use the word ''encourage'' extremely loosely here," Kyle said with a raised eyebrow.


    "Thirdly, the identity of these collaborators had not gone through the board, let alone pass through the table of the CEO."


    "In short, you, who deemed himself worthy," Kyle said, as he leaned back in his chair, "Unilaterally decided on something, used underhanded methods to achieve it, and then claim with grand flourish that it''s all for the good of the Smith Industries."


    "Of course it is for the good of the company!!" yelled Philip, "How could anyone deem these three to be unworthy?"


    Philip stood up, pointing a finger at Kyle, "What do YOU know?! You''re still wet behind the ears!!"


    Philip turned to the board members, "We have ''Aegle'', the health company that started the revolution of safe and quick transportation of life-saving equipment."


    "There is Xuelin Co, the top technology company in Country Tz and amongst the top ten in the world."


    "We even have international company eager to collaborate: the Cosa Nostra from Country I. One of the biggest, if not the biggest, company responsible for most of the businesses in Country I."


    Philip stood there proudly.


    "Sure, they sound very impressive," Kyle said, emphasizing the word ''sound'', "But remember, no one here truly knows what they are like. We just have to accept your judgment?"


    "Also, you''ve given them controlling shares. Just how much do they own, and what were their conditions to join?"


    "Does anyone know?" Kyle asked the board members.


    There was absolute silence.


    The ones responsible for selling their shares only began to think then.


    Truth be told, they were all shocked for each one had believed they were the only ones who had sold their shares. With that thought, the amount that they had sold was not enough to threaten Smith Industries.


    Even if they were swayed by Philip, they still had a sense of loyalty towards Smith Industries. They had just been led astray with his sweet words and half-truths. Each one started thinking about the rules that they had broken.


    It seemed so ''small'' but it was only now that they realised, it wasn''t.


    The first mistake had been to question the Smith Heir''s Test results.


    The second was doing things behind the backs of the current CEO on the basis of it ''being the good of the company''.


    Right now, it looked like they were losing control and if Kyle''s points were correct, Philip was setting the whole company up to be his completely. Smith Industries had always worked as a team with absolute belief in the Leader.


    Just like Kyle had indicated before with the pencil analogy. They were strong as a group. A team. Humans are not perfect and no one can know everything. The board members were all knowledgeable and cared for the company.


    A strong team with a strong Leader, working together. That was the secret behind the Smith Industries success.


    Philip, however, was a dictator.


    He had used all sorts of methods to get his way. Once he was the CEO? He no longer had to work in the shadows to do so.


    So what use were they?

 Chapter 575 - Contract

    "I am sure the representatives are outside, waiting to come in," Philip said and waved at the security to let them in.


    To his anger, the men guarding the door did not acknowledge him and turned to look at Patrick instead.


    Patrick gave a nod, and they opened the door. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite his initial anger, Philip smiled happily upon seeing the three who walked in.


    Ixora, the representative for health company Aegle Co. Xuelin, the CEO of Xuelin Co (yes, Xing Han''s ex-fiancee) and Vince from Cosa Nostra, Country I.


    He had used the name of Aegle Company to actually persuade those shareholders from selling some of their shares and sometimes put in Xuelin''s company as additional bait.


    The two local companies ¨C one having gone international, and one on the verge (or has the potential to) go international ¨C were extremely enticing and persuasive collaborations.


    Who did not know about the work Aegle company did? It had even been referred to as the ''Florence Nightingale'' of companies. It was the saviour and its reputation was impeccable.


    Initially, the three organisations had been reluctant to collaborate but when he turned on the charm and gave them very tempting offers, they accepted.


    In return, they would vote according to whatever Philip wanted them to. A small price to pay for what he was offering them.


    Just how did he manage to land such a good deal?


    Naturally, it was because Philip was that capable.


    At least, that is what he told the board members. It was also what he believed.


    He deliberately did not inform them about Cosa Nostra, though.


    If he had, none of them would have been willing to sell their shares. After all, who didn''t know the real business of Cosa Nostra? On the surface, they were respectable and ran a legitimate business but in reality, they were the top mafia organisation of Country I.


    There were five big mafia families, and the leader of that family was Cosa Nostra.


    They were also the biggest collaborator and their condition was simple.


    To be the biggest weapons distributor in Country Tz. The Smith Industries were to help them in this, on the sly.


    A little price to pay to take over and bring Smith Industries to greater heights.


    Philip looked at the three representatives smugly. He walked over to them, extending his hand out and shook the hands of each person before leading them personally to their seats.


    Patrick and Kyle watched this silently, letting Philip have his fun.


    Philip''s face was as proud as a peacock, his chest was puffed out like some rooster strutting forward and his gaze was looking at them as if everyone was beneath him.


    He was showing off, saying silently, ''See, See! I brought these important people in! Me!''


    The board members who had sold off their shares, paled.


    In truth, they were not completely bad.


    Indeed, their mistake was in selling their shares without going through Patrick first. However, even then, their intentions were pure and for the company. The shares that they sold were not much, so they didn''t think that they were doing anything wrong. To be more accurate, they felt their actions were justified.


    It was for the good of the company, after all.


    Unfortunately, they were too short-sighted.


    First, while it was true that individually, the selling of their shares would not cause (that much) of a problem - collectively, the effect was drastic. Not a single one of them considered the fact that they were not the only ones that Philip approached.


    Secondly, they were also too blind to realise the reason behind the rule that they are to sell openly, and approach the CEO. It was to avoid the situation that they were facing right now. If everything had to go through the CEO, would he not be able to see and determine what was happening?


    Thirdly, why did they believe Philip that there was only one (and maybe two) companies that wanted to collaborate?


    Cosa Nostra?!


    Just what had they done?!


    With the three new members, including the four that had been with Philip from the start, it was obvious that any votes would go towards Philip''s favour.


    Even if the other board members saw what was happening and voted against Philip, they would not make a difference.


    The blood drained from their faces as they watched the three sit down, give Philip a smile and looked coldly at Patrick and Kyle.


    Philip sat back down gleefully and declared, "Shall we take a vote now, then?"


    "Those in favour of ousting Kyle as the next CEO, raise your hands," Philip said, taking over the entire process.


    Patrick didn''t say a word, leaning back in his chair to watch the show.


    Contrary to what Philip expected, only four hands shot up.


    He slammed his hands on the table, standing up, "What is the meaning of this?!"


    "What?" Kyle asked, tilting his head, "Isn''t it quite clear?"


    "One-two-three-four-five," Kyle counted, "Making about 20% of the controlling vote shares. I''m still the Heir."


    Then, suddenly, Kyle''s playful demeanor changed.


    "Those in favour of these five board members to be stripped of their controlling shares and have it absorbed back into the company, raise your hands," Kyle said.


    Everyone - save for those five, of course - raised their hands.


    "Done," Kyle said, "Motion is passed. Take note and transfer all their shares back to the company. We will distribute them amongst the new collaborators and include new members."


    "You can''t do this!" screeched Philip.


    "I can, and I did," Kyle said, "Unlike you, I did everything above board and it is according to the rules."


    "It''s useless," Philip stated, and jerked his head to his assistant, "I have an iron-clad contract with the three collaborators. If they vote against me, their shares become mine and thus, their votes are invalid."


    Philip''s PA handed Patrick and Kyle a copy of the contract.


    Kyle''s gaze never left Philip and for some reason, Philip started feeling fear.

 Chapter 576 - Counter-attack

    Philip shook his head.


    He was being ridiculous.


    Why should the look of the boy give him the chills?


    He had an iron-clad contract with the three and the clauses were clear. He wasn''t stupid enough to believe that the three would follow him so he had added this precaution.


    Looks like his actions had truly saved him this time.


    Yet, why did the boy not even look worried?


    "Oh, you mean this old thing?" Kyle said, pointing at the contract and not even bothering to take it. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes," hissed Philip, getting his breathing and temper under control, "The moment they voted against my desires, their shares became mine and your motion has become invalid. With my vote, your motion has failed."


    "You really should learn how to read a contract properly, Philip," Kyle said, "And not trust your lawyers blindly."


    Philip''s brain went blank at that point and the fear that had started before came back.


    "According to Clause 10, provisio (gg), it clearly states that everything under Clause 9 and Clause 10 regarding the effect of voting against your decision is null and void so long as I am still the Heir," Kyle said with a smile.


    Philip stared blankly at Kyle.


    First, he was shocked that Kyle already knew the contents of the contract without even touching it and secondly ¡­ what was all that gibberish he said?


    If they did not vote as he told them to, it would mean that their actions caused the shares to be transferred to him. However, if Kyle was the heir, then that transfer was invalid because their act of going against him was valid?


    His head spun.


    He had read that clause, but he had been so confused with all the legal terminology and such that he missed the true meaning of what the clause actually entailed.


    His face paled as he realised.


    If they voted for Kyle to remain as heir, then their subsequent votes would be valid. The shares would not be transferred to him.


    "Took you long enough," Kyle said with disdain, his cold eyes boring into him, "And you say that you''re better than me? Deserve to be in my position?"


    "How ¡­ when ¡­" Philip stammered, seeing all the plans he had done for the past year go down the drain.


    He turned towards the three.


    "Don''t all of you hate Kyle? Want to bring him down?!" Philip screeched, pointing a finger at them.


    Ixora laughed, and said, "Why would I hate our founder?"


    "Your ¡­ your ¡­ founder?" Philip gasped.


    "Yes," Ixora said with a smile, "Kayla and her team created the medical drones. Kyle established the company and business."


    "No, it can''t be," Philip croaked, "His name is not on the list ¡­"


    "Of course he isn''t," Ixora interrupted him, "He''s the founder and our silent investor. We run the company, under his guidance. His name need not be on the list."


    "You!" Philip then turned to Xuelin, "He was the one that caused Xing Han to break your engagement, bringing shame to your family. Why ¡­?"


    Xuelin put her chin on her hand and said, "Why should I detest the man responsible to give me my freedom? Not only can I now marry my boyfriend openly, I can run my company as I wish."


    Philip couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    Finally, he turned to the last.


    How could this powerful mafia bow down to Kyle?


    "I''m here just following orders," Vince said, "The boss supports Kyle."


    "What? Why? I don''t understand," stammered Philip.


    Just then, the door flung open and Xing Han came striding in, "Sorry I''m late. Thank you, Vince, for holding the fort."


    Vince got up, gave Xing Han a respectful nod and stood behind Xing Han as he sat down. Xing Han turned to Xuelin and nodded to her and she gave him a huge smile.


    "Wait, wait wait wait," Philip said, not grasping the situation, "How can this be? Why are you..?"


    "Why not?" Xing Han asked.


    At that moment, he did not look like the childish, playful buddy of Kyle. He actually looked like a serious businessman.


    Er, mafia man.


    The image was beyond Philip''s ability to grasp.


    "It''s very simple," Xing Han said, "Cosa Nostra is my MIL''s family. As such, my fiancee made me their leader in Country Tz. He''s too busy with his business here."


    Philip didn''t think he could be shocked anymore but shocked he was.


    He didn''t think the identity of Xing Han''s lover was so powerful.


    He gulped.


    Why hadn''t he insisted on finding out?


    As for Xing Han, he was in his element.


    After all, even though he didn''t like it, he had been groomed from young to be the CEO. He knew how to act, what to say and the demeanour that he needed to portray. Right now, Kyle had a huge thing to settle, so Xing Han had to be serious.


    Still, he couldn''t help but think back on when he found out all about Nitocris''s background.


    It all happened at Hades.


    Since Xing Han had rejected the engagement for him, there was no way that Nitocris was going to keep this part of his life from him. That was also another reason why he wanted the retreat at Hades.


    To explain and show him the inner workings of his world.


    Xing Han''s love for Nitocris grew even more then. He saw how nervous the normally strong Nitocris was as he revealed everything.


    Xing Han knew how hard it must have been, but he was still angry at his Cookie.


    How could his Cookie doubt his love for him?


    Did he really think this would scare him away?


    Xing Han could hardly stop the smile on his face when he thought of how Nitocris spent the rest of their retreat trying to placate him. Maybe he should give Nitocris the silent treatment more often.


    Still, he shouldn''t let his mind wander now. There were things to be done


    Xing Han got serious again.

 Chapter 577 - More Collaborators

    "Now that we have that sorted," Kyle said, "The next thing is to distribute the shares to new collaborators."


    The board members perked up.


    New collaborators? Other than the ones already here?


    No one had any objections to the current three - even towards Cosa Nostra. After all, if Kyle''s best friend was the leader, there is no danger of the company doing illegal deals just to get ahead.


    The fact that Xing Han''s lover was a guy was no longer an issue.


    Heck, his lover - no, fiancee - was the King of the Underworld!


    With such a background, who was going to object?!


    Kyle gave a nod to the security, and the door opened again.


    Kyle stood up and introduced them as they entered.


    "This is Sayuri Hinata, from Glomac Industries. Glomac Industries is the leading health supplements brand in Country Tz, focused on both traditional herbal remedies and medicine. She is currently Head of the Marketing Department as a stopover before taking over as CEO in the future."


    Sayuri gave everyone a nod and a smile before sitting down. Next to her, was Ali.


    "This is Muhammad Ali of MA Oil Conglomerates," Kyle continued, "I believe I do not need to say anything else as everyone knows of this company."


    Everyone nodded, their eyes wide - especially Philip''s.


    One after another, he was getting shocks after shocks.


    "This is Karen Tan, Xing Han''s sister," Kyle said, "And the new CEO of the Tan Family business. The last CEO had to step down due to health reasons."


    Of course, that was not the absolute truth.


    Just like what Philip had tried to do, in ousting Kyle, Karen and Puay Kiow had done to their father. Unlike Philip, however, they had done so openly and by the book.


    He had caused too much loss to remain as the CEO, and Karen was given the post as she was the eldest. Xing Han had rejected outright, saying he was helping his fiancee in his business.


    Puay Kiow was to be the adviser and as for Zh¨¨nl¨ªn?


    He was placed in cold storage, so to speak.


    No, not literally. He''s still alive, but stripped of power and forbidden to interfere with the business any longer. He spends his days golfing now, and found hitting the ball to be rather therapeutic.


    The remaining board members looked at the six new collaborators. Each, and every one of them, had some personal ties to Kyle. It was obvious why they were chosen and why they had agreed.


    Like Kyle had said,? the board members were chosen due to their loyalty.


    There was no doubt in the board members mind that the six would be loyal and not betray the company.


    Three of them were Dragons - Karen Tan, Muhammad Ali and Xing Han.


    The remaining three were just as impressive, but have yet to reach the level of the former three.


    "With this, the Smith Industries can only grow," Kyle said.


    Everyone nodded.


    "Those in favour of including these three as collaborators, with controlling shares, raise your hand," Kyle said, starting the third motion.


    Everyone (except for stubborn Philip), raised their hand.


    "Motion passed," Kyle said, and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Now that we have that out of the way," Kyle continued, "We still have one more thing to deal with."


    He turned to the old board members. The other four were still in the room, for they had not been allowed to leave.


    "The issue of punishment," Kyle said, "According to our Rules, the CEO, or the Heir, has absolute right to determine the punishment for any transgression."


    "Since the attack was against me, I will be the one determining the punishment."


    "To the four betrayers, you and your family are stripped of all positions and power in the Smith Industries. In addition, you and your family are blacklisted for three generations."


    As the Smith Industries dabbled in many things, it would not be wrong to say that over 70% of the work opportunities were provided by them, or their subsidiaries. In short, they won''t be able to get any good jobs in Country Tz.


    It was akin to a living death sentence.


    Kyle then turned to Philip and said, "Philip Smith, for the offence of treason, you are hereby stripped of your position in the Smith Industries. You and your family are banished from Country Tz," Kyle announced coldly.


    Philip laughed, "You can''t do that!! Who are you to banish me anyway? What archaic nonsense is this? It''s not like you control the government!"


    Kyle threw a clear folder with an official-looking document at Philip. It was a decree that banished Philip and his entire family out of Country Tz.


    "In case you didn''t know, banishment is allowed under the Constitution of Country Tz," Kyle said.


    "Country Tz was built by those who had been exiled and persecuted unfairly in their home country, and thus, loyalty to the State has been of the utmost importance of Country Tz," Kyle explained slowly, as if he was talking to a child.


    "Thus, when I showed them all the evidence of what you had been doing to oust me from this position, they agreed that such a traitor fits the requirements of banishment."


    Philip was so angry that his face was red as he shouted, "YOU ARE JUST A KID IN A COMPANY! What has that got to do with me being a traitor to the country and be banished?!"


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed and his cold aura became stronger as he stared down Philip, "Have you not understood it yet? Something so basic and simple?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Smith Industries is the heart of Country Tz! We are one of the pioneers and earliest founding members that helped the economy of Country Tz to reach it where it is right now!"


    "Did you think that this company is just a plaything? We have responsibilities, not just to ourselves, but to the nation!"


    "Attacking this company and its foundation is equivalent to attacking Country Tz!"

 Chapter 578 - Smith Industries CEO

    "We don''t just run a company," Kyle hissed, "We are the blood of Country Tz. Everything we that we do, is not just for us but for the nation!"


    Everyone''s heart swelled in pride.


    Philip glared at Kyle and without a word, he turned on his heels and left the room.


    Kyle watched him go with cold eyes.


    Once the doors were closed, he turned to the board members again.


    "Now, for the final punishment," Kyle said, his cold aura getting stronger, "The ones who sold off their controlling shares in secret." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do I need to remind you of the consequence of that? Even though you were doing it in your misguided notion of protecting the company?"


    "The rules are there for a reason! No matter what your reasons were, they were wrong!"


    "You know the saying, right? ''The path to Hell is paved with good intentions''. You do not see and cannot see, the whole picture and thus, that is why we have these rules!"


    The remaining board members hung their heads down in shame.


    Kyle was only 18-years-old, yet his imposing manner was not one of a young kid but a powerful man. His words were cutting and hit them at their weakest spot.


    They had been arrogant, and they had been complacent. They had been easily swayed.


    Luckily for them, the Heir was far more brilliant and capable than them. If he had not managed to counter each and every move of Philip, the Smith Industries would have fallen sooner or later.


    "However, I do acknowledge that your heart was in the right place. I cannot condone it, but I understand it," Kyle said with a sigh.


    "Thus, I am stripping all of you as board members ¡­" Kyle said, and then, the projector came to life again, "¡­ and these will replace you."


    They looked up and was surprised.


    The names listed there was their children. Each board member that was ''exiled'' was to be replaced by a member of their family.


    "You ¡­ you mean, we can still keep the controlling shares?" one member tentatively asked.


    "No, not you," Kyle said, "The ones replacing you. I have personally tested them and I am satisfied with their loyalty and level of intelligence. They won''t be so easily swayed as you had been."


    Kyle couldn''t help the last jab. It was also required, for they needed to know that there was no way they could control their children with regards to board meeting decisions.? They were ousted, as they could not be trusted.


    But they weren''t exiled like the main culprits.


    This was Kyle''s way.


    The carrot-and-stick approach, though it was stick first, then entice with carrots.


    With Philip, Kyle had let him believe he had everything under control. The higher they are, the harder they fall. Thus, he was given hope, and then have the rug pulled from under him.


    With the board members that had been cheated - but were still in the wrong - he made them feel despair first and then, give them hope.


    That meant they were going to be more loyal and not make this mistake again.


    Everyone agreed and it was at that point, the door opened again and the new board members entered.


    "Now that we have everything in order, and the threat neutralised, I have one final motion to pass," Patrick declared suddenly.


    "I propose to vote for Kyle into the CEO position now," Patrick said, "Those in favour, raise your hand."


    Before Kyle could react, everyone raised their hands up.


    Even Ali and Xing Han.


    He glared at them, then back to his father.


    "Dad ..." Kyle hissed, "This is not in the plans at all."


    Patrick gave him a gentle, proud smile, "You are more than capable, my son. Just from today''s actions alone shows it clearly."


    He looked at the board members and saw the awe, admiration and agreement in their eyes, "I believe everyone agrees to this."


    Kyle looked at the board members frantically.


    Everyone nodded.


    He pinched the space between his eyebrows, "Dad, I''m only 18 years old ¡­"


    "Don''t start using the age game with me now," Patrick replied, "You can take over easily, and with your team - and friends - you will bring Smith Industries to greater heights."


    "The foundation is there, and it''s solid," Patrick continued, "And it''s because you''re young, that you have more time to build it up."


    With a sigh, Patrick confessed, "I''m tired, Kyle. I also see how much I have missed in the family. I just want to stay with my wife, and wait for my grandchildren to spoil them."


    "Dad!" Kyle said, flabbergasted.


    Patrick ignored him, looked at the board members and said, "It''s time for the new generation to take over. I thank you, and ask that you be the backbone for Kyle, so that all of use can soar high."


    "Done," Patrick said with a grin, "Now I can rest."


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    The board room was empty, save for the Elite Five.


    It was the first time that they were gathered together since Kyle came back.


    "Congratulations," said Ali to Kyle, "CEO of Smith Industries. Wow."


    Kyle glared at him, "You. Don''t think you''re off the hook now."


    "What do you mean?" Ali asked puzzledly.


    "Somebody didn''t invite us to someone''s wedding," Kay said, swinging her legs on the chair, "Somebody is going to pay."


    Ali cleared his throat, "I have a good reason for that ¡­"


    Suddenly, Ali found a rope fall into his line of vision and before he could do anything, he was securely tied to the chair he was sitting on. His mouth was taped closed.


    "Thank you, Vince," Xing Han said.


    The silent bodyguard nodded and left just as silently as he entered.


    Kyle picked up the phone and dialed a number, putting it on speakerphone, "Sofiya, this is Kyle. We''re going to kidnap your husband tonight."


    "Okay," Sofiya answered, "Have fun, Kyle."


    "Oh, we will."

 Chapter 579 - Elite Five Is Back

    No one paid any attention to the scene in front of them.


    A young man was tied to a chair and being wheeled out of the board room. They headed towards the lift and pushed him in.


    "What do you think is the best way to punish him?" asked Xing Han, thinking hard as they were heading down.


    "We could always strip him naked and parade him all over town," Sam suggested.


    Ali''s eyes went wide at that.


    "No, we can''t do that," Kay said, "He''s married now, so anything we do to him, will reflect on his wife as well."


    "Darn," Xing Han said, "Then how about putting chili powder right on his family''s jewels?"


    "Xing Han!" admonished Kay, "That would make his wife suffer as well, don''t you think?"


    "Really?" he asked innocently.


    Kay rolled her eyes, "The burning effect will be quite long, and they would thus have to abstain. Imagine you not being able to be with Big Bro Nic!"


    Xing Han gasped, putting a hand over his mouth, understanding.


    Ali''s head kept shaking, trying to get them to stop talking about the things they would do. However, none of them paid any attention to him as they continued talking.


    The more he heard, the more sweat poured down his face.


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    Everyone was sitting on the rooftop, admiring the stars.


    In the end, it was just all talk to scare Ali. They were just spending the night, talking and filling each other on the things they had been doing when they had been apart.


    "It''s certainly been a long time since we did this," Kyle said with a sigh.


    "And whose fault is that?!" Xing Han said with a pout as he took a swig of his beer.


    "Well, things happen," Kyle said, "I''m back now, though, right?"


    "With a bang," Ali said, "Just how long had you been planning this?"


    "A year," Kyle admitted, "Luckily everything went smoothly."


    Ali shook his head.


    Kyle was a demon indeed.


    Everything had been done according to his plans.


    In his case, Kyle had reached out to Sophia when she had converted. He then talked to Ali''s parents and convinced them of the plan. He had actually anticipated that Ali would follow his parent''s choice and would not even be bothered to find out about the girl.


    Johan had also made a deal with Kyle.


    If Kyle''s plan went exactly as how he predicted it to be, then it meant that it was meant to be as well. It would prove to Johan that Kyle was a true friend, and Ali should be there to support him.


    Thus, collaboration.


    "And you knew I wouldn''t invite any of you guys?" Ali asked, just to make sure.


    "I knew it to be a possibility," Kyle said, "A high possibility but nothing is certain, is it?"


    "We didn''t really miss your wedding, Ali," Kay said with a smile, "I had cameras fitted around your house and the fly-cams as well. We saw everything."


    "Your face when you lifted the veil, though," Xing Han said, and started laughing, "Oh my goodness. That was priceless!!"


    Ali just smiled.


    Even though they weren''t there physically, he was extremely happy to have had them see his greatest day.


    "The reception will be done next month at my Grandfather''s house," Ali said, "You guys are the VVIPs, of course."


    "Why is there such a big gap between the wedding and reception?" Kay asked.


    "My grandfather''s health isn''t too good," Ali explained, "Doctors said he needs a month or so in bed. Otherwise, his condition would worsen."


    "He already could not attend the wedding, so we''re going there instead," Ali continued saying, "He was so happy when he heard that."


    Everyone nodded in understanding.


    As for the Tans, Kyle had approached Xing Han''s mother and sisters to give him his plan. They embraced it, feeling that the archaic patriarchal Tan Family was long due for an overhaul.


    Kyle helped them with the plans to oust the father, and then showcase Karen''s ability - plus collaboration with the Smith Industries - to pull the board members to her side. In return, he got their loyalty.


    Kyle had also seen Xuelin long before Xing Han went to break the engagement, thus securing her trust and deal before the whole incident.


    "How did you get Sayuri?" Ali asked curiously.


    Kyle took a sip of his beer and pursed his lips.


    How could he say that he played the ninja card?


    The unbreakable ties between Shifu and Sayuri''s grandfather?


    Kyle shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I guess I''m just that darn charming."


    Ali groaned and threw the empty soda can at Kyle. Kyle tilted his head to the side, and the can flew by his ear. With a quick tap in a certain spot and direction, the can change direction and landed accurately into the wastebasket.


    Ali shook his head.


    "No matter how many times I see you in action, you still never fail to amaze me," Ali mused.


    "So," Xing Han said, scooting over to Kyle and leaned close, "What about this Sari of yours?"


    Kyle''s face broke into a grin.


    "Now that everything is over, I can finally go back and get her," Kyle said softly, "I plan to propose to her then bring her home."


    "I''m following you this time!" Kay announced loudly.


    "Of course you are," Kyle replied, "I never thought otherwise."


    "So am I," Xing Han said.


    "And me," came Ali''s voice.


    "Don''t even dare think of leaving me behind," Sam said as well, his face not showing any expression.


    Kyle leaned back and lay on the ground, not saying a word as he stared at the starry sky. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay came over and lay on his shoulder. Xing Han sat down on the other side of Kyle. Sam and Ali were behind them, sitting on the deck chairs.


    "The Elite Five is back," Kay said with a smile.

 Chapter 580 - Philip’s Fate

    "So what about Philip?" Xing Han asked, "I can''t believe you let him off so easily."


    A slow smile formed on Kyle''s face, as he turned towards Xing Han. Flinging his arm around Xing Han''s shoulder, he said while rubbing his cheek on Xing Han''s cheek, "You know me so well."


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    The moment Philip left the board room, he quickly took out his phone and called his family. He wanted to warn them and tell them to leave immediately.


    The phone kept on ringing without connecting.


    Although he felt fear, he pushed it aside for now. There were many reasons why one didn''t pick up the phone, right?


    They could be in the bathroom.


    Driving.


    So many reasons.


    However, after he got into the car and was heading home, the things he said to convince himself sounded lame.


    More so because no one from his family was picking up their phone.


    "Hurry up!!" Philip shouted at his driver, his heart full of fear.


    Just as he was nearing his house, there were sirens heard and the car went to the side to allow the emergency vehicle through.


    Philip had a bad feeling.


    Fire engine trucks, followed by an ambulance, passed by.


    The moment it did, Philip urged the driver to go faster. His eyes strained to look ahead and at the sky.


    He saw dark smoke.


    His heart dropped.


    It couldn''t be ¡­


    No, it couldn''t be ¡­


    At that moment, Philip suddenly remembered one of the things he learned prior to the Smith Heir Test.


    There was only one way to deal with traitors: total annihilation.


    He had scoffed when he read that, thinking that the ancestors were being so dramatic. Everything reeked of archaic rules that he felt was unsuitable for modern times. Hence, he promptly forgot about them.


    When he reached his home, he realised that while he had thought them to be archaic, it was obvious that Patrick and Kyle did not.


    He rushed out of his car, dashing to the burning house, only to be stopped by the police there.


    "I''m sorry, Sir, you can''t go in," he said sternly.


    "That''s my house! My family is in there!!" Philip wailed.


    A flash of sadness went through the officer''s eyes and he turned to look at his superior before saying, "Mr. Smith?"


    Philip hated that name now.


    A Smith was responsible for this.


    "What about my family? How are they? Are they safe?!" Philip asked, clutching the policeman''s shirt.


    "Come with me," the officer said.


    For a brief second, Philip had hope until the officer said once they were away from public eyes, "I''m sorry for your loss, Sir."


    "What?" Philip said, shocked, "No, you can''t mean ¡­"


    The office was silent, his head down as he turned to a certain direction. Philip looked where the officer was looking.


    Four bodies, covered with a cloth, being attended to by the emergency response team. ''Attended'' to here, was basically them transporting the bodies underneath the cloth into a body bag, and onto a stretcher.


    "NOOOOOO!!" Philip shouted, rushing over.


    It couldn''t be.


    "Sir, I''m afraid I have to tell you to step back," one medic was saying.


    "That''s my house! They may be my family!" Philip said frantically. Until he saw the bodies himself, he would not believe it was them.


    "I have to check!"


    The medic took a deep breath and stood up, going over to Philip.


    "Their bodies have been burnt beyond recognition," the man said slowly, looking at Philip in the eye, "But we found these on them."


    Philip looked down and wailed.


    In his hands, were items that his family never left home without: wife''s wedding ring, his eldest son''s Cartier watch, his daughter''s charm bracelet and his youngest son''s stupid earring.


    The medic looked at the crying man in pity, patted his shoulder and went back to his work. Philip just stood there, crying, with the items in his hands.


    Then, anger started to burn in his heart.


    This was Kyle''s fault!


    He would make him pay!!


    He would make all of them pay!!


    He turned, then everything went black.


    When Philip came to, he found himself in a dark room. He shook his head, wincing at the pain that came.


    His head hurt badly, a sign that he had been knocked unconscious.


    Where was he?


    Philip tried to look around, but could not see anything. It was total darkness. The thing he was on was soft, and not the cold floor, and he was curious about that.


    Why make him comfortable? Why was he not tied?


    There was a gentle breeze wafting in, and that told Philip that there was a window somewhere.


    With a smile, he lay back down on the bed.


    If there is a window, then there would be light eventually.


    He decided to wait.


    Philip actually fell asleep while waiting and when he woke up, the room was now bright.


    He shot up in bed, aghast to see a nonchalant Kyle just standing there, leaning against the wall and observing him quietly.


    "YOU!!" Philip snarled and attacked.


    Kyle avoided the fist that was coming at him at the last minute. He grabbed the offending hand, twisted it and smashed Philip against the wall.


    Pressing on his back from behind, Kyle said in his ear, "How does it feel to see your entire family dead? All because of you."


    "NO! It was you! YOU!"


    Kyle snorted, "Delusional as always. Your pride and ego is your downfall, and you brought your family down with you."


    "Philip, how could you?"


    Philip shuddered upon hearing that voice, "Emily?"


    Sounds of people crying and wailing were heard, "Daddy! Daddy! Save us!!"


    "Emily?!" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle let Philip go and Philip turned, to see that the wall where his bed was, had been turned into a wide screen projector.


    It showed his family, huddled together and crying.


    "Enjoy the show," Kyle said as he silently left.

 Chapter 581 - Philip’s Fate (II)

    Philip had to watch the video, that was in a constant loop, for a week.


    Without a break, Philip saw - and heard - his family being tortured, pleading for their lives, cursing him and finally, beaten to death before their bodies were left to burn in the house


    Their corpses were beyond recognition to cover what had happened.


    Initially, Philip had been so angered that the Smith Anger was in full bloom.


    But there was only the bed for him to smash.


    So, in the end, he injured himself when he kept punching the wall. He tried to get the pictures to stop but it didn''t. His blood on staining the walls did not cover the show. The sounds were loud and jarring and he couldn''t sleep without hearing their cries.


    Their curses.


    Kyle came back after a week.


    Philip was broken, but not completely gone.


    He was a Smith, after all.


    His body was bruised, his mind was full of misery, but he had not gone crazy.


    Kyle didn''t think he would.


    The moment he saw Kyle, he attacked again.


    The fight was brief and Kyle had him subdued on the floor.


    With his knee on Philip''s chest, Kyle patted his cheek and said, almost lovingly, "May the sights you have seen be remembered forever."


    Philip''s mind went blank, as he lay there, completely immobalised. He had no idea why he didn''t move to push Kyle off. All he knew, was that he was staring at Kyle, seeing the lips move yet, he had no idea what Kyle was saying.


    Were Kyle''s eyes always that blue?


    No, wait. It was dark blue.


    Wasn''t it lighter than that?


    Philip had no idea why he found Kyle''s eyes so fascinating as his eyes fluttered closed.


    When he opened his eyes again, he found himself outside.


    He was lying down on the ground, and there was nothing for miles around save for the stretch of road that seemed to stretch endlessly. It was like he had been dumped in the middle of nowhere.


    Philip discovered that he was wearing a backpack. Opening it, he found a canteen of water and some dried food.


    He smirked.


    Kyle was truly stupidly weak.


    Let him go, with provisions?


    It was only a matter of time before he would get back to civilisation and then began his revenge. Did Kyle think that he had dealt all his cards? He still had some support back in the city.


    He just needed to get home.


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    Kyle smiled as he read the newspaper article about a madman being found on the outskirts of town.


    The report went on to state that it was the missing Philip Smith, and nobody knew what happened to him. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked worse than a wildman that lived in the jungle, and he kept mumbling repeatedly with crazed eyes, "Not my fault. Not my fault."


    He would attack anyone that came close and had to be subdued and sent to the hospital. He was severely dehydrated, his ribs were poking out (a sign of starvation) and he refused to sleep. Even awake, he would be screaming.


    Even when he was given sleeping pills, he would scream in the middle of the night and toss and turn, his eyes closed. No matter what the hospital did, Philip could not be subdued.


    In the end, he had to be placed in a coma to heal. If he continued to trash around like that, and not get rest while his body rejected the medication, he would never recover. As it was, no matter what they did, Philip eventually passed away.


    The hospital was tight-lipped about the whole incident.


    The nurses and doctors in charge of the case, however, were never the same. They had seen the body.


    Philip''s eyes were wide open in complete fear.


    He should have been in a coma and yet, even then, whatever demons that haunted him did not leave him alone.


    He had, literally, died from fear.


    [How''s Emily and the kids?] Kay asked as she put down the newspaper. She had read the article on Philip as well.


    [Fine] Kyle replied [Adjusting well in the new place]


    The entire movie Philip watched was fake, created by Team Lucka with CGIs.


    [You''re not worried that they''ll retaliate in the future?]


    [No] Kyle replied confidently [I''ve mastered the Kato Art. They have completely lost their memories of us. They don''t even remember that they were once part of the main branch family]


    [What if someone recognises them? And remind them?]


    Kyle laughed [Oh, didn''t I tell you? I had them all go through plastic surgery and gave them new identities. They honestly believe that they are the Trents, who moved to that obscure town because they wanted to leave the bustle of city life]


    [They had not known what Philip was doing anyway, so letting them live was a viable option. Only Philip needed to be dealt with. If, on the off-chance that they do regain their memories and want to retaliate, then Plan B will set into motion]


    [Plan B? What Plan B?] Kay asked, surprised though she knew she shouldn''t have been.


    [The moment any thoughts of revenge come in, they''ll kill themselves] Kyle said [I only give them one chance]


    Kay blinked, looking at her brother and shook her head. He was more decisive than ever.


    Kyle leaned back on the chair, getting comfortable in the first class lounge. Right now, all that he was interested in was that he was going to see Sari again.


    He had missed her so much.


    After being away for nearly two years, he acutely felt the pain of their separation. The ache in his heart was strong and he was so excited at the prospect of seeing her again. Holding her in his arms.


    He fiddled with the engagement ring in his pocket.


    He could imagine her face when he came and proposed.

 Chapter 582 - Why?

    Sari was feeling extremely depressed.


    It had been over a week now that Kyle hardly talked to her.


    The phone calls she got were always cut short and now?


    When she tried to call, it went straight to voice mail.


    Kyle said he was really, really busy as there was something going on in the company that he had to settle.


    But surely, that didn''t mean he couldn''t be more attentive?


    The insecurities she had just kept on piling.


    It didn''t help that Dina had an online subscription to Country Tz''s major newspapers. Three, to be exact.


    There had been no news about anything happening at the Smith industries company. The only huge news that they got was about the Elite Five.


    Xing Han breaking off his engagement. Ali getting married.


    In fact, there was no news about Kyle. At all.


    Was he really in Country Tz?


    Would he really have missed Ali''s wedding?


    It was during this time that the person who gave her the greatest comfort was Hamdan, the guy that she had met at the mixer she helped Dina with.


    She had told him she had a boyfriend, but he said he just wanted to get to know her. Be her friend.


    Sari didn''t see anything wrong with that.


    It wasn''t like she couldn''t have those of the opposite sex as friends, right? She had a boyfriend, but it didn''t mean she could not mix around.


    So long as the boundaries were set, and the other party knew that she wasn''t interested in any way, it was fine.


    She even found the words of Grace to be annoying. What has her, having Hamdan as a friend, got anything to do with anyone?


    She wasn''t doing anything wrong.


    Yet, the words of Grace rang in her mind, ''If you have any problems, you talk it out with your boyfriend, and not another boy."


    Sari scoffed at that.


    Since the one that was causing her problems was her boyfriend, how could she ask him? She wanted to know a male''s perspective and Hamdan gave her that.


    Unfortunately, Sari fell into one of the most common mistakes couples make. Be it those who are in a relationship or those who have been married for quite some time.


    She didn''t think she was cheating on Kyle but in reality, she was.


    When a person confides in another - especially one of the opposite sex - then, an ''emotional affair'' has happened. The person you should confide in, is your beloved. No relationship is perfect.


    Everyone will fight. Everyone will have unhappiness.


    There will always be something that he, or she, does which annoys or makes one feel insecure. To save the relationship, you are to communicate it and talk to your beloved. If the other party is not willing, or clams up .. then it''s best you simply walk away from such a relationship.


    Kyle may have been abrupt in his speech sometimes, but he was confident that Sari would tell him if something was wrong. After all, before he left, he had told her to always be open with him.


    He trusted her so much that there was not a single doubt in his mind about her feelings for him. He was sure that she would always talk to him. He made himself open to her and promised her the truth. Always.


    So why would he suspect her of anything?


    Yet, she was finding comfort, and solace, in the ''arms'' of another guy. Though they never did have any physical contact, her closeness to Hamdan affected the level of intimacy with Kyle, creating an emotional distance that she never realised.


    All she knew, was that she was feeling lonely and depressed and Hamdan helped alleviate that.


    They were only talking, and he always made her feel better after she talked to him. With Hamdan, she didn''t have to wonder or think.


    She was just herself, baring all.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle stood frozen at the scene in front of him.


    He clenched his fists so tightly that his hands were white, devoid of blood.


    In front of him, was Sari at the outside cafe table with a guy. Just the two of them. From the looks of it, they were having fun. She was laughing, he was laughing. The entire atmosphere was too painful to see.


    He was fighting the urge to rush over there, smash the guy''s face and drag Sari away. He took several deep breaths, with his eyes closed, as he struggled to bring down the infamous Smith Anger.


    She was just with a friend.


    Nothing more.


    Sure, she was laughing unreservedly, but that is normal.


    Friends laughed together.


    Kyle clenched his teeth and after five minutes, he finally managed to slow down his heartbeat and calm himself down.


    Only when he got his emotions under control did he walk over to their table, slow and steady. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wasn''t close yet, but his sharp ears could already hear what they were saying.


    "It''s good to see you laugh," Hamdan said with a smile.


    Kyle could see that stupid face, smiling at his girlfriend. Sari''s back was to him, so she didn''t know that he was approaching.


    "Thank you, Hamdan," Sari said, her familiar sweet voice wafting through the air and hitting Kyle straight in the heart.


    "You are a good friend," she said.


    Hamdan suddenly reached out and held her hand, saying, "Sari, I know you have a boyfriend but he''s not here right now. He''s caused you so much pain. Why not break up with him and be with me?"


    Kyle stopped, his ears not believing what he was hearing.


    What would Sari''s answer be?


    He waited and cursed.


    Damn it.


    Why wasn''t she rejecting him immediately?


    "Oh Hamdan," Sari finally said, "I like you, I really do ... but ..."


    "Then stay with me. I will make you happy, unlike your stupid boyfriend that just makes you cry," Hamdan said earnestly.

 Chapter 583 - Be Happy

    Kyle found himself completely frozen on the spot.


    He makes her cry?


    She had been suffering all this time?


    Why did she never say anything?


    Kyle''s emotions were going out of whack at that point.


    His heart was bleeding.


    It felt like someone had ripped out his still-beating heart in his chest.


    Seeing the way she didn''t refute him, Hamdan got braver as he continued, "I would never cause you to think that I would ever cheat on you. I would always be contactable. I would never be too busy to talk to you."


    Each word that came out of that filthy guy''s mouth sliced into Kyle, causing immeasurable pain.


    Kyle had known of her insecurities, which was why he always told her he loved her when he called. He would do his best to call her as much as possible, so that she wouldn''t feel lonely.


    Yet, she still wasn''t convinced?


    She still had her doubts?


    The fact that his ''Hamdan'' guy could say all of those things only meant one thing.


    She confided in him.


    She talked to him about everything.


    She sought comfort from him, and not her own boyfriend.


    Each realisation stabbed at him.


    At the end of the day ... she didn''t trust him.


    No matter what he did, she didn''t trust him at all.


    "Hamdan," Sari said, pulling her hand out of his, "Until I settle things with my boyfriend, I can''t be with you."


    "Does this mean I have a chance?" Hamdan asked, his eyes bright.


    Sari didn''t answer, but she gave a nod.


    That nod was like a bucket of cold water pouring over the already cold Kyle.


    For her to say such a thing meant that she was not happy with him. That she was happy with Hamdan.


    Kyle found it hard to breathe but yet, he still managed to remain steady.


    He did not rush over to Sari and pummel the guy to death. Even though he wanted to, so badly. Instead, he settled for just staring at the guy who had filled the void he had caused.


    Hamdan was so happy that he gave a huge grin, which slowly faded when he saw someone staring at him.


    At first, he was struck by the fact that there was actually someone who was so brazen and rude to stare at other people.


    When his gaze landed on the person who was staring at him, he was flabbergasted. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even as a guy, he could not deny how good looking the guy in front of him was. In fact, everyone in the cafe was giving him side glances, whispering amongst themselves as they checked him out.


    Despite the fact that he wore a cap and dark sunglasses, it didn''t hide the chiseled features and fair skin. The slim-fitting 3/4 sleeved shirt hugged his physique well, making one drool over the well-defined muscles underneath.


    The shirt was not tucked in, but it seemed to glide over the slim-fitting jeans that showed off his stature even more.


    Where did this high-quality male come from?!


    And why was he staring at him?


    Hamdan doesn''t know him - he would certainly remember someone that good looking!


    Even though his eyes were covered, Hamdam could tell that it wasn''t a friendly gaze. Instead, it was anger and Hamdan had the irrational fear that his life was in danger.


    What did he do to offend this guy?


    Seeing the guy come closer, Hamdan was ready for a fight.


    However, instead of going to him, he stood beside Sari.


    Sari turned when she sensed someone beside her. She turned to see who it was when she gasped.


    "Kyle?!!"


    For a brief micro-second, she was so happy and then, intense guilt hit her.


    How long had he been around?


    How much did he hear?!


    "Kyle, I can explain," Sari said, starting to get up but Kyle just shook his head.


    "No, you don''t have to," Kyle said, his voice surprisingly steady and did not have an ounce of the killing anger he felt right now.


    He looked at Sari, who looked so uncomfortable and was obviously feeling bad that his entire anger dissipated.


    How could he remain angry when she felt so bad about it? If he couldn''t make her happy, then someone else should.


    No matter how much he loved her, he could not force her.


    He bit his inner cheek, causing the skin to break and he could taste his own blood in his mouth. He wanted the pain. He wanted to feel it in order to feel something other than the pain of the heart.


    Kyle took a deep breath, deciding not to go into Zen mode. That would only make him unfeeling and he wanted to feel every single thing at that moment.


    He sighed, looking away to the side and said, "I''m sorry."


    Sari was confused, "What for?"


    He turned to look back at her, and took off his glasses. Kyle was well aware that some people had been staring at him from the moment he appeared and he didn''t care at that moment if he was recognised.


    It wasn''t as if he was hiding any more. He didn''t want to say the next words behind the dark glasses. Behind any sort of disguise, no matter how lame it was.


    He looked at Sari sadly, then shook his head, "For making you cry. Feel insecure. Unloved."


    Sari''s eyes watered as her heart felt the pain, upon seeing the sadness in his eyes. She had never meant to hurt him and this was not the way she wanted him to find out.


    "I guess, this was not meant to be," Kyle said, "Be happy."


    He put back his glasses and said to Hamdan before leaving, "Take good care of her."


    Hamdan was in total shock.


    THAT was Sari''s boyfriend?!


    If he had known from the start, he would not have even pursued Sari.


    After all, how could he even compare?


    Be it in the looks department, or wealth?

 Chapter 584 - It’s Over

    Hamdan sat there, in total shock. His brain hardly registering what had happened.


    Hamdan had recognised the watch on Kyle''s wrist and knew what it was worth.


    A Philip Patek watch?! The cheapest one was already way beyond what he would make in several lifetimes.


    Hamdam gulped.


    Yet, the guy was not fighting him and instead, stepped aside?


    Hamdan just sat there, surprised. Sari, however, was not frozen like him.


    She ran after Kyle.


    Kyle heard her running after him, but he wasn''t ready to see her, or talk to her. He was barely holding on to his sanity as it was.


    So he simply quickened his steps and before she knew it, she lost sight of him.


    She stopped, tears falling down her face as she bit her lower lips.


    She looked all around her frantically but could not see him anywhere.


    She couldn''t believe what had happened.


    That''s it? It was over?


    He hadn''t even been angry at her.


    He even told his competitor to take care of her.


    She would have been able to accept his anger, his harsh words ¡­ anything. But not this.


    So it was true.


    Her greatest fear was realised.


    What Dina said was correct. His lack of reaction showed that he didn''t really love her as much as she loved him.


    When Hamdan had confessed, Sari had been shocked.


    Then, flattered.


    Naturally, she started comparing everything about Hamdan, with Kyle.


    She realised, even if she was not deeply in love with Hamdan, she was far more comfortable with him than with Kyle. She had been apart from Kyle for so long that she started thinking as well whether it had all been a dream.


    Before she knew it, she had nodded in agreement.


    Yet, when she saw Kyle just now, all the love she had for him surfaced again. She knew that her feelings for Kyle were just as strong.


    Yet, he just left like that?


    Hamdan came by then and seeing her crying face, he hugged her tightly.


    Sari didn''t resist and continued to cry in his arms, feeling both sad ¡­ and relieved ¡­ at the same time.


    Kyle watched this from afar, his heart turning colder than ever.


    He took out the ring from his pocket and looked at the casing. In disgust, he threw it into the nearby dustbin.


    Two lifetimes, and in each life, the person he had whole-heartedly loved, rejected him. In one way or another.


    He was never good enough.


    He was so done with this sh*t.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay was on the floor of the hotel room, gasping as she was sobbing uncontrollably. She was curled up like a ball as she hugged her knees while she continued crying.


    She felt like her heart was being ripped out.


    She felt like her entire body was being cut sliced with numerous paper cuts.


    She knew she was feeling Kyle''s pain.


    She tried to block it out but it was useless.


    The pain she was feeling, from Kyle, was so strong that all the barriers broke apart.


    When Kay had suddenly clutched at her chest and started crying, everyone panicked.


    Xing Han panicked, not knowing what to do. In the end, he just lay down behind her and hugged her tight.


    Ali was in front of her, patting her hair and stroking it like he would a baby. Sam was at her feet, patting her thigh, like how one would when putting a baby to sleep.


    "F..find Kyle," Kay managed to stammer, "It''s ¡­ it''s ¡­ his pain ¡­ I am feeling."


    Sam quickly got up and called Kyle.


    There was no answer and he got the message that the phone was out of range.


    Sam then headed to his laptop and checked the tracking program.


    Every Elite Five member had a tracking device on them, placed on one item that they would never take out. In Kyle''s case, it was his watch.


    Sam cursed, saying, "He disabled it."


    Xing Han hugged Kay tighter, stating the obvious, "He wants to be alone."


    Sam called up the two agents that had been tasked to watch over Sari. After a short conversation, he put down the phone with a frown.


    "What happened?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam''s mind was reeling over the information Grace and Kristi had told him.


    He looked at the others who were waiting for an answer.


    "Did she reject his proposal?" Ali asked, thinking that to be the only answer.


    "He never even asked," Sam said.


    "What? Why?! He was so excited when he left!" Xing Han said, "He was so happy and rushing out, telling us to wait and not spoil his reunion. How could he not ask her?!"


    Sam looked at them, pain in his eyes, "She ¡­ well, he ¡­ he broke up with her, so that she could be free to be with another guy."


    Silence descended upon the entire group.


    Even Kay had stopped crying.


    The moment those words hit her ears, she got insanely angry. So angry that it overrode the intense sadness that had been hitting her so hard.


    No wonder Kyle was so devastated.


    She hissed, as she slowly got up, "Call Grace and Kristi here to give me the full report."


    The three Elite Five guys gulped.


    They had not seen the Smith Anger on Kay before.


    It was deathly scary.


    She didn''t shout and smash things apart like Kyle did.


    Instead, she was silent.


    She was just sitting there, doing nothing.


    Yet, just by looking at her, one felt intense fear rising up without rhyme or reason.


    Ali, Xing Han, and Sam backed away.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    That night, a horrifying incident spread across the seedier parts of the city.


    Several drug dens were destroyed, and the workers inside were found tied up outside in their underwear.


    Loan sharks were robbed, their safe emptied and all the IOUs destroyed.


    And that was only the beginning.

 Chapter 585 - Just A Dream

    Grace and Kristi stood there, at attention, as they gave their summarised report of what had happened when Kyle met with Sari.


    The more they talked, the colder the air got and the pressure on them increased.


    By the time they were done, they were sweating buckets and had trouble breathing. Xing Han took pity on the girls and he placed a hand on Kay''s shoulder.


    "Kay, that''s enough," Xing Han said softly, and gently, "They aren''t at fault."


    Kay closed her eyes and retracted her aura, while trying to calm down the raging Smith Blood within her.


    Several tense minutes passed before she managed to do so, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    Hesitatingly, Grace stepped forward and placed a ring case on the table.


    "Sir threw this away. I was worried that he might regret it later, so I picked it up," Grace said. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay looked at it and took it, opening the case.


    Although she already knew what it looked like, she still wanted to look.


    It was a diamond solitaire engagement ring. The light rose-gold band had an infinity twist at the place the pure white diamond was nestled. All along the infinity twist were smaller diamonds.


    Kay took it out and looked at the diamond.


    The purity of the colour made the 1-carat diamond much more expensive. Kyle had not wanted too big a solitaire as that would be too pretentious. So, he had opted for buying the purest white diamond he could find.


    Even the tiny diamond placed in the infinity twist didn''t escape his standards.


    Kay sighed and put the ring back in the casing, throwing it back at Grace.


    "Take it," Kay said, "Wear it, sell it, whatever. It''s yours."


    Grace nodded, understanding.


    They left and the Elite Five guys looked at Kay.


    "What now?" Ali asked.


    "Now?," Kay repeated, cracking her knuckles, "Now, I have a certain Dina to meet. Tomorrow, it''s Sari."


    "What about Kyle?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    "He''ll need to let off some steam," Kay said, "You wait for him here in case he does come back tonight. Sam, please monitor the news and do the needful if necessary. Ali, I''ll have to trouble you to accompany me today."


    "Me?" Ali asked in surprise.


    "Yes, you," Kay said, "I need someone to hold me back in case I lose it and kill Dina."


    Three pairs of eyes turned to her in shock.


    "What?" Kay asked innocently.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    It wasn''t hard to find Dina.


    Kay and Ali stood to one side, looking at the seemingly innocent young girl with her friends. Talking. Laughing.


    "It''s amazing to see how that person can be such a viper," Ali mused.


    "That''s nothing," Kay said, waving her hand in front of her face, "Women can be the most vicious and slyest creatures ever. Guys are straightforward, but girls?"


    "I don''t really care what she did," Kay continued, "Sari would have faced that, and more, as Kyle''s wife. Dina was simply the first. What I am concerned about is why she did so."


    Ali nodded, understanding.


    With confident strides, Kay walked over to the giggling gang of girls.


    "Oh, my gosh! Is that you, Dina? It is, isn''t it?!" Kay said in surprise, completely looking shocked and happy. She grabbed Dina by the arms and hugged her.


    Dina was so shocked that she didn''t move while the other girls looked on.


    Kay was still gushing about, "Oh, I can''t believe that I''d meet you here. No, wait. You did say that you were from here but I didn''t think I would come across you at all. What are the chances of that?!"


    Dina looked at her in puzzlement. The girl did look familiar somehow, but she couldn''t quite place where.


    However, since the girl looked familiar and she was treating her like an old friend, Dina was too embarrassed to show that she had forgotten.


    "Oh dear, you''re right! What a coincidence," Dina said and then pointed at her friends, "These are my friends."


    "Ah, pleasure to meet you," Kay said, "I''m Nancy."


    Dina breathed a sigh of relief. It worked. By not making the introductions, but starting it, would make the other party actually give their name. Now, she had a name.


    "I''m sorry to do this, but can I steal Dina away? I haven''t seen her for so long and I want to catch up," Kay said with a sweet smile.


    The others nodded in understanding and left, while Kay brought her to the cafe nearby.


    Once they sat down, Kay''s sweet smile turned vicious as she said, "We need to talk."


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    It wasn''t enough.


    Kyle was crouching on top of the tree, looking at all the activity below.


    Why wasn''t it enough?


    Shouldn''t it have been enough?


    At this time, Kyle missed the death matches Big Bro Nic had.


    Though he created havoc and destruction, not killing people didn''t quite satisfy the bloodlust within.


    Kyle stood up while taking a big sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.


    The pain was still there.


    It had all been a dream.


    A beautiful one, but a dream nonetheless.


    Throughout the entire night, he had thought of nothing else.


    What they had done together. All the sweet moments together. There had not been a single bad moment. They had never fought.


    He forced himself to relive each and every memory with her.


    He then placed his memories of the love he had then, and the pain he felt for it now, into a chest, lock it up and threw it away.


    With each memory being locked away, his heart started getting calmer.


    And colder.


    He stared into the distance, getting calmer as his heart settled.


    "Goodbye," he said softly.


    Whether he was saying goodbye to his love, or his ability to love, no one could tell at that moment.

 Chapter 586 - Dina

    Dina felt danger.


    She immediately got up, but then felt strong hands on her shoulders pushing her back down.


    Kay leaned back on her chair, staring at Dina. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s annoying, isn''t it? How I look so familiar yet you can''t remember who I am? Where we met?" Kay asked.


    Dina''s eyes went wide open. Her initial fear of being forced to stay dissipated due to the surprise she was feeling.


    "Tell me," Kay said as she leaned forward, "Why were you working so hard to cause discord between Sari and her boyfriend?"


    The pin dropped.


    "Kayla?!" she nearly screamed it out and Ali pressed his hand on her shoulder. She winced.


    "Sssh," Kay said, "We''re in public now, so don''t cause a scene. Cause one, and I will take you somewhere so secluded that they''ll find your body only next year. If ever."


    Dina didn''t know why, but she believed the threat Kay gave. Maybe it was the way she said it. Like she was just asking about the weather, but the coldness in her eyes betrayed the nonchalant attitude she seemed to give out.


    Dina knew that she was doomed if she did not cooperate.


    "So that''s why," Kay mused without Dina saying a word, "You knew who he really was."


    "So young, and so vicious," Kay said.


    "What do we do with her?" Ali asked.


    "Nothing," Kay said, getting up, "She''s not worth my time."


    She did, however, lean down to Dina and say in her ear, "Karma''s a b*tch. One day, you''re going to face trouble and when you do, think of all that you had done to Sari and my brother."


    Ali let Dina go, and followed Kay as they walked away.


    "You''re not really letting her go, are you?" Ali asked.


    "Nope," Kay said with a smile.


    For the next few years, Dina was plagued with constant trouble.


    Electronic trouble, to be precise. No matter what she did, her computer and phone acted weird. As if there was a virus. Yet, even after using the best anti-virus programme, nothing was found.


    It was as if she was cursed.


    Whatever work she did on her computer, would be wiped out an hour later. Even if she saved her work on the Cloud system, or whatever online storage, it would disappear an hour later.


    Even if she used the public computer, it would be gone an hour later.


    In the end, she had to print out her materials to read, and only type out her assignments and send it off within an hour. It made studying at University hell.


    As for her phone?


    It would only work as a phone.


    It would not store phone contacts, it could not take pictures and any messages sent or received would delete itself. She could not access the internet or download any applications.


    In the end, Dina had to settle for a handphone that did not have 4G.


    During this time, Kay''s words would echo in her mind and she became convinced that Kay had cursed her.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle had been gone the whole night, and still did not return the next day.


    He had slept for two hours on the tree and bought some new clothes.


    It had only been one day, but a new Kyle was born.


    He had always had a cold demeanour when he was working, for he needed to command obedience and respect. There was no place for playfulness or anything of the sort when he was working.


    Now, however, that coldness seemed to be his natural demeanour. There seemed to be a lack of emotion in his eyes, and his normally warm face had a stoic expression.


    Kyle did not realise how his outer appearance had been affected by him settling the chaos in his heart. His aura had also changed subtly.


    It was still the powerful aura that he always had, but it was now more refined and dignified. Steady and solid. Unwavering ¡­ and unemotional. Like nothing could affect him.


    Kyle only knew that he felt calm now and could face Sari so that was where he was headed. Though he had broken up with her already, he still felt that the loose ends needed to be tied.


    After all, she had run after him, right?


    One thing he brought from his past life was his need to communicate and talk things out. Though the outcome would not change in this, he still wanted to settle everything with her.


    So he can leave with a clear conscience.


    Kyle went to Sari''s house and rang the doorbell.


    "Yes, can I help you?"


    Kyle gave a small smile - at least, tried to, but found it surprisingly hard. In the end, he didn''t and he gave a small nod, saying, "Auntie Zals, it''s me. Rex."


    Zals blinked her eyes rapidly. Then rubbed them.


    No matter what she did, the handsome young man in front of her did not look like Rex at all. There was no sloppy hair, no slouch, and the person in front looked surprisingly like the guy in the poster in Sari''s room.


    "This is what I really look like," Kyle explained, "Is Sari home?"


    Zals then remembered what Rex, no, Kyle, had told them before he left. That he was in disguise to hide while studying and had to go back. She had heard it then, but she had no idea about his true identity.


    Flustered, Zals then remembered how Sari had been crying when she came back yesterday. She hadn''t said a word about what happened, and Zals thought of asking her about it today.


    "She ¡­ she is in, but she isn''t quite up to seeing people right now," Zals said finally. Sari had locked herself in her room the entire time and she was getting a bit worried.


    "Don''t worry, Auntie," Kyle said, "Just let her know it''s me and she''ll come out."


    Nodding, Zals let him in.

 Chapter 587 - Why?

    Sari couldn''t believe it when her aunt told her who had come.


    She looked at her bare walls, devoid of all posters of Kyle. She had spent the night clearing her room of everything and anything that was of Kyle, and those that reminded her of Kyle.


    He had broken up with her and left, so what is the point of hanging on to something that was no longer hers?


    Also ¡­


    She bit her lower lip guiltily.


    She had accepted Hamdan.


    Even now, she wasn''t sure if her guilt that she was feeling right now, was because she had jumped straight into another person''s arms after breaking up, or for meeting up with her ex when her boyfriend wasn''t around.


    Perhaps, it was both?


    Sari quickly got ready.


    Whatever it was, this meeting didn''t feel good but she also felt that it was needed.


    When she came down to the living room, she paused for a while at the stairs.


    She could see Kyle sitting on the sofa, drinking tea and she was struck about how out-of-place he seemed to be.


    Not that he looked uncomfortable but rather, that his entire presence was too big for her humble home. He looked out of place just by sitting there.


    Sari sighed, and knew that she, too, would be equally out of place at his home.


    "Hi," Sari said as she entered the living room.


    She gulped upon seeing the handsome face turn towards her, and was utterly shocked at the coldness. No, he wasn''t being cold but rather, there was no warmth in his expression.


    She didn''t realise until then how different he was when he was with her. The soft gaze, the loving look in his eyes, the tender smile.


    All of it was gone.


    It wasn''t that she expected him to still be that way, but wasn''t this change a bit too much? Why did he look at her like she was a stranger? Why was he so expressionless?


    Kyle just gave her a small nod and answered, "Hi."


    He put down the tea cup slowly, and then looked up at her, "How have you been? Zals told me that you were hiding in your room?"


    Sari fidgeted, not knowing what to say.


    "I''m sorry," was what she managed out.


    Kyle shook his head, "No, I am the one who is sorry. I could not be the man that you needed."


    He looked at her, his eyes clear and she felt intensely sad for some reason. Having this ¡­ normal Kyle, would take some getting used to.


    "I''ll be leaving Country M soon, and I didn''t want to do so without some sort of closure," Kyle explained, "Perhaps this is selfish of me, but I need to know."


    "Know what?" Sari asked.


    "What did I do wrong?" Kyle asked softly.


    This was one thing that he could not understand and it frustrated him immensely. His spouse had stopped paying him attention towards the end of her life, which caused her to cheat on him.


    He viewed this to be his retribution for his past life''s cheating. What goes round, comes round, right? He also could see that Sari didn''t mean to cheat on him and perhaps, she never even realised it.


    Kyle also felt that it was his fault that she turned to someone else for comfort. He thought they were honest with each other. He had told her he would never lie to her, or cheat, so why did she think he did?


    Just what had he done to make her feel that insecure?


    Why did she never tell him?


    What could he have done to save her from all of that?


    "You didn''t do anything wrong," Sari began and Kyle put up his hand.


    "Stop. Just stop right there," Kyle said, "If I didn''t do anything wrong, then why? Why the insecurities? Why the crying?"


    "I''m just an ordinary girl, Kyle," Sari said, "Please try to understand. Your world is so different." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked down and gave a slight snort.


    "You were never in my world, Sari," Kyle said, "I have never brought you home yet, and you''ve never seen my parents or how I live. In what way is my world so different? Is it because I have money?"


    "You don''t know my world, Sari," Kyle continued, "Because you have never seen it. You have never asked either, so I thought it didn''t bother you."


    Sari pressed her lips together and then said, "How could I say that your life makes me uncomfortable?"


    "Why not?" Kyle asked back, "I told you to always be honest and open with me. I told you that I would always tell you the truth. I know you have insecurities about us but if you don''t tell me, how am I supposed to know what goes on in that mind of yours?"


    Suddenly, something clicked in Kyle''s mind.


    He had been so consumed by pain yesterday that the hadn''t linked the words Hamdan said. ''Never cheat'' - ''always be contactable'' - ''never too busy for you''¡­


    "You ..." Kyle began, "You didn''t think I was working, did you? The times I didn''t call because I was busy, you suspected it was because I was seeing someone else, didn''t you?"


    "That ¡­" Sari stumbled, shaking her head but not knowing how to say it.


    She knew that he didn''t feel he was cheating on her. After all, Nialla was just someone he used for physical gratification. But for her to actually say she didn''t like it wasn''t possible for her.


    "What is it, then?" Kyle pressed on but she was silent.


    Kyle waited but after two minutes, it was obvious Sari wouldn''t - or couldn''t - tell him.


    "Nevermind," Kyle said, seeing her struggle, "I can see how hard it is for you to tell me anything."


    He thought he could no longer feel any pain but her silence still sliced into him deeply.


    She could be so free and open with Hamdan. Tell him anything.


    Yet, with him?

 Chapter 588 - Sometimes Love Ain’t Enough*

    "I am not a mind-reader," Kyle said, "Unless you talk to me, I will never know."


    "Even though I always told you I love you, and asked you if anything was wrong, it wasn''t enough, was it?" Kyle mused loudly.


    "I guess having a long-distance relationship with someone that doesn''t trust you will never work."


    Sari bit her lower lips and couldn''t refute him.


    He was right.


    She didn''t trust him.


    No matter how many times he told her of his love, instead of being reassured, she started thinking that he said it too much. Too often, as if he was hiding something.


    Whenever he asked her if everything was alright, she would lie and say things were fine.


    When he said he missed her, she didn''t believe him fully since he didn''t call everyday.


    She found it hard to ask him about anything. Even now, she still couldn''t bring up the subject of Nialla.


    "I don''t blame you, Sari," Kyle said softly, "It''s obvious that you''re happy with Hamdan. I can see that. He''s the one that fits you, not me. He can make you happy, not me."


    "So, go and be with him with a clear conscience," Kyle said, "Sometimes, love just isn''t enough. It''s a romantic ideal, but not reality."


    Sari looked up in surprise at that, and could see the sincerity in his eyes as he said that.


    It was only then that she realised, that he was letting her go not because he didn''t love her - but because he did love her.


    "Sometimes, love just isn''t enough," Kyle repeated softly.


    He then took out a folder and gave it to her.


    "For you," he said and left before she could react.


    Sari looked at the folder and opened it.


    It was the title deed to the house that Kyle lived in while he was here.


    Sari clutched the file and tears started flowing down again. She was so confused.


    She loved Kyle, she did. She had feelings for Hamdan, but it wasn''t the same as it was with Kyle.


    Did she make a mistake?


    Should she have gone after Kyle?


    She shook her head.


    No, she had to be strong.


    Seeing him in front of her, hearing his voice directly rather than through the phone ¡­ all of it hit her so hard. The love that she had for him sprang up to blossom when it had been withering away due to the absence.


    But she knew, if she stayed, she would have the doubts all over again.


    As she was pondering this, the doorbell rang.


    Sari went to open the door and was shocked to see the person outside.


    "Kayla??"


    "You know me," Kay said, "Good. This makes it easier. Can I come in?"


    "Of course," Sari said, standing aside.


    Kay walked in and looked around. It was a cozy home and Sari was a sweet girl. Kay could understand why her brother fell so deeply in love with her. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay wasn''t here to cause trouble.


    Kyle had made his choice.


    But she had to make some things clear.


    Sari was extremely nervous.


    Surprisingly, more nervous than when Kyle was here.


    "I''ll go get some drinks first," Sari said.


    Kay saw the teapot and cup that was in the living room. Sari was putting it on a tray to bring to the kitchen when Kay stopped her.


    "It''s okay," Kay said, lifting the teapot, "I''ll just use Kyle''s cup. There''s still plenty of tea in here."


    "You knew he came earlier?" Sari asked in surprise.


    "Of course," Kay said, "I waited until he left before I came."


    "Oh," Sari said, not knowing what else to say. She sat back down, since she had no reason to go now. She did, however, feel slightly uncomfortable to see Kay using Kyle''s cup so easily.


    Sure, they were siblings, but they were of the opposite gender.


    Kay poured herself a cup and blew on it, even though it wasn''t that hot anymore. She took a sip, and Sari couldn''t help but think about the fact that her lips were touching the exact same spot that Kyle''s lips had been.


    Kay began, "When Kyle first told me about you, my first reaction was ¡­ I didn''t like you."


    Sari paled and Kay laughed a bit at that.


    "Don''t get me wrong," Kay said, "It had nothing to do with you, personally. I just didn''t like the idea of my brother getting a girlfriend when I did not know who she was."


    "But you were his choice," Kay continued softly, "And I was happy for him. Because he was so happy. And so in love."


    "I was, too!" Sari said quickly, wanting this girl to know that her feelings were genuine as well. Why did she have to make it sound like she had been playing with Kyle''s feelings?


    Kyle wasn''t the only one that was in love. She was, too.


    "So what happened?" Kay asked.


    "I ¡­" Sari began and hesitated. Again. How could she tell this girl, about how uncomfortable she was about Nialla? About their lifestyles?


    To them, it was normal, right?


    Kay sighed loudly, while rolling her eyes, "See, you''re doing it again. You''re pretty annoying when you do that, you know?"


    "Do what?"


    "Not asking. Not opening your mouth. Letting your stupid imagination run wild and making fiction, into fact," Kay said, crossing her arms across her chest.


    "I do not," Sari replied.


    "So, you believe Dina more than Kyle?" Kay asked.


    Dina??


    Sari was shocked. What had Dina got to do with anything?


    "You''re probably wondering what Dina has got to do with all of this, right?" Kay asked in amusement, finding her open expressions funny. No wonder Kyle fell for her.


    "Haven''t you realised it yet? Everything you know about our supposed life, you heard from Dina," Kay pointed out.


    "And you chose to believe her wholeheartedly rather than Kyle. What is it about Dina that makes her more trustworthy compared to your own boyfriend?"

 Chapter 589 - The Talk

    Sari couldn''t answer her.


    Mainly because it was only then that she realised what Kay said had been correct.


    Kay sat back on the chair and continued to drink her tea while Sari thought about what she had said.


    Kay continued to observe and study Sari, and she found that Sari wasn''t a bad girl, really.


    She was just too naive and innocent. Stupidly naive and easily manipulated.


    Insecure.


    All of these weaknesses can be overcome, but it was already too late.


    Not too late for Sari to change, but too late for her relationship with Kyle to change even if she did.


    From the pain of heartache Kyle had gone through yesterday, to the detachment she felt today, Kay knew that Kyle had gone through a baptism of fire and emerged a different man.


    She just hopes he didn''t turn out to be a cold statue instead.


    Right now, her only wish for Sari was for her to know the truth, and to grow.


    "Dina knew Kyle was your boyfriend," Kay then said after a few minutes, "She coveted your boyfriend, thus did all sorts of things to sow discord between the two of you."


    "You were so caught up in her lies that you didn''t even listen to the advice of two classmates of yours," Kay said.


    "Advice?" Sari asked bewilderedly. When did anyone advise her?


    Kay sighed and shook her head.


    "What do you think an advice is? Must a person come to you and say, ''hey, listen to me and my advice to you'' before you realise it is an advice?" Kay asked with a frown.


    "Think back," she encouraged, "Each time Dina wanted you to do something, or suggested something, wasn''t there someone that said something of the opposite?"


    "Yes," Sari replied quickly, "Grace and Kristi. They kept dropping these vague hints and words ¡­"


    The penny dropped.


    Sari stopped talking, thinking back.


    She had actually felt annoyed at their interference but now, she realised that they were only trying to help.


    "Grace and Kristi are actually professional bodyguards that Kyle got to protect you while he was away," Kay told her.


    "WHAT?!" Sari gasped. "Wha-what .. but .. they''re so young! And why would I need protection?!"


    "What? Didn''t Dina say anything about this?" Kay said sarcastically.


    Sari fidgeted and knew that Kay was referring to the fact that she always listened to Dina''s stories and words about how the rich, like Kyle, lived. Yet, she had never mentioned about bodyguards.


    "Our lives are not our own, really," Kay said, "We''re always the target of someone. You''re but a normal person and have no protection. Naturally, Kyle would make sure that there was someone who would be there to protect you yet, not disrupt your life."


    "But you don''t have any bodyguards with you right now!" Sari protested.


    "Not in plain sight, at least," Kay said, and let that sink in.


    "You .. you mean ¡­" Sari said hesitatingly.


    "Yes," Kay said, "I have people monitoring me right now, though they are in the shadows. I also know how to fight and get out of hostage situations, should the worst-case scenario happens."


    "So Grace and Kristi were spying on me, reporting to Kyle while guarding me?" Sari said - not really asking. It was as if she was making a statement. All this time, Kyle said he trusted her yet he had her tailed and monitored all this time?


    Kay laughed at that statement.


    "If you want to look upon it like that, I can''t change your mind now, can I?" Kay said, "Everything can be viewed from two angles."


    "In Kyle''s eyes, he was protecting you without disrupting your life. In your eyes, he was not trusting you and invading your privacy. Right?"


    "To make it clear, their job was merely to ensure your physical safety, not spy on you," Kay clarified, "However, because they were close-by, naturally they would have known what was going on and what you did."


    "However, since it was never Kyle''s intention to monitor your activities, Kyle did not ask for a detailed report of your daily life," Kay explained, "Now, knowing how your mind thinks, you''re probably feeling that Kyle was not interested in you and what you were doing, right?"


    Sari looked at Kay guiltily.


    "Do you even realise what you''re doing?" Kay asked softly, "No matter what Kyle does, it is wrong?"


    Sari held her hands together, thinking seriously about what Kay was saying.


    Unlike before, Sari really was trying to understand what Kay was trying to do.


    The fact that Kyle''s sister was here, right now, talking to her patiently instead of screaming and scolding her, made Sari pause. She had always believed the twins would back each other up for anything, no matter how ridiculous the actions of the other may be.


    She had been prepared not to listen, feeling that Kay would be argumentative and one-sided.


    Yet, Kay was not doing anything of that sort.


    This was completely different than what Dina had told her.


    It was this thought that made her finally see ... that perhaps, some things that she believed about the way the Smiths lived their lives ... was not correct.


    Still, it took a lot of effort.


    After being ''brainwashed'' for so long, one doesn''t suddenly have that wiped away even when you know your thoughts are wrong. All the subconscious thoughts and instinctive reactions had to be looked at and dealt with, one by one, as it arose.


    At least, Sari was trying. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kyle wanted to protect you from the dark side of our world," Kay said, "And that was his first mistake."


    "Mistake?" Sari queried. Was protecting her a mistake?


    "Yes, because you''re going to have to know about our world anyway," Kay said, "His mistake was not in informing you about the dangers, and that Grace and Kristi were your bodyguards. He was wrong not to communicate that to you."


    "But you were wrong as well, for not communicating your fears to him."

 Chapter 590 - Communicate

    "Unless if the person is a total douche-bag or a lying cheating scum, a relationship that fails is caused by both parties," Kay said.


    "Why else do you think there would always be some who support you, and some who would support Kyle?" Kay pointed out, "I won''t play the blaming game or pick who was more at fault here. That is something that no one can determine fully."


    "However, it is clear that when a relationship fails, most of the time it is due to lack of communication, or misunderstandings," Kay said, "These are things that Kyle knew and wanted to avoid, but ... well ... he''s really a very straightforward person, Sari."


    "He doesn''t play mind games," Kay said, "Which is ironic since his entire life means him having to figure out other people''s thoughts and moves in order to counter them. I guess, when it came to you, he just thought all of that was not needed. His mistake again."


    "Look, you''re a really nice girl and I can see why my brother loved you so deeply. I think ¡­ you would have been good together."


    Kay had to admit that grudgingly.


    Knowing her brother, and his tastes, she could truly understand why this innocent little baby appealed to him so much. She was like a breath of fresh air in his twisted world.


    "However, your insecurities and lack of ability to talk to him would have been the cause of the crack sooner or later," Kay said, "If only you would have communicated your fears to him. If only you had trusted him."


    "I don''t deny that Kyle has his faults as well but don''t expect him to be doing all the consoling and the work in the relationship. He''s always going to be busy and always will have women fling themselves at him. He''s handsome, rich and powerful. What woman wouldn''t want that?"


    "But his heart would only be with you."


    "What''s the point of his heart, if he shares his body with others?" Sari finally said, having the courage to say so after receiving so much criticism from Kay.


    Kay looked at Sari in disbelief.


    "What sharing? Do you mean this?" Kay asked, lifting the teacup, "The fact that I drank from the same cup as his, like an indirect kiss?"


    "He''s my twin brother and we share a bond that can never be broken," Kay said, "But your bond with him is also something that I can never touch. If you''re jealous of me ..."


    "No! It''s not that," Sari denied, though she knew this was a lie.


    Kay saw through her immediately and sighed, "Do you know you lie very badly?"


    "I ..." Sari began, then flustered upon seeing Kay''s unwavering gaze.


    She brought her head down and said honestly, "Yes, I was feeling a bit ... jealous but I believe I would accept it sooner or later."


    "No, you wouldn''t unless you are honest with yourself. You have to actually say it out loud," Kay said, "If I had not detected your uncomfortableness and lie, you would have continued feeling jealous and it would have eaten up at you, right?"


    Kay looked enlightened, "And you weren''t referring to this now, were you? No wonder ..."


    Kay gave out a deep sigh and looked sadly at Sari.


    "Kyle loved you exactly for the person that you are. Kind, gentle, loving. He knew you were insecure but he thought his love for you was enough to convince you that you are all that he needs. He was busy, and he had no idea you suspected him of anything because he would never have suspected you of anything."


    "Think about it. You sought comfort about the pain with another guy, so the thought of Kyle seeking comfort in the arms of another woman was a natural thought," Kay said, "People tend to measure other people based on what they, too, are capable of doing."


    "I wasn''t cheating on him!" Sari said vehemently, "Hamdan was just a friend."


    "So why is it that you can have a friend, and nothing happened, yet Kyle can''t?"


    "Why is it that you require constant reassurance from him but you never needed to reassure him?"


    "Why the double standards?"


    "Did he do something to make you doubt him ... or was the doubt planted by Dina?"


    Sari gulped.


    "Don''t answer that. Just think about that properly," Kay said.


    Then, with another deep sigh, Kay got up and walked towards the front door. It was obvious that Sari believed her brother had been cheating on her, and a few words wouldn''t be able to convince her otherwise.


    The most Kay could do, was point out certain things and Sari would have to reach the conclusion herself. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For what''s it''s worth," Kay said as Sari opened the door for Kay, "My brother never cheated on you. Never has, never would have. He''s still a virgin, you know."


    Sari''s hand froze on the doorknob.


    "How ... how would you know?" Sari whispered.


    "I''m his twin," Kay said, "We share everything. That is something both of you should have, actually, as a couple."


    Sari had no words to say to that.


    Kay looked at her properly and knew that the current Sari would not have survived in their world.


    If she was this insecure, nothing Kyle did would have assured her. His decisive action to step back and let her live a normal life with Hamdan showed how much he truly loved her.


    Could she have learned and grown?


    Of course, but if this past year was any indication, her growth was too little and too slow. She would have buckled under the pressure long before anything. Kyle had a huge responsibility on his shoulders and his wife should not be the one to add on to that.


    Neither would have been truly happy.


    "Thank you for giving my brother happiness when you were together," Kay said finally, "Please, be aware and think more. Communicate with your beloved more."


    "Just, be happy."

 Chapter 591 - First Love

    Kyle watched as Kay left the house and shook his head.


    He should have known that Kay would want to see, and talk to, Sari. He stepped out just when she was about to pass him by and she stumbled a bit upon his sudden appearance.


    She pouted.


    She should have known he would have known.


    "She''s a nice girl," Kay said tentatively.


    "Yes, she is," Kyle agreed, looking at the house one last time, "Let''s go back."


    Kay observed Kyle.


    While it was true that he was still acting normally around her, and that his gaze and words were soft and gentle like always ¡­ she could detect the coldness underneath.


    When he turned away from her, his eyes were cold and his face was stoic. The cold aura around him was subtle, but it was there.


    Kay grabbed his arm and when he turned to look at her, that coldness dissipated and warmth was back as he asked gently, "What is it?"


    Kay started tearing up and touched his cheek tenderly, "I am always here for you."


    Kyle smiled, took her hand and kissed her forehead, saying, "I know."


    She hugged him tightly and cried. Kyle was glad she did, for he couldn''t.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sari was reading the newspapers in shock.


    There had been a huge incident that it created waves worldwide.


    So much so, that even Country M''s newspapers picked it up and it was featured as a main headline.


    ''Youngest CEO of a Global Fortune 100''


    Global Fortune 100 was the top 100 multinational companies of the world, and Smith Industries had shot up the list upon its collaboration with various other Fortune 500 Companies (the top 500 countries in Continent A, upon which Country Tz was one of it).


    Although technically, Kyle was not the youngest CEO of a company, he was the youngest of a Global Fortune company.


    The current record for the youngest CEO? is Suhas Gopinath, the founder, CEO, and Chairman of Globals Inc., a multinational company. He took charge as CEO at the age of 17, three years after founding the company.


    Kyle''s face was plastered there and the new report indicated how there had been an unprecedented hostile takeover attempt which Kyle had successfully thwarted. His success led to him being appointed as CEO immediately.


    As for Sari, when she read the report, other things emerged in her mind.


    Ever since the break-up and Kay''s talk with her, she had been seriously thinking about her actions and thoughts during her relationship with Kyle.


    Every word she could remember, every talk they had ¡­ every fear that she harboured which was not mentioned.


    From the newspaper reports, it was clear that Kyle really had been working hard.


    With this, Sari felt ashamed.


    While he had been struggling and working, to save his company and position - she had been doubting him. Instead of believing him, she had chosen to let the shadows make lies into truth.


    She consoled herself with the thought that at least, she had not been whining about his lack of attention and make him even more stressed out.


    In her attempt not to be clingy and to be more understanding, she had actually caused herself to be more suspicious and unhappy.


    Sari put down the newspaper. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay had been right.


    She needed to grow up and be more aware.


    There was no point in pretending to be understanding, if you can''t be. There is no point in keeping silent so as to not appear clingy, if that would only lead one to be unhappy.


    What was it that Kay said?


    ''Be aware and think more. Communicate with your beloved more.''


    And the unspoken words: trust your partner more.


    They say that first love is always hard to forget.


    Just like what Daphne duMaurier said about first love: "I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say."


    Sari did not regret meeting and falling in love with Kyle.


    The break-up was painful, but the lessons learned were invaluable. Sari accepted the mistakes she made and how it had slowly poisoned their relationship.


    Could they have made it if she had been more open? If she had been more confident?


    Perhaps, perhaps not.


    She would never know.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Everyone was silent on the plane, as they headed to Country SA for Ali''s reception.


    There was still about two weeks before the actual day, but they all felt it was time for a break after the whole Philip fiasco.


    It was actually Patrick''s idea, and he told Kyle to go and have fun. Take a break for a month or two before taking up the mantle as the CEO. Patrick had things to wrap up as well, after all.


    After hearing about the heartache, Patrick had insisted to add another month but Kyle said that it was fine. He needed the work to distract himself, after all. In fact, he planned to start right after coming back from the reception.


    They were silent, because Kyle was cocooned in his blanket on the first-class seat. They did not want to disturb him and let him rest.


    Despite the bad airsickness Kyle would be under, he insisted on taking this flight rather than waiting five more days for the plane that had the first-class suites.


    Kyle said it was only an 8-hour flight to the capital city of Country SA, so he did not mind handling the airsickness. It was better than having to stay in Country M longer than necessary.


    No one could refuse him this. After all, the reason they were going to take the first-class suite was for Kyle. Why take it if Kyle did not want it?


    So for 8 hours, Kyle was left alone and everyone did their own thing quietly.

 Chapter 592 - The ’New’ Elite Five

    Immediately upon arrival, the Elite Five were treated like royalty.


    Well, not really but close enough.


    They didn''t need to line up at the immigration for they breezed through the VIP lane. After exiting the terminal, they were met with a limousine and bodyguards lined up, greeting them respectfully.


    Camera flashes were going off everywhere as reporters got wind of the fact that the Elite Five had arrived with Muhammad Ali.


    The news that they had not attended Ali''s wedding had been huge but now, they could see that the rumours of their ''break-up'' were not true.


    The five indeed gave off a presence that was not easy to copy.


    There was Ali, the idol of the nation.


    Tall, dark and handsome. His smile was captivating, his gaze alluring and it caused the women around him to swoon and lament over the fact that he was already taken. Though he could marry four, he had already declared that Sofiya would be his one and only, breaking more hearts.


    There was Xing Han, the supposed baby of the group.


    He was slightly on the chubby side but instead of it being a turn-off, there was something about his demeanor that just appealed to certain women. Strong, dependable and playful were the impression one would get from him and his ready smile made the hearts palpitate.


    There was Samuel, the steady rock of the group.


    His lean, muscular figure that stood beside one particularly striking member in the group could not be ignored. Even though his face had the shadows of a stubble, it looked sexy rather than messy. The eyes that looked through those thin, rectangular glasses of his were sharp and keen, making people want him to gaze at them even though he had a rather stoic face.


    There was Kayla, the only flower of the group.


    Her tall, statuesque figure that walked amongst the men could overshadow even the world''s top supermodels. Her ready smile, her twinkling laughter, her soft gaze ¡­ all of it made the women burn with jealousy and the men''s mouth dry.


    Then ¡­ there was Kyle.


    The only one amongst them that did not smile, yet the cold, icy demeanor only added to the mystery and fascination that made people want to get closer. It was as if he had this invisible barrier that repelled people yet, his aura and features were just too striking that one felt the danger was worth it.


    The New Elite Five.


    The rumours about them did not do the reality justice.


    They were far more incredible.


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    Kyle was lying down on his back, staring at the stars in the sky.


    The atmosphere below was lively, and loud, and too noisy for him. He didn''t want his mood to affect the festivities so he left quietly.


    This was where he found the most peace.


    Ever since they arrived, they were treated well and pampered to death.


    Kyle found it suffocating after a while.


    He still found himself thinking about the past and what he could have done differently. Even though he could plan things meticulously, execute them with the least amount of deviation but when it came to matters of the heart?


    Kyle''s sharp ears heard the soft steps that approached and sighed inwardly.


    Guess his disappearing act did make some worry.


    He didn''t say a word when that person sat down next to him.


    "So this is where you go to escape, huh?" Sayuri asked.


    She looked at the view above and in front.


    It was truly breathtakingly beautiful.


    Above, one could see how vast the universe is and how small (and insignificant) one is in the whole scheme of things. Nature, or God, was truly a wonderous sight to behold.


    Ahead, one could see the huge lawn being decorated with lights, as the reception would be held tomorrow. Rows and rows of tables were already placed, the podium where the ''King and Queen'' (the bridegroom and bride) would be was being put through the final touches. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole theme was still following the wedding theme: fairytale with pastel colours.


    "You avoided the alarms very well," Kyle praised.


    "A small matter," Sayuri said, "Because I cheated. I asked Ali for the blueprints. You''re the one who avoided them based on pure skill."


    Kyle laughed a bit at that, and was surprised he could.


    He thought his heart had been frozen solid but obviously, to those that he already cared about, it was still warm. He thought he could only be so with the Elite Five and his parents.


    Apparently, Sayuri was one of those within the ''can be warm'' list.


    He turned to look at Sayuri and wondered what she was doing here.


    "Why are you here?" he asked the exact same thing that was on his mind.


    "I was worried," Sayuri told him, "You did the ninja-disappearing act."


    "What? You thought I would go rampaging or something?"


    "Nah," Sayuri scoffed, "I believe you got it out of your system at Country M. Good overhaul of the seedier parts of town, by the way."


    Kyle shook his head, "Trust you to know that was me."


    Sayuri laughed, "Who else would it be?"


    "I''m fine," Kyle said.


    "Really?" Sayuri pressed on, "You don''t have to hide your feelings from me. Dump it all on me and I will listen."


    Kyle didn''t say a word but continued to stare at the night sky.


    Sayuri was silent, waiting patiently.


    As a ninja, staying in one spot for hours on end was nothing. She had been trained to stay, unmoving, despite the weather and length of time. They were on the roof and the night was surprisingly warm so this was a luxury, really.


    She would stay here all night and wait, until Kyle was ready to talk - if ever.


    Finally, five hours later, Kyle said softly, "I have never loved someone as much as I loved her, and I never will."

 Chapter 593 - I Will Wait

    "You can''t let one experience ¡­" Sayuri began.


    "No," Kyle said, cutting her off, "You don''t get it, Sayuri."


    He took a deep breath, looking at his hands as he said, "I loved her with my entire being. Heart, body, and soul. I did the best that I could to make her happy and loved. I didn''t just trust her whole-heartedly. I was convinced that we were meant to be and that nothing could ever break us apart."


    "I convinced myself, so long as I told her what I was doing, and that I loved her, it would be enough."


    He looked at her, his eyes devoid of any feeling, "Have you ever been in love, Sayuri?"


    Sayuri nodded.


    "How would you feel if the person you loved, broke your trust in the worst way possible, yet they are not at fault?"


    "It would be easier to put the blame on Sari, and push all of the fault onto her. But I can''t," Kyle said.


    He looked back at the stars and said, "This love business is highly overrated."


    Kyle sat up, looking at the now completed decorations below, "I am not saying that love does not exist. Ali, Xing Han, and Sam have all been lucky enough to have found it. I hope Kay - and you, do, too. However, it''s not for me."


    Sayuri was wrong to say that he was letting this one experience make him avoid all matters of the heart from now.


    He had gone through too much in his past life, and this experience was simply the straw that broke the camel''s back. Granted, that straw was pretty heavy because he had never loved anyone as deeply as he did for Sari.


    Not even his spouse.


    He had been thinking of nothing else but this ever since the break-up and he really was just tired of it all.


    He realised that he had been caught up in the dream that he could make it work with Sari just because he loved her so much. But the reality was, he couldn''t help alleviate her fears or reassure her.


    He had been insecure as well in his past life as well so he knew what it felt like. However, his mistake was that he thought so long as he treated her like how he would have liked to be treated, it would have been fine.


    He may have lessened the calls, but that was only after he had told her.


    He told her that he was extremely busy, and the time difference made it hard to stay in touch. He had things that he had to settle in the morning while she was only free at that particular time. During the times he could call her, it was inbetween meetings and thus, he had to be short.


    He had told her his reasons for the lack of calls and the short calls but ...


    In the end, there was only one conclusion: he would never be good enough because he could not give her the attention she required.


    He had thought, at least, with his beloved, she would understand him and believe in him even when he was so busy.


    Kyle sighed.


    He has his family. The Elite Five. His kids. Kay''s future kids.


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    He was not going to be greedy anymore.


    He didn''t need the love of a beloved.


    Sayuri was silent, hearing the firm resolution of Kyle''s words. More importantly, the cold and unfeeling expression on his face.


    She gulped and had to fight back tears.


    Although it looked like Kyle didn''t feel a thing, Sayuri knew the sort of pain he had gone through - and is still going through - for him to be like this.


    To close his heart off so utterly and completely.


    He didn''t believe he deserved love anymore and that hurt Sayuri deeply.


    Why? Just why did she have to fall in love with this unavailable and unattainable man?


    When did it start?


    She didn''t know it herself, but it was most likely the first stirrings began when he had come over so long ago, and made that congee for her when he thought she was sick.


    His presence in her life became something that grew without her realising until that fateful day.


    When she had found out Kyle had found ''the one'' and heard how deeply in love with her he was, she felt so much pain that the realisation hit her.


    She loved him.


    She loved him with all her heart and being, so she could understand what Kyle was saying.


    Falling in love with Kyle was the stupidest thing she had ever done but it was not something she could help.


    She wished she could take away his pain, or at least, share it with him so that he could heal. Even if he could never see her as a beloved, at least, he wasn''t rejecting her as a friend.


    She was satisfied with that.


    He turned to face her and looked surprised. Reaching out, he wiped the tears that were on her eyelashes which had yet to fall.


    "Why are you crying?" he asked softly, "Don''t be sad. I''m fine. But, thank you."


    The gesture just made Sayuri''s heart clench but she knew he was just being kind. Luckily, her ninja training helped her from giving herself away.


    Kyle got up and stretched, "Come on, there''s still a couple of hours before breakfast. Sleep till then."


    Sayuri got up and followed Kyle down.


    Seeing that straight back in front of her, she made a vow to herself to keep her feelings buried deep, deep down.


    For now.


    Kyle just had his heart broken badly and he would need time to heal. She will help him heal, and when the time was right, she would confess.


    No matter the outcome, she wouldn''t be stupid and keep quiet about her feelings. If he rejects her, at least she tried.


    She would regret it forever otherwise.

 Chapter 594 - The New CEO

    Ali''s wedding reception went by smoothly and made international headlines. He stayed behind for another month with Sofiya to accompany his grandfather before returning to Country Tz.


    As for Kyle, he went back home immediately to officially start his duties as the CEO. His father told him to take a rest, but he refused.


    In fact, the entire time that he was at Country SA, he was doing work by compiling and re-reading the data about the company. He looked at the talent evaluation data, and the details about each employee in the company.


    It was an insane amount of work but he relished it.


    It took his mind off Sari ... and the fact that he had one huge matter to settle next year.


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    The atmosphere at Smith Industries HQ was lively.


    Today, was the day, that the new CEO would be coming to the office.


    Everyone was excited for who did not know who Kyle Smith was?


    However, not everyone had managed to actually see the legend-in-the-making in the flesh before, so everyone was eager.


    His performance in countering Philip and revamping the entire board members was the talk of the town for ages.


    It was also used as examples in schools that taught corporate governance, even though they didn''t have the details of how Kyle actually achieved it. However, it was a good case study and students were tasked to analyse it and come up with their solutions or approaches.


    The more they studied it, the more their respect for him grew.


    "He''s here! He''s here!" squealed the receptionist in excitement.


    Those in the lounge lined up in two rows, akin to the way those from Country J greeted their boss. They watched as the car rolled to a stop right in front of the building and the door opened. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kyle went out the door, he was greeted with smiling faces which nearly blinded him. He simply took in their enthusiasm and eagerness to butter up to him as a natural thing.


    He looked up, the strikingly blue eyes being revealed under those thick, long lashes as his gaze swept across everyone.


    Their smiles froze.


    They gulped.


    They had expected a happy-go-lucky teenager that was on the verge of adulthood but what they got was a domineering young man that exuded power and strength. Even though it seemed like he was only sweeping the area with his eyes, everyone felt that he actually saw everything clearly.


    The front door opened and a lady came out.


    She was dressed in a simple white blouse with black buttons tucked neatly in a black pencil skirt that reached the knee. She opted to wear flats rather than heels and she stood next to the CEO.


    Pushing up her glasses, her eye twitched upon seeing the rows of women staring blatantly at Kyle.


    "Popular as ever, I see," Beatrice mumbled under her breath.


    "Deal with it," Kyle said as he walked on.


    "Not a problem," Beatrice replied, matching his pace.


    Looks like there were a lot of things she would need to do to let these people know about Kyle''s likes and dislikes about how to act around him.


    His father, Patrick, had been the more sociable type and didn''t mind these shows of respect. Kyle, however, found it too troublesome and a waste of time. It would be better that they were at their desk, working, rather than greeting him like this.


    Also, he didn''t like being stared at like some piece of meat.


    It''s not like before. He had always been stared at, but he would just ignore it and pretend he didn''t know anything. Now, however, he just didn''t want to bother with it all.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched as she made mental notes about the various meetings she would have to do. This ''new'' Kyle was rather serious and it took Beatrice a bit of time to get used to.


    In fact, he kinda reminded her of the old her.


    Beatrice figured that it was necessary since he is now a CEO and he had to assert his leadership. Being the happy-go-lucky person that he normally was, may not be suitable in this case.


    Still, the change was rather drastic for her.


    When Sam had approached her for this position, she had been shocked.


    This was Sam''s final year at Sakura Academy, so he needed someone to take over his position for a year. Sam told her that she was the only one that he trusted, and was capable enough, to stand by Kyle''s side.


    Beatrice had been extremely flattered, and she also knew that this was an opportunity of a lifetime.


    After two years, she could choose any position in any Smith Industries companies, though Kyle did mention that he would prefer it if she stayed at Smith Industries HQ.


    He didn''t have many people that he could trust and he wanted to surround himself with all those that he could.


    Though it was tempting, Beatrice didn''t want to commit herself yet. However, she promised she would give it a shot and think about it seriously.


    As it was, seeing all those eyes on her as she walked next to Kyle gave her some idea of the sort of thing Kyle had been under all these years. No wonder he wanted to get rid of this.


    Kyle''s "100-day plan" as CEO was simple.


    Every new CEO needed to formulate a 100-day plan before he started work officially. This was to ensure stability and growth.


    In Kyle''s case, he actually had a 2-year plan in place and he had started work on it even before he was appointed CEO.


    The first, and most important, was the foundation.


    He had gotten rid of all of those unworthy and disloyal board members.


    Next, he only allowed those that he trusted fully to be in direct contact with him i.e. Beatrice, and his Elite Team.


    Now, to reorganise.

 Chapter 595 - Restructuring

    Beatrice did a wonderful job in the first week.


    She had held an all-staff meeting but since the organisation was so big, it had to be spread out within each department and over several days.


    Beatrice had to lay out the main points and foundation of Kyle''s expectations and mode of working.


    No greetings like that first day. Only those with appointments that were approved can be brought up to his office.


    No one to be allowed into his office if he wasn''t in.


    No one.


    Not even the board members.


    Only his parents, the Elite Five, and his Elite Team had special status and did not require such screening or prohibition.


    Once Beatrice was done with her all-staff meeting, Kyle held a meeting with every employee through live-streaming. One could access it through the computer, or phone, and some had it displayed in their meeting rooms.


    He told them of his plans for the company, sought their cooperation. He promised rewards for good work and threatened anyone who slacked. He also was going to do a total revamp of some departments, after going through the talent evaluation data.


    He wanted to put people in the areas that they were talented at, so that they could shine.


    For this, he needed another few months before everything was finally in place.


    Thus, his days at the company during the first few months were an understanding of its people, the restructure and enhancing collaboration.


    Although Kyle had been studying up on the way the company works from young, he didn''t take it for granted. There could be some changes that he may have missed.


    It''s completely different from reading about it, and actually going through it.


    Kyle was engrossed in one of those files when he heard a knock on the door before Beatrice popped her head in, "Sir, Sayuri is here."


    Kyle looked up and had to refocused his eyes after studying the files for so long. He rubbed his eyes and was admonished by Sayuri, "Don''t do that. You''ll spoil your eyes like that."


    Beatrice left the office and closed the door behind her.


    Sayuri was dressed in a beige capri pants, white blouse and her hair tied up in a ponytail. Her earrings were simple gold loop earrings and she had on a gold necklace.


    She sat down elegantly at the chair in front of his desk and she placed her handbag on the desk.


    "You''re the only one who dares to touch my desk. Other than Beatrice, of course," Kyle said.


    Sayuri laughed, as she leaned back and crossed her legs, "You''re the one who put the ''untouchable'' rule there. The horror stories about how you reprimanded those who tried their luck is legendary."


    Kyle didn''t say a word as he closed his file and leaned back on his chair, "So, how about it?"


    "Grandfather is agreeable," Sayuri replied, "So is Uncle, though he took some time to convince. With those two on board, the other board members naturally followed."


    Kyle nodded, relieved though his face did not show any expression.


    "Several locations have been identified," Kyle said, taking several files from his drawer and handing it to Sayuri, "I have narrowed it down to this. If you''re agreeable, we can start now."


    Sayuri flipped through the details and pursed her lips, "I can''t decide just by looking at these figures. I will go and view the site myself before I let you know of my decision."


    "Naturally," Kyle said, "I''ll follow you."


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Really? The workaholic Kyle that has been living in this building since he started, actually wants to go out of the country?"


    Kyle stared at her.


    Unperturbed, Sayuri stared back. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, she asked boldly, "Are you sure about this? Though the proposal sounded all good, one can''t help but think that you have other reasons for choosing this particular location."


    Kyle tilted his head and said unemotionally, "Did you really think I would make a business decision based on my personal feelings?"


    "I do not know, so I am asking. Did you?" Sayuri countered back, not backing off.


    Kyle gave her a glance then confessed, "I cannot deny that. I do have a personal reason for choosing the location, but I would not have chosen it based on that alone. It just so happens to be a good choice as well."


    Kyle waited to see her reaction.


    He may not be able to tell or reveal everything, but he wasn''t going to hide or be vague with his answers. The person can either accept it or not.


    He didn''t really care.


    Kyle appreciated Sayuri''s straight-forwardness and her fearlessness in asking him anything that was on her mind. It made things much easier and was the main reason why he had chosen her for this venture.


    Sayuri didn''t say a word and simply stared at his face, studying it then back at the file.


    She read it once more and could see the vast potential in entering the market at Country M. She also looked at the other locations and acknowledged that no location truly had everything perfect.


    Since that was so, choosing Country M was valid.


    Putting down the file finally, Sayuri looked at Kyle and said, "Fair enough. Just tell me one thing. Is it because of her?"


    "No," Kyle answered firmly.


    Nodding in satisfaction, Sayuri replied, "That''s good enough for me. Whatever your personal reasons are for choosing this location, I''ll trust your judgment that it would not adversely affect my company."


    Kyle looked away, the words hitting him deeply for some reason, "Thank you."


    Two simple words yet it contained immense gratitude that could not be described.


    "Then treat me to lunch," Sayuri said with a smile.


    Kyle gave her ''the look'' and Sayuri''s smile became wider, "What? I want to show off that I know THE Kyle Smith. Having some eye candy while having lunch is perfect."


    For some reason, Kyle didn''t mind her saying that.

 Chapter 596 - Green Cookie

    Ordinarily, he loathed it when women flung themselves at him. They had tried all sorts of methods from the ''I am not interested'' to the ''coquettish'' type.


    All disgusted him to no end.


    However, when Sayuri teased him with those words, he didn''t find it repulsive. That was a testament to how comfortable he was with her.


    Guess the ninja ties ran far deeper than he realised.


    "And you can say that with such a straight face, too," Kyle said impassively, "Truly thick-skinned indeed."


    Sayuri propped her chin on her arm as she smiled sweetly at him, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically, "Of course. If I didn''t, you''d never get out from behind that desk and eat. Anyway, I worked hard to convince Uncle, you know. You owe me a reward."


    "Such shameless behaviour," Kyle mused as he got up, "Are you sure you''re the next CEO?"


    "What? Demanding what I am due is only natural, not shameless," Sayuri quipped, getting up as well, "Unless you are saying I have to be a cold CEO like you?"


    Kyle stopped for a second, then resumed his walk to the door, "Well, this is just how I am. I can''t pretend to be something I''m not."


    "Oh, I know," Sayuri said softly beside him, "I don''t mind it at all. After all, you''re still you."


    Kyle opened the door and let her through first, saying, "Really? Even Kay says I''ve changed. I''m not the brother that I once was."


    "Yes, you aren''t," Sayuri said as she walked by, "But you''re still you."


    Kyle stared at her back, his eyes lowered, hiding the slight emotion that flashed through his eyes.


    "Beatrice, I''m taking Sayuri out for lunch. Please book a table for two at the usual place."


    "Okay, Sir," Beatrice replied.


    "And how many times must I tell you, about calling me Sir?" Kyle asked exasperatingly.


    Beatrice looked at Kyle, then around the office then back at Kyle, "And how many times must I repeat myself? At work, you''re the boss."


    "When it''s just amongst us, what''s wrong with calling my name?" Kyle asked, staring at her.


    "At work, you''re the boss, Sir," Beatrice said unwaveringly.


    Sayuri laughed and tapped Kyle''s shoulder, "Give up, Kyle. She''s always been very formal, right?"


    Kyle shook his head and just about then, there was a huge wail at the door, "Sayuri!! Kyle!!"


    Kyle''s head whipped up and saw Xing Han coming over, being flanked by Yuri and Zack as he ran over.


    Xing Han grabbed onto Kyle and hid behind him, pointing at the twins, "Kyle, you''re my last hope! Tell them!"


    Of course, it''s not like the lean frame of Kyle actually hid the fluffy Xing Han, but the coldness emitting from Kyle did make the twins stop.


    "What''s going on?" Kyle asked coldly.


    The twins looked at the scene in front of them helplessly.


    "Little Boss, please, can you not do this?" pleaded Zack at Xing Han, "Please come back with us."


    "No!" Xing Han shouted as he peered behind Kyle''s shoulder, "You go tell him that I''m here with my best friend! I''m not going back!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Xing Han may be a board member and leader of Cosa Nostra here, but unlike Kyle, his behaviour did not change at all. It was only during meetings that he appeared serious but otherwise ¡­


    He was exactly the same as he had been in school.


    "Ice...hhhh," Zack stammered, making the initial word ''Ice'' sound like ''aish'' instead as he turned to Kyle, "Please, can you coax Little Boss to come home?"


    "I dun wanna," Xing Han insisted, flinging his hand on Kyle''s shoulder, "I haven''t seen my BFF for ages! He can''t tell me what to do. Humph."


    Yuri stepped forward, saying, "Please understand. Boss .. is just jealous."


    "That''s HIS problem, not mine!" roared Xing Han, "How can he be jealous of my BFF?!"


    Xing Han hugged Kyle tightly in front of the twins who were fidgeting, "I''ve been with Kyle since forever and if there was anything that would have developed between us, it would have happened long ago!!"


    Xing Han pointed a finger at Zack and Yuri, "Both of you can go back to that Green Cookie that THIS Fluffy Puppy is staying right here."


    "Well ¡­" Zack said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Can you at least not have so much skinship? Boss wouldn''t be like this if you didn''t ¡­"


    "What? What? THIS bothers you, is it?" Xing Han sneered, "So what if I did this?!"


    Xing Han brought his face close to Kyle and started rubbing his cheek on Kyle''s cheek. Yuri and Zack visibly flinched and Beatrice finally couldn''t help the laughter that escaped her lips.


    Yuri and Zack immediately turned to look at her, annoyed, then stopped.


    They gave a quick look at each other before looking back at her.


    It had been an uphill battle in trying to get Xing Han to get back with them.


    Nitocris had roared at them to get his puppy back and they ran. However,? they couldn''t convince the indignant Little Boss to follow them and they couldn''t grab onto him. Boss would kill them if they did.


    So, in the end, they just kept on following Xing Han from behind, trying to coax him back. They had been so focused on the figure in front of them that they did not look at anyone else. They were aware of their surroundings, but they were just not looking on actual faces.


    Now, however, there was someone really intriguing right in front of their eyes that caught their attention immediately.


    The way she stood there, all prim and proper while snickering at them was really alluring. She wasn''t even afraid of them, staring at them in disdain.


    They found it utterly fascinating.


    They were well aware of the aura and image they gave out. People feared them.


    "What?" Beatrice asked them unflinchingly as they stared at her.


    Truly interesting indeed.


    The twins grinned.


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 Chapter 597 - Double Trouble

    Seeing that grin on their faces, Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Truly, that smile enhanced their features even more.


    Hanging around the Elite Five, she is quite unaffected by good-looking guys. It took a lot to impress her or have her look twice, thinking, ''oh, he''s good looking''.


    In addition, she was the type that prefered Sam''s type as opposed to Kyle, but she found that these twins had that subtle attractiveness that she could appreciate.


    Their identical features and dressing made people turn their heads, but it was that ''dangerous vibe'' thing on their handsome features which called out to the baser instinct of women - especially those who liked ''bad boys''.


    Well, she didn''t like bad boys so it didn''t bother her at all.


    She was just acknowledging that they were good looking.


    That''s all.


    Raising her eyebrows, she continued to ask, "You expect Xing Han not to be Xing Han, is it?"


    Seeing the puzzlement in their eyes, she sighed dramatically and waved at Xing Han, who was still plastered like an octopus on the cold Kyle, "That''s already a milder version of what he normally does with Kyle. To ask him to stop doing that is akin to asking him not to be Xing Han."


    "See? See?! Beatrice gets it!!" Xing Han said, hugging Kyle tighter.


    By this time, even Sayuri was laughing at Kyle''s side.


    Xing Han was still being Xing Han, and completely unperturbed about the sort of image he was portraying. He was pure and simple, doing whatever his heart desired.


    Kyle, on the other hand ¡­ well, though he didn''t push Xing Han away nor did he look uncomfortable, he wasn''t reciprocating like he used to. Usually, he would hug Xing Han back and sometimes, they''d start wrestling and all sorts of things happen.


    Xing Han was not bothered by Kyle''s lack of response, however. It didn''t matter to him.


    Xing Han stuck out his tongue at the twins.


    Kyle turned to Beatrice and said, "Make that a reservation for three. You don''t mind, do you Sayuri?"


    "Of course not," Sayuri answered with a smile.


    "Oh, sorry, were you guys going out?" Xing Han looked at them apologetically, letting go of Kyle.


    "Yes, just for lunch," Sayuri answered.


    "Ooooo!!" Xing Han exclaimed, rubbing his hands in glee.


    "Yes, the place that has your favourite pork chops," Kyle answered without being asked.


    "Yes!" Xing Han exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air, "Score!!"


    Yuri and Zack watched the trio helplessly as they left. They had taken a step forward to try and follow them when Kyle shot them a look that made them freeze immediately.


    "Tell Big Bro Nic that Xing Han will be back tonight," Kyle said softly, daring them with his ice-cold eyes to follow them.


    They gulped and took a step back.


    Then, staring at them, he looked at Beatrice who was now sitting down at her desk, making the reservation, then back at them. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle shook his head, while giving them the death glare.


    Both nodded, putting their left hand behind their back.


    Then, with their right hand, they crossed their hearts and did the scout sign: by covering the nail of their pinky with their thumb and holding up the three middle fingers upward and together.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at that. They were silently telling him that their intentions were honourable. Kyle gave a slight nod.


    They were, after all, Big Bro Nic''s most trusted aides.


    He glanced at Beatrice briefly before joining the others at the lift.


    Beatrice, the innocent lamb that was completely unaware of the silent exchange between Kyle and the twins, was busy at her desk. Although it was lunchtime, and her boss was not in, she didn''t feel like going out.


    Suddenly, the two guys were right beside her, on each side.


    She nearly screamed, being shocked senseless then realised it was the twins.


    Putting a hand over her heart, she asked breathlessly, "Yes, can I help you?"


    "Funny you should ask that," Zack said on her right.


    "Yes, indeed," Yuri answered, on her left.


    Before she could react, they had each taken hold of her chair and pulled it back.


    Then, each placed a hand on her shoulder and under her elbow, helping her up. They flanked her sides and placed their hands across her waist from behind, smiling.


    "Wha-what are you doing?!" Beatrice screeched.


    "Let''s have lunch, ok?"


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    Xing Han stared at Kyle, who was elegantly eating his meal under the gaze of many women in the area.


    The way his beautiful fingers held on to the cutlery as he cut the steak, and bring that delectable piece of slightly reddish meat into his mouth, one would imagine the women (and most likely some men) wishing that they were that piece of meat.


    "Only Kyle can make eating look sexy," Xing Han mumbled, poking at his pork chops, "Even with that icy look, he is heating up the room."


    "It''s always been that way, hasn''t it?" Sayuri pointed out with a laugh.


    Though they were in a more secluded part of the restaurant, it wasn''t completely cut off from everyone so even Xing Han could sense the gazes upon them.


    The one being gazed at, however, didn''t seem to be bothered or care about it all as he continued to tease their eyes with his moves.


    "At least, people are looking at him like they want to eat him, while they are looking at me like they want to kill me," Sayuri mused, eating her favourite dish: salmon.


    The potato wedges and vegetables were cooked using the fat from the salmon, which made the whole dish simply divine. The salmon skin was crispy and the salmon itself was still juicy and not dry.


    "You''re the one that wanted to have lunch with eye candy," Kyle pointed out, "So, deal with it."


    "Spoilsport," Sayuri said, wishing she could stick her tongue out at him

 Chapter 598 - Double Trouble II

    While the three were having a (relatively) comfortable lunch, Beatrice was wondering what the heck was happening.


    When the twins forcefully brought her along for lunch, she had tried to resist.


    "Lunch? No!" Beatrice shouted, standing her ground.


    She struggled against their arms while digging in her heels to make it hard for them to bring her along.


    Little good that did.


    Their strong arms were immovable. They then picked her up and she was carried out of the office.


    However, they had done it so skillfully and subtly so that it didn''t look like she was being carried out. If Beatrice didn''t make a fuss, or struggle, it simply looked like she was walking beside them.


    Completely flabbergasted at this turn of events, she was about to shout at them when she realised that people were looking at her. Some were even pointing their fingers as they giggled and whispered.


    Beatrice gritted her teeth.


    As Kyle''s PA, she had an image to uphold so she couldn''t cause a scene outside. She knew who these two were and if she had shouted or fight them in public, it would be in the papers the next day.


    "Relax," Zack said, bringing his lips to her ear, sending shivers down her spine.


    The way his breath tickled her ear made her extremely self-conscious. It was like a light breeze, and she breathed in his minty breath.


    Yuri laughed a bit at her reaction, and said in her other ear, equally soft, "Don''t worry, we''re really just taking you out for lunch."


    Again, Beatrice was affected by that voice and breath.


    "I can walk, thank you," Beatrice hissed through gritted teeth.


    Laughing, the twins set her down and leaned closer to her.


    Beatrice, in her entire life, had never been this close to a man before. Now, she had two men who were stuck to her like glue.


    She could feel the heat of their bodies and their muscles through their clothes, and that minty smell emanating from them.


    "Can you please let me go?" Beatrice asked, glaring at them on her right and left.


    "Nope," Zack answered.


    "This is harassment!" Beatrice said angrily.


    They smiled and let go of her waist, but immediately took her hand instead.


    "Better?" asked Yuri.


    "Yes, I mean NO!" Beatrice stammered as they tightened their grip.


    "Oh, you prefer us holding your waist then? I knew it," Zack teased and made as if to hug her again.


    "No! I mean, just stop holding me. We don''t know each other," Beatrice said quickly.


    "I''m Zack and this is my brother, Yuri," Zack said, "And you''re Beatrice."


    "Now we know each other," Yuri replied.


    "So we can continue to hold you now," Zack continued.


    "Can you stop that?!" Beatrice said, feeling like her head was getting whiplash as she kept looking left and right each time one of them spoke.


    "No," both replied at the same time.


    Highly aggrieved, Beatrice slipped her pointer finger into the space between their palms. With her well-manicured nail, she poked the tender part of the palm with a grin.


    Zack and Yuri''s faces twitched and their jaw clenched, but they didn''t let go of her hand. So, all the way to the restaurant, Beatrice kept it up and snickered at their pained expression.


    And that was the beginning of a beautiful ¡­ and unique ¡­ *cough* .... friendship.


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    That night, Kyle sat in his dark room, with Kitty on his lap as he stared out his window to look at the night sky.


    Everything was going as according to plan.


    Kay was graduating at the end of the year, and then she''ll come to work at Smith Industries.


    For the first few months, he would show her the ropes and the internal workings of the company. She was going to act as CEO in his stead while he was in Country M setting up the venture with Sayuri.


    All this time, he had been setting the foundation at the company so she could have it easier. Beatrice would be her PA while Sam, who would graduate this year, would return to his side. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were going to stay at Country M for a year, so it meant Sam and Betty would be separated during that time. She still had a year to go before graduating and then, after that, they would get married.


    Kyle sighed, thinking about the second Elite Five who was tying the knot.


    He wondered when Xing Han and Big Bro Nic would do so. At the moment, they were already engaged but was in no rush to do so. Kyle supposed they would probably file their marriage once they decided to have kids.


    Or maybe not.


    He was just happy for them, whatever they may choose. They truly were perfect for each other. Complete opposites that fit so well together.


    Unlike him and Sari.


    As for Kay, there didn''t seem to be anyone that she was interested yet. He wondered about that, but she just laughed at him and said that he would be the first to know if someone caught her eye.


    As it was, no one did.


    Kyle wasn''t worried about that.


    If she met someone, then she did. If she didn''t, it wasn''t the end of the world.


    Luckily, his parents had already stopped with the notion of getting either of them married quickly. Though their mum did constantly nag Kay about it. Sooner or later, she''ll probably start setting up blind dates for Kay.


    As for him, they all had a silent agreement to leave his love life alone.


    Which was perfect since he wasn''t going to have one. Saved the trouble of rejecting everything and everyone. He''d leave the continuance of the Smith line with Kay.


    Kyle''s thoughts became darker as the night wore on.


    With everything coming together, his throat started constricting as he thought of the upcoming year.


    The year of his death.

 Chapter 599 - Ambiguous

    Sayuri watched Kyle, who was simply standing outside on the balcony as he looked out into the horizon.


    His back was straight, as if he was standing at attention, like a solider. Even at this place, she could see that he was not relaxed and was well aware of his surroundings.


    Sayuri sighed and continued to observe him without him knowing.


    She was in the living room, while that solitary figure outside looked like he would stand the test of time and any weather.


    It had been nearly a year since his break-up. How long does it take for one to get over it? It was hard to tell with Kyle for there was no change in his mannerisms and expressions since the break-up.


    In the sense that you never saw him in pain or look melancholy or all that sort of thing one would normally expect from a person suffering from heartache.


    It was said that when a woman goes through a break-up, they would take the first few weeks/months crying / sad etc then slowly recovers and starts laughing.


    When a guy goes through a break-up, they''d be laughing at first and then start crying / be sad after. It was as if they''d only ''feel'' the effects later.


    With Kyle?


    Nothing.


    He was unemotional.


    No, that was not true.


    He did show one emotion: anger.


    It was either indifference or anger. That''s it.


    Sayuri sighed.


    During this entire time, she had been herself and did not utilize any of her ninja seduction skills to get him. She had a feeling he''d be repulsed by it once he figured it out.


    Also, she felt that doing so would only be cheating him - and her.


    She loved him, and she wanted him to love her back. Her, not the person she pretended to be in order to get him, or the person that only showed him the good things.


    She accepted him as he was, and she wanted him to accept her as she was.


    Sayuri sighed as she stared at the handsome figure in front of her. Even that darn sunlight decided to bathe him in some ethereal glow as it set, making him look more majestic than ever.


    Stupid Kyle.


    She glared at his back in indignation. See if you can continue to act nonchalant when I''m staring at you so blatantly.


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    Kyle was well aware of the pair of eyes that seemed to be boring holes in his back.


    How could he not, when his senses were heightened as he stood there? He was praticing his ninja arts, after all.


    It took all of his willpower not to turn around and ask her what was on her mind and why she was staring at him so.


    Was she, perhaps, worried about him?


    He placed his hands on the railings and spread his senses all over.


    To the sky, to his right, his left. He closed his eyes and pictured the scene that was in his mind as he reached out and listened.


    Focused.


    Damn it.


    He could not sense much from a distance due to the overpowering sensation just six feet away.


    What was wrong with him?


    How could he be so distracted?


    Was it because she was such a skilled ninja?


    No, wait. That didn''t make sense. A skilled ninja would be able to mask their presence and blend into the background.


    So it means that she wasn''t hiding the fact that she was looking at him, but she was most likely unaware that he was aware of her presence due to him training.


    Or, was she perhaps, aiding him in his training?


    He had to be able to focus and heightened his senses outwards and to where he wanted rather than be distracted by what was close-by.


    Having thought that out, he became calmer and finally managed to do what he wanted.


    After a couple of hours, Kyle turned around and headed back into the room.


    Sayuri had stayed the entire time and was now busy in the kitchen.


    Kyle frowned.


    Unbuttoning the buttons at his wrist, he then folded the sleeve up as he entered the kitchen.


    "What''re you doing?"


    "Can''t you tell?" Sayuri quipped back, "I''m making dinner."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow and reached over to take the knife from her hand when she slipped to the side and whipped the blade in front of his face.


    "Ah, ah, ah," Sayuri said, shaking her head, "Be a good boy and sit down. It''s almost done anyway."


    Kyle just stared at her, took a step to the right and was about to make a feint to grab the knife when she simply twirled to one side using some foot movements, avoiding his grab once again.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed.


    Sayuri smirked.


    Five minutes later, Sayuri was laughing while escaping Kyle''s reach until finally, he managed to grab onto her and held her immobile.


    The laughter died in her throat as his face was literally inches away from hers. She could see his skin so clearly, and those luscious lips as he looked up at the hand she had up in an attempt to make the knife out of reach.


    He was holding one hand behind her back while his other hand was reaching up to grab onto her hand that was gripping the knife. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She could feel his body pressing onto hers, his hard chest pressing against her as he focused on taking the knife out of her hand. She was in a daze and could only let him take it, for this closeness was beyond what her mind could take.


    As for Kyle, he was so focused on taking the knife that he did not realise that her grip on it had loosened voluntarily. Finally able to take it from her grasp, he looked down triumphantly only to realise how close they really were.


    Suddenly, the air around them became ambiguous.


    He froze.

 Chapter 600 - She Wanted His Heart

    He never realised before how vulnerable Sayuri could look.


    She had always been the strong, capable ninja that he had known from school days. When he had met her the first time, she was a stubborn little one that was ready to spit fire. As she got older, she matured more and became more confident.


    Now, however, all of that was gone and in place was a normal looking girl.


    No, woman.


    Her face had a slight tinge of pink, making her seem very alluring and sweet. Her lashes slightly covered her hazel doe-eyes which only made her look even more vulnerable. Her pink lips were slightly parted, and moist, as if tempting him to claim them.


    It was also then that he realised what position they were in.


    She had certainly filled out in all the right places, which he could feel very well as he was pressed against her. She was really surprisingly soft, and there was this ¡­ sweet vanilla sort of smell emanating from her.


    Must be her shampoo ...


    Kyle cleared his throat and suddenly stepped back, releasing her and turning away. He quickly went to the chopping board and started to chop the remaining garnishings.


    "You''re the guest here," Kyle said as he continued chopping, not looking at her, "So let me finish this up. You rest."


    Sayuri wiped her sweating hands on the side of her jeans and mumbled, "Okay. I''ll set the table."


    "Mhm," Kyle responded, adding the chopped garnishings into the soup on the stove beside him before he switched off the fire.


    Once she was out of the kitchen, Kyle let out the breath he had been holding.


    His heart may be frozen but his body certainly wasn''t.


    When his mind finally registered their rather intimate positioning, his body had already started to respond. Luckily, he realised it before she did for it would have been truly embarrassing indeed.


    He clenched his leg muscles, forcing the blood away from a certain part of his body that had responded to that soft body that had been pressed so nicely against him ¡­ especially that unique couple of softness on his chest.


    Damn it.


    Kyle nearly hit himself on the head, for thinking about it made him have to clench his leg muscles even more.


    All those stupid novels that had the male lead able to abstain and not react to women flinging themselves naked in front of them was but a female fantasy.


    Women didn''t understand that a man''s physical body was simply that way. It was normal to have a reaction when someone pressed themselves on them, or touch them intimately.


    It was normal to get a reaction when they see a naked woman (or man, depending on your sexual preference) and those bouncing assets (or whatever rocks your boat).


    If it wasn''t normal, then it meant that their libido was low and there was something wrong with them physically. They were unfit in some way and would need medical attention.


    Kyle, as a very normal and extremely fit young man, would also have a reaction.


    The thing is, he wouldn''t act on it. Just because his body was aroused did not mean he would jump on the person that caused it.


    The last thing he wanted was to have Sayuri misunderstand him so he had to create the distance while he calmed himself down.


    He sighed.


    Then he began to seriously think about this.


    Why was he abstaining in the first place?


    No, not referring to Sayuri but in general. He was not a monk.


    He had been one that had always enjoyed sex and wasn''t fully satisfied in his past life. Was that going to be the same in this life?


    Worse, he had yet to have actual sex with a woman so he was insanely curious now how it would feel like.


    Since he was never going to be with anyone, did it mean he would die before knowing what it''s like to have sex with a woman?


    That didn''t sound right.


    Having a relationship based purely on sex did not sound too bad. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was quite normal to have a purely physical relationship, without the emotional ties.??As long as both parties were clear about it, it was not a problem.


    He had to think about this carefully, though.


    With his position and name, it wouldn''t be easy. His bed partner may want something more in the end or may even reveal it.


    He could always use the Kato Art to make them forget but he didn''t like using it for personal matters. It was against his moral code.


    The best case scenario would be using escorts, and never the same one twice.


    Was that even possible?


    Sam would probably kill him if he made a mistake with the headlines screaming about the promiscuous CEO sowing his seeds everywhere.


    Kyle put those thoughts out of his mind when the rice cooker''s switch clicked upwards, indicating that the rice was now cooked.


    It should not be opened immediately, though, for time should be allowed to let the steam dry up and have the rice fluffed up properly.


    So he went to look at the other dishes that Sayuri had cooked.


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    While Kyle was busy in the kitchen, Sayuri was busy trying to calm her heart down.


    That had been close.


    So very, very close.


    When he had brought down his head to look at her, she had this one insane moment of wanting to pounce on him and kiss him. She had felt his body reacting and she wanted him as much as he wanted her.


    Luckily he had stepped back and avoided her from making things awkward between them.


    At least his sex drive didn''t die along with his heart.


    She bit her lips, remembering the feel of his body on her.


    She had to do this properly. After all, it was his heart that she wanted.

 Chapter 601 - The Plans

    During the meal, both acted like the previous awkward moment had not happened.


    "So, what''s your plan?" Kyle asked Sayuri.


    "Well, we''ve just arrived yesterday, so I plan to rest for a day before heading to the site tomorrow," Sayuri answered.


    "I''ll take you there," Kyle replied.


    "Oh? You know the place well?"


    "Naturally," Kyle responded, "Otherwise, I wouldn''t have suggested the place now, would I?"


    Sayuri nodded, saying, "Makes sense. Okay. I''ve made an appointment to meet with the owners in three days time, so I plan to use the days before that to survey the area."


    "I''ve bought a car and hired a driver, so that would make it convenient to travel," Kyle said, "The traffic here is rather bad but worse, parking is almost non-existent. Country M is really great at creating buildings but not the parking for it."


    Sayuri blinked, "Oh ya. You stayed here for two years, so you would be well aware of all of this. Okay, we shall do it your way."


    Kyle was quiet, neither refuting nor acknowledging.


    "Does it still hurt?" she asked softly.


    Kyle''s hands paused and he looked up at her.


    His ice-cold blue eyes bore into her as he asked, "Why do you ask?"


    Sayuri tilted her head to one side, as she returned that gaze evenly, "Because you''re not acting like yourself since we arrived."


    "It has nothing to do with her," Kyle said, resuming eating, "That is in my past."


    "So you don''t think about her anymore?"


    Kyle took a deep sigh and put down his cutlery.


    "Look, Sayuri," Kyle said clearly, "I know you must be worried that my judgment may be impaired due to the history I have here."


    "But whether or not my judgment is affected, aren''t you here to verify it? Aren''t you here to double-check everything and make your own decision? You would be doing this whether or not I have a history here, right?"


    Sayuri nodded.


    "Then whatever demons are possessing me right now, it is of no consequence. The business venture is not affected," Kyle said, going back to his eating, "And for the last time, my personal business here is not her."


    Sayuri remained silent, noting his simmering frustration over her asking but she had to persist.


    No matter how he seemed not to like it, she had to keep on asking so long as she wondered. The last thing she wanted was to have these thoughts and second guess herself.


    Since she was here to capture his heart (and make sure the location was viable), she didn''t want the ghost of the past to keep haunting his heart.


    Or hers.


    The good thing was, no matter how he seemed annoyed by it, he did answer honestly.


    As for Kyle?


    Was he annoyed by the constant questions?


    Yes.


    Was he bothered by it? Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No.


    He was just annoyed because people still thought he was hung over Sari.


    No one bothered to actually ask him straight-up like Sayuri did (except for Kay, of course) and the rumours were abundant about him still not getting over her.


    The impression people had was that he was still in love with Sari. That he could not let her go, or forget their love, and was pining for her.


    That was the rumour that pissed him off the most.


    They truly did not believe that he was not this way because he was still harbouring thoughts for her, but rather, he had given up on the notion of love.


    He was, truly, sincerely happy for her. The last he heard, Sari had gotten together with Hamdan and was still with him. He only monitored her for six months to make sure that she was fine before cutting off all ties and news.


    Of course, when he said ''cut ties'', it didn''t mean he deleted her number, or email.


    It was simply, he did not contact her since the break-up.


    "So, can I ask what is your personal connection or feelings you have here?" Sayuri asked.


    Kyle hesitated, then decided that the best course of action is to reveal some of it.


    After all, she was going to be here and would certainly find his behaviour strange later on. The day was coming closer, and he was going to have to deal with the aftermath of ''her'' death before taking action against those responsible.


    The aftermath here being his kids.


    He was deathly worried about how the death of their mother was going to affect them and he wanted to be here for them.


    He would need to re-establish contact with them, so that his presence in their life later on would not be strange. More importantly, they would not reject him being there to comfort them.


    Making this decision, Kyle said while not looking at Sayuri, "There are two kids here that I had gotten close to. I was kinda missing them."


    Sayuri''s fork made a screeching sound as it streaked across the plate.


    "Sorry, sorry," she said as she picked up her fork, "That was not something I expected."


    Kyle gave a slight smile as he thought about his kids, his face actually appearing soft and gentle.


    Sayuri was mesmerized.


    This was the first time since his heartbreak did she see such an expression on his face.


    So his heart wasn''t totally frozen.


    He was just protecting his heart from any sort of romantic love but it didn''t mean he cut himself off everyone and everything else.


    He was also not bothered to be friendly to anyone other than those he was already close to, thus giving the impression that he was an unfeeling, cold person.


    "Who are they? What''re their names?" Sayuri asked, intrigued.


    "Joseph and Lianne," Kyle answered, then proceeded to tell her all about them.


    Sayuri listened intently, her eyes misting over as she saw how alive he looked just talking about them.


    "I''d really love to meet them," Sayuri said.


    "Shall we go later then?" Kyle asked excitedly.

 Chapter 602 - Joseph And Lianne

    Sayuri smiled, saying, "You look like the old Kyle like this. These kids must be truly special."


    Kyle gave a slight laugh then agreed, "Yes, they are truly special. I don''t know if they''d remember me, though. After all, they knew me as Rex and not Kyle."


    "You''d be surprised," Sayuri said, "Kids are highly observant and intelligent. I''m sure, even if they don''t recognise you at first, they''ll remember you. Just give them a bit of time."


    "I hope so," Kyle said under his breath.


    It would be much harder if they did forget him.


    It was already going to be hard enough to get close to his kids without meeting himself; which was why he had opted to come and stay in Country M for this entire year. It would give him the time to slip himself into their lives.


    It would not be impossible, just harder.


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    "Why are we hiding again?" Sayuri asked, perplexed as they were high up in the tree, watching the kids from afar.


    "You didn''t have to come," Kyle said nonchalantly, as he crouched on the branch.


    "You said I could!" Sayuri protested.


    "I told you we had to be low key," Kyle pointed out.


    "I didn''t think you meant THIS low key!" Sayuri argued.


    "Why else would I ask you to wear something that would make climbing easier?" Kyle asked.


    Sayuri whacked the back of Kyle''s head in frustration, muttering, "What sane person would think you''d be referring to this?!"


    "What sane person can actually follow me up so high without being spotted?" Kyle countered back, not avoiding the hit.


    "Come on, spill," Sayuri hissed, "What is the deal here?"


    "Nothing much," Kyle said, "Their parents don''t know I know their kids and I don''t want their parents to know."


    Sayuri stared at Kyle''s side profile and noted how intensely he was staring at the two kids. She kept quiet and turned to look.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that the kids were in their teens, she would think they were his kids or something.


    According to Kyle, Joseph, the older one, was 13 while Lianne was 11.


    The picture of the perfect family appeared in front of them, as they were having dinner.


    "Why can''t they know?" Sayuri asked.


    "It''s complicated," Kyle answered, "I may tell you about it one day."


    Kyle''s eyes did not leave the family of four having their meal.


    He remembered this day, of course, for it was her birthday. They always had a celebratory lunch or dinner and naturally, Kyle would remember this day.


    His last birthday meal.


    Tomorrow would be the start of her downfall.


    When she discovered that anomaly, then started digging up what should not be dug up.


    Whoever it was at Rex Industries that was in charge, found out about the download pretty quick.


    Kyle clenched his fist.


    Next month, she would die.


    So he had only this month to get his kids to know him again.


    Kyle remembered clearly how popular Joseph was at school. Handsome, kind and sociable, he was the type that attracted girls to him. He remembered very well how innocent his son had been at every confession - never taking it seriously. It wasn''t that he was playing with their feelings but rather, he just wasn''t aware of how serious they were about him.


    Kyle laughed to himself.


    Guess his ''special kind of stupid'' was inherited by his son.


    He never realised that before until now.


    Joseph was like Xing Han. Friendly, bubbly and innocent - highly popular and sweet. Of course, Kyle could be extremely biased but he didn''t think so. The only problem was, Joseph was a bit dense in some areas.


    Not stupid, but just unaware.


    He was also a very kind boy that felt deeply about things. Be it animals that he picked up or friends. He treated them well and loved them whole-heartedly. Kyle was worried about this.


    Not just because the world was full of darkness ¡­ but also by how the death of his mother would affect him. Joseph was extremely attached to his mother. Always ready with his hugs and kisses, never being ashamed of it despite him growing older.


    He was her ray of sunshine.


    Lianne wasn''t as overtly expressive but Kyle knew how much Lianne loved her (him), too. She was just the type that was not comfortable with hugs but she would hug him once in a while, and it took a lot out of her to do so.


    She tended to overthink things and was highly mature for her age. One would think that she was the older sibling due to it, if it wasn''t for the fact of how the brother towered over her petite frame.


    They were still growing, but it was obvious that Joseph took after the father''s height while Lianne was of a smaller nature.


    Lianne may not show her closeness overtly, but it was obvious that she was very close to her mother as well. Kyle remembered all the times his daughter would turn to him for silent comfort, or for encouragement, to do something.


    His heart clenched at the thought of how they must be after his death.


    How is he going to help them cope?


    Would they let him?


    He certainly hoped so. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Kyle was lost in thought as his eyes stared at the family, Sayuri''s mind was in a whirl.


    It was obvious that the family in front of them held significant importance to Kyle.


    She took note of their names and made a mental note to gather intelligence about them. They were important to Kyle, and she wanted to get to know them.


    Nothing too deep, just their background.


    Once Kyle trusted her enough, she was confident that he would tell her why the two kids were so important to him.


    Until that day, she would stay by his side and support him in everything.

 Chapter 603 - Absolute Trust

    Sayuri found the whole thing perplexing but did not question him any further.


    After the family of four left, Kyle turned to Sayuri and said, "You''re really quite a capable ninja. Patient, observant and not domineering. I am sure you have loads of questions yet, you''re just standing there by my side, not pressing the issue."


    Indeed, that was high praise from Kyle.


    Shifu''s clan was mainly about assassinations, whereas Sayuri''s clan was more about infiltration and gathering of information. Though Kyle did learn about intel and Sayuri knew how to kill, the emphasis and training were different.


    Both had the basic skills but their expertise went into different areas as their area of specialization was different. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Take a surgeon, for example. All surgeons have a high degree of manual dexterity, coupled with good hand-eye co-ordination, excellent vision and visuo-spatial awareness.


    They knew how to use various surgical equipment and how to suture a wound close. However, the skills, knowledge, and expertise become different depending on their area of specialisation. A neurosurgeon is an expert of the brain whereas a cardiothoracic surgeon knows the heart.


    In short, Kyle knew how to kill well, while Sayuri could get into the brain better.


    When he thought about it, they complimented each other quite well.


    It was only at that point that he started considering seriously asking Sayuri for help with regards to cleaning up his past life''s problem.


    He had been working by himself all this time and having another partner that could fill in the gaps sounded very tempting.


    When he said ''working by himself'', he didn''t mean that he did not acknowledge or appreciate the efforts Kay, his Elite Team and MIB did. What he meant was that he had done all the planning since birth.


    Having another person seeing it from another perspective - and one who specialised in information gathering and analysis ¡­ would truly be a golden opportunity.


    Kyle looked at Sayuri and she noticed the difference in his gaze.


    "What?"


    She could see the hesitation in his eyes and deduced that he had something on his mind or something he wanted to ask of her.


    She smiled, and put her hand on his shoulder, saying, "Yes."


    "You don''t even know what I''m going to be asking," Kyle said, indignantly.


    "It doesn''t matter," Sayuri said, "Just ask, and I''ll do my best to help."


    Kyle sighed, asking again, "Are you sure?"


    Sayuri took her hand off his shoulder and replied, "Of course. So long as you trust me, I''ll always do my best for you."


    She turned away, saying, "It''s the least I can do."


    Kyle nodded, appreciating the gesture.


    He sighed again, thinking how different ninjas thought, and acted. Simply because of the bond between their Masters, Sayuri unhesitatingly agreed to help.


    Her absolute trust in him made him feel ¡­ both unworthy and touched at the same time.


    He vowed never to let her down.


    [A/N: At this point, Author wants to smack some sense into Kyle but he''s most likely going to run away in the other direction if he has any inkling of what is happening]


    "Come on," Kyle said, looking at the night sky, "It''s getting late. We should be going back. We can talk tomorrow."


    "Okay," Sayuri answered, pleased and hid her smile from him.


    She now had a reason to hang out with Kyle again.


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    The next morning, Sayuri awoke extremely early and quickly got ready.


    She knew that Kyle normally has his morning jog, so last night, she had casually suggested that they train together in the morning, then go for breakfast where they could talk.


    Kyle felt it was a good idea, and readily agreed.


    Just as Sayuri opened the door to her apartment, Kyle opened his door as well. They were living next door to each other, so it made things much easier for her to always bump into him.


    "Good morning," Kyle greeted, not letting his face show any expression upon seeing Sayuri in her tracksuit.


    It was a tracksuit, okay. A tracksuit.


    Long pants, long sleeve shirt ¡­ but ¡­ the way the material hugged her long legs, showing off how shapely it was.


    Although the top was long sleeve, and the V-neck collar was not so low that one could see the cleavage, it still showed off her perky breasts nicely and ¡­ it actually bared her midriff.


    Seeing that smooth skin of her flat stomach and belly-button made Kyle think twice about letting her go out in that get-up.


    Then he whacked himself mentally. She was a grown adult.


    Who was he to dictate what she wore?


    He, who had been a woman and disliked the patriarchal ways of society, was now becoming like one of those men he had disliked?


    What was wrong with him?


    Why was it bothering him so much anyway?


    Sayuri was a beautiful young woman, blossoming so brightly and was more than capable of handling herself. She would definitely be attracting a lot of flies but he would be there to back her up if need be.


    There was no problem with Sayuri going out like that.


    Nope, no problem at all.


    Shaking his head mentally, he then said to Sayuri, "Shall we?"


    Sayuri gave a bright smile, answering, "Lead the way, oh kind Sir."


    Kyle rolled his eyes and they headed to the lift.


    Sayuri was also having it hard keeping her face straight.


    Just what sort of outfit did Kyle wear?!


    Everything seemed to stick to his skin like a second skin, showing off that physique and left little to the imagination. Luckily, he wore shorts as well because otherwise ¡­


    Sayuri shook her head mentally, telling herself to calm down and stop drooling.


    Luckily, Kyle gave off this really cold aura that would make anyone keep their distance. Otherwise, she''d have so many flies buzzing about.


    Sayuri patted her chest.


    She needed more training to remain calm in Kyle''s presence.

 Chapter 604 - Grandfather Paradox

    Kyle had opted to stay at a serviced apartment during his time here, as opposed to a hotel or buying a house.


    There were a few reasons for this.


    One, service apartment is well-maintained and fully furnished. He didn''t have to worry about finding furniture or what to do with it once he leaves. The service apartment he chose also provided housekeeping, so he didn''t have to clean either.


    Two, everything was under one roof. It has great facilities such as a gym, pool, a park with a small playground, a jogging track, a supermarket, and even several eateries.


    Three ¡­ it was close to the area that he used to live, as Kylie. Thus, he could create opportunities to meet his kids and perhaps, even invite them to his unit. Even better, Sayuri stayed next door so his kids may not feel so threatened with such a kind looking lady around.


    As they headed towards the jogging track, the couple certainly made people''s heads turn.


    One was striking enough. Two? It was blinding.


    Luckily, no one bothered them as they jogged.


    Partly because of the cold aura of Kyle that was unusually more threatening this morning, and partly because they were jogging seriously. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their speed was fast, and they would pass several people on the jogging track a few times even before those people had completed one cycle. Yet, their pace was steady and they hardly showed any effort being exerted.


    Worse, they were at it for over an hour.


    No one really wanted to disturb such a serious couple so they just settled on simply watching.


    Since that day, however, the number of people that frequented the jogging track seemed to increase a bit. Not only were all the resting spots taken, but the area alongside the jogging track also had people sitting on them leisurely.


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    Kyle and Sayuri opted to have their breakfast at the cozy cafe below the apartment.


    It was more comfortable and more importantly, there were fewer people. They were at a secluded corner of the cafe, away from prying eyes.


    Once the waiter took their orders, Kyle quickly went down to business.


    "Do you know anything about Rex Industries?" he asked, giving a shot in the dark.


    As expected, Sayuri shook her head.


    "For personal reasons, I started looking into this company," Kyle said, glossing over why he was interested in it, "It may look like a reputable place but in reality, it''s involved in some pretty dark stuff."


    Sayuri was silent, listening intently.


    "I have some men in place there," Kyle revealed, "but so far, the only thing I have managed to gather is that they are responsible to launder some money, plus ¡­"


    At this, Kyle''s hands clenched, "It''s one of the stop-overs, or temporary storage, for human trafficking."


    Sayuri gasped softly, not expecting this.


    "The thing is, even until now, I have yet to be able to discover who the mastermind is," Kyle said frustratingly, "I know the key players and I even managed to identify some of the main contact person from each side."


    "But as to who actually is behind all of this? Nothing," Kyle said, leaning back in his chair.


    Kyle suspected that the file he had copied, as Kylie, actually contained this information somehow.


    Otherwise, why were they so eager to get it from her?


    The worst thing was, he could not get the information beforehand.


    Whoever it was that was behind it was so meticulous and tech paranoid that it made it near impossible to obtain.


    Kyle said ''near impossible'' because he could actually obtain it.


    It was stored in a computer that was not connected to the internet at all.


    The computer was in a room that was secured with triple security: to enter, one needed an access card and a handprint. Once inside, one had to close it back within a minute with a handprint.


    Kyle often wondered how Kylie ever got security access to the room.


    Perhaps it was because she was so innocent and straight? Perhaps it was because she was so ordinary, so people would not think that the room contained anything as secretive as human trafficking details?


    It was simply a ''secure room with company sensitive material'' rather than ''a top-secret room with dangerous information'' room.


    Kyle sighed internally.


    Throughout the years, he had thought of the many ways he could get the information out of that room. However, if he did, it would only create a ripple in the events around Kylie.


    He truly hated this grandfather paradox.


    It was all fine and dandy when you watched it in a movie or read it in a novel, but when you''re actually living through it?


    The grandfather paradox is that situation akin to the major plot lines in the Terminator movies. The time traveler going back in time to prevent the start of the whole AI thing from starting ¡­ and worse, the fact that the saviour of the future is the son of his best friend?


    There are some physicists who believe that if you were to kill your parent/grandparent, the current ''you'' would not be born in this world but would still be born in another parallel world.


    Others believe that you would be prevented from such actions as the photons that make up light, prefer self-consistency in timelines (in short, the ''world'' / higher being stops you).


    Some were of the opinion that this is just hogwash and theory, and can never happen.


    For Kyle, he''s experiencing it so he can''t dismiss the possibility that he, Kyle, would cease to exist if Kylie survives. He had to make sure that her timeline was not affected in any way.


    He had no idea what his actions would do to Kylie, so he had been extra careful to make sure any moves he makes, did not affect her. No matter how small.


    So he had to leave those files alone.

 Chapter 605 - Meeting The Kids

    "So what are your plans? What can I do to help?" Sayuri asked.


    "For now, nothing," Kyle said, "You have your location to view so you focus on that first."


    "I can gather some information about Rex Industries first," Sayuri said, "Poke a few things and see what comes out."


    "No!" Kyle said quickly, startling Sayuri at the way he seemed to panic a bit.


    Kyle cleared his throat and said, "Sorry, that came out a bit wrong. No, please do NOT make a move right now. I have a few things in place and you might accidentally stir it and alert them."


    Sayuri tilted her head and said, "If you tell me what they are, I would make sure I won''t do anything to jeapordize what you have in place."


    Sayuri understood Kyle''s dilemma.


    It was the same concept as when the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) started their undercover operations to snag the ''big fish'' and then a separate police force raided the building. The latter''s actions completely destroyed the work that the DEA had been painstakingly compiling.


    However, if the other party had been aware of the DEA''s movements, then they can work around it. So they work hand-in-hand rather than disrupting each other.


    Surprisingly, Kyle shook his head, "No, it''s not the time to make a move yet. I was simply giving you the background first."


    Again, Sayuri felt like Kyle wasn''t telling her the whole truth, but she could tell that he wasn''t lying. Thus, she could only swallow her grievances and lay her trust in his decision.


    "Okay, fine," Sayuri said, in resignation, "Just tell me when I can make a move then."


    Kyle, naturally, could see that Sayuri wasn''t quite happy with what he said.


    However, the fact that she wasn''t making a fuss and accepting whatever he was dishing out made him appreciate her more, but he was also feeling rather bad about it.


    "Thank you," Kyle said just as the waiter came with their food.


    Just as they tucked into their food, Kyle''s eyes brightened as he suddenly thought of something.


    "Well, there isn''t anything that you can do about Rex Industries at the moment but ¡­" Kyle began, and he waited for Sayuri''s response.


    "But what?" Sayuri asked, taking the bait.


    "I could use your help with the kids," Kyle said.


    "Oh?" Sayuri said in surprise, "Do tell."


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    And that is how Sayuri found herself next to Kyle, hiding behind a potted plant as they watched Joseph and Lianne from afar.


    "If anyone is to spot us right now, they''re going to be thinking we''re stalkers," Sayuri hissed, crouching a bit as she peered through the leaves.


    Kyle placed a hand over her shoulder, his head just above hers as he said, "I am a stalker. But a good one."


    "I don''t know about that," Sayuri objected, "A good looking one, yes but not necessarily a good stalker."


    Kyle snorted. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And you''re the faithful sidekick of the stalker you''re maligning," Kyle pointed out.


    "I was fooled," Sayuri replied, "I will do better in my next life, perhaps, but in this one, I guess you''re stuck with me."


    Kyle subconsciously gripped on Sayuri''s shoulder a bit tighter at that statement.


    He knew she was just joking around but it hit him in ways that he didn''t think possible. He wondered if she truly believed in past lives.


    He conveniently ignored - or, perhaps, his brain subconsciously blocked it out - the last part of her words.


    "Do you believe in past lives then?" Kyle asked, loosening his grip.


    Sayuri was a bit surprised at his reaction to her words.


    Initially, she thought it was because of her indirect confession but instead, it was because of her past life statement?


    "Well, yes and no," Sayuri said, "I mean, I like the thought but nobody knows for sure, right? Imagine being able to relive your life again. The things I would do differently. It''s a nice thought, but not reality."


    "Mhm," Kyle mumbled, then tapped her shoulder, "Come on. Time for us to make a move."


    "You sure about this though?" Sayuri asked.


    "Of course I am," Kyle answered, "It''s the best way to get close to them without rousing any suspicion."


    "Okay, if you say so," Sayuri said.


    "Unless you''re uncomfortable with it?" Kyle asked, "It''s fine if you don''t want to."


    "No, no!" Sayuri protested, "It''s not that. I just ¡­ didn''t want to make it difficult for you later on."


    Kyle sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck, "Look, I need you for this. I know I can''t do this alone. If they see me, they''ll still be on guard even if they recognise me. It will take time for me to build their trust and friendliness with me."


    He sighed, "I know I give off this really cold and unfriendly vibe. Can''t help it. I don''t even know if I can smile properly with them right now. So, with you by my side, they''ll be more comfortable."


    "Will you be okay with me being intimate then?" Sayuri asked softly.


    "If it''s you, it''s fine," Kyle replied without a thought.


    "Then it''s okay with me. You just be you, okay? The way you are nowadays, trying to act against your nature would probably put them on high alert," Sayuri cautioned.


    "Okay," Kyle replied, "I will follow your lead on this one. After all, you''re the expert."


    "Good," Sayuri said, "Now, be a good boy and let''s go."


    Kyle shook his head, and had a ghost of a smile as he followed behind Sayuri.


    As Sayuri walked over to the cafe, she studied the two kids carefully.


    Lianne was busy drawing while her brother was sitting beside her, engrossed in a mobile game.


    The plan was simple.


    Create an opportunity to talk to the kids.


    Sayuri''s job?


    To be friendly, to offset Kyle''s dangerous psycho vibe, so that they would not reject them.

 Chapter 606 - Meeting The Kids (II)

    Kyle was actually extremely nervous the closer they got to his kids.


    He remembered this particular day as it had been an extremely unusual request by her socially awkward daughter. She had wanted to draw the scenery inside a shopping mall.


    As Kylie had to work, she could not accompany them the whole day. Thus, she had entrusted the duty of taking care of the sister onto the elder brother. Though in truth, Kylie thought it was more the other way around since Lianne was more rational than Joseph.


    However, Lianne was young and petite, thus, would require Joseph''s bigger frame to deter weirdos like him.


    Would Joseph''s protective nature over his sister make it difficult for them to get close? Would Lianne''s uncomfortableness with strangers and the public be a deterrence?


    Thus, Kyle banked on two things. The fact that they knew him as Rex, and Sayuri''s friendly nature. She had this really approachable look and was kind, thus he was confident that she could charm the kids.


    Added to the fact that it was her forte, as well, it seemed like the perfect solution.


    Kyle walked on first, and ''accidentally'' bumped into the table that his kids were at as he walked by. He stopped, placed his hand on the table, and turned.


    His mouth already formed the words, "I''m sor-" when he stopped.


    Blinked and stared at them.


    "Joseph? Lianne?" Kyle said softly, tilting his head, "Is that you?"


    Immediately, Lianne looked wary while Joseph looked up confused, "Yes? Who are you?"


    Joseph studied the adult, trying to remember when he had ever met him. He doubted he would forget, for he had never really been in contact with foreigners before. This guy had blue eyes.


    No way would he forget such a feature.


    Lianne was wondering the same thing and she stared at the face intently. Something about his face seemed familiar, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt a bit annoyed now, as it was as the answer was right there, but she couldn''t see it.


    "Um, well, this may take a while ¡­ can I join you guys?" Kyle asked.


    Immediately, Joseph sat up straight, staring at Kyle.


    "Look, Mister, not to be rude, but we don''t know you," Joseph said firmly.


    Joseph wasn''t comfortable letting this stranger sit with them. What other tricks could he pull? Pretending to know them, acting friendly and all then what? Joseph was sure this man was up to no good.


    Then he thought the guy was really bad at trying to con them.


    He was standing there rather stiffly, looking a bit uncomfortable and awkward to the point of being unfriendly? Shouldn''t he be like, this ''cool'' sort of person to get them, face full of smiles to charm them?


    Just as Joseph''s mind went all over the place, a sweet voice was heard, "Kyle, what''s wrong?"


    Joseph looked at the girl that was walking over to them.


    It was the same girl that had passed them earlier, and Joseph looked at Kyle slightly differently.


    Being a normal teenage boy, naturally, he had noticed all girls that were in the area. Okay, so he checked them out.


    His first impression was that the girl was really sweet, and hot at the same time. Sweet face, solid figure. Two lethal combinations. Hearing her voice, his impression was even better.


    "Are these your friends?" she asked that weird guy.


    She turned towards them, not waiting for an answer, giving them a dazzling sweet smile, "Hi, I''m Sayuri."


    "Joseph, but you can call me Joey," Joey said, smiling, "But we don''t know him."


    Sayuri looked puzzled and turned towards the man she called Kyle, taking his arm and asking gently, "Kyle, what''s wrong?"


    Kyle shook his head, "Nothing."


    "Are they someone you met when you were here last time?"


    Kyle nodded.


    Sayuri nodded in understanding, then turned back to the kids, "I''m really sorry about this, but can we sit here with you to explain?"


    Joseph looked at Lianne, who stared at her brother before nodding.


    "Thank you so much!" Sayuri gushed, sitting down across of them and pulling Kyle down.


    "You''re really going to find this strange to believe, but this block of wood here is someone you met several years ago," Sayuri began.


    Both looked unconvinced.


    "Do you remember this scruffy looking employee at the store near your school?" Kyle asked slowly.


    Lianne''s eyes brightened at that, then she looked a bit sad, "Yes, I remember. Abang Rex. He was really nice but he stopped working there and we never saw him again."


    Kyle was silent and looked at them.


    It took a bit of time, then Joseph explosively said, "No way!"


    Sayuri giggled.


    "Yes, way," she said, leaning forward a bit.


    Looking left and right, she said in a conspirative whisper, "In the younger days, our Kyle here was very rebellious. He ran away from home and had to disguise himself. As Rex, no one really bothered with him except for you guys."


    "I did not run away from home," growled Kyle from behind them, looking displeased.


    Sayuri rolled her eyes at the kids, then turned to placate Kyle, patting his hand, "Yes, yes, you did not. You were just finding yourself."


    Kyle glared at her, but Sayuri was unperturbed.


    She laughed and placed her hands on his cheeks, squishing it so that his lips puckered up and said, "There. Much better."


    She turned his squished face towards the kids and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Don''t you think so?"


    Lianne pressed her lips together in an attempt not to laugh, but Joseph had no such qualms. He roared loudly, pointing a finger at Kyle''s ''fish face'', nodding his head.


    The commotion had some people turn their heads towards them.


    Two girls were whispering to each other as their eyes landed on Kyle.


    "No, that can''t be him, can it?" one said, her eyes fixed on that side profile.


    "Maybe?"


    "I''ve got to check!"

 Chapter 607 - Meeting The Kids (III)

    Kyle jerked his head to the side, and Sayuri let his cheeks go. She smiled at the kids, and said, "Don''t mind him. He may look different, but he''s the same ''Abang Rex'' that you knew back then. On the inside."


    Before Joseph or Lianne could say anything, two girls came by their table.


    Both were looking excited, though one actually looked a bit embarrassed and was gently tugging on the sleeves of the girl in front.


    "I''m sorry, but are you Kyle Smith? You are, aren''t you?" the girl gushed.


    Kyle frowned, and instantly, everything around them became rather cold as he stared at them.


    The girl gulped but pressed on, seemingly not affected by his displeasure. Her friend, however, gripped her arm now.


    "Please, can we just take a picture together?" the girl pleaded, as she put her hands together in a begging pose and took a step closer.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed and this time, he didn''t hold back his displeasure. The cold, killer aura flashed out, and the girl was so flustered that her hands trembled and she dropped her phone.


    Sayuri reached over, putting a hand on his arm and leaning on his back, as she faced the girls and said, "I''m sorry, but Kyle is a very private person. Please leave."


    This time, the friend could pull the trembling girl away and she quickly picked up her phone before both of them practically ran out of the place.


    Kyle retracted his aura and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.


    He gulped, thinking about how he must have scared his kids with that display.


    The problem with the killer aura is that it could not be focused on one straight line that only the person he targetted would feel it. They would get it the worst, of course, but those in the vicinity would still be affected.


    He had been so annoyed at being accosted like that, more so because she interrupted his time with his kids.


    This opportunity was so hard to find, and they were already starting to loosen up when that idiot had to ruin it.


    He turned towards his kids, expecting them to be staring at him in fear.


    Then, he paused in shock.


    Lianne was looking at him with intense curiosity while Joseph had stars in his eyes.


    "That. Was. Awesome!" he said, leaning forward, "I thought that only happened in novels! How did you do it?!"


    Suddenly, the image of Xing Han flashed through Kyle''s mind.


    It was the exact same reaction Xing Han had many years ago. With that thought, Kyle couldn''t help but smile, and this time, it actually looked natural.


    Joseph just couldn''t believe that the block of wood in front of them was the grungy Abang Rex from before. There was a complete 180-degree change from that scruffy guy to this handsome one, and from an introvert to this confident man.


    "Tell me, Abang Rex," Joseph said, "How do you become this cool and cold manly man?"


    At those words, Kyle felt his heart being twisted in pain.


    How could he have forgotten this?


    Kyle had felt an affinity towards Xing Han because the latter reminded him so much of his son. How the father would often berate him for not being what the father had deemed to be a ''man''.


    It wasn''t that Joseph was effeminate, but he wasn''t exactly ''tough'' either.


    Now that he was 13, Kyle remembered how the father was being more strict on him regarding this. Kyle had often argued with his spouse about this, but it only made things worse.


    He sighed inwardly.


    "There is no such thing as ''manly man'' or whatever," Kyle said slowly, "Each person is unique and different in their own way."


    Kyle could see the disappointment in his son''s eyes, so he added, "But if it''s something you, yourself, want to be then I don''t mind helping you."


    The spark in Joseph''s eyes came back.


    "However," Kyle said, "It''s not about me making you a manly man - whatever that is - but rather, I can help you workout to gain muscle, and confidence."


    Kyle remembered how his son pestered his father about going to the gym but the latter always refused. His reasoning was that he wanted his son to focus on studies rather than be a muscle-bound idiot.


    "You work out?" Joseph asked, staring at Kyle and trying to see the muscles through those clothes.


    Sayuri grinned and took out her phone. She flipped through some photos and then showed the phone to the kids.


    "Oh.Em.Gee," gasped Joseph, "Seriously?"


    "Yes, that''s him at 12 and this," Sayuri said, flipping through the phone more, "Was a few years ago."


    She put her hand at the side of her lips and whispered, "And trust me, he hasn''t lost it either."


    "Just what the heck are you showing them?!" Kyle hissed, taking the phone from her hand.


    His eyes went wide open.


    It was a picture of him, half-naked, in that promotional poster for John Wick 4. The same picture that Ellen had displayed for the entire nation to see.


    Flipping through her phone, was a folder with his pictures on it. A lot of it.


    He guessed that the 12-year-old picture she had shown them was of him, completely wet in the fountain during the graduation ceremony.


    "Why do you have my pictures in your phone?" Kyle asked Sayuri.


    "Hey! That''s an invasion of my privacy!!" Sayuri said, pouting, "And why can''t I have your pictures in my phone?"


    Kyle opened his mouth to say something, then realised something.


    For this ''Get the Kids'' mission, Sayuri was supposed to be ''more than a friend'' but not a girlfriend, so of course, wouldn''t such friends have each other''s pictures? It was the perfect cover-up to their relationship, to convince his kids.


    Kyle was impressed.


    When did Sayuri have time to do all of this? Truly, her ninja skills were phenomenal.


    "You''re right, sorry," Kyle said.


    sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 608 - Would Things Change?

    "But Joey, you know Papa won''t let you go to a gym," Lianne''s voice piped up suddenly.


    Joseph''s face fell.


    That''s right. He had forgotten it.


    "How about this?" Sayuri suggested.


    Then, pointing at Lianne''s drawing, she asked, "May I?"


    Lianne bit her bottom lip, hesitant as she didn''t like people looking at her pictures that she drew. She loved doing it but didn''t have the confidence to have others view it.


    Sayuri, as if guessing what was on her mind (though she already knew this from Kyle), said, "No matter what, you have talent, you know? I just want to show you something, if you allow me to draw on yours."


    Lianne gulped and slowly handed her the sketchbook she had.


    Sayuri observed the drawing intently, then around her.


    "This is very well drawn," Sayuri said, "You have the details down quite accurately. The only problem is that you have difficulty with dimensions, right?"


    Lianne nodded, impressed that Sayuri knew this from one glance. Sayuri brought her chair over beside Lianne and taking a pencil, she slowly did some changes.


    "You see, if you did it like this ¡­. And add this ¡­ with a little bit of this ¡­" Sayuri said softly, and slowly as her fingers flew across the sketchbook.


    Lianne''s eyes went wide open.


    With just a few strokes, it made her picture come more alive.


    "How did you do that?" Lianne said in wonder, "I mean, I know how you did it because you showed me but how did you know what to do?"


    "You''re self-taught, aren''t you?" Sayuri guessed.


    Lianne nodded.


    "That''s already impressive enough," Sayuri said, "I have private art classes at my apartment. You can ask your parents if they''re willing to send you."


    Sayuri dug into her bag and gave Lianne a card.


    It had Sayuri''s name on it, with some details about the ''business''''DrawMe'' that she was running


    As if thinking hard, Sayuri then said, "But since you''re Kyle''s friend ... " sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She dug into her bad again and took out a special black card, with gold letterings. Looking at it, Lianne could see the name of the ''DrawMe'' on the front and at the back, ''Complimentary Classes''.


    "This card," explained Sayuri, "Is what I give certain special individuals every year. You can attend any of my classes, for free, for a year."


    "Really?!" Lianne gasped.


    This would be wonderful.


    "Yes," Sayuri said, "The address of where I have my classes is there. Have your mum call me and we can have classes."


    Then she turned to Joseph, who was sulking.


    Lianne could get free art classes and his dad wouldn''t mind. Yet, he couldn''t go to the gym at all.


    "You should accompany your sister to these classes," Sayuri said, "After all, someone who offered to train you lives right next door to me."


    Then she whispered close to him, "And our place has a gym."


    Joseph''s eyes went wide open. She didn''t mean what she was trying to say, did she?


    He looked at Kyle, who nodded.


    "But you can''t tell Papa," said Lianne at Joseph.


    "Are you crazy?! Of course I know that!" Joseph said indignantly, "I am not stupid!"


    "Amazingly," Lianne muttered under her breath.


    Sayuri''s mouth quivered a bit, holding back a laugh.


    "Okay, you just call me if your parents approve about the art class, okay?" Sayuri said, "We''ve got to go now. It was really nice meeting you."


    Both smiled and waved happily at them as they left.


    The moment they went out of sight, Kyle and Sayuri immediately returned quietly to their hiding spot to ¡­ erm, observe the kids.


    "You think it''ll work?" Sayuri whispered.


    "Yes," Kyle said confidently.


    It was one of those things that screwed his mind over, though. How would this action of his affect Kylie?


    Him doing things in other countries didn''t bother him because he didn''t live in them as Kylie. So, the timeline and things happening would not affect Kylie in any way.


    Now, however, with this act of his, he had invariably changed something.


    He tried to minimise it as much as possible, but the effect is still there and he was worried that he might have changed something in the timeline.


    He hoped, this slight change a month before his death did not affect things too greatly.


    He had spent the entire night formulating this plan, digging into his memories about the entire month prior to his first death.


    He had even jotted it all down on paper, for the fear that his memories would change and he wouldn''t be able to compare what had happened before, and what occurs now.


    He wanted to make sure that this plan of his would not have disrupted anything that was supposed to happen before, or make too drastic a change. If that happened, then he would have to work hard to make sure it goes back to the ''normal'' timeline.


    If he could.


    In his past life, Kylie had never sent Lianne for art classes at this age. She did, however, send the kids for some cooking classes. She had wanted them to learn something about it and had thought it would be a good idea.


    The flyer was something she would see in two days'' time.


    Hence, this timing was important.


    Lianne would definitely be all excited and tell her mother about this golden opportunity. Kylie would do her research on Sayuri and find (thanks to his Team) that there was such a thing and has been around for some time.


    Knowing Kylie, she would definitely send Lianne to the art class because Lianne hardly ever asked for anything. Joseph would naturally follow as her bodyguard as it would be in someone''s home.


    Sayuri would be having those classes on the exact same day, and time, as the cooking classes in the previous life.


    Thus, whatever Kylie had done while the kids were in class, she would still do now


    Hopefully.


    Kyle could only hope and pray it was so.

 Chapter 609 - Why?

    The final month before his first death was the best time of Kyle''s life.


    He actually managed to spend time with his kids, and even bonded with his son in a way that he never could as Kylie.


    After all, what teenage son would talk to his mother about puberty?


    This was something that he should be talking to his father, but since his father tended to have a rather rigid view on what a man should be, Joseph started to rely on Kyle about certain fears that he had.


    Kyle did his best to advise his son, without making it as if his spouse was ''the bad guy''. After all, his spouse was still his son''s father. Kyle would never do anything to cause a rift between the two and he never wanted to replace his own spouse as a father figure to his son. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As confusing as that may sound.


    There were so many misunderstandings - and anger - that his son had against his father and Kyle honestly couldn''t blame him.


    Who was he to judge anyway? He had a huge fight with Patrick and even ran away for two years. What more his son, who was under so much stress to be ''the son that his father wanted''.


    Kyle wanted Joseph to see him as a friend - and hopefully, as a ''Big Brother'' figure. Not a replacement father.


    Lianne was also getting close to Sayuri.


    She opened up to her in ways that only those doing art could understand. Kyle was glad for that, for at least, it meant that Lianne would have another person to count on ¡­ when it happened.


    He was doing all of this in order to give his kids another anchor to hold onto when they lost their main anchor.


    Just the thought of what his kids are going to go through made him feel indescribable pain.


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    Sayuri truly did enjoy the moments with Lianne and Joseph.


    She could see why Kyle had become so attached to them.


    She had met the mother on the first day, and only after she verified the place and her, she had agreed to the classes with profound thanks.


    Sayuri reciprocated with a smile, saying that it was her honour and thanked her for her trust.


    Luckily, it was during their long school break so they could have more classes during the week. Kyle had his driver pick the kids up and send them home, as this would make it easier for Kylie the freedom to do what she would do.


    If she had to send the kids over to the apartment, it would take time and she would most likely stay around in the vicinity so that she could be close-by to pick them up. This way, it freed her time and worry.


    It was all part of the ''scholarship'', so she didn''t protest.


    So, for three weeks, Sayuri got to hang out with Kyle and the kids 3 times a week, for three weeks. It was like Heaven to her for she felt like they were one big happy family.


    Okay, maybe that was exaggerating a bit since she was only 18 and Kyle 19, while the kids were already quite big ¡­ but it was a cute dream nonetheless.


    The other times were spent surveying the location and site, but this was already something she had done and completed in the first week itself. The rest of the time was basically to observe the traffic flow and people, as she wanted to know how popular was the location.


    This was something she could do just by looking at the data each day, then compare them each week. Kyle had hired people to do the survey and collect the data, and another batch to analyse it.


    It short, Sayuri had an easy job as the main grunt work was done by other people.


    She smiled to herself, thinking that Kyle was truly wonderful.


    Even as friends, he took care of her very well. He had done all of that hiring of people just for her, though he said it was something he would need to look through himself.


    Didn''t matter to Sayuri what his reasons were. The point is, his actions made her life easier and she liked being taken care of by him in these little things.


    She sighed, wondering when would be the best time to confess to him.


    She constantly tested the waters with him and found that although he never rejected them, he didn''t really embrace them either. All the hints and flirtatious words she said to him had been brushed aside.


    Rather, there was absolutely no reaction at all.


    Was he that dense, or was he ignoring it because he didn''t want to jeopardize their friendship?


    Sayuri decided that she would observe a little bit longer.


    Maybe she would need to ''up the game'' a bit.


    Uknown to her then, her plans to do so had to be shelved for a bit and it took longer for her to finally confess to Kyle.


    It all happened because of an incident that happened which affected both of them for a few years.


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    Sayuri watched the scene in front of her in total shock.


    Kyle was holding her back, not only preventing her from moving forward but also silenced her so she couldn''t make a sound.


    She struggled but it was in vain, for his grip on her was too strong.


    He was behind her, his back tightly squeezed against hers, as his legs were wrapped around her legs, preventing her from running away. One hand was around her waist, holding her to him tightly while the other was over her mouth.


    Her eyesight blurred with the tears that fell, as she had to watch a helpless woman being beaten to death.


    Why? Just why was Kyle letting her die?

 Chapter 610 - Death

    Kyle knew it was going to be hard but he didn''t think it was going to be this hard.


    Right now, he was holding tightly onto Sayuri, to prevent her from rushing forward ¡­ and saving ''his'' life.


    He had brought her along for this, as he felt he needed the back-up should there be several people to follow. He wanted to tail the main perpetrator, but he was worried that there would be others that needed some tailing as well.


    He could have called MIB stationed at Country Tz, but he didn''t trust them enough to have the proper skills to do so without being caught.


    MIB was good, but they were ordinary people. They would do well with advance meticulous planning.


    This particular mission, however, required one with extra stealth. There could not be any prior plans since Kyle himself did not know what was going to happen. Even if they stalked the location, they would not get anything.


    After all, the location was Kylie''s house while the ones who attacked came out of nowhere. They weren''t there to stop the incident, but only observe and follow.


    Actually, if push comes to shove, he could have found some people capable enough but somehow, Sayuri was the one that came to his mind first. She was, undoubtedly, more skilled than any MIB agent he had and would be able to move in the dark better than any of them.


    He would rather put his trust in her, rather than risk it with an MIB agent.


    However, he did not expect this sort of reaction from her.


    She was, after all, a ninja and is capable of silently observing and not interfering in anything at all if that was the purpose.


    In hindsight, he should have known better and warned her, at least.


    After all, Sayuri did meet Kylie and was already close to his kids. How could she stand watching their mother being killed right in front of her eyes and yet, do nothing?


    Kyle had been thinking so much about this death day that he had actually missed this crucial part.


    He had been nervous and agitated.


    Arriving on location, and seeing everything unfold ¡­


    The pain hit him so deeply, to see how she had been ambushed inside the sanctity of her own home. Through the large bay windows in the living room, they could clearly see the sort of torture Kylie was going through.


    Right now, Kyle had to focus on the scene in front of him.


    Before, he had not known anything other than being attacked, and in pain. Now, seeing it from the perspective of an outsider, he could see the sort of skill the man had.


    He had been so engrossed in studying everything that he had forgotten about Sayuri and what she would do. He had told her that they were here to observe, and for the life of him, he didn''t know why it never occurred to him that she would try to save Kylie.


    Luckily, Kyle''s reaction had been quick and he had managed to grab onto her as she slipped beside him. He immediately put her into a few combination moves to maximize the hold yet not cause her any pain.


    He twisted her arms and held them back while his legs wrapped itself around her legs, in a body scissors move. They tumbled to the ground and Kyle flipped over, taking her along with him as he then held her waist and covered her mouth.


    His arms were positioned in such a way that he also trapped her arms by her side. His hand may be on the waist, but the arm held her right arm down. It was the same with the other hand that covered her mouth, but the arm held her left arm down.


    Kyle couldn''t talk as yet, for he had to continue observing.


    He could feel her body shake and then, the hand that was covering her mouth got wet.


    He gripped her tighter, holding her onto him as she cried, his heart being affected far more than he thought possible. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He, too, was feeling pain at having to watch himself die but he found that he was much calmer when he was holding Sayuri in his arms. Even though it was not exactly a ''hug'', just the feel of her body pressed to him and her unique vanilla smell was soothing.


    "I''m sorry, Sayuri," Kyle said hoarsely in her ear, "I should have told you. We can''t save her."


    She continued her silent sobbing as they watched how Kylie did one last desperate attempt at retaliation as she bit the despicable man''s ear.


    They flinched when they saw how the man started kicking her face and chest, like some rag doll, breaking her head and face, causing blood and brain matter to splatter.


    "I will explain everything later, but please, Sayuri. I beg you," Kyle said, hugging her tightly, "I need your help. Please, please, don''t do anything to them. I need you to just follow the men and see what they do."


    "Can you do that for me? Please?" Kyle asked desperately, waiting for her answer.


    Sayuri took a deep breath and closed her eyes, and slowly nodded.


    Kyle released his hold on her and apologized again, "I''m sorry."


    Sayuri didn''t say a word but continued to watch the scene in front of them silently, her body tensed.


    The house was soon ablaze, while the men who did it watched.


    "I''ll follow the killer," Kyle said softly.


    Sayuri nodded, then turned to Kyle. She stared at him for one brief second and then punched him hard, hissing before disappearing into the night, "You owe me."


    Kyle rubbed his jaw.


    ''Man, she sure has one mean hook,'' Kyle thought to himself, smiling a bit despite the pain.


    He deserved it, though.


    He sighed audibly, knowing that he had a lot of explaining to do, and a whole lot of begging for forgiveness later on.

 Chapter 611 - Stephan

    Kyle made his way to the motorcycle that they had come in.


    It was a specially designed motorcycle that used the design and concept of other motorcycle models.


    Kyle wanted a motorcycle that had a sleek design similar to the one in the movie Tron but not as bulky. One that had the speed like the Kawasaki yet the functionality of a scrambler: suitable for off-road and street use.


    The result was this beautiful black motorcycle that was like a thin aerodynamic scrambler, built lower to achieve better speed and one would need to lean forward down on the bike to ride it. Just like how a professional motorcycle race driver would do.


    He looked towards the distance, where Sayuri was.


    She was already in position and seemed to blend into the night as she sat there, leaning forward on the bike as she waited.


    They started the engine silently and it hummed quietly. Kyle put on his full-face helmet, the visor having night vision capabilities as they would not be switching on the headlights.


    It made tailing the cars more efficient but also more dangerous as they not only would need to be mindful of the road, they would be nigh invisible to other road users as well.


    Partly due to the dark design to allow them to blend into the night, partly due to the fact that it was lower, thus allowing them to move in the blindspots of the cars.


    Highly dangerous.


    Kyle gave one glance at Sayuri, thinking that she really fit the bike well. It had only taken her one day to get comfortable with the bike, and he was not worried about her capabilities in handling it.


    He gave her the signal and she returned it.


    She may be angry at him, but she wouldn''t let that affect the mission. He was grateful for that.


    They went their separate ways, each following their targets.


    Kyle kept a safe distance, weaving in and out of traffic as he followed the car without a problem. The route was familiar, and he could already guess where his killer was headed.


    Rex Industries.


    Just as they were about to reach, Kyle slowed down but did not stop as he didn''t want to take it for granted that that was the place his killer was headed to. He might pass it by.


    When he noticed the car slowing down to a stop, Kyle did so as well and parked further away and in the dark.


    Kyle could not believe it.


    No, actually, he knew it was a possibility but to actually see it right now, was still not an easy thing.


    At the entrance was his spouse, waiting.


    His killer then stepped out of the car, already changed and Kyle''s spouse went over to shake his hand.


    Kyle gritted his teeth.


    Did his spouse, Stephan, have anything to do with this? Did he know that the hand he is shaking with, is full of his wife''s blood?


    Kyle knew this was crucial and he could not let his own personal feelings get in the way. So he watched carefully at their interaction, reading their lips and taking note of the body language.


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    Stephan was cursing silently in his mind as he had to stand there, waiting anxiously for the pretentious little pr*ck that had been bugging him lately.


    However, he could not ignore him as the higher-ups had specifically told him to take good care of him while he was here. Someone from some obscure company from some weird country somewhere, who seemed to have some sort of collaboration with Rex Industries.


    In truth, Stephan knew who the guy was but he felt so agitated that he was relegated to this ''errand boy'' when he had his own position and his own job.


    This grunt work fell on him simply because this guy was a relative of his.


    Donnie Yang.


    A relative he may be, but he was a distant one that Stephan had hardly met. Yet, the latter acted like some long lost friend and worse, like he owned a part of Rex Industries.


    Stephan snorted.


    Still, he plastered that smile and treated the man nicely.


    As he shook his hand, however, Donnie brought him closer to pat him on the back. Donnie had this creepy sort of smile and gripping his hand tightly, Donnie said, "I have a proposition for you."


    Stephan looked at him blankly.


    Donnie, without letting go of his hand, said, "You do what I tell you, and your kids remain safe."


    Eyes flashing anger, Stephan yelled, "Donnie, you dipshit. What the -"


    Just then, Stephan''s phone rang but he ignored it, while he pulled his hand out of Donnie''s grasp.Or at least, he tried to.


    Donnie just laughed, raising an eyebrow and said, "You should pick that up."


    Pulling Stephan a little bit closer, Donnie said in a low, menacing voice, "That is just an example of what I am capable of if I don''t get what I want."


    Stephan had a bad premonition.


    That look in Donnie''s eyes made him think the worst thoughts.


    With shaking hands, Stephan picked up the phone.


    Stephan could hear a lot of background noise, crackling like sounds and shouts as a clear voice came through the phone, "Mr. Yang?"


    "Yes," Stephan answered.


    "My name is Officer Ramly," the police officer introduced himself, "I''m sorry to have to inform you, but your house is on fire."


    "WHAT?!"


    "The fire department is already here and is battling to put it out," the officer said and then, in a softer and gentler tone, "I am sorry to have to ask you this, but ¡­"


    "Wait. My wife is supposed to be home," Stephan said urgently, "Is she okay?" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Yang," the officer said, "We do not know yet."


    Stephan looked at Donnie in horror, who shrugged.


    "She did put up a good fight. Useless, though."

 Chapter 612 - Donnie Yang

    Stephan trembled and pushed Donnie aside, running to his car that was parked outside.


    Despite the fact that Kyle wanted to follow his spouse back right now, he knew he could not. What was more important, was to place the bugs that he needed and track this Donnie person.


    Right now, Kyle was extremely relieved to know that his spouse was not involved in this at all, though now, it looks like he is going to be.


    Time for a change of plans again.


    He would need to work with his spouse now, to dig out the mastermind in all of this. Perhaps, this is a good thing for it would mean that he could still be involved in their lives. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would be so weird for him to do so and he hoped that he would be able to act properly. He doubted his spouse would ever be able to accept a guy being all touchy-feely or friendly with him.


    The image of himself, first being slashed and then being beaten to death, was imprinted in his mind.


    He waited until Donnie and his goons entered the building.


    Slipping silently to the vehicle, Kyle attached a tracker right at the undercarriage. As for Donnie ¡­ well, that is going to wait for another day.


    Now that Kylie had died, Kyle was finally free to start digging more aggressively. He already had all the bugs in position, courtesy of his job as security officer here those years ago.


    It had slowly been accumulating data and using the AI that Kay had developed, it basically only released information that was deemed to be important.


    Useless information was discarded and the AI was continuously self-learning, based on the feedback the agents gave it as to what they were looking for, what was useless and what appeared to be of interest.


    It turned out that the activity only got extremely active the day that Kylie had downloaded the sensitive information.


    Kyle shook his head when he thought of that.


    Little did he know the sort of bomb he had exploded by that simple act. He had even caused Donnie to come all the way from God-knows-where to deal with him.


    Kyle gritted his teeth.


    Donnie was not a simple goon, however.


    Kyle could see that from the way he had slowly tortured Kylie. He had first used a sword to slash continuously at her, making cuts that were not too deep but enough to cause intense pain and blood loss.


    When he had gone through his memories of his death, these little things had not been caught by him then. She had, after all, been more focused on the pain and had closed her eyes during the entire duration.


    She had not even realised that the cuts were not deep. She had thought they were.


    But Kyle knew better.


    This information may be the key to the breakthrough in figuring out who the mastermind is.


    It was obvious that Donnie was a ninja.


    But what ninja carried the surname Yang?


    None.


    So, either Donnie Yang is not his real name, or he was recruited from young. The skills he showed was not something one could get from marrying into the ninja family.


    Kyle was betting that it was the former. The real Donnie Yang was probably dead.


    Whatever it was, Kyle had very, very special plans for this particular ''Donnie Yang''. He would need to find out for sure what was Donnie''s connection to the ninja family, and whom he served.


    After making sure that everything was in place, Kyle headed to the location where he had hidden the thumbdrive.


    Unfortunately, it was at home.


    As Kylie, she did not have much imagination so the best place that she would hide it at would be in the areas that she was most familiar with.


    This was both good and bad, for there were people who had been tailing her for the thumbdrive.


    If she had gone to an unfamiliar place and left it there, it would have been easy for them to break into the place and retrieve it. Thus, it was good in that sense.


    As it was, Kylie never deviated from her normal routine.


    Thus, they knew that the thumbdrive must be in a place that she always frequented.


    That was why they had attacked her at home.


    Kyle guessed that her workplace had already been thoroughly checked before they came here, which was why this was the last possible location.


    That was the bad part.


    By hiding it in such a familiar place, it opened up her family to danger. Kylie just never thought they had known what she had done and was observing her. Otherwise, she would never have hidden it at home.


    Until now, Kyle was extremely grateful that his kids were not around when they attacked. They had gone to a friend''s birthday party. He shuddered to think what Donnie would have done to his kids to make Kylie talk.


    The closer he got to home, the more he had to work at being calm.


    He noted the time.


    He was supposed to have picked up his kids at this time, and Kylie was never late. She was either early, or on time. Never late.


    He imagined them trying to call her, but never getting through.


    Then, they would call their father.


    Kyle''s grip on the motorcycle handle became tighter and the bike flew even faster back home. He steeled his heart to face what was ''waiting'' for him at home.


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    Stephan could not believe it.


    His house really was on fire ¡­ no, had been on fire.


    The firefighters had successfully managed to put the fire out, and all he had in front of him, was a blackened husk of a house. By the time the firefighters arrived, the house was already ablaze like a huge bonfire.


    "My wife! Where is my wife!" he shouted desperately.

 Chapter 613 - I Am Here For You

    People''s heads turned at his wail. Neighbours looked at him in pity.


    Stephan ran towards the building, and as he got closer, he saw it.


    That white sheet.


    Covering a body.


    "No," he said, rushing over, "No no no no no."


    Kyle arrived then, and watched as his spouse ran unsteadily towards the body.


    Kyle clenched his teeth and gripped the handlebar of the bike so tightly that his knuckles went white. As much as he wanted to go over and comfort him, he could not. As much as he wanted to offer his help to pick up the kids, he could not.


    While everyone was busy and distracted by the grieving man and burnt house, Kyle slipped to the letterbox at the gate.


    The letterbox was built into the wall that the front gate was attached to. Kyle opened the letterbox from the inside of the house, and reached up.


    The thumbdrive was taped to the side of the letterbox, just as it reached the ceiling.


    Taking it, Kyle put it in his pocket and drove away.


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    When Kyle reached the apartment, Kyle didn''t go up immediately.


    Instead, he took several minutes sitting on his bike as he fought hard against his desire to rush back out.


    To go back to his kids.


    To comfort them.


    To be there for them.


    As for his spouse?


    Kyle had to admit, he no longer was in love with his spouse but the deep feelings he had was still there. After all, he did have two kids with him - even if it was not in this body.


    Kyle had to be strong and wait.


    If he went now, he would be unraveling years of planning. There was no way for him to explain what he was doing there, and when they were so consumed with grief, they might even reject him.


    The pain would be too raw and fresh for him to try and help right now.


    With a deep sigh, Kyle finally got off his bike and headed up.


    As he opened the door, he found that the lights were already on. He stopped at the doorway for a second, and soon, he was enveloped in a tight hug.


    Kyle hugged her back, stepping in and kicked the door closed behind him.


    [I am here for you, brother]


    Kyle didn''t answer, but continue to hug Kay silently.


    Kay was patient, holding him and letting him do so.


    Although Kyle had managed to block his feelings from affecting her, Kay knew full well how much pain Kyle was under. She cursed the airlines for the delay, causing her to arrive after he had already left for the mission.


    She didn''t dare talk to him until he got back, lest she disrupted his thoughts. It was already hard enough for him to handle what he had to that night, and she did not want to burden him.


    So wait she did.


    She could feel his trembling form as he hugged her, his breathing deep while his hold was strong. She could feel his erratic heartbeat and she buried her face in his chest.


    Kyle didn''t know how long he stood there, but he knew it was time to stop when he felt Kay getting slightly heavier in his arms. Obviously, she was getting tired standing but did not say a thing.


    He scooped her up in his arms, princess carried her to the sofa and placed her down. Then he lay down on the sofa, and placed his head on her lap, closing his eyes.


    Kay stroked his hair, gently.


    Neither said a word.


    None was needed. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, Kyle fell asleep.


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    Two hours later, Kyle''s eyes popped open and he stared guiltily at Kay''s sleeping form. She was leaning back on the sofa, her hand on the side.


    Kyle slowly got up, careful not to wake her. He started massaging her legs and thighs for a while before carrying her and placing her on the bed. Kissing her forehead, he slowly slipped out to the balcony.


    He closed the sliding door and looked towards Sayuri''s apartment, and the balcony. It was dark, and he wondered whether she was asleep yet. Climbing onto the railings, he jumped easily towards her side, landing softly.


    Just as he was getting up, the sliding doors of her balcony opened, and he was greeted with the frowning face of Sayuri.


    He reached behind to his pocket and took out a squished chocolate bar.


    She looked at it, raised an eyebrow and gave him that ''seriously?'' look on her face.


    He shrugged and was about to throw it away when she grabbed it.


    "No take-backs," she said, passing him by and leaning on the railings.


    Kyle went beside her, and she said as she waved the chocolate bar, "You know this is not enough."


    "I know," Kyle said, sighing. He turned over and leaned his back on the railing, looking at her intently.


    "So, why?" Sayuri asked, turning her head towards him, "Why did she have to die?"


    "So I can live," Kyle replied.


    Sayuri frowned.


    "She was a threat to you?" Sayuri asked in surprise.


    "Yes," Kyle said, not taking his eyes off her.


    "How? Why? Was she a rogue agent or something?"


    "No," Kyle said, "Not at all."


    Sayuri was getting annoyed, and she turned to face him. Poking a finger on his chest, she growled, "Quit that. These short answers aren''t telling me anything."


    She got closer to him, clenching her teeth, "So tell it to me straight. In what was she such a threat to you that she had to die?"


    "Because I am her reincarnated soul," Kyle said.


    Sayuri stared at him.


    He stared back.


    She put her hand on his forehead.


    He took her hand and put it on his chest, saying, "I''m not lying or crazy or sick."

 Chapter 614 - Strong Chemistry

    Sayuri''s eyes went wide open.


    It was true.


    His heartbeat remained steady throughout his statement. Proof that he wasn''t lying.


    True, a really skilled ninja could even regulate his heartbeat to remain steady, but coupled with that intense gaze of his, Sayuri knew.


    Kyle wasn''t lying.


    Or, he truly believed in what he was saying.


    "You once said that past life was something that could not be real," Kyle continued, "Well, I''m here to tell you that it''s very real."


    He took a deep breath and let her hand go, turning around and leaned on the balcony railings.


    "I do not know how it happened, or why it happened," Kyle said, "But what you see is actually a 19-year-old guy who had once lived as a woman, and had two kids."


    Sayuri''s head was spinning.


    "Wait wait wait," Sayuri said, shaking her head, "So you''re telling me that you are Kylie."


    Kyle nodded.


    "So Joseph and Lianne are your kids from your past life," Sayuri continued.


    "Yes," Kyle answered.


    "And ¡­ and ¡­" Sayuri couldn''t say it.


    She stared at Kyle and looked at him, from top to toe.


    No matter how you looked at it, Kyle was a man. His actions, mannerism, and thoughts were all ''male''.


    "Well, I was born a male and grew up as a male," Kyle said, figuring out what she was thinking.


    So many thoughts were going on in her mind, and so many questions were popping up.


    However, the main one that concerned her right now was ¡­


    "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him worriedly.


    She had been wondering about how Kyle could be so cold and let the mother of the two kids he was so close to, just die. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, however, she was wondering how Kyle could remain so calm after seeing his own death.


    He still appeared as cold as ever, as if nothing affected him. But Sayuri knew it could not be so.


    Kyle didn''t answer her, not knowing what to say.


    Of course he wasn''t okay, but he wasn''t going to actually let her know that. But he couldn''t lie to her either, so he opted to remain silent.


    Sayuri watched that lonely profile and without a word, she hugged him.


    Kyle was surprised, and he stood still.


    As if encouraged by his lack of response, Sayuri tightened her hug and she said softly, "I am here for you, Kyle."


    Kyle clenched his teeth.


    The exact same words as his sister, and the exact same manner of comforting him.


    Unfortunately, however, his reaction was completely different when it came to Sayuri.


    When he felt her soft body holding onto him, and her vanilla scent wafting into his nose, his body craved for something more to soothe the pain in his heart.


    With Kay, all he needed was just holding onto her and he was calm.


    With Sayuri ¡­


    Kyle gulped and closed his eyes, taking very deep breaths.


    The strong physical attraction he was having was something that he could not deny any longer but he did not want to act on it.


    Never before had he been affected this way.


    With Sari, his desire had arisen due to his love for her.


    But this?


    He wasn''t in love with Sayuri, yet, he could not help but be attracted to her physically. There was this undeniable chemistry between them that was ignited each time they touched intimately like this.


    Kyle hated himself for reacting so.


    Sayuri wasn''t a piece of meat but he couldn''t help how his body responded to her.


    All his senses were affected.


    The sense of touch as her body pressed onto him.


    The sense of smell as her vanilla scent seemed to invade his soul. Kyle could finally understand what Randall meant about ''his'' smell.


    The sense of sight when he looked at her sweet, innocent face that the beast inside of him wanted to ravish.


    The sense of hearing when she talked and that soft, melodious voice was like singing to his ears.


    The only thing missing was taste ¡­ and oh, he wanted to taste her so badly right now.


    Grabbing her arms, Kyle pulled them apart and created a distance between them.


    "I''m fine," Kyle said hoarsely, stepping back.


    "No, you''re not," insisted Sayuri, stepping forward.


    She closed the gap between them easily, and she placed a hand on his cheek, saying, "You''re only human, Kyle. Anyone would be affected if they were in your position. Stop trying to deny your feelings right now."


    Kyle took her hand off his cheek and he said, "Trust me, Sayuri. Right now, that''s the best thing."


    "No, how can it be?" Sayuri protested, escaping from his hands again and came closer to him.


    Kyle stepped back again, only to find that he could not move anymore as his back hit the railings.


    Sayuri brought up her hand and brushed his hair aside, then caressed his cheek, "Nothing good can ever come out of you closing yourself off from having human emotions, Kyle."


    "No, seriously, Sayuri," Kyle said, putting his hands on the railings beside him and gripping them hard, "Just drop this, okay?"


    Sayuri stopped then, biting her lower lips as she looked at Kyle sadly.


    He looked like he was in so much pain, with the way he stood there stiffly. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy, as he took long, deep breaths.


    He was obviously struggling hard to keep his emotions under control. Everything about him was tense, and she could see how tight his leg muscles were - a sure sign of how much stress he was under.


    Sayuri sighed deeply and patted his chest, saying softly, "I''m sorry. I should mind my own business."


    Hearing the sadness in Sayuri''s voice, Kyle opened his eyes.


    And immediately regretted it.


    Her face was so close to his and the sight was more than he could bear. Before he realised it, he had closed the gap between them and placed his lips on hers.

 Chapter 615 - Should Not Be Doing This (R18)

    Kyle found Sayuri''s lips to be perfect for kissing.


    It was soft, moist and utterly soft.


    He kissed her lower lip several times before licking it and then tilted his head to the other side as he kissed her lips at another angle.


    With each kiss, he felt like there was an electricity bolt that ran through them, linking them and affecting him far more than he ever thought possible.


    Sayuri didn''t protest, so Kyle continued his gentle care of her lips. He found he couldn''t get enough of them as he indulged himself thoroughly.


    After what seemed like forever, Kyle broke the kiss, leaning back while gulping.


    Damn, he had nearly lost it.


    Okay, so he did lose it for a while but at least, all he had done was just kissing.


    Not even any deep kissing either and his hands had remained gripping the railing beside him.


    Still, he had been kissing a friend.


    A good friend.


    He had crossed the invisible line. One that could not be repaired.


    He was afraid of Sayuri''s reaction, though he knew it couldn''t be that bad since she did not push him away.


    In fact, she hadn''t done anything at all ¡­


    Kyle looked down at Sayuri, only to see that she was looking at him with her eyes wide open.


    Dazed.


    Ah, that made sense.


    She must have been so shocked that she couldn''t react.


    Kyle decided this was the best time to retreat.


    He should not be using her in any way to get the comfort that his body and soul seemed to be screaming for.


    That would really be crappy of him.


    "Sayuri, I -" Kyle began, when the words died in his throat.


    To be more accurate, he couldn''t talk anymore as this time, it was Sayuri that kissed him.


    And it wasn''t a gentle kiss either.


    She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled her to him while plastering herself on him. She kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth.


    She slowly ran her tongue all over inside, teasing his tongue before finally capturing it and sucking it briefly then did it all over again.


    Kyle groaned deep in his throat, trying hard not to go overboard but his hands were already sneaking around her waist, while hers wrapped itself around his neck.


    When she broke the kiss for air, both of their eyes were dark and heavy with lust.


    "We really shouldn''t be doing this," Kyle whispered, kissing her again.


    This time, it was him that initiated the tongue tango.


    Sayuri closed her eyes as she rubbed herself on Kyle while his hands went below and started kneading her *ss.


    Kyle found the soft mounds utterly fascinating as he continued to hold them, squeeze them and caressing them through her pants.


    "Yes, we really," Sayuri said breathlessly when Kyle let go of her lips, "Really, should stop."


    She kissed him again, and ran her hands under his shirt, feeling his naked skin and tight muscles. She took the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, running her fingers along his skin as she did so.


    They broke the kiss for a brief moment as he allowed her to pull the shirt over his head, then fling it aside.


    Sayuri ran her tongue all along his jaw, then kissed it and continued raining kisses onto his neck and chest. She flicked her tongue on his nipple before nipping it lightly.


    Kyle growled, and, grabbing her neck, he forced her head up and kissed her. This time, aggressively as it was filled with all the intense desire and lust that had been building up the entire time.


    And Sayuri accepted that passion, reciprocating it with her own.


    The balcony was dark and it was night, and it was unlikely that anyone - other than them - were awake at that time. Still, both were too engrossed with each other to really care if anyone did happen to see them making out on the balcony.


    Kyle broke the kiss, staring at Sayuri in the eyes as his hands slowly started unbuttoning her shirt. Sayuri didn''t stop him, and instead, was busy running her hands all over him as well.


    Kyle felt himself go harder upon feeling how those soft hands were expertly touching all the spots that just made him want to take her there and then, right on the balcony.


    His fingers paused as he growled at her, saying, "If you keep doing that, I won''t be able to hold back."


    "Who is asking you to hold back?" she said, stepping back and taking off her shirt.


    She didn''t break eye contact with him as she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, exposing herself for him to see freely.


    She stood there, and smiled, seeing how he was staring at her so intently.


    Kyle clenched his jaw, thinking that this mischevious ninja who specialises in the art of seduction, was really, really asking for it.


    His eyes darkened further, his pants were getting tighter and he had to breathe through his mouth as he found himself finding it hard to breathe.


    "Damn it, Sayuri," Kyle hissed.


    He closed the gap easily and started kissing her passionately. Feeling those soft orbs crushed against his naked chest, he started kissing her neck, trailing his lips down to her chest.


    Sayuri moaned softly, making Kyle harder than ever and his brain hardly registered the fact that she was unbuckling his belt.


    He placed his lips around one nipple, biting it a bit which elicited a slight jerk and another moan from the hot girl in his arms. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He twirled his tongue around the nipple before he started sucking it like a newborn babe.


    Sayuri gasped, as she felt him grabbing the other breast with his hand and caressing it, tweaking the nipple. Whatever he did with one breast with his lips, he was doing to the other with his hand.


    Sayuri moaned, then slipped her hand into his boxers.

 Chapter 616 - First Time (R18)

    Kyle growled deep in his throat as he felt her soft, warm hands holding his erection and stroking it. She twirled her palm on the tip, letting it soak in the pre-cum that was leaking in abundance.


    Kyle looked up at Sayuri, then grabbed the back of her thighs.


    As if she had read his mind, Sayuri let go of his throbbing c*ck and wrapped her hands around his neck. In one synchronised movement, Kyle lifted her while she wrapped her legs around his waist.


    His hard c*ck rubbed against her core as she pressed herself onto him, and he could feel how wet she was through the dampness of her pants.


    They started kissing then, as he impatiently headed inside her apartment.


    Not bothering to close the sliding doors of the balcony, Kyle went straight to the sofa and lay Sayuri down after breaking away from the kiss.


    He lay on top of her, caressing her cheek softly and then started kissing her neck, chest, trailing kisses all the way down to her stomach. His hand slowly pulled down her pants, and his lips kissed every inch of her that was slowly being exposed.


    Kyle had always wondered what it would be like, and whether he would actually be able to do so. Would he be repulsed by it?


    Come to think of it, despite the numerous missions he had gone through - even with Samantha, he had never given oral s*x. It was always using the hands, then giving them the illusion that something more had happened.


    Now, as he lay there, gazing at Sayuri''s core, all his worries and thoughts went out the window.


    Everything, from the sight, to the smell, was enticing him.


    "Kyle ¡­" Sayuri said breathlessly, getting more and more embarrassed at the way he was just staring at her most intimate place, unmoving.


    She had been trained, yes, and she had been so caught up with the strong feelings she had for Kyle (and lust) that being active in this was only natural for her. Now, however, having the man that she loved inbetween her legs was a sight that affected her far more than she thought possible.


    Then, she felt him caress her inner thigh before claiming her soft bud. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since they were inside the apartment now, Sayuri didn''t hold back anymore. The sounds that came out of her lips was something she didn''t think possible as Kyle''s tongue licked all over and was busy lapping all of the sweet nectar she was producing just for him.


    The more sounds she made, the harder Kyle got, and he stuck his tongue deep into her sopping wet cave as he could, while his thumb played with the bud.


    Sayuri was writhing on the sofa, her hands clutching the sides as the intense emotions filled her up. She was gasping, twitching while her cries of passion were getting louder and more high pitched.


    Sayuri placed her hands over her mouth, too embarassed over the sounds she was making. However, she then heard Kyle saying, "Don''t. I want to hear you."


    He continued his meticulous onslaught on her core and she complied with his request. She did, however, try her best not to be too loud but when the wave hit her, she couldn''t stop it.


    Kyle grinned, taking everything she was giving greedily.


    He could understand why now, that this was referred to as the ''sweet nectar''. Semen was rather sourish and took some time to get used to. Between giving a blowjob to a guy, and licking p*ssy, Kyle preferred the latter.


    Once the wave was over, Kyle went up and kissed Sayuri''s neck.


    He could feel his hard-on just on top of her core, and he moved further up so that it would be in a safer position.


    Sayuri took his head in her hands, and then kissed him passionately, running her tongue all over inside his mouth. His hands roamed over her naked skin, touching and caressing everywhere.


    Sayuri moved further up a bit, and then started rubbing her extremely wet cave along the side of his raging hard-on.


    Kyle growled, and he grabbed Sayuri''s shoulders, saying, "Stop that!! It''s hard enough controlling myself!"


    Sayuri gave him a slow smile, wrapping her arms around him and rubbed herself even more on his c*ck, saying, "Who''s asking you to control yourself?"


    Sayuri kissed him, then whispered in his ear, "I want you inside of me so badly."


    Kyle groaned, "Sayuri, you''re going to be the death of me. I want that more than anything but I can''t. I don''t have a condom."


    "It''s okay," she said, "I''m on the pill."


    Kyle was surprised.


    He turned his head to stare at her, wanting to ask why she was on the pill when he realised just where his c*ck was positioned right now.


    It was directly at her core, the tip of its head just at the entrance. His entire c*ck was already wet with his precum and her juices, lubricating it well. With just one push, he would enter that secret cave.


    It took all of his willpower not to push in.


    Sayuri smiled at how gentlemanly Kyle was being, despite the position they were in. She brought her legs up and wrapped it around his waist.


    Kyle gulped, closing his eyes as he held himself back and let her do what she wanted. The sensation was so overwhelming and he clenched his jaw.


    Seeing this, Sayuri smiled even more and pulled him closer to her with her legs. By doing so, the head of his c*ck slid right inside her tight, wet cave.


    Kyle groaned and didn''t need another invitation.


    He thrust himself inside her in one swift motion, shock coursing through his entire body when he felt a slight barrier which he broke through easily before he could stop himself.


    She winced a bit and he stared at her incredulously, eyes wide, "You''re a virgin?!"

 Chapter 617 - Regrets? (R18)

    "Don''t stop," Sayuri begged, gripping on him tightly as she endured the sudden, sharp pain.


    Kyle felt intense regret.


    Why didn''t he consider the possibility that this was her first time?


    She had been so pro-active and confident, every action giving him the impression that she was more than skilled in this area.


    Kyle''s first time had been him basically leaving everything to his spouse, and he had been so embarrassed exposing himself in front of his spouse that he was basically a statute.


    No, not a statute, but a puppet. Being controlled under the act of his spouse.


    Even if Sayuri did learn all of this as a ninja, the natural way she acted made him believe that it wasn''t her first time.


    He felt regret because he would have been gentler so that the penetration wouldn''t have hurt so much.


    Kyle kissed her deeply as he allowed her to adjust to his size and the sudden invasion at her core.


    When he felt her relax, he pulled out slowly all the way until only his tip remained inside, then he pushed himself in again.


    It was torturous for him to be so slow but he had to.


    Feeling how tight and wet she was, it felt like Heaven.


    Each time he pulled out, it felt like her insides were grabbing onto him, trying to pull him back in and with each thrust in, it felt like it was being held on tightly.


    The wetness made each thrust easier and he wanted nothing more than to have the sensations he was feeling to be increased.


    "Oh God, Kyle," Sayuri moaned, moving her hips along to his movement, "This feels so good."


    Kyle groaned and started increasing the pace of his thrusts.


    Having his c*ck being squeezed so tightly, he wanted nothing more than to keep pounding mercilessly into her. He gripped her *ss to keep her steady as his thrusts were hard, long and fast.


    Sayuri wasn''t the silent type either as she started dirty talking to him, saying loudly, "Oh yes, yes! Fuck me hard, Kyle! Harder! Harder! Ram yourself inside me!!"


    He complied, loving the sensation she was invoking and the writhing woman screaming out profanities into his ear.


    It didn''t take long for the both of them to climax, Sayuri screaming while Kyle grunted, feeling himself spurting his warm seed into the sopping wet cave that seemed to suck everything within.


    He had wanted to pull out to minimise the risk, as no contraceptive method is 100% foolproof. However, Sayuri''s legs around his waist didn''t let him.


    Both were gasping, staring at each other, their faces and body having a thin sheen of sweat.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Kyle asked, kissing her gently, "I would have been more gentle."


    Sayuri smiled, and shook her head, "I didn''t want you to be gentle."


    She kissed him, running her tongue on his lips and entering his mouth slowly. The way she twirled her tongue inside, got him heated up all over again.


    Feeling him grow hard inside of her again, she broke the kiss and whispered in his ear, "Looks like the dragon is awake again."


    He pulled himself out, his cock raised high in the air as it exited her warm cave.


    He took off his pants and boxers completely while she kicked away her pants and underwear that was hanging on one leg.


    Neither of them broke eye contact as they undressed fully, as if the strip show was exclusively for them.


    He came and sat down on the sofa, picking up her leg and started kissing it.


    "We should talk about this," Kyle said, his lips not stopping as it went higher.


    "What''s there to talk about?" Sayuri asked, as she lay her back on the sofa''s armrest and watched Kyle.


    Kyle put down her leg, and started caressing her inner thigh, "You know very well what."


    Sayuri used her other leg and using her toes, started touching Kyle''s c*ck.


    Kyle pursed his lips.


    "Someone is being so naughty," Kyle growled, coming over.


    Sayuri gave a sultry smile and turned over, bringing up her *ss to him and said, "So? Do you want to spank me?"


    He smacked her lightly on her butt cheeks, causing it to be slightly red while she moaned.


    "Do you think a spanking is the only thing I''ll be doing?" Kyle growled, smacking her on the other butt cheek, "You''ve been very, very naughty. You''re getting the rod as well."


    "The rod?" Sayuri asked breathlessly, turning to look back at him with a smirk, "Is it hard enough?"


    He hit her on the butt again and in one hard thrust, entered her hard from behind.


    Without a breather, he continued thrusting into her while smacking her butt every once in a while. She moaned so loud, and his c*ck was being squeezed so hard by her clenching cave that Kyle was going crazy.


    He reached over and grabbed her breasts, kneading them hard and pinching her nipples.


    "Harder! Faster! Harder!" Sayuri was panting it, moving her hips to meet with his thrusts.


    Kyle complied.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri''s head was lying down on Kyle''s chest, and they finally made their way to the bedroom.


    Kyle had thought his sex drive was high, but Sayuri truly could match him in that aspect. They had gone from the living room sofa, to the kitchen table, then counter and finally, collapsed on the bed.


    Sayuri brought her head up and stared at Kyle, who appeared to be thinking hard.


    "Don''t think too much about it, Kyle," Sayuri said with a sigh, "You felt it too, right?"


    "You mean, the sexual chemistry?" Kyle asked, just to be sure.


    Sayuri nodded. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And it''s so obvious that we really hit it off in that aspect," Sayuri continued, "That had been the most mindblowing experience ever."


    Kyle hugged her tightly to him, agreeing completely.

 Chapter 618 - Everywhere (R18)

    Seeing how Kyle was agreeing, Sayuri pressed on, "So what''s wrong with it?"


    "Everything," Kyle said, "And nothing."


    Kyle sat up on the bed, resting his back on the headrest, "Sayuri, I do not deny that I am extremely attracted to you physically. And that was the best sex I''ve had - even taking into account my past life. Heck, in this life, you''re my first as well."


    Sayuri blinked.


    "I was?" she asked in shock.


    Then she felt all warm inside.


    She had stated to herself that she wanted his heart, so would abstain from having any sort of physical intimacy with him despite the growing attraction (physically) between them.


    However, when he had kissed her, she had thought, ''Fuck that. I want him.''


    It didn''t matter then about his heart or whatever.


    If he was offering himself on a platter, she was going to take it and have seconds.


    In fact, she wasn''t even sure if she could capture his heart in the future. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So why should she not take this step while pursuing him?


    If she failed, at least .. she had this for her memories. If she held herself back and failed in getting his heart, she knew she would have regretted not taking this step.


    Giving her first time to him was her special gift for him. He may not know it, but she had already vowed to give her first time only to the person she was in love with.


    To know that she was his first time as well, made it seem like she would have a special place in his heart later on - even if they never got together.


    "Look," Sayuri said with a sigh as she stared at him, "Nothing changes between us. I am well aware that this entire thing was physical."


    Kyle looked at her, "Seriously? You''re fine to just go back to how things were after all of that?"


    "Er, no," Sayuri admitted.


    "See?" Kyle said in exasperation.


    "After all, I want to continue to be able to fuck you," Sayuri said with a straight face.


    Kyle''s shocked face made Sayuri laugh like crazy.


    "I mean, other than that, things remain the same. I know you don''t love me but you can''t deny this thing between us," Sayuri said, "We''re young, grown adults. Or maybe it''s just me that is weird to propose this."


    "No, you''re not," Kyle said, "Actually, I was already thinking of finding a bed partner, no strings attached."


    "You were what?!" Sayuri gasped.


    "Don''t judge me," Kyle said with a slight laugh, "I''m no saint, Sayuri. I have the memories of my past life as a sexually active person. You can''t expect me to be a monk in this life now, do you?"


    "No, but you would be getting married ¡­"


    Kyle shook his head, "No, I am not."


    "You''re really not even considering that at all?" Sayuri asked in a whisper.


    "So now do you see why this is not a good idea? For you and me, that is," Kyle said, "The last thing I want to do is hurt a good friend when this is over."


    Sayuri smiled wistfully.


    Little did Kyle know, whether they continued this or not, she would still leave him if she failed to get his heart. At least, she could enjoy her time to the fullest while trying so.


    She went up to him, kissed him on the lips and said, "Believe me, I know where I stand. I won''t have fancy ideas or blame you in the future. All I want, for now, is this."


    She kissed him deeply.


    "Fine," Kyle said when she broke the kiss, "The moment you find someone you''re interested in, tell me. We will stop immediately."


    Sayuri nodded.


    "I promise that while we are together, I won''t be with anyone else," Kyle said.


    "Same for me," Sayuri said, "But one thing. If you find someone else you want to fuck, tell me and I will step aside."


    "Of course," Kyle said, kissing her, "But I doubt I''ll find anyone."


    "I''ll also warn you," Sayuri said breathlessly as they continued kissing, "I am very territorial. Even if we''re not a couple, I do not share the man I sleep with. Any woman that dares to tempt you, will get it from me."


    "Ditto," Kyle replied, flipping her over and going on top of her, "No strings attached but no one can come near."


    "You got it," Sayuri agreed as she arched her back in pleasure as Kyle entered her again.


    After that, only the sounds of flesh hitting each other and moans were heard in the room.


    Yet again.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    In the morning, Kyle and Sayuri entered Kyle''s apartment through the door.


    Kay was in the kitchen, washing the dishes. Without lifting her head, she said, "Breakfast on the table. I''ve already eaten."


    Then she looked at them, shrugged and said, "Though I don''t know if you wanted breakfast since you''ve obviously eaten."


    Sayuri coughed in embarrassment, obviously knowing what Kay was referring to.


    Kyle sat down and took the plate of scrambled eggs, toast, baked beans and sausages that were obviously for him (due to the number of servings).


    "That one doesn''t really fill up the stomach, you know," Kyle said, shoveling the food in his mouth, "And thanks for this."


    "When did you get in, Kay?" Sayuri asked as she sat down.


    "Last night," Kay replied, "The funeral is at 8am, so we should make a move soon."


    Kay walked over to Kyle, seeing him eat and then made him look at her. She studied his face intently, kissed his forehead then turned towards Sayuri.


    "Thank you," she said before leaving to change.


    "What was she thanking me for?" she asked Kyle in puzzlement.


    "For making me feel better," Kyle replied, "Are you going to eat that?"


    Sayuri stared at his empty plate, shocked.


    "Sex makes me hungry, I suppose," Kyle said.

 Chapter 619 - Funeral

    "How come Kay knows about our arrangement?!" Sayuri asked as she watched Kyle tucking into her breakfast.


    "I tell Kay everything," Kyle answered, nonplussed, "Just like she tells me everything."


    "But when did you tell her?" Sayuri asked again, for Kyle had been with her the entire night till now.


    "Oh, that," Kyle said, "Kay and I can communicate telepathically."


    Sayuri looked at him and then shook her head, "Forget it. I should have known better than to try and make sense of that. After all, if you can be the reincarnated soul of a 40+ year old mother, what is telepathic communication?"


    "Sorry, I guess I should have warned you about that," Kyle said, "And how we always share everything. It''s just that it is a part of me that I never think about. Does it bother you?"


    Sayuri shook her head, "No, it doesn''t. It just bothered me that I wasn''t told beforehand, that''s all. Kay''s your twin and is a part of you, I guess. So it''s only natural."


    Kyle nodded, "Yeah, and you''re right. I''ll try and be more aware next time."


    "This is just between the three of us, okay?" Sayuri stressed.


    "Don''t worry," Kyle answered.


    Sayuri was silent as she thought of the events of the entire night.


    Then she stared at Kyle.


    "What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he cleaned the plate.


    "I just realised ¡­ I had sex with a guy who used to be a woman," Sayuri said, "Is that why you are so amazing at it?"


    Kyle nearly spluttered his coffee out.


    "Heck, no," Kyle said, "Wait. Maybe. I don''t know. How the heck would knowledge as a woman in the past life have anything to do with how I move my d*ck now??"


    "So you do prefer having sex as a woman, or as a man?" Sayuri went on to ask relentlessly.


    "Good question," Kyle said, "Both are great ¡­ though, I must admit."


    "Admit what?" Sayuri asked, then saw Kyle edging closer to her.


    "How enjoyable it is, depends entirely on the party you''re doing it with," Kyle said his softly, his lips close to her lips.


    "Oh?"


    "Oh," Kyle replied, giving her a short, yet deep kiss before getting up just as Kay walked out of the bedroom.


    Sayuri was still left gasping a bit at the table and she silently cursed him.


    She wondered now whether this move of hers was a good thing ¡­ or a bad thing.


    She didn''t know yet.


    For now, it was good.


    Once she felt it was going downhill, she will step back and leave.


    She watched him straighten his back as he waited for Kay to reach them, then they made a move.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The atmosphere at the funeral parlour was sombre. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Normally, the funeral would be held at home but since it the house had burned down, this was the only other logical place.


    A typical funeral would last between three to seven days, depending on the financial capabilities of the family. One day was not the norm, but it was accepted in some cases such as the family being too poor.


    In Kylie''s case, it wasn''t that they were poor, but rather, the circumstances didn''t quite allow it.


    There was so much to do and Stephan was distraught having to cope with the loss of his wife, his home and dealing with his grieving children as well.


    The kids had taken it so hard.


    Which was to be expected.


    What he did not expect was that his daughter seemed to have had a meltdown, as she screamed and cried while huddling herself in one corner. She would not respond to anything around her and all they could do, was simply to watch over her as she lay in her own little world.


    Stephan had to leave his daughter in the hands of his son, and luckily, those two clung to each other. Figuratively, though, not literally.


    Joseph also had this blank look on his face while he sat there, near to his sister who was wailing.


    The two extreme reactions from his children tore at his heart.


    Right now, at least, both appeared to have calmed down somewhat.


    Stephan looked at the open casket that lay at the front of the parlour.


    They had had to make adjustments to the normal funeral rites.


    As it was held in the parlour rather than home, there was no way that they could place the coffin with its head facing the inside of the house.


    There was also supposed to be a photograph of his late wife placed at the head of the coffin, but they had to cover it as Lianne could not see that without breaking down.


    They had also opted out of placing food in front of the coffin, an offering that is given to the deceased. Instead, it was placed at the side, with a smaller (and covered) picture of his late wife.


    Inside the coffin, a broken half of a comb was placed while the other half was being gripped by Lianne in her hands. The breaking of the comb is a symbolic reference of severance to all old ties.


    Though this was not meant to be that one would forget, but rather, to let go. Lianne was the one who was most affected and thus, holding that comb gave her some semblance of peace.


    Lianne gripped the piece in her hands tightly. To her, it represented her mother. By holding onto it, she could imagine herself still having some sort of connection to her mother.


    Though it was meant as ''breaking ties'', Lianne saw it more as ''maintaining it''.


    She didn''t tell her father this, of course. If she did, he would take away the comb as it defeated the purpose.


    Lianne stood there with her brother at the left shoulder of the coffin, staring at it in a daze.


    Her mother was dead.

 Chapter 620 - Funeral (II)

    When Kyle, Kay and Sayuri entered the funeral parlour, everyone couldn''t help but stare at them.


    At least, more at Kyle and Kay as they had blue eyes.


    Who were these striking people who were obviously not part of Country M? Since when did the Yangs know of such people?


    Stephan was at the door, greeting guests that came in and he looked at them in puzzlement.


    "Mr. Yang," said Kyle softly, "We''re sorry for your loss."


    "Thank you," Stephan replied, "I"m sorry, but you are?" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri stepped forward, saying, "I''m Sayuri, Lianne''s art instructor. This is Kyle, my neighbour and his sister."


    "Ah," Stephan said, nodding, "Thank you for coming."


    Just then, a delivery van arrived and a guy came out, carrying a bouquet of white flowers. To be specific, it was 10 Stalks of Chrysanthemum, Yellow Peacocks, Snow White Leaves and Paku Leaves.


    In the middle of the arrangement, was a white envelope.


    Stephan signed the delivery order and took the envelope, placing it in his pocket for safekeeping. The flowers were placed amongst the other bouquets of condolences.


    This was a typical gesture from those sending their condolences i.e. flowers and some contribution to help in paying for the funeral.


    The amount given is normally dependent upon how close the person is to the deceased, but it would always be in odd numbers.


    He noted the names on it, ''Smith'' but had no idea who they were. Perhaps it was the earlier people since he didn''t know many foreigners here. He was touched that not only did they come to the funeral, they also knew of the customs well enough and gave this show of sincerity.


    It was only much later, after the funeral was over, did Stephan open the envelope and nearly dropped it in shock. The envelope had been thin, and it had been from people he had hardly known, so he had not expected much. He was appreciative of any amount, no matter how small. Yet inside, it was $10,001 ¡­ Ten $1000 banknotes and one $1 note. Stephan couldn''t help but sit down, tears streaming down his face as he sobbed softly.


    Kyle stood still for a second, seeing the open casket in front of him.


    He turned to look at his kids that were at the side. Lianne and Joseph. His heart twisted in pain upon seeing the dead look in their eyes. Kay grabbed his arm to give him support and he smiled, while his other hand naturally went to hold Sayuri''s hand.


    Having them both by his side made him be able to face this in a much better frame of mind.


    With a deep breath, he walked over towards his children.


    Lianne looked up, a slight spark in her eyes as she saw Sayuri and Kyle. Joseph was still a bit wooden, trying to be strong for his sister and be the ''man of the family'' while his father was busy.


    Sayuri hugged Lianne while Kay stood at one side.


    None of the kids knew Kay yet, so she didn''t want to be overly friendly. Even though she knew about them since they were young. How could she not?


    She had grown up listening to all the stories about them from Kyle, and the things that the Mary Poppin Agents in charge of monitoring them would give. The only thing she didn''t do, was read up about Kylie because she felt that was too weird.


    Her brother was Kylie, so to her, Kylie had to be in the past.


    She was also worried that if she got too attached to Kylie, she might have trouble in letting Kylie die. It would have been one heck of a problem, and not getting to know Kylie at any level was the best solution for her.


    She wanted the two to be completely separate from each other.


    Kyle placed his hand on Joseph''s shoulder, saying, "You''re doing good, Joey. I''m always here for you."


    Joseph nodded.


    "This is Kay, my twin sister," Kyle said to the both of them.


    Kay gave them a soft smile, then hugged both Lianne and Joseph, saying, "I''m so sorry for your loss."


    Both Lianne and Joseph were rather stiff during the hug, but they didn''t reject it. She was Kyle''s sister, and she did look kind. Unlike Kyle. Hard to believe that the two were twins.


    After that, they walked over to the open casket. Normally, the tradition would be that the viewing was done in order of the family hierarchy but this time, they were doing it slightly differently.


    They allowed guests to view the casket first, then before the funeral procession, the family members would pay their respects.


    [Are you sure about this, brother?]


    [Yes] Kyle answered [I have to say my goodbyes too]


    They walked over to the casket and as if in silent agreement, Sayuri and Kay stepped back, allowing Kyle to go first.


    He peered in, not really knowing what to think or feel.


    His former body was dressed up in one of his favourite formal outfit, and the face was covered with a white cloth. That was tradition, of course, and in this case, it was for the best.


    Kylie''s face had been smashed to a pulp and was burnt, after all.


    The person who had dressed up his former body had done a good job. One could hardly tell the sort of trauma it had gone through.


    "Goodbye, Kylie," Kyle whispered. It was rather strange to say such things to himself, but it made him feel better.


    After that, they stayed on until the funeral rites and procession that started in the late evening.


    Guests aren''t expected to stay until the end. They can leave but must do so quietly without bidding goodbye.


    There would be a red envelope (with a coin inside) on the table near the exit for the guests, as a token of gratitude and a prayer/wish for the guests'' safety in returning home.

 Chapter 621 - The Mastermind

    Kyle chose to stay until the end, for obvious reasons.


    The two girls stayed by his side, silently supporting him.


    Their prescence in the front row seat also gave Lianne and Joseph some comfort. They didn''t need to do anything. Just being there, steady, was enough for them.


    As they had to stay there the entire day, Kyle would often go out and get food for the kids. It was something easy to eat, and light, like sandwiches. He even got their favourites. For Lianne, it was custard cream pie and for Joseph, it was a local fried dessert known as ''karipap'', or curry puffs. In Joseph''s case, he liked the fillings to be of potato.


    Both of them accepted his kind gesture without a thought, not even wondering how he knew what they liked eating. They were too numb.


    At the end of the day, the family members started paying their respects and saying goodbye to the deceased before the casket is closed. The order was determined by the importance and closeness of the family to the deceased, so it was Stephan first, followed by the eldest son (Joseph) and remaining children.


    Then, it went to the deceased parents, siblings and so forth.


    Once the casket was closed, it was carried to the funeral van outside.


    Family members would lead the van towards the cemetery. In this case, they could do so by foot as the cemetery was close-by.


    The order of the procession was similar to that when they paid their respects.


    Kyle, being just a friend, was right at the back.


    Kyle watched it all with an ache in his heart.


    They followed slowly behind everyone until they reached the cemetery.


    Stephan had decided on a burial rather than cremation. He felt, to burn her twice, was cruel beyond words.


    After the burial was over, everyone slowly started leaving.


    Kyle stood at a distance, just observing everything.


    Soon, Kylie''s parents left, taking their grandkids with them. Stephan was left alone, sitting there as he stared at the fresh soil and tomstone.


    Kyle turned to Kay and Sayuri, saying, "You guys go back. I need to talk to him."


    They nodded.


    Kyle hugged Kay, then Sayuri, and thanked them.


    "I''ll be fine," he assured them, "I have things to settle with him."


    He stood there for a while, watching them go before he turned around and headed towards his former spouse.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Stephan just sat there, staring blankly at the fresh mound of dirt.


    His mind was swirling over the events in the last 48 hours, and he couldn''t quite grasp it all.


    His house was burned down. His wife was dead. His family was being threatened. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was happening?


    He found it hard to keep his grip on sanity, and not snap at his kids who were grieving so much. Luckily, his in-laws were around to help but how long could he depend on them?


    It was Kylie that held them together.


    And now, she was gone.


    Forever.


    He sighed.


    "Why did you have to leave me?" Stephan cried out suddenly.


    "She didn''t want to," Kyle said, coming up from behind him.


    "WHAAAAA" Stephan screamed, partly in shock at him suddenly appearing, partly due to the words Kyle had spoken.


    Stephan stood up angrily, grabbing Kyle by the collar, "What the hell are you talking about? What do you know about all of this?!"


    Kyle grabbed Stephan''s wrist and pressed a few acupuncture points, making him release his hold, "Relax, Mr. Yang. I am not your enemy. I want to catch these bastards as much as you do."


    Stephan''s eyes narrowed and he took in the young man''s figure.


    Sure, he looked rather intimidating and cold, but he was still just a young boy. Hardly much older than his own son. What the hell could he do?


    Donnie had killed his wife and even threatened to kill his kids.


    "I don''t need your help," Stephan said.


    "Yes, you do," Kyle replied firmly, "Don''t be stubborn. Your wife died because she was in way over her head. Do you want your kids to die because of it as well?"


    "What can YOU do?" Stephan asked with a sneer, "These men are killers!"


    Kyle didn''t say a word, and showed him an ID. Stephan looked at it, his face looking puzzled. He saw a holographic badge behind Kyle''s picture, and an emblem that looked similar to the United Nations, with the bold words "MIB" on it.


    "What is MIB?" he asked.


    "MIB is a secret international organisation. Our role is counter-terrorism," Kyle said with a straight face, "Our jurisdiction is worldwide, our power higher than any Leaders of State. We''ve been investigating Donnie Yang and your wife just happened to stumble across something she should not have."


    Looking at Stephan straight in the eyes, "Now, do you want to cooperate with us to catch him, or do you want to risk your kids'' lives?"


    While Kyle was busy talking to Stephan, Kay was at home and gripping the report she had just gotten.


    "What is it?" Sayuri asked, seeing the tension Kay was under.


    Kay gave Sayuri the report. Sayuri''s eyes skimmed over it quickly and gasped.


    "He''s the one?!"


    "Yes," Kay said, "Our team triple-checked it already."


    Sayuri shook her head.


    Being a loyal citizen of Country Tz, Sayuri could not believe such a thing could happen in any country.


    With the thumbdrive that Kyle had retrieved and the information that they had gathered over the years, they found that ''human trafficking'' was just the tip of the iceberg.


    It turned out that there were also drugs, and weapons involved. The main organisation that was doing all of this, was a terrorist group that used Country M as it''s main base.


    The mastermind behind it all. The one who had started it and made it possible ¡­


    Was the Minister of Defence of Country M, Mr Syed Xavier.

 Chapter 622 - Dealing With The Kids

    Kyle and Stephan talked for a long time at the cemetery.


    After accepting the fact that Kyle was a secret agent, Stephan felt his burden being lighter.


    "You and your kids should move into Sayuri''s house," Kyle said, "The security is tight, and we can monitor your movements better. It would be harder for Donnie to do anything."


    "You mean, Instructor Sayuri is also an agent?" Stephan asked, surprised.


    Just what is this MIB that could recruit such youngsters?


    "Do not ask," Kyle said, "Just me exposing myself is already a risk."


    Stephan nodded, understanding.


    "During this mourning period, my sister can help in taking care of the kids while we investigate the matter," Kyle said, "You should act like normal, and go to work like normal."


    Stephan nodded again, thinking that this was quite a good deal, really.


    He got a place to stay in without having to bother his aged in-laws. It was in an entirely new place so the kids should be able to heal better. Sayuri was Lianne''s art instructor, and she may be able to reach out to Lianne in ways that he never could. Art.


    There were so many positives that Stephan could not reject. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will announce that I am sponsoring your kids, so it would not arouse suspicion about you moving next door to me," Kyle said.


    "Huh?" Stephan said, not comprehending the situation.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Sorry, I just assumed you knew who I was. I''m Kyle Rexington Smith."


    Stephan still looked blank.


    "The Current CEO of Smith Industries," Kyle continued.


    Stephan''s mind went blank.


    "The .. the ¡­ Smith Industries?" Stephan managed to stammer out, "But you are M.."


    "A hobby," Kyle said, shrugging.


    Stephan blinked.


    Which one was the hobby?


    Him, being a secret agent or him, being the CEO?


    Either way, it was mind-boggling.


    "No one would suspect that I''m a secret agent," Kyle said, patting Stephan on the back, "Come on, don''t try to figure it out. For now, just focus on healing and your kids."


    "Yes. Kids. My kids," Stephan mumbled.


    He gave one last look at his late wife''s final resting place and followed Kyle.


    "I know everything you owned was burned down in the fire," Kyle said, "Don''t worry. The apartment is not only fully furnished, but your basic necessities are also provided for."


    "Thank you," Stephan managed to croak out.


    Kyle nodded.


    In truth, his heart was in turmoil.


    He may have fallen out of love with his spouse and had been separated for 19 years, but it would be a lie to say that he still didn''t have any residual feelings for him.


    It didn''t mean that he would fall in love with his spouse all over again, but rather, it was hard for him not to act like the wife. His spouse was in pain, and Kyle wanted to ease that pain.


    Take care of him, comfort him and not let him have any worries.


    Kyle walked beside him silently.


    He prayed that his spouse would be able to heal properly, meet another person and fall in love again.


    No matter what, his spouse was a good man.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The entire process of moving to Sayuri''s apartment took a couple of days.


    Mainly because they had to convince Kylie''s parents to agree to this arrangement. They wanted to take care of the grandkids, saying that they needed to be around family.


    More so because it appeared that the death had affected the kids far deeper and more serious than normal. Rather, it was apparent in Lianne. The grandparents had called for spiritualists to pray constantly for their grandchildren, to ''ward off'' the ''evil spirits'' that must have ''invaded'' the sensitive and vulnerable spirits of their grandkids.


    It took Sayuri to step in to finally be able to appease their hearts.


    This was because Lianne responded positively to Sayuri, making the grandparents believe that Sayuri must be the ''good luck charm'' that warded off evil spirits. Kyle was grateful for that, and once the approval was given, the move was swift.


    Zero and the others were here as well, stationed at an MIB branch office and living nearby. They were the ones who arranged for the apartment to be ready for the Yangs to move in.


    Sayuri''s apartment was a three-bedroom apartment, so each child had their own room. Kyle had given a list of all the clothes and measurements, so their closets were full with clothes that they normally wore.


    Kyle didn''t go overboard, though he wanted to.


    None of the clothes were branded, as he knew that his spouse and kids would not be comfortable accepting them. He did, however, provide laptops and handphones, saying that they were essential for them to continue their normal life.


    Unknown to them, the apartment was also fitted with hidden cameras in the common areas. This was so that Kyle could observe them and their mental health. He had wanted to put the cameras in their bedrooms as well, but Kay felt that was too much.


    It took Sayuri chipping in before Kyle was able to let go of the matter.


    He still didn''t like it, though.


    Even though he knew it would be an invasion to their privacy, he felt that it was justified if it meant he could take care of them better. He wasn''t interested in digging so intimately in their lives, but he wanted to ensure that they wouldn''t do any self-harm or things like that.


    Such a fine line, and difficult one.


    Kyle was truly worried about Lianne.


    She showed the signs of depression, so he had a child psychologist to come over and visit. Dr. Marveen came on the pretext of being Sayuri''s friend and on that day of interaction, she had an inkling but it was too early to tell.


    After a week, and some tests, Dr. Marveen told Kyle her diagnosis.


    Lianne had Aspergers Syndrome.

 Chapter 623 - Aspergian

    Asperger''s Syndrome is what is known as a ''high-functioning'' Autism.


    Those with Asperger''s Syndrome, known as Aspergians, suffer from a number of impairments. Each Aspergian is different, but namely, they have difficulty interacting socially and some do have challenges with motor skills.


    Kyle was shocked at Dr. Marveen''s dianogsis.


    "Are you sure?" Kyle asked, then put up his hand, apologizing.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t mean to be rude and question your skills, but she seems normal," Kyle said, "Other than the slight awkwardness in social settings, she hasn''t portrayed anything unusual."


    Kyle always put down her awkwardness just as her being an introvert, like he had been as Kylie.


    "In fact, she was like a mini-adult, even as a toddler," Kyle went on, "She could grasp concepts very well and had a very sharp mind. Even her motor developments were fine ¡­ well, okay, so she may not have crawled, but that was basically because she knew there were people to carry her?"


    Lianne was the type of toddler that had never crawled. She would sit on her bum and if she wanted to go anywhere, she would wait patiently for an adult to come by and raise her hands up, asking to be carried.


    If it was for a short distance, she would simply move her bum over the floor until she reached the place.


    Once her legs were strong enough, she simply stood up and started walking.


    "The range on the Aspergians spectrum varies greatly," Dr. Marveen explained gently, "Maturity and focus on one particular thing are two of the most common signs of Aspergians."


    "Lianne is on the higher functioning scale, and thus, she is not as hypersensitive as some Aspergians," Dr. Marveen continued, "However, she does have a flip side to the mental maturity and she does feel things deeper, and far greater, than most. She overthinks and such thoughts tend to go towards self-blame."


    "The death of her mother has triggered her condition, and unfortunately, she has gone into clinical depression because of it," Dr. Marveen said, "She has lost her anchor, and she needs to find another in order to move on."


    "Is there anyone here that she has shown some sort of connection with? Family? Friends?" Dr. Marveen asked.


    Kyle ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head, "No, not that I know of. I''ll see what I can do about this. Thank you, Dr. Marveen."


    Dr. Marveen nodded and patted Kyle''s arm, "You are a good boy, caring for her like a good big brother. She will need to see me regularly so I can monitor her progress."


    "I''ll get in touch with you on this," Kyle promised, "I still have to tell this to her father."


    Dr. Marveen nodded in understanding.


    "What about Joseph?" Kyle asked.


    "He''s grieving," Dr. Marveen said, "Which is to be expected. It is the normal grieving period and nothing as serious as Lianne. I suggest you distract him with some activities. He basically needs a friend to talk to."


    "I understand," Kyle said, "Thank you."


    Dr. Marveen left then, and Sayuri, who had been at a distance, came over.


    "I''ve got to read-up on Asperger Syndrome," Kyle said with a sigh, "All this time, I had thought her behaviour is just her being socially awkward. She''s so bright! So full of life! Now ¡­ seeing her like this .."


    "She responds to me," Sayuri said, "Through art. Perhaps I can get her to open up more?"


    "Could you?" Kyle asked.


    "Of course," Sayuri said, "But ¡­ I also think you should be there with us? Just let her get used to your presence. I get from the talk that Lianne was very close to her mother. So I need you to observe and tell me later what you think, what she''s like and what you think I can do better to get through to her."


    "That would be great," Kyle said with relief.


    Kyle spent the night reading all that he could about Asperger Syndrome.


    There was just so much material out there, and a lot of it didn''t quite apply to his daughter.


    For example, she did not have any motor skills problems.


    She was not hypersensitive to the point that she was affected by bright lights or sounds. She was socially awkward and uncomfortable with people being close, but it wasn''t to the point that she would retreat into herself and be cold when talking.


    Which is most likely why Dr. Marveen said Lianne was on the other end of the spectrum. She had the symptoms, but she wasn''t as severely affected. Hence, it was easy to brush aside her behaviour as simply being ''one of those things''.


    Rather than, her having genuine difficulty due to the way her brain was wired. It was not something she could ''unlearn'' or be ''trained'' to be ''normal'' and more sociable.


    One of the things which struck Kyle was that Aspergians do form emotional attachments to personal objects. Like a security blanket, it provided an anchor.


    Kyle remembered the amount of soft toys she had. They were nothing really special, but there would be one, or two, that she got really attached to. She couldn''t sleep without them and now, those two soft toys of hers had been burnt down in the fire.


    With that thought, Kyle started looking on the internet to find replacements.


    It wouldn''t be the same, of course, and it didn''t mean that she would get attached to it, but at least, it would be something familiar. Kyle hoped that it would help.


    Unfortunately, no matter how long he searched, there was no such toys. Nothing he found fit the image. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If this was the case, it would take forever!


    In the end, he decided it had to be custom made but he needed an image for reference. And he couldn''t draw.


    With that, he immediately climbed onto his bed to wake up the one person who could.


    "What is it?" Sayuri asked sleepily, "Another round?"

 Chapter 624 - Beautiful Dream

    Kyle blinked at the question and paused, his hand still on her shoulder.


    "Actually, no, but since you asked ¡­" Kyle grinned as he climbed on top of her, kissing her while flinging off the blanket that her naked form was under.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    An hour later, Sayuri was busy drawing. She was sitting at the table next to Kyle, dressed in his T-shirt that reached mid-thigh.


    Kyle, who was beside her, was reading the reports on the activities that Donnie was doing.


    "You know, you really should get some sleep," Sayuri admonished him, without looking up from her drawing.


    "Yeah, I will, I will," Kyle said, "Later ¡­"


    He quickly dodged to one side, and Sayuri''s hand whizzed by, missing his head by inches.


    "If you don''t go to sleep now, I won''t draw this," Sayuri said, showing what she had done so far.


    Kyle''s eyes went wide upon seeing it, "That''s it! That''s exactly it!"


    It was still just an outline, but even then, the depiction was accurate.


    "Sleep," Sayuri stressed, pointing at the bed, "The reports can wait."


    "I''ll go to sleep when you do," Kyle compromised.


    Sayuri sighed, "Fine. I''ll take another 30 minutes on this. It doesn''t have to be a realistic sketch, so long as they can visualize it properly."


    "Deal," Kyle answered.


    "And I am talking about sleep, okay," Sayuri said to him, staring at him, "Not sex."


    Kyle pursed his lips and scratched his head, "Okayyyy ¡­"


    Sayuri''s eyes narrowed, saying with her voice dangerously low, "Kyle ¡­"


    He put up both of his hands in surrender, "I promise! Just sleep!"


    Sayuri nodded, satisfied and continued drawing.


    Kyle faced the reports again, though he wasn''t really able to concentrate as he rubbed the back of his head.


    He was getting to be bad. Really, really bad.


    It was as if a switch had been flipped and the dam opened, releasing the huge amount of water that it had been storing for years. It gushed out, unstoppable and it didn''t seem to end.


    In his case, it was sex.


    He got turned on by Sayuri so fast and so easily that he found himself seemingly in a constant state of arousal each time they were alone together.


    Didn''t help that she was just as beastly as he was.


    The rare times he held himself back, she was the one that jumped on him.


    He found that the sexual freedom he shared with Sayuri right now was so exhilarating that it boggled the mind.


    In his previous life, he had always been plagued with feelings of inadequacy due to his insecurities over his body, his lack of skills and worse, his desire for more. So each sexual experience wasn''t truly fulfilling.


    In this life, though, everything was perfect.


    He found that Sayuri was always up to it, more than adventurous in trying anything and of course, Kyle had absolute confidence in his own physique. He had no guilt or worries about whether he was not good enough or if he was too aggressive.


    Or too horny.


    He idly wondered how he was ever going to find a bed partner as perfect as Sayuri. Just thinking about the future where she would fall in love with someone else, or get interested in someone else and leave him ¡­


    Kyle subconsciously gripped the mouse a bit tighter as he continued working.


    He shook his head.


    He was thinking too much.


    Time to focus on work.


    Now that they knew who the mastermind was, they also needed to weed out all the bad apples in the department. Kyle wanted to do it in one shot, kind of like how ''John Wick and Zenith'' eliminated the High Table.


    The movie may have been fictitious, but if the idea was plausible, why not?


    If he couldn''t get all of them, he was definitely going to get the Head of the snake, and that Donnie Yang.


    Big Bro Nic was helping with digging up information about Syed Xavier and Donnie while Father and Sayuri''s grandfather, Haruto, were looking into the possibility of Donnie Yang being from the family.


    Since Kyle suspected that he was actually in disguise and not the real Donnie Yang, it meant that the investigation in that part was going to be harder, and take longer.


    Is a ninja family involved and if so, why?


    Kyle was also worried if this matter would affect Father adversely.


    After all, Father''s biological son had died due to them being betrayed by the people he had served. In the olden days, this never would have happened for the people the ninjas served were honourable.


    Since then, Father had abandoned such old ideas and wanted to live in obscurity and in peace, never to get involved in matters of the world anymore.


    Until Kyle pulled him out, that is. Even then, Father did not ''return'' and merely imparted his skills.


    Kyle just found it hard to believe that any ninja family would serve such a ''leader''.


    Or ¡­ were they?


    Too many things unknown, too many possibilities.


    Working in the dark like this made Kyle nervous.


    Kyle would also need to be cautious around him and wouldn''t be able to use the normal methods to get information on the sly. Luckily, he had Sayuri with him to brainstorm about it.


    He looked at his watch. He had another 15 minutes before Sayuri would force him to sleep so he quickly started formulating some plans about Donnie.


    Xavier would just have to wait.


    Later, as they lay in bed,?Sayuri watched the sleeping form of Kyle. She wrapped her arm around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle was a wonderful partner and was so perfect. It was so easy to forget that this was just a dream as one day, he could leave.


    Sayuri hugged him tighter and kissed his naked chest lightly.


    This dream was so beautiful, she didn''t want to wake up.

 Chapter 625 - Perfectly Matched

    For his kids, Kyle had shoved everything about revenge aside.


    He knew that his team was on the case, and there was no rush since he had waited 19 years for it.


    What was more important right now, was to help his kids.


    After all, wasn''t the last thought on his mind when he died, was about his kids? About how young they still were and were relying on him?


    Kyle remembered as well what Keanu had said during one television interview.


    To the question posed by the host, ''What happens to people after they die?'', Keanu had answered with that rather wistful look on his face, "I know the ones who love us will miss us."


    It was such a simple, profound statement that it amassed five million views in two days on Twitter alone.


    To those who are dying, that thought would also be on their minds - at least, to those who had unfinished business, or ties that they can''t quite let go of.


    There are so many thoughts and views about facing death.


    The best way, perhaps, is dying in your sleep out of old age. No disease, no illness. Just going to bed and not waking up again the next day.


    Some preferred being forewarned of it first so that they could better prepare themselves. Be it to arrange for their loved ones to accept their death, or to settle everything so that they can leave with an easy heart.


    Thus, being told you have some incurable disease had its ''up'' side and was better than a sudden death situation (like an accident).


    Some didn''t like being a burden to their loved ones while they are sick and would prefer a quick release.


    At the end of the day, it is usually the sick, or the old, who think about Death seriously. The young never seem to think it could happen to them, even though they know one could die at any time.


    Kyle''s thoughts on Death changed after reincarnation.


    He didn''t know if everyone reincarnated but he had a suspicion that it might be. He couldn''t think that he was such a special case that he was the only one, right?


    Perhaps, he was the only special case because he actually remembered his past life.


    It would truly be funny to find out that everyone around him, was connected to him in some way.


    Kyle shook his head.


    There was no point in thinking about this as there was no answer. All the ''knowledge'' about is like, what the Grandfather paradox situation is all about and even the concept of ''time'': all of it was just theories.


    Kyle looked at the jottings he had made about what he remembered in his past life when Kylie had sent the kids to cooking classes. In this life, he had affected it so that she sent them for the art class instead.


    When he thought back now, he could only remember the art class situation, yet the jottings he had done remained the same. He knew he wrote them, but he couldn''t remember them at all.


    In theory, shouldn''t his jottings be exactly as his memories about the art class? He had completely forgotten about the cooking classes and it was only when he came across his jottings that he remembered about the change.


    Thus, it appeared that whatever actions he did before the change, would remain although his memories about them may not.


    Kyle got a headache just thinking about it, though in some sense, he understood.


    He shook his head, thinking that this information would most likely explode in the world of physicists. All the different theories and beliefs would have something more solid to base their research on. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not that it mattered to Kyle.


    To him, the only thing was that his act in allowing Kylie to die was the best. Even though it was causing his kids immense pain right now.


    Kyle turned to look at the sleeping woman in his arms and he gently kissed her forehead. She stirred a bit at that but did not wake up.


    Kyle had only managed to sleep for an hour, but it had been a deep sleep. There was another hour before sunrise and he chose to lay in bed as he didn''t want to wake Sayuri up.


    He had already been selfish enough by waking her up in the middle of the night to draw for him, so he couldn''t bear to let her be disturbed by him getting up.


    After all, she was using him as a pillow and bolster.


    Of course, lying there while not doing anything meant his thoughts went all over the place. Hence, the earlier deep thoughts about his past life and kids.


    Now, however, as his thoughts had settled and he was just lying there with her in his arms ¡­ Kyle brought up an arm to hit himself on the head.


    Perhaps, it would be better to get up after all. Do it as gently as possible so that it wouldn''t wake her.


    Otherwise, the likelihood of him waking her up in other ways was very high.


    As he was busy thinking this, Sayuri moved in her sleep, her hands roaming all over him.


    Or so he thought until those sinful hands started stroking a part of him that was already rising.


    A smile formed on his lips as the gentle strokes became a grip that was more aggressive.


    Truly, Kyle loved the fact that not only did Sayuri match his appetite, she was also not shy about it.


    He stroked her hair and was about to bring her chin up to kiss her when she ducked down, avoiding it. She went lower, and Kyle suppressed the moan deep in his throat when two lips replaced the hand.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay sighed as she placed a pillow over her head, making a mental note to get her room soundproofed.

 Chapter 626 - Chain

    Eric looked up when the door chimes sounded, indicating a customer had entered.


    He saw a good-looking couple entering: one rather cold, indifferent male and one rather sweet and beautiful female.


    Eric stared at the girl, appreciating her soft features and then his eyes roamed on her figure. He was busy admiring the fullness of her breasts and her slim waist when he felt this chill surrounding him.


    No, it was more like, there was intense danger.


    No, it was both? Cold, intense danger?


    He gulped and lifted his eyes off the body that he was admiring, only to be met with a pair of extremely ice-cold eyes of the girl he had been blatantly staring at.


    As if that was bad enough, Eric realised that the death glare didn''t come from the girl, but rather, the guy beside her. The girl was only giving him the cold stare that froze him while the guy looked like he was ready to hack him to pieces.


    "Seen enough?" the girl he had been thinking looking so innocent asked, her voice oozing with poison.


    "Maybe I should just gorge out his eyes," the guy said indifferently like he was saying something mundane like, ''the weather is nice''.


    Sweat poured down his back.


    "S-s-sorry," he stammered, his hands shaking, "H-h-how m-may I help you?"


    Sayuri decided not to press the matter and said, "We''re here to pick up an order."


    "Of course," Eric replied, not daring to look at them anymore, "May I have your ticket order please?"


    Sayuri handed him the ticket, and as he reached out to take it, he noticed the guy was playing with something in his hands.


    Zooming in with his eyes to see what it was, Eric started shaking when he realised that it was a small, thin blade. His eyes were fixed on the movements, as the blade moved so fast in his hand that he couldn''t see what he was doing.


    All Eric could see was that the blade was moving fast, making it look like there was more than one blade and yet, not drawing blood at all - despite it being so close to the fingers and palm.


    "Stop that," Sayuri admonish Kyle, taking the knife easily from his moving hands.


    Eric quickly took the ticket and ran to the back to get the order.


    "That was mean," Sayuri said to Kyle with a laugh, giving him back his blade.


    Kyle slid it into his hidden sleeve pocket, scoffing, "He was staring at you. He was lucky enough he managed to keep his eyes." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You can''t keep doing that," Sayuri said, "He wasn''t the first to do so, and won''t be the last. It isn''t as if I can''t put them down myself."


    Kyle frowned at her.


    "This is not the first time it happened?" Kyle hissed.


    "Why is that a surprise?" Sayuri asked him, her face looking displeased, "You''re not the only one who people will stare at. Undressing you with their eyes even."


    Kyle looked at Sayuri closely.


    While he had always known Sayuri was beautiful, she seemed to be much more enticing nowadays. Then again, it could be because he was just too attuned to her sexually so he may be biased.


    Or was this the fabled ''sex effect''?


    He remembered reading those comics from Country J that would depict the characters as giving off this soft / sexy / alluring aura after they''ve lost their virginity. As if, they became sexier or appealed to people more.


    Whether it was true or not, one thing was for sure.


    Kyle didn''t like other people staring at what was his.


    Not getting a response from Kyle, Sayuri crossed her arms across her ample chest, which only made it more enticing to look at.


    "Kyle Rexington Smith," Sayuri said, looking at him in displeasure, "Are you really saying that I''m not worth looking at?!"


    The corner of Kyle''s lips raised a bit as he brought his head down, his eyes staring at her cleavage.


    "On the contrary," Kyle said, "There''s too much to look at, I might just lock you up at home."


    "Oh?" Sayuri asked, seeing where he was looking and squished the sides of her breast more, "You''re guiltier than I am, so you are the one that should be locked up at home. Chained to the bed, too, for good measure."


    "Kinky," Kyle replied, stepping closer, his eyes darkening.


    Sayuri pushed him with her finger, scolding him, "We''re in public, so behave."


    "Who''s the one giving me the invitation?" Kyle asked with a raised eyebrow while pointing at her breasts with his chin.


    Sayuri gave him a sultry smile, wiggled her eyebrows and turned away while stepping back a bit so that her soft behind would brush against his rising star.


    Kyle closed his eyes for a brief second, thinking that he probably got more than he could chew ¡­ nah.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that the salesperson would be getting back, Kyle would have pushed her against the counter already. As it was, she would need to be ''punished'' in another way for that act of hers.


    Just then, the door opened and another salesperson came out. A girl this time.


    Upon seeing Kyle, she stopped for a second before her face split into a huge smile and she placed two boxes on the counter.


    Kyle moved behind Sayuri, pressing himself on her and letting her feel the effects of her seduction earlier.


    Sayuri''s face did not change, despite feeling a particular hardness pressed right on her behind.


    She opened the boxes, ignoring the slight grinding movements Kyle was doing covertly. He made the most minimal of movements so that other than her, no one else knew what he was doing.


    All they saw was a guy just standing intimately close to his girlfriend.


    Sayuri cursed him endlessly in her mind while her core was starting to get dripping wet.


    She really should chain him to the bed and torture him.

 Chapter 627 - The Plushies

    Neither ninja gave the salesperson a clue as to the hidden action going on as she watched Sayuri taking out the two plushies.


    Kyle''s eyes brightened.


    The company that he had gotten to do the plushie had done a wonderful job. They had even accommodated the rush job when he cited that the reason was for a grieving child.


    Well, children actually since he got one for Joseph as well.


    This was because he didn''t want Joseph to be left out. He, too, had one soft toy that he was particularly attached to, though he never admitted it.


    "A husky and a green teddy bear," mused Sayuri when she studied the plushies.


    "Yeah," Kyle said, his face having a gentle expression as he looked at the two plushies.


    The store clerk was absolutely mesmerized. That deathly handsome ice-cold face became even more captivating.


    Sayuri, seeing this, gave a sweet smile and leaned back against Kyle, rubbing herself on him even more. She turned her head up to face him, giving him a peck on the lips and said, "The kids would really love this, right?"


    Kids? KIDS?!


    The salesperson''s mind exploded. The young couple in front of them already had kids? Taking into account their youthfulness and the plushies, the salesperson deduced that they must be newly married with twin babies.


    She sighed and placed her phone number she had written behind sales ticket into her pocket. Sayuri saw this from the corner of her eye and smiled wider.


    "You really are too popular," Sayuri whispered to Kyle as she turned back towards the counter.


    Kyle looked puzzled, then dismissed that statement, thinking that Sayuri was exaggerating. Sure, the salesperson gave him the googly eyes, but that was normal.


    Sayuri just shook her head, thinking that this dense man needed a sledgehammer smashed against his head before he would realise anything related to him.


    How could such a skilled ninja be so dense when it came to this?


    For good measure, Sayuri gave the girl a territorial look that said, ''He''s mine, back off'' while taking the boxes.


    Kyle stepped aside and took the boxes from her hands, then thanked the salesperson before heading out.


    The salesperson watched them go with a deeper sigh, especially when she saw how the girl partner had shamelessly grabbed the guy''s delicious behind when they walked out.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay sat silently next to Joseph, who was busy playing a mobile game on the phone. After he finished a match, she asked, "What game is that?"


    Joseph mumbled the name of a shooting game.


    "Can I play with you?" Kay asked.


    "Have you played before?" Joseph asked curiously.


    "No, but you can teach me, right?"


    Joseph shrugged and Kay smiled a bit.


    Joseph pretended to be all tough and that, but he had this really big heart inside.


    He was being strong for his sister and did not do things that he thought would be troublesome but Kay could see the intense sadness in his eyes when he thought no one was looking.


    Kay knew that Joseph was bottling his feelings a lot and Dr. Marveen warned that if he doesn''t face what had happened, it may just erupt one day.


    This was why Kay was taking extra care of him.


    She was careful not to be ''in his face'' that he would push her away but rather, she would be around him constantly so that he could feel her presence all the time. She didn''t push, nor pry but she was prepared when he decided to open up.


    If he ever did.


    She hoped he would, but for now, he was keeping his mouth shut.


    Even Kyle couldn''t quite get through, despite the times they spent working out together. Kay supposed the physical activity helped him release some of the pent-up stress, but she still felt he needed to talk it out.


    Joseph patiently explained the rules of the game, and ''carried her'' for the first game. Kay caught on to the controls quickly and after that one trial game, could match Joseph well.


    "Are you sure this is your first time playing?" Joseph asked Kay suspiciously as she made another kill.


    "Yeah, this is fun!" Kay said, her face glowing while she was caught up in the game. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph stared at her profile, his expression unreadable before he continued playing.


    The scene that Kyle and Sayuri came into were Kay and Joseph shouting profanities at the mobile game, cursing inept teammates and failed shots.


    Upon hearing them come in, Kay quickly put down her phone and smiled sheepishly.


    "You did not hear that," she said with an innocent face.


    "I''ll get Lianne," Sayuri said softly, smiling while heading to Lianne''s bedroom.


    Knocking on the door softly, she waited until Lianne opened the door.


    She poked her head out, a small smile on her face, "Yes, Kak Sayu?"


    "Come on," Sayuri said, gesturing her to come out, "Kyle has something for you."


    Lianne nodded and came out, slowly closing the door behind her.


    Upon reaching the living room, she sat down and waited.


    Lianne studied Abang Kyle that was, surprisingly, standing there a bit nervously as he held on to two boxes. It was beautifully wrapped in festive wrapping paper.


    She watched as Abang Kyle gave her the box that was wrapped in aquamarine wrapping paper and the royal blue one was given to Joseph.


    She gripped the box, her heart feeling something indescribable.


    It was little things like this that would trigger her.


    Why ¡­ just why did the things Abang Kyle do, just remind her so much of her mother?


    How could he have possibly known that this was her favourite colour? Why were the clothes in her room in a style that she liked? Why did he say things that were so familiar?


    She opened the box, pulling out the husky plushie.


    "Ren?" she gasped, then at Kyle and whispered, "Mama?"

 Chapter 628 - How Did You Know?

    Both Kyle and Sayuri heard that soft whisper from Lianne, and Kyle turned away slightly as if he had not heard. He glanced briefly at Sayuri who gave an interceptable nod, and Kyle closed his eyes briefly.


    He looked at Joseph, who appeared to be in a shock mode as he held onto that green teddy bear, with the name ''Sam'' labeled on its foot.


    He didn''t say a word, but simply stared at it. After a minute, he looked at Kyle, tears glistening in his eyes as he said, ''Thank you'' before getting up and going to his room.


    Now, Kyle was torn.


    He wanted to go and check up on his son, but he also knew he had to deal with his daughter as well.


    Although he had not ignored her but acted naturally upon looking at everyone, he could already see from his peripheral vision that Lianne was staring at him with incredulous eyes.


    Most of all, hope.


    Kay could sense the conflict within him and patted his back for comfort.


    [I''ll keep an eye on Joseph, don''t worry. You go and handle Lianne]


    [Thank you]


    Kyle turned his head to look at Sayuri, who understood and said cheerfully, "I''ll go and make dinner. Or perhaps, luner? Since it''s too late for lunch but too early for dinner."


    Sayuri kept mumbling on as she headed to the kitchen while Kay knocked on Joseph''s door.


    Kyle finally turned to face Lianne fully and with a gentle look, he asked, "How did you know, Li?"


    Li was an endearment that only Kylie had used with Lianne, that she had never spoken in front of anyone else. It was like a code between them, an understanding. Whenever Kylie called her Li, it was her signal as well to say ''I am here for you'' to talk.


    Lianne''s mouth trembled and she hugged Ren, her husky close to her. She stood up slowly, then took small, slow steps towards Kyle.


    When she was finally in front of Kyle, she looked up, her eyes just staring at Kyle''s face and then with gasping breath, she said softly, "Mama?"


    Kyle went down on his knees and hugged her, saying, "I''m sorry, Li. I''m so sorry. I never wanted to leave you or Joey."


    Lianne didn''t say a word but allowed Kyle to hug her as she lay her face on Kyle''s shoulders, silently crying.


    Kyle wrapped his arms around Lianne and scooped her up, carrying her.


    Even though Lianne was already a big girl of 11-years-old, Kyle had no trouble picking her up. He went into her bedroom, lay her down on the bed and sat down on the floor, facing away from her.


    Lianne snuggled under her blanket, hugging Ren tightly, and stared at Ren.


    Kyle wanted nothing more than to stroke her hair but he knew that she would not be comfortable with that. She also wouldn''t be able to talk face-to-face, so he had to lean away from her.


    All these things, he knew from his past life but had never associated it with her being Aspergian. Of course, he now knew better and understood it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Previously, he simply acted based on what made her most comfortable.


    Which, unknown to Kyle at that time, was why Kylie had been such an anchor for Lianne. Only her mother seemed to understand her, and indulged her in these little things.


    Kyle sat there, waited for a minute or two before he finally said, "How did you know?"


    "You knew everything that I liked," Lianne said softly, "Every single thing in this room, are things I am familiar with. It''s not exact, but it''s similar enough."


    Kyle pursed his lips.


    Trust her to notice all the fine details.


    "Your brother never noticed it," Kyle said with a smile.


    "He''s useless," Lianne scoffed, "He never notices anything."


    Which was, truth be told, a normal thing. It was just Lianne''s attention to detail that was abnormal.


    "But I''m a guy, and 19 years old at that," Kyle said, "I didn''t think you''d be able to connect the dots."


    "I don''t know," Lianne said, "It just made sense."


    "I was never planning to tell you," Kyle said, "Even though you and Joey are going through so much pain. Death is inevitable and I didn''t want you to have to lose me twice."


    "I know," Lianne said softly, "But I prefer it this way. Even if you don''t come back again, I know that you''re out there somewhere. I can cope better next time."


    "Okay," Kyle replied, "It''s still strange though, huh?"


    "Yeah," Lianne agreed, "But no matter how you look like outside, you''re still Mama."


    "Mhmm," Kyle acknowledged that.


    "I''m getting sleepy, Mama," Lianne said softly, her voice sounding more groggy.


    "Okay, Li," Kyle said, turning around finally, to face her. He kissed her forehead and tucked her in, just like he used to do.


    Lianne had a contented smile on her face as her eyes closed, and Kyle walked out after closing the lights.


    "How is she?" asked Sayuri when Kyle came out.


    "She''s really taking it like it was nothing," Kyle said, sitting on the sofa, "She''s asleep right now. Probably the exhaustion hit her after she''s calmed down."


    "Kay''s still talking to Joseph," Sayuri said, as she sat down next to him, "Are you going to tell him?"


    "No, of course not," Kyle said.


    "Why not?"


    "He wouldn''t be able to accept it," Kyle said ruefully, "It''s too illogical. The fact that his mother is now this dude would be too much for him to handle. I think his brain may explode."


    "You''re so bad, talking like that about your own son," Sayuri said with a slight laugh.


    "Don''t get me wrong," Kyle said quickly, "I love my son but I''m not blind to what he''s like. His heart is pure like Xing Han, but he can''t think out of the box."


    "Would it be a problem later?" Sayuri pondered.


    "I hope not."

 Chapter 629 - Healing

    Kay had left the door to Joseph''s room slightly open, in order to avoid any awkwardness. It wouldn''t be an issue if it was back home, but she knew that Country M was a bit more conservative than that.


    The last thing she wanted was for Joseph to shut down.


    She saw him sitting on his swivel chair, ''Sam'' on his lap as he stared at it.


    Kay sat down at the edge of his bed and asked, "Are you okay?"


    "Mhm," Joseph mumbled, holding Sam by the front paws and lifting it up, "I thought this was no longer in production."


    Kay smiled, nodding, "Kyle found a place that actually will make it for you."


    Joseph looked up then, and asked directly, "Why would he do so much for us? Who are we to him anyway?"


    Joseph put down Sam, "I mean, don''t get me wrong. I don''t mean to sound ungrateful and I truly do appreciate everything ¡­ but it''s just strange. We''re basically strangers and yet, he''s doing all of this."


    "I know it may be strange, but Kyle is like that," Kay explained, trying to gloss over the matter, "He got emotionally attached to both of you when he was here, so it''s only natural that he''d help. He can, so he does."


    "He''s spending so much!" Joseph said, waving the room with his hand.


    Kay gave a small laugh, "Sorry, not to brag or anything, but this amount is nothing. In fact, he could buy this entire building and still not cause a dent in his pocket."


    "Huh," Joseph mumbled then, shrugging, "So both of you are just these good Samaritans that just can''t leave these two pitiful kids?"


    Kay gave a slight sigh, "No, I wouldn''t say that we''re good Samaritans or that you''re pitiful. We''re just human. If you see someone hurt on the ground, would you walk away or help him up?"


    "Help," Joseph replied.


    "It''s the same for us," Kay explained, "We''re just able to do more than the average person, but to us, this is just like you helping a person up."


    Joseph didn''t answer then, just staring at Sam and playing with him like it was a puppet. Kay could see his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down and his eyes wide open, as he seemed to holding back tears. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know, it''s okay to cry," Kay said softly.


    "I''m NOT crying," Joseph denied, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "I''m not ¡­ no ¡­ boys don''t cry."


    "They don''t," he whispered, his head bowed low as he gripped Sam hard in his hands.


    Then, he felt his head being hugged closely and brought against the stomach. He brought Sam up to his face, burying his sobs in it as Kay just hugged him like that to her.


    "Why? Just why? I miss her so much," Joseph wailed loudly inbetween sobs, "It''s not fair!"


    Kyle, who was peeking through the doorway, turned around with tears streaking down his face silently. Sayuri hugged him tightly and he grabbed on to that lifeline like a drowning man holding onto a lifebuoy.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay," Sayuri was whispering, "He needs to let it out to heal."


    Kyle knew that, but it was still painful to see.


    How he wished he could just go and tell his son as well that he was still here, but he knew that he shouldn''t. Maybe, in the future, he might tell his son the truth but for now, his son was not ready for it.


    To tell him would only aggravate the situation and it may cause more harm than good.


    Still, it was so damn hard.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Stephan found that he was numb to all things around him since his wife''s death.


    People who saw him probably thought that he was a cold man, able to come to work like nothing had happened within a week of her funeral.


    Little did they know the amount of pain that he was under.


    Burying himself in work was the only way for him to get through the day.


    With Kyle''s help, a lot of his burdens were lifted and he could focus more on himself.


    He could see how his kids were slowly getting back to life. Seeing that, was the best thing ever for him and that was how he coped as well.


    When Kyle had told him about Dr. Marveen''s diagnosis, truth be told - he felt lost.


    He had always been the disciplinarian in the family, the strict one and now, after those talks with the child psychologist, he didn''t know how to deal with Lianne anymore.


    She needed stability, no harsh words and a soft approach. Of course, he tried to do all that but he was never a patient man. He didn''t get curt or angry, of course, but his voice was naturally gruff and harsh.


    It pained him inside each time he saw how his actions affected his beloved daughter, and he tried. He tried so hard but he was rarely successful.


    It had always been his wife that could do that. Deal with Lianne. Now, he could see that void was being filled by Kyle.


    He felt very frustrated over that, and he was extremely jealous of it as well, but he couldn''t deny that his kids were healing because of him.


    He felt like he was losing everything. He had lost his home, his wife ¡­ and now, his own kids were getting closer to a guy they just met. Well, guy and girls since the other two were also always there.


    The only thing that was within his control right now, was his work.


    Even that was not certain. Stephan had no idea what Donnie wanted him to do or what his goal was.


    All he got were the instructions, "I''ll call you."


    Just then, his phone rang. Looking at the ID, Stephan cursed.


    Speak of the Devil.

 Chapter 630 - It Has Begun

    Stephan hesitated for a minute before picking up the phone.


    "Yes?" he said curtly while he gripped the phone hard.


    "Stephan, Stephan, Stephan," Donnie chided, "I don''t quite like your tone of voice. You should be careful about my temper. I may just take out my displeasure on these two cute little buns of yours."


    Stephan took very deep breaths, and then in his most cordial voice, "Yes, Mr. Donnie. What can I do for you?"


    Donnie''s laughter came through the phone, making Stephan grit his teeth.


    "Much better," Donnie said, "Such an obedient one. Far better than your wife. Oh, sorry. I should say, dead wife."


    "You¡­"


    "Ah ah ah," Donnie warned with a slight laugh, "Enough playing around. For now, you''ll be our runner. There''s a bit too much heat lately, so you''ll need to do the deliveries for us."


    "For now," Donnie continued, smiling at the other end of the phone.


    "Instructions will be sent. You are to delete it after you receive it," Donnie said, "If you get caught doing the runs, your lips remain shut. I don''t have to tell you the consequence of loose lips, right?"


    Without expecting an answer, Donnie put down the phone.


    He snickered, thinking about the perfect scapegoat.


    The heat was getting to be a bit too hot right now, so he had to eliminate the trail. Give the authorities something to bite on, and they''ll take the bait eagerly. Once the situation cools down, they''ll start again.


    Donnie gnashed his teeth.


    That stupid woman really made things troublesome for him. X didn''t like uncertainties and loose ends. Just because he couldn''t retrieve the thumbdrive, he had to resort to this stupid thing to make sure everything gets buried.


    Then, Donnie smiled.


    Once the father was gotten rid of, he could always vent his anger on the two kids. Just thinking of how much fun it would be to slowly torture them and hear them pleading sent shivers of pleasure down his spine.


    Ah, young kids were always the best.


    He started dialing another number.


    Once it was picked up, he merely said, "Get ready to extract the kids when needed."


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    It took Kyle a bit of time to calm down and Sayuri''s heart ached for him.


    She had never seen him so vulnerable before. The fact that he was so open with her, and did not shy away from expressing his weakness in front of her, hit her in so many ways.


    She was touched that he was so open yet, it also hurt because she knew she may not be able to hold on to him.


    She looked up at him and wiped his tear-streaked face, smiling softly, "Even when crying you look so handsome."


    Kyle laughed a bit at that, and stepped back, going to the kitchen. He washed his face, and wiped it dry with the handkerchief he had in his pocket.


    Turning around, he was about to say something when his phone rang.


    Seeing that it was Stephan, Kyle cleared his throat first before picking it up.


    "They''ve asked me to make a delivery," Stephan said softly as Kyle could hear the keyboards typing the background.


    Obviously, Stephan was doing work at the office while having the phone on hands-free set.


    Kyle went to full work-mode immediately. Taking long strides out of the apartment, Kyle said, "Send me the details and delete all records of this."


    Even though Stephan''s phone was the encrypted one that Kyle had gotten for him, he wasn''t going to take any chances.


    Sayuri followed him silently, listening to the conversation.


    Kyle didn''t have a good feeling about the whole situation.


    The file he had on Donnie was sparse but what he had didn''t look good. The kids were here under his protection, which was fine but once he started the operation, he wouldn''t be around much.


    He didn''t like that thought and the dreaded feeling that arose.


    Once he reached their apartment, Kyle started rummaging through his closet while having his phone on speaker mode.


    "Zero, increase surveillance around the in-laws of Yang," Kyle directed, "And secure a team to send Kay and the kids to Country Tz."


    [Kay] Kyle called out gently [It has begun. Please take the kids with you back home]


    Kay, who was still patting Joseph on the back as he just sat there, was startled. She was supposed to go back next week, and Sam was holding the fort with Beatrice. Things were fine back home under their efficient teamwork, so there was no hurry for her to return.


    And with the kids?


    [Danger?] she asked.


    [Donnie has started making a move] Kyle explained [I can''t quite put my finger on it, but I don''t feel easy leaving the kids here. They''ll be better protected back home. We have both MIB and Big Bro Nic]


    Home ground was always the best place.


    There were too many things here that were not within his control.


    The underworld was one of them and that variable was something that was too risky to ignore.


    Dealing with a potential ninja was already bad enough. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Got it] Kay replied [When?]


    [Now]


    [KYLE!] Kay nearly hit Joseph hard out of shock [That''s too sudden!]


    Kyle disagreed [They''ll adapt to it. You don''t really need to pack other than the essentials. Just buy everything back home. Their passports are being done right now and Zero is preparing to send you guys to the airport in an hour]


    Kay''s head reeled at how fast Kyle was arranging everything.


    Which only meant that he really felt immense danger right now. She sighed, and patted Joseph on the shoulder.


    "Come, let''s go to my home country," Kay said.


    Joseph looked at her, confused, "Huh?"


    "You and your sister need to do something different. A holiday, away from everything," Kay said, "I''m sure your Mum would love that rather than seeing you sad."


    "Okay."

 Chapter 631 - Extraction

    Joseph''s mind reeled.


    The moment he said ''okay'', everything started moving quite quickly.


    Kay told him to just pack his essentials like phone and charger. Only one change of clothes was needed, just in case.


    Even his sister, who was the fussy one, came out all ready with her backpack and Ren in her arms. Her eyes were still rather dopey-looking, like she had just woken up. She was even holding on to Kyle''s hand, something she only did with Mama.


    What was happening?


    He stood there, his eyes confused and his mouth slightly open in shock.


    Lianne stood there, watching her brother through sleepy eyes, thinking he was really very dopey.


    When Mama came to wake her up, she had been a bit confused. Mama explained that he was going to get the people who were responsible for her death and they needed to go somewhere safe.


    Although she was grumpy for having being awoken, Mama''s words settled her mind.


    She rubbed her eyes and held on to his hand. She looked up and saw the young, handsome and strong man beside her.


    It was nice to have Mama back, even if she was now a ''he''.


    It was a pity Mama was the handsome type rather than the pretty type.


    She liked pretty boys with long legs.


    Ah well, this was good enough.


    Kyle watched as the different reaction his two kids were having at the sudden move, and hid a smile.


    [Have you told Mum and Dad?] Kay asked Kyle as she made sure everyone was ready.


    [Yes] Kyle replied [They''re under the impression that they are kids I saved and want to give a treat to help them deal with their mother''s passing]


    [Noted] sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Lianne can stay in my room] Kyle said [As for Joseph, I''ve had the gameroom modified to be a bedroom so he can stay there]


    Kay laughed a bit [Soon, Mum and Dad are going to wonder whether their house is becoming a hotel. First, Dahlia. Then Kitty. Now, these two]


    [Well, with them around, it eases the pressure of Mum and Dad demanding grandkids, I would think?]


    [You wish] Kay scoffed [Dahlia and Kitty miss you, by the way]


    Kyle sighed, as he thought about that toddler he saved way back at the mall. She was 8 years old now, only 3 years younger than his daughter.


    [Please tell Lianne about Dahlia] Kyle said [I don''t want her to misunderstand. Dahlia can be a bit clingy]


    [A bit?]


    Kay couldn''t help but start laughing, causing the two kids to look at her strangely. She waved her hand in front of her face, saying, "Sorry, sorry. I just thought of something funny."


    "We''re just waiting for the bodyguards and then we''ll leave," Kay told them with a smile.


    "Bodyguards?!" Joseph exclaimed, his eyes wide.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, "Our identity is a bit sensitive, so we need to have protection all the time. Once back home, it''ll be better because you''ll be staying with our parents. The security is tight at the house, so you''re free to go anywhere and use anything."


    "Yeah, you''ll probably like the bunker, come to think of it," Kay said, reminiscing the old days.


    "There''s plenty of stuff to do," Kyle agreed, "Swimming and gaming, to name a few. Oh yes. I''ve had them fit a wide-screen tv connected to Netflix in your room as well, Joseph."


    Joseph gulped and turned to Kay, "You weren''t kidding when you said this would be a vacation. Your place sounds better than a 5 star hotel."


    "Naturally," Kay answered.


    "They are here," Kyle said, letting go of Lianne''s hand and opening the door.


    "Sir," Zero said, clicking his heels as he saw Kyle was the one that opened the door.


    He had come personally for this, as he felt delegating the duties of escort to another team would not do.


    After all, these were the two kids that Sir had been monitoring ever since he could remember. They had special identities to Sir, and although they had never been told what it was, all of them viewed the kids as ones to be protected with their lives.


    "You''re all here?" Kyle said in surprise, seeing the whole team there.


    He led them in and introduced his Team to his kids for the first time.


    "Lianne, Joseph," Kyle said, "These are my Elite Team. They''ll make sure you will reach the airport safely. Another Team will be waiting for you at Country Tz."


    Zero and the others introduced themselves and gave a slight bow, causing Joseph''s wide eyes to go wider.


    "This is so cool," he said under his breath, "It''s like some movie."


    Lianne looked up at Kyle and tugged at the bottom of his shirt. Kyle went down on his knees and she whispered in his ear, "Be careful, Mama."


    Kyle nodded and walked with them until they reached the car.


    He hugged them all, making sure they entered into the bulletproof car safely.


    The moment they left and were out of sight, his entire demeanor changed.


    Sayuri, who had been beside him silently, tilted her head and asked, "Can I help?"


    Kyle gave a small smile, grabbed her by the waist and gave her a peck on the lips.


    "No, the Team can handle it," Kyle said as he watched two cars following Kay and the kids,


    "We can''t show our hands yet. Let them think of us as useless rich kids playing around."


    "Oh?" Sayuri said, putting her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair, "Useless, horny rich kids?"


    Kyle brought his head down closer, saying, "You''re really an incorrigible flirt, aren''t you?"


    "Hazards of the profession," Sayuri said, shrugging, "Though it''s really easy with you."


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed a bit at that, as he thought of the many missions Sayuri must have gone on. His honey trap missions wouldn''t be close to the missions she had done before.


    He found he didn''t like it.

 Chapter 632 - Dense Kyle

    Kyle berated himself mentally.


    How could he be thinking about such insane thoughts? Rather, how could he be so stupid as to have such feelings?


    He didn''t like it?


    What was there not to like?


    The fact that Sayuri was a beautiful, skillful ninja that could do missions just like him?


    Worse, he had been a woman in his past life, and he was one that advocated equality.


    So how come it was okay for him to do all that with Samantha and Randall, yet feel uncomfortable when he thought of Sayuri doing the same thing to other people on her missions?


    If he could do the honey trap missions, why not her - whose family actually specialised in such skills?


    Why the double standard?


    As much as he was scolding himself, he still could not quite dispel the uneasiness in his heart. The more he couldn''t, the more agitated he was feeling.


    What was wrong with him?


    Was he becoming a male chauvinist after being in this form? Was the fact that he was such an Alpha Male, that his thoughts became skewered? Twisted?


    Without realising it, his grip on Sayuri became tighter as he brought her closer to him, moulding herself on him. Her vanilla scent calmed him down for some reason and he subconsciously reached out for that warmth.


    "Kyle?" Sayuri asked, a bit worriedly upon seeing the expression on his face.


    Not just his expression, but there was this intense aura that was leaking through.


    Sayuri became vigilant.


    Was Kyle so worried over his kids that he wasn''t thinking properly? There may have been those guys that tailed after the kids, but there were still a few around observing them. She could not let them see this part of him, for they would surely suspect something if it was allowed to carry on.


    So, looking up, she then brought his head down towards her, but in a way as if it was him that was doing so. She kissed him, effectively letting those peepers think that Kyle''s hesitation and facial expression were him suppressing himself at first at doing this public display of affection.


    Sure, he had kissed her earlier but that was a peck on the lips.


    This one was much more intense as she then clung onto him even more.


    Kyle seemed to snap out of whatever dream he was under and understood immediately what she was doing.


    So he tightened his hold on her and deepened the kiss, bringing his hand behind her head and waist.


    When he broke apart, he said softly, his lips not moving, "Sorry and thanks."


    Sayuri looked down ''shyly'' and took his hand as they walked back into the building, ignoring the stares some were giving them.


    Country M was, after all, a conservative country. If any police had been nearby, they would have been arrested due to indecent exposure. Kyle scoffed at the thought that merely kissing in public was an offence.


    Imagine if he did more than just kiss.


    Kyle grinned a bit when he suddenly thought of something, which involved a park and Sayuri, then mentally slapped himself. It wasn''t that he was worried about getting caught, but rather, he had more important things to think about right now.


    [Kay, is everything okay at your end?]


    [Don''t worry, brother] Kay assured him [Lucka''s driving skills have really improved]


    [Tell the Team that they have the green light to eliminate them once you board the plane]


    [They''ll be happy to. Remember to give Donnie a little bit of extra ''love'' from me, okay?]


    [Oh, I have something really, really special for him. Killing me wasn''t enough and now he targets my kids?]


    Sayuri stroked his back upon feeling Kyle''s killer aura exploding through. He took a deep breath and retracted it, sighing.


    "I seriously need to work on that," he grumbled.


    Lately, he noticed that his emotions were going slightly off the track. The death and seeing his kids were the triggers, so he knew he had to get himself back on track in order to tackle Donnie properly.


    Luckily, he had Sayuri beside him for now. He shuddered to think what he would have been like if it wasn''t for her calming presence.


    And the sex, of course. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gah. He was seriously becoming a sex addict.


    Kyle continued to berate himself mentally all the way back to the apartment.


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    Kay told Lucka and Zero, who were sitting in front, "Kyle said to do an all''s clear."


    "Noted, Ms. Kay," Zero replied and relayed the message to everyone else, a small smile on his face.


    Lianne sat quietly at the side of the car, holding onto Ren like it was a lifeline. She had on her earphones, listening to some music while looking outside.


    Joseph, who had to sit in the middle (as usual) and was busy on his phone (as usual).


    Kay watched the two kids and sighed.


    She wouldn''t be able to stay with them much once they returned, for she had to return to work. They didn''t know how long Kyle would be staying at Country M, but he had given himself a year.? There were still several months left to that.


    This whole thing was rather sudden and not within the plans, thus Kay was a bit lost as to what she needed to do.


    "Kakak Kay, do you have things about Abang Kyle?" Lianne asked suddenly.


    "Please, just call me Kay," Kay replied, "There''s actually his Insta account that you could look at. It''s inactive right now since he''s not bothered with it anymore. We also have the PoK and most importantly! I have a scrapbook! Hehehe"


    Lianne''s eyes went wide as saucers, "A scrapbook?"


    "Yes," Kay said softly, a smile on her face, "Kyle is not just my twin brother, but he''s the one that is my pillar of strength."


    Lianne nodded, saying, "Yup, that sounds just like her."

 Chapter 633 - Getting Out Of The Country

    Joseph started laughing, "Abang Kyle is a he, how can you call him a ''her''?"


    He couldn''t believe that his normally smart younger sister could make such a mistake. He would cherish this moment forever.


    Lianne pointedly ignored him, and he smiled happily, thinking that he finally had one thing on her.


    Kay, in the meantime, studied Lianne''s face, marveling over how calm she was in accepting everything.


    It wasn''t just the fact that her mother turned out to have been reincarnated into a boy, but that he had another life with ties that did not include her. It was one thing to know it, but another to accept it calmly.


    Kay had been worried that Lianne would feel jealous and start demanding attention. She was really glad to see that Lianne wasn''t like that at all.


    One was more than enough.


    Dahlia was already showing signs of being a clingy, possessive girl that took ''Big Brother Kyle'' as her exclusive big brother. She wasn''t bad, and nowhere near Sarah''s level but she might not like Lianne coming into the picture.


    The only problem now was that Lianne would need to be warned about Dahlia.


    So, the best way was to start telling them all about Kyle. It was also to distract them from the fools that were following them. Kay noticed Lucka had been steadily increasing his speed but it could hardly be felt by them in the car.


    "One thing you need to know about Kyle is that he''s very popular," Kay stated, "He''s like, the idol of Country Tz."


    Kay then began telling them all about Kyle as they headed to the airport. The things he did, from the rock climbing to the movie, the rescue and how the baby is now attached to Kyle as if he was her big brother - and even about Kitty, that was pining away for Kyle at home.


    "Come to think of it, he even bought this horse that he met while filming John Wick," Kay said with a laugh, "I tell you, he attracts all sorts of people and animals."


    Both kids listened with great interest, and Zero gave Kay a thumbs up in his heart.


    With the kids'' attention occupied, they hardly noticed that Lucka had sped up and was weaving in and out of traffic so as to lose the tail they had. The last thing he wanted was to make the kids nervous.


    Although they could have easily taken out the cars by shooting at the tires and the driver, the main objective of any bodyguard was to ensure the people''s safety. Right now, that meant reaching the airport as soon as possible.


    They needed to create a distance in order to give them more time to be able to enter the secure area faster. There were already MIB agents at the airport, monitoring the situation.


    Akira and the others had taken the faster route to the airport and were already there, securing the area. Their people were in place and the airport security cameras had already been hacked.


    Zero looked at the kids from the rearview mirror and watched their animated faces listening to Kay about Kyle.


    He looked at Lucka, who looked at him briefly, and they both grinned. No words were needed.


    The kids were cute.


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    "Damn," cursed the goons following the car, "Those bodyguards aren''t weak. Step on it! We''re losing them!!"


    "Oh come on," the driver said, "What''s the point of it anyway? They''ll have to get back to the apartment, right? Just tell them to grab the kids there if we can''t get an opportunity here, or if we lose them."


    The goon beside him stared at him in disdain, "If we''re the ones who catch those kids, we''re the ones who will be rewarded you fool."


    "True," the driver acknowledged.


    "And if we don''t get the kids today, what will Boss say to that?"


    "Ah," the driver said, finally understanding. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stepped on the gas.


    After a while, the goon became nervous, "Why aren''t we getting any closer?? In fact, they''re getting further! What''s wrong with you?!"


    "Nothing is wrong with me! Their car is too fast!" growled the driver, "And we have a bigger problem!"


    "WHAT sort of problem is bigger than us not catching up to them?!"


    "How about not catching them at all? This is the route to the airport," the driver pointed out.


    It was only then that the goon looked around and realised that the driver was right. This was the highway to the airport. Although it did lead to other destinations, the only one that made sense was the airport - the others were roads leading out of the state.


    The goon''s face paled.


    "But they didn''t have any luggage! Just those flimsy backpacks, like they were going shopping or something," the goon replied, "This is bad. STEP ON IT!"


    "What the fuck do you think I''ve been doing?!" the driver roared back.


    As they sped on, the goon checked the airport schedule and noted which planes would be headed to Country Tz. If they can''t catch up now, at least, they could grab them before they checked in, right?


    He made a few calls, praying that there were some men closeby or at the airport.


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    Lucka slid the car into the outside parking of the airport departure hall, specifically for passengers that were being dropped off.


    Zero quickly got out, opening the door before Lianne could and waited until everyone got out before leading the way.


    He looked like he was oblivious to everything else, but he had already identified the people targetting Kay and the kids. His face did not show any change in expression, as he fiddled with the wire too thin to be seen by the naked human eye but strong enough to slice a throat through.

 Chapter 634 - Zero Is P*ssed

    Due to the fact that they were in a public area, Zero could not use his gun. Thus, the wire was the next best method for a quick, clean kill.


    He also noted the MIB that were stationed there, already keeping their own eye on those people. He was listening to his earpiece while Akira kept him and Lucka updated as to the situation.


    In truth, Zero was itching to personally get rid of all these people who dared to even think of harming those important to Sir. However, he had to let it be for now, and rely on the MIB who were already here.


    They were more than enough to handle those goons.


    Unfortunately.


    Zero sighed internally, continuing to play around with the wire while internally hoping one of them got desperate enough to make a stupid move.


    He walked on, his eyes taking note of everything around him while he listened to Kay chattering on.


    Kay was happily smiling and talking without a care in the world, telling them all about their house and what the kids could do while they were there. She made sure the kids were in front of her, while Zero was walking in front.


    Unlike Zero, she was fine at not having to have her hands dirty for her responsibility right now was towards Kyle''s kids. The strange thing was, even though she knew that these were his kids, she didn''t think of them as being connected to her in any way.


    It was such a mind-boggling thing, actually.


    This was the main reason why she separated ''Kylie'' and ''Kyle''. The reason why she did not want to know about Kylie, other than her kids. She always thought of them as ''her'' kids, physically, and ''Kyle''s'' kids spiritually. That way, she could view his kids as kids who he was especially fond of, but not specifically his flesh-and-blood.


    Because they weren''t.


    She felt she had to make that distinction for some reason.


    She used to get a headache when she was younger whenever she thought of this, but now, it was different. She had accepted it and did not view them as her niece or nephew.


    Luckily, the kids were not small anymore, for she would have felt even more awkward. One pre-teen and one teen. If they were around Dahlia''s age, getting them around and ensuring their safety would have been a bit more difficult.


    Lianne, who didn''t quite like crowds, was keeping close to Kay.


    Since Mama said that she wanted them to get away from here because it was unsafe, she was more vigilant. She didn''t want to cause any trouble by wandering off.


    Mama''s new life sounded pretty awesome, actually. And her Elite Team were all full of handsome and pretty boys. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A small smile formed on her face as she thought of all the things she was going to learn and find out about what her Mama had been doing since her rebirth. Everything just appeared so surreal.


    While Lianne was caught up in her thoughts, Kay rattling on and Zero remaining vigilant, Joseph''s mind was still wrapping itself around everything that was going on.


    The pain of losing his mother was still very strong, but at least, he got comfort from the new friends he had made.


    The strange thing was, he felt closer to Kay than to Kak Sayuri, even though the latter understood their pain more. Sayuri was an orphan, and she would often talk about what she had done to get by.


    She wasn''t trying to say that their pain was less just because they had lost one parent while she lost both, but rather, she talked about herself and let them listen. It was soothing, and it did help ¡­


    But Kay''s presence was the one that made him feel more at peace.


    She would game with him, talk nonsensical things with him and let him cry when he needed to without being judgmental. He felt he could be himself around her, and that his feelings were normal.


    To laugh, even though he had just lost his mum.


    To cry, even though he was a guy.


    Joseph looked sideways at Kay. If Kyle was the idol of Country Tz, then Kay must be their Angel. Thinking that such a person to be beside him right now, talking and laughing like they were friends, was like a dream.


    He felt he was truly blessed.


    Who knew that meeting that strange grungy guy at the convenience store so many years ago would lead to this?


    Mama had been right.


    Good things happened to good people, if you know how to look and appreciate it. Whilst it was true that he had lost his mother, he had gained good friends and support.


    He walked on, following closely, oblivious to the fact that Zero in front had become more vigilant and Kay was a bit stiff.


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    Zero did not like the situation.


    They had already checked in online, thus only needed to go towards the departure lounge. Unfortunately, he could not follow them in although he had already obtained the permission to do so.


    Apparently, the officer that was monitoring the gate had just been replaced and did not know of the orders. He refused to let him through until he could get confirmation from his superiors.


    Which would take time.


    Time that they did not have, as the plane was already boarding.


    Kay patted Zero on the shoulder, saying, "Do not worry, Zero. We''ll be fine."


    She said this more for the kids than for Zero, and he had no choice but to step aside.


    He nodded, bowed a bit at them and said, "Noted, Ms. Kay."


    He stood there silently, as he watched them go and disappear into the departure hall.


    Zero was pissed as he?turned around.


    Somebody had to pay for daring to block him from entering the hall with them.

 Chapter 635 - I’m Scared

    While the drama at Country M''s airport was happening, there was another drama unfolding at Country Tz.


    In Xing Han''s and Nitocris''s home, to be exact.


    Xing Han pouted as he sat there, hands crossed against his chest, the food on his plate growing cold. Nitocris was blatantly ignoring him, eating his dinner leisurely, as if there wasn''t a sulking puppy right in front of him.


    After 5 minutes of this, Xing Han tsked, took his plate and got up. He took the long way to the kitchen so that he would not need to pass Nitocris in order to do so.


    He rummaged through the drawer, mumbling to himself as he looked for the clingwrap, "Stupid Cookie. Overbearing Cookie. Oooooo. Look at me. I am the King of the Underworld. Listen to my orders! Fear me. Pah."


    Xing Han wrapped his dinner and placed it in the fridge.


    Despite his growling stomach, he had no appetite to eat. He was so worried about Kyle, who was all the way in Country M. Dealing with his first death.


    Kay had rushed over, the moment all the immediate matters of Smith Industries were done. Sam and Beatrice held the fort down while she was away for two or three weeks. They still contacted both Kyle and Kay whenever needed, so things were fine here.


    Xing Han wanted to go over as well but Nitocris didn''t allow him. He had taken his passport and those stupid twins were on his tail the moment he stepped out of the house.


    Nitocris didn''t know about Kyle''s past life, so Xing Han couldn''t say why he wanted to go so desperately. All he could say was that he missed Kyle and wanted to be there for him.


    Somehow, those words just made Nitocris even more resolute in not letting him go. They had a fight, for Xing Han felt Nitocris was too controlling while Nitocris felt hurt that Xing Han would rush to be with another guy without telling him the real reason.


    Nitocris didn''t like the fact that Xing Han was hiding things from him. He wanted to force Xing Han to tell the truth and rely on him more.


    Thing is, Xing Han normally did share things with him but somehow, when it came to Kyle ¡­ Nitocris didn''t mind their bond, but he hated it when Xing Han shut him out like this.


    Or whenever he hugged Kyle.


    And whenever he did his glomping and kissed him on the cheek.


    Nitocris was so agitated when he thought of this that the fork he was holding got bent. Upon seeing what he had done, and that Xing Han had left without eating dinner, he got more upset.


    Flinging down his fork, he silently entered the kitchen to hear him being cursed. He watched as his beloved puppy was angrily wrapping his dinner to put in the fridge, his mumbling not even drowning the grumbling sounds of his stomach.


    Nitocris rubbed the space between his eyebrows.


    This was serious.


    If Xing Han was so upset that he wouldn''t even eat his dinner, then perhaps this method he was using to make Xing Han talk wasn''t suitable. Nitocris was just so used to people dropping everything and obeying his every command without question that he tended to forget.


    Xing Han was his beloved, not his subordinate.


    He stood behind Xing Han silently as the latter resolutely pushed his dinner into the fridge even though his stomach was still growling. Nitocris''s heart twisted in pain.


    Why was his puppy so stubborn?? Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han turned and upon seeing Nitocris right there, he screamed in shock.


    Putting on hand on his chest and another on Nitocris''s solid chest, Xing Han shouted, "I told you to stop doing that!! I nearly had a heart attack!!"


    Nitocris placed both hands beside Xing Han and didn''t budge, despite the fact that his little puppy was trying to push him aside.


    "Nitocris," Xing Han said through clenched teeth, "Let me through."


    "No," Nitocris answered, feeling even more wretched that his puppy was calling him by his name at home.


    "Mr. Bianci," Xing Han hissed, "Step. Aside."


    "No," Nitocris replied, even more resolute then placed his forehead on Xing Han''s.


    "Puppy," he breathed out softly, and Xing Han could hear the hurt and pain within. Xing Han''s heart wavered, and his grip on Nitocris loosened a bit.


    Nitocris, feeling this, immediately swooped in for the attack, claiming Xing Han''s luscious lips with his own. Despite being angry at Nitocris, Xing Han''s body reacted instinctively as his lips parted to allow Nitocris''s sinful tongue entry.


    Xing Han was so caught up in the moment that he forgot everything other than the man he loved, being in his arms. When Nitocris finally lifted his head, Xing Han looked at Nitocris in a daze.


    Then scolded himself.


    Ah, seriously. Why was he so weak against this man? He was trying to make point here, damn it! If he didn''t put down his foot, Nitocris would always be flinging around his domineering attitude towards him.


    Nitocirs had to learn to be compromising and talk, instead of just ordering him around whenever he was jealous or something.


    "I know I can be controlling," Nitocris said suddenly, his voice low as he continued to hold Xing Han in his arms, "I can''t help it. I love you too much."


    With those words, Xing Han went completely weak and sighed.


    He looked seriously at his beloved Cookie, and said softly, "Cookie. You have to learn to let me be. Talk to me, tell me your fears. Don''t just order me around and shut me out, okay? I''m not that mean to ignore your feelings, but? it doesn''t mean I will tolerate your heavy-handedness."


    "You tell me to talk to you, but how can I when you, too, hide things from me?" Nitocris asked, "Like the real reason you want to go to Kyle."


    "I''m scared," Nitocris confessed shakily, baring his soul.

 Chapter 636 - Fears

    Xing Han was shocked at hearing those words from Nitocris. He looked at his beloved worriedly, and asked, "What are you scared about?"


    Nitocris caressed Xing Han''s cheek, as he looked upon his puppy who truly did not look like he understood.


    "I can''t help but feel ¡­ jealous of Kyle," Nitocris started, and Xing Han looked visibly upset.


    "Cookie, I''ve told you," Xing Han said when Nitocris cut him off.


    "Yes, I know, I know," Nitocris said with a sigh, "Kyle is your best friend and I am the one you love. I know that. I know."


    "But I still can''t help it. You''ve been with Kyle since forever, and you''re always gushing about him. You guys know each other inside out," Nitocris explained, "He''s your age. While me? I ¡­"


    He sighed, leaning his forehead on Xing Han''s.


    "I''m so much older than you. My hands are so full of blood, my world is so dark," Nitocris said softly, "Every single day, just waking up with you beside me, is like a miracle. I feel like this is just a dream sometimes."


    "And one day, you''ll wake up to realise ¡­"


    A sharp sound of a slap reverted in the kitchen.


    Nitocris was stunned.


    The slap didn''t hurt, really, but that was the first time Xing Han actually turned physically violent. He looked at Xing Han who''s chest was heaving up and down as he glared at Nitocris.


    "How ¡­ how could you even say that? Or think that?" Xing Han asked, "Do you think I''m that fickle-minded? That my feelings for you is that shallow?"


    "What would it take for you to believe in me, to trust me?" Xing Han continued, "Never talking or seeing Kyle again? Stay locked up at home?"


    Nitocris saw the anguish in Xing Han''s eyes and said mournfully, "But don''t you see? That is exactly why I''m so scared."


    "Because a part of me wants exactly that, and yet the rationale part of me knows that it''s ridiculous," Nitocris continued, "I have that internal battle within me all the time. Most of the time, I can suppress such thoughts but this time ¡­"


    "Puppy, when you lied to me about why you wanted to go over to Kyle, I just couldn''t. I couldn''t let you go," Nitocris admitted.


    Xing Han''s shoulders slumped and with his fingertips, he touched the cheek that he had slapped earlier, "I didn''t lie, Cookie."


    Nitocris looked offended at that statement.


    "Listen to me," Xing Han insisted, "I have never lied to you, and I never will but yes, there are things that I do not tell you. Are you saying that you tell me everything about what you do?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris shook his head, "But that deals with work."


    "Sometimes, you come home with the strong smell of blood on you, and your eyes are dark," Xing Han said, "But you never tell me what you did and I never asked. I never questioned you because if it''s something I needed to know, you''d tell me."


    "It''s not the same," Nitocris replied.


    "It is," Xing Han countered, "I do miss Kyle and I am worried for him. I want to be there for him. I didn''t lie about that."


    "But why do you need to when Kay is already there?" Nitocris asked, "Why must you be there? Why can''t you tell me the real reason why you need to be there?"


    "Why not?" Xing Han asked back, "If someone you care about is hurt, would you stay home and not go just because someone is there already?"


    "And what is this ''real reason'' that you are talking about? Isn''t the fact that I want to be there to comfort him not enough?"


    Nitocris was stumped.


    He could not answer that.


    Xing Han was right in that just because they were a couple, it did not mean that they needed to share everything completely.


    That is where trust comes in.


    He sighed deeply as he closed his eyes.


    "I''m sorry, Cookie," Xing Han said, his heart in pain as he saw the internal struggle his beloved was going through, "I never meant to make you feel insecure. Kyle is special to me, yes, but only as a best friend. I share secrets with him, but those are Kyle''s secret and it isn''t for me to tell."


    "I may not tell you everything when it concerns him, but it has nothing to do with us," Xing Han said, running his thumb over his beloved''s lips.


    "Kyle is special to me because he''s my best friend," Xing Han continued and felt Nitocris stiffened at that statement.


    He smiled, and leaned closer, "You, on the other hand .."


    Xing Han kissed him, saying against his lips, "Are a part of me. I''m in love with you, and only you. I''ve told you before, and I''ll tell you again. I love Kyle, but the one I''m in love with, is you. You are the one I love. You."


    "Have I not shown you how much I love you? Is my love not enough? Why do you still have the fear that I''ll leave you one day? In fact, it should be me that is scared that one day, you''ll just wake up and realise ¡­ you deserve better," Xing Han said.


    Nitocris growled angrily at that, gripping Xing Han tightly, "I dare you to say that again!! How dare you even have such thoughts?!"


    "Oh? You can have such thoughts but not me? Why? Look at you. Strong, handsome and rich," Xing Han counted, "While me? I''m this fat, childish kid following you around."


    "You are not! I love you, and only you. How can you even have such thoughts? Have I not shown you how much I love you? Is my love not enough...?"


    Nitocris stopped, finding the words he was saying was exactly what Xing Han said earlier.


    He sighed.


    "Okay, I understand," Nitocris said, "If you still want to go to Country M, then go. I''m sorry."

 Chapter 637 - Zero

    "Thank you," Xing Han replied.


    "But I can''t promise you that I can stop feeling jealous," Nitocris warned.


    "That''s fine," Xing Han replied, "As long as you don''t control me."


    He then kissed Nitocris, and soon, both of them were caught up within the fire that was burning within them. Nitocris was already unbuttoning Xing Han''s shirt while Xing Han had his hands at Nitocris''s belt when Nitocris''s phone rang.


    Xing Han''s face scrunched up upon hearing the chorus of the song ''You''re not the Boss of me'' by They Might Be Giants as its ringtone.


    ''You''re not the boss of me now


    You''re not the boss of me now


    You''re not the boss of me now


    And you''re not so big''


    Just who was it that had this for his ringtone? Xing Han watched as Nitocris picked up the phone, his face unreadable.


    "What?" came Nitocris''s baritone voice, displeasure evident as he had been interrupted. He listened for a bit and then said, "Okay."


    Xing Han looked up at his beloved, curious, but didn''t ask. That was Nitocris''s ''work phone'' which meant that it dealt with matters of the Underworld.


    Who was it that would have the King of the Underworld have that sort of ringtone dedicated to him?


    Nitocris placed the phone away and continued where he left off.


    Much later, as they lay panting in the kitchen, Nitocris helped clean up Xing Han.


    "By the way, Kyle called," Nitocris said, as he gently wiped Xing Han''s behind.


    "Huh? You mean, earlier?" Xing Han asked, his mouth twitching as he remembered the ringtone.


    "Uh-huh," Nitocris replied, "He asked for help in protecting a couple of kids Kay was bringing back."


    Xing Han''s eyes popped open.


    "Two kids? Boy and girl?" Xing Han asked, "Is it Joseph and Lianne?"


    Nitocris stopped his caring for a while, looking at Xing Han, "Yes. You know them?"


    "Kinda," Xing Han replied, "Some kids Kyle got close to when he went to Country M the last time." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nitocris nodded, accepting the explanation.


    "So when are you going over to Country M?" Nitocris asked slowly, trying hard to suppress the feeling of not letting Xing Han go.


    "Oh, I don''t have to go after all," Xing Han said, "If the kids are here, means that the situation there may not be good. It''s better I stay."


    Nitocris couldn''t help but attack his Puppy again in pure happiness.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Zero was not happy.


    Nope, not at all.


    The moment Kay and the kids were out of sight, Zero turned and walked purposefully towards the direction of where he had seen the closest goon.


    He was hissing over the earpiece as he walked on, "Find out who is that scumbag who had the officer replaced. What happened to his superior? Why wasn''t the order handed down? Also, besides the three that I passed by earlier, are there any other stupid goons around? Don''t forget the ones that had been on our tail earlier either."


    Akira, who was in the midst of slipping through security to enter the departure lounge, shivered at the cold, monotonous voice of Zero at that moment.


    Zero never raised his voice and was always polite in his words. You rarely see him express any extreme emotion.


    He may get annoyed but he would simply brush it aside and ignore them. He would normally just stay at the sidelines, quietly observing everything and everyone without a care in the world.


    However, there was one side to him that everyone was extremely wary of.


    When he got angry - which was rare - it''s best to step back and keep out of the way.


    In truth, Zero was the most skilled fighter amongst them. While the rest had one particular weapon of choice that they specialised in and tended to favour, Zero could use various types of weapon skillfully.


    He could shoot and throw projectile weapons with deadly accuracy, injure and kill with his bare hands - although he preferred to use his wire for speed.


    It was just that he didn''t like getting his hands dirty, so he preferred to just sit back in the background and work from there.


    This time, however, he was specifically looking for people.


    Akira and the others gave a silent prayer to all the goons in the airport.


    "Silver Volcano," Lucka said to the other MIB agents.


    Zero''s earpiece wasn''t connected to every MIB agent and would go through Lucka first. This was to ensure that the communication lines would not be jammed up with unnecessary information. Lucka would only relay the important ones to Zero.


    Thus, Zero didn''t hear Lucka giving off that code word to the other MIB agents - who gulped.


    ''Silver Volcano'' was one of the first code word the agents learned, and it was rarely used. Legend had it that the last time it was uttered, the storm that hit the field was almost as bad as when ''Ice'' from the Underworld emerged.


    "Observe, clean up," Lucka then said and the MIB agents understood.


    They weren''t to interfere at all but had to be vigilant to get rid of the bodies that would pile up. If Zero didn''t get to vent out his frustrations, they were the ones who would be bearing the brunt of it.


    None of the MIB agents wanted to be hospitalised from the injuries, so they wisely did as they were told.


    Zero headed towards the first goon.


    All he did was just pass him by, and the next thing the MIB agent that was nearby saw, was that the guy just slumped over. Zero stopped, turned and caught the guy, putting him down on the chair.


    People around ignored that, seeing that the matter was being taken care of. No one realised that the guy''s chest was slowly turning red.


    The MIB agent quickly went to the guy, lifted him up and carried him out before anyone noticed the blood.

 Chapter 638 - Silver Volcano

    Zero wasn''t worried about the bodies he was leaving behind as he was confident that the MIB agents would clean up well.


    For the first guy, he had simply flung out his wire like a whip, and it sliced across and through the guy''s neck like butter. Ordinarily, he would have gurgled and the blood would have splurted out like a geyser but his wire was special.


    Zero had coated the tip of the wire with a special poison that immediately congealed the blood. However, since the wire was so small and fine, he could not put a lot of it and thus, some blood still seeped through after death.


    One down. Two to go.


    Not enough.


    Zero sighed.


    Maybe he should use this opportunity to test the agents.


    He wasn''t going to kill them, of course, but see whether they could detect or avoid his first strike.


    A small smile formed on Zero''s lips as he thought of the things he could do.


    When he reached the next guy, Zero stopped beside him and tilted his head as he stared at the guy. The goon stared back, his face showing displeasure.


    "What are you looking at?" the goon barked.


    "Isaac?" Zero said, "It''s you, isn''t it?"


    "Go away," the goon replied, "You have the wrong guy."


    "It IS you!" Zero said, putting his hands on the goon''s face and turned his head left and right.


    The goon was flabbergasted.


    He knew very well who this silver-haired boy was. He had seen him bring the targets over, but they managed to separate him from them. He was just standing here, awaiting orders once the kids got taken.


    So seeing this guy in front of him had made him wary but even then, the guy''s movement had been too fast for him to stop him. He felt that seemingly small hand on his face and he was disgusted.


    The guy had his thumb and middle finger right at the joints that connected his jawbone to the skull, as he turned his head left and right.


    Before he could smack the guy''s hand away, however, there was a slight cracking sound and intense pain hit him.


    The goon''s eyes went wide open.


    That fragile, feminine-looking guy actually dislocated his jaw!


    The goon shouted in pain, and Zero looked at him in concern, "What is it? What is it? Are you having an attack again?!"


    Drool started coming out of the goon''s face, as he couldn''t close his mouth. Zero put his hand around the goon''s shoulder with one hand and casually stabbed him in the back with his poisoned knife.


    His movement was covered by the goon''s jacket, so no one saw the movement. The knife didn''t have a handle and it slid completely into the goon''s body.


    Zero helpfully led him to a chair and put him down, "Stay here. I''ll get someone to help."


    The goon couldn''t say a word by now, his senses dimming as he found difficulty in breathing. He closed his eyes, never to open them again while Zero patted his shoulder,


    "That''s it, rest," Zero said loudly, "Someone will come and help you."


    Someone did. Two MIB agents appeared and came to carry the guy out by flinging his arms across their shoulders.


    Their faces didn''t show a single emotion as they did so, despite the fact that they now had two shallow stab wounds at their waist.


    Courtesy of Zero as he passed between them when they headed over to Dead Goon #2.


    They lamented in their hearts over their misfortune. They didn''t do anything and followed protocol so why did they still get injured in the ''cross-fire''?


    "Silver Volcano erupted," the agent reported.


    Upon hearing this, Lucka sighed and kneaded the space between his eyebrows.


    "Zero, leave the MIB agents alone please," Lucka pleaded.


    Zero didn''t answer and all Lucka got was a grunt. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yume, how''s it going at your end?" Lucka asked.


    "Not a problem. We caught them," Yume reported, referring to the goons that had been tailing them by car earlier, "Don''t worry. I heard. Silver Volcano erupted. I''ll leave them untouched for Zero."


    They all sighed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    While Zero played hide-and-seek with the goons (though the goons didn''t know it, nor the consequences of being found), Kay was vigilant as she walked with the kids in the departure hall lounge.


    "Let''s go straight to the waiting area, shall we?" Kay asked casually.


    Just then, Akira slid up beside them and walked on, pretending that he didn''t know them.


    "Isn''t that ¡­" Joseph began, when Kay took his hand.


    Surprised, the rest of the words died in his throat, his eyes wide.


    "Do you like Famos Amos?" Kay asked, referring to a brand that sells chocolate chip cookies.


    Lianne watched as her older brother nodded stupidly at Kay. Lianne had noticed Akira as well, but she wisely kept silent since he didn''t acknowledge them.


    He was probably going incognito, and her dense brother almost gave it away.


    Her eyes swept around the airport lounge, her grip on Ren getting tighter. Although she couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary, she knew that something was up.


    She wasn''t too worried since Mama''s Elite Team was here, but the situation still made her slightly nervous. The unknown always did.


    Kay pulled Joseph along, and also placed her hand behind Lianne''s back, saying, "Come on, choose which cookies you want. My treat."


    "Double chocolate chip," Lianne answered swiftly while Joseph wanted the Chocolate Chip Pecan.


    As they were bending over the display counter, Kay said to Joseph under her breath, "Pretend you don''t know Akira. He''s there to observe silently."


    Joseph nodded, understanding now why Kay had taken his hand earlier.


    Didn''t stop the slight reddish tinge at the tip of his ears when he thought about it. He was glad that he wasn''t like Lianne, who''s cheeks would flush pink each time she blushes.

 Chapter 639 - Safely Out

    As Kay distracted the kids with the purchase of the chocolate chip cookies, Akira stood at the next door shop, supposedly glancing at the souveniers there. He was wearing BlueTooth earbuds which were actually his earpiece that connected to the others.


    "Two suspicious individuals identified," Lucka reported, "One male and one female."


    Understandable, Akira thought. They would need two to get two kids without causing much hassle.


    After purchasing the cookies, Kay looked around and glanced briefly at Akira, who mouthed ''two mf''. He did it as he was studying two souvenirs, giving the impression that he was talking to himself while trying to decide.


    Kay led the kids to the waiting room lounge and asked, "Do you need to go to the bathroom first?"


    Lianne nodded while Joseph hesitated.


    "You should," Kay advised, "The flight will be long."


    "Okay," Joseph said and they went.


    Naturally, Kay followed Lianne while Joseph went ''alone''.


    As they went in, two individuals followed each one in afterwards.


    Kay was relieved to see that there was no one in the bathroom at that time. Lianne headed into one stall while Kay washed her hands at the sink, her head bent down low.


    Female goon entered, and took in the scene immediately. She patted the syringe with the knock-out solution that was in her pocket while nonchalantly walking towards the end of the toilet.


    In order to do so, she would need to pass Kay. She noted the cubicle that was locked, knowing that the kid that she had to snatch was in there.


    Looking at the girl that was engrossed in washing her hands, she snorted in disdain. Even the act of just washing the hands looked elegant. She didn''t like such people, who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and didn''t have to work.


    She only needed to snatch the kid alive and no other orders about those around. As she got closer to Kay, her heart started beating with excitement at the thought of snuffing out this life.


    The girl didn''t even look up, and Female Goon reached over, intending to close the girl''s mouth before killing her. However, to her great surprise, the girl suddenly whirled and gave her a hard chop to the neck.


    The sudden attack had her react by falling forward at the sudden pain and before she could recover, her neck had already been twisted. Her eyes were wide open in consternation, the last thought on her mind was disbelief.


    Kay caught the girl that fell, before her body could smash to the floor. She dragged the body into an empty cubicle, closed the lid of the toilet seat and dumped her there, stomach down.


    Kay locked the cubicle door from the inside and escaped out through the opening at the top.


    Lianne walked out of her cubicle at that moment. She looked to her right upon hearing some noise, only to see Kay halfway through the opening at the top, her body bent forward as she slid out and landed on the floor soundlessly.


    Without a change in expression, she went to wash her hands.


    Kay, upon seeing this, couldn''t help but ask, "You''re not surprised?"


    Lianne shrugged, taking some paper towels and wiping her hands, "Mama''s Elite Team is skilled, so naturally, Mama would be as well. If she is, so would you."


    Kay blinked, wondering about Lianne''s thought process. It would take some getting used to.


    "What about the security cameras?" Lianne asked curiously.


    "I made sure none of our faces could be captured," Kay explained, "And Lucka would have blurred out those that did."


    As they walked out, they saw Joseph already waiting outside while playing with his phone. Akira was nowhere to be seen. Kay led the kids right to the waiting lounge across the toilet, and once through, was relieved.


    Akira waited until Kay and the kids entered the plane, then reported, "Cargo secured. Heading back now."


    "Acknowledged," Lucka said while looking at the camera feeds on his laptop. There were several images captured, and one had four goons being given extra tender loving care by Zero.


    "Sir might want to question them himself," Lucka reminded Zero, who was now taking out a long, thin wire that looked like a very long acupuncture needle.


    "Don''t worry," Zero said, "They''ll still be able to talk."


    Lucka was glad he didn''t have audio for that room.


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    Everyone''s head turned towards the loud shout by Stephan.


    They were used to his explosive anger, but this time, he appeared to be taking it out on a complete stranger.


    A good-looking one, but a stranger nonetheless.


    Stephan even threw out a punch!!


    Luckily, the stranger avoided it. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How dare you!! How. DARE. You!!" Stephan was shouting, now being restrained by the other employees of the company.


    "Calm down, Stephan," his colleague who held him back was saying, "You wouldn''t want to be held in jail for assault charges now, would you? What would happen to your kids?"


    Stephan tried to shrug off his colleagues'' hold, but failed and he launched a miserable kick towards the stranger.


    "Ask HIM!"


    "Oh, come on, Stephan," Kyle said, hardly looking bothered, "They needed a vacation. I just gave them one."


    "I am their father, damnit!! You should have asked me first!!"


    "I did," Kyle replied, "I told you they should have a vacation and you agreed."


    "I didn''t think you meant that you''d send them off immediately! What gives you the right! They are MY KIDS!!"


    "Who just lost their mother and needs a change of pace," Kyle pointed out, "You bury your grief with work, so I''m just letting them escape with fun. Stop being such a twat."


    Stephan glared at him and after huffing, told his colleagues'' to let him go, "I''m fine."


    After making sure he was, they reluctantly did.


    Stephan sat back at his desk and said stiffly, "Thank you. Goodbye."

 Chapter 640 - Diversion

    Kyle stood there silently for a second before he turned on his heels and walked out. Everyone else gave out a breath of relief.


    Though they didn''t know who the stranger was, his manner was rather imposing. His dressing also appeared expensive and those blue eyes were so piercing. Though they were intimidated, they were all feeling sympathy for Stephan right now.


    They had thought he was unemotional and cold, but it turned out he was hurting so much inside. Now, a foreign stranger took away his kids?


    From then, their attitudes towards him became better and they were much nicer.


    When Sayuri saw Kyle enter the front desk area, she got up from the sofa and walked over to him.


    "How was it?" she asked, grabbing his arm and leaning on it.


    "As expected," Kyle said.


    "Such a good actor?" Sayuri asked softly.


    Kyle smirked, "I don''t think it was really acting."


    "Huh? But you told him of the plans and he was okay with it," Sayuri said in surprise, "He was even glad you could get his kids out of danger."


    "But he''s still angry at me for being able to do it while he can''t," Kyle said, "He actually has two types of personalities within him."


    Sayuri listened as they walked towards the carpark, her mind whirling at the sort of life Kyle must have had in his past life.


    "The neanderthal male-chauvinist and the sensitive man. He feels more than most, but his upbringing and society were such that he felt embarrassed by that, I think," Kyle mused, "So he compensates by being more aggressive. His male ego can smash a mountain."


    "But his heart bleeds," Kyle said softly, remembering the pain in his former spouse''s eyes as he shouted how the kids were his.


    "Knowing what his kids needs, yet not being able to do it or give it," Kyle said, "Kills him inside. So his anger at me was real."


    "How did you stay married to that man?" Sayuri asked in wonder. The Kyle that she knew, would not have tolerated such a person.


    "I was a different person back then," Kyle whispered, as they got into the car. After ensuring that Sayuri had buckled up, he drove the car out.


    Once inside the car, Kyle could talk normally and did not bother with talking without moving his lips. The car was soundproof, plus had a jamming device to disrupt any bugging equipment and the glass was tinted which made it difficult for anyone trying to lip read.


    Kyle was being extra careful since the mastermind was in a position of power. Xavier had access to all sorts of weapons and spy equipment, and for all you know, he may even mobilise the military or the spies on the pretext of ''national security''.


    Things were sensitive and delicate.


    Hence, the show earlier.


    Taking the kids out of the country, plus getting rid of the goons, would have put those people on high alert.


    What Kyle needed to do was divert their attention and view what Kyle did as a separate matter altogether. That it had nothing to do with Stephan and Kylie stepping into ''their'' business.


    Right now, what was important was for them to continue to underestimate Stephan, and not view Kyle as a potential threat or backing for Stephan. Their little skit showed this, and how Kyle didn''t take Stephan''s feelings into consideration at all.


    Kyle was just a person that was interested in the kids'' welfare and not whatever that was happening with Stephan.


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    Donnie flung his phone out in anger.


    Not only did the kids escape, but the people he sent to capture them had also all disappeared. Looking at the CCTV cameras of the airport, he had seen how that silver-haired bodyguard of theirs had eliminated three of his people in the airport.


    And how their bodies had been spirited away.


    Such a person that had such resources could not be underestimated.


    Luckily, the so-called CEO was only interested in the kids and never bothered with Stephan.


    Donnie snorted at the report he had gotten from those trailing the so-called CEO. All he did was play around while clinging to that admittedly delicious-looking girl. He was really enjoying his holiday here and ignoring everything else.


    Even this stunt with those two kids.


    Donnie didn''t believe that it was a genuine case of interest. Must be some sort of publicity angle.


    Donnie refused to believe that this frivolous kid was a real CEO.


    Too young. Wilful, spoilt.


    He must have been put there because of his good-looking face and his past achievements. A puppet, to give a good image.


    Hah.


    Donnie knew better.


    A guy who could shamelessly make-out in public in a conservative country, not caring about the people watching, truly showed how decadent he was. All that mattered was him, and what he wanted to do rather than the people around him.


    Donnie pushed the file on Kyle aside, dismissing him entirely and focused on Stephan.


    It was only much later that he regretted that. For not digging more information about Kyle.


    Not that he would have found anything, actually. So let''s just let him live under the delusion that he could have been more prepared if he had.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Beatrice was having a headache.


    No, not a real one but in the form of two figures that decided they had to be at the airport as well to welcome Kay and the kids back.


    Boss had told them to send a team to protect Xing Han when he went to the airport, but the moment they heard that Beatrice would be there as well ... they assigned themselves.


    There was no way they were going to let any other goon protect their woman.


    Even if that said woman hadn''t accepted them yet.


    They had time. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 641 - You’re The Only One

    Once they landed, Kay led the kids out.


    Everything seemed so surreal to Lianne.


    The first-class flight, the way everyone treated them because of Mama and Kay.


    Now, they were in an entirely new country.


    Traveling overseas was something that they hardly did due to their financial constraints. Now they had landed, Joseph and Lianne were busy processing everything that they saw with wonder.


    Lianne had spent the time on the plane digging up more information about her mother in her new life and was extremely impressed. It was like some fairy-tale story.


    The things she had done, and gone through, in order to survive and eventually, come back to them. Lianne felt utterly warm at that, and also sad when she thought of the things her mother must have gone through.


    After all, she had only ''lost'' her mother for a week or so. Her mother, on the other hand, had lost them for 19 years.


    She could hardly imagine the sort of pain that her mother must have gone through.


    Things looked pretty good now though. Lianne hoped that life, for her mother, can now move on once she had settled her revenge.


    Still, she wondered what would happen after all of it was over. Her father was back in Country M and her mother was a guy in Country Tz. Would her mother stay in Country M? Lianne was a bit sad thinking about the future and the future separation.


    Lianne took a deep breath and forced herself to think of something else.


    She needed to focus on something else for otherwise, she would start getting depressed and think of all sorts of possibilities - all negative.


    It was what Dr. Marveen had told her to do. Her tendency to think of all the endless possibilities and then get depressed over them was something that she had to stop doing. She had to live for the here and now, and take one day at a time.


    It wasn''t easy.


    The only thing right now that could distract her from having dark thoughts was ¡­ thinking about Mama''s Elite Team. Would her people here be as good looking?


    Her current favourite was Zero, who was so soft-spoken and rather shy, yet so serious. Once they unboarded the plane, Lianne put on her earphones and surrounded herself with familiar music to help her distract herself from overthinking and lift her mood.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "Are they out yet? Where are they? Why aren''t they out yet?" Xing Han was mumbling non-stop as he craned his neck to try and look inside.


    Beatrice rolled her eyes at that, and replied calmly, "They just landed, Xing Han. Taking into account the time it needs for the plane to go to a complete stop, to leave the plane, get through immigration and finally, out here, it would at least be 15 minutes."


    "But they are in first-class!" Xing Han argued, "Should be much faster than that. They would be the first one out and? there''s no check-in baggage, right?"


    "They are only teens, Xing Han," Beatrice said patiently, "And this is their first time in Country Tz. I''m sure they''re taking in all the sights while on the way."


    Zack and Yuri were smiling.


    Well, Zack was having this huge grin while Yuri was just giving a small smile.


    "That''s right," Zack said, inching in closer to Beatrice, bringing his face closer to her, "Such an observant and clever lady."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched and she took a step to the side, only to clash shoulders with Yuri.


    She turned to face him in annoyance, and stepped back, only to hit Zack''s solid chest.


    "Will both of you stop it!" Beatrice said, turning to face them and putting her hands on her waist.


    "Stop what?" Yuri asked innocently.


    Beatrice turned to Xing Han and said, "Xing Han, control your minions here." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xing Han shrugged, "They aren''t my minions. They''re Nic''s."


    "What is Nic''s, is yours, right?" Beatrice pointed out.


    "Yes, but they don''t listen to me," Xing Han said, dismissing Beatrice''s complaint, "They''re mine to use, but not order around."


    "Little Boss is the best," Zack said with a grin, "He understands us so well."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched again, and Xing Han gave her a small apologetic smile.


    He patted her on the shoulder and said, "Look, they are harmless. If they ever go overboard, tell me and I''ll tell Nic, okay?"


    Zack and Yuri looked hurt.


    "We''d never do anything to harm Beatrice," Zack said.


    "Duh," Xing Han said with a roll of his eyes and waved them dismissively, "Otherwise, do you think you''d still be here?"


    Yuri hit Zack at the back of his head, "Stupid."


    "You''re stupid," Zack growled.


    Beatrice shook her head at their antics and they immediately stopped, looking a bit worriedly at each other. They could not afford to give a first bad impression to their woman - ignoring entirely that that part was a bit too late.


    Zack slid up closer to Beatrice, saying, "We''ll be good, I promise."


    "We won''t ever do anything to make you unhappy," Yuri said.


    Beatrice glared at their identical faces and with a huff, she finally said what had been on her mind ever since that first day they had met.


    "Why do you like to tease me so much?"


    "Because your expressions are so adorable," Zack said with a huge grin.


    "Well, stop it," Beatrice said with a frown, "Other girls may like all the attention that you give, but I don''t."


    "What other girls?" Yuri asked, tilting his head.


    Beatrice scoffed at him, "Seriously? You expect me to believe that all of this .."


    She gestured the two of them from top to toe with her hands, "... is pure and there aren''t girls swarming around you guys?"


    "Of course not," Zack replied, not denying it.


    Yuri looked at her seriously, "But you''re the only one we actually wanted."


    Beatrice''s heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 642 - Give Us A Chance

    Beatrice was a prim and proper girl, and one who had never been in any sort of relationship. The only time she had ever had feelings for someone, he turned out to be her future cousin-in-law.


    Ever since then, no one else stirred her interest.


    It wasn''t that her experience had scarred her but rather, no one else was interesting enough. There was no ''spark'' at all.


    She was too busy studying and working anyway.


    Now, having such attention focused on her by these striking men was beyond her. She knew what she''s like: the opposite of them. Plus, two of them? Like, seriously?


    She had never had one guy interested in her and now she had two? She was to believe that they were fighting over her?


    She snorted inwardly.


    It was all a game, she knew. See who she would pick out of the two, meaning that the other would be the loser. After having some fun, they''d probably turn to their next victim. She wasn''t stupid enough to fall for their tricks.


    Yet, each time they met, she found her resolve waver.


    Who would not, when such handsome devils would shower you with such attention - even if they were rather annoying at times.


    Right now, she was even affected by the serious manner Yuri was looking at her. Making her believe that they were actually serious.


    Beatrice took a deep breath and let it out loudly.


    "Look, guys," Beatrice said, "You can stop it with all of this. Go choose another target to play with. I''m not biting."


    Zack and Yuri frowned, their faces clearly showing their displeasure, "What are you talking about? Target? Playing?"


    Zack stepped closer to Beatrice, saying, "Is that what you think we were doing all this time? Playing with you?"


    Beatrice stood her ground, staring at him intently, "Look, I''m not stupid. Why would either of you be interested in me? Brothers, fighting over me? Not possible."


    "Of course we''re not fighting over you," Yuri admitted and Beatrice nodded.


    She found this part of them really refreshing and she respected them highly for that. From their moments together, she discovered that they weren''t the type that lied. It was unbelievable, but this proved it even more.


    "See? So ¡­" Beatrice began, but was cut off by Yuri.


    "We''re fighting for you," Yuri declared.


    Beatrice looked at him, not understanding his point.


    "For your heart," Zack declared unabashedly.


    Beatrice turned to look at Zack, her eyes in a daze.


    "We like you," Zack said, "And it''s not just ''like, like''. We really, really like you."


    "In case that is not clear enough," Yuri said at her side, standing much closer than ever before, "We''re pursuing you."


    "Not for fun," Zack relied, coming closer as well, "For life."


    Beatrice gulped, her eyes wide, her mind not being able to process all of this.


    She put her hands up, placing it on each of their chest, pushing them but they weren''t budging. Instead, they took her hand in theirs and held her hand firmly against them.


    "We like you," Zack said.


    "We want you," Yuri continued.


    "Just give us a chance," Zack said. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice finally managed to squeak out, "Both of you?"


    They nodded, eyes serious.


    "Wait wait wait," Beatrice said, trying to get back her hand but without success.


    "This ¡­ this is just ¡­"


    "Country Tz allows both polygamy and polyandry marriages, you know," Yuri said calmly, "Trust us. Our feelings are sincere."


    "You don''t have to choose," Zack explained, "We''ll take very good care of you, if you let us."


    Beatrice shook her head, her eyes wide.


    She looked like a deer who got caught in the headlights and the twins found it so adorable.


    They came even closer, and now, Beatrice found herself being sandwiched by these two strong guys.


    Yuri kissed her right cheek, while Zack kissed the side of her left neck.


    "We like you," Zack and Yuri said together in her ear.


    "For goodness sakes, people!!" came an exasperated voice from beside them.


    Three pairs of eyes turned to see Xing Han, who was staring at them with his arms crossed against his chest.


    He glared at Beatrice, asking with an annoyed voice, "Look, do you hate them?"


    Suddenly being asked that question from a serious Xing Han made Beatrice answer automatically, "No."


    Zack and Yuri looked pleased.


    "Do you like them?" Xing Han continued to ask her sternly, like some school-teacher scolding her naughty student.


    "I ¡­ I ¡­" Beatrice stammered, not knowing how to reply.


    Xing Han rolled his eyes dramatically, "Do they disgust you? Do you want to avoid them? Do you want them to go away and never come back?"


    Zack and Yuri gulped, their hearts in their throat.


    "No," Beatrice said eventually, her voice small.


    "Then give them a chance," Xing Han said and then he glared at the twins.


    "And let her go, you fools! Woo her gently, not so forcefully!" Xing Han ordered, "Like a princess. You want her, then be her knights!"


    Xing Han then turned to wait for the kids again, while muttering under his breath about how his beloved Cookie should teach his men a thing or two about wooing someone.


    Zack and Yuri obeyed Xing Han and did let Beatrice go, but still stood very close to her. They placed their hand over their hearts and said, "Beatrice, we would like to date you with the intention of marriage."


    "Whoa whoa whoa," Beatrice exclaimed, putting up her hands, "Hold on and slow down. If we''re going to do this, it has to be by my rules."


    "Anything!" they chorused.


    "We take this step-by-step," Beatrice said, "First, we get to know each other properly. We can see whoever and date anyone else in the meantime."


    The twins frowned but kept silent.


    "Secondly, if things are okay, then we date exclusively," Beatrice continued.


    The twins grinned happily.


    "Then, we get married," they declared confidently, "We agree!!"


    They hugged her together and Beatrice''s eye twitched.

 Chapter 643 - Good Luck!!

    Lianne and Joseph stared at the woman who was being hugged intimately by two handsome guys and blinked rapidly.


    "Country Tz is much more open than Country M," Kay explained, while trying hard not to laugh.


    Seeing how happy the twins were, and how indignant the expression on Beatrice''s face was - yet, she did not push them away - said a lot.


    "The lady really looks like she likes them," Lianne said, "How lucky."


    Now it was Kay''s turn to blink and look down at Lianne, who was watching the entire scene with interest. Like she was studying the whole thing.


    Kay turned to look at Joseph, who seemed interested but shy at the same time. It was as if he wanted to continue watching, but was embarrassed yet could not look away. Kay thought that was so cute and resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks.


    Even though he didn''t have those pinchable baby cheeks and his jawline was quite well defined. She pursed her lips, thinking that once this Joseph grew up, he was going to be quite a looker.


    Not in Kyle''s standards, of course. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "KAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!" came an excited squeal, causing Beatrice to finally shake off the happy twins that were rubbing their cheeks on her.


    (A/N: Yes, cheeks. I know you dear Readers are rather *cough cough* minded)


    "That''s Kyle''s BFF," Kay explained, "Xing Han."


    Xing Han bounced over, followed by the prim Beatrice and grinning twins, "Oh gosh, oh gosh. Joseph! Lianne! I''m Xing Han!! Nice to meet you!!"


    He shook their hands excitedly and went into full bullet-mode, his excitement too intense that he couldn''t hold it in.


    "How was the trip? Was it good? Was that your first time in first class? It was cool, right? Right? Oh, you''re really going to love it here in Country Tz. I can show you everywhere and bring you anywhere. Any good friend of Kyle, is a good friend of mine. I will make sure that you''ll have fun fun fun. I''m sorry about your mother, by the way. I cannot imagine how it must feel like .."


    Kay put her hand on Xing Han''s shoulder, saying softly with a laugh, "Enough. Slow down. Their heads must be spinning."


    Xing Han stopped suddenly, rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and said, "Sorry. I was just too excited."


    "Joseph, Lianne, this is Beatrice who is my PA while the twins there are Xing Han''s bodyguards, Yuri and Zack."


    "Your PA has twins for boyfriends? Cool," Lianne breathed as she looked at the twins with stars in their eyes.


    Immediately, Yuri and Zack smiled, nodding, "You have a good eye."


    "They are NOT my boyfriends," Beatrice denied.


    "Yet," Zack replied, "We''re in the running."


    Zack gave Lianne a wink and said, "She''s playing hard to get, but we''ll get her sooner or later."


    Lianne put up a fist and said, "Fighting! Good luck!"


    Yuri and Zack looked at each other and imitated her gesture, then bumped their fist on her little one.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


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    "They''ve arrived safely at Country Tz," Kyle told Sayuri as they sat in the living room.


    "Your telepathic communication with Kay is so convenient," Sayuri mused, "Instant connection and cannot be hacked."


    "I know, right?" Kyle remarked as he flipped through the files for the umpteenth time. All over the living room, various files were about and it contained sparse information about Xavier and Donnie.


    "This is not enough," Kyle said frustratedly, "Donnie is too much a person in the shadows while Xavier''s public image is too strong. He has hidden himself well."


    Sayuri rubbed his back to comfort him, "We''ll get him. Sooner or later, they''ll make a mistake and we''ll get him."


    Kyle gnashed his teeth, "If I had known it was this guy from the start, I could have been monitoring him from ages ago. Before he got into power. Before any of this started. As it is, we can''t afford to make any mistakes."


    Sayuri smiled, liking the fact that Kyle had said ''we''.


    "We won''t," Sayuri assured him, "I mean, we''ll do our best not to. Overconfidence can be a killer as well."


    Kyle sighed, leaning back on the sofa and closed his eyes as he went through various scenario and plans-of-action.


    "The first step is obviously seeing what they have planned for Stephan," Kyle said, his eyes still closed.


    "It''s obvious that they''re setting him up for something. Why would they make him their runner when they have many other people who can do so? Because they trust him? Can control him? Hardly."


    "Yes, now that the kids are out, they don''t have real threatening power yet they are still pressing on him to go and do so," Sayuri agreed, leaning back on the sofa and observing Kyle, "They are still using that ''we can get them when they come back'' sort of thing."


    "If they do something to Stephan, the kids would naturally come back," Kyle surmised, "Which means that they''ll be a target the moment they do. I don''t think it''s as simple as just using them to threaten Stephan. It''s most likely one part but I wouldn''t be surprised if they''re going to sell them off."


    Kyle gritted his teeth at that.


    The files on the child trafficking were horrible and it wasn''t just young kids that were taken. Lianne was at the ''right'' age for some and would most likely be a toy while Joseph, with his rather delicate features, would be a popular ''item'' as well.


    Of course, Kyle could be biased when judging his kids'' looks, but he didn''t think so.


    "You need to relax, Kyle," Sayuri said, patting his chest, "Strong emotions are a hindrance to thinking straight."


    "I know that," Kyle growled, "What do you think I''m trying to do here?"


    Sayuri smiled, and ran her hands down to his crotch, stroking it and whispered, "I can help."

 Chapter 644 - Feeling Uneasy (R18)

    Kyle slowly opened his eyes and looked at Sayuri, his eyes darkening as she smiled at him sweetly.


    "You''re really incorrigible, you know that?" Kyle said breathlessly as he leaned in to kiss her.


    "Just like you," Sayuri replied before her lips were claimed in a fierce kiss.


    Kyle''s tongue slipped in effortlessly and she accepted it willingly, and they took turns in exploring each other''s mouths. At one point, it was Kyle who was attacking and in another, she was the one that sucked on his tongue.


    Their hands were busy undressing each other while their lips were still locked together. Clothes were flung out and Kyle kicked his pants away impatiently while Sayuri stroked his hard-on expertly. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle cupped Sayuri''s breast in his hand, loving the feel of its softness and fullness in his palm as he rubbed his thumb all over her nipple. She moaned deep in her throat and that just triggered him more.


    He didn''t know why, but just hearing those sounds from her made him feel even hotter. He finally broke the kiss and focused his attention on the twin peaks that fascinated him endlessly.


    He may have had breasts before and he wasn''t one to actually mind whatever size his partner was, but he couldn''t deny Sayuri''s breasts were just perfect for him. Just the right size to fill his hand, and full enough to be squeezed and fondled.


    He leaned down, pushing her down onto the sofa while taking one breast in his mouth, twirling his tongue over the nipple and then sucking it, before taking small nips and ran his teeth on it while sucking it at the same time.


    Sayuri''s back arched in pleasure, as she ran her fingers through his hair while rubbing herself on him.


    He groaned and went up to kiss her lips again, when she pushed him away.


    Puzzled, he looked at her silently while she smiled, pushing him more. He did as she commanded, but his fingers were slowly playing with her clit, making her wet beyond belief.


    "Sit," Sayuri commanded as she straddled him, "I want to be on top this time."


    Kyle held her waist and felt her holding his c*ck, putting it right at her entrance while never breaking eye contact with him. Then, she brought herself down, slowly bringing his cock deep within her.


    Kyle gritted his teeth at the torture as she continued the slow movements, smiling tauntingly at him.


    "You''re really evil, you know that?" Kyle hissed as she bobbed up and down, while touching his chest all over.


    She leaned forward and kissed him softly, saying, "Patience, my love and you shall be rewarded."


    She moved at a certain angle, causing the smooth grip on his c*ck to be even tighter and more friction. It was then that she sped up the movements and Kyle gripped her *ss tightly as the sensation was beyond belief.


    She grabbed his head and pushed it against her breasts and he suckled on them, biting her nipples as the loud moans filled the air. It didn''t take long for both of them to climax, as Kyle''s body shuddered upon shooting his seed into her clenching cave.


    Sayuri leaned on Kyle''s chest, breathing heavily while feeling her cave still twitching due to the orgasm, feeling Kyle''s c*ck within her.


    "I wonder if I''m becoming a sex addict this way," Sayuri lamented, getting back up and looking at Kyle, "No wonder training would never allow us to go all the way."


    Kyle stared at her, his mind exploded at that.


    "You mean, your training involved actual performance, just no penetration?" Kyle asked, trying hard to keep his voice level.


    Then he immediately felt stupid for saying that, as she had clearly been a virgin when they had sex the first time. Yet, for some reason, that seemed to be seperate from this.


    Sayuri tilted her head, getting off Kyle and feeling his thick seed trickle down her thigh. She wondered idly about it as she took her thrown away underwear to wipe it.


    "Of course," Sayuri replied, not looking at him and thus, not seeing the flash of anger going through his eyes, "You don''t think theory is enough, right? I would need to actually know how to use the techniques taught."


    "So your skills in giving a blow-job..?" Kyle asked slowly, looking at Sayuri.


    "Good, right?" Sayuri said with a smile as she turned to look at him, "Took me a while, but he told me what was the correct way."


    Without a word, Kyle just pushed Sayuri down the sofa, kissing her to stop her from talking. He found he didn''t want to hear any more, and just wanted to get rid of this uneasy feeling in his heart.


    Sayuri didn''t think anything was out of the ordinary, accepting his rough kiss as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He plunged himself into her again, thrusting hard as she took it all in with pleasure.


    Kyle stopped for a second, taking her legs off his waist and positioned them close to her chest. Being a flexible ninja, this position was easy for her. He then began thrusting again, groaning as he felt how tight she was.


    Sayuri, on the other hand, was giving out expletives non-stop, hardly believing how deep he was going and how good it felt.


    It was a good thing that Kay wasn''t around anymore.


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    Much later, they were lying on the sofa, and Kyle asked, "By the way, why are you on the birth control pills? You don''t have to answer if you don''t want to."


    "It''s to help regulate my period," Sayuri replied softly, "I have very, very bad menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding so the pill helps that."


    Kyle kissed her forehead and hugged her closer.


    He liked feeling her next to him, but he reluctantly had to let go, "We should wash up and scout the area Stephan''s going to do the drop."


    "Mhmm," Sayuri agreed, but not moving, her eyelids closing.


    Seeing her tired face, Kyle didn''t move.


    Maybe later then.

 Chapter 645 - An Old Flame

    It was evening by the time Kyle and Sayuri headed to the location.


    It was a shopping mall, thus perfect for such an exchange. There would be lots of people, plus exit points. Kyle stood in the middle of the exact drop place, looking up and all around, making mental notes in his head.


    His hands were in his pocket, his handsome face looking bored even though he was concentrating. He didn''t want anyone to suspect he was there to survey the place.


    He certainly cut a dashing figure (as usual) and people couldn''t help but slow down or stumble a bit to admire the Adonis just standing there, seemingly waiting for someone.


    "Kyle?" came a soft voice beside him.


    Kyle''s heart jerked a bit upon hearing that familiar voice and cursed himself.


    Why should he still be affected by her?


    He knew very well that it wasn''t because he still had feelings for her, but rather, he still felt rather upset over her impression of him. It felt as if there were some unfinished business, and the unjustness of it all still ate up at him.


    He didn''t blame her, truly. He just couldn''t help but feel rather upset about it.


    Still.


    That made him angry at himself for he knew, letting go completely was the best way to truly heal. Yet, no matter how much of a saint you are, if you feel that you had been wronged, you can''t completely wipe it out from your heart.


    He turned slowly towards the source of that voice and saw that indeed, it was Sari.


    With that one look, everything came crashing down on him.


    All the memories of what they had shared, of the strong feelings he had for her then and the sense of betrayal which had hit him so deep, he felt he could never recover.


    In truth, he never did.


    When you love someone, and that person actually returned the feelings - it was like a dream. A wonderful dream that made you feel like you were walking on air. Those ''heart'' shaped background images from cartoons to depict the inner feelings really did feel like that.


    Everything was lovely, rosy and beautiful.


    However, Kyle knew that every relationship needed work. Constant work to keep the magic alive. Such work, though, should not be one that would be stressful. Worse, if only one party was doing all the work, it would sap up at you.


    Eat you alive.


    Unfortunately, Kyle still did not realise that there was one thing that was even worse than that.


    The worst thing was when you didn''t mind doing all of the work. In fact, you keep making excuses for the other party and put the entire blame on yourself. You only saw the flaws within you, and the mistakes you made - yet, never truly blaming the other party.


    In Kyle''s case, it was exactly that.


    He could understand Sari''s point of view, and he knew what she was like, thus he didn''t blame her at all. The frustration was still there that he could not be the man that she needed and deserved, no matter how hard he tried.


    He was also still very upset that she thought the worst of him - but he didn''t hate her.


    The pain was still there, even though it had been several years now.


    It was as if, seeing her, made the scab over his heart tear open again and started bleeding afresh.


    Still, all of those thoughts and feelings were bottled up inside of him and he didn''t show it one bit on his face, nor temperament.


    He simply pushed it aside and faced her with his normal, indifferent and cold manner.


    "Sari," he said calmly, nodding his head in acknowledgment upon seeing her, "Hello."


    Sari was a bit taken aback at that and she berated herself mentally. What was she expecting? Well, certainly not some sort of warmth or whatever but at least a smile?


    Who was this cold creature in front of her?


    She had already glimpsed the ''less than loving'' manner he treated her with the last time they met, but she really was not expecting this sort of cold and indifferent attitude.


    He wasn''t like this even to other people before. Was it just her because of their past? Or is this how he truly is?


    Despite the nervousness in her heart, she still managed to give a smile, and said, "I''m glad to be able to bump into you. I''ve always wanted to tha-"


    "No need," Kyle said, cutting her off abruptly, "It''s in the past."


    Sari swallowed the rest of the words that had been at the tip of her tongue.


    Kyle knew he was being a bit rude but the last thing he wanted was to talk about the past or reminisce about it. It was, after all, the past. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle studied her and saw how she had grown up into this mature young lady. At 18, her ''girl-next-door'' look was still prominent and most likely invoked a sense of protectiveness from any guy that was around her.


    He had been one of those guys and he was glad to know that he didn''t have such feelings anymore.


    One chain in his heart was broken then, and he felt relief. He often wondered how he would react or be like if he should meet up with her again - which was likely since he was in Country M.


    "What are you doing here?" Sari asked hesitatingly, wanting to start a conversation.


    She often wondered what happened since he left and so, she still followed the news about him. This time, she subscribed to Country Tz''s online news portal and kept abreast about anything related to him.


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t much other than the things he had done since becoming CEO.


    It can''t be that he was still single, right?


    He had already been labeled as the most eligible bachelor - EVER - yet, no news about any women. What happened?

 Chapter 646 - Face-off?

    "Work," Kyle replied curtly, not really wanting to elaborate further.


    "You''re here alone?" Sari ventured some more, wondering why she couldn''t let this go.


    "No, he''s with me," came a sweet voice from behind Kyle.


    Kyle turned to look and Sayuri kissed his cheek, saying, "Sorry, did you have to wait long?"


    "No," Kyle replied, "Done?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah," Sayuri replied, taking his arm and leaning on it, "Shall we have a bite to eat first?"


    "Sure," Kyle replied, then jerked his head towards the men''s washroom.


    "Okay, I''ll wait right here," Sayuri said, understanding.


    She then turned towards Sari and asked, "This is?"


    "Sari," Kyle replied, then pushed Sayuri forward a bit after getting his arm back, "Sayuri."


    "Hello," Sayuri said with a smile, extending her hand.


    Sari watched the entire thing with confusion and surprise, taking the other girl''s hand and shaking it, "Hello."


    "Go, I''ll be fine," Sayuri assured Kyle, who nodded and only then did he move. As he did so, he took out his phone and called someone, but he was already out of range to hear what he was saying.


    Sari was still feeling rather shocked at the whole thing.


    Kyle was still being the cold and indifferent person, yet the girl, Sayuri, didn''t seem to mind it a bit. In fact, she was practically clinging and plastering herself onto Kyle - who didn''t reject her at all.


    She didn''t even care that Kyle was only giving one-word answers and understood him completely. Despite the fact that Kyle didn''t seem caring, the girl was okay with it.


    What was going on?


    "You don''t mind his coldness?" Sari couldn''t help but ask.


    She was learning to ask things that were on her mind, but it didn''t mean she would ask anything. This was still within the ''safe'' zone. She couldn''t ask if Sayuri was Kyle''s girlfriend.


    The way she acted though, it appeared to be so.


    "That''s just the way he is," Sayuri answered with a shrug, "I know what he''s like and I accept him as he is."


    Kyle said he was here for work, yet there was this girl with him.


    Did he lie to her?


    Was he really here for work ¡­ or perhaps, this girl was his bed partner while he is here for work? What happened to Nialla? Or is this his second bed-partner while Nialla is for home?


    Her head spun thinking about it.


    Even though Kay had told her that Kyle was still a virgin, she never did believe her. She felt that Kay was just being over-protective over her brother - and what brother would tell his sister that he was sleeping around, right?


    "What''s going on in that mind of yours?" Sayuri asked bluntly.


    "N-n-nothing," Sari stammered.


    She could hardly ask such a question now, could she?


    Sayuri tilted her head and laughed a bit, then shook her head.


    "I was wondering what Kyle''s ex-girlfriend was like," Sayuri mused.


    "You-you-you know?" Sari gasped, completely taken aback.


    "Of course," Sayuri replied, "He was a wreck back then."


    "He was?"


    Sayuri frowned at that, "What? Why is that such a surprise?"


    "I ¡­" Sari began, then with a deep breath, she said, "He didn''t appear so when we last met. He just accepted things so calmly."


    Sayuri couldn''t help but laugh at that, "And you really believed that?"


    Sari blinked, looking at her in confusion.


    "Look, I don''t know how to break this to you gently, but you need to know something," Sayuri said, "When he broke up with you, a part of him died. He loved you so much that he stopped believing in love."


    "The cold man you see right now, is the man that you created," Sayuri said bluntly, "I am not saying this out of spite, nor am I trying to guilt-trip you. I am merely stating the facts."


    "I wouldn''t have said anything out of respect of his past feelings for you, but seeing that reaction from you just now ¡­ well, I just couldn''t keep it in any longer," Sayuri explained, not caring about the shocked expression on Sari''s face.


    "I am in love with Kyle," Sayuri declared unashamedly, "But he has no feelings for me. He had stated from the start that he could never love anyone, and as long as I am fine with that, I can stay by his side."


    "Do you know what it''s like, seeing the man that you love deeply, be so broken like that? He lost faith in ever being good enough for anyone, for he couldn''t be the man you needed."


    "I didn''t need much," Sari protested.


    "No, you just needed constant reassurance of his love yet never believed him when he showered you with it," Sayuri said, "What I would have given to have been in your position then."


    "It''s not my fault!" Sari denied vehemently.


    "No, it''s not," Sayuri agreed, "I never said it was. I am merely stating facts, and that the circumstances led to him being what he is right now."


    "Then why are you even telling me all this? To make me feel bad?"


    "No," Sayuri replied, "To wake you up. It takes two to make a relationship work and though you may think you were doing a lot on your end, in truth, you weren''t doing enough. You only saw his mistakes and downplayed yours."


    "I just can''t accept his lifestyle," Sari protested, "Having bed partners without any ties while being with me."


    Now it was Sayuri''s turn to be shocked.


    "What the fuck are you talking about?" Sayuri hissed, "He''s the most loyal person I know. If he had you, he would never, and I mean NEVER, be with another person."


    Sari took a step back, aghast at the sudden explosion of anger and expletives from Sayuri.


    Sayuri pinched the space between her eyebrows, "How vexing. You thought he was sleeping around?"


    Sayuri then looked at her in the eye, saying, "I was his first and am the only one fucking him right now."

 Chapter 647 - Tattoo

    While the girls were busy ''chatting'', Kyle was feeling quite liberated.


    The knot that had been in his heart was slowly unraveling, despite the fact that he was still upset over the knowledge that Sari never trusted him. With the confirmation that he no longer had any feelings for Sari, he felt better than he ever did in a long time.


    He still didn''t believe in love, but he was happy that he was no longer living the shadows of the former love.


    It was like he was reborn.


    Again.


    With that thought, an idea sparked in his mind.


    Once the idea formed, he decided to act upon it.


    Thus, he called up one of the MIB informants to give him a couple of reputable tattoo parlours.


    He was going to commemorate this occasion with a permanent reminder that he was no longer the person he used to be. Be it from his former life, or this life.


    Kylie had died.


    Kyle had also, in one sense, died.


    He had been reborn twice, like a phoenix rising from the ashes and in a flame of fire.


    Well, technically, the phoenix would burst in a flame of fire and rise up from the ashes looking like some furless cooked chicken, but he liked the idea of a fiery phoenix rising instead.


    Thus, he was going to get a tattoo of a phoenix.


    He could already envision the tattoo.


    A tribal-sort of tattoo of the phoenix, entirely in black ink.


    This would mean easier maintenance and if, in the unlikely future that he may want to erase it, it can be done better through laser treatment.


    This was because the lasers are able to detect the colour easier, so it can be removed more accurately. The other colours that were also easily removed were blue and green. White and yellow would be harder to remove.


    With some easy googling, Kyle found the perfect image and took a screenshot. Looking at it in admiration, he could already imagine where he would get it placed.


    It was going to be placed on left arm, with the head right in the middle of the shoulder and its wings wrapping itself around it while the body and tail would follow the length of the arm, with the curl of the tail right at the elbow.


    A rare smile blossomed on Kyle''s face, causing those who were unlucky enough to see it, be completely mesmerized.


    He entered the toilet happily, the excitement of getting it done making him impatient. Just how long did it take to get the tattoo parlour name??


    Well, worse come to worst, he''ll just get it done back in Country Tz. Zero has a tattoo on his neck, so he should know of a good place.


    Kyle was practically humming as he strolled into the toilet cubicle.


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    Sari was completely shocked at Sayuri''s declaration that her mouth just hung wide open.


    "You .. you ¡­" Sari stammered, unable to finish the sentence.


    "What?" Sayuri asked back, "Wasn''t I clear enough?"


    Sari''s face turned red just thinking about it and was uncomfortable. Why wasn''t this girl even embarrassed admitting it? Admitting it so openly. They weren''t even married.


    Sari clenched her hands into little fists and Sayuri rolled her eyes. Grabbing Sari''s wrist, Sayuri practically dragged her to a nearby cafe and made her sit down.


    "Talk," Sayuri commanded, sitting elegantly across from Sari, "What is going on in that little head of yours?"


    "I knew that he wasn''t a virgin but to have you admit being in that sort of relationship with him just boggles my mind," Sari said, not looking at Sayuri but at the table instead


    Sayuri rapped her knuckles on the table right under Sari''s nose, wishing she was knocking the girl''s head instead.


    "Hello? Excuse me? Did you even hear what I said?" Sari said exasperatingly, "He was a virgin until I ate him up. I said I was his first."


    "How would you know?" Sari countered, "It''s not like he''ll bleed."


    Sayuri took a deep, deep breath and the hand that had been knocking on the desk formed into a fist instead. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because he told me," Sayuri said calmly, despite the raging anger within her.


    This was the girl that Kyle had been so in love with? What was wrong with him? How could his girlfriend question him?


    "And you believed him?" Sari asked incredulously.


    This time, Sayuri didn''t hold back and her fist went straight at Sari''s face ¡­ but she stopped one inch before it hit.


    It had been so fast that Sari didn''t even have time to scream. She just saw a blur and suddenly, a fist right between her eyebrows.


    Sayuri hissed, her chest heaving, "How dare you. How fucking dare you!"


    "Just WHAT did Kyle ever do to you, or did, that deserve such distrust?!" Sayuri said loudly, yet not loud enough for those close by to hear, "Of course I believed him. I have no reason not to!"


    "What is YOUR excuse not to believe him? Did you ever catch him in a lie??" Sayuri demanded.


    Feeling wronged, Sari pressed her lips together in a thin line.


    Since the break-up with Kyle, Sari had been steadily improving herself. She wasn''t so much a ''turtle in a shell'' anymore, but it didn''t mean she was as straight-forward as this girl in front of her.


    Still, she could, at least, stand her ground a little bit.


    "Yes," Sari said confidently.


    "Oh really? Do tell," Sayuri replied, leaning back and crossing her arms across her chest.


    Sari had to admit that the faith Sayuri had in Kyle was mind-boggling.


    Even though she had said that Kyle had lied to her, Sayuri didn''t doubt Kyle at all.


    In fact, she was being questioned instead. That much was obvious, as one could clearly tell from the confident manner Sayuri was sitting there, her eyes clear from any mistrust.

 Chapter 648 - Lingering Doubts

    "I once called him up from here, and a woman picked up his phone," Sari replied, revealing it for the first time.


    "Okay, so?" Sayuri asked.


    "It was early morning at that time! And she said Kyle was still sleeping!"


    "Okay. Again, so?" Sayuri asked, her face in a frown, "What has that got to do with Kyle lying or cheating on you?"


    "Why else would a woman be in his apartment so early in the morning? While he was sleeping?"


    "Er, duh?" Sayuri replied while rolling her eyes, "There are SO many reasons. You only thought of one and decided it was THE reason? Did you ever ask him about it?"


    "No, don''t answer that. You didn''t," Sayuri said, "And if you did, would you have believed him?"


    Sari opened her mouth to say ''yes, she would'' when Sayuri put up her hand with a cynical smile.


    "You would? Really? If he had told you why that woman was there, you would have thought he was lying to cover it up, right?" Sayuri demanded. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t belittle me by lying. You''re even lying to yourself. That''s how bad you are," Sayuri scoffed.


    Sari''s face was red with anger at that accusation but held it in. She wasn''t the type to shout angrily in public, after all.


    "Listen. Honey. Let me lay it out for you okay? I''ll do it really slowly so that even you can understand this," Sayuri said condescendingly.


    She was so done with this girl in front of her.


    And so, so glad that Kyle wasn''t with her anymore. If they were still a couple, Sayuri was convinced that she would have developed some sort of disease with all the bottled-up frustration she would have had watching them together.


    "This incident happened when he was away, correct?" Sayuri asked, propping up her chin the palm of her hand, her elbow on the table.


    Sari nodded.


    "Kyle was facing one of the toughest battle ever in his life: his CEO position. He was working almost non-stop all that time, sometimes not sleeping for several days. He was working from his apartment because he was still in hiding so yes, his most trusted assistants would be there with him. In his apartment. Working," Sayuri revealed.


    "So a woman picking up his phone in his apartment early morning? No surprise there," Sayuri said, "He has capable people with him and this can actually include women!"


    Sayuri even gave an exaggerated surprised face, making Sari feel more uncomfortable (and stupid).


    "He never said anything," Sari defended herself, "If I had known then ¡­"


    "Did you ask? Why didn''t you ask?" Sayuri asked back, raising an eyebrow.


    "How do you know so much about him? About that day? It''s obvious you were close to him then and now, you ... you''re sleeping with him, so ¡­"


    "Stop right there. Don''t start assuming and making up things. Well, at least you''re opening your mouth more so that is a plus," Sayuri replied, "I know because I ask."


    "Why would I be so close to him to be able to ask? First, he''s my senior in high school. Second, I was one of those people that helped him secure his CEO position, so I would naturally know the amount of work he was doing. Third, I was there as his sounding board when he was at the lowest and darkest moment of his life."


    Sayuri laid her hands on the table and said, "I know he doesn''t lie and I would never doubt him in that. If he doesn''t want to answer, he won''t. He wouldn''t lie to cover it up."


    "You know, you really did something very, very stupid by letting go of such a good man," Sayuri said, "Not that I''m complaining because if it wasn''t for that, I wouldn''t be able to sleep with him now."


    Sayuri couldn''t help giving her a small smile while licking her lips, then biting the bottom lip, "And he''s damn good in that area."


    She shook her head, as if dispelling the memories that she was having and looked back at Sari.


    "Having doubts in a relationship is normal but once you don''t trust your partner, then it is doomed," Sayuri carried on, "I''m not saying you should trust blindly, but you shouldn''t doubt blindly either."


    "Make that judgment call yourself. Ask, and if you still doubt then trust your gut and find out more. Don''t just sit there and use your wild imagination to create things," Sayuri said.


    "Anyway, the past is the past. I can see that you''re moving on and improving - just based on this alone, I can see that."


    "But the fact that you still think the worst of Kyle just eats up at me," Sayuri admitted, "He doesn''t deserve the way you painted him. He''s never tried to hide what he''s like. You just never gave him the chance."


    "Pity," Sayuri said with a sigh then grinned.


    "Actually, no because now I have him," Sayuri said, "And yes, I am gloating. But it is a pity that he''s closed his heart but I''ll take what I can."


    "Kyle is not only he the most loyal, but he''s also the most honest," Sayuri said, "If you don''t believe me, then just ask him two questions."


    "What questions?"


    "Whether I''m sleeping with him, and whether he intends to marry me," Sayuri said.


    "WHAT?!"


    "See, wouldn''t the truth about both questions paint him in a bad picture? If he''s really as bad as you think he is, he would lie, right?" Sayuri pointed, "And if he doesn''t lie, then it means he never did and never will."


    "Don''t you want to know?" Sayuri prodded gently then goaded her further, "Don''t you owe him this, at least?"


    Sari nodded reluctantly, though asking those questions would certainly be very difficult for her.


    But Sayuri was right.


    She still had this lingering doubt. She didn''t truly believe Kay about Kyle telling her about his sex life.


    "Does Kay know?"

 Chapter 649 - Be Happy, Kyle

    "Kay?" Sayuri said, then her mouth twitched a bit, "Not only did Kyle tell her the day after we did it the first time, but she also had to have her room soundproofed a few days later."


    Sayuri found herself still wanting to laugh each time she remembered that day. The glare Kay gave them and she growling about how some rabbits were too loud so she had to soundproof her room.


    Kyle had been utterly shameless and merely shrugged, saying that it was the hazards of being such a sex stud.


    The disgusted expression on Kay''s face had been priceless.


    Getting back to the present, Sayuri had to admit to herself that she really was rubbing it in. She didn''t know why she did it and she felt this perverse desire to make the girl in front of her go red in the face.


    Perhaps she wasn''t as indifferent about the ex as she thought she would be.


    Sayuri wasn''t a Saint.


    She wanted Sari to know the truth - and at the same time, make her fully aware of what a gem she had let go. She wanted to help, and hurt, at the same time.


    Such conflicting desires and instead of choosing one, Sayuri did both.


    While Sayuri was revealing everything without a care and being both the Devil and the Angel, Sari was going through a major upheaval in her mind.


    The talk with Kay years ago had started her on the path of improvement, but this confrontation with Sayuri sealed the deal. Kay had been the kind one and that was the best during that break-up moment.


    Sayuri, Sari admitted, was really blunt and straightforward.


    She looked at Sayuri with renewed eyes.


    The woman in front of her wasn''t that much older than her yet was much more confident and strong. She could even admit openly about her feelings for Kyle and what sort of relationship they had. Her faith in him was unwavering and her love so obvious.


    Sari thought long and hard about all the things she had done while she had been with Kyle. If she could turn back time, would she have done things differently?


    Most definitely.


    However, the past is the past. You can''t change it.


    She felt she learned a lot from this, and the pain (and feeling of discomfort) that hit her each time the girl talked about Kyle''s sexual prowess made her realise that perhaps, her feelings for Kyle never did die.


    It wasn''t that she was still in love with Kyle, but rather, she still had good feelings for him. Perhaps that is why she had called out to him earlier rather than just turning around and avoiding him.


    After all, they did not have any sort of fight or whatever when they broke-up. If anything, it had been her that had betrayed him. Though, at that time, she didn''t think so or hadn''t seen it.


    "He''s coming," Sayuri said, breaking Sari out of her thoughts.


    Sari looked up and saw Kyle approaching.


    Such a breathtakingly handsome man, who had once been hers, was now someone else''s. Sari lamented over the fact that the man who was approaching did not have the warm smile and soft gaze that she was so used to.


    Instead, it was a cold mask of indifference, as if everything and everyone around him wasn''t of interest to him.


    Perhaps they weren''t.


    "Kyle, sweetheart, why don''t you catch up with Sari for a while," Sayuri said as she stood up, "She has a few questions for you. I''ll be waiting for you right there."


    Sari''s eyes bulged wide open and her mouth was agape at the way Sayuri just pushed her under the bus. Kyle nodded and sat down, giving Sayuri a glance as to where she was headed.


    Kyle didn''t say a word, and Sari found the questions stuck in her throat. She took several deep breaths and formed the questions in her mind, repeating it a few times to get courage.


    Kyle just sat there patiently while she gathered her thoughts, neither pushing nor looking irritated.


    "What''s your relationship with Sayuri?" Sari asked.


    Kyle frowned, tilting his head and asked, "What''s it to you?"


    "Are you sleeping with her?" Sari prodded on, proud of herself in continuing despite the rapid beating of her heart. She had vowed that she was going to change, and if she didn''t do this, she felt she would never improve.


    "Not that it''s any of your business, but yes," Kyle replied, puzzled, "Why do you ask?"


    Instead of answering, she then asked another question, "You once told me that you wouldn''t sleep with me until we got married, so does this mean that you''re marrying her?"


    "No," Kyle said, "You already know why I was waiting until marriage before sleeping with you."


    "Why me, but not her? Aren''t you being unfair to her?"


    Kyle stared at her, and replied, "In what way am I being unfair to her? This was our agreement from the start and she agreed. She wanted this as much as I did. Sex with no strings attached."


    "Are you surprised? Disgusted? That I have such an arrangement?" Kyle asked back.


    "I can''t deny that I am surprised, but ¡­ I don''t understand. Even though you already talked it out with her, why aren''t even considering marriage to her? If you''re so compatible, why ¡­?"


    "Look, Sari," Kyle said, getting up, "I do not know why you''re asking me these very personal questions, but I have answered them on account of our past. What I do now, and how I live my life is, quite frankly, none of your business."


    On impulse, Sari reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him.


    "I''m sorry for having doubted you and hurt you, but please. Don''t let me be the reason you''re shutting yourself out," Sari pleaded.


    "You''re not," Kyle replied firmly before leaving. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sari watched him go and prayed, "Be happy, Kyle. Be happy with Sayuri."

 Chapter 650 - Moving On

    Sari continued to sit at the cafe, watching that figure leave until she could not see him anymore. She had seen how Sayuri had reached over and hugged Kyle''s arm, looking up at him as they walked off.


    For the first time since the break-up, Sari felt at peace.


    Even though she was with Hamdan right now, she still thought about Kyle once in a while. Which was why she still kept tabs on him. One had said, that when you break up, a clean break is the best but somehow, she couldn''t quite let go.


    One couldn''t just cut off the feelings one had and Sari had still been in love with Kyle when they broke up. Just because she had agreed to give Hamdan a chance didn''t mean her feelings for Kyle had died.


    Sari sighed, looking at her hands.


    She was still with Hamdan and the ''honeymoon'' phase had already ended. The cracks were beginning.


    She had grown to love Hamdan though it was not the same as what she had felt for Kyle. No two loves are the same after all. The relationship was good but there were some things she was starting to be unhappy about.


    She remembered Sayuri''s cutting words and she smiled bitterly. About how she only saw Kyle''s mistakes and downplayed hers. Was she doing the same with Hamdan? It looks like she had to re-evaluate things again and work at the relationship before it was too late.


    Sari believed that everyone who came into your life, came for a reason.


    Obviously, Kyle, Kay, and Sayuri were there to teach her about her shortcomings and how to improve. To show her about love and how to keep the relationship going.


    Thinking about Sayuri, Sari admitted that despite the cutting words, despite the pain, she was grateful. And in awe.


    That was truly a woman worthy of Kyle.


    It wasn''t because they truly looked perfect together, but she was everything that Kyle needed. Strong, straight-forward, and able to accept all of his flaws. More importantly, she trusted him on a level that was enviable.


    Sari hoped Sayuri would be able to thaw that man''s heart, and she believed that if anyone could do it, it would be her.


    Sari thanked God that she met Sayuri.


    Bumping into Kyle had been a blessing indeed.


    Knowing that there was Sayuri beside him, she could finally let go and be at peace.


    It was time now to focus fully on Hamdan. He had been unhappy at the way she still kept abreast of Country Tz, even though she was no longer in contact with Kyle.


    Kyle had been the dark spot in Hamdan''s life, and although he never forbade her or restricted her, she could see how unhappy he was. Yet, she never thought she was doing anything wrong since she was only reading about him.


    Sari shook her head sadly.


    It took the conversation with Sayuri to make her truly understand Hamdan''s point of view. She quickly got up and rushed to go to Hamdan. She had a lot of making-up to do.


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    "Are you okay?" Sayuri asked Kyle, looking up at him while clinging onto his arm.


    "Mhm," Kyle replied.


    "Everything okay?" Sayuri continued to ask.


    "Mmm," Kyle answered.


    "Good," Sayuri said with a smile and leaned on him, "I''m glad."


    "I want to get a tattoo," Kyle announced suddenly.


    "Really? That''s nice," Sayuri commented.


    She then looked at the image on the phone that Kyle showed her and pursed her lips, "Where are you going to put this? On your back? Neck?"


    "Shoulder and arm," Kyle replied.


    "It''s nice, but do you mind if I make a few adjustments?" Sayuri asked, "You don''t have to use it if you don''t like it."


    "I know," Kyle said, "But I''m sure I would."


    "Okay!" Sayuri said, and Kyle sent the image to her phone. She studied it further, thinking of the changes she was going to do.


    She felt that for Kyle, what would be better suited was one that would be much simpler in design. The current one that he showed had a wide wing-span, and the tail was rather ''bushy''.


    She would simplify the image, making the wings smaller and look like it would wrap Kyle''s shoulder while the tail would be a simple elegant single ''hook''.


    Although she had said she would make a ''few'' adjustments, she was actually doing quite a lot and changed it from its original image entirely. Just thinking about it made Sayuri feel so excited.


    He would have, permanently inked on him, something she had drawn.


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    Stephan was feeling moody.


    He looked at the empty apartment and sighed deeply.


    He knew, in his heart, that what Kyle had done was the best and he was grateful to him for being able to protect his children but he didn''t like it. He didn''t like the fact that they seemed to be going further and further away from him.


    He took out his wallet and opened it, gazing at the picture of his late wife in it.


    He put his fingers on her smiling face, imagining his fingertips caressing her face.


    His heart was so full of regrets.


    He loved her deeply, and now, she was no longer around. He thought he had more time, but alas, it wasn''t to be.


    "I miss you," he said softly.


    He knew that she had been hurt deeply by his lack of physical intimacy with her, and that just made him more afraid. Afraid that she would leave him if she ever knew the truth. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to, but he couldn''t.


    Yet, instead of seeking treatment or talking to her about it, he had brushed it aside and put it down to him being stressed at work.


    It would get better, he thought.


    It didn''t.

 Chapter 651 - Stephan’s Regret

    Stephan couldn''t even remember when it had begun.


    At first, it had been a small matter.


    One day, he discovered that sex had become painful as there was no precum. Even if his wife was wet, the penetration was painful for him.


    However, this was easily solved by using a lubricant.


    Then, as time went by, he found that he could not maintain his erection.


    It was frustrating. He could get hard when his wife enticed him with their foreplay, but once she was placed on the bed ¡­ it just went flaccid.


    He hid the truth from her well at first. He would quickly use his hands to get himself hard again before she realised something was amiss. Then, he found that it was getting harder and harder to maintain it and get it up again.


    Once, it just never rose back up and he could not perform the deed. She didn''t blame him in any way, and he brushed it aside as him being too tired and stressed out.


    That experience had scared him so much that ever since then, he simply shied away from it.


    She never suspected a thing.


    It was okay at first, but she then started to try and initiate physical intimacy. However, since she was the shy type, she would hint at it by kissing him.


    He would pretend not to understand.


    Whenever she kissed him, he reciprocated but before she could deepen the kiss, he would start joking around. It got her angry and frustrated, but he preferred that rather than her finding out the truth.


    Now, though, he wondered why he did all that.


    Ever since her death, he had been thinking about her endlessly.


    It was only now that he realised how withdrawn she had become, and that she had stopped being affectionate. She wasn''t unkind and she didn''t ignore him, but she simply did not kiss him anymore.


    He had been so caught up in his fear of her finding out that he didn''t see how his actions had hurt her deeply.


    He had been blind.


    He had thought, so long as he treated her well, it was enough. Only now did he remember the hurt in her eyes whenever he covered up with jokes, or when he acted all tired and stressed out.


    Did she know how much he loved her?


    Did she die, thinking that he no longer wanted her?


    She never complained and in fact, just acted like nothing was wrong. He was just so relieved that he didn''t have to push her away all the time, that he never realised that, in actuality, it meant that something was wrong.


    She didn''t confide in him anymore as well.


    Was that why she did what she did, and died for it?


    Did he have a hand in her death as well?


    Stephan broke down then, crying, as he held his head in his hands.


    It was all too late.


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    Kyle watched as his former spouse sat on the sofa, crying his heart out.


    Sayuri was beside him, and gently placed her arm across his shoulders and was rubbing it.


    Kyle leaned towards her, placing his arm across her waist as he watched the scene. He was unable to truly fathom the feelings that were stirring within him as at that moment.


    "Are you still in love with him?" Sayuri asked.


    "No," Kyle replied clearly, "When I died, I had accepted the fact that he''s no longer a part of my life. I had this mentality that we''ve divorced and I''ve lived 19 years without him."


    "I don''t know what I feel right now," Kyle admitted and brought Sayuri to sit on his lap.


    He hugged her tightly to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. He placed his chin on her shoulder, and his nose at the side of her neck, breathing in deeply.


    She leaned back on him, and tilted her head a bit to allow him easier access. She felt his lips then on her neck while his hands started going underneath her shirt. He didn''t do much, but simply lay his hand on her flat stomach, stroking the smooth skin.


    "You''re obviously feeling sad," Sayuri said gently, placing her hand on his that was underneath her shirt.


    Kyle didn''t answer, his eyes on the screen. Instead, he just hugged her tighter.


    Whenever Kyle did this, turning to her and using her as his comfort pillow of some sort, Sayuri felt that it was rather bittersweet. It gave her hope as he saw her as more than just a bed partner yet, he never realised what he was doing.


    It''s like, he was just acting out on pure instinct and never thinking about the reasons behind his actions. Sayuri wondered how long she would be able to last.


    She knew, that so long as they were together, Kyle wouldn''t look at another woman. Would she be happy to have this sort of ambiguous relationship with him?


    Actually, it was wrong to label it as an ambiguous relationship since he laid out the rules from the start. Exclusive bed partners without a future.


    The thing is, if all they did was just having sex whenever they wanted, it would have been fine. However, Kyle treated her like she was special and he was caring. It gave the illusion of something more.


    Sayuri knew this path that she was on was very dangerous.


    Dangerous to her heart, that is.


    At that moment, Sayuri made a decision. She knew that Kyle would never look at another woman, nor break this off with her as they were so compatible sexually. It would be up to her to do the breaking-up in the future.


    Sayuri gave herself two years. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If, at the end of that time, she still hasn''t managed to thaw out his heart, she was going to confess.


    Whatever happens after that, will depend entirely on him.

 Chapter 652 - The Exchange (I)

    It was the day of the exchange.


    Kyle looked at his laptop and did a final check. This was a delicate operation with so many unknowns that it made Kyle nervous. He had done the best that he could, and even had Sayuri double-check everything, but it didn''t mean he was confident.


    Over-confidence could lead to disaster, just as he learned painfully from his elevator mishap. One wrong step and you''re going to see stars.


    Kyle had the police band monitored and several MIB agents around in all the major hot-spots. He and Sayuri would be monitoring the situation at the actual location, and would only make a move if necessary.


    "Ready?" Sayuri asked, coming over behind him.


    "Yeah," Kyle said, closing his laptop and turned to face her, "Time go give those peepers a show that would make them cringe in their hidden spots."


    Sayuri laughed, took his hand and led him outside to the balcony, "The bigger the show, the more likely they''ll ignore us later on."


    Kyle stopped, spun her around and hugged her. He looked down at her and said, a twinkle in his eyes, "How big is big?"


    She gave a seductive smile, tilted her head to show her neck to him and said while pressing her breasts to his chest, "Depends entirely on you."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, brought his hands lower to grab her *ss and started kneading them as he lowered his head, "You''re playing with fire, young lady."


    She licked his lips and said just before he kissed her, "Then let''s burn together."


    In a hidden spot (or so they thought) some distance away in the opposite building, the guy who had to watch this scene groaned.


    "They''re at it again," Goon A complained, leaning back and rubbing his eyes in disgust, "And this time, out in the open balcony."


    His partner, Goon B, pushed him aside and looked through the telescope, saying, "If I had that girl, I would be going at it all the time as well."


    "Oh come on, it''s broad daylight! Can''t they tone it down a bit?"


    Goon B didn''t answer, as he continued to watch live p*rn ¡­ well, not really p*rn since they were just making out heavily but still.


    "Shut up," Goon B hissed, "This is getting good. Man, what I would do to be in his position. That''s one mighty fine *ss indeed."


    After a few minutes, Goon B sighed and kicked the telescope, "Just when it was getting to the good part, they had to go back inside. Aarrgh! Just a little bit more and that bra would have gone off!"


    Goon A rolled his eyes and lay his head on the desk, "They''ll be at it for a couple of hours at least."


    Goon B growled and headed to the bathroom.


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    The moment Kyle and Sayuri entered the apartment, he pressed her against the wall and gave her a deep kiss. He then kissed the top of her breasts and growled, "Were you going to give them a striptease?!"


    Sayuri gave him a slow smile, running her finger on his jawline and then smoothened the crease on his eyebrows, "It had to be convincing. Now they''ll think we''ll be out of it for a few hours or so."


    In response, Kyle bit and sucked the tender flesh just above her nipple and looked at his handiwork. Pursing his lips, he didn''t feel it was enough and gave her a few more. Then, he pulled down the bra a bit and marked another spot that would peep through the bra.


    "What are you doing?" Sayuri asked breathlessly as his lips and fingers kept brushing her sensitive spots, "We''re going to be late. We still have to put on our disguises."


    Giving her one final kiss on the lips, he let her go and promised, "To be continued."


    Sayuri smirked.


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    Stephan clutched the briefcase handle nervously.


    This was going to be easy. Yes. Easy. Nothing difficult at all.


    All he had to do was go to Kafe Bean, sit at the corner table and order a latte and wait. He didn''t know what the contents in the bag was, but he just wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible.


    Stephan took a deep breath and did as was required, and waited patiently.


    Sayuri, who was at a nearby table, pursed her sweet pink lips.


    She was now disguised as a young boy, a short wig seamlessly covering her own long hair and a chest binder successfully downplaying her chest.


    Kyle marveled at her disguise technique and all sorts of props that she had. All the latex and SFX products were mindboggling. Her skills were a wonder to watch.


    Kyle preferred to use make-up to create the disguise while Sayuri used prosthetic makeup. Her technique was superior, of course, as it created advanced cosmetic effects. He looked at the young boy in front of him.


    There was no flaw at all and there was no semblance of the former Sayuri at all.


    "You know, if you continue staring, people are going to think you''re gay," Sayuri said with a small laugh.


    "If we weren''t in Country M, I wouldn''t mind acting that out," Kyle said.


    To match Sayuri, Kyle was also a young teen and he merely downplayed his sharp features. He even had a scar at the side of his face (courtesy of Sayuri) and he wore brown contacts, rectangular glasses, and buck teeth.


    With his make-up skills, he made his eyes look even smaller and added some pimples on his forehead and chin. His naturally healthy and smooth skin was also looking rather pale and rough, an indication of his constant pimple-popping exercises.


    "Yeah, a cute guy like me, ending up with a crater-face like you?" Sayuri scoffed, "I doubt it."


    Kyle laughed, then stopped, "They''re here."

 Chapter 653 - The Exchange (II)

    Neither Kyle nor Sayuri turn their heads but they were more than aware of what was happening at the nearby table. In their earpieces, that were disguised as Bluetooth earphones, the MIB agents were giving periodic reports.


    There were plainclothes police officers around.


    They had already noticed them when they entered, but had not been sure if they were there because of Stephan, or something else. It would have been troublesome either way.


    If there was another sting operation going on, that may interrupt Stephan''s exchange. If they were here because of Stephan, then it meant that there was either a mole in the police department or they had been tipped off.


    "Plan B," Kyle said softly, not moving his lips.


    With that, some of the MIB agents changed positions and one little girl at the table behind Stephan started looking excited.


    Sayuri''s lips turned up a little bit while Kyle gave a slight frown.


    "She''s still new at this," Sayuri said, admonishing Kyle for his slight show of displeasure.


    "She''s not that new," Kyle denied, though granted, this was her first big operation.


    "But it adds on to the atmosphere," Sayuri pointed out.


    Kyle took a deep breath and pretended to be paying close attention to the game he was ''playing'' on his phone, "I suppose."


    Sayuri flicked his forehead, grinning at his scowled expression, "Such a hard taskmaster."


    While they were ''goofing around'', Country M''s taskforce was busy monitoring the whole situation. They had got this tip-off about a possible drug drop-off right in the middle of a popular mall. The amount of pure heroin that being sold was said to be worth millions.


    In fact, the person that was making the drop today was said to be one of the higher-ups, who had to come out since the heat was on with the others. So, they waited.


    Once the goods were exchanged, they would wait for the two to split up before arresting both parties. They could not do so in such a crowded and open space, for fear that panic would set in. Thus, they would only do so once they had reached a more secluded spot, such as the parking space or elevator.


    They waited patiently and observed silently.


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    Stephan stared at the guy that sat down in front of him.


    If he didn''t know any better, that guy looked like a normal businessman.


    He didn''t say much, and Stephan didn''t want to say anything either. He simply picked up the briefcase and handed it over to the guy. The briefcase was the type that opened from the top, so he unzipped it, looked inside and nodded.


    He placed it down beside him and pushed another briefcase to Stephan.


    Stephan took it and stood up.


    "You''re not going to check it?" the guy finally spoke, as he looked at Stephan in surprise.


    "I don''t care," Stephan said, "Donnie killed my wife and has threatened my kids. You think I''d dare cheat him? If this is short, he knows it''s you, and not me."


    "Naive fool," the guy said under his breath, but he didn''t really care.


    Just as he was about to get up, a girl of about four ran out and smashed right into Stephan. The mother from the nearby table didn''t seem to have realised anything until the girl started crying.


    Stephan reached down to console her while the mother came over, apologizing profusely. She had with her, two other kids who were sulking and had this unhappy look on their faces.


    "Muuuuummm," wailed one, "See lah, she''s always doing this. Running into people. Idiot."


    The wailing girl stopped and glared at her sister, and stuck out her tongue, "You''re the idiot!"


    "No, you are!"


    "Girls! Zip it," hissed the mother, who then turned to Stephan and the other guy, "I''m really sorry about this."


    She dragged the two squabbling kids while the other one nonchalantly followed behind, a lollipop in her mouth. She looked utterly bored at the whole thing, swinging a paper shopping bag.


    No one paid any attention to the family as the mother scolded her children loudly. As they passed by a pillar, the lollipop girl threw the shopping bag into the trash can that was behind it.


    A cleaning lady was right behind her, pushing her cart that had several plastic bags tied to it. With her gloved hand, she emptied the trash cans in the area as she made her rounds.


    Back at the cafe, the guy that had come tsked, his face showing his acute displeasure openly. He brushed his clothes with his hands, as if there was some dirt on it.


    "Stinky kids," he muttered and picked up the briefcase, heading out without even looking back at Stephan.


    Stephan, in the meantime, just sat there for a while and finished his latte. After he was done, he straightened his tie and left the area.


    A couple of plainclothes policemen followed him.


    Sayuri followed behind them, seemingly engrossed in her phone as she walked on. Kyle had already left, heading to the bathroom. Once inside, he entered the cubicle and changed his disguise. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out the scar, buck teeth, and glasses. He wrapped up the scar and buck teeth in toilet paper and folded the glasses in half, tucking it out of sight into his back pocket.


    He turned his shirt inside out and it was now a blue T-shirt rather than red. He tucked it into his jeans, slicked his hair back and walked out. He washed his hands, took a paper towel and then threw it into the dustbin - along with the scar and buck teeth.


    Kyle listened intently to the reports by his agents and took another route to get ahead of the guy. Once in position, Kyle waited, leaning against a pillar as he looked around, ''admiring'' the decorations.


    Once the guy came into view, Kyle walked towards him.

 Chapter 654 - Foiling Plans

    Kyle could see how the guy was paying attention to his surroundings. As Kyle got nearer, his eyes were fixed on Kyle but then moved away when he noted that Kyle wasn''t paying any attention to him.


    Inwardly, Kyle scoffed.


    Ametuer.


    Kyle hadn''t even passed him yet, and the guy already didn''t deem him a threat. He was also only focused on the people in front of him that he didn''t notice the tails he got. At first, Kyle thought that the guy was really useless when he suddenly realised.


    That was exactly why he was chosen to take the drop from Stephan.


    They wanted this guy to be caught.


    Well, too bad that Kyle had other plans for him.


    Just as Kyle passed him by, he flicked his wrist and a fine, translucent wire whipped across the back of the guy''s hand. The guy''s injured arm jerked upwards in response and he looked at it.


    He was shocked to see that there was a thin line of scab across the back of his hand. Just when did he get this injury? He didn''t remember getting scratched or anything. As he was staring at it, walking slowly and trying to think of how he could have possibly gotten the injury, both of his hands were grabbed.


    "Sir, we are arresting you on the suspicion of drug dealing," one officer said, "You have the right to remain silent ¡­"


    The police officers decided this was a good time as any to arrest the guy. Their target had been engrossed at something else and there wasn''t anyone nearby that would be in danger, should the guy resist.


    Fortunately, everything went smoothly. There was even a small smirk on his face as the guy allowed himself to be handcuffed. The officer continued to read him his rights while the other picked up the briefcase.


    Suddenly, the guy''s eyes rolled back to the back of his head and he fell forward in a dead faint.


    The officer, who had been holding on to him, was caught unawares by this sudden turn of events and he fell along with the guy. The guy just fell face down, and the officer fell onto the guy''s back.


    The officer quickly got up and turned the guy around, only to be shocked senseless by the empty gaze. A quick check confirmed that the guy was already dead. The other officer looked at him in surprise and both ended up looking at each other in total shock.


    It didn''t last long, however, for they were policemen. One called the ambulance to take the body for investigation while the other checked the contents of the bag.


    It was time for their second shock.


    Instead of the bag of drugs that they were confident was inside, it was full of books.


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    Sayuri quietly observed her surroundings while listening to the reports by the team on Stephan''s tail. She couldn''t help but feel something was wrong with all of this. Kyle had just reported that he had accomplished his part but he noticed one thing.


    The guy did not resist the arrest at all.


    That did not make sense.


    It meant that he wanted to be arrested but he couldn''t be the fall guy now, could he? Wasn''t Stephan the fall guy? For that to happen, shouldn''t have the guy escaped while Stephan, being the normal guy that he is, get arrested?


    The guy didn''t even care that the bag of drugs would be taken?


    Well, of course, he didn''t know that the drugs had been replaced by books of equal weight to the drugs. Sayuri still marveled at the slight of hands between the three girls. It had been so quick that if Sayuri hadn''t known what was going on, she would have missed it.


    The synchronization had been perfect. One would block and another take the item at the same time while diverted the attention of others to her. They took turns doing so, thus not the same person did the blocking, stealing and diversion.


    It was beautiful to watch.


    Kyle had said that the girls were trained by professional pickpocketers that MIB had saved and recruited years ago. The situation was akin to ''Artful Dodger'' character in the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. The book may have been fictional but it had been based on real-life events and situations then.


    The pickpocket ''organisation'' actually existed, recruiting orphans and teaching them tools of the trade. Their methods were a bit cruel, however, for those who failed would get punished severely.


    The ones with MIB had been a pair of siblings that was the brunt of those ''special'' treatments. The sister was abused terribly, to force the older brother to learn the trade. He did and was one of the best, but the abuse didn''t stop. It just lessened.


    By a stroke of luck, there had been an MIB agent when the siblings were trying to escape. They were saved, taken care of and after some physical and psychological evaluation, were given a chance to join MIB.


    It was one of those lucky things that happened, which made MIB even better. The siblings turned out to be extremely loyal. To them, anyone who would turn to neglected children and give them a new life deserved all the help they could get.


    The amount of work Kyle had put into this MIB, and the Smith Industries, made Sayuri''s mind spin. To think, way back then, she had been so arrogant as to view Kyle as some second-generation rich dude waste. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a laugh.


    If she went back in time to tell her younger self that not only was Kyle magnificent, he would be her lover, she would probably do her infamous temper tantrum.


    Even though her thoughts seem to have wandered, Sayuri was still vigilant.


    She didn''t like where the area ahead. It had?a few blind spots.


    Not good.

 Chapter 655 - Protect Stephan

    "Kyle," Sayuri called out softly.


    "I know," Kyle said, "I''m already here."


    Sayuri''s mouth twitched. How fast did he move to get ahead of her? Considering the mall was quite big and he had been on the other end ¡­ the other MIB agents who heard him also was both amazed and in disbelief.


    "Ensure Stephan''s safety," Kyle said simply.


    Sayuri understood.


    The main person to be protected here, was Stephan. Ideally, everyone would not be harmed but no one could guarantee that.


    Sayuri scoffed at the constant debate and discussion about ''would you sacrifice one to save five''? There were philosophical reasons, ethical reasons, and others. For her, it was plain and simple.


    If that one person is someone she loved, or knew, then no such sacrifice is to be made. Who cares about other, unrelated people? What had they done for her? Would saving them make anyone''s lives better? Should she suffer for other people?


    Selfish? Perhaps.


    But it''s human nature, isn''t it?


    There were a few, rare people that would truly give their all for strangers. Would sacrifice for others. The needs of the others far outweighed the need for one.


    Yet, in reality, how many people were truly like that?


    Also, no matter what you did, there will always be people who will not be satisfied and condemn you.


    You help the refugees, for example, but you have those that condemn you for it for not helping ''your own people'' first. You help your own people like the homeless, but there are those that condemn you for helping the ''hopeless''.


    So, right now, all Sayuri cared was, to ensure Stephan would be safe.


    Even if it meant some innocents would get injured. It''s not like she would deliberately harm them but you can''t control everything, right?


    As for Kyle, he was headed to one secluded spot.


    Kyle had pinpointed all the possible areas a sniper could be hiding at. He already had the blueprint of the mall in his head, and in the area ahead, there were only two possible points.


    Kyle directed one MIB agent to a spot while he headed to the other.


    He wasn''t sure if this was the plan Donnie had, but it''s better to be safe than sorry.


    The other guy, who had been caught, would have confessed and lay the blame on Stephan. There was probably some incriminating evidence in the bag that he had given Stephan.


    However, it could only work if Stephan didn''t talk.


    There were too many loopholes in the story. If both were caught, then it would be the word of the mafia-type guy and a respectable clerk-type guy. The police would be more inclined to believe Stephan and do further investigations.


    In other words, as long as Stephan could create some doubt about whatever he was being accused of, the policemen would investigate further. The entire plan could collapse.


    The only way to get away with it?


    Stephan would have to die.


    Kyle found himself clenching his jaw, his anger towards Donnie increasing even more. His hatred towards Xavier also increased.


    They like killing, is it? Framing innocent people, is it? Just what was it that Xavier wouldn''t do?


    Once this issue with Donnie was over, he was going to let Xavier have a taste of his own medicine.


    Triple dosage.


    Just the thought of it made Kyle smile.


    He reached the spot easily enough. Sure enough, a sniper was there.


    Kyle moved silently, his feet not making a single sound on the ground while he lowered his breathing so that it couldn''t be heard. He even retracted his aura, blending into the surroundings like a shadow.


    By the time the sniper realised Kyle was there, it was already too late. Kyle had reached over and twisted the guy''s neck, breaking it cleanly and soundlessly. Pushing the sniper out of the way, Kyle studied the sniper rifle and looked through its telescopic sight.


    With it, he could see the other possible sniper positions other than the two he had identified.


    "Point, is it clear?" Kyle asked the agent that had gone to the other sniper spot.


    "Clear," Point answered.


    Making a decision, Kyle then made three rapid shots, right at the other possible sniper positions. He didn''t know if there was anyone there, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    He stayed, continued to watch Stephan who came into view and then out of sight.


    Kyle got up, wiped the gun meticulously and left. Even though he was wearing gloves, he wasn''t going to take any chances. In order to take the shot, he had to hold the rifle close and anything of his could have transferred to the rifle. He didn''t want anything of his to go into the file.


    He left as silently as he entered.


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    Donnie was livid.


    Just what went wrong?!


    Not only was Stephan still alive and in the police station making a statement, but there had also been ten other sting operations throughout the country! Not just in this city, but in other States as well.


    Each hit cost them millions and worse, the people they were dealing with, weren''t happy.


    Donnie made a call. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I told you not to call me on this line," came a crisp voice, full of displeasure.


    "It''s an emergency! We''re being targetted," Donnie replied, "Ten of our operational bases have been hit."


    "What?!"


    "I thought you were some big shot?!" Donnie hissed, "How could this have slipped through your radar? How could you not know!"


    "Keep low," the guy replied and hung up.


    "Keep low, my *ss," Donnie replied, flinging the phone. He got up. The heat was too strong. He had to get out.


    Even though he didn''t think Stephan would play him out, he wasn''t going to stick around to find out. He gave a few orders and bought the first flight out.


    Nothing better than the present.

 Chapter 656 - ’Hot Spots’

    Stephan''s visit to the police station was uneventful, really. He wasn''t arrested but asked to come to make a statement and help in the police investigation. As they did not find drugs on the other guy, Stephan could not be arrested on suspicion of drug dealing.


    Thus, the only thing the police could do was request for Stephan to help in the investigation.


    Stephan was prepared for this, thus did not resist and cooperated fully. He politely told them he was going to call his lawyer and would meet with them at the police station.


    Everything went by smoothly and the police had no choice but to let Stephan go.


    The drug dealing exchange turned out to be the sale of some rare vintage books, and though the police felt something was wrong, they had no cause to hold Stephan any longer.


    After four hours of the interrogation, Stephan was let go.


    As he stepped out of the police station, he shook hands with the lawyer that Kyle had provided for him and took a deep breath of fresh air. He looked up at the blue sky, thinking that he had just escaped from something quite major.


    As for the police?


    They had their hands full.


    Multiple murders at the mall they had been in, and one unexplained death. When the autopsy report came in, it turned out that the guy had had a heart attack. As for the other deaths?


    They couldn''t get any leads at all.


    The identities of the three people were hidden, as there was no record about them at all. Even their fingerprints had been burned off. Professional assassins had been killed off effortlessly and without leaving any evidence behind.


    In truth, the police were glad that they didn''t have more evidence to dig up. They felt like their lives were in danger if they did manage to find something. This seemed to be on a whole different level.


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    Donnie was sitting in his car, glad to be getting away from this small place and back to where he should be. It felt like the journey was taking so long.


    He was impatient.


    It was already late evening, as the only flight left to leave was at night. Although he had plenty of time before the flight, he prefered to wait at the airport rather than wasting time anywhere else.


    The sky was getting darker and it started to rain.


    Donnie hoped the rain didn''t mean that the flight would be delayed.


    As he was thinking that, the airconditioning in the car became warm. In fact, it wasn''t working. The radio became weird as it couldn''t get a signal and then, the windscreen wipers stopped moving.


    Donnie frowned.


    "What''s going on?" he demanded.


    He noticed the driver was shaking, the hands gripping on the steering so hard that his knuckles were white.


    "B-Bo-Boss," the driver said shakingly, as he looked about on the road they were on nervously, "Th-the car ¡­ nothing seems to be working."


    It was getting dangerous to continue to drive, as the rain fell and the wipers weren''t moving. The driver couldn''t see in front of him very well and worse ¡­ though he didn''t say it to his boss, the car was actually slowing down.


    It wasn''t him that was doing so.


    The driver was a local of Country M, and was well aware of all the ''hot spots'' in the country. The hot spots here being, of course, areas where strange phenomenons occur, and not physical locations where you can get good internet connections.


    This stretch of road was one of them.


    On this road, you must not allow a black car would overtake you. Otherwise, you''ll never get out. Another more terrifying ''story'' was that you must never stop here - for if you do, you will get visitors. If there was no choice, you must stay in the car and never go out, even if you hear knocking on the door.


    The story was that a car had broken down in this area. The guy had gone out to look for help and told the girl to stay in the car and not go out as it was not safe. She listened to him well.


    However, after a while, there was this knocking sound that seemed to come from the roof of the car.? She felt it was most likely a monkey since this stretch of road used to be a jungle. In fact, this particular part of the road still had some parts of the jungle as the road cut through it.


    Eventually, a policeman came and knocked on her window. He told her gently to get out of the car and follow him. Relieved, she did as she was told and when she was about to turn her head, the police told her not to.


    He?urged her to follow him quickly and not to look back.


    Of course, she did.


    To see a figure in white, with long hair covering the face, sitting on the roof of her car and knocking something on the roof.


    That ''something'' was her boyfriend''s severed head.


    The driver was ready to cry right now, for the car was steadily slowing down. Was this what the couple had experienced?


    "Sorry Boss, something wrong with the car," the driver said nervously as the car slowly came to a stop.


    He tried to start the engine but nothing. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was getting hot in the car, and Donnie took off his jacket and unbuttoned some buttons on his shirt. Beads of sweat started to show on his forehead and he looked at his phone.


    Great. Just great.


    No reception.


    What lousy luck is this?!


    Donnie looked out and noticed that there were hardly any cars on the road, and that the nearest rest area was 2km away.


    "Go out and stop a car," Donnie ordered gruffly.


    The driver almost peed in his pants.

 Chapter 657 - The Hit

    Donnie looked at his pale-faced driver and frowned.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you dawdling around like some old lady?! Get out NOW!" Donnie yelled, "I have a plane to catch. If I miss that, you can be sure that you''re not going to have a good life."


    Or any life, for that matter.


    The driver gulped and quickly went out into the rain.


    Luckily, it was a drizzle now so the driver didn''t need an umbrella. Donnie watched him go out, the frown on his face deepening.


    Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.


    At that moment, the driver saw two motorcyclists heading over on the slowest lane and he waved at them. He hoped that at least one of them would stop, and was surprised when both did.


    They had on a full-face helmet on and with the visor down, all the driver could see was his own reflection. The driver sized them up, noting that from their built, one was a guy and the other was either a girl, or a young boy.


    Donnie, who was watching this from inside, became vigilant.


    He didn''t like it when he couldn''t see people''s faces.


    He took out his gun and placed it beside him, out of sight, with his hands on the trigger. Just as he did this, he watched in horror as the smaller figure shot the driver in the head while the first guy simultaneously turned towards him and shot through the window.


    The window shattered, causing the bullet to slow down a bit, giving Donnie that window of opportunity to twist his body out of the way. The bullet still hit him, but instead of hitting his heart, it was slightly above it.


    Donnie had also pulled up his hand to shoot but was then shot again several times. One in the shoulder, stomach, and chest.


    No vital organs were hit, but all in areas that seemed to cause excessive blood loss.


    Donnie lay there, gasping in pain, as the blood gushed out from his wounds. He was already feeling weak and going into hemorrhagic shock, which occurs when you''ve lost at least 20% of total blood volume.


    Donnie was confused.


    How could he lose so much blood so fast?


    He, who specialised in torture through beatings and cuts, knew what he was experiencing but he couldn''t understand how four shots could cause such an effect. Had it been an exploding bullet?!


    An exploding bullet is a prefragmented, or frangible, bullet that has a prescored outer jacket with a plastic round nose containing compressed lead shot within. Once the bullet hit something, there would be a controlled explosion, which produced increased damage.


    That would explain how the window had smashed so easily, when it had been reinforced.


    With those thoughts going in his mind, Donnie watched, as if in slow motion, as the guy now aimed at his head. He probably felt that it was taking too long and wanted to end it now.


    Just before he pulled the trigger, however, Donnie could hear police sirens in the background. The guy turned to look behind and cursed, while his partner said a few things, revved up his engine and dashed off.


    The guy soon followed.


    Just before Donnie passed out, he saw a concerned face, some background noises about calls for an ambulance. The one thing that kept playing in his mind were the words of the smaller guy as he left.


    ''Xavier isn''t going to be happy about this''


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    Kyle and Sayuri were cuddling on the sofa in the living room, watching the news.


    "My, my, my," Sayuri said, pursing her lips as she watched one sensational news report after another.


    Unknown bodies found in an unnamed mall.


    Man dying of a heart attack in a mall, his bag full of rare and precious books.


    An attempted assassination, with the guy in ICU at the hospital.


    "You''ve been very, very busy," Sayuri said, laughing.


    "All in a day''s work," Kyle said, a smile on his face.


    "You know, you could have let your agents deal with Donnie," Sayuri said.


    "I know," Kyle replied, leaning back and putting his hand around her shoulder, "But I wanted to vent a little. Shooting him felt good."


    "Yeah, best to get it out of your system," Sayuri agreed.


    "For now," Kyle said, "His suffering is just beginning."


    "So now, we wait," Sayuri replied, snuggling closer.


    "Yeah," Kyle agreed, "MIB can do the monitoring so we have a bit of a breather."


    "Do you think he really believed Xavier was behind the attempted hit on him?" Sayuri asked.


    "I can''t say for sure, but I would say there is a good chance," Kyle replied, "We made it convincing enough. Your drowsy drug sure made him believe he was dying from blood loss." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was your exploding bullets that made the effect even better," Sayuri said, "Spreading it right into his blood system like that. Quick and effective."


    "We make a good team," Kyle acknowledged.


    "That, we do," Sayuri agreed, "By combining our knowledge and skills, we could do so many things that were probably never considered. I still find it amazing that Lucka could hack into their car."


    "Oh yes," Kyle nodded, "In fact, it is possible to can hack into the computer system of any car built since 2005. So, interfering with the air conditioning, radio and wipers is a piece of cake for Lucka."


    "How did he make it stop?" Sayuri asked.


    "He cut the transmission so that the accelerator would fail," Kyle explained, "So even though the car was going 100km/hr, it was easy to make it slow down and stop."


    "To think the bug you planted under the car did more than just track them," Sayuri said, "You think so far ahead."


    "The more we depend on technology, the more vulnerable we are," Kyle mused, "It''s a double-edged sword."

 Chapter 658 - Donnie’s Past (R18)

    "The ninja world needs to upgrade their tech level," Sayuri mused.


    "It''s fine," Kyle said, "I''m sure there are some clans that have done so, especially those in the information gathering field. The things MIB are doing is just the tip of the iceberg. You''re probably not in the know about it because you''re more into disguises."


    "I suppose," Sayuri agreed, thinking back. There were many divisions in the clan and she was not aware of what goes on in the other divisions. She wasn''t particularly interested since she wasn''t even in the running for any positions in the Clan. She was more interested in the company that her parents left behind.


    Sayuri looked at Kyle''s side profile and poked his cheek.


    "What are you planning to do once this is all over?" she asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "Get back to normal life, I suppose? If you can call being a CEO is normal."


    "What about your kids?"


    Kyle took a deep breath at that, "Watching from afar, as usual. Though I can be in contact with them more now. Stephan''s the type of father that will cling to his children so I can''t do more than that."


    "It wouldn''t be fair on him," Kyle said in a whisper.


    "I wonder how the kids are doing back at your place," Sayuri said and Kyle smiled.


    "Having a time of their lives, apparently," Kyle replied, "Well, as much as one can while still grieving. Kay said that there are good days, and there are bad days. For Joseph. Lianne is slowly adjusting and Joseph is just taking her silence to be her way of coping."


    "How long are they going to stay in Country Tz?"


    "As long as it takes to bring down Xavier," Kyle answered.


    "What about their life here? School? You can''t uproot them like that," Sayuri pointed out.


    "Then I''ll just have to make sure to take Xavier down quickly," Kyle responded, "Taking half a year out of school won''t be too detrimental. As long as they attend the finals, they''ll be fine."


    "So they''ll be home-schooled in Country Tz?"


    "Yeah," Kyle replied, "They''ll be able to view their classroom sessions via video and there will be tutors coming over to guide them and take note of their progress. All of the classes that they are missing currently is being recorded as we speak."


    Sayuri shook her head and hugged him tighter.


    "Like I said, you really think so far ahead," she sighed.


    "Nah, I''m just lucky to have had the time to plan all of this," Kyle was quick to deny, "Given the time, anyone would have considered all angles."


    "Perhaps, perhaps not," Sayuri said, not agreeing nor disagreeing.


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    Donnie was not happy.


    Not happy indeed.


    To think that such an insignificant ant would dare to dream to harm him. HIM.


    Looks like this Xavier guy has gotten too big-headed.


    Did he really take him, Donnie, as a fool? As a tool to get the rid off him since Stephan was now off the grid?


    Did he actually forget who it was that helped him to get to the position that he is in right now?


    If it hadn''t been for his Master, then Xavier would still be at the bottom of the food chain.


    What was given to him, can very well easily be taken back.


    The moment Donnie had awoken from his unconscious state, he had been seething in anger. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn''t wait to personally wrap his hands around that stupid man''s throat.


    Donnie took several deep breaths and did the exercises his Master taught him. He couldn''t lose control now. It would not be good.


    This anger of his was the reason why he had been expelled from the Ninja Clan. The bloodlust that should have been the pride of the Clan became its stain instead.


    If it hadn''t been for his Master taking him in, he didn''t know what he would have become. How he would have turned out, or even if he would have lived. Throwing out a young kid to fend for himself when all he had known was the Clan, was akin to a death sentence.


    Maybe that was why he was only expelled, and not put to death immediately, even though he did kill one Clan Leader''s child. It wasn''t that he was given leniency. The Clan probably thought he wouldn''t survive.


    Their loss. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He got his revenge, though.


    He just went back and killed all of the Clan Leaders'' children and grandchildren.


    If he could take down his former Clan Leaders'' line, what was this puny Xavier?


    Donnie was well aware of the fact that since the hit failed, Xavier would try again.


    He had to get out of the ward and get to safety.


    The only place he could do so here was the Underworld.


    Donnie picked up the phone, and called his Master first to update him.


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    Kyle''s head was spinning.


    Seriously, Sayuri''s techniques were top notch and he couldn''t deny enjoying every little bit of it even though he didn''t quite like how she got so skilled. His breathing was uneven as he watched that beautiful little head bobbing up and down inbetween his legs.


    The way those lips were wrapped around him, while her tongue swirled all over his manhood. The way her cheeks were sunken in a bit, indicating how hard the force of her sucking was.


    Damn.


    He wanted nothing more than to press her down underneath him and ram himself inside her relentlessly, but he had promised her not to move.


    Just then, the phone rang.


    The ringtone of ''Mission Impossible'' filled the air.


    It meant it was MIB with important news.


    "Babe, I''ve got to take this call," Kyle said breathlessly.


    She just looked up at him, not stopping but instead, sucked harder.

 Chapter 659 - The ’Boogie-Man’ (R18)

    "Sayuri ¡­" he hissed through his teeth as she cupped his balls and started kneading them.


    She didn''t take away her gaze, and in fact, had raised an eyebrow challengingly. If it wasn''t for the fact that she hadn''t stopped her ferocious tongue and sucking movement, Kyle would swear she was smirking as well.


    Clenching his jaw, he had no choice but to pick up the phone.


    "Report," he said curtly, barely managing to say it properly without it being too breathless.


    He didn''t know what sort of insane willpower he had to be able to listen to everything without moaning or grunting, and even remember what was being said. The problem was, the longer he was on the phone, the more intense Sayuri was being.


    Kyle had to give the occasional grunts to show to the other side that he was listening, and with each grunt, Sayuri would change techniques. Making him almost shout out from sheer pleasure.


    The moment the call was over, he flung the phone aside and climaxed spectacularly deep into Sayuri''s throat. She continued sucking and swallowing, taking everything that he was giving.


    "You," Kyle said breathlessly, once the wave was over, "Are evil."


    Sayuri smirked, licked her lips and gave a little kiss on the top of his c*ck before coming up on top of him. She kissed the top of his nose, her breasts pressed against his chest while her dripping wet core was just above his navel.


    "It takes one to know one," she said cheekily, "So what did they say?"


    "Donnie''s making his move already," Kyle replied in her ear as he kissed her neck, then ran his tongue on her earlobe before sucking on it gently.


    Sayuri moaned, rubbing herself onto Kyle.


    She was starting to think, perhaps, her earlier move wasn''t such a good idea. Kyle always returned the favour and now, with just these few moves, she was already melting. He knew her sensitive spots too well. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A breakthrough as he actually called his Master," Kyle said, his hands caressing and kneading her butt with his fingers tantalizingly close to her core as he continued kissing her all over.


    "Mmhm," Sayuri gasped as he licked another of her sensitive spot.


    In one swift move, Kyle turned Sayuri lay beneath him. He brought her legs up onto his shoulders and plunged in deep into her wet core.


    "Fuck Kyle," Sayuri cursed as usual, "That''s so deep."


    Kyle didn''t move, but instead, leaned down and kissed her deeply, running his tongue all over inside her mouth.


    Sayuri moaned in frustration, wanting desperately for Kyle to move inside of her.


    But he didn''t. All he did was leisurely deep kiss her as his hands caressed her sides, occasionally brushing her nipples and driving her crazy. In that position, she could not move her hips freely and so, she did the only thing she could.


    She grabbed his hair and pulled it while clenching her core.


    Kyle felt his c*ck being squeezed even tighter and he couldn''t help but laugh a bit at her indignant face as he broke away from the kiss.


    "You," Sayuri hissed, "Are ¡­. "


    Before she could finish cursing at him, he started to move his hips. He began thrusting into her hard and fast - just the way she liked it. To him, it was such a beautiful sight, to see her expression full of pleasure and how her breasts would bounce with each thrust.


    Damn, but he could never get tired of this woman.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that she was so pro-active and open about everything, he would have started feeling guilty for always using her to satisfy his carnal desires. This wasn''t him using her, however.


    It was a mutual exchange.


    Kyle managed to hold on until Sayuri climaxed before he let himself go. Feeling the way her insides clutched at him, sucking everything as he shot his seeds within her always felt better than just him climaxing first. It felt as if she was squeezing every last drop from him.


    Sayuri brought her legs down from his shoulders as he withdrew from her. Seeing her core dripping with his seed made Kyle blink a bit. He didn''t know why, but that sight turned him on even more.


    He shook his head.


    He was such a pervert.


    Sayuri took his hand and said, "Let''s take a shower together. It''ll be faster that way."


    Kyle smiled.


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    Kyle contacted Shifu and let him know the latest news that they found out. So far, all investigations into the Ninja Clan had not born much fruit.


    Partly because any ''bad'' seedlings were kept as a shameful secret that no one would be rude enough to ask openly and partly because they weren''t sure if Donnie was currently a ninja, a former ninja or never passed the ninja evaluation.


    There were too many unknowns and they had a whole list of names.? They did manage to narrow it down a little bit, since they knew approximate age and gender but it was still too vague. They weren''t even sure if Donnie was on that list in the first place.


    Even the sketch Sayuri drew of Donnie did not get any ''hits''.


    However, with the Master''s name, Kyle was hoping for some sort of breakthrough.


    "Dad, this is Kyle," Kyle began the moment Shifu picked up the phone, "We got a lead on Donnie''s Master. It isn''t much, and I suspect it ''s just a title, but perhaps you may recognise it?"


    "Hmmm, what is it?"


    "Ronin," Kyle said.


    He heard the clatter of something dropping, and Mum Rheia''s voice being surprised.


    "Dad? Are you okay?" Kyle asked worriedly.


    There was an audible sigh before Shifu answered, "I can''t tell you much. Yes, Ronin is just a title. In fact, he''s like the boogie-man of the Ninja Clan that has existed since the dawn of time."


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 660 - The ’Boogie-Man’ (II)

    "You know how ancient our history is. The historical records do not do justice to our esteemed history. There are even some historians who have labeled us as criminals simply because we did not have a strict code of martial ethics," Shifu began explaining.


    "The historians were partially right. Our methods have always been to utlise what is best, no matter what, in order to ensure success. Being looked down upon by samurais was inevitable but, they have never disrespected us."


    "However, there were those that did hate us. The ronins: Samurais who did not have a Master. A ronin was the lowest of the low and often became criminals. They hated us to the core because we, who were not as honorable as them, were more respected."


    "But the ronin was practically weak and not a threat to us. Until the day one united them. He called himself, ''Ronin'' as a symbol of who they were and that they would bear it with pride."


    "Eventually, they were wiped out. Or so we thought. Sometimes, we hear stories about something and often, it is attributed to Ronin. We could not manage to pinpoint its accuracy so Ronin became the ''Boogie-man''."


    "Anytime something bad which could not be explained happened, Ronin was blamed," Shifu said with another sigh, "Perhaps, it wasn''t empty talk after all."


    "So Ronin is a title that is passed down since ancient times, huh," Kyle summarised, "To poke at us because they''re unhappy?"


    "Who knows what goes on in their minds?" Shifu said, "We''re no longer living in feudal times. So what is their grouse with us?"


    "Perhaps, because ninjas still exist and samurais don''t?"


    Shifu scoffed, "I wouldn''t be surprised if that was the reason. We ninjas do not need a Master in order to survive. They did. With the fall of the system, all of the samurais became ronin. I guess their resentment went sky-high and they placed the blame on us instead."


    "Got it, Dad," Kyle said. They talked a bit more and Shifu was excitedly talking about his two grandchildren that Thor and May have given him. He was living the happy, carefree life of a grandfather right now and Kyle was happy for him.


    After hanging up, Kyle pinched the space between his eyebrows.


    This was troublesome.


    Going against a whole new hidden organisation that popped up?


    There was no way he could do that.


    He didn''t have any beef with them, really. Just Donnie. Even if Donnie was acting on their orders, Kyle was no invincible superhero intending to destroy an entire organisation.


    All he wanted, was revenge and to keep his kids safe.


    If getting revenge meant his kids would be in danger, he definitely wouldn''t continue on the path of destruction. After all, his kids and Stephan were off the radar already.


    He gritted his teeth, remembering how Donnie had been when he had killed Kylie.


    That debt still had to be paid.


    However, it didn''t mean that it had to be paid at the expense of his kids. Kyle could wait. He had, after all, waited 19 years for this.


    What were another 10 years or so?


    For now, his main plan is to get Xavier settled. Donnie was being used as a gun to do their work. The initial plan was to have him bring Xavier out of hiding and Kyle would step in to kill both of them if they didn''t kill each other.


    Now, however, perhaps he ought to stay out of it and pray that they did kill each other. If Ronin got wind of Kyle interfering, it could have a disastrous ripple effect on the entire Ninja Clan.


    He thought about how happy Shifu was right now.


    Kyle leaned forward, gripping the phone in frustration.


    How nice it would be if this was like a novel, where you have happy endings and all loose ties dealt with. In real life, it''s not like that and more often than not, you have to just suck it up.


    Deal with the hand that you''re dealt with.


    Kyle heard Sayuri coming over but he didn''t get up as yet. His mind and feelings were too much in chaos and he wanted to calm down first.


    Sayuri didn''t say a thing, but merely sat down on the sofa beside him and stroked his back.


    After what seemed a long time, Kyle reached out and leaned on her.


    "That bad?" Sayuri asked.


    Kyle took a deep breath, "Perhaps."


    He then told her everything that Shifu had told him, and his thoughts about the matter. Sayuri listened intently, not interrupting and waited until he finished before saying anything.


    "Whatever your decision, I''m behind you," Sayuri said, "If you say we should eliminate Donnie, we will. If you say we can''t, we won''t. Don''t stress yourself so much over this."


    Kyle nodded.


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    Donnie was sitting languidly in the office they had given him.


    It wasn''t bad, but he couldn''t wait to get back.


    After he dealt with Xavier.


    He didn''t like being stabbed in the back, and added to that, his man got killed.


    Donnie had a few locals as his men in every country that his Master had a hand in, and the driver had been one of the longest with him. Not that anybody knew, though. Which made him the perfect spy.


    He had a couple more, but none as effective as that driver since people tend to ignore drivers. They talked, they revealed secrets as they were being driven from one place to another. They left things in the car.


    Donnie kicked the table in anger.


    With so many of their operational bases being hit, they had to work hard to get it back up again. It would take ages to do so.


    Worse, Master didn''t let him kill Xavier as he was their contact point here. They didn''t have a replacement yet. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So frustrating!!

 Chapter 661 - Honour?

    ? One Week Later ?


    "Should we continue to wait?" Sayuri asked Kyle at breakfast time.


    "No," Kyle replied, taking the piece of buttered toast Sayuri handed him, "Donnie hasn''t done anything other than hiding at the Underworld while Xavier is still going about like normal."


    "Ronin didn''t allow Donnie to kill Xavier, but it''s still strange that he hasn''t done something. Hurt isn''t killing, right? It''s certainly taking too long," Kyle continued, as he munched.


    He refilled Sayuri''s cup of coffee and placed one teaspoon of sugar in it, just how she liked it.


    She stirred the coffee and took a sip, watching Kyle as he continued, "We can''t afford to wait until they find a replacement for Xavier. I was hoping that Donnie would rush at least try to do something to Xavier. Get him out of hiding and get revenge or something. At least smoke him out, but I guess he''s too loyal to his Master. Pity."


    "Did we wait too long then?" Sayuri asked worriedly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can''t say," Kyle replied, "But I don''t think so. Partly because there has been no activity, and partly because it takes about 10 days for a gunshot wound to heal."


    "I don''t think Donnie can do anything yet during this time, and it will certainly take time to get a replacement. Still, this is a good time to just start with Plan B. Dang, but Plan A would have been the best," Kyle mused, pursing his lips in annoyance.


    Sayuri shook her head.


    At least he had several plans in place. There was also Plan C and D, two other possible scenarios should Plan A not be viable anymore. He had been so worried about the variables that he spent so much time thinking of all the possible routes and alternatives.


    And each Plan had its own alternate plans as well, though there not as many alternatives as compared to the ''main'' plan.


    Maybe that''s why he''s a special kind of stupid when it comes to his own feelings and the way people look at him. His energy and brain juice went all towards his work and kids, so he never thought about himself.


    Sayuri brushed the breadcrumbs from the side of his cheek as she got up, taking her plate to the table. Kyle quickly finished up his breakfast and cleared up the table.


    First thing''s first.


    Xavier.


    The good thing is that Donnie thought Xavier betrayed them, so the latter has lost his backing. Kyle had the freedom now to do whatever he wanted without fear of any repercussion from their end.


    "Wish I had put poison in the bullet as well," Kyle muttered under his breath.


    Actually, when he thought about it, Kyle supposed he and Donnie were destined to be enemies for life.


    Donnie is a ronin now, which means he does not see himself as a ninja. Having been banished from the Ninja Clan and raised by the samurais, it only made sense. Ironic that a man who had been banished is the enemy of one who entered.


    A ninja vs a samurai.


    Donnie would probably turn his nose down on Kyle for the use of poisons as it was not ''honourable''. Not that Kyle cared. If it got the job done, what was wrong with it? All this talk about honour thing was pure nonsense.


    Kyle wasn''t dishonourable.


    He wouldn''t do something as bad, like stabbing someone in the back ¡­ okay, he would. What he meant was, he wouldn''t distract the guy to gain the upper hand ¡­ no, scratch that. He would.


    Alright, so Kyle fought dirty.


    He would strike first before the other party was ready. He would do whatever it takes to get the guy down, but those were just fighting techniques. What he meant about ''dishonour'' was that he wouldn''t hold the guy''s family as a hostage or torture them just to make the guy not be able to fight.


    Of course, to Donnie, Kyle''s ''dirty tactics'' went against the grain of any samurai''s code of ethics. It also made sense now how Donnie would straightforwardly beat up on Kylie, and the cuts she had received from him.


    Thinking of the expert way Donnie had inflicted those wounds on Kylie did cause Kyle a bit of a headache.


    Kyle was not confident in his sword skills.


    Hand-to-hand, yes. Weapons like guns and throwing knives, yes.


    Swords?


    He didn''t have much experience in it, and thus, is not proficient in them. It''s not like he could go around carrying swords on missions now, could he?


    This ¡­ is going to be tricky.


    For the first time since his rebirth, Kyle was nervous about a fight. If it ever got into one with Donnie, he couldn''t be sure that he would emerge the victor if Donnie had a sword.


    Well, it was a good thing that a sword isn''t something you can casually bring around - and, he was still injured. So, for now, he isn''t much of a threat.


    At least, Kyle hoped so.


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    The next day, all the major newspaper portals had been given a file containing certain information about a certain Minister.


    Although all were excited, none published the news.


    Some did not do so because they were afraid of the repercussions, but there were a few that did not do so because they wanted to verify it first. The news may be tantalizing, but it was not worth ruining the good name of their newspaper.


    That, and the fact that they didn''t want to have to face a lawsuit.


    What was the news all about?


    Nothing major, really.


    Just some scandalous pictures of the Minister in compromising situations with several young girls. It wouldn''t have been much of an issue if it was not for the fact that the Minister was married and in conservative Country M?


    Such actions were frowned upon. Public outcry can be overwhelming.


    It was only the beginning.

 Chapter 662 - The Start Of Xavier’s Downfall

    Kyle started slow.


    He had given the files of the less scandalous pictures of Xavier. He deliberately chose those that had a clear view of the girls, and the location they were at. This would help the more reputable newspapers to dig up the information on their own.


    They only needed to be shown the way.


    Of course, they would take time to get the news so Kyle released another set of pictures a few days later. This time, it was of him purchasing jewelry. It may not have been bad, if it wasn''t for the fact that it was not his wife or daughters that he bought it for.


    Those sets of pictures, he sent to Xavier''s wife as well.


    She may not care much about him fooling around, but she sure didn''t like it that he would actually spend money on them!


    Xavier had a complicated relationship with his wife. Though, in some countries, it would probably be labeled as an open relationship: where they could have other sexual partners. The only thing is, the wife was much better at it than the husband (she would have never gotten caught in those pictures).


    More importantly, she didn''t care that someone was willing to sleep with her aged husband, but no one could spend her money!


    Soon, there were rumours of Xavier''s wife confronting all those women that had been her husband''s partner and demanded the jewelry back. Of course, none of them wanted to give it since it had been given to them.


    And so, Xavier''s ''harmonious'' life at home was a mess.


    Kyle ''attacked'' Xavier''s kids as well.


    Well, most of them.


    Evasion of taxes, misappropriation of company funds, and bribery were but a few of the things that came to light. Various people who had been working in the said companies came up to the Anti-Corruption Agency to reveal the things that had been happening.


    The officers came to conduct and investigation, and soon, the newspapers were filled with more news about the entire family. How, upon a search order of their properties, an insane amount of luxury items and cash from various countries were unearthed.


    Millions of dollars worth.


    Though the companies were doing well, the amount of wealth that had been revealed did not tally.


    The newspapers had a field day.


    It was truly a very hectic time for Xavier. Everything seemed to be crashing down on him.


    However, he wasn''t too worried about what was happening was merely his personal life and his kids. He had enough money stashed away in offshore accounts. All he needed to do was just leave the country and enjoy a long holiday elsewhere.


    He didn''t know that what he had been experiencing, was just the tip of the iceberg.


    "Is it time?" Sayuri asked Kyle, who was watching the news intently.


    "Yeah," Kyle replied, leaning back on the sofa.


    She looked at him, her heart in her throat.


    "Do you really have to go alone?" she asked.


    Kyle turned towards her and stroked her chin, taking in her concerned expression, "I''m not going to fight, you know. It''s best I go alone."


    "I can be in the shadows," Sayuri insisted.


    "I know you can," Kyle said, "But wouldn''t it be better to have you on the outside? On the off-chance that something does go wrong, at least you can come and bail me out later."


    "Bail you out, or break you out?" Sayuri asked.


    "Depends on whether they know who I am, I suppose," Kyle said.


    "I still don''t like it," Sayuri said, pouting, "I feel like you''re doing the old ''stay-back-cuz-I-need-you'' trick. It''s not that you need me here, but you don''t want to endanger me with you."


    Kyle rolled his eyes and pulled her into his arms, "Oh please. The great Sayuri? Just how much of danger can you possibly be in by following me?"


    He kissed her lips softly, running his tongue over it, as he said, "I really do need you as a back-up."


    Sayuri kissed him back then bit his lower lips as she said, "Then you''d better do a good job so that I don''t have to do anything."


    Kyle laughed softly, "Relax. It''s just a meet-up."


    "But he''s heavily guarded, you know," Sayuri said, raising an eyebrow at him as he slipped his hand under her shirt.


    "Oh please," Kyle scoffed, cupping her softness, "It''s not the White House."


    "Confident, are we now?" Sayuri asked, her breathing getting a bit breathless as his hands moved.


    "Mhmm," was his only response before either of them just stopped talking.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The Prime Minister sat in his huge office, sighing as he looked at the file on his Minister, Syed Xavier.


    What a scandal.


    Politics is such a dirty field. He had long gotten used to it and turned a blind eye to most of the things the people under him did. So long as they did their job properly, he wasn''t going to pick on the little things that they did.


    So they took bribes?


    Understandable, but if the project still ran smoothly and was completed properly then he would swallow it in.


    He has had to do a lot of compromising over the years. People tend to be very judgmental and say that ''you are working for the people'' and must be clean.


    Yes, work for the people but remain clean?


    How is that possible?


    Those pointing fingers at him didn''t know the burden he bore. One that he bore willingly. Let them scoff at him, accuse him of using high-handed tactics, and of being blind. It wasn''t that he was blind.


    It was that he had to choose the path that had the greater good, even if it meant the path was riddled with filth. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the end of the day, the people benefitted the most.


    That was what mattered.


    But now, this Xavier?


    He had crossed the line.

 Chapter 663 - A Hard Choice

    That invisible line that put the wool over the peoples'' eyes.


    Country M was conservative and even now, Xavier was being drowned by the spit of the anger by the citizens. How could such a person remain in position?


    Especially the Minister of Defence?


    The one that is supposed to be clean and pure?


    Though one would say his private life should have no bearing whatsoever to his job, in reality, that cannot happen. If the people no longer trust you and see you as a scumbag, how could you be seen to protect the Nation?


    He would have to go, and placed in a less conspicuous position. Until this whole scandal thing was over then he could slowly go back up. He was still useful. He had done a lot for the Nation, so the couldn''t just brush him aside.


    "Syed, Syed," Mahmat, the Prime Minister lamented, "Why were you so careless?"


    He looked at the pictures in disgust. Being a man that had been married faithfully to his wife, he couldn''t understand how some could live their lives this way. It wasn''t that he was a monk or a saint, but the sanctity of marriage was something he held dear.


    Why get married if you''re going to fool around?


    "You know, he was careless because he was careful about other things," a voice came from somewhere in the room.


    Mahmat jerked up, staring at the figure that was sitting on the window sill, a leg placed leisurely across his knee. He was dressed all in black, just like a ninja of old. The fact that he was dressed so was more amazing to him that he had actually managed to evade all the security to be sitting there.


    Why was he sitting on a window sill anyway?!


    Both of them were looking at each other.


    In truth, Kyle was feeling rather like a giddy star-struck teen right now, seeing the man he truly did admire, sitting there in the seat of position.


    When he was Kylie, he hardly paid any attention to the politics of the nation.


    He did his duty by voting and such but all the drama surrounding the politics? He ignored them. Like they say, "Better the devil you know than the angel you don''t". He would much rather vote for the devil he knew.


    He had watched and supported all those who were calling for reform, to get rid of a corrupt government and such. He welcomed it. He wished for it.


    Now, however, after being reincarnated, some of the wool had been ripped from his eyes.


    Perhaps, he became jaded because now, he was well aware that it wasn''t as simple as some would love to paint it. Being in a position of power isn''t just a matter of choosing what is right and wrong or black and white: but shades of grey.


    The man he was looking at right now, had to make choices that weren''t popular but had to balance it and take the flack. Not many realised the sort of sacrifices he had gone through, and he had done so willingly. He accepted the criticisms, for, as his belief was ''the buck stops here''. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Did he make mistakes? Heck, yes. But he had done it all with one pure intention: for the good of the nation.


    So, meeting the man that he actually did idolise a bit, made him feel like a fan-boy. Kyle had to clear his throat a bit. Boy, was he glad he was in his ninja outfit so that only his eyes could be seen.


    Mahmat just looked at him, raising an eyebrow and not even panicking.


    "So what do I owe this honour?" he asked, unafraid.


    Kyle got up, and took out a file that he had strapped on his back. It was black as well and passed it to Mahmat slowly.


    "Syed Xavier needs to go," Kyle said softly.


    It didn''t take long for Mahmat to look through the file, his face darkening.


    "How did you get this information?" Mahmat asked.


    Kyle shrugged, "I have my ways. Your investigations were hindered by him whereas mine wasn''t."


    "You knew?" Mahmat asked in surprise, putting down the file.


    "I suspected," Kyle said, "You just confirmed it."


    This made things easier. It meant that Mahmat was on the ball and would do what was needed.


    "So the expose on Xavier was your doing?" Mahmat guessed.


    "A prelude," Kyle replied, "A cover-up of sorts so that you can do what you need to do to get strip him of any position in the government."


    Mahmat was silent.


    He knew that this mysterious figure was not an enemy.


    The fact that he could enter so stealthily yet not do a single thing to him meant a lot. That was why he wasn''t worried at all and just sat to listen to what he wanted to say. He didn''t raise the alarm though he had the panic button right there.


    "And in return?" Mahmat asked.


    Kyle smiled under his mask.


    The man was truly sharp.


    "Let the investigation on his death die," Kyle replied.


    Mahmat took a deep breath and after a few seconds, nodded.


    "May I ask why you''re doing this?" Mahmat asked curiously as Kyle turned to go.


    "You mean, besides all the atrocities he has committed?" Kyle asked, "Isn''t treason enough?"


    "For me, yes, but you?" Mahmat said, "I don''t believe you''re a loyal citizen of Country M."


    "I have my personal reasons," Kyle said, "Our end goal is the same, so it''s best that we work together."


    Mahmat kept silent and watched him go.


    Truly, the guy would save him a lot of trouble.


    Mahmat wanted nothing more than to fling Xavier into court and have the law deal with him. With this file, it was undeniable that Xavier had committed treason. That was the death penalty.


    Unfortunately, too many things could go wrong with going the ''right'' way.


    This ''wrong'' way, however, would achieve justice.

 Chapter 664 - The Choice

    Mahmat sighed deeply as he thought of the things he had to do, again, in order to make sure that justice would be served.


    The law was so easy to be manipulated and played with.


    Evidence tampering. Witnesses disappearing. Years of it dragging on and making the evidence and witnesses become less valid. All the while, he would be free. Even if he was jailed, it was undeniable that he would be treated well - unlike normal inmates.


    Added to the fact that if the file of his deeds got exposed, chaos could ensue within the country.


    The Minister of Defence doing such things?


    What about other Ministers?


    It would cause more people to start pointing fingers. They wouldn''t be able to do their job properly as they would then be also busy with keeping people happy. Riots can happen. So many possibilities.


    With the file exposing all the deeds, Mahmat felt his hands were tied. Despite what he had, he could not do what he needed to do to get Xavier the end he deserved. Thus, what the mysterious figure was going to do, was something he that needed to be done.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri practically jumped upon Kyle when he returned.


    "Hey, I told you it would be okay," he said softly, smiling as the welcome.


    "I know," Sayuri said, "But even though you said it, and I know you''re skilled, it doesn''t mean I wouldn''t still be worried."


    It was only natural, right? Only those who didn''t care would feel nothing.


    Kyle hugged her to him, and kissed her, "I gotta bathe now."


    "So it all went smoothly?" Sayuri asked, following behind him into the bedroom, "He was everything you thought he was?"


    "And more," Kyle said, "Poor guy. It wasn''t an easy decision to make, but one he did anyway."


    Sayuri watched as Kyle started taking off his clothes, revealing that body that she loved so much. No matter how many times she has seen it, and touched it, it never seemed to be enough.


    Kyle was so comfortable with her around that he stripped completely naked, throwing the dirty clothes into the laundry basket before he turned towards the bathroom. He jerked a bit when Sayuri slapped his *ss.


    He turned his head slowly towards the girl that was sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling at him while unbuttoning her blouse.


    Okay, so the shower could wait.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Xavier couldn''t believe what was happening.


    Being told to voluntarily step down was within his expectations, but not the ''request'' to go and take a long break. The official news was that he stepped down to spend more time with his family, to heal the rift. Thus, he would be going off on an extended holiday.


    But he knew the truth.


    After this, there wouldn''t be any position for him to hang on to.


    Although he was seething over having lost such a good position, he eventually felt that it was, perhaps, a good thing. Over the past few weeks while his private life was in turmoil, there had been more attacks on the base of operations.


    Since he is no longer in any position, he could escape this Hell Hole.


    He made plans to leave the Country.


    He had more than enough to live a life of luxury until he died. Just go, and once abroad, no one could force him to return so long as he didn''t break the law in that country. He was practically humming as he started packing his luggage.


    Walking into his closet, he took out the basics only. He didn''t want any heavy luggage as he could easily buy what he needed elsewhere. What was important was speed. He couldn''t wait to get out.


    He had heard about Donnie being the target of assassination.


    Who knows? He could be next.


    When the sh*t hit the fan, where was Donnie? Or others?


    Nowhere.


    He had been abandoned by those higher-ups, probably seen as useless right now. Fine by him. He could get out and get on with his life.


    His wife was out, still giving him the cold shoulder - which was fine with him. It made him leaving even easier.


    "Ya know, leaving like this isn''t good," came a voice nearby.


    Xavier whirled, his gun out to point at the direction of the voice. However, there was no one there.


    He twirled about frantically in the bedroom, trying to find the source of the voice. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nite-nite," came a voice right by his ear. Before he could react, everything went dark.


    That night, the news exploded.


    Syed Xavier, having said he was quitting to spend time with his family, had disappeared. Records showed him leaving the country and no one knew where he went. All that hype about him wanting to be together with his family was just fake.


    Mahmat, who was the one behind the scenes to ensure this news was spread as such, wondered idly where Xavier was. The mysterious guy didn''t look old but one could never tell.


    Those dark brown eyes had been so cold and emotionless.


    He had seen such eyes before.


    On his assassination team members.


    Despite what Xavier had done, Mahmat still sent a prayer over to him. Wherever he may be, whatever he is experiencing, may he repent before it''s too late.


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    Xavier slowly opened his eyes, his head pounding.


    Where was he?


    "It''s nice that you are awake," came the same voice he heard before he passed out.


    He blinked his eyes, trying to get them to focus as he looked up. This time, he could barely make out a figure standing there. He blinked again and finally, his vision came back.


    "You?!" he gasped.


    "Whoa," Kyle said, genuinely surprised, "You do know me. How very interesting."


    So, Xavier, had him monitored?

 Chapter 665 - The Fight

    "How come you know me? Hmmm?" Kyle asked as he walked over slowly, letting his killer aura get through and thoroughly make this man quake.


    He may have been the Minister of Defence, but he was not an ex-soldier. He was just an ordinary man that got greedy, so Kyle''s aura subdued him quite fast. He was a typical bully.


    When in power, he could do things without batting an eyelid. But he always had other people do it. If he was faced with a stronger opponent, he would just quake and quiver.


    Like right now.


    Kyle patted him on the cheek and the guy flinched.


    Hell, this was not fun at all.


    Kyle hadn''t even started and Xavier was already ready to piss in his pants. Xavier wasn''t even tied up!


    Just how much of a wuss was he?! He can''t even fight a bit?


    Kyle then flicked Xavier''s forehead.


    The guy cringed, whimpering.


    Kyle rolled his eyes. This really was boring, but Kyle guessed it''s better than nothing. After all of that, he got this wimpy poor excuse for a human being.


    Kyle''s movement stopped for a microsecond, then he stood up and faced Xavier. He slowly took out his knife, watching intently as Xavier''s eyes were fixed on that serrated blade that emerged.


    Just as Kyle got closer to the whimpering fool, a voice came from behind Kyle, "I don''t think he''s yours to deal with."


    Kyle had long felt his presence and was already on guard. He simply pretended not to have known.


    Kyle turned, tilting his head.


    "Why not?" he asked the newcomer.


    "Because I have dibs on him first," Donnie replied.


    "So you were keeping an eye on him," Kyle said.


    Kyle took in the figure who, unfortunately, was carrying a sword with him. What was wrong with this guy to go walking about with swords?! Despite the agitation he felt, he didn''t let it show on his face.


    "I am surprised," Donnie said, looking at Kyle in his get-up, "I didn''t think you''re actually ¡­ one of them."


    He spat on the ground.


    Kyle didn''t say a word.


    Instead, his arm moved back and he nonchalantly stabbed Xavier straight in the heart in one swift move before Donnie could take another step. The man went gurgling and was looking at that knife protruding from his chest with horrified eyes.


    The last thing Kyle wanted, was to be distracted while he dealt with Donnie.


    He was glad Sayuri wasn''t around.


    Since they had Xavier in a secure location, just waiting to be tortured, there was no need for any other person to be around.


    At least, that is what he told her.


    He didn''t lie.


    Not really.


    There was no need for any other person to be around ''to get attacked by Donnie'' was the full sentence.


    Kyle knew that there was a high possibility of Donnie turning up.


    Even though his Master told him not to touch Xavier, that didn''t mean he wouldn''t if someone else got to him, right?


    Donnie would most likely use this opportunity to vent his anger and at the same time, not take the blame. Kyle had to quickly kill Xavier so that the fool wouldn''t inadvertently reveal that it wasn''t him that sent that hit.


    Donnie hissed, seeing Xavier go down.


    "He was MINE to kill!" Donnie shouted angrily.


    Kyle cocked an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Too bad."


    With a roar, Donnie lunged at him, swinging his sword towards Kyle.


    Kyle stepped back a bit while putting up his arm that had been behind him to block the sword. Kyle had been wearing what Donnie assumed was just gloves, but in actual fact, it was a Tekko-Kagi, a claw-like weapon attached to the hand.


    There were two types of Tekko-Kagi. One had claws outwards from its knuckles like an extension of its fingers, akin to Wolverine''s claws when it is out, and used as a weapon. The other type was that a much smaller version of the claws on the upper part of the palm, just below the fingers, and is used to aid in climbing walls.


    The one that was used to block the sword was the latter type. Kyle actually had it reinforced in his preparations to fight Donnie.


    Donnie was surprised as his sword clanged loudly inbetween the claws, narrowly missing Kyle''s fingers. Kyle flung his hand to the side, reached to his side and took out the other type of Tekko-Kagi, putting it on his other hand.


    Donnie, being the honourable fighter that he was, allowed Kyle that brief respite to put on his weapon.


    Silly fool. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, even if Kyle appreciated the gesture, he wasn''t going to be foolish enough to allow Donnie any leeway.


    Well, perhaps one, as a sign of gratitude but not to the extent of it being to his detriment.


    So, the next time Donnie swung back the sword at him right after he equipped it, he didn''t slash Donnie with it. He merely blocked it and stepped aside, kicking out.


    As expected, Donnie evaded it and gave a twin slash towards Kyle.


    As Donnie swung his sword, one could hear the ''swoosh'' sounds that it was making as it sliced through the air. This showed two things: one, he was moving very fast as the very sharp sword was being swung. Two, the design of the sword itself.


    The distinctive air-cutting sound is due to the groove in the blade, located just under the spine. This was known as the ''bo-hi'', and on the katana, it was placed to help reduce the weight without major sacrifices to its durability.


    As Kyle feared, Donnie''s skills with the sword were impressively high.


    They were basically at a stalemate at the moment, with neither of them gaining the upper hand. Both could evade the other''s attack and now, it was basically just a matter of time.


    Who got tired first, or who made the first wrong move.


    They were waiting for it.

 Chapter 666 - The Fight (II)

    The clanging of the sword against the Tekko-Kagi, the swish of the sword as it was swung by, all of it were sounds that filled the small room. There was not much room to manoeuver, and Kyle found he was at a severe disadvantage.


    Kyle was amazed at how fast Donnie could still be moving, considering that he was still recovering from his injuries.


    Just what sort of physique did this guy have? Though granted, Kyle was exerting more energy than him as it was Kyle who had to constantly jump around like some monkey while all Donnie needed to do was swing his damn long-*ss sword.


    Even when one took that into consideration, shouldn''t Donnie already be tired?


    Kyle noted that he was using his left arm to swing the sword more and this was because he had been shot in the right shoulder and arm. Donnie also knew that this was his weak spot so he protected the area better.


    Kyle gritted his teeth.


    He should have had the upper hand, considering that he was using both hands to fight while Donnie was holding the sword with both of his hands. In essence, Kyle had two hands to use his weapons while Donnie had one.


    Donnie was what you would call a clever fighter.


    He wasn''t just skilled but he was utilising his strengths and downplaying his weakness. Donnie was also keeping him a prisoner in the room by blocking the only way out. Kyle could not leave, and was forced to fight in this small space.


    Donnie knew, if Kyle was allowed out in the open space, the playing field would be more to Kyle''s advantage.


    Both were already sweating profusely, each being agitated for not being able to gain the upper hand. Kyle had thrown a few shurikens at Donnie, who simply used his sword to fling the shuriken aside like some pesky flies.


    His speed and reaction time was amazing.


    Finally, after ten minutes of this high-intensity fighting, the first blood was finally drawn.


    Donnie glared angrily at Kyle, while three long slashes formed on his left cheek. He ignored it, despite the fact that the blood was dripping down.


    They stood, each in a defensive position, as they glared at each other.


    It had been a lucky shot.


    Or swipe, really.


    Donnie had side-stepped to the right and did a low swing of his sword at Kyle, aiming for his waist. Using the protruding Tekko-Kagi on his left hand, Kyle successfully trapped the blade of the sword inbetween the long claws as he twisted his waist and hit Donnie''s hurt shoulder while swiping the cheek with the Tekko-Kagi on the palm of his right hand.


    Unfortunately, the wound was not deep for Donnie managed to jerk his head to the side at the last minute. Kyle immediately let go of the sword that he had trapped momentarily, as he already felt that blade being pulled back.


    "I must admit," Donnie said grudgingly, "You''re lasting far longer than I thought."


    "Staying alive is my motivation, after all," Kyle replied, flicking his hair back.


    "If you weren''t my enemy, we could have been friends," Donnie said, thinking. He did admire those with skills, especially one who could last this long against him. Too bad he had to be a ninja.


    "Nah," Kyle said, shaking his head, "Not a chance in Hell."


    Donnie grunted a bit, frowning at that statement as he moved his shoulder slightly. To check its condition. He kept his face impassive, though he realised that he wouldn''t be able to maintain the fight if this continued any longer. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had to finish it quickly. With that decision in mind, Donnie decided to attack more aggressively. Donnie went back into a fighting position,


    As for Kyle, he was also getting tired though it could not be seen at all in his face. In fact, he was barely able to show how much his hands were shaking due to the force he had to endure each time he defended himself. If this went on any longer, he may very well fall first.


    Thus, Kyle had to enter Zen Mode.


    The moment he did, everything became clear and it was as if Donnie was moving in slow motion. He could see the slight hesitation when Donnie swung his sword.


    Kyle took it, including the small window of opportunity that Donnie presented by leaving the side of his waist wide open.


    Kyle dodged right at the last minute as the sword seemed to sing as it brushed passed him, missing his chest by a millimeter. Kyle could even feel the wind of the sword as it flashed by.


    In that close position, as the sword was still being swung down, Kyle embedded the palm claw deep within the waist of Donnie while the other, he used to swing down right between Donnie''s legs.


    It hooked right at Donnie''s butt and Kyle viciously swung the claw upwards and outwards. At the same time, Kyle straightened his other arm, effectively streaking the claw on his palm from the waist to the thigh while simultaneously headbutting Donnie''s hard chin.


    Donnie gave a blood-curling scream, as blood gushed from inbetween his legs and sides while his head was spinning from a slight concussion. Mercifully, the scream stopped after a minute as he fell back, unconscious with the blood pooling underneath him.


    Kyle looked detachedly at the claw in his hand, noting with indifference how some parts of Donnie was now embedded in it. Looks like the thick part of his pants was no match for the sharpness of his blades.


    Kyle flicked the claw and pieces of flesh and certain body parts flew out. He definitely was going to throw away this Tekko-Kagi later.


    Kyle felt Donnie''s pulse and found that it was still present, but very weak.


    Kyle tsked.


    He still wasn''t dead, despite all of that?


    Well, even better.


    However, the fact that Donnie was unconscious, was not.

 Chapter 667 - Take Care Of Him

    He slapped Donnie''s face, but the guy did not wake up.


    Well, only one thing to do.


    He went over to Xavier''s body and took out the knife, ignoring the blood that came gushing out. Once the knife was pulled out, it actually opened up the wound that it had created. Thus, even though Xavier was already dead, the blood would still come out.


    Walking over to the unconscious Donnie, Kyle sat down and took out a vial from his pouch along the inner side of his waist. He dipped the tip of the knife into it and then plunged it into Donnie''s chest.


    After a minute, the stimulant worked and Donnie''s eyes opened wide in horror.


    Kyle then pulled out the knife, and the already wet floor full of blood got another source of blood.


    Donnie screamed.


    He screamed like it was the end of the world, and it was. For him. The pain was unimaginable. He felt like every pore of his body was screaming with intense pain. He just wanted it to end but it didn''t.


    The stimulant didn''t only wake him up from his unconscious state, it kept him awake.


    Kyle just sat there, watching with satisfaction as Donnie continued screaming himself hoarse until he gave his last breath.


    Once he did, Kyle double-checked that Donnie was really dead before he went out of Zen Mode.


    And promptly fell unconscious right into the pool of blood.


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    Kyle felt like his entire body was like lead.


    He was slowly gaining consciousness but he could not open his eyes as yet. It just felt like he would need a tremendous amount of strength to do so. Strength that he did not have.


    It had been a very long time since he had entered Zen Mode, and he had spent quite a long time in it. Worse, he was already tired before he entered Zen Mode which, perhaps, made the side-effects worse.


    His senses were also dulled at the moment and he was disoriented.


    Sounds were muffled and his sense of smell was practically non-existent. He could hardly feel anything other than his body being so heavy.


    A new side-effect to the Zen Mode?


    Or was it perhaps something he always had but never experienced since this was the first time he entered for so long while being tired in the first place.


    [Kyle?! Kyle?!]


    [Yeah, I''m here]


    [Oh my God, oh my God, Kyle] Kay was sobbing [You''re finally awake! I thought I felt something]


    Kyle''s head was buzzing [What? Why? How long have I been out?]


    [Three days]


    Kyle''s mind blanked out for a second before he shouted [WHAT?!]


    [We kept the news under wraps so no one knows about this, other than me and Sayuri. She''s the one that found you lying down in a pool of blood]


    [Urgh] Kyle groaned [Please let her know I''m okay]


    [Wait. Why can''t you tell her that?]


    [Funny thing is] Kyle began [I''m awake but I can''t find the strength to even move, let alone open my eyes]


    [What the hell happened anyway?]


    [Too long in Zen Mode while I was exhausted] Kyle explain and quickly changed the subject [How are the kids?]


    [They''re fine. Lianne has become rather attached to Kitty now so they''ve been keeping each other company]


    [That''s good, that''s good] Kyle said, getting drowsy [I can''t seem to open my eyes yet though. Getting sleepy]


    [Okay, go get rest, brother] Kay said gently.


    Kyle didn''t answer, already in dreamland.


    Completely unknown to him, Sayuri was beside him at the bed. She had been by his bedside for the past three days, too scared to go should he wake up.


    The doctors were stumped as Kyle was in a coma without any plausible explanation. There was no trauma to the head, no bleeding that they could find which could have been a cause (the minor scratches and slashes were not enough) and his oxygen had not been deprived.


    It was as if his body had shut down completely, just to keep him alive.


    The beeping of the monitors was the only thing that kept Sayuri sane. When she had found him lying there, with all of the blood underneath him, she thought he was dead. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had gone into a state of shock, and could hardly breathe for a while.


    It had taken her some time to get some rationality to go and truly find out if he was still breathing. Finding out that he was, filled her up with such relief that she just broke down crying before she could get help.


    So now, she was too afraid of leaving him for too long.


    She needed to be here, looking at him and listening to the monitors beeping. As long as it was there, she knew Kyle was all right.


    Just then, the phone rang and picking it up, she saw that it was Kay.


    "Hi Kay," Sayuri began, "He''s still in a coma."


    "No, he has woken up already and fell back asleep," Kay replied, "That''s what I''m calling you for."


    "Huh?" Sayuri said, not comprehending, "I''ve been here the whole time and he hasn''t moved at all."


    "He said that he didn''t have the strength to, but he told me to tell you that he''s fine," Kay assured her.


    Tears rolled down Sayuri''s cheeks silently and she put her hand over her mouth. She stroked Kyle''s cheek, brushing her fingers over his eyes.


    "Thank God," she breathed, "Thank you for telling me, Kay."


    "Take care of him," Kay replied, "He needs you in his life, even though he doesn''t realise it yet."


    "Okay," Sayuri said, her attention too focused on Kyle to really think about what Kay was saying. She had only heard the first part of the sentence, "I''ll take care of him for you."


    "Thank you," Kay said before hanging up, humming happily. Sayuri was a good wife indeed.

 Chapter 668 - No Matter What

    It was another six hours before Kyle finally woke up again.


    This time, to his relief, he wasn''t as weak as he was before, and was also more aware of his surroundings and knew that he was in a hospital. The smell of the disinfectant, the constant beeping of the monitor, and the soft background noise of the television amidst some crunching sounds.


    He slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw, was Sayuri, sitting beside the bed with her back to him. She was eating an apple while watching television. He looked at his hand, which had an IV line and at all the wires attached to his chest.


    Lifting his hand up, he stroked the back of Sayuri''s head.


    She jerked for a second before turning, her face full of joy.


    "You''re awake!" she said happily and in relief.


    "Mmhm," Kyle answered, unable to talk yet. He felt like his mouth was so bleh, full of muck. He imagined his breath was going to stink to high heaven if he opened it right now.


    "How are you feeling?" Sayuri asked gently, coming closer to him.


    "Thirsty," Kyle managed to croak out, opening his lips a bit so that she didn''t faint from his bad breath.


    Sayuri smiled at this and got up, getting him a cup of water. She added a little bit of honey in it and put in a metal straw that was slightly bent. Sitting back down beside him, she placed the cup next to him and the straw into the edge of his lips.


    Kyle drank the water gratefully, feeling the water wetting his dry throat. He then took some more, swirled it inside his mouth a bit and felt much more refreshed.


    "Better?" Sayuri asked, still speaking gently.


    "Much," Kyle replied, "Thanks."


    "That''s good," Sayuri said, nodding her head then took the nurse buzzer to call her. When the nurse came in, she also looked happy to see Kyle awake.


    "I''ll get the doctor," the nurse said, going out quickly.


    It wasn''t long before a team of doctors came and did a check-up on Kyle. They asked him all sorts of questions while doing so and Kyle answered them as well as he could. When they finally left, he leaned back on the pillow with a sigh.


    The bed was now positioned at an angle, so he was partially up.


    The moment everyone was gone, Sayuri turned to Kyle with a sweet smile.


    Kyle smiled back, then the smile dropped when she suddenly glared at him angrily, grabbed the sides of his head and brought her face close to him as she hissed, "If you ever, and I mean EVER, do that to me again, I will make sure you won''t be able to walk straight for a month!!"


    "How dare you face Donnie alone!!" Sayuri berated him, "Getting everyone else out of the way?! Saying no one needed to be there?! How could you do that to me?! How could you lie like that?!!"


    She shook him hard while shouting at him angrily, not worried that it may cause him any damage since the doctors said he was physically okay.


    "I ¡­ I didn''t lie," Kyle said weakly, "No one else needed to be around ¡­"


    Sayuri ground her knuckles on his forehead, causing him to wince a bit at the pain. She actually wanted to punch him for saying that, but he was still a patient.


    "Are you sure you''re Kyle Smith? Since when did he become so dumb? Huh? Huh?" Sayuri taunted him, releasing days of frustration, worry, and anger at him, "Don''t try to weasel your way out of this. Saying misleading things is still a lie! How could you think of facing him alone?!"


    Kyle took those petite hands that had been happily using his head as a mortar (where the hand was the pestle) and kissed her knuckles. He looked at her, then pulled her towards him.


    She ended up sitting on the bed and placed on his chest as he held her tight, hugging her.


    "I''m sorry," he said softly, "I won''t do it again."


    Sayuri just lay there upon him, not saying a thing as she welcomed his embrace. She settled herself more comfortably at the crook of his neck.


    Kyle held her to him, and was glad that she didn''t pursue the matter.


    He couldn''t quite explain to her the exact reason he had been so evasive regarding Donnie. Mainly because he, himself, didn''t fully understand his reasons.


    No, actually, he knew why he did it but the reasons would only make her feel angrier.


    Bottom line was, he didn''t want to put Sayuri in danger. He knew she was skilled and would not have been a burden at all ¡­ but yet, despite knowing that, he couldn''t do it. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Donnie was his problem. The dark spot in his life that he brought over from his previous life.


    Donnie was also a high-risk enemy and extremely dangerous. It was his burden to bear and deal with. He did not want to bring Sayuri into it. The thought of placing her in so much danger ¡­ left him feeling rather unsettled.


    This was not her burden to bear, so he did not want to put her in the position of having to face that risk.


    Even though he knew that she was more than willing to.


    How could he ask her to sacrifice so much for him, right?


    Even now, as he thought of how Donnie had fought ¡­ it made Kyle shudder. It had been so close. If Sayuri had been there, Donnie would have most likely struck at her first, just like how he had got rid of Xavier first.


    Kyle''s arm around Sayuri tightened further, glad to be able to hold her in his arms right now.


    If he was faced with the choice again, he would have made the same choice.


    No matter what, Sayuri had to remain safe.


    He owed her that much.

 Chapter 669 - Final Arrangements

    Kyle and Sayuri spent another month in Country Tz, finalizing and wrapping up everything.


    Right after being discharged from the hospital, Kyle dealt with Stephan first.


    Since the danger was over, the kids could come back already but Kyle was hoping that they could stay on in Country Tz for the time being.


    Maybe, forever?


    It was actually his selfish request because he didn''t want to let them go just yet. Especially Lianne, who already knew his secret. He wanted to catch up with her and hopefully, be able to bond with Joseph as well.


    So he offered Stephan a job.


    "What?" Stephan looked at Kyle in disbelief, "You want me to work for you? At Country Tz?"


    "Don''t answer me now," Kyle said, "Go to Country Tz first, stay for a while and check out the place. Give me an answer in a month."


    "This .. but ¡­" Stephan said, stammering.


    "Look, I know this is a big decision which is why I said not to rush it. You can stay at Country Tz at my house, rent-free. Be an intern at the company for a month to get a feel of the place. It''ll provide you with your daily expenses."


    Kyle knew Stephan would be too proud to accept charity, so he wouldn''t offer for an all-expense paid stay. Also, Stephan would be too suspicious if he did so since it sounded too good to be true. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m sure there are more qualified people at your place. Why me?" Stephan asked.


    "Why not?" Kyle countered back, "I don''t normally have an opportunity to meet people outside of my country. Since I now know you, and have seen what you''re capable of, I don''t see anything wrong with offering you a job."


    Kyle handed him a plane ticket, saying, "I''ve already booked you on a flight for next week. The dates can be changed, don''t worry so if the date is not suitable for you, then just call them to change it. No charges."


    "Don''t get me wrong, I am grateful, but I still ¡­"


    "Take it as it''s your luck, based on your children," Kyle said softly, "I can''t deny that I like them. You''re also benefitting from that."


    With that last sentence, Kyle gave him a nod and left.


    One of the ancient beliefs of Country M is that children are the ''gifts'' and ''luck'' of the family. Good luck - and yes, unfortunately, bad luck as well. Luckily, the latter is not as bad as it used to be in the olden days.


    So, the fortune - and misfortune - of the family was often attributed to the children.


    Stephan never believed in such things for he viewed his children as a gift to him from the Almighty. However, he knew that his in-laws would certainly see it in that light and wouldn''t be difficult or oppose it should he decide to take up this offer.


    Stephan looked up, but Kyle could no longer be seen.


    What a coincidence that Kyle always knew what to say to smoothen his decision making. Stephan shook his head.


    Probably that''s why he''s the CEO and while he was just an employee.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The second thing Kyle did was ¡­ get his tattoo.


    The design Sayuri showed him was truly beautiful, far better than the one he had swiped off the Internet.


    "Should I get a fiery background?" Kyle asked Sayuri as he sat in the tattoo parlour, waiting for the tattoo artist in getting ready.


    "It''s really up to you," Sayuri answered, "It''s your body."


    "Yeah, I know," Kyle replied, "But your opinion still matters."


    He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows, "After all, you''re the one that sees it most of the time."


    Sayuri pursed her lips, looking at her beloved sitting there in his tight-fitting sleeveless tank top. Just the act of him taking off his jacket already made some of the women here get whiplash.


    Not to mention some guys as well.


    "I don''t just see it," Sayuri whispered, getting closer as she ran her hands all over his muscular chest, "I eat it everyday."


    She gave him a quick peck on the lips, staking her claim in front of everyone. Since this was the conservative Country M, just that simple action made some of the spectators turn their heads away with a slight reddish tint on their faces.


    Kyle laughed at that, and decided on just the simple black tribal design. If he added the splash of colour, it might make him look too much like a mafia or something.


    Well, technically he was, as Ice.


    "Only thing is, with this, Ice may never make an appearance again," Kyle said softly.


    After all, Ice''s tattoo was different and if someone recognised this tattoo, they would associate Ice with him.


    "You don''t have to worry about that," Sayuri said, "Have you forgotten what I can do with prosthetic makeup?"


    Kyle''s grin became wider.


    The tattoo artist came by then and so they stopped talking.


    He looked like a ''Hell''s Angel'' member, with the way he dressed, his arms heavily tattooed and sporting an impressive beard. All that was missing was his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.


    "Hello, my name is Yanni and I shall be your tattoo artist for today," Yanni said, introducing himself.


    Kyle''s eyebrow shot up in surprise. That was unexpected.


    Yanni just laughed, "I know, I get that a lot."


    Five hours later, Kyle walked out with a new tattoo, wrapped underneath a bandage. Yanni had given him a stern lecture on the aftercare.


    The bandage was to be removed after 4 hours. Several times a day, he has to wash the skin with antimicrobial soap and water, then patted dry. Rub fragrance-free antibacterial ointment over it twice a day. No sun or excessive water.


    It would take two weeks for it to heal. His skin would peel and scab. NO SCRATCHING. Once healed, sunblock.


    So much work, but it was worth it.

 Chapter 670 - Things Will Change

    Kyle stood at the balcony, looking at the scenery for the last time.


    He and Sayuri would finally be returning home, their flight being at night. Stephan had already made his decision and had flown to Country Tz last week, upon which Kay had handled all the procedures needed to have him settle down.


    Kyle thought that the less contact he had with Stephan, the better. Let Kay handle all of the details at that end.


    As for the business here, Sayuri had handled all the minor details. Although his initial purpose for it was in order to have a plausible reason to stay in Country M while his first death occurred, Sayuri found the move to be a good one.


    Hence, it would continue.


    MIB would be the people in charge of monitoring and dealing with it during the building and transition. It would mainly be run by locals of Country M (creating jobs) whilst the higher management positions would be held by MIB agents. As for whether the CEO would be a local or from Country Tz, the choice would be made by her Uncle.


    These two apartments that Kyle bought would be used as the housing for any Country Tz citizens that may be transferred here to work, so it worked out pretty well.


    Sayuri walked out onto the balcony, stopping for a minute to admire the back of her beloved. He was shirtless, shamelessly showing off that physique of his. Her eyes scanned the area and noted that indeed, there were some people watching from across the building.


    Too bad they didn''t have binoculars, huh?


    Kyle''s tattoo was truly magnificent. It had already healed with the new skin growing over it. Sayuri had in her hands the lotion and without a word, started applying it.


    "Even though it has healed, you shouldn''t expose it to the hot sun like this," she admonished him.


    He turned his head to face her and smiled, watching her as she administered the lotion on him, massaging his arm at the same time.


    His heart lurched suddenly as he thought of their impending return.


    Things were going to change once they went back.


    No longer would they be living together, or sharing a room. She would go back to her house and him, to his. They were both working separately, which meant that they would not be meeting each other often.


    It was almost like ¡­ like how it had been with Sari.


    During his entire time with Sari while he had been here, they had been free from any restraints or going through his ''real'' life. Just like Sayuri right now.


    It had only been them.


    Things will change when they get back.


    Their routine, their togetherness ... the freedom to just turn around and fuck each other senseless whenever either got horny. All of it would change.


    "Thank you," Kyle said before turning to face out again, him not truly understanding the agitation in his heart. He put it down to him being agitated at having to go back to work and all the things that it entailed.


    He also put it down to him being so comfortable and used to this arrangement that it was going to be strange to suddenly find it all gone. Holiday time was over, and work had to begin again.


    He sighed.


    "What''s the matter?" Sayuri asked as she stood beside him.


    "Nothing," Kyle said, "Just thinking about the amount of work waiting for me."


    "Ah, true," Sayuri agreed, leaning on the balcony, "Back to the real world."


    "Well, you''ve still been working while you were here," Kyle pointed out, "The business seems to be going in the right direction." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I didn''t do much," Sayuri protested, "You gave me good manpower."


    "It''s the least I could do," Kyle said, "After all, you helped me a lot with my personal issues."


    Sayuri sighed inwardly while leaning on him.


    Going back meant back to normal life.


    This would be her first test.


    Just like what Kyle had been feeling, Sayuri had as well though for different reasons.


    Living here together with him was like a dream come true. If she hadn''t been constantly telling herself that it was all just a temporary thing, it really did feel like they were a married couple.


    Living together, doing things together, and talking to each other.


    It was going to be strange sleeping on her own bed, without him next to her. No waking up to seeing his face first thing in the morning.


    She looked out, clenching her fists together.


    Would they still be as close as this, or would they drift apart?


    After all, she was just his bed partner.


    If she didn''t do anything, would the time and distance cause him to naturally find a replacement?


    A part of her wanted to test it out, and yet, a part of her wanted to hang on to him.


    Which would be the right choice?


    She had, after all, given herself two years to capture his heart.


    With that thought, the choice was clear.


    She couldn''t leave it up to ''Fate'' - or worse, up to him.


    He was so dense that he might very well just fill up his needs with someone else if she wasn''t around.


    "What?" Kyle suddenly turned around to ask her.


    He had noted the way she looked at him, and that it soon became an intense stare.


    She didn''t say a word at first but instead, got closer and placed her hands on his chest.


    "We have an hour before we have to leave," she said softly, running her hands all over his chest, then placed a finger right over each nipple. She pressed on it slightly, then began twirling it.


    Kyle''s eyes darkened and he lowered his head to kiss her.


    She avoided it, smiling a bit as she looked at him through her lashes.


    "Sayuri ¡­" hissed Kyle through his teeth as her hands went lower.


    "Prelude," Sayuri whispered, "To the mile-high club."

 Chapter 671 - Mile-High Club (R18)

    Kyle''s smoldering bedroom eyes became darker at that promise and he hissed inwardly as she cupped his balls and raging hard-on.


    In one swift move, he claimed her lips, plunging his tongue deep inside and wreaking havoc while his hands fondled her breast and pinching her nipples. As she moaned deep in her throat, Kyle released her lips and said, "Prelude to Mile-High Club."


    He quickly walked away, expertly avoiding her hands that were ready to crush his family jewels for teasing her so.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    By the time they were sitting in first class, Kyle was reading to grab onto Sayuri, push her onto the back of the airplane seat and thurst into her, not caring about any sort of audience.


    All the way to the airport, through the immigration counter and in the airport lounge, she had been teasing him endlessly. She wore a push-up bra, a low-cut V blouse, and a short skirt that blew against the wind.


    Didn''t help that she told him she wasn''t wearing any underwear.


    She would occasionally brush against him with her breast, or her juicy *ss that he knew was naked under the skirt. Sometimes, the skirt would ride up high, and he glared at her, thinking of what sort of show she would be giving to any guy sitting in front of her.


    Constantly having to clench his leg muscles throughout the entire journey to the cabin made him walk slightly funny, too.


    And that Devil Woman was having the time of her life indeed.


    The moment they took off and the seatbelt sign was off, Sayuri lifted the divider between them. Sayuri was at the window seat, so she turned and leaned against the wall of the airplane, and placed her legs on his lap.


    To be more accurate, her legs were placed against the divider on Kyle''s side and her knees slightly bent upwards over his thigh. She then took the blanket, opened it up from its sterile wrapping and placed it across their laps and her legs.


    Kyle edged closer towards Sayuri, and immediately attacked her sopping wet cave, his thumb rubbing around her clit. He ran his fingers all over from the clit to the entrance of her cave, getting them nice and wet before he inserted one finger into her waiting cave.


    Sayuri gave a slight gasp, enjoying the sensation though what she really wanted inside her was not his finger, but what she had in her hand. The warm, hard c*ck that she had released from the confines of his pants.


    She placed her palm over it, feeling the pre-cum that was leaking out and stroking his c*ck slowly.


    "You better not cum yet," Sayuri said softly, "It''ll just dirty the blankets."


    Kyle clenched his jaw and glared at her.


    "After teasing me so much, you dare ask that of me?" Kyle hissed, thinking she ought to be punished for that insane request.


    Her breathing getting irregular, she parted her lips in an attempt to regulate it as Kyle inserted another finger and started moving inside faster while his thumb was still caressing the clit carefully.


    Sayuri couldn''t say anything more after that, focusing more on keeping quiet and not letting anyone else know what was going on. She had always been the noisy one, and holding back was truly difficult.


    Just right after she climaxed, the flight attendant came over, asking them if they would like anything to drink. With a smile, not suspecting anything, she offered them orange juice, coffee or tea. Both shook their heads.


    "Not for now, thank you," Kyle answered while giving her his Million-Dollar Watt Smile.


    Flustered at being subjected to that so suddenly, she managed to get back into work mode soon and the flight attendant smiled back professionally. Having done this round, she headed towards the back to the galley to get the trolley with drinks and begin the round on the plane.


    All this time, Sayuri had not let go of Kyle''s c*ck at all. The moment she left, Sayuri immediately straddled Kyle, positioning his c*ck over her.


    Kyle''s eyes widened and he looked around. There was only one other person in first class, and he was in the seat in front, on the opposite side. If he was to turn back, he definitely would be able to see what was going on.


    Sayuri leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Just don''t make a sound and he won''t realise."


    Sayuri knew that this was the best time to do this, as the flight attendants would be busy serving drinks to the other passengers. This was a brief window of opportunity to do so.


    Of course, they could always go into the lavatory to do so but why?


    The lavatory was cramped and hot. Not to mention the germs going about in there. She wanted the experience of having sex at an altitude of 30,000 feet - an experience that is said to be much more stimulating and exciting.


    Something about the pressure of the cabin and all, which would make the orgasm even more explosive. Sayuri could say that the earlier experience seemed to indicate that it was all true.


    This position, on the chair, was more comfortable ¡­ and more exciting.


    The possibility of getting caught.


    Doing it in public.


    Covertly.


    Before Kyle could answer, she had already gone down slowly, and he felt that deliciously warm, wet and tight cave enveloping his raging hard-on. He stifled a groan as he closed his eyes, clenching the sides of the blanket.


    Sayuri was also feeling it, how he filled her up, touching every single point and going in deep. She bit her lower lips so hard that it felt like she had drawn blood.


    It just felt so good.


    She just sat there at first, not moving while both of them got used to the sensation. Both opened their eyes at the same time and all sense of rationality flew out of their minds. They started kissing passionately, and he grabbed her by her *ss as she moved up and down. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn''t just move up and down, she also flexed and rotated, making the entire sensation more incredible. Despite their desire raging on between them, they were still able to have some rationality of thought not to make it loud.


    The intense kissing stopped Sayuri from cursing out like normal, and Kyle''s hands helped the normal ''slapping sounds of two flesh colliding hard'' to be muted. His fingers clenched on her ample *ss cheeks even more when he felt her cave tightening, a sign that she was going to climax.


    Her movements became more frantic, faster and harder as she sucked and bit on his tongue. The moment she climaxed, she stopped moving, her knees weak. However, that didn''t mean she had actually stopped for Kyle''s hands didn''t.


    He continued to have her plunge into him over and over through her wave, causing her to feel the wave increasing again. The sensations were so incredible that she climaxed again, harder this time, and felt his warm seed spurting deep inside.

 Chapter 672 - CEO Is Back

    It had been several months now since the CEO came back and everyone wished that he would go away again. The acting-CEO was so much easier to deal with. Though he was really good eye candy, he was just too scary.


    Usually, Sam, his PA, would be the buffer between the CEO and the normal people like them but, unfortunately for them, the reliable PA was on leave.


    He was on his honeymoon.


    For a month.


    All of the employees at Smith Industries HQ were on the verge of crying and were even thinking of taking leave for one month as well. The pressure could be too great at times.


    Like, right now.


    The CEO was sitting at the head of the table, listening intently to the report by the respective managerial heads of various departments in the company. It was their annual report.


    And the CEO didn''t look happy.


    He was sitting there, twirling the pen in his hands, staring at each presenter as they spoke. All were nervous as they gave their reports, fearing that he would start shouting at them for anything lacking in the reports.


    If they knew what was really going on in their CEO''s mind, they would be cursing him non-stop.


    Kyle wasn''t really listening. He had already read the reports and it was generally fine. There were some mistakes, but nothing major.?He had them still present because the others needed to hear it as well. He wanted to see what sort of discussions that would ensue.


    So far, it was so-so.


    His mind was more on the fact that he was feeling bored.


    Ok, so he shouldn''t be, considering that he had a lot of work. Everyday was a full day. But darn it, he was bored.


    Sam was having the time of his life with his new wife - and he deserved it, truly. Though he didn''t end up going to Country Tz since Kyle had his capable team and Sayuri, Sam had been busy as heck here.


    Ali was all excited, having found out that Sofia was pregnant with their first child. He was doing all sorts of things to prepare for the baby and taking care of his wife.


    Xing Han was also being all so lovey-dovey with his beloved Nitocris. They were now living together in their own house, like some old married couple.


    Kay, who was as single as him, was constantly going out. Either on those blind dates their mum set her on, or with her best friend, Lance. Well, he couldn''t be stingy about that either now could he, since she covered up for him and did most of his work while he was away.


    Even Beatrice was constantly going out on dates, either with Yuri, or Zack, or both.


    So every single Elite Five member was having fun of some sort. While he was stuck at the office, doing work.


    Perhaps it was because he hadn''t been getting it since he got back.


    Mr. Right Hand wasn''t as nice.


    Maybe he should go and visit Sayuri and see what she''s up to. Just thinking of what she had done to him on the plane made him all hot and bothered. He clenched his jaw.


    Which reminded him.


    He hadn''t got back at her for that stunt now, has he?


    "Mr. Smith?" came a nervous voice.


    Kyle looked up, his thoughts interrupted, his eyes flashing with some slight annoyance. It was only then that he realised that everyone was looking at him. He turned to glance at Beatrice, who rolled her eyes at him without anyone else seeing.


    He deduced that they must have stopped their presentation some time ago and was waiting for his feedback.


    "That''s fine," he said as he indicated to Beatrice then swung his hands towards everyone in the meeting room.


    She got up and distributed copies of the files with the annotations on it.


    "There are a few things I noted there. Implement those changes," Kyle said, "And I want a report on the progress within a month." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He got up, and headed out, his face in a frown.


    The moment he walked through the door, everyone gave a collective sigh of relief. They thought, at first, that he was going to unleash some sort of tirade on them when he looked so angry earlier.


    Luckily, he didn''t.


    They opened the file and cursed.


    What few things?!


    Outside, people were trying their best to keep out of their way. Everyone could tell that their boss was in an unusually sour mood these past few days. No one dared to approach him for anything.


    Suddenly a small voice was heard, "Kyle?"


    People''s head whipped over to that source of voice, to see a little girl standing there, looking around in confusion.? Their heart went towards her.


    They looked nervously at the cold CEO whose face looked like it was ready to tear into someone.


    To their utter amazement, the moment he turned, his face broke into a smile and he practically ran over to the girl, "Lianne!"


    "What are you doing here? How did you get here? Are you alone? Where''s Joseph?"


    At the last question, he frowned.


    Lianne patted his arm and she said, "I''m fine, don''t worry. Zero sent me here. Joseph has classes."


    She answered the main thing she knew her mother would be worried about. The truth of the matter was, she came because Beatrice texted her. Apparently, her mother seemed to be in a bad mood and was scaring everyone.


    Beatrice who was nearby was relieved.


    Luckily, Lianne was free and had come immediately.


    She didn''t know why Lianne was so important to Kyle, but she was.


    From her observations, she saw how Lianne seemed to be the only one that could make Kyle turn around. No matter how bad Kyle''s mood was, once Lianne was around, he was appeased.


    Beatrice didn''t know the reason and she didn''t really care.


    All she cared about, was the result.

 Chapter 673 - Grumpy-Pants

    "Are you free?" Lianne asked, looking up at her mother.


    Kyle turned to Beatrice, saying, "Cancel all my appointments today and reschedule them. I''m going out."


    Kyle knew that the rest of the meetings could wait and he figured that they''re more than happy to have it postponed.


    He turned back to face Lianne and said, "I am now."


    Lianne smiled at him and to everyone''s utter amazement, he smiled back - transforming that ice-cold block into the most amazing vision ever.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Ever since Kyle came back, his cold persona became worse. All those smiles she had named all those years ago became obsolete.


    He had new ones. Well, okay. Only two, but it was still something. Only two types of smiles that Beatrice had seen Kyle give since he became the CEO.


    The Mona Lisa Smile - a small smile, seemingly harmless but hinted at something. As if he had secrets, or that he knew something. Which, he did for right after that, he would explode and heads rolled.


    The Lucifer Smile - it was hard to describe, for it was an ordinary smile. It was the whole aura and demeanor that surrounded him as he smiled that was the danger or trigger. If it was on anyone but Kyle, it would look like a sweet smile. On him?


    One knew, one was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble. Beyond any hope or redemption. You would feel your entire body frozen, waiting for him to say something - anything - to release the fear that gripped your entire being.


    This one that he was showing Lianne?


    It wasn''t a Million-Dollar Watt smile that was so bright that it blinded everyone. It was so soft, gentle and full of dotingness that one would forget he could incinerate you with one glance.


    Beatrice looked around and saw the stars - and hearts - in the eyes of those girls around. It looks like she would need to remind them that the smile he is giving right now is exclusive to Lianne.


    Anyone else who thinks they may have a shot at it would not survive for long.


    Soon, whisperings were heard.


    "Who is that girl?"


    "Yeah, who would have thought?"


    "I didn''t think our CEO was into little girls."


    "You don''t think ¡­"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched. It looks like a reminder isn''t needed.


    The air got cold and people around got a sense of impending danger. Kyle turned slowly and his gaze fell on those women with those loose lips. Then, he smiled.


    The Lucifer Smile.


    Beatrice lowered her head, offering those poor souls a prayer.


    The gossipy women started crying silently in their hearts, wondering why they had totally forgotten how sharp their CEO''s ears were. With just that one smile of his earlier, they had been so overwhelmed that their mouths began moving before their brains did. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no medicine for regrets.


    "Beatrice," Kyle said slowly, almost like it was an afterthought, "I seem to remember that Jack and Daniel need some extra help with the report I had given. Tell them that Charlene, Rina, and Helena are at their disposal. Get the temp to take their place in the meantime."


    Beatrice nodded, jotting it down.


    The three girls wailed.


    Jack and Daniel were well known for their meticulous behaviour, and penchant for overtime. If Kyle had given them a report to amend, there were tales of how those demons would work.


    Those under them became zombies.


    Now, they were next.


    "If Jack and Daniel are satisfied with them, they''ll be positioned there permanently," Kyle continued, giving the girls some hope to escape.


    "If they aren''t, I''m sure the maintenance crew still has some openings," Kyle finished, completely dispelling that thought.


    "Of course, you could resign," Kyle said to the three girls, "But remember you''re still under contract for another six months. Penalty fees need to be paid."


    Kyle then turned to Lianne and said, "Remember, Lianne, never let anyone talk trash about you."


    Lianne nodded then asked innocently, "But what if I don''t have the power to fight back yet?"


    "Use whatever you have at your disposal to be the gun then," Kyle replied, "I will always have your back, but you must still grow stronger by yourself."


    "Okay!" Lianne replied.


    Kyle started walking out, and Lianne followed. The pressure that they had all been under slowly lessened and then, they heard that cute little voice ask, "Can I keep Zero?"


    The cold CEO then laughed (he actually laughed!), saying, "You make him sound like a pet."


    "He is! He''s so cute," was the last thing they heard as their voices got cut off after they entered the VIP lift.


    Everyone was frozen for a while, having listened to that very weird conversation.


    First, their CEO was actually acting human.


    Second, how could that cute little girl say Zero was cute?


    Sure, he was really eye-catching and handsome but he was so quiet. Stoic. Like a statue.


    Perhaps, that was why she could get along with the CEO?


    Whatever the reason, they weren''t going to voice out anything. The fear from earlier had yet to dissipate.


    Everyone looked at the three girls in pity.


    They were now slumped over their desk, wailing and lamenting over their stupid mouths. They looked up when Beatrice came over, handing them their death sentence.


    With a sigh, the three doomed girls walked off dejectedly.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    In the popular cafe that served the best ice-cream, an unlikely pair was sitting there.?One cute, adorable girl and one cold, domineering guy.


    "How is everything?" Kyle asked, watching his daughter eating ice-cream happily.


    She was having the special: banana fritters with ice-cream. Two slices of banana fritters with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream, covered with pieces of nuts, desiccated coconut, and honey drizzled all over it.


    "All is okay," she replied, "I should be asking you that."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, "Me?"


    "Yes, you," Lianne answered, "Mr. Grumpy-Pants CEO."

 Chapter 674 - Oh, Dear ...

    This time, a small smile appeared on Kyle''s face.


    "Grumpy-pants?" Kyle drawled, "You''d call your mother that?"


    "If the shoe fits ¡­"


    "Getting cheeky now, aren''t you?" Kyle teased.


    "I''ve always been cheeky, you know that," Lianne answered nonchalantly, scooping up another mouthful of deliciousness.


    "Fine, you win," Kyle said, leaning back on the chair, putting an arm around the back of the chair beside him, "So who was it that called you over to appease me?"


    "Doesn''t matter," Lianne replied, protecting Beatrice, "The point is, you''re grumpy."


    "I''m human," Kyle replied, looking at the distance, "Sometimes I''m happy, sometimes I''m grumpy."


    "Since you''ve been back? It''s been several months now, you know," Lianne pointed out, "If you go on like this, the Cold CEO title will be replaced with the Grumpy CEO instead."


    "How''s your brother?" Kyle asked suddenly, changing the subject.


    Lianne shrugged, "Being as annoying as usual."


    "Meaning?"


    "It''s only our first year at the new school, and he''s already having this harem around him. Then girls try to get to know me to get to him. It''s annoying," complained Lianne.


    "Oh?" Kyle said, "That''s surprising."


    "Why?"


    "He doesn''t seem the type to be playing around with girls," Kyle said, his face frowning.


    "He isn''t," Lianne replied, "They just keep coming and he doesn''t push them away. He has this gaggle of girls around him."


    "Gaggle? That''s for geese," Kyle replied.


    "Yes, they''re like geese. Noisy and long necks, always peering up and over as if marking their territory," Lianne replied, non-plussed, "Like I said, annoying."


    "Well, as long as he doesn''t go overboard, I guess," Kyle mused.


    "Seems to me like he''s trying to get over someone," Lianne mumbled.


    "What was that?" Kyle asked, though he did hear what she said. He was just surprised at what had been said.


    "Nothing," Lianne said, "Just some stupid crush he has over someone." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh? Who?" Kyle asked, curious and interested.


    "Not important," Lianne said, "What''s more important is why are you grumpy?"


    "You''re not dropping this, are you?" Kyle asked with a sigh, running his hand through his hair.


    "Nope," Lianne said, finishing her ice-cream, "This bribery doesn''t count."


    "I''ll have Zero accompany you everyday for two months," Kyle said, putting up two fingers.


    "Doesn''t count," Lianne said, "You already said I could have him."


    Kyle tsked, then leaned forward, "I still need him, you know. He''ll be there to protect you so you can call him anytime, but he won''t be by your side 24/7. For two months, he will be your chauffeur, to bring you and Joey to school and home."


    "Go and meet Sayuri, and you have a deal," Lianne said, putting up her pinky finger.


    "Huh? Sayuri? What has she got to do with all of this?" Kyle asked, flabbergasted,


    Lianne rolled her eyes, "Mama, seriously? You''ve been going around with this dark cloud over your head since you came back. I don''t have to be a genius to know that you''re missing her."


    "Oh come on, it''s not that bad," Kyle said, "I mean, I''m just overworked and all. I did get back from such a nice holiday after all ¡­"


    "Getting revenge is a holiday?" Lianne asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Stress relief," Kyle replied.


    "Look, if you''re that scared, you can use me as an excuse. Say that I''m missing her and want to see her," Lianne offered.


    Kyle gave his daughter ''the look'' and said, "Really. Me? Kyle Smith, needs an excuse to call up an old friend to come over? Heck, I can just go over to her any time."


    "So why aren''t you?"


    "Like I said, I''ve been busy," Kyle replied.


    "Yeah, riiiiiiggghhhht," Lianne said, dragging the word and giving her mother ''the look''.


    It ended up with the mother and daughter pair, giving each other that identical ''look''. Kyle may be in a different body, but some of his mannerisms are still the same from his past life - and his daughter took after him in a lot of things.


    "Seriously, Mama," Lianne said, "It''s okay to move on, you know. You should carry on with your life here. It''s not like you can get together with Papa anymore."


    "I know," Kyle replied, looking away.


    How could he tell her that he had a sexual relationship with Sayuri? The last thing he wanted was to advocate this sort of lifestyle with his own daughter, who was much more conservative.


    Call it double-standards, but knowing his daughter''s temperament - and condition - having a relationship based purely on sexual gratification wouldn''t make her happy.


    "It''s complicated," Kyle said, referring to his relationship with Sayuri.


    "If you like her, you like her," Lianne said, "And you''re Kyle Smith. What can''t you do once you put your mind to it?"


    "Sometimes, it isn''t that straightforward," Kyle said in a whisper, thinking about Sari.


    It wasn''t that he was still having feelings for her, but rather, he knew very well that there were things that can''t be even though you wanted it badly, or worked hard for it.


    Lianne was having none of it, though, as she scooped up the last melted ice-cream mixed with the honey, "You like her, she likes you. That''s all that is needed."


    "Yes, we like each other," Kyle said, "But as friends. Nothing more."


    Lianne looked at her mother and then, shook her head.


    "What?" he asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Nothing," Lianne replied, pushing her empty dish aside. If her mother is really that dense, nothing she said would convince her.


    After that, they just talked about other things and the topic of Sayuri went out his head at that moment. Little did he know, he wouldn''t need to think of an excuse to go over to see her.


    She would be coming to see him.


    In another city, in a bathroom, Sayuri looked in shock at the two red lines that appeared.


    She gulped.


    Blinked.


    It was still there.


    Oh, dear.


    How did this happen?

 Chapter 675 - We Can Do This

    Sayuri stared at the two red lines, then threw that pregnancy test kit away into the dustbin beside her. Reaching into her bag, she took out another one.


    After a few minutes, the same result came out.


    Sayuri clutched the kit and sighed, then threw it into the dustbin.


    Taking several deep breaths, she washed up and flushed the toilet.


    She stood there, looking as the water swirled and disappear before the toilet bowl was refilled again. She looked at the dustbin beside it, now filled with nine discarded pregnancy test kits, all with those glaring red lines staring at her.


    She sat down on the floor, looking at the nine discarded pregnancy test kits again and sighed deeply.


    Then, she looked at her still flat stomach and knew, it wouldn''t be long before a slight bump would appear.


    It had been nearly three months since they returned, so it was a miracle in itself that she wasn''t showing yet. She is either in the last stages of her first trimester, or already in the second trimester.


    Too late for an abortion.


    Not that she was ever thinking of getting one.


    She gingerly touched her stomach.


    Inside, was a life.


    She would need to see the doctor soon and get a check-up.


    This was so unexpected, though in hindsight, it shouldn''t have been.


    Although the pill was the most effective contraceptive method, it wasn''t perfect. Even with correct use, it was only effective 99.7% - which meant that there was 1 woman in 100 that would get pregnant in a year.


    She just happened to be that ''one'' woman.


    Stroking her stomach, there was a smile on Sayuri''s face.


    "You really wanted to come into this world, huh?" she whispered. She could already imagine the life inside of her.


    Hers and Kyle''s.


    Her heart swelled with intense love at the thought of this little miracle within her. He, or she, was truly a miracle.


    With her condition, it was already hard enough to get pregnant. Added to that, she was on the pill.


    Yet, against all odds, she is.


    She wondered when the baby had been conceived.


    She had never missed a day in taking the pill, although, perhaps, there had been times that the timing she had taken it may not have been within the 3-hour window.


    One was supposed to take the pill at exactly the same time. However, with the amount of traveling that she did, the timing may not have been accurate.


    Whatever the reason, the point is, she is pregnant.


    How was she going to tell her Uncle and Grandfather?


    The last thing she wanted was to have them go into a hissy-fit and insist on Kyle marrying her. She didn''t want that.


    She also knew that Kyle would probably marry her out of a sense of duty or honour, because of the baby. She didn''t want that either. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wanted Kyle to actually want to marry her, because of her, and not because of the baby.


    Perhaps she was being foolish.


    Why not have him with her, no matter what the reason?


    After all, she was in love with him and he was not adverse to her. He treated her well and she knew, he would continue to treat her well if they got married.


    There were so many arranged marriages as well that turned out well. And they hadn''t even known each other prior to marriage. Just look at Ali.


    He had been willing to, even though he hadn''t known it was Sofia.


    So why, why was she so hesitant? Why did she not want him in this manner?


    Why is she so stupid?!


    Sayuri started crying.


    The tears fell down her cheeks and onto her chest, and once she started, she couldn''t stop. She sat down on the bathroom floor, bringing her knees up to her chest, wrapped her hands around her legs and buried her face.


    She didn''t know how long she sat there, crying, but when she finally stopped, she felt much better.


    Her heart was still in turmoil but at least, she was calm now.


    She cursed herself for being so weak and emotional.


    It all began when they had returned. She was missing Kyle so much that she found herself moody and irritable. She would be happy one minute, cranky the next and then, feel like crying.


    Yet, she didn''t want to call him or contact him because she wanted him to be the one who did so.


    When he didn''t, she cursed him. After a while, it became an ego thing because she didn''t want to be the weak one and lose.


    Now, she was tired of all of that.


    She sniffed, stood up and wiped her face.


    What Sayuri was unaware of, was that her mood swings were actually due to her being pregnant. Whilst she didn''t have the usual morning sickness most women have, she did have the mood swings.


    The flood of hormones in her body can cause one to be unusually emotional and weepy, and this is during the early stages of pregnancy - and the last. Thus, whatever she felt, was actually amplified and she was more sensitive.


    Sayuri went to the sink and washed her face. She looked at her reflection and made a promise to herself.


    She needed to be strong.


    She needed a new plan.


    Her ''two-year'' deadline (though, in reality, it is now one and a half years) has gone askew. Well, you know what they say.


    ''Man proposes, but God disposes''


    So, what now?


    They didn''t have to get married just because they were having a baby together, right?


    He could still be a part of the baby''s life.


    He didn''t have to be a part of hers.


    Though she wanted to?so so badly.


    She really did.


    But not this way.


    Sayuri felt her eyes get hot again but she refused to cry.


    She placed her hand on her stomach again and whispered, "We will be fine."

 Chapter 676 - The Plan (R18)

    Sayuri was nervous as she stood outside the Smith Industries HQ building.


    As expected, once here, she wasn''t as confident as she had been before she left home. The ''speech'' she had been rehearsing seemed rather weak now.


    It was funny.


    This was far scarier than having to tell her Uncle and Grandfather about it, and believe you me, those two were pretty scary already.


    They were still of the traditional type, and to find out that not only was their niece/grandaughter no longer a virgin, but she had also been ''getting it on'' quite a bit and was even pregnant.


    Worse, not intending to marry the father of the baby!


    It had taken her several days for them to finally relent and let her be. Her grandfather had been ready to rush over to Shifu and demand for him to order Kyle to marry her immediately!


    That had been scary indeed.


    The fact that she managed to talk them out of it, and for them to accept her decision, in just a few days meant how much they truly loved her.


    She was grateful for that.


    Her Grandfather had grumbled non-stop but he supported her, saying that she always had the family to fall back on while her Uncle just patted her on the shoulder.


    He wasn''t one that talks much but from that gesture, Sayuri knew that his thoughts and feelings were the same as Grandfather.


    Sayuri took a deep breath.


    She had a plan on how to approach this so that she would know which path to take. Also, it would leave Kyle without any room for negotiation since the choice would have been done by him.


    Albeit, unknowingly at first.


    Her plan was simple.


    She would first go up and meet him.


    Talk to him for a bit.


    Then ¡­ confess.


    Ask him about his feelings for her.


    Irrespective of his answer, she would tell him about her pregnancy. The only thing is, his answer would determine whether they got married or not.


    Simple as that.


    Simple.


    Sayuri said it to herself like a mantra as she walked into the building.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle had been thinking really hard about his conversation with Lianne.


    Did he like Sayuri?


    Of course, he did. She''s a wonderful woman, a precious friend, and a hot lover.


    What was not to like?


    But he knew that Lianne wasn''t referring to ''like'', but ''like like''.


    Did he?


    He rubbed the shoulder that had his tattoo.


    Wasn''t this a symbol of his rebirth?


    Hadn''t he managed to settle the knot in his heart about Sari?


    Did he really feel like he couldn''t find love?


    Mr. Grumpy-Pants, huh?


    Maybe it was more accurate to say what was really grumpy was in his pants ¡­


    Maybe ¡­ just maybe ¡­


    Just as he was thinking that, Beatrice''s voice came over the intercom, telling him that Sayuri was here.


    His eyes lit up.


    "Really? She is?!" Kyle said happily, "Great!"


    Beatrice, who was outside, raised an eyebrow then looked at Sayuri, "You can go in now."


    She watched as Sayuri hesitated a bit at the door and took a deep breath before going in. Beatrice pursed her lips.


    Interesting.


    Was the CEO''s mood going to change after this?


    Kyle was already up and walking to the door when Sayuri came in. He had a huge smile on his face and he hugged her right after she closed the door.


    With Lianne''s words in his mind, Kyle looked at Sayuri with different eyes. Problem was, his body was already reacting to her.


    After months of being apart, just this simple act of hugging her was enough to turn him on. Her softness, her vanilla smell .. and the way she was looking up at him, her eyes looking rather misty with her lips sightly parted as she breathed through it.


    She looked like she was offering herself to be eaten.


    Who was he to reject it?


    So he kissed her.


    The moment their lips touched, it was as if a switch had been flipped between them.


    Perhaps it was the months of abstinence that made them unable to keep their hands off each other then. Their passion was high and their movements were more aggressive than normal.


    Sayuri returned the kiss, bringing her hands up to his hair and gripping it between her fingers as her tongue darted in and claimed his tongue. She sucked on it hard before twirling her tongue all over his inside his mouth.


    Kyle groaned, as that slippery appendage did havoc within, causing him to be harder than ever. He reached behind her and locked the door before he grabbed her juicy *ss.


    He unzipped her skirt, and it fell to the ground. He slipped his hands underneath to cup her naked buttocks in the palm of his hands, squeezing them hard. She moaned deep in her throat as he did so and they continued their frenzied kissing.


    Sayuri groaned inwardly.


    She had only meant to come and talk to him, not this.


    Really.


    However, the moment he hugged her, all thoughts of talk went out the window.


    Her body responded to him naturally and her core was already throbbing with anticipation, just from that one hug. She found that she was hornier than usual, perhaps due to her pregnancy or maybe, she just missed his touch too much.


    Whatever the reason, she wanted to fuck him badly.


    Kyle pushed her forward, and she pressed against the door as both of them continued to kiss intensely while each was undressing the other. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, perhaps ''undress'' was not quite accurate since all that Kyle took off was her skirt and she had only unleashed the dragon from the confines of his boxers. The front of his pants was only slightly pulled down, just enough to have his erection spring out proudly.


    He released her *ss and went to the front, slipping a finger into her waiting cave.

 Chapter 677 - Do You Love Me? (R18)

    Sayuri shuddered in pleasure and widened her legs to allow him easier access.


    Kyle pulled out his finger and pushed the underwear aside while coming closer. Guiding his c*ck into the entrance of her sopping, wet cave, he pushed himself in. Once the tip was inside, he reached down and placed his arm under her knee.


    He lifted her leg up and outwards to the side, while pushing himself all the way in. Before he could move his hips, however, Sayuri broke the kiss and said breathlessly, "Door."


    Kyle understood.


    Without letting her leg go, he grabbed her waist and did a 360-degree turn to the right and slammed her against the wall. Without missing a beat, he started thrusting deep into her, his movements fast and frenzied.


    Her back kept hitting the wall with each thrust, but it didn''t hurt. She was too engrossed in the pleasure that only Kyle could give her. This was the first time that they were doing it standing up, and the force of gravity made the sensations incredible.


    Kyle was kissing her neck and she had buried her face at the crook of his neck. She bit him, in an attempt to stop herself from being too loud and cursing him like usual, then licked and suck the wound when she realised that she had drawn blood.


    Yet, he had not indicated at all about the pain, his thrusts not stopping or slowing down at all. In fact, he went faster. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri clutched his shoulders, her fingernails biting into it and she screamed with her mouth closed against his skin as she climaxed. Kyle grunted, feeling his c*ck being squeezed so deliciously and he climaxed soon after.


    Both of them lay in each other''s arms, bodies stuck together, as the wave slowly ended. They were still breathing hard and Kyle placed his forehead on hers, then kissed it. He slowly extracted himself, and with his free hand, pulled her underwear back in position before bringing her leg down.


    He gave her one last kiss before pulling back his own boxers and zipping up his pants. Sayuri went to pick up her skirt and wore it back, smoothening her blouse and hair.


    Her hands were slightly shaking, while her heart was beating fast as she thought of what she had to tell him now.


    "Have you eaten?" Kyle asked as he went to unlock the door.


    Before Sayuri could answer, he had already opened the door and said to Beatrice, "Can you please have some latte and cream puffs and sardine rolls from the Cafe downstairs delivered? Thanks, Beatrice."


    Beatrice had already requested for coffee to be delivered to the office. So when the secretary came with a tray of coffee and biscuits, Beatrice told her that the CEO wanted something else and the secretary sighed, turning back.


    Meanwhile, Sayuri decided to broach the subject after the latte had arrived. It would be too awkward to stop talking right in the middle of it. She had not wanted anything to drink, but could not stop him before he had made the order.


    She was actually starting to think that perhaps, this may not be such a good idea.


    Maybe, if he didn''t have feelings for her, she did not need to tell him about the baby. After all, wouldn''t that just complicate things?


    However, the moment that idea came into her head, she discarded it.


    The baby was his as much as it was hers, so she had no right to deny him of his child. Their child, too, had the right to know their father. She may be the one carrying the baby, but the father - and child - has rights as well.


    Though some believed that the baby was the mother''s exclusive right until birth, and that the baby wasn''t ''alive'' until birth. Sayuri didn''t believe in that, however. She felt that the baby within her was already a life and not just a ''fetus'' that she was carrying.


    A life that was created from two people, not just her.


    As Sayuri sat on the sofa, these thoughts going through her mind, Kyle could tell that something was on her mind.?The way she sat there on the sofa, appearing tense as she wrung her fingers together.


    He frowned.


    What was going on?


    He didn''t push it, however, and waited for her to speak.


    When the drinks and food came, Sayuri waited until Beatrice left before she spoke.


    "Kyle ¡­" she began nervously.


    "Yes?" Kyle answered, taking her hand in his and asked worriedly, "What''s wrong?"


    Sayuri looked at him and clutching his hand tighter. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Do you love me?"


    Kyle''s eyes went wide open, his mind a bit blank. He did not expect this at all.?He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn''t, and Sayuri could see the regret quite clearly in his eyes.


    "Sayuri, I''m sorry," Kyle said, unable to look at her in the eye, "I like you, I really do but I can''t say I am in love with you."


    Sayuri''s heart twisted at that and she swallowed the pain.


    "It''s okay. I just needed to know," Sayuri said softly, letting his hand go.


    She smiled sadly at him and she stroked his cheek, saying, "Don''t look like that. I know our deal, and falling in love isn''t part of it. So, I''m sorry, but I am in love with you."


    "You are?" Kyle asked blankly.


    "I am," Sayuri repeated.


    Kyle was shocked beyond belief and he didn''t know what he was feeling from her sudden confession. All sorts of emotions were going through, ranging from horror, disbelief, and shock - his heart was beating so fast in his chest that it felt like he had run a marathon.


    Sayuri, I - " Kyle began, his eyes so full of regret.


    Sayuri placed her finger on his lips, shaking her head, "No. Don''t. It''s not your fault."


    "Are we still friends?" Kyle asked worriedly.

 Chapter 678 - Standing Her Ground

    "Of course we are," Sayuri assured him with a smile.


    Kyle slumped over on the sofa, happy beyond belief at that.


    Though he was feeling like a douchebag at that moment for even asking that question, he had to ask. The thought of losing her as a friend scared him beyond belief.?He had gotten used to her presence, and it wasn''t just for the sex. He valued her opinion and she was fun to have around.


    That was one of the reasons he was so grumpy upon coming back.


    It was like, something he had been so used to, was suddenly gone. A part of him was missing.


    He never realised how big his bed was, or how bland it was not having her around to tease at the dining table. The funny thing was, it wasn''t like he was alone for he was staying with his parents. He didn''t have a reason to move out, even though he very well could.


    It just wasn''t the same.


    He couldn''t quite put his finger on it, and it drove him crazy.


    Seeing her today, everything just clicked and everything felt right again.


    So, when she confessed ... he panicked. He really could not return her feelings and he''d rather be honest about it; but he knew, it would most likely mean that she would leave him then. Yet, despite that, he?didn''t want to create false hope for her and she should go and put her love on someone that truly deserved her.


    He had been prepared for her ending it when she fell in love with someone else, but he didn''t expect that ''someone else'' to be him. It would only be natural that she would break all contacts with him because of it, right?


    What woman can stay with a man that she slept with, when he has no feelings for her?


    He knew he was being selfish when he asked the question, but it wasn''t like he was going to force her to stay if she said no. Even though it was an unfair question.


    "Actually, it would be best if we really did break off all ties, considering my feelings for you," Sayuri said, making Kyle freeze, "Unfortunately, I do not have that luxury of choice."


    Kyle looked at her puzzledly, "Why? What do you mean by that?"


    Though Kyle was glad she was not cutting ties, it appalled him to know that she wasn''t doing so willingly. She actually DID want to leave him. So what was it that is forcing her to stay?


    "I''m pregnant," Sayuri told him.


    Kyle stared at her.


    Three seconds passed before he finally exploded, "You''re pregnant?!"


    "I just entered my second trimester," Sayuri said, "So I''m about 11 weeks. Turns out this is our mile-high club baby."


    Kyle''s eyes went towards her and he stared at Sayuri''s still flat stomach.


    In the first pregnancy, the baby bump would normally start showing from weeks 12 to 16, so it might be some time before Sayuri starts showing.


    He was going to be a father.


    Well, he was already a parent but he really didn''t think he would feel differently at being a father. He was so wrong.


    He wasn''t the one carrying the baby this time and the thought that there was this precious life of his inside someone else made him feel both fear and awe. And a sense of overwhelming protectiveness arose within him - for the mother of his child, and for the child that she was carrying.


    He rushed over to Sayuri, taking her hands in his.


    "How are you feeling? Are you okay? Did you have morning sickness? Wait, the latte isn''t really good for you right now. No, wait. You can have one cup a day but you need to take care of your caffeine intake from now on," Kyle started babbling.


    "We ¡­ we should ¡­" Kyle started when Sayuri shushed him.


    "Kyle, calm down," she said, her heart feeling both pain and warmth at the same time, "I''m fine. I''ve done my check-up and the doctor said that the fetus is developing well."


    Kyle took several deep breaths and started thinking hard, "Okay. You''re in your 11th week so we have approximately 6 months before you give birth. There''s a lot to do before then. We should get married ¡­"


    "No," Sayuri said firmly, cutting him off.


    Kyle blinked and looked up at her, "No? What do you mean, ''no''?"


    Sayuri took a deep breath, "No marriage." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle glared at her, "What do you mean?"


    Sayuri glared back, "It means exactly that. We are not getting married."


    "This is my baby, too," Kyle growled.


    "Why do you think I told you about it then?" Sayuri growled back, "We don''t have to get married just because you''re the father."


    This time, it was Sayuri took several deep breaths to calm herself, "All you need to do is go to court with the DNA test results and make the declaration that you''re the father. You will be granted full rights over our baby as their father."


    "It is not the same!" Kyle protested angrily, "I don''t want to be the type of father that only sees his child once in a while. I will not be an absentee father or a part-time father! I want to be a part of our child''s life! Not just the one who provides for him!"


    "And I refuse to marry just for the sake of the baby!!" Sayuri yelled, "What sort of life would that be for me?"


    "Are you saying that I won''t treat you well?!" Kyle demanded.


    "I know you will, but it''s not enough!" Sayuri said exasperatingly and to her dismay, she couldn''t help the tears from falling.


    "I don''t want a life where I will be with a man I love, who doesn''t love me back. Even if you treat me well, what sort of marriage is that?! What sort of life is that?!"


    Kyle''s heart twisted in pain.

 Chapter 679 - Her Decision

    Sayuri cried then, and the intense sadness she was exhibiting made Kyle so angry and agitated that he got up. He started walking away and pacing the room.


    He wasn''t angry at her.


    He was angry at himself.


    Every single word that she said pierced him deeply, especially the last sentence. She was right. He could not demand this of her, for it was too much. The pregnancy was unexpected, but it wasn''t unwanted.


    He should not ruin her life just because of it.


    He understood her completely.


    How could he not, when his own marriage was like an empty shell as well. No conflicts, nothing but no love. It hurt. It would probably be worse for Sayuri, for he could fuck her, but not love her. How does it feel, each time they did it, she knew that he only wanted her body but could never give her his heart?


    That was horrible.


    She deserved someone who could love her and treat her properly as a wife.


    Not him.


    He, who could not love at all. If he could, wouldn''t he have fallen for her already?


    Why couldn''t he?


    He was so frustrated at himself that he punched the wall. The pain felt good even though the pain in his heart was far more than the one on his hand. Still, he did it again. The sound reverted in the room and there was a small hiccup behind him, bringing him back to his senses.


    He turned, to see the tear-stained face of Sayuri, staring at him with sadness.


    Intense regret filled him immediately.


    He rushed over and kneeled down, truly contrite as he looked up at her. He wiped her tears, running his thumbs under her eyes and then sighed deeply.


    "I''m sorry," he said softly and gently, taking her hand and laying his forehead on it, "I''m so sorry. You''re right. I''m being selfish."


    Then he looked up at her again, "But please, at least ¡­ at least until you find someone, stay with me? Let me take care of you and of our baby. Let me be by your side as our baby grows up. I will explain things to him, or her, about us. That no matter what, he is loved by us both."


    "I''ll ¡­ I''ll slowly distance myself as he grows older so that he gets used to it," Kyle said softly, "You go on dates, see people and I''ll fully support it and how it to him. Let him get used to seeing that and accepting that. So that .. that when .. when you eventually marry, he will have the best of both worlds."


    "A complete family that loves him," Kyle continued despite how his heart was twisted in pain as he said it, "And a biological father that will always be there for him."


    "Stay with you?" Sayuri asked.


    "Live together," Kyle clarified, "Co-habitate like roommates."


    "What will people think?"


    "Who gives a damn what other people think?" Kyle hissed, "As long as you agree to live with me, I''ll make sure any unsavory remarks about you will die."


    Luckily, Country Tz isn''t like Country M, where living together would have been a stain on Sayuri''s reputation if he didn''t marry her. The fact that she''s pregnant would have made it worse.


    Here, however, people were of a different view as most couples live together before marriage.


    Thus, their living arrangements would simply make other people think that they were a couple, living together with the intention of getting married eventually.


    "I will protect you, and our baby," Kyle said earnestly, "Please, let me do this for you."


    Sayuri looked at Kyle, begging, and her resolve wavered. She had told herself that once she got confirmation of his feelings - or lack of it - she would be firm. Go if it''s a no, stay if it''s a yes.


    She knew very well, that if she stayed right now, she would be the one who would regret it in the end. She had already stepped into the pit of heartbreak when they entered the bed partners'' agreement, but this?


    This would be diving straight in.


    Would her heart be able to take it?


    But seeing him like this ¡­


    Sayuri found herself agreeing before she could stop herself, "Okay." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle''s face lit up so brightly that Sayuri suddenly felt that it wasn''t a bad decision after all.


    Then she scolded herself for being so weak.


    Right after that, she wanted to cry for being so weak.


    Then she felt angry for wanting to cry.


    Damn these mood swings were a killer.


    Then she started smiling.


    Well, if Kyle wanted to take care of her, then he should. She was going to milk it for all its worth, considering what his baby was doing to her right now.


    "But there are conditions," Sayuri continued without missing a beat.


    "Anything," Kyle said eagerly, glad that she agreed to his insane request.


    "No sex. Separate bedrooms. I can date, but you can''t," Sayuri stated, "You can''t be with anyone else until I remarry, or when our child is old enough to understand."


    Sayuri wanted their child to know that it was not his fault that his useless father wouldn''t stay. He was loved, but his stupid father couldn''t love his mother in return.


    Kyle, unaware of Sayuri''s thoughts, nodded. He felt it was reasonable. Mr. Right-Hand just had to work harder during those times he got horny.


    "I have full rights to stake my claim on you and get rid of any flies flying about," Sayuri said, "I don''t like seeing women around you. It aggravates me."


    Sayuri knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn''t help it. Being with him was hard enough. Being with him while he had girls around him? Fat chance. Why should she be subjected to such torture?


    Kyle, on the other hand, felt that there was nothing wrong with it.


    He didn''t like those flies anyway.


    "Swat away," Kyle said.


    "Good," Sayuri said, satisfied.

 Chapter 680 - Annoying

    Sayuri decided that this her final attempt at getting Kyle''s heart.


    No. Why should she?


    She started thinking of how he had been acting like when they had been living together in Country M. He was so attentive, so loving, and so ¡­ so ¡­


    So f*cking annoying!!


    She started hitting Kyle''s head for no reason other than the fact that she suddenly found him annoying. Why must he be so nice? Why did he treat her so well before? Why did he even agree to all of her ridiculous conditions without protest?


    Why? Just why?


    It would make any woman think that he had feelings for her. Romantic feelings.


    Just thinking about it made her gnash her teeth.


    So he wasn''t going to ever fall in love, ever again, huh? So take that! And that!


    She was having fun smacking his head, while he just sat there, grimacing but not retaliating or defending himself in any way.


    She found it quite therapeutic, really.


    Kyle took all the hits without moving, letting her have her way. She was pregnant, after all. He then thought that the next six months were going to be very, very long indeed. If she''s like this in the first trimester, he dreads to think how she''s going to be like in the final trimester when she''s heavily pregnant.


    He had never seen Sayuri so emotional and irrational before, and knew that it was due to her pregnancy. He also knew that she should not be aggravated too much, as it would not be good for their baby as well.


    She had to be pampered and taken care of. Being pregnant isn''t easy, and it was up to him to make sure that she was in the best frame of mind - and body - to carry their baby to term.


    He definitely had a lot to do.


    The first thing though ¡­ he had to tell his parents.


    Kyle cringed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri was still in Kyle''s office when Kay burst into the room, gasping.


    She looked inside, to see Sayuri on the sofa, leaning on a fluffy pillow and a blanket was over her lap. In front of her, on the coffee table, were some drinks and a variety of snacks. Kyle was sitting at his desk, doing his work while rubbing his head occasionally, as if it hurt.


    Kay glared at Kyle, saying, "How could you leave her alone like this?!"


    Kyle looked up, rolled his eyes and said, "She''s not alone. Also, I told her she can go to the room at the back to lie down, but she wants to be here."


    ''And hit me when she''s in the mood'' Kyle thought to himself, looking through yet another investment proposal. Luckily, all the things that could be thrown, have been thrown so he had been spared since then.


    "I''m gonna be an Auntie!" Kay giggled as she sat down on the floor next to Sayuri.


    Sayuri just smiled, feeling shy suddenly.


    Kay couldn''t help herself and started patting Sayuri''s head.


    "So when are you going to tell Mum and Dad?" Kay asked Kyle, taking a piece of sardine puff.


    "Erk," Kyle gulped and scratched his head.


    "I told my Grandfather and Uncle," Sayuri said, hugging a cushion, "You''re on your own with this one. Just remember, we are NOT getting married."


    "I know, I know," mumbled Kyle.


    "And no telling them of my conditions either," Sayuri continued as she looked at both Kyle and Kay, "That''s just between us."


    "Alright, got it," Kyle replied and Kay nodded, zipping her lips. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She hugged Sayuri, and then whispered, "Thank you."


    Sayuri looked at Kay in puzzlement.


    "For what?" Sayuri asked softly.


    "For keeping the baby, for one," Kay replied, "And putting up with my doofus of a brother."


    Kay let go of Sayuri, and said to her as she looked at her in the eye, "You will always have me backing you up for anything and everything."


    "Even if it means going against your own brother?" Sayuri queried.


    "Of course," Kay answered with a snort, "He may be my brother, but it doesn''t mean he does not make mistakes. He can be so stubborn. You''ll need all the help you can get."


    "I can hear you, you know," Kyle said.


    Kay and Sayuri turned to look at him. Sayuri just glared at him while Kay stuck out her tongue.


    "Who asked you to eavesdrop?" Sayuri asked in displeasure.


    "My bad, my bad," Kyle said, raising his hands in surrender, "I''ll be done soon, so we can get going."


    "Where are you going?" Kay asked.


    "It depends on what Sayuri has decided on," Kyle replied.


    "I like this one," Sayuri said, pointing at a red file.


    "Okay," Kyle said, getting up and taking his coat, "Apartment Y it is."


    Kyle had shown her a few files of possible places to stay. It was a mix of apartments and houses, and some were in the area and some were outside the city. All were properties that he owned.


    It was fully furnished and one could move in at anytime. It would require a bout of cleaning and have some groceries stocked up, but generally, one could move in within a day if needed.


    For now, they were just going to go and check it out. Have Sayuri see if she wanted anything else to be bought to furnish it. She would be moving in next week or so, after settling with her work.


    Her job was flexible, in the sense that she could work from home. Which was perfect right now.


    When they reached the apartment, Sayuri oohed and ahhed, highly satisfied. It wasn''t too big nor too small. Just perfect for a family of three.


    Well, a pretend family of three.


    A three-bedroom apartment: she would take the master bedroom, Kyle would stay in the guest bedroom and the remaining bedroom would be a nursery.


    It was bittersweet.

 Chapter 681 - SSS

    Bittersweet because all of this was not real.


    An illusion of moving into the house with your beloved as you live together as a family.


    It was temporary.


    It was all fake.


    Sayuri sighed, feeling melancholy all over again.


    She subconsciously touched her stomach, thinking that she was doing all of this for her baby. No matter what, her baby was innocent in all of this and deserved a father by his (or her) side during their growing up years.


    She would not deprive him of this.


    She nodded resolutely.


    For as long as is needed, her child would grow up in a loving home, with both parents and no one can interfere. Once her child was old enough, she will leave this loveless arrangement and find her own path.


    She could do this.


    A mother would do anything for her child.


    From a distance, Kyle was watching Sayuri as she looked about the apartment, her eyes having this far-away look while her hand was gently stroking on her stomach.


    She looked so beautiful, like an angel, so ethereal and glowing.


    A fierce sense of protectiveness arose within him, as he thought of what she must have gone through upon discovering her pregnancy. Of the life within her.


    Theirs.


    Kyle turned away, not knowing what he was feeling right now.


    On the one hand, he wanted nothing more than to have her by his side forever so that he could take care of her and their child properly, but on the other hand, he knew that that was not possible as it would be unfair on her.


    This roller-coaster of emotions and the constant swinging from one extreme to the other made him extremely upset. For, at the end of the day, it was all his fault. She''s pregnant because of him. She would be a single mother because of him. She was only 20, with a whole life ahead of her but now, she would be a mother.


    Life changes for you once you become a parent. Your life isn''t yours anymore and her path has deviated because of this.


    He knew he owed her big-time for this, and he would never be able to repay this debt even in several lifetimes.


    So he will do the only thing that he could do.


    Spend the rest of his life making sure she''s well taken care of.


    She is, after all, the mother of his child.


    While Kyle and Sayuri were engrossed in their own thoughts, Kay was watching the both of them and sighed deeply. It was obvious to her that her brother cared deeply for Sayuri. She would even say that he was in love with her.


    Yet, he was so adamant that he wasn''t, that he forcibly rejected any sort of possibility that he could be. Kay could not understand why Kyle was being so obstinate about this. She tried prodding and pushing, but it all came to naught.


    She didn''t push further, for she knew that when he''s in this state of mind, there was no way he would ever acknowledge it. He, himself, had to be the one to figure it out.


    She just hoped that it wouldn''t be too late.


    Hopefully, their baby would be the catalyst that pushed them together.


    If Kyle did lose Sayuri, Kay swore that she would never, ever make him forget his stupidity.


    Then, she took a deep breath.


    Who was she to talk, really? Kyle may be obtuse in terms of his feelings for Sayuri, while she, in turn, was having feelings for someone that was completely unattainable.


    It had started growing silently and she was aghast when she came to the realisation about her feelings.


    It really made no sense to her.


    She was surrounded by a lot of outstanding guys and had even gone on blind dates with a lot of good-looking and nice guys. Yet, it was that one face that would often invade her thoughts and it aggravated her to no end.


    The more she thought of him, the more she threw herself into seeing other guys.


    She just needed to know more people, that''s all.


    The feelings that she was having was just a stupid crush that should never have started.


    Kay rubbed her arms and figured that the Smith Twins were probably doomed in love since they were so lucky and fortunate in so many other things. Family, looks, smarts, wealth - they had it all.


    So there had to be something bad for them to experience to balance it all, right?


    Kay shook her head and sighed.


    Kyle was too stupid to see his own feelings, while she was just stupid as she fell for someone that she shouldn''t have.


    The Stupid Smith Siblings.


    How apt.


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    People''s heads were turning to see a woman and her cute, adorable son entering the hotel.


    He looked about five years old, with rosy cheeks, dark hair and blue eyes. He had this really happy expression on his face as he looked up at the woman, his blue eyes twinkling with excitement.


    "Mummy, are we going to see Daddy now?" piped a little cute voice.


    "Not yet, baby," the elegant lady said, "We''ll go tomorrow."


    "Do you think he''ll hate me?" he asked worriedly, his lips quivering and tears starting to form on his eyes.


    The lady gasped, got down on her knee and wiped the boy''s eyes, saying, "Of course he wouldn''t! You''re his son! He would never reject you. I''m sorry, baby. Do you blame Mummy?"


    The boy shook his head.


    His Mummy had said that his father never knew about him, but that once he was old enough, she would bring him to meet his father.


    He was both excited and scared at the same time.


    He clutched the Financial Magazine that had seen better days in his hands and looked at the picture of his father on it.


    Kyle Smith. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 682 - Telling His Parents

    Kyle was sitting at the sofa in the living room of Smith Mansion, steadily bearing the heated gazes of his parents.


    His mother was just staring at him, her mouth wide open while his father had his eyebrows furrowed tightly together that Kyle felt that the ends would actually meet. Kinda look like a wriggly worm.


    "How could this happen?" Patrick asked steadily.


    "Well, you see, when the sperm fertilizes the egg ¡­" Kyle began, his face hardly betraying the feelings he was having inside.


    "Kyle Rexington Smith," hissed Delilah, "This is NOT the time for jokes!!"


    Kyle shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, "What can I say?"


    "Why didn''t you use protection? How could you get her pregnant? And why aren''t you marrying her?" Delilah asked her son incredulously. How could her own son be so irresponsible, and not even want to take up the responsibility?!


    "We did use protection," Kyle said, "She was on contraceptives. And she''s the one that rejected my marriage proposal."


    Though he didn''t really ask her and simply stated they should get married - but that was a moot point. The point was, she didn''t want to get married to him.


    He found that highly disturbing, even though he understood her reasons for it.


    "Let me get this straight," Patrick finally spoke up, "She was on the pill and still got pregnant?"


    Kyle nodded.


    "Damn, son," Patrick said, his eyes wide, "Just how much were you at it to be able to do that?!"


    Delilah and Kyle stared at Patrick.


    "What?" Patrick said, waving his hand at Kyle, "For him to be able to impregnate a girl, who is on the pill, is quite impressive."


    "I don''t think that''s what we''re supposed to be focusing on here, darling," Delilah admonish her husband, stressing on the ''darling'' bit, "We''re going to be grandparents and he''s not even marrying her."


    Patrick sighed, and nodded, "Yes, I''m going to be a very young and handsome grandfather indeed."


    "Patrick!!"


    Patrick patted his wife''s hand, to placate her, "Look, it''s obvious the young ones have already made up their minds. There is nothing we can do about it. What''s done, is done. Also, she is the one who doesn''t want to marry our son, so what can we do about it? Force her?"


    Delilah wrung her hands together, "But .."


    Patrick shook his head, "All we can do, is support her right now. At least, this grandchild will not want for anything, and is welcomed in this world, right?"


    Delilah bit her lips, not satisfied but knowing that her husband was right. She had seen too many incidences of unwanted pregnancies that resulted in horrible endings such as abortions, newborn babies being thrown away in dumpsters, and even if not thrown away like garbage, they were treated like one: abused and neglected.


    "I''ll be moving out to take care of her during her pregnancy," Kyle said, "And help in raising our child together. I''ll stay by her side until she gets married, and will continue to provide and care for my child even after that." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Delilah shook her head at that arrangement. What was her son thinking?


    Still, perhaps, it was for the best. It was better than her leaving entirely and that they''ll only manage to see their grandchild once a year or something.


    Kyle breathed a sigh of relief, seeing his parents slowly accepting it. They weren''t happy about it, but could accept it.


    Well, he wasn''t happy about it either but it was the best that he could get.


    At least, all his troubles were over now.


    Or so he thought.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The receptionist stared at the immaculately dressed woman, obviously oozing with money as her designer clothes indicated. Contrary to the portrayal from popular CEO novels, this ''vixen''s'' face wasn''t caked in heavy make-up and her clothes weren''t figure-hugging with huge boobs hanging out or trying to escape.


    Instead, she exuded class and elegance.


    Poised, with tasteful clothes and more shocking? She was holding the hand of the most adorable little boy, with the cherubic face and innocent eyes looking at her, the receptionist, expectantly.


    "I would like to see Kyle Smith, please," she said politely.


    "Do you have an appointment?"


    "No," she replied, "Just tell him that Samantha Greene is here to see him, with his son."


    The receptionist froze.


    She didn''t hear what she thought she heard, did she?


    She stared at the woman, then at the boy. Son? That was the CEO''s son? How old was the son? He looked about four? Five?


    If she wasn''t mistaken, the CEO was only 20 years old ¡­ the receptionist''s eyes went wide like saucers. With shaking hands, she immediately made the call to Beatrice, the CEO''s personal assistant.


    Beatrice, upon receiving the call, frowned.


    Then, her eye twitched.


    This could not be happening.


    "Bring Ms. Greene and her son to the VIP waiting room," Beatrice ordered.


    The first thing that had to be done was to get those two away from prying eyes. Beatrice had no idea who this Samantha was but she didn''t dare leave her to be waiting downstairs in the open where anything she said could be misconstrued.


    The VIP waiting room was cut-off from the rest and rather private. Beatrice also got security to stand guard outside the waiting room once the two went in.


    Once everything was settled, Beatrice went to Kyle''s office and took a deep breath before knocking.


    "Come in," came his voice and she opened the door, walking in nervously.


    She didn''t say a word until she got up to his desk and Kyle looked at her, curious. She didn''t have any files and she had this rather worried look on her face.


    "What is it?" Kyle asked.


    "Sir, there''s a Samantha Greene to see you," Beatrice said.


    "Samantha?" Kyle said in surprise.


    What was she doing here?


    "With your son," Beatrice said.


    "My what?!" he exclaimed.

 Chapter 683 - His ’Son’

    "Since when did I have a son?" Kyle asked Beatrice.


    "You''re asking me?" Beatrice said, raising an eyebrow, "She''s the one who revealed it when she came."


    Kyle quickly checked the CCTV and rewound it to the point where Samantha came. His eyebrows shot up, seeing how much she had changed in five years. No longer was the ''vampy'' girl there. She was rather sophisticated and well-dressed.


    His eyes narrowed as he stared at the little boy there.


    "I''ve already placed her in the VIP waiting room and suppressed the news from getting out," Beatrice said, "And do not worry. Our receptionist, Ms. Analise, is exceptional and does not have loose lips."


    "Got it," Kyle said, nodding, "Thanks Beatrice. I''ll take it from here."


    Kyle''s mind was whirling.


    Obviously, the boy was not his kid but the problem here was, what is the situation? Why did she say that the kid was? Did she truly believe that or was there something else?


    It was really strange.


    Was there another power play situation going on?


    He wasn''t worried about someone trying to oust him from the CEO position as it was quite secure. It wasn''t overconfidence, but a fact.


    The board members were all his people - or rather, people who were open-minded and were loyal to him. Thus, issues such as him being gay or having a child out of wedlock wasn''t a problem, even if it may cause a dent in his ''popularity''.


    As if that ever mattered to him.


    The board members weren''t interested in his personal issues. They only cared about results. Results that he''s been providing and what they''re quite happy about. Which was why, even when he went to Country M and Kay was acting CEO, they didn''t mind.


    After all, Smith Industries continued to thrive.


    Luckily, this is Country Tz as well whereby the stockholders wouldn''t just suddenly sell their shares (and cause the company to be in trouble) if they were unhappy with him. If the dividends were good, why would they be stupid enough to sell their shares?


    Actually, even if they did dump their shares, he''d just buy them all back using his numerous companies under MIB.


    So, Kyle didn''t think Samantha was part of some devious plot to overthrow him. How much mud can she smear on him in order to cause a problem at Smith Industries?


    She''d need quite a lot.


    Thus, the question here was: what was her purpose for coming here now, with this boy?


    Kyle got up and headed to the meeting room, thinking hard about the whole thing. This was certainly going to be a pain. She was troublesome then, and he hoped she was not going to be even worse right now.


    Kyle really was not happy about this.


    As he walked to the VIP waiting room, the people around were scattering away like mice. Even without having seen him, they knew he was near. All of them had learned early on that when their hearts beat fast or when they felt like danger was right around the corner - it meant that "he" was near.


    Run.


    Or look busy. No, not look busy. Actually BE busy.


    No one could fool their CEO and no one tried ever since that one time a poor employee had thought he was being clever.


    Their CEO doesn''t just fire a person.


    He annihilates them emotionally and psychologically before throwing away the empty carcass of a human being out the door.


    His exploits were legendary and he hadn''t even been in the position for long.


    Right now, if this was a movie, they''d actually have those scary background music creeping up on them and some sort of wind blowing as he walked by.


    People could only breathe normally once the silent typhoon passed by. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The security detail that saw Kyle come, started trembling despite their years of experience. There was just something about this CEO of theirs that made them feel on alert all the time.


    Right now, he didn''t look happy and the pressure was stronger than normal.


    However, the moment he came close and they touched the door handle to open the door, the pressure vanished.


    "Samantha," Kyle said as the door opened.


    His eyes swept the room quickly, taking note of the nervous boy that stood there, staring at him. He was clutching a magazine close to his chest while his eyes were wide open and didn''t even blink.


    Kyle''s throat constricted.


    It was obvious, from that look, that the boy truly believed him to be his father. The hope, the fear, and the intense longing was so clear to see.


    Just what on Earth had Samantha been feeding this little innocent one?!


    "Kyle," Samantha said with a smile as she got up from the sofa.


    She gestured to the little boy and placed her hand on his back. She pushed him forward a bit and said clearly to Kyle, "This is our son, Kyle Jr."


    Kyle groaned inwardly.


    She even named him after him?!


    The fact that the boy was named after what he used to call his d*ck when he was younger was rather disturbing though.


    Kyle Jr. didn''t take a step, too nervous and scared to do so. He merely looked up at Kyle, his lips quivering and eyes still wide open. Unblinking. As if he was scared that if he did, Kyle would disappear.


    Kyle felt rather conflicted. There was no way he would admit to this farce, but by doing so, he would be hurting the innocent one. Yet, did he have a choice?


    No.


    "Samantha," Kyle said, "I''m sorry, but he is not my son."


    The boy looked utterly devastated.


    Kyle turned to face him and said gently, "Please understand. If you''re truly my son, I would not reject you. It''s just impossible that you are."


    "Nothing is impossible," Samantha said, taking out something in her bag and giving it to him.


    Kyle frowned upon reading it.


    A DNA report?!

 Chapter 684 - The Plot Thickens

    "As you can see, you are his father," Samantha said confidently.


    Kyle noted the hospital that the test was done and gave it back to her. He then turned back to his ''son'' and said, "I need to talk to your mother for a while, okay?"


    The boy just stared at him, then at his mother who nodded. Finally, with a sad pout, he looked down and nodded as well.


    "Manny!" Kyle called out to the security outside.


    "Yes, Sir?"


    "Please take the little one here to my office. Tell Beatrice to take care of him for a while," Kyle instructed.


    Upon hearing that he was going to his father''s office, the boy''s face brightened up and eagerly left. Though he did give one last look at his mother before going out.


    "Samantha, what is it that you want? The boy is already five years old, and you''re only bringing him here now?" Kyle asked the moment they sat down.


    Samantha didn''t look perturbed at all. She looked at him, then studied her well-manicured fingernails as she answered, "It was time."


    "Time for what?" Kyle pressed on, studying her face and expression.


    Something just wasn''t right.


    The DNA report was obviously fake.?It was done three years ago and at a supposedly reputable hospital.


    How did she get it done? Was it her who got it done? After all, just what sort of sample did she have of him in order to do it?


    "Time for Kyle Jr to meet his father," Samantha replied, "He''s old enough and about to start school. I don''t want him to have to constantly defend himself about an absent father."


    "And you didn''t think of contacting me the moment you found out you were pregnant?" Kyle asked. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Samantha looked at him, "Do you think I wanted to go to jail? You were only 14 then. Now, you''re an adult and a powerful CEO. I doubt you''d let the authorities put the mother of your child in jail."


    Kyle clenched his jaw.


    Her reasonings were solid but it still didn''t add up. It was obvious to Kyle that Samantha truly believed the boy was his.


    He needed to dig further. Before that, he needed some back-up.


    [Kay, we have a problem]


    [What happened, brother?]


    [Are you with Sayuri right now?]


    [Yeeess ¡­ why?]


    [Remember Samantha Greene?]


    [Of course, brother. Why?]


    [She''s here right now, with my son]


    Kay sat upright on the sofa, shouting suddenly and startling Sayuri completely. Seeing the far-away look in her eyes, she knew that Kay was talking to Kyle.


    ''Darn these twins,'' she complained to herself. Why can''t they use the phone like normal people?!


    Then, Sayuri saw Kay turning to her in shock and asked her, "Are you up to seeing someone from Kyle''s past?"


    Sayuri frowned, "Who?"


    "Samantha," Kay replied.


    "You mean, the same Samantha who had her father iced by Ice?" Sayuri asked.


    Kay couldn''t help but laugh at that, "Yes, that Samantha. So Kyle told you about her, huh?"


    Sayuri punched the cushion on the sofa, "That fool tells me everything."


    "How long are you going to be angry at him anyway?" Kay asked curiously.


    "I don''t know," Sayuri admitted with a sigh, "I can''t seem to help it. Each time I see him, I feel like punching him. Everytime he''s nice to me, I want to punch him. When he''s being kind, I want to punch him."


    ''Yet, I still can''t help but also want to fuck him'' Sayuri said silently to herself, groaning, which added to her desire to hit him instead.


    Sayuri looked at Kay worriedly, "Tell me Kay, am I going crazy?"


    Kay patted Sayuri on her shoulder and said, "No, I just think your pregnancy has just made you less tolerant of his behaviour."


    "But he''s being nice! Why do I want to punch him if he''s nice!!" Sayuri wailed, leaning on the sofa and hiding her face under the cushion


    "Because it would be easier to accept him not loving you if he was indifferent?" Kay said softly, pitying the poor girl.


    Sayuri, upon hearing this, suddenly felt everything falling into place.


    Kay had hit the nail right on the head.


    It was true.


    She would actually prefer Kyle to be cold, or indifferent, or whatever. Not this. It hurt her heart too much.


    "Wait. I digress!" Kay said with a gasp, "Kyle needs your help."


    Sayuri rolled her eyes under the cushion. Yeah. Of course. Kyle always needed her help. She was always there to help him. He always turns to her for help but he can''t love her, right?


    Just listening to herself rant made Sayuri sick to her stomach. She really hated this feeling, and for having such thoughts. It was so unbecoming of her and she didn''t like what she was becoming.


    Sayuri got up, resolved to be better and turned to face Kay, "What can I do to help?"


    The moment she said that, Sayuri felt better.


    She may resent Kyle turning to her for help, but she was happy that she could be of help.


    These contradicting feelings were the main reason why she was so irritable and cranky all the time. She both loved, and hated, the same thing : Kyle.


    "Well, turns out Samantha has come to HQ, towing a cute little boy that she says is Kyle''s son," Kay said.


    "What fucking nonsense," Sayuri growled getting up, "I''m the one carrying his child. Someone dares to claim that right?!"


    "What is it that he wants me to do, exactly?" Sayuri asked as she walked over to wear her shoes to go out.


    "Assess her mental state," Kay replied, "And of the boy."


    "Got it," Sayuri answered.


    "And stake your claim while you''re at it," Kay added.


    "Was that his request, or yours?" Sayuri asked with a laugh, already knowing the answer.


    "Don''t worry, dear sister," Sayuri continued, "No one can touch my man."


    Kay smiled.


    She really, really liked this sister-in-law of hers.

 Chapter 685 - Staking Her Claim

    For this battle, Sayuri chose to be the white lotus type of girl. Well, only in terms of how she looked for she was definitely not going to be the weak type when confronting that shameless hussy.


    It was also time to make it known that Kyle was her man.


    In truth, even though she stated that she could date, she wasn''t planning to. She just didn''t want him to do so. Everything that she was doing, was to protect her heart. She had loved him for so long but only when she got pregnant did she feel that what she had done before, wasn''t enough.


    Despite all of the ridiculous conditions she had set up, it was really to force him to stop taking her for granted. She just knew that she wanted him to see what he was missing, and what he was going to let go.


    What would he feel like if he could see her, but not get her? What would he think if the things she used to do for him, she did for someone else? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Would he feel jealous? Or would he feel nothing at all?


    If, by the time she had given birth and there was absolutely no change in his feelings for her, then she would leave him.


    There was no point in beating a dead horse now, was there?


    For now, she was going to let the whole world know that Kyle Smith was off the market (as if he ever was on the market in the first place) and that she, Sayuri, was the one that got him.


    She will make her mark on him.


    She grinned, thinking of the huge mark she did leave on his neck.


    Although it was mostly covered by his shirt collar, it could be seen if you look at him long enough. Of course, no one in the company was crazy enough to do so, but Sayuri figured that Samantha would most definitely notice it.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Samantha looked longingly at the deathly handsome young man in front of her.


    It had been six years now, but she had never forgotten him.


    He was the one guy that clung onto her heart, the inner demon that she could not let go. When she found out she was pregnant, she was ecstatic. Finally, she had something of his connecting her to him forever.


    She admitted, at first, she had gone slightly crazy. She must have sent her uncle up the wall with her antics. It was only after she got pregnant that she calmed down a bit. It was her uncle that helped her through the tough times and got her back on track.


    She devoted her time to become the sort of woman that Kyle liked.


    Strong, poised and elegant.


    Her uncle had not been happy with her wanting to come and see Kyle, and had given one sort of excuse after another. Luckily, she managed to escape his constant vigilance on her and finally came here, with her son.


    This was like a dream come true.


    Something she had been wanting, and waiting for, for years.


    Time had certainly made him so much more handsome, and she even gulped thinking of how his body must be like. She remembered how it had been when he was so young and from the looks of it, he had kept his physique.


    The matured Kyle was far more dangerous than the teen Kyle.


    She had been keeping abreast of the news on Kyle and there had never been any woman linked to him.


    However, if that was so ¡­ why was there that suspicious red mark on his neck?


    She couldn''t quite see what it was but it couldn''t be a love bite now, could it? It was so big. And didn''t look like a normal bruise ¡­


    Suddenly, his impatient voice cut into her daydream, "How did you get the DNA test done?"


    "What do you mean, how?" Samantha asked, her face looking puzzled.


    Kyle felt like a headache was coming on. Did she truly not understand the question, or was she playing dumb?


    Suddenly, the line he gave his father about the sperm fertilizing the egg hit him. Karma was such a b*tch, really.


    Kyle knew the DNA test result was fake, since it was impossible for her to get pregnant with his child. Even if she had been insane enough to steal the condoms that had his sperm, the condoms had spermicide. Usually, it is on the outside of the condom but Kyle had chosen the ones that had spermicide on the inside.


    He even got some spermicide lubricant for added measure. The last thing he wanted was for any accidents to happen.


    Sperm typically would die once it is dry, and if ejaculated inside, would survive for five days since it was moist and warm. The condom may not be moist and warm, but it certainly wouldn''t have dried out the sperm quick enough. So he had the spermicide for extra insurance.


    He had done his homework before the mission and knew that Samantha was a variable that was difficult to plan for.


    It looked like, despite all his planning, she still managed to procure a son from him?


    Just who was the kid, really?


    "Did you get the test done yourself, or did someone do it for you?" Kyle pressed on.


    "Of course, my uncle did it for me," Samantha told him, "He didn''t really let me leave the house much."


    Some pieces were starting to fall into place, but Kyle still had to make sure.


    "Just what do you want, Samantha?" Kyle asked in exasperation.


    "Well," she began then got up and walked over to him, leaning forward, "I want you."


    Kyle leaned back away from her and was about to scoot away when a voice was heard from the door.


    "Well, tough. You can''t have him, because he is mine."

 Chapter 686 - Finding Out The Truth

    When Samantha saw the girl that was standing at the doorway, her throat constricted.


    The person was beautiful indeed. There was this gentleness surrounding her, like some delicate fairy as she stood there looking at them serenely.


    Kyle frowned a bit at her outfit. Mainly because Sayuri was wearing a white shirt dress, which reached slightly above her knee. The bottom hem was curved upwards, so it showed a bit of her thigh on each side - even though the shirt was paired with a long colourful cardigan that reached the knee.


    When she moved, one could peek at those smooth, slim legs.


    She wasn''t wearing a belt and at a certain angle, one could even imagine seeing shades of her bra and underwear underneath that white shirt.


    She looked both seductive and innocent at the same time.


    Kyle clenched his leg muscles, thinking that he''s going to be doing a lot of that for the next few years. Deep down, he feels like he''s being punished by the Heavens for something, though he doesn''t know what it could be.


    Of course, when he finally figured it out, he had his whole life to atone for his sins. But that is a story for another day.


    As for now, none of his thoughts or feelings showed on his face as he quickly got up to greet Sayuri. Sayuri tilted her head slightly to show off her cheek to him, and he understood immediately.


    Giving her a soft kiss on her cheek, he said, "You''re here."


    "Of course I''m here," Sayuri said sweetly, grabbing him on the arm, "When Beatrice told me that you had a visitor, I had to come and meet them."


    Sayuri turned to Samantha with an even sweeter smile and said, "Miss Samantha, is it? I''m afraid you can''t achieve the purpose of your visit here. I suggest you take your son and leave peacefully."


    Samantha snorted, the facade she had worked so hard for, broke immediately. She had been so confident of her success that the possibility of failure never entered her mind at all. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So what if Kyle had a girl beside him?


    She had his son!


    Samantha sat back on the sofa, crossing her legs and she looked up at them, "I always get what I want."


    Kyle rolled his eyes. This part of her never changed.


    Sayuri''s smile did not falter at all as she replied, "Not this time."


    She turned to Kyle and said, "Kyle honey, I''m thirsty."


    "Okay," he replied, kissing her forehead, "I''ll go get something for you. What would you like?"


    She tapped her chin with her finger and said, "Sour plum apple!"


    It was actually apple juice with a couple of preserved sour plums (the same ones that Kyle took when he was airsick). The taste was very refreshing and Sayuri''s mouth watered just thinking about it.


    Then she tapped his nose, "And I want you to make it."


    "Of course," Kyle replied indulgently.


    Sayuri smiled and gave him a kiss on the lips, lingering slightly longer than she initially planned.


    She watched him go with a smile before sitting down. Kyle had left the door open, turned to the bodyguard and said softly, "Protect Sayuri. If anything happens to her ..."


    He glared at them, his blue-eyes seemingly piercing them right into their soul, "...you''re going to wish you were dead."


    The bodyguards stiffened, gulped and became extremely vigilant.


    Satisfied, Kyle left.


    He hadn''t wanted to, but Sayuri had wanted to be alone with Samantha in order to assess her better.? He knew this because she told him, by tapping morse code on his arm as they were talking.


    Once Kyle was gone, Samantha studied the woman in front of her more intently, perturbed at the display of affection that had been given in front of her. The fact that she could order Kyle around and he was so indulgent.


    She practically bristled at the sight. That dotingness was hers in the first place. She will get it back. Samantha was confident of this, for she had Kyle Jr.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.no.v.e.l ?


    Kay was busy in her cyberwar room, checking out all the relevant information that Kyle had been giving her. Her main task right now was to find out how the fake DNA report had come about.


    Zero, Lucka, and Yume were busy digging up all the information that they could on Samantha''s since they parted all those years ago. They found it strange that information about her seemed to be lacking. Almost like it had been erased.


    Edward had taken a sample from the kid and was responsible to get a paternity test done. Even though they knew that he wasn''t Kyle''s son, they needed concrete evidence should Samantha decide to use the fake DNA report and release it to the media.


    A DNA test would normally take 3 - 5 days to process, and some as long as two weeks (it was cheaper). However, with Kyle''s money and connection, one discreet lab had dedicated an entire team on the matter. Thus, they would be able to obtain a result within 10 hours.


    Akira was left to watch over the kid. All of the team members'' hearts were pained upon seeing the kid.


    They were all orphans, and they knew how it was like to want a family. To find their biological parents. From the conversations Akira had with the boy, it was clear that the boy firmly believed that Kyle was the father.


    He had been devastated initially when Kyle had told him that he wasn''t the father, but he recovered after staying in Kyle''s office for a while. The boy figured that the truth will come to light and Kyle would accept him.


    After all, Kyle had said that he wouldn''t if he really was the son and Kyle Jr was confident that his mother would be able to convince his father about it.


    So, he waited patiently.

 Chapter 687 - Dealing With Kyle’s

    Sayuri watched the confident Samantha, who was sitting there and practically smirking at her. Sayuri wasn''t fazed and smirked back.


    So, this is Samantha, huh.


    Suddenly, all of Kyle''s ex''s were coming out of the woodworks - though Sari was the only true ex. This was was just a fake ex, but she didn''t know that, did she? Sayuri certainly didn''t think she would be tasked with getting rid of all of Kyle''s past girl trouble.


    Sarah had been the first, though that had not truly been getting rid of an ''ex''. Just a delusional one. Come to think of it, that one is still a loose cannon. Sayuri certainly hoped that the girl had come to terms with Kyle not being interested in her at all. Though Sayuri did pretend to be his girlfriend then, the effects should have been finalised.


    Still, one should not take it for granted that it was settled. If Samantha could come back after 6 years, Sarah could as well. Sayuri certainly hoped not.


    The only person that was of ''threat'' to Sayuri had been Sari, and that girl had been easy to deal with.


    This was because Sari had been sincere with Kyle. All Sayuri had to do was lay it out in the open about the misconceptions she had about Kyle. Sari did not harbour any feelings to get back to Kyle - she was just not satisfied about the cause of their break-up. She needed that harsh wake-up call. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This one?


    This one seemed to be the worst combination of them all.


    She was as firm (and delusional) as Sarah had been, and she was an "ex" - even though the latter was fake. Sayuri couldn''t blame her for Samantha thinking that way. In fact, she could truly understand what Samantha was going through.


    After all, she is pregnant with Kyle''s baby.


    If someone was to tell her that all those sexual experiences with Kyle had just been in her mind, she wouldn''t have believed them and she would firmly believe that the child she was carrying is his.


    Samantha, obviously, fell into that same thought of mind. But the one thing that didn''t make sense was, in Sayuri''s case, she had only slept with Kyle. Samantha obviously did not.


    So why was she so convinced that she was carrying Kyle''s son, despite all the numerous other bed partners?


    Why did those around her accept, and even encourage, that thought? Was it because they wanted something out of Kyle, or was it because there was something about Samantha?


    If it was the latter, Sayuri would have to tread carefully but for now, she didn''t know what was Samantha''s state of mind.


    So she could only act based on the situation now and go with the flow. Sayuri just hoped that her "slightly" sensitive feelings wouldn''t make her lose her cool.


    While Sayuri was thinking all of this, Samantha was sizing her up.


    "So, you''re his latest fling, huh?" Samantha said.


    She didn''t quite like how the girl looked like but at least, her own figure was more voluptuous. The other girl only had her youth and freshness.


    "No," Sayuri replied, "I''m his beloved. You were the fling."


    "I was not!" hissed Samantha, "We shared a very good relationship ¡­"


    "''Shared'' is the key word here. You are the past, thus, you were his fling," Sayuri pointed out.


    "I," Sayuri added, pointing to herself, "am the present and the current one in his heart. And trust me, I don''t plan on letting him go."


    "You don''t have that choice," Samantha replied smugly, "With our son, he would naturally marry me. So it''s best that you leave him now and save yourself the heartache."


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow, "Right back at you, my dear. Kyle would never leave me, so it''s best that you skedaddle before you make a fool of yourself."


    Samantha rolled her eyes, "Someone is overestimating herself indeed. The only thing you have is your youth. I, on the other hand, have these ¡­"


    She squished her extremely ample boobs in front of Sayuri, giving her that knowing look, "Which have given Kyle lots of happiness."


    Sayuri started laughing, putting her hand on her stomach. Samantha watched indignantly as Sayuri kept on laughing for a full two minutes. When she finally stopped, Sayuri wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "Thank you for that laugh. I needed that."


    "If you think big boobs are the way to seduce him, then you have another thought coming," Sayuri said, leaning back on the sofa with a smile, "Believe me, Kyle certainly isn''t sex-deprived. We can go at it for several hours, several times a day ¡­ every, single, fucking day."


    Sayuri made sure to enunciate and emphasize her words, enjoying the myriad of expressions that went by Samantha''s face.


    What she didn''t know was that the two bodyguards outside were also having facial ticks as they were trying very hard to keep their face stoic.


    People had been wondering what the CEO''s sexual orientation was. With his social life being non-existent while his BFF was with a guy, people tended to believe that he swung the other way as well.


    There was even a betting pool going on : would their CEO be with a guy, or a girl?


    With Sayuri''s words, the bodyguards felt they hit a goldmine. Once their relationship was made public, the winners would have to be paid.


    The bodyguards looked at each other. They had better change their bets now.


    "So, yeah, Kyle certainly wouldn''t go back to you just for a pair of big boobs," Sayuri replied with a smirk, "Especially for plastic ones."


    Sayuri noted the extent of work Samantha had done on herself. The breasts weren''t the only thing that had been ''fixed'', but so had the nose and chin.


    All of this was for Kyle?


    Looks like someone has got a lot of making up to do. To her. Cleaning up after his mess certainly isn''t an easy task.

 Chapter 688 - He’s Mine

    Samantha gasped, instinctively covering her breasts. Just how sharp were those eyes? The doctor said that it was the best treatment and was so natural that no one would be able to tell the difference.


    Even if squeezed tightly, Kyle wouldn''t have felt the silicone bags inside. She had made sure of that, for she knew Kyle was the type that was rather rough and passionate when making love. The fact that she could hardly walk the day after clearly proved that.


    Samantha looked at Sayuri with wide-eyes.


    Just how did she know? She couldn''t have known. Samantha guessed that Sayuri was only saying things wildly so she puffed out her chest more and said, "These are real."


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow and shook her head, looking at Samantha in disdain. She didn''t refute anymore, nor did she argue.


    Instead, she just said, "If you say so."


    Which made it worse, because it was so very obvious that Sayuri was mocking her.


    She could not believe how stubborn Sayuri was being, hanging on to that thought of hers. There was absolutely no way Sayuri knew!! It was impossible to tell that she had work done.


    What Samantha didn''t know is that like anything that came in ''pairs'' on the human body, it is never identical. The human body may look symmetrical but it never is 100% so. Thus, there are always some slight differences. Breasts that have implants would look exactly the same, and that, by itself, is already unnatural.


    Of course, since Samantha was wearing a bra and proper clothes, it was harder to tell if it was identical or not. Sayuri also based it on another aspect: the shape of the breasts were just too round. Natural breasts would be more pear-shaped whereas fake ones looked like balloons.


    No bra would give that effect.


    Agitated at the thought that Sayuri would expose her, Samantha unbuttoned her shirt and spread it wide open showing her ample breast trying to break free from the bra that was too small, "These are real!"


    For added measure, she reached over and unhooked her bra, letting the full glory of her breasts be out in the open. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Real!!" she insisted, huffing, causing her breasts to go up and down.


    Of course, as expected, this was the moment Kyle walked in.


    When she saw him, she got up quickly and practically ran to him, "Feel them! They are real!!"


    Kyle blinked at the two mountains that were suddenly right in front of him. He sidestepped easily, avoided her and quickly sat down next to Sayuri, handing her the cool apple juice with a couple of preserved sour plums in it. There was no ice as it wasn''t good for her, but the juice was cold enough to be refreshing.


    Sayuri smiled at him and took a sip gratefully.


    Kyle was well aware of the scene that was going on inside, but he still chose to enter at that moment anyway. The bodyguards outside were already at their limit, trying hard to keep a really straight face. Kyle simply nodded at them as he passed by, saying, "Good job. It''s been hard on you."


    Kyle and Sayuri ignored Samantha completely, and Sayuri leaned in to kiss Kyle as a ''thank you''. This time, she didn''t just touch her lips to his, but also moved her tongue inside.


    Kyle closed his eyes, returning her kiss passionately. Sayuri set the rules, and he obeyed but if she initiated anything, he wasn''t going to reject it. He would indulge her - and himself - to the fullest.


    At least, Samantha''s presence was good for something!


    When they finally broke the kiss, Samantha''s face was red - but at least, she was fully dressed again. She just stared at the couple in front of her, livid that she could not get Kyle''s attention, even for a second.


    Kyle turned to her but didn''t say a word. It was Sayuri''s platform.


    Sayuri smiled and caressed Kyle''s cheek, and he looked at her so lovingly that it took a lot of Sayuri''s willpower not to smack his face.


    "As you see, Samantha," Sayuri said, turning to face her, "He is mine. Even your gigantic mountains won''t move him."


    Samantha huffed, having calmed down and gotten back her emotions in check. In front of Kyle, she didn''t dare act like a shrew so she withdrew.


    She straightened her blouse and got up elegantly, "We shall talk about this at another time, since it is so obvious that you''re rather busy sucking face. Could you at least talk to Junior?"


    Kyle turned to look at Sayuri, asking permission, and putting her drink on the table.


    He quite enjoyed sucking face with Sayuri, thank you very much. He wouldn''t mind if she did it again.


    As if hearing his thoughts, Sayuri kissed him again, more passionately this time and Kyle almost had her lying down on the sofa because of it. In fact, she was already halfway down the sofa and it was only Kyle''s arm around her waist that stopped her from lying down on it completely.


    Samantha gritted her teeth at this blatant display that Sayuri was giving her. It was a clear slap to the face. Despite the fact that she was practically half-naked in front of Kyle, he had ignored her completely.


    She took a deep breath.


    Nevermind.


    She had him once, she will have him again. She will snatch him away from Sayuri and then have the last laugh.


    That thought was immediately shattered by Sayuri''s next words.


    "Kyle would never leave me for you," Sayuri said breathlessly, her lips just barely inches away from Kyle''s.?She licked his lips, eliciting a groan from him and smiled.


    "He agreed to your break-up simply because you were moving."


    She kissed Kyle briefly on the lips, asking him, "If I went back home, what would you do?"


    "I''d follow you there," he replied unhesitatingly.


    Sayuri turned to Samantha, "Like I said, MINE. Back off."

 Chapter 689 - Taking Advantage

    Samantha bristled, hardly managing to keep her face from showing her displeasure. Sayuri showing her dominance and claim on Kyle was annoying but she couldn''t retort. Not when Kyle was still holding on to that girl. He hadn''t even answered her question!


    "As for Kyle Jr, I believe now is not the best time to have a talk," Sayuri answered for Kyle, "After all, this is Kyle''s office. It''s not a playground."


    "Leave him with me for the night," Kyle said suddenly, "You can pick him up tomorrow, at Cafe Xena."


    The Cafe was the one located across the HQ.


    Sayuri pushed Kyle''s chest and sat up on the sofa, reaching out to take her drink. Kyle beat her to it and placed it in her hand.


    After taking several gulps of it, Sayuri let out a satisfying ''ahhh'' as she put down the glass while licking her lips, "That was nice."


    When Samantha saw that Sayuri didn''t object nor say anything about Kyle''s sudden request, she felt smug. She had been right about Kyle Jr. being important to Kyle. No matter who Kyle was with right now, he would dump her so that he could do right by his son.


    Of course Samantha had no objections to her son staying with his father. Her son was the most adorable being on Earth, and Kyle would definitely fall in love with him. By tomorrow, Samantha would have her man back.


    "Of course you can," Samantha said with a huge smile, "You''re the father, after all."


    Sayuri pursed her lips, thinking that this would only make Samantha more delusional but it had to be done. It was obvious that Samantha had a screw loose somewhere and they needed to separate the boy with his mother.


    For evaluation purposes.


    Kyle had communicated as such via morse code when he was holding her and she agreed with him completely.


    Problem was, as she was thinking this, Kyle kissed her then.


    She frowned. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was really taking advantage now, wasn''t he? Not pleased, she bit his lips, drawing blood but he did not stop. At least, he knew better than to stick his tongue in and was merely kissing her lips in earnest. After a minute more, he finally let her go with some slight regret.


    Sayuri glared at him for a second, then her face went completely normal when she faced Samantha.


    Deep down, Kyle shuddered.


    He knew he had pushed his luck earlier, but he just couldn''t help it. After being turned on so much, then seeing her purse her lips like that ¡­ he just moved and claimed it. He hated to admit that he was not strong enough to resist her and he knew he had to get that part under control.


    She just looked so damn inviting.


    Kyle smiled ruefully.


    He was definitely going to get it later. He should have kissed her longer, actually. Since he was damned anyway, he should have taken full advantage of the situation.


    He licked his wounded lip and grinned.


    Another mark by her.


    He wondered what sort of rumours would be going around the HQ after this.


    Which reminds him. He had better give the order that Sayuri would have the same access as the Elite Five and his parents in the HQ. If she had been held up anywhere, he would probably have gotten an earful from her later on.


    Right now, there were more urgent matters to settle.


    Samantha, who was now fed-up with their constant show of affection, was waiting impatiently at the door.


    Taking Sayuri''s hand in his, Kyle walked out and led the way to his office.


    When the door was opened and the little boy saw his mother, his angelic face burst into a smile. Kyle subconsciously squeezed Sayuri''s hand tighter, his heart in a mess. Truly, the innocent one in this whole thing was that little boy and Kyle did not really know what was the best method to tackle this.


    Though he had told him the truth earlier, the hope and desire did not fade from the boy''s face. The boy truly believed and had faith in his mother.


    Would he be able to handle the fact that he, Kyle, was not his father? That he - and most likely his mother, as well - had been living a lie all this time? How can Kyle handle this?


    The reason why Kyle wanted to spend time with Junior was to assess his mental state and well-being. Correcting the lies would be difficult and not possible within a day. The child would most likely get traumatized but if he was to allow the lie to continue, it would only get worse.


    The child would feel betrayed.


    There was no easy solution.


    "Mummy!" Junior said happily, and ran over to her. He noticed Kyle behind his mother and he was smiling as well, until he saw Kyle holding onto Sayuri''s hand.


    "Mummy, why is Daddy holding her hand?" he asked innocently.


    Before Samantha could answer, Sayuri had stepped forward and went down on her knees to be at his eye level, "Hello, my name is Sayuri. Nice to meet you."


    The boy was startled at first, but answered politely, "I''m Kyle Junior. Nice to meet you, too."


    "Kyle Junior? Why, what a coincidence. My husband''s name is Kyle as well," Sayuri said and she turned to Kyle, "Right, honey?"


    "Husband?!" Samantha almost shrieked, "He''s not your husband!"


    Sayuri blinked, "Well, yes, he isn''t officially my husband right now but he''s as good as is."


    Junior looked confused.


    "But but ¡­ Mummy said Daddy would be with us from now on," he said, his lips quivering, "That we would be one family."


    "It''s not Mummy''s fault," Sayuri said gently, "She didn''t know about me. Look, your mother already agreed to let you stay overnight with us. So we can get to know you. Would you like that?"


    His eyes went wide and he looked at his mother excitedly, "Can I? Really?"

 Chapter 690 - Truth Unveiled

    Samantha was conflicted.


    She had wanted her son to go with Kyle, but she did not think Sayuri was part of the deal! Yet, upon seeing the expectant look on her sons'' face, she couldn''t help but relent and nod reluctantly.


    Kyle noted this, as well as Sayuri. They looked at each other, both understanding and their impression of Samantha increased a bit.


    Just a bit.


    ''He''s still in trouble though,'' Sayuri thought to herself as she began thinking of the various ways she was going to make him pay later on.


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    That night, Kyle sighed as he sat on the sofa in the living room. Junior was asleep on his lap, his little hands holding onto his pants in a death grip. Kyle leaned back on the sofa, letting the back of his head be on top of it.


    Hearing the familiar footsteps of Sayuri, he opened his eyes to see her face right above his.


    "How are things?" Sayuri whispered, careful not to wake the boy.


    "Terrible," Kyle admitted.


    "So? Was it as you feared?"


    He nodded.


    "Derek came clean," Kyle said, "He''ll be arriving here tomorrow morning."


    "I''m surprised that you can remain so calm," Sayuri said, coming to sit on the edge of the sofa.


    Kyle placed his hand on the top of the boy''s head, "I admit, I wanted to punch Derek senseless, but that would not have achieved anything. The main thing now is to resolve this with the least amount of casualties."


    Kyle wasn''t worried about the boy would wake up and hear them. He had already pressed the necessary acupuncture points to allow the boy to sleep peacefully. He didn''t like using it on young children, but this was necessary.


    The boy had been too agitated, despite his excitement at coming to his ''father''s'' house. He was upset because he saw the nursery and the fact that his parents getting back together did not seem possible.


    "And this little one is the biggest casualty of all," Kyle said softly.


    "I''m surprised Derek admitted it so fast though," Sayuri said.


    Kyle''s mouth twitched slightly. Seeing this, Sayuri gave him ''the look''.


    "Just what did you do?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "I didn''t," Kyle replied innocently.


    "It was your Team, wasn''t it?" Sayuri guessed accurately, "So all your talk about ''punching Derek would not have achieved anything'' was pure bull, huh?"


    Kyle shrugged, "He was already beaten up badly by them. One more wouldn''t have achieved anything more."


    "I swear, Kyle," Sayuri said, smacking the back of his head, "You''re getting worse. So who''s his father?"


    "He doesn''t know," Kyle said, "She kinda went wild the moment she lived with him. Partying all the time, doing drugs, and sometimes not coming home. Apparently, she only went only for the blue-eyed guys, too."


    "That doesn''t explain why he did what he did," Sayuri pointed out, "I mean, come on. He''s her uncle. What''s with all that whole charade thing? Didn''t he think it would bite them back in the end?"


    Kyle stroked the hair of the boy and he explained, "He was overwhelmed, I guess. He didn''t know how to deal with her. She was out of control, his wife was stressed out and pressured him to deal with it. Plus, he had to take over his brother''s business."


    "When Samantha got pregnant, she changed. She became calm and her attitude turned 180 degrees. However, it was all on the basis that the baby was mine. The fact that she got pregnant two months after we split up wasn''t even an issue."


    "It was as if she lost her mind," Kyle said softly, a bit of guilt tinged within him, "No matter the logic, it was ingrained in her that the baby was ours."


    "I guess part of it is my fault. She had lost her father, then found out that he was such a scum, then she lost her boyfriend, and finally, was in an entirely new place."


    He remembered what his Team had told him.


    Initially, Derek stuck to his story that Kyle was the father but after a few intense? ''persuasion'' for him to tell the truth, he finally confessed. The only reason why he was so adamant at sticking to his story was because he was afraid of Samantha''s reaction.


    Would she reject the boy?


    Worse, would she go berserk and attack the boy?


    Derek had said that when she told him she was pregnant with Kyle''s son, he had tried to talk some sense into her. The reaction was not good.


    Instead of accepting the truth, she started screaming hysterically and tried to kill herself. He had no choice but to placate her with the lie. When the child was born, she actually became a doting mother and rational.


    So he did the only thing he could.


    He kept the lie going.


    He didn''t know how to stop it.


    Kyle was really upset upon hearing that.


    Derek had affected another life because of it.


    "What''s going to happen now?" Sayuri asked, as she also looked at the sleeping boy with sadness in her heart.


    "Slowly unravel the lie," Kyle said, "Cushion the boy as best as possible and hope for the best."


    "How are you going to do that?"


    "Samantha is being admitted into the psychiatric hospital as we speak," Kyle said, "MIB went in, sedated her and took her there."


    "You kidnapped the woman and forcibly registered her in a mental institution?" Sayuri said.


    Kyle shrugged, "Someone had to. Derek was too much of a wimp to do so and Samantha would never go voluntarily."


    "And the boy? You''re going to separate him from his mother? It''s going to be traumatizing enough for him to find out the truth about you. What is he going to be like when he can''t even be with his mother?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle sighed deeply, "I just hope he''s able to understand."

 Chapter 691 - Dealing With The Problem

    Kyle and Sayuri continued to discuss the matter over the night. They knew that Kyle Junior would inevitably be hurt, and hurt badly. The only question was, how was one to deal with the hurt?


    The next morning, when Junior was coming out of dreamland, he felt that the bed he was on was rather lumpy. Yet, for some strange reason, it was quite comfortable. Slowly blinking his eyes open, he gasped and quickly clasp his lips tightly together.


    He was sleeping on his father.


    They were still on the sofa, though this time, his father was lying down while he was sprawled on his father''s chest, and had used the crook of the arm as a pillow.


    "You''re awake?" came his voice from above.


    Junior slowly looked up, to see him looking down on him kindly.


    He felt ashamed.


    Last night, he had actually thrown a tantrum upon seeing the cozy apartment. An apartment for a nice, small family. There was even a bedroom for a child, which hit Junior quite badly.


    His dream of his father getting back together with his mother shattered then and he was very upset. He had always tried to be a big boy, like what his grandpa told him to be. To take care of his mother but he had utterly failed this time.


    Junior nodded.


    Kyle patted the boy on the back and slowly got up, cradling him a bit until he got to his feet.


    "Go and wash up," Kyle instructed, "Your change of clothes and toiletries are all in the bathroom."


    Junior didn''t answer and went to do as instructed.


    Inside the bathroom, he saw a T-shirt, underwear, and pants. There was also a small-size toothbrush, obviously for him. A step-stool at the sink, as well as one at the toilet. There were anti-slip mats all over.


    Tears started forming on Junior''s eyes and his chest felt painful.


    He knew that these things were placed here for him. He had been to other people''s houses before and it had always been difficult for him since everything was adult size. When he thought about it, it had already been here when he came over last night and used the toilet.


    But he had been too upset to notice.


    He had felt like he was an outsider, and an unwanted child. All his life, he had been looking forward to meeting his father. His mother always told him about his father and how great he was.


    He would get his mother to read the Financial Magazine that detailed his father''s life to him every night. He would watch John Wick 4 over and over again, and got his mother to tell him how they met.


    It was his ultimate dream to be just like his father.


    So, to have him say he wasn''t made him upset. To follow him home, made him happy. To see that there was no place for him in this house, made him upset. The roller-coaster of emotions got too much for him.


    However, finding that he had slept on his father the whole night made him content and happy beyond belief.


    Perhaps, he wasn''t unwanted?


    Junior quickly stepped on the step-stool and started brushing his teeth.


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    Sayuri watched as Kyle stretched, getting the kinks out after sleeping on the sofa. He was shirtless and she could see his muscles rippling as he moved. She turned to look away, her face slightly red.


    No matter how long it had been, or how often she had seen (and touched) it, that sight never failed to turn her on. This ''no-sex'' rule was as hard on her as it was on him. She walked to the kitchen, shaking her head.


    Kyle watched her go and sat down on the sofa. His morning wood was as troublesome as it always was and seeing her in the morning made it doubly so. With her sleepy eyes and bed hair, she looked so enticing and sexy. Kyle groaned softly, hitting himself on the head.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that only Sayuri triggered him like this, he would be thinking he had a sex addiction. He found his thoughts would often be filled with a certain someone, in a certain position, in various locations ¡­ he shook his head.


    Maybe he really did need some help. This couldn''t be normal.


    Yet, when Samantha had come bouncing over to him, offering herself and her two watermelons at him, he hadn''t been attracted or affected at all. Even if he did agree that he wouldn''t sleep around, it shouldn''t mean that he couldn''t get attracted to other girls, right?


    Was he abnormal after all? This was too difficult for him to understand so he did what he always did.


    Ignored it.


    Other than having to work hard at resisting, it wasn''t much of a problem and it didn''t affect anyone else. So he pushed it to the back of his mind and concentrated on what was the real issue here.


    Handling Kyle Jr.


    The first thing he and Sayuri agreed upon was to make him understand, and feel, that he was loved. Kids who were adopted, or when their parents separated, tend to feel that it was their fault. That is, they were not loved and abandoned, or it''s because of them that one parent would go away.


    From their conversations with Junior, they could tell that Junior did not have any of those negative feelings. Other than this lie that both had been under, Samantha had raised the boy very well. The sense of ''not being loved'' wasn''t there and Samantha constantly assured him that Kyle loved him - he just didn''t know about him.


    Thus, they had to tread carefully when revealing the truth. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Derek would be coming by later to start the ball rolling. The first thing to reveal was that Samantha was sick.


    Kyle was not looking forward to that.

 Chapter 692 - Revealing The Truth

    Junior came out of the bathroom and Kyle ruffled his hair as he passed by, to enter it. Junior watched his ''father'' go into the bathroom, his eyes locked on the door until it closed. Even after that, he remained there, outside the door and waited.


    Sayuri came by and put her hand on his shoulder, saying, "Come, have your breakfast. He''ll be out soon."


    Junior shook his head, not wanting to leave the spot.


    "He would feel upset if he sees that you''ve not started eating yet," Sayuri said, trying to coax him, "You don''t want him to worry about you now, do you?"


    It was only then that Junior made a move, albeit reluctantly.


    Sayuri sighed deep in her heart.


    She knew how soft-hearted Kyle was with regard to children, so she did not know what would his actions be for this. Sometimes, the mind says something, but the heart will do what it wants.


    She should know.


    Sayuri made sure Junior was sitting properly before she handed him a plate, "I am not sure what you like, so I just prepared what Kyle normally eats."


    With that, Junior''s eyes lit up and he happily started eating. Sayuri sighed again, careful not to have him hear.


    Kyle soon walked out of the bathroom, with only a towel wrapped low around his waist. His hair was still slightly wet, so some water dripped onto his chest, sliding down slowly towards the ''V'' before it disappeared.


    Sayuri took one look and turned away, biting her lower lip with her face slightly flushed. She was sure he was doing it on purpose and cursed him silently for it.


    As Kyle walked into his bedroom, a ghost of a smile was on his lips.


    Yes, he did it on purpose.


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    When Kyle got to the breakfast table, he found that Junior was eating slowly. As if waiting for him. Sayuri was already eating and his own plate with breakfast was laid on the table.


    "We didn''t know what you liked," Kyle said as he tucked in, "So we just started with something simple. Is it okay?"


    Junior nodded, swallowed and answered politely, "Yes."


    "So what do you like to eat for breakfast?" Kyle asked.


    "Anything," Junior replied.


    "It''s okay to say what you like," Kyle said gently, "It does not mean you''d get it, but we would try if it is possible."


    Junior looked at his plate, then at Kyle, "Really?"


    "Of course," Kyle said and looked at Sayuri, "Right, honey?"


    "Of course, sweetheart," Sayuri replied, kicking him under the table with a smile on her face.


    He avoided it, of course, his upper body hardly moving to show that he had done so.


    Kyle turned to Junior and explained, "You can always ask and tell us what you feel, or want. It does not mean that we will get it for you all the time, but we do take your feelings and wants into consideration."


    Junior nodded, "Okay."


    Kyle and Sayuri felt that it was important for Junior to know this.


    What he was going to be told later by his grandfather (grand-uncle, really, but we will gloss over those minor details now, right?) and for the next few days would be harsh on the little one.


    He needs to know that he can talk about it, that his feelings matter.


    More importantly, that he could express them without fear. Kyle was worried that he might keep it all in and have those negative thoughts swirl about in his mind. Such thoughts were dangerous not just because it was negative, but that in time, it would be truth in his mind.


    It would lead to a lot of problems in the future.


    It was similar to what his mother was doing, that is, focusing on one thing so much that the lies became truth and she bent everything to fit that lie.


    After breakfast, Kyle had Junior help clean the table and wash the dishes while Sayuri went to the living room. Chores were to be shared. Since Sayuri prepared breakfast, they cleaned up.


    Even though it was work, Junior thoroughly enjoyed it because Kyle was beside him. He loved being included, and that Kyle was patiently teaching him how to do the dishes. He was responsible for rinsing while Kyle did the soaping and putting the dishes on the drying rack.


    Their first trial happened right in the living room, when they went there after finishing doing the dishes.


    Junior looked at Kyle and asked softly, "Can I call you Daddy now?"


    Sayuri''s heart lurched at that question and she looked worriedly at Kyle. He looked slightly sad and appeared as if he was struggling with the words. Junior seemed to sense something wrong and tears started falling down his cheeks.


    "I can''t?" he said in a whisper, "You don''t want me?"


    The tears flowed even more, "Then why were you so nice to me?!"


    Kyle went to him and gripped him firmly by the shoulders. The boy struggled, his sobs getting louder as he tried to get free. Kyle pulled him close to him and hugged him tightly, ignoring the struggles and kicks.


    "Junior," Kyle said slowly and firmly, "It is not a matter of whether I want you or not. I like you. Really I do. You''re such a good boy."


    "Then why¡­?"


    "You can''t call me Daddy because I''m not your father," Kyle said, making the decision then to tell him. The last thing he wanted was to lie or cover it up for it would only make things worse later.


    "NO! YOU ARE! MUMMY SAID YOU ARE!!" Junior screamed and Kyle winced a bit because it was right at his ear.


    Kyle didn''t let go and tried to explain, "Your mother made a mistake. She thought I was, but I am not."


    "No! You''re the one who made a mistake! Mummy is always right!!" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 693 - Adopt?

    "Junior," Kyle continued patiently, still not letting go while the shivering boy was hollering, "Adults can make mistakes, too. Even your mother. She is only human."


    "No, no, no, no," Junior continued wailing.


    Kyle stopped hugging him and looked at him in the eye, "Even though I am not your father, it does not mean I will go away."


    Junior suddenly stopped wailing, but his chest was still heaving from the outburst earlier. With gasping breaths similar to hiccups, he asked, "Wh-wha .. do ¡­ *hiccup* ¡­ mean?"


    "I am not your father," Kyle emphasized, "But I do not mind taking on the role as a father figure for a while."


    Still gasping, his breath uneven, Junior wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeves. Kyle stopped that and started wiping Junior''s face while saying, "Not so hard. You can spoil your eyes that way."


    "I .. I ¡­ dun ¡­ understand," Junior said, tears falling down again. At least he wasn''t wailing uncontrollably like before.


    "Your mother is a wonderful woman," Kyle said, "Sooner or later, she will find someone to share her life with."


    "No! ¡­ She ¡­ wants you! ¡­ I ¡­ want you ¡­" Junior insisted, his lips quivering while he was trying hard to talk and breathe normally.


    Kyle sighed, and shook his head, "You can''t always have what you want. I am not in love with your mother anymore. So, I cannot be with her."


    "I am not your father, so I do not have the right to be with you as your father as well," Kyle continued, "That right is reserved for the man that loves your mother and you. Do you understand?"


    Junior shook his head.


    "When two people get married, it is because they love each other, right?" Kyle asked.


    Junior nodded.


    "So, should I marry your mother when I do not love her?" Kyle asked gently, "Even if she loves me?"


    "Yes," Junior replied innocently, "Mummy is the best."


    "Of course she is," Kyle agreed, "But not the best for me. I have Sayuri in my life, and she is the best for me."


    Junior glared at Sayuri, then looked down. He felt guilty, but he could not help being angry. Sayuri was nice but if it meant that his mother could not be with his father ...


    "You have to learn, Junior," Kyle said, "And understand. You cannot force people together, no matter how much you want it. You want me as your father because that is what your mother told you. You cannot imagine anyone else as your father. I understand that, I do." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But no matter what you want, or what you believe, it does not change the truth. That I am not your father," Kyle repeated.


    Kyle had to keep reminding himself that the boy was only five years old, and would not be able to truly understand the complexities of the matter. He had to try and explain it as well as he could, but he didn''t know how to.


    He just hoped it was simple enough, and if repeated enough, the boy would understand.


    Sayuri came then, with a photo album. Kyle brought Junior to sit down on the sofa next to him and Sayuri sat next to Junior. So, he was in-between the two of them. Sayuri reached over and opened it, showing the first page.


    It was when Kyle and Kay had been born. Two small babies, holding hands, lying down on a crib.


    Slowly, the pages of the album turned. The life of Kyle and Kay growing up were shown in the pages of that album. From birth until 6 years old. The more Junior looked, the more devastated he appeared.


    He did not look like his father at all.


    He did not inherit much of his mother''s looks, so he had assumed it was because he resembled his father. He had thought he would grow up to look like his father. Yet, from these pictures, it was obvious.


    The tears fell down again, and he sniffed.


    Kyle put his hand on the boy''s shoulders and brought him closer, hugging him again.


    "There is no way for me to tell you this without making you cry," Kyle said, "But I had to. The truth may hurt badly at first, but it heals and you get better. A lie, though makes you feel happy for now, will have bad effects forever."


    "A lie can never remain hidden forever, and when you finally find out the truth, how would you feel? Wouldn''t it be worse?" Kyle carried on.


    Junior continued crying, his chest heaving. Kyle took him and put him on his lap, leaning back on the sofa and hugging him close. Letting him cry his little heart out for as long as he needed.


    When Derek came an hour later, Sayuri opened the door and told him to enter quietly. He nervously limped inside, his face full of bruises and was shocked at the scene he saw in the living room.


    His nephew, with a tear-streaked face, was sleeping in the arms of Kyle.


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    It took Junior some time to get over the intense feeling of sadness upon discovering that he didn''t have a father after all. Derek was there, as a familiar face, to appease him but it did not mean the pain was any less.


    Samantha was being treated by the best, and Kyle bore all of her treatment costs. He felt some sort of responsibility towards her, for he was the one that had used her and had done so in order to kill her father. It was the least he could do, to atone for his sins against her.


    As for Junior? With the help of a child psychologist, he was coping better. The problem was, while Kyle''s actions grounded him emotionally, he became dependent on Kyle to cope.


    Hearing this, Sayuri asked Kyle, "So what are you going to do? Are you going to adopt him?"

 Chapter 694 - What Is Best

    Kyle shook his head, "Of course not. That would not solve the issue. It will take time, but he will learn."


    "Then what did you mean when you told him that you can be his father figure?" Sayuri prodded.


    "Just what it means," Kyle said, "Even though he has Derek, that is his grandfather. He has been yearning for a father all this time. While I am not his father, I do not mind filling in the gaps. Not a full-fledged father, of course, but at least, during this emotional time."


    "Wouldn''t that just confuse him further? Make him more attached to you?" Sayuri asked, frowning.


    "I don''t know," Kyle admitted, "But I hope not. I won''t allow him to call me Dad or anything of that sort so that he won''t get into the delusion. Uncle Kyle would be okay."


    "I just want him to heal and grow," Kyle said, "And Samantha to get better. It will take time. A long time, I suppose."


    "Yeah," Sayuri agreed, "It would also help if she fell in love with someone else as well."


    Kyle certainly prayed it was so.


    Then, he turned to her, and looked rather troubled.


    "What is it?" she asked, though she had kinda knew what it was that he wanted to ask of her.


    "I .. " Kyle began then shook his head, "Would you ¡­ I mean, could ¡­ argh! Sorry, nevermind. It''s nothing."


    He turned to walk away but Sayuri stopped him, holding on to his arm.


    "Yes," she answered him, "But only for a year, or until Samantha gets better. Whichever comes first."


    He looked guiltily at her, "Are you sure?"


    Sayuri smiled at him, nodded and said, "I''m sure."


    He was going to hug her out of relief, but she shook her head.


    She patted his cheek instead, and said with a small smile, "But one of these days, you''re going to have to find someone else to help you. I won''t always be here with you, you know."


    She turned and walked away to her bedroom.


    Kyle watched her go silently, unable to refute nor stop her.


    What she had just said hit him hard.


    He knew that she was only making an obvious statement of fact, but why had he not thought about it before? No, that''s not true. He did know that for their arrangement wasn''t permanent but he had put it at the back of his mind for some reason.


    When did he start relying on her for so many things?


    He had Kay. He had MIB. He had a whole team of capable people around him.


    But it was only now that he realised that there were things that only she could do for him. Things that he naturally turned to her for help without thinking about it. He knew that she would always agree.


    Or he took it for granted that she would always agree.


    However, this time, he couldn''t ask in the end.


    What he wanted to do, was a rather tall order.


    He knew that it would not be fair on Sayuri, even if she was willing. This was his problem - or rather, a problem that he took up. So he found himself unable to ask her in the end.


    Yet, she knew what it was that had been on his mind.


    As always.


    He looked at the closed bedroom door, knowing that this selfless act of hers was another thing he owed her.


    The debt was certainly piling up.


    He sighed, rubbed his hair on top of his head in agitation and entered his own room. There were a lot of things to do in order to get this done. He had to get Derek''s agreement, get Kyle Jr.''s opinion and feelings about it before telling his own parents and starting the actual procedures.


    The main person here is Kyle Jr. Would he agree? For him and Sayuri to be his foster parents?


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    In her bedroom, Sayuri was lying down on her bed. The events of earlier played in her head and she sighed as she hugged the pillow tightly to her chest.


    If Kyle had actually asked her, she would have rejected him outright. However, he didn''t.


    It was a good sign for her.


    If he had asked, then it meant that he was taking her for granted. The fact that he hesitated, and eventually dismissed the notion, meant that he was starting to think about her as well.


    Her feelings, that is.


    He had always treated her well, but he tended to take her presence for granted. It was fine if they were an actual couple. It wouldn''t be that he took her for granted, but rather, he saw her as another part of himself.


    This?


    She was just a ''friend'' and the mother of his child.


    Thus, the fact that he wasn''t taking her agreement for granted meant that he was slowly starting to look at her as someone that he should not be relying too much upon. To drive the message home, she had said those words to him in parting.


    It was a risky venture, of course.


    If he did stop relying on her, it meant that he moved on. She was hoping he would feel agitated and upset about it, so that it would make him think more about the true value of her ¡­ in his heart.


    Sayuri sighed again. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Little did she think she would be using her ninja training to get the guy she loved.


    This was not her seducing him to trick him, though. This was her using her skills to make him be more aware of her.


    Sayuri caressed her stomach and said, "Your Father certainly is very dense, baby. Don''t be like him, okay?"


    His words to Kyle Jr. earlier in her mind, ''I have Sayuri in my life, and she is the best for me''.? Tears formed and she started crying.


    Stupid Kyle.

 Chapter 695 - Conflicted Thoughts

    Kyle knew that being a foster parent was not a walk in the park. More so with a child that could have some emotional and psychological issues.


    However, Kyle hoped that his own experience in his past life as a mother would enable him to handle Kyle Jr. Furthermore, he would have psychologists and behavioral experts to help him.


    Having Sayuri with him was far better as well.


    He could have become a foster parent by himself as a single and unmarried person is allowed to be one. There were a few criteria, of course, such as the financial ability to raise the child.


    The other criteria were: having a passion to foster parent, a lifestyle that is able to raise a child (and this does not only mean being financially capable), flexibility in the working environment, and he needs to have a proper support system.


    All of these criteria were things that Kyle could easily fulfill. Although he would be busy while working, he knew enough about how to manage his time so that he could be home when needed.


    Flexibility in the working place? Well, being the boss also meant he had the power of control. He could just not go to work and dump it all on Sam instead. It was workable.


    As for the support system. He had his mother who was a stay-at-home mum and a twin sister that he could turn to at anytime. With Sayuri, the responsibilities of raising a child would be shared and lessened.


    Of course, he wasn''t going to raise Kyle Jr by himself. There was still Derek and Samantha, which will still be a huge part of Kyle Jr.''s life. As a foster parent, his purpose was simply to give Kyle Jr. some sort of stability and routine while his mother was being treated.


    He would care for him as if he was the father, but he had no legal rights as a father. Kyle felt that, although he was being a bit unfair on Sayuri upon making her an instant mother ¡­ erm, he had already made her one anyway.


    Kyle knocked his head, feeling the surge of emotions whenever he thought about Sayuri carrying his baby. The sense of wonderment, the excitement, the joy ¡­ and most of all, the feeling of gratefulness filled him up all at once.


    Memories of him being pregnant in his past life, and the current experience right now, were so different yet in some sense, the same. Before, he felt the connection intensely on an extremely personal level while now, the connection was at a whole new different level.


    It was a complex feeling for it now encompassed the new life ¡­ and the person carrying that life.


    Kyle sighed.


    He knew he had better get into control of these strange and uncontrollable feelings within him. He noticed that he was looking at Sayuri differently nowadays, but that was all because she was pregnant with his baby.


    The last thing he wanted was to give her the wrong signals. Knowing that she was in love with him filled him with a sort of feeling that he couldn''t quite describe. If he had absolutely no feelings for the person, it was easy to reject the said person. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had done it countless times with all those confessions while he was in school.


    When a person you like, but not love, confessed?


    You didn''t really know what to do.


    Or feel.


    Worse, that person you like is pregnant with your baby.


    Kyle sighed again and went to change into his workout outfit.


    He needed to run.


    Or maybe he should call Big Bro Nic? Ice hasn''t flexed his muscles lately and Kyle had all this energy to get rid of.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "Kyle called you?" Xing Han asked, perplexed, "Not me?!"


    Nitocris eyes'' narrowed and he glared at his puppy.


    The pouting puppy, however, was oblivious to the dark clouds that were slowly forming above Nitocris''s head.


    "Huh, he''s been so quiet lately. Hardly have time for me anymore. Didn''t call for ages. Then again, who am I? Huh. Just his BFF," Xing Han continued to complain, "And when he does call, who does he call? His big bro.. Mmhfmmmf"


    Xing Han''s tirade was cut off by Nitocris''s lips, as he grabbed his noisy puppy by the back of the neck and pulled him close. He ran his tongue inside Xing Han''s mouth wantonly, wanting to wash everything inside for it had been spouting nonsense earlier.


    By the time Nitocris parted his lips, a thin line of translucent liquid joined their lips briefly before it broke. Xing Han was breathing heavily, his eyes glazed over while his pants were getting too tight.


    Xing Han smacked his lips and licked them, making Nitocris claim them again while his hands were busy undressing his puppy.


    ? Several hours later ?


    Xing Han ran his fingers along Nitocris''s chest, tired beyond belief. His beloved had been rather vigorous earlier, hardly taking a break during their lovemaking. It was as if he was punishing him and at the same time, making his presence known and mark on him.


    In retrospect, it had probably been triggered by him talking about Kyle.


    Even now, his jealousy was a sight to behold and more often than not, he would express himself through sex.


    Not that Xing Han was complaining.


    "Why did Kyle call you?" Xing Han asked, hoping this question wouldn''t trigger another round.


    "He wanted a mission for Ice," Nitocris said.


    "Oh?!" Xing Han exclaimed, sitting up, "What''s wrong with him?"


    Nitocris''s eyes narrowed dangerously, "Who cares? He asked, I complied."


    "I gotta go ¡­" Xing Han began, rushing to get off the bed, only to find his hand being held back.


    Xing Han glared at his beloved, "Cookie, enough."


    "Ice is on a mission right now," Nitocris pointed out, pulling him closer.


    "Oh, true," Xing Han said before Nitocris claimed him yet again.

 Chapter 696 - Strong Feelings

    Joseph sat in the classroom, hardly listening to the teacher who''s voice droned on and on like some broken record. The lesson was boring, the teacher hardly made any sense and was just reading from the textbook instead of teaching.


    Despite looking like he was hardly paying attention to his surroundings, he was well aware of all those gazes upon him. Girls tended to hang around him and he didn''t really mind because they were nice girls.


    But ¡­


    He was doodling on his textbook while the voice droned on. When the bell rang indicating lunch break, he snapped out of it. He looked down and realised with horror that the page was full of the name ''Kay'' written in various ways, with all types of hearts all around it.


    As if that wasn''t bad enough, he had drawn on the right-hand side of the page, a spider on a spiderweb, wrapping someone in its web.


    He may not be as skilled as his sister in drawing, but it was certainly above average as well. If one was to look closely at the figure that had been trapped within the cocoon of spider web, one would have recognised the face.


    Joseph gulped.


    This was bad.


    This was very, very bad.


    He slammed the textbook shut.


    What the heck was he thinking?!


    What if anyone saw it? What would they think?!


    Cold sweat poured down Joseph''s back. He had to get rid of these thoughts. They were dangerous.


    If a psychologist was to analyze Joseph''s doodle, he would have caught more to it than the average person. It was obvious from the doodles that Joseph has strong, romantic feelings for a girl named ''Kay''.


    A clear indication of the hearts and doodles of the name.


    A lesser-known fact is the placement of the doodle. Using the right-hand side of the page is not common (although it is seen more in left-handers) and can indicate an urge to express oneself, or communicate hidden thoughts.


    The spiderweb indicates either a feeling of being trapped or the desire to entice someone into a particular relationship or situation. Obviously, in Joseph''s case, it was the latter.


    He had strong feelings for Kay and wanted to start a relationship with her, but it was obvious that she was not willing. Thoughts of trapping her to him in some way, or to grab her attention to it were apparent.


    Joseph was immediately surrounded by the girls in the class, wanting to ask him to join them for lunch. The guys were also there, all of them joking about. Joseph put all thoughts of Kay out of his mind and joined them while laughing.


    He had to get such thoughts out of his mind. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay was way, way out of his reach.


    The fact that she was older than him never bothered him.


    Rather, it was that he was too young for her. He was just a high-school boy while she was a beautiful, successful and popular young woman that was the Goddess of the Nation.


    Yes. Kay was an ethereal creature, that was too good for him.


    He took a deep breath and focused on the people around him. The best thing he felt that he ought to do right now was to hang out with his classmates, or schoolmates. He didn''t really have any preference. As long as they were nice to him, he was nice to them back.


    Joseph was a sociable person, who was pure and straight-forward about his actions and words. He was friendly and a gentleman, and this caused him to be extremely popular within a day of him moving to the school.


    Of course, the fact that he was easy on the eyes was an added bonus.


    He easily became the idol of the school, though this was something that he was completely unaware of. He just immersed himself in school life.


    It was the only way to help him not think about a certain Angel.


    Unknown to him, a certain Angel was having problems of her own.


    Kay sat in her room, staring intensely at her laptop before she closed it with a bang. She quickly opened it again and started it up, looking at the happy scene in front of her of a young boy having lunch with a bunch of friends.


    How those people gravitated around him, all laughing. It was obvious that he was the center.? The sun of the whole group, so to speak. His brilliance and brightness could not be contained. He was like the flame and everyone around him, like moths. Be it girls, or guys.


    With a deep sigh, Kay closed it again. This time, slowly and with sadness.


    That was how it should be.


    He should be with people of his own age.


    Having fun, laughing.


    She flung herself on her bed and started punching her pillow in frustration.


    She kept repeating to herself, ''This is a good thing. A good thing'' even though her heart was not feeling it at all.


    She couldn''t deny it anymore.


    Her feelings for Joseph was not going away. She went as far as being a stalker! Hacking the school cameras in order to watch him. Sending bots to scour the internet for any mention of him. She almost sent her spy flies as well.


    Kay groaned.


    She needed help and she couldn''t go to her brother. He would flip! There was only one other person she could turn to now. Kay got up and headed out immediately.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "Oh come on, Cookie!" Xing Han was complaining to his beloved in the office, "Why did you send Ice on a three-day mission?!"


    "He wanted it," Nitocris answered, hardly perturbed by his puppy''s outburst.


    Just then, a call from the security at the front desk came through, "Mr. Bianci, a Ms. Kayla Smith is here to see you."


    "Kay?!" gasped Xing Han, "What is she doing here?!"

 Chapter 697 - Cradle-Snatching?

    Chapter 697 - Cradle-Snatching? "Send her in," Nitocris said, "And next time she comes, let her through. She has A-Clearance."


    "Understood, Boss,"


    "I wonder why she''s here," mumbled XingKyle KyleHan, "Did something happen to Kyle?"


    Nitocris rolled his eyes and he hissed, "If you mention his name one more time, I''m going to make sure you''re not able to get up from bed tomorrow."


    "Oh, pish-posh," Xing Han scoffed, not taking Nitocris''s words seriously, "But you really need to get your jealousy under control, Cookie."


    "I''m not jealous," Nitocris replied perusing his documents again, "I just don''t like another man''s name to pass by your lips."


    Xing Han rolled his eyes, bounced over and grabbed Nitocirs by his face and said, "These lips belong to you. What comes out of it, though, is mine. Kyle Kyle Kyle Kyle Kyle Kyle mmmfmff ¡­"


    When Kay entered the office later, Xing Han was busy fixing his hair and clothes. She raised an eyebrow, thinking that Kyle and his BFF had a lot more in common than they thought.


    "Kaaaayyyy!!!" Xing Han shouted, flinging his arms wide open and bouncing over, "What brings you here? Is everything alright?"


    "I''m sorry to disturb you at work, Big Bro Nic," Kay began, "Do you have some time?"


    Nitocris tilted his head. He got up, gesturing to her to sit on the sofa, "For you, of course."


    Kay had never come here before, and previously, she would just drop by Shifu''s place if she wanted to visit them. Xing Han and Nitocris always went over for dinner on Sundays there, as family is family.


    This, obviously, was not a social call.


    Or, perhaps it was, but it was dealing with something that Kay couldn''t wait for.


    Xing Han looked at her worriedly, "Is something wrong? Are you okay? Is Kyle okay?"


    Kay gave a small smile, "We''re okay as okay can be, I suppose. Kyle''s being as dense as ever about Sayuri and is about to be a foster parent to Kyle Jr."


    "Wait, what? Kyle and Sayuri?! Since when did that happen?!" Xing Han gasped, then pouted.


    "How come he doesn''t talk to us anymore?"


    "Life, I suppose," Kay said, sighing, "We''re all so busy now with our respective work and before you know it, we haven''t met for quite some time."


    "This has to change!" Xing Han said while Nitocris reached over and pulled Xing Han into his embrace. He ran his hand on Xing Han''s arm, calming him down.


    "I''m going to set-up regular get-togethers! Where the five of us can just meet and talk, like we used to do at the end of the year," Xing Han said, reminiscing about the ''good ''ol days''.


    It was true.


    They were close, and the Elite Five had gone through lots of things together and no matter how long they were separated - the bond was still there. However, meeting up and talking have lessened.


    Such friendships, though did not break due to the distance and time, should still be maintained.


    "So, what brings you over, Kay?" Nitocris asked, his voice breaking Xing Han out of his thoughts and planning.


    Xing Han looked at Kay guiltily. He had been so caught up with his thoughts that he had neglected the reason Kay came in the first place. Luckily, his Cookie had been paying attention!


    Kay started fidgeting, looking at both of them.


    "Erm, well ¡­" she began, focusing her attention on Nitocris, "If you don''t mind me asking ¡­ erm, you see ¡­ that is ¡­ okay. Big Bro Nic, you and Xing Han are obviously perfect for each other and are happy."


    Xing Han grinned, leaned on Nitocris and nodded, "Yes, yes, my Cookie is the best!"


    Nitocris just gave a small smile of indulgence, gripping Xing Han closer.


    "It''s just that ¡­ I was wondering," Kay continued, "When did you know? I mean, the age difference is huge ¡­"


    "It''s not THAT huge! Cookie is only 8 years older than me. Prime of his life, too," Xing Han protested, "And anyway, age doesn''t matter if the heart feels it is right."


    Kay started fiddling with her hands, "But how do you know that it''s right? And the age difference may not seem huge now, since you''re 20 and Big Bro Nic is 28, but ¡­ well, when you guys got together, you were only 16 and Big Bro Nic was 24. I''m'' sure Big Bro''s feelings for you was way before then."


    Xing Han looked at his beloved, and tilted his head, "That''s true. You said you were waiting for me to grow up. How long did you wait?"


    Nitocris''s mouth twitched then he looked at his puppy lovingly, "Not long. Just two, maybe three, years."


    Xing Han gasped, "But you were being so annoying ¡­"


    "Anything to make you think of me," Nitocris said, non-plussed.


    "See," Kay said, wringing her hands more, "You were still a minor then, Xing Han. It''s like, borderline peadophile."


    The temperature in the room suddenly dipped as Nitocris answered testily, "It is NOT. My feelings were pure."


    "Big Bro Nic," Kay said, turning to Nitocris, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it that way. It just ¡­ it just feels that way to me right now." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, a lightbulb switched on above Xing Han - albeit, a bit late.


    "KAY!" Xing Han exploded, "You fell in love?! With a cub?!"


    "Xing Han!" Kay wailed, "Don''t make it sound worse than it already is!! And I am NOT a cougar! Cougars are these 40+-year-old women who go for younger men."


    "Puppy, stop it," Nitocris admonished his beloved, "Kay is upset enough as she is."


    Kay sat there with her head hung low and Xing Han felt bad immediately. He rushed over to her side and was blubbering, "Kay! I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean it that way!"


    "No, it''s okay," Kay said ruefully, "You''re absolutely right. If people knew that I am in love with a 14-year-old boy, wouldn''t they say I am a cradle-snatcher? A vixen?"


    "Love is love, Kay," Nitocris answered simply.


    £¬

 Chapter 698 - Patience

    Chapter 698 - Patience Kay looked at Nitocris, not comprehending. To be more accurate, fearing what Nitocris was saying.


    "The problem does not lie with the love that you feel," Nitocris explained, "But in making sure and holding back. No matter what, the person that you fell for, is still a minor. You may be sure, you may be matured, but he is not."


    "Whatever you do, you must be patient and wait," Nitocris said, "No matter how hard that is. Even if you have to watch him hang out with other people, and go on dates. He needs to grow up first."


    "Just look at me," Nitocris said, indicating Xing Han, "This one was forever stuck on Kyle and doing all sorts of things. Holding back all those years took a lot from me."


    Xing Han looked at his beloved with wide-eyes.


    This was the first time his beloved actually talked so much and even revealed his innermost feelings.


    Was that why his Cookie was abnormally jealous of Kyle all the time? Even though he knew that there was nothing going on between them and nothing ever would? The years of him having to watch and do nothing must have truly taken a toll on him.


    Xing Han went over to his beloved Cookie, his heart full and bursting, "Cookie, it''s been hard on you."


    "It was worth it, to have you in the end," Nitocris answered.


    "Let''s get married now," Xing Han said suddenly, "Why are we waiting anyway?"


    Tenderness was apparent in Nitocris''s eyes as he gazed upon his puppy, and he placed his hand on his cheek, "Your father still hasn''t quite approved of us yet. Are you sure?"


    Xing Han shrugged, indicating that it was no big deal.


    But Nitocris knew otherwise.


    He knew that even though Xing Han had chosen him above his family, it wasn''t as if Xing Han didn''t feel anything or was not affected by it. How could he blatantly cut off his heart and feelings for the family that had raised him?


    This was the part of Xing Han that he loved so much. His purity, his selflessness, his love.


    "He''ll never approve," Xing Han said, "So why do we need to wait for him to accept us?"


    "We''re already living like a married couple," Nitocris pointed out, "It''s only a piece of paper."


    "It''s not just a piece of paper to me," Xing Han responded, "It''s an official acknowledgment that you''re mine. That whatever I own, and am, is yours - just as you are mine."


    "Puppy," Nitocris said, "I truly do love you so much."


    "As I, you, Cookie," Xing Han replied, "Until the end of time."


    Kay, who was completely forgotten at this moment, thought that she was truly unlucky. First, she had to listen to Kyle''s bedroom activities, and now, this constant PDAs which were truly too sweet.


    She would have done some gagging sounds if it wasn''t for the fact that she appreciated Big Bro Nic''s thoughts about the matter.


    She knew that Joseph was still too young. She wasn''t going to pounce on him or anything of that sort. But, she was wondering whether there was something wrong with her for falling for such a young boy.


    Hearing Nitocris gave her some semblance of sanity. It also gave her hope. The only thing was ¡­ it wasn''t just the age factor.


    Joseph was Kyle''s son.


    Albeit, spiritually.


    There was absolutely no connection biologically and even though she always referred to Joseph as ''Kyle''s son'', it wasn''t something she truly felt in her heart. When she met him for the first time, the connection was never there. Not really. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, she was always by Kyle''s side and Joseph was never there.


    So the ''son'' aspect was an abstract concept for her.


    Still, it didn''t mean that there wasn''t some sort of weirdness attached to it.


    More importantly ¡­ would Kyle ever be able to accept her as his son''s girlfriend? Or one that he may marry?


    She needed someone to talk to about this and somehow, Xing Han wasn''t it. He was a guy. Views would be different.


    Her eyes brightened as she remembered something.


    There was another person who knew Kyle''s secret!


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri couldn''t believe it.


    Kyle just left.


    Well, true, he did tell her beforehand that he was going to be gone for three days, but still!


    What is this habit of his, in running away?


    ''Need to release some steam'', he said.


    Before that, he had learned from her how to hide his phoenix tattoo and replace it with the dragon tattoo that Ice was well known for. It didn''t take him long to get the skill, and once he obtained the materials, he left.


    She had actually done the work first, and Kyle wanted some back-up in case the dragon tattoo was damaged in any way. Sayuri had watched him go with some grievance in her heart.


    She was stressed too! But she couldn''t do any strenuous exercises like him. Urgh. She needed some girl time.


    Just as she was thinking this, the doorbell chime rang in the apartment. Sayuri wondered who it could be. Upon looking through the peephole, she was surprised to see that it was Kay.


    Sayuri quickly opened the door and asked her, "Why didn''t you just use your key to come in?"


    "I didn''t want to impose," Kay said, "After all, Kyle isn''t home so it didn''t feel right if I was just to walk in like that."


    Sayuri tsked as Kay walked by, "Oh come on, Kay. We''re practically family now. You don''t have to feel so restrained."


    "Okay," Kay said, relieved.


    It''s just that she had been with Kyle like he was a part of her that they often did things without taking other people into consideration. Their two-year separation was truly good for them, though sometimes, they still did things unthinkingly.


    "Can we talk?" Kay asked nervously.

 Chapter 699 - Why is it Him?

    Chapter 699 - Why is it Him? Sayuri was surprised.


    Not at the fact that Kay wanted to talk ¡­ though yes, that was a surprise ¡­ it was more of the fact that Kay actually looked nervous.


    Kay? Nervous?


    Since when?!


    Sayuri closed the door and thought that this was interesting. Well, since Kyle wasn''t around, hanging out with Kay sounded pretty good.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The two girls were sprawled in the living room. Sayuri was on the sofa while Kay was on an air-filled mattress. The coffee table was filled with all sorts of snacks and ice-cream.


    "Your brother," Sayuri was saying while popping a potato chip into her mouth, "Is a d*ck."


    "Oh?" Kay replied, giggling, "I thought you liked his d*ck very much."


    "KAY!" Sayuri screamed, throwing a cushion at her, then admitted, "But yes, I do. He certainly knows how to use it, considering he used to be a woman."


    She sighed loudly, "Are all guys this dense, or is it just him?"


    "I think it''s the Smith genes," Kay said ruefully, putting her chin on the coffee table, "Or Smith Curse. We''re doomed to be stupid in matters of the heart."


    "Oh?" Sayuri said, raising an eyebrow, "Is that why you''re here? You have boy problems? You?? You mean, there''s a guy out there that is immune to your charm?!"


    Kay groaned, "If only it was that simple."


    Sayuri became serious then, "What happened?"


    Kay closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Instead of answering, Kay asked instead, "When did you know you were in love with my brother? How did you know that he was ''the one''?"


    "The day I found out he had a girlfriend," Sayuri replied, "And the feeling was confirmed when I saw how heartbroken he was at the break-up."


    "Ouch," Kay said, "That''s tough."


    "Nothing compared to being with him and being like a couple, but not," Sayuri said with a sigh, "It was such a gamble and truly, I don''t regret sleeping with him but ¡­ I don''t know. I feel conflicted."


    She stroked her tummy, "Even having his baby is like a double-edged sword. If I can''t have him, having something of him that is also mine makes me feel so happy yet, at the same time, I am sad because he loves the baby, not me."


    Kay wanted to say that Kyle was in love with her, but that he just didn''t know it yet. However, she didn''t because it was as if it would be giving her some false hope. Kyle could be dense and worse, stubborn.


    If he didn''t see it or refused to acknowledge it, then nothing she said would change the situation. Kyle would always be blind to how he feels about her, and the thing that Kay worried the most was that ¡­ him figuring out his feelings too late.


    No matter how she worried for him, though, there was nothing she could do other than give the push when needed. The step, however, needs to be taken by him.


    "I envy you," Kay admitted, "You can go ahead and push forward, doing your best to get him and rolling with the punches."


    She sighed again, "I can''t even do that."


    "What do you mean? Why can''t you just pursue him?"


    "Because he''s still too young," Kay admitted softly.


    Sayuri blinked.


    "Er ¡­ how young is young?" she asked tentatively.


    "He''ll be 14 this year," Kay replied.


    "Fourteen? FOURTEEN?!" Sayuri gasped, not able to hold back her shock.


    "I know," Kay said, "Terrible, right? A 6-year age gap is nothing but not when he''s 14 and I am 20. When is the right age? When he''s 18? Maybe 20?"


    Kay looked at Sayuri, "You were in love with my brother for nearly four years now, steadily hanging on and keeping by his side. At least, you could be by his side. Me? I can''t do anything for ¡­ what? Four years? Six?"


    "If he''s the one, the wait is worth it," Sayuri said, "What is six years when compared to a lifetime? And if your feelings for him are still as strong - if not stronger - after six years, then it means it is true."


    "But what if he gets with someone else?" Kay said softly, "I don''t think I can handle that."


    "Then don''t even try," Sayuri said, "Cut off right now. Save yourself from the years of unrequited love. You deserve more than that."


    "But that''s not the worst thing," Kay said, her lips trembling.


    Sayuri''s eyes went wide.


    "There''s more?"


    Kay nodded.


    "What could be worse than being a 20-year-old woman falling in love with a 14-year-old boy?" Sayuri asked, perplexed. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When that 14-year-old boy happens to be your twin brother''s son in another life," Kay said.


    Sayuri just stared at Kay.


    "Alright. I believe it. You Smith Twins have a curse," she mumbled.


    Seeing as how upset Kay was, Sayuri''s heart went to her. She hugged Kay tightly, and Kay started crying softly.


    "I tried not to, really I did," Kay said, "I mean, it was just so strange feeling this way for him. I just thought it was a ¡­ I don''t know. A connection because he''s Kyle''s son. Even though I don''t see him truly as his son, but that our souls connected somehow? Because of what we shared, though he doesn''t know it."


    "But the longer I was with him, the more I realised that my feelings were beyond that," Kay said, sniffling.


    "What''s wrong with me, Sayuri? Why him, of all the guys in the world? Why him? Why is it him??!" Kay wailed, putting her head in her hands.


    "When did it all begin?" Sayuri asked gently, stroking Kay''s back.


    Kay grabbed a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips, tearing it open and taking a sniff. The sharp tangy smell was relaxing. Sayuri''s mouth started watering and she did the same, sniffing deeply.


    "We look like two drug addicts," Kay suddenly giggled, "Sniffing vinegar chips."

 Chapter 700 - Fools

    Chapter 700 - Fools Sayuri laughed with Kay, and they both put their heads together and started sniffing the opened packet of vinegar chips again.


    "Well, since I can''t drink, I might as well get high on this instead," Sayuri said, giggling again.


    They started munching on the chips. Sayuri was glad that Kay seemed to have calmed down and she didn''t push for her to start again.


    Start talking, that is. Not the crying bit.


    "I think it began when we were at Country M, right after Kylie died," Kay said, thinking back, "He was so different from all the guys I knew. The depth of his feelings, the way he wasn''t afraid of showing them. The way he cared for his sister. Him trying to be so strong."


    Kay sighed.


    "I think that''s about the same for me," Sayuri admitted, "When it began, I mean. Kyle cooking chicken porridge for me when he thought I was sick."


    Kay nodded, understanding, "Sensitive and caring guys are so rare, right? All the guys I have met, and who were wooing me, were these ¡­ I don''t know. Guys that were full of testosterone or something."


    "That could be Kyle''s fault," Sayuri mused, "I mean, look at him. He''s like the perfect example of what a guy should be and you''re his sister! So these guys probably felt they needed to be better than him - or at least, try to be at par with him."


    "I suppose," Kay said, thinking about Joseph.


    "He''s so sweet, you know? He does all these things for you, subconsciously, which just shows how much he is thinking about you," Kay said, "It''s all so natural for him."


    She started chewing on the chips more aggressively, showing her frustration, "No wonder he''s so popular in school. All those bees hanging around him and he, being oh so nice to all of them."


    "So you see, it''s an entirely one-sided affair on my part," Kay lamented, "He doesn''t treat me any differently from anyone else. I''m just one of those who have fallen into his net."


    "I know that. I know," Kay wailed, putting her head on the table and resting her cheek on it, "Everything points to one thing: he isn''t the one. He''s just like that but yet, no matter how many times I tell myself ¡­ I can''t help it."


    Kay started smiling stupidly, "He has the sweetest smile, you know? And when he looks at you, it''s the most beautiful thing ever."


    Sayuri patted Kay''s back, "You have it bad."


    Kay groaned.


    "I know," she agreed, "I''m such a bad person. I''ve got to get him out of my mind."


    "You have to get him out of your heart first," Sayuri pointed out.


    "I''m trying!" Kay said, "I''m even going on all those blind dates Mum sets me up with. Gah, Sayuri. Those guys are so pretentious and boring!"


    "One after another, each one worse than the one before," Kay complained, "Just where is Mum pulling them out from? But I still go and will continue to go. Who knows, right? I might meet the so-called ''one''."


    "So, your plan is to ignore Joseph during these four years? Wait for him to grow up and then pursue him?" Sayuri asked.


    "I guess," Kay said, "No, not ignore but not do anything. I mean, if I was to even have a sliver of a chance, I can''t cut off all communication with him, right?"


    "I just won''t ¡­ well, do anything, I guess. Did you know that Big Bro Nic deliberately riled up Xing Han just so that Xing Han would think of him all the time? Maybe not rile up, but tease him? It''s so funny when you think about it."


    "But even then, he didn''t have to wait that long and he had valid reasons to always be around," Kay sighed, "I don''t. Well, not really." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You could, you know," Sayuri said, thinking about it, "Lianne knows the truth, right? And you were the one that was there for him during his bleakest moment. Perhaps you could ¡­ I don''t know. Go over the school and go out as a group or something. Dahlia is also at the same school, right?"


    "You don''t have to tease him like how Nitocris did, but you can increase your presence so that he doesn''t forget you," Sayuri replied.


    "Hanging out with Lianne wouldn''t be too weird, right?" continued Sayuri, "And since he knows you as well, him tagging along wouldn''t be unusual either. You don''t have to woo him, but don''t let him forget you either."


    "Am I bad for having feelings like this, towards such a young one?" Kay asked miserably.


    She was often assailed with guilt about this and she had no one to truly ask. Well, she did but she had never thought about it. It had been on her mind for nearly a year now and it was driving her insane.


    She had even thought that by keeping it in, her feelings got stronger.


    Sayuri lay her head on Kay''s shoulder, saying, "No. All feelings are pure. Whether you fall for an older person, or a younger one. Whether it''s a girl or a guy. One, or two. Heck, even if it''s a married man."


    "Sayuri!!" Kay gasped, looking at her, "I can''t believe you said that!"


    Sayuri shrugged, "I said feelings. What you do with those feelings is the deciding factor. If the guy is married and you still go for him, then you''re a douchebag."


    "I don''t blame anyone being in love with Kyle or falling for him," Sayuri said, "I only eliminate those who start acting on them."


    Kay nodded. It made sense.


    "Am I stupid to wait for him? Am I fool?" she asked.


    "You''re really asking me? A person who has been waiting for your brother for the past four years? Who had been fucking him senseless for months in the hopes he''d fall for me?" Sayuri asked.


    "True. We''re both fools," Kay sighed.

 Chapter 701 - The Angel

    Chapter 701 - The Angel While Kay was having the heart-to-heart talk with Sayuri, Joseph was going through his own demons as well.


    He knew very well when his feelings started growing for the Angel.


    Initially, he put it down to him being highly susceptible to such feelings because it was at his most vulnerable time. He was grieving and there was this beautiful Angel that helped heal him.


    She was beautiful inside and out.


    Who wouldn''t fall for such a woman?


    And therein lie the problem. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    *Who* wouldn''t fall for such a woman?


    Who was he?


    Just a kid, barely in his teens and crushing badly over such a magnificent person.


    He resolutely pushed down those growing feelings and convinced himself that it was just a passing phase. She was the one who had been there for him when he was down, and she was the one that had been so patient with him no matter what he did. Or said.


    He remembered clearly during one of his more ¡­ weak moments, he had lashed out at her. He cursed at her and to his shame, he had even hit her. It hadn''t been hard, and he was just lashing out without thinking.


    Yet, she just withstood him hitting her while she hugged him.


    She didn''t say a word, she didn''t scold him but just held him close while saying comforting words.


    He still remembered what she said during those times and whenever she hugged him tight.


    ''Let my heart speak to your heart, and let your heart heal,'' were her words.


    Joseph hit his forehead, willing for those memories to be forgotten. Wishing he could forget them.


    But it was a part of him, a part of his soul and each time he remembered them, his heart would constrict.


    He missed her.


    He missed her so badly.


    But he couldn''t go over to the house and say ''hi'' now, could he? What was the reason for him going? What reason could he give?


    He was surrounded by so many people. So many wonderful people but he was still lonely. Some girls were even kind and would try to cheer him up during his melancholy moods. Some were even bold enough to hug him for comfort.


    Yet, it wasn''t the same.


    He acknowledged their kindness and acts, and he would smile brightly to them but he wasn''t truly happy. Each time it happened, he couldn''t help but compare it to the Angel.


    He wished he could be more like his sister, who would shamelessly head over to the Smith Industries HQ just to visit Kyle. She was even recognised by the security there and had special treatment.


    He knew he did as well, but he had no desire to go over. She wasn''t there, after all. He also didn''t want to bother Kyle since he knew that Kyle was a busy CEO.


    Joseph sighed.


    He tried advising his sister about going there so often but she merely scoffed at him. He remembered the first time he tried to and had been flabbergasted at her response.


    "If he was really busy, I wouldn''t bother him. I just wait for him in the office until he''s done then we go out," she said, non-plussed.


    "You sound like ¡­ like ¡­" Joseph found that he couldn''t finish the sentence and asked instead, "Aren''t you afraid people would call him a peadophile?!"


    "Oh God, Joey. Seriously?!" Lianne had shouted at him, "First of all, there''s nothing between us and secondly, even if there was, so what? He''s only 8 years older than me. Kyle is such a gentleman that he would never do anything inappropriate. We''ll just wait until we''re old enough."


    Then, she grinned, "He also got rid of those who would spread such malicious rumours. He said that one should never let people talk bad about you and he would always have my back."


    Lianne had rolled her eyes at him, "I may be young and a child to most people, but I know myself. It doesn''t matter what other people think. If I was in love with Kyle, I''d just work at growing up to be the sort of person that can be by his side. I''d never deny my feelings but I wouldn''t be rash either."


    She walked off with a wave and the parting words, "Love is love, dear brother. But don''t worry, there''s nothing like that between Kyle and me."


    Unknown to Joseph, Lianne had already known about his crush on Kay. She didn''t see anything wrong with it, but she also knew how hesitant her brother was. Or rather, how stupid he was.


    Her words were more to get him out of the restricted mindset about it. Lianne didn''t know if her brother would end up with Kay, but she certainly didn''t want him to give up without even trying.


    People often brush aside young kids being in love as simply being ''puppy love''. Lianne doesn''t deny that that is the case most of the time - but not all of the time. There are exceptions and it can work.


    She wasn''t going to dismiss her brother''s feelings, even if she found him annoying. She felt that Kay was a good fit with him for he needed some sense of stability and maturity in his life.


    All the girls around him were just not cutting it.


    Joseph was in deep thought after Lianne left.


    His sister rarely talked seriously with him, so he listened to what she said seriously as well.


    Was it really that simple?


    Joseph shook his head.


    Perhaps, if his Angel was a normal person.


    He looked at the gossip magazine for the umpteenth time.


    A picture of Kay, having dinner at a fancy restaurant. This beautiful and perfect woman, bathed in the glow of the lights like the Angel that she is, was just a natural part of such luxurious surroundings.


    His fingers touched the picture gingerly.


    This is where she belongs.


    He could never give her this sort of life.

 Chapter 702 - Ice is Back

    Chapter 702 - Ice is Back The men didn''t dare move.


    When did he come back?!


    It had been years since they last saw him, and they had even thought he must have been dead.


    But no.


    He was very much alive and worse than ever. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ice.


    "Such mischievous people," Ice was mumbling, "I go on a holiday for a while and they sprout like mushrooms all over."


    He looked at the two rows of men, squatting on the floor, their hands placed on top of their heads. They were actually shivering, not daring to disobey Ice at that moment. Those who had tried to fight were all dead.


    They weren''t wimps. Not really.


    They would have fought. Really.


    The problem was, the way those that died ¡­ it was just too gruesome. And weird. Ice looked at them, and they froze. They actually just stood there, not moving an inch while Ice took out this bad-ass sword and started to slice at them.


    One by one.


    A sword!


    Since when did Ice use a sword?!


    The movements were so fast that it was a blur and when it was over, their clothes were completely shredded and the skin was full of cuts.


    They were still alive, but perhaps it was better if they weren''t.


    Initially, one could see thousands of cuts on the bodies before the blood started flowing freely. It covered every inch of their bodies, making it seem like they were wearing clothes made of blood.


    Yet, they just stood there - screaming - until they bled to death. Once dead, their lifeless bodies would slump onto the floor.


    Those screams had been piercing and haunting, causing all those who heard it, go cold with fear.


    Worse, after each person was sliced as such, Ice could actually be heard mumbling, "No, not this way. Perhaps like this ¡­"


    They were being used for practice.


    It was down to just the five of them now.


    Every single person that had been in the building had been eliminated.


    The ones that were squatting at that moment were the higher-ups and each of them had already soiled their pants. Not that the smell bothered anyone, for the smell of smoke from the burning building behind Ice covered any sort of smell.


    Ice squatted down to look at them and tapped the ground with his sword.


    "Just what were you thinking?" he asked the first one, staring at him in the face.


    The guy just started blubbering then, not making any coherent sentence and Ice rolled his icy-blue eyes before swinging that sword and a head flew out. It went up a few meters before landing right in front of the guy on the furthest left, causing him to fall into a dead faint.


    Ice turned to see that fallen guy and tsked. He then flicked his wrist and several projectiles flew out, embedding itself on the neck, chest and right in the middle of the forehead.


    The guy died without even waking up.


    Perhaps that was the best way to die.


    Ice got up, and to the remaining guys, it was like the Devil Incarnate doing so. It was as if it was in slow-motion, the dark figure of Ice with the burning building behind him. All they could see was his silhouette and those ice-cold blue eyes.


    The remaining guy''s heads were whacked one after another, with ice shouting, "Didn''t you get the memo? No drugs!! Only weapons!"


    "Who gave you the balls to try and smuggle the drugs in the weapons?!" he hissed.


    Before anyone knew it, Ice had grabbed one guy by the throat. The guy was clutching at the hand that gripped his throat like a vice and he gurgled, "Whose idea was this?"


    The guy mumbled something, which could not be heard by the others.


    Once his lips stopped moving, Ice broke his neck and threw him into the burning building.


    Kyle looked up briefly, noting the sirens that were flashing in the distance. He had only another two minutes before the firetrucks came. Plenty of time.


    When the authorities finally arrived, they were shocked at the scene.


    It was like a warzone.


    Burning building. Dead bodies. Some mutilated beyond recognition. Some just dead without any source of injury to the naked eye.


    The firemen closed their eyes to the bodies lying about and concentrated on putting out the fire. In the meantime, in some distance, one lone figure on top of a tree was watching them.


    Kyle sat on the tree branch, one leg swinging while he cleaned his sword, making sure that there was no blood left on the blade before sheathing it.


    He sighed.


    He did not like using the sword but he felt that he ought to improve his skills in it. He had been extremely lucky with Donnie and he did not want to face the day that he may lose in such a fight.


    He wasn''t going to actually use it though. He merely wanted to be able to have the skill and knowledge of fighting a person who was using one. Kyle decided that the weapons he had used to counter Donnie had been good. He had sent the feedback to MIB regarding what he wanted and the weaknesses he had observed.


    It was a good thing that Big Bro Nic had these vermins to clean up. There were many more other places to visit and destroy, once Kyle got proper evidence that they were dealing.


    For the next three days, the police were faced with such a scene in several key areas. They didn''t really investigate whole-heartedly, mainly because all those areas were known to be places that were involved with illegal activities.


    However, they never could get the evidence needed.


    The fact that it had been completely annihilated indicated internal strife and the police weren''t stupid enough to meddle with that. They certainly did not want to be targetted next, and they were more than happy to let it be.


    Word got out.


    Ice was back.

 Chapter 703 - Possessive Kitty

    Chapter 703 - Possessive Kitty After completing the mission, Kyle gave Nitocris the information he requested for further action. Kyle''s role was not just to eliminate the ''bad seed'', but also show that Nitocris hadn''t gone soft.


    He had merely been compiling everything to do it in one shot.


    The moment the word got out as to what had happened, chills went throughout the entire organisation. They had been too complacent and had forgotten what Nitocris was truly like.


    It was just that, with Ice being silent and Nitocris getting a partner, they thought he was too busy to actually notice things.


    It was just minor stuff, right?


    Those that had been thinking about it, broke out in cold sweat knowing that they had managed to escape the guillotine.


    The fate of those who had gone against Nitocris was passed and it became more and more exaggerated (as all rumours tend to be). In the end, it went as far as Ice just walking through and people fell dead.


    Remembering the legend of Ice, which had annihilated an entire gang, it certainly was convincing.


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    Kyle entered the apartment silently.


    He didn''t know why, but he had this instinct that Sayuri would not be too happy with him going off for three days. Which was why he just left a note and ran.


    He listened at the door and didn''t detect anything. Stealthily, he entered and walked silently towards his bedroom. He sent out his senses and didn''t detect any abnormality in the living room. Just as his hands touched the doorknob, the living room bathed in light.


    Damn. So close.


    Living with another ninja was certainly hard. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned with a smile and caught the shuriken that flew to his face, then deftly caught the other three that came right after.


    "Oh, so you remembered that you have a home here?" Sayuri asked, tapping her foot impatiently.


    "Well ¡­ it was only three days," Kyle said in his defense, "And as CEO, I would be gone for longer than that, you know."


    "That''s work," Sayuri said, "You can go for a month for all I care. Heck, even two months! But this was just you, running away to ''release stress''. You didn''t think I''d be stressed with you gone suddenly?! What about Junior? You just upped and went, out of range and calls."


    "Derek still hasn''t told him yet," Kyle said, raising his hands in surrender, "He wanted to ease it to him gently and once he does, I''ll see him and my parents about it. I haven''t forgotten him."


    Kyle may have left to get things out of his system, but he only did so after making sure things were settled on other matters. Be it in the office, or regarding personal matters. He wasn''t that irresponsible.


    Sayuri, however, wasn''t appeased.


    Well, she was a little, but she wasn''t going to let him know that.


    "Next time, ask me first," Sayuri said, "At least, talk to me before you go. It''s not like I''m restricting you or anything but I don''t like coming home to an empty house and just a note."


    Kyle put down the shuriken and placed his hands together. He looked like he was suitably apologetic but Sayuri wasn''t buying it.


    "They also brought Kitty over. She''s in your room right now," Sayuri said.


    Much to her surprise, she saw Kyle''s eyes go wide and suddenly dash into his room.


    "Kitty!!" roared Kyle.


    Puzzled at his sudden outburst, she went in. She saw Kyle holding Kitty up, his two hands under her ''armpits'', and her two legs dangling freely below. He was glaring at her, his face about two feet away from hers.


    She just looked at him, then put her paw on his nose.


    Kyle sighed.


    "Kitty, where did you put my underwear?" he asked exasperatingly, "Why haven''t you gotten rid of this habit yet?"


    Kitty meowed pitifully and bopped his nose again.


    "Your cat ¡­ is an underwear thief?" Sayuri asked in surprise.


    "To be more accurate, she only steals mine," Kyle said, cradling Kitty. Even though Sayuri was at the door and Kyle was practically in the middle of his room, she could hear Kitty''s purring.


    Her eyes glanced briefly at his closet and noted that the underwear drawer was slightly open. She raised an eyebrow. Kitty worked fast indeed. It had only been yesterday that Kitty came, and she had already emptied it?


    Impressive indeed.


    Actually, Kitty wasn''t meant to be in Kyle''s room. They had agreed to let her stay in the living room : her cat bed was against the wall, her food and water bowls in the kitchen and the kitty litter in the guest bathroom.


    However, as Kitty had been extremely clingy and demanding for attention, Sayuri couldn''t stand it and placed her in Kyle''s room. She had also placed one kitty litter in there and felt it was best to leave her there until Kyle came back.


    It was also as an additional layer of protection as she was not allowed to clean the kitty litter. By placing her and another set of kitty litter in there, the one in the guest bathroom wouldn''t ''overflow'', so to speak.


    By an earlier agreement, the one that is to keep the litter clean was Kyle. This was because the cat litter and cat poo can contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis infection.


    Although the risk was low, it was still a risk and Kyle didn''t want to endanger their baby. If Sayuri got infected, it can pass to their unborn baby, causing miscarriage or stillbirth.


    Now, as Sayuri watched Kitty snuggling in his arms, she could swear Kitty looked at her smugly.? As if saying ''Mine''. Sayuri shook her head. It must be her imagination. How could a cat show expressions, let alone be so possessive?


    It didn''t take long for Sayuri to learn that she had been right. Kitty did not like sharing Kyle.

 Chapter 704 - She is Back

    Chapter 704 - She is Back After that, things went by pretty fast and smoothly. A new routine and life started for Kyle (and Sayuri).


    It took Derek about a week to break the news to Junior about Samantha being unwell. He didn''t tell her the condition, but that his mother needed some help and was in the hospital.


    Junior was agreeable to staying with Kyle and Sayuri, and the nursery was converted into his bedroom. Kyle hired an au pair for Junior since he and Sayuri were busy working. However, instead of staying with them, the au pair stayed in the apartment unit beside them. Kyle felt it was best to just have her come in the mornings and leave at night.


    Junior started pre-school at the same school Lianne and Joseph goes to. Their school had all three stages: pre-school, primary, and secondary school. Kyle was glad of that, for it meant that all his kids would be in one place.


    As for Samantha, she was slowly starting to heal. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, since she was a bit violent during the initial stage, Junior had not been allowed to meet up with her. Samantha had been angry and in denial, refusing to believe what Derek confessed at having done, and even ripped the copy of the real DNA report.


    After two weeks, Samantha began being less aggressive. Partly because her doctor was patient and kept focusing on the truth each day, and partly because she missed her son badly. She wanted to see him, but she could not until she calmed down.


    Once the doctor gave the green light, Junior would come to visit once every two days. One of those times, it would be Kyle who brought Junior over. Otherwise, it would be the Dian, the au pair.


    Seeing Kyle was also part of her healing process. After each visit, the doctor would reiterate and reinforce the truth upon her. At first, Kyle was hesitant to show himself, but since the doctor in charge of her had deemed otherwise, Kyle wouldn''t second-guess him.


    Kyle would also visit home often with Sayuri and Junior.


    When Kyle had first told his parents about him fostering, Delilah had been so shocked that she almost fainted. Her son was only 20 years old and was already going to have two kids?


    Still, she was proud of him wanting to take up this responsibility even though none of it was his fault. Patrick pointed out that Kyle was probably like this due to her social work and how Kyle had been exposed to such broken families.


    And so, the people at Smith Industries HQ were given a double-blow.


    First, the memo that stated Sayuri had the same clearance as the Elite Five. She was the first ''outsider'' to be given such preferential treatment. There were talks and whispered rumours about Sayuri being the Lady Boss, though everyone felt it was rather far-fetched.


    After all, the CEO didn''t seem to be like a person in love - he was still stone cold and domineering.


    Then, the second blow was delivered when Sayuri came to HQ, obviously pregnant.


    The dreams of over-ambitious girls shattered.


    More so when they saw how their CEO treated Sayuri as they went back. He actually looked human.


    Only one person didn''t give up, however.


    Even after hearing about Sayuri, even after seeing with her own eyes how gentle Kyle was towards Sayuri, and even after seeing that Sayuri was pregnant.


    She hid behind the pillar, watching those two leave with malice in her eyes.


    That position beside Kyle was supposed to be hers.


    "Sarah! There you are," came a voice from behind her.


    Sarah turned, a smile on her lips,? "I''m sorry. I was a bit distracted when the CEO suddenly showed up."


    "Oh, I know how that is," the girl giggled, "Such an eye-candy, huh? Too bad he''s already taken."


    "But I didn''t hear the CEO getting married?" Sarah queried.


    "Maybe they''re keeping it low key? Who knows? Come on, let me show you your office," the girl was saying and Sarah followed obediently.


    She had worked hard to get to this position. It was the culmination of all her hard work. No way was she going to let yet another girl stand beside him.


    She had known that he wouldn''t have stayed with that girl all those years ago. Hah. She had shown off so much but where was she now? Definitely not pregnant and beside him.


    Sarah had been sure then, and even more sure now, that the only person that was fated to be by Kyle''s side is her. Otherwise, why hadn''t all the girls he was with, stick?


    Sayuri, huh?


    If she had known that Sayuri would have been a love rival, she would have dealt with it then. Nevermind. What''s done is done.


    She is back to take back what is hers.


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    "You felt that, didn''t you?" Sayuri asked as they entered the car.


    "Of course," Kyle said, "I''ll get a bodyguard for you."


    "You think I can''t handle it?"


    Kyle smiled indulgently at her and placed his hand on her stomach, "You have this little one now and your movements are restricted. Let other people take care of such things, okay?"


    "Okay," Sayuri agreed readily.


    She wasn''t stupid nor too proud to reject his care. Sayuri had come to the HQ to wait for Kyle to finish his meeting so that they can then head over for her pre-natal check-up. Kyle had wanted to pick her up from home, but she had wanted to go shopping before that.


    Little did she think she would be the target of such a malicious look. Jealous ones, yes. But this?


    "Just who is so brazen enough to covet you now?" Sayuri asked Kyle.


    He shrugged, "How would I know?"


    Sayuri sighed and stroked her round stomach. Kyle placed his hands on hers and said, "I''ll deal with it."


    "You''d better," Sayuri replied.

 Chapter 705 - Feeling Fat

    Chapter 705 - Feeling Fat Sayuri looked at her baby bump and felt she was growing huge.


    Like, really huge.


    Well, it was to be expected for her to gain weight since she had been eating more than usual. However, she didn''t think she would be this big so fast. She was only nearing her fourth month of pregnancy yet it looked like she was already six months along.


    At least, that''s how it seemed to her.


    Kyle was sitting beside her in the car, and this would be their first pre-natal visit together. She had only gone for one, which was just to confirm whether she was pregnant or not before coming to confront Kyle.


    At the first check-up, the doctor had done all the normal things like calculating the due date, blood tests, measuring her height and weight, and finally, listening to her heart and lungs. The ultrasound was done only to confirm the fact that there was a life within her.


    The speed of her gaining weight and the bump getting bigger was a bit daunting, however. Was this normal?


    She was glad enough that she didn''t have morning sickness, though the smell of any fried food would get her feeling queasy. Hence, it had been mainly oats, fruits, and toast for breakfast. Dian would cook before they arrived home, so Sayuri wasn''t bothered by anything then.


    Was she eating too much, though? She was eating as much as Kyle actually - and he ate a lot. But she was so hungry all of the time, even if the smell put her off sometimes.


    She did have food cravings now and certain food that she couldn''t eat. Foods that she craved were a mix of East and West.


    Roti canai pisang, or prata bread with banana slices. The banana was sauteed first, caramelizing it before being placed into the prata dough upon cooking.


    What she really loved though, was any sort of pasta dishes though it was mainly spaghetti. She could even just eat the spaghetti coated in olive oil, sprinkled with some chili flakes.


    That was why there was this huge tub of cooked spaghetti in the fridge, upon which all she needed to do was just dribble the olive oil on it and mix the chili flakes before tucking in.


    The foods that she couldn''t stomach was fish and anything fried, or cooked with coconut milk. If Kyle wanted to eat those, he''d have to eat it outside and not bring any home.


    She stole a glance at Kyle. who was on the phone while busy checking his emails on the laptop. She could hear him bark orders to pull out the surveillance camera footage of the lobby for the last four hours and to send it to his email.


    Despite his busy schedule today, he made sure that he would be free to accompany her for the pre-natal check-up today.


    She was admittedly nervous about this second check-up.


    If the scans were correct the first time, this pre-natal check-up would enable them to see the baby better. The thought of Kyle being with her as the doctor did the ultrasound felt so wonderful.


    When they arrived, Kyle was attentive to her and the walked inside. Sayuri went to the waiting room to sit down first while Kyle handled the registration procedures at the nurse station.


    Sayuri sat down nervously at looked at the other people in the waiting room. They were all women, who were at various stages of pregnancy. Some didn''t even show yet, while some looked like they were ready to burst.


    The lady closest to her began to strike a conversation, "First child?"


    Sayuri nodded.


    "I can always tell," the woman said, patting Sayuri''s hand, "You''re so young! Don''t worry, you''ll be fine. The men just knock us up and we''re the ones who have to go through the whole thing."


    Another laughed, agreeing while stroking her bulging stomach, "So true. Five minutes of work and they think they''re the greatest. They can''t even follow us for the check-ups."


    "You''ll get used to it," another commented, "It''s normally the first time that gets to you."


    Sayuri opened her mouth to say something when the door to the waiting room opened. Everyone looked up out of habit and their mouths went wide open upon seeing the vision that walked through.


    They blinked, thinking that they were hallucinating as that dreamboat walked in. Even though he had this cold expression on his face, it only added to his charm rather than take it away.


    It was only after he sat down next to Sayuri that they snapped out of it.


    "We''re next," Kyle said to Sayuri, handing her the cup of water he had in his hand, "Here. Make sure you''re hydrated all the time."


    Sayuri nodded and took the water gratefully and thanked him. Kyle smiled at her, causing those who were watching, to have their heart beat faster.


    They were all thinking about how lucky the woman was to have such a drool-worthy man beside her.


    "Is he your brother?" the lady that first talked to Sayuri asked.


    "No, I''m the father of the baby," Kyle answered, looking at her.


    The lady gulped upon having the full-force of that gorgeous face and dreamy eyes look at her. Her mind went blank at that point.


    The others who heard it couldn''t help but think, ''Dang. She had *that* to f*ck all the time?!*


    Just then, the nurse came and went straight to the couple, bringing them into the doctor''s room. The women in the waiting room were surprised and knew then that the couple that just walked must have been someone important to get such preferential treatment. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They sighed and everyone looked at each other.?They all did love their husbands, but everyone couldn''t help but feel insanely jealous. Not only was the guy deathly handsome, he actually was here to support her, and had been quite attentive as well.


    Some girls just have all the luck.

 Chapter 706 - The Check-up

    Chapter 706 - The Check-up "Did you pull strings to get us ahead?" Sayuri hissed at Kyle as they followed the nurse.


    Kyle shook his head.


    Like her, he didn''t really like abusing his position or power, even though people were quite willing to go the extra mile for him, or close on eye on certain procedures. It did not mean that Kyle wouldn''t use such power, but he wouldn''t use it improperly.


    "I already had an appointment," Kyle explained, "So naturally, we would get our slots once we arrived. The women outside were mostly walk-ins, or they are here earlier than their appointments."


    Sayuri nodded, her heart appeased.


    The moment Kyle walked in, nostalgia hit him.


    He remembered how nervous and excited he had been the first time he went to see the doctor when he was pregnant with Joseph. Stephan had been busy and was out of the state during that time so he didn''t come.


    In fact, he had only managed to attend one visit. It was the same when he had been pregnant with Lianne.


    Of course, Kyle had updated Stephan regularly after each visit. Kyle never blamed Stephan for not being there and he really did understand that Stephan was busy. Still, it didn''t mean that he had not felt sad whenever he lay down on the bed, alone, and looked on as the doctor performed the ultrasound scan.


    That was why Kyle promised himself that no matter how busy he was, he would always accompany Sayuri for all the visits. No matter what, he wanted to be here for her all the time. He wanted her to be assured that he would always be here for her. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wanted to share everything with her, and go on this journey with her.


    It was kind of surreal, though, to now be on the other side.


    Dr. He was one of the best obstetricians in the Country, thus, it was only natural that Kyle would have him as Sayuri''s doctor.


    This was one of those times that he *did* use his name and position to get him. He was actually so fully booked that his services were not available for any new clients that year. He was the type that could actually limit his patients, and since he preferred to be the one personally attending to every patient from pregnancy till birth, he could not have too many who would be due in the same month.


    However, Dr. He made an exception for Sayuri after Kyle had helped in him obtaining some equipment that had been held up in customs. It was some specialised equipment that would have aided him even more during pre-natal examinations.


    Dr. He was grateful for the help, more so when Kyle only wanted him to take Sayuri as his patient. He never demanded or asked for anything else, and had simply become another client of his.


    As such, Dr. He was much more amicable towards this young couple.


    To be parents at 20-years-old, though not rare, was certainly not common.


    Coincidentally, he had another young couple that was his patients. Some Ali or other. That was even more shocking to him to discover that they had gotten married at 18. And just to be his patient, they had moved nearby.


    Since this was Sayuri''s first check-up with Dr. He, she had to go through all the normal questions and tests. Height, weight, and her blood was drawn. Her medical history was also asked, such as the history of whether anyone in her family had diabetes.


    Finally, it was time for the ultrasound.


    Feeling the cold gel being smeared on her round belly made her giggle a bit. All six pairs of eyes were glued on the screen and soon, the image could be seen.


    Kyle, having seen lots of ultrasound scans in his previous life, could already make out that small blob that is meant to be the head. The fetus was still small, of course, but his heart swelled upon seeing that familiar shape.


    But wait ¡­ why was it rather ¡­


    "Ah, there we have it," Dr. He was saying as he moved the hand-held device called a transducer on Sayuri''s stomach, "Or should I say, there we have them."


    "What?!" Kyle and Sayuri gasped out at the same time.


    "Yes, you can see it clearly here," Dr. He was saying as he positioned the probe on one side, "The two sacs can be seen."


    Kyle blinked.


    Then stared at Sayuri.


    "You''re really a miracle woman, you know that?" Kyle said softly, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.


    The fact that Sayuri got pregnant despite being on contraceptives was already going against the odds, and now, she did it again?


    Having twins is actually quite difficult. Only one in 250 pregnancies results in twins.


    Furthermore, although there is such a thing as ''twin genes'', it is carried by the female. As for the Smiths? Kyle and Kay''s case came about due to fertility treatments - so there were no ''twin genes'', so to speak.


    Research had also shown that there were other factors that increased the chances of having twins: previous pregnancies, being over the age of 35, if you''re taller than the national average, and if you''re overweight (BMI of over 30).


    Sayuri?


    First pregnancy, 20-years-old, of normal height and her body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy was 20 - which is normal.


    Just what was it about her that defied all odds?


    Sayuri looked equally perplexed.


    "Are we having identical or fraternal twins?" Kyle asked.


    Dr. He continued checking and said, "At this point in time, it is hard to say. I can detect two placentas and while this is indicative of fraternal twins, it does not mean it cannot be identical twins."


    "If the fertilized egg splits right after conception, then there would be two placentas formed," Dr. He explained, "Thus, one placenta means identical twins but two placentas can mean either fraternal or identical."


    Kyle felt overwhelmed.


    They were having twins.

 Chapter 707 - Extra Care Needed

    Chapter 707 - Extra Care Needed Kyle had always wanted twins. Rather, Kylie did. Even though Kyle was a twin himself, the thought of raising twins was exciting.


    Unless if they were both like him. If they were like Kay, then that''s different.


    "Twins," Sayuri repeated, her eyes wide. No wonder she was bigger than normal.


    "Am I going to be gaining even more weight?" Sayuri asked Dr. He.


    "Most likely," Dr. He replied, "You''re going to need more regular check-ups to do the ultrasound scans. Your folic acid intake must also increase to 1 milligram from the 0.4 milligrams that you are currently taking."


    Kyle nodded, understanding.


    Folic acid was taken to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida, which is a congenital defect of the spine. There would be a gap in the backbone that would expose a part of the spinal cord and its meninges. This can cause paralysis of the lower limbs of the baby, and in some cases, learning difficulties.


    "Will I become a huge whale?" lamented Sayuri.


    "Well, naturally, with twins, you would gain more weight as compared to a single pregnancy," Dr. He patiently explained, "However, you should not gain more than 54 pounds, or about 24.5kg."


    Kyle turned to Sayuri and said, "I''ll get a nutritionist for you. You will need the added calories but not to get too fat."


    "ARE YOU SAYING I''M FAT?! This is YOUR fault, you know!" Sayuri shouted at Kyle, smacking him on the arm.


    "No no no," Kyle said soothingly, "Not at all and I wouldn''t care even if you did, but like Dr. He said, you can''t gain more than 54 pounds. I don''t want you to suffer more than you already are, carrying our babies. Heartburn, backaches and all that will be worse if you put on too much weight."


    "You''re still saying I''m fat," Sayuri pouted.


    "No one is more beautiful than you in being fat," Kyle said with a grin.


    Sayuri rolled her eyes while Dr. He just sat there silently, watching the two bicker. He could see how loving the couple were and his heart was warm. Scenes like this are what made his job so rewarding.


    "You''re going to have to be less active in the final trimester," Dr. He continued after the young couple stopped teasing each other, "Unlike single pregnancies, you''ll be giving birth in the 36th or 37th week rather than the 40th week."


    "I would also go so far as to advice bed-rest, though it''s never been proven that it actually helps," Dr. He admitted, "But it certainly doesn''t cause harm."


    "Why? Is there something wrong?" Kyle asked worriedly.


    "No, that''s what we''re trying to avoid," explained Dr. He carefully, "The risks associated with pregnancies are higher when it''s multiple pregnancies. Thus, pre-eclampsia and? diabetes are more likely to occur in twin pregnancies."


    Kyle nodded, feeling more worried than ever.


    Pre-eclampsia affects the blood flow to the placenta, which can result in smaller or prematurely born babies. That was the ''best'' case scenario.


    It is a condition that can severely affect unborn babies. Their kidney and liver function would be impaired, there can be blood clotting problems, fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), and seizures.


    Worst of all, in severe forms or if left untreated, the life of the baby and the mother would be in danger. They could die. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Also," Dr. He paused, and looked at the young couple seriously, "I am not an alarmist, but I believe in laying out the facts so that you''re mentally prepared."


    "I understand, Dr," Kyle said, listening intently, "I appreciate it. Please, what else must we be aware of?"


    "The twins, even when carried to term, will be premature," Dr. He said, "But generally, they would be fine. However, the danger of pre-mature labour and delivery is also very high."


    "As a result of this, the babies may be born at low birth weights and has a higher chance of more health problems than those born weighing more," De. He said.


    "That''s it," Kyle said, "You''re ¡­"


    "I am not," Sayuri replied, glaring at him, "If you dare make me stay at home all day long until I give birth, you''ve got another thought coming."


    Kyle sighed, his shoulders slumping, "Fine. But at least take it slower, okay?"


    Sayuri rolled her eyes.


    "I know, I know," Kyle said, taking her hand in his, "You''re taking very good care of yourself and our babies. I''m just worried."


    It took some time for Kyle to appease Sayuri, but at least, he managed to. He made a mental note to hire?more people to ensure that Sayuri remained healthy and safe. His respect for his small-framed mother who had carried him and Kay to term grew even more.


    After that, Dr. He gave a few more instructions on how to care for the pregnancy and set the next appointment. Kyle checked his calendar and noted that some changes had to be made. Not a big deal.


    "You don''t have to come if you can''t," Sayuri said to Kyle.


    He frowned and looked at her, "It''s the least I can do, you know. You''re the one who has to carry our babies to term. Re-arranging my schedule is nothing. I''m the boss after all."


    Sayuri looked down at her bulging tummy, smiling and feeling warm inside as she rubbed it. For now, at least, she had his complete attention and care. So what if it was temporary.


    She''ll take one day at a time.


    Like always.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle looked through the surveillance footage intensely that night.


    At first, he focused in the general direction of where the gaze had come from when he and Sayuri left the building. Then, he checked the other cameras, looking at the spot from different angles.


    He rubbed the space between his eyebrows, shaking his head once he confirmed that shadowy figure behind the pillar.


    Sarah.

 Chapter 708 - Finally

    Chapter 708 - Finally During the time Kyle and Sayuri had been at the doctors, Sarah was familiarising herself to her new workplace.


    Sarah looked at the items she had arranged on her desk happily. It was a pity that she couldn''t put up Kyle''s pictures there, but it was too soon. No one should know about their relationship.


    Or rather, their future relationship.


    So, while she was sad, it was good enough. She had tons of his pictures in her phone, so she could look there when she got lonely. She had survived this long, she can handle a few more months.


    Finally, she was here.


    Finally, she was at the place she had worked so long, and so hard, for.


    She looked around the office with a smile on her face, contentment evident.


    However, when she thought of that scene ¡­ her man with another woman ¡­ she started getting upset. Why was he so blind to the one person that was perfect for him? She had known the other girl wasn''t the one and it was obvious.


    When he came back, he had changed completely. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sarah knew that it had been due to the break-up. He had gotten swindled, his pure feelings were crushed and he had given up on love. Unfortunately, she had not been around at that time. She had been busy honing her skills and gaining the experience needed in order to work here.


    So, while he was at his most vulnerable, that vixen took her spot.


    Sarah thought about all the late-night studying, the work she had done, and all the sacrifices she made in order to be right where she is right now. Kyle was surrounded by all these fake women, and it wasn''t his fault that he got fooled.


    Sarah hummed a happy tune.


    Now that she''s here, she finally is able to make her move. All obstacles will be taken away so that Kyle would finally, finally see her. This was something Sarah had known from the first moment she saw Kyle.


    Kyle was in love with her, but he was too blind to realise. Only she, who was aware of all the working of the Universe, managed to know it. She knew that the path to true love is never smooth or easy.


    Sometimes, he would get lost along the way before finally landing where he should.


    It was okay.


    She was more than willing to work at it because, after all, like everything that was perfect - will take time and effort.


    She had so much to do.


    As a new public relations officer, she needed to get all the information about the HQ and what they had done all this time.


    She had to familiarise with the workings of the Smith Industries.


    She had to know who the people involved were i.e. the customers, investors, stakeholders ¡­ oh, so much to do!


    Not to mention, getting rid of Sayuri and her baby.


    No way was she going to share her man with any other woman - or those who stole his sperm.


    Sarah continued to hum happily as she did her work.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "So?" Sayuri asked as she handed Kyle his breakfast.


    He thanked her, and answered before tucking in, "It''s Sarah."


    Sayuri blinked and shook her head, "Really? Seriously? She hasn''t given up??"


    Kyle shrugged, and turned towards Junior, asking him, "You ready for school?"


    Junior nodded while carefully putting a spoonful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.


    "Good boy," Kyle said with a smile, rubbing his hair. Junior smiled at him in return, his cheeks puffed up with the eggs.


    Turning his attention back to Sayuri, he said, "I checked the employee records. She''s the newest recruit in the public relations department. Her credentials are impressive and above board."


    Sayuri twirled her spaghetti and said, "So you can''t fire her for no reason. What are you going to do then?"


    "Monitor her 24/7," Kyle said, as he poured another cup of coffee for himself, "I''ll put security detail on her activities, and also have Lucka monitor her online activities."


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow, "Isn''t that overkill?"


    Kyle looked at her seriously, "She''s hung on this long. She may not be a ninja or anything like that, but ¡­ that gaze of hers isn''t normal."


    Junior listened to the two adults talking without much interest. He didn''t really understand what was going on but it was okay with him.


    Actually, he liked the fact that they talked so openly and did not hide things from him. He may not understand, but it made him feel warm inside for it felt like he was a part of the family.


    As usual, he would feel sad when he thought of this and he turned to look at Kyle again. If only he really was his father, but Junior knew better now. It hurt, but ¡­ he looked at Kyle again.


    At least, he didn''t feel empty.


    Whenever he went to visit his mother, that kind doctor would also explain things to him afterward. It wasn''t her fault, and she didn''t mean to lie to him. Junior didn''t quite understand why his mother would think Kyle was the father, but it was enough for him that she did not mean it.


    More importantly, that none of it was his fault.


    He liked the doctor because the doctor was always so patient with him. He also could see his mother not being so angry all the time now. At first, he had thought his mother was angry at him, then the kind doctor explained that it wasn''t.


    It took Junior some time to accept that, but as his mother got better, she would tell him the same thing as well. Sometimes, she would cry and ask for his forgiveness for being so moody.


    "Junior?"


    His senses snapped back to the present. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had not heard Kyle calling him.


    "Yes, Uncle?"

 Chapter 709 - Obsessive Love

    Chapter 709 - Obsessive Love Sayuri couldn''t help but laugh a bit at that.


    ''Uncle'' S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a young-looking uncle, but they couldn''t think of any other name that Junior could use to call Kyle. ''Big Brother'' wasn''t appropriate either since Kyle was the foster father. Using his name would be weird, because Junior was also Kyle.


    The only downside was she was now an ''Auntie'' as well.


    "If you''re done, go and wash your plate," Kyle said gently, prodding him, "Dian will be coming soon to take you to school."


    Junior looked at Kyle, his eyes pleading.


    "Hmmm? What is it?" Kyle asked, noting the gaze and the question that was most likely on his lips.


    "Can ¡­ can you send me today?" Junior asked in a rush.


    Kyle gave him a nod and Junior''s face split into a huge grin. He quickly took his plate to go and wash it, while Sayuri watched him go.


    "He was raised well," Sayuri said.


    "Yes, he was," Kyle agreed.


    "Sarah, on the other hand ¡­ that one is far more dangerous than she seems," Sayuri continued as she continued eating, "I would say she has an obsessive love, most likely due to some delusional disorder."


    "Obsessive love?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow as he took his plate to the kitchen. While there, he monitored Junior who was washing his plate seriously, his face all scrunched up as he carefully sponged the plate thoroughly.


    At the same time, Kyle started making Milo for Sayuri, noting that her cup was almost empty. Once Junor was done, Kyle patted his head in encouragement and Junior went to his room to get his backpack for school.


    "It''s just as what it says," Sayuri explained, "Being one of those obsessed - or rather, possessive type of person in love. You know, there''s a LOT of those type of CEO novels that are domineering and obsessive, so jealous that they can''t have the female lead even talk to a guy?"


    Kyle nodded as he gave Sayuri the cup of Milo, sitting back down at the dining table.


    "The problem with such obsessive love is that it can severely control the partner and destroy any form of a healthy relationship," Sayuri continued to explain, "With Sarah, the fact that you never got with her yet she has this idea that you''re hers ¡­ says a lot of things about her."


    "First, the obsessive love. You just being nice to her makes her feel you are in love with her. However, usually, such obsessive love stems from when a person is already in a relationship and they feel that when you say ''hi'' to another person, you''re flirting."


    "Yet, you''ve never been in a relationship with her, and you had even told her that you never felt anything for her. So why does she still have this notion about you? Why hasn''t she let go yet? It all points to the fact that her obsessive love stems from a delusional disorder."


    "You mean, she is under the delusion that she is in love with me?" Kyle asked.


    "No, that you are in love with her," Sayuri replied.


    "Er, what? Run that by me again?" Kyle asked, perplexed.


    "There are several types of delusional disorders," Sayuri explained, "Sarah shows the signs of the ''erotomanic'' one. Such feelings and thoughts are normally towards someone who is famous ¡­ like you. How do you think stalkers come into play? They truly believe that those stars are in love with them, and they are in love with the stars."


    "This is way too deep for me," Kyle muttered.


    Sayuri patted his head with a smile, "There, there. I know such things are really out of your scope to handle. That''s why I am here to explain things to you."


    "No matter the reason, the bottom line is that she is unstable," Kyle said, "But yet, I can''t touch her until she does something."


    "Yes, you have your reputation as the CEO," Sayuri agreed, "I understand. I trust you."


    Sayuri knew that Kyle would not be able to really do anything as yet, and he was most likely worried that she would misunderstand his lack of action. Although one could just kidnap Sarah and have her disappear, it was not Kyle''s style.


    He would not harm the innocent.


    While Sarah may not be an ''innocent'', she had not made any move yet.


    This was one of those things that she loved about Kyle.


    He was ruthless, but he wasn''t blindly so. He always gave people a chance, but for those who stepped over his invisible line - well, their fate was not pretty. She knew that Kyle would protect her well, and if it wasn''t for her being pregnant, she would be able to deal with whatever Sarah flung her way.


    Dian came then, and Kyle told her that he was taking Junior to school that day. Nodding, Dian then went to the kitchen to clean up. She would be going out later to buy groceries for lunch and dinner, so she took stock of what was needed.


    Junior was basically jumping up and down in excitement, for Kyle was taking him to school.


    "Come on, Champ," Kyle said with a smile. Once outside, though, that smile disappeared and the normal cold, stoic expression came on. Junior was used to this already. He thought that the door was like a portal.


    Only inside the apartment was Kyle warm and nice. Once outside, it was as if he stepped through this magical portal that made him like this. It wasn''t as if Kyle was not nice to him outside, but he didn''t smile.


    People were scared of him, too. Junior found that funny, and fun. Kyle once explained to him it was because he needed to be strict and firm in his line of job.


    As they got into the car, Kyle asked him a question he had been pondering for a long time.


    "Junior," Kyle called out to him.


    "Yes, Uncle?"


    "What do you think about changing your name?" Kyle asked, "You don''t have to if you don''t want to, and I really don''t mind you having my name, but I was worried about you."


    "Me?" Junior asked, perplexed.


    "You see, people with the name ''Junior'' means that you are the son of the name you carry," Kyle explained slowly, "At that time, your mother truly believed I was your father and your name was thus set. But now that you know the truth, how do you feel about it? Your name, I mean."


    Junior thought hard about it but he couldn''t think of an answer.


    Kyle rubbed his head, "Don''t worry. You don''t have to decide now. I just wanted you to know that you can if you wanted to, and to think about it. If you don''t, it''s also fine."


    Junior nodded, understanding Kyle''s intentions.


    In truth, he was torn because he did want to change it and yet, at the same time, he did not. Did that make sense?


    "Remember, your name is yours," Kyle said, "You have every right to decide."Even if you want to change it in the future, there is nothing to stop you."


    "Okay, Uncle," Junior replied obediently.

 Chapter 710 - Dahlia

    Chapter 710 - Dahlia When they reached the school, Kyle got out of the car and followed Junior inside. Cars were not allowed into the school as a precautionary measure, so parents would park outside and walk their children in.


    Suffice to say, he created quite the commotion. Junior was chattering away happily, holding on to Kyle''s hand as they walked through the gates. Everyone assumed Kyle was the older brother since he looked so young.


    That is, until Junior went and said loudly, "Uncle Uncle! Will you pick me up also? Please?"


    Suddenly, a shrill voice was heard, "Why are you calling him uncle? He''s big brother!!"


    Kyle and Junior turned their heads, to see an indignant girl standing there, huffing, while leaning against the wall that separated the pre-school and primary school.


    "Dahlia?" Kyle called out, surprised. By the looks of it, she had run all the way from her class or something. She looked rather out of breath, and was taking the moment to catch her breath.


    "Big Brother Kyle!!" Dahlia shouted, running over and hugging him immediately, "I haven''t seen you for ages!! Why haven''t you come to visit me?"


    She pouted.


    "I''m working now, Dahlia," Kyle said patiently, "You know that. So I''m very busy and can''t come so often now."


    Kyle also wanted to distance himself from Dahlia, lest she becomes another Samantha or worse, Sarah. He didn''t think it was possible, but lately, he had become a bit paranoid. Perhaps it''s because Sayuri was pregnant now, so he felt edgy all the time.


    Dahlia glared at Junior, who was still holding onto Kyle''s hand and was looking at her curiously, "Who is he?! Why are you taking him to school?!"


    When she asked that, she hugged Kyle more, as if staking her claim.


    "This is Junior," Kyle said, "Sayuri and I are taking care of him while his mother is in the hospital."


    "Huh?" Dahlia was flabbergasted, her ears perking up on one word. Or rather, name. "Sayuri? Who is Sayuri?"


    "Auntie Sayuri is Uncle Kyle''s wife," Junior explained, his eyes wide and innocent.


    For the sake of convenience, and to avoid confusion, Kyle and Sayuri had merely stated that they were a family. Although Kyle never referred to Sayuri as his wife, Junior assumed so since they lived together.


    Neither Kyle nor Sayuri wanted to explain in further detail.


    "Huh?" Dahlia blinked, "But but ¡­ I am supposed to be Big Brother''s wife!!"


    "You can''t," Junior said resolutely, "Uncle loves Auntie very much."


    Now it was Kyle''s turn to blink.


    Did it appear so to him? Little kids truly were innocent angels and saw their normal interaction as something loving. Then again, Junior never did have a father-and-mother to make his judgment on, so he mistook their talk and banter as what a loving couple would do.


    "Also, Auntie Ayu is going to have babies," Junior said smugly, "You can''t break up their marriage. You''ll be a home-wrecker!"


    Dahlia''s lips quivered.


    Kyle placed his hand on top of Dahlia''s head and said gently, but firmly to Junior, "You don''t have to worry about that, champ. Dahlia is a nice person and has a big heart. She wouldn''t do that. Right Dahlia?"


    Dahlia looked at him, tears in her eyes, "Are you really with ¡­ with ¡­. You''re going to have babies?"


    Kyle nodded.


    "But ¡­ but ¡­"


    Kyle bent down and looked at her in the eye, saying seriously, "Dahlia, I''ve only seen you as a younger sister. Nothing more, nothing less. Have I ever done anything to make you think otherwise?"


    Dahlia pouted.


    She thought hard.


    Then reluctantly shook her head, her lips quivering and she was blinking rapidly.


    Kyle gave out a breath of relief that he did not realise he was holding. If Dahlia became another Sarah, he would go berzerk.


    Seriously.


    Sayuri was the only sane and normal woman he had hooked up with, and he was grateful that she was the mother of his children.


    The first bell rang then, indicating that the class was to begin in 5 minutes. Kyle looked at Dahlia worriedly, "Quick! You''ll be late for class if you don''t go now."


    Dahlia wiped her eyes quickly, kissed Kyle suddenly on the cheek and ran off.


    Stunned, Kyle could only watch her go and shook his head.


    Luckily, he had Sayuri as a shield to settle the situation before it got worse. As he had been there while Dahlia grew up, he knew that she was a strong person. She was very kind and sweet, and though this would have shattered her little dream, she would recover.


    "Come on, champ," Kyle said, "And yes, I can come and pick you up later. I can today as I don''t have meetings, but it''s not all the time that I will be able to when you ask, okay?"


    Kyle didn''t want Junior to get spoilt, so this was his other way of emphasizing the fact that while Junior can always ask and give his opinion, it didn''t mean that he would always get his way.


    Junior nodded, "Okay."


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    A dignified, smartly dressed man walked through the doors of Smith Industries HQ. His slight stubble and gold-rimmed glasses added to the alure of the man, making the women who saw him, sigh.


    Yet, at the same time, sigh in disappointment.


    For the man that walked in was none other than Samuel Johnson, the CEO''s most trusted PA. Right-hand man.


    Whenever Kyle and Sam walked together, the sight was dazzling. Both were good looking in their own way, though undeniably, Kyle was of the more ''dazzling'' variety. Sam had lost his hot ''nerd'' look.


    He was now scorching hot. Fact that he''s married and unattainable somehow made him even hotter.


    Some women are strange like that. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before marriage, he was a boy. Now, a delicious man.


    Sam didn''t take heed of all the stares that he got, though he did wonder what had happened.

 Chapter 711 - Big Brother Kyle

    Chapter 711 - Big Brother Kyle Sam stared at Beatrice as she gave him the lowdown on what had been happening since he was away.


    His mouth was practically wide open, while Beatrice ignored his expression as she rattled on.


    Once done, she put down her notebook and looked at him.


    He was still staring at her with his mouth open.


    "This can''t be happening," Sam muttered under his breath, pinching the space between his eyebrows.


    "It''s all yours now," Beatrice said with glee, "Good luck. I certainly don''t envy you at all."


    Sam groaned.


    "Serves you right for taking more than the scheduled one month leave, you know," Beatrice said with a grin, "Perhaps, if you had been around, it might not have gotten to this stage?"


    The fact that even if Sam had been around, nothing would have changed, didn''t matter to Beatrice. She knew that Sam liked being in control and having everything going according to plan.


    What had happened when he was away was completely random, but she still wanted to tease him about it. After all, her break was delayed because he extended his. Little did Beatrice know, she wouldn''t have done this years ago ¡­ the effect of the Dante twins was far greater than she realised.


    As for Sam, he remembered all those years ago. When they had traveled while he was doing his John Wick promotional tours and he had the fleeting thought of Kyle causing problems with girls. He had dismissed it then, for Kyle didn''t show that he was going down *that* road.


    Sam had been happy enough that his job only entailed the business, and not having to clean-up after the boss'' affairs.


    Now, he had only gone for his honeymoon and what had happened?


    A fake son that he is fostering. A shareholder that is pregnant with his kid. What else? A childhood sweetheart that starts becoming crazy, demanding his attention?


    Sam shook his head, "My bad, Beatrice." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beatrice laughed and patted him on the shoulder as she walked off, "I''m teasing you, silly. Though the ''good luck'' is serious. Send my love to Betty!"


    Thinking about Betty made Sam smile. It had only been an hour since he left her and he was already missing her. Now that she was his completely, Sam found his possessiveness went up a notch.


    Luckily, Betty didn''t mind it.


    Or rather, she was oblivious to it.


    Sam grinned.


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    Dahlia was still sniffling a bit when she got back to class. Luckily, she managed to dash here in time and she had not cried. Well, technically hadn''t. She had been rubbing her eyes and wiping it continuously to stop the tears from falling.


    In the end, she had a slightly red nose and eyes.


    Her desk partner looked at her worriedly, "What''s wrong, Dahlia?"


    Dahlia gave a bright smile and wiped her eyes again, "Nothing. I sneezed and now, I have a slight runny nose. Don''t worry, it''ll dry up soon."


    Her partner nodded and the teacher walked in then, signaling the start of class. For the first time, Dahlia was glad for classes to begin.


    Dahlia sighed to herself, putting her chin on the palm of her hand as she thought back on all her days with Kyle. For as long as she could remember, Kyle had been a significant person in her life.


    She didn''t quite remember the whole accident, but she did remember feeling very safe and warm in his arms. Her mother had actually recorded the news of that day, and she thought Big Brother Kyle was truly like a superhero.


    No, not like.


    He is.


    He always treated her well and she loved him to bits. No one was as good as Big Brother Kyle, and no one would ever be. Mother always told her that Big Brother Kyle was her saviour, and she should be grateful but never be a burden.


    Dahlia started doodling in her textbook.


    Mother had constantly reminded her that one day, Big Brother Kyle would get married.


    At first, when Dahlia had told her that she would be his bride, her mother had indulged her. However, when that notion didn''t seem to get any less as she grew older, her mother had given her a heart-to-heart talk about it.


    Dahlia didn''t like that talk, but she pretended to accept it. She just buried her feelings and didn''t say it so openly any more.


    Deep down though, she knew her mother was right. She just refused to believe it. Her mother started making her visits to Big Brother Kyle''s house less frequent and made her mix with more people her age.


    When Big Brother Kyle disappeared all those years ago to study, Dahlia had truly felt it then.


    He didn''t even send her a letter, let alone call her. She knew then, that Big Brother Kyle never saw her as anything other than a little girl.


    But she still hoped.


    Kids are like that sometimes. They don''t give up easily, believing that things would always work out somehow.


    Still, today''s events had completely shattered all of those dreams.


    Thus, Dahlia decided it was time to close that chapter and walk forward. Her mother had been right.


    As always.


    It was time to let the broken pieces of her heart lay where it lay and don''t pick it up. Still, what that kid had said made her upset.


    Not just because he was the one that revealed the truth, but that he knew about it! What was his name?


    Dahlia realised she didn''t know. Big Brother Kyle just called him ''Champ'' and he called Big Brother Kyle ''Uncle''? Why was that? And he knew how loving Big Brother was with ¡­ with ¡­ his wife?


    She resolved to find out later just who this kid was and what sort of connection he had with Big Brother.


    It wasn''t that she was harbouring any more thoughts about Kyle. She was just curious.

 Chapter 712 - Sarah?

    Chapter 712 - Sarah? Sam decided that the first thing that had to be done ¡­ was get the Elite Five together. It was high time for a long-overdue talk. Things were happening around quite fast, and coming back from his break made him realise this even more.


    Luckily, Ali had moved nearby so setting up a meeting with all of them was easy. All he had to do was contact the others, and slip it in Kyle''s schedule.


    It was long overdue for their heart-to-heart sharing talks that they used to have.


    Right after Sam had finalised the details, Kyle walked into the office and saw Sam there.


    "Oh, welcome back," Kyle said with a grin, "Finally able to let go of your wife to come to work?"


    Sam snorted, "At least I have a wife."


    "Oof," Kyle responded, "Such burn."


    Sam leaned back on his chair, tapping the table with his pen, "Anything I should be aware of? The things that have been happening when I was away is rather ¡­ disturbing."


    Kyle acknowledged it, yet shrugged, "It''s not over yet."


    "Seriously?" Sam said in surprise.


    "Glad you''re back," Kyle said as he opened his office door, "You''re just in time for this."


    Sam got up immediately, taking his trusty notebook out of his hidden place and followed Kyle into the office.


    Obviously, this was not a ''normal CEO'' job.


    An hour later, Sam sat at his desk and furrowed his eyebrows. He had listed out all the things that Kyle had wanted him to take care of, on top of the normal PA duties. Sayuri and Sarah were on top of the list.


    Kyle was really being extremely careful and meticulous with the care that he wanted for her. Although Sam hadn''t quite seen how Kyle had acted or treated Sayuri, the 5 pages he had to fill up with his instructions were a clear indication of his feelings.


    Yet, he wasn''t planning to marry her at all?


    What was going on?


    Sam brushed that aside.


    That could wait.


    Though perhaps one could say that it was merely Kyle taking care of his future kids, Sam didn''t think so. He noted the different tone of voice Kyle had when talking about Sayuri and the expression on his face.


    As compared to how Kyle had been when giving out his order about Sarah.


    Sarah was a surprise.


    Sam remembered who Sarah was. Who wouldn''t? Kay''s first female friend. The best friend then, until she had become too attached to Kyle. Sam hadn''t known the full story and had simply chalked her up as another one that fell for Kyle.


    The fact that she''s here, and Kyle felt she was a threat, meant a lot.


    Sam picked up the phone and contacted Uma, one of the more trustworthy ones in the Public Relations department. She wasn''t MIB, but was one of those that Kyle had considered recruiting.


    In the end, he didn''t. Not because Uma wasn''t qualified but rather, it was because Kyle felt that she would be happier having a ''normal'' life.


    Before recruiting anyone into MIB, once a potential agent was identified, the first thing that Kyle looked at was loyalty. Whether the person was fundamentally good, or inherently bad. Their background was checked, their behaviour was tested, and they were assessed by a specialist.


    Then, Kyle would evaluate them to see if they were suitable for a ''double'' life. They weren''t spies, but it was undeniable that they would have a secret life. Uma was one that was not suitable for MIB but she was a trustworthy and loyal person.


    So the task to monitor Sarah fell on Uma.


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    Uma looked at the phone for a minute, her mind whirling around in surprise.


    It had been Samuel, the CEO''s PA that had called her and she had been so shocked that she almost dropped the phone. Even though she was a PR officer - and the Head of this department, no less - she was still rather timid and nervous when it involved the CEO.


    No, not timid but rather, too much in awe.


    The CEO had actually given her, a nobody from the countryside, a chance to work here. He had set up a new system that he set up that did not merely look at paper qualifications. There was still the ''normal'' route, but with the ''new'' route, the CEO was the one that personally tested them.


    With this golden chance, she managed to make her mark and people don''t dare look down on her anymore. She may not have been able to go to college or University, but she held a relatively high position in THE best company in Country Tz.


    Who would doubt her?


    Now that the CEO needed her help, it was a no-brainer that she would do her best.


    Sarah, huh?


    Just like any of the staff under her, Uma was well aware of who Sarah was. She had been present for the final interview and thus, was also aware of her capabilities. She exuded confidence and had a bubbly personality that was suitable for this role.


    She looked through her office glass panel which allowed her to see her staff. Uma had her own personal office, but one wall was replaced with glass panels entirely. It was soundproof, and there were curtains that would cover it when she wanted privacy. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This set-up was her own idea that the CEO approved readily and had even implemented it in other departments. With this set-up, she could keep an eye out on her staff - and her staff could also see that she wasn''t slacking either.


    From her observations, Sarah''s work had been good. She was meticulous and hard-working. So what was it about her that made the CEO wary?


    Uma wasn''t one to doubt the CEO, however.


    As Uma was contemplating her ''mission'', Sarah was smiling.?First phase completed.


    Infiltrated HQ. Be the perfect staff.


    Next. Sow doubt.

 Chapter 713 - Second Phase

    Chapter 713 - Second Phase Sarah pursed her lips when she thought of her next plan of action.


    This was an important phase. Crucial, even. If? this failed, then she would have to change her tactic before starting the third phase.


    ''Sow doubt'' was simply her sowing some doubt into the minds of the people in HQ about Kyle''s attentiveness to Sayuri. It was more of him being forced to.


    Oh, she knew so many novels that these people tend to read. Of how the cold CEO was drugged and slept with the female lead. The latter got pregnant and so forth, so the CEO had to bear responsibility. Eventually, they fell in love.


    Hers would have a better twist.


    The female lead was her, of course, while Sayuri was the villain.


    She actually had a secret relationship with Kyle that they were going to announce soon, but Sayuri came in the way with her nefarious scheme.


    She drugged the unsuspecting CEO, got herself pregnant and he had no choice but to break ties with her so that he had to bear responsibility. Sarah, unable to let him go fully, but forgiving him, starts working here to watch him from a far.


    Such a wonderful story. It should be the next best-selling novel, right?


    But this was reality. Even better.


    First, she will start spreading the news to the ones in her department. Then, naturally, they''ll spread it out. Since she had such a good relationship with them, they wouldn''t doubt her. Even if some were not sure, they wouldn''t dismiss it either.


    That was okay.


    As long as people talked about it, the matter was achieved.


    Gossip will spread.


    Even though there was the unwritten rule in the HQ that no one is to gossip about the CEO, it wasn''t like every single person could be monitored. Whatever was said privately, between colleagues in their office, or at the cafeteria - who would know?


    Those that were made examples of were foolish enough to say it within the listening vicinity of the CEO. Naturally, Sarah wasn''t going to be that silly. If anyone did get caught, who would know where the rumour originated from, right?


    The most important thing was ¡­ how one was to start the rumour.


    It could not be something told but hinted at.


    Sarah smiled.


    She saw the perfect person to start with.


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    Rahmah had a whole stack of documents in her hands, carrying them carefully as she headed back to her desk. Just why was she always the one who had to do the photocopying?


    There was just so much to copy!


    Finding out the latest data was one thing, but some of the oldies in here did not like reading from the computer. So, she had to print them out and photocopy them, bind them and submit the reports each week.


    Such a hassle.


    Shouldn''t this be the job of the grunt person?


    Oh, wait.


    She is that grunt person.


    She grunted.


    Truth be told, she really could have given this task to another but she was the type that liked to do everything from the start, until the finish. Their intern was already so busy since he had to actually help everyone in the department, so what was this small matter, right?


    Just as she passed by one cubicle, the person sitting there had gotten up and turned. In that split second before Rahmah smashed right into her, she saw that the girl was clutching something in her hand and her eyes seemed to be slightly wet.


    She didn''t have much time to think about it as they both went flying.


    Well, not literally, but you get the idea.


    The papers did get scatters all over. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rahmah groaned while the other person gasped and started apologizing profusely. The latter immediately went down on her knees to pick up all the papers.


    Upon closer inspection, Rahmah noticed that it was the new girl, Sarah.


    "I''m so sorry, so sorry," Sarah was saying, sniffing a bit, "I was not paying any attention. This is all my fault."


    Rahmah sighed, her anger dissipating quickly. It wasn''t like she was truly angry. She was actually just exasperated but upon seeing Sarah bunching down like that and sounding so sad, she felt sympathy for the girl.


    The new girl had been really good since she started. She was very helpful, always smiling and doing her best. Rahmah remembered that the girl had looked a bit upset earlier, and she suspected that there had been some sort of incident that upset her.


    She was curious, but didn''t ask as she thought it was too personal. Rahmah bent down and started to pick up the papers as well, "It''s okay. These things happen."


    "You''re so nice," Sarah said, her lips quivering a bit, "I wasn''t careful and you''re not having to re-arrange everything. Let me do it, it''s the least I can do."


    "We can do it together," Rahmah said graciously, "It''ll be faster that way."


    "But ¡­" Sarah began.


    "No buts," Rahmah said decisively, "We''re colleagues."


    Seeing Sarah nod, but still looking rather dejectedly, Rahmah couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong? Are you still upset over this?"


    Sarah shook her head vigorously, her eyes wide in horror, "No no no no! It''s not .. I mean, yes, I am upset over being so careless, but ¡­ it''s not ¡­"


    She sighed loudly, then took a deep breath as she closed her eyes for a second then said with great effort, "I''m sorry. It''s just that ¡­ I was suddenly missing my boyfriend. I mean, my ex-boyfriend."


    "Ex-boyfriend?" Rahmah asked, her curiosity piqued further.


    Picking up the last few papers and neatly stacking it, "It''s nothing. I''m sorry for having my personal feelings affect work. There are some good days, and some bad days, that''s all."


    Rahmah nodded, "Don''t worry, you''ll find another one. He was a fool to let you go."


    Sarah appeared truly sad then, and mumbled under her breath, "It''s not like he wanted to."


    Rahmah was surprised at that, and asked, "What was that you said?"


    Sarah jerked, as if in surprise, "Oh, nothing. Just asked if this is correct?"


    Rahmah checked the pile Sarah had done and nodded, "Yes, thank you."


    Sarah smiled back, though Rahmah could see the sadness still. Just as she picked up the pile that Sarah had done, her eyes noted a picture underneath. Sarah gasped and quickly took the picture, hiding it.


    Rahmah pretended not to have seen anything, and just walked away. Still, her heart was beating rapidly.


    Why did Sarah have such a picture? It was her, and their CEO!! Not only that, although it was not really a recent picture, it wasn''t that old either. Perhaps, a couple of years ago? Around the time the CEO returned and took back his position.


    What was really mind-boggling was that in the picture, it looked like the CEO was about to kiss Sarah. The intimate position, the way he bent down towards her ... it was obvious.


    This was hot news indeed!!


    Sarah watched Rahmah leave, a smile on her face.


    Now, all she had to do, was wait.

 Chapter 714 - The Rumour

    Chapter 714 - The Rumour Ramlah was rather disturbed by the picture she had seen, including the reaction of Sarah. It was obvious that she was heartbroken and have yet to recover from the break-up.


    That picture though.


    Was Sarah their CEO''s ex-girlfriend?


    And what did she mean, that it wasn''t his choice?


    They all knew about the new Lady Boss, but they didn''t know how they came about. Everything was quiet until suddenly, she was someone important? They hardly saw her around before and now, she was their CEO''s wife?


    Was she his wife?


    They didn''t hear anything about him getting married, though it was obvious that their CEO was the father of the baby she was carrying. After all, why should he accompany her about?


    Previously, she didn''t really think anything much about it but now, with Sarah in the picture, could there be something more to this?


    Ramlah thought long and hard about it, and decided to seek some thoughts from her friends. Thinking about it just gave her a headache ¡­ and her heart also ached. The sad look on Sarah''s face haunted her.


    Most of all, because Sarah didn''t talk about it. If she really had been in a relationship with the CEO, wouldn''t she naturally spread it about? Yet, she didn''t. This proved just what a good person she was. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So why ¡­ suspicion grew in Rahmah''s mind but she didn''t dare voice it out.


    It was that sentence, ''He didn''t want to'' that got to her.


    That was why she sounded the situation to her friend during lunch break. They were in the cafeteria, as usual, when Rahmah casually brought it up. She wanted to hear what were her friend''s thoughts.


    "No, what, really?" one said, after hearing what Rahmah said. "Such a thing can happen? Poor girl."


    Rahmah had laid out the scenario she had encountered, but she didn''t name the people.


    "What do you think happened?" Rahmah asked nervously.


    "It''s it obvious?" her friend answered, "A and B were in a loving relationship, or so A thought. B was actually cheating on A with C cuz A was just too rigid. Got C pregnant. Classic betrayal story."


    Rahmah shook her head, disagreeing, "But B is a very upright guy. He didn''t want to break up with A."


    "Oh, come on," her friend scoffed, "All men think with their d*cks. You expect me to believe that such a guy exist?"


    Rahmah bit her lower lip, "What if ¡­ say, hypothetically, of course, that guy is someone like .. oh, I don''t know, Kyle?"


    Her friend raised her eyebrow, "Kyle? As in, Kyle Smith? Our beloved CEO?"


    "Yes, yes," Rahmah said earnestly, "Hypothetically, of course."


    The friend nodded, but the cogs in her brain started turning and she couldn''t help but think ¡­


    "Well, if it was the CEO," the friend began slowly, "Well, naturally, then C somehow trapped him. He wouldn''t have cheated, but maybe he got taken advantage of when drunk? Being as upright as he is, he would take responsibility and break it off with A."


    Rahmah nodded, "I was thinking the same thing."


    "Yeah ¡­" the friend said, her voice trailing away, deep in thought.


    In a panic, Rahmah said, "Remember, we''re only using our CEO as an example. It isn''t him."


    "Yes, yes, I get it," her friend replied with a smile, "Don''t worry, I know."


    Relieved, Rahmah smiled.


    After lunch, though, a rumour started to spread about.


    Unsubstantiated and juicy rumours are the best to talk about, after all.


    It didn''t take long before the story got bigger and bigger (as all rumours do) with one person blemishing it even more as time went by.


    The only question on everyone''s mind, however, was ¡­ who was A?


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    Sarah was content.


    From the sounds of it, it was better than she had hoped.


    When she had first planted the seed onto Rahmah, she would often look at her pictures of Kyle that she had in her bag. They were truly well made.


    She had loads of them, and the ones in her bag were just a few of the thousands she had collected.


    Of course, when one say ''collect'' it was really ''made''.


    Sarah''s choice of majoring in public relations was very well thought out. The things she learned, she used to the utmost in making her relationship with Kyle a reality. One of the reasons why she was highly sought out as a PR officer was that she had multimedia skills.


    This meant that she was knowledgeable about various types of media and knew how to manipulate them. Being the leader of PoK certainly was the start of her skills and she honed them further.


    How to gather information. Spread them to achieve the optimum results. She knew how to use Photoshop, YouTube, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and even a bit of coding.


    She excelled in all of this.


    How could she not, when those were the sort of skills she utilised to create her fantasy into reality? Or rather, the line between fantasy and reality became blurred for her (perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that the line no longer existed).


    So now, she used those skills to achieve her innermost desire.


    Once Sarah was sure the rumour had reached its peak, she started the second part of the plan. She came extra early to work, before anyone would come in. Taking out two pictures of her and Kyle, she looked at it lovingly before sticking them on her table. She then placed her keyboard over it, effectively hiding it.


    Work began as normal.


    When lunchtime came, Sarah''s colleague came by, "Come on, lunchtime!"


    "Okay," Sarah replied, typing away on her keyboard, "Let me pop by the ladies first."


    Sarah stopped working and took her handbag. As she turned to leave, however, the swing of her bag hit her keyboard.


    Yan''s sharp eyes noted the corner of a photograph and she got curious.

 Chapter 715 - The Rumour (II)

    Chapter 715 - The Rumour (II) Curious, Yan pushed the keyboard aside after making sure Sarah had long gone.


    Her eyes widened at the pictures and she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.


    There were two pictures there. Both were of Sarah, and ¡­ and ¡­ their CEO?!


    One picture was of them walking hand-in-hand at a public park somewhere, with the CEO looking at her lovingly. The second picture had her and the CEO sitting at the beach, with Sarah inbetween the CEO''s legs while he hugged her. It was a side profile picture, but their features could clearly be seen.


    Yan''s mind felt like it had exploded.


    Never before had she seen such a loving gaze from the CEO. It was obvious that this was a very loving relationship.


    The rumour flashed in her mind and she gasped again.


    Sarah was A?!


    Yan hurriedly covered the photographs again with the keyboard.


    The fact that Sarah hid it meant that she was not going to reveal her past relationship with the CEO. The only way to find out was to dig it out of her.


    "I''m ready!" Sarah said as she came back with a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting."


    "Ah? No no," Yan said, a bit flustered, "Let''s go!"


    As they sat eating at the cafeteria, Yan casually brought up the question, "Sarah, you''re so young and capable. Pretty, too. Don''t you have a boyfriend?"


    Yan noted the flash of pain that hit Sarah, who then looked down at her food as she shook her head, "No."


    "Come on, I can''t believe that," Yan prodded.


    "No, it''s true," Sarah said.


    "Not even one?" Yan continued to press on, "That''s so hard to believe."


    Sarah gave a rueful smile and looked up at Yan, "Why the twenty questions? Planning to set me up or something?"


    "Ye-ess¡­" Yan could only say, wondering how else to bring up the subject without arousing her suspicion.


    "Don''t bother," Sarah said, "I thank you, but I''m not really looking."


    "But why not?"


    "If you must know, I was in a relationship before. We almost got married even. He had proposed and all," Sarah said, putting down her fork. She clasped her hands together, gripping them tightly.


    "What happened?" Yan had to ask, her curiosity at its peak.


    "Life," Sarah said, "Fate. Whatever you call it. He was on a business trip, and had taken a bit too much to drink I suppose. I don''t know. He doesn''t either. All I know is that he woke up after one drinking session with a naked woman beside him."


    "NO!" gasped out Yan, "He cheated on you?!"


    Sarah gave a sad smile, "That''s the worst part. He can''t remember a thing. He doesn''t know what happened and he didn''t think he drank so much. He felt so guilty that he confessed to me the very next day. He called me up all the way from Country M, apologizing while crying so much."


    Sarah''s voice quivered, "I forgave him, of course. I knew and trusted him. But who knew? That one-night stand resulted in her getting pregnant."


    "GOSH!" Yan exclaimed and then closed her mouth, "That''s terrible!"


    Sarah took a deep breath, "Him being him, he had to take responsibility. So, we broke up."


    A tear fell from Sarah''s eyes and she quickly wiped it.


    "Oh, Sarah, I''m so sorry," Yan said, completely apologetic for dredging up the sad past but yet, at the same time, completely excited over this news.


    Sarah gave a sad smile, "So you see, I''m not quite ready to move on yet. I couldn''t hold him back because that sense of responsibility is one of the reasons why I love him so much. I wish him all the happiness."


    Yan nodded, and didn''t ask more as she continued to eat while her mind was churning.


    It was true! Sarah was A!


    The rumour was true! B was Kyle, and C was Sayuri. The whole thing fit so much!


    Their CEO had gone to Country M for some business trip ¡­ and Ms. Sayuri had gone along as well. It was obvious what had happened. But why was the CEO ¡­ an idea formed in her mind.


    Her impression of Sayuri dropped as she looked at the sweet, kind and gentle woman who was obviously nursing a broken heart. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One thing still bothered her though so she asked, "What made you choose Smith Industries to work? With your qualifications, you could have worked anywhere."


    "Isn''t Smith Industries the best?" Sarah countered, "Of course I would want to work here because of it."


    Yan could have hit herself on the forehead with such a stupid question. How else could she ask then, without revealing that she knew Sarah had been in a relationship with their CEO?


    Why would Sarah work here and subject herself to such torture?


    "Silly me," Yan said with a laugh, "It''s just that, after your story, I thought you came here to get away from your ex."


    "The opposite, actually," Sarah replied.


    Yan was surprised. Was Sarah going to confess that her ex was Kyle?


    "You mean, your ex works here?" Yan said, feigning disbelief and shock.


    Sarah forced out a laugh, "Let''s just say, nearby. I feel that the best way to heal is to see him in his new life. I don''t want to stand in his way and would never be the third wheel or home wrecker. I just need to see him happy. He doesn''t even know I''m here."


    "Oh, gosh, Sarah, why are you torturing yourself like this? Isn''t it better to just go somewhere else, far far away?"


    "Smith Industries is the best," Sarah repeated, "Why should I stifle my future and career, just because I had a failed relationship?"


    Yan had no answer to that. Sarah had a point. The rest of the meal was finished in an awkward silence.


    When they went back to their respective cubicles, Yan couldn''t help but think that Sarah was really a strong and virtuous girl.

 Chapter 716 - The Rumour (III)

    Chapter 716 - The Rumour (III) Kyle was feeling rather pissed off.


    Royally pissed off, actually.


    He was well aware of the rumour that was going on.


    He was extremely angry that Sayuri was maligned in such a way. She was innocent, with the most beautiful soul ever, and they called her all sorts of slurs. He took note of those that did so.


    He really had take his hat off to Sarah.


    As much as he hated the rumour, though, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it right now. If he actively stepped in to quash it, it would only cause more harm. By denying the rumour, they''d only think he was trying to cover it up and protect Sayuri. That he was being a ''gentleman'' and a ''man of honour''.


    Worse, he had no evidence to pin the start of the rumour on Sarah.


    If he did, he would have had some valid reason to fire her. After all, the standard employment contract of Smith Industries had one unusual clause.


    No gossiping or spreading false information.


    Such actions would be worthy of being fired as loyalty and the good reputation of the company was one of its greatest strengths.


    Some might say that this is an unfair clause but if you agreed to it, then you are bound by it. No one was forcing you to sign, and the lure and benefits of working at Smith Industries was just too great that no one minded the clause.


    In this case, no one knew who started the rumour. Worse of all, Sarah never participated in it - after all, she was the party to the rumour, so no one would talk to her about it! Added to that, Sarah was efficient and good at her job.


    Kyle couldn''t fire her without a reason. That made him even more agitated.


    Then, a slow smile formed on his lips.


    Well, just because Kyle Smith couldn''t do anything didn''t mean Kyle Kato Smith couldn''t.


    Taking out his knife and as he started playing with it, and he hoped that Ice wouldn''t have to step in.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sarah was content.


    It had been a couple of months now and the rumour had taken root. People were even looking at her more kindly, and trying hard to be supportive without letting her know that they knew her secret.


    She smiled to herself while thinking that it was time for the final step.


    The world had to know of this.


    She happily posted some pictures via a fake online account that she had created years ago. She had several, which she kept active once in a while for purposes like this. It was posted on a popular blog that had all sorts of rumours.


    Kyle Smith may not be in the entertainment industry, but he certainly was an idol to many. Thus, any news on him would be blown out of proportion.


    Sarah posted a few pictures and the headlines screamed, ''Kyle Smith''s Past Secret Girlfriend''.


    The content of the ''news'' was basically the rumour that was going around. She didn''t embellish it much, and wrote it from the perspective of a ''good friend'' that couldn''t stand to see the ex-girlfriend suffer so much.


    ''My eyes always tear up whenever I see her looking longingly at him, but never stepping forward. Always looking from afar, wishing him happiness.''


    Sarah smiled as she typed those words, thinking how much it would tear at the heartstrings.


    Then, using her other fake accounts, she ''shared'' it into various other platforms and closed the laptop.


    Her work was done.


    Now, let the Internet explode.


    Sarah wasn''t going to see the words posted, or the reaction of the netizens because she wanted to have the appropriate shocked and scared reaction the next day. She knew that people would confront her or ask her about it.


    After all, once it is out in the open, that ''gossip'' clause in the contract wouldn''t hold water anymore. They would be saying that they wanted to verify the news that was already out there.


    Then, she can begin the third phase.


    Snatching him back.


    The next day, when Sarah came to work like normal, she noticed people staring at her. She smiled to herself, thinking that her plan was going smoothly and she was happy. However, she did not show this on her face, though she did smile was normal.


    However, she began to realise that the looks weren''t what she was expecting. It was strange. She had thought they would be looking at her with sympathy, and even jealousy but this?


    This seemed to be more like anger? No, hatred? No.


    Disgust.


    Yes, that''s it.


    Was she imagining it?


    As she passed by the receptionist''s desk, she smiled at the two girls there like she always did. However, they looked a bit uncomfortable and the smile they showed her seemed rather forced.


    She was thinking of asking them what was wrong but decided against it.


    This area was too public and she didn''t want to cause a scene.


    Just what was going on?


    She hurried to her office and immediately switched on her computer.


    She quickly found that post that she had originally done.


    Her eyes grew wide.


    What was this?


    The blog was done in such a way that the most popular comment would be on top. There, in response to her ''expose'', was another big news ''exposing her expose'' with the caption, ''The Truth''.


    The pictures that she had posted were reposted in that reply, but this time, it was Sayuri''s face on it.


    Sarah couldn''t believe it.


    She had created those pictures herself. She had hired a male model to pose with her in various scenes and settings. After that, she created various expressions and faces of Kyle through a computer-generated image (CGI) and photoshopping it onto the model''s face.


    So how could there be the same pictures, but with Sayuri instead of her?! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 717 - Reversing the Rumours

    Chapter 717 - Reversing the Rumours Sarah read the comment.


    ''I don''t know what drugs this poster was on. I was the one who took those pictures, so I know very well that it was NOT that girl. I don''t know who she is, but let me tell you this. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl that Kyle had been seeing, and dating for the past two years, is definitely not the one that the poster showed. I am attaching the real pictures.


    I was there when they started seeing each other.? They are happy.


    They are even expecting their first child together and now, there is this delusional psycho claiming that her ''good'' friend love was snatched away?


    Hello? Do you have a screw loose?


    Aren''t you ashamed of making such claims? Kyle''s beloved is the sweetest girl ever and you had to create this lie to break them apart?


    Go away you fool. Leave them alone. They''re expecting their first child together and you''re upsetting the mother for no reason.''


    Sarah''s mind reeled after reading all of that, and the comments below.


    ''Oh my God. I can''t believe such a person exist''


    ''It''s Kyle, what do you expect?''


    ''Agree with poster above''


    ''Agree +1''


    ''Who is this poster? Friend? Was she so stupid to believe her ''friend'' like that?''


    And the comments went on, and on, insulting her for being delusional and crazy.


    Sarah''s hands trembled.


    Just who was this poster?


    ''Angel''


    Sarah wanted to do some more checks, but people were already coming in. She quickly closed the browser and opened up another folder that showed the work that she had been doing.


    While typing, she pushed the keyboard aside to take the photographs there and quickly hide it in her pocket. In the meantime, she was thinking hard on how to turn this matter around.


    Right now, the two greatest threats were Ramlah and Yan. They were the ones that had seen the pictures of her and Kyle, There was a chance that they would confront her about the pictures.


    If that happened, what would she say?


    Sarah hoped that they wouldn''t, as their glimpses at the pictures had been done on the sly rather than her giving it to them. Would they dare ask her outright?


    If they didn''t, perhaps she would be able to still salvage something. Start another rumour? She had never told the name of her ex-boyfriend.


    Sarah shook her head mentally. That would not work.


    It might for the masses who didn''t know, but not those two who had seen the pictures.


    How was she to explain?


    Should she just ignore it and let them stew on the matter?


    No, that was not an option.


    They could start another rumour and make her situation worse.


    Sarah''s hands on the keyboard slowed down.


    Perhaps, they have outlived their usefulness?


    She shook her head.


    No, that would be wrong.


    Then, she thought of Kyle.


    Her hands stilled.


    Her determination became more resolute.


    Anyone who could be a danger to her getting Kyle should be taken care of. If she faltered now, what would that mean in the future?


    She had to be strong and do what needs to be done.


    After all, there would be countless bees around him, right? If she doesn''t get rid of them now, then they''d just keep coming back.


    The only question is ¡­ how?


    In retrospect, Sarah realised she had done a fatal error in this.


    Spreading rumours in the company was fine as it could not be traced back to her. Posting anonymously may also be okay, but a lot of people knew her face. Furthermore, would the Elite Five really have left it alone?


    How could she have made such a blunder?


    She had been so focused and happy about the whole thing, that she had actually forgotten them!


    Careless indeed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    As expected, the news about the pictures went viral. Although the original poster (her) and the one who replied (Angel) never did give any names, it was bound to happen that she and Sayuri were exposed.


    After all, they had schoolmates and collegemates.


    None of the Smith Industries employees mentioned anything, and even when reporters came to get some ''juicy'' news, they left empty-handed. None of them were brave enough to give any sort of information to the reporters lest it gets traced back to them.


    Even if the CEO could not pinpoint who it was, their lives wouldn''t be as carefree as it was right now. Security would get tighter, the CEO would get colder and Sam ¡­ Sam would descend on all the departments giving out the Devil''s Order.


    It had happened before and no one wanted a repeat of that Dark Age.


    As for Sarah, her life was getting to be a bit of a mess.


    First, the turn over of the rumour that now painted her in a bad light.


    Then, the two most dangerous women to her in clearing her name, had been randomly picked by the Department Head through a lucky draw to gather some information in another state. They had to do some fieldwork and observe the people in the area.


    As everyone wanted this job, as it had a lot of benefits and allowances, Ms. Uma had used the lucky draw method.


    The worse thing though?


    Her apartment had been broken into. The entire place was ransacked and the thief had been merciless.


    Luckily, she had kept her valuables in a safe and they couldn''t get it. However, her computer was gone and worst of all, all of her pictures of Kyle had been damaged in some way. They had been torn, crumpled, and even stepped on.


    Perhaps the thief had been so angry that they took it out on her beloved pictures instead?


    All her backups were also gone. One set had been in the computer, and another in her thumbdrive - that had been infected with a virus that wiped out everything.


    Sarah was devastated.

 Chapter 718 - Youre So Clever

    Chapter 718 - You''re So Clever Sayuri waddled into the living room.


    Yes, that''s right.


    Waddled.


    She felt as big and fat as a penguin.


    Wait.


    Okay, so a penguin was not fat but that''s how she felt like. As she walked out of her room, she mentally cursing Kyle.


    Kyle was in the living room, Kitty snuggled and purring on his lap. The moment Kyle saw her come out from her room, he got up immediately and went to her. Kitty, who had been flung off, blinked for a while and went to sulk.


    "I''m not an invalid!" she hissed at him, waving him away as he came by.


    She had one hand behind her back, relieving her backache that the twins were causing. Kyle didn''t say anything but instead, propped up the cushion on the sofa and hovered nearby until she sat down.


    Sayuri was now 28 weeks pregnant, and so, she had another 8 more weeks to go. At their last visit, the babies were fine. Sayuri didn''t want to know the gender of her babies and so, told Dr. He to keep it to himself.


    Without a word, Kyle took her legs and placed them on his lap. He then started massaging her legs while she leaned back on the cushions that Kyle set up for her. Never before has she felt this unfit and this huge, and it was all Kyle''s fault. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, deep down she knew it wasn''t, but she still couldn''t help but scold him for it all the time. Luckily, Kyle never complained and took it all in his stride.


    "Was it this bad for you?" Sayuri asked after a while.


    Kyle shook his head, "I can''t really say, because I was never pregnant with twins. I was rather small, I suppose, so the two months were really difficult for me. Couldn''t wait to give birth by then."


    "It''s about the same then," Sayuri mused, "I mean, since our babies are due in two months time as well. They''re so big and heavy. I can''t imagine what it''s like in there."


    "They have each other," Kyle said, "So being able to feel each other inside really helps."


    Sayuri stared at him.


    "Are you telling me," Sayuri began, "That you remember everything that happened while you were in your mother''s womb?!"


    "I was conscious and aware," Kyle revealed slowly, "From the 12th week, I think. Having Kay with me kept me grounded and sane."


    Sayuri just looked at Kyle, who was busy massaging her legs without looking at her.


    Just thinking of how he had been in a completely dark environment, unable to see and move properly, for 6 months ¡­ no wonder his bond with Kay was at a level that no one could truly break through.


    She wondered if it was the same for all twins.


    "Does Kay remember all of that?" Sayuri asked.


    "Kay was conscious as well," Kyle explained, "But she doesn''t really remember much from then. She remembered what I taught her though."


    "You ¡­ were teaching Kay stuff while in the womb?" Sayuri asked, still not being able to wrap her head around it.


    Kyle shrugged, "What else am I supposed to do to pass the time?"


    "No wonder the two of you are geniuses," Sayuri answered.


    "Yeah, I had gone through the entire primary and secondary school syllabus in 6 months. She absorbed everything like a sponge and stored it somewhere, I suppose. After all, we were still growing. I still don''t understand how the brain works though." Kyle said, "And it''s not like people could do research of fetuses while still in the womb."


    "Technically, the brain develops during the third week of pregnancy," Kyle said, "So it is my theory that as I was teaching her, the knowledge got ingrained and developed with the brain as it developed further."


    "I know it doesn''t make sense, but then again, being reborn, aware and completely able to think while in the womb doesn''t make sense either."


    "True," Sayuri said then changed the subject, "So have you dealt with Sarah?"


    "The rumour she started has been quashed and now, she''s the one who''s being looked down upon," Kyle said.


    "That isn''t dealing with her," Sayuri said, frowning.


    "I''ve already gotten rid of all the stuff in her apartment and bugged it," Kyle went on, "And Kay''s bots are monitoring her movements online. So far, Sarah has not made any new moves."


    "Why the hell are you waiting for her to make a move?" Sayuri replied, hitting Kyle on the head with the cushion.


    "She''s a normal person, Sayuri," Kyle explained, "If she was a member of the underworld or something, I''d kill her in a second."


    "She''s dangerous," Sayuri warned, "The level of her delusions and fantasies are off-the-charts. You can''t measure her with the same yardstick as a normal person."


    "You think she''s capable of doing actual, physical harm?" Kyle asked her seriously.


    "Yes," Sayuri answered without hesitation, "You need to resolve her quickly. She''s not like Samantha at all."


    "She looks so normal, though," Kyle said, "Other than this, she''s good at work and efficient. Even Uma can''t find fault with her work."


    Sayuri harumphed, crossing her arms across her chest, "She''s that great, huh? Then why don''t you just hurry along and ¡­"


    Kyle smiled, put his fingers on her lips and shushed her, "She''s nothing to me, and you know that."


    "I know that," Sayuri hissed, but still pouting and not appeased, "So what is your next step with her? How are you dealing with her?"


    "The greatest thing that she wants, is to be with me," Kyle said, "And the one thing she fears is to be seen in a negative light."


    "So you are going to make it clear to her that there''s absolutely no chance with you, and at the same time, create rumours to make her look even worse?"


    "Yup," Kyle said.


    "So you''re hoping by doing this, she quits, huh?"


    "You''re so clever," Kyle said, grinning.


    £¬

 Chapter 719 - Helping Out (R18)

    Chapter 719 - Helping Out (R18) "Stop trying to butter me up," Sayuri said ''angrily'', "You''re the one with all of these delusional psychotic girlfriends. Well, except for Sari who was only slightly ¡­ misinformed and was actually your girlfriend."


    Kyle had been massaging her feet at first, and then her calf. Now, it went up to her thigh as he smoothly continued his meticulous care. He was also using P''s Cocoa Butter Lotion on her legs, making sure that the lotion was rubbed in well onto the skin. ;


    "Hmmm," Kyle acknowledged, "Sorry about that. Like I said, I''ll handle Sarah. You just rest, take care of yourself and our babies."


    Sayuri, who''s hormones were higher due to the pregnancy, was gritting her teeth whenever his hands brushed against her thigh. The massage felt good but the side-effects were not so good.


    Abstinence wasn''t only hard on him, it was on her. ;


    Luckily, she was a huge whale so she couldn''t exactly jump on him right now. Then again, her pride wouldn''t let her be the one that went back on the conditions she had set on him.


    So she endured. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked up at her and asked, "May I?"


    Sayuri looked at him, and saw that he was holding the hem of her dress. He lifted it up slightly, indicating that he wanted to push it up. She nodded.


    Kyle carefully pushed it all the way up, fully exposing Sayuri''s thighs. Her legs were slightly parted due to the pregnancy bump and his sharp eyes noticed the wet patch. He pursed his lips as he continued his massaging, and remembered belatedly how horny he had been in the early and late stages of pregnancy.


    He wondered idly on how did she relieve herself of this and such thoughts made a certain neglected part of his body get rather excited. He mentally slapped himself. It was bad enough having to maintain his distance from her, now he added fuel to the fire?


    Kyle found that Sayuri was really, really sexy when she''s pregnant.


    Her skin glowed, her breasts were fuller, and the way the baby bump got bigger made him feel like he was really getting to be an extremely peverted man. Was this how Stephan had felt before?


    Kyle shook his head. ;


    Couldn''t be, because Stephan didn''t touch her during the entire time she was pregnant. What Kyle didn''t know was that it wasn''t because Stephan didn''t desire her but instead, he was so scared of squashing the baby that he abstained. ;


    He didn''t want to pressure her or make her feel guilty, so he had relieved himself during those months. Kylie had been the same - she didn''t want to pressure him, or make him feel guilty so she never voiced it out. It wasn''t so easy for her to relieve herself, however, as the huge bump made it slightly difficult.


    When Kyle realised that Sayuri must be feeling sexually frustrated, his hands paused and he looked up at her. He noted her slightly flushed face and that the tip of her ears was slightly red.


    "Sayuri?" he called out gently.


    "Hmmm?"


    "Don''t take this the wrong way, but ¡­" Kyle began, "Well, I know how horny one can get when pregnant."


    Sayuri glared at him.


    "No no no," Kyle said, putting his hands up in surrender, "I know the deal. I''m not saying sex, but ¡­ well, if you allow me, I can help you get through this patch until birth."


    "What are you planning to use?"


    "What are you allowing me to use?" Kyle asked back.


    Sayuri thought hard then answered, "Anything but your dick."


    Kyle blinked.


    "Okay, get those thoughts out of your mind," Sayuri hissed, belatedly realising that her words could refer to something else, "I meant, anything of you, except your dick."


    "So, fingers, lips, tongue ¡­" Kyle clarified, "Oral sex is fine?"


    Sayuri gulped, for images from their previous sex adventures flashed through her mind. Her rational mind was saying ''no'' but she was really ¡­ really ¡­"Yes."


    With that permission, Kyle went to ''work''. Luckily Junior was out visiting his mother, so Kyle was not worried of any sort of interruption. Or giving a free show.


    His fingers hooked onto the sides of her underwear and he brought it down, exposing her cave to his eyes once again. She was definitely very affected by his massage earlier for there was a thin line from the depths of her cave and on the underwear.


    He gulped at this scene, getting harder than ever. He endured. He gently slipped the underwear off her entirely before touching her directly on her bud and core.


    She was so sensitive that even that one touch made her moan. ;


    Plunging her finger inside while stroking her bud with his thumb, Kyle got up over her and started unbuttoning the front part of her dress. He was very careful not to touch her baby bump at all as he slowly exposed her full breasts.


    Seeing some clear liquid right at the nipples, Kyle found it strangely hard to breathe at the sight. He licked the tip, tasting it and then slowly twirled his tongue all over before biting and sucking it gently. ;


    Kyle knew that Sayuri''s breast would be extra sensitive, so he was careful not to use too much force. ;His lips and fingers never stopped, as he paid attention to both breasts equally while stroking her bud and plunging in his finger earnestly. It didn''t take long for Sayuri to climax and she did so, while pressing his face onto her chest.


    It took him a lot of effort to stay above her baby bump as she screamed out. When the wave finally ended, she released Kyle sheepishly. ;


    "Sorry about that," she said, referring to nearly suffocating him to death on her breast.


    Kyle smiled and gave one final kiss on each breast before extracting his fingers from down below, "It would have been one heck of a way to go, though."


    She smacked his head at that.

 Chapter 720 - Zane

    Chapter 720 - Zane Kyle dressed Sayuri up again, by adjusting her bra properly and buttoning up the dress. Then he bent over and helped to put on her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. As he was doing so, he was well aware that she was having more difficulty now with such simple movements.


    Having been emboldened by her permission to ''service'' her, Kyle decided to ask her something that had been on his mind for quite some time.


    "Sayuri, since it''s the final couple of months now," Kyle said, as he helped her to a sitting position, "You''re going to need extra monitoring and care."


    "What are you getting at?"


    "Let me stay with you in your bedroom during this time," Kyle said quickly, "I can be there to help you with anything, especially in the middle of the night. You can order me around for anything, even when you''re feeling rather .. erm, frisky."


    He held her hand and looked at her seriously, "I know you would be going to the bathroom a lot now, and would most likely be thirsty or just want to eat. I know that you''re also having difficulty in putting on clothes like your u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r."


    His look was intense as he said earnestly, "Let me take care of you."


    Sayuri felt tears prickling at her eyes.


    She was really glad that he asked, truth be told. It was getting harder and harder as each day went by. Sometimes, she found it really hard and tiring to go to the bathroom, or that she forgot something in the room when she had already gone inside but she was already sitting down.


    It wasn''t just the physical activities that brought her down.


    She was also extremely emotional that she would often burst into tears just because she was struggling with basic things like washing up ¡­ or that she was all alone on the bed. It was that loneliness that got to her a lot.


    She often scolded herself because there were women who were in a far worse position than her, and didn''t even have anyone to rely on.


    How did they ever survive?


    However, she just couldn''t bring herself to ask Kyle for help and she wasn''t comfortable with hiring a nurse or something just to help her and accompany her throughout the night.


    The fact that he was the one that brought it up gave her immense relief.


    "I''d like that," Sayuri said honestly.


    Kyle smiled widely and kissed her lips before he realised what he was doing.


    "Gah!" he exclaimed immediately, jerking back, "Sorry! I was caught up in the moment."


    He ran off quickly into his room before she had time to berate him for it/


    Sayuri watched the closed bedroom door ruefully, her fingers touching her lips. It had only been a brief touch and it caused her to sigh. Considering that he had done much more earlier, it was strange that a light peck on the lips would cause her heart to beat so much.


    She sighed.


    Meanwhile, inside his bedroom, Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. Then g.r.o.a.n.e.d. He needed his own release now, but the bathroom was outside. No way was he going to go out there now.


    With a sigh, he picked grabbed the cocoa butter lotion and the tissue box. He prayed the smell wouldn''t be too obvious - or that she''d think it was because of the earlier massage rather than *ahem* his own massage on himself.


    Once done, he cleaned himself up properly and threw the tissues into the wastepaper basket. He went out to see if Sayuri needed anything when the doorbell rang.


    "I''ll get it," he said as Sayuri looked on from the sofa. She was watching television and hardly glanced at him as he passed by.


    Seeing an unfamiliar face at the door, Kyle stared at him as the visitor stared back.


    "Who is it?" called out Sayuri from inside.


    At the sound of that voice, the visitor''s eyes sparkled while Kyle''s narrowed upon seeing that reaction.


    "It''s me!" the guy was saying excitedly, completely ignoring Kyle while trying to look inside.


    Kyle blocked him and asked, "And you are?"


    "Zane?" Sayuri gasped out, "Is that you?"


    "Yes, yes! It''s me!" Zane replied excitedly but could not get past Kyle, "Could you tell your guard dog here that I''m harmless?"


    Sayuri laughed and answered, "If you actually introduced yourself, he wouldn''t be blocking you. Stop being rude, Zane."


    Kyle looked at him smugly while Zane rolled his eyes, "I''m Zane, Sayuri''s friend. Now can I come in?"


    Kyle rolled his eyes as well in response and stepped aside. Upon seeing Sayuri trying to get up from the sofa, he quickly dashed over and told her to remain seated.


    "You don''t have to trouble yourself to get up, Sayuri," Kyle said softly, but loud enough for the guy following behind him to hear, "You sit down and take care of yourself and our babies, okay?"


    Sayuri smiled at him and nodded. It was a chore to get up anyway.


    "What are you doing here?" Sayuri asked.


    Zane came over and spread his arms wide, "When I heard that you were in town, of course, I''ll come over."


    "She''s been ''in town'' for months now," mumbled Kyle as he walked to the kitchen to reluctantly prepare some drinks and snacks. Zane was a guest, after all.


    "Sweetheart, do you want your spaghetti?" Kyle asked from the kitchen.


    "That''ll be great! Thanks!" Sayuri answered.


    Kyle heated up the pan and dribbled some olive oil on it. Once heated, he added in crushed garlic and chilli flakes. Once sauteed enough, he dumped two portions of spaghetti onto it.


    Although he didn''t want to make any for the guest, he couldn''t not serve him either. However, when he plated it, he only gave Zane a small portion.


    When he came out with the tray of two plates of spaghetti and drinks, he stopped at the scene in front of him. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zane and Sayuri were kissing.

 Chapter 721 - A Tiny Seed ...

    Kyle''s grip on the tray was so tight that his knuckles went white. Zane''s back was to him and he was bent down over Sayuri, his hands beside her head and leaning on the sofa behind her.


    Although he wanted nothing more than to smash the plate of spaghetti over the stupid man''s head, he endured.


    After all, wasn''t this one of the conditions Sayuri set?  sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    could date. Not him.


    But damn it!


    He didn''t think it would be this hard to actually see her with someone else.


    And kissing?!


    Just why the heck were they kissing?!


    Kyle placed the tray down with a slight bang. Zane got up then and cleared his throat while Sayuri licked her lips. Kyle clenched his jaw at this and resolutely sat down next to Sayuri''s right side while Zane sat on her left.


    "Catching up, I see?" Kyle said nonchalantly to Sayuri while handing her the plate of spaghetti.


    "Zane just wanted to test out something," Sayuri said as she tucked in.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow and Zane explained, "Whether it was possible to kiss by leaning forward like that, especially when the woman is pregnant and sitting down."


    "Why the heck do you even want to know that?!" Kyle asked with a snort, "And I could have told you how to do it."


    "Zane was my training partner then," Sayuri explained, "And his current target happens to be a pregnant woman so, naturally, he thought of me. I agreed to help him. After all, even though there are a few pregnant women in the clan right now, he''s more used to me."


    Training partner?


    TRAINING PARTNER?!


    Kyle felt like there was a hole in the ground that he fell through. Everything became pitch black as an unexplained feeling of intense agitation hit him.


    He remembered Sayuri telling him how she had obtained and refined her skills ¡­ in bed ¡­ Kyle got up and said, "Well, I won''t be in your way then."


    Sayuri watched him go, slightly disappointed that he didn''t seem at all disturbed by Zane. She thought, at least, he would show some sort of reaction.


    "Shall we continue?" Sayuri asked Zane, putting down her plate.


    "It really is awkward trying to get a good position," Zane grumbled, "I couldn''t even get within two inches of your face."


    Sayuri laughed at that, saying, "You''re just not flexible enough, I suppose. Or maybe your arm strength isn''t good enough?"


    He flexed his biceps, saying, "How can that be?"


    "Well, Kyle could finger me and play with my breasts without crushing my baby bump, yet you couldn''t even lean down far enough to kiss my forehead?!" Sayuri asked, scorning him, "And here I thought, you were this mighty skilled ninja."


    "Hey, in my defense, it''s hard to focus and remain still when you feel like there are daggers being flung at your back," Zane said with a shudder, "I thought only Grandmaster was like that. Who would have known your hubby is as well?"


    Sayuri sighed, not correcting him on his misconception. It would take too long to explain anyway. It was enough that he knew Kyle was a fellow ninja and would not forbid them from practicing.


    Meanwhile, back in Kyle''s bedroom, a figure wearing a face mask, dark glasses and a cap slipped out of the window and abseiled down. Once his feet touched the ground, he flipped his wrist which caused the hook on the window ledge to retract and the thin line retracted into his belt, with the hook being the buckle.


    People gawked at the sight and was so surprised that they didn''t manage to capture a photo. By the time they took out their phones, the figure had already disappeared.


    Kyle was in a hurry to get out of the apartment, so he was not in disguise as Ice. As such, he didn''t go to Big Bro Nic for any clean-up jobs. Instead, he randomly went about like some vigilante and started venting out his stress on small-time crooks.


    It wasn''t much of a challenge but he just wanted to punch something.


    Knowing how loud Sayuri could be, the last thing he wanted was to remain in the apartment and listen to it. It made him uncomfortable just thinking about it.


    Several hours later, drenched in sweat and blood, Kyle sat on top of the tree and looked out into the distance. For some reason, he found he could think better when he''s just above it all and alone on the tree branch.


    Maybe he was a monkey in his life before Kylie.


    Or a bird?


    Whatever it was, one thing was becoming clear to him.


    When he had been devastated over the break-up with Sari, he had done the exact same thing.


    Gone out, punched people and hung out on a tree the whole night. Now, just because Sayuri was making out with her training partner, he was doing the same thing?


    He shook his head.


    No, not the same thing.


    He just didn''t want to disturb them. Yes, that was it. He sighed. He should be getting back soon because Junior would be back.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sarah felt completely stressed out.


    Not only was the earlier rumour painting her as some weirdo, she now had numerous ex-schoolmates who added on more fuel to the story.


    It didn''t really sound bad, but when you coupled it with the earlier post, it was really bad.


    How, as the President of the PoK, she had been very strict about news on Kyle. She had been the one that kept the ''shrine'' at the school i.e. the table that Kyle used to have his meals at.


    Even now, that ''shrine'' was well maintained.


    It made her look like some psychotic, delusional person that was hanging onto Kyle and not letting go. How could they do that? How could they twist her pure feelings into something so insane?

 Chapter 722 - Relief

    Chapter 722 - Relief When Kyle returned, it was through the front door. He had already changed into a fresh set of clothes and the earlier dirtied ones had been thrown into two different garbage bins in the city.


    Sayuri, who was still in the living room, was slightly surprised upon seeing him enter. She deduced accurately that he had most likely escaped through his bedroom window. She found that to be rather funny.


    Dian had just finished cooking and was about to leave.


    "Sir," she said with a smile and then headed back home.


    Kyle acknowledge her with a nod and then asked Sayuri as he entered, "Fruitfull training?"


    "It was good," Sayuri replied, getting up from the sofa.


    Kyle dashed over and hovered nearby and she waved him off, "I''m fine. You''ve already changed the sofa into something firmer, so it''s easier for me to get up from it now."


    "That''s good," Kyle replied, "So, has his kissing skills improved?"


    "Kissing skills?" Sayuri frowned at Kyle, "How would I know if he has improved or not?"


    Kyle stared at her, puzzled then said, "Why wouldn''t you? Weren''t you guys training? And I saw you were kissing him when I went to get drinks."


    Realisation hit Sayuri and she laughed, "We weren''t kissing! Did it look that way? He was just leaning forward and trying to get into a kissing position. He wasn''t sure how to do so, while still looking suave and all."


    "Just into position? No actual kissing?" Kyle asked, surprised.


    "Just what were you thinking?" Sayuri said, waddling on. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She really needed the bathroom right now.


    "Those sort of intimacy training is only done prior to graduation," Sayuri explained, "Why would we need such training after? We have the basics, so if we want to perfect our skills, we''d do it during the missions."


    "Then why did he have to see you? You mentioned that there were other pregnant women, but that it had to be you? So, naturally, I thought ¡­" Kyle said, his voice trailing off and stopped when he saw that she had turned and was now facing him.


    She was frowning, her hands on her h.i.p.s as she stared at him while a finger was pointed at his nose.


    "Kyle Rexington Smith," Sayuri hissed at him, "First of all, did you really think I''d just jump into the arms of any man now?"


    "Er, well ¡­ he wasn''t ... just ¡­ any man ¡­" Kyle began, trying to defend himself, "And ¡­ well ¡­ you did say that you''d be free to date ¡­"


    Sayuri poked his forehead, then laughed, "I never thought I''d see the day the great Kyle Smith stuttering and looking uncomfortable."


    "Look, we just talked," Sayuri explained, "He sought me out because we are comfortable with each other and can talk things out frankly. He just wanted to know how it felt, what were the things to avoid and what sort of positions were comfortable and uncomfortable."


    "Couldn''t he get that information from the clan?" Kyle pressed on, not satisfied.


    Though he felt this huge weight being lifted off his shoulders and he was relieved about the whole thing, he still didn''t like it that Zane had come.


    "He''s dyslexic," Sayuri revealed, "So reading takes time and it''s a huge effort for him. He''s a visual learner, so it was better to show him rather than just have him read about it. I explained the contents of the manual to him and we discussed the methods."


    "Oh," Kyle said, not knowing what else to say. Still, he was so happy about it that he had this stupid grin on his face.


    Sayuri didn''t see that as she turned then, complaining, "Omigosh. I need to PEE SO BADLY !!"


    Kyle just hummed happily and even ruffled Junior''s hair as he walked by to enter his room just as Junior walked out of his. Junior just stood there, wondering what had happened.


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    That night, it was the night that the Elite Five were gathering together for the first time after ages.


    Kyle was in Junior''s bedroom, tucking him in. They talked for a while before he switched off the lights, leaving the nightlight on and left the room.


    He nodded amicably at the nurse that he had hired for the night, to tend to Sayuri while he was out. When he entered her room, he found her pouting while sitting at the edge of the bed.


    "I don''t need a babysitter!" Sayuri said.


    "Come on, Sayuri," Kyle said, "I won''t be at peace if you''re alone at home. She''ll just be outside on standby. The monitor is here in your room, so you have privacy, but it is s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e enough that as long as you call out, she''ll come in to help.


    "A baby monitor?!"


    "Similar concept, but not quite. Kay and Zero designed it for you, you know. It''s more s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and would even monitor your heartbeat and any suspicious activities in the room. It''ll send out danger signals then," Kyle explained.


    When she didn''t respond, Kyle went down on his knees and looked up at her, "I won''t go if you are really against it."


    Sayuri sighed and shook her head, putting her hand on his chek.


    "It''s okay," she said, feeling touched then smiled, "I know I''m being ridiculous. Go and have fun. You haven''t seen them for ages. I''ll be fine."


    "Are you sure?" Kyle asked.


    "Yes," Sayuri assured him.


    Kyle was relieved.


    Unlike most women who tended to say ''yes, go ahead'' when they actually meant the opposite, Sayuri meant what she said. From her tone of voice to her clear eyes, she really did let him go.


    Not that she was happy about it, but she wasn''t preventing him either.


    "Thank you," Kyle said, kissing her forehead, "You can call me anytime."


    "I know," Sayuri answered and waved him off, "But before you go, can you make me a plate of spaghetti?"


    Kyle grinned, "Gladly."

 Chapter 723 - Elite Five Gathering

    Chapter 723 - Elite Five Gathering The VIP lounge was lively.


    It had been some time since all of them could just hang out like this, and so, they were not going to let it go to waste.


    "Where IS Kyle?!" demanded Xing Han, pounding his fist on the table, "I mean, I know he''s like, the youngest and handsomest CEO in one of the biggest multinational companies in the world but that does not mean he''s got an excuse for being late!!"


    "Can''t you even insult him without praising him?" asked Ali, flabbergasted, "And handsomest isn''t a word."


    "Who cares? If the word fits, I will use it," Xing Han replied with a smile.


    "Poor Nitocris," said Sam with a sigh.


    "What? Why? I take care of my Cookie very well indeed," countered Xing Han, causing everyone to cringe.


    "Can you please stop calling him that?" Kay said, placing the back of her hand on her forehead, "It just gives me the chills when you start calling the Lord of the Underworld, ''Cookie''."


    "Pfffft," Xing Han scoffed at them, "It''s only with you guys that I can."


    "And in front of Zack, Yuri and whoever else is in charge of security for the day," pointed out Sam.


    Xing Han gave out an embarrassed cough, "Okay, fine. I''ll tone it down. It''s just easy to forget."


    Kyle walked in then, "Sorry I''m late! Sayuri got the hunger pangs suddenly as I was leaving."


    Ali looked at Kyle in shock, "Sayuri? Since when ..."


    He looked at everyone who didn''t seem shocked and he sighed, "I''m the last one to know again, isn''t it?"


    Kyle looked at him sheepishly, "Er ¡­ sorry?"


    Ali harumphed, glared at him and demanded, "Spill it."


    "Nothing much, really," Kyle said as he sat down, "Sayuri was a friend with benefits, who somehow got pregnant despite being on the pill. So we''re now co-habiting until she gives birth. I''m having twins, by the way."


    "TWINS?!" Xing Han exclaimed while Ali sat there with his mouth wide open.


    "Yeah, she''s due in two months'' time," Kyle said, "I believe Sofia is due next month?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yeah," Ali said with a grin.


    "And Betty is due in 9 months'' time," pipped in Sam.


    Everyone''s heads whipped over to Sam.


    "Damn, that was fast," Xing Han said.


    "Duh, it''s Sam," Kay pointed out.


    "True. So we''re going to have the next generation of the Elite Five," mused Xing Han.


    "So when are you getting married then, Kyle?" Ali asked, "Are you waiting until the twins are a month old or something?"


    Kyle''s face changed a bit at that, "No. I''m not getting married."


    Ali frowned, "Why not?"


    "She doesn''t want to marry me," Kyle said softly, his heart feeling a little bit pained at that.


    "You love her, don''t you," Ali said.


    "Huh? What?" Kyle said, his mind a bit muddled at what Ali had said. He poked a finger into his ear and wriggled it.


    "For a moment there, I thought you said I loved her," Kyle said as he looked at Ali.


    Ali just looked at him back, then at the other Elite Five. Sam and Kay nodded while Xing Han shrugged.


    "Oh come on, guys," Kyle protested, "I like her, I really do but I''m not in love with her. We''re also having kids together, so naturally, I feel for her more than I would any other person."


    "Yeah," Ali said, "Right."


    Kyle just rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to Xing Han, "What about you? When are you and Big Bro Nic finally going to tie the knot?"


    "We decided to just have it small, with family. Since your twins are due in two months'' time, then about a month after your twins are born," Xing Han said, "So that you guys can attend with the little cuties."


    After that, they started talking about the other things that they had been doing in the past few years. The hours passed by in a flash and before they knew it, it was already midnight


    "Sorry guys, but I gotta go," Kyle said, "It''s not nice to leave Sayuri alone too long."


    "Sure, sure," Xing Han said, waving him off, "Go off and perform your fatherly duties to the mother of your children."


    Kyle laughed at that and left. Only with the Elite Five did Kyle really let go and appeared to be just like he was, when he was a teenager. He was more open and laughed more freely.


    As they watched Kyle go, everyone looked at each other and sighed collectively once the door closed.


    "He''s really dense about this, isn''t he?" Xing Han lamented, then jumped up on the table and shouted, "WE NEED TO SAVE HIM!!"


    "But how?" Ali asked, "You saw how it is. He''s so stubborn. Kay, how the heck is your brother like this?"


    Kay rolled her eyes, "You''re asking me? I may be his twin, but seriously, this part is beyond me."


    "It''s like he has this mental block, or that his wall is so high that he can''t even see what''s right there in front of his face," Sam said.


    "I just hope he realises it before it''s too late," Kay said with a sigh, "I have tried all sorts of things. Directly saying it to him, hints and what-not but he''s just so ¡­"


    "In denial," Sam summarised.


    They all sighed collectively again.


    Outside, Kyle stood still as he leaned on the door that he just exited.


    He had heard every single word that they had said.


    For the first time, he actually listened.


    Was he in love?


    Did he fall in love with her?


    Were his feelings for her romantic love, rather than the love one bore for a very close friend?


    He truly didn''t know.


    How do you differentiate between the two?


    He had lived two lives, yet, he didn''t know?


    How laughable was that?


    Kyle walked off silently, his mind in a mess. This was something he had to think about real seriously.

 Chapter 724 - Safe Enough

    Chapter 724 - Safe Enough The reason why Kyle was actually listening this time, was two folds.


    First, the only people in this world that Kyle trusted wholeheartedly - besides his kids - were the Elite Five.? They would give it to him straight, and not sugar-coat anything. He had seen how they dropped the subject about Sayuri when he had denied he harboured any feelings for her, so he knew that they wouldn''t push it.


    But they would still have their own thoughts about it. Kyle knew he was stubborn, but that was only because ¡­ well, heck. He should know himself best, right? He truly did not think his feelings for Sayuri was romantic love. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew that the moment he left, they were most likely talk about him amongst themselves out of concern. Just like how he had talked to Xing Han when Sam had been resolutely denying his feelings for Betty. Was he, Kyle, doing the same thing?


    Come to think of it, except for Kay, he had meddled in their love affairs. So it was only expected that they''d return the favour.


    The second reason why he had stayed back to listen was because he had been having this nagging suspicion that had been at the back of his mind ever since his talk with Lianne.


    Her comments triggered something within him. Why was he so affected by Sayuri not being around? He was comfortable with her, he loved her company and their physical intimacy was great. Other than the last part, wasn''t that really what a best friend was all about?


    It was like how it had been with Stephan. It was comfortable love, but Kyle didn''t want Sayuri have that sort of love in a marriage. She deserved more. He didn''t want her to suffer in the end, more so when she was so in love with him.


    He didn''t have that palpitating, giddy feeling for Sayuri like he had with Sari. That''s one of the reasons why he was sure his feelings wasn''t romantic love.


    But ¡­ maybe ¡­ it was?


    ''In denial'', Sam said.


    Was he?


    He needed to think about this more.


    When he reached home, the nurse smiled and left after he paid her. There had not been any incidences, and she assured him that Sayuri was fine.


    He entered the bedroom silently, and peered at her sleeping face.


    He admitted, his reaction over Zane had been a tad overboard. Why had that been so? With the alcohol and the late night, Kyle found that he couldn''t quite think properly. Giving up on trying to analyze further, he went and took a shower before going to bed.


    He spooned Sayuri from the back, placing his hand on her baby bump. He smiled as he felt them move slightly under his hand.


    His children.


    His heart was full.


    He hugged Sayuri more, relishing in their physical contact. Feeling her warmth, breathing in her vanilla smell, and hearing her breathing as she slept gave him a peace that could not be explained.


    He soon fell asleep.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sarah was feeling really, really upset now. No one seemed to be overly antagonistic with her, but everyone wasn''t exactly being friendly, either. They were polite, but Sarah knew.


    They were all making fun of her.


    Even online.


    She couldn''t really clarify the situation when there were so many voices online that drowned out her rationality.


    All these stupid people.


    Why were they so hell-bent on separating her with Kyle?


    Worse, Kyle was hardly seen around the company nowadays.


    He would come in early and leave right on time.


    The reason?


    Because he was doting on, and caring for, Sayuri. She was due soon and everyone could tell how much he was in love with her.


    Once, they were spotted shopping together at the baby store. The way the newspapers reported it, it was nauseating. And that picture! The normally stoic and cold CEO actually had a gentle look on his face while his hand had been on Sayuri''s baby bump.


    Nonsense!


    He was just fulfilling his obligation to the baby in her stomach, not her! He was looking gentle and kind to the baby in her stomach, not her!


    These people were fools.


    How could they not see this??


    After mulling over it for some time, Sarah decided that it was best she resigned. She wasn''t able to achieve anything here and worst of all, Kyle wasn''t around which would give her an opportunity to make a move on him.


    Even if she did make any sort of move on him, she would only suffer a loss.


    After all, everyone was praising Kyle and Sayuri''s relationship to high heaven, so her actions would only make her look like she was a home-wrecker.


    Sarah gritted her teeth in frustration.


    That vixen really needed a reality check. She''s only the one who is carrying his babies. She is nothing.


    Sarah printed out her resignation letter and left it on Ms. Uma''s desk. Since she was still in her probation period, she only needed to submit the letter and she could leave immediately.


    Thus, Sarah did so in the wee early hours of the morning as she didn''t want to face anyone at that moment. When everyone else came later, they were surprised to see that Sarah''s desk had been all cleared out.


    It wasn''t a surprise to them, however. They were just surprised that she lasted this long.


    The moment Uma found out, she informed Sam, who in turn, told Kyle.


    "Please increase the security around Sayuri," Kyle said to Sam after getting word about Sarah''s resignation. Although he didn''t think she would really be of any threat, he wasn''t going to be lax about it either.


    He did contemplate having Sarah followed, but dismissed the idea. Sayuri stayed home most of the time, and with the bodyguards around her, he felt Sayuri would be safe enough.


    A decision he would soon regret utterly.

 Chapter 725 - Her Babies

    Chapter 725 - Her Babies Sayuri was really feeling it now.


    She was a whale.


    No, she was two whales.


    The days were spent at home, resting and she felt bored out of her mind.


    She was used to being active, running or fighting, and doing all sorts of stuff.


    Now, she was just this bloated whale shuffling along. She wasn''t even waddling anymore. She just moved her feet.


    Kyle had been great, of course.


    He was always supportive, always giving her massages, doing everything she asked without complaint and even kept telling her she was beautiful.


    Added to that, he had been even more attentive than ever.


    Sometimes, she thought she even caught him studying her intensely for some reason. When she asked why, he said it was nothing and was merely thinking while looking in her general direction.


    She let it go for now, but will definitely press him for more answers after the delivery. Right now, she was more concerned about her babies. One more visit to Dr. He before it was just ''waiting until they decide to pop out''.


    Sayuri agreed with Kyle that she would be admitted to the hospital a few days before her due date, so that she could be monitored properly. Dr. He had already made all the preparations, so all she needed to do was just pack.


    Sayuri looked at the bag that was already well packed at the door. It may be in two months'' time, but she couldn''t help it. She found herself getting her bedroom ready as well. The crib was there, the changing dresser was as well. The closet was full of cloth diapers and baby products.


    Kyle insisted on only one crib and had a custom one made so that both babies could fit into it. He said the twins would prefer to be together. The mattress was the type that was firm, but porous so that even if they slept with their faces down on it, they wouldn''t suffocate.


    Sayuri just couldn''t wait.


    Today was the day of their last appointment. Kyle was working and couldn''t come by to pick her up directly, so he would meet her at the clinic. She was waiting in the apartment and decided to go down to wait for the car and bodyguards in the lobby.


    It was just too stifling inside the apartment.


    Taking the key, she locked up the house and went to the lift. It was good to be out, and walking a bit. There wasn''t anyone in the lift, which was to be expected since people went to work.


    The lift stopped on the 1st floor, and as the door opened, no one came in. Curious, Sayuri looked out but there was no one. She closed the door, but it opened again. After several attempts, Sayuri decided to use the other lift, even though it was only one floor down to the lobby.


    As she went out, she g.r.o.a.n.e.d.


    Right on the door of the lift, was a notice that it was under repairs.


    She made a mental note to report the problem of the lifts to the personnel downstairs. For now, she had to use the stairs to go down. Sayuri thanked her lucky stars that it was only one flight of stairs.


    The exercise would do her good, she thought.


    She waddled out and used her whole body to push the emergency door at the stairs open. It was well lighted and the railings were sturdy. Sayuri held onto the railings firmly before taking a step down.


    She took it slowly, not wanting to push herself too much. So it was one foot down, then the other onto the same step before going down another step. It was slow, but it was better than going down too fast.


    Sayuri smiled to herself, thinking of the days when these twins would come out and she could finally start exercising fully again. Just as she took her third step, she heard the door behind her open.


    Thinking it was another poor tenant that had to take the stairs like her since the lifts were broken, she was about to turn to greet the person. Just then, she felt two hands firmly on her back ¡­ and she was pushed forward.


    Sayuri gripped the railings harder, and she only stumbled a bit instead of falling. Her heart was in her throat and the only thought in her mind was her babies. Before she could fully get herself stabilised, she felt a hard kick at the back of her knees, then she was kneed in the back.


    Her hands were on the railing in a death grip, but it slid down in the momentum and to her horror, she felt an oily substance on it. She could no longer hold on and she fell forward. In desperation, she placed her hands on her stomach and tried to roll with the fall so that there was the minimum impact on her babies.


    The fetuses were well-cushioned in their sacs, and ordinarily, even falling down a flight of stairs in the later stages of pregnancy would not result in stillbirth. However, because Sayuri was carrying twins, the ''cushion'' was not as well-padded as compared to a single pregnancy.


    Sayuri knew this, and did her best to protect her babies.


    She knew how to fall down the flight of stairs without injury but she could not utilise it now. She was supposed to protect her head, by tucking her chin to her c.h.e.s.t and place arms around it. Instead, those arms were used to protect her babies as best as she could.


    She was also to make herself into a ''ball'' but with her baby bump, how was that possible? S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, her arms, hands, stomach, and head were severely hit. By the time she hit the bottom, she was so dizzy that she could not avoid her head from smashing hard onto the floor.


    The last thought on her mind before losing consciousness were her babies.

 Chapter 726 - Sayuris Fate

    Chapter 726 - Sayuri''s Fate Sarah grinned maniacally upon seeing Sayuri fall down.


    She couldn''t believe it. The plan had worked perfectly. There was no need to fall onto her back-up plan at all.


    She knew that Sayuri would need to go for one more appointment, so she had called up the clinic and pretended to be Sayuri. She was polite and acted suitably embarrassed to say that she had forgotten when the appointment date was.


    Once she got the date, she made preparations.


    First, she staked out the apartment.


    From her observations, she realised that there were not many people around the time Sayuri would be leaving for her appointment. Thus, it was perfect. She could do what she wanted without fear of being discovered.


    Secondly, she figured out a way to enter the apartment building. Security was tight, but at certain times, the reception tended to be rather busy. It was during that time she slipped in as a delivery boy. She signed her name on a fresh page and as the person was busy with someone else, had torn out the page carefully.


    She actually entered a couple of days earlier so that they wouldn''t suspect her at all. She just never left the building and without any record of her entering, no one realised.


    She had been stealthily hiding and practically holed herself in the bathroom. Never the same one, of course. She moved constantly so that no one would know that she didn''t belong in the building at all.


    All for this moment.


    It had been so easy.


    The apartment lifts weren''t broken, of course. She just had the notice made and on the day of Sayuri''s appointment, she stalked the first floor. Every time she saw the lift go down, she would press the button and hid nearby.


    When the door opened, she would peek and see who was inside. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment it was Sayuri, she ran out. She placed the ''not working'' sign on the other lift then pressed the button of the elevator again just as it closed. She ran back to her hiding place.


    How gullible was this vixen?


    Sarah laughed again, walking down and standing right over Sayuri. In disgust, she kicked Sayuri''s stomach a few times and stopped once she saw the blood flow inbetween the legs.


    Only she deserved to give Kyle children.


    Walking past Sayuri, Sarah went out the door with a smile, happy and content.


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    Zero walked into the lobby and headed to the reception to give his name.


    It was his turn to be on duty today, and he was truly happy to be the one to protect Sir''s wife. However, he stopped short of the reception desk when he saw an all too familiar person coming out from the door of the stairway area.


    He started getting bad vibes from there.


    Talking into his earpiece, he said, "Lucka, Sarah''s here."


    "What?!"


    "Follow her once she goes out," Zero said, "I''m going to check out something."


    Zero made sure that Sarah didn''t see him as he turned his head away and continued to walk to the reception area. He took out his phone to call Sayuri in the meantime, intending to warn her.


    The uneasiness within him grew as no one answered the phone.


    Once he got to the message notice, he redialed as he headed towards the stairway. Hearing a phone ringing from ahead of him, Zero panicked.


    He ran, his heart beating so hard while he was praying in his mind, ''No, no no ¡­ please ¡­ don''t let it be..''


    His prayers were not answered as he opened the door and saw Sayuri there, in a pool of blood.


    "CODE RED!!" Zero screamed as he rushed towards Sayuri, "Ambulance NOW and Lucka!! Catch that b*tch!!"


    No one asked any questions and everyone sprang into action.


    Zero checked Sayuri''s pulse and though faint, was present. He didn''t dare move her for fear that she may have some injuries to her spine and neck, and all the while he was updating the Team as to Sayuri''s condition.


    Kyle had just finished up the meeting and got up to head on to the clinic when the ''Mission Impossible'' theme song came on.


    He picked it up immediately, worried and the moment he heard the news, he paled.


    "Which hospital?!" he roared as he ran off.


    Hearing the word ''hospital'', Sam paled as well. He ran after Kyle, who said to him, "Trinity. Bike." before he sprinted down the stairs.


    Sam immediately called Beatrice up to help him spread the news to the other Elite Five while he handled the procedures at the hospital. He didn''t know what was going on, but he didn''t need to.


    Kyle didn''t bother with the lift as he could run down faster. He didn''t even run down the stairs but instead, jumped from one side to the other, ignoring everything. His motorcycle was already waiting for him outside, and he was really grateful for Sam''s efficiency.


    Not bothering with his helmet, he sped off.


    By the time he reached the hospital, Sayuri had just arrived. She was immediately wheeled into surgery and Kyle could do nothing but just stand there and watch her go. He wanted to get closer, but he knew he would only be in the way.


    A nurse came then, calling for Sayuri''s family member and Kyle signed the consent form without even looking at it.


    Several hours later, the surgeon came out with Dr. He. Kyle stood up immediately, his face haggard. His parents and the Elite Five were there as well.


    "Dr. He, how is she?" Kyle asked nervously.


    "She''s alive, but in a coma," replied the surgeon.


    "And our babies?"


    "We''ve successfully delivered them, but they are very weak," Dr. He said.


    "Are they okay?"


    "It''s too soon to tell, but please be prepared for the worst," Dr. He said truthfully.


    Kyle felt like his world had ended.

 Chapter 727 - I Love You

    Chapter 727 - I Love You Kyle was in a daze.


    How could this be happening?


    He sat on the chair, holding onto Sayuri''s hand as he looked at her. Kay was right beside him, leaning on him to give him moral support.


    His eyes misted over as he looked at all the bandages on her, his heart twisting in so much pain that he never thought possible. Although he suppressed it from getting out, Kay still felt it. The pain that he was feeling was that deep.


    Far stronger than the pain he had felt when breaking up with Sari.


    He knew then, without a doubt, of his feelings for her.


    Seeing Sayuri like this, he felt so much pain and helplessness. He couldn''t do anything to alleviate her pain.


    The top of her head was bandaged up, covering the injuries underneath. Her face was black and blue, a result of it hitting the stairs as she fell. Her hands wrapped up tightly, as it had swelled up due to the injuries it sustained as it protected their babies. He also knew, underneath the hospital gown, her c.h.e.s.t was bandaged.


    Kyle had seen the report on her injuries.


    He gritted his teeth as he hissed, "They found bruises on her back, Kay. Bruises that weren''t caused by the fall down the stairs. The injuries to her head were severe, consistent with the knocks sustained by the fall."


    "Yet, the injuries to her stomach wasn''t but looked more like it had been kicked."


    "SHE WAS KICKED, KAY!! KICKED!!"


    Tears streaked down his face, "She protected our babies. She sacrificed herself for our babies."


    "Doctors don''t know if she''ll wake up, Kay. They don''t ¡­"


    Kyle looked up at Kay, despair in his eyes, "Kay ¡­ I don''t know what I''m going to do. What if ¡­ what if ¡­ if she ¡­"


    Kay hugged him as he sobbed.


    Patrick and Delilah were silently crying behind as they watched this scene. Their son looked so broken right now and there was nothing that they could say to ease the situation.


    Betty sniffed in Sam''s arms, Ali was leaning on the wall and said a few prayers while Xing Han''s own sobs were muffled in Nitocris''s c.h.e.s.t. The prognosis on Sayuri and the twins weren''t good.


    Luckily, there was no damage to her spine but the hard impact had been severe. There was swelling in the brain (hemorrhages) and it had induced a coma. If Sayuri woke up, there may be long term issues with mobility, memory, cognition, and behaviour that would require long-term rehabilitation. She may even have amnesia.


    In short, if Sayuri woke up, it may not be Sayuri.


    Kyle didn''t care about that.


    He just wanted his Sayuri back. As long as she woke up, it didn''t matter how long it took for her to recover or what he needed to do.


    As long as she woke up.


    As for his twins, he hadn''t seen them yet.


    They had been whisked away into the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit, or NICU for short, as they were born before 32 weeks. They had to be placed in an incubator, and they were being taken care of before he could see them.


    "Mr. Smith?" came a nurse into the room.


    "Yes?" both Kyle and Patrick answered.


    The nurse was fl.u.s.tered for a while, then clarified, "The father of the twins?"


    "That''s me," Kyle said, as Kay wiped his face of his tears.


    "You may see them now," she told him.


    Kyle nodded, then turned towards Sayuri. He kissed her forehead, just below the bandages and said, "Did you hear that? I''m going to see our babies now. Please wake up soon, okay? They need you."


    His voice hitched a bit as he said, in a whisper, "I need you."


    He gulped, took a deep breath and went close to her ear, saying, "I love you, Sayuri. I''m sorry it took me so long to realise this so please, don''t leave us."


    The tears started again and he wiped them, taking several more deep breaths to calm himself down. He gave Sayuri one brief kiss on the lips before straightening his back and went to follow the nurse.


    Everyone waited until Kyle went out before they followed behind him. He was holding onto Kay''s hand as they walked over to the door of NICU.


    "I''m sorry," the nurse said as she saw the whole entourage, "Only the parent can go in."


    Everyone was silent and Kyle went inside. First, he had to take off his shoes and socks and wear the slippers provided. Inside, he had to put on the surgical cap, mask, and outer garment. Then, washed his hands before wearing gloves. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, he was allowed to enter into the inner chambers of the NICU.


    Once he entered, he was led to the incubator that held his kids.


    They had been placed in one incubator.


    The hospital provided co-bedding for preterm twins, but they had to obtain the parents'' permission first. This was because although research had shown that twins fared generally better when placed together, there was a higher risk of infection and caregiver error.


    The nurse kindly provided Kyle with a stool, upon which he sat down as he stared at his kids.


    They were so tiny.


    They looked so vulnerable with all the monitors on their tiny little c.h.e.s.t to monitor their heartbeat. Their eyes were still tightly shut as if it had been glued together. Their faces could hardly be seen as there were tubes attached to their mouth and nose, while huge diapers covered the lower half of their bodies.


    Their heads were covered by tiny knit caps. One was blue, and the other was pink.


    "A pair, huh?" Kyle whispered with a smile, "Be strong, my precious."


    He began talking to them, even though they couldn''t hear him through the incubator. It didn''t matter. The nurses who could hear him, couldn''t help but tear up at the intense sadness and deep love that was etched in them.

 Chapter 728 - Hanging On

    Chapter 728 - Hanging On Kyle was only allowed an hour to be with his kids, and he spent the entire hour just talking to them. It may have been his imagination, but it looked like they were listening. Their heads were turned towards him, as if they knew that he was their father.


    When it was time for him to go, he touched the incubator and promised them that he''ll be back when he was allowed to.


    After he left, the twins appeared slightly agitated, as their tiny feet kicked out and hands moved a bit. They only settled down when their hands touched and their heads naturally turned towards each other.


    When he got back to his room, he looked at everyone and announced, "I''m registering my marriage to Sayuri now."


    No one objected.


    The Smith power and Sam''s efficiency was truly a scary thing. The forms were filled in, signed (in Sayuri''s case, thumbprint) and validated within a few hours. Once done, he kissed her on the lips. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll give you a proper wedding once you wake up, okay Sayuri?" Kyle promised, "So please. Wake up soon."


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The days passed by like a blur to Kyle.


    Junior and Dian went to stay with Patrick and Delilah, and they would come to visit Sayuri everyday. Kyle would make sure that he paid attention to Junior at that time, for he didn''t want him to feel left out or abandoned.


    Kay held the fort at the company, though it didn''t mean that Kyle wasn''t leaving it all to her. He would work from the hospital room, having meetings via Skype and Sam bringing in to him matters that he had to pay attention to.


    Sam would also bring him a change of clothes everyday, and Kyle would eat the hospital food provided for patients.


    In short, he lived and worked in the VVIP hospital room.


    He divided his time for Sayuri, his kids, and work.


    He learned from the nurses how to give Sayuri a sponge bathe and care for her, so he would do these instead of them. They would monitor the situation, of course, since Sayuri was still a patient.


    He would talk to Sayuri all the time, always telling her that he loved her and ask her to wake up. That she could punish him for being so dense.


    He would visit his kids three times a day: morning, afternoon, and nighttime. Each time, he would tell them all about their mother, and how she was recovering physically. He talked about their hopes and dreams for them, about how much they were looking forward to holding them.


    As for Sarah?


    Her fate was still undecided.


    Or, to be accurate, Kyle already knew what he wanted to do, but not now. She could wait.


    The police had actually come over the very next day of Sayuri''s accident. After much digging and questioning, they found that Sayuri''s accident had not been an accident at all.


    Though Sarah had been rather meticulous in her actions, she had missed the cameras in the staircase.


    Those had been hidden, thus naturally, she wasn''t aware of them. She had also been so happy at Sayuri falling down that her face was perfectly captured in the camera when she had laughed.


    The police went on a manhunt for Sarah. Her parents were naturally contacted, and they were shocked beyond belief at what their daughter had done. No matter how much they wanted to deny it, the truth of the matter slapped them in their faces.


    The newspapers had a field day, netizens were appalled, and those who knew Sarah felt chills. Especially her former colleagues at Smith Industries HQ. They never knew such a nice person, who may have been slightly delusional about their CEO, could be that vicious.


    Kyle put up a reward for anyone who could give information about Sarah''s whereabouts, and though hundreds of people gave information, none of it panned out.


    Of course it wouldn''t, since she was locked up in MIB''s very special dungeon, reserved for the only ''best'' guest of theirs.


    "Please, why are you doing this? Let me out! Let me out!!"


    Kyle''s Team listened to that voice that did not seem to run out of steam at all since she was captured. The room she was locked up in had a bed (which was made out of cement) with a toilet bowl, a faucet, and sink right next to it. The pillow and blanket were stuck to the bed.


    There weren''t any windows and only one small lightbulb right in the middle that gave the room some light but not enough to really see anything in clear detail.


    Sarah felt like she was going to go crazy.


    She had been at the height of happiness, only to be kidnapped and brought here. Yet, from the start until now, she had not seen a single person. She didn''t even manage to catch a glimpse of the person who had taken her.


    No one talked to her.


    No one came to see her.


    They just ... left her here.


    Food was given to her once a day and it was just enough to sustain her. On the first day, however, she did not know that they would only feed her once and she had starved the whole day. Now, she knew better and would ration her food.


    The uncertainty, the loneliness, the fear ¡­ all ate up at her.


    The worst thing was, she was chained to her bed. The length of the chain was just long enough for her to reach the tray of food that was pushed in every day. It was frustrating how they could do it so accurately, too.


    Sarah had no idea how much time had passed, but she never gave up hope. Each time the food was delivered, she would call out to them. Shout at them. Hoping to get a response.


    She never got one.

 Chapter 729 - Ache in My Heart

    Chapter 729 - Ache in My Heart Sayuri''s eyes fluttered open.


    For a moment, she was disoriented.


    Where was she?


    What happened?


    Her hand was being gripped and she looked at it in a daze, then at the owner of the hand that was holding her.


    The familiar black head of hair was lying down on the bed, his handsome face facing her. Her heart ached for him. He looked so haggard, with his messy hair and stubbles. He even had dark circles under his eyes.


    Did he not sleep?


    Her head ached and she frowned.


    Her mind was still rather disoriented and she didn''t remember much. Seeing the face of the man she loved so much just lying there, Sayuri didn''t really care much about what had happened.


    She just wanted to comfort him.


    She raised her hand to stroke his hair and suddenly stopped.


    Something shiny was on her finger.


    Her eyes widened.


    She stared at it.


    She brought her hand closer to her eyes and it was still there.


    Sayuri''s movements woke Kyle up and he opened his eyes. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.


    Her eyes were open and staring at the ring on her finger without blinking.


    "Sayuri," he gasped out in happiness, his voice a bit hoarse since he just woke up.


    "Kyle," she said, in wonderment, "What is this? Why am I wearing this?"


    Kyle smiled and stood up, asking, "You remember who I am?"


    She frowned, "Of course I do. How can I not know you?"


    "Do you remember what happened?" Kyle asked gently.


    She shook her head, "Not really."


    "What is the last thing you remember?"


    Sayuri pursed her lips, thinking hard, her eyebrows furrowed tight. Bits and pieces were there but she couldn''t quite grasp at it.


    She felt like she was forgetting something important, but she didn''t know what it was.


    The more she tried, the more her head ached.


    She looked at Kyle, and suddenly tears fell down, "Kyle, what happened? I ¡­ there''s this ache in my heart and I don''t know why."


    "You had a fall, hitting your head. You''ve been in a coma for the past couple of months," Kyle explained, "The doctors said you may have amnesia. I will tell you everything, but you must first tell me what is the last thing you remember?"


    "We''ve just got back from Country M," Sayuri said, blushing a bit as she remembered their Mile High Club activity. How it had been the best s.e.x they had, though they had almost got caught.


    Kyle smiled sadly, saying, "That was over a year ago."


    "Oh," Sayuri said, surprised but not really agitated about it, "But why ... "


    Something else was bothering her, and it wasn''t the fact that she had lost nearly a couple of years of memory. She pressed her hand on her heart, "Why does this hurt?"


    And why was she wearing a ring? Why was Kyle looking at her so gently? What had happened in that entire time?


    "Let the doctor check-up on you first," Kyle said, "Then we''ll have a long talk."


    "Okay," Sayuri said obediently. She wanted to know what happened as well.


    While the doctor did his check-up, Kyle talked to Kay.


    [She''s awake, Kay, but she has forgotten everything from the moment we came back from Country M. She doesn''t remember our kids at all]


    [What did the doctor say?]


    [They''re still checking her. Please update the others. Grandfather and Uncle would be happy to know as well] Kyle said, referring to Sayuri''s side of the family.


    They had been around in the first two weeks, but eventually had to go back to settle the company and clan issues. Since Kyle was now Sayuri''s husband, they could leave Sayuri in Kyle''s care without guilt or worries. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Of course, leave it to me. You just focus on Sayuri for now]


    [I intend to] Kyle replied, as he stood at the doorway, watching nervously.


    Once the examination was over, Kyle listened to the doctor''s instructions.


    "She is generally fine, and healing well," the doctor said, "As with her memories, it does not appear to be too serious as she has only forgotten the past year or so. Yet, she does seem to feel like there is something, so this indicates that her brain is trying to heal."


    "So just give her time? Can I reveal what has happened? Would that be detrimental? Can I show her our children?"


    "I would only advise it after she is mentally prepared for it," the doctor replied, "Seeing them may be a trigger for her memories to return ¡­ or, it may cause it to shut down as well."


    "Shut down?"


    "It depends on the trauma that was inflicted," the doctor explained, "The brain tends to shut down to protect itself from really stressful or bad memories."


    Kyle smiled, "Then I think it would be best if she was introduced to our children."


    Sayuri had, after all, done everything to protect them. Even now, when she couldn''t remember them, her soul did. She missed them. She was worried about them. She just didn''t know it yet.


    Kyle hoped that her deep, maternal instincts would bring her memories back.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri stared through the huge glass window of the nursery room. She was in the wheelchair in the corridor, her hands placed on the glass window.


    "Those are ours?" she gasped, looking at the beautiful twin babies in the cot.


    The twins had already been well enough to be taken out of NICU, but were still under observation. Hence, they were not discharged yet. Their weight gain was good, and their jaundice had cleared up, but the hospital was cautious.


    If all goes well and the tests were clear, they would have been able to go home by the end of the week.


    "Yes," Kyle replied, "Alexander Belvior and Aurora Misty Smith."


    "Belvior?!" Sayuri gasped, "Who came up with that name?"


    Kyle grinned, "You did."

 Chapter 730 - Meeting the Babies

    Chapter 730 - Meeting the Babies "I did?" Sayuri asked in surprise.


    Kyle smiled indulgently at her, "Yes, you did."


    They had actually thought up of four names, each of them coming up with a boy and a girl''s name. It was supposed to be that their twins would have a name each of them had come up with. So if they had a pair, the girl would take Kyle''s choice of name while the boy would have taken Sayuri''s choice.


    "Belvior," Sayuri said, the name rolling out of her tongue easily, "I like it."


    "Well, I hope you should," Kyle said, "Since you''re the one who thought of it."


    Sayuri giggled.


    She could not stop staring at the twins.


    Those were her kids.


    Her kids with Kyle.


    Her heart felt full just looking at them and she felt complete. The ache in her heart was gone, and now, she was just filled with agitation and impatience at wanting to hold them.


    When Kyle told her that she had gotten pregnant from their Mile High Club activity, she had been flabbergasted. She quickly checked her stomach and lo behold. The stretch marks were there, and more importantly, the scar from the cesarian surgery was there.


    She had been so excited and so in wonderment that she didn''t ask about the ring on her finger. She just had to see them. Even if she couldn''t remember them, her subconscious did.


    "Can I see them?" she asked eagerly, looking up at Kyle in happiness.


    "Of course," Kyle said.


    The nurses were well acquainted with Kyle and they were so happy to see that his wife was finally awake. The way he had doted on her, had become the source of constant sighings and laments by nurses who were single ¡­ well, okay, fine. Even the married ones as well because most of them had husbands that were not as doting.


    He had this really, really sweet and loving look for his wife that all of them felt happy for him and some slight envy as well.


    The wheelchair couldn''t be brought in, but before Sayuri could get up to go in, Kyle had lifted her up easily in a princess carry.


    "Kyle! I can walk!" she protested in embarrassment. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know," Kyle said, "But your legs aren''t that strong yet. Even if I had exercised your muscles while you were in a coma, it isn''t the same. Take it slow for now, okay?"


    Sayuri blinked at this Kyle.


    He had always been sweet and loving when they were friends with benefits, but this was a whole new level. She couldn''t quite get used to it yet but she utterly enjoyed it.


    "Okay," she said meekly, settling in his arms.


    Kyle couldn''t help but lean down and kiss her cute, sweet rosy lips. Finally, he had her in his arms. Finally, he had her back.


    The soft, gentle kiss became slightly more as his tongue slid in easily, exploring the inner depth that he had been all so familiar before. It had been so long since he had been intimate with Sayuri and now, knowing of his love for her, each touch and kiss was different.


    It was hard to explain, but it was sweeter. Better. More fulfilling. His mind blanked out as all he wanted was, for that the feeling would not stop.


    It was only after the nurse cleared her throat that they broke the kiss. Sayuri''s face was red, completely embarrassed at how she had lost control when he kissed her.


    She found that her hands had wrapped up around his neck while she reciprocated his kiss, completely oblivious to her surroundings then. It was as if everything else faded away as they fell into their own little world.


    Kyle''s breathing was a little irregular as well and he smiled, kissed her nose and apologized, "Sorry, got a bit carried away there."


    Kyle looked up, to see that all of the nurses also had slight redness to their faces, and most had their faces turned away. He coughed embarrassingly and walked in towards the cot that held their children.


    He lay her on the chair and then carefully picked up Alex. He placed him in Sayuri''s arms and she gingerly took him. Kyle was careful to place his son''s head right at the crook of Sayuri''s elbow, as his neck was not yet strong enough to hold up on its own.


    Upon feeling the warmth of the arms he was in, Alex opened his eyes. He then gave the sweetest smile she had ever seen.


    "Kyle! He knows me!" Sayuri said in amazement.


    "Of course he does," Kyle said, "Even though he can''t quite see you yet, he knows it''s you."


    Babies at one-month-old can only see and focus on objects that are 12 inches away. Thus, Sayuri''s face was too far for him to actually see. But he knew this was his mother. More so because Kyle had been active in making sure their babies knew their mother the moment they were discharged from NICU.


    He then picked up Rory and placed her at the crook of Sayuri''s other arm.


    "Kyle!" Sayuri said in a panic, "I can''t carry both!"


    "Don''t worry," Kyle said, steadily holding onto the back of Rory''s head with one hand and then went to the other side of Sayuri and placed his other hand alongside Sayuri''s arm that held Alex.


    Thus, his right arm was behind Sayuri''s back, supporting her while his right hand was supporting Rory''s head and his left hand was helping to hold up Alex.


    Feeling assured with that ''hug'' of his, Sayuri then focused on her babies.


    They were both looking up at her with great interest.


    "Alexander and Aurora," Sayuri said with a smile, "I''m so sorry.?I really wanted to b.r.e.a.s.tfeed you."


    "You have been, actually," Kyle said, "While they were in the NICU, your b.r.e.a.s.tmilk was fed to them via the feeding-tube. After discharge, you''ve been b.r.e.a.s.tfeeding them."


    "How is that possible?" Sayuri gasped.

 Chapter 731 - Feeding

    Chapter 731 - Feeding "Well, I knew that you wanted to b.r.e.a.s.tfeed them. So, after discussing it with the lactation consultant and the pediatric ICU nurses, we managed to get your milk out," Kyle said.


    All women who had given birth are able to lactate, though it did not mean that every woman could b.r.e.a.s.tfeed.


    Although Kyle really wanted their kids to be b.r.e.a.s.tfed, if Sayuri''s body could not produce sufficient milk, or if it would create undue stress upon her, he wouldn''t insist.


    B.r.e.a.s.tmilk may be touted to be the best, but it didn''t mean those who couldn''t b.r.e.a.s.tfeed, was a failure.


    Luckily, Sayuri could.


    Kyle would often massage her b.r.e.a.s.ts to help stimulate the milk supply, and the milk would be pumped out. Of course, constant pumping without having a baby suckle on the n.i.p.p.l.e may result in the milk drying up.


    Thus, Kyle would often have to stimulate it himself ... *cough* ¡­


    The b.r.e.a.s.tmilk also helped aid in the speedier recovery of their babies, as it gave them the nutrients, immunity and the start needed to thrive.


    Once the babies could be placed in the normal nursery ward, the babies would be brought by once in a while to feed directly from Sayuri.


    The bed would be tilted up, and Kyle would hold onto whichever baby that was latching onto Sayuri at that moment. Kind of like how Kyle was holding on to his kids and Sayuri at that moment.


    When Sayuri heard Kyle explaining how it had been done, she was amazed.


    The twins were still a bit weak, thus they could only b.r.e.a.s.tfeed from Sayuri twice a day. At other times, they would be bottle-fed with a mixture of b.r.e.a.s.tmilk that had been pumped and formula milk.


    Luckily, the twins were not too picky and would drink either milk. Though they drank the b.r.e.a.s.tmilk faster.


    Just then, both of them started snuggling onto Sayuri''s b.r.e.a.s.ts, seeking food with their mouths open.


    "Do you want to feed them now?" Kyle asked, upon seeing this.


    Sayuri''s eyes glowed while she nodded and said, "Yes."


    "Which hand feels more comfortable right now?" Kyle asked.


    Sayuri was right-handed, thus felt her left side was better. Thus, Kyle picked up Rory and held her gently, but firmly, in his arms while helping Sayuri adjust Alex. Opening the front part of her blouse, she brought Alex closer to her n.i.p.p.l.e.


    "You can directly put your n.i.p.p.l.e near his mouth," Kyle said, "He will latch on. Sometimes it takes a bit of time, but he''s usually the greedy one."


    Sayuri''s face winced a bit once he did latch on, feeling the powerful and strong s.u.c.k.i.n.g force as he fed.


    "The pain from the first feeding may sting a little," Kyle explained, "Partly because your b.r.e.a.s.ts are rather s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and engorged at the moment, and partly because these babies have the s.u.c.k.i.n.g power of a vacuum."


    The pediatric nurses, who were listening to Kyle explaining everything to Sayuri, were staring at him in shock. Just how much research did this guy do? It made it sound as if he was talking from experience! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, that was not possible at all, they thought.


    Sayuri looked at her son, feeding, and her heart swelled so much in love that tears formed.


    "He''s so beautiful," Sayuri whispered, stroking his head.


    Kyle, who was still holding onto Rory while rocking her, smiled.


    After Alex was fed, Kyle first put Rory down in the cot. Then, he picked his son up and placed him in the cot next to Rory before picking her up.


    He placed her on Sayuri''s right arm and Sayuri started feeding her.


    Kyle then picked up Alex again and gently placed him over his shoulder, all the while supporting his neck. Once his chin was settled on his shoulder, Kyle gently rubbed his back first, then gave several firm pats on his back in-between the shoulders as he moved it up and down.


    Kyle would do this, alternating between the pats and rubs, in order to expel any air that may have acc.u.mulated in the stomach. In other words, to make Alex burp.


    Of course, there was fewer chances of this happening when one b.r.e.a.s.tfeeds, it did not mean it should not be done. It just meant that one only needed to do so less frequently. For newborns below the age of 6 months, a b.r.e.a.s.tfed baby would need to be burped after feeding while a bottle-fed baby would need to be burped between 2-3 ounces.


    Once his son gave out that sound he was seeking, Kyle continued to cradle him as he watched Sayuri. She was gazing in absolute love in her eyes at Rory as she fed. He found the scene so wonderful, his heart was full that tears pricked his eyes.


    He had his family back.


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    When they returned back to her room, a loud pop sounded in the air as streamers fell onto Sayuri the moment she walked through. There were loud cheers and Sayuri saw everyone there.


    Her Grandfather, Uncle, the Elite Five, and Kyle''s parents.


    It was then that she remembered one more thing that puzzled her. She had been so shocked - and excited - to discover that she was a mother of twins that all other questions went out the window.


    Now, those questions came back. She looked at Kyle''s hand and saw a matching ring on his finger and knew, that the rings signified that they were married.


    Though she was extremely happy about that, she was sad that she had forgotten such a moment and event. She hoped that she could get back her memories soon.


    She also wanted to know the cause of her fall. All that Kyle said was that she had fallen and entered into a coma. What really had happened? She didn''t think she was that careless. Was she?


    She needed to know but felt that she could wait until they were alone again.

 Chapter 732 - Confession

    Chapter 732 - Confession Once everyone had left and the ward was back to its normal, quiet state, Sayuri turned to Kyle. It had been wonderful catching up with everyone and hearing the ''latest'' news - though to her, it was news from the past until now.


    She was hoping for something to trigger her memories, but Kyle told her not to rush it. It will come back, eventually. Even if it didn''t, Kyle didn''t think it would matter too much as she had only forgotten a couple of years.


    Sayuri was of a different opinion, however, for those two years just happened to cover the most significant part of her life: Kyle, and her babies.


    One may forget many things as time passed by, but there will always be something precious that would be remembered. In her case, those precious things were the ones she had forgotten!


    "Kyle, we need to talk," Sayuri began and Kyle''s heart plummeted.


    Such talks are always the prelude to something major. Who didn''t know this unspoken rule?


    Movie villains had such theme songs.


    Humans had those words, ''we need to talk''.


    Kyle gulped but didn''t let it show on his face his nervousness as he smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed while giving her?the most loving gaze he could.


    Sayuri''s eyes narrowed slightly at this, but returned his smile and placed her hand on his.


    "Kyle, my love," she said as sweetly, just before twisting his hand.


    "Yes, my dear?" Kyle answered with a slight groan, as he held in the pain.


    She held his hand at an angle on the bed, with her thumb and finger were on the most s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e parts of the palm.


    "What are you hiding from me?" she hissed, adding more pressure. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle could have gotten out of this hand-hold at any time, but that would result in injuring Sayuri in some manner.


    "Nothing much," Kyle said, "Just that we fostered Samantha''s son and I have Sarah locked up in the dungeons."


    Sayuri pressed more, saying, "That ¡­ is really unexpected but that''s not what I was talking about."


    She lifted her left hand and wiggled her ring finger, "Why do I feel like there is more to this story?"


    Sayuri started getting rather weird vibes from the way her Grandfather had treated Kyle earlier.


    Knowing him, if she was married to Kyle, he wouldn''t have given him that third-degree nor the frosty look. It had been subtle, but it was there. It was as if her Grandfather wasn''t happy about him - and the way he treated Kyle was akin to someone being tested as a potential husband.


    It all pointed towards the fact that they weren''t married.


    So why the ring?


    Added to that, Kyle was acting rather weirdly. As if he was trying to placate Grandfather and kept sneaking glances at her. As if he was worried she may have realised something was up.


    "Are we, or are we not, married?" Sayuri asked.


    "I''ll tell you, but could you let my hand go, please?" Kyle pleaded.


    She flung his hand and crossed her hand across her c.h.e.s.t. She had been so happy to think that they were married. To be with the man she loved, but it had all been fake?


    Kyle scooted closer to her and took her hands, forcing them apart and replied, "We are married."


    She gave him a look of disbelief.


    "But while you were in a coma," Kyle continued.


    Kyle gave a big sigh, then placed his hand on her cheek, "I love you, Sayuri. But it took me a long, long time to realise my feelings for you."


    "When you told me that you were pregnant, you also confessed," Kyle said and Sayuri''s eyes widened. Then she nodded. It sounded like something she would do, "But at that time, I was still dense."


    "When they told me that you fell ¡­ and ¡­" Kyle couldn''t even continue for it was still a horrible memory for him, "I felt like my life had ended."


    He cupped her face and said, "We didn''t get married before because you didn''t want to marry someone who didn''t love you."


    "I love you, Sayuri. With my entire being and deep within my soul," Kyle said, "If I was to ever lose you ¡­ I would have lost half of myself."


    "So, I selfishly registered our marriage," Kyle said, "Because I wanted to have the right to have you by my side. Even if you didn''t wake up, or woke up with all your memories lost, no one could take you away from me. I would have spent my entire life, taking care of you and wooing you all over again"


    "Sayuri, I love you," Kyle said, "Will you let me stay by your side? Forever to take care of you and love you and pamper you and ¡­"


    Sayuri kissed him then, effectively shutting him up.


    In fact, she gave him several sweet, gentle kisses on his lips then placed her forehead on his.


    "I dreamt of this moment since I fell in love with you so long ago," Sayuri whispered.


    Kyle frowned a bit at that, catching those words, "Since when?"


    "Since the day you got together with Sari," Sayuri revealed.


    Kyle jerked back, "WHAT?!"


    Sayuri gave a rueful smile.


    Kyle hugged her then, his heart twisted at the thought yet, so full upon realising just how strong and steady her love for him was. This woman was beyond precious.


    "I''m sorry," Kyle said, "You ¡­"


    Sayuri shook her head, patting his back, "It was my choice to continue being by your side. Looks like all my work paid off?"


    Kyle hung his head low, "But to have realised my feelings at the cost of your life ¡­ I ¡­"


    Sayuri smiled, "I think you would have realised it when I left you. The accident was just an early trigger."


    "You would have left me?"


    "Definitely," Sayuri said, "Why would I hang onto a dense doofus?"


    "True," Kyle replied then kissed her.

 Chapter 733 - Bathing (R18)

    Chapter 733 - Bathing (R18) This time, the kiss was not the butterfly kisses on the lips but an intense play of dominance within. Sayuri found herself pressed upon the bed as Kyle''s tongue played havoc within and his hands were creating havoc outside.


    Feeling his hands roaming all over and touching her through the clothes caused her to m.o.a.n slightly.


    Upon hearing that, Kyle jerked back, breaking the kiss suddenly.


    She was still a patient, damn it. He had to control himself better. Even though her injuries were already healed, she was weak.


    And she had just woken up.


    "Sorry," Kyle said hoarsely, running his hands through his hair as he then rubbed the back of his neck, "I can''t seem to control myself when it comes to you nowadays."


    When they had been friends with benefits, he already couldn''t keep his hands off of her and was in a constant state of horniness whenever she was near. However, no matter how shameless he had been then, this was a whole new level to him.


    When he thought about it, he must have already been in love with her then. His d.e.s.i.r.e and s.e.x.u.a.l attraction to her was a result of it, subconscious though it may be. Now that he was well aware, it was worse. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every time he thought about it, he really couldn''t believe how dense he had been.


    Sayuri smiled, seeing the obvious embarrassment and d.e.s.i.r.e that was in his eyes. She brought her lips close to his. They were so close that he could smell her breath and feel the heat of it upon his lips.


    "I feel fine," Sayuri said, "Well, other than not being as strong as before, that is. And sticky. I really need a bath."


    "Not a bath," Kyle said, "Just a shower."


    She gave a slow smile and licked his lips, asking seductively, "Bathe me?"


    Kyle shuddered, not out of fear but for what she was really asking for.


    "Are you sure?" he asked, his breathing getting slightly heavier as she continued to play with his lips.


    Sayuri ran her tongue all over his lips before kissing it, "I''m very sure. But you have to do all the work."


    Without another word, Kyle picked her up and almost ran to the bathroom.


    Once inside, Kyle locked the door and gently undressed Sayuri as she stood there quietly. He knew every inch of her body since he was the one that had been giving her the sponge bath all this time.


    He had also been doing her physiotherapy and massages.


    As he undressed her, he would kiss every spot he could think of. From her neck to her c.h.e.s.t, and all the way below. He didn''t miss a single spot, be it the clear skin, the injured parts or those scars and stretch marks caused by the pregnancy.


    Kyle then stood up and saw how she was staring at herself in the mirror that was in front of her (and behind him). He went up behind her as she turned her body left and right, and then stared at the obvious pouch of her stomach.


    Kyle hugged her from behind, touching the scars, stretch marks, and the flab.


    "These are trophies of our children," he said, "The stretch marks will fade in time, as long as you continue massaging them with oil or lotion. Once you start exercising, the love handles here will go as well."


    "Whatever it is," Kyle said, kissing her neck, "You''re beautiful."


    Sayuri blushed, something completely unexpected as it was not in her nature to.


    Kyle quickly stripped and then switched on the shower. After making sure that the water was at the right temperature, he led her underneath.


    He sat cross-legged on the floor and made her sit on him. She did so, settling right on his l.a.p with her back to him.


    He could tell that she was already getting tired from standing up yet he did not want her to feel cold on the floor. Though there was a chair that could be used so that she could shower sitting down, Kyle felt he was a better chair.


    He held the showerhead and started wetting her thoroughly.


    Then, he wet her head, massaging her temples at the same time. The only thing that he couldn''t do when she had been in a coma, was to wash her hair and he knew that this bothered her the most. Handing her the showerhead, he then started shampooing her hair, using his fingertips to massage her head.


    Sayuri felt like she was in Heaven. She held the showerhead towards her body so that the warm water kept her warm while Kyle washed her hair.


    His fingers were doing magic and she felt so relaxed as she lay her head slightly forward. Kyle was careful not to let the shampoo suds fall forward and once done, he asked her to tilt her head back.


    After rinsing her hair, he then proceeded to soap her body.


    Kyle lathered his hand and started soaping her all over. He had a small loofah that he used to scrub her back but did not press hard, not wanting to cause too much ''damage''.


    Once done, he reached forward and started soaping her c.h.e.s.t, gently massaging her b.r.e.a.s.ts then making sure to rub underneath her b.r.e.a.s.t and n.i.p.p.l.es. He would rub them and pinch it to ensure all the spots were covered.


    Sweat would acc.u.mulate under the b.r.e.a.s.t and dried milk would have caked over her n.i.p.p.l.es, so he made sure they were properly lathered and cleaned.


    Of course, all of this also caused a certain part of his own body to rise up, poking up at her from underneath.


    He used the loofah on her legs then washed her properly, making sure all the soap was gone. Then, he aimed the showerhead onto her c.h.e.s.t, letting the water fall down to the cavern below before he proceeded to wash it.


    Sayuri m.o.a.n.e.d as his fingers touched her.

 Chapter 734 - Bathing II (R18)

    Chapter 734 - Bathing II (R18) Sayuri bit her lips in an attempt to stop making too much noise.


    The bathroom wasn''t soundproof after all, and this was a hospital.


    She breathed heavily through her mouth as his fingers pinched at her bud, then spread her petals before running his fingers all around the entrance. Her breathing became more laboured as he kissed the back of her neck and plunged a finger inside her cave.


    She couldn''t stop the loud m.o.a.n that came out then.


    The water mixed with her sweet nectar that was flowing and Kyle didn''t stop his finger movements within while his thumb played with her bud. With his other hand, he started fondling her b.r.e.a.s.ts while his lips continued the onslaught at the back of her neck (which was one of her more s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spots).


    Sayuri gripped the showerhead hard, feeling her body tense up as she then climaxed, muffling the sound with the back of her other hand. Kyle felt the gush of the sweet nectar flowing out onto his fingers before it was washed away into the drain.


    Such a waste, he thought.


    Once the wave was over, Kyle gave Sayuri a hug before he switched off the water. He placed his arm under her knees and lifted it up while placing the other arm around her back. Upon making sure she was secure, he got up easily, carrying her with him.


    She wrapped her hand around his neck, snuggling onto him and smelling him. His unique smell permeated her nose and she bit him, s.u.c.k.i.n.g hard before l.i.c.k.i.n.g the spot. Looking at her handiwork, she smiled and chose another spot to mark him.


    Kyle placed her b.u.t.t onto the bathroom countertop near the sink as she was busy ''working'' and he laughed a bit seeing the obvious love bites on his neck and c.h.e.s.t. He reached over to get the towel and gently patted her dry when she wrapped her legs around his waist.


    With a smirk, she brought him closer.


    She was looking at him, with her eyes glazed over a bit as she grabbed hold of his hard shaft in her hands.


    She started stroking it, making him groan as she then began rubbing its head right at her cave that was sopping wet all over again.


    Her actions reminded Kyle of the first time they had slept together, and he couldn''t help but grin at the thought.


    "Are you sure?" he asked one final time.


    She grabbed his face and said, "If you don''t f.u.c.k me right now, Kyle, I''ll make sure you won''t be able to use it for some time."


    "Guide me in then," Kyle said, his voice husky and low as he kissed her neck.


    With that, she pulled him closer with her legs and once the head of his c*ck entered, he slowly pushed himself. He wasn''t going to thrust himself straight in like the first time, and instead, took his own sweet time.


    Both hissed in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as he entered that moist, tight cave as it slowly made its way deep inside.


    Kyle almost felt like losing it then, feeling how tight and wet she was. He had to keep telling himself to take it slow as she was still a patient.


    A patient.


    They stared at each other intensely as he was doing so, before starting to kiss. Kyle started moving his h.i.p.s, slowly at first as he was scared of hurting her too much.


    In frustration, Sayuri pulled at his hair and broke the kiss as she hissed, "Damn it Kyle, stop acting like an old man and move those damn h.i.p.s of yours!"


    Kyle grinned, "Your wish is my command, my love."


    Throwing all caution to the wind, Kyle began thrusting hard and fast, holding her back and neck as he kissed her intensely. He knew her sweet spot so he shifted slightly and began thrusting hard again, hitting the spot so accurately that Sayuri climaxed quickly, her screams muffled by him s.u.c.k.i.n.g on her tongue.


    Just before he climaxed himself, he withdrew and shot his sp*rm all over the bathroom floor, underneath the bathroom counter.


    The last thing he wanted to do was i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.e Sayuri again, as it was too soon. There should be at least 18 months after giving birth before they started having unprotected s.e.x, so that her body could recover fully.


    In addition, Sayuri had been heavily injured so her body would need more time to heal.


    Kyle gave her one last, deep, lingering kiss before wrapping her body up in the towel and taking one for himself as well. He wrapped it around his waist and washed the sticky substance on the floor before picking up Sayuri and carrying her back to the ward.


    Just as he walked out, a nurse walked in with a tray of medication. Upon seeing the half-n.a.k.e.d couple, the nurse gulped and stepped back, "Sorry, I''ll come back."


    Outside the ward, she fanned herself.


    Damn, but that was one heck of eye-candy to walk into. Even though the lower part of his body had been covered by the woman he was carrying in his arms, no one could miss seeing those firm arm and c.h.e.s.t muscles.


    She breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn''t come in much earlier.


    Judging from all of those marks on Kyle''s c.h.e.s.t, it was obvious what had been going on before this. The nurse smiled. Then again, if she was the wife, why would she wait any longer, right? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    That night, as Kyle tucked her into bed, Sayuri asked, "What is this about Sarah being in the dungeons?"


    Kyle''s hands stilled for a second and he couldn''t help the sudden drop in temperature in the ward as his anger gushed through. Smoothening the blanket, Kyle kissed her on the forehead and replied, "I''ll tell you tomorrow."


    "No, tell me now," she insisted.


    With a sigh, he revealed everything.

 Chapter 735 - Memories

    Chapter 735 - Memories Sayuri started getting a headache.


    She gripped Kyle''s shoulder, her face pale. Kyle panicked, seeing this and quickly pressed the intercom for the nurse.


    She was hit with flashes of memories, vague at first before it became clear. It swirled in her mind and the sudden onslaught of it had been too much.


    It wasn''t just the images that made her dizzy, but the intense pain and fear that she felt then. She clutched her head and was barely aware of the flurry of activities around her as the doctors and nurses came.


    Kyle was worried to death as he watched helplessly while leaning against the wall.


    It had been so unexpected. At first, he had just told her Sarah had pushed her down the stairs. However, Sayuri kept asking more detailed questions, like why was she at the stairs? Why was Sarah even targetting her?


    He had noticed it when her face scrunched up that something may be wrong. At first, he had put it down to her being unhappy and upset over what had happened. Then, it was obvious there was something more as beads of sweat started on her forehead and she gripped his shoulder.


    Was it a mistake to tell her?


    Even though she wanted to know, did he make a wrong move?


    The doctor gave Sayuri an injection and she calmed down. As the nurses helped settle her, the doctor came over to Kyle.


    "She is fine," the doctor said, making Kyle feel really relieved, "It seems that something triggered her memories and caused some pain. After a night''s rest, she would have recovered."


    "Does this mean she has recovered her memories?" Kyle asked.


    "We can only know after she wakes up," the doctor said, "Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn''t. It depends on how much the mind wants to forget."


    Kyle nodded in understanding.


    He now knew that what Sayuri was really forgetting. The pain of losing her babies. The attack must have been so traumatic that her mind shut down - even to the point of when she discovered they had been conceived.


    Sarah had so much to pay for.


    He thanked the doctor and nurses as they left and walked over to the now sleeping Sayuri. He tenderly brushed her hair and kissed her forehead.


    After ensuring that Sayuri was asleep peacefully, Kyle switched off the main room light. Going over to his desk, he switched on the table lamp and started working. There were a few investment proposals to look through, plus the performance quarter of several failing subsidiaries.


    Soon, he was engrossed in the work.


    Several hours later, Kyle sat up rigidly upon hearing the slight sound in the room. He turned his head to look when he heard Sayuri hiss as she brought her face close to his, "Bring me to her."


    Kyle noted the time.


    2am.


    "We can''t," Kyle said, getting up and trying to placate her, "In the morning. Let me get the permission to get you out first."


    Sayuri shook her head, putting her hand on his c.h.e.s.t, "No, now. Kyle, I need to see her NOW."


    Kyle hugged her close to his c.h.e.s.t, saying, "I know how badly you want to see her but not right now. Our babies are going to need to feed soon."


    The struggling Sayuri stopped. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t you feel it? How tight your b.r.e.a.s.ts feel right now? It''s full of milk, and the nurses will be coming around soon to check if you want to feed them," Kyle explained.


    "Oh," Sayuri said with a pout.


    "Feed them now, then we''ll pump some milk out at 6am," Kyle told her, "Then we can go and see Sarah."


    "Promise?" Sayuri asked, looking up at him.


    "I promise," Kyle said, kissing her lips.


    As if on cue, the nurse came then and smiled upon seeing them hugging, "Would you like to feed them now?"


    Sayuri nodded eagerly.


    After feeding the twins, Sayuri grabbed onto Kyle''s hand as he was about to leave.


    "Lie down here and sleep with me," Sayuri said, noting how tired he looked.


    Kyle turned to look at the pile of doc.u.ments left on the table and then at Sayuri''s anxious face.


    Kyle sighed and relented, taking off his shoes and getting into bed with her. Sayuri smiled happily and hugged him close, burying her face onto his c.h.e.s.t.


    Sayuri couldn''t believe that this man was now hers completely. Her memory had returned, and it was a very nice thing to wake up to. Finding out the man you had been in love with for so long, finally returning the feeling.


    Being utterly pampered by him was even better now, and every sweet action of his felt sweeter. Before, it had been bittersweet because he could be so nice but not in love with her. Now, it was different.


    And she was going to milk it for what it''s worth.


    Forever.


    He had a lot to make up for anyway.


    With that thought, she smiled as she drifted off to sleep.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sarah lay shivering on the padded floor.


    She had been moved to this place over a month ago, ever since she tried to smash her head onto the concrete bed. She thought she could end her misery but the truth was far worse.


    She was taken care of and nursed back to health.


    She had been restrained to the bed, with an IV line inserted into a vein and had a catheter.


    The intravenous (or IV) line fed her body with liquid medicines and nourishments straight into the body.? The catheter is a thin, flexible tube that is inserted right at the passage in which urine passes (the urethra) and pushed all the way into the bladder. Thus, the urine would flow through it and into a drainage bag.


    In short, Sarah was like a coma patient - minus the coma.


    Till now, she still didn''t see anyone at all.

 Chapter 736 - Daddy is Useless

    Chapter 736 - Daddy is Useless From the start, until the end, Sarah had not met a single soul.


    Her IV bag and drainage bag were changed while she was asleep.


    Her mind would have snapped long ago if it wasn''t for the fact that sometimes, she could hear Kyle''s voice. She couldn''t hear what he was saying, but it was enough.


    Enough that his voice was there, chasing away the darkness.


    It gave her hope.


    Hope to withstand this Hell that she was in.


    She was convinced that Kyle would come and save her.


    After all, why wouldn''t he?


    He was such an upright person.


    Once he knew that she had disappeared, he would surely move Heaven and Earth to find her. He was powerful and rich, so this thing was a small matter.


    Now that Sayuri and the twins were dead, he could only find solace in rescuing her. She will fill the void in his heart and give him the children he deserved.


    They would live happily ever after. Forever.


    With that thought, she smiled, giving her a sense of peace and contentment that lasted for the night.


    Before the despair of the situation hit her all over again the next day.


    The cycle would continue in that manner.


    Whenever it appeared like she was going to lose it, Kyle''s voice was played. This would make sure that she remained sane.


    They also ensured she was physically fit, and this was done by exercising her limbs while she was knocked out.


    What Sarah didn''t know was that her IV drip didn''t just give her the necessary nutrients to survive, but it also had the drug that knocked her out.


    The IV drip was a special one that had been created. It had two lines, upon which the moment the bag of nutrients was finished, the bag with the knock-out medication would be released. The process was seamless, so there was no danger of any air bubble being created and entering into the bloodstream.


    Sarah was being ''preserved'' to be in the optimum condition.


    Like fattening the pig before the slaughter.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    In the dead of the night, when everyone was asleep, the nurses on duty were making their ward rounds.


    Nurse Hailey was wheeling the baby cot with twin babies out of the VVIP ward back into the nursery ward, smiling as she watched them seemingly having a conversation together.


    Of course, she knew that was not possible. Still, it was a nice thing to imagine.


    Their eyes were looking at each other while their mouth was moving, though there was hardly any sound. They looked excited, with their little hands moving and their little feet kicking.


    Nurse Hailey found twins to be so fascinating as they seemed to be in their own little world, completely happy in the bubble that was theirs.


    Unknown to Nurse Hailey, the babies really were having their own conversation.


    Kyle''s twins did not have mindspeech like he did with Kay, but they had their own unique method of talking with each other. The babies had long learned to communicate with each other by the way the lips and tongue moved.


    They had their own language that only the two of them could understand. It had been simple language at first, but their vocabulary soon picked up. This was mainly due to the fact that Kyle had been the one talking to them consistently since they were born.


    However, currently, not much could be expressed due to the lack of vocal cords. Their hearing wasn''t loud enough to capture their b.a.r.e whispers.


    [It''s so nice to have Mummy back] piped up Aurora happily [She was asleep for so long]


    [It''s Daddy''s fault] grumbled Alex.


    [How is it Daddy''s fault?]


    [Did Mummy get hurt?] Alex asked. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Yes]


    [Was Daddy hurt?]


    [No]


    [So it is Daddy''s fault]


    [You''re not being fair] complained Aurora [Daddy was always there for us. He talked to us all the time.]


    [Guilt] dismissed Alex [It''s the least he could do]


    [He doesn''t treat us like babies]


    [We are babies]


    [Yeah but does not use those stupid baby talk. With all the koochi koo and widdle widdle cutie pie] complained Aurora.


    [Okay, I''ll give him that] agreed Alex begrudgingly.


    [And Daddy''s voice is so nice]


    Alex stopped talking to his sister then. If he could, he would have rolled his eyes already. She was getting to be such a Daddy''s girl that it was useless to talk to her.


    Luckily, he was the rational one.


    He wasn''t going to be captivated by that handsome face. Or mesmerizing voice. Or the way he felt loved whenever his father carried him.


    Nope.


    His father had a lot to make up for.


    Somehow, he could remember some things just before they were born.


    It had been that loud knocks that jolted his consciousness awake. He was jarred consistently, yet somehow, it felt like it had been softened. He instinctively knew that his mother must have done something.


    Then, more hard knocks.


    Being the one in front, he had borne the brunt of it. Luckily, he was the bigger one so the warm home he was in cushioned most of that until it finally broke. Or whatever it was that covered them.


    It was only then that the hits stopped.


    It was getting tight and uncomfortable. Their warm home was becoming scary.?The next thing he knew, it was bright.


    Everything was scary. Where was Mummy?


    Alex resented the fact that they had not met their mother until much later. Even though his father was around, it only made him angrier. Why was he okay but not his mother? Since Daddy is useless, only he could protect Mummy.


    Little did Kyle know, his own son had already looked down on him. Many years in the future, Patrick would be laughing loudly from the sidelines whenever he saw his grandson bickering with his father.


    Karma at its best, he thought.

 Chapter 737 - Alex

    Chapter 737 - Alex As Sayuri''s eyes flickered open, her eyelashes fluttering, she was greeted with the handsome face of her beloved looking at her.


    He was smiling, just waiting for her to wake up.


    She couldn''t help but wonder at how good looking he was.


    His skin was perfect, without any flaws. His eyelashes were long and his eyebrows just perfectly arched and dark. His blue eyes were sparkling and his s.e.xy red lips were curled up in a smile.


    "Are you done staring?" he asked, amused.


    Kyle had to admit, having his beloved being mesmerized by his looks gave him a sort of a boost. He didn''t care what other people thought, or how other people saw him. So long as his beloved liked it, he was happy.


    "No, not really," Sayuri said with a smile, bopping his nose with her nose, "I don''t think I''ll ever get used to this. Waking up in your arms, and seeing your face first thing in the morning."


    Kyle grinned, and kissed her lips slowly, careful to reign in his normal d.e.s.i.r.e for her as he hadn''t brushed his teeth yet.


    "You don''t have to get used to it," he whispered against her lips, "Let it be something to look forward to every morning."


    Giving her one final kiss on the lips, he said, "Time to get up."


    Sayuri shook her head, wrapping her arms around his waist once more.


    "A few more minutes," she said lazily, cherishing the moment while snuggling onto him.


    "Okay," he replied indulgently, though he couldn''t help but move his hand lower to rest on her b.u.t.t. He grinned, feeling its softness through the thin hospital gown.


    He didn''t think he would actually be a b.u.t.t guy in this life, or maybe it just had to do with the fact that it was Sayuri.


    Sayuri reciprocated by running her hands underneath his shirt, feeling his n.a.k.e.d back and pressing on the muscles there. She liked feeling them for some reason.


    "Nurse is coming," Kyle said as he started to extricate himself from Sayuri. She didn''t allow him, as she slid her hands further below and started squeezing his b.u.t.t.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow.


    "Frisky so early in the morning?" he growled, his voice getting huskier.


    "You know me," she said softly, "I''m frisky all day."


    Kyle gave her a quick peck on the forehead before taking her hands and kissing them. "Be good," he whispered before quickly getting up.


    Nurse Hailey walked in just as Sayuri hit Kyle squarely on the b.u.t.t as he got down from the bed. She smiled, thinking the couple was really sweet.


    "My babies!" Sayuri said happily as Nurse Hailey wheeled the cot to the bed then left quietly, not wanting to disturb family time.


    "Feed, or pump?" Kyle asked.


    "I want to feed them," Sayuri said, "Alex first, as it was Aurora first yesterday."


    Kyle picked up Alex and looked at him intently first, then said, "You know, I could swear he is actually glaring at me right now."


    Sayuri rolled her eyes, holding out her arms to him, "It''s just your imagination. After all, he''s just a baby."


    Kyle handed Alex over to her and she cooed at her adorable son, "See? How can you say this beautiful smiling face to be glaring?"


    Kyle looked at his son and noted how he was smiling happily, his mouth open wide and revealing his gums.


    "Huh," Kyle mumbled staring at his son as he began suckling on Sayuri.


    He told his son, "Remember, that''s mine. I''m only loaning it to you for six months."


    Naturally, there was no response from Alex. His eyes closed in contentment as he fed, one of his tiny hand pressing on the side of Sayuri''s b.r.e.a.s.t as he did so.


    "Your father is being so silly, isn''t he?" laughed Sayuri as she looked at her son lovingly.


    Kyle snorted and turned towards the cot and saw his daughter looking up at him with her eyes wide open in amazement.


    Kyle grinned and picked her up, cuddling and rocking her as he cooed, "My princess isn''t like her grumpy brother now, is she? Look at that face. She''s so beautiful."


    Aurora gurgled happily, content in being rocked in her father''s arms.


    Alex, who was feeding, internally rolled his eyes. His sister was just so easy to please. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri gently stroked the back of Alex''s head as he fed, "Yes, our children are beautiful."


    Alex cooed internally, happy at the compliment - completely oblivious to the fact that he, too, was easy to please.


    "Which reminds me," Sayuri said suddenly, "Which of the twin is older?"


    "Alex," Kyle replied, "He was in front of Aurora when they did the C-section. Doctors said that because of it, Aurora was safe."


    "What?!" gasped Sayuri, touching Alex all over in concern, "Is he alright?"


    "Yes, don''t worry," Kyle said, "He did have a little bit of bruising but fortunately, it was all external. He had protected his sister even while in the w.o.m.b."


    "My little hero," Sayuri gushed, stroking his cheek, "He''s going to be another one to protect us like his father."


    Alex snorted then, causing the milk to go up his nose and he started wailing. Aurora laughed, feeling her brother deserved it, for being so stupid.


    Sayuri gently cradled Alex and soothed him down. Kyle then took him and gave Aurora to Sayuri while he burped Alex.


    As he gently patted Alex''s back, Alex coughed out some milk mixture right down Kyle''s back. He could feel the sticky mess on his shoulder and back, and the slightly sourish smell that came with it.


    Kyle didn''t stop patting Alex''s back until he was sure Alex had burped sufficiently. He then cradled him and wiped the milk from his mouth.


    "Next time, don''t drink so fast, okay?" Kyle said.


    Alex just blinked and then stuck out his tongue at him.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed.


    Alex looked at him innocently, stuck out his tongue again and laughed.

 Chapter 738 - Do Not Interfere

    Chapter 738 - Do Not Interfere Kyle shook his head at his son''s antics, not really taking it to heart. For now, such movements would be encouraged as it exercised his motor skills - but it didn''t mean he wouldn''t admonish him for it.


    Kyle brought his face closer to Alex and said in a low voice, just enough that only Alex could hear, he said, "Remember, I''m still your father. No matter how much you may not like it, I am bigger and more skilled than you."


    Alex stopped laughing and looked at his father in surprise.


    Why was did he feel, that whenever his father talked to him, he was actually *talking* to him? Not merely saying words to appease himself, but as if he was really talking to him and expected him to understand or answer.


    The moment this thought entered Alex''s mind, he brushed it aside and shook his head.


    Nah.


    It couldn''t be. A.d.u.l.ts were silly and would never take babies seriously.


    Just remembering the number of times those nurses just picked them up and started asking them, ''Who is the little cutie pie? Who is? Who is? You, that''s who. Yes, you ..''


    It was enough to drive him insane if it wasn''t for the fact that they were feeding him bottled milk at that time. He prefered Mummy, of course, but he knew his appetite was more than what his mother could handle.


    Daddy explained this already, so he wasn''t really too bothered.


    He gave a side glare at his father.


    Well, his father was good for something, at least. Giving them valuable information and keeping them up-to-date about their mother. For that, he would not be too mean to his father.


    What Alex never realised was that Kyle never did treat him like a baby.


    Well, it was not to say that he treated Alex like an a.d.u.l.t, but Kyle could certainly see the intelligence in his son''s eyes. It was clear and it was obvious that he responded to the words that Kyle spoke to him.


    People would say that the baby merely responded to the sight and sound of whatever was in front of them.


    However, Kyle knew better.


    None of those expressions and reactions of his children could be coincidences. It was too apt and appropriate to what he said to them. With these hints, Kyle paid extra attention to his kids. A part of him wondered if Alex or Aurora was a reincarnated soul like him but he also knew that they''d never reveal it.


    As it was, Kyle knew that his kids were special and intelligent. He would need to start training and teaching them so that they would be able to harness that intelligence properly. Just like how he''d been teaching Kay while in the w.o.m.b, he''ll be doing the same with his kids.


    Kyle placed Alex back into the cot and Sayuri laughed at Kyle, seeing the wet patch on his shoulder and back.


    "Serves you right for not putting a towel over your shoulder," Sayuri teased him.


    "No biggie," Kyle replied with a shrug, "Sam will be over later with a fresh change of clothes, so I''ll change then."


    He took off his shirt, revealing his lean physique that had her love bites all over. Sayuri openly stared at his n.a.k.e.d c.h.e.s.t and said, "So you''re going to give the nurses a free show?"


    Kyle grinned, coming closer, "They can only watch. You, on the other hand, can touch and do anything and everything."


    As he sat at the edge of the bed, Sayuri ran her hands on his arm, relishing on feeling the muscles underneath.


    "The tattoo really turned out well," she said admiringly.


    "Maybe I should have your name tattoed as well," Kyle mused.


    "Don''t you dare," Sayuri replied.


    "Why not?" Kyle asked, perplexed. Didn''t all women like it if their man tattooed their name on themself?


    "You belong to me," Sayuri declared, "I don''t need my name on you to stake my claim. And it is weird. It''s as if only that part of your body that has my name is ''mine'' whereas your entire being is mine. But if you really want to tattoo my name, then you''ve got to put it on your d*ck."


    "My woman is damn possessive," Kyle said with a smile.


    "Damn right she is," Sayuri agreed.


    "I like," Kyle said, leaning forward and giving her a kiss on the lips.


    Of course, this was the scene that the newly changed morning shift nurse walked into.


    After that, the nurses were warned to be prepared to be greeted with either an extremely mushy scene or a scene of a half-n.a.k.e.d man every time they entered the Smith''s ward.


    If they were lucky, it would be both. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    After the twins were taken back to the nursery, they waited for the doctor to make his rounds.


    Kyle wanted to know whether Sayuri could be discharged, and if not, whether she could go out under his supervision.


    Kyle asked Sayuri, "Are you sure you want to see Sarah now?"


    "I do want to see her condition, but not really want to deal with her yet," Sayuri replied.


    "How about just seeing a video of her instead?" Kyle suggested, "Once you''ve fully recovered, we can go there."


    Sayuri thought about it and felt that that was a good idea.


    The anger within her concerning Sarah had dissipated after feeding the kids, and she didn''t feel like having any sort of negative emotions at the moment. Plus, she wasn''t feeling her best right now.


    Kyle saw her hesitating and took her hand in his, saying, "She''s alive and won''t be going anywhere. Why not use this time to think about what you''re going to do and say when you meet her?"


    "Fine. Leave her to me, okay? You are not to interfere," Sayuri commanded.


    "Of course," Kyle replied, his voice hoarse, "You''re so hot like this."

 Chapter 739 - Exercise (R18)

    Chapter 739 - Exercise (R18) Truly, Kyle couldn''t help but be turned on even more at how Sayuri was so domineering and fierce. He had to take several deep breaths to calm himself down and he got up to head to the bathroom.


    He went to the sink to wash his face. He had just started to brush his teeth when Sayuri entered as well. He was about to step aside and hand her her toothbrush when she hugged him from behind, moulding herself onto his back with her hands around his waist.


    He spit out the foaming toothpaste and said, "Come on and bru - hissssss"


    His words got cut off as Sayuri''s hands went into his pants and touched the tip of his c*ck. Kyle looked down at those nimble fingers that were exploring the head, causing him to become hard instantly and some pre-c.u.m was already starting to leak out.


    He looked at her through the reflection in the mirror, and saw that she was smirking as she rubbed herself on his *ss and started pulling down his pants and boxers.


    Kyle leaned down to the sink, ignoring those devilish hands as he rinsed his mouth. He made a mental note to get some c.o.n.d.o.ms later as he was worried that he may not pull out in time next time. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d as her hand stroked his hard shaft while kissing his back.


    "Sayuri ¡­" he hissed through gritted teeth, "Your body is still recovering. We just did it last night ¡­"


    "Look at this as exercise," Sayuri said with a smile, gripping his c*ck harder.


    "Exercise, huh?" Kyle said, his eyes glowing. Taking both of her hands by the wrist, he exerted slight pressure to cause her to let go and he turned quickly, kissing her intensely.


    He held her hands hostage as he plunged his tongue in, chasing after her tongue as he moved her towards the bathroom sink counter. Without breaking the kiss, he let go of her wrists and placed his hands on her waist, lifting her up.


    Sayuri hissed a bit when the cold counter hit her b.u.t.t, and Kyle held her tight as he grabbed the towel that was just beside the sink. Lifting her b.u.t.t a bit, he placed the towel there and lay her back down.


    He broke the kiss then and looked at her seriously, "For it to be exercise, there has to be proper physical activity."


    His hands were on her t.h.i.g.h as he pushed up the hospital gown up, revealing the snowy white skin. He placed his thumb on her bud through the u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r as he said, "First, cardio exercises."


    He then hooked his thumbs on the sides of her p.a.n.t.i.e.s before pulling it down. He didn''t break eye contact as he slowly pulled her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r off, letting his fingers trail over her skin as he did so.


    "Cardio?" Sayuri asked breathlessly, "You''re going to make my heart beat faster?"


    C.a.r.e.s.sing her inner t.h.i.g.h, he gently opened her legs and went inbetween but not close enough to have his stiff c*ck hit her in any way. He smiled, kissing her softly and replied, "Can you take it?"


    Just having him this close made her breathless in anticipation and she gulped. She was the one with the seduction skills so why was it that he could make her so eager just with those few words and touches?


    Before she could answer him, he had gone down on his knees and placed his mouth right at her inner core.


    "Kyle!!" she gasped, placing her hands on the bathroom counter to steady herself, "It''s dirty! I haven''t washed up yet!"


    He didn''t answer her at all and placed her legs over his shoulders as he buried himself deep within her.


    The tip of his tongue touched the tip of her bud, causing her to shudder and he ran his tongue all the way down to the moist, inner cave.


    "Damn, Sayuri," he said as he placed his lips over her mound, s.u.c.k.i.n.g and moving his tongue all over, "You taste so good."


    "Oh God, Kyle ¡­ ah ¡­ah ¡­" Sayuri gasped and m.o.a.n.e.d loudly, the sound echoing in the bathroom. She quickly grabbed the face towel and stuffed it in her mouth, muffling the sounds. Her back arched back as Kyle continued his onslaught at her most s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot.


    He couldn''t get enough of her.


    The more he licked, the more sweet nectar was produced. He s.u.c.k.e.d, nibbled and licked all over before plunging his tongue in as much as he could inside the source of all that sweet nectar. It was like a drug to him now and he continued shoving his tongue inside while s.u.c.k.i.n.g on the entrance.


    Sayuri screamed then, climaxing right at his face as he lapped it all up eagerly, even feeling the twitching of her inner cave as the wave passed through within her. By the time he was done and got up, Sayuri was weak and breathing heavily, leaning against the bathroom wall.


    "Cardio done," Kyle said, kissing her neck and bringing his hands behind her back, "Next, lower body exercise."


    He untied the hospital gown and took it off, flinging it to one side. At the same time, he also took off his own pants and kicked them aside. Taking her legs, he wrapped it around his waist and placed her hands around his shoulders.


    "Don''t let go now," he whispered in her ear as he lifted her up.


    Kyle headed to the shower and switched it on, all the while carrying Sayuri with one hand. He twisted the shower head so that it faced the wall and closed the shower cubicle door. He started kissing Sayuri and c.a.r.e.s.s her n.a.k.e.d body as he held her up.


    Soon, the bathroom started fogging up with the steam, warming up the area. He then stepped into the shower cubicle and stepped right under the water and placed Sayuri against the wall. He kissed her neck as he?eased himself into her and started moving his h.i.p.s fast.


    Sayuri hung onto Kyle as his hands held onto her legs to keep her steady. The bathroom was filled with the sounds of flesh hitting flesh and low m.o.a.ns muffled slightly under the running shower.


    Sayuri''s hands gripped Kyle''s hair tightly as she felt him pounding within her. She could never get tired of this. He could fill her up and could bring her to heights of ecstasy so easily.


    The best thing was, his s.e.x.u.a.l appetite was insatiable - just like hers.


    He never made her feel like he did not d.e.s.i.r.e her. Or even look like he was tired of it. She loved teasing him, making him hard just by showing him some cleavage or rubbing herself on him. Having him l.u.s.t after her from just a kiss made her feel so special. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her heart was filled to the brim, with the knowledge that her beloved d.e.s.i.r.ed her so.


    Kyle shifted a bit and started pounding at that sweet G-spot of hers and she gasped. Damn, this man''s skill was lethal. Sayuri felt the all too familiar build-up, and she knew this was going to be a big one.


    They climaxed together.

 Chapter 740 - New Name (R18)

    Chapter 740 - New Name (R18) Damn, he hadn''t managed to pull out in time at all.


    Not with Sayuri hanging onto him like a koala, gripping on him tightly as she climaxed. Feeling her insides squeezing him to deliciously, there was no way he could hold himself back either.


    Feeling his warm seed splurt into her twitching cave, he felt as if she was squeezing every ounce of what he could give. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d a bit, relishing the feeling and thinking that he was going to miss this sensation once he started using protection.


    Still, it was better than not having s.e.x at all.


    Sayuri kissed him intensely, feeling his warm seed filling her up. She could actually feel the splurt as he climaxed and it just made her o.r.g.a.s.m reach heights never before. She couldn''t help but move her h.i.p.s as they climaxed together, relishing the sensation it was invoking.


    Both clung to each other as the wave ended, both of them breathing heavily.


    Kyle slowly placed Sayuri''s legs down and kissed her forehead.


    "Time to take a proper shower," Kyle said breathlessly as he reached for the shower gel.


    They soaped each other, and Kyle couldn''t help but get aroused all over again as he ran his hands all over her n.a.k.e.d skin. It didn''t help that she was doing the same to him, teasing him and cleaning his c*ck and b*lls.


    He took very deep breaths as he restrained himself. Sayuri pushed him to the front of the shower and he washed off the soap first while she continued to tease him by groping his *ss.


    "Sayuri," Kyle said while gritting his teeth, "The doctor can come in at any time now."


    "Okay," she replied, and went in front of him to wash the soap off as well. However, she also moved about, rubbing her *ss onto his c*ck, and he gripped her waist.


    She turned to look at him as she took his hands and said, "Wrong place, my dear."


    She brought his hands to the front and placed them on her b.r.e.a.s.ts, squeezing them with his hands.


    Kyle growled and groped her ample b.r.e.a.s.ts, fuller due to the twins, pinching the n.i.p.p.l.e as he kissed the back of her neck. Sayuri arched her back and tilted her head, allowing him better access to her neck.


    One hand left her b.r.e.a.s.t and went down to her core, and plunged a finger inside, cleaning it.


    "It''s not your finger I want inside me, Kyle," Sayuri said breathlessly, turning her head and kissing him.


    She then leaned forward, placing her hands on the bathroom wall in front of her and Kyle entered her again from behind, hard and fast.


    Once again, the bathroom was filled with sounds of flesh hitting flesh and low m.o.a.ns.


    By the time Kyle and Sayuri emerged from the bathroom, an hour had passed and the skins on their hands had puckered up. Sayuri''s hair was wrapped up in a towel and she was dressed in a bathrobe. This was something Kyle had Sam send over the night before, when Sayuri was asleep.


    Underneath the bathrobe, she wore the hospital shirt with a sarong. This was far easier for Sayuri to b.r.e.a.s.tfeed, for she would only need to lift her shirt rather than take the whole top off.


    The bathrobe was simply to keep Sayuri warm while Kyle dried her hair. He regretted the way he had handled last night''s bath, for Sayuri was shivering a bit when putting on the clothes in the ward.


    Her hair had also still been slightly wet, so it dripped down and did wet her back a bit.


    This time, Kyle was better prepared.


    Kyle took his time drying Sayuri''s hair. She sat on the bed, while he used a towel to gently rub her hair and massage her head at the same time.


    "Strange that the doctor isn''t here yet," Kyle mused as he gently rubbed Sayuri''s hair.


    Little did either of them know, the doctor *did* come earlier.


    And quickly left.


    He made a mental note to get the nurses to check the ward room first before he entered the next time.


    He also prayed that the examination today would enable him to clear the patient in the room for discharge. He didn''t think he could take walking into those sounds again ...


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    Sayuri was ecstatic.


    The doctor cleared her and the twins to go home.


    There wasn''t much to pack, really, for Kyle would get poor Sam to bring back whatever things they had used and did not need. He didn''t like acc.u.mulating things in the hospital, which would make the journey home even more troublesome.


    Patrick and Delilah were there too, as well as Junior and Dian.


    As per procedure, Sayuri was to be wheeled out in a wheelchair even though she felt fine enough. The twins were swaddled up securely in their baby pink and baby blue light blanket, which was done to restrict their movements.


    This was to give them a sense of security and also enable Sayuri to be able to hold them better as Kyle placed them in her arms when she sat in the wheelchair.


    Delilah would watch everything, seeing her still young son taking care of his still young wife, with their newborns. It was really a surreal thing, to see how big he was yet, at the same time, he was still her baby.


    Junior was staring at the sleeping babies in wonderment, leaning on the wheelchair armrest, "They are so small."


    "You used to be this small as well," Sayuri said with a laugh. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle rubbed the top of Junior''s head and said, "This is Alexander, and this is Aurora. You can call them Alex and Rory for short if you want."


    "Those are really nice names," Junior said.


    "What about you? Have you decided?" Kyle asked.


    Junior grinned and looked up at Kyle, "Kyle Denzel Greene."

 Chapter 741 - Sarah

    Chapter 741 - Sarah "Kyle Denzel Greene, huh?" Kyle mused.


    Junior nodded, "Although you are not my father, I am too used to the name ''Kyle''. My friends at school also call me Kyle."


    Kyle could see his point. Changing the main name into something else would invoke all sorts of questions which Junior ¡­ no, Kyle ¡­ no, that was weird calling him that ¡­ Little Kyle? Mini Kyle?


    Kyle scratched his head. This was going to be a bit tough.


    "And Denzel?" Kyle asked, not really expecting an answer.


    "Mummy said it means ''from a high stronghold''. A stronghold is a place like a fort, right? I think that''s awesome," gushed young Kyle.


    "It''s a good name," Kyle said with a smile.


    Samantha was getting much better and had approved of the name change. Her doctor said that this was a significant improvement and it wouldn''t be long before she could be released.


    She would still have to be strictly monitored, of course, and would still need to come back for consultations. It hadn''t been long since Kyle took care of the little one, but he surely wormed into everyone''s hearts.


    Sam came back then, pushing up his glasses and announced, "All done. You can leave now."


    "Great! Thanks, Sam," Kyle said as he pushed Sayuri out. Young Kyle walked next to Sayuri, Kay next to Kyle, his parents slightly behind while the overworked Sam sighed and picked up the briefcase and files.


    At least, he wouldn''t need to make these daily trips to the hospital now.


    There was a slight smile on Sam''s face as he watched the young family in front of him.


    Betty wasn''t showing yet, but he couldn''t wait to hold his own baby in his arms. He wasn''t that keen on babies, really ¡­ no, it was more of the fact that he felt awkward around them, but if it''s his own, he was excited.


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    Sarah''s eyes fluttered open and she gasped softly.


    For the first time, she saw someone. A human being.


    He hadn''t seen her yet, or rather, he was not aware that she was awake.


    He had his back to her, but even then, she could tell that he was good-looking. Maybe it was because he stood up straight. Maybe it was because his dark hair was neat. Or maybe it was just because he was the first human being she had seen in such a long time.


    He was busy changing the IV bag. He turned and upon seeing her opened eyes, his won went wide open and he stepped back, scared as he gripped a plastic bag.


    Sarah was right.


    He really was good-looking.


    His eyes darted to the left and right, seemingly not knowing what to do when she said hoarsely, "Please, don''t go."


    The guy shook his head, obviously worried about something. He quickly took a few steps forward and changed her urine bag.


    "Please, I won''t say anything. Just ¡­ just talk to me," Sarah pleaded.


    The guy''s lips quivered but he didn''t say a thing. He did his job quietly and Sarah sighed, tears forming in her eyes. She closed her eyes and the tears fell silently.


    She jerked back a bit upon feeling it being wiped away, and a deep voice whispered, "Stay strong."


    She opened her eyes quickly, only to see his back as he quickly ran out of the room.


    With those words, Sarah started to have hope again.


    Ever since that one time, she would occasionally wake up whenever he came to change the bags. He wouldn''t talk to her at all and pretended not to realise that she was awake. That didn''t deter Sarah, however, as she continued to talk to him softly.


    She didn''t ask anything, but simply talked about herself. Then, about her dreams of having a nice family. Being a housewife to take care of her husband.


    She noticed that although he didn''t talk, he seemed to listen. More so whenever she talked about her dreams of a family and future. She didn''t talk about the fact that her future actually involved Kyle, for she wanted to portray herself as a sweet girl who was still single.


    "Thank you for always taking care of me so well," Sarah said "And I don''t even know your name."


    "Ed," the guys suddenly said, looking at her briefly and then left.


    "Ed," Sarah said to herself softly, smiling.


    The days passed by quickly after that. She looked forward to the day that he would come.


    Ed started responding to her more since then, and they would talk more every time he came to change the bags.


    One day, he looked at her seriously and said, "If you promise not to try to kill yourself again, I can release you from the bed."


    Sarah''s eyes sparkled, "Really? I promise! I won''t! It was just that I was so lonely. So long as you''re here, I won''t do anything stupid. Really!"


    Ed looked at her intently and his gaze softened, "Okay." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, to her utter joy, he reached over to unfasten her bindings when he suddenly looked embarrassed.


    "Erm ¡­ ah ... " he coughed nervously, "I''m going to have to take out the catheter."


    Sarah blushed and she nodded, closing her eyes.


    "This won''t hurt, but you might feel a bit strange," Ed said softly as he pulled out the thin tubing.


    Sarah felt a sensation akin to ice being slid across her skin. It wasn''t painful, but like Ed said, just felt a bit weird.


    "All done," he said softly then went to take out the IV drip before unfastening her bindings


    "Do not do anything stupid or else you''re going to have to be chained again," Ed said, "And I''d be punished."


    "Punished?" Sarah asked, surprised.


    Ed looked down as he quickly packed everything up, explaining, "It was the only way to convince them to let you go."


    Sarah reached over and touched his shoulder, "Thank you."

 Chapter 742 - Sarah (II)

    Chapter 742 - Sarah (II) Sarah''s days at the confinement room became much better after that.


    Ed didn''t really speak much, mainly because he was afraid of getting caught doing so. He was already under observation for arguing in letting her go.


    Sarah did try to find out more about why she was here, but Ed wasn''t much help.


    "I''m sorry, Sarah," Ed said forlornly, "I''m new here."


    "But ¡­. " Sarah started, then looked down guiltily, "No, forget it."


    "What is it?" Ed asked, bringing his head down to look up at her.


    Sarah gave a sad smile, "Nothing."


    "It''s not nothing," Ed said, "If you look like that."


    "It''s just that ¡­" Sarah began, "It''s just that you''re so nice but how come you''re working for such people? To lock me up?"


    Ed looked away then, giving a big sigh.


    "The pay is insanely good," Ed said softly, "And I need it because my mother''s medical bills are so high."


    He looked at her, his eyes pleading for her to understand.


    "It wasn''t easy getting this job," Ed explained, "There were so many tests. Screenings."


    He sighed again, getting up and looking at her sadly, "All they said to me was that there was a special prisoner in here that I need to take care of. No questions asked."


    He went to the door and said softly, his head lowered, "I''m sorry, Sarah but I''m already going against my orders by talking to you. If I was to lose this job ¡­"


    Sarah watched him go sadly, and she said just as he closed the door, "I''m sorry, Ed. I never meant to make it difficult for you."


    She turned, and Ed closed the door.


    Sarah looked extremely upset and sad. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her face portrayed what she felt exactly, though the reasons may not be what one would have thought, taking into account what had been said earlier.


    Sarah was cursing non-stop in her mind.


    The entire time she was playing up to Ed, and he had to be a rare breed: one who was filial to his parent. How was she going to play up to his naivete and kind nature to help her get free?


    He was also useless in terms of getting information.


    He didn''t know anything!


    Not who the Boss was, not why she was here, not where this was.


    Well, the last one was a surprise, actually.


    Ed told her that the job had been such a secret that he had been blindfolded and brought here. His accommodation was nearby with a fully stocked kitchen that was replenished every week.


    Thus, it eliminated the need for him to go outside. In addition, his ailing mother was taken care of, so that the only thing he needed to do, was his job.


    Sarah felt like her captures were not ordinary people. But that didn''t explain why she was taken. She was simply an ordinary person.


    Then, it hit her.


    It was because she was Kyle''s beloved.


    She must be used as a bargaining chip or a piece to blackmail Kyle.


    Sarah''s heart twisted at the thought.


    She couldn''t be a burden to him. She had to escape!


    It only made her d.e.s.i.r.e to leave even more.


    Sarah thought long and hard of her next step.


    Ed was her only hope. It was truly a miracle. He must have been sent to her by Heaven to help her out of this predicament, so she should not waste the golden opportunity presented to her.


    Kyle couldn''t find her, so she needed to go to him.


    After all, she had to prove herself as well, isn''t it? The one that was truly fitting to be by his side.


    But how was she going to convince Ed now?


    A part of her was feeling a bit uneasy, though.


    Ed was really sweet.


    He was the only one that treated her nicely.


    Ok, fine. He was the only one that actually treated her like a human being.


    If he hadn''t taken this job, she would still be chained to the bed, like a vegetable, until God-knows-when. Maybe until she outlived her usefulness?


    No, she knew Kyle was working his hardest to find her and get her out.


    She had to escape and rescue Kyle from having to be under so much pressure.


    Sarah sighed.


    Just after Kyle had managed to escape from the clutches of that sl*t who seduced him and trapped him, his true love was now spirited away.


    Sarah closed her eyes, thinking and planning.


    In her mind, the story she had created and spread online was reality. Everything else was pushed out of her mind.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sayuri was settled quite comfortably at the Smith''s mansion.


    Dahlia''s old bedroom was now the nursery, as it was the room closest to Kyle''s bedroom. It was only natural that his kids would be nearer to him. Dahlia''s room was now next to Young Kyle''s room.


    Dahlia hadn''t been happy at first upon being told about the change, but she knew that she couldn''t really protest. She understood the reason, but she was still hurt.


    Young Kyle thought Dahlia was being silly and stupid, because it wasn''t like she didn''t have a room in the mansion. It was simply not the same one. And why would she still want a room that was decorated for a toddler anyway? Wouldn''t a more ''grown-up'' room be better?


    Dahlia had scoffed at Young Kyle, saying that he was just too young to understand.


    While the little squabbles were happening between Young Kyle and Dahlia, a new routine settled for Kyle and Sayuri.


    Kyle had hired two nannies to help Sayuri take care of the twins, but she was still a hands-on mother. The nannies were there to help her cope, not take over completely. Sayuri also trained and exercise with Kyle, for she wanted to get back into shape - normal exercise, by the way.


    A confrontation was looming close, after all.

 Chapter 743 - The Escape

    Chapter 743 - The Escape Sarah never asked Ed about her situation again.


    After that awkward talk, Ed did appear to be more withdrawn but Sarah managed to coax him out of it because she never blamed him for anything. In fact, she always had a smile for him.


    Each time she saw his happy smile, Sarah felt relief that he was normal with her again, though there was a little twinge of guilt. She would quickly suppress it harshly.


    She kept telling herself that she must be loyal to Kyle. Even if Ed was one of the sweetest guys she had met since Kyle, she must not waver.


    This was just a test of her feelings for Kyle.


    How could she fail when she was so close, right?


    So, despite her slight misgivings, she carried on with her plan.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    As usual, instead of pushing the food through the opening under the door, Ed walked into the room with Sarah''s food.


    He had just gone through the door when he caught her straightening her back and viciously rubbing her eyes. Though her back was to him, he knew what she was doing from her actions.


    "Dinnertime," he said casually, not showing that he knew what was going on.


    Sarah took a few seconds to turn, and he stopped a bit upon seeing her rather sad face that she was trying hard not to show. With her rather ugly smile and red-rimmed eyes, how could he not know that she had been crying?


    "Thank you," Sarah said as she took the tray.


    When Ed didn''t say anything, Sarah sniffed and rubbed her nose, as if wiping away something. Ed silently handed her a handkerchief.


    Sarah was surprised, and this time, her look wasn''t faked as she peered at his face.


    "Mother always said a gentleman should carry handkerchiefs," he said, "And things aren''t as bad as they seem. You''re alive, have a roof over your head and food, right?"


    Those words brought Sarah out of her reverie, and she chastised herself. How could she have been so touched by his gesture? In the end, he was still working for her captures - even if the reason was a pure one.


    He was keeping her from Kyle, so that couldn''t be forgiven.


    She hardened her heart.


    Sarah smiled brightly at him then, and replied, "I know. I always listen to what you say."


    She took his handkerchief, wiped her nose and placed it beside her.


    She started eating, and explained hesitatingly, "I am grateful. I have you to keep me company. I have food that''s not bad really."


    She sighed a bit and continued eating her meal, which consisted of plain rice, a piece of fried chicken and vegetable soup.


    Ed nodded and sat down next to her, whispering, "I slipped in that piece of chicken. I hope it''s not too oily."


    Sarah''s hand paused and she suddenly found a lump in her throat.


    It was getting harder and harder to be mean to him.


    Then, a small voice seemed to admonish her fiercely and talked to her rationally.


    Just because she was in love with Kyle did not mean that she had to be mean to Ed. She could be kind and nice to Ed, right? In fact, she could even love him since Country Tz allowed women to marry more than one.


    Not that she would, of course, but ¡­ it showed that you can have feelings for more than one person.


    And Ed was her oasis.


    She wasn''t forcing him to do all of these things for her, right?


    With that resolved in her mind and heart, she could start the next phase with the weight off her shoulders. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re so good to me," Sarah said, "I really am grateful, really. I know things could be worse."


    She sighed softly, "It''s just that sometimes, I think about my own mother and I wonder how she is like. She must be so worried about me."


    She played with her food a bit, twirling the spoon in the soup as she whispered softly as if just talking to herself (but loud enough for Ed to hear), "I hope she thinks I am dead. It''s better than have her suffer thinking about me."


    Sarah observed Ed from the corner of her eye and noticed with satisfaction the guilt and sadness that he seemed to feel. He played with his fingers, looking at her worriedly wile she continued eating.


    It wouldn''t be long now, she thought.


    She was right.


    A few weeks later, Ed came in with her dinner as usual.


    Ever since that time, Sarah was careful to just drop hints and pieces of her mother. She would also be asking him about his mother and gush whenever he praised her. Supported him when he was worried about her.


    She noticed that Ed was becoming warmer and warmer towards her, and she milked it for al its worth.


    After all, he made her feel special and even better, her food got better as well. All of the extra dishes were things he made himself and sneaked over. Sometimes, it was a bit squished but she didn''t mind it at all.


    That night, there was a lot of meat and Sarah was amazed at how he managed to get that in.


    "You''re too good to me," Sarah said in a whisper and smiled at him, touching his face. He jerked a bit at that, but smiled goofily after.


    Once she was done, he grabbed her hand and whispered urgently, "I''m going to get you out of here."


    Sarah looked happy, then scared, "No, no .. you can''t. What about your mother?"


    "Mother would understand," Ed said, "She is getting better and ¡­ and ¡­ if she knew the money for her treatment was at the cost of an innocent life, she would not be happy with me."


    "It''s too risky," Sarah said, shaking her head.


    "Trust me," Ed said, smiling sweetly.

 Chapter 744 - The Escape (II)

    Chapter 744 - The Escape (II) Sarah looked at his intensely wide eyes, full of innocence and she nodded, "Okay."


    After she finished dinner, Ed then got up and told her to follow him out.


    "What?" she gasped, worried and scared.


    He smiled gently, and gestured with his hand, "It''s okay. All of the guards are asleep."


    "They are? How is that possible?" Sarah asked.


    "I''ve been giving them food that I cooked for the past few weeks," Ed said, "The same thing as what I gave you. Which was why it was easier for me to slip the food for you."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It explained the smell of food," Ed patiently explained.


    "Oh," Sarah replied, nodding in understanding. Ed really had thought of everything in fine detail. She became touched again thinking of how much he had taken care of her, at the risk to himself.


    The nagging guilt started again, and she suppressed it yet again. She made a promise to herself, and a silent one to him, that she would repay him for this kindness. However, it would only be as a good friend and not her heart.


    She hoped he would not be thinking of her that way.


    She owed him too much to disappoint him so.


    Although she started off with wanting to use him, she could not help but feel ¡­ something for him. It wasn''t love, she didn''t think so. But certainly, which girl wouldn''t feel something for the person who treated them well?


    Sarah sighed.


    If she had met him first, would she have fallen so hard for Kyle?


    Thinking about it, she shook her head.


    It wasn''t a matter of who she met first. Her heart knew what her heart wanted.


    It was a pity, though.


    "But why would they be asleep now?" Sarah continued to ask, "Why are you so sure that they are?"


    "Because I put sleeping powder in them," he explained, "I crushed some sleeping pills and sprinkled it over their meat."


    Sarah nodded, understanding and yet, not enquiring how he managed to get hold of sleeping pills since those were prescribed drugs - and he never went out of the vicinity. Not that she really would have asked if she did think about it.


    She just accepted whatever he said, on trust, as he had done so much for her.


    Once she stepped outside, Sarah looked about.


    As she suspected, she was in a bas.e.m.e.nt of some sort. The door led to some stairs, that led upwards. There was hardly any light on the lower ground but as they walked up, it became brighter.


    On the first ''floor'', so to speak, there was a table with two men slumped over it. Their faces were conveniently facing away and Sarah was not curious at all to see what they looked like.


    She was too nervous.


    She didn''t even dare make a sound.


    Ed was silent as well, as he brought her further up.


    Finally, what seemed like ages to Sarah, they reached the top floor. Just like the two men below, there were two people in here as well, also unconscious.


    They slipped by the men and went outside.


    Sarah was so happy to finally be out of there that she almost gave a shout. She quickly covered her mouth, but she didn''t stop herself from turning around and taking a deep breath.


    Fresh air.


    Trees.


    She couldn''t help it but went and hugged Ed tightly.


    "Thank you," she said, her voice quivering.


    Ed seemed shocked and merely stood there, frozen before he awkwardly patted her back.


    "We can''t stay here for long," he said, "The guards will be asleep for several hours, so we have to get away from here as fast as possible."


    "Okay," Sarah agreed readily, "but how are we going to do that?"


    "We have to go to my room first," Ed said, "I have some backpacks packed for our hike. I couldn''t bring it because it would be too suspicious."


    "Is it safe at your place right now? Should I hide?" Sarah asked worriedly as she followed him.


    "Do not worry," Ed said, "We basically keep to ourselves. There''s hardly anyone around as well. Those on night shifts would be away, while those on day shifts, would be asleep."


    "But you still need to be as quiet as possible," Ed warned, "Do not let yourself be seen."


    "Why don''t I just hide and wait outside?" suggested Sarah.


    Ed looked at her, then asked, "Don''t you want to bathe and freshen up? I have a change of clothes as well. We have a long journey ahead of us, so being at your optimum would be best."


    Sarah looked at herself and the thought of a bath really did sound very good.


    "You''re right, but are you sure it''s safe?" Sarah asked again.


    "Yes," Ed replied, "So long as you''re careful, it''s more than okay. You can use the bathroom in the Boss''s room."


    Sarah gasped.


    "The Boss''s room? No way!!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "They''re not in," Ed assured her, "And that is the only room that has its own bathroom. Using the communal one is too risky."


    Sarah was scared but?the thought of a nice, hot shower and a change of clothes was just too tempting to reject.


    "Are you sure your Boss isn''t in?" Sarah asked.


    Ed nodded his head, "Yes. Actually, other than the time I got hired, I never saw him again. He''s not come here at all."


    Sarah gave out a breath of relief and said, "Okay. I''ll be as quick as possible."


    They entered the building quietly. Sarah was surprised to find it quite luxuries. A 2-storey house, complete with a living room, dining room, and kitchen while the second floor were the bedrooms.


    After getting a towel and change of clothes, Ed led her to his Boss''s room. Just as she entered, they heard a car. Upon looking out the window, Ed paled.


    "It''s the boss. Quick! Hide in here!!"


    Ed pushed Sarah into the closet.

 Chapter 745 - Trapped

    Chapter 745 - Trapped Sarah was petrified and merely followed Ed''s order.


    "Don''t make a sound," he said softly, "I''ll go greet the Boss. Stay hidden."


    Sarah replied, "Okay."


    Sarah sat in the closet, bringing her knees up to her chin and peered through the grooves in the closet. Luckily, she could look out and with the darkness inside the closet, there was no way anyone from outside would know she was in there.


    She just hoped that the Boss wouldn''t want anything from inside here.


    As she looked around in the closet, she could barely make out anything but could feel that there were hardly any change on clothes in here. Thus, Ed wasn''t lying when he said that the Boss was hardly around.


    It was just her bad luck that he came today.


    Then, she got worried.


    Why was he here? Was it to check up on her? After all this time?


    And if he was to go and view the place, he would most definitely know that she had escaped. Ed would be caught. She would be captured again.


    Sarah started crying, feeling petrified and thinking about it. She started rocking, hugging her knees tightly as she tried to remain calm.


    She shouldn''t have wanted that bath. They should have just left immediately. Maybe they would have had a better chance.


    Ed had left the bedroom door slightly open and Sarah could hear him shout respectfully, "Boss!"


    Some words were said, but it was too muffled for her to hear what it was. The sounds got louder and the footsteps were going up the stairs.


    Sarah bit her lips, putting the towel up to her mouth in order to steady her sobs and breathing. Her heart was in her throat. She was so scared. So scared.


    Then, the bedroom door was opened.


    The light from the corridor illuminated the dark bedroom and for a moment, she couldn''t see the two figures at the doorway.


    "As you can see, your room is kept clean," Ed was saying.


    "Mmhmm," Boss responded.


    Sarah''s heart lurched.


    Wait.


    That couldn''t be ¡­?


    No.


    She shook her head.


    It was just that she was missing him too much that even a random stranger''s hum sounded like him. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Status of the prisoner?" the voice continued, getting closer as he came into the room after he switched on the lights.


    Sarah''s head shot up so fast that she almost whipped her neck. It wasn''t her imagination.


    Kyle.


    Her brain was malfunctioning.


    Boss?


    Kyle?


    Kyle was the boss?


    Kyle was the one that captured her??


    Sarah shook her head vehemently, her heart wanting to deny what she was seeing with her eyes.


    "Alive," Ed answered, his eyes darting towards the closet.


    Sarah saw this and she pressed the towel to her mouth even more.


    She couldn''t and shouldn''t make a sound.


    Seeing that familiar face getting closer, seeing that person that had filled her mind the past few months as she was trapped, seeing the man that she was so in love with ¡­ was the one that had kept her hidden away like an animal.


    It couldn''t be.


    Her mind still refused to accept it.


    Her eyes took in that magnificent and strong figure, that ice-cold face that made his handsome features even more striking like a person who found water in a desert. She took it all in, filling up her dried-up heart and loneliness and her mind worked hard to figure out what was happening.


    Maybe his mind snapped when Sayuri died.


    Yes, that''s it !


    That is what must have happened.


    He was so angry and in pain that he shifted it towards her for some reason. Took their love to be twisted or something.


    Kyle must be here because he regretted it.


    Yes, that''s it. Most definitely.


    "Darling, is everything okay?"


    Sarah froze.


    No.


    It couldn''t be!


    Then, that dreaded face. That dreaded figure came into view.


    How could she still be alive?!!


    Sarah watched as the cold expression on Kyle''s face melted away and he gave the most sweetest smile she had ever seen.


    She watched in dismay as he walked over to that hateful figure and gave her a kiss on the lips. Not just a peck, but a full-blown French kiss as he held her close and his head moving upon the deep kiss.


    "All is okay," Kyle said breathlessly after breaking the kiss, "Do you want to see her now?"


    Sarah watched with wide eyes as Sayuri''s hands went down to grope Kyle''s behind. She bit on the towel, silently screaming at the sight.


    "No, not tonight," Sayuri said, "Let her have one last night of peace before we see her."


    "Whatever my love commands," Kyle said with a smile.


    He turned towards Ed and said coldly, "Make sure she''s well taken care of tonight. We''ll go over tomorrow morning when you send her breakfast."


    Ed nodded, his face pale but otherwise, did not show any other expression.


    When Kyle saw that he hadn''t move yet, he brought Sayuri into the bedroom and closed the door, muttering, "What a doofus. Why the heck is he standing there for?"


    Sayur smiled.


    "Maybe he was just too shocked by your presence?"


    "As if," Kyle scoffed, "It looked as if he was hiding something ¡­"


    "Nah, you''re just overthinking it," Sayuri said, as she started kneading his b.u.t.t.


    Kyle looked down at her, and with a smirk, he asked, "Hadn''t had enough yet? Didn''t we just do it earlier?"


    "You know me," Sayuri said breathlessly, "No matter how many times we do it, it''s never enough because it''s you."


    Kyle growled and started ripping off Sayuri''s clothes. Soon, the room was filled with sounds of their intense lovemaking.


    Sarah wanted to shut her ears and close her eyes, but for some reason, she couldn''t.?She watched the whole thing in absolute horror. She was so shocked, so shattered, that all she could do was sit there, crying silently as she watched Kyle f.u.c.k Sayuri, over and over again.

 Chapter 746 - The Morning After

    Chapter 746 - The Morning After Sarah jolted awake.


    It was already morning.


    She panicked.


    Damn, when did she fall asleep?!


    She had wanted to sneak out when Kyle had fallen asleep, but now, those plans went out the window.


    She rubbed the grit out of her eyes - which was a lot, considering the amount of crying she had done the night before. She couldn''t believe what she had to see. What she had seen.


    Even when she finally managed to close her ears and shut her eyes, the images wouldn''t go away.


    It was bad enough that the man she loved was f.u.c.k.i.n.g another girl, he had been going on at it several times throughout the night! She counted it. Five times.


    Five!!


    Did they not get tired?


    Worse, that sl*t had such a trashy mouth, with her loud m.o.a.ns and curses.


    How could a woman be so blatantly open about it?


    Instead of disgusting Kyle, however, he seemed to be more turned on! He kept calling out her name, kept telling her how much he loved her, kept saying she was so beautiful ¡­ while that stupid s.l.u.t kept telling Kyle to either go faster or say he was so deep inside.


    It was horrible.


    Horrible, I tell you!


    Sarah rubbed her arms.


    She didn''t think her heart could break any more than it already did, but each time he said those words to Sayuri, a piece of her heart broke and fell.


    Each thrust he made inside, with those obvious grunts of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, made her eyes and ears bleed.


    Each kiss made her breath hitch and she was out of breath.


    Everything.


    Every word, every action, every breath ¡­ it felt like a thousand cuts upon her body.


    When it had been all over, she had been so exhausted mentally that she had fallen asleep.


    Now, awake, she tried to focus her eyes.


    She peered through the grates of the closet towards the bed. Were they still asleep?


    Did she have a chance to sneak out?


    She had to bite her lips to stop herself from shouting out loud as she saw the two n.a.k.e.d bodies intertwined.


    Kyle''s back was towards her, and she could make out the strong muscles of his back while the blanket just barely covered his b.u.t.t. A long, slim leg was dr.a.p.ed over his leg, and ¡­ and ¡­


    Sarah closed her eyes, tears falling again.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that she was deathly afraid of her fate should they know she was there, she would have gotten out and slapped that s.l.u.t silly.


    How dare she?


    How could she entice her beloved so?


    Just what sort of drug did she use on him?


    Sarah had read enough romance novels to know that there were such drugs in the market. How easily all of those devious women bought such drugs that would make the male lead lose control and be out of their minds.


    Last night''s events proved it beyond a doubt.


    How could any man last that long, let alone be so enthralled with such a foul-mouthed woman?


    The more Sarah thought about it, and the more Sarah told herself this, she started feeling better.


    Just then, she saw an arm go around Kyle''s waist and started rubbing his back.


    Sarah smiled.


    That s.l.u.t was in for it now, since such drugs would have lost its potency by now. Didn''t she know that? How come she could be so brazen as to continue lying there?


    Sarah had the plan all out.


    Once Kyle went berzerk upon seeing Sayuri there, she''ll make her move to get out of the closet.


    Just as Sarah finally managed to get her fragile mind under control, that annoying voice asked Kyle sleepily, "Do you think it''s time?"


    Kyle reached forward towards that figure in front of him and if Sarah didn''t know any better, he had kissed her.


    Her mind exploded.


    How could that be??


    Kyle then straightened up and stretched, "I do believe you''re right."


    Sayuri then looked towards the closet, smiled and got up, wrapping the blanket around her. Kyle raised an eyebrow at her action, for it then revealed his n.a.k.e.dness. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri giggled, leaned over and rubbed his b.u.t.t before going over him to get off the bed. Once standing, she effectively blocked him from prying eyes as she reached over.


    With a slow smile, she started walking towards the closet, making Sarah cower even more inside.


    Sayuri opened the closet and as she reached for the bathrobe, she asked the girl that was blinded by the sudden light, "Just how long are you planning to sit there? Unless you want another show?"


    Sarah gulped, looking up at her in shock and fear, "You .. you ¡­"


    Kyle came up behind Sayuri and reached forward for the bathrobe in her hands before putting it on while being blocked by Sayuri.


    Looking indifferently at Sarah over Sayuri''s shoulder, he asked after kissing the side of Sayuri''s neck, "What now, darling?"


    "What else? Hunting," Sayuri said with a smile.


    Just then, a knock sounded at the door.


    "Boss? Madam?" came a nervous voice from the doorway, "Breakfast is ready."


    Before Sarah could warn him, Sayuri already had her in a choke-hold, her mouth covered by the towel that Sarah had been holding.


    "Sweetheart, can you handle that?" Sayuri asked Kyle sweetly.


    "Of course," Kyle replied, giving her a brief kiss on the lips.


    He walked over to the dresser while saying, "In a minute, Ed."


    Sarah watched in horror as Kyle took out a gun and put a silencer on it. He walked to the door while Sarah struggled uselessly in Sayuri''s arms.


    Sayuri whispered in Sarah''s ears, almost lovingly as she said, "Now, watch. Remember, this is all your fault."


    Sarah shook her head, tears falling down her face.


    Kyle hid the gun behind him as he opened the door, blocking Ed''s sight of inside the room.


    "Thank you for your service, Ed," Kyle said just before he shot Ed in the c.h.e.s.t.

 Chapter 747 - Who was he?

    Chapter 747 - Who was he? Sarah screamed soundlessly into the towel as she watched Kyle shoot Ed.


    She couldn''t see what happened but she heard the muffled shot then a thud as something fell onto the ground. When Kyle stepped back, she could see the legs of someone, lying flat on the ground.


    Sayuri let go of Sarah then, while Sarah ran to the figure. Kyle caught her just as she was about to pass, effectively chocking her as he held on to the back of her shirt.


    She saw Ed''s lifeless body, his eyes open and staring blankly at the ceiling while his c.h.e.s.t had this red patch and blood was pooled on the floor.


    "Serves him right for trying to help you escape," Kyle hissed and flung Sarah back into the room.


    He closed the door and wiped his hand on the bathrobe in disgust, as if touching her was horrible. The sight of Kyle doing so caused her more pain.


    Sarah fell hard onto the floor, her legs weak and her heart in turmoil. She couldn''t think straight anymore.


    Too many things happened, one shocking thing after another.


    She looked at the cold Kyle with new eyes.


    This was not the Kyle she knew.


    The Kyle she knew was kind, sweet, and loving. This one was an indifferent, cold-blooded murderer. Who was he? What happened to him? How could this be?


    Her eyes landed on Sayuri, who was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, looking at her in a rather bored manner. Worst of all, she was dressed in Kyle''s shirt, which only reached mid-t.h.i.g.h.


    "Kyle ¡­" Sarah started to say, her eyes glistening with tears again.


    "You, shut up," Sayuri said, looking at her in disdain with her chin tilted slightly to the side.


    From Sarah''s perspective, it looked like Sayuri was the Queen, looking down on her subjects as they were being addressed. Sarah didn''t like the feeling, but she couldn''t help but cower in the face of that domineering aura that Sayuri was giving out.


    "You tried to kill me," Sayuri began, "And my babies. For that, you deserve to die."


    Sarah shivered, hearing the coldness and finality in Sayuri''s voice.


    At one time, she felt Sayuri wasn''t a threat. Well, other than being the woman that had tricked Kyle - but overall, just a normal person. She didn''t think Sayuri was capable of anything other than being a useless and mindless person at home.


    Yet, right now, that thought wasn''t in her mind at all.


    The person sitting there did not seem normal.


    There was a slight regret in Sarah''s heart at that moment.


    Regret for not making sure Sayuri was dead. She should have plunged a knife into her heart or something. Trying to make it look like an accident had only turned around to bite her back.


    "But, I''m not like you," Sayuri said, "Sneaking up on a helpless person, literally kicking them when they are down."


    Sarah didn''t dare look up, though hope started in her heart. Perhaps Sayuri wasn''t as cold as she thought. She really was a wimp then.


    "I''m more of the ''in-your-face'' sort of person," Sayuri continued, "I will give you one chance. Just one chance to redeem yourself."


    Sarah gulped and looked up.


    "Redeem?" she whispered, asking.


    She stole a glance at Kyle, who was just standing there, the gun still in his hand. She didn''t dare move.


    Sayuri looked at her fingernails in boredom.


    "Yes," Sayuri said, "If you can pass this, then you''re free to go."


    "Pass what?" Sarah asked. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri smiled and pointed at the door to the outside.


    "You wanted to run away, right? Well, go ahead. Take the backpack Ed so kindly packed," Sayuri said, "If you can reach civilisation before we find you, you''re free."


    Sarah trembled.


    It was that easy?


    "I''ll even give you a head start," Sayuri said, getting up and stretching, "I need a bath after all. Too sticky with sweat on the outside and Kyle''s s.p.e.r.m on the inside."


    Kyle snorted.


    Sayuri sashayed to the bathroom, her h.i.p.s swaying. She stopped at the door, turned and said to Sarah, "My advice to you right now? Run."


    Then, she looked at Kyle and asked, "Aren''t you coming?"


    Kyle gave a slow grin and walked over. He didn''t even look at Sarah that was on the ground but he did say as he passed her, "If you''re still here when we come out, I''ll just kill you."


    Sarah trembled so much that she almost peed in her pants.


    She waited until the bathroom door closed before she quickly got up. However, her legs were so weak that she stumbled. It took her quite some time to finally gather the strength to walk out of the room.


    Upon seeing the dead Ed, however, she vomited to the side. Nothing much was inside her stomach though, so it was mainly retching sounds with stomach bile. Wiping her mouth after it was over, she quickly went to Ed''s room and picked up the backpack.


    "I''m sorry," Sarah managed to say to Ed before she ran out of the house.


    Hearing the door slam, Kyle and Sayuri looked out the bathroom window as she was busy pumping b.r.e.a.s.tmilk. At her side on the bathroom counter, was an empty glass milk and a protein bar wrapper.


    "Ten minutes?" Kyle asked.


    Sayuri shook her head, "Fifteen. Makes it more fun that way. Let her feel like she has managed to escape before reeling her back in."


    "You''re the boss," Kyle said.


    "This is such a relief," Sayuri said as the double b.r.e.a.s.t pump did its work, "I felt like it was bursting!"


    "Well, you should have pumped it last night itself, but ¡­" Kyle pointed out.


    Sayuri laughed.


    "Didn''t think you''re such an exhibitionist, though," Sayuri said, looking at him, raising an eyebrow.


    Kyle shrugged, "Forgot she was there, really. With you in my arms and under me, nothing else matters."


    "Sweet talker, you," Sayuri said with a smile.

 Chapter 748 - Run

    Chapter 748 - Run Sayuri gave him a quick peck on the lips and leaned back, "It was satisfying to know that she was watching. That girl is really a hard nut to crack. If telling her you''re mine wasn''t enough, then I''ve got to show her how much you are mine."


    After Sayuri finished pumping, they took a quick bath then dressed up in their camouflage ninja outfit.


    As they went out of the bedroom, the dead body and bloodstains were all cleaned out.


    "He''s efficient," Sayuri said in admiration, nodding at the ''dead'' man standing at the side.


    "Of course," Kyle replied, handing him the bottles of milk, "Only the best is in my Team."


    Ed, or Edward, grinned at the compliment and took the bottles like they were treasures. He would need to place them in the fridge and once cold, would be put in the thermal container for the others to bring back home.


    Edward was so glad the whole thing was over.


    All the suffering he had to endure at having to be nice to Sarah had really taken a toll on him. Each time, before entering the dungeons, he had to get mentally prepared and psyche himself up.


    The woman in there had tried to kill Sir''s wife and his children.


    It was unforgivable.


    Yet, he was tasked in gaining her trust, then manipulating her to ''entice'' him and set her free. It had been his really bad luck with this.


    For this particular mission, they needed someone that looked innocent and naive ¡­ which was him. Edward felt Akira would have been the better fit as he was such a flirt but it was a unanimous decision amongst them.


    Well, other than him, of course.


    What they needed was a person who was pleasant to the eye yet gave the feeling of warmth and protection. Akira was too much of a playboy to give any sort of ''innocent'' vibe.


    Edward sighed.


    If only he was as cold and stoic like Zero. With his face, any girl would fall for him but he would not have been able to restrain himself from killing Sarah in a day.


    Whatever it was, the one month ordeal is now finally over.


    Edward watched with a smile as Sir and Madam left the house. The backpack had a tracking device sewn into it, so there was no way that they would not be able to find Sarah easily.


    Plus, in the event that she was stupid enough to actually ditch the bag, the button on the clothes she wore was also a tracking device. They weren''t going to leave things to chance.


    Edward turned and headed towards the kitchen to keep the bottles of milk. Then, he headed towards the master bedroom to clean it. Upon entering, he stood still for a while, his face flushed red.


    From the musky smell to the messy bed and ripped clothes, even if he had not known what they had been planning for Sarah, the evidence within the room was quite obvious as to what had happened.


    Luckily, the master bedroom had been soundproof a month ago. Ms. Kay had been insistent on that, saying that it would save them some nightmares. She should have warned them not to enter the bedroom until much later as well.


    Edward went to open the windows.


    Maybe he should start finding a girlfriend.


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    Sarah ran.


    She didn''t know where she was going or how far she had run, but she didn''t care. All she wanted to do was create a distance between her, and the building.


    This place was really in the middle of nowhere, she thought.


    Right after leaving, there was nothing but trees and tress, and more trees. She had thought of following the road but ditched that thought immediately. That would make it too easy for Sayuri to find her.


    Hiding amongst the trees would give her a better chance of surviving, even though it was harder. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The image of the dead Ed kept playing in her mind.


    Immense guilt filled her up.


    He had been the one light in the dark moments since her capture, and she had caused his death. Tears came down again and she hastily wiped them away.


    She was still reeling from the emotional turmoil of having to see such an X-rated movie in HD Definition, and now, she was running for her life. She stumbled for the umpteenth time, falling onto the slightly damp ground.


    Where did it all go wrong?


    She sobbed, her heart being twisted in such intense pain that she was even having difficulty breathing.


    The worst thing was ¡­ during the ''break'' between s.e.x, Kyle and Sayuri would talk. Talk about the past, present, and future.


    Talks about their current love for each other and their children together, talks about their future kids and growing old together ¡­ and talks about Kyle''s past girlfriends.


    Her name did come up, but not as an ''ex girlfriend''. More like, an annoyance that he wished he had gotten rid of so much earlier. If he had been more decisive then, then Sayuri wouldn''t have gotten hurt.


    The thought that Kyle had never placed her in his mind as someone special broke her heart.


    She didn''t think her heart could break in so many ways.


    The only person who had truly liked her, and taken care of her, was now dead.


    Sarah heard some noises from behind and she looked, panicked, but didn''t see anything. Quickly getting up, she brushed the grit from her knees and started her journey again.


    This time, she walked.


    She was far enough now, so she was sure she could take it slightly slower.


    She was tired, sleepy, and mentally exhausted.


    Sarah then started looking for a good place to set up camp. She hadn''t even checked the backpack yet and this would be a good time to do so.


    Sayuri watched, biding her time.

 Chapter 749 - The Hunt

    Chapter 749 - The Hunt Kyle was beside her, watching Sarah who was doing her best to find a spot.


    Bringing his lips close to her ear, he asked Sayuri, "When will the games begin?"


    "Soon, my love," Sayuri replied with a smile, "I always return what is given to me, 10x in exchange. Plus, it wasn''t just me. It was our children as well."


    Kyle couldn''t help but kiss the side of her neck while she was talking, his lips and tongue brushing against the skin. Sayuri smacked the top of his head, scolding him, "Behave. I have work to do."


    "Can''t help it," Kyle replied, grinning as he hugged her from behind, "You''re just so hot when you''re working."


    "I must admit," Sayuri said, "Doing this with you is rather fun. Maybe Ice should have a partner from now on."


    Kyle tilted his head, raising an eyebrow, "That isn''t a bad idea, really. What will your codename be then?"


    Sayuri mused, "Well, if you''re Ice, then I should be Fyre?"


    "Fyre and Ice," Kyle grinned, "Sounds good."


    Just thinking about it made Kyle really happy.


    This was the first time that they were working together - the time in Country M didn''t really count since they weren''t side-by-side when doing the missions together.


    At that time, they were acting out as a couple together. Even when Kylie had died, they had gone their separate ways, tailing different people.


    This time, they had trained together. They had spent about two weeks here, training to get fit and to know the terrain (much to his parents'' consternation as Kyle took the twins as well). The babies and nannies had just left the other day and the entire place was cleared up before the Edward started the ''escape'' plan.


    Now, they were hunting and chasing after their target together. Sayuri was in charge of the mission, and Kyle was merely the support. It was nice change.


    Kyle hugged Sayuri tighter as she leaned back on him and they watched Sarah slowly breaking down.


    To Sayuri, the debt Sarah owed her was huge. If she didn''t get it out of her system, she would regret it forever but she wasn''t the type to drag it on for too long. So, this cat-and-mouse game would be coming to an end soon.


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    Sarah rummaged through the backpack, taking out the items one by one carefully.


    There was a water bottle,? two sandwiches in a zip-lock bag (separately, of course), a compass (which she does not know how to use), a lighter, a first-aid kit (that had bandages, cotton ball, and iodine), and finally, a torchlight.


    There was a lightweight sleeping rolled up and secured on the outside and at the bottom of the backpack, but Sarah left this as it is. She wasn''t going to sleep yet, but just rest.


    Putting everything back in carefully, Sarah found herself crying again.


    It couldn''t have been easy for Ed to gather all of this, considering that he was cooped up at the house. He wasn''t allowed out, so this must have taken him an extremely long time to get without raising any suspicions.


    She couldn''t ask him now how he managed to do it.


    The scene of his lifeless body flashed through her mind.


    Considering that she had done something similar to Sayuri didn''t cross her mind at all. The way she had kicked Sayuri, causing massive bleeding, was something that she felt was justified - yet, the image of Ed in a similar condition was not.


    Kyle was no longer the man she knew.


    Kyle was no longer the man that loved her.


    She had also lost the one person who would have treated her well.


    Her parents were probably worried sick about her but she couldn''t go back to them at all. That would be the first place Kyle and Sayuri would look.


    She didn''t really believe it when Sayuri said she would let her off, if she manages to escape. She had seen the hatred in those eyes.


    After Sarah packed everything, she took a sip from the water bottle. She had some rationale of mind to know that she should not drink too much. She did not know where she was, and when she would reach her destination.


    For now, these were the only things she had. She had to use them sparingly.


    Getting up, she took a deep breath and was about to take a step when she felt a sharp pain to her knee. With a scream, Sarah fell onto the ground, her knees jarring hard on the ground while her hands were placed forward in an attempt to cushion the fall.


    She winced as she felt the sharp stones and twigs that littered the ground.


    She was about to get up when she felt a kick to her back, causing her to fall again, this time, flat down. Some pressure was placed on her head, pressing her face onto the ground mercilessly.


    "Fifteen minutes head-start, and this is the furthest you could go?" Sayuri said with a laugh, as she grounded Sarah''s head onto the ground.


    Sarah found her mouth full of soil and closed her eyes tightly. Every breath in contained dust and God-know-what, but at least there was some air, albeit very little. She was getting out of breath and felt she would suffocate. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her c.h.e.s.t was heaving from the lack of air and her hands tried to grab the foot that was on her head.


    Sayuri looked at those useless hands of Sarah and kicked them away with her other foot. Pressing down on the head one last time, Sayuri got off then kicked Sarah at the side.


    Sarah g.r.o.a.n.e.d and as she turned over, Sayuri kicked her hard on the stomach. Sarah shouted out in pain as she doubled over, clutching her stomach.


    Sayuri tsked at Sarah. She then bent down, grabbed Sarah by the hair and pulled her up.

 Chapter 750 - Releasing Stress

    Chapter 750 - Releasing Stress Sarah found herself unable to resist the pull. Mainly because she was already weak from the pain and fear that invaded her. She couldn''t fight Sayuri at that point, who seemed to be far stronger than she thought possible.


    Her eyes darted everywhere, trying to find some sort of reprieve.


    A way out?


    Something ¡­ anything ¡­ anyone ¡­ that could help her from this predicament.


    But the forest was silent.


    Then, Sarah thought ¡­ it was only Sayuri, right? If it was a one-on-one, couldn''t she fight back? Wasn''t this a way for her to escape?


    She no longer harboured any feelings for Kyle ¡­ no, that was not true. She still did have feelings for Kyle - how could one really stop loving someone that one had been in love with for so long?


    Despite the betrayal of him sleeping with another, despite the fact that he wasn''t who she thought he was anymore ¡­ she still loved him. She loved him so very much.


    However, she did not have any hope of them getting together again. She had seen it in his eyes.


    Disdain and disgust for her. Hate, even.


    Yet, for Sayuri, there was nothing but love and gentleness.


    Sarah''s mind snapped then.


    If she couldn''t have Kyle, then no one should have Kyle!


    It was that simple.


    Well, that was her plan.


    Sayuri looked at Sarah, who was now red in the face, screaming and trying hard to scratch and slap her. Yet, for some reason, Sarah''s hands were not long enough to make a dent.


    Instead, she looked like some insane clown as Sayuri held her up by the top of her head, keeping her at arm''s length.


    The thing was, Sayuri wasn''t that much taller than Sarah. However, due to her vantage point (she was standing on slightly higher ground) and the way she held Sarah''s head, Sarah was at a disadvantage.


    Plus, Sarah didn''t seem to be in her right mind.


    Sayuri sighed.


    It wasn''t really much fun or satisfying to be exacting revenge over a madman.


    Perhaps, seeing Kyle out of her grasp had been too big of a blow for her to take.


    Sayuri gave Sarah a hard backhand slap to the face.


    Then grinned when Sarah flinched.


    Mad or not, she still felt pain.


    Thus, this wasn''t a total loss.


    Then again, was she really out of her mind?


    Sayuri decided to test her.


    "Sweetheart," Sayuri called out sweetly.


    "Yes, my love?" Kyle replied, jumping down from the tree branch and landing neatly beside Sayuri.


    Sarah didn''t move then, her crazy eyes seeming to take in the figure that suddenly appeared.


    "Do you love me?" she asked, turning to face him.


    Kyle smiled, "More than words can say." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you love Sarah? Or have you ever loved her?" Sayuri asked, blinking her eyes at him.


    "No, never have and never will," Kyle answered firmly, hardly giving Sarah a glance as he c.a.r.e.s.sed Sayuri''s cheek while she had her free hand around his waist.


    "Would you do anything I ask of you?"


    "Of course."


    Kyle wondered just where Sayuri was going with this, but he answered her nonetheless.


    Sayuri turned towards Sarah and said, while not breaking eye contact with her, "I want you to kiss Sarah. Not just any kiss, but a mind-blowing French kiss."


    "Okay," Kyle replied unhesitatingly.


    He then turned to face Sarah, who was now blinking rapidly at him.


    Kyle took the steps closer to Sarah, and Sayuri let Sarah go when Kyle placed his hands around Sarah''s waist. He brought his face closer to hers, as his other hand sn.a.k.e.d around the back of her neck.


    Sarah was frozen.


    Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Kyle smiled and said softly, "As if."


    Without letting go of Sarah, Kyle stepped aside and handed her to Sayuri.


    "As you suspected, she''s fine," Kyle replied.


    Sarah opened her eyes at that, her face in total shock.


    It took her a few seconds to process what was happening, and by then, Sayuri had her neck in a vice grip.


    Sarah gasped and struggled, placing her hands on the arm that was squeezing her throat.


    "Nice try, but you''re not getting away with it that easily," Sayuri said.


    Kyle gave a her a kiss on the cheek and leaned on a tree nearby.


    "Did you really think Kyle would kiss you?" Sayuri asked with a smirk, "Or that I would ask him to do so?"


    Sayuri brought her face closer, "Like you, I''m very possessive over what is mine. But unlike you, he really is mine."


    Sayuri let go of her choke hold, and Sarah coughed, gasping for air.


    Sarah suddenly lunged at Sayuri, upon which Sayuri just side-stepped and kneed her in the stomach as she passed by. She made a half-turn and punched her hard on the jaw.


    Kyle winced, rubbing his jaw as he remembered the right hook she had given him before. He imagined he could still feel it. The pain had been felt for a few days after that, indicating just how strong the force had been.


    Luckily, she hadn''t dislocated the jaw but the joints had still been affected.


    Kyle watched with a smile as Sayuri continuously punched and kicked at Sarah, hitting the same spots and causing the same sort of injuries that Sarah had caused upon her. Which basically meant almost everywhere, from the head, shoulders, back, neck, and legs.


    After all, Sayuri had fallen down the stairs and had been kicked.


    His woman was really letting off steam right now.


    By the time Sayuri was done, Sarah was a bloodied mess, with her face all bruised and swollen, with cracked lips. Her body was littered with bruises as well, already turning purple and she suffered multiple fractures.


    Kyle''s went over to Sayuri worriedly, taking her hand in his and examining her knuckles, "Are you okay?"


    Sayuri gave him a bright smile and said, "I can see why you really enjoy punching people to release stress."

 Chapter 751 - The End

    Chapter 751 - The End Kyle couldn''t help but give Sayuri a kiss then.


    Not just any kiss, but a mind-blowing French kiss as he plundered her mouth while holding her tight to him. When he finally broke the kiss, he said in a hoarse voice, "Just what am I going to do with you? I am falling deeper and deeper in love with you."


    "Just love me more and more then," Sayuri replied, kissing him back.


    After what seemed like ages, they finally got back to the task at hand. Still holding onto Sayuri''s waist, he looked at the broken Sarah that was on the ground, too injured and in pain to even move.


    "So what now?" he asked, indicating Sarah with a jerk of his chin.


    Sayuri extracted herself from Kyle''s hold then mercilessly stomped on Sarah''s knees, breaking the kneecap.


    Sarah screamed in pain, her voice raw and hoarse by then.


    Sayuri then took out her knife, and made several slashes all over Sarah. As she looked at Sarah, she then slashed Sarah''s wrist, causing the blood to flow freely and stain the ground with blood.


    "We''ll leave her to the forest," Sayuri said, wiping the blade on Sarah''s pants.


    There weren''t any dangerous animals around, so the smell of blood wouldn''t attract anything and Sarah wouldn''t be mauled to death. Sayuri didn''t believe in that sort of an end.


    After all, Sarah had kicked her and left her to die while bleeding, not that she had a dog attack her or something. So, the end would be the same for Sarah. Just a bit more painful since Sarah''s injuries were far more severe and Sarah wasn''t unconscious like she had been.


    "Okay," Kyle replied, taking Sayuri''s hand, "I''ll get the clean-up crew here tomorrow."


    Sayuri nodded and patted Kyle''s cheek, "Come on. I miss the babies."


    "No! Please! Don''t leave me here!" Sarah cried out weakly.


    She watched in dismay as the couple continued walking away, hardly turning around to look at her.


    As she lay there, her body utterly broken and bleeding to death ¡­ clarity finally graced Sarah''s mind.


    They say that your life flashes before you die. In Sarah''s case, it didn''t really flash but as she lay there, the scenes of her life did go through her mind. For the first time, she saw them from a third persons'' perspective and she was appalled.


    Just when did it begin?


    Just why did she become so obsessed with Kyle that she was blind to everything - and everyone?


    When she thought of what she had done to Sayuri, and her act of trying to kill the baby ¡­ Sarah felt intense regret and shame. No wonder Kyle hated her. No wonder Sayuri had beaten her to a pulp.


    As the life ebbed out of her, Sarah cried silent tears.


    She had such a bright future but she destroyed it with her own hands. At least, she had failed in destroying another family.


    As she thought of Kyle and Sayuri, and their children, a slight smile passed her lips as she breathed her final breath.


    At least, she failed there. Her final thoughts were, ''Be happy.''


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    As Kyle drove them back, Sayuri was lost in thought.


    "Regrets?" he asked softly.


    "Of course not," Sayuri replied, "I was just thinking how pitiful she was."


    "Umm," Kyle agreed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He often wondered if there was anything he could have done in the past, that would have avoided this. However, no matter how many times he thought about it, he didn''t see anything that he would have done differently.


    He hadn''t encouraged her, nor had he given her any false hopes. The most he had done, was to treat her as a friend and even then, not any different than how he treated Beatrice. In fact, he treated Beatrice far better (in his opinion).


    At the end of the day, it was Sarah herself that caused her own downfall.


    It''s like the saying ''you can lead a horse to water, but you can''t make it drink''. Though it actually meant that you can provide a person with great opportunity, but you can''t force them to take it if they don''t want to, it still applied here.


    After all, he had dropped so many hints and even staged that ''I don''t like you'' act with Sayuri to let her know that there couldn''t be anything between them. Yet, she never gave up.


    "Wait, where are we going?" Sayuri asked suddenly.


    Kyle smiled mysteriously, and said, "I''m kidnapping you for a while. We haven''t had a date for ages."


    "Oh," Sayuri replied, nodding.


    Kyle brought her to a restaurant by the beach, and they sat at the patio that overlooked it. There was only a single table, and the entire patio was full of her favourite flowers placed strategically all around.


    He had actually booked the entire patio, so they were alone while curious onlookers from inside were looking out in envy.


    When Sayuri saw the entire set-up, she raised an eyebrow, and looked at him quizzingly, "It''s not our birthday or anniversary, is it? What are we celebrating?"


    He simply took her hand and led her to their table, pulling out a chair and telling her, "It''s my first with my wife. Of course, it has to be special."


    Sayuri smiled, understanding.


    This was truly their first time out as a couple since her discharge. She didn''t ask more and they enjoyed a quiet, romantic lunch together. They talked, they smiled, they laughed and most of all, they simply enjoyed time together.


    Just as dessert was being served, a group of four people carrying string instruments followed behind the waiter that was bringing it. Sayuri''s eyebrows went up as the four people then sat at one corner, sat down and started playing some music.


    Soon, the air was filled with a beautiful, romantic melody comprising of the two violins, a viola, and a cello. As the waiter put down the dessert, Sayuri saw that there was some sort of drawing on the chocolate mousse.


    She peered closely, seeing that it was two hands intertwined, inside a heart. She looked up to Kyle, only to see that he was now on one knee beside her.


    "Sayuri Hinata," Kyle said solemnly, his eyes serious and full of love, "You are the perfect half of my heart. I love you, and I will love you until the day I die and if I am fortunate enough to live again, I want to be yours again. Only this time, I hope to realise it sooner so that I can love you longer."


    Sayuri sat there, her hands on her mouth while her eyes glistened with tears.


    Kyle opened up the ring box, to reveal a beautiful heart-shaped blue diamond and asked, "Sayuri, will you stay by my side, as my best friend and lover till the end of time?"


    "Silly Kyle," Sayuri said sniffling.


    "I''m your silly Kyle," he replied.


    She nodded and he placed the Heart of Eternity ring on her finger, causing everyone around to shout out happily.


    They kissed, oblivious to everyone, the ring glistening brightly.

 Chapter 752 - The New Beginning

    Chapter 752 - The New Beginning ? Timeframe: Kyle had left for Country M, with Sayuri, before Kylie''s death ?


    Kay sighed.


    She sat in her brother''s seat - the CEO''s seat - at Smith HQ. To all who would see her, they saw a supremely confident woman, worthy of taking the seat while the current CEO was overseas for work.


    In truth, she was deathly nervous.


    This was something Kyle had been trained from young, for as long as she could remember. Not her.


    Thinking back, Kay realised the real reason why Kyle had been bringing her along, ever since they purged Company LV. He wasn''t just undergoing training and proving himself as the Smith Heir, he was also training her.


    Kay rubbed her temples.


    That darn brother of hers.


    Even though he did train her on the side, and even though he did leave his capable PA Sam with her, and added Beatrice to the mix, she still felt like she had been hoodwinked.


    Not that she minded, really, but the fact that he did it on the sly was what got to her.


    Kay sighed and went through the files on her table.


    No, it wasn''t that really ¡­ it was the fact that she was here, while he was there. She wished it could be her that was beside him right now, as he would be facing one of the toughest times of his life.


    His first death.


    Well, at least he had Sayuri with him, and she was a valuable asset. Since she was capable in business and a ninja as well. Kay''s forte wasn''t fighting, thus she would be of better use here.


    She knew it, but she still didn''t like it.


    Kay sighed again.


    Beatrice came in at that time, and frowned.


    She placed yet another file on the table and asked, "Is it really that bad? The way you sigh, it''s like you''re at death''s door or something." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay waved her hand in front of her face, smiling ruefully, "Sorry, you weren''t meant to see that. I was just expressing my dissatisfaction over the whole thing. I''ll get over it soon."


    Kay leaned back on her chair, saying, "All of these files to go through. To approve. Urgh. How the heck did Kyle do it all this time?"


    Beatrice shrugged, "He was like that when he was in school, so I just look at it as something completely natural for him."


    Kay banged her head on the desk, "Sometimes, I wish I was back in school. LIfe was so much easier then."


    Beatrice had a ghost of a smile on her face, "True. That was the most fun I had ¡­ but ¡­"


    "But?" Kay asked, bringing up her head.


    "But I find that no matter what stage of life you''re in, who you''re with is what makes it the best," Beatrice said, "Meeting Kyle made school fun. Working here is also fun, compared to my last job."


    Kay gave a smile, "I know. I''m just being whiny for a while. I''m only human."


    Beatrice laughed a bit at that, "You are hardly a person one would normally view as ''normal''. I have often heard ''fairy'' and ''princess'' though."


    Kay rolled her eyes and waved Beatrice off, saying, "Okay, back to work. I''ve got to complete some of these before I head off to Country M myself."


    Kay handed Beatrice one set of doc.u.ments and directed, "Compile these and highlight the relevant parts I''ve marked. Kyle will need to look through them and give the final say."


    Beatrice nodded, taking the files.


    Truly, she did like working here, with the twins. They were so efficient that it made her job much easier. Not to mention, Sam was like the perfect robot as well, so all of them managed to seamlessly work together to keep the company up and running while Kyle was away.


    It was funny to think that such a young man like Kyle would be the heart of the company in such a short time. It was just that his performance prior to being elected as the CEO was so impressive that people couldn''t help but be amazed and respectful.


    Not to mention, the work he had done since then.


    Thus, this time, when he went to do his groundwork and research on Country M, no one really made that big a fuss. Kay had a lot on her shoulders to carry and it was fortunate that she was just as capable as her brother.


    She just didn''t like it.


    She remembered the last time she was having ''fun'' and having her own time.


    Her graduation.


    Her mind naturally went to that moment in time.


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    Lance and Mark were watching Kay as she donned her graduation robe. To think that she had arrived earlier than them but was actually graduating at the same time as they were.


    "Man, you''re really one amazing woman," Mark gushed, putting his hand over his heart, "Marry me."


    Lance''s face had a brief moment of pain but he managed to hide it pretty well by the time Mark turned to him, "Don''t you think she''s amazing, Lance?"


    "Of course she is," Lance replied, "That''s why she''s my best friend."


    "I thought I was your best friend!" Mark huffed.


    Kay laughed at their antics, her eyes shining as she looked at them in their graduation outfit as well. All of the students were crowded around the hall, putting on their caps and gowns while waiting for the venue to open up.


    Those graduating would hand over a ticket to the counter set up. They would then receive their gown and cap, its size already determined previously when they had submitted their forms. If there were any changes,?there was another area in the hall for them to do so.


    Kay sighed deeply.


    If only Kyle was here; but he was hiding in Country M.


    A small commotion occurred at the entrance, causing Kay to lift her head.

 Chapter 753 - Kyle

    Chapter 753 - Kyle Girls were congregating at the entrance, not allowing anyone to really see what was going on. Kay, however, had an inkling but she didn''t think it was possible.


    Nonetheless, she quickly made her way to the front without a word.


    Upon seeing this, Lance and Mark looked at each other, raised their eyebrows and followed behind her - albeit, slightly slower.


    As Kay pushed her way in front, she could hear the excited whispers and squeals and her suspicion grew even more. The three ''clowns'' who had threatened Kay before, now looked at her in disdain.


    "Look at that," Pauline said with a snort, "All excited to see what''s going on."


    "Yeah," Ethel agreed, "And here we thought, she was such a good girl. She really put on quite a show the entire time she was here."


    Erica looked in dismay at how Mark was excitedly following Kay. Still.


    "Whatever," she said with a sigh, "No matter what I did, Mark hasn''t looked at me at all. His eyes are always on her even when she doesn''t do anything,"


    Pauline and Ethel looked at Erica in shock. Was this the same Erica that they knew? All this time, they had been bad-mouthing Kay, putting her down ¡­ all behind her back, of course ¡­ but now, Erica was actually being generous about it?


    Erica gave them a rueful smile, "No matter how we put her down, she''s proven us wrong, hasn''t she? She''s obviously not an empty vase, like how we said she was. She graduated - in the accelerated class - with honours. Could any of us do that?"


    Pauline and Ethel were suitably quiet.


    Erica sighed again, looking at that beautiful woman weaving her way to the front.


    Things became clear when she was about to graduate. The future was suddenly in front of her and she felt she had wasted a lot of time being upset over something she could not control.


    As much as she hated to admit it, Kay was far above her in terms of beauty and intelligence. Worse, she had this poise and elegance that seemed to be inborn, making everyone else around her pale in comparison.


    Small wonder that Mark would be so smitten with her.


    Who wouldn''t be?!


    Still, it was nice to see her acting like a normal girl right now. From what Erica heard, there was this really hot guy that turned up. He wasn''t a student and the girls were basically just trying to get information out of him.


    This was the area for graduating students, after all, so he wasn''t supposed to be here. The girls were not only trying to talk to him, but they were also trying to hook up with him and be the one that helped him to the right area - even though they weren''t supposed to leave this waiting hall.


    Mark was surprised to see the sudden aggressiveness of his Angel and he looked at Lance.


    "Wow, she''s really excited, isn''t she? We''ve never seen her this excited before, not even when we surprised her with her favourite dessert that day."


    Lance laughed, "Something better than food? This is going to be epic indeed."


    When the girls crowding around the entrance saw Kay pushing her way ahead, some were visibly annoyed. All of them wanted to go in front as well, but they weren''t as pushy as Kay was.


    Kay didn''t care what others were thinking, or how others were glaring at her. All she wanted to know, was whether what she thought, was reality. When she finally managed to get to the front, tears were already forming in her eyes.


    It really was him.


    Without another word, she ran up to him and jumped into his arms.


    Much to the dismay of everyone.


    Kyle hugged Kay tightly, while she sobbed silently and then, she started hitting him, "Stupid! Why didn''t you tell me?!"


    "If I told you, it wouldn''t be a surprise now, would it?" Kyle answered smoothly, his face in a huge smile that made everyone sigh.


    It was understandable.


    The College Belle was with a Drop-Dead Gorgeous Guy.


    Mark, who managed to get to the front as well after the path was created by Kay, was standing there with his mouth hanging open. Lance laughed softly, then used his hand to shut Mark''s mouth. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mark turned to Lance, his eyes glittering, pushing his hand away, "Lance Lance Lance!! It''s him! It''s him!! IN THE FLESH!!"


    Lance rolled his eyes, "Well, DUH. Of course. Why wouldn''t he be here? He''s her brother, after all."


    Mark happily jumped to the front, waiting eagerly to be introduced. He was fidgeting impatiently, as he kept looking from behind Kay, and trying to peer at Kyle.


    Kyle, noticing this, turned towards Mark. His left hand was still on Kay''s waist, while he extended his right hand, "You must be Mark. Nice to meet you. I''m Kyle."


    Mark took his hand, pumping it up and down, while gushing, "I knoooooww!!"


    Kay laughed, leaning on Kyle''s shoulder while she wiped her eyes. Lance handed her a handkerchief and she took it gratefully.


    "And you are Lance," Kyle said, turning towards Lance while Mark was still giving Kyle the vigorous handshake.


    "I''d like to thank you both for taking such good care of my sister," Kyle said with a dazzling smile.


    "We''re friends," Lance said, "That''s what friends do."


    "I''ll be borrowing Kay for a while," Kyle announced, "She''ll be back before you guys go in."


    Lance nodded while Mark finally let go of Kyle''s hand.


    Mark watched wistfully as Kyle went off with Kay, both of them holding hands while she was talking to him excitedly. Damn, he wished he had his ''John Wick 4'' DVD right now. To get Kyle''s signature would have been so epic.


    He sighed, and turned, to notice everyone looking at him strangely.


    He didn''t care.


    He stared at his hand, declaring dramatically, "I''m never going to wash this hand ever again."


    Lance rolled his eyes.

 Chapter 754 - Comforting Kyle

    Chapter 754 - Comforting Kyle Kay held onto Kyle''s arm, unable to believe that he was really here.


    "I can''t sit with the audience later," Kyle said apologetically, "So I came to see you first." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay understood. To her, it was enough knowing that he''s here and that he would still be watching her from the shadows.


    "Will I see you again after?" she asked hopefully.


    Kyle looked at her regretfully, "I can''t. You know how Mum will be like. She''ll be stuck on you and would want to bring you for some celebratory dinner later."


    Kay sighed.


    It was true.


    "So let''s make this moment last for as long as possible!" Kay replied with a grin, not wanting to spoil this time between them with complaints.


    The twins didn''t need much. Just each other.


    So Kay led him to a spot nearby, and they sat down, away from prying eyes and just talked. Although they had their mind-speech, it wasn''t the same as actually being next to each other.


    "Kay," Kyle said as they were getting up to head back to the waiting hall, "I have a huge favour to ask of you."


    "Anything," Kay replied immediately.


    He took a deep breath and then turned to look at Kay seriously in the eyes, "When it''s time for my first death, I need you to be home. Take care of Mum and Dad, and ¡­ the company."


    "Hah?!" Kay shouted, grabbing him by the arms, "You''re not letting me follow you?!"


    Kyle looked at her tenderly, then shook his head, "No, I can''t. I need you here."


    "Why does that sound like the typical way one says to another appease another when they don''t want one to follow?" Kay asked him, narrowing her eyes at him, "I''m not a five year old, you know."


    Kyle sighed, "It''s true though. Yes, I don''t want you to go, but my request for you to say isn''t just to appease you. I really do need you here to hold the fort. I can''t trust anyone else."


    "You have Dad!" Kay pointed out, "He''s the current CEO. Why are you talking as if he''s not going to be around?"


    Kyle rubbed his head, thinking hard. It was true; Patrick was the CEO so why would Kay need to hold the fort?


    Sighing deeply, he nodded his head, "You''re right. Patrick - I mean, Dad, can handle it. I guess I''m just being too ... "


    Kyle didn''t finish the sentence, but instead, looked into the distance.


    "Just come after the death," Kyle said softly, "I don''t think I can handle it if you''re there before I .. she .. dies."


    He turned to look at her, tilting his head and asked, "Does that make any sense?"


    "No," Kay replied, "But it doesn''t matter. Sometimes, there are things you just can''t explain, but only feel. I''ll come on the day ¡­ is that okay?"


    Kyle gave out a breath of relief, glad for Kay''s understanding.


    "Thank you," he said, as he then handed her a couple of keys, "These are the keys to my apartment. I''ve already given your name to the security, so you won''t have a problem."


    Kay smiled and nodded. Kyle then hugged her, kissed her forehead and said with a smile, "You look beautiful. Congratulations on graduating."


    Kay''s thoughts came back to the present and she looked at the calendar.


    It was soon going to be time for her to be going to Country M. The tickets had been bought, and her heart was worried for her brother. However, he didn''t give any indication at all that he was affected by his impending death day.


    Kay began to suspect that the reason for this was right beside her brother all this time.


    Was there something more?


    Kay felt that she had a lot of spying to do now. With a sigh, she got back to work. There were a lot of things to do before the flight. She had already made up an excuse to her parents that she wanted to view the area that Kyle was checking out on. They didn''t question much and were happy enough to let their kids handle the company.


    Kay snorted at that.


    The only reason why their parents were so carefree was because Kyle''s performance had been so impressive that Patrick was happily taking his wife off on holidays. Well, to be fair, Patrick never did have time for himself or his family, so it was inevitable that he would go a bit crazy now.


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    Kay was cursing as she entered the apartment.


    She had planned to come earlier than this, but unfortunately, the flight she was on had arrived late. It had been delayed due to bad weather, and so, here she was, only trudging into the apartment after Kyle had already left to see ''his'' death.


    When she felt a sense of melancholy and despair, she knew her brother was facing one of the toughest thing in his life. She also knew that what she was feeling was but a drop in the ocean, for she could tell how muted it was. He had obviously shielded her from it, but such powerful feelings could not be completely muted - especially when he''s so affected.


    Kay didn''t put up her shield, for she wanted to feel it. Wanted to understand the pain he was going through. She couldn''t imagine what it was like, to see your own death.


    So now, she waited for him, worried and scared but she held it in.


    She made sure the apartment was bright so that he wouldn''t be greeted with darkness.?When he walked through that door, looking utterly broken, Kay felt like her world was bleak as well. She held him tight, taking his sadness and his pain, giving him whatever comfort she could.


    [I am here for you, brother]


    She welcomed his tight hold on her, taking it all in as his trembling form sought comfort.

 Chapter 755 - Inner Turmoil

    Chapter 755 - Inner Turmoil Kay was determined to give her all to him, giving him the comfort that he needed.


    She held on him tightly, rubbing her hands on his back in an attempt to calm him down. She lay her head on his c.h.e.s.t, hearing his erratic heartbeat and prayed that he would calm down soon.


    It was difficult, seeing her normally strong and confident brother being so weak and helpless. Kay surmised that the pain he was going through must be immense, and she wished she could take it all with her and halve his pain.


    The only thing she could do to appease his inner turmoil and possibly psychological pain, was just be there for him.


    Still, the long nights at the company took their toll and no matter how hard she tried, she had difficulty standing up for long and continue hugging him. She started feeling like she couldn''t stand properly and was starting to lean on him for support when she suddenly felt him reaching down and sweeping her off her feet.


    She nearly squeaked out loud in surprise when he did so, as he princess carried her to the sofa. Without a word, he then placed his head on her l.a.p and closed his eyes, holding her t.h.i.g.h like a bolster.


    Kay held back her tears as she looked upon her helpless brother, who was so full of pain yet holding back. He didn''t say a thing, be it through mind-speech or verbally, and she didn''t push.


    Words weren''t needed.


    He just needed comfort and she stroked his hair, like she would a young child, until he fell asleep. When she heard his deep breathing, Kay was relieved. She didn''t stop stroking his hair, for it also gave her a sense of comfort.


    Kyle held so much inside and Kay felt that he should learn to confide in someone. Even though they were twins and shared a bond that was unique and closer than most, there were still things that he didn''t share with her.


    They weren''t one unit, after all.


    Kay hoped that he would find that someone. Someone that would help him, for the pain that he was holding in was far more than he could handle - and not one that she could help ease.


    She sighed and closed her eyes, her hands slowing down as she stroked his hair.


    The next thing she knew, she was jolted awake.


    Disoriented - and horny.


    Kay was still extremely out-of-it, her mind fuzzy but her body was feeling extremely hot. Hot, as in horny as f*ck. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, it hit her what was happening.


    With a groan, she put up her shield and soon, the powerful emotion faded away. Unfortunately, it didn''t mean that her body wasn''t still affected as she felt s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e all over and extremely wet ''down there''.


    Kay would have started cursing Kyle if it wasn''t for the fact that he was obviously getting over the pain he was in earlier. If she hadn''t been asleep, or if he hadn''t been so affected by his earlier pain, she wouldn''t have felt his emotions.


    She knew, without a doubt, that her dear, sweet older brother by a few minutes had lost his v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y. For this feeling was far, far more than what he had been feeling when he had been on that mission with Randall and got his first blowjob.


    Kay g.r.o.a.n.e.d again.


    Just where did he go, and who was he with?


    She just hoped that he didn''t go to some brothel or something.


    Kay got up, eyes groggy and feeling that it was best she got something to eat or drink. By the way she felt earlier, she didn''t think her brother would be stopping anytime soon. She wouldn''t be able to sleep at this point anyway.


    Although she shielded herself from the intensity of the emotions and feelings, Kay didn''t block it out 100%.


    No, it wasn''t because she was that perverted, but rather, she wanted to know when it was all over. She only felt the most basic of feelings, and in this case, it was excitement and happiness rather than the intense feeling of d.e.s.i.r.e and l.u.s.t.


    Once she felt peace and calmness, she knew that it was over.


    Well, over because the feeling of peace and calmness lasted for more than five minutes.


    She learned quite quickly that her brother had a lot of stamina in this aspect. She wondered just who it was that could ''entertain'' her brother for so long. Perhaps it was more than one person, so the women were basically taking turns?


    As she sipped her hot milo, she gave it another ten minutes before finally reaching out to her brother.


    [Congratulations, dear brother. You are now an a.d.u.l.t]


    She smirked upon hearing the embarrassed cough then sipped the milo as she continued to tease him.


    [Six times, brother? Really? Just how many women did you have?]


    [One]


    Kay nearly splurted out the milo and she started coughing badly.


    [ONE?! ¡­ Damn]


    Kay listened in amazement as Kyle explained what had happened, and how he and Sayuri were friends with benefits. She frowned a bit at that, wondering whether her brother was digging a hole for himself with this.


    Still, she didn''t say anything as it was his life. He did sound better, so that was a plus point. After talking a bit more with him, she then went into the bedroom to catch some more sleep.


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    Kay was feeling apprehensive as they neared the funeral parlour.


    Kyle had explained to her and Sayuri about the customary funeral rites of Stephan''s family, so the set-up wasn''t a surprise. There were changes, but overall, it was just as what Kyle had told them.


    What Kay didn''t expect, however, was her reaction towards seeing Kyle''s kids.


    To be specific, Kyle''s son.


    There was just something about him that tugged at Kay''s heartstrings in a way that shocked her.

 Chapter 756 - Meeting the Kids

    Chapter 756 - Meeting the Kids She didn''t know what it was, and why it was, but seeing that small figure standing upright at the side of his mother''s coffin hit Kay in such a way that she never thought possible.


    The girl, Lianne, was crying silently and holding onto a broken piece of comb - and although the sight was truly heartwrenching, it was the sight of Joseph that hit her harder.


    Perhaps it was the fact that he was obviously mourning and in pain, yet he was standing up straight and trying to be strong. Strong for his sister, who appeared to be breaking down.


    Kay was used to guys who were strong but they had been trained from young: Ali and Xing Han were heirs to a multinational company. Even Sam, who may have been a ''commoner'' but he was a genius and an only child - so his temperament was different.


    You don''t even need to mention Kyle, who was an old soul.


    But this?


    Joseph was a normal boy, with normal responsibilities and suddenly shoved with such a tragedy. Instead of wailing like a kid (Kay''s impression of most boys who were very immature), he bore the weight on his little shoulders well.


    But Kay could see the pain and the trembling of the body.


    He was the perfect host as well, standing on guard for his mother who had passed on, and his sister that was sniffling beside him. He would be attentive to her, polite to guests, and all the while, that empty look in his eyes ¡­


    Kay''s heart just melted. She wanted to go over and comfort him so much.


    She sighed inwardly and held in of those complicated emotions that were surging through her. She stood beside Kyle quietly, thinking that she resonated with what Joseph was feeling so well.


    She, too, was the silent pillar next to Kyle.


    While growing up with him, she knew the sort of pain that he was always under. There were times when he would be under so much sadness that Kay didn''t know what to do. Thus, she would be strong for him. To be the one that gave him hope and love to face each day, while he ached and missed his kids.


    She was but a normal girl, who felt pain every time she saw how much pain he was under. Yet, she hadn''t truly understood then, why he would be under so much sadness when he had her and his family.


    Kay thought back on all of the time she would be extra chirpy, just to bring him out of his dark moments. She relied on him, and she loved him to death, but she couldn''t truly think of his kids, as his kids.


    After all, they were kids!


    Now, as she looked at Joseph and Lianne, she wondered if she would feel any different.


    Joseph, a rather good-looking young boy of 13. Just barely entering his teens and already burdened with a lot of responsibilities. Lianne, a sweet young girl of 11, who''s silent sobs and sad face made you want to protect her.


    Of course, neither of Kyle''s kids had any resemblance to him as they weren''t his biological kids in this life. Thus, she couldn''t quite make the connection. She could, at the most, refer to them as his ''kids'' but she didn''t really feel nor think of them as her niece or nephew.


    Even when she listened to Kyle talking about them when they were growing up, it was akin to listening about Kyle''s friends. At that age, she regarded them as peers, rather than as Kyle''s children that he had given birth to.


    How was that possible for her little mind to accept? So, it adapted.


    Thus, that was what it was like for her until now. She regarded them like how she regarded Dahlia.


    Kyle walked over to his kids, seeing how he interacted with them. He was calm, and firm, and gave his support in his little way. When he introduced her to them as his twin, she couldn''t help but hug them. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though this was their first time meeting.


    Maybe it was because their pain called to her. Maybe it was because she had seen how much Kyle wanted to do so but couldn''t because he was a guy.


    She didn''t know why she did so, but she acted on instinct. She felt how they were rather stiff but didn''t reject her hug. She was glad that she did, for she could feel how much they actually needed that.


    Joseph, most of all, for he was the one that people tended to ignore.


    Being a guy, one expected him to be strong and not need such comfort. Kay knew that all of that was hogwash. Guys were still human and they still bled. They felt pain, and they cry. They needed such comfort as well.


    Kay felt how that stiff body was trembling and how, upon her hugging him tightly, that trembling stopped after a while. She didn''t say much, only "I''m so sorry for your loss."


    However, unlike some who were saying it because it was the right thing to say, Kay''s heart was truly in pain for them - and unknown to her, her sincerity and warmth was what the kids felt and responded to.


    It was one of those things that started the healing process for them.


    After greetings the kids, it was time to view the coffin.


    Kay looked at the coffin and idly wondered what Kylie might have looked like. She had refused to look at any pictures of Kylie in all of MIBs reports because it was just weird. Kyle, was Kyle. Kylie, was Kylie.


    Never should the two meet. Her curiosity wasn''t that high.


    It was enough to know that the body that lay in that coffin, had hosted the soul that was now Kyle. Kylie had to die, so that she could have her brother.


    Callous it may be, but Kay wasn''t sad.

 Chapter 757 - Confused

    Chapter 757 - Confused Kay was truly glad that the picture of the deceased was covered. She felt it may have been too much for Kyle to handle, seeing his death picture. Against her advice to him, Kyle also wanted to view the casket.


    ''Saying goodbye'', he said.


    Kay couldn''t say anything to that.


    As they neared the casket, Sayuri and Kay naturally took a step back to allow Kyle to be the first. It was his day, after all.


    Looking at his straight back, she couldn''t fathom what sort of emotions and thoughts were being experienced by Kyle right now. She could only, as always, silently stand behind him and be his pillar.


    Kay looked at Sayuri and wondered whether she could become her brother''s pillar as well. From the initial looks of it, it did seem so.


    Sure, they may be friends with benefits, but Kay saw how her brother had been healed from the worst of the pain last night. That couldn''t have been achieved just from having s.e.x. There had to be some sort of deeper connection, and that the physical intimacy was only a natural occurrence because of it.


    At least, that was what Kay believed. She didn''t think her brother, who was normally so careful with the opposite s.e.x, would suddenly dive straight into this sort of relationship.


    She would need to observe more before she could make a conclusion.


    As it was, things appeared to be good so Kay would naturally step back in this matter. Kyle was her brother, and she was merely his sister - not his keeper. Though many thought that they were like that to each other.


    No one could truly understand the bond between them, that transcended the concept of ''siblings''. The bond was both a boon, and a bane.


    A boon because she always had Kyle that would support her no matter what she did. A bane, because she felt that she was taking more than she was giving. It couldn''t be helped, of course, since he was - technically - the a.d.u.l.t, but knowing that, and accepting that, were two different things. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay gave a deep sigh.


    At least just her presence was enough to calm him down but Kay knew, he needed someone that could truly stand by his side to complete him.


    Kay gave Sayuri a side glance and noted the concern on her face as she observed Kyle.


    Kay hid her smile, for that would be inappropriate to be seen when people were mourning at the funeral parlour.


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    Kay and Sayuri were at the apartment, having left Kyle back at the graveyard to talk to Stephan, his ex-spouse.


    "Do you think Stephan will agree?" asked Sayuri as they sat in the living room while the renovators were working double-time to ensure everything was in place.


    Sayuri was referring to Kyle''s plan in getting his kids to stay over at the apartment. She looked at the workers efficiently making the bedrooms just the way Kyle had instructed and which Kay had arranged.


    She was truly amazed at how fast the twins worked.


    Kyle mentioned it, planned it out and Kay executed it (well, Zero and the others did but Kay was the one that they referred to for details).


    The fact that they talked to each other mentally as well made the whole process faster as they didn''t need to meet to fine-tune the details.


    Kay shrugged, "Although he is a variable that Kyle has no control over, from my experience - well, let''s just say that the things he plans tend to go the way he planned them."


    Kay looked around, "The kids would definitely come. What''s uncertain is when they''ll be able to come as they''re going to have to get everyone''s agreement. Whatever it is, the apartment will be ready within a day or two."


    She sighed as she held the file that contained the name of the mastermind behind Kylie''s death.


    Finding out that it was Country M''s own Minister of Defence had been a total shock to the both of them. Now that the initial shock had subsided, Kay''s thoughts churned over how Kyle was going to take it.


    Sayuri, seeing that file that Kay took again, asked, "What do you think Kyle will do with that information?"


    Kay shrugged and threw the file back onto the table.


    "The only thing he can do," Kay said softly, "Eliminate."


    She leaned back on the sofa and hugged a cushion close to her c.h.e.s.t, "How and when, however, would be the mystery. For now, the main thing he''ll be thinking about would be his kids."


    "Lianne appears to the one most affected," observed Sayuri.


    "Perhaps," Kay said.


    "You don''t think so?" Sayuri asked, looking at her curiously.


    "I wouldn''t say that," Kay replied, frowning, "I mean, it appears from the surface that Joseph is taking it way better than Lianne, but I somehow don''t think so. He''s hiding things pretty well and pretty deep."


    "I can''t say who amongst the siblings is the most affected, but I can definitely say that Joseph is affected far more than he let on," explained Kay.


    "You could catch that?" Sayuri asked, surprised.


    As one who specialised in the art of seduction, analysing and observing people was one of the things Sayuri did as well. Thus, what Kay said wasn''t really a surprise to her as she, herself, felt that Joseph was putting up a front.


    However, she didn''t have enough time to really delve into it as she was more concerned with Kyle. Kay, on the other hand, not only picked that point up but she had also managed to come to the conclusion that the pain Joseph felt was deep.


    "He reminds me a lot of Kyle, actually," Kay said with a frown, "Perhaps it''s because Kylie raised him? So there are bound to be some similarities in personalities?"


    This fact confused her greatly ... and worried her as well.

 Chapter 758 - Dealing with Joseph

    Chapter 758 - Dealing with Joseph Kay lay down in her bed while taking stock of everything.


    There were so many things going on at the same time, that Kay wondered how Kyle was managing it. Then again, when she thought about it, he had quite a good support system.


    While he was handling his kids during this time of grieving, she was the one that was basically dealing with company matters. Though to be more accurate, Beatrice and Sam were doing most of the work while she was the first ''filter'' before it reached Kyle.


    Thus, Kyle only needed to deal with whatever she handed him, which, by that time, was mostly taken care of already. Other matters that could be dealt with by either her, or the efficient PA team back home, were not given to Kyle.


    So he didn''t have that headache and luckily, he wasn''t the type to micromanage everything. Otherwise, he would have gone crazy long ago.


    One of the things Kyle had done for his kids was getting a child psychologist to monitor the two kids. Finding out that Lianne was Aspergers was certainly a surprise, and the first thing that had been on Kay''s mind was ¡­ what about Joseph? Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment Kay knew of Lianne''s condition, she also knew the amount of burden that Joseph must have placed upon himself.


    Unlike Kyle, Kay knew about Aspergers.


    The University she had attended was big on having their students learn more than what their d.e.s.i.r.ed course was about - mainly to create a more holistic type of students. Thus, out of interest, one of the courses she had taken that wasn''t within the field of her specialisation, was psychology.


    As it was an external optional course (which basically meant that the Psychology Department offered the course to non-psychology students), it wasn''t a comprehensive subject.


    It basically had the outline of various types of conditions such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism - and Aspergers was one of the conditions under autism that was looked at.


    In addition, the course also had a look at the effects of the carers of people with those conditions.


    It was not easy to deal and handle people with Aspergers. They looked normal and acted normal, but there were certain things that could trigger them. Joseph was only 13 years old, so how would he know how to deal with Lianne?


    Did Lianne ever have a meltdown? Kay thought that possibility was very high, due to the sudden death of their mother. In fact, Dr. Marveen, the child psychologist that Kyle had hired, had stated that Lianne lost her anchor when her mother passed on.


    So, who filled that void? Was it Joseph?


    Most likely.


    How could a 13-year-old carry such a burden?


    Yet, he had done so without complaint. Even now, he didn''t show how affected he was by the death - most likely to be the anchor for his sister. He was sacrificing so much of himself, for his sister.


    Kay''s heart went out to him even more.


    Kay''s thoughts were broken when Kyle sat down on the sofa next to her, looking weary. He had just walked Dr. Marveen to the door.


    He turned to look at her and asked seriously, "Kay, could you please look after Joseph?"


    Kay frowned, "What do you mean by that? I mean, sure, but the way you say it sounds pretty strange."


    Kyle gave a brief laugh, "Sorry, my mind''s a bit frazzled after what Dr. Marveen said."


    Kay patted him on the shoulder and then rubbed his back, giving him some comfort. She kept quiet, allowing him to gather his thoughts first.


    "She''ll be fine," Kay said after a while, noting the concern on his face.


    "Should I tell her?" Kyle asked.


    "What? That you''re her mother''s reincarnation?" Kay asked, tilting her head as she looked at him.


    "Dr. Marveen said she lost her anchor when I ... she ¡­ died. I don''t know whether telling her would be better, or worse," Kyle admitted, confused and unsure of the next step.


    "You had been a wonderful mother, Kyle," Kay said softly, "I can see that, based on how your kids turned out. Naturally, losing their mother would have a huge impact on them. Anyone would be affected, let alone them."


    Kyle gave a huge sigh, and rubbed his head, "¡­ I will need to think about this further."


    He turned to her, his eyes pleading, "I need to figure out a solution or how to deal with Lianne, but I can''t ignore Joseph as well. Which is why I asked if you could take care of Joseph. I don''t want him to feel left out."


    "He''s already in so much pain, but he''s not opening up at all," Kyle said with regret, "I don''t know what to do and now, the issue with Lianne is worse than I thought."


    Kay gave Kyle a hug and said, "Don''t worry, brother. I''ve got your back. Leave Joseph to me. I''ll take care of him."


    Kyle gave her a huge smile of relief, "Thank you, Kay."


    He kissed her forehead, truly glad that he had his twin with him right now. Little did either of them realise how prophetic Kay''s words were - or rather, what her words truly meant in the future.


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    That night, Kay was thinking hard about Joseph and his grief.


    She thought back on what she had learned in the psychology class. What would be the best way to help him heal? The thoughts were on her mind as she fell asleep, and when she awoke early next morning, some ideas were already in her mind.


    It was like that for her. If she had a problem, a good night''s sleep would solve it.


    Then, she heard some low m.o.a.ns from the adjoining room and g.r.o.a.n.e.d. Kyle may have managed to block his feelings better now, but not the sounds. Looks like some soundproofing was needed.

 Chapter 759 - Getting Back to Normal

    Chapter 759 - Getting Back to Normal Kay rolled out of bed once the worst of the sounds were over.


    Seriously, the way her brother and Sayuri were constantly at it, one would think they were rabbits rather than humans. They were at it last night and now, early in the morning.


    Do they even need food?!


    She grumbled and complained all the way to the bathroom, staring angrily at their bedroom door.


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    Kay had thought long and hard about it, and felt that the best way to help Joseph deal with his grief was simply ¡­ to listen. Be there for him. Not hound him for anything. Use this time to learn about him and act accordingly.


    The stages that were said one would go through were denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. However, this was actually for those who knew that they were going to die; and not those left behind.


    The process was different. Each person was different. They went through grief in their own way.


    For Joseph, Kay could see that he was trying hard to hold everything together. To treat things like they were normal. It wasn''t that he was in denial, but rather, he was coping as best as he could without his mother.


    Kay didn''t know Kylie, so she couldn''t share moments about her to him. Instead, she would listen to him if he wanted to talk about her.


    Which he did, surprisingly.


    Kay found Joseph to be an extremely entertaining guy. He wasn''t pretentious and warm. You could tell from his little gestures that he did unassumingly, how much he cared for his sister.


    Annoyed, as well, but that was pretty normal, wasn''t it?


    It was only Kyle that wasn''t normal.


    He never regarded her as being annoying, and always indulged her in whatever she did. He was patient, matured and well, heck. He had been a mother, right? So, of course, her antics were nothing to him.


    So, seeing such a normal boy doing so much for his sister - yet, was also normal enough to be annoyed by some of the things she did, made Kay feel that it was rather ¡­ nice.


    Kay smiled to herself as she finished bathing and dressed up for the day. She waited until Stephan went to work before she headed over to their apartment, upon which she found that the two were having their breakfast.


    Stephan insisted that they did things as a family as much as possible, thus breakfast and dinner would be a family affair. Breakfast was a simple affair of cereal and toast, with some scrambled eggs.


    Joseph was the one that had opened the door and he invited her in politely, asking her if she had breakfast and wanted to join them.


    Kay smiled, shaking her head, "No thanks. I''ll wait for Kyle and Sayuri to finish their run and have breakfast with them."


    "Run?" Lianne asked curiously.


    Kay nodded, "Kyle exercises extensively and regularly, in order to maintain his fitness level. So he goes for a jog everyday with Sayuri in the morning before breakfast."


    "Then his weight training?" Joseph asked as he finished his toast, "He doesn''t do that anymore?"


    "Of course he does," Kay replied, sitting at the dining table with them, "No matter how busy his schedule, he will always slot in time for that."


    "He works so hard just to keep that physique?" Joseph asked curiously, "I mean, it''s impressive, but he''s just a CEO, so why ¡­?"


    "What has being a CEO got to do with anything?" Kay asked back, tilting her head, "Everything that Kyle achieved, is through sheer hard work though people do tend to think it just fell on his l.a.p. As if he woke up one day knowing how to run the business or his body is sculpted that way or something."


    Kay placed her chin on the palm of her hand, looking intensely at Joseph as she asked, "Didn''t you do some weight training with Kyle when Sayuri was teaching Lianne art? Why stop?"


    Joseph didn''t answer immediately, chewing slowly on his last piece of toast and taking several gulps of milk.


    Kay didn''t push him nor insisted on an answer.


    Her objective is to get him to face the day as he used to, or rather, to normalise it and get it into a routine. She would raise the issue, or suggest it, but the decision would be up to him.


    Joseph was lost in thought at Kay''s question. Why did he stop? Of course, he stopped due to dealing with his mother''s death but what about now? Did he want to start again? Is it okay to start again?


    He peeked at his sister, who was ignoring the both of them talking as she stared at her phone while eating. She was playing some sort of game on it, and watching it as the game was in its auto-mode.


    Joseph then looked at his empty plate and didn''t know what to say, really.


    He did want to, but it had just barely been a week since his mother''s death. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Would it be okay?


    He gulped, then looked up at Kay, who was just waiting for an answer from him. She didn''t look like she was judging him nor thinking badly of him upon asking the question. It was a genuine curious one, and she looked like it was the most normal thing for him to be doing.


    Would it be okay to continue?


    "I didn''t stop," Joseph said finally, his voice a bit hoarse, "Just .. things ¡­ you think Kyle would be okay to teach me again?"


    Kay gave him a bright smile, and replied, "Of course. He''d love to. Just go and ask him about it."


    "He wouldn''t mind?"


    "Why should he mind?" Kay asked him back, "I''m sure he''s more than happy for the company."


    Feeling reassured, Joseph nodded.


    Kay smiled, happy that with this step, Joseph started doing something he used to do.

 Chapter 760 - Routine

    Chapter 760 - Routine With Joseph expressing his d.e.s.i.r.e to continue his weight training, Kay mentally ticked off the box in her checklist. Her purpose was to get him to start doing what he normally did, rather than just focus on looking after his sister.


    He, too, needed to be taken care of and from the looks of it, no one was really doing that.


    Not that he was being ignored, but rather, it seemed to be the natural order of things?


    Their dad, Stephan, went to work like normal.


    Joseph, being the eldest, would naturally look after his sister even though she didn''t really need ''taking care of''. In the sense that she kept to herself and didn''t cause trouble.


    But when that happened, what about Joseph? He was left alone and who knows what sort of things went through his mind? What he was truly feeling?


    Kay wanted to let Joseph know that there was someone that was there, just for him - yet, at the same time, she also wanted him to know that he had lots of people there who loved him.


    He seemed to have withdrawn into himself in an attempt to be strong. Perhaps he was also imitating his father, Stephan, that seemed to get back to normal so fast? After all, he had already gone to work and left behind his kids to be taken care of by other people.


    Three different people, three different methods of coping with their grief.


    The kids, at least, had Kyle and her. Stephan had to deal with his own grief, in his own way. Kay hoped he managed to do so, and she wasn''t really concerned about Stephan. He was, after all, an a.d.u.l.t - not to say that he didn''t deserve care but his kids deserved it more.


    They could only stretch themself so much.


    To Kay''s surprise, however, she found that she quite enjoyed being in Joseph''s company. He was a really bright and positive guy, with a heart of gold. She enjoyed her talks with him,


    Their life settled into a routine.


    Kay would come after Stephan left for work. She would spend the whole day at the apartment, and cook them lunch. She learned from Kyle what were their favourite foods and made extra effort to learn them so as to give them some sense of familiarity.


    She was initially worried that it might trigger some intense sad moments and in truth, it did at first. However, it was part of the healing process.


    The first time she placed dish she had cooked on the table, Joseph was the one that was startled and stared at it.


    It was something simple.


    Chicken stew, though it was not the thick creamy version. Rather, it appeared like soup, with the pieces of chicken, potato and carrots cut into cubes. This was Joseph''s favourite dish and his mother would often make huge batches of it because he would always eat up the leftovers for a couple of days.


    Now, upon seeing that steaming pot of stew, with its familiar smell and appearance, Joseph didn''t say anything as he scooped up the stew into his bowl.


    Kay saw his adam''s apple go up and down a bit as he gulped, taking his time pouring the stew and putting some rice into it. It was slow, deliberate movements, as if he was recording it in his mind.


    Lianne''s reaction was better.


    She looked at the dish, then at Kay, then said, "Thank you."


    Kay sat down next to Lianne and started eating as well.


    From what Kyle had told her, Lianne was really close to her mother. So much so that she would only sit beside her mother during mealtimes, or at the very least, across from her. She didn''t like having a space between her and her mother, even if that ''space'' was her father. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Lianne''s actions seem indifferent and aloof (with her attention mainly on her phone), it didn''t mean that she was cut off from the world. It was her way of coping with what was going around her. Anything negative, or what would make her upset, was muted when she was playing her game.


    These were things that Kyle only realised now, after Lianne was diagnosed as Aspergers.


    Unfortunately, those were also the things that triggered her father, thinking that she was being anti-social. Thus, Lianne forced herself not to use her phone when her father was around, which in turn, increased the pressure and stress upon her.


    This was why Kay didn''t mind nor admonish Lianne for always being on the phone.


    Aspergers had their own way of dealing with the various stimulants around her and Kay felt that Lianne''s method was far better than isolating herself completely from people. Though one would often equate ''being there physically but not mentally'' was just as bad, it wasn''t in Lianne''s case.


    Kay turned her attention towards Joseph, who was simply eating silently, taking each mouthful like it was a serious matter.


    "Does it taste okay?" Kay asked nervously.


    Joseph nodded.


    He continued eating, as his mind was filled with memories of his mother with each spoonful.


    It didn''t taste exactly the same as what his mother made, but it was close enough. He tasted the familiar flavour, feeling the warmth of the stew flowing down his throat and warming him up from inside.


    Without him realising it, a single tear emerged from his eye and fell down his cheek. It was only when he saw it drip into his stew that he broke out of his thoughts.


    "It''s almost like how Mama used to make it," Joseph finally said, his words hoarse with suppressed emotions.


    He looked up at Kay and asked, "How did you know?"


    Kay gave a smile and lied straightforwardly, "Your father told me about all of the dishes your mother used to make. I hope you don''t mind."


    Joseph was stunned.


    Seeing that look, Kay said softly, "He really loved your mother very much."

 Chapter 761 - Guilt

    Chapter 761 - Guilt Kay had an inkling that Joseph felt his father wasn''t grieving, or that his father was too cold since he didn''t show any emotion. What Joseph was unaware, however, was that he felt too much and he didn''t want to ''break down'' in front of his kids.


    Kay sighed as she observed them and remembered what Kyle had said about Stephan.


    She wondered how he had ever stayed with such a man. Then again, she stayed because of the kids - and it wasn''t like Stephan was a bad man. Just ¡­ unfeeling?


    No, that was not it.


    He was the type that didn''t show his emotions openly and always wanted to conform to society''s standards.


    When Kay was younger and learned more about Country M, she wondered how Kyle could be so open-minded and liberal about his s.e.x.u.a.lity when he was a woman from Country M. From the stories he used to tell her, Kay could tell how sheltered he had been and how he had to always be the ''right'' type of girl.


    And learning more about Stephan made Kay even more curious. Stephan was such a traditional male of Country M, who had to be the ''right'' type of man and husband. Kyle must have been really stifled then when Kay considered how he''s like in this life.


    It was as if he went to the other extreme. Not only was his best friend living with his brother, but Kyle had also been having s.e.x.u.a.l encounters with those of the same gender - and now, quite open about pre-marital s.e.x.


    Kay shook her head and studied the kids again.


    "I can''t say that I understand what you''re going through," Kay began hesitatingly, "Because I''m still blessed with my complete family. I can only imagine it, but it would never be the same."


    They turned to look at her, and she continued, "I hope, by making the dishes she used to make for you, it would ease the pain a bit. But if it makes you feel worse, just let me know and I won''t do it."


    She looked at them seriously and said gently, "In fact, if I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, or uneasy, just tell me. If you can''t say it, texting is fine. Is that okay?"


    Lianne nodded, gave a small smile and thanked her. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph didn''t say anything yet, until, finally, "It''s warm."


    Kay blinked.


    Warm?


    Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Joseph didn''t explain but merely smiled softly, looked down back at his empty bowl. He took another serving of stew and rice, then continued eating.


    "Warm," he repeated softly, blinking back tears.


    After that, lunch was eaten in silence.


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    It was yet another normal day.


    Stephan had breakfast with the kids. Then, he went to work. Kay came over while Kyle and Sayuri were jogging. Sometimes, they would drop by just before lunch, sometimes, after lunch (if they had work to do).


    Today, Kyle said that he would be coming in later in the morning as he had a surprise for the kids.


    Kay was in the living room, alone, while Lianne and Joseph were in their respective bedrooms. She didn''t bother them, nor insisted that they come out. So long as they knew she was there if they needed her, it was enough.


    Strangely enough, though, today, Joseph did come out of his room.


    Usually, he would be holed up in there until the smell of Kay''s cooking got him out. He would sit at the kitchen table, playing his mobile game while she cooked. He never really said anything, though, so Kay figured that he simply wanted the familiarity of the scene.


    This time, he actually came out before lunchtime?


    Kay looked up at him and smiled, which he responded with a brief smile in a return greeting before he slumped on the sofa. He was then engrossed in a game, ignoring her completely. He had his earphones on, so Kay couldn''t hear what was happening, but she could see the myriad of emotions on his face.


    He didn''t curse out loud, but he certainly mouthed them.


    Joseph wouldn''t know that Kay could read lips and her eyebrows shot up at the number of profanities that he spouted as he aggressively moved his phone about. Obviously, the game wasn''t going well for him.


    She didn''t say a word but simply observe him and found him to be utterly cute.


    The way his face scrunched up in anger and frustration, shouting silently at his useless teammates that caused multiple deaths.


    ''Oh come on, seriously? The car is f.u.c.k.i.n.g right there, you arsehole. What?! F.u.c.k you. You just left me here?! I can''t believe it. If I could headshot you right now, you''d be so dead!''


    Kay giggled silently to herself and waited patiently for him to finish one game before she asked him, "Can I play with you?"


    "Have you played before?" Joseph asked curiously, startled out of his thoughts - and getting out of ''the zone'' after a game.


    "No, but you can teach me, right?"


    Joseph shrugged, nonplussed.


    He didn''t mind, really. He already had one stupid game down, so what''s wrong with having another game? He was good enough to be able to carry her, so he complied with her wishes.


    Joseph came over and showed her the game, his body leaning closer to her.


    Kay came closer to look, her hair brushing against him slightly as she did so. Joseph froze for a second, catching the scent of jasmine, and he gulped. It was at that moment that he suddenly realised that he was very close to Kay.


    Kay was engrossed in finding the game in her app store, and thus, didn''t notice the slight narrowing of Joseph''s eyes. Once she found the game and started downloading it, Joseph immediately headed back to the sofa.


    His mind was reeling and he was feeling very confused.


    And guilty.

 Chapter 762 - Have to Work Hard

    Chapter 762 - Have to Work Hard Guilt, because ¡­ he was in mourning. His mother had just died. How could he have such thoughts, fleeting though it may be?


    Joseph sat down on the sofa, his face not betraying the inner turmoil of his mind.


    He shook his head inwardly, putting it down to him being in a vulnerable state. He''s never really been close to girls before, and he had been unprepared.


    That was all.


    With that thought, his confusion cleared up. He patiently explained the rules of the game to Kay and what was the objective.


    "We''ll do a trial run," Joseph said, "Don''t care too much about what the others will say. Just follow my lead."


    "Okay," Kay said, concentrating on the screen in front of her.


    After assembling a team, they started the game.


    As they played, Joseph explained what they were doing and also told her where to go.


    "Stay behind me," Joseph said, as he maneuvered his character behind some boxes, "There''s an enemy sniper. Be sure to .."


    He stopped, upon seeing Kay suddenly shooting the sniper from a certain angle. Without missing a beat, she shot another enemy that had been sneaking up on them.


    Surprised, he looked up at her and asked, "Are you sure this is your first time playing?"


    "Yeah, this is fun!" Kay happily replied, caught up in the moment. She''s always been the one in the background, as she wasn''t suited for field work. However, it didn''t mean that she couldn''t handle weapons since her weapon of choice was the hidden projectile in her sleeve.


    Thus, she had good aim and a keen eye, coupled with expert wrist and hand movements. This just so happened to be the sort of skills needed in the game. Kay learned quickly and adapted well, thus she could play very well even though it was her first time.


    It was also extremely exhilarating as she could utilise her skill without getting hurt.


    Joseph was spellbound for a moment.


    He''s played the game with his girl classmates before, but none of them had the same sort of joyful enthusiasm that Kay showed. The way she was so captivated by the game added to the charm even more.


    It didn''t help that she had the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen.


    He closed his eyes for a second, then turned his attention back to the game.


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    "Oh, come on!! He was RIGHT THERE, you stupid excuse of a human! You call yourself a sniper?!" Joseph roared, stopping himself from using the f-word in front of Kay.


    Kay snorted, making her character dash forward, "If only I could ram you over with the jeep. Too bad you''re my teammate."


    "NO! That''s MY BOMB! Fork it!"


    "You dare steal from us?!" Kay hissed, "Take that!!"


    "And that!!" Joseph added.


    "ARGH! NO! I can''t believe he did that!" Joseph roared, smacking his forehead, "You basket!"


    "What the-" Kay stared at the screen, "What sort of doofus goes out in the open like that?! Who does he think he is? Superman?!"


    Kyle and Sayuri, who had just walked in at that moment, were staring at the two screaming at the phone and cursing. Sure, there were no vulgar words, but it was cursing nonetheless.


    Kyle knew Joseph would never use any actual profanities in front of Kay, due to Stephan''s upbringing. It was too rude, he said. One always had to be a gentleman.


    Still, the scene in front of him did not depict a gentleman or a lady at all, but that was a small matter now, wasn''t it? And just because he said fork, instead of f.u.c.k and basket instead of bastard ¡­ one still knew what he meant, right?


    Kyle shook his head.


    The things one does to go around the ''no swearing'' rule.


    Suddenly, the sweet voice of Kay actually uttered the "f" word, "You motherf.u.c.k.i.n.g idiot!"


    Joseph was so shocked that he stared at her, his own mild curses dying in his throat. Kay, upon realising what she had actually said, blushed. Then, with a start, she saw that Kyle and Sayuri had arrived and were walking into the living room.


    "You did not hear that," Kay said with a straight face, trying to look as innocent as possible as she put down the phone.


    Kyle didn''t answer, but just gave her ''the look'' while Kay returned it with a bright smile.


    [He was having fun, right?] Kay said, while she continued to grin.


    Kyle rolled his eyes.


    "I''ll get Lianne," Sayuri said, holding back her laughter as she looked at the siblings staring at each other - obviously having some sort of mental talk. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the looks of it, Kyle didn''t look quite happy while Kay was trying to look like she hadn''t done anything wrong.


    Joseph watched the two siblings, thinking that they were truly an inspiring pair. Just barely an a.d.u.l.t, and already so accomplished - from what he gathered from the internet searches.


    Yet, here he was, just 13 years old and have not done much in his life as yet. Kyle at 13? Joseph shuddered when he saw the old Insta of Kyle''s.


    As for Kay? Other than her impressive academic achievements, there hadn''t been much about Kay''s life while they were in their teens, but once she graduated, more news popped up.


    The latest socialite, that was not just beautiful on the outside but also intelligent as she helps her brother at Smith Industries. Such a woman meant her teen life must have been just as colourful, but that she was only low key.


    It was as if she let Kyle shine and she just stood behind him, in the shadows.


    Joseph could see that she was a bright star of her own, and far more impressive since she was a woman fighting against the world.


    The Smith Twins were an inspiration. At that point, he thought, ''I have to work much harder.''

 Chapter 763 - Why?

    Chapter 763 - Why? All his life, he didn''t really care about his future. His mother did ask him before, but he said he hadn''t decided yet. Lianne was different. She already knew what she wanted to do - it was a matter of whether their father would allow it.


    Him?


    Despite being the older one, he never was really concerned. He had plenty of time.


    Now, he decided that he should be more serious. Work harder. Be better.


    The Smith Twins had been so accomplished from young. They were filthy rich, yet, worked so hard. They could have just rode on their parents'' coattails as they were already set for life.


    Why work so hard?


    As Joseph was lost in thought, he barely noticed Kyle taking out two boxes from a bag he had. One was wrapped up in blue wrapping paper and the other, it was aquamarine. When Lianne came to join them, he found the blue box in his face.


    Curious, he took it.


    It wasn''t his birthday.


    He looked at Lianne and saw her staring at the box, then at Kyle. He didn''t quite understand that look in her eyes ¡­ but then again, he didn''t really understand her most of the time.


    Her thought process was just too weird for him.


    Pushing that thought out of his mind, he tore open the wrapping paper and opened the box. There was something green in it.


    Reaching in, he found that it was something soft. A plushie? Kyle gave him, a guy, a plushie??!


    Pulling the plushie out, Joseph found a huge lump in his throat.


    No.


    How could this be?


    The all too familiar green teddy bear.


    Sam. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph''s grip on Sam, the teddy bear, tightened.


    Memories flooded his mind. Suddenly, the grief was overwhelming.


    There were good days, and there were bad days. Grief, to Joseph, wasn''t a constant thing that hung over his head but rather, it was a low ache in his heart. He could face the day normally, and the sense of missing his mother was there.


    However, it was bearable.


    Yet, there were times when he would be hit with such intense sadness that he would curl up in his bed and cry, before he shook it off.


    Right now, he was missing his mother so much.


    Sam was a teddy bear that his mother had gotten him when he was born. He grew up with it. He had two, actually. The first one was so worn down that it broke apart and she got him a new one. An identical one.


    The first was placed in a place of honour on his shelf and the second Sam accompanied him throughout. He doesn''t even know why he''s so attached to it.


    Once, his cousin hid it and he had been so distressed that he almost cried, ransacking the room to find it. He had been severely reprimanded for it, though, for ''boys don''t cry'' and for being too attached to a soft toy.


    Since then, he didn''t show his attachment but it was there. Sam had a comfortable place on his bed. All of it was gone in the fire and now?


    He was holding him again.


    Sam was back.


    But not his mother.


    His mother would never come back.


    Joseph barely managed to mumble a thank you before heading to his room, struggling to keep the tears at bay. He sat down on the chair next to his desk, staring at Sam and wishing ¡­ wishing ¡­ if only his mother could be just like Sam.


    To come back like Sam did.


    He heard someone come in, but he didn''t look up. He knew who it was, however. He doesn''t know how he knew, he just did.


    They talked a bit. He was more curious about the fact that this stranger, Kyle, was doing so much for them. He listened to Kay''s explanation but it still didn''t make any sense to him. Even when she gave that analogy.


    Sure, if he saw someone fall, he would help the person up. But this was not just ''helping a person up''. The amount of money and effort taken to make them comfortable, and pamper them like this ¡­ then again, perhaps, the minds of the rich was just beyond what he, an ordinary person, could fathom.


    His thoughts were dark, his heart was heavy, his grief was painful. He felt utterly lost, drowning in sorrow.


    Then, that sweetest voice said, "You know, it''s okay to cry."


    Joseph gulped, the lump in his throat seemingly bigger then. His eyes watered. His mother was the only one that would listen to him, accept him, and let him be himself. Though she did say that he had to ''be the right boy'' in front of his father.


    Yet, now, there was someone else who would let him do what he wanted? Be himself?


    "I''m NOT crying," Joseph denied, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He had to be the strong one. He had to be a ''man''.


    "I''m not ¡­ no ¡­ boys don''t cry," he insisted, telling it more to himself than anything.


    "They don''t," he whispered, feeling utterly defeated. His head was bowed low as he gripped Sam hard in his hands. The words kept repeating in his mind over and over again.


    ''Boys don''t cry''


    Then, he felt the sweetest of touch. His head was being hugged closely and held on tightly. The familiar smell of Jasmine wafted into his nose, calming his chaotic thoughts and releasing a dam that had been put up.


    IRather, the dam broke.


    "Why? Just why?! I miss her so much!!" Joseph wailed, bringing Sam up to his face, sobbing hard, "It''s not fair!"


    Why did she have to die?


    Why did she have to leave them all alone?


    Leave him all alone?


    He can''t handle it.


    His mother was his everything.


    She was the only one who understood him. Accepted him. Loved him unconditionally.


    So why did she leave?


    Was he not good enough?

 Chapter 764 - Finding Peace

    Chapter 764 - Finding Peace Kay''s heart ached terribly for the vulnerable teen boy that was crying in her arms. She rubbed his back, one of the things she knew calmed Kyle down so perhaps, Joseph was the same.


    It took some time, but slowly, Joseph''s sobs did settle down. He seemed to wipe his tears with Sam, but he didn''t get up as yet. He just seemed to feel comfortable while she was holding him and she didn''t protest.


    It was then that Kyle contacted her and she half-listened to him as she continued her gentle care on Joseph. Kyle was telling her about Donnie making a move and such - which wasn''t really of interest to her at the moment.


    Donnie was Kyle''s demon, not hers. She was ill-equipped to help him in that, so she wasn''t really bothered with the finer details.


    Until he told her to bring the kids back to Country M.


    [Got it. When?] she asked mildly, happy to note that Joseph''s breathing was becoming regular now.


    [Now]


    [KYLE!] Kay shouted out in shock, almost hitting Joseph at the news. Kyle calmly told her the reasons for it and she couldn''t refute it.


    If Kyle had a bad feeling, then from her experience, one had to follow it.


    She turned her attention to Joseph, and gently patted him on the shoulder, "Come, let''s go to my home country."


    Joseph was confused at first, and Kay made up some excuse about them needing a different change of pace. New scenery. New place. Joseph seemed to accept that, though was understandably shocked out of his mind to know it was ''now''.


    Kay, seeing this, gave a small smile and went to his closet. She knew where everything was, since she had been one of those involved in the renovation and arranging of things.


    Taking a backpack, she then chose a couple of T-shirts and jeans. She packed them nicely and handed the stunned Joseph the backpack, saying, "You don''t need much. Just this change of clothes."


    Clearing her throat a bit, she then continued with a slight blush, "I''ve only packed the clothes. Your innerwear and toiletries aren''t packed yet."


    Kay thought it was pretty ridiculous for her to hesitate in packing his u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r, since she isn''t exactly a wilting flower ¡­ but somehow, she just couldn''t. She put it down to the thought that Joseph might be uncomfortable for her to touch such intimate clothing, so she left it to him.


    Joseph was puzzled at first, then realised that ''innerwear'' referred to his boxers and his face flushed red. Without a word, he just nodded and placed Sam in the backpack before heading to the closet to finish packing up.


    "Just the essentials," Kay reminded him, "Like your phone charger."


    Joseph nodded, too embarrassed to turn around and say anything else. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they left the bedroom, he was surprised to see Lianne holding hands with Kyle. Joseph thought it was pretty fast for his sister to bond with another person - and a guy at that.


    Joseph narrowed his eyes.


    Did his sister ¡­ he shook his head.


    No, it couldn''t be.


    His sister was only 11-years-old and was too young to be thinking about love.


    Joseph thought it was strange, though, that he could now think about other things. Rather, to be able to even think that his sister could be having a crush was something he would never have considered before.


    Joseph was also feeling a little bit at peace right now.


    After that cry, he felt the tightness in his c.h.e.s.t to have gone. He was able to face the day better without feeling so ¡­ constricted. Rather, so ''down''. He began to see things in a brighter and lighter side.


    He glanced briefly to Kay.


    He knew, that his healing was mainly due to her.


    She was the first person, other than family, that made him feel so comfortable.


    He listened as Kyle and Kay were talking about what to expect at Country M. To be more specific, what was waiting for them at their house.


    Gaming room? Wide-screen tv with Netflix in his bedroom? Swimming pool?


    And a bunker?!


    Once again, his mind reeled at the thought of how rich the Smiths were. It was going to get some getting used to. Everything sounded like a dream, really.


    Just then, Kyle announced, "They''re here."


    They? Who exactly were ''they''?


    Joseph''s eyes widened when he saw who ''they'' were.


    Since when did bodyguards look like some K-pop group?!


    Joseph''s mind went reeling again.


    Just everything about the Smiths would send Joseph into a loop.


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    Kay breathed a sigh of relief.


    They had reached the airport safely.


    Luckily, the kids didn''t seem to have noticed that they had been followed and chased here. They had seemed too engrossed in the stories of Kyle that she told them to keep them preoccupied.


    Correction.


    Lianne was probably aware but she was not showing like she saw anything out of the ordinary. There was just something about it that tipped Kay off. Perhaps it was the way she glanced behind a few times.


    Joseph didn''t appear to have noticed anything, as he was giving her his full attention during her narrative. Kay preferred it that way. He was still so young, so it would be better that he maintained his innocence.


    The only problem they faced was when they were about to enter into the immigration area. Zero was not allowed in, although they had already obtained clearance.


    Kay was annoyed at this, but she could not show it. She didn''t want to scare the kids.


    Anyway, she was confident that the Team would be able to send back-up soon. Such variables were still within their means to overcome. Zero was just going to be super p*ssed, that''s all.


    Still, she didn''t expect Joseph to almost blow Akira''s cover. In her haste to stop him from doing so, she grabbed his hand.

 Chapter 765 - Out of His World

    Chapter 765 - Out of His World Kay had done so on instinct when she saw him noticing Akira.


    The last thing she wanted was for the enemies in the shadows to know that they had back-up. That would make them more vigilant. As it was, the sight of her with two kids gave the impression that they were weak.


    However, when she grabbed his hand to bring him to the cookie stand, she received a bit of a jolt.


    Why?


    A thought went through her mind but she quickly shoved it aside.


    She had read too many romance novels, it seems.


    Her one little vice.


    Reading those ''no-need-brain-cells'' type of novels ¡­ though some of those romance novels actually killed your brain cells.


    Like, how could the female lead do that? Why did the female lead fall asleep while the male lead kept going on at it? Were they really so stupid and delicate??


    Anyway, another common factor was the way the female lead would be breathless whenever he was near. How she would feel this electric shock when they touched. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, Kay was feeling that.


    Well, it wasn''t really an electric shock. She couldn''t quite describe it, but upon feeling that hand in hers, she thought ¡­ his hand is nice.


    Hand ¡­


    Nice ¡­


    Kay wanted to facepalm herself badly.


    But she had a mission to do.


    She gripped his hand tighter.


    Just to confirm what she was feeling and thinking.


    Yup.


    He had really nice hands.


    While Kay was having this inner monologue, Joseph was having his own difficulties.


    He had never held hands with a girl before.


    Sure, it wasn''t as if he didn''t have girls for friends, but all of the interactions he had with them were normal. Joking about, smacking on the shoulder, casual teasing (not the flirtatious type).


    You know. Normal.


    This, however, was beyond what he was used to and he couldn''t help but feel ¡­ her hand was nice.


    It was soft and fit into his hand so well.


    Kay had delicate fingers and delicate hands and .. and ¡­ Joseph mentally smacked his forehead.


    Where were his thoughts going?!


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    Joseph was still thinking about his reaction towards Kay and was feeling quite upset about it, truth be told.


    He sat in the waiting lounge, deep in thought when Kay suggested that they go to the bathroom. Toilet, really, since it didn''t have a place for a shower but ''toilet'' sounded rather crude to say.


    Joseph hesitated at first, for he didn''t really need to but upon her insistence, he did so.


    With a sigh, he followed behind them and headed towards the male WC. Joseph thought idly that saying WC or ''water closet'' was even weirder than calling a toilet, even though it was the correct term.


    Joseph headed to the cubicle, not feeling comfortable to be using the urinals. Upon closing the door, he heard other people coming in but didn''t think much about it.


    His face frowned when he heard some sort of scuffle, a muffled grunt and then, then someone entered the cubicle next to him.


    No. Wait.


    TWO people entered?!


    Joseph''s eyes went wide at the thought.


    They weren''t going to ¡­ do that, were they?!


    Joseph quickly did his business and practically ran out of the cubicle. The last thing he wanted to hear was two guys going at it in the toilet. He jerked when he heard the door to the cubicle open and his eyes went up to the mirror.


    "Akira??!" he gasped, turning around.


    Akira placed a finger on his lips, then took out a chewing gum that he had been chewing. Making it into a small ball, he placed it at the lock area and then closed the cubicle door.


    With a nonchalant expression, he washed his hands.


    Joseph''s eyes darted to the closed cubicle door. Did Akira do such a great job that his partner was knocked out in absolute bliss in there? But he hadn''t even heard any sound ¡­ and it was over so quickly ¡­


    Joseph blinked rapidly at Akira.


    Kyle''s bodyguards were capable indeed.


    If Akira knew what was going on in Joseph''s mind, he''d probably vomit blood. As it was, he merely nodded and smiled at Joseph, then left the bathroom. Joseph shook his head.


    Joseph soon followed after and found that the girls hadn''t come out yet. So, he did what he normally did. Whipped out his phone and started playing to pass the time.


    ??????


    Life settled down like a dream for Joseph.


    The life of the Smiths was incredibly rich and decadent.


    Well, sure, they weren''t showing off nor had pretentious items but ¡­ compared to his normal, mundane life, the whole experience was something surreal.


    Lianne adapted pretty well and strangely enough, she stayed in Kyle''s room.


    Apparently, Kyle was hardly home so it was okay.


    Still, why was it okay?!


    The Smith Mansion had plenty of rooms ¡­ didn''t it?


    Take his room for example.


    It was a teen boy''s dream come true type of room. State-of-the-art gaming computer. A gaming chair. Wide-screen smart tv. Game console with pre-loaded games which just happened to be the types that he liked.


    All fully paid for and he already had an account with some e-cash in it. His eyes popped out wide open when he saw the amount in that .. $10,000.


    He gulped.


    When Joseph had asked Kay about it, she just shrugged and said that Kyle had done his research. He knew the sort of games he liked, so he had them set up. As for the e-cash?


    Just some petty cash, she said.


    Petty. Cash.


    Joseph rubbed the space between his eyebrows.


    He was sitting on the gaming chair and he took stock of his life.


    He was a normal guy.


    He looked around his room.


    While this?


    This was way beyond his world.


    He took out his phone and stared at a picture he had taken secretly.


    *She* was way out of his world.

 Chapter 766 - Secrets

    Chapter 766 - Secrets Joseph rationalised to himself that this feeling that was growing within him, was temporary.


    He had just lost his mother and Kay was the first person to fill in the void with warmth.


    Thus, it was only natural that he began to have feelings for her.


    It was not real.


    The feelings that he was developing for Kay, was simply his coping mechanism in dealing with the loss of his mother.


    He was confused, that was all.


    All he needed to do was distance himself and in time, everything would be all right.


    Distance ¡­ and time.


    These feelings will be his secret.


    He glanced at the picture again and closed his eyes, his finger hovering over the delete button.


    He just couldn''t do it.


    He''ll delete the picture another time.


    For now, it still gave him comfort whenever he looked at it, so ¡­ he removed the picture from the phone background. It was too dangerous if someone else was to see it.


    Before putting down the phone, he took one last look at the picture.


    Damn.


    Why did she have to be so perfect??


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    Lianne stood inside Kyle''s bedroom, touching everything that she could see - and reach. It looked like any ordinary bedroom, really.


    An L shaped desk with a computer and some books, a closet, a bookshelf. Some weights in one corner. A picture of him and his sister on the table.


    All normal.


    Her mind was churning with thoughts of the fact that this was where her mother, upon being reincarnated, had grown up in.


    To her, the grief at losing her mother had been severe. When she had been told that her mother had passed on, she felt like her whole world was gone.


    She may not show her emotions that well, but she felt deeply.


    At first, when she noted how Kyle seemed to do everything her mother used to do, she grasped at it like a drowning man grasped at a lifebuoy. She didn''t think much about it then, only taking it as mere coincidences.


    But she appreciated it, nonetheless.


    The titbits he had gotten when they were standing vigilance at the funeral parlour made her feel warm.


    The familiar set-up in her bedroom tugged at her heartstrings.


    The bed was almost identical to the one she had at home. It was actually like a sofa - or could be used as one. The top part was the bed with a mattress while the bottom part were drawers.


    Her desk was simple and it had a glass top which protected the table - which was also convenient when she did her artwork as it didn''t stain the table and she could use her blade and cut paper directly on it without a cutting board.


    The set up was too similar to her own bedroom that an idea started forming in her head.


    Even the clothes were her style.


    Though one could put it down to being just ''normal'' clothes like jeans and T-shirts ¡­ but the jeans ¡­ though it wasn''t her normal brand, the features were exactly what she liked.


    She only bought that one brand, and it wasn''t the normal, popular one like Livi. She had tried many brands, but only that one brand suited her taste very much. She was very particular about the location of the jeans button (it could not be on her belly button) and the pockets (deep enough to store her phone).


    The jeans had all of that.


    And the T-shirts? It had those images and/or play of words that she liked so much.


    For example, ''Sea you later'', ''Deerly beloved'' (with a picture of a deer) and so forth.


    One may be a coincidence.


    But everything?


    The more she thought about it, the more the ridiculous idea grew in her mind.


    Then Kay started cooking their favourite foods.


    She said that Papa was the one that told her what they liked.


    Lianne found that hard to believe.


    It wasn''t because she thought Papa didn''t care or that he didn''t love them but rather ¡­ he was rather obtuse to the type of food that Mama cooked that they liked.


    He knew what they would eat and enjoy, but he didn''t know which of the dishes were the ones that had more ''oomph'' than others, so to speak.


    Like, he didn''t know that Joey''s most favourite was the chicken stew. He could eat that for days without getting tired of it. He didn''t know the two dishes that she could always have an appetite for, no matter what.


    Kay knew.


    How was that possible?


    Those were only the external things.


    She also noted how Kyle sometimes did, or say, things that reminded her so much about Mama.


    It wasn''t the words itself, but the way he talked that was so similar. He was patient, he was understanding, and he didn''t judge.


    If you looked at everything separately, it seemed pretty normal.


    But if you looked at it holistically ¡­ the conclusion was inevitable.


    Still, Lianne was rational enough not to dare to think that it was possible.


    Until Ren appeared.


    Ren AND Sam.


    Lianne sighed, and smiled to herself as she sat on the bed and looked around Kyle''s bedroom.


    Luckily, Mama hadn''t tried to hide it. She would have probably gone insane with these thoughts if Mama had denied it. After all, weren''t her thoughts those of crazy people?


    Lianne then went to the closet. She looked at the bedroom door, and confirmed that it was locked. Opening the closet, she pushed aside the clothes that were at the bottom and saw a tiny slit - something akin to what one would see on a remote control (or whatever) battery compartment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking out a coin, she inserted it and flipped it, opening the panel.


    Seeing the number pad there, she punched in her birthday and at the same time, inserted a card into the slot beside it.


    It opened, revealing an album.

 Chapter 767 - Memories

    Chapter 767 - Memories Lianne gingerly took out the album.


    Mama had told her a few things when she had gone to wake her up.


    She had a double life, like what one would see in the movies. She then gave her a keycard and told her the password, after telling her where to look.


    It sounded so exciting!


    This was one of the things that Lianne loved about her mother.


    She wouldn''t hide things from her - well, the important things anyway. Lianne didn''t think her mother told her everything, but what she did tell, Lianne knew it was far more than what most mothers would reveal or share with their kids.


    There were other files in there, but Lianne ignored them. Those were the basic framework and plans that her mother had laid out in order to reach the place where she is now : her revenge.


    Although Mama said she could look at them if she wanted to, she wasn''t interested.


    She was more interested in this album that Mama had compiled about them over the years.


    She spent the next hour or so, looking at the pictures.


    Despite the fact that it obviously showed that their privacy had been invaded, she didn''t mind nor did she feel it was so. Even the fact that it proved they had been under constant surveillance - made her feel warm, and sad, for her mother.


    It was what kept her going, while they were separated.


    Again, the thoughts of their impending separation hit Lianne, but she quickly suppressed it. For now, she was going to focus on learning more about her mother, and her new life here.


    Maybe ¡­ get to know Mama''s Elite Team even more.


    That would certainly get her thoughts out of the dark mode.


    She grinned, kept the album and went to look for Kay.


    Back at Country M, Kyle''s Elite Team had a sudden shiver run through all of them. They looked at each other, their eyes widening a bit.


    What did that feeling portray?


    Danger?


    No ¡­ it wasn''t the same ¡­ but ...


    They started focusing on the job at hand more seriously. Whatever it was, it must be related to the mission Sir was on. They had to be extra careful.


    The Team continued working, pushing aside that strange feeling to the back of their mind.


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    Kay looked at herself in the mirror, while turning left and right to make sure that her outfit was okay. She had been home for several days now, and it was time to get back to work.


    She sighed, hoping that her brother was okay back at Country M. So far, there wasn''t anything dangerous at the moment, for the exchange would be done in a few days time.


    Kay decided on pants today. She was wearing dark, slim fitting trousers with a matching vest. Underneath, was a pure white collared blouse with 3/4 sleeve. There was a small ribbon, tied and flowing down from her neck like a short tie.


    Her hair was let loose, its curls cascading down her back and shoulders, and she picked out black heels to compliment the outfit.


    Kyle may not like high heels, but she was okay with it.


    After all, no ballgown could be worn with sneakers now, right? So it was something that she had gotten used to and it wasn''t really that bad. She did like the look that it gave, though Kyle often raised an eyebrow at some of the high heels she had.


    Taking her handbag, Kay walked out and bumped into Lianne.


    "Lianne?" Kay said in surprise, "Is something wrong?"


    Lianne normally stayed in her room and only came out for mealtimes. Everyone basically left her alone and she was quite content to be a hermit in her room. Kyle had already explained her condition to their parents and the help, so they accommodated her on this.


    Nobody insisted on her to go out and mix around. It was good enough that she was sociable during mealtimes.


    Yet, now, she was actually out and walking about?


    Kay couldn''t help but think that there was something wrong.


    "Nothing is wrong," Lianne said, assuring her.


    Then, she looked a bit hesitant and Kay smiled, waiting for her to say the words that were on her mind. Kay hoped that her smile was encouraging, rather than frightening.


    Lianne took a deep breath and asked, "Can I follow you to work?"


    Kay''s head jerked back slightly in surprise. Out of all the things that she thought Lianne would say, that was not among the list.


    Before Kay could ask why, Lianne said, "I just want to see where Ma- I mean, where Kyle works."


    She wrung her hands worriedly, "Would it be troublesome? If so, then it''s okay. I .."


    Kay put her hand on Lianne''s shoulder, saying, "No, it''s not a bother at all. As long as you don''t think you''d be bored."


    Lianne shook her head, "I won''t."


    Kay nodded, "Why don''t you tell your brother where you''re going? If he wants to, he can follow as well."


    "Okay!" Lianne said and rushed towards Joseph''s room.


    "JOEY!!" she shouted as she knocked on his door.


    Lianne knew that her brother was most likely playing a game with his headphones on, so would not be able to hear unless she shouted. Soon, the door was flung open.


    "What?" Joseph asked, rubbing his eyes. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m going to follow Kay to the office. Wanna follow?" Lianne asked him, her eyes sparkling.


    "Office?" Joseph repeated dumbly, then looked towards Kay''s room. When he saw her, his eyes widened.


    He had always seen her in casual clothes, and even though he knew she was older, seeing her dressed up for work made the fact more real. He turned his head away quickly and gulped.


    "Nah," he replied, "Be good, okay Lianne?"


    Kay saw Joseph refusing and closing his door. She turned, hiding the sadness that flickered in her eyes.

 Chapter 768 - Them?

    Chapter 768 - Them? Lianne went to her room ¡­ er, Kyle''s room ¡­ excitedly and began changing. It didn''t take long and grabbing Ren, she joined Kay who was waiting in the living room. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay gave her a smile and together, they entered the car that was waiting for them and headed to Smith Industries HQ.


    Lianne was quiet all the way, looking out the window as she observed the scenery. Kay was looking through some files, catching up on some work that she had left for a couple of days.


    Beatrice and Sam were handling things pretty well, so Kay didn''t have much to worry about. Soon, Sam would be getting married and then be off for a month-long holiday. He hadn''t taken a break at all since he started working for Kyle, so taking a month off wasn''t extreme.


    Taking a month off for a honeymoon, however ¡­


    Kay wondered if his Betty would be as productive as an actual rabbit. She thought about Kyle and Sayuri, and how they constantly at it like rabbits. Now, with Sam and his bunny soon-to-be wife?


    Perhaps the next generation of Elite Five would be Elite Twelve - with Sam providing most of the kids, too. Perhaps, they''d be called the Elite Bunnies ¡­


    Kay giggled at the thought.


    When they arrived, Kay led Lianne to the private lift and pressed the button to the CEO''s floor.


    "No security?" Lianne asked casually, seeing that Kay didn''t need a key or a card to use the lift.


    As the doors closed, Kay put up her finger, saying, "This is the security. The buttons operate on a biometric system, thus, they are useless if your fingerprints aren''t in the database."


    Kay pursed her lips, "Which reminds me. We should add your fingerprints into the system."


    "Mine?" Lianne repeated, her eyes wide, "Why?"


    Kay smiled, tilting her head at Lianne, "Why not?"


    "But wouldn''t people talk? I mean, why would I have my fingerprints added in?" Lianne asked worriedly.


    "Oh, is that what you''re worried about?" Kay said with a laugh, "People wouldn''t dare and if they do talk? Kyle would just fire them ¡­ or torture them, depending on his mood He doesn''t tolerate gossip in the company."


    Lianne''s eyes went wide, "Torture?"


    "Figuratively speaking, that is," Kay said.


    Which is the truth. Ice would, but not Kyle.


    "You have a unique identity to Kyle," Kay said, "So while Kyle can''t openly acknowledge you, he''s going to certainly do his best to make sure you have the best. You and Joseph."


    With those words, Lianne then started to wonder about the files in Kyle''s room. She had only focused on the album but there was this one particular file that had their names on it.


    Plans for their future?


    Looking at the life that Mama led right now, Lianne realised that their own future was rather secured now. It wasn''t something that worried her, truth be told, for it was something that a.d.u.l.ts would have to figure out and the children merely do what they are supposed to: study hard, get into a good school and so forth.


    How it is funded would be their parents'' role. Lianne was well aware of their financial constraints and didn''t think much about it. She just did her best and hoped for the best. If she did well, she may get a scholarship. If not, then


    Whatever it was, their future was restricted to what they could achieve, and what they could afford.


    Lianne wasn''t unsatisfied with their current life, but it didn''t mean she wouldn''t be excited at the thought of suddenly being able to have a lot more opportunities because finances are no longer an issue.


    Perhaps she should look at the file after all.


    When the lift doors opened, Lianne walked out excitedly beside Kay.


    It was a rather spacious room, with two desks facing each other. There was Beatrice sitting in one chair and a guy at the other.


    Kay introduced them, "You know Beatrice already, right Lianne?"


    "Yes, the one with twin boyfriends," Lianne replied, smiling.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Of all the things to be known for, that was ¡­ and hearing it come out of the mouth of an innocent 11-year-old ¡­ Beatrice felt the twins would need some severe talking to at their constant, uninhibited displays of affection.


    Perhaps, a talking to wasn''t enough since they were rather stubborn with a very thick skin.


    Other than the eye twitch, Beatrice didn''t show any other expression and smiled, "Nice to meet you again, Ms. Lianne."


    Lianne shivered, "Lianne, please. I''m not used to such formalities. Can I call you Auntie Beatrice?"


    "Of course," Beatrice agreed, "But I must still call you Ms. Lianne."


    Kay patted Lianne''s shoulder, saying, "That''s how Beatrice is. She''s very formal. She even calls Kyle "Sir" even though we were classmates. She was even vice-president of the student council while Kyle was the president!"


    Beatrice nodded, saying, "That is how it should be. One must always be professional."


    Lianne nodded in understanding, even though she found it weird to be referred to so formally. She wasn''t some rich young madam or something ...


    "And this, is Sam," Kay said, indicating the other guy, "Kyle''s PA since Kyle was in school even."


    "Wow," Lianne replied, amazed as Sam gave a slight bow, "He''s one of the Elite Five, isn''t he?"


    Lianne remembered some pictures from Kyle''s Insta, and Sam was there. Though he was older now, she could still see the similarities


    "Yes he is," Kay answered, confirming her thoughts.


    "Miss," he replied, his face as stoic as ever.


    Lianne tilted her head and observed the good-looking bespectacled young man.


    Mama really did have hot guys around her all the time. Was it due to the fact that Mama was such a hot guy herself? Birds of a feather, flock together sort of thing?


    "Beatrice, please add in Lianne''s data and call them in," Kay told Beatrice as she headed towards the room.


    Lianne was surprised.


    Them? Huh? Who?

 Chapter 769 - Who is She?

    Chapter 769 - Who is She? "Miss Lianne, if you please," Beatrice called out gently, indicating a fingerprint scanner that she had taken out.


    Lianne, who''s curiosity was at its peak, placed her finger on the scanner while Beatrice started cl.i.c.k.i.n.g on the keyboard, her eyes glued to the computer screen.


    "All ten fingers, please," Beatrice instructed and Lianne did as she was told.


    While Beatrice was busy doing that, she asked, "Who are the ones that Kay called for?"


    Then, she quickly added, "If that''s okay for me to ask, of course."


    "It''s no secret," Beatrice assured her, "It''s just Ms. Kay''s Team. Something like Sir''s Team."


    Lianne was surprised, then thought she shouldn''t be.


    Mama''s life was certainly getting more and more interesting. She wanted to know more about this Team of theirs, but who could she ask?


    Mama wasn''t around and Kay would be busy. Lianne wasn''t the type to gossip or dig for information, so she decided to just wait until they went home before she asked Kay.


    After Beatrice was done, she told Lianne that she could now use the VIP lift and was allowed entry without needing to make an appointment. Just leave her name at the reception desk below and go up.


    "I''ll get your security clearance pass ready," Beatrice continued to explain, "Keep that with you while being in the Smith Industries. It also works as a cash card, so you can use it to buy food in the cafeteria below."


    Lianne nodded.


    "Is the entire floor the CEO''s floor?" Lianne asked curiously.


    There didn''t seem to be a lot of people on this floor, and it appeared to be more like a hotel lounge rather than an office. There was a reception desk, lots of nice-looking sofas for people waiting.


    It actually reminded her of that show, ''Suits''¡­ but with less people and more fancy looking furniture.


    "Yes," Beatrice replied.


    "Can I explore this floor then?" Lianne asked politely.


    "Of course," Beatrice replied, "Once the card is ready, I''ll let you know and you can go about the other areas in the building."


    "Okay," Lianne agreed.


    They exchanged numbers and then Lianne went into the CEO''s room after knocking on the door.


    As Lianne entered, Kay asked her, "What do you want to do here? Just observe?"


    "Explore, I suppose," Lianne said.


    Though she generally did not like to interact and be in crowds, her curiosity overrode her usual social distancing issues. It wasn''t too bad in the building either, since people were here to work and not mingle around. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Beatrice''s voice came over the intercom, "Ms. Kay, they''re here."


    "Send them in," Kay instructed then looked at Lianne with a smile.


    "You should meet them as well," she said.


    "Who are they?" Lianne asked.


    "My Team," Kay explained, "Like how Zero and the others are to Kyle, this Team is to me."


    Kyle''s Team was initially for them when they were growing up but essentially, they were to help the CEO i.e. Kyle. Kay needed her own team as well. In preparation for that, Kyle had created a new team for Kay, coincidentally, a year before his sudden departure to Country M.


    His plans was pushed forward and her team had to be pushed into the deep waters as well when he left. The training was put upon the shoulders of Kyle''s team that he left behind.


    Kyle''s Team were not happy, to be honest.


    They had always been the Smith Twins Elite Team and to know that they were going to split up made them unhappy. It was bad enough that they couldn''t follow him, but now, they had to ''give Kay up'' to another.


    However, they respected Kyle''s decision and followed the orders. Deep down, they also knew it was for the best, but it didn''t mean that they could be happy about it.


    Kay gestured to Lianne to stand beside her as her team entered.


    She saw that it was a group of four people. Two girls and two guys. Unlike Kyle''s team that was always in suits, this group was not as synchronised.


    Kay guessed what was going on in Lianne''s mind and she said, "Kyle''s team was created when we were kids, whereas mine is relatively new. So they''re not as stoic as Kyle''s team."


    Or as deathly loyal.


    Not to say that Kay''s team wasn''t loyal, but the level that Kyle''s team was at, was not something that could be copied. In fact, Kay could confidently say that every single person in Kyle''s team had crazy loyalty to them, whereas for her team?


    They were capable and loyal, but only the leader was truly at the same level of loyalty as Kyle''s team. Kay didn''t mind, though, as it was enough. Unknown to them, Kyle''s team also monitored Kay''s team, by working together with Kay''s leader.


    Her team came in and greeted Kay politely and respectfully, while Kay smiled and nodded to them.


    She gestured towards Lianne and said, "This is Lianne Yang, one of the children that Kyle has decided to sponsor. She and her brother Joseph will have a status higher than Dahlia."


    Lianne noted the curious glances that fell upon her, but she ignored them just like how she did when she noticed them from everyone at the lower floors.


    "Lianne, this is Agent Milk, the leader of my team," Kay said, "Then, we have Milo, Coffee and Tea."


    Lianne blinked.


    She turned towards Kay, "Seriously?"


    "Seriously," Kay replied with a straight face.


    Turns out, her rather bad naming sense became a trend amongst MIB.


    "Of course, those are only their codenames," Kay replied, "I don''t use them nor refer to them as such here. When they are undercover, then those are the codenames that are being used."


    Kay''s team was flabbergasted and listened to everything in shock.


    The way Kay revealed their codenames to Lianne meant that her security level clearance was high.


    But she was just a kid!


    Who was she, really??

 Chapter 770 - Kays Team

    Chapter 770 - Kay''s Team The reason Kay introduced them using their codenames first, was because that was the effect she wanted to have on them.


    It showed just how unique and special Lianne is, and knowing her team, they would understand immediately. They would be curious but they wouldn''t ask. What was important was that they now know Lianne was not just someone Kyle was sponsoring.


    Since Joseph didn''t come, Kay could do so, thus she felt it was perhaps best that he didn''t come after all.


    Though she felt a bit sad at the thought and wondered why she had been hit with that emotion when Joseph looked indifferently at her and went back to playing games.


    Thinking about it, it was a normal reaction, right?


    What teen boy would find going to the office as interesting? Especially when he had that dream gaming set-up in his bedroom?


    What wasn''t normal was her sadness and disappointment at his reaction.


    She sighed and scolded herself. She needed to put her head back into the game (work, that is) and stop thinking that things would be just how it would be in Country M.


    At that time, he was grieving and she was there to help take care of them. Here, there are those at the house that did everything, so she wasn''t really in contact with them anymore.


    Other than eating together, they didn''t hang out much.


    Which is how it should be.


    She just took note of their emotions and behaviour. She could not see anything wrong or negative and they were slowly getting back to normal. As in, getting their lives back on track.


    Coming here to Country Tz had been a good decision.


    The kids were healing well.


    Still, Kay missed those days. Not the grieving part, but the leisurely days and closeness that they shared during those days.


    Now, it was back to normal - and work.


    Did Kyle feel this, Kay wondered, when he got back from Country M and had to work hard to secure his CEO position?


    Such a normal life could be addictive, really ¡­


    Kay shook herself out of such thoughts. It was fine for a holiday, she supposed, but not always. She still did like this life of hers with all the work and responsibilities.


    Weird though it may be.


    Kay reintroduced her team to Lianne, "This is Nialla (Milk), who is the Leader of the group. Then, we have Raphael (Milo), Raymond (Coffee) and Lizzie (Tea)."


    "Nice to meet all of you," Lianne said politely.


    "Note that only Lianne has high-security clearance. Joseph only has the normal clearance," Kay told her team.


    ''Normal'' meant that Joseph was only to know of their lives as Kay''s Team but nothing else. ''High-security'' meant that Lianne knows everything, or, is allowed to know anything below ''top-secret''.


    Then again, Kay''s Team had not yet reached the security clearance for ''top-secret'' information either - only Milk did. They have yet to prove themselves fully and they knew that they were still under observation.


    In short, Lianne had the same sort of clearance as Kay''s Team (minus Nialla) did.


    That was a double-blow to them.


    Kay observed their faces, as did Nialla.


    Kay was


    All of this, and everything they did, were tests of sorts. Even though the threat was being eliminated by Kyle at the moment, one could never be too careful. Secret organisations were everywhere ¡­


    Donnie''s Master, for one.


    That was Kyle''s life, however.


    Kay''s life was much more normal.


    As normal as one could be, when one is acting-CEO of Smith Industries.


    Lianne looked at the four and thought that her mother''s Team were much more impressive. Visually, that is.


    One may call her shallow by thinking so, but she wasn''t the type to hide the fact that she enjoyed admiring good-looking people. It didn''t mean she didn''t acknowledge their skills if they weren''t good looking.


    That was a separate matter altogether.


    "Kay, can I explore this floor, and the rest of the building once I get my access card?" Lianne asked politely.


    "Of course," Kay replied, "Rafael, you guide Lianne later."


    Lianne shook her head, waving her hands frantically, "No no no ¡­ please, don''t. I just want to explore and look around. I don''t want to bother anyone."


    "You won''t be," Kay said, but Lianne insisted.


    "I won''t feel comfortable," Lianne said softly and Kay was enlightened. She should have known.


    "Okay," Kay replied with a gentle smile, not insisting anymore, "Just be careful."


    Lianne nodded and headed out.


    Once she left, Kay looked at Rafael, "Shadow her. Make sure you''re not spotted. Be careful because she''s highly observant."


    Rafael nodded in acknowledgment and quickly left.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Lianne was walking leisurely, not paying any attention to the people who would stop and look at her as she passed by. No one stopped her, though, for no one could be up here unless they already had clearance.


    Lianne found the whole set-up to be rather professional looking, with clear glass walls that showed the meeting room. There were cubicles in some areas, though most were in their own offices or rooms.


    The furnishings were ergonometric, and when she popped her head into the pantry, it was very comfortable. One section that was a kitchenette of sorts that had a fridge, sink, a microwave, a kettle, a coffee machine, and an expresso maker.


    The dining area that they could eat or drink was also comfortable with basic wooden furniture.


    The moment Beatrice called her to let her know that her access card was ready, Lianne quickly went to get it. She immediately headed to the common lifts to go down to the lobby. Although she could use the VIP lift, she wasn''t comfortable in using it without Kay.


    Rafael saw Lianne go into the lift and contacted security. Heading to the stairs, he told them to access the lift cameras and inform him which floor Lianne would go out.


    Lianne had her earphones on and she could tune out everyone else like that. It wasn''t so bad in the lift either as it wasn''t crowded.


    Once she reached the lobby, she stepped out of the lift and started exploring.


    She ignored the feeling of being watched, as she knew she was being watched. Everyone was curious about this kid walking about freely in Smith Industries building, so she tuned them out. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn''t think she was in any danger here, so long as she didn''t go out or into any restricted areas. High-security clearance or not, having an 11-year-old girl going into such areas would surely cause some sort of alarm, and they''d probably want to verify it.


    Not her cup of tea.


    She wanted to avoid attention, not cause it.


    Of course, being stared at while doing nothing didn''t count.


    She tuned out everything else then, not paying attention to her surroundings anymore. Too many eyes on her made her too uncomfortable and she wanted some peace of mind when exploring.


    Thus, when she walked out of the lift, she didn''t realise that two pairs of eyes were on her that were not the normal ''who is that'' curious sort of look.


    Of course, one was from Rafael, who had to keep an eye on her.


    He found that Lianne was rather matured for a kid.


    He had been surprised that the Boss had revealed their secret identities to her, but he was more surprised to know that she gave Lianne free reign to wander about. Although Lianne wasn''t exactly a little kid, but he couldn''t imagine such a young person to be ¡­ well, like a kid.


    Yet, Lianne looked rather indifferent and wasn''t going about excitedly like some headless chicken. She took everything she looked at calmly and appeared as if she was concentrating or thinking deeply.


    In short, she didn''t act like a? kid!


    Rafael began to find the shadowing more fun.


    Was this why CEO had been keen on sponsoring the two kids. They had potential. He was curious why it was done so openly, though. If he planned to get them into MIB, wouldn''t it make more sense to have them hidden?


    Or his connection to them hidden?


    Curious though he may be, Rafael wasn''t going to dig information on it, however. It was just something he liked to do. Think of all the various scenarios and possibilities, but he would never go over the line.


    He was right where he wanted to be: Kay''s Team.


    Digging where he shouldn''t would be a one-way ticket out of it and he wasn''t going to jeopardize that just to satisfy for his curiosity. He was happy enough to just observe and imagine things.


    Rafael was concentrating on making sure Lianne was safe, thus his senses were attuned to any danger or risks that were surrounding her.


    As such, he didn''t notice another pair of eyes that were focused on her.


    From a very pretty 12-year-old boy.

 Chapter 771 - Kai Sheng

    Chapter 771 - Kai Sheng Kai couldn''t believe it.


    He looked around the lobby and then, back at that small figure that was slowly disappearing into the distance.


    What was another kid doing in this place?


    It wasn''t exactly a place to hang out, and one wouldn''t be bringing their kids in here. The only one who could - and would dare to - would be the CEOs. Be it the current one or the acting CEO.


    Kai knew very well that it was impossible for either one to have kids that big.


    So, who was she?


    Was she someone like him, who had to come here to observe and learn?


    It couldn''t be because she was dressed too casually.


    Unlike him, who had to be in this monkey suit.


    Coupled with his features and the suit, he didn''t exactly give off a very good image or visual. The suit cutting was for males but with his rather slim build and pretty face, he looked like a girl wearing ill-fitting clothes.


    It hardly did anything positive to his image.


    He knew that this was just another way that ''they'' were doing to bring him down.


    After his mother finally got the courage to go back and he claimed his rightful spot, it meant that the fight had just begun. They did all sorts of things to attack him psychologically since he couldn''t be touched.


    Being a boy, even one that looked like him, was cherished in the family.


    However, a useless boy would be thrown away so he had to climb up.


    Kai had been very excited to learn that he would be coming to Smith Industries, even though he knew Kyle wasn''t around. Just being in the same building as where he worked was surreal.


    Little did they know, that the main reason Kai could gather strength to carry on, was due to Kyle. That little episode where he was saved by Kyle had made him wake up to many things. About himself, about his circ.u.mstances and what he needed to do.


    His self-confidence rose with Kyle''s words and he cherished them. He accepted his looks and knew, if he could use them for his benefit, he should.


    Finding out who Kyle was, exactly, and reading the reports about his fight to retain his CEO position burned the fuel of ambition in Kai like never before.


    These were the things that kept him going. This, and of course, his mother.


    She had suffered, and he will make those that cause her such sufferings, to pay.


    Before he could do so, however, he had to grow stronger.


    Right now, however, for the first time, he was itching to deviate a bit from his plans and to follow that girl. He was insanely curious and there was just something about her that told him she wasn''t what she seemed.


    It intrigued him.


    "Pay attention," came a gruff voice beside him and Kai reluctantly tore his eyes away from that figure.


    He stood at attention, bringing his focus back and restraining his curiosity. If Fate decreed that they would meet again, they would. For now, he had to focus to get back to dealing with what had to be done.


    "Our meeting with the acting CEO is in 15 minutes," the man beside him stated unnecessarily, "Although you''re here to listen and observe, you need to maintain your attention all the time. You will be questioned later."


    "Yes, Sir," Kai responded politely.


    Though strict, Kai did learn a lot from his mentor. At least, his mentor was not trying to teach him wrong things, or said things to demean him. Luckily, this guy was one of the guys his Grandfather trusted.


    Grandfather may be old, but he wasn''t blind nor senile.


    Kai took his mentor''s words to heart and got back his focus.


    Dong Zhongshu observed Kai with satisfaction.


    This boy was truly a diamond in the rough. With the right training and discipline, Zhongshu believed he could go far. Patriarch Sheng had seen the potential and that was why he had been placed to mentor him.


    Unknown to the rest of the family, Zhongshu was Patriarch Sheng''s most trusted aide. He normally worked in the shadows, which was the reason why he wasn''t well known in the family. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Which was how Patriarch Sheng wanted it.


    The fact that he had been ''deployed'' to train the young Kai Sheng served two purposes.


    First, to train him in the ways of business and how they conducted it.


    Secondly, as he was low profile, people didn''t think Patriarch Sheng valued Kai Sheng greatly. This protected Kai Sheng from most of the abuse in the family.


    Not all of it, of course. However, if Kai Sheng could not even face them, then how would he be able to control the family?


    Patriarch Sheng was grooming Kai Sheng to be the next Patriarch. There were several, of course, but Zhongshu believed Kai Sheng was the most promising.


    Then again, he could be biased.


    Looking down at the little boy again, he didn''t think so.


    Despite the ridiculous outfit that they made him wear, one couldn''t deny the way he held himself up was far superior than anyone of his age. It made people look at him, rather than the ill-fitting outfit that he wore.


    They say clothes maketh the man but in Kai Sheng''s case?


    He maketh the clothes.


    Zhongshu was satisfied.


    There was still a lot more work to do, of course, but Kai Sheng was shaping up nicely.


    He looked ahead, towards the direction of where Kai Sheng had been so focused on. He did note the small figure that had been walking off, but dismissed it.


    Kai Sheng was too young - and too busy - to pay attention to girls. Women were nothing but trouble.


    The business world was tough enough without throwing those scheming women into the mix and distracting the men from doing what they needed to do.


    He would make sure Kai Sheng would not get so entangled.

 Chapter 772 - Youre not MIB?

    Chapter 772 - You''re not MIB? Lianne walked on, feeling that the entire building was rather impressive. The fact that all of this belonged to her mother really, truly boggled her mind.


    Well, not really ''belonged'' but that her mother was in charge of it.


    She had changed so much but yet, at the same time, she was still the same.


    Even now, Lianne didn''t think it was strange to call refer to Kyle as a ''her'' even though she was obviously a man right now. Mama didn''t seem to mind either, since she identified with both.


    Thus, Lianne knew that to her mother, whichever gender pronouns that she used, her mother was fine with it.


    That was the most important thing.


    Lianne stopped, looked up and all around before she moved forward again.


    Mama may have died unjustly, but darn, did she get reincarnated into a truly mind-boggling life. Her mother was really like a newborn, rising anew from the ashes of the old life.


    Her mother had been the rather timid, accommodating type of person whereas now, she was this rather impressive strong figure. There was this confidence and power that seemed to ooze out of her pores, and really, that made Lianne all excited.


    It was as if she could squash anything under her foot like a bug.


    It was an entirely new world and Lianne was looking at everything with excitement.


    Not that it showed on her face, however. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She rarely showed her emotions on her face, though it wasn''t because she was unfeeling. It was just a natural state. Luckily, however, instead of a ''bitching resting face'', she had a ''indifferent'' face.


    The latter already gave her some trouble because people thought she didn''t care, though it was far better than the former which would have gotten her into various conflicts with her father.


    The facial expression became as such out of survival, or necessity, really.


    Since her father was always trying to get them to conform to ''acceptable society''s standards'', it also meant that the child must always be filial. Do not show disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e or unhappiness over what was being taught - otherwise, it would be regarded as being rude.


    Joseph never quite got the hang of that. His face often showed what he felt. Lianne, however, could.


    Other than feelings that she felt very, very strongly about, her face always had the indifferent look. Thus, she had the ''appropriate'' look of sadness during her mother''s death, though what she showed was only a fraction of what she truly felt.


    Except for that one time she had lost it and had a slight meltdown.


    The one thing she was worried about now, however, was her depression.


    Dr. Marveen had always told her to think happy thoughts. To not overthink and to focus on the positive.


    Easier said than done.


    Right now, for example, since she was feeling rather interested with Mama''s new life, she acted upon it. Rather than having to stay in her room and have some dark thoughts invade it.


    Lianne bit her lower lips.


    Sometimes, it was hard to even get out of bed.


    She didn''t know why that was. She, unlike Joseph, knew that Mama was still alive yet ¡­ why did she sometimes find it so hard to just face the day? It didn''t make any sense. It made her even more depressed just thinking about it but she couldn''t help feeling the way she felt.


    Normally, she would just let it ride out and fortunately, so far, the episodes have not lasted long. At least, no one noticed it.


    Lianne sighed.


    Mama was not around and very busy getting those who killed her.


    She had no one here to really talk to, so she told herself to keep herself occupied and hang on. Exploring the company was fun.


    Yes, yes it was.


    After an hour of going about the place and finding out where the cafeteria was, Lianne decided that it was time to go back.


    As Lianne suddenly made an about-turn, Rafael was startled and quickly hid himself beside some shrubbery. He made himself as inconspicuous as possible and waited for Lianne to pass him by.


    She did, and he waited for a while so that there was some distance first. However, she was walking unusually slowly so Rafael couldn''t step out.


    Lianne turned and tilted her head to the side, saying, "Might as well go up together, don''t you think?"


    Rafael''s shoulders slumped down dejectedly and he stepped out.


    "How long have you known?" he asked unhappily.


    "Not long," Lianne said, "It was only towards the end that I did."


    "Ms. Kay did say you''re observant, but for you to still spot me ¡­" Rafael complained as he walked beside her.


    Lianne swayed a bit as she tapped on her phone, seemingly oblivious to the surroundings.


    "I noticed you after the cafeteria incident," Lianne said, feeling the need to explain as she could tell Rafael was feeling very down.


    "How so?" he asked curiously.


    "Everyone here is so well disciplined," Lianne explained, "I went to the cafeteria out of lunch hours or tea break. Naturally, I''d notice anyone who would enter the place and leave without buying anything. You obviously weren''t there for the food, so it must be to either meet someone or was following someone."


    "So I went back in and pretended to have changed my mind on buying something, and lo behold. You followed. I simply looked at your reflection from the cafeteria''s display and recognised you," Lianne said, finally looking up at him.


    Rafael had this grimace on his face.


    "I was careless," he mused.


    "No, you were too confident," Lianne said, "You didn''t think an 11-year-old would notice these things, which, in turn, made you careless."


    Rafael stared at her and asked abruptly, in a low voice, "Are you sure you''re not ..?"


    "No," Lianne said.


    Rafael found that hard to believe. MIB was full of kid prodigies.


    "Kyle wouldn''t be sponsoring me if I was, right?"


    Rafael couldn''t deny that.

 Chapter 773 - Made his Decision

    Chapter 773 - Made his Decision When she went up, Beatrice''s eye twitched upon seeing Rafael standing beside Lianne. Sam gave him ''the look'' and Rafael shrugged.


    "She''s good," he said simply, unabashed.


    Beatrice rolled her eyes, a habit she developed after getting together with the Dante twins. She told them, "Ms. Kay''s in a meeting right now, so you can wait for her in the room if you want." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay," Lianne replied and headed to the door.


    As her hand touched the doorknob, she turned towards Rafael and said, "Thank you for accompanying and protecting me, Rafael."


    He smiled, "Anytime."


    Lianne gave him a small wave and walked inside, closing the door behind her.


    Once inside, she decided that the best place to spend her time would be in the resting room. That way, at least, she would not be in the way. She didn''t know when Kay would be back, or whether Kay would be seeing more people - be it her employees or those who came to discuss business.


    Before that, however, she explored the place.


    She went to the bookshelf and saw a few books on finance and management amongst the files and some basic decoration. She then wondered why it would be there. To show off, perhaps? That didn''t make sense because Mama wasn''t the pretentious kind.


    The books wouldn''t be something Mama would need to read up since she''s the CEO. From what Mama said as well, she could retain any information she read or saw.


    On a hunch, Lianne took one book to flip through it.


    Upon opening it, however, she found that it wasn''t a book, but one of those secret hiding places. Unlike what she had seen before (online, that is), it wasn''t just a simple hollowed-out space within the book, but it actually had a vault in it.


    Lianne was curious, but not *that* curious, so she put it back. It wasn''t like she could open it anyway.


    Mama really did have so many ''spy spy'' stuff.


    Lianne, on the other hand, preferred to look at it from the sidelines. Nice to look at but not to actually go through it.


    Too troublesome.


    She preferred a quiet life, really.


    No drama, nothing unpredictable, and more importantly, no boys.


    Well, not now at least.


    All the boys she knew were such babies that she could not be bothered with them. Though, the boys were far better than girls, really, who tended to get all drama and talk about Kpop or whatnot.


    Lianne''s taste in music and interests were different from theirs, so she didn''t mix very well. Thus, it added to her self-imposed isolation even more.


    It wasn''t so bad, really, but there were times that she felt awkward or left out, and she tried hard not to get too bothered by it. It was getting better, really.


    Just as she was lost in thought, the door opened.


    Lianne sighed.


    She had taken too dilly-dallied too long and now, Kay was back. She couldn''t suddenly go to the room now, could she?


    Lianne turned to greet Kay, then was surprised to see that there was a couple of guys following behind Kay.


    One a.d.u.l.t and one kid.


    Lianne''s eyebrow raised a little bit upon seeing him, all dressed up like some mini-a.d.u.l.t.


    Kai, on the other hand, was so surprised to see her in there that he almost stumbled. He quickly caught himself, but this small gesture was already caught by Zongshu.


    His eyes narrowed as he then turned to look at the girl that caused the little one to forget himself, even if it was just for a second.


    Lianne, noticing this, narrowed her own eyes as well.


    What was his problem?


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Joseph flung the controller onto the bed, exasperated.


    After Kay and Lianne had left, he couldn''t concentrate on the game at all.


    No, that wasn''t right.


    He couldn''t concentrate the moment he had seen Kay.


    He flopped himself onto the bed, face down, and screamed soundlessly into the mattress. After getting that out of his system, he turned over and covered his eyes with his arm.


    "What is wrong with me?" he hissed.


    He wasn''t really asking what was wrong with him because he knew perfectly why he couldn''t concentrate. He was actually asking himself what wrong with him to even have these growing feelings.


    He started hitting his forehead with his fist, then decided that enough was enough.


    He went to the closet and changed his clothes. Flinging the door open, he headed towards the gym.


    Two hours later, Joseph sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with sweat pouring down his face and all over. Together with the sweat, however, were tears.


    He was confused, so confused.


    No matter how hard he worked out, no matter what he did ¡­ her image would invade his thoughts. He had already told himself that it was not possible, so why wasn''t he listening to himself??


    He asked himself for the umpteenth time.


    What''s wrong with him?!


    He let the tears flow down, not stopping them as he gathered his thoughts.


    After what seemed like ages, Joseph finally got calm.


    He wiped his face with the bottom of his shirt and sighed, looking at the wet stains on it.


    He had spent the first hour trying to forget Kay, as if exerting himself would magically make her go away.


    He then spent the second hour just trying to sort out his feelings.


    Right now, Joseph was convinced that his feelings that were growing, were just a misplaced need for love. He knew that no matter how strongly he was feeling for Kay right now, it was only temporary.


    He just needed to tide over this present time.


    He had said that before, but he just had to say it again now. He was a really stubborn guy, after all.


    Joseph scoffed at himself, but he was truly feeling better now after making his decision.

 Chapter 774 - Making Changes

    Chapter 774 - Making Changes The first thing Joseph did ¡­ well, other than take a bath ¡­ was to start connecting to all his friends back home.


    He also decided to reactivate his TokTik account.


    TokTik was a social networking service created by Country C, that was launched nationwide a couple of years ago. It is used to create short dance, lip-synch, comedy, and talent videos of 3 to 15 seconds and short looping videos of 3 to 60 seconds.


    When Joseph had been younger, he had created some videos of himself singing and dancing. As he looked through the account now, he cringed.


    Had he really been that bad?


    The fact that he had been 9 at that time wasn''t an excuse. Joseph was truly glad that his account had been private then, a rule that his mother put up in return for his free reign in using the Internet.


    There had been many rules.


    Never use his real name. Never reveal where he was. Never talk about places specifically as this could cause stalkers (if any) to note his schedule and location. Make sure any pictures he took should not show where he is located.


    Although he had found it a chore back then, he realised how wise it was to be careful.


    His heart constricted a bit as he thought of his mother.


    She told him that he could make his account public once he reached 18, but not before. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, now that she''s gone ¡­ would that rule still apply?


    Joseph took a deep breath.


    Of course, it did.


    However, he decided to make a fake account. Since he''s a citizen of Country M, creating an account in Country Tz would certainly misdirect people, right? He knew that anyone could like about where they were, Plus, he won''t be using his real name and decided to post only from his bedroom.


    He still took his mother''s rules to heart but he also wanted a platform to express himself.


    He had all these thoughts, and all these ideas, but nowhere to vent it out.


    TokTik was the best place to do so.


    After thinking about it hard, he felt that the best TokTik video he could do right now was his workouts. He could kill two birds with one stone like that. Share his knowledge that he learned from Kyle and also get fit.


    He didn''t really care about subscribers at that moment. He just wanted to be able to express himself. He wanted a change. Something else to focus on. Since gaming wasn''t doing it fully, why not this?


    Another idea formed in his mind.


    What about an online blog?


    It may be rather old-school in this day and age, but it certainly was an outlet. Help him settle his thoughts. Writing them out would force him to think about it in a more rational manner. It can also serve as a record of his progress.


    With that thought, Joseph started on his blog first.


    Once he started writing, the words just flowed. The room was filled with nothing but the soft sounds of music in the background and the clacking of the keyboard.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Lianne placed her hands behind her back and greeted Kay politely.


    "As you have visitors, I''ll head off to the cafeteria," Lianne told Kay.


    "Alright," Kay replied, "You''ll be okay?"


    "Yes, don''t worry," Lianne said with a small smile, "I''ll be fine."


    Since she had seen the cafeteria earlier, she knew that it wasn''t crowded. Ordinarily, she wouldn''t be comfortable being all alone in an unfamiliar spot but she wasn''t going to bother Kay with this.


    She had her phone and some cash, so she can make do with shutting out the world. All she needed was a more secluded spot to sit and she''ll be fine.


    Lianne didn''t even glance at the visitors that walked in, for she had nothing to do with them. Also, she didn''t like their gazes.


    The old man has a slightly hostile look while the younger one had too much curiosity in them. Both made her feel uncomfortable and she wanted to get out as soon as possible.


    Kay didn''t notice the strange glances that Lianne was getting as her back was to them, and by the time she turned, their facial expressions were back to normal.


    "I believe the collaboration between the two companies would be fruitful," Kay began, gesturing them to sit by the sofa as Lianne walked out.


    Lianne closed the door silently, pondering on the scene that she had left behind. That boy was probably something like what Mama had been. Training from young to succeed in the family business or something similar.


    She c.o.c.ked her head to the side, while nodding to herself, thinking ¡­ well, at least there was one boy that didn''t seem immature and childish. Guess birds of a feather truly did flock together.


    Since Mama was so outstanding, then it goes to follow that those around her and who are in contact with her, would be as well.


    Too bad she wasn''t going to be around here for long, so she wouldn''t be able to feast her eyes on Mama''s pretty Elite Team anymore.


    With a deep sigh, Lianne headed to the lift after telling Beatrice that she was headed to the cafeteria.


    Meanwhile, in Kay''s office, Zhongshu asked, "Pardon me for asking, but who was that?"


    The fact that she had been in the CEO''s office and was familiar with Kay meant that her identity wasn''t simple. Considering the interest the young one had, if the girl had a good background, forming an alliance through marriage would be good.


    Kay looked up as Beatrice walked in with the drinks and snacks, schooling her expression so that Zhongshu wouldn''t know that she knew why he was asking. As Beatrice poured the drinks, Kay replied, "She''s someone Kyle is sponsoring, that''s all."


    Kai let out a breath he didn''t know he had been holding.

 Chapter 775 - A Spark

    Chapter 775 - A Spark Upon hearing Kay''s answer, Zhongshu didn''t ask anymore. He looked at Kai, whose face was expressionless and nodded in approval.


    The slight weakness shown earlier was excusable due to Kai''s young age. However, Zhongshu would only allow one moment of weakness. If Kai showed anything more, then ¡­


    Kai, meanwhile, cursed himself.


    He had been careless. Too careless.


    No matter what, his Mentor was Grandfather''s man, not his. Thus, everything that was being done was to ensure his rise to the top would go smooth. Deviating it for a moment wouldn''t do.


    Kai felt nothing for the girl, truly. She had just been someone he found interesting and fascinating but nothing else. It was mere curiosity.


    At that moment, a new resolve started to take root in his mind and heart. He had to be strong. If he showed any sort of weakness, they could use that to bring him down.


    It must not happen.


    Still, Kai did have a romantic part in his heart.


    Even though his mother''s love life hadn''t exactly been great, he couldn''t deny the depth of her feeling for his father. It was the purity and depth of that love that he craved for himself, but ¡­ unlike his mother, he was going to be extremely careful about who would capture his heart.


    Rather, who he showered his love to.


    Anyone in his world would definitely be out as they were too scheming. Anyone not in his world would have to be strong enough to withstand any attacks that may come their way.


    Any woman that ended up with him, must be confident of his love for her. Otherwise, it would never work. Before that, however, he, himself must be standing at the pinnacle so that he could protect her from other external factors and dangers.


    Kai wasn''t stupid nor naive anymore.


    One may think that this was something a 12-year-old wouldn''t think about, but Kai had already been through a lot in his life. It wasn''t to say that he didn''t make mistakes, he did.


    But he learned quickly.


    And he knew, the older he got, the fewer mistakes he should make.


    He focused back on the task at hand, pushing the thought of that girl out of his mind completely. She was relegated to one of those ''interesting but unable to pursue'' box in his mind.


    As Kai was getting back his focus, so was Lianne.


    As she walked to the cafeteria, her mind was in a bit of a buzz.


    When that boy had walked into view, her mind went blank for a second.


    He was so pretty!!


    How could any guy be so pretty?


    And he was right in front of her, in the flesh.


    Even worse ¡­ or was it better? ¡­ he was dressed up, looking so formal and serious. So cute and yet, so mature. No, that wasn''t the right word to describe him since he was so young. Not immature? Not childish.


    Yes, that''s it.


    In short, perfect.


    Lianne quickly reigned in her fandom moment, and the entire inner turmoil had not shown on her face at all.


    Lianne was calm now and took the meeting to be a lucky moment. Like a fan, meeting her celebrity crush. Lianne knew the boy moved in different circles and they wouldn''t ever meet again.


    So, she pushed him out of her mind and chalked him up as just one of those ''see hot guy'' moment. Buying a drink, Lianne settled herself in some obscure corner of the cafeteria and got lost in her game.


    As Lianne was engrossed in her game and Kai Sheng fully focused on work in front of him, both were completely oblivious to the fact that this slight interest of theirs towards the other had already begun.


    A low spark had been created when the two met and was smoldering unseen underneath. It would become a raging fire that burned far more brightly in the future when their paths crossed again.


    A roaring fire that neither could contain. One which Lianne tried hard to extinguish, but which Kai constantly fanned.


    But, that is a story for another day.


    (A/N: Rather, in the subsequent novel i.e. ''Courage to Love'')


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Joseph was shocked.


    Okay, what just happened?


    It was already evening and he was waiting for Lianne and Kay to get back in order to have dinner. So, he checked his TokTik account out of boredom.


    The views he got from his video was higher than he thought ever possible


    That ¡­ that was not right now, was it?


    After spending a few hours on his blog, he then started on the TokTik video after lunch.


    He was basically just fooling around, after most of his confused thoughts were cleared up by him pouring it out in the blog. So he had fun doing the video.


    It was a short one, in which he started off with serious exercise movements, then it switched into a dance routine.


    The views had already reached a few hundred?!


    In a couple of hours?! S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He read the comments.


    Most were good, though there were a couple of derogatory comments about his looks and how could he possibly have any real results from working out. That he would stunt his growth.


    Joseph smirked at those comments.


    With Kyle being the one that gave him tips and trained him, did they really think there were no results?


    It wasn''t much yet, but he was only 12, for goodness sake.


    Instead of bringing him down, those comments only fueled his d.e.s.i.r.e to prove them wrong.


    Joseph lifted his shirt to look at his non-existent six-pack, but could see that it was forming. The flab was gone, the muscles firmer, and it just required a few more weeks of training.


    He flexed his arm muscles and was satisfied with the little bump there.


    Joseph looked at his TokTik account again


    "Challenge accepted," Joseph said with a grin.

 Chapter 776 - Kitty

    Chapter 776 - Kitty During dinnertime, Kay noticed that Joseph was being much more cheerful than before. She was happy about that and hoped that he would continue to brighten up.


    Patrick and Delilah were also content with the kids, glad to see that they were well-behaved and polite. Just like what Kay had said before, Delilah did start to wonder why Kyle seemed to be bringing home ''strays'' - be it animals, or humans.


    Patrick did point out, however, that it was probably Delilah''s social work that rubbed off on Kyle. He wasn''t as active as Delilah was, but he did things in his own little way. Kay, too, did some charity work but just like her brother, it was pretty low-key.


    It was only these two that Kyle seemed to have gone a little bit off the normal path that he took. Thought Delilah did wonder why, she had long accepted the fact that her son was very private and too weird for her to truly understand.


    So she just let him be.


    So long as he doesn''t create problems like sow his seeds wildly all over the place and have numerous pregnant girls clamouring to be his wife, then she''s fine. So far, all of his ''kids'' were not his biologically and she likes to think that Kyle was not that silly or irresponsible.


    She trusted her son.


    She turned her attention to her daughter.


    She may not be able to control her son, but her daughter was another matter altogether.


    "Kay, sweetheart," Delilah began and Kay gulped inwardly, wondering what her mother could possibly be up to.


    Any term of endearment that was being used meant that she was buttering her up for something.


    "Yes, mother?" Kay replied sweetly, not showing her apprehension on her face.


    "Do you have a boyfriend yet?" Delilah asked casually.


    Kay nearly choked on her food, "Mum!"


    "What?"


    "A little warning next time?" Kay said with a pout.


    "Warning? What sort of warning? It was an innocent question!" Delilah retorted with a slight frown.


    "Why are you asking me this all of the sudden?" Kay asked.


    "It''s not sudden," Patrick interjected, "How old are you now? You''ve graduated, and you''re even the acting CEO at Smith Industries. Haven''t you met anyone while studying?"


    "Yeah," Delilah continued, "How about those two .. er, what were their names? Lance? And Matt?"


    "Mark," Kay corrected automatically, "And no, they are just friends."


    "Mark seems to be very keen on you, though," Patrick said, remembering how enthusiastic Mark had been when they met at Kay''s graduation.


    "Kay g.r.o.a.n.e.d, "Please, Dad. If you''re going to use that as a measuring stick ¡­"


    "She''s right, dear," Delilah said, patting Patrick''s hand, "Our daughter is very popular, you know. There are many guys after her. Didn''t you know?"


    "Know what? That many guys are l.u.s.ting after my daughter?!" Patrick said with a frown.


    Delilah rolled her eyes, "You''re a guy too, you know. Look at our Princess. She''s gorgeous, smart and kind. Who wouldn''t fall for her?"


    Patrick grunted.


    Kay rolled her eyes at her parents'' antics.


    "Please, Mum, Dad," Kay said exasperatingly, "I''m still young. There''s plenty of time."


    "You''re so busy at work," Delilah said, "When are you ever going to meet anyone?"


    "Your mother has a point," Patrick said.


    Kay got a sinking feeling about it all.


    "That''s settled then," Delilah said with a flourish.


    Kay g.r.o.a.n.e.d, knowing resistance was futile.


    Joseph was quietly eating when all of this was going on. His heart was feeling rather constricted listening to the conversation. He looked at Kay from the corner of his eye.


    Of course, he agreed wholeheartedly with Auntie Delilah.


    Kay was gorgeous, smart, and kind.


    Of course, she would be someone that guys would l.u.s.t over.


    Of course, she hadn''t been interested in any of those guys who were older, cleverer, and most likely, richer than ¡­


    He coughed a bit, realising where his thoughts were straying.


    "Are you alright, my dear?" Delilah asked Joseph worriedly.


    "Yes, Auntie Delilah," Joseph replied politely, and smiled at her, "Just went down the wrong way. I''m sorry."


    "Oh, dear child," Delilah said gently, "There''s nothing to be sorry about! Just be more careful when eating, okay? Don''t rush so much."


    Joseph nodded, though he cringed inwardly.


    Child?


    He sighed.


    He guessed he really was, in her eyes.


    Most likely in Kay''s eyes as well. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He suddenly felt dejected and finished up his food quickly. Even if he was in a sombre mood, it didn''t mean that he wasn''t hungry.


    Lianne looked at her brother and sighed as well.


    She found it pretty ironic that ''father'' and son were having similar problems.


    Her mother was obviously with Sayuri, but it seemed like she was in denial of some sort. Why, Lianne had no idea. Was it because her mother was still a ''woman'' at heart and couldn''t commit fully?


    She didn''t think so. Maybe her mother was dense?


    Then, her brother.


    Obviously having a major crush on Kay.


    Not that she blamed him, for Kay really was impressive. For a hormone-laden normal guy like her brother, why wouldn''t he be attracted to such a beauty?


    Still, even though she saw her brother like what any normal sister would i.e. an annoying brat, she acknowledges that her brother wasn''t shallow.


    Admiring a beautiful person is normal for anyone, and some even did fall in love, mistaking that attraction for love.


    Her brother?


    Lianne mused, looked at him intensely.


    He got it bad, and it wasn''t a shallow thing.


    But he hid his feelings well.


    As Lianne was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a little meow.


    Her eyes went as big as saucers and she looked down, to be met with the most adorable and cute black cat. The cat was looking at her with such curious green eyes and meowing pitifully as if it was lonely.


    "Oh, that''s Kyle''s cat," Kay said, "I had wondered where she went."


    Kitty jumped on Lianne''s l.a.p, purring loudly.

 Chapter 777 - Another Team?

    Chapter 777 - Another Team? Ever since then, Kitty has followed Lianne everywhere.


    Joseph shrugged it off, saying that Lianne always had that effect on cats. She loved cats and somehow, cats gravitated towards her. There have been many times that Joseph saw feral cats docilely coming up to her and rubbing themselves on her leg, some even sitting on her foot, before leaving.


    Their house had been full of cats, too.


    All of them had disappeared when the house burned down, and all of them had been too distraught to actually think about their fates. Now, however, Joseph and Lianne wondered about what happened to their cats.


    They hoped that their cats would have found a better home now and not be roaming the streets.


    "What''s the matter?" Kay asked, seeing how both of them suddenly looked so melancholy.


    "Nothing," Joseph said, finishing his meal, then looked at his sister, "I just suddenly remembered about our cats."


    "Same," Lianne whispered as she stroked Kitty with one hand and ate with the other.


    [Kyle, you busy?] Kay called out hesitatingly.


    She never knew if her brother would be ''getting it on'' with Sayuri or


    [I''m awake] Kyle replied, rubbing his eyes. Last night''s activities had lasted for quite a while, so it was a small wonder he was just getting up now.


    [Your kids were wondering what happened to their cats. Do you know?]


    [Oh shit] Kyle cursed, getting up from the bed suddenly [I knew I forgot something]


    Kyle flung his legs over the bed, when he felt a hand grab his b.u.t.t. He turned, to see the sleepy Sayuri, her eyes half-closed as she pinched him.


    He noted that she wasn''t really awake, but his movements had jolted part of her consciousness up. He leaned over, kissed her forehead and said softly, "Sleep. I''ll be back in the afternoon."


    "Mhm, okay," Sayuri mumbled, snuggling into the pillow, "Replenish those bullets, okay?"


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, thinking Sayuri was rather cute when she talks in her sleep. She would never remember what she said, though, but Kyle would often tease her about it.


    A part of him itched to take her there and then when she was half asleep like this. He suppressed that thought, but it turns out Kyle Jr was already rising in agreement. He laughed at himself and got up to get ready.


    Leaving her a note, he left.


    The next day, Kay came down after getting ready for work. She had already taken her breakfast much earlier and was now on the way out.


    She saw that all of the kids - and cat - were at the dining table, having their breakfast.


    She was amused to see how Kitty had attached herself to Lianne. Perhaps she really was the cat whisperer, just like what Joseph had said.


    Coming to the table with a smile, she told them before leaving, "Kyle said he found all the cats and have rehomed them."


    "That''s great! Thank you, Kay," Joseph replied with a huge smile, not even wondering for a second how Kyle knew that all of the cats were found.


    Lianne, who knew, was rather amused by the simple-mindedness of her brother. Then again, it was that quality that made him just bearable.


    Kay, upon being hit by that smile of Joseph, was slightly stunned. Joseph had this really gorgeous smile, which lit up his face and made him appear even more handsome. You just want to go over and pinch those cheeks or hug him or something.


    The funny thing was, such a smile would only appear when he''s happy.


    If he was to pose for a picture, his smile looked pretty awkward and like how Lianne once described it, "Like he needs to poop."


    Of course, that type of smile was something Kay never did see for Joseph''s smile was always blinding to her. Kay couldn''t help but think that even though Kyle wasn''t Joseph''s biological parent, perhaps the similar characteristics transcended biology?


    Kay left the house while shaking her head, feeling a bit fl.u.s.tered by having to be the recipient of that deadly smile once again. She also found herself not quite liking the thought that he would be showing such a smile to other people ¡­ okay, girls. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She sighed, smacking herself on the forehead while sitting in the car while muttering to herself not to be so ridiculous.


    Rufus, her driver, didn''t say a word not have a change in expression upon seeing this unusual behaviour from his boss.


    Kay smiled thinking about Kyle''s report about the cats.


    Turns out, MIB had more uses than they had originally thought. Right now, 10 MIB agents were the new owners of a cat. Kyle didn''t force them to take the cats, of course. He simply gave the chore to the HQ and they sent out the notice.


    Lucka actually wanted some as well but the others successfully held him down (yes, literally) and stopped him from putting down his name and claiming some cats for himself.


    Kay missed Zero and the others.


    Growing up with them helping them and protecting them in the shadows was a bond that couldn''t be broken - even if she had her own Team now. Kay was grateful for that. If it hadn''t been for them, a lot of their work would have fallen through over the years.


    Her Team was good as well, but the closeness and bond with Kyle''s Team wasn''t something that could be replicated.


    Thinking of this, an idea formed in Kay''s mind.


    Lianne and Joseph ¡­ they should have some sort of team as well, shouldn''t they? Nothing as detailed or extensive like her team, but they should have. Not to mention, the kids that Kyle and she, herself, would have in the future when they got married.


    Once the idea started, she couldn''t stop thinking about it. She started planning the type of team that would be good and the best strategy to pick them.


    These thoughts occupied her mind throughout the journey.

 Chapter 778 - Change of Mindset

    Chapter 778 - Change of Mindset Back at the Smith Mansion, Junior was looking at Lianne and Joseph with wide, innocent eyes, "So your cats are safe now?"


    Joseph nodded happily, "Kyle is awesome."


    Junior agreed, saying, "Uncle Kyle is the best."


    Then, he sighed loudly, munching on his toast, "It would have been even better if he really was my father."


    Joseph nearly splattered the milk he was drinking.


    "Father?!" he squeaked, "Wouldn''t big brother be better?"


    After all, Kyle was only ¡­ what, 20? How could a 20-year-old have a four-year-old kid? Okay, wait. No, that is possible. In some countries, you could find mothers as young as 13 years old. What more, a guy?


    "Mama had thought Kyle was my father, so I always thought so," Junior explained, "I wish it was true."


    Joseph''s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.


    "Your ¡­ mother ¡­ thought Kyle ¡­" Joseph stammered.


    "Umhmm," Junior replied, "Mama and Kyle were boyfriend and girlfriend back then, but she had to leave him when she moved. She was really sad."


    For his mother to think that, it meant that Kyle had s.e.x when he was 16 ¡­ and if Kyle was so free in that aspect, what about Kay?


    Joseph felt like his worldview had drastically changed.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t know about the bird and the bees - he was 13, after all. He was just on the verge of puberty with his hormones and curiosity raging. S.e.x and girls were part of that.


    At the same time, he as also one that was raised in a conservative country so he found it hard to adjust his thinking a bit. His mother had always told him about respecting girls and never to cross the line.


    She had been telling him that since he was 12. It could be because he had his first confession then and she was worried about him taking the girl''s feelings too lightly. He didn''t really understand his mother then and what she was trying to say but now, though.


    It made some sort of sense.


    Of course, he couldn''t help but wonder about Kay. He remembered how Auntie Delilah had been hounding Kay about her having a boyfriend. He had been jealous then, but relieved to find out that she was still single.


    But she was single now ¡­ it didn''t mean she was single while in college, right?


    His mind was in a whirl.


    One the one hand, having premarital s.e.x was something he had been taught to be wrong. On the other hand, he couldn''t think it was wrong for Kay ¡­ but he didn''t like it if she had.


    It was very confusing for him.


    To be raised and living in a conservative society shaped his mind, so the fact that people in this country were very liberal in that sense was still hard for him to grasp fully.


    Still, although he thought doing it was not right, it didn''t mean that he thought those who did, were ''dirty''. Unlike some of his friends who would say so. He remembered his mother telling him that when you love someone, it was very easy to cross the line.


    This was why being a gentleman was very important.


    Showing respect for your partner and not taking advantage of her was the epitome of being a good man. If he wanted to bed her, he should first commit himself fully by marrying her.


    He was still learning and he had never been with a girl before, so his mother''s words hadn''t quite been fully understood.


    Right now, however, he had a slight inkling. Just the thought of Kay being in someone else''s arms ¡­ Joseph quickly shoved the image out of his mind. More so since he was starting to get rather hot and bothered at a certain part of his body.


    He felt ashamed.


    How could he treat her like that? View her like something to l.u.s.t over?


    Joseph hit himself on the head.


    Lianne looked at her brother, wondering just what was going on in his mind by now.


    He had these myriads of expressions on his face that she found slightly amusing. Now, he as punishing himself by hitting his head.


    She shrugged, not really bothered or interested. Her brother was weird anyway.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    While Joseph was having a change of mindset, Kay was busy with her new, little project.


    First, she delegated any work that could be handled by Beatrice and Sam to them. Next, she cleared up the pile that was due for the day. It was just about lunchtime by the time she had settled her work, so she had some food brought in while she ''played'' around.


    Lianne and Joseph required a different type of team as compared to the ones that the twins'' children would have. Plus, it looks like Lianne''s Team would be different from Joseph''s team as well.


    Whatever it was, their team wouldn''t have the same function as Kyle''s team, of course, and would work in the shadows for now. It all depended on what sort of future Lianne and Joseph would have, to determine whether they would come out of the shadows, or not. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For one thing, the most basic aspect both needed was protection.


    Being publically known as children that Kyle sponsored, they may be targetted. Either kidnapped for ransom, or, used to get to Kyle by putting some mole or spy on them. Kay intended a team to be put on the kids, just like how Kyle had placed a team on Sari.


    This time, however, they would do more than just be bodyguards. They would also serve to protect the kids from those who may use them.


    The problem?


    Should they be informed of the existence of these MIB agents and purpose? If they weren''t informed, then how could the agents get close enough to them to help them? Wouldn''t the kids then feel betrayed if they found out later?


    Not an easy decision.

 Chapter 779 - Keep Calm and Carry On

    Chapter 779 - Keep Calm and Carry On In the end, Kay decided that the best person to make the final call would be Kyle.


    In her opinion, Lianne should be told the whole truth as she would not warm up to other people easily. Finding out that such a person was only there for a job (even if they did form a real friendship later on) would be more detrimental than good.


    Also, Lianne was unique and observant, thus, would benefit more from the guidance that is more structured. She''s observant and straightforward, so she should be cultivated better.


    As for Joseph, he was slightly dense, so he would most likely not be told the full truth. Most definitely, he could not know about the existence of MIB but having someone beside him for protection should be okay.


    Kay smiled a bit.


    It wasn''t that Joseph was dense, but rather, he was really like a clean slate.


    Pure and innocent at heart. He may not show his emotions openly due to how he was brought up to be a ''man'', but one couldn''t deny the kindness and strength he had. The way he treated Kitty, for example.


    They say that if you want to know how a person is really like, you should see how they treat animals and those in the service sector.


    Kay saw how polite Joseph was with all the help in the house. He was friendly and kind, never taking the aid that they gave for granted. He played with Kitty and didn''t seem to mind how annoying she could be by hanging on his head or demanding attention. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At most, he would laugh and push Kitty to a more comfortable position but never scolded Kitty.


    Thinking of that, she couldn''t help but think that Joseph resembled a young Xing Han in terms of temperament. Was that why the latter was Kyle''s best friend?


    Kay was also of the opinion that this team for Lianne and Joseph wouldn''t be permanent. They would have normal lives, so it was enough that the team assigned to them was merely to help and guide them as they grow into a.d.u.l.thood.


    Their future children, however, were another matter altogether.


    She would prefer that the team that their future kids would have, would be with them from young - just like how the original team had been created. The only thing was, finding the right people wouldn''t be easy.


    It was a good thing that she thought of this now, for then, it meant that they could start the process earlier.


    Thinking about Sayuri and Kyle ¡­ Kay thought she''d better make a move on the team for his kids, at least. At the rate they were going, was it really possible not to have an accident, no matter how careful they were?


    Should she start preparing for receiving a nephew or a niece?


    Kay pursed her lips, tapping the table with her pencil when she thought about it.


    Then, her thought strayed back to Joseph.


    If - of when - Kyle had kids in this life, what about the kids in his previous life?


    He couldn''t be with them like he would with his own kids, since, well, strictly speaking, they aren''t his kids in this life.


    It gave her just a headache thinking about what Kyle may be going through.


    As for her?


    She was beginning to realise that her interest and fascination with Joseph was not quite just ''friend'' level.


    It slowly dawned on her when she was planning this whole ''team'' thing.


    Whenever she thought about Joseph and what sort of people should be following him, she would be smiling as she thought about him.


    The realisation left her in a bit of a shock, to be honest.


    She had been surrounded by so many outstanding - and good-looking - guys all her life, so why was this teen on her mind so much?


    She found herself liking his smile, the way his face expressed his excitement when he talked, the twinkle in his eye as he did so. There were so many things about him that just made Kay feel ¡­


    Feel like it was all wrong.


    If anyone knew what she was thinking, and feeling, they''d lock her up.


    Every time she found herself feeling giddy or heart beat faster from his reactions and expression, she scolded herself.


    Why on Earth was she like this!


    It made absolutely no sense!


    She as an a.d.u.l.t and he was a child ¡­ no, a teen ... a guy ¡­


    Cradle snatching!


    Kay buried her face in her hands, groaning and shaking her head.


    This feeling will pass, she told herself.


    It was just a crush.


    Yes, at least she admitted that she did have some sort of interest in Joseph. She wasn''t denying these feelings, unlike her brother who was in a constant state of denial about his feelings for Sayuri.


    But Kay was also well aware that her feelings were not normal or ordinary.


    Even so, it wasn''t like she could switch off what she felt.


    Times like this, she wished she really was like her brother. Completely oblivious to the growing feeling in her heart so that she could hang out with Joseph like before.


    What she was feeling may be branded as ''not right'' and most likely be looked down upon if ever found out, Kay couldn''t see it as it being something wrong and be ashamed of.


    She liked him.


    A lot.


    Even if she didn''t like how he could easily string her along and play her with her feelings without even doing anything other than smile and laugh.


    With this thought, however, Kay knew there was only one thing to do.


    Occupy herself with work, work, and more work. That was the only way she could get some sanity and peace of mind, and?kick him out of her system.


    Kay took several deep breaths.


    ''Keep calm and Carry on''


    Kay thought of her mother, and what she had said last night.


    Going on blind dates was good, too.

 Chapter 780 - It is How it Should be

    Chapter 780 - It is How it Should be Delilah was ecstatic.


    Kay actually agreed to the blind date and had even approached her for it!


    This was ¡­ this was a dream come true!


    Although Delilah had made the suggestion (albeit, making it sound like an order), it wasn''t as if she really going to insist on it if Kay was not keen.


    But she was!


    Delilah immediately thought of her closest friends and started calling them. A couple had a son that was just at the right age, or, they may know someone in their family that could be suitable.


    Several hours later, Delilah hung up the phone in contempt.


    Patrick, coming into the bedroom at that time, looked at her in surprise.


    "Now, what has gotten your knickers in a twist?" he asked teasingly.


    She waved the phone in her hand angrily at her husband, "This .. this ¡­"


    "Yes, yes, it''s your phone," Patrick said with a straight face, a smile on his lips.


    Delilah flung her hands up in the air in exasperation, "Useless! That''s what it is, useless!"


    "What is?" Patrick asked, gently this time. He could see that his normally calm wife was really agitated this time round.


    Delilah sat on the bed angrily, then slumped her shoulders down.


    With a big sigh, she said as she looked at the phone in her hand, "Kay agreed to go on blind dates."


    "Really? That''s great!" Patrick said with a smile, "Isn''t that what you wanted?"


    Delilah waved the phone at him in exasperation again, "I didn''t expect there to be a lack of good guys out there!!"


    Patrick jerked back in surprise.


    Delilah started rattling on, "Those of the same age as Kay are still schooling. She just had to have finished school early, didn''t she? She just HAD to take an accelerated course, didn''t she?"


    "So the guys aren''t really keen to meet someone already so accomplished," Delilah went on, "So, I looked at those who are older."


    "They were either at entry-level jobs or so busy with building their career, that the thought of going out with an acting CEO was way beyond their comfort zone," Delilah continued with a snort, "So our daughter just had to be so capable, huh?"


    "What option did I have left? Those in higher positions and not intimidated by our Kay, and guess what?" Delilah said, staring at Patrick angrily as if he was at fault.


    "They are so old, I can be their sister!"


    Delilah waved the phone angrily again, "Just what is wrong with men nowadays? Just because the girl is so successful, they feel threatened? Hah ¡­ you men are wimps!"


    Patrick put up his hands in surrender then came over and hugged his angry wife, "It''s our fault, really."


    "What are you talking about?!" Delilah hissed at him, struggling in his warm embrace.


    "We have such capable kids that we nurtured them fully from the start," Patrick explained, "It''s only natural they would be at the top of the food chain."


    "Of course," Delilah said proudly, "Our children are the best."


    "So, the ones that they end up with, may not necessarily be at par with them," Patrick went on gently, "Would you be okay with that?"


    Delilah looked at him with a frown, "Why wouldn''t I be okay with that? As long as they love my children whole-heartedly and sincerely, I''ll welcome them, no matter what. They could be a storekeeper or a janitor for all I care. My kids can take care of them well enough."


    Then she waved the phone again, "But these ¡­ these ridiculously hopeless guys wouldn''t even agree to a blind date once they found out it was Kay. What is with that?!"


    "Useless indeed," Patrick agreed, "Just be patient. I can find a few who won''t be scared off just by her CV."


    Delilah leaned on Patrick and sighed again, "Are we destined never to have grandchildren? Or maybe, wait a long, long time before then?"


    "Sweetheart," Patrick said with a small laugh, "Our kids are just 20-years-old! There''s plenty of time."


    "I know that," Delilah said, "I don''t mean now. But from the looks of it, both of them haven''t formed any sort of romantic relationship. You know how it''s like when you''re working. If they don''t find one now, it may take forever for them to find anyone."


    She looked at him lovingly, putting a hand on his cheek, "I was lucky, because our parents were good friends. They would meet often, dragging us along."


    "Our kids will meet their Fated Ones, too," Patrick said confidently, "Just don''t rush them."


    Suddenly, Delilah thought of one more person. She excitedly called up the said parent. Not even ten minutes had passed by when Delilah got an ''A-ok'' sign.


    Perhaps Fate was giving her a hand after all.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    When Kay got back that night, Delilah was beside herself with excitement.


    The moment Kay walked through the door, Delilah got up and took her by the hands, "Kay, darling, the first date has been set."


    "That''s great, Mum," Kay said with a gentle smile.


    "I''m so happy you agreed to this," Delilah said, "You''ll love him, I''m sure. He''s the son of my school friend''s daughter-in-law''s brother."


    Joseph, on the first floor, froze at his doorway.


    He had heard Kay return and was going to nonchalantly head to the kitchen for a drink. However, upon hearing what Auntie Delilah was saying, he stepped back inside and slowly closed his bedroom door silently.


    It was as it should be.


    That is how it should be. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He swallowed the bitter pill of disappointment in his throat and started writing in his blog again. He normally only wrote once a day, but today was special.


    It also looks like tomorrow''s workout is going to be slightly more extensive. A more upbeat song would be needed as well.


    Joseph started to work, filling his mind so that his heart would be appeased.

 Chapter 781 - Lost

    Chapter 781 - Lost The week passed by slowly.


    Well, slowly for Joseph who felt like the days were long despite it being full.


    Much to his surprise, he became rather popular on TokTik and even had some regular readers of his blog. Both used different usernames, so no one knew that the two were the same person.


    He found comfort in the comments and soon developed a sort of friendship with them. There weren''t many, but quality over quantity, right? He never asked any personal questions and neither did they. As for his blog, he never gave out names and only referred to people as their connection to him.


    Lianne was, of course, ''sister'' and Stephan was ''father''. Kyle was ''sifu'' and Kay ¡­ Kay was ''crush''. He didn''t reveal he was 13 or that Kay was 20, but rather, that his crush was an older woman.


    Turns out that he wasn''t alone.


    The good thing about the Internet was that it connected you to people who are like-minded. People were also more willing to be open behind the anonymity of the screen, so the bond that is created could occur faster than people who met in real life.


    There were two regulars of his blog that commented frequently: Cole_Dorillo and YuuSakurano. There were others, too, like mamacat, Spade_Z, and Excellsaga. But it was the first two that interacted with him the most.


    He appreciated all, of course, and enjoyed reading their comments.


    They all gave him motivation and hope. Some encouraged him to hang on, while some advised him to let it go. To meet people his age. Be more open and sociable.


    He read them all and took them to heart, but at the end of the day, it was still his choice.


    Which, truth be told, he didn''t know yet what was the right choice. There was a conflict between his head, and his heart.


    His head was telling him that this was all insane and he was only looking at Kay like a replacement mother figure. Yet, his heart told him otherwise for no guy would feel the way he did for her, and mistake that as being what they felt for their mother.


    For example, being unhappy to think of her being with another guy. Heck, just her going on a date made him edgy, what more a blind date with the intention of marriage in the end?


    She probably saw him as a little brother, or, at the very least, a little boy that has yet to grow up.


    He acknowledged the needing to ''grow up'' bit, but little brother?


    Urgh.


    No.


    Just ¡­ no.


    He couldn''t stand that.


    The sound of the keyboard finally stilled in his room as he punched in the last sentence. He leaned back on his chair, not bothering to re-read it before posting it. He hardly did any edits and didn''t care about the spelling errors or typos.


    Mainly because, the blog was meant to be him, freely spewing out his thoughts as he felt them. Raw and unfiltered. Who cares about grammar at that point? He wasn''t writing a novel to sell and he didn''t quite care if his readers chastised him for it.


    They didn''t need to read it now, did they?


    This wasn''t some that they were paying to read, after all. Neither was he seeking actively for some readers to boost viewership or whatnot. He didn''t bother with that at all. Hence, without such worries, his blog was also as carefree and frank, like he was.


    Joseph sighed, as he switched off the computer.


    On the bright side, when this ''holiday'' was over, he''ll be going back to Country Tz.


    Thus, all of this ¡­ whatever he was feeling ¡­ would naturally just die as time goes on. He would meet other people and this crush would be but a memory.


    All he had to do, was get through the days while he was staying in this house.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay thought about her impending blind date.


    He had already contacted her, and they agreed to meet up in the following week. She wasn''t really looking forward to it, really but she had to take this step.


    Come out from her comfort zone.


    Which was ironic, really, considering that she''s already at the top, so to speak.


    One would normally view ''comfort zone'' to be being in a position, or situation, that was so comfortable that one didn''t really work to improve themselves anymore. No challenges and such.


    Thus, Kay, being the acting CEO already meant that she was at the pinnacle of her career ¡­ at the age of 20. What more is there?


    In truth, there was another meaning to it and that applied to Kay quite well : being in a situation where one feels safe and at ease.


    And for Kay, that meant living her life as it was - no hassle with boys and just work.


    She wasn''t planning to actively seek out guys and thought of letting Nature take its course.


    It was that slight hitch in her life that made her deviate from her original plan.


    Kay thought of her blind date. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ronaldo.


    Like the footballer?


    Kay had to giggle at that.


    She needed to find some sort of amus.e.m.e.nt over this whole thing so that she could go for the date in a positive state of mind.


    However, the date that was supposed to happen, had to be postponed for another week.


    Kyle had fallen into a coma


    Kay already knew something was wrong before Sayuri called her up.


    She didn''t know what it was, but it was as if a part of her was suddenly gone. Though Kay shared a telepathic communication and were empaths where they shared emotions and feelings, the connection was actually deeper than that.


    It was, however, something that neither truly was aware of until that moment.


    For Kay, at least.


    She felt so lost and empty, that she panicked.

 Chapter 782 - Just a Kid

    Chapter 782 - Just a Kid The feeling was akin to having a loved one pass on.


    This was not to belittle the emotions of grief, and the two are not the same, but the sense of loss - to a certain extent, was.


    It was more than just a loss of one of your senses, like sight, for it touched Kay at the deepest level of her soul.


    When Sayuri called her to tell her what had happened, Kay felt fear. Sayuri was crying, but she still managed to tell Kay properly, "Kyle was fighting Donnie. I ¡­ I don''t know what happened. I just found him in a pool of blood."


    Hearing Kay gasp, Sayuri quickly assured her, "It wasn''t his blood."


    Kay was relieved, "What happened to him?"


    "Doctors are stumped. He''s physically injured but none of his injuries would explain his coma. Kay ¡­ I ¡­ I ¡­"


    Sayuri couldn''t help the sob that came through, even though she was trying so hard to be strong. She was sitting on the chair, holding Kyle''s hand as he lay there, his eyes closed. There were tubes and wires all over him.


    To feed him medicine, to feed him nutrients, and to monitor his heart beat.


    "He confronted Donnie on his own, Kay," Sayuri said, almost in a whisper, "He got rid of all of us and fought with that despicable ronin. I swear, Kay, when Kyle wakes up, I''m going to kill him."


    Kay let out a soft chuckle at that, and replied, "I''ll help you."


    Sayuri felt a little better at that, and she placed her forehead at the back of Kyle''s hand. Even though the doctor told her that his body was healing, it didn''t stop the fear and worry that filled her entire being.


    "I''ll call you as soon as there is any progress," Sayuri promised.


    "Remember to take care of yourself, too," Kay stressed.


    "I will," Sayuri promised.


    Kay didn''t believe her, though.


    "We''ll keep this under wraps," Kay said, making that decision, "If he doesn''t wake up ¡­"


    "He will!" Sayuri couldn''t help but say.


    "... in a week, Sayuri," Kay continued, "If he doesn''t wake up in a week, then we''ll have to make plans. I''ll source for some specialists and send them over to assess Kyle."


    "...Okay," Sayuri said softly, not wanting to think of the possibility that Kyle would not wake up after a week, let alone, not waking up.


    After the call, Kay


    As much as Kay wanted to hop onto the first flight over, she knew she shouldn''t. Sayuri was already with Kyle and having one more person by his side wouldn''t make him heal faster.


    She was needed here, to monitor the situation and handle things as they came.


    Kay called up Nialla and told her about Kyle. She placed the task of finding specialists upon her. Sayuri would be fine in Country M, for she knew that Kyle''s team would do the needful - and, at the same time, take care of Sayuri.


    Still, she called up Zero to remind him to do so.


    Once she settled everything, Kay walked out to the gardens at the Mansion.


    This was one of the things that she had essentially blocked out of her mind and did not think about.


    What would she do if Kyle was to die before her?


    There was no answer to that question. All that she knew, was that she felt extreme fear and despair. Thinking about death was scary enough. Thinking about losing your loved one was, to her, scarier.


    Now, it was even more so.


    She could physically feel the loss of connection and the sense of desolation that hit here was severe. She sat down on the garden chair, bringing her legs up onto the chair. She hugged her legs, placing her chin on her knee and bit her lower lips hard.


    So hard that blood flowed.


    This was but a taste of it.


    Losing Kyle.


    What would it be like ¡­ if ¡­ if he really did go? Never wake up?


    Tears flowed down Kay''s cheeks and she couldn''t help crying.


    Suddenly, she felt herself being hugged from behind. She didn''t have to turn to know who it was. Even though he was only 13, and even though he wasn''t big (as in, physically) yet, Kay still felt extreme comfort and strength in those arms.


    Kay couldn''t explain it, but that was what she felt.


    He didn''t say a word, but simply held her tight as she quietly sobbed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When she finally stopped, he didn''t ask either.


    She was grateful for that and said, "Thank you."


    For the hug, and for not asking any questions. Joseph seemed to know that was what her thanks were for, as he just tapped her on the shoulder and said, "You''re welcome. If you need to talk, I''m a willing ear."


    He didn''t wait for an answer and merely left.


    Kay turned her head a bit, to see his straight and strong back leaving. Such a small figure, yet taking it upon himself to shoulder so much burden. Just what went on in that mind of his?


    Kay wondered, wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Joseph forced himself to leave without asking Kay what was wrong.


    He figured - her worries were something that belonged in the ''a.d.u.l.t'' world. Which a.d.u.l.t would talk to a kid about their problems, right?


    When he had seen her looking so lost and started crying, he couldn''t help but reach and hug her, in an attempt to comfort her.


    But at the end of the day, he was just a kid.


    He was raised never to ask nor interfere in matters of a.d.u.l.ts. When his parents talked, one is to keep quiet and not be a busybody.


    His heart twisted each time he told himself ''you''re just a kid''.


    He thought of Kay.


    Normally, a 13-year-old would regard a 20-year-old as "old" but he didn''t.


    Well, not anymore, that is.

 Chapter 783 - TokTik

    Chapter 783 - TokTik After that day, Joseph made a decision to distance himself from Kay even more. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At first, it was because he didn''t want her to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed over the fact that he had caught her crying.


    After that, it was because he found himself being more and more attracted to her. The stronger the feelings grew, the more scared he got.


    The last thing he wanted was for her to get annoyed by him. It''s not like he was doing anything, but he still was worried. She was a successful, beautiful, matured woman and then, there is this gangly kid barely in his teens, having a crush on her.


    He imagined it was like how a teen felt like when a toddler got attached to them.


    Joseph was lying down on the bench press, putting his arms across his eyes.


    "Is everything okay, Master Joseph?"


    Urgh.


    Joseph opened his eyes, to see the gym instructor observing him. The Smiths were not only rich, they paid attention to such minor details.


    This gym instructor, for one.


    When Delilah found out that he liked to go to the house gym, she got this instructor to monitor him. She was worried that he might injure himself and nothing he said could dissuade her from it.


    "How can I face my son if anything happened to you?" Delilah had said firmly, taking his hand and patting the back of it.


    She had looked at all the equipment in here and seeing how heavy they were, she had this sudden vision of the little Joseph being pinned under any of those weights. She shuddered at that.


    "But ¡­" Joseph stammered, feeling bad because they were spending more money on him. He owed them too much already.


    "No buts," Delilah replied, cutting him off, "Just feel free doing what you want, and don''t worry about it."


    Joseph nodded, feeling touched ¡­ and guilty as well.


    It made him even more determined to get rid of his growing feelings for Kay. What would Aunty Delilah feel if she knew what he was thinking and feeling? About her precious daughter?


    Not to mention Kyle.


    Joseph, thinking about all of this, sighed even more and said, "How many times do I have to tell you, Rory? It''s just Joseph. Or Joey. I''m just a guest here and no young master or what-not."


    "I can''t do that, Master Joseph," replied Rory solemnly, "Grandfather would have my neck."


    Joseph laughed.


    Rory''s grandfather was the Smith''s butler. It had been a sort of tradition in the family. Rory''s family would always serve the Smith family. Yet, Rory had gone against the unwritten rule and instead of taking up the mantle of ''butler'', he became ''gym instructor''.


    Butler Kim, though angry, had let him be. Traditional he may be but he was not the type to force his family to do what needs to be done. Then again, part of the reason he could be so accommodating was because there was already someone who was more than happy to take up the mantle after he retired.


    Rory, being grateful to his grandfather for not insisting, would be far more compliant with the manner of speech and attitude that Butler Kim insisted on when serving the Smiths.


    "You know, I''ve always wondered," Joseph said suddenly, sitting up and facing Rory, "If your cousin is being trained to serve Kyle, what about Kay? Are all the resources only being given to Kyle?"


    He felt rather indignant when he thought about it.


    Kay was Kyle''s twin, and was even working as the CEO while Kyle wasn''t around. Women weren''t seen as being equal to me in his country but he had thought Country Tz was different.


    Rory explained, "Our family serves the main head of Smith Industries, whoever that may be. If Master Kyle wasn''t the CEO after Master Patrick, Erik would go and serve the one who will be CEO."


    "Oh, so the resources to go the Head?" Joseph continued to ask.


    "As the CEO, he would be dealing with many things and meeting all sorts of people," Rory continued to explain.


    "A butler capable in dealing with the various intricacies of running such a household is essential. The Mistress would have to deal with a lot of things as well, so the butler is the key person in making sure both Master, and Mistress, can focus on what they need to do."


    Joseph thought about it and felt it made sense.


    He had thought there was injustice in the way Kyle got things as compared to Kay. He felt that was strange because Aunty Delilah and Uncle Patrick looked like they weren''t being biased in their treatment towards Kay.


    It turns out it wasn''t due to gender, but the position that Kyle held.


    "So, when Kay is the acting-CEO, Eric would serve her?" Joseph asked to clarify.


    "Yes," Rory confirmed.


    Joseph nodded in understanding. As the CEO of Smith Industries, there are many things that need to be handled. It wasn''t just dependent upon the one at the top, but the well-oiled mechanisms below that help keep everything running smoothly.


    Though Joseph understood more now, it also drove the message that Kay was ''not in his world'' even more.


    "Do you want to carry on, Master Joseph?" Rory asked politely after seeing Joseph gather his thoughts and calm down.


    "Yeah, sure," Joseph replied and lay back down.


    Rory picked up the camera and started recording while giving instructions, "Be careful that you don''t jerk too much, or you would ¡­"


    Joseph listened intently to the advice of Rory as he did his moves carefully.


    This was one of the slightly more complicated dance moves for his TokTik video. It would only be a few seconds but preparing and doing it took much more time. It had to look simple, even though it wasn''t.


    Perhaps he should combine fitness with dance. People certainly liked his videos and he had Rory to guide him.


    It certainly was interesting.

 Chapter 784 - Kays Thoughts

    Chapter 784 - Kay''s Thoughts Kay found it difficult to keep Kyle''s condition a secret, thus, she would leave for office earlier than normal and didn''t come back to have dinner at home. She was unable to keep up normal appearances when she was just so worried.


    Immersing herself in work was the only way.


    On the third day, that familiar feeling tingled in the deepest part of her soul.


    Was it?


    Really?


    Could it be?


    [Kyle?! Kyle?!] Kay called out desperately, her heart in her throat.


    [Yeah, I''m here]


    When Kay heard his voice, she burst out crying. It was a good thing she was in the office at that moment, for people would certainly panic upon seeing the state she was in.


    The tears flowed down her face and she was sobbing so hard, it was really fortunate she was communicating with Kyle telepathically. She wouldn''t be able to form any sentences at that moment.


    [Oh my God, oh my God, Kyle. You''re finally awake! I thought I felt something]


    [What? Why? How long have I been out?]


    Kay could hear the confusion in his voice, and she sniffed, wiping her eyes but the tears still kept flowing as she answered [Three days].


    Kyle was so quiet that for a moment, Kay thought that Kyle had fallen unconscious again. However, that fear was quickly dispelled when Kyle shouted [WHAT?!].


    Kay winced a bit.


    Even at that distance, she felt the shock of his shout. He really was that surprise,d huh? Kay went on to explain to him that they (as in, she and Sayuri) kept the news of his coma from the family.


    Kay even had the list of specialists that she was on standby, should Kyle not wake up in the next four days. The plane tickets and hotel accommodation had already been arranged and paid for, and she didn''t mind burning those expenses.


    It was far better to have spent it to secure their journey over, even if they didn''t need to come in the end - rather than have them need to come but there was no tickets or hotels to put them up in.


    They talked for a little bit more, and Kay discovered that the reason for Kyle''s coma was just pure mental exhaustion. His mind was healing, so his body shut down.


    She made it a point to tell Sifu about this. Kyle going into Zen mode was too dangerous.


    For now, it had been three days.


    What if he had been in a coma when the enemy came? What if he was too badly damaged by Zen mode that he would never wake up ¡­ or woke up a vegetable?


    Kay restrained herself from nagging him.


    When he fell silent, having fallen asleep, Kay picked up the phone and called up Sayuri.


    "Hi Kay," came Sayuri''s sweet, but extremely tired voice, "He''s still in a coma."


    Kay sniffed and told her that he was awake. She heard her sobs, and the relief in her voice. Kay thought about Sayuri, and she remembered this little ninja from school.


    She hadn''t thought much about Sayuri then, other than the fact that it was interesting to discover another ninja. A female one, at that.


    The impression Sayuri left on her while they were schooling wasn''t bad, but it wasn''t so outstanding that she would have left much of an impression. It was only after they had graduated that Kay began to see her in a different light.


    Perhaps, the time when her view changed when Sayuri was one of those people that Kyle reached out to, during the CEO fight. Kay was intrigued that Kyle had thought of her, and so, Kay started paying more attention to Sayuri.


    She was rather impressed and satisfied by her.


    It wasn''t because Sayuri was beautiful ¡­ which she was, by the way. It wasn''t even because she was capable and dependable, which she proved by standing by Kyle''s side during the struggle.


    It was the way Kyle seemed to soften whenever she was near.


    Even though Kyle was with Sari at that time, Kay couldn''t help but wish that it was Sayuri instead. Still, Kay didn''t say a word to Kyle about her thoughts and feelings, for this was Kyle''s choice.


    Whoever Kyle chose, Kay would support.


    So, while she wished it so, she didn''t insist on it so.


    When Kyle did break-up with Sari, Kay was also glad that Sayuri was around to help him through him. Even though he seemed oblivious to how much he seemed to rely on her. How he seemed to be more alive whenever she was around.


    The break-up with Sari truly did break him, but Sayuri was the one that healed him.


    Kay could see that.


    And, she could see how much Sayuri cared for her brother.


    "Take care of him," Kay said softly, the corner of her lips going up as she thought of Sayuri, "He needs you in his life, even though he doesn''t realise it yet."


    Kay heard her answer rather absent-mindedly, with an "Okay." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay''s heart warmed at that. She was sure Sayuri was too distracted at that moment to really hear her, and that told Kay how much Sayuri loved her brother.


    Her uneasiness settled, Kay thanked her before putting down the phone, and thought to her self, ''Sayuri was a good wife indeed.''


    Kay tapped on the table, then got up to go to the ''infamous CEO bedroom'' that you often read in novels. Really an essential place because it allows one to have a place to rest when they need to work throughout the night.


    It wasn''t really utlised because it''s not really a place one would go to in the middle of the day just for a nap. There''s just too much work and no time! For now, Kay just needed to wash her face and re-apply her make-up.


    While Kay was washing up, she suddenly realised one thing.


    It won''t be long before Joseph had to go back.

 Chapter 785 - Plans

    Chapter 785 - Plans The first thought made her feel depressed ¡­ then, she hit herself on the forehead.


    Why was she avoiding him, then?


    If he was going to go back to Country M, and that she would never see him again .. what is wrong with just spending time with him here?


    Just ¡­ friends having fun together, right?


    She remembered the moments when they were playing games together. It really had been carefree and fun, and those were one of the special memories she had of him.


    She should create more before he leaves.


    Forever.


    Once he left, she will cut off all ties with him. Well, she won''t be the one to initiate anything, that is. If he writes to her, she will reply but will take her time doing so. If he calls her, she will talk to him but not for long.


    Things like that.


    Soon, he would forget about her and live his life normally with people his own age.


    As it should be.


    For now, though ¡­


    Showing him ¡­ and Lianne, of course ¡­ around town and introducing them to the places she and Kyle had fun at ¡­


    Kay bit her bottom lip as she stared at herself hard in the mirror.


    It was okay, right?


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    Joseph gulped.


    Kay was actually home for dinner.


    It had only been three days that he hadn''t seen her, yet it felt like a lifetime.


    He knew he got it bad.


    But he couldn''t help it.


    Even when he kept himself busy and even when she wasn''t around ¡­ just seeing her right now hit him right in the feels.


    He stared at his plate, wondering when did it all begin and how to make it stop.


    "It''s good that you could join us for dinner, Kay," Delilah said, "I know it''s not easy but you don''t have to work so hard. You have so many capable people under you."


    Delilah knew that it wouldn''t do to tell Kay to stop working because she, of all people, knew that the CEO''s position isn''t an easy job. Patrick had worked so hard during the time the kids were young and now, Kay was as well.


    Although she was not happy that Patrick had handed over the position to Kyle so fast, she understood his reasons. Kyle was capable and the sooner, the better. He could make his mark and set his foundations even better.


    Perhaps, by the time Kyle gets married, he wouldn''t be so busy like how Patrick had been. Patrick had laid the basics and Kyle strengthened it.


    It wasn''t to say that the previous CEOs were bad, but ¡­ okay, fine. So Delilah was most likely biased but she didn''t think so.


    Kyle was just really good at this.


    It would make the next CEO have a huge shoe to fill. Still, that''s most likely a long way off. Kyle was only 20.


    ''Only'' 20 ¡­


    Just the thought made Delilah''s head spin.


    She studied Kay intently again, "So what happened to your date?"


    "Oh, him," Kay said with a shrug, "Haven''t gone yet. Few things cropped up so we''re meeting next week instead."


    "Don''t take too long, my dear," Delilah advised, "Playing hard to get isn''t nice."


    "Mum!" Kay hissed while rolling her eyes, "Do I really look like someone who has to use stupid tricks like that?"


    "No," Delilah admitted begrudgingly, "But I just wanted to say it once."


    She sighed dramatically, "I know I shouldn''t complain but there wasn''t much that I needed to guide you and Kyle for. At least, in this, please try and be normal."


    "What does that even mean?" Kay asked in exasperation, but the smile on her face showed that she wasn''t really upset over it.


    "You know, find a nice boy, fall in love, settle down and give me grandkids," Delilah replied.


    "Well, yeah," Kay said, "It''s not like I''m pushing them away ¡­ well, okay, I am but that''s only because there was no spark."


    She thought about the numerous confessions she had gotten over the years - even those Mark kept giving without fail.


    "You should lower your standards a bit," Delilah said.


    This time, Lianne rolled her eyes as well.


    "Okay, fine," Delilah conceded again, especially when she caught those two rolling their eyes at her. It was bad enough that her daughter did it, but a young child as well?


    "If there''s no spark, there''s no spark, Mum," Kay said.


    "Then make sure you go on several blind dates before deciding whether there is a spark or not," Delilah said, "You can''t decide on the first date."


    "But what if, instead of a spark, there is a fizz?" Kay asked.


    "Fizz?"


    "Yeah, you know ¡­ like when you pour water to put out a barbeque fire," Kay explained, "Fizzzzzz"


    Lianne couldn''t help but giggle at that as she watched Kay making that sound with her face all serious.


    Delilah''s face scrunched up and she glared at Kay, "Stop making excuses. Just go on three dates at least."


    Three?!


    She was lucky if she could survive one!


    Kay stole a glance towards Joseph, who was seriously eating and not paying any attention at all. She sighed inwardly.


    He was always like that.


    Then again, why wouldn''t he be?


    "Want to go out?" Kay suddenly asked, wanting to dispel that restlessness in her heart.


    "Where to?" Lianne asked, since Kay was looking at her when she asked the question.


    "I was just thinking that ¡­ well, you''ve been here for at least a couple of weeks now, right? But you haven''t gone sightseeing yet," Kay said, "And so, why not I be your tour guide for a while? Before you go back."


    Joseph''s hand stilled for a while when he heard that.


    That''s right.


    They would be going back, wouldn''t they?


    So he had to hold on to this until the day they left, right?


    If she found out about this little crush of his on her, he would be so embarrassed.


    "When would that be?" Joseph asked, before Lianne could say anything.


    "When would what be?" Kay asked, her mind confused for a second.


    "When would we be going back?" Joseph asked again, clearer this time, "It''s not that I don''t like it here and I really do appreciate it ¡­ but ¡­"


    He didn''t know how to say it. How he wanted to go back as soon as possible and be as far away as he can before he did something stupid.


    "Oh," Kay said, feeling a bit down that he actually looked like he wanted to go back so much.


    "I''m not sure," Kay replied honestly, "Your father is settling a few things, I think."


    "Okay," Joseph replied dejectedly. He should ask his father later then.


    Lianne looked at her brother and then back towards Kay, "I''d love to."


    "Joseph?" Kay asked, hoping he didn''t hear the hope in her voice as she asked him.


    "Nah, I''ll pass," Joseph said, "Thank you."


    Still polite, even though the refusal crushed Kay''s little hope.


    So much about being able to spend time with him before he left.


    Lianne said to Kay under her breath, "He''s like that. Don''t mind him."


    Kay gave her a smile, tilting her head and replied, "It''s okay. Where do you want to go?"


    "I wanna see you and Kyle went to school," Lianne said, "And that studio that has Kyle''s picture."


    Kay was surprised, "You want to go there?"


    "Is it far?" Lianne asked worriedly, "It''s okay if it''s troublesome. Anywhere is fine."


    Kay looked at her parents, "Would it be fine if I took Lianne off on a trip?"


    "You''re the boss," Patrick said, "You know better than anyone whether or not you can spare the time."


    "Oh, I know that," Kay said with a smile, "I meant, is it okay if I take Lianne with me? After all, you''re still the guardian while they''re here."


    "Oh," Patrick and Delilah exclaimed. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s true.


    They had forgotten that fact as the kids didn''t really do much at home and Kay was the one that brought them back - and had arranged for everything. So much so that in their mind, Kay was their guardian and not them.


    "As long as they want to go, it''s fine," Patrick finally said, "If Joseph doesn''t want to follow, he''ll be okay here."


    Lianne turned to her brother, "Are you sure you don''t want to follow? As awesome as everything is here, going out and getting fresh air is good as well."


    "I''m fine," Joseph insisted.


    "You''re becoming a NEET," Lianne said, rolling her eyes at him.


    "I am NOT," Joseph denied, "I''ll have you know, my TokTik videos are popular. Hah!"


    "You''re not getting any money from that are you? Hah hah!" Lianne countered back.


    "It''s just the beginning," Joseph said with a snort, "I have plans."


    "Oh, really?" Lianne said, not believing that her playful and obtuse brother would actually have ''a plan''.


    "Really!" Joseph replied.


    "What''s a NEET?" asked the confused Delilah to Kay as they watched the siblings ''fight'' it out.


    "It''s an acronym, Mum," Kay explained, "It stands for ''not in education, employment or training''. Basically, it refers to an unemployed person that has either dropped out of school or finished school and is living at home doing nothing."


    "OH," Delilah said, "A bum sponging off their parents."


    "Something like that," Kay said with a smile.


    Though her mind was on what Joseph had said.


    He had a TokTik account and is getting popular?


    It looks like she had some digging to do.

 Chapter 786 - Settling his Thoughts

    Chapter 786 - Settling his Thoughts In the end, Joseph decided to follow the girls out on their trip after all.


    Partly because it wasn''t just going to be a day trip and he knew he had a responsibility to be with his sister - even though he knew that she was well protected with Kay.


    He glanced around and saw the stern-looking bodyguards that were just within range but not so close that it was annoying.


    His gaze naturally landed on Kay, who was walking with a smile as she talked to his sister.


    Joseph sighed, continuing to be bedazzled by that image, his heart making the normal thump-thump-toing beat which made him gulp the lump in his throat.


    That line ''Heaven must be missing an Angel, because you''re with me right now'' came through his mind. He had always thought it was cheesy but right now, he felt nothing was more accurate to describe Kay.


    Urgh.


    He''s so lame.


    Joseph was sure that Kay had received much more suave and sophisticated pick-up lines, and she wasn''t even interested.


    So he just said the words in his heart.


    Right now, they were headed towards an amus.e.m.e.nt park.


    Initially, Joseph had been a bit puzzled at that. Didn''t Lianne say that she wanted to view their school and some photo studio or something?


    So why an amus.e.m.e.nt park?


    "Why not have some fun first before sightseeing?" Kay had answered when he asked that question, "Wouldn''t it be exciting?"


    Kay had looked so excited over the fact that Joseph swallowed his grievances. He felt that Kay had chosen this activity while thinking about their young ages.


    You know, kind of like how you''d take a kid to the playground.


    Granted, the playground that Kay was bringing them was huge and there were a.d.u.l.ts around.


    "Why are you so grumpy about this?" Lianne asked him when they had reached the entrance. Kay had gone ahead to buy the tickets, so Lianne took this opportunity to approach her brother.


    Though he wasn''t really throwing a tantrum or anything, one could feel the dark clouds that seemed to hover above his head.


    "Don''t you think this is all childish?" Joseph mumbled, feeling a bit peeved at having being caught for his bad mood. He thought he had covered it well enough.


    Lianne gave him ''the look'' that essentially screamed, ''are you stupid''?


    "What?" Joseph asked indignantly.


    Lianne pointed at the rollercoaster that had a double-loop in the distance.


    "Does THAT really look like something a kid would ride?" Lianne asked while rolling her eyes, "For your information, Kay has never been to an amus.e.m.e.nt park before."


    "Huh?"


    "When they were younger, it was too dangerous as they are potential kidnapping targets," Lianne explained, "As they got older, they just didn''t have time to do something as ''childish'' like this."


    Liane emphasised the word ''childish'' but using two fingers from both hands to create an imaginary quotation mark.


    "She thought it would be fun, and spending it with us was supposed to be something nice and relaxing," Lianne said, staring at her brother with a frown, "Until *someone* is ruining the mood with his grumpiness."


    Joseph gulped.


    "Kay is as honest as you can get and you''re getting all upset because you think she''s treating you like a kid? You forget, you ARE a kid. We are. There is nothing wrong with what she''s doing or thinking," Lianne said, hitting him right where it hurts.


    "Stop thinking everything is about you," Lianne hissed under her breath as Kay got closer, "And get your head screwed back properly. Don''t spoil this for her."


    Joseph looked up at Kay''s face, and saw the slight hesitation and worry in them before she hid them behind a bright smile.


    Joseph was appalled. He felt terrible.


    Immediately, he pushed aside all his negative feelings and thoughts of resentment. He was so caught up with his sense of inferiority about their age gap that he had started resenting her for treating him ¡­ like a kid.


    Lianne was right.


    Nothing could change the fact that he is a kid at that moment.


    Kay wasn''t looking down on him and he could hardly expect her to treat him like he was an a.d.u.l.t, right?


    He wished he could kick himself.


    He wanted so much for her to see him as a man that he had forgotten the most basic fact.


    He wasn''t a man. Well, not yet anyway.


    Nothing could change that.


    Only time would.


    He had been so confused, really.


    Swinging one way to the other.


    One the one hand, he wanted to forget her and be out of her hair. On the other hand, he wanted her to notice him and view him as a man.


    But he had been looking at this the wrong way all this time.


    With that change in mindset, he found a huge burden being lifted off his shoulders. It wasn''t that he stopped feeling nervous or self-conscious around Kay, but he found that he could act more naturally around her now.


    He could be himself, albeit, a goofy-star-struck teen boy crushing over a Goddess ¡­ but at least, he wasn''t so wooden or weirded out most of the time.


    He finally could accept the fact that he had feelings for Kay. Feelings that grew from due to her loving and kind nature when he was going through the deepest grief ever.


    However, he also knew that there could not be any real relationship born out of intense experiences. Sandra Bullock said it herself, in the movie Speed with Keanu Reaves. He thought that was rather true, too - more so at this moment.


    Accepting his feelings and knowing that nothing would come out of it also gave him a sense of relief, even if it did make him sad.


    Shaking the last of the negative thoughts out of his mind, he could finally smile brightly at Kay who had reached them.


    Kay, who was at the receiving end of that suddenly bright smile, found her throat extremely dry.


    Is this what other girls felt whenever Kyle hit them with his Million-Dollar-Watt-Smile?


    She had never been affected before and had even pitied the girls who were so bedazzled by her brother.


    Now, that was biting her in the b.u.t.t.


    It was true what they say.


    When you make fun of someone for something that they did, then sooner or later, you would make the mistake, too.


    When you fail to be empathetic towards someone and how they act, you may very well be in the same situation and make the same ''mistake'', making you finally realise why it could happen or why that choice was made.


    And right now, her heart was making somersaults just because he smiled.


    Damn, but that smile was lethal.


    They spent the whole day at the amus.e.m.e.nt park.


    Kay was glad that whatever it was that made Joseph rather moody earlier, was gone. He was being the sweet, wonderful boy that she had gotten to know back in Country M.


    He was polite and attentive, catering to their needs like a gentleman.


    He laughed a lot, his eyes sparkling as he saw things that made him excited.


    The thing that surprised her the most, however, was what he had been doing since coming to Country Tz.


    He hadn''t been joking when he said that his TokTik was popular.


    When she found his TokTik account, she was amazed at the amount of followers that he had - which was still growing.


    Kay knew that it wasn''t easy to get followers in TokTik.


    Joseph''s videos were basically just him exercising and then finishing it with a dance move while exercising.


    Each of his videos had the hashtag dancercizejoey. It was basically a combination of exercise and dancing. He would also give some tips and warnings edited in a fun way in the video.


    It is said that to get a lot of followers, a few things were needed such as original content, to update daily and so forth. In fact, a video was just uploaded even though he had been spending the entire day here.


    He was really that dedicated to ensuring daily updates?


    He must have created several in advance just so he could post one video a day even though he was away. Just how long had he taken to do all of that, and the editing?


    Kay didn''t ask him, though.


    If she did, he would know that she was following him and viewing his videos. Somehow, she just didn''t want him to know.


    Let it be her little secret ¡­ guilty p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, so to speak.


    Since they would be separating in the future, having this little piece of him for her to see all the time made her feel better.


    She could understand the need Kyle''s fans had for his Insta account. She knew it was important to them then, and she had helped in putting it up but she couldn''t really understand why they needed it.


    Now, she did. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 787 - Take Care of Him

    Chapter 787 - Take Care of Him Beatrice sighed when she looked at the pile of doc.u.ments on the table.


    Once again, the CEO has decided to go galavanting, and so, the work now lay upon her (and Sam''s) shoulders.


    Whilst it was true that Kay wasn''t going to be gone for long, and true, she had done the major part already ¡­ but still!!


    The real CEO was doing God-knows-what in Country M, the acting CEO is doing God-knows-what all over Country Tz while she?


    She is stuck here at work doing God-knows-what.


    She glared at the person sitting opposite her.


    Seeing that handsome face being so serious as he did his work reminded Beatrice why she had fallen for him so long ago.


    Luckily, her feelings for him had long gone and she was truly happy for him and Betty. It had been very hard the first few months, but soon, it got better. So, now, she could see him and treat him like any other ex-schoolmate of hers.


    No, that was not right.


    He was a good, close friend.


    When it was nearing lunchtime, a familiar figure popped into the office.


    First, she knocked on the door. Then, she popped her head in nervously. Upon seeing Beatrice and Sam, her face split up into a big smile and she skipepd in, her twintails swaying.


    Beatrice shook her head.


    Betty never did change.


    Still the bunny.


    Sam stood up immediately, his face showing how happy he was.


    "Bunbun?! How come you''re here?" Sam asked as he met her halfway as she headed towards him.


    As he took the lunchbox that she was holding in her hand, she replied, "Classes were canceled today, so I - mhmmmh"


    Her words were cut off as Sam had grabbed her waist, brought her close to him and sealed her lips with his own.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Sam never did change either.


    Still the kissing freak.


    What was the point of asking a question if you weren''t even going to listen to the reply! After a minute or two of this, Beatrice finally said in exasperation, "Oh, come on you two!! You just saw each other this morning!!"


    "And that was a whole 6 hours ago," Sam drawled, breaking the kiss for a moment just to say that before continuing.


    Betty, thoroughly embarrassed by now, was hitting Sam on his back but he ignored that for a second before he finally let Betty go.


    Beatrice looked down at her doc.u.ments, for her eye was twitching so much just seeing that. It wasn''t that she was upset over Sam and Betty kissing, but it was that they were so blatant about it.


    No, that Sam was so blatant about it. He had been bad before, but he was worse now. She shuddered to think about how he''d be like once he got married.


    Betty was glad that Beatrice wasn''t looking at them now, for her face was so red that she couldn''t look at Beatrice.


    "You''re so bad," whispered Betty at Sam, hitting him on the shoulder.


    Sam just grinned and kissed the top of her head before he took her hand and led her to his desk. His desk, like him, was clear and organised with the work he was doing already at one side.


    He took out a placemat from his drawer and placed the lunchbox on top of it. It was actually a three-layer tiffin box. Instead of each layer having different type of food, it was actually three nicely packed lunch in three containers.


    Betty took one and gave it to Beatrice. Beatrice was surprised, though in retrospect, she shouldn''t have been. Betty was like that.


    "Thank you," Beatrice said, taking the container.


    Inside, there was rice and two dishes on its side. Betty also handed her some cutlery, and said, "Why don''t you eat with us?"


    Beatrice didn''t need to look up to know Sam had a displeased expression on his face. What, be a lampost over there?


    Thank you, but no thank you.


    "That''s sweet of you, Betty, but you go ahead and eat first with Sam," Beatrice replied, smiling, "I want to finish just a little bit more before I start eating."


    "Okay," Betty said, not pushing it. When Beatrice is in work mode, no one could interfere.


    Betty went back to Sam''s table and sat on the chair that he had pulled to be beside him. Though they could have eaten in the pantry (where the coffee was made), Sam preferred to eat here with Betty.


    Though the floor was the CEO''s floor with the essential personnel up here, the pantry was still a common area. Sam didn''t like having to be sociable during his private moments with Betty ¡­ and he didn''t like the way some guys looked at her as well.


    Sam knew he was becoming rather possessive but he couldn''t help it.


    It was already there when they were about to graduate, which was why he had proposed to her so fast. Stamping her as his was the first step.


    Now, Betty was more dazzling than ever.


    Her innocent face coupled with that figure of hers ¡­ Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sam focused on his food.


    One month ¡­ one more month ¡­


    He kept that mantra in his mind as he ate the delicious food his bunny made for him although there was something else he wanted to eat more.


    He shook his head.


    One more month ¡­ one more month ...


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    When the day was over, Beatrice stretched and has a smile on her face.


    She was always happy whenever she managed to complete the task she had set for herself each day. Sam was also getting up, taking his briefcase in order to go home.


    She handed him the empty, and washed, container from earlier.


    "Please say thank you to Betty again for me," Beatrice said.


    Betty didn''t live with Sam, but she had free access to the house. Sam had already bought their matrimonial home and Betty''s things have been slowly added in. The decorations and furnishings were all Betty''s work, too.


    Beatrice thought it was really nice and was very happy for the both of them.


    Sam was always so meticulous in everything, and took care of Betty so well. He was so supportive of her, no matter what she wanted to do.


    Even now, Betty decided that she didn''t want to pursue her studies. At first, Sam had tried to persuade her to do so. So did her parents.


    However, Betty was quite adamant about it.


    Beatrice remembered the day they had that talk, too.


    Beatrice was also part of the family discussion, having been invited by Betty''s parents. They said it was because Betty respected her a lot and would listen to her.


    Having an extra voice of reason would be good.


    "I don''t have to go to school," Betty insisted, "Sam will take care of me."


    "Bunbun," Sam said, taking her hand in his, "Of course I''ll take care of you but we don''t know what the future may hold. Wouldn''t it be better if you have some sort of degree, if you want to work later on?"


    Betty pouted at him, "Didn''t you say that you''d support me no matter what I chose?"


    "Of course," Sam said, "But -"


    "Then it''s settled," Betty said.


    "Sweetheart," came the soft voice of Agnes, Betty''s mum, "Sam is right. Listen to him."


    "Mama, Papa," Betty said, looking at her parents, "I know education is important, but it doesn''t have to be college."


    She turned to look at Sam, then back at her parents, "Sam is the greatest thing that has happened to me and I want to be his pillar of support."


    They looked at her in puzzlement, as she continued to explain, "He has been working so hard for Kyle since schooldays. I want him to be able to come home to a warm house, with a wife waiting for him. I want to be the one who gives him the comfort and love after a hard day''s work."


    Betty gripped Sam''s hand, "Do you remember what you said before? When I was feeling so bad about not being able to help you with your work?"


    Sam nodded.


    "I want to be a housewife," Betty said, "But that doesn''t mean I plan to improve myself. I want to take classes like cooking, sewing, and all sorts of things. I just don''t want to go to school for it. I don''t want to waste time learning things I won''t ever be using."


    "Sam works hard and earns enough for us and our future children to last us for a lifetime. So, I want to devote myself to taking care of him in return."


    Betty looked at her parents, "That''s okay, right?"


    Everyone sighed at that and finally dropped the matter.


    Beatrice smiled to herself when she thought of that day. As she walked out of the office building, she saw the Dante twins.


    Oh, crap.

 Chapter 788 - The Dante Twins

    Chapter 788 - The Dante Twins Yuri and Zack were leaning on the car as they waited for their beloved to come out of the building.


    Yuri, who was on the other side of the car, was leaning forward with his hands on the roof of the car, while Zack was leaning his back on the side of the car.


    They saw with amus.e.m.e.nt the fleeting look of dismay that passed by her face. If they had blinked, they would have missed it, so it was a good thing that they were always so attentive to her whenever she appeared.


    It only hardened their resolve to soften her up more.


    She was really resistant to their advances, but she wasn''t rejecting them so vehemently like before.


    After all, she had promised to give them a chance.


    However, they had been so busy that they hadn''t had many opportunities to go on a date with her.


    So, today, they made an effort to do so.


    They had already made sure with Sam that Beatrice wasn''t working overtime and that there wasn''t anything important going on the next day. All her normal excuses won''t work today.


    They were well prepared.


    Beatrice saw the confident look on the Dante Twins'' faces and she knew that Sam must have sold her out.


    She had managed to evade the Twins'' advances the past few weeks because she had been busy. After their declaration at the airport when she had gone to pick up Kay and the two kids, she hadn''t seen them at all.


    No, that was not right.


    They would sometimes come to send her home and such, but she had not gone out with them at all. Time spent in the car on the way home does not count as ''spending time'' with them.


    "Beatrice, honey," Zack said sweetly, coming over to her.


    Beatrice blinked.


    What was this?


    Why was she seeing as if he was walking in slow motion??


    She closed her eyes and looked again.


    Zack appeared to be slowly approaching her, in a gait that looked like some modal walking on the catwalk.


    What was wrong with him?!


    Seeing the frown on Beatrice''s face, Zack couldn''t help but laugh and slid up close to her, going oh, so close but not touching her at all.


    "Miss me?" Zack asked, his handsome face so close that she could smell the mint of the chewing gum in his mouth.


    She frowned further, and put her hands on her waist, "Zacharias, are you chewing gum?!"


    Yuri smirked, "Told you she wouldn''t like it."


    Zack put up his hands in surrender, "I had to! You wouldn''t like the cigarette smoke more."


    Beatrice poked his c.h.e.s.t and he quickly grabbed that finger, gently c.a.r.e.s.sing it as she scolded him, "You''re not supposed to be smoking in the first place!"


    She was so angry at him that she hit him at the side of the head. Immediately after that, she felt remorse but she didn''t let it show on her face.


    To her utter surprise, instead of getting angry or upset, Zack looked contrite and even went down on his knees, "I''m sorry, it is my fault."


    Beatrice was horrified.


    How could he do this in public?!


    She was so agitated that she smacked him more on the head, "You imbecile! Get up!"


    "Am I forgiven?" he asked, giving her the most pitiful d.o.g.g.y-face look she had ever seen.


    How could he be so shameless?


    Most of all, how could this extremely domineering man suddenly look and be so meek?


    Beatrice was so annoyed that she hissed, "What do you think?!"


    He looked at her sadly, "Then punish me."


    Beatrice blinked.


    What? What did he say?


    Punish him?


    And why does he actually look so ¡­ so ¡­ expectant?!


    A thought formed in her head.


    She glanced at Yuri, then back at Zack. Her facial expression hadn''t changed at all, showing that stern look she always had whenever she was thinking hard. It was her ''default'' face.


    Other people had ''bitching resting face''. Her?


    She had the ''stern schoolmarm'' resting face. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She took her hand back and crossed it across her c.h.e.s.t. She looked down at him, her eye twitching and she said in disdain, "Punish you?"


    Zack nodded.


    "You don''t deserve my punishment," Beatrice said, much to Zack''s surprise, "Now get up."


    Zack quickly scrambled to his feet and turned, to see the straight back of Beatrice walking off towards the car.


    Damn, that was so hot.


    *She* was so hot.


    Zack followed her, his pants getting really too tight in a certain area to walk comfortably. He looked at his twin, and they shared a silent look, their eyes darker than normal.


    They never imagine that their beloved could be more perfect than what they had already thought.


    The way she scolded Zack just sent tingles down their spine. That expression of hers. That aura of dominance.


    It was all so natural.


    Their instincts were never wrong.


    Zack and Yuri smiled, their hearts full as their resolve magnified.


    No way were they going to let her go now.


    Not that they were planning to in the first place, but now ¡­ now, they were going to never give up, no matter what.


    No matter how long it took.


    Beatrice, the sweet, little pure schoolmarm, entered the car - not knowing that the twins were getting ready to introduce her to a whole new world.


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    When Beatrice got home after dinner with the twins, they naturally went and followed her up to her apartment - to protect her, they said. Zack had already been forgiven during dinnertime, so he was obediently following from behind.


    Once she reached her door, she turned to them and said, "Thank you. I''ll be fine now."


    They nodded.


    "Go in first," Yuri said gently, gesturing to her to unlock her door.


    Rolling her eyes, she turned to do so, not catching the identical grins on the twins'' faces. Just as she unlocked it and was about to push the door open, she felt a hand snake around her stomach from behind.


    She was pulled back, and as she turned to scold whoever it was that had done so, her lips were covered with a pair of lips.


    Beatrice''s eyes shot wide open.


    Her first kiss!


    It was a gentle kiss, and it didn''t last long, but long enough for her to feel breathless at the softness of it all. When their lips broke apart, she was twirled around to face the one that held her.


    It was Yuri.


    He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her as well. However, unlike the soft, gentle kiss like Zack, Yuri applied slightly more force and s.u.c.k.e.d her upper lip a bit before letting her go.


    "Zack got the first kiss, so I get to kiss longer," Yuri said softly.


    Beatrice was just too shocked to react properly, and with a smile, Yuri turned her around again and gently led her through the front door.


    "Goodnight, Beatrice," the twins said as she stood there at the doorway, staring at them blankly.


    Then, her facial expression changed.


    She stared at them and took a step forward.


    The twins didn''t move.


    They knew their actions would most likely trigger Beatrice ¡­ or, she would just slam the door in their faces. They were prepared to be scolded and punished by Beatrice.


    She grabbed them both by their collar and pulled them closer to her. They didn''t resist, of course.


    Beatrice looked to her left and right, seeing double, and thinking ¡­ this was way beyond whatever she had ever experienced in her life. Kyle had been the one that pushed her forward and now, the twins.


    So much out of her comfort zone.


    But ¡­


    For some strange reason, she didn''t really mind it.


    Could it be because she, despite her misgivings, was warming up to them?


    She had to admit, she did miss them when she was avoiding them. They were fun and she knew they didn''t take to heart whatever she did or said. They also teased her a lot, but they never crossed the line.


    Today, their action was clearly on the borderline of ''crossing the line''. Yet, she knew, they would never have even taken that step if they didn''t get some sort of positive signals from her.


    She didn''t stop them from sending her to her apartment - which meant, she saw them more than friends. She stopped them from entering, which meant, she did not want them to think they could spend the night.


    So, the conclusion they got was, sneaking in a goodnight kiss would be okay.


    Beatrice analyzed it all and that was why she wasn''t truly angry with them. Seeing them getting ready to be punished also meant they were willing to test the boundaries but would accept the punishment if they miscalculated.


    That made her warm all inside.


    So, instead of scolding them, she kissed them back.

 Chapter 789 - Was it Normal?

    Chapter 789 - Was it Normal? She kissed Yuri first, since Zack had the first kiss earlier. She was inexperienced, so it was a clumsy kiss, but Yuri didn''t mind it at all.


    It was at that moment that she had a flashback.


    Food truck.


    After the Interview for more members of the Student Council.


    Kyle demonstrating and teaching how to kiss. Beatrice was surprised at first that the memory was triggered but she used those lessons now.


    What was it that he said?


    Kiss either the upper or lower lip, gently. Move the lips a bit as well ¡­ there was something about holding the face so that you can judge the distance better but that was not a problem right now.


    Yuri compensated by helping, and his lips moved in response to hers.


    This kiss was so much more exciting than the earlier kiss, and Beatrice could already feel her knees weakening. It was just a touch of the lips and nothing more, but coupled with the fact that she was inexperienced while he was not ¡­


    When she moved onto Zack who was waiting eagerly, Yuri couldn''t help but wish it could have been longer. His eyes followed her as she turned and kissed Zack, in the same manner that she had kissed him.


    Zack kept his hands to his side, relishing the fact that she had initiated the kiss and was taking charge. The first kiss had been so brief. Too brief but this one ¡­


    He almost g.r.o.a.n.e.d when she broke the kiss, then felt that gentle hand on his c.h.e.s.t, pushing him backwards.


    He opened his eyes, to see her at the doorway with a smile, before she closed the door.


    Inside, Beatrice slapped her red cheeks hard while leaning against the door she had just closed.


    What did she just do?!


    She couldn''t believe she had done that!!


    She put her fingers on her lips and thought ¡­ damn, but she would certainly do it again.


    Outside, the Dante twins high fived and fist pumped each other, saying proudly, "Our woman."


    Beatrice heard that, and couldn''t help but smile to herself. What woman wouldn''t start to warm up when hearing that?


    She placed her hand over heart, feeling the fast beat as she was nervous, and excited at the same time.


    Initially, she had not been attracted to the twins at all. They were, quite frankly, not her type at all. They were far gone from the ''nerd'' type that she liked.


    In fact, they were exactly the type that she would avoid.


    The bad boy type.


    And she knew, that ''bad boy'' vibe wasn''t a phase nor was it something they did to ''look cool''. She had no idea what they really did, and being Nitocris''s right-hand person, she couldn''t think they were really bad.


    After all, Xing Han, the ultimate innocent guy, was their boss''s partner.


    She didn''t get the vibe of them being white-collar workers at all, despite being personal assistants. Yet, they did not seem to be blue-collar workers either because they were just too suave and had that air of ''dominance'' that meant they were used to giving orders and being obeyed.


    Police officers?


    Beatrice laughed at that thought.


    Hardly.


    She just couldn''t figure them out.


    She walked into her apartment, having changed from her outdoor shoes to her indoor slippers, her thoughts swirling in her mind.


    It was this that caused her to hesitate in forming a relationship with them, but yet, she couldn''t deny the growing attraction she had to them.


    Feeling frustrated, Beatrice thought that a nice, long soak in the bath would help untangle the thoughts in her head.


    An hour later, Beatrice walked out of the bathroom in her pajamas and was drying her hair.


    The events of that night started playing again in her mind.


    Something was nagging at her, which started the moment Zack had knelt down, asking for an apology. Her curiosity was triggered even more when the twins just stood there, waiting for their punishment after sneaking in that kiss.


    There was just something about it that tugged at her deepest parts of her soul which she couldn''t quite explain.


    It wasn''t that she felt superior at seeing these two strong men groveling¡­ they weren''t groveling in the first place.


    It was their total submission to her, and an acceptance of whatever she would dish out at them. There was no hesitation, anger, or any sort of reluctance could be seen on their faces or demeanour.


    That absolute trust in her made her feel something she couldn''t quite explain and had been the impetus that made her go and kiss them.


    She wanted to punish them when they did wrong and she wanted to reward them when they were good.


    Was she weird for her to like this sort of thing?


    Was it normal?


    Heck, having two guys pursuing you was already something that was not normal so perhaps how she was feeling and the approach she seemed to leaned towards, was normal?


    The best thing about this whole thing was that the twins were really open about sharing her among them. They did it so naturally that it didn''t feel awkward. Neither looked jealous or resented the other for the attention she would give to one.


    All they insisted on, was that whatever she gave one, she had to also give the other. Equal treatment, so to speak.


    Beatrice''s face became beet red when she started thinking then ¡­ what about ¡­ about s.e.x? Was it going to be them taking turns or would it be a threesome?


    She plopped herself on the bed and started screaming into the pillow.


    Why was she thinking of this now?!


    The thought was just too stimulating and too much for her right now. Just kissing those two earlier had taken a lot out of her


    She thought about the kisses. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They may be identical but certainly, they kissed differently. Yuri was the gentler type, his soft lips kissing her gently and moving slowly upon hers whereas Zack was the more impulsive type, his soft lips though gentle, were much firmer upon hers.


    Her mind strayed to how the twins would be like in bed. Would the way they kissed reflect how they performed?


    Beatrice put a pillow on her face, her face a deep shade of red and thought to herself.


    She was getting to be a real pervert.


    And only from this one kiss from them.


    They were way too dangerous to her innocent and v.i.r.g.i.n self, and it was right that she had been avoiding them.


    At the rate this was going, she felt that she may succ.u.mb to their deadly charms too soon, too fast.


    It was all their fault!


    If they hadn''t planted the idea that they were pursuing her for marriage, she wouldn''t be having such dirty thoughts about them.


    That, and the fact that they just seemed to ooze s.e.x.u.a.lity and masculinity each time they were near her, that she had found her thoughts wandering a lot during the dinner.


    This cannot be.


    She had to be firmer and take control of herself - and them.


    Beatrice started to fan herself.


    They were just too dangerous for her heart.


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    "Mum would have loved her," Yuri said quietly, as he looked out the car window on their way home.


    "That she would," agreed Zack with a smile.


    For a moment, they were silent as they thought of their mother, who was now in the nursing home care, suffering from Alzheimer''s Disease.


    She didn''t remember them anymore, though they still came to visit her every month just to check up on her. She had the best care that they could give her, but her condition was getting worse and worse.


    In the early stages, it had been mild with some memory but it progressively got worse. There had been times when she was lucid and remembered them but most of the time, they were strangers to her.


    Now, it was at the late-stage, where she couldn''t carry on a conversation anymore, lost in her own world. She hardly responded to her environment and it tore up at the twins'' to see her like that.


    "Should we tell her?" Yuri asked.


    Zack was silent, his eye troubled.


    "I don''t know," Zack admitted softly with a sigh.


    Their mother was one of the most important people to them, and they wanted nothing more than to introduce their beloved to her even if their mother wouldn''t know who she was. They wanted Beatrice to know their mother.


    They wanted their beloved and their mother to meet.


    Unfortunately, their beloved wasn''t exactly theirs yet.


    So if they brought her to meet their mother, what would her reaction be?


    Pity?


    They didn''t want to gain her heart that way. It was as if they were playing with her kind heart to do so.


    But ... their mother was getting worse.


    What should they do?

 Chapter 790 - Grandpa

    Chapter 790 - Grandpa Upon reaching home, Zack and Yuri were greeted with a yell the moment they stepped through the door.


    "UNFILIAL KIDS!!"


    Zack and Yuri''s mouth twitched, trying hard to hold back their laughter as they saw their grandfather sitting in the living room, holding his cane and staring at them.


    He was trying to look intimidating, but with his little pout, unkempt hair and skewered clothes ¡­ well, it didn''t scream ''scary man'' at all. It was obvious that he had fallen asleep on the sofa and had got up quickly upon hearing them come home.


    But the twins played along.


    He was, after all, the only relative they had left. Their father had long passed and their mother was not well, so only their slightly senile grandfather lived with them.


    They immediately went on their knees and scooted over, their hands in front of them, clasped together on their palm, facing upwards and held close to their c.h.e.s.t. Zack had this ''please forgive me look'' while Yuri just ¡­ er, just looked at him without expression.


    The old man harumphed and looked to the side, only to see Zack''s face. He turned to the other side, to see Yuri''s face. He faced forward again, to see both of their faces.


    "Stop that!!" he roared, banging the cane on the floor, the sound muffled by the carpet.


    Then he whacked them on the head with it, scolding them, "Where is she? Where? Where?! How come you haven''t brought her home yet? Huh? Huh? What am I to you? A block of wood?!" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Grandpa," Yuri said calmly despite that cane hitting him on the shoulder and occasionally, the head, "We haven''t quite succeeded in wooing her yet."


    The whacks were not painful, and it was more of the old man venting his frustration.


    The old man snorted, "What''s the problem? Just tie her up and bring her home."


    Zack replied, "That may have worked with Grandma, but times have changed, Grandpa."


    "Change schamange," the old man scoffed, "It''s not rocket science. You like her, you take her. Pamper her and she''ll be yours. Knock her up to make sure she stays."


    "Grandpa!" Zack said in horror, "Is that how Dad came about?!"


    His grandfather looked at him in disdain, "I am not useless like the both of you! I didn''t have to do that to have her stay. Pffffft."


    "You and you!" he roared, "Falling for the same woman is fine but not getting her until now? What is wrong with you? Why so wishy-washy? If the soft method doesn''t work, go all out."


    "Grandpa ¡­" Zack started but his grandfather cut him off.


    "Enough! I want my great-grandkids on my knees by this time next year," their Grandfather declared with a stern face, "Go."


    The Dante twins got up, patted their grandfather on the shoulder and went to their rooms.


    They decided not to say anything more, for that would only make their Grandfather stay up late to scold them. Their Grandfather needed his rest, as was evident by the way he was dressed and looking so tired.


    As they reached their bedroom door, they turned around to look at their grandfather, who was glaring at them.


    "Go!" he commanded and the twins sighed.


    They gave a brief look at Chen, their grandfather''s caregiver who was standing silently at a corner. Chen gave them a slight nod and they entered their bedroom, like naughty children being sent to their rooms for punishment.


    Chen is a certified nurse, whom the twins had hired to be their grandfather''s primary caregiver. He was the person responsible to keep their grandfather company and be in charge of his health.


    In other words, Chen was their grandfather''s companion, to make sure his daily needs were met and to keep them ab.r.e.a.s.t of any problems their grandfather may have.


    The twins were often busy and could not be with their grandfather most of the time and they didn''t want him in an old folk home, so this was the best solution for all.


    At night, another nurse came to take over so that Chen would be the last person their grandfather saw before he slept and the first person he sees when he wakes up.


    Once the twins went in, the old man gleefully took out his phone.


    Chen came up silently beside him, and he showed him the picture on the phone.


    "She''s really beautiful, isn''t she, Chen?" the old man said, his eyes sparkling.


    "Of course she is, Anton," Chen replied with a smile. Only Chen could call him by his name, which he would when they were alone.


    "Of course she would be," agreed Anton, smiling gleefully, "The Dantes have impeccable taste."


    He swiped the various pictures he had of Beatrice, taken at different times and sometimes, with his grandsons.


    "Their kids would be so cute and adorable, don''t you think?" the old man continued, giggling as he imagined it.


    Chen grinned, happy to see how alive the old man was.


    He had been in this job for ten years now, and he couldn''t imagine the day he stopped. This job was so much more fulfilling than working at the hospital and he was genuinely fond of the old man.


    He had heard that Anton had been a very powerful figure at one time, but right now, he was like a little kid. His various health issues always made him tired fast, and he wasn''t used to being idle.


    So the moment he had found out that his grandsons had fallen for a girl, he had immediately had her checked out. Unlike what one would expect though, Anton wasn''t doing it to check out if she was suitable but rather, he was excited to see what his future granddaughter-in-law is like. What her life had been and so forth.


    Ever since then, he had been waiting eagerly for the twins to bring her home to introduce her to him.


    But they hadn''t.


    "Most definitely, Anton," Chen agreed, "Their children would be like angels."


    Even he could imagine it. He had been infected by the old man''s eagerness and excitement.


    "These useless grandsons of mine. They''re taking too long," Anton mumbled, "I would be dead before I actually get to see my great-grandkids."


    Chen didn''t bother correcting Anton of that. If he was dead by then, how could he see his descendants?


    "They probably do not want to scare her off, Anton," Chen pointed out politely, "After all, your grandsons are so great while she looks so timid and normal. If she ran off, that would be worse, wouldn''t it?"


    "Humph, like I said, useless. If she ran off, then chase after her! What''s so difficult?!" Anton said angrily, waving his phone about, "Looks like I have to help them a little bit."


    With that, he got up immediately and started walking to the door.


    Chen pressed his lips tightly together, trying very hard not to laugh as he watched the old man excitedly heading towards the door. Completely forgetting his utterly disheveled state ¡­ and that he was wearing pajamas.


    Chen knew that Anton was completely oblivious to everything else, his mind probably full of images of his future grandkids already.


    "Anton," Chen said, coming up to him and walking beside him, "It''s already late and she''s probably asleep by now."


    Anton stopped, looked out the window and then at the clock, "It''s only 10pm! It''s not that late! She won''t be asleep yet!"


    "She has work tomorrow," Chen pointed out, "You wouldn''t want her not to get enough rest, right?"


    The old man thought for a while, and nodded, "You''re right. We can''t have a bad first impression now, right? We shall go tomorrow!"


    "That''s a great idea," Chen agreed, taking Anton by the hand, "Let''s go to bed now, shall we?"


    Anton leaned on Chen, smiling happily and started telling him all about the things he was planning to do tomorrow. Chen listened patiently, guiding him to his room downstairs.


    Once inside, the twins came out.


    "Should we warn her?" Zack asked Yuri.


    "Nah," Yuri replied, "She can handle grandfather."


    "It would be fun to see though," Zack mused.


    The twins looked at each other with a grin, then sighed and shook their heads.


    They had an important meeting that day.


    "Pity," Yuri sighed.


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    Beatrice didn''t have a good night''s sleep. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. It must have been because of her stupid thoughts the night before that she had to have *that* sort of dream.


    Even now, thinking about it, made her blush.


    She had never even seen the twins half-n.a.k.e.d, so how could she dream about them like that?! Was her imagination so wild that she could envision them unclothed and even *that* thing ??


    She really needed a break.


    On impulse, she called up the office and took the day off.


    Time for pampering herself, she thought.

 Chapter 791 - Soon, Soon

    Chapter 791 - Soon, Soon Beatrice felt like she was playing truant, to be honest.


    It wasn''t like she had never taken leave before, but she certainly had never done so on a whim. At the last minute.


    Luckily, she didn''t have anything urgent pending and Sam could cover the fort for the one day that she had decided to indulge herself.


    With that thought, Beatrice was much more cheerful and started bathing.


    She took her time, too, as she wasn''t in any rush to go to work. After her refreshing bath, she decided to treat herself to a nice breakfast in a cozy cafe somewhere. There was this coffee shop she had seen the other day that looked interesting.


    After dressing simply in a white blouse and blue jeans, Beatrice tied her hair in a ponytail and applied minimum make-up. Glancing at herself in the mirror in the hallway, she nodded in approval and proceeded to go out.


    The moment she opened the door, however, she was greeted by an impatient looking old man with a mid-30s amicable Chinese man beside him. The said Chinese guy was about to ring the doorbell, and his finger was quickly retracted.


    "Ms. Chan," began the guy when the old man pushed him aside and was staring at her.


    His fierce face broke into a huge smile as he shouted, "Beatrice!"


    Beatrice was taken aback, "I''m sorry, Sir, but do I know you?"


    "No, no, no," the old man said, shaking his head as he unashamedly walked into the apartment.


    Beatrice''s eyes shot wide open but she didn''t have the heart to stop him from entering. He was an elderly, after all. She shot the younger guy a look and he looked sheepish as he apologized softly under his breath.


    "I''m sorry, but he was ¡­" he began, only to be cut out again by the old man who started sounding so excited.


    "This is your home?! It''s so nice! And warm!" the old man said excitedly as he looked inside from the hallway.


    It was only a one-bedroom apartment, with a kitchen and living room. Beatrice lived alone and if there were any unexpected guests, the sofa in the living room would open up into a bed.


    The decorations were simple, like her, and mainly made of red oak wood. Contrary to the name it did not mean that the wood was dark red. Merely slightly darker than usual.


    "Good good good," the old man couldn''t help but say as he saw the interior.


    A lot can be seen about a person''s personality from the way they decorated their homes. Simple and sturdy, non-pretentious. Warm and cozy. It also reflected his grandsons, who were strong like oak and dependable.


    Grandpa Anton was very happy indeed.


    Beatrice''s head went from the young guy to the old man and before she could say anything else, the old man gleefully took Beatrice''s hand, patted it as he looked at her with hearts in his eyes.


    At least, that was what it appeared to her.


    "Lovely girl, you''re such a lovely girl," the old man said, taking her hand and pulling her into her own apartment.


    "Sir, she''s on her way out," Chen said gently and the old man stopped suddenly.


    "Oh, right! That''s right! Aren''t you going to work, my girl? I waited so long and you didn''t come out. And now, you''re dressed so simply," the old man said, and quickly added, "Not that you''re not beautiful. You''re beautiful no matter what you wear."


    "But you''re not dressed for work ¡­" the old man looked at her, his eyes full of questions.


    "I .. I took the day off," Beatrice found herself telling him, without really knowing why.


    Perhaps it was because he looked pretty harmless ¡­ and quite adorable, truth be told. He had this genuine happiness and excitement from the moment she saw him, and she was well aware that it was all directed to her.


    But why?


    She even felt, to her amazement, as if he was treating her like one of his own?


    "He''s Zack and Yuri''s grandfather," Chen managed to whisper to Beatrice quickly as the old man started pulling Beatrice outside this time.


    Beatrice looked at the old man and couldn''t help but smile as the explanation cleared up everything.


    She never had a grandfather, as both her maternal and paternal grandparents passed away when she was very young. She didn''t remember much about them, other than the fact that they were old and did treat her kindly.


    "Sir, you should let her wear her shoes first," Chen reminded Anton gently, "And introduce yourself."


    "AH!" Anton shouted, letting go of Beatrice''s hand.


    "I forgot!!" he said, looking horrified, "I was so excited!"


    Beatrice smiled at him, and said, "It''s okay, Sir. No harm done." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No no no no no!" Anton said agitatedly, taking her hand in his again, "You must call me Grandpa."


    "But .." Beatrice began, hesitating.


    "Say it. Come on, come on, say it," Anton pleaded, giving her puppy dog eyes, "Graaandpaaaa."


    "Grandpa," Beatrice finally relented and Anton broke into a huge smile.


    "Yay!" he shouted happily, then coughed and blinked while trying to look serious, "I mean, good, good. Good girl. Now, wear your shoes and I''ll take you for breakfast."


    Beatrice''s mind reeled at the speed the old man kept changing from one point to another as he talked. She found herself obediently doing what he said in a daze. She just couldn''t say ''no'' to that adorable face who was looking at her like an excited child waiting for a treat.


    She felt like a bully if she rejected him.


    "What about Zack and Yuri?" Beatrice asked as she put on her shoes.


    Anton snorted, "Those two useless grandsons of mine? We don''t need them! It''s just you and me today. Oh, and Chen. This is Chen. Have you met Chen?"


    Chen nodded and shook Beatrice''s hand, "Nice to meet you."


    "Likewise," Beatrice said.


    "Okay! Great! Now you know each other. Let''s go, let''s go," Anton said excitedly, reaching out to take Beatrice''s hand again.


    This time, however, Beatrice shook her head and avoided his hand. Seeing the disappointment on the old man''s face, Beatrice explained, "Let me lock up first, Grandpa."


    Anton smiled again, and waited.


    Right after she locked up, she went and took Anton''s arm and held on, saying, "Let me, Grandpa. Be careful as you walk."


    Anton looked at Chen smugly, his head held up high as if he was saying, ''look look! My granddaughter is taking such good care of me!''


    Chen just smiled, and walked behind them.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    To Beatrice''s surprise, Anton brought her to a small corner shop that wasn''t a high-class restaurant but a small family-owned noodle shop.


    "I used to come here a lot when I was younger," Anton said as he looked around, "Hasn''t changed a bit."


    His eyes then had a sadness to them, "Wasn''t the same when Annie left so I never came."


    "Annie?" Beatrice asked gently, wanting to know even though it looked like a sad memory.


    "My wife," Anton replied softly, leading her to a table, "This used to be our table."


    "Come, sit, sit," he said, patting the chair.


    He looked about, his eyes misting over, "No matter how you want things to remain the same, things will change. You can''t remain in the same spot all the time."


    "Even those that look the same, are different. The interior is the same but the people manning it are different," he continued, "So naturally, the food will also taste a bit different even if the menu is the same."


    Beatrice listened to him but knew that he wasn''t really talking about the place. He was merely using it as an analogy.


    "But no matter what, if it warms you up inside, embrace it," Anton finished with a smile.


    Beatrice smiled at him, playing with the glass of water on the table. She held it, and twisted it around, thinking ¡­ and decided to say what was on her mind and heart.


    The old man was sincere and kind, and she wanted to reciprocate that.


    "Certainly, Grandpa," Beatrice began, "Change is inevitable and one should go with the flow. Accept what may be out of the norm. Like, say, marriage."


    "Marrying one person is normal. Two, not so," Beatrice continued and saw how the old man looked rather upset and agitated at that, "But one shouldn''t reject it just because it is different and out of the norm."


    Anton broke into a big smile at that.


    "Grandpa, I am not against polyandry and I know, although Zack and Yuri are identical twins, they are different," Beatrice said softly, "But, I am still unsure whether they are ''the one'', so to speak."


    "I understand," Anton said, "Can you accompany this old man today? I''m ... lonely."


    "Okay," Beatrice agreed.


    Anton grinned and they ordered.


    He peeked at Beatrice and thought, ''Soon, soon.''

 Chapter 792 - They Belong to You

    Chapter 792 - They Belong to You Beatrice found the old man to be utterly adorable and let herself be led around by him. His enthusiasm over everything and childlike innocence tugged at her heartstrings and she wondered about Zack and Yuri''s childhood.


    It was obvious that the old man loved his grandsons to death, and that made her impression of them even better.


    It is said that to know a persons'' heart best, you see how he treats the people around him. Not those who can benefit you or those who are ''above'' you, so to speak.


    She had seen how Zack and Yuri were when they went for meals. They were courteous to the service staff. She hadn''t seen them at work, though, but she suspected that they were firm and fierce, but that was okay because that was most likely how they needed to exert control.


    Filial piety was another thing that she was big on.


    Parents aren''t perfect and they make mistakes. It doesn''t mean the child has the right to be rude or disrespectful under the context of ''you need to earn my respect''. True, one did not ask to be born but it doesn''t detract from the fact that they were still born and raised.


    It was not easy.


    Beatrice doesn''t deny that there are parents who treat their kids like a product, or commodity. Some kids even felt like they were born in order to take care of their parents when they got older, and resented their parents for it. Some parents were abusive as well.


    She was thinking of those with a normal household and yet, the kids were not grateful or filial. Taking care of your parents as they got older was a natural process of life, and not a burden.


    To her, it was a responsibility.


    Thus, seeing how the twins were taking care of their grandfather warmed her heart.


    She wondered about their parents, though, but she didn''t ask.


    If she did, it would have given the twins some hope and she wanted to still take it slow. After all, it was still a bit too much to take, being with two men.


    Anton observed Beatrice eating the noodles, his heart content.


    He liked this little girl more and more.


    She was smart, down-to-Earth, simple yet profound and was taking his grandsons seriously. She wasn''t leading them on but darn it!


    Why have those useless grandsons of his not been able to capture her heart yet?


    He had tested the water earlier with his cryptic words and not only did she understand the underlying meaning behind his words, but she had also responded to him truthfully. She wasn''t hiding anything nor trying to act coquettish or ''hard-to-get''.


    Not like some of the girls who had tried to hook up with his grandsons.


    Not that any of them succeeded in capturing their hearts, despite climbing into their beds. Bedwarmers were one thing, marriage another. If the women were willing to hand themselves on a silver platter, the boys weren''t going to reject it - but they were always clear about it.


    So Anton was wondering about the little one that could captivate the boys so much, even though she didn''t do anything.


    He understood it now.


    Then, he got agitated.


    Such a gem wouldn''t remain hidden for long. She would certainly be snapped up if they didn''t tie her to them soon.


    This cannot be!


    Anton slurped his noodles, the soup flying about as the noodles were s.u.c.k.e.d into his mouth.


    He was startled when he felt something soft wiping the side of his mouth, and looked up, to see Beatrice wiping his cheek and beard,


    "Eat slowly, Grandpa," Beatrice said, putting down the napkin, "We have plenty of time. We wouldn''t want you to choke now, would we?"


    Anton''s lips quivered a bit, his eyes watering. Beatrice panicked, seeing that and took his hand, "What''s wrong?"


    He placed his other hand on hers, patting it and then patted her cheek, "You''re such a nice child."


    He missed his wife dearly, and she was always the one that pampered him and took care of him. When she passed, it was like half of his life was gone. Luckily, his grandsons had been around to take care of him, but it wasn''t the same.


    That little gesture of Beatrice was something his wife would have done, and he suddenly missed his wife all over again.


    Beatrice didn''t move, just allowing him to do what he wanted for she could see that he was immersed in some memory. She saw as he took a deep breath and patted her hand again, before continuing to eat.


    Chen smiled, seeing that determined look on Anton''s face after he resumed eating.


    The old man was up to something.


    Chen shrugged.


    His job was only to make sure Anton didn''t overdo it and strain his health ¡­ or break the law.


    After finishing the noodles, Chen took out Anton''s medication.


    Anton''s face blanched as he saw them.


    "I don''t need them today!" he declared, pushing it aside.


    Chen pushed it back, his face firm, "There is no such thing as not needing them, Sir."


    Anton pouted as he looked into the container, to see the dreaded pills in all shapes and sizes, and colour.


    "But I feel great!" he insisted, pushing it back.


    "Then all the more reason to take them," Chen replied, pushing it over, "Skipping is not an option."


    Anton was about to push it back when Beatrice took the medicine container. She took his hand gently, opening his palm and placed one pill on it, saying, "Come on, Grandpa. Chen says you need these. Take them, and I''ll stay with you till lunchtime."


    "You''ll have lunch with me as well?" Anton asked, his eyes sparkling.


    Beatrice smiled at him, nodding.


    "Okay!" Anton agreed immediately and took his medicine with a smile.


    After that, Anton brought Beatrice to a shopping mall.


    Once they entered, Chen turned to Anton and said, "You wait here. I will get a wheelchair."


    Anton looked at him and scoffed, "I don''t need a wheelchair!! I can walk quite fine, thank you very much."


    "I know you can," Chen said, "But if you walk, it means you will get tired faster. If you get tired faster, you will have to go back earlier."


    "Okay!" Anton immediately agreed to the wheelchair and waited with Beatrice, who was giggling inwardly at Anton''s antics.


    Once Chen arrived with the wheelchair, Anton brought Beatrice all over the shopping mall. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I rarely get to go out with someone other than Chen," Anton said with a happy smile, "Having some fresh, young blood is good."


    "I''m not that old, Sir," Chen replied with a small laugh, pushing Anton slowly. Beatrice was walking beside Anton and he was holding her hand throughout. Luckily, Beatrice didn''t mind so Anton milked it for all its worth.


    Suddenly, Beatrice felt the grip on her hand tighten and she looked down at Anton worriedly, "What''s wrong?"


    "Just saw an irritating fly," Anton muttered under his breath.


    Chen had also seen what it was that caused Anton to frown and he gently patted Anton''s shoulder, saying, "Stay calm, Sir. Remember your blood pressure."


    Anton scoffed and waved Beatrice''s hand in his around, "I have a shield today! She will protect me from the buzzing."


    Beatrice''s eyes twitched. That as not much information now, was it?


    Luckily, Chen came to the rescue, "The two overdressed girls heading this way were once Sir Zack and Yuri''s playmates."


    Beatrice glanced at Chen with a raised eyebrow.


    Playmates?


    She looked at the two girls that looked like they were going to a fashion show, rather than hanging out at the normal mall like this. They had a gleeful expression on their faces seeing Anton and was heading over as quickly as their stilettos allowed them.


    "They also happen to be distant cousins," Anton said, "The boys'' first mistake, and the last, I might add."


    "Oh?" Beatrice said, and Anton looked at her, judging her reaction.


    "They were childhood playmates that turned into something more when the girls basically flung themselves at my boys," Anton said with a snort, "Shameless hussies. The boys weren''t that great either to have succ.u.mbed but at least, they broke it off properly. The girls never gave up though."


    Beatrice nodded, understanding even though she found that she didn''t like it one bit.


    The twins had never hidden the fact that they had women before, but knowing it was one thing and seeing their ex-lovers was another.


    Anton continued, "They have you now. They never have given their heart to anyone but you, you know. I know my boys."


    Beatrice looked down at Anton, who was looking at her worriedly.


    The uneasiness in Beatrice''s heart dissipated seeing that. Grandpa had been brutally honest, not hiding a single thing even though it may sound bad.


    "Their heart belongs to you," Anton said, "Never to those girls. Never have, never will."


    Beatrice smiled.

 Chapter 793 - Trouble Brewing

    Chapter 793 - Trouble Brewing Beatrice watched as the two women got closer and she noticed that they were sizing her up as well. Their gaze landed on her hand that was in Anton''s hand and then back at her.


    "Grandpa Anton," one said as they reached close.


    Beatrice felt Anton wince before he pulled her hand closer to him, then held on to her arm close to his c.h.e.s.t, "What Grandpa Anton? Who''s your Grandpa? I''m not your grandpa!"


    The woman smiled awkwardly, "I''m sorry, Elder Anton. I just thought, since we''re family, that ¡­"


    "Well, you thought wrong," Anton replied with a huff, "Only she and my boys can call me grandpa."


    Surprise was evident on the two women''s faces.


    "What? How can the maid call you grandpa?" gasped the other.


    "Maid? MAID?!" Anton spluttered, "You''re the maid! Your mother''s the maid! Your whole family''s the maid!!"


    Anton was so agitated that his face was actually red and his c.h.e.s.t was heaving as he glared at the two women. Beatrice was both worried and feeling warm over Anton''s over-reaction.


    Before Chen could attend to Anton, Beatrice had already gone down lower a bit to be at Anton''s eye level.


    "There, there, Grandpa," Beatrice said to him, pulling her arm back and patted his c.h.e.s.t gently while rubbing his back, "Chen said not to get agitated, remember."


    Huffing, Anton looked at her and took several deep breaths to calm down. Beatrice smiled at him and continued, "And there is nothing wrong with being a maid, you know. It''s an honest job."


    Anton was huffing and held Beatrice''s hand again, patting her hand, "You''re right, you''re right. My bad, my bad. You won''t leave me, right?"


    "Of course not," Beatrice replied, "I promised to spend the day with you, and I will."


    Anton nodded, looking at Beatrice tenderly and patted the back of her hand.


    "You make sure you keep calm and don''t worry so much, Grandpa. You have such a soft heart," Beatrice said, looking at him worriedly. "Next time, just remember, when dogs bark, just let them be," Beatrice advised gently, "It''s just loud, irritating noise without substance."


    Anton smiled widely, looking at Beatrice tenderly, saying, "Okay. You? take care of me so well."


    It took a lot out of her to keep her face straight at those words. She had literally met him this morning, so in what way has she taken care of him?


    Seein the dotingness in his eyes, though, how could Beatrice deny him anything or expose him? She began to see why the twins were the way they were, despite the dangerous aura that they gave out.


    The twins were not as smooth as Grandpa, of course, but they had their own charm.


    Beatrice couldn''t help but smile thinking of them and realised that she was thinking of them more these days ¡­ and in a much more positive light. Well, to be exact, since meeting the old man. The misgivings and hesitations she had about them were slowly being buried under the old man''s warmth.


    How could anyone not like this old man?


    She looked at the two women in front of them and thought, ''well, obviously, those two could''.


    Her dislike of them grew even more because of it.


    Just the fact that they had been the twins'' lovers was bad enough, it was obvious that they had been the twins'' first. That grated on Beatrice in a way she never thought possible.


    Now, the icing on the cake was the disdain they had on this sweet old man, but they were trying to still butter up to him in an obvious attempt to get back into the twins'' pants.


    "How dare you! Who are you to call us dogs?" demanded the other woman.


    Beatrice just looked at her, didn''t answer her question and instead, asked Anton, "Where do you want to go next?"


    "Hey, I''m talking to you!" the woman shouted, pointing her finger at Beatrice.


    Beatrice frowned.


    Such uncouth, rude people. Just what did the twins see in them?


    "Like I said, first and last mistake," Anton whispered to Beatrice.


    "The folly of youth?" Beatrice asked.


    "And teenage hormones. They had good figures from young, and who can resist when they are n.a.k.e.d in your bed?" Anton said.


    "Really? They were that bold?" Beatrice asked in surprise.


    "What can I say?" Anton said helplessly, putting his hands in the air, "The boys had such s.e.x appeal, even at that age."


    Beatrice thought about Kyle and figured not many would have his sort of self-control. Then again, perhaps he had never met n.a.k.e.d women flinging themselves at him?


    Wait.


    He had such a low profile as well, so who knows? He might have strings of women that he bedded as well.


    Beatrice found her thoughts straying a bit and saw with amus.e.m.e.nt the two women looking at her and Anton with their mouth wide open.


    "Well, I can say that the twins haven''t lost that s.e.x appeal," Beatrice said with a laugh.


    Anton grabbed her hand and held it tight, demanding her, "Then why haven''t you given me any great grandkids yet?!"


    Beatrice nearly choked at that statement. He looked so serious, too!


    "Grandpa," Beatrice said gently, "These things take time ¡­"


    "No no no no no," Anton said, shaking his head vigorously, "You can''t take your time with this. One kid a year, okay?"


    "Grandpa!" Beatrice said in shock.


    "Boy, girl, it doesn''t matter," Anton said, rambling on, "Any kids you have would be adorable! Wonderful! Fill the empty halls with their laughter and the pitter-patter of tiny feet. You can ¡­"


    "Elder Anton!" two voices shrieked at the same time.


    Anton put a finger in his ear and wriggled it.


    "I think my eardrums burst," Anton said with an aggrieved face, "Screeching like a banshee."


    "Come on then, Grandpa," Beatrice said as she got up, "You should go home. The atmosphere is not very nice."


    He pouted and shook his head, "No. You promised you''d spend the day with me."


    "I will," Beatrice said, "Don''t you need to rest? I will see you again once you''ve taken a nap."


    Beatrice noticed the fatigue in Anton''s eyes and was glad that Chen had forced him to use the wheelchair. She had already been thinking of ways to get him to rest when these two women came by.


    "No," Anton replied stubbornly.


    The two women were beyond angry at this point. From the start until now, they had been ignored by the strange woman in front of them. They hated the fact that she seemed very close to the old coot, and the way he treated her was far nicer than what he had ever given them.


    And they were his relatives by blood, too!


    The moment that stranger started talking, the old coot had ignored them completely as well. They had never been so humiliated.


    Since they couldn''t vent their anger and frustration on the old man, they attacked the most obvious target.


    That woman.


    From the sounds of it, she was one of the twin''s girlfriend or something and the old man had already approved of her.


    This cannot be.


    Even though they didn''t know which one of the twins she was hooked up with, the point was, she could not hook up with either one. Thus, by silent agreement, the women banded together to get rid of this threat.


    One reached out and grabbed Beatrice by the elbow, hissing, "Just a moment. We need to talk to you."


    Beatrice looked at her nonchalantly, and then at the hand that was gripping her elbow hard.


    "Tough," Beatrice replied, using her hand to pry open the fingers that were on her elbow, "I don''t want to talk to you."


    Beatrice took one finger firmly in her grip and bent it the other way, saying with a smile, "If you don''t let go, I''m going to break your finger."


    The pain was too severe and so, the woman let go immediately. Beatrice flung the hand away and took Anton''s hand in hers, "Don''t be stubborn, Grandpa. I''ll follow you home and wait until you get up."


    Anton''s face lit up, "You will?!"


    "Yes, I will," Beatrice said.


    "Okay!" Anton replied happily and then looked at Chen, saying as he pointed forward, "Home, Chen!"


    Chen replied, "Of course, Sir, home it is."


    Anton began chatting happily again, leaving behind two fuming women.


    They had kept quiet as there were a lot of people around. They had an image to protect.


    Nursing her hurt finger, the woman glared at the woman that was walking away from them.


    "Don''t worry, sister. We''ll get back at her soon enough," the other woman said.


    "This needs to be done properly, Bella," the woman replied, "If either Zack or Yuri finds out, we''re finished."


    "Oh, don''t worry, Stella," Bella said confidently, "We''ll not just ruin her relationship, we shall ruin her."


    "Rudy?" Stella asked.


    "Oh yes, this is surely a job for Rudy," Bella agreed.


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 Chapter 794 - Good Child

    Chapter 794 - Good Child As they headed towards the exit, Anton turned his head towards Chen and waved at him with his hand. Chen lowered his head so that his ear was aligned with Anton''s mouth and he nodded as Anton said a few words.


    Beatrice, though curious, did not ask nor did she look towards them as they did so. It would be rude.


    Anton, seeing this, was even more satisfied with Beatrice. She was caring, yet not a busybody - unlike those two good-for-nothing nieces of his. They had been barred from entering the house, so Anton had not been disturbed by them for quite some time and the one time he was out with his granddaughter, they had to appear!


    He was still angry, thinking about it.


    When they were in the car that came to pick them up, Anton turned to Beatrice and asked, "Did those two girls upset you?"


    Beatrice tilted her head while looking at Anton, and said honestly, "Of course they did, but perhaps, not for the reasons you may think."


    "Oh?" Anton asked, "Do tell."


    "They were rude," Beatrice replied, "Demanding my name when they didn''t even introduce themselves, for one. Expecting me to cater to whatever they wanted, for another. Trying to use you as well is rather nauseating."


    "Who are they, really, Grandpa?" Beatrice asked, "You said, childhood playmates and cousins?"


    Anton nodded his head, "Stella and Bella are sisters, about one year apart. Stella is the older one and the same age as the twins. Since we were neighbours at that time, and since they were about the same age, it was only natural that they would hang out together to play all the time."


    Beatrice nodded in understanding.


    "They were rather scheming, even at that young age," Anton said with a sigh, "The boys only treated them like sisters but after getting seduced and all, well ¡­ they did go out for a while. It didn''t take long for the boys to get fed-up with their behaviour, though."


    Beatrice listened intently, pursed her lips and admitted, "I cannot deny that I was feeling a bit ¡­ I don''t know, unhappy? When I thought of Zack and Yuri being interested in such women. I mean, I know they have had lots of women before, but somehow ¡­ those two?"


    Anton patted the back of her hand. Beatrice noticed Anton liked to do that a lot.? That, and holding her hand. He was such a touchy-feely person, just like the twins. They really did take a lot after their grandfather.


    Beatrice smiled at him, "I''m not upset with the twins, really, and I don''t blame them ¡­"


    "But you''re upset nonetheless," Anton replied, "And nowhere to vent it out."


    Beatrice shrugged.


    "I have just the solution!" Anton said enthusiastically, "Don''t you worry my dear. The boys were at fault in this, so just listen to Grandpa, okay?"


    Beatrice''s eyebrows shot up.


    She had already stated that she didn''t really blame the twins, so why was Grandpa saying it was their fault? And what was he up to?


    When the car stopped, Beatrice was surprised to see the house that came into view. She had expected some sort of mansion or huge house but instead, it was a two-story bungalow house.


    It wasn''t small, but it wasn''t big either.


    There was a huge garden and one would need to go through security at the gate before being let in. The drive from the gate to the house took about a minute, which showed just how big the land was.


    "I can''t go out much," Anton said as he saw Beatrice looking about as they headed to the house, "So the boys got this huge piece of land and made sure that I have a lot of space outside. So I''m not cooped up at home all the time, yet, do not have to be in public to enjoy the outdoors."


    Beatrice was impressed yet again.


    The twins really did take care of their grandfather very well.


    She was itching to ask about their parents but decided that the best person to ask would be the twins themselves. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside, the housekeeper greeted them and had already prepared lunch. They had a nice meal together and then Chen took Anton to his room for his afternoon nap.


    Anton pointed towards one room, saying, "That''s the guestroom. You can use that as you wish. You go ahead and explore the house as you wish, too."


    "Okay, Grandpa," Beatrice replied.


    "Don''t go running back home now, you hear?" Anton said to her sternly.


    "I won''t, Grandpa," Beatrice assured him.


    "Good girl," Anton said then spread his arms wide open, "Come here and give grandpa a kiss."


    Beatrice''s eyebrows shot up and he was standing there, happily waiting and she didn''t have the heart to deny him. She came close and he enveloped her in a big hug and then showed his cheek to her.


    Laughing softly, she kissed his cheek. He then showed his other cheek and she kissed that, too. Then he bent down a bit and she kissed his forehead.


    He gave her a huge smile and then kissed both her cheeks as well before letting Chen lead him back to his room.


    "Remember, no running away now!" Anton said to her as he stood at the door.


    Beatrice laughed, nodding and waving him in. Only after getting that reassurance did Anton go into his bedroom. Once he was tucked in and had fallen asleep, Chen went out and thanked Beatrice.


    "Thank you for pandering to his whims," Chen said, "And please, make yourself at home."


    "Okay, thank you," Beatrice replied.


    "The guest bedroom has all amenities, and change of clothes as well. Sir had them ordered and delivered specially for you," Chen told her.


    "What? When did he have time to do that?" Beatrice asked in surprise.


    Chen didn''t answer but merely smiled and said before he left, "The boys'' rooms are upstairs, as well as the study room. Sir said you have free access everywhere."


    If he told her that Anton had been preparing for this day since finding out about her, wouldn''t that just make her scared and run off? Anton had already envisioned her coming to visit, then spending the night.


    The ''guest'' bedroom was, in fact, the bedroom Anton had set up for Beatrice exclusively.


    Not that she needed to know that.


    Beatrice''s mind was still in a state of shock over what Chen had said for her to think about the guest bedroom at that moment.


    He was basically telling her that she could check out the twins'' rooms?!


    She looked up and was sorely tempted.


    She hit herself on the forehead and got up, smoothening her blouse. Before she gave in to temptation, she had better explore other parts of the house now, right?


    It would be an invasion of privacy for her to enter their rooms when they weren''t in. She should only go in when they are in.


    No, wait. That didn''t sound right either.


    She shook her head and looked around in the living room. It was a normal living room with a sofa, bookshelves and a television. Out of curiosity, she headed to the bookshelf to see what sort of books were read here.


    She tilted her head to read the titles.


    There weren''t that many books, and she figured that the twins weren''t the type to read. It was just some old school textbooks and some car magazines. In the midst of it, however, there were a few photo albums.


    Beatrice took one and flipped through it.


    It had the twins during their schooldays.


    In the school, during school events, and so forth. Beatrice could even catch a younger version of Grandpa there, and she was curious that none of the pictures seemed to show the twins'' parents?


    Other than Grandpa, she also recognised the younger version of the two girls there.


    Stella and Bella.


    She had to admit, the title ''childhood playmates'' was quite a strong title as a lot of their pictures had them in it. Her eye twitched as she saw some of the intimate poses they had, though she kept telling herself that she shouldn''t blame them.


    She didn''t know them yet at that point.


    She placed the photo album back and took another one.


    This time, it was of the twins as babies until toddler time.


    She took the album to the sofa, flipping through the pictures. She started yawning and realised that she really was very tired. Then again, she hadn''t had a good night''s sleep, right?


    She lay down on the sofa and closing her eyes, thinking to close her tired eyes just for a moment.


    Two hours later, Anton came out of his bedroom in excitement, only to see the deeply asleep Beatrice on the sofa. He smiled and placed the two things he had in his hands down and took a blanket, laying it over Beatrice.


    "Good child," he said fondly.

 Chapter 795 - The Gifts

    Chapter 795 - The Gifts When Beatrice opened her eyes, she was startled to realise that she had fallen asleep. A blanket had been placed over her and she got up, feeling a bit embarrassed for having fallen asleep.


    The house was rather quiet, and Beatrice wondered where everyone was. Then, she started feeling a bit guilty because she felt that her presence there in the living room had most likely disturbed their normal routine. If she had known that she would fall asleep, she would have gone into the guest room to do so.


    What she didn''t know was that everyone had been ordered sternly by Anton to be quiet so as not to disturb her sleep.


    Beatrice got up, and folded the blanket neatly, putting it on one side of the sofa.


    It was only then that she realised there was something on the coffee table. She got closer and her eyebrows furrowed when she saw what they were.


    She took them gingerly, turning it left and right, in a little bit of a state of shock and surprise.


    "Ah! You''re awake!"


    Beatrice was so startled that she squeaked a bit and the items in her hands were accidentally thrown out.


    Anton pursed his lips at that, trying hard not to laugh but couldn''t help himself.


    Beatrice''s face went beet red to have been caught holding those things and looking at them so intently.


    Chen picked up the items and handed them to Anton, making Beatrice even more embarrassed.


    "These," said Anton, taking Beatrice''s hand and putting the items into her outstretched palm, "is for you."


    "Grandpa!" Beatrice said, her eyes widening, "This ¡­ this ¡­"


    "Yup, just the thing you need to discipline those boys of yours," Anton replied, "Do you want me to show you how to use them?"


    Beatrice placed the items on the table nervously, saying, "Grandpa, I ¡­ I mean, I appreciate your gesture but ¡­ isn''t this just a little bit too much?"


    She waved her hands at the table, asking, "A whip? And ¡­ what? A thin baton?"


    Anton rubbed his hands gleefully. He picked up the thin cylinder piece of metal that was about five inches long. It was flat on one end and was more rounded on the other end. Something like a small ball, or sphere.


    He held the sphere and pulled, making it much longer now, about the length of her arm to the elbow.


    "This, is a rotan," Anton said, "Or, rattan but made out of thin metal. It''s strong and durable, and lightweight. You can carry it everywhere you want since it is retractable."


    "And this," Anton said, picking up the other item, "Is a specially designed cat o'' nine tails."


    Unlike a normal whip that was a strip of leather or length of cord fastened to a handle, there were nine strips attached to the handle.


    "Unlike a real cat o'' nine tails that has things like knots and spikes in plaited into these strips," Anton explained, "these are just normal braided strips. The material is also special for it only looks tough but is actually quite soft."


    Beatrice''s head was still spinning, and she asked with a slightly hoarse voice, "Grandpa, why do you have these things?"


    "Why, to discipline the boys, of course! You don''t know how mischievous those boys had been when they were younger!" Anton said with a huff.


    "You ¡­ you used those on Zack and Yuri?!" Beatrice couldn''t help but gasp out.


    "Yes! Eh, no! I mean, yes, but not these. I used my trusty cane,"" Anton replied, "These, I had gotten just for you."


    Beatrice barely managed to squeak out, "Me?"


    "Yes!" Anton said proudly, "I got the idea earlier, when you said you were upset with the boys. Giving you a cane isn''t good, because you''re a girl. You need something smaller, and easier to use."


    He waved the cat o'' tails (or cat for short) about.


    "See? This is light, and scary looking," Anton said gleefully, "I never knew such things existed but Chen found them for me very easily. I just told him what I wanted and he had gotten them while we were asleep."


    Beatrice''s turned to look at Chen, who looked back at her with the most innocent face she had ever seen.


    Anton used the cat on himself, "It stings, but it''s not painful. Well, it can be, I suppose, if you use enough force, but the point is, you don''t need to! Just whack whack the boys with these things and they''ll toe the line."


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    She may be straight-laced and to some, a prude, but even she knew what these things really were.


    She glared at Chen again, who still kept up with his innocent-looking face.


    Beatrice looked back at Anton, who was really innocent in this and looking so happy to have the items for her. He placed them back into her hands and she couldn''t reject him.


    "Good girl," Anton said with a smile.


    At that moment, she heard the sound of a car in the driveway.


    "The boys are back!" Anton said gleefully.


    Beatrice looked at the items in her hand and quickly grabbed her handbag, stuffing it in. The last thing she wanted was for the twins to see them.


    What would they think?!


    She looked at her watch and noticed that it was just 5pm. They were back so early? Was it really them, she wondered.


    She got up nonetheless and couldn''t help the smile that came to her face when the two handsome men walked through the door. It almost felt like she was the little wife welcoming her husbands home.


    Zack and Yuri smiled upon seeing Beatrice in the living room.


    Zack''s face split into a huge grin while the corner of Yuri''s lips went up. Both had such different smiles, but Beatrice could feel the love and happiness from them.


    Both were also as dashing as ever in their smart casual suits. They must have had a business meeting, for this was not their usual style of dressing.


    "Beatrice," Zack said softly as he got close, and then wrapped his arms around her waist before kissing her on the lips softly.


    "Sweetheart," Yuri said in a low, s.e.xy voice as he came to her right, placing his hand on her back and kissed her right after Zack did.


    Beatrice didn''t protest and kissed them back, thinking, ''I could get used to this.''


    "The moment we knew you were here," Zack said, kissing the side of her neck.


    "We just had to come home as fast as we could," Yuri said in her ear, kissing her earlobe.


    Beatrice placed her hand on both of their c.h.e.s.t and pushed them away, saying rather breathlessly, "Behave. Grandpa is watching."


    Zacki and Yuri laughed under their breath, and ignored her gentle push as they hugged her on both sides.


    "Do you really think he minds? He is probably standing there, clapping his hands in happiness and counting the days for his great-grandkids to appear," Zack said.


    Beatrice looked up and true enough, Anton was standing there with his hands behind his back and grinning so widely that you couldn''t see his eyes anymore. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He''s not clapping," Beatrice pointed out needlessly.


    Zack and Yuri kissed her on the cheek at the same time before letting her go.


    "Figuratively speaking," Yuri replied.


    Anton came by and stood in between them then pushed the two boys aside. He took Beatrice''s hand and announced, "Scoot scoot! She''s sitting next to ME at dinnertime."


    "Grandpa!" Zack and Yuri protested.


    "Humph! I took her home, so I get to keep her by my side," Anton declared proudly, his c.h.e.s.t puffed out, "If you want her to sit next to you, YOU bring her home next time."


    Yuri smiled, and said to Beatrice, "You hear that, sweetheart? Grandpa has spoken. You need to come home."


    "We should make a bigger room, actually," Zack mused.


    "Or just a bigger bed," Yuri suggested.


    "But it''s not fair if she stays upstairs with you! You guys should move downstairs," Anton said in an aggrieved tone.


    "But we might be too noisy for you, Grandpa," Zack said, "You would need peace and quiet to have proper rest."


    Beatrice looked at the three of them helplessly, with her face becoming beet red at what Zack was alluding to.


    "Boys boys!" Beatrice shouted, taking her hand back and putting it on her waist, "What nonsense are you all spouting! I''m just here to accompany Grandpa for the day, not move in!"


    "We''re just planning for the future," Yuri said with a smile.


    "Oh?" Beatrice said with a smile, her voice so dangerously low, "You''re so confident about that now, huh?"


    "Just a few kisses and you''re already making such plans, hmmmm?"?Beatrice asked sternly, glaring at them.


    Zack and Yuri looked at each other, seeing that displeased look on their beloved''s face and they knew that they had messed up badly.


    Anton, seeing this, slowly backed away.

 Chapter 796 - Discipline

    Chapter 796 - Discipline Zack and Yuri immediately went down on their knees while Beatrice tapped her feet, her arms crossed across her c.h.e.s.t.


    She looked up at the retreating old man and said to him sternly, "And you, Grandpa."


    Anton stopped retreating and gave her a grin.


    Beatrice smiled at him and said, "You''re really very sweet, Grandpa, but you must not encourage the twins so, okay?"


    Anton nodded vigorously.


    "Be good, Grandpa," Beatrice said, "And you should sit down."


    "Okay!" Anton obeyed instantly, sitting down.


    Beatrice had to giggle inwardly a bit at Anton''s antics. He really was like some little kid at times.


    But these two boys?


    They weren''t little kids and neither were they adorable.


    If she let them, they''d just bulldoze their way through. Heck, if left to their own devices, they''d probably kidnap her or something and lock her up.


    She had to assert her dominance over them. It was hard enough to stand her ground with one, but she had two to deal with.


    Two very strong, powerful ¡­ and damn s.e.xy men.


    Beatrice didn''t want to be like some helpless flotsam that just had to go with the ocean currents. She would be like the lifebuoy that stayed afloat and anchored firmly.


    She noticed that they were quite obedient and submissive to her in certain ways, and this was just another example of it.


    She ¡­ she actually *liked* being in control and having them at her feet.


    Was she a control freak?!


    No ¡­ no, it wasn''t that. At least, not in the manner that sprung into her mind.


    It was true that she liked being in control, but that was with regard to situations and work. She didn''t like being unprepared and she would always be meticulous in what she did. She did not like things to spring upon her unexpectedly.


    This, however, seemed to be a different type of control.


    Was she someone that enjoyed seeing other people''s pain?


    Beatrice''s eyes nearly popped open at that thought.


    No, she couldn''t be.


    She didn''t like seeing people suffer or be in pain.


    No, that wasn''t accurate.


    It would be more apt to say that she was indifferent to it. It wasn''t to say that she enjoyed other people''s sufferings or that she hated it. It was just that, she detached herself from it because it wasn''t her.


    But this..?


    Beatrice facepalmed herself mentally.


    She didn''t let it show on her face, though.


    The twins were sitting on the floor, their legs tucked underneath them with their b.u.t.t on their heels. Their hands were on their t.h.i.g.hs, and they were just ¡­ sitting there, their heads lay low.


    Beatrice was so annoyed by this that she stood inbetween them. She reached out and ran her fingers through their hair.


    They really had very nice hair. It was so soft. She played with it, letting those fine, soft tendrils go through her fingers. She stroked their heads and they looked at her curiously.


    She then grabbed a fistful of their hair and brought her head down inbetween them.


    "Always," Beatrice hissed, "Ask for permission. Ask me, and not make a decision for me."


    She turned to Zack, saying, "Do you understand?"


    He nodded.


    "I said, do you understand?" Beatrice asked again, applying more pressure as she pulled his hair.


    "Yes, my love," Zack replied, his eyes darkening a bit.


    Beatrice smiled, and then turned towards Yuri, who answered, "Yes ¡­ hssss"


    "I didn''t ask you anything yet," Beatrice said through clenched teeth.


    "Apologies," Yuri replied and Beatrice smiled.


    "Good," she replied, "Don''t do it again."


    "I won''t," Yuri replied softly as Beatrice got closer.


    "Very good," Beatrice replied and kissed him.


    For some reason, the chaste touching of the lips didn''t feel right so she tentatively ran the tip of her tongue on Yuri''s lips. When she felt the tip of his tongue reaching out, she broke the kiss and smiled at him before turning to Zack, doing the same to him.


    She got up, brushed her clothes down and said, "Just a warning this time."


    The twins got up, holding back their intense d.e.s.i.r.e to grab her, run to the room and not come out until next week.


    She was such a tease.


    Such a hot tease.


    Beatrice couldn''t help but lick her lips upon seeing them getting up slowly. She had to admit, the taste of their lips was getting to be rather addictive. She had pulled back earlier because she was starting to lose it a bit.


    Just that brief touch of the tongue had sent shivers down her spine, invoking certain feelings that she had never felt before.


    She gulped.


    She may act all tough and that, but she was still a v.i.r.g.i.n.


    All of these sensations were new to her and the feeling was beyond anything she could have imagined.


    And it was just from a kiss.


    It was a good thing that she as exerting control for she would lose her v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y very fast if she left it to them!


    It was getting really hard to resist them, too.


    Beatrice sighed, her ''indifferent look'' resting face was on and she walked over to Anton.


    "Sorry about that, Grandpa," Beatrice said, taking his hand, "I know you want me and the boys together, but I''m still not sure yet."


    Anton looked sad, but he nodded in understanding. He patted her hand and said, "No matter what, you''ll still come and visit me often, right?"


    "Even if these stupid boys fail to capture your heart, you will still call me Grandpa, right?" Anton asked pleadingly. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, of course, Grandpa," Beatrice said, "For as long as you want me to."


    "I want! I want! Forever and ever," Anton replied with a huge grin.


    Beatrice couldn''t help but stroke the top of Anton''s head, like what one would do to a younger child or baby.


    Anton looked like the cat that got the cream. He looked so contented and happy. Zack and Yuri smiled at the scene.


    They said it before, and they will say it again.


    Their beloved was perfect.


    "By the way," Beatrice said nonchalantly, "Grandpa and I met some interesting people while we were out today."


    "Really? Who?" Zack asked as they headed to the dining table for dinner.


    "Some overdressed banshees making their claim on you while disrespecting Grandpa," Beatrice replied with a small smile.


    Zack and Yuri looked genuinely puzzled.


    "The same banshees that seem to be in a LOT of pictures in that album over there," Beatrice continued, pointing towards the bookshelf.


    Beatrice found some perverse p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e seeing the light of understanding come into their eyes, and then, slight panic.


    "Beatrice, sweetheart," Yuri said, coming closer, "You know that is in the past. You''re the only woman for us."


    "I know," Beatrice replied as she sat down at the dining table, "I''m just glad to have met the women to whom you had your first s.e.x.u.a.l encounter with."


    "You ¡­ are?" Zack asked hesitatingly.


    Beatrice wasn''t the type to lie, nor was she the type to play around but the twins were honestly puzzled at what Beatrice was trying to say.


    She was glad?


    Did this mean that she really didn''t care about the situation, or that she didn''t care enough for them to feel anything?


    Both possibilities didn''t sound so nice.


    "Of course," Beatrice answered with a smile, "How else would I know who to avoid in the future?"


    Seeing that the twins still didn''t understand, Beatrice explained, "As the Smith Industries CEOs PA, I basically represent them and Smith Industries. I have to be polite and respectful to everyone."


    Understanding dawned on them.


    "But now that you know who they are, you are not obliged to be nice to them," Zack said.


    "Nice," Yuri agreed.


    "You need to do something about them," Beatrice said, "Your past needs to remain in the past and I do not want to be bothered by all this baggage you left behind."


    Yuri and Zack didn''t think they really had a lot of baggage left behind, truth be told.


    While it was true that they have had a lot of women over the years that it would actually be impossible to track down all of them down, they always made clean breaks with them.


    It was only those two that really caused quite a headache, partly because they were relatives so they couldn''t cut off all ties like they normally would. It was also because of them that the twins were much more careful with the women they chose to sleep with.


    The girls were harmless, really so the twins hadn''t really taken them seriously. However, listening to what Beatrice said, they became aware that things may not be so simple.


    Zack and Yuri shared a silent look to each other, acknowledging that their cousins needed to be dealt with properly this time.


    Blood or no blood, no one can drive a wedge between them and their beloved.


    After dinner, the twins sent Beatrice home. Anton tried to get her to stay the night, but she was adamant and refused him kindly, but firmly.


    WIth a pout, he had to let her go and he stood at the doorway, waving at her until he could not see the car anymore.


    "Come on, Anton," Chen said gently, "It''s time to bathe and sleep now."


    Anton looked at Chen in happiness, "She''s a great gal, isn''t she?"


    "That she is, Anton, that she is," Chen agreed.


    "And she really liked what we got her," Anton said happily, "But the boys are rather big and strong. Do you think the cat and ratan is enough?"


    "We could always get ropes and handcuffs," suggested Chen.


    "That''s a great idea, Chen!" Anton agreed enthusiastically, "You should get them tomorrow. She''s a girl, so make sure they are pretty ropes and handcuffs. Wait. Are there such things?!"


    "Oh, you''d be surprised," Chen said, "If there''s none, I could always have them custom made."


    "That''s right!" Anton replied, "Okay, Let''s do that then. I leave it to you."


    "Alright," Chen said, "I''m sure the boys will be really happy."


    "Huh? The boys? It''s not for them!" Anton said with a huff.


    Chen just smiled.

 Chapter 797 - Reward

    Chapter 797 - Reward Zack was driving and Beatrice sat at the back at the twins'' insistence.


    "You are our beloved, so how could we let you sit in front?" Zack said.


    The unwritten rule about this in Country Tz was rather strange to some people.


    If you are friends, or colleagues, then there must be someone sitting next to the one driving as he/she is not your driver.


    If you are taking a superior, then only those of the same ''rank'' would sit behind with the superior. If there are none, then it is to remain empty. Thus, even if you are in a high position in the company, you are still ''lower'' than your superior and is the ''driver''.


    If you are with your special person, then naturally, the seat next to the driver is hers (or his) as you are ''equal'' partners. The one sitting at the back would be the ''unimportant'' person.


    However, there is one exception to this.


    When they want to serve their beloved like a Queen - which was what the twins were doing.


    Beatrice didn''t argue with them when they had guided her to the backseat, and was enjoying the treatment.


    What normal woman wouldn''t?


    Once they reached her apartment, Zack stopped the car right in front of the entrance rather than going into the carpark. As it was not allowed, Zack could not walk Beatrice to her apartment - Yuri would do that.


    However, he did get out to together with Yuri, who opened the door for Beatrice.


    "Thank you for accompanying Grandpa the whole day," Zack said to Beatrice.


    "He''s adorable," Beatrice said, "It was my p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e."


    Beatrice could see the way Zack looked at her longingly, that he wanted a goodbye kiss like the last time when they had dropped her off. Since they had behaved well, Beatrice stepped forward right in front of Zack.


    He smiled, not daring to move until Beatrice made the first move. Which was, to kiss him.


    Only then did his hands snake around her waist to hold her close. Beatrice wrapped her hands around his neck and when he tentatively touched her lips with his tongue, she opened her mouth to allow access.


    Zack was beyond happy, but he knew that he couldn''t do more than what was allowed. He had to let Beatrice lead the way and respond accordingly. If he stepped over the line, she would punish him and he didn''t want that.


    Of course, Beatrice was a novice at this so Zack still guided her. Just not aggressively. The kiss didn''t last long (at least, it didn''t seem so to Zack though Yuri thought it was way too long since he just had to watch) and it took a whole lot of willpower for Zack to step back after that mind-numbing kiss. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He has had a lot of kisses but nothing could compare to what he had just experienced. It was true what they said. There is a whole lot of difference between having s.e.x and m.a.k.i.n.g. .l.o.v.e.


    Beatrice smiled upon seeing the loving gaze in his eyes and she gave him one final peck before leaving his arms, saying, "Goodbye, and thank you Zack."


    Zack leaned on the car as he watched his beloved go up with his brother, a smile on his face. They would have to up the game now, because there was no way that they were going to let this precious gem out of their hands.


    He reached into his pocket, about to take out a cigarette out of habit when he remembered. With a sigh, his hand found the pack of gum instead and started chewing.


    "Beatrice," Yuri said tentatively as they entered the lift to go up to her apartment.


    Beatrice turned to look at him, tilting her head a bit as she answered, "Yes?"


    He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it, before he asked, "Can you allow us to take you out for meals everyday?"


    He looked at her with his gentle gaze and Beatrice felt his request was justified. She had not been fair on them when she avoided them all this time despite saying that she would give them a chance.


    Instead of being angry, they were patient and kept on pursuing her.


    Now that she had met their grandfather and she had even started kissing them, she should be more serious and invested in this. She couldn''t be selfish.


    No, that wasn''t it.


    She had been scared before but now, she was gaining more confidence. In accepting the fact that the twins'' feelings for her weren''t temporary or a ''spur of the moment'' thing. Truth be told, she didn''t think they were serious.


    Rather, she didn''t think that their feelings for her would last. She knew that they were not lying to her, but she had honestly thought she was just a phase they were going through.


    Part of the reason why she avoided them before was because she was afraid of her growing interest in them, and partly because she felt they would soon forget her if they didn''t meet.


    Obviously, it wasn''t just a phase.


    "Yes," Beatrice replied, "But for the time being, it must be either you, or Zack. Take turns everyday. I want to get to know both of you separately before we go on dates together."


    Yuri smiled, his lips curling up a bit as he nodded, "Sounds fair. Thank you."


    The lift stopped at a floor, the door opening and Beatrice stepped back to allow the people from outside to come in. Her eye twitched when she saw who it was.


    Delores from the apartment across from her.


    Beatrice had often been given ''friendly'' advice about finding herself a man because she was heading to be an ''old maid''. She labeled Beatrice as a ''prude'' saying that girls like her were a dying breed that no man would like.


    All men loved women who were experienced, she said.


    Delores eyes widened upon seeing Beatrice there - because a very handsome and s.e.xy young man was holding her hand.


    She stepped into the lift, and gave Yuri a flirtatious smile which he ignored completely. She turned to press the elevator button, leaning forward a bit, stretching the already skin-tight mini skirt that was like second skin on her b.u.t.t even more.


    Beatrice rolled her eyes at that.


    She lived on the same floor as she did, so there as no need for her to press the button at all. Yuri caught that roll of her eyes and brought her even closer to him, putting his arm around her waist.


    Delores turned, and somehow, two buttons on her shirt had magically unfastened so that her cleavage peeked through.


    She frowned a bit to see that Yuri wasn''t even looking in her direction, but was seemingly whispering sweet nothings into Beatrice''s ear.


    She couldn''t believe that he had not been enticed by her little show, and was instead, paying attention to the schoolmarm prude instead.


    Not wanting to be outdone, she asked sweetly, "Beatrice, honey. Boyfriend?"


    Yuri chuckled at that, his voice deep and s.e.xy, causing Beatrice to blush a bit because his breath tickled her ear.


    "She''s not that bright, is she?" Yuri asked Beatrice softly, but loud enough for Delores to hear in that small lift.


    Delores''s mouth hung wide open at that and Beatrice couldn''t help but smile a bit at that. She placed a hand on Yuri''s c.h.e.s.t, saying, "Behave."


    Yuri didn''t answer but instead, sniffed her hair and smiled, loving the feeling of having his beloved in his arms and that she was allowing it.


    They reached their floor and Beatrice led Yuri out, with the fuming Delores right behind them. She deliberately took her time to go in, not believing that she couldn''t entice the young stud away from Beatrice.


    She would wait until Beatrice went in before she would make another move.


    So, she dilly-dallied and walked slowly. She watched as Beatrice unlocked the door and as expected, the man didn''t follow her in.


    What she did not expect, however, was that the two started making out right in front of the door.


    Yuri couldn''t believe his good luck.


    He knew that he would be getting a goodbye kiss like Zack had received, for Beatrice was always fair. He had been anticipating it from the moment she had kissed Zack, but what she was doing now was far more than what she had given Zack.


    Who was he to refuse?


    Beatrice clung onto Yuri, initiating the kiss but unlike with Zack, she was the one that darted her tongue into his open and willing mouth. She may be inexperienced, but she learns quickly.


    She already knew the basic movements and what to do when she had kissed Zack earlier, and now, she experimented more. She was more aggressive and proactive, and Yuri lapped it all up. His hands held her tightly to him and she couldn''t help but run her fingers in his hair as they kissed.


    As their tongues clashed, Beatrice was starting to get weak in the knees and rather tingly ''down there''. The sensations were far stronger this time and she was rather swept away by the intensity of the feelings.


    When they finally broke the kiss, their lips were wet and their breathing a bit heavier than normal.


    "A reward," Beatrice said huskily, "For earlier."


    Yuri understood what she meant.


    For ignoring the woman that had been quite open in trying to seduce him and for standing up to her.


    Yuri smiled and kissed her nose.


    Beatrice was satisfied with Yuri''s behaviour earlier and she didn''t worry about whatever tricks Delores may have. She trusted the boys and knew that they wouldn''t betray her but she didn''t think that they would be completely disinterested towards other women.


    Beatrice wasn''t stupid or naive, and she knew that men were only human. If a s.e.xy woman flirts with you, it doesn''t mean that they would be blocks of wood and not feel anything. What made the difference was whether they actually acted on it.


    Thus, she had been pleasantly surprised that Yuri wasn''t even interested in the slightest. It wasn''t fake either. She felt all warm inside and was so happy that she had given him that kiss.


    They didn''t continue kissing but instead, Yuri just hugged her to him as both of them calmed themselves down. He kissed the top of her head as she breathed in his scent and felt at peace.


    "Thank you," Beatrice said with a smile as she went into her apartment.


    Yuri watched her go in and it was only after hearing the click of the lock and the slide of the security bolt did he turn to leave.


    Delores stepped forward, ''tripping'' right in front of him. Yuri didn''t break his stride as he sidestepped and she fell down flat on her face onto the ground. The pain was so severe that tears formed in her eyes.


    She turned to look at the guy that had completely ignored her, to see him inside the lift. He saw her looking at him, and he smirked.


    He put up a ''thumbs-up'' sign to show how happy he was that she was sprawled there before turning it around to be pointing downwards, his eyes suddenly turning cold just as the doors of the lift closed.

 Chapter 798 - Staying

    Chapter 798 - Staying When Zack saw Yuri come out, he tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. Yuri gave a slow smile, licked his lips and smacked it.


    "I got an extra reward," Yuri explained and gave a low whistle, "Our beloved can really kiss."


    Zack pursed his lips, getting into the car.


    When Yuri told him what had happened and how it came about, Zack couldn''t help but curse inwardly.


    Next time, he''s the one that will walk her back to her apartment.


    "Well, she agreed to let us take her out every day," Yuri told Zack, "but only one of us each day."


    With his eyes still on the road, Zack said, "Usual method?"


    "Usual method," Yuri agreed.


    "Area?"


    Yuri thought for a bit, then replied, "Bronx C. There seem to be some skirmishes by pockets of local gangs lately."


    With a smirk, Zack headed over.


    It was simple.


    They had to decide who would be the first one to take Beatrice out tomorrow. There was no point doing things like scissors-paper-stone to determine it because they always got a tie.


    The only way to decide was to see who had the most knock-outs. No killing, for that was too easy. Knocking out someone was harder and required more skill.


    Also, the fight club was out as that took too long. One contender at a time was also boring.


    Two hours later, two identical men in differing state of unkemptness, was busy counting the fallen men around them.


    "35," said Yuri.


    "Hah! 36," Zack replied happily, looking up at Yuri while he was sitting on his last victim.


    Without a word, Yuri came over and kicked the guy that Zack was sitting on, in the face.


    "36," Yuri stated.


    Zack narrowed his eyes at him, "He was MY knockout!"


    Yuri shrugged, while unfolding the sleeves he had folded up before the fight, "He twitched."


    Zack kicked the guy behind him, saying with each kick, "He twitched because I was rocking while sitting on him!"


    Yuri gave him that annoying smile of his, "Huh, fancy that."


    "YURI!" Zack shouted at him as Yuri walked away.


    He tackled Yuri, flinging his arm across Yuri''s shoulder, making him lose his footing for a while. They scuffled for a bit before starting to laugh as they walked away.


    And so it was settled. Zack was first.


    He was happy and excited, thinking of where he would take her and getting to know her better. Her likes and dislikes, her quirks and all that.


    It was only after at least ten minutes had passed before those who had been hiding came out, shivering.


    They never thought that their ''harmless'' gang fights would garner the attention of the Dante Devils. They had thought they had already been low key, and they weren''t disturbing the King''s domain.


    Well, not really.


    Okay, so maybe a little bit.


    Their gaze swept over their unconscious ''comrades'' and thought, ''but wasn''t this a bit of an overkill?''


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.


    Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea.


    The entire time, Joseph was not really ''with them'' in the sense that his attention seemed to be glued on his phone all the time. He was only there physically.


    It was heart-wrenching for her, truth be told.


    She closed her eyes and banged her forehead with her fist.


    If only she had someone to talk to, but the situation would not allow it. Joseph was not only a minor, he was really ¡­ just barely entering his teens. No matter how progressive and open-minded Country Tz was, such a thing would make people look at her weirdly.


    She turned around on the bed, laying on her stomach and looked at the phone.


    He was just so cute!


    Kay sighed and closed her eyes, putting down the phone.


    Honestly, she was getting tired of this.


    This constant see-sawing of emotions and the way she kept changing her mind. The hesitation, the doubt, and the longing that would pull her one way and then another.


    The way her logical mind told her that this cannot be, vs her heart that was crying out for him.


    Well, both heart and mind were telling her that it cannot be - for now - just that her mind was telling her ''it can never be'' while her heart was saying ''just wait''.


    Since Joseph is leaving, and he wasn''t paying any attention to her right now, the only course of action she had was to let him go.


    This love can never be or blossom. He''s going to another country and they''ll never see each other again.


    If ¡­ just if, she still has him in her mind in five years time, she will go over to Country Tz and meet up with him. If he is single, and her feelings still remain the same, perhaps she may try then.


    If he was with someone, then it''s better that she just leaves quietly.


    Thinking about it, Kay wondered about Kyle.


    She had literally felt his anguish and despair when he had caught Sari with that other guy, Hamdan. Would she feel like that if she found out that Joseph was with someone when she goes to seek him out in Country Tz?


    Even though she wasn''t in a relationship with him like how Kyle had been with Sari, the pain may be similar. He had been confident of their love that he never doubted her at all while she, she would be harbouring such hope and dreams - and it would be for five years.


    Kay sighed again.


    Why couldn''t she have the sort of love that would be easy? Like Sam?


    Why did it have to be complicated and difficult, like Kyle''s?


    She flung her phone aside and made her decision.


    She had made the decision before, and what had been happening the past few days had solidified it and strengthened her resolve.


    She must leave him alone.


    Let him be.


    She must have her own life and see other people.


    With that thought, she picked up the phone again. Scrolling through the numbers, she took a deep breath and made the call.


    "Hi," Kay said once the call was picked up.


    ? The next day ?


    Joseph followed the girls to the Mall that Kyle had done that spiderman stunt. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the entrance, he told them, "I''ll go explore on my own. Just call me when you are going to have lunch."


    Kay smiled at him, nodding, and hiding her disappointment, "Sure. It''ll be around 11am or so."


    "Sure," Joseph said distractedly, as he placed the wireless bluetooth earbuds into his ear. He walked off after giving them a wave without even looking at them and Kay sighed as she watched him go.


    The first place Kay brought Lianne was the area that Kyle had done the rescue that gave him that nickname Spiderman.


    Lianne looked with wide eyes at the wall and she glanced back at Kay, "That? She could climb that? Without equipment?!"


    "Cool, huh?" Kay said with a smile.


    Lianne nodded, "Lit AF."


    "Lianne!" Kay gasped, looking at her in shock.


    "What?" Lianne replied, looking at her innocently, "I just said AF, not the actual word, right?"


    Kay laughed, "Kyle''s gonna freak if he hears you talk like that."


    "Nah," Lianne said, disagreeing, "Mama''s cool that way. As long as I don''t say it in front of Papa."


    Kay was silent, then just as she was going to ask her about Stephan, Kyle contacted her.


    "Hold on," Kay said to Lianne, "Kyle''s talking."


    Lianne nodded and continued to look out out the mall balcony.


    It really seemed like some sort of magical novel story. First, her mother passed only to have been reborn as a male. A very rich, handsome and successful male at that.


    Coming here was simply her way of coping and accepting what had happened to her mother. Reading about it was one thing. Seeing the past, and touching the same things her mother had in her new life, made things much more ''real'' to her.


    Lianne turned to look at Kay for a while, thanking God that Mama had Kay with her this entire time. Mama had always been the type that clung to people, and needed people with her, so Kay was her anchor in this life.


    For that, she was eternally grateful to Kay.


    She looked at Kay again, and at people around them. One could see the admiring glances that went her way, yet she wasn''t bothered by it. If Lianne hadn''t known that Kay was actually talking to Kyle right now, she would not have realised it.


    Perhaps she should learn that skill. Then maybe Papa wouldn''t be on her case so much for having that ''not quite there'' facial expression.


    Lianne took a deep breath and sighed.


    How she wished she could stay here.


    "Guess what?" Kay asked, breaking her thoughts, "You''re migrating here."

 Chapter 799 - A Brand New Life

    Chapter 799 - A Brand New Life "I''m what?!" Lianne repeated, her eyes wide open.


    She was just thinking it and it was true? S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay laughed, thinking her brother effectively played Cupid for her, albeit unknowingly.


    "Kyle offered a position to your father here," Kay explained, "Your father took a couple of days to think about it and he just accepted the offer."


    Lianne smiled widely, happy beyond belief. The thought of moving into an entirely new country and leaving behind everything she had known did not faze her at all.


    Country Tz was a nice place, and Mama was here.


    That was all she needed, really. Nothing else mattered and one can adapt. It wasn''t as if she had tons of friends back home anyway.


    "When?" Lianne asked.


    "Your dad needs a few days, maybe a week, to finalise things back home," Kay said, "While I have to get you, and your Dad, a place to stay."


    "Does this mean we have to go back now?" Lianne asked, slightly disappointed.


    "No," Kay replied with a grin, "The benefits of being the boss, is that I can order people to do it."


    "Sweet," Lianne replied.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    The preparations went by smoothly and quickly, so much so that Joseph''s head was reeling.


    He had been fully prepared to go back home, only to discover that they were migrating here. He was both happy, and angry, at his father for making such a life-changing decision all by himself without asking them first.


    Sure, he did want to migrate but that wasn''t the point, was it?


    His father often did these things, and it was only their mother who had listened to them and would often convey their thoughts to their father. Now that their mother was no longer around, there was no such bridge.


    Talking to his father was such a chore as well.


    He was still of the old school ''do what I tell you'' and ''everything I do is for your own good''.


    Joseph was beginning to want his own identity and such high handed moves made him more frustrated than ever. The frustration that he used to fuel the energy in his TokTik videos.


    Tomorrow, their father would be arriving.


    Joseph looked at the bag that he had already packed, ready to leave the house at anytime. In fact, all their main things had already been moved to their new home and they only had enough clothes for a few days.


    The apartment provided by the company was fully furnished, and Kay had given them housewarming gifts already. Essentially, it wasn''t just furnished, it had all the necessary items in order to live in.


    Cutlery, utensils, clothes ¡­ *everything* ¡­


    All they needed to do was just move in.


    Even their school uniform and supplies had been bought. Their visas and school transfers had been completed.


    Although Joseph''s mind reeled at the speed of it all, he was rational enough to think about the amount of work that was involved. At one time, he had taken things like this for granted but now, he found himself paying particularly close attention to Kay.


    She may look laid back, but she wasn''t.


    He wanted to be just like that.


    Someone efficient, and that one could rely on him to do things.


    He pursed his lips as he thought about it.


    Even if he couldn''t be that ''one'' for Kay, he could at least be that ''one'' for his one - whoever she may be.


    Joseph sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.


    Tomorrow, his father is coming.


    Tonight, Kay''s going out on a date.


    Great.


    Juuuuuuuust great.


    When he heard the car engine in the driveway, he knew who it was. Kay had already come home, having arrived earlier to get ready.


    He gritted his teeth about that, thinking ¡­ why couldn''t she just leave for the date from the office? Have him pick her up from there, or meet him at whatever stupid place they were going?


    Oh, right. It was Friday.


    She probably wanted to dress up.


    A date just before the weekend.


    Joseph stood at the window, staring out into the driveway. His room faced it, so he could barely make out the car that came. Unfortunately, it was already too close for him to make out the model or make of the car ¡­ not that it should bother him.


    Not that he was interested.


    He heard the door of Kay''s room opening and he quashed his d.e.s.i.r.e to open his own door and look.


    He didn''t have to look to know that she would be drop-dead gorgeous.


    He stood there in his room, in the dark as he didn''t want anyone from outside to know that he was peeking.


    He heard the tinkle of her laughter as she walked out, heard some indistinct noises of them talking and the car door slamming shut.


    He didn''t bother to continue watching as he closed the curtain.


    This was harder than he thought it would be.


    During the entire trip out with Kay and his sister, he had tried so very, very hard to ignore them the entire time. It wasn''t easy.


    Focusing on his phone, playing games and chatting with his online friends didn''t quite distract him from the person in front of him. It got to be so bad that he had to go off on his own in the end.


    Joseph sat in his chair again, thinking ¡­ new place, new life.


    From tomorrow, he was going to cut off everything with the Smith Industries.


    He couldn''t stand the pain.


    It was better to cut cold-turkey, start a brand new life and pave a different path here.


    One that did not involve any interaction with anyone from the Smith family.


    Once he made that decision, Joseph calmed down a bit.


    The pain wasn''t any less, though.


    ?????


    Stephan sat in the car, looking at his two kids that walked into the school. He had wanted to accompany them to the office, and get them settled in, but Joseph had blocked him from doing so.


    He remembered the slight argument that morning.


    Coming here to this new place was something he felt was a good thing, despite uprooting the entire family. It wasn''t just because the position that he got was better than his old job, it was also because it took them away from *that* place.


    No matter what, Stephan couldn''t get over the fact that his wife had been tortured and killed. It wasn''t death by accident, but a murder.


    It haunted him.


    So he had made this rather rash decision to come. Since the kids were already here, and they were settling in quite well, Stephan didn''t think twice nor thought of asking them about the move.


    It was for the best, after all.


    Still, it took some getting used to.


    Living a life without his wife.


    He remembered the scene from this morning.


    "Papa, we can do this," Joseph told him, "We''re old enough."


    "You just don''t want me to embarrass you, huh?" Stephan said to him, figuring it out.


    "It''s not that you are an embarrassment," Joseph corrected, "It''s that it would look bad on us, having a parent follow us to make sure we get settled in."


    Stephan actually wanted to argue about that, and normally, he would have insisted and teased him more but ¡­ there was this determination in his son''s eyes that made Stephan swallow his words.


    "Fine," Stephan replied in a curt voice, feeling more upset than he thought he would be, "Have it your way."


    Stephan did feel upset.


    He was trying his best to fill up the hole that their mother left behind, but his kids seem to be doing fine on their own. Usually, it was their mother that would have done this and they never protested.


    But if it was him?


    It was obvious that they didn''t want him around.


    Stephan drove off, thinking that with his wife passing, the relationship he had with his kids would never be the same. He was never the expressive type and he was worried about losing them.


    He already felt the gap that was forming but he felt helpless about it.


    Pushing the thought out of his mind, he focused on getting to work and doing a good job.


    Joseph turned back to watch his father go, and was relieved.


    A part of him was worried that his father would change his mind and follow them in. If he had done that, there was no way Joseph could stop him and their first day in school would have been disastrous.


    As he headed towards the office with his sister, he managed to hide his nervousness well. He was so focused on getting to the office that he did not notice anything else.


    The hallway was full of people, and lockers were lined against the wall. Joseph passed through them, staring at the map in his hand as he walked on. The place was noisy, with people laughing and jostling about.


    One would think that they wouldn''t garner any attention, but they did.


    Lianne, who was walking beside her brother, was internally rolling her eyes.


    She saw how some girls would stop, and stare, as they passed by. The girls here sure had such bad taste to be giving such admiring looks at her oblivious brother.


    Lianne turned to look at her brother and shrugged.


    The most she could say was that he was not ugly, but nothing outstanding.


    Maybe they just liked the ''dumb'' look?

 Chapter 800 - Its You!

    Chapter 800 - It''s You! "Did you see that?" one girl hissed as she grabbed her friend by the arm.


    "What? See what?" the girl asked, "I only saw a fresh new face, ripe for the picking?"


    The other girl slapped her hard on the back, "Be serious! You''re hardly the femme fatale you delude yourself to be."


    The girl rubbed her sore shoulders, "Dang, Hope, couldn''t you like, ease it a little?"


    Hope laughed and gave her another smack on the back, "Come on, Fern. Shall we find out just who that was?"


    Fern looked around and raised both of her eyebrows (she couldn''t raise one), "Have you seen the eyes that seemed to bore a hole into that guy''s back? There were so many drooling over that fresh meat. What hope have we to get to know him?"


    Hope pointed at herself and said, "You have me, Hope. That''s all you need."


    Fern rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, you don''t honestly think that was funny, do you?"


    Hope shrugged, "Hey, as long as I like it, right?"


    "You''re hopeless," Fern replied.


    "No, I''m Hope," Hope countered, which caused Fern to smack her own forehead with her palm while shaking her head.


    "Why do I even bother?" Fern lamented.


    Hope just grinned.


    "But didn''t you see that girl next to him? They don''t look alike," Fern mused, "Could she be a girlfriend?"


    "Unlikely, considering that they seem to be heading to the office. Then again, you won''t know until you ask, right? So let''s go let''s go let''s go!" Hope said impatiently, pushing her friend from the back, "If they are new students, we, as very friendly people, should swoop down and show them around, right?"


    "Oh yes," Fern said, "Totally not having any designs on the guy at all."


    "Totally," Hope replied, blinking innocently.


    Fern laughed, swung her hand over the girl''s shoulder and said, "Come on. Let''s go and meet this dreamboat of yours."


    "But you know ... " Hope said as they hurried over to the office, "He kinda looks familiar." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh GOSH," Fern said with a roll of her eyes, "Please do not tell me you''re going to use that line to pick him up? That''s so lame!"


    "No, no," Hope insisted, "I really mean it. He looks familiar!"


    "Urgh, whatever," Fern replied, "Just don''t say it to him. If you remember, you do. If not, let it be. Otherwise, he''s going to look at you and know how lame you are from the get-go."


    "I''m not that bad!" Hope protested.


    "You are," Fern stated, "And here I thought, only guys would have dad jokes. You top them all."


    "Hey!" Hope protested, "Dad jokes are funny!"


    "I rest my case," Fern said with a dramatic sigh.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Joseph gave the officer behind the general office counter a smile and seeing the nametag, he said politely, "Ms. Juliana, I''m Joseph and this is my sister, Lianne. We just transferred here."


    "Ah, yes," Juliana said, looking at the two. They looked decent enough, and not dressed outrageously, "I''m surprised you are even here. It''s the end-of-the-year holidays after all."


    "Yes, we know," Joseph replied, "We thought it would be best to finalise all the details before then and also familiarise ourselves with the school first."


    Juliana nodded, agreeing with them, "That is a good attitude. Here is the timetable for next year, and the book list."


    Joseph and Lianne took the proferred list and looked through them.


    "Can I ask, why are there so many students around at this time, even though it is the school holidays?"


    "They are the upcoming third and fifth year students," Juliana explained, "They have extra classes to revise the year''s syllabus and have a head start on next year''s syllabus."


    Lianne didn''t say a word after that, but thought that it was pretty harsh. There go their holidays! They would have to spend it in class.


    She turned to her brother and said, "You should attend, too, since you''re going to be a third-year."


    Juliana looked enlightened (while Joseph looked horrified), "Yes, you are right! It is perfect, too. Since you''re new, this would be a good opportunity for you to meet your new classmates, and also catch up on the syllabus."


    "I ¡­ don''t have any textbooks or supplies," Joseph said feebly, regretting coming.


    "That''s not a problem," Juliana said, "You can buy the supplies in the school bookstore, and for today, I''ll give you an excuse slip. You can share the textbooks from your classmates."


    The smile on Joseph''s face seemed frozen now and he glared at Lianne as they left the office.


    Outside, Joseph turned to Lianne in exasperation, "Really, Lianne? My own sister, stabbing me in the back?"


    She looked at him with the ''are you serious'' expression, "I did you a favour, you know. It''s best you integrate yourself now. You''re coming in the middle of the school year, so to speak, and you have a major exam next year."


    "Although, from what I could tell, it''s almost the same as what Country M has but there is bound to be differences," Lianne continued to explain to her lazy brother, "By attending the extra classes, you''ll be able to cover the topics already done. At the very least, listening and attending classes won''t do you harm."


    "I''m the one coming in from first year, and everyone is basically new," Lianne went on, "So I won''t really be the odd-one out. Unlike you."


    Joseph shrugged, "Unlike you, I''m sociable. Being the newbie isn''t a big deal for me."


    "But attending classes is still good," Lianne insisted.


    "Fine, fine," Joseph said as he ran his hand through his hair.


    Although it was unexpected, what his sister said made sense. He didn''t like it though because he didn''t like school.


    His eyes lighted up when he saw two girls approaching, smiling at him. He smiled back. The girls were cute and looked pretty friendly.


    Okay, so maybe it wasn''t so bad after all.


    A pang of slight guilt washed over him and he quashed it down.


    He wasn''t in any relationship and so, there was nothing wrong in admiring girls that were cute. Of course, Kay was far more beautiful than them, but that''s not the point.


    The point was, he was here to get over her, so he had to make lots of friends, right?


    He was glad that he had taken extra time to dress up for school today. Although he had not known that there would be people here, he still wanted to look good.


    So, he had chosen his clothes carefully and styled his hair the way he liked it. Lianne had truly berated him for taking so long in their shared bathroom, but he didn''t care.


    She called him vain but he saw it as just loving himself properly.


    He was rather tired of comparing himself to the Smiths, truth be told. It was only this morning that he realised how stupid he was for doing so.


    Trying to measure up to Kyle was like trying to climb Mount Everest without any gear. Kyle was, like, a superhuman or something. With his looks and smarts, Joseph would never be able to even touch his toes.


    He had tried to, because only then would he feel that he was worthy.


    But, this morning, as he stared at himself in the mirror, he felt really stupid.


    He was not Kyle.


    He was Joseph.


    He needs to accept himself as he is and to work on whatever weakness he has in order to improve. However, he acknowledged that there were aspects about himself that he could not change.


    Like, his sense of humour.


    His sister would just roll her eyes at him whenever he shared a joke that he found to be particularly funny. He didn''t mind, though, because she didn''t mean anything by it. That''s just the way she was.


    So, this morning, he dressed up a bit more because by doing so, he felt good about himself. He may not be handsome, but with the workouts he had been doing the past few months, he became more confident about himself.


    He knew he looked good - not Kyle level good, but good enough.


    He had a naturally slim physique, and with his mixed features, he didn''t look like a native of Country M, which made them sort of a novelty there.


    Joseph looked at his sister and knew that unless he told them, people never realised that they were siblings. This was because not only did they not look related, their personalities were so different.


    Lianne had curly hair while his was wavy. Lianne was serious while he was sociable. Lianne was quiet while he was talkative. Little things like that.


    Right now, Lianne wasn''t really paying any attention to the girls that were approaching them. However, suddenly,?one girl grabbed the other girl''s arm and screamed, "OH MY GOD! IT''S YOU!!"

 Chapter 801 - New Friends

    Chapter 801 - New Friends Joseph visibly took a step back in complete astonishment from the sudden shout (and rather crazy look in the girl''s eyes) while Lianne looked up in puzzlement at the weird girl.


    From Lianne''s perspective, she saw one girl staring at them ¡­ no, at her brother ¡­ with her eyes wide while she was holding onto her friend''s arm as if her life depended on it.


    Lianne internally rolled her eyes, thinking the reaction to be completely over-the-top. Luckily, so did that girl''s friend, who placed her hand over the excited girl''s mouth.


    "I''m so sorry," the girl said, "Please ignore her. My friend must have taken too much cola this morning. She has a bit of a sugar rush."


    The one who had her mouth closed grabbed her hand''s friend and pushed it aside as she continued to stare at Joseph, "It''s you, isn''t it?"


    "Er, I''m sorry?" Joseph said confusedly, his shock subsiding, "Do I know you?"


    The girl smacked her forehead and then walked over, "Silly me. I''m sorry. My name is Hope and this is my friend, Fern."


    Lianne blinked at hearing the names. They must have gotten quite a lot of jokes about that. Hope wasn''t too bad, but Fern? Didn''t people normally name their kids after flowers?


    Why a fern?


    Lianne continued observing.


    "Hello," Joseph answered, tilting his head, "But I''m sorry, I don''t think we''ve ever met."


    Hope had this ¡­ er, hope on her face as she asked, while wringing her hands, "You''re Joey, aren''t you? From TokTik? The #dancersize?"


    "Oh, that. Yes I am," Joseph replied, surprised that he would meet anyone who would recognise him. He was a bit embarrassed now, but secretly happy.


    Hope turned to Fern triumphantly, "See? SEE?! I TOLD you that he looked familiar!!"


    She turned to Joseph, while showing this huge grin on her face, "I can''t believe you''re here! Are you here to make a video? No, that can''t be because you have workout videos ¡­ unless ¡­"


    "We''re transferring here," Lianne cut in, intending to stop her before she started gushing again. She was basically having her own monologue as it was.


    I mean, come on. It''s just her brother for goodness sake. Did she have to act like she was meeting a celebrity?


    "No! Really?!" Hope gasped, putting her hand to cover her mouth.


    Lianne blinked again.


    This Hope really was the overly dramatic type, wasn''t she?


    "Yeah," Joseph answered, "We just moved here, and the school is nearby."


    "This is great!!" Hope continued to gush, then her face fell, "Oh. Wait. We have classes soon. I thought of showing you around but it can''t be for long."


    "Ah, about that ¡­" Joseph said, rubbing the back of his neck, and looking at the sheet of paper in his hands, "Could you tell me which room is 3R?"


    "We''re heading there later ¡­" Hope began and then her eyes went wide, "No. Way. YOU?"


    Lianne rolled her eyes openly this time.


    That''s it. She had to get out of here.


    She turned to her brother and said, "I''ll be exploring the school. Just call me when you''re done."


    With that, she turned and left, ignoring the two girls. They had completely ignored her anyway, so she didn''t feel obliged to be polite to them at all.


    Her brother didn''t introduce her either, but she didn''t think much about it. After all, it wasn''t like he had a chance and the way his mind worked, he didn''t even consider it.


    "Be careful!" Joseph shouted at her retreating back, "I''ll be done by 1pm."


    Lianne put up her hand and waved, indicating that she heard.


    "Girlfriend?" Hope asked.


    Joseph looked at Hope in absolute horror, "WHAT?! NO! She''s my sister."


    Hope smiled even bigger.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Lianne walked leisurely in the school, choosing areas that were devoid of people. It was getting to be stifling to be in a crowd. She had used the map to go around the school and already knew where most of the places were.


    Bathroom, canteen, library, hall, and most importantly, which one would be her classroom.


    Upon studying the map, she also noted the fire exits and how the classes were arranged. It didn''t look too complicated, so she had confidence that she wouldn''t get lost looking for classes.


    Since that was done, she decided to just while away the time in a quiet spot.


    It was on a bench, in a shady spot, overlooking the school field. Putting her bag on the bench, she took out her sketch pad and a bottle of milk tea that she had bought from the canteen earlier.


    Unscrewing the top, she closed it back. She took off her loafers and sat cross-legged on the bench as she looked at the scenery in front of her. Soon, she started drawing.


    Unknown to her, everything she did was being observed by a bored guy in the building behind her. He was on the top floor and as the teacher droned on in front, his gaze naturally went outside.


    How he wished he could be out there, playing instead of in here, trapped.


    When he saw her walking, he was curious.


    What insane person would come to school when he did not need to come to class? Obviously, she wasn''t there for the extra classes because she looked too young to be a student here.


    He continued watching, feeling that that was still far more interesting than what the teacher was talking about.


    Suddenly, he jumped when his there was a loud smack sound right in front of him. He turned his head to see the angry face of his teacher, and then at the ruler that she had used to hit his table with.


    "Bryon," she said to him, looking down at him from her vantage point, "Pay attention. Otherwise, detention."


    "Auw, Ms. Steele," Bryon said helplessly, "That''s cruel and unusual punishment!"


    "What? You love detention?" Ms. Steele said in surprise, "You want to stay behind this entire week?"


    Bryon gave her the ultimate pleading look, his eyes wide open and innocent like Puss-in-Boots from the Shrek movie, while his hands clasped together, "I''m sorry, Ms. Steele. I will be good."


    "Humph," she said, tapping the top of his head with the rule, "See that you do."


    Bryon watched her go with a smile. Ms. Steele was actually a softie but she liked to give off this ''I am a strict person'' persona. They all knew her well but it was only Bryon that could play with her like that.


    She always threatened him, and he always pleaded, and she would relent.


    But, the reason why she would relent is because he would not push it. With a sigh, he forced himself to face the front and pay attention in class. His mind was still on the strange girl at the field, though.


    So much so that when that lesson was over, he got up to go to the bathroom.


    Rather, that was what he said to the teacher that came in after. He had held his stomach and told him in a voice that was obviously in pain, "Sorry, Mr. Gonzales but I .. I gotta go. Number 2."


    Seeing the pale face and the beads of sweat on the boy''s face, the teacher nodded and Bryon ran off.


    He stealthily took the long way out, deliberately choosing a path that had the lowest risk of meeting any teachers. Being a student that often skipped class, he knew which ones were the danger zones.


    He also knew which classes were being occupied, so he would duck down whenever passing by those rooms. The doors were all closed, and there was a small window on each door, so it wasn''t really difficult to slip by.


    However, once he reached outside, he would be in full view of all the students whose classrooms faced the field.


    That was indeed a dilemma.


    Byron stood right at the corner of the building, staring at the girl who was still just sitting there, peacefully. Drawing? Most likely.


    He felt an itch to just go and see what she was drawing.


    Well, he knew what it was since she kept looking up and back down at her sketch pad. Only an idiot wouldn''t know.


    It''s just that he was itching to see just how she drew the scene. He always loved sketches, much more than paintings for to him, it was much more skillful to bring to life the scenery just with just a pencil.


    He peeked at the side of the building and made a decision.


    To heck with it! He took a step forward, then he thought about detention.


    He faltered, his foot halfway up before he slowly put it back down. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He kicked the ground, sending a pebble out and an idea hit him.


    Bryon picked up the pebble and gauged its weight. Measuring the distance to the girl, he then threw it.

 Chapter 802 - Idiot

    Chapter 802 - Idiot Lianne felt something hit her shoulder, and she rubbed it, her face frowning. The pain was not much, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless.


    However, other than rubbing her shoulder, she didn''t have any other reaction. She figured that normally, one would look back or around to try and determine what had happened, but not her.


    From that one sharp and sudden pain, she had her suspicions. She wasn''t curious at all, so why should she turn around to see?


    In fact, sitting here, she had been blissfully in her zone while drawing. When she was in this state, everything around her faded away and she was at peace. However, with that slight pain at her shoulder, she was brought out of it.


    It annoyed her.


    Now, she was aware of her surroundings, and could also feel that she was being looked at. Lianne figured it was really her own imagination because she knew that some classrooms that were facing the field were filled with the students with the extra classes. How could anyone ''feel'' the gaze on them, right?


    Initially, she had not wanted to sit here because she was self-conscious of such an audience but the field scene was just too lovely to pass.


    It had the trees that were nice and green, full of life, near the field that would normally be full of life. The contrast of life (of the trees) with and one that was empty (the field), appealed to her.


    Lianne decided to ignore the slight discomfort and looked down at her sketch, preparing to get back into the zone. She could forget her surroundings then.


    Just then, another slight pain, this time on the other side of her shoulder.


    It didn''t need a genius to figure out someone stupidly persistent was trying to get her attention.


    With an exasperated sigh, Lianne took a big gulp of her drink to calm down the rising agitation in her heart. Twisting the cap close, she carefully kept her sketchpad and drawing materials into her bag.


    Flinging the bag across her shoulder, she grabbed her drink and walked off in the opposite direction - away from the source of the pain.


    From her analysis, the person didn''t want to be seen. So, naturally, Lianne chose a route that the said person wouldn''t be able to follow. Luckily, she had already memorised the map and knew the school grounds so it was quite easy to lose the person, whoever he - or she - may be.


    Lianne couldn''t help but think that the person was really stupid.


    The person was obviously either a student in the third year, or the fifth year. The fact that he wanted to remain hidden meant that he was skipping class.


    Just to annoy her?


    No, probably to get to know her.


    Such an idiot.


    The person must be a guy, for a girl wouldn''t go through all that just to get to know another girl.


    So, he must have been curious for there as nothing about her that was striking. In fact, she doubted that he had even managed to see her face as she always had her back to the building when she went to the field.


    All of his actions pointed out a few things about his character.


    Him skipping class meant he was a troublemaker - at the very least, a mischievous person. He may, or may not be, harmless.


    Secondly, the act of trying to get her attention by throwing something at her? That showed confidence and, to a certain degree, some arrogance. He must be popular and most likely, good looking.


    Did he expect her to obediently follow him and talk to him?


    Lianne rolled her eyes just thinking about it.


    Lianne thought idly that the guy must either be in the baseball team, or the basketball team. To be able to gauge the distance and throw accurately was something a baseball pitcher and a basketball player would be able to do.


    However, based on what had happened, it was most likely a baseball pitcher.


    To throw whatever it was that was thrown, there had to be some sort of power behind it. The throwing technique for throwing a ball into a hoop was different from a baseball player pitching a ball.


    Having come to that conclusion, Lianne made a mental note to stay away from all jocks, especially those from the baseball team. It wasn''t that she was looking down on them for she admired anyone with skill.


    Just that this experience made her feel that they''re probably going to be more trouble than their worth. The fact that this troublesome idiot had come out just to disturb her already pointed to it.


    She could do without it, thank you very much.


    Lianne preferred being low-key and away from all those ''popular'' people. Joey may love and thrive on it, but she didn''t.


    She sighed.


    Now that they were in high school, and remembering the way that Hope girl had fawned over her brother, Lianne suddenly felt that her high school life was going to be one torturous experience indeed.


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    Kay sat in the Cyberwar room, a place that she had not been in for quite some time.


    She tapped her finger on the table, glad that she was alone in here while everyone was in Country M.


    As for her own team, they had been dispatched elsewhere. After all, their job wasn''t to monitor her, or be her bodyguard; but rather, to help her in the running of the Smith Industries.


    In short, what Zero and the others appeared to be to the public, was exactly what her team was about. She didn''t have some vendetta, and she wasn''t involved in the Underworld either.


    However, right now ¡­


    She was doing something that she never thought she would ever do.


    Stalk someone.


    No, no, no ¡­ it wasn''t stalking.


    It was merely ''observing with care from a distance''.


    Stalking gave the impression of a crazed fan that would eventually pose a danger on the person that he, or she, was obsessing over.


    Kay wasn''t doing that at all.


    Her fingers flew across the keyboard, easily bypassing the firewall without leaving a trace.


    Luckily, the school that Joseph and Lianne were going to, had security cameras installed in all the common areas. It wasn''t as extensive as Sakura Academy, of course, but it was better than most.


    Tongue in cheek, Kay got the security feed easily. She picked up her phone and soon, managed to connect it to her phone. Then, she slipped in a special AI programme into the security programme of the school.


    The AI was something she had developed quite some time ago during the Kyle fiasco. From the initial spiders that she let loose in the Internet to capture and flag any posts about Kyle, it became a programme that would capture his image and send her alerts.


    Now, she used it to ensure that only Joseph would be recorded and sent to her phone, eliminating any other images. As a precautionary measure, she also had the AI work in the background to identify persons of interest.


    Ordinarily, ''person of interest'' was a term used by Country US to identify a person that is involved in a criminal investigation but has not been arrested as yet. However, for Kay, what she had done was created an algorithm whereby the AI would observe and recognise any behaviour that may be a threat.


    Thus, Kay''s hacking into the school system served two purposes.


    One, to ''observe'' Joseph and two, to ensure that the environment was safe.


    Kay hadn''t neglected Lianne, but she was placed ''in the background'', so to speak. The AI will continue to capture and oberve images of both Joseph and Lianne, but only the live stream mages of Joseph would be sent to her phone automatically and continuously. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In short, Joseph was the ''default'' mode. If Kay wanted to check up on Lianne, she would need to access the programme and click on it to do so.


    After spending a few more minutes to tie loose ends, Kay sat back in relief. It took longer than she expected, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She didn''t want to do a botch job for this did entail their safety as well.


    She continued to study the nine screens in front of her, which showed the feed for the main areas of the school.


    To her surprise, Joseph was still in school.


    She sat and watched him, seeing how easily he made friends. Class had just finished and people were surrounding him, talking to him with smiles on their faces. Her eyes narrowed a bit when she noticed that the girls were giving him googly eyes.


    Turns out the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. Even though he''s not biologically Kyle''s son, the charm he gives out appears to be the same as Kyle.

 Chapter 803 - School

    Chapter 803 - School Joseph found that his classmates were rather nice and friendly.


    Hope and Fern had been his first friends and they made sure that he was introduced to the class. Luckily, Hope didn''t tell them about him being in TokTik, but in the end, that didn''t matter ¡­ because it turned out that some of his male classmates were his followers as well.


    They started talking about workouts and diets, while the girls were whispering with each other from afar at first. They didn''t know about the TokTik, but did search it up the moment they found out about it.


    It was hard to imagine that the one in the video was the one in their classroom, but the reality was right in front of them. When they first saw the videos, they had thought it had been touched up but when they looked at the real deal in front of them, they realised that the video didn''t do him justice.


    They watched as Joseph laughed with the guys, and their knees turned to jelly.


    He was so nice! So friendly!


    Soon, they mustered up the courage to go over and talk to him as well. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the end of the class, Joseph had become the darling of the class.


    He was good-looking, a joker, friendly, and overall, a very nice guy. The best thing was, this treasure was theirs before he was known to the rest of the school when it reopens next year.


    "Sorry guys, but I''ve got to go," Joseph said, standing up, "Thanks for sharing the books with me."


    It was kinda weird to be hanging out in the classroom after the lessons were over as well, and Joseph didn''t think anything much by it - not realising that people were dilly-dallying in going out because of him.


    Once he started to head out, so did everyone else.


    Lianne was waiting for her brother impatiently at one side, hidden away from the main area. Well, hidden away from plain sight though she could see the entrance of the school.


    The last thing she wanted was to somehow bump into the weirdo that had tried to get her attention earlier. If she was just standing there waiting for her brother, she would be a sitting duck.


    Yet, as usual, he was late.


    Granted, not by much but when one was used the rules of the household, it was late. Their Dad was the type that if you arranged to meet at 1pm, then it meant you were ready and waiting 15 minutes earlier.


    Of course, since Joseph had classes, Lianne had timed it so that he would be out within 10 minutes.


    It had already been 20mins.


    Lianne sighed but figured that she should give him some leeway this time. After all, he was making new friends and all. She studied the school building again and sighed.


    Well, school is school.


    She wondered when her mother would be back. It would start being fun then.


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    Time passed by quicker than one would think.


    A new year, and a new routine in life.


    As Lianne expected, her brother became popular.


    That wasn''t a surprise, really, but what she did find surprising was how he seemed to fling himself with gusto seemingly into every activity in the school.


    He was also the ultimate ''nice guy'' that it was nauseating, because she had to listen to people talking about him. Lianne thought his popularity was exaggerated, truth be told, and was more likely due to the fact that he was a novelty.


    It should die down sooner or later.


    Lianne hoped it was sooner than later.


    The worst thing was, with him having such a high profile, she became known as well. Known by association, that is - which basically meant, due to her association with him, she was known.


    Urgh.


    And she also found out who that stupid idiot was.


    Yes, she used both ''stupid'' and ''idiot'' to describe him, indicating just how much she thought of him being so.


    Luckily, he didn''t figure out that the person he had seen was her.


    He didn''t know everyone in the school, so it was only natural that he wouldn''t have considered her being that person.


    So how did she know who he was?


    Simple.


    He was the one mouthing away asking every curly-haired girl that he saw as to whether ''she was the one that was sketching'' the other day. He even put up posters in the school, eliciting some oohing and aahing from fans.


    Of course, he began to be dubbed as the one who was looking for his ''one'' or something. Some romantic sh*t that people started making up.


    The moment Lianne heard about that, she started straightening her curls. She didn''t do much that she would have straight hair, but just enough so that it was wavy rather than the usual curly mop that she had.


    It made her even more agitated at the stupid fool because she had to spend extra time every morning to do her hair.


    She had been right about him being a pitcher for the baseball team, and was a third year. He was also good looking and popular, the typical jock guy full of confidence.


    The very sort of type that she would avoid.


    So, in short, Lianne''s high school life was a drag.


    She had an older brother that was popular and a weird doofus looking for her. At least, the latter would die out sooner or later but she was stuck with the former.


    The worst thing?


    Mama was back but she couldn''t see her often. She had only managed to drop by a couple of times but couldn''t do more than that.


    Papa didn''t let her and there was no reason she could give that would make him relent and give permission. After all, she was ''disturbing'' a busy CEO - and her father didn''t like the idea that it was a young guy.


    Lianne lay on her school desk, lamenting her sad fate.


    "Oh come on, it''s not that bad," came a voice from beside her.


    Lianne turned to face her deskmate, Brenda, and replied, "Yes, yes it is."


    "It''s been some time now, and he still hasn''t figured it out, so you''re pretty safe," Brenda pointed out, "And he''ll drop the matter soon."


    "Don''t underestimate the tenacity of the stupid," Lianne muttered under her breath, "They have endless hope fueled by naivety that surpasses normal human beings."


    Brenda laughed.


    "Just what goes on in that mind of yours?"


    Lianne sighed audibly, "I just want a low-key life, forgotten by the masses as I blend into the background while having to go through this rite of passage called ''school''."


    She looked at Brenda, "Is that too much to ask?"


    "With Joseph as your brother?" Brenda said with a smirk, "Yes."


    Lianne g.r.o.a.n.e.d.


    Brenda was a rare find and Lianne was grateful for having this person as her deskmate.


    She was not googly-eyed over Joseph, and, she had the same interests as her. Not everything, of course, but enough so that they could chat amicably without Lianne having to worry about the latest trends, fashion or boys.


    What were the chances of finding a kindred spirit?


    "But you know, your brother isn''t that bad," Brenda said.


    "Of course I know that," Lianne replied, "He''s like this, pure sweet angel or something. His heart is sincere."


    Brenda nodded.


    She may not know Joseph but she had heard of things from others. About how he treats people (girls, boys, it didn''t matter) and that he viewed friendship to be quite sacred. He often helped out without being asked, and went out of his way to help others as well.


    "But he''s just too ¡­" Lianne sighed.


    Too pure that sometimes, he was just too dense. He was also unaware of his surroundings sometimes that it was a bit annoying.


    Lianne didn''t say those words but instead, said, "He''s my brother. Need I say more?"


    Brenda shrugged.


    Just then, Lianne felt the phone in her pocket buzz. Since it was self-study period, they were not monitored that strictly. Thus, Lianne could check out the phone message.


    Her mood perked up when she saw that it was from Beatrice.


    She opened it eagerly, and smiled widely at the message. She got up, taking her bag and told Brenda, "Something has come up so I''ll be making a move."


    "Is everything okay?" Brenda asked worriedly.


    "Don''t worry, all is good," Lianne replied. More than good.


    Beatrice had texted and requested her to come and appease the bad-mood CEO. She had already obtained leave from the school for her, and the best thing?


    Zero was waiting to pick her up.


    She texted Beatrice as she headed to her brother''s classroom <What about my father?>


    <He''s been informed that your sponsors need to talk to you>


    Sweet.


    <So you shall go home with him later>


    Not so sweet.

 Chapter 804 - It Must Never Be

    Chapter 804 - It Must Never Be Lianne sighed.


    It wasn''t that she hated her father. She loved him.


    There was just this love-hate relationship because he didn''t really know how to deal with her. Lianne was also well aware of how much he loved her, but it didn''t make what he said, or did, hurt any less.


    Even when he didn''t mean it the way he said it.


    She was sure that he was going to give her some life advice on the way home and most likely full of ''not disturbing Mr. Kyle so much'' speech.


    Once she reached her brother''s class, she noted tha the teacher had stopped the lessons and the class was doing some work. She knocked politely, and requested to see Joseph.


    Joseph, upon hearing his sister''s voice, looked up and then at the teacher. She nodded, saying, "Five minutes."


    Thanking the teacher as he passed her, he walked out and asked her in the corridor, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing''s wrong," Lianne said, "I''m heading to Smith Industries to meet up with Kyle, then going back with Papa. We have permission to leave."


    Joseph shook his head, "No, but are you sure this is a good idea?"


    "Why is it a bad idea?" Lianne countered back.


    "Well ¡­ he''s ¡­ you know, THE Kyle Smith," Joseph said awkwardly, "And a guy, and ¡­"


    Lianne gave him the ''are you serious'' look and he shut up.


    "Don''t you start," Lianne said, "You know very well that he''s a close friend."


    "I know, I know," Jospeh said, putting up his hands, "It''s just that people will talk .."


    "I don''t care about what people will talk about," Lianne cut in, "As long as the ones close to me know the truth, the rest doesn''t matter."


    "It''s not that simple," he hissed, "Rumours can be very bad and hurt you."


    Lianne shrugged, "Only if I let them hurt me."


    Joseph sighed and waved her off, "You go ahead. I have lessons to catch up on so just ask Papa to pick me up like normal."


    "Okay," Lianne replied, glad that he dropped the matter.


    Joseph watched his younger sister go, the uneasiness in his heart not quite appeased.


    He understood what she was saying, but how can she be unaffected by what people may say? He knew very well that Lianne looked up at Kyle and nothing else, and Kyle - for some strange reason - treated her very well.


    There was absolutely nothing going on between them. If there had been, there was no way that either he, or his father, would allow Lianne to go and meet up with Kyle so much.


    It was just that ¡­ people were starting to talk.


    It wasn''t much yet, and appeared to be more like curiosity, but isn''t that how it started?


    He clenched his hands.


    He was already bothered by what people were saying about his sister and Kyle ¡­ imagine if they knew how he felt about Kay?


    That was worse.


    In truth, the rumours that were starting didn''t really paint Lianne in a bad light. She was the ''naive youngster'' that the ''evil lecherous pedophile'' was l.u.s.ting over.


    Kyle was the bad guy in this.


    Joseph couldn''t imagine if word of his feelings for Kay got out. Wouldn''t they paint her in the same dirty brush? That she was some vixen who seduced such a young, impressionable boy?


    The thought of anyone slandering her made his blood boil.


    He turned back to his classroom, determined more than ever to never let his feelings for Kay see light. It must never be.


    Unlike Lianne who couldn''t be bothered by such rumours, he was the type that would be extremely affected by them.


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    Lianne walked out to meet up with Zero, while wondering what sort of ''emergency'' that Beatrice was referring to. Sure, she said that Mama was being cranky but she couldn''t imagine how scary that would be.


    Then again, she only knew her as her mother, and not as the youngest ever CEO.


    For Beatrice to send out an S.O.S, it meant that the situation must be pretty bad.


    Lianne couldn''t help but laugh a bit at that because she really couldn''t imagine her mother being so scary. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, she was kinda looking forward to seeing it.


    Her mother, being all bad-ass.


    Her eyes lit up upon seeing Zero waiting outside, standing at the car.


    He was waiting underneath the trees that lined the street, and Lianne''s breath caught at the vision he was.


    Dang, but he''s so pretty. The way his hair glistened in the sunlight that peeked through the trees, and the way the shadows were so perfectly captured on his features that made the whole thing so picturesque.


    Her hands were itching to sketch that scene, but she knew she couldn''t because she didn''t have the time.


    She whipped out her phone and took several pictures, hoping to capture it for all eternity and use it as reference later on. It wasn''t perfect, but it was better than nothing.


    Zero watched her as she excitedly kept on taking pictures of him, and he didn''t move, allowing her to do so.


    Usually, he would have stepped away when such a thing happened (and it happened a lot, with girls normally trying to taking pictures of him sneakily), but this was Lianne. Someone special to Sir, so he wouldn''t deny her anything.


    Lianne came over to him, smiling happily, saying, "Thank you, Zero, for letting me take pictures of you."


    Of course she knew that he allowed her, and she had to thank him, right?


    "Anything for you, Ms. Lianne," Zero replied respectfully, opening the door for her.


    "Thank you," Lianne said politely, going in, "But can''t you call me Lianne?"


    "No, Ms. Lianne," Zero answered, getting into the driver''s seat.


    Lianne would have preferred to sit in front, beside Zero, but she knew that would make him go into hysterics or something. He was just so uptight!


    It made her want to tease him for it.


    But she wouldn''t.


    ¡­


    ...


    Not much, anyway.


    "So, Zero," Lianne began, as she studied the back of his head, "What''s up with Kyle?"


    "Nothing, Ms. Lianne," Zero answered.


    "Oh come on," Lianne pressed on, "If Beatrice could reach out to me, it must be bad?"


    "Not really, Ms. Lianne," came the stoic reply.


    Lianne grinned and leaned forward - as much as her seatbelt allowed, "If you can''t tell me, then I may not be able to help."


    "Just you being there calms Sir down, Ms. Lianne," Zero replied.


    "That may be," Lianne said, tapping the back of the chair, "But if I don''t know the extent of how bad it is, I won''t be able to talk to him about it. Perhaps, prevent future ones?"


    Zero was quiet.


    "Oh, come on, Zero," Lianne said sweetly, trying her best to sound coquettish while inwardly cringing, "You can tell me."


    Zero didn''t say a word.


    "Please?" Lianne pressed on, making her voice as sugary sweet as possible, "Pretty please with sugar on it? And chocolate sprinkles?"


    Zero pressed his lips together, and peeked at her through the rearview mirror, only to see her looking at him, blinking her eyes innocently.


    He focused back on the road.


    "There''s nothing much to say, Ms. Lianne," Zero finally answered and went silent again.


    Lianne pursed her lips and leaned back on her chair.


    She gave a smile and thought that he was a tough nut to crack. Still admired him, though, for he wouldn''t budge or spill anything even though she was ''special'' to Kyle.


    Still, he would have cracked sooner or later, if the way he gripped the steering wheel was any indication. He was trying so hard to be firm and unmoving, but he wasn''t as calm as he appeared to be.


    Interesting.


    Lianne put her earphones on and started playing her game. However, although she appeared to be playing, in reality, she was thinking about borrowing Zero once in a while.


    You know, to draw.


    Tease occasionally.


    Maybe Mama wouldn''t mind letting him be her security detail for a while as a cover?


    Just thinking it made her smile widely. Zero, who glanced in the rearview mirror, saw this. He had been relieved that Lianne had finally stopped asking him questions and was engrossed in her game.


    However, seeing that smile ... a sense of foreboding arose and he broke out in a cold sweat.


    Zero gulped and pushed the thought out of his mind. Whatever it was, and whatever she was perhaps up to, he would face it head-on.


    it was Lianne, after all.


    She wouldn''t do anything bad to him, right?


    Zero parked the car in the special spot in front of Smith Industries. However, just as he got out, Lianne had also pushed open the door and got out without waiting for Zero to open the door.


    Much to Zero''s dismay and frustration.


    "It''s fine, Zero," Lianne said with a smile upon seeing his dejected face, "No need for any special treatment. Having you drive me is a huge privilege already, okay? I''m ordinary."


    "No, you''re not," Zero insisted, shaking his head, "You are Sir''s ¡­"


    "Ah ah ah," Lianne said firmly as she passed him by, "Ordinary."


    Zero closed his mouth, not able to retort as she was already in front of him.


    He followed behind her, observing her straight back and he thought to himself, ''Hardly ordinary.''


    She may be 13-years-old, but the way she talked and carried herself showed otherwise.


    Zero was impressed and respected her highly.

 Chapter 805 - Dont be Angry

    Chapter 805 - Don''t be Angry Lianne waved her special ID card through the system and the security in charge''s eyes popped wide open when the details came up.


    He looked up in surprise to see this young girl walking through, then Zero following behind her.


    Who, in Smith Industries, didn''t know who Zero was?


    Zero was part of the CEO''s elite team, who not only had specialised skills in aiding the CEO, their martial arts were above the norm. For him to be escorting the young girl who held that special VIP card, meant that her position was very special indeed.


    He committed her face to his memory.


    No way was he going to be like some fool, insulting her or something, and then getting fired.


    Zero watched in surprise as Lianne headed to the normal elevator instead of the VIP lift. With her access card, she could easily use it.


    Nonetheless, he said nothing as he stood slightly behind her, and to her side.


    She glanced at him for a bit, saying, "Isn''t it more fun this way?"


    Zero''s expression didn''t change but anyone around him felt the atmosphere becoming a little more oppressive.


    Lianne nudged him a little, smiling, and said, "Come on, Zero. Live a little."


    Lianne didn''t like crowds either but she was even more uncomfortable to use the VIP lift without her mother. It was like she would be abusing the privilege given to her, even though it wasn''t.


    It all boiled down to the fact that it wasn''t hers, so using it didn''t feel right. If this was her own building, or her mother in this life, then she wouldn''t be bothered.


    Zero didn''t change his expression nor move when Lianne had nudged him - though the people behind him had this look of absolute horror on their faces. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who didn''t know how unapproachable Zero was? He was the one that was the last sociable and cranky. His face looked like it was set in stone or something, hardly showing any sort of expression.


    No one dared to be acting familiar with him and yet, this girl did?


    She even touched him!


    And ¡­ he didn''t retaliate nor respond.


    Some hidden MIB agents, upon seeing this, shook their heads while rubbing their eyes. It was only recently the ''Silver Volcano'' epic eruption had reverted in the MIB gr.a.p.evine. The things Zero had done as well to those that were caught made even the most seasoned ones shudder a bit.


    A lot of the MIB agents had their world view shift because of it. Zero had always been the aloof type so the legend had been taken with a pinch of salt.


    When it had happened again, it was clear that the legend had actually been downplayed.


    Lianne went to the panel on the wall, and pressed the keypad to indicate the floor she wanted to go to. After doing so, the number 4 was shown, indicating that it would be elevator #4 would be her ''ride''.


    Hence, she went to nearer to the elevator, followed closely by Zero. Once the elevator arrived, Zero stood back and waited as those who were ''assigned'' that lift, headed in.


    Once Lianne was inside, Zero gave her a nod as the doors slowly closed.


    "Thank you Zero!" Lianne shouted just as the doors closed fully.


    She had initially thought that Zero would only leave her once she was ''handed over'' to Kyle, but it turns out that he didn''t have to accompany her all the way up. The lift was secure, after all.


    Lianne tsked at herself.


    She should have thought of that, really. She had been too engrossed thinking of other things to have made that deduction, and thus, did not manage to thank Zero before getting on the lift.


    What a pity.


    She didn''t have time to tease him just a little bit more.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    That evening, as expected, her father gave her some long-winded speech about ''proprietary'' and ''being a lady'' as they headed over to pick up Joseph from school. Lianne answered non-commitingly, making the proper grunts of acknowledgment once in a while.


    Luckily, her father was busy driving so he didn''t have the opportunity to see her facial expression and perhaps, start a whole new tirade about it.


    Lianne sighed a bit as she looked out the window.


    She couldn''t wait for the day when she becomes a legal a.d.u.l.t, so that her father would stop all of this sort of speech.


    Then again, perhaps not.


    Lianne began thinking about her mother and how much she had embraced herself as the male Kyle Smith. From the looks of it, she had also fallen hard for Sayuri.


    It wasn''t that difficult to make the connection, for she had already seen it when they were at Country M. The one that had been constantly by her mother''s side, was her, Sayuri.


    Lianne had also seen how caring and attentive Sayuri had been towards Kyle - and, how her mother had treated Sayuri. Her suspicions grew then, but it was confirmed today.


    One thing was for sure though.


    Once her mother found out about the crush that her brother was having, the sh*t would hit the fan. She hoped she would be in the safe zone, and away from any blame or repercussions.


    ? Elsewhere, a month or so ago ?


    Ali ran his fingers through his hair.


    He was ready to throw the file onto the floor and stomp on it. Maybe in that way, it could finally be said that he had left his mark on it. His footprints, at least.


    He sighed, thinking that even he thought that joke was lame.


    Ali wondered what the other Elite Five were doing.


    As expected, once all of them had graduated, they could not meet up as they used to. The bond was still there, however.


    The type of bond that when you do meet up - even if it was five years later - it would be as if they had never been apart.


    Each was busy with their own lives. They all had responsibilities, be it for work or family. As for him, being groomed to take over his father was part of the responsibilities that he bore.


    However, unlike it was for Kyle, he would only take over once his father had either passed on, or became senile. In the meantime, he learned and worked side-by-side with his father.


    Should (or when) he has sons, then his sons would do the same. In fact, it would be strange for three generations to be working side-by-side in one company, or have the grandson take over instead.


    Ali smiled wistfully.


    Children.


    He had been married for quite some time now, but they have yet to be blessed with children. He hadn''t wanted to cause Sofiya any undue pressure, so he had never talked to her about it.


    Ali just left it to God, for now, believing that whatever it was, it was for the best. If they were still childless after another year, then perhaps it would be time to see a specialist.


    Normally, one would conceive naturally within a year if they have unprotected s.e.x and it was advisable to see the doctor if they failed to conceive by then.


    Ali could tell that Sofiya was more affected than him, so he made sure to be supportive of her and not cause more pressure. It was hard, though, because he had to push aside his worry and fear in order to not make her feel worse.


    Worry, because there may not be a solution. He had the fear that either he, or Sofiya, is infertile. If he was infertile, then he felt like he had robbed her of her chance to be a mother - something that he knew she wanted to be more than anything.


    If it was her that was infertile, he knew that she would feel very bad about it and knowing her, she may suggest something ridiculous like getting another wife.


    He married her because he loved her, not because of her ability to bear children.


    For Ali, he wanted nothing more than to have little Sofiyas all over the house but if it was not meant to be, it will not be. He had the money to go for fertility treatments, but he was also well aware of the possibility that it could not be cured.


    Ali was brought out of his thoughts when Sofiya came into the study with a tray with a mug of tea and some snacks. He headed over, taking the tray from her.


    "I told you that you should get the help to do this," Ali admonished her gently as he placed the tray on the coffee table.


    "I wanted to do this for my husband. Can''t I?"


    "Of course you can, my love, but what''s wrong?" Ali asked worriedly, noticing her nervousness.


    "I''ve ... been hiding something from you," Sofiya admitted, "Please don''t get angry."

 Chapter 806 - Courage

    Chapter 806 - Courage Ali got worried because she looked really guilty at that moment.


    He took her hands in his, and kissed the back of her hands before looking at her straight in the eye, saying, "You must have had a good reason to. I won''t be angry."


    Sofiya looked down, squeezing his hands.


    Then, she took one hand and placed it on her stomach.


    Ali froze.


    Did she mean ¡­ ?


    He looked towards her happily, but was taken aback.


    The expected happiness on her face was not there. Instead, she was nervously looking down. Ali got really worried and with his other hand, he lifted up her chin.


    He was shocked to see her looking like she was holding back tears and he placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to look at her face as he asked "My love, what is the matter?"


    Sofiya didn''t seem to be able to answer, the words stuck in her throat. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.


    It had taken a lot of courage for her to come to him and she had actually wanted to run off earlier, but she couldn''t keep him in the dark any longer.


    But she was so scared.


    Even though her head had been bowed down now, she had seen his expression when she placed his hand on her stomach.


    He had looked puzzled, shocked, and then happy.


    Why wouldn''t he be, right?


    She was, too.


    The first time she discovered she was pregnant.


    "Please, Sofiya," Ali whispered desperately, "You''re scaring me. What is wrong?"


    He took her into his arms, hugging her tightly to him and said as she sobbed quietly in his c.h.e.s.t, "Whatever it is, I am here for you. No matter what it is, I love you. Can''t you tell me what is bothering you?"


    Sofiya sniffled, rubbing her face in his c.h.e.s.t.


    "Are you pregnant?" Ali asked softly.


    Sofiya stiffened and then nodded.


    Ali held her tight, his c.h.e.s.t constricted and a lump was in his throat. For Sofiya to be acting like this, there must be something wrong, right?


    The thought that Sofiya didn''t want the pregnancy never entered his mind at all.


    "Talk to me, Sofiya," Ali urged gently, "Please."


    Sofiya pushed Ali and started wringing her hands.


    "This ¡­ this isn''t the first time I got pregnant," Sofiya whispered, her head down.


    Ali stared at her, surprised yet again.


    "I''ve had four miscarriages," Sofiya continued and Ali''s heart twisted.


    This was what she had been hiding from him?


    She had gone through all of that, alone?


    He wasn''t angry.


    He was upset.


    So very, very upset that she didn''t confide in him.


    Was he so unreliable?


    Sofiya, seemingly able to understand what he was thinking, put a hand on his arm, looking at him pleadingly, "It isn''t you."


    She could see the hurt in his eyes and she hurried to explain, "At first, I didn''t know I had been pregnant and miscarried. I just thought I had an unusually heavy period."


    Ali placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb c.a.r.e.s.sing it. Without a word, he took her hand and then leaned back on the corner edge of the sofa while putting up one leg on the seat.


    Sofiya understood and sat on his l.a.p, leaning against his c.h.e.s.t as he held her close. He gingerly placed a hand on her stomach, that he could feel was slightly rounded (but it could be his imagination since he knew now).


    Feeling safe and secure in his arms, and not needing to see his face, Sofiya found that she could talk easier now.


    "It was only when it happened the second time did I go to see a doctor about it," Sofiya said, "I didn''t think much about it, so I didn''t really tell you. It wasn''t that I was hiding it from you."


    "Not purposely, anyway."


    Ali was quiet, not wanting to say anything lest he interrupted her and caused her to be more nervous.


    "To cut the long story short, I was eventually diagnosed as having cervical insufficiency," Sofiya continued, "Which basically means, I have trouble carrying a baby to term."


    "I know, I should have told you then, but ¡­ I just couldn''t," Sofiya said, her voice barely a whisper, "There is no treatment for it. There are things that can be done to promote a healthy pregnancy ¡­ but ¡­"


    "But?" prompted Ali when she faltered.


    "But I always miscarried within the first month," Sofiya said, crying again. Though they may not have been formed enough to be a life, to her, they were already a life that she lost.


    "I didn''t want you to feel the loss like I did," Sofiya said.


    Ali closed his eyes, the anger rising and he worked hard to quash it down. Now was not the time for anger, or even the blaming game, for it would not solve anything.


    To think that she had suffered like this, all by herself, tore up at him.


    Because he had not realised it either.


    "I''m sorry, Ali," Sofiya said, "I just ¡­ I just didn''t want you to feel the pain."


    "Sofiya," Ali said with a sigh, "We are husband and wife. I have failed in my duties to you .."


    "No, it isn''t you, Ali!" Sofiya denied, turning around to look at him.


    Ali shook his head, "Yes, it is, Sofiya."


    He looked at her tenderly, his eyes full of anguish, "I am supposed to protect you, care for you, and love you. How could you have gone through all of that alone?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I hid it from you," Sofiya pointed out.


    "I know you did that because you were thinking of me, but know this," Ali said, "Knowing that you went through all of that alone is far more painful to me. We are to share our burdens, our joys, and our sorrows. Do you not see me as your husband?"


    "I ¡­" Sofiya stammered, not knowing what to say. Her intentions may have been good but seeing how much pain he was in right now, made her rethink her decision.


    "That past is the past," Ali said firmly, "Don''t hide things like this from me again, okay?"


    Sofiya could only nod.


    "So now, tell me," Ali pressed on, touching her stomach, "You gathered your courage to tell me now, so what is wrong with our baby?"


    "Nothing," Sofiya said, "Yet."


    "Meaning?"


    "I ¡­ I think I am 2 and a half months pregnant," Sofiya said, "And ¡­ and ¡­ this is the longest ¡­"


    She looked up at him in fear, "I''m scared of losing our baby again."


    Ali held her tightly, saying, "We shall do our best to make sure you, and our baby, are safe. I will look for the best doctor to monitor this and we will do everything to make sure you''re well."


    Then, Ali said softly, "But know this, if it''s not meant to be, then we can only accept it. Don''t stress yourself so much.? That''s not good for you, or our baby. Okay?"


    Sofiya nodded, feeling relieved.


    She had been carrying this secret for so long, and shouldering it by herself all this time that she was mentally exhausted.


    Hearing his words, feeling his support, she felt acutely how stupid she had been to have kept this from him.


    "Thank you," Sofiya said softly, wrapping her hands around his waist.


    Ali kissed the top of her head, "You are my wife, Sofiya. Half of my soul. Always remember that."


    Sofiya nodded, understanding that he meant she must rely on him more. She was used to being independent and doing things by herself. She had figured, that this was her body and so, she should find the solution herself.


    What she had neglected, however, was that Ali was not there to ''take over'' or stop her from being independent. Relying on him didn''t mean she was weak, and he wouldn''t have thought of her any less.


    It was only natural, for there to be support for their loved one.


    Feeling his support right now gave her the strength and courage to face this uncertainty and fear.


    He was right.


    "I''m sorry," she mumbled against his c.h.e.s.t, her words muffled. She had apologized before, but she still felt bad about it.


    "And I, too, am sorry," Ali said, holding her tight.


    They were quiet for a few minutes, just relishing the closeness at that moment.


    Ali broke the silence by saying, "We need to prepare the nursery. Ummi will be happy to help, so you should discuss this with her."


    "A nursery?" Sofiya asked, "But what if -"


    Ali put his hand over her lips, saying, "Ssssh. We hope for the best and prepare for the worst. We need to welcome our child into this world properly. Be it this one, or the next."


    Sofiya''s lips trembled. Ali kissed her softly, comforting her repeatedly.


    That night, as Sofiya slept peacefully, Ali was at his table, making plans for her care and their baby. There was a lot to do.

 Chapter 807 - The Others (R18)

    Chapter 807 - The Others (R18) While Ali was busy making plans, another couple was making plans, too.


    Xing Han pursed his lips while looking at his room.


    He didn''t think he had acc.u.mulated *this* much stuff just by staying here. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He yelped when strong arms encircled his waist from behind and kisses being rained at the side of his neck.


    "Cookie!" Xing Han shouted, hitting his beloved''s hands, "Stop that! I have to finish packing!"


    Nitocris ignored him, as he nuzzled his neck.


    Xing Han rapped Nitocris''s head and said as sternly as he could, "Stop being silly, Cookie. The sooner we move, the sooner you can have me all to yourself."


    Nitocris laughed softly, kissed Xing Han''s cheek and slapped his b.u.t.t just before letting him go, "I can have you all to myself right now, and then move ¡­"


    Xing Han huffed, turned around and pinched Nitocris''s cheeks. He gave him a peck or two on the lips and then pushed him out, "I''m talking about moving house, Cookie. Stop distracting me. Go to work!"


    Nitocris just had a call earlier, and Xing Han knew that there must be some problem cropping up in his ''other'' job.


    Nitocris stood at the doorway for a while, and then asked, "Are you sure about this, Puppy?"


    Xing Han raised an eyebrow, "Sure about what? About us??!"


    Nitocris''s eyes narrowed dangerously, staring at him in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as he said through gritted teeth, "Say that again?"


    Xing Han blinked innocently then gave him a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his neck and not wanting to back down, "Heh. Be clear then."


    Nitocris was the type that tended to give curt answers and short sentences, which Xing Han found irritating at times. There had been a few occasions that he had misunderstood what Nitocris was saying and that led to a few funny situations (though it wasn''t funny at that time).


    Xing Han knew that Nitocris always felt guilty about him leaving his family, for him, and so, that had been his first thought when Nitocris asked the question.


    Obviously, the way his Cookie reacted, he was not happy that he had even suggested such a thing.


    "How am I supposed to know what you mean?" Xing Han mumbled unhappily.


    Nitocris now stood in front of him and grabbed Xing Han''s face in his hands, then proceeded to give Xing Han a mind-numbing kiss. He plunged his tongue in and continued his onslaught into his sweet Puppy''s inner goodness, entangling that slippery tongue fiercely.


    By the time their lips parted, Xing Han was breathing heavily and his face was flushed.


    "Are you sure about moving? You''ll be alone whenever I have to go out at night," Nitocris said, equally breathless as he continued to give his little puppy kisses.


    "I''m an a.d.u.l.t now, Cookie," Xing Han replied, running his hands all over Nitocris''s back, "I know what to do."


    "Okay," Nitocris said, kissing him deeply again.


    When Nitocris finally left, Xing Han took several minutes to calm down. It wasn''t fair that he had to take time to do so, while Nitocris could nonchalantly walk out of the house to go to work.


    They made this decision to move because it was time.


    The reason why Nitocris was staying with his mum had been to help her in her recovery. Now that she is fine, and married to Shifu, there was no need for him to stay.


    They had delayed it for about a year because they didn''t want to rush it. Partly to get their house ready and partly to help Hawthorne and May with their latest addition. The couple would be moving to this side of the house while Shifu and Rheia stayed in the other.


    It was a perfect solution as Nitocris could be assured that his mother wouldn''t be too lonely, since the two houses were connected. Kyle''s foresight and plans from before made this much easier for Nitocris.


    Xing Han went to his closet and started packing again, mumbling in dissatisfaction about how easily Nitocris could leave without a backward glance.


    Of course, little did Xing Han know, Nitocris had to use monumental effort to do so. If he had turned to look at his puppy, he would have kicked the door closed and devoured him for a few hours.


    But he couldn''t.


    Thus, right now, he was extremely cranky for having to leave behind his puppy and instead, deal with this issue at hand.


    Zack, who was waiting outside patiently for Nitocris, sighed loudly upon seeing Nitocris''s black face come into view. Zack blew a bubble with his chewing gum and popped it, s.u.c.k.i.n.g it back in and chewing it again.


    Somebody''s head is going to roll tonight, he thought.


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    In a rather exclusive island resort of Country Bds, Sam was staring at the face of his beloved wife as she lay sleeping peacefully on the bed.


    He took in her gentle face, long eyelashes, lips slightly swollen from all the kissing he had given her the night before. His eyes wandered down and he slowly pulled the blanket off of her, revealing the snowy white skin that was littered with his handiwork.


    As his gaze fell on her twin peaks that were slowly rising up and down with her breathing, a certain part of his body started rising.


    Sam''s lips curled to a smile as he cupped her fullness in his hands, running his thumb over the puckering bud, his eyes on her face.


    He watched as his wife''s face frowned in her sleep, her lips parting as she started breathing through her mouth.


    His bunny could really sleep ¡­


    Tongue in cheek, Sam wondered how much he could do without waking her up.


    This was something worthy of experimenting, was it not?


    Sam inched closer to Betty, and she instinctively sought his body warmth as her own body was starting to feel the chill. Sam''s hand wandered down to touch her most intimate spot, and her body twitched a bit.


    Sam''s hand stilled and when she didn''t move, his fingers gently c.a.r.e.s.sed her mound. He touched her bud, and then slid his finger up and down the opening. Still asleep, her breathing became heavier as he felt his fingers getting wetter.


    He slowly touched the entrance to her cave, and he inserted a finger in slowly.


    His eye darkening, he looked at his still sleeping wife, completely oblivious to his gentle administrations.


    Her body, however, was responding quite well and he remembered how he had not been able to make her climax during their lovemaking.


    Betty had been extremely shy and scared when they started their physical intimacy, and Sam did not want to be too aggressive with her first time. Unfortunately, he was unable to last for long either as she felt too incredible when he entered her for the first time.


    He had wanted to carry on throughout the night, but his skittish wife was too overwhelmed over their first time together that he had to hold himself back.


    Seems like this was something he would need to train her for. No way was one time enough.


    Sam took his finger out, and covered Betty''s shoulder with the blanket. He slowly pushed her so that she was lying on her back now. He went underneath the blanket and inbetween her legs, placing his mouth over her core.


    He had been wanting to do this last night, but she had been too embarrassed. Now, however, he had the freedom to do so and he indulged himself.


    While Sam was enjoying himself, Betty was having a weird dream. At first, she had been walking on the beach with Sam when the scene shifted and she was now sitting in the ocean.


    Her legs felt numb, and she was sitting on some sharp rocks.


    No matter how she tried to move, she couldn''t and she could see the fishes through the clear sea, nibbling at her. It was weird.


    Her face started to flush as she was starting to feel hot.


    Not hot, as in being warm, but her body seemed to be heating up from within.


    It was a pleasurable sensation and she was confused as to what it was and what could be causing it. As the feeling got stronger, her eyes fluttered open, her mind still in a haze of sleep.


    The sensations got stronger and she was hearing these strange sounds. It took her sleepy mind to register that she couldn''t move her legs and the feelings were building up within her.


    Before she could fathom that her newly wedded husband was in between her legs, she screamed as she came. It was only then that she realised the strange sounds from earlier was her m.o.a.ning.


    She was breathing heavily through her mouth, her eyes still closed as the wave of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e slowly ebbed down. She felt a certain weight come over her and something rubbing over her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e core.


    Betty opened her eyes fully, focusing her eyes to see a smiling Sam who then kissed her. She wanted to protest at first, as her mouth felt icky from morning breath but Sam didn''t seem to care as his tongue invaded inside.


    It was as if her entire body was super s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and she felt so turned on just from that kiss. Without breaking the kiss, his hand went down and guided his c*ck into her waiting cave and thrust inside.


    Betty m.o.a.n.e.d at the back of her throat, feeling him fill her up inside so smoothly. Sam stopped when he was fully inside, and shifted his position a bit, bringing her legs up to his waist so that he could go in deeper.


    Once in position, he began his thrusts. Slowly at first, then faster. Betty clutched his muscular shoulders, and she couldn''t help the sounds coming through her lips. The sensations were far more incredible than last night and she felt the same familiar sensation from before, building up within her.


    She understood what it was now and she gasped, "Sam ¡­ ah ¡­ I''m ¡­ah ¡­ ah ... I''m c.u.m.m.i.n.g ¡­"


    With those words, Sam clenched his teeth, and picked up the pace. He was close as well but he refused to climax first until she did.


    It was hard, though, with her writhing and m.o.a.ning beneath him. When she finally did, he let himself go and both of them held on to each other tightly.


    When Betty opened her eyes again, she saw her husband smiling tenderly at her, then kiss her gently.


    He kissed her earlobe, causing her to shiver. She then gasped as she felt him grow bigger again within her. Sam smirked and whispered, "That was only Round 1."


    "Ah?"


    Betty learned quickly.

 Chapter 808 - The Plan

    Chapter 808 - The Plan Back to Country Tz, in another part of town, Beatrice observed Yuri that was sitting across of her.


    True to their word, one of them would come to pick her up each day and she''d go and have a dinner date with who it was that came. Today, it was Yuri''s turn.


    Beatrice could no longer deny the fact that she did have strong feelings for the twins. It had been ''I am interested'' and ''let''s date'' at first, but now, she found herself to be extremely possessive.


    When she thought about it, it had perhaps already been there from as way back as when she met Grandpa Anton for the first time. The first hint, that is, since she got annoyed at the two girls.


    "Yuri," Beatrice called out to him, "Has the matter with those girls been settled?"


    Yuri didn''t need to ask who she was referring to and he tilted his head a bit, sighing while asking, "Have they contacted you in any way?"


    Beatrice shook her head.


    "Zack and I have already made our stance clear to them," Yuri told her, "To leave you and Grandpa Anton alone and that we aren''t interested in them at all."


    "But?" Beatrice prompted, seeing the slight hesitation in his eyes.


    "They seemed to take it," Yuri replied slowly.


    "But you don''t quite believe that they''ll let it go?" Beatrice said, helpfully finishing the sentence while looking at him with a slight frown.


    Yuri quickly reached out and grabbed her hand, looking at her apologetically, "I know that this is not satisfactory ¡­"


    Beatrice pulled her hand a bit, freeing it from Yuri''s grasp as she continued eating, interrupting him, "If you know it, then why?"


    Yuri sighed, retracting his hand, "They haven''t done anything to indicate that they have not accepted what we said. They''re still family, so making a move on them without reason would only backfire on us."


    Beatrice nodded in understanding, and acknowledge his point but pointed out, "That may be so, but it could be too late should they make a move." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yuri''s face suddenly went cold, his eyes narrowing and his demeanor changed. Beatrice did not notice this as she was focused on the food on her plate.


    "If they dare harm even a single strand of hair on your head, they''ll be dead," Yuri said nonchalantly, while he gripped his cutlery a little bit too hard as he thought of the possibility.


    They had already set people to secretly monitor the movements of the two girls. Including having their men trail Beatrice to protect her. Nitocris had allowed them to use their resources, so they did.


    Word was also put out that Beatrice was not a mark that anyone could take.


    They had done what they could to protect their beloved, but it still rubbed them the wrong way that they couldn''t just eliminate the two girls as a precautionary measure. If they weren''t family, they would have long been 6 feet underground ¡­ or at the bottom of the ocean.


    Beatrice''s hands stilled for a second when she heard Yuri, for she felt that Yuri meant that literally. She looked up at him, only to see that he appeared normal and she thought she must have imagined it.


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    "Are you sure about this, Stella?" Bella asked her sister for the umpteenth time.


    Stella rolled her eyes and, using her pointer finger, poked her sister''s forehead and pushed it hard, saying, "You want to back off now?"


    Bella rubbed her forehead, saying, "Zack seemed pretty serious when he warned us off."


    "So?" Stella snorted, "He''s always serious."


    "No, he''s not," Bella said, "He''s the playful one. Yuri is the serious one. I can''t believe you still don''t know this! And you know, Yuri may not have said much but ¡­"


    Stella waved her hand in front of her face, saying, "They wouldn''t dare do anything to us. After all, we''re family."


    "That may be so, but they have never warned us like this before," Bella said, her voice a bit low as she hesitated.


    Bella was the type that tended to follow her stronger sister, Stella, and this was the first time she was going against her. No, not so much the first time as Stella wasn''t that unreasonable.


    Bella could give her opinion and say if she doesn''t agree on something that they were going to do, but this was the first time she actually kept on at it. Normally, she would give her opinion once, and if Stella disagreed, she let it go.


    "Look, have I ever been wrong? Or led you astray?" Stella said in a huff, crossing her arms across her c.h.e.s.t.


    Bella shook her head reluctantly, for Stella was right.


    So far, none of the things she had planned and done, had a bad result. In other words, she was always right.


    That''s how they managed to get the twins in the first place. Including getting rid of the more problematic flies that hung around them. The ones that seemed to want to hang on, that is.


    Though there were the occasional one ¡­ or two ¡­ that they were especially annoyed at and had eliminated before the twins hooked up with them. They knew what sort of girls the twins tended to approach, so this Beatrice had been a total surprise.


    She had side-swiped them completely.


    And even until now, they didn''t know which of the twins she was seeing.


    They did know that she was picked up by a Dante twin everyday, but since it was one of them, they couldn''t tell who it was. It was hard enough to tell them apart when they were together, but it was impossible to know when they were apart.


    "So it''s settled," Stella said.


    Bella had no choice but to agree, despite the nagging doubt in her mind.


    "The first step is to try and create discord between them," Stella said, repeating the plan that she had come up with, "If that fails, only then will Rudy make a move."


    "But we haven''t managed to even make a move on her yet," Bella said in exasperation, "She''s always either in the office, or at home - and she''s always escorted by either Zack or Yuri."


    Stella rolled her eyes at Bella, "Such a small hiccup and you''re already being so anxious? It''s easy. If she won''t come out, then we go in."


    Bella was enlightened.


    "You have people in there?" Bella said in surprise, "I''m impressed. The Smith Building''s security is so tight that no one can infiltrate in!"


    Stella just gave a smug look although in reality, she did not have such a person inside. Not yet, anyway.


    Bella looked at Stella, who had that creepy look on her face.


    "What did you do this time?" Bella asked, having this sense that the situation was not as simple as Stella made it out to be.


    "Well¡­." Stella began, her lips curling up to a smile, "He said he''d do it, but only if ¡­"


    Bella had a bad feeling about this.


    "... well, if you sleep with him," Stella finished the sentence.


    "What?!" Bella said, aghast, "Are you insane?! Why me? Why not you?!"


    Stella shrugged.


    "He likes you, not me," Stella replied, looking indifferent.


    "Stella," Bella hissed, "I will not. Think of something else."


    Stella shrugged again, saying, "It was the only option. It''s fine if you don''t want to. We''ll just let Zack be taken in by that vixen."


    "Don''t try and fool me," Bella replied, "We don''t even know that it is Zack that she is with. It could be Yuri."


    "It could," Stella said, "But I doubt it. I mean, just look at that woman. She''s so boring. I don''t think my Yuri would ever be interested in such a girl."


    Bella wanted to refute that but she thought that Stella had a point.


    Yuri was too serious and Beatrice was rather boring. Zack was more playful and thus, more likely to be the one that took a fancy to her.


    But she was still not reconciled over the matter.


    "I can''t believe that you''d agree to the condition. You think I''m so cheap as to just sleep around?!" Bella hissed.


    Stella tilted her head and looked at her, saying, "If sleeping with him is the only way to make him do this, and make sure he leaves her, I would do it in a flash. Using Rudy is highly risky and this is the safer option."


    "Why is it the only way? Why can''t there be another option? Why .."


    "Fine if you don''t want to," Stella cut her off, "No skin off my nose if you don''t want to. I don''t think it''s my Yuri, so I''m not really bothered."


    Bella shook her head, standing her ground.


    "If it is Zack that she''s seeing, I agree," Bella said, "If it''s not, then forget it."


    "Alright, deal," Stella replied.

 Chapter 809 - The Hit Preperation

    Chapter 809 - The Hit Preperation "So how do we do this?" Bella asked, "How will we know which twin it is?"


    "That''s simple enough," Stella replied.


    Bella rolled her eyes. If it was so simple, why hadn''t they managed to find out till now?


    Stella caught that and she smirked, saying loftily, as if guessing what she was thinking, "It wasn''t required until now."


    Bella didn''t say a word to refute it, though she knew that Stella was talking crap. ''Saving face'' was her driving force and Bella wasn''t going to poke holes into that story of hers, as she needed to know what was her plan.


    "Since he takes her out on a date everyday, then we approach the one that is left behind," Stella said.


    Bella blinked.


    That was so obvious that she wondered why she didn''t think of it before either.


    The next day, the girls waited at the cafe opposite the building where the twins worked. From their previous investigations, they knew the time that the twins would go out to pick up Beatrice.


    Both the twins would come down and one would go to the car parked outside. They would speak for a while, discussing something, then do their ''brotherly fist pump'' or something and the one left behind would watch the car go before leaving the area.


    Either going back into the building, or going home.


    It did not seem to be any different today.


    The moment the twins came down, the girls made their move. As soon as one twin drove off, they walked over to the remaining twin that was just about to turn to go back into the building.


    "Zack!" Bella shouted, hoping that it was him.


    She was ignored. Bella''s heart plummeted.


    Stella, feeling smug, walked faster and called out, "Yuri!"


    Bella smirked upon seeing that she was ignored as well.


    They looked at each other and figured that they still didn''t know who it was. Picking up the pace, they nearly ran over and blocked the way.


    Panting, they looked at the visibly annoyed twin, who just said, "Move."


    Bella gulped.


    "Yuri, please," Bella pleaded, "We just want to talk."


    He didn''t give them another glance, side-stepping them and walking off.


    The girls did try to stop him, but he just shoved them aside, not caring that they stumbled and Stella nearly hit the wall. They watched at the stiff back that walked away, the anger apparent from the way he seemed off.


    "That''s Yuri for sure," Bella said, "Zack would at least give some snarky comments."


    Stella, rubbing her sore shoulder, agreed. Then, she looked at Bella and asked, "So? Are you in?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bella scoffed.


    "I want to make sure," she said, "Just this one time doesn''t cut it. We could be wrong."


    "So what is it that you want to do? Stake this place out again tomorrow? How long do you want to do it until you''re satisfied?" Stella demanded.


    "Easy for you to say," Bella said, "You''re not the one who''s got to sleep with a guy just to frame up that woman."


    Stella snorted, "As if you''re so chaste since we broke up with the twins."


    "That''s by my choice," Bella pointed out, "I have my standards!"


    "Look, it''s only because I''m your sister that I''m even doing this," Stella said with a roll of her eyes, "It''s obvious Yuri has much better taste than your Zack."


    Bella hesitated and thought about it, unhappy that the vixen was hooking up with her Zack. This plan of Stella, however, just rubbed her the wrong way.


    Finally, she said, "No. Even though it is Zack that she is seeing right now, I refuse to do this. Let''s just use Rudy. Why should we use this complicated method anyway?"


    Stella frowned for a second then shook her head, "So be it. And for your pea-sized brain, the reason why we should use this so called ''complicated method'', as you put it, is because Zack has feelings for her. The other girls were just to f.u.c.k around with."


    "Even if they disappeared, the twins wouldn''t think twice about it. However, if that s.l.u.t was to disappear, he would definitely search for her," Stella pointed out.


    "Be as that may be," Bella said in a huff as they walked off, "There is no guarantee that this will work. No way am I going to f.u.c.k someone if it may not work."


    Stella pinched the space between her eyebrows, "Fine. You have a point. We''ll just use Rudy then."


    "Make it clean, and most importantly, make it look like an accident," Bella said.


    Stella glared at her, "Do you think I''m stupid?! I know what I''m doing!"


    Bella wisely didn''t reply to that. However, there was a growing suspicion within her regarding Stella''s actions lately.


    It didn''t quite add up.


    For example, why did she make this set up of finding a guy who demanded s.e.x from her in return for setting up the vixen? Why didn''t Stella try and figure out which twin it was before this?


    More importantly, why was Stella so insistent for her to jump into bed with that guy, even after finding out that it was Zack that was dating the s.l.u.t?


    Stella, like her, was selfish - even more so.


    Since it was Zack, why would Stella continue with the plan of ruining Beatrice?


    However, no matter how much she tried to think about it, nothing made sense. Everything pointed towards getting rid of Beatrice.


    So ¡­ why?


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    In a private room, a man sat on the sofa as he looked at the woman in front of him. Surrounding him were big, burly men that looked like the typical ''gangster'' type of men. Tattoos, teeth missing, scars on the faces - you name it.


    Rudy studied the woman.


    She was wearing a tight, red dress that showed off her curves and her snowy white skin. Although she wore a mask that covered half of her face, one could tell that the face behind the mask must be a beauty.


    Rudy was feeling slightly impressed at her bravery in actually coming here in that get-up. Stupid, but brave. Perhaps she was too stupid to be afraid but that was another matter altogether.


    "So who is the mark?" Rudy asked.


    She handed him a brown envelope. When he opened it and saw the picture inside, his eyebrows rose up.


    "Her?" he asked, turning the picture to show the woman, "Are you sure?"


    The lady nodded.


    Rudy shook his head, and looked at the picture again then at the woman. Undoubtedly, the one in the picture was not ugly but she was pretty normal. Why would she need to get rid of this person?


    He flipped through the rest of the pictures and pursed his lips.


    Though the face may not be anything to shout at, the figure was pretty good. In fact, very good. Then, a thought came to his mind.


    "Is this lady the same threat as before?" Rudy asked. He was often called up to get rid of ''competition'', so to speak but from what he heard, the Dante Twins have gone serious.


    So serious that their woman was not to be touched.


    He wasn''t going to step into that landmine, no matter how much he was paid.


    "No," the lady answered, "She owns a property that I want and she isn''t selling."


    Rudy nodded. That was fine then.


    "When do you want it done?" he asked.


    "As soon as you can, but not too long," the lady answered, "She''s quite cautious and is rarely alone. When you make your move, make sure no one else is around."


    "That will cost extra," Rudy said, throwing the pictures on the table, "Making it look like an accident is one thing, but making sure no one is caught in the cross-fire wasn''t part of the deal. That takes more planning."


    "You could always kidnap her first then stage an accident," the lady said.


    Rudy nodded, "That''s a good idea, Bella. Makes things easier."


    Stella hissed, "No names!"


    Rudy shrugged, "These are my men. They''re the ones who are going to do it, so it''s only fair that they know who hired them."


    Stella huffed, secretly pleased that Rudy did call out to her. She had used her sister''s name, so that if Rudy was caught, they''d think it was Bella. In fact, all this time, she had been using her sister''s name whenever she hired Rudy.


    Bella, the coward, would never make the call.


    She glanced at the pictures on the table, smiling to herself.


    She had seen that look on Rudy''s face and knew that look. She knew his taste, so she had deliberately touched up the pictures to make Beatrice more enticing to Rudy. Luckily, not much work was needed so it really looked natural.


    To be tortured before death was truly a fitting end for the s.l.u.t.


    Stella couldn''t wait.

 Chapter 810 - The Ban

    Chapter 810 - The Ban After ''Bella'' left, Rudy studied the picture again and the file that came with it.


    The file contained some basic information about where the mark worked and lived, so that it would make them finding her easier. That Bella really must want the property that badly.


    Rudy took out one particular picture that had the mark in an almost see-through outfit, due to the rain which made her clothes cling to those curves. Most definitely, too good to just eliminate. Since she was going to be snuffed out anyway, might as well enjoy while one can, right?


    The best thing was, there was no deadline.


    Rudy smiled as he took one picture out of the envelope and looked at the men who were waiting.


    "Well, this is an easy mark," Rudy said, handing the envelope to one of his subordinates, "So give it to the new ones as initiation."


    The guy took it and looked through the picture as Rudy continued his instructions, "Just a normal secretary or something. Since Bella wants the property the mark inherited, make sure you leave the body somewhere that can be found."


    "Got it, boss," the guy answered.


    "But bring her to me first," Rudy said, staring at his men.


    They understood what that meant.


    Capture, hand her over to the Boss, and then they were free to do what they wanted so long as the evidence of what they did to her was wiped out. There could be no traces of whatever violence as it was meant to look as an accident, and the body needed to be found.


    "Car crash? Or just a simple car bursting into flames because of a leakage?"


    Rudy thought about it and nodded, "Both sounds good."


    "Car crash that bursts into flame in the end then," the guy confirmed. He turned and left, followed by two who often worked with him.


    Once they left, Rudy leaned back on the sofa, thinking that it was the easiest mark yet. Bella''s jobs were really quite easy, as the girls they had to get rid of were hardly any trouble.


    This time, however, there was an added bonus.


    He picked up the picture he had chosen earlier and smiled.


    A very good bonus indeed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Zack was reluctant to send Beatrice back home.


    In fact, he was getting a bit impatient already despite their earlier agreement to take it slow. They''ve been going out for quite some time now and things were good, so when was she going to tell them ''yes''?


    He had brought it up to Yuri the other day, but the latter just shrugged and said to just be patient. She will tell them when it is time, no sooner and no later.


    Zack wasn''t really the patient type.


    Thus, as he sent her back home, he purposely drove a little bit slower. When he parked the car, and walked her up, he deliberately took a lot of ''oh look at that'' moments. He wished he could have her by everyday, instead of only seeing her once - for a few hours - every two days.


    It was pure torture.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched at Zack''s antics.


    It wasn''t as if she didn''t realise it when he was being so obvious.


    After all, what ''oh look at that'' was there? Twice, it was ''oh, my mistake'' and once, it was just a lizard on the wall.


    Beatrice stared at Zack as he continued this farce and wondered just how long he was going to keep it up.


    Apparently, quite long as it lasted until they stood at her door.


    "Are you quite done yet?" Beatrice asked as she turned to look at him, her back to the door.


    Zack pursed his lips and he sighed loudly, coming closer and putting his forehead on hers, "Can you blame me? I miss you."


    Beatrice frowned, "I''m right here."


    "But you''ll be going in and then I won''t see you again until two days later," Zack lamented, giving her the sad, soulful look.


    He leaned back, tilted his head as his hand gently c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheek, "Have you decided yet?"


    Beatrice licked her lips, her throat suddenly dry as she looked at him who was so close to her. She could see the genuine love and care in his eyes, and how eager he was to hear her answer.


    Zack, seeing that, s.u.c.k.e.d in his breath and couldn''t help but reach down and kiss her.


    Tentatively at first, but when she didn''t resist, he tried to deepen the kiss. However, Beatrice was having none of that as she clenched her teeth, not allowing access. Despite that, Zack didn''t give up.


    A few seconds later, Zack was half bent over in pain, one hand against the wall for support and another cupping his crotch. His face was scrunched up in pain, and he barely managed to stay standing up.


    By sheer willpower, he did and when he managed to do so, he saw the furious face of his beloved.


    He gulped.


    He had messed up badly.


    "Beatrice, honey, I ¡­" he began, wanting to apologize profusely but was cut off when she put up her hand.


    "One week," Beatrice announced.


    "One week?" Zack repeated in puzzlement, still half bent over.


    "No dates, no calls, nothing for one week," Beatrice clarified, "I shall see the both of you, next Sunday."


    Zack''s eyes widened in horror.


    "You ¡­ you mean ¡­ both of us?" he croaked.


    "Yes," Beatrice said, as she unlocked her door and stepped in.


    She turned to face him, and said before closing the door, "You''re just going to have to tell Yuri why I am imposing this one week ban."


    Beatrice had a sense of satisfaction to see the blood drain out of Zack''s face as she closed the door. Serves him right.


    Well, in truth, she wasn''t angry, but just a little bit upset. Just as she thought, she had to be strong and stand her ground with the twins. Otherwise, they''d just run all over her.


    Disciplining one is hard enough, but she had two that she needed to keep in line. Thus, she adopted the ''military'' method. What one did, the whole team took responsibility.


    It was a collective responsibility and it was apt to be used on the twins.


    She also needed that one week to clear her mind.


    Her emotions were heavily swayed by the twins, for they were very charming and charismatic. She didn''t want to make a decision based on what her current emotions were feeling.


    Just like impulsive buying.


    You should take a few days to calm yourself down and think about it, as to whether you really want (or need) the item.


    The choice of a life partner is a huge one and it wouldn''t be easy to maintain a relationship with two people. Thus, before Beatrice took the final step, she wanted time away from them to sort out her feelings.


    One week was rather short, but she felt it should be just enough time to clear her mind.


    Beatrice headed to her bedroom to bathe and settle for the night.


    Meanwhile, outside, Zack was still leaning on the wall. The pain had subsided but it was still too painful to move properly.


    He really wasn''t looking forward to going back and telling Yuri about this.


    He moved his jaw, already thinking of the punches he was going to have to take when Yuri blew his top. For him to be subjected to the slightly more than one week ban for something he, Zack, had done would not be something Yuri would take to kindly.


    Still, Zack couldn''t help but smile when he thought about his fierce beloved.


    She could certainly hold her ground and she treated them equally. As individuals but at the same time, as one unit - like right now. Each had to be responsible for the other''s action.


    She was truly made for them.


    Once Zack recovered, he walked down and gave a small nod to the nondescript car parked nearby. Satisfied that the men he and Yuri had arranged to keep an eye on Beatrice were in place, he left.


    ? Five days later ?


    Rudy was unhappy.


    It had been five days already, and his men were only starting to make a move now? True, he did say that there was no deadline, but this was ridiculous!


    He was certainly going to have a very long talk with this inept team that was sent. How difficult was it to capture such a soft target?


    According to those bungling fools, the mark had been working late for several days now, and was always sent home by someone. However, with today being a weekend, the boys were finally ready to make a move.


    Luckily, the mark was one that stuck to routines. She would be doing her grocery shopping today. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rudy smiled, just thinking about what would be falling into his hands soon.

 Chapter 811 - Captured

    Chapter 811 - Captured Beatrice opened her eyes sleepily as she heard the alarm clock ring. With a groan, she switched it off and forced herself to get up.


    Today was grocery shopping day.


    If she didn''t get there early, the best choice cut of meat would be finished. Plus, it would be full of people.


    She hated crowds.


    But she really was sleepy and tired.


    Having imposed the ban on the twins certainly freed up her mind but it made her rather restless. Hence, the overtime. Whilst it was true that there was a lot of work at the office, it didn''t mean that it couldn''t wait until the next day.


    There was nothing really urgent but Beatrice just found that when the twins weren''t around, she felt something was missing. Perhaps she was getting too used to having them around?


    She sighed.


    Well, at least she would be able to tell them tomorrow.


    Just thinking she was going to see them tomorrow made her happy, and it confirmed what she already knew in her heart but refused to acknowledge it openly. She was both excited, and scared, about what this would entail.


    Also, she knew how serious they were. Dating with a view of marriage. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once she confirmed her feelings to them, would it mean straight to marriage?


    Beatrice shook her head.


    That was certainly jumping the gun now, right?


    But she wouldn''t put it past the twins - or Grandpa Anton.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Beatrice pushed the shopping trolley cart while going through her list. Since she would be meeting the twins on Sunday, she wanted to invite them over to the apartment for a home-cooked lunch.


    It would be better to have it at her home rather than outside, so that they could discuss their relationship better.


    Thus, she didn''t go to her normal grocery store that was just below the apartment, but to another bigger place a few blocks away. Some of the items she needed wouldn''t be stocked in the small grocery store, so she had to make that extra trip.


    Just the thought of having the twins over at her apartment made her a little nervous, actually. Her father had always warned her against having any man step into her apartment.


    There is always that danger upon doing so. A man, in a single girl''s apartment, when there was no one around. It was a recipe for being eaten. However, Beatrice was sure the twins would behave.


    She still had her whip and cane ¡­ not to mention the latest ''toys'' Grandpa Anton had delivered the other day.


    Beatrice''s eye twitched when she remembered the day she had received them.


    Grandpa Anton had called her up when the parcel was delivered, and he was excitedly telling her all about the gifts that he sent to help her keep the boys disciplined. He insisted for her to have the call on video so that he could see her accept the delivery and open it up in front of him.


    So, to appease the old man, Beatrice did just that.


    How she had kept her face straight was beyond her.


    When she had opened the box, she found two sets of handcuffs and two sets of leg cuffs that were covered in pink fur.


    Grandpa Anton was gleefully telling her it was so, in order for it not to be too painful for the twins. The twins may struggle, so this was best for them, Grandpa Anton said. It was pink because Beatrice as a girl, Grandpa Anton said.


    Beatrice shook her head and wondered just what Chen was filling the poor innocent man''s head with.


    There were even ropes and an additional gift from Chen.


    A set of chains.


    Which, it turns out, according to Grandpa Anton, could link the handcuffs to the legcuffs. Lo and behold, Beatrice found the loop that could be used to do so.


    She somehow managed to huge smile at Grandpa Anton and thanked him for his generosity. The items were placed in a box and shoved under her bed.


    What would be next on Chen''s list of gifts, Beatrice wondered. The bed?!


    Beatrice shook her head, thinking she really had to clean her mind a bit.


    As she was engrossed in her shopping, she didn''t notice a man that was slowly following her around. A bored man, to be honest.


    [A/N: for the sake of the story, let''s call him BG1, for ''bodyguard 1''. He doesn''t deserve my limited brain cells to name]


    He found this job to be extremely boring and tiring. Following this woman around was like watching paint dry. She didn''t do anything exciting at all. The typical 9-5 office worker, going to work, coming home. Shopping for food. She hardly even shopped for clothes!


    He shook his head, wondering about the taste the Dante twins had.


    And why would such a woman be in danger was beyond him.


    Still, an order was an order.


    At least, he could be in the open. It was far better to follow her to make sure she was safe, rather than be his partner, who was stuck outside watching her car.


    The said partner, BG2, however, wasn''t quite watching the car at that moment. He had dropped his cigarette and he was rummaging around in between the seats to find it. Of course, it had to be at that moment when he was distracted that someone slipped into Beatrice''s car.


    The smooth motion of the shadowy figure (yes, even in broad daylight) of picking the lock and entering the back seat was done so quickly that by the time BG2 looked back up, with that cigarette in his mouth, there was nothing to see anymore.


    Once Beatrice was done with the shopping, she went out and started transferring the items into the trunk of her car. BG1 quickly passed her and entered the car, and waited with BG2 until Beatrice drove off.


    However, instead of turning towards the direction of her apartment, she headed to the highway.


    "Maybe she needs to buy something else," BG said, not worried.


    BG1 agreed, but said, "She can''t go too far though. She did get some fresh produce."


    "It''s fine, as long as she''s back within two hours," BG2 replied, "Longer than that, the food will be laden with bacteria."


    BG1 looked at BG2 in surprise, "You know all that?"


    "The missus makes me do the shopping on the way home and will *always* tell me the timing," BG2 replied.


    However, the longer they followed Beatrice, the more the situation seemed dodgy. What was she up to?


    Soon, there were more cars between them but they weren''t worried still.


    Until they couldn''t see her car anymore. Or rather, the car that they thought was hers, wasn''t.


    BG1 turned to look at BG2, "We''re f.u.c.k.e.d."


    "You don''t say?" BG2 replied through clenched teeth, "Report the situation."


    "Right now?" BG1 asked nervously, "Don''t you want to ¡­ like, search first? She couldn''t have gone far. Or we can even wait for her at her apartment. She has to go back, right?"


    "We lost sight of her, so every second count! So make that call!!" BG2 shouted in exasperation and anger.


    BG1 nodded, making the call even though he felt BG1 was over-reacting.


    BG2 hoped that nothing had happened and that the lady had somehow gone sightseeing or something. Although it didn''t make sense for her to do so, or that it was logical that she was in danger, his gut feeling was telling him to make the report.


    Reporting now would mean that they''d get beaten up for failing in their duty. If they didn''t report and something did happen ¡­ getting beaten up was the least of what would be done.


    Beatrice''s hand was shaking slightly on the steering wheel, beads of sweat upon her forehead as she tried to remain as calm as possible.


    Not easy when there is a knife sticking in your ribs.


    Not hard enough to pierce through the skin, but the assailant had already torn through the sides of her shirt. She could feel the cold blade pressing along her skin, and the assailant would occasionally run the blade alongside just to make her obey his orders.


    Beatrice regretted not looking at the backseat of the car.


    It was something she usually did when she parked her car in the bas.e.m.e.nt car park, but she had been careless this time. She had neglected to do so as she had been complacent, thinking it was safe since it was in broad daylight and in an open space car park!


    She had tried to get the person to let her go and offered everything in her bag but he wasn''t interested. He just gave her directions and she obeyed.


    Finally, they reached their destination.


    "Kill the engine and throw the key behind," the guy ordered.


    Beatrice did so and he didn''t say another word. They waited in absolute silence.

 Chapter 812 - You Will Regret This (R16)

    Chapter 812 - You Will Regret This (R16) Beatrice knew that they must be waiting for someone, but what she couldn''t understand was why her?


    They weren''t interested in money - she didn''t have much anyway. She wasn''t some rich heiress either.


    It just didn''t make any sense.


    The only possibility was the people she kept company with.


    The Smiths? sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Possible, since she''s their PA.


    Yet, the ones here all reeked ''hoodlum'' and it was hard for her to imagine that anyone this low could use such tactics against Kyle.


    The only ones that she ever had this sort of ''feeling'' was from Nitocris, albeit in a much more dignified and regal manner. If you could actually call it that.


    In short, ''mafia'' came to mind.


    Though it was weird to label ''dignified'' with ''mafia'', it was apt with Nitocris.


    Though the aura around Nitocris and the guy behind her was like Heaven and Earth. With Nitocris being the top of the chain and the one behind at the bottom.


    She hadn''t thought much about Nitocris and the impression he gave because Xing Han was his partner. With that bundle of fluffy joy, who could truly see Nitocris in any bad light, right?


    It was the same with the twins.


    She had that vague sense and vibe from them, but nothing truly dangerous. She just put it down that the twins were ''cold'' due to the business they were in. How they were at work was of no concern of hers.


    Only how they treated her and how she felt about them.


    Now, however, all those inklings and ''feelings'' that, on its own, were nothing - when put together ¡­


    Nitocris. The twins. This situation.


    Her eye twitched when a possibility entered her mind.


    If it was like how she thought it would be, those twins had a lot of explaining to do. This was not a small matter and hiding it from her when they were wooing her felt like they had cheated on her.


    Suddenly, the handcuffs and leg cuffs seemed to be very good gifts indeed. Once this was all over, she may just need to use them.


    Beatrice had no doubt that the twin would come and save her. She couldn''t quite say why she had that confidence - she just did. All that was needed was time.


    So, she didn''t mind having to wait.


    The longer this took, the better the chances of the twins arriving.


    Goon A couldn''t help but be impressed by the woman who was rather calm, considering the situation. Granted, she did look slightly nervous but that was to be expected, right?


    Most women would be blubbering idiots who would be scared out of their wits by now while those in the ''industry'' would be trying to seduce him to let them go.


    He couldn''t help but run the blade on her skin again, just to make her nervous.


    He liked making people shiver in fear.


    Beatrice s.u.c.k.e.d in some air in shock as she felt the cold steel that had been lying flat on her stomach start to move.


    What was the guy doing? Was he going to kill her?


    They were in a remote spot after all, with hardly any people or traffic around. If she was stabbed to death here, her body would probably only be found much later.


    But why would he only make a move now?


    She felt the blade go up, with the blunt side running itself on her skin until it reached below her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She gritted her teeth as she felt it push her b.r.e.a.s.ts up while his thumb started touching the side of her b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    She turned to glare at him, only to see his lecherous gaze fixed on her c.h.e.s.t. Throwing caution to the wind, she was going to grab that offending hand when he twisted the knife.


    Beatrice gasped, feeling the cold blade being right inbetween her b.r.e.a.s.ts with the sharp point facing outward. It was a miracle (or perhaps, a testament of his skill) that she was not cut when he had done that.


    The guy snickered.


    Beatrice glared at him and said, "I wouldn''t do that if I was you."


    He didn''t flinch, "Ooo, I''m so scared. Well, you''re not me and I would definitely be doing this."


    He started moving the knife, slowly cutting through her bra while he stared at her. Wanting to see her despair. Wanting her to beg him.


    Instead, she was looking indignant and angry.


    He started l.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips, saying, "Once the boss is done with you, we''re all going to have a turn. It won''t be long before you''ll start begging to die."


    Beatrice pressed her lips tightly closed together, angry beyond belief. However, she didn''t dare move as the knife was extremely sharp. One wrong move and it''s more than likely he would stab her.


    What the guy was doing was horrible, but not enough for her to risk her life to stop. Embarrassing, perhaps, but to get heavily injured - or die - for it?


    No.


    "Strong one, aren''t we?" the guy continued to take a jibe at her, hoping for more of a reaction. He was severely disappointed that she didn''t struggle, or fight.


    Weren''t all conservative women like this the type to scream bloody murder to protect their chastity?


    In frustration and in an attempt to get some sort of reaction from her, he jerked his hand forward, slicing through the bra strap and shirt easily.


    As the knife cut through, Beatrice quickly took the torn pieces of the shirt and held them together, closing the opening that was made.


    She had to use both hands because the sc.u.mbag hadn''t just sliced the top of the shirt, but had cut all the way through to the bottom. The lower half of her shirt was flapping open, but at least she had her b.r.e.a.s.ts covered.


    The guy laughed.


    "What do you think you''re doing?!"


    Beatrice and the guy turned towards the voice the bellowed from outside.


    The guy behind snorted and kept his knife, saying, "Just opening the present for Boss."


    The door flung open and the gorilla-type man outside grabbed Beatrice''s arm and pulled her out roughly. Beatrice didn''t have time to get out and she was practically dragged out.


    She stumbled and the gorilla-man impatiently pulled her up, causing her to hiss in pain as his grip on her arm tightened. He continued to pull her along and Beatrice had to run to keep up while trying to keep her shirt closed.


    They entered the building. To her dismay, Beatrice noted that while the place wasn''t empty, the people in there completely ignored the fact that this brute was dragging her along.


    It explained why no one bothered with her being in the car just now.


    Just how long were the twins going to be?!


    The gorilla-man opened a door and threw her in, then shut it closed. Beatrice stumbled forward a few steps before she caught her footing, then saw a man sitting leisurely on a sofa while staring at her.


    "Nice of you to drop by, Stephanie," the guy said.


    Beatrice frowned, "My name isn''t Stephanie. You obviously have the wrong girl."


    The guy frowned as well, "I never make mistakes."


    Beatrice snorted, "Obviously, you have. Now, let me go before you regret it."


    The guy laughed, his loud booming voice filling the room.


    "That''s rich," he said, getting up and walking over to her, "Now tell me just how am I going to regret this?"


    He was standing in front of Beatrice now, who had stood her ground. There was no way out of here and running around the room was not an option. It would only tire her out and most likely, aggravate him further.


    "You took the wrong person," Beatrice replied calmly, "And soon, my beloved will come and rescue me. If you let me go before then, we''ll let this matter rest."


    The guy laughed again, his bad breath hitting her squarely in the face. That was something she had not been expecting and she recoiled a bit, feeling slightly faint.


    "Just who in this place dare go against me, Rudy Baltone?" he said in a low voice, bringing his face closer to her face.


    Beatrice turned her face away, repulsed by the odour as she said, "Don''t you ever brush your teeth?!"


    Rudy snickered.


    "Fiesty," he said, "I like."


    Then he put his lips to her ear, saying, "because it''s so much fun to beat it out of you."


    Before Beatrice could react, he had given her a backhand slap. Her head jarred at the sudden onslaught and she stumbled from the force.


    Her ears were ringing and tears formed in her eyes.


    Rudy watched as ''Stephanie'' steadied herself and then turned to look at him, her cheek was already swollen from the hit. However, instead of fear that he expected to see, her eyes were ablaze in anger.


    "Oh?" he said, raising his eyebrows, "You like that, I see."


    "Yeah, as much as I like your bad breath stinking up the place," Beatrice spat out.


    "Then you''re certainly going to enjoy this," Rudy said, as he grabbed her neck. He smiled maniacally when he saw her gasping for air as he squeezed tightly.


    Her hands grabbed his wrist, hitting at it feebly as he squeezed harder. His gaze landed on her b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t, the twin peaks out in the open for him to see and his eyes darkened.


    Letting her go, Beatrice fell to her knees while coughing uncontrollably, gasping to get air back into her throat.


    Rudy couldn''t stand it anymore. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up. She was resisting, trying to grab his arm and kicking.


    He laughed, thoroughly enjoying her useless struggles as he dragged her to his desk. With a shout, he rammed her head onto the desk, pinning her head down. He pulled her torn shirt and bra completely off her then turned her over.


    With one hand holding her two arms above her head, his other hand was busy unbuckling her pants. He cursed the fact that women could now wear pants but that didn''t stop him.


    He released her hands, only to slap her several times before he used both hands to take off her pants and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r.


    Beatrice''s head was pounding and she could barely focus. The constant hits to her head made her unable to retaliate but she could smell his sordid breath and feel his slimy hands all over her.


    Her hands had been searching for things on the desk for anything that she could use to hit him with, but it found nothing. She tried to kick him but she couldn''t even garner the strength when she felt her legs go b.a.r.e.


    Suddenly, there was an explosion.

 Chapter 813 - The Rescue

    Chapter 813 - The Rescue Rudy jerked and turned back at the sudden sound, ready to roar at the interruption only to see something that drained all the blood from his face.


    The Dante Twins.


    Faces full of fury.


    Why would they be here? Why? Unless ... it couldn''t be.


    The words she had said before. That when her beloved came, he would regret it ... she couldn''t be ...?


    He regretted not clarifying with her. He regretted not getting more information. He regretted not clarifying the identity of the woman. He regretted giving the task to such greenhorns that they didn''t even recognise the Dante Twins (whom he assumed had visited the woman).


    Before he could say a word to defend himself and beg for mercy, a knife was flung and embedded into his shoulder. He grunted from the pain and then found one twin in front of him.


    "M..mister Da.." he stuttered but was effectively shut up when he got punched in the face, breaking his nose. He was repeatedly punched and Rudy could feel the bones of his entire face cracking.


    "Alive, Zack," Yuri reminded gently while carefully taking Beatrice.


    He took off his shirt and wrapped her up tenderly, barely able to keep his anger in check upon seeing her bruised and swollen face and the red marks upon her neck and arms.


    "You''re late," Beatrice whispered hoarsely as he gathered her into his arms.


    "I''m sorry," Yuri said, carrying her carefully.


    Zack stopped punching Rudy, who was now unconscious and took off his shirt as well. He tied it around her waist and made sure Beatrice''s legs were covered.


    Beatrice snuggled into Yuri''s arms, feeling safe and secure. Now that they were here, she stopped fighting trying to stay awake.


    Yuri held onto her even tighter upon seeing she had fainted, his heart twisting in pain. Zack, too, was holding back as he gently c.a.r.e.s.sed her bruised cheek.


    They glanced menacingly at the unconscious man.


    Zack ordered his men that were waiting by the door, "Give him Drug X. Strip the girls and tie them up before putting them in the same cell."


    "How strong a dosage, boss?"


    "Enough for the effects to last a week," Yuri answered.


    The twins walked out then, passing through the corridor that was littered with dead bodies. Once they left, the team started cleaning up, glad that the Dante twins had left.


    The moment the twins had gotten word that their beloved had gone missing, all Hell broke loose. The King even let the twins use whatever resources they had to locate her.


    It wasn''t hard for the twins to find out where she was. All they needed was to track her phone. However, it had taken a bit of time; plus, the twins had to divide the manpower to also capture the girls.


    They left the capturing of the girls to the men while they rushed to the location that Beatrice was at. Seeing her car there just set them off even more. The moment they entered, the Dante twins swept the entire place clean, not sparing a single person as they headed towards the room where Beatrice was.


    Everyone that allowed this thing to happen didn''t deserve to live.


    After getting rid of the dumb gorilla-man that was guarding the entrance, they had smashed the door open, only to see a sight that made them nearly lose their minds.


    That sorry excuse of a man was not only about to violate their woman, but there also was not a shred of clothing on her. Yuri threw the knife, wanting to embed it in the guy''s head but held back.


    They needed to torture him first.


    When they reached their beloved and saw the condition she was in, the anger nearly boiled over.


    Death was too good for him.? Thus, the Drug X situation.


    Drug X was a powerful aphrodisiac that caused the one who took it to be a mindless beast. Not that Rudy really needed help in that area, but with it, he would become worse. Plus, it also had the same effect as viagra so that he could do it all day long.


    The best part?


    Prolonged use meant one would get severe withdrawal symptoms which caused massive amounts of pain.


    It was only the beginning of what they will do to him - and the girls.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Beatrice''s eyelids slowly fluttered open.


    She felt like her entire body was like lead. She opened her mouth, only to find that her jaw was very sore.


    She g.r.o.a.n.e.d a bit at the pain and immediately, concerned voices were heard, overlapping with each other.


    "Beatrice, honey"


    "Sweetheart"


    "Baby girl"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Baby girl?


    Beatrice had her back to them, thus, they did not realise that she had woken up until she g.r.o.a.n.e.d. She turned over, to see the worried faces of Yuri, Zack, and Grandpa Anton.


    Yuri and Zack both took one of her hand into theirs, while Grandpa Anton stood behind in a huff. He pushed the boys aside and started patting her head, "How are you feeling?"


    "Could be better," Beatrice replied, "But I''m fine."


    "Good girl," Grandpa Anton said with a smile, "Just focus on getting better, you hear me?"


    Beatrice wanted to get up from the bed, but the twins didn''t let her. She didn''t want to lie down, so they put several pillows behind her to make it more comfortable for her to lean on as she sat up on the bed.


    "Who were they and what did they want?" Beatrice asked, looking at the three of them.


    Immediately, all three faces darkened.


    Zack began telling her who was behind it and what they wanted. Beatrice listened intently.


    "What about the fact that they thought I was Stephanie?"


    "We already anticipated the girls may do something to you, so we put out the word on the street that you were to be untouched," Yuri explained.


    "Ah," Beatrice said, catching on, "So they fooled the doofus."


    Then she stared at them, "So, who are you then, really?"


    Upon hearing this question, Grandpa Anton patted the boys on the shoulder and said, "I''ll be going now. This is something you young ones need to talk it out."


    "Thank you, Grandpa," Beatrice said, smiling at him.


    He opened his mouth to say something, then changed his mind. He nodded and walked out, closing the door.


    "Well?" Beatrice asked, tilting her head.


    She could sense their nervousness and she sighed.


    "Come here," she commanded, patting the side of her bed. Zack and Yuri came obediently, standing on the opposite sides of the bed.


    "Sit," she said, frowning at them.


    They sat.


    "Come closer," she said.


    They did, and leaned down towards her.


    Beatrice patted their cheeks and said, "Thank you for saving me."


    Then, she took their ear and twisted it, saying, "So tell me, how come you could put word out on the street like that? Hmmmm? What is your connection to it?"


    Faces grimacing in pain, Zack began, "We work for Nitocris."


    "I know that," Beatrice said, "Get to the point."


    "He''s the King of the Underworld," Yuri revealed.


    Beatrice blinked.


    She let go of their ears.


    "You mean to tell me that Xing Han''s beloved is *the* King of the Underworld? As in, the big boss? Top? Not just the Head this City?"


    Yuri and Zack nodded.


    "Boss is Country Tz''s Underworld King. The President may govern the surface, but Boss rules what''s below," Zack explained.


    "And you''re his right-hand men," Beatrice said, taking it all in, "You''re not just company employees. You''re the mafia."


    "Does it matter?" Zack asked softly.


    Yuri had been quiet this whole time, not able to speak.


    This was the one thing that they were worried about. They never intended to let her know of their world, and would have spent the rest of their lives protecting her from it.


    "This is a lot to take in," Beatrice said with a sigh.


    "We''re still us," Yuri said, his voice low.


    "We never pretended when we were with you," Zack said earnestly, his eyes pleading.


    "We love you," they said together, "And we''d never hurt you or let anyone hurt you."


    Yuri touched her face, looking so sadly at her as he said, "This will never happen again."


    Beatrice looked down at her hands, not answering.


    Having her suspicions confirmed was rather mind-boggling. She was a typical straight-laced law-abiding citizen. Who would have thought something like this would happen?


    She thought having two men after her was already going against the norm, but two mafia men?


    It''s like a policeman marrying a criminal.


    "Beatrice?" Zack called out worriedly, "Do you not want us anymore?"


    Beatrice still didn''t answer, and their hearts plummeted, shattering on the ground. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s okay," Yuri said dejectedly, "We understand. We won''t bother you anymore."


    The moment he said that, Beatrice reached out and twisted their ears again.


    "Can''t you give me time to sort out what I want to say?!" she hissed. She was so annoyed that she applied more force than expected, turning their ears red before letting go.


    "It''s too late to back out now, you hear? You made me fall in love with you, so you better take responsibility!"


    The twins'' were so overjoyed at her words that the pain didn''t matter. They flung themselves at Beatrice immediately, hugging her tightly to them, their faces buried at the crook of her neck on each side.


    Beatrice hugged them back, cherishing the love and comfort that they gave her.

 Chapter 814 - Their Fates

    Chapter 814 - Their Fates The experience with Rudy had been scary, but Beatrice didn''t have any dark thoughts. Perhaps it was because she knew that they would be coming; and that the moment she was in Yuri''s arms, she felt safe.


    Even if they were the mafia, Yuri was right to say that they were still who they are.?They treated her well and they loved her unconditionally. They had found her and saved her.


    Any lingering doubts she had about them vanished at that moment.


    Loving someone meant you accepted all of them: the good, and the bad.


    They may be dangerous, but she felt safe with them.


    Grandpa Anton poked his head in at that moment, asking, "Is everything all right?"


    "Yes, Grandpa," Beatrice said with a smile.


    The twins didn''t move, not wanting to give up their precious position. They had almost lost her. Luckily, she had not left them because of it.


    The twins g.r.o.a.n.e.d when Grandpa Anton smacked the back of their heads, "Get up, fools. Treat her injuries."


    The twins got up and looked at what Grandpa Anton was holding in his hands.


    Two hard-boiled eggs.


    Grandpa Anton gave one egg to each twin and smiled widely, "Remember to rub the egg gently over the bruise to ease the blood circulation. Do it well, you hear?"


    The twins nodded obediently.


    When Grandpa Anton left, the twins looked at each other and then started eating the eggs.


    "I''ll go get the ice packs," Yuri said after finishing his egg.


    Zack was still chewing his when he suddenly remembered. He swallowed, cleared his mouth, and then said to Beatrice, "Sorry, did you want the egg? I''ll boil more if you do."


    Beatrice shook her head, "No, not at all. But what is it with the egg?"


    "Grandpa has all these home remedies that he swears by," Zack explained, "But they''re mostly just old-wives tales. This is one of the better ones. The worst is putting butter or toothpaste on burns."


    Beatrice laughed softly at that, "Then it''s a good thing I didn''t get cut."


    Zack, however, didn''t laugh or smile and he looked utterly devastated, "You should never have been caught in the first place. We failed in protecting you."


    "You can only do your best, Zack," Beatrice said.


    "But our best wasn''t good enough! We should have ¡­" Zack started, the anguish clear on his face and voice.


    Beatrice grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him closer, kissing him on the lips to shut him up.


    Zack was so surprised that he didn''t react at first, but when he felt her tongue enter his mouth ¡­ suffice to say, he didn''t hold back either though he did let Beatrice lead. After the last time, he wasn''t going to risk being punished.


    Though it really was getting damn hard to resist pushing her down and doing more.


    Beatrice finally broke the kiss, leaving the both of them breathless as she said, kissing him one final time on the lips, "Enough. Just make it up to me for the rest of your life."


    Wait.


    What did she just say??


    Why did that sound like a proposal??


    Beatrice blinked rapidly, just like Zack did, and they heard something fall behind them. It was Yuri, staring at them while the ice packs were on the floor.


    "YES!" the twins shouted happily, "We will!!"


    No, wait. That wasn''t what she meant ¡­ but ¡­ ah, to heck with it.


    She had said those words without thinking and obviously, it reflected her heart. Yuri came over then, after picking up the ice packs and she pulled him closer and kissed him, just like how she had kissed Zack.


    It was as if she was sealing the deal.


    Just as the twins were over the moon, Beatrice then said, "But you have to get my father''s permission first."


    Oh. Oh yeah.


    They haven''t done the ''meet the parents'' yet.


    And Beatrice was an only child.


    Suddenly, the task seemed daunting. Not that they weren''t willing to go through it, but it felt like it was going to be the toughest mission *ever*.


    "Of course we will," Zack said, "Once you''re all better, we''ll go and see your father about getting your hand in marriage."


    Yuri tenderly placed the ice pack over her bruises, "This may sting a little, and be a little bit numb, but it will reduce the internal bleeding. We have some ointments as well that needs to be massaged in so that your skin will heal well."


    "Does it look that bad?" Beatrice asked as they took care of her face.


    "The bruises do," Zack replied, "But you''re still as beautiful as ever."


    "Luckily it''s the weekend then. Hopefully, it won''t look too bad on Monday when I get back to work," Beatrice said.


    "You can''t go to work! You should rest for a couple of weeks, at least," Zack protested.


    "I agree," Yuri said.


    "It''s just my face that is bruised," Beatrice said, "I''m not sick or anything."


    "You may have a slight concussion," Yuri said, "It''s best you just rest here. We''ll take care of you." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, I am fine," Beatrice replied, adamant.


    "Three days," Yuri said in compromise, "At least to make sure you really don''t have a concussion. And don''t worry. I''ll take your place in the meantime."


    "It''s settled," Zack said, "In this matter, please, just let us handle it, okay?"


    Beatrice sighed, and leaned back on the pillows, "Fine. You have a point. Three days."


    Yuri was satisfied with that. He would use the days to try and persuade her to take more days off. One day at a time.


    Beatrice thought, as the twins continued their gentle care for her, that it wouldn''t be too bad to take a few days off and be pampered like this. It''s not like the company would burn down or Kyle would be like a headless chicken if she''s not there.


    She had all the files arranged so anyone who took over while she''s on leave would not be left in the lurch. If Yuri was the one that was handling it, Beatrice was much more assured about it as she had no doubt about Yuri''s capabilities.


    Beatrice didn''t think that she was indispensable to the company, but she was just the type that couldn''t let go unless she really couldn''t do it. Which wasn''t often.


    This aspect of her was both a bane and a boon. She tended to overwork at times, though to her, it wasn''t overworking. Her parents, though, were of a different opinion. At the rate their daughter worked, they didn''t think they''d ever be able to see a husband, let alone grandkids.


    Beatrice smiled at that thought.


    In a way, she was kind of looking forward to her parents meeting the twins. She could imagine their reaction.


    Oh, and another thing she was going to quite enjoy ¡­ the look on her neighbour''s faces when the twins came over. She had already been labeled a shrew, a shriveled old woman that was too uptight and undesirable for anyone to want to marry.


    It may be a petty thing, or even childish, but Beatrice certainly would enjoy rubbing their faces with the twins'' display of affection towards her.


    With that thought, Beatrice settled down and pushed the thoughts of Rudy and the two girls out of her mind. The twins had said they would settle it and she left it at that. Knowing that they were on the other side of the law, she had no qualms about leaving their fates to the twins rather than the law.


    She may be straight-laced and law-abiding, but she wasn''t naive nor stupid.


    Although Beatrice didn''t have trauma from the experience, nonetheless, Beatrice found herself getting quite dependant on the twins.


    In the sense that she needed at least one of them by her side at night. It wasn''t that she had nightmares, or that she was scared ¡­ but she just didn''t like not having someone beside her.


    It had to be the twins, for it was only their presence that would calm her and settle her down. Perhaps she really had been traumatised subconsciously, and as the twins were the ones who rescued her, she naturally would calm down with them.


    To be honest, Beatrice didn''t care about the reason anymore.


    Overthinking it just gave her a headache. She decided, that, with the twins, she''d just let her feelings dictate her actions.


    Of course, the twins were more than happy to stay by her side. They didn''t do anything, other than sleep with her, cuddling her inbetween them and falling asleep together.


    To them, it was a dream come true.


    As for Rudy and the girls?


    After one week of almost non-stop f*cking session, the three of them were barely hanging on, nearly burnt out.


    Rudy experienced the severe withdrawal symptoms and they let him be. They simply chained him to the bed with an IV drip to keep him alive while he basically screamed till the day he died from his heart giving out.


    Rudy had the better end.


    The girls were still alive ¡­ if you could call it that.


    They were dumped at the ''P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e Palace'' which, as you know from the extremely innovative name, was for the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.es of the flesh.


    However, it was not your normal brothel.


    It was a place that catered to your every fancy, whatever it may be. Things that were seen as ''unusual'' or ''wrong'', was normal at P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e Palace. It ranged from the mild things like BDSM to extreme things such as necrophilia.


    You can participate, or you can watch.


    Whatever your fantasy, P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e Palace will do their best to fulfill.


    The place was filled with two types of ''employees''. One, those who genuinely wanted to work there and was paid. And two, those who had either betrayed the organisation or broke the rules.


    The girls, obviously, fell into the latter category.


    Their fate?


    To be placed in the ''Bestiality'' section, specifically, the ''viewing'' section. In short, people paid to watch the girls being f*cked by animals.


    Since they acted like animals, it was only fitting that they were treated like animals.

 Chapter 815 - Challenge

    Chapter 815 - Challenge Kay sighed.


    It was a new year and with things more or less being settled, she felt rather restless.


    She had gone on dates with Ronaldo three times, as per the requirement of her mother and there was no spark. Well, they had fun but nothing more than that. After the third obligatory date, she said her goodbyes and would not see him again.


    However, she didn''t quite tell her parents that.


    She did, however, say that she was okay with Ronaldo but nothing great.


    "We''ll see," was what she told them when in reality, she had already struck him off.


    The routine and predictability of everything was rather boring.


    Who would have thought that once Kyle''s revenge plan had come to an end, there was this rather ''emptiness'' to her life? There had been purpose before and she had lived her life being guided towards that goal.


    Though it would be unfair to say that Kyle had ruled her life, but in actual fact, it did form a large part of her life.


    What was she to use her skills for now? The hacking skills, that is. The MIB organisation. What about those? They basically ran by themselves now and it wasn''t like they were spies!


    Kyle was also back, so it meant that he was back in charge. She felt redundant being there even though she knew Kyle didn''t mind. However, she felt that it''s best she step down so that the people would also not feel conflicted or divided.


    Feeling slightly agitated by the thought that her life now had no meaning or direction, Kay picked up her phone and called up her bestie. To her relief, he picked up the call quite quickly.


    "Busy?" she asked.


    Lance laughed, as he placed the phone between his shoulder and ear, shuffling some doc.u.ments on the table, "Always. You should be busier than me though. What''s up?"


    Kay sighed, "You up for a drink later on?"


    Lance looked at the time and agreed, "Same place, say, in about an hour?"


    "That fast?" Kay asked.


    "Hey, when my best bud is asking me out, who am I to refuse?" Lance asked, "Gotta go. See you when I see you."


    Kay smiled and put down the phone, feeling better. She was looking forward to seeing Lance so she quickly went to get ready.


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    As Kay walked into the club, people''s heads naturally turned towards her. The men looked at her appreciatively while the women, with envy and some with disdain. Though granted, there were some women who were giving her flirtatious looks as well.


    Kay ignored them all, of course, as it was just one of those things.


    She headed straight to the VIP room that she knew Lance would have booked earlier. Though one said ''room'', it was actually just a partition on the upper floor, away from the crazy dance floor full of people grinding and moving to the beat.


    When Kay neared her destination, she could see Lance already there on the sofa, being flanked by two good-looking men that Kay assumed were escorts of the club. On the coffee table in front of Lance, were some drinks.


    "Kay, sweetheart!" Lance shouted upon seeing her, "You''re late."


    Kay looked at her watch, "What? By one minute?"


    "Late is late," Lance said with a shrug.


    She snorted, and said as she pointed to the two men beside Lance, "Not interrupting anything now, am I?"


    Lance grinned and then patted their knees, "My friend is here. Next time, guys."


    Kay watched with amus.e.m.e.nt as they left dejectedly and she plopped herself next to Lance, "I''m surprised that you arrived so early. To already be having company by your side? to fool around before I came?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lance didn''t answer, but instead, took a big swig from his drink.


    She sighed and patted his l.a.p, saying, "Bad day, huh?"


    Lance forced a smile and tilted his head towards her, "We''re here for you, not me. What''s with the SOS?"


    "We''re friends, Lance," Kay said, "We''re here to talk, drink and just let loose. I may have called the SOS, but you''re also in need of it, I think."


    She took a glass from the table, "Vodka?"


    "Of course. Smirnoff Green Apple, your favourite," Lance replied.


    "You do know me well," Kay replied, lifting the glass.


    Lance clinked his glass to hers, "Of course. To friendship."


    "And sob stories," Kay said, continuing their line.


    "Secrets to the grave," Lance finished up and they drank together, then slammed the glass onto the table.


    Leaning back on the sofa, they were silent for a while.


    Kay turned to look at Lance and asked him, "Is it bad of me that I am feeling not satisfied with my life?"


    "What do you mean? Not satisfied?" Lance queried back.


    Kay sighed.


    "Just that," Kay replied vaguely, "I feel dissatisfied."


    She spread out her arms, then using her hands, she waved at herself, saying, "Not trying to sound narcissistic, but look at me. I''m young and gorgeous. I''m so rich that I don''t have to think twice when spending money."


    "I am at the top of my class and can even take the helm and steer the CEO of Smith Industries when Kyle isn''t around. Heck, I don''t even have to work because my passive income is enough to last me till the day I die."


    "Yet, at the end of the day ¡­ I am not happy," Kay said, "I know I have a lot to be grateful for, and I am. I know I am so lucky while there are starving people out there, or those who are struggling with life ¡­"


    "So, you feel guilty for feeling what you feel," Lance said, "Thus, suppressing your emotions and causing you to feel more dissatisfied and guilty. It''s a vicious cycle."


    Kay took another drink and sipped it this time.


    "You''ve just had it too easy, Kay," Lance said.


    Kay glared at him, "What do you mean by that? Easy? You think I''ve not faced any harm or suffered?"


    She could tell him a story or two about the past. How she had nearly been r*ped when she was barely in her teens. The time she had gone with Kyle to confront Kazuya. Or when they were attacked when she had gone to see Reimonna, Kai Sheng''s mother. Or the attempted kidnapping in the airport of Country M and her actually killing someone.


    Lance shook his head, "No, I''m not saying that. It''s impossible for you to have never faced some sort of danger in your life. It could be something small like crossing the road during a red light."


    "No, when I said that you''ve had it easy, I mean that you''ve never truly failed spectacularly in anything," Lance replied, "You''re bright. You work hard. You basically can get anything you want if you put your mind to it."


    "How do I put this?" Lance said, thinking hard, "I''m not saying that you''ve never failed but it''s very rare that you do; and even if you do, you have someone backing you all the time to catch you."


    "In short, you don''t have the same fears we normal people do," Lance continued, "You don''t have the same sort of risks as you''re always cushioned in life."


    Kay placed her elbow at the side of the chair, and put her head on her arm as she listened. Perhaps Lance was right.


    She did have an easy life when he put it that way.


    Especially when she thinks about Joseph.


    That is one thing she is unsure about, one thing that she does not know whether she could be successful in wooing him in the future. Whether she even had a chance with him in the future.


    If she was faced with this sort of feelings for everything that she did, she''d probably either go crazy or have a bigger sense of achievement when she manages to get it. To be able to face risks and pick herself up when she falls.


    Kay sighed, "I guess you have a point. Maybe that is why I''m restless as well. I don''t see the challenge. I have no challenges in life."


    "Yes, you do," Lance said.


    "What?"


    "Your challenge is to ask yourself: What do you want to do in your life? I feel that you''ve always lived your life for other people, not yourself," Lance said, "All the choices you made and all the things you did - wasn''t it for your brother?"


    "He never forced me to do it!" Kay said, quick to defend Kyle.


    "I never said he did," Lance replied, "But it''s about time you figure out: who is Kayla Smith?"


    Kay was silent.


    Lance was right.


    Even though she had learned to live without Kyle while he was in Country M, she still lived her life for him.


    She now had to think about herself.

 Chapter 816 - Mid-Life Crisis?

    Chapter 816 - Mid-Life Crisis? "It''s not that easy," Kay finally mumbled as she thought about it.


    "I know, right?" Lance said with a laugh, "That''s why I said it''s a challenge. Your challenge."


    He turned to look at her while grinning, "Mid-life crisis at such a young age. What is this world coming into?"


    Kay rolled her eyes and punched him playfully on the shoulder, saying, "What mid-life crisis? I''m not having some sort of transition of identity or lack of confidence."


    "Not true," Lance argued, lifting up his shot of vodka at her, "As long as you find yourself asking deep questions like ''what is the point of Life?'' and ''Where do I go from here?'' which makes you depressed - well, that''s mid-life crisis for you."


    "I suppose," Kay said reluctantly, "Maybe I should do what Kyle did. Dash off to some exotic country and ponder on this."


    "I think your parents might have a say in that," Lance replied, "Unless you come back with a boyfriend or something."


    "Urgh. No," Kay said with a shudder, "I''m out there to figure myself out, not get myself a man."


    She didn''t want to get a man. Well, she did but she had to wait for him to grow up first.


    Now it was Kay''s turn to look at Lance seriously and asked, "Your turn."


    Lance didn''t answer immediately but first took shot. Finally, with a deep sigh, he said, "Mark got himself a girlfriend."


    Kay snorted, "Mark is always getting himself a girlfriend."


    Ever since they graduated, Mark was going out with all sorts of women. Blind dates, speed dates, impromptu dates. You name it, he''s done it. It''s like he was frantically looking for ''The One''.


    "It looks pretty serious this time," Lance replied, "You know, I suddenly found out that all this ''watching from the side'' thing is a load of crap. I thought I could handle it but seeing his stupidly happy face, I really wanted to punch it."


    "I know that there can be nothing between us, but it still hurts like hell," Lance said.


    There was nothing for Kay to say. She could only sit there and listen. The love that Lance bore silently for Mark had been burning steadily for years, so it wasn''t a surprise that he would be having this sort of reaction.


    Seeing, but not getting.


    Just out of your reach, forever.


    "Then why do you torture yourself so?" Kay asked softly.


    Previously, she could only symphatize but now, she empathized.


    Having to watch from a distance, while keeping your love hidden.


    Although her situation was different for she had a sliver of a chance whereas for Lance, there wasn''t any. So she felt that the pain she was feeling was only 10% of what he was going through.


    She wanted to understand his thoughts.


    Lance snorted, "Do I have a choice?"


    "Everyone always has a choice," Kay replied, "It''s just a matter of whether you want to bear with the choice you make."


    "You can either tell him your feelings or not," Kay said, "You could cut yourself off from him and go to another city, find a new life. There are so many choices open to you but you choose to stay and watch him fall in love, over and over again."


    She asked him seriously, "Why put yourself through all of that? I can understand if you have any hope but you, yourself, say that it is not possible. I''m sorry, Lance, but this really doesn''t make any sense to me."


    "Because I''m weak," Lance said.


    "Huh?"


    "I convinced myself that I would be fine just watching from the sidelines," Lance explained, "I thought I would be satisfied just being his good friend. At least, we still could hang out together, be bros and all that."


    "It was enough," Lance said with a sigh.


    "Or so I thought. Perhaps a part of me never believed he would find someone or really be serious with someone. Perhaps a part of me thought this comfortable relationship would last forever."


    "I didn''t want to lose that and I couldn''t bear the pain of going away and having his puppy face asking me why," Lance said with a grimace.


    "I couldn''t bear to hurt him and I couldn''t bear to be apart from him."


    "But now, I realise how stupid I was," Lance said as he continued drinking, "If I feel this much pain just seeing him so happy with her, what more if he marries her? Have kids? I want to be happy for him but I can''t."


    As Lance''s hand went to take another shot, Kay stopped him, "I think that''s enough. How many have you had already? Four?"


    "Seven," Lance replied, "But who''s counting?"


    Kay stared at him. Lance had a high alcohol tolerance but even then, his face was already beginning to get flushed. That was the first sign that he had taken just a bit too much.


    Kay had been too engrossed at first with her own problem that she had not noticed how much he had been drinking. In fact, he had started even before she came, right?


    "Let''s go on a trip together then," Kay suddenly announced.


    Now it was Lance''s turn to look at her and go, "Huh?"


    "It''s perfect, don''t you think?" Kay said, the idea holding on to her the longer she thought about it, "I can go and ''find myself'' while you can go and figure out how to let go of Mark. My parents wouldn''t be so against me going on a long trip if it''s with you."


    Despite the buzz in his head, Lance could see that the idea had merits.


    Then, his face fell.


    "I can''t," he said, his inhibitions starting to face as the alcohol started to hit him, "I have this project ¡­ and ¡­"


    He leaned towards her, "... man, did I ever tell you you''re so beautiful??"


    Kay rolled her eyes and pushed him away. Lance was the type of person who was fine one minute and then BAM.


    Hello, flirt clown.


    The fact that he got drunk meant he was hit more than he let on. He would only let go when he was with her, though. He wouldn''t at all with Mark because he never wanted to step over that boundary.


    He hugged her waist, saying while leaning on her again, "If only I could get turned on by a woman, I would be so all over you."


    "Yeah, yeah," Kay replied, patting his head. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was going to be a long night.


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    The next day, Kay got up with a groan. She turned to see Lance still asleep and she rubbed her head, yawning. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was already way past the afternoon.


    Luckily, she had the foresight to send a message to Lance''s company the night before that he would be taking the day off today. Otherwise, they''d be in a panic right now.


    It was also good thing she wasn''t working at the moment, as she was still a bit tired and looking like sh*t.


    She glanced at Lance, satisfied that he was still deeply asleep and looking peaceful.


    He had really gotten wasted last night so instead of going home, she just got them into a hotel room. He had been a really slobbering and crying idiot so she didn''t have the heart to just leave him alone.


    She didn''t go to his house as that would have been worse since he stayed in an apartment with very nosy neighbours. The hotel next door to the club was fine enough.


    As much as Lance became a flirt clown when drunk, he would only hug and snuggle while pouring his heart out. Nothing happened at all and they had slept peacefully after Lance had finished crying his heart out.


    Kay went to the bathroom, wondering if she would be just as bad as this when Joseph got himself a girlfriend. She had no doubt that he would, considering how popular he is right now.


    Prime of his life, isn''t it? High-school and all that.


    Kay couldn''t help it but then accessed her phone to ¡­ observe Joseph in school. Seeing that very young face smiling, working hard, and all that made her heart both feel pain and full at the same time.


    She wondered just how Lance could have gone through all of that with Mark. Throughout school, to be by his side but not.


    Just as she finished washing her face, Kyle reached out to her.


    [What''s up, brother?] Kay asked absent-mindedly, as she placed toothpaste on the toothbrush. She stared at herself in the mirror before starting to brush her teeth.


    [You''re going to be an Aunt]


    Kay nearly chocked on the toothpaste. Spitting it out and rinsing her mouth, she asked incredulously [What the hell Kyle? Just who is this hussy that you i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.ed?]


    [Sayuri]

 Chapter 817 - Time to Move Out

    Chapter 817 - Time to Move Out [Wait. What? Sayuri? How is that possible? Wasn''t she on the pill?]


    Kay had thought it was some other woman that Kyle had i.m.p.r.e.g.n.a.t.ed since he seemed to have broken up with Sayuri when he got back - or rather, that their bed-partnership agreement was over.


    After all, they had never been together since then. She never asked him as she felt that was too personal a matter.


    She didn''t want to know about him sleeping around anyway.


    Thus, since she knew about him wanting a bed partner - and at the rate he had been at it with Sayuri - Kay merely assumed he had gotten a new partner. She didn''t believe he could abstain for so long after having taken a huge bite of the apple - and be caught up in some scandal when one of them somehow managed to cheat her brother and got pregnant to bind him.


    But it wasn''t an unknown.


    It was Sayuri?!


    A huge grin blossomed on Kay''s face.


    Perfect.


    Quickly freshening herself up, Kay got out and gave Lance a nudge but he was dead to the world. She sighed and stroked the top of his head. Before leaving, Kay left a message for him and hoped that he will be okay after this.


    Once the door clicked shut, Lance opened his eyes and rubbed his face. He had been awake since Kay went into the bathroom but he couldn''t face her yet. He remembered just how much he had let go last night and he was utterly embarrassed.


    Rubbing the back of his neck and getting up from the bed, he smiled a bit seeing her note.


    It really was a pity he couldn''t fall for Kay. It certainly would have solved all his love problems? No more pining over someone that he couldn''t get.


    That holiday away really looked very tempting right now.


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    The first thing Kay did upon leaving was to go home, take a shower and change her clothes Luckily, no one was around to see her in that disheveled state, then she rushed immediately to Smith Industries HQ.


    Sayuri was still around so she had to visit, right?


    Being pregnant at such a young age would surely be daunting - what more when the father of the baby was rather obtuse. Kay made a solemn promise to herself that she would be the best and most supportive sister-in-law *ever*.


    Sayuri needed that.


    Despite her being extremely excited, Kay still maintained some poise as she walked through the Smith HQ doors then headed to the VIP lift. Once it opened up on the floor, though, she sprang out.


    Without even knocking or checking with Beatrice, Kay ran straight through and flung the door open. As she burst into the room, she was gasping, a little bit out of breath as she had made that sprint.


    Damn, she was so unfit.


    Perhaps she should actually workout to Joseph''s exercise dance routine? Kay was momentarily distracted at that thought, as the idea made her a little bit excited. Initially, all she did was watch the video''s for fun (and admittedly, to stalk harmlessly) but if she actually followed the routines, it would make the connection more fun, right?


    Kay''s eyes darted inside to look for Sayuri, and found that she was sitting on the sofa.


    Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could swear there was this angelic halo above Sayuri''s head. She glowed, like some sort of angel as she sat lay there comfortably, leaning on a fluffed up pillow and a blanket over her knees.


    Kyle didn''t even bring his head up upon her dramatic entrance and Kay glared at him, feeling annoyed at her brother that was ignoring the mother of his baby on the sofa. After berating him for leaving Sayuri alone, Kay went over to gush over Sayuri, ignoring whatever it as that Kyle was telling her.


    All she could see at that moment, was this beautiful woman carrying her brother''s child inside of her.


    Perhaps it was a twin thing that she had with Kyle, but she felt very excited at the thought of her becoming an Aunt. It was beyond the normal ''I am going to be an Aunt'' thing but more like, ''My brother is going to be a father''.


    Kay started feeling all protective over Sayuri and cursed her brother again in her mind. He has this gem in front of him and he was going to lose her if he continued to be so dense about his feelings.


    "I''m gonna be an Auntie!" Kay giggled as she sat down on the floor next to Sayuri, feeling so awed.


    Seeing Sayuri blush a bit at her words, Kay felt even more protective over this delicate woman. Though she knew Sayuri was far from ''delicate'' but it''s just the image! A pregnant woman!


    Kay couldn''t help herself and started patting Sayuri''s head, feeling like she got herself a pet to take care of. Sayuri didn''t protest and let her do so, upon which Kay felt grateful for.


    Sitting down on the floor and leaning against the sofa near Sayuri, Kay asked her brother, "So when are you going to tell Mum and Dad?"


    She saw with satisfaction as he actually grimaced, and he scratched his head in agitation. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay laughed under her breath at his uncomfortable look while Sayuri scoffed behind her.


    "I told my Grandfather and Uncle," Sayuri said, "You''re on your own with this one. Just remember, we are NOT getting married."


    "I know, I know," mumbled Kyle.


    Kay''s heart went towards her brother at that. She knew how much he wanted to take responsibility and marry Sayuri but Kay understood Sayuri''s stance. She turned to Sayuri, observing her and marveled at how strong she was.


    Could she be as strong?


    She hoped so.


    Kay''s eyes went towards Sayuri''s stomach and she could imagine seeing the fetus that was growing there. She loved her brother a lot, and seeing this woman doing this for him ¡­ carrying the baby to term when he couldn''t commit his heart to her ¡­


    Kay felt like crying.


    She was so overwhelmed with gratitude towards Sayuri that she couldn''t help herself but hug her, while whispering her thanks. She noted Sayuri was surprised at that, and told her that she would always be there for her.


    Even if it meant going against what Kyle wanted.


    She stayed for a little while longer, watching them as they talked and decided on a place to stay. She truly couldn''t imagine why her brother could not see how much care he was putting towards Sayuri.


    If she brought it up, he would most likely brush it aside as him being the gentleman that he is. However, he doesn''t see what she sees.


    How soft his gaze is when he looks at Sayuri. How gentle his touch is. How kind his words are.


    All of those screamed ''love'' but to him? It was just ''care''.


    When Kyle left with Sayuri to go to their new love nest, Kay stayed behind for a little bit longer. She looked at the rest of the files that held all the property that Kyle had and she realised that she never did do these things either.


    She leaned back on the sofa, thinking hard upon what Lance had said.


    Who is Kayla Smith?


    She realised with a start that she never really did anything on her own. Well, other than whatever it was that involved Joseph.


    But she needed something else to focus on.


    More specifically, to focus on herself.


    What did she want? What sort of future was she preparing herself for?


    Did she really want to work at Smith Industries with Kyle?


    That had been her initial plan - at first, it was to be the force behind him. Then, it changed to be the force beside him. She studied for it, she worked for it and Kyle had even trained her for it because she had shown interest.


    He didn''t push when she showed she wasn''t keen.


    So what was it that she really wanted?


    She looked around the CEO''s office.


    The place she had stayed and worked in during the time Kyle had gone to Country M for revenge. She did enjoy the work, but she was still unsure if this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.


    Kay sighed and looked out the window, to admire the city skyline.


    Going away on a holiday with Lance to ''find herself'' had to be put on hold for now. Sayuri was pregnant and Kay wanted to be here, with them, on this journey. This was a huge moment in Kyle''s life and she didn''t want to miss it.


    The get-away will have to wait.


    But ¡­


    Kay glanced again at the file with Kyle''s properties.


    Perhaps it was time for her to move out of the Smith Mansion as well.

 Chapter 818 - Moving Out

    Chapter 818 - Moving Out As expected, her decision to move out to live by herself was met with opposition from her parents. It was bad enough that Kyle was moving out, now she was, too?


    At least, Kyle had a reason whereas all she could say was that she ''needed space''.


    Not a good thing to say to your parents who doted on you endlessly.


    Kay felt like a headache was coming on as she watched her mother cry, sniffling away, "But ¡­ so ¡­ you''re saying that you feel stifled here? That I control you, is it? You can''t be free to be yourself?"


    Kay g.r.o.a.n.e.d inwardly.


    Emotional blackmail.


    Mothers are so good at that.


    Worse, sons seem to be able to get past that and coax them while daughters are left with the short end of the stick.


    I mean, come on - Kyle could disappear to another country for two years and their mother wasn''t this emotional at trying to keep him by her side.


    Kay wondered whether this was just her family, or whether it was a common thing throughout. Kyle was, after all, extremely charming and knew how to get under the skin of a mother - him having been one before, after all.


    Taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm, Kay said, "It''s nothing that you did, Mum. It''s just that no matter what, this is your house. I just want a place of my own ¡­"


    "This is your home!" Delilah cut in, hurt apparent in her eyes.


    "Yes, it is," Kay said, still keeping to her patience and sanity, "This is the place I grew up in and it will always be my home but it is not the same. And may I point out that this isn''t the house you were born in either."


    "That''s different," Delilah sniffed, "I got married. Are you getting married? No, right? As long as you''re still single, you are our responsibility and should live under my roof."


    "But don''t you see, Mum?" Kay pleaded, "That''s the whole point. You say this is my home, and it is, but you also say that it is ''your'' roof. Your rules, your decisions. I am an a.d.u.l.t now, Mum. It''s not like I''m leaving the family. I just want my own space. Where I can do whatever I want, decorate however I like ¡­ and not just my room."


    "You''re a girl!" Delilah began and Kay looked at her in exasperation.


    "Mum, really? You, of all people, would say that?"


    Delilah waved her hands in front of her, her face stern, "No, you know that is not what I meant! It''s more dangerous for a woman to be living alone. You know that. No matter how capable you are, a lone woman living by herself will be a constant target. Especially one as striking as you."


    Kay took several deep breaths to calm herself down before answering, "I know that, Mum. I wouldn''t be silly enough to think that the world is a safe place. I will be careful."


    She took her mother''s hand and looked up at her with sincere eyes, "If I am to be bundled up in cotton all the time, how am I supposed to grow? I''ve come to realise that I''ve lived my life as Kyle''s shadow, and as your daughter. I''m the Smith Princess and Kyle''s twin. I just need my own space, Mum."


    It took a bit more persuasion but finally, her mother relented. Kay felt immense relief over that, and she compromised by discussing the place that she would be getting. At least, her mother could be assured about the security and location, so her heart would be better at peace.


    It was in a prime area, of course, and near the Smith Industries HQ. As such, it was deemed to be in a ''safe'' zone. In addition, one needed a security key card to enter and there was a receptionist / doorman near the entrance towards the elevator.


    Kay couldn''t move in immediately though, as she not only needed to get furniture that was more suited to her taste, she wanted to renovate it a bit to suit her needs. Plus, she would require a good security system and a peephole on the door.


    Another compromise Kay did with her mother was that the door had triple security. The door was changed to a heavier set one that would not easily be smashed into. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was the normal deadbolt, a sash jammer, and a strike plate lock.


    A strike plate lock had a similar concept to a chain lock that one normally sees at hotel room doors. However, it was sturdier and safer than the former. Its bolt was more secure and its design created a sort of locking mechanism from the doorframe to the door (like the way a Tupperware locks its lids) and it has a chain that ended in a huge ring to loop over the doorknob.


    It would take a normal person about 20 minutes or so to smash through and even using a sandbag weighing 90 pounds wouldn''t smash the door down (unlike if one used a normal chain lock).


    In addition, even though she was on the 20th floor, Kay had all her windows fitted with the sash jammer.


    After all, Kyle would be able to get in if he wanted to from the window, so Kay wasn''t going to take things for granted. Better be safe than sorry.


    The best thing was, her apartment wasn''t that far from where Sayuri and Kyle were staying, so she could easily drop by for a visit when she got a bit lonely. She would enjoy the solitude and independence but heck, she was going to be an Aunt!


    Luckily for Kay, her brother had even more drama unfolding, which diverted her parents'' attention away from her when she moved out.


    Kay had approached her mother first to get her permission to move out, and when her father found out, he wasn''t too keen. However, he couldn''t very well override his wife as there was a tacit agreement that once a decision was made, the other would not go against the other.


    The only way was to convince the original ''permission giver'' to take back the permission.


    Kay had no doubt that her father would have managed to persuade her already reluctant mother to change her mind, so she was really grateful for Samantha turning up with Kyle''s "son".


    That had been a truly epic moment at home, too.


    She had been with Sayuri when Kyle contacted her about it. Seeing her getting all worked out to defend her territory aka Kyle, made Kay both happy - and jealous. At least, Sayuri could openly do so.


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    The days passed by quicker than Kay realised.


    Living by herself truly was a liberating experience.


    She could walk about the apartment without wearing a bra, for one. She didn''t need to brush her hair before going out of the bedroom. She didn''t need to worry about coming down for breakfast and dinner with the family, and could eat whatever she wanted and at whatever time she felt like it to be.


    Of course, Lance would have to be a regular visitor at her new apartment.


    Right now, he was on the sofa, lounging and complaining to her, "Oh man, Kay. Why? Why? I was so looking forward to it, too!"


    "Auw, Lance," Kay said, shuffling over and ruffling his hair, "I couldn''t predict my brother would knock up poor Sayuri now, could I?"


    Lance snorted.


    "It''s Kyle Smith," Lance said with a dramatic flair of his hand running through his hair, "Everything about me is potent, especially my seeds."


    "Ew, Lance!" Kay said with a shudder, "This is my brother we''re talking about. Please. Keep it PG please."


    Lance laughed heartily.


    "After the birth, we shall go then, okay?" Kay said.


    "You promise?" Lance asked, putting up his pinkie finger.


    Kay hooked her finger on his and they tapped their thumbs together, "I promise."


    "We can use the time to plan where to go, and how long, and what we''ll actually do!" Kay said excitedly, her eyes sparkling.


    "Aren''t you going to ''find yourself''?" Lance asked, putting up two fingers to ''quote'' and unquote'' the words ''find yourself'', "If you make such detailed plans, how would that equate to you achieving that?"


    "You have a point," Kay said, "So what do you suggest?"


    "Go backpacking," Lance said, "Rough it out. Go from one place to another to explore, but not in luxury."


    Kay looked at him with wide eyes.


    Putting up her finger, she waved it left and right, saying clearly, "No. I want to find myself, not torture myself! I do not need to do all that to know that I quite enjoy my life of luxury and comfort, thank you very much."


    "It''s a start," he said with a grin, "In knowing who you are."

 Chapter 819 - First Kiss

    Chapter 819 - First Kiss Kay pursed her lips, "I guess. Kayla Smith, the pampered young woman who is lost. Will that do?" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lance laughed, "The young, rich pampered young woman who is lost. Do you know how many people will kill you for that sentence?"


    "Pah," Kay said, putting up a fist, "Let them try."


    "You know," Lance said, tilting his head as he looked at her, "You don''t really have that typical rich girl problems, huh?"


    Kay frowned, "Just what rubbish are you talking about now? Have you been reading trashy romance novels again?! Lance! Those things will rot your brain!"


    "Hey!" Lance argued, putting up his hands in surrender, "I am stressed out working all day, thinking of this and that - reading trashy novels calms my head."


    Kay rolled her eyes, "What is it this time? Some woman waking up having had some forced s.e.x due to drugs with a random man after being schemed by half-sister who stole her sc.u.m boyfriend?"


    Lance put a hand over his c.h.e.s.t, with a ''shock'' look on his face, "My my my, Kay. And here I thought, you don''t read such trashy novels! You are an expert!!"


    "Shut up, you," Kay snarled at him, "I read one and that was enough. It can give you cancer, reading how the abusive male lead gains the sympathy of readers just because he turned over a new leaf. Pah."


    Lance rolled his eyes at her and said, "Well, any-way, as I was saying, you don''t have the typical rich girl problems. You know, arranged marriages, bitchy ex''s and stuff like that."


    Now it was Kay''s turn to roll her eyes and said, "Like I said, trashy novels filling your head."


    Lance protested and Kay teased, and that''s basically how they spent the night. Lance stayed over, and slept at the sofa bed in the living room while Kay lay in her own bedroom, pondering over the day.


    Well, it looked like she was pondering over the day when in fact, she was watching the recorded footage of a certain someone going through his day.


    ''I really am a stalker'' Kay thought to herself, but she didn''t think she could stop. It helped ease the longing, though a part of her felt that she was only prolonging the pain.


    She sighed, then eyes grew wide.


    What was this?!


    ? Several hours before ?


    "Joseph!!"


    Joseph''s head whipped up towards the sound of the person calling him.


    "What?!" he replied, even though he could guess why he was called.


    His classmate, Erik, was at the front of the class, at the open door and grinning stupidly.


    "Somebody is here to seeeeee you," Erik said in a sing-song voice.


    As expected, the class started going ''ooooo'' and ''whoop whoop whoop'' while Joseph kept the smile plastered on his face as he got up.


    What number did this make it?


    He lost count.


    It seems he has become the entertainer for the class as this seemed to become a regular occurrence. Joseph had no idea why and figured it must be because Country Tz was not as reserved as Country M.


    Back home, you wouldn''t have girls coming up to the guys confessing. Especially if you don''t even know the guy!


    The first time it happened to him here, he had panicked.


    Joseph had felt extremely flattered, of course and his ego was stroked but he was firm in rejecting her. After all, he didn''t want to create false hope. He didn''t know the person, so how could he accept such a confession?


    It felt all fake, really, even if the girl was looking at him all sincerely with hearts in their eyes.


    "Go on, you stud you," one said to Joseph as he passed him by.


    Joseph just laughed, shaking his head and not taking it seriously. As he reached the front, he saw a rather sweet looking young girl looking at him nervously.


    Before Joseph could say anything, she stuffed something in his hand and ran away.


    "Bro," Erik said, laughing while flinging his arm across Joseph''s shoulder, "You scared her away."


    "I didn''t do anything!" Joseph protested.


    He looked down in his hand and saw a slightly crumpled pink envelope. He could smell the sweet smell of perfume emitting from it and his nose started to hurt a bit. He didn''t like such strong smells as his nose was rather s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e but he endured.


    Turning his back to shield the contents of the envelope from the nosy Erik, Joseph read the simple single sentence, ''Please meet me at the Blues Corner after school - Laura''. The handwriting was neat and tidy.


    Joseph sighed and folded up the envelope and letter.


    Blues Corner was just a meeting place most commonly used for confessions. It was out of the way yet not too secluded that it was a dangerous place.


    Just beyond the corner, really.


    As if there was some tacit understanding, people won''t go to the Blues Corner after class, unless they were there to give a confession. Joseph did wonder whether they had a system or something - otherwise, why hadn''t there been several confessions happening at the same time at the same place, right?


    Joseph looked at the folded envelope and put it in his pocket. At least, it wasn''t decorated with little hearts and kisses. Not meeting her was not an option as he wouldn''t feel nice letting her wait for him.


    Thus, when the bell rang signaling the last lesson was over, Joseph headed to his sister''s classroom first. She would have had to pass by his classroom to exit the building, thus, he hoped to catch her before she did.


    His gamble paid off and upon seeing him, she gave a roll of her eyes and sighed.


    "How long?"


    Joseph shrugged, "Shouldn''t be too long."


    "Fine," she said, "You''re lucky it''s Zero that picks us up lately. If it was Papa, you know you''d get an earful."


    Their father was the type that would be waiting for them before they came out and if they were late, he would be giving them the third-degree.


    Their father wasn''t a fan of school romances either.


    "I know," Joseph replied exasperatingly.


    Why does his sister always state the obvious? If their Dad was the one that picked them up, he wouldn''t see the girl at all but would ask a classmate to send his reply letter.


    "You shouldn''t take it for granted in getting away like this," Lianne said, "Sooner or later, Papa may start asking questions, then you will get into trouble."


    "I can''t help it! It''s not like I ask them to call me," Joseph protested, feeling indignant.


    "If you can be firm with them should Papa be picking us up, you should do the same even though Zero is the one," Lianne pointed out as she walked off, "I''m just saying. You should be more careful."


    Joseph watched his sister walk off and shook his head, thinking that she had a point. He sighed and walked off towards the place Laura said she''d be waiting. With his sister''s reminder, Joseph decided that this would be the last time he came personally.


    She was right, and somehow, her warnings or reminders always came at the right time. He wasn''t going to be stupid to ignore it.


    When he reached the Blues Corner, he saw Laura already there, waiting. She was wringing her hands and Joseph took a deep breath before heading over.


    He stopped a few metres away, smiled and said "Hi."


    "Thank you for coming," Laura said nervously, biting her bottom lip as she gazed up at him.


    "Um-hmmm," Joseph replied non-committedly. He discovered, through experience, if he had responded in any other way, they''d get some hope. Any polite words like, ''it''s nothing'' or ''it''s the least I could do'' made them think he was looking forward to it.


    If he said ''what''s up?'' or something equally vague, they''d think he wasn''t taking them seriously or looking down on them.


    He really didn''t understand how girl''s thought.


    It was best to just say nothing or hum, for they could interpret it anyhow they wanted.


    "Joseph, I like you," Laura said, her voice quivering, "Will you be my boyfriend?"


    Joseph looked a bit sad and down but he had to say the words he had rehearsed and said quite often, "Thank you, Laura, I''m flattered but I am not looking for a relationship right now."


    However, instead of looking dejected or accept his rejection, Laura pressed on, "It''s okay! I can wait!"


    Joseph shook his head, "I''m sorry, but I really am not ¡­"


    She rushed over and took his hand, much to his shock. But he couldn''t push her away as she was a girl.


    "Please, please!! Let me be by your side!"


    Joseph shook his head and tried to pry his hands away but she just held on tightly. Suddenly, she pulled on his hands and stepped forward,?planting her lips on his.


    Joseph''s eyes went wide open.

 Chapter 820 - School Prince

    Chapter 820 - School Prince Joseph was so shocked at this sudden turn of events that he was frozen for a while. This only made Laura think he was receptive to her kiss, so she became bolder.


    Which only made Jospeh panic upon feeling how aggressive she was being.


    At first, it was just two lips pressed together but now, she was actually moving her lips about on his.


    He hurriedly got free from her hold and grabbed her shoulders as he took a step back. He was slightly forceful this time, since this was getting out of hand.


    Unfortunately, Joseph was too fl.u.s.tered to even escape properly as he stumbled and lost his balance. As he felt himself falling backwards, he instinctively wrapped his hands around Laura to protect her.


    He fell spectacularly, with Laura falling right on top of him. He was dazed for a bit as he not only fallen down but he had something fall on him as well - the poor, besotted fool who was feeling fine as her fall had been cushioned by him.


    Laura was ecstatic, feeling that Joseph did have feelings for her since he held her like that. She grabbed his face in her hands and started kissing him all over his face (and not just his lips).


    "Laura, please, stop ¡­" Joseph said weakly as his head was spinning. She wasn''t a delicate flower either as her weight was pressing on his abdomen, making him out of breath.


    Damn, she was heavy.


    It wasn''t that she was overweight but anyone would feel the way he did after a fall.


    To his relief, he felt the weight lift off of him and he lifted his head, to see Laura being held up by the scruff of her collar by Zero.


    "Are you okay, Sir?" he asked the dazed Joseph.


    Joseph shook his head to clear it and slowly got up, "Yeah. Thanks, Zero."


    Zero let the girl go and stood between her and Joseph, staring her down. The coldness and fierce demeaour finally made her stop as she stood there nervously.


    Joseph got up and brushed the dirt from his clothes and sighed. He licked the side of his lips that had a little bit of a cut, courtesy of Laura''s over-enthusiasm. Luckily indeed that it wasn''t his father that came to pick them up today.


    Hopefully, the cut would not be so noticeable the next day.


    Joseph glanced at Zero''s sturdy back and then towards Laura that appeared a bit fl.u.s.tered (with a red face) and a slightly guilty look on her face.


    "I''m really sorry, Laura, but I really do just want to focus on school. Just have fun with friends but not romance," Joseph said firmly.


    With that, he turned without waiting for her response. At least, with Zero there, she wouldn''t chase after him anymore, right?


    Laura watched him go with an ache in her heart. She touched her lips and smiled.


    Well, at least she got something out of it. His lips were really soft indeed. She turned and hummed happily as she left, remembering the moment.


    As Joseph walked towards off, Zero maintained a respectable distance behind Joseph. His presence alone certainly made the girls swoon by the side.


    All of this was not noticed by Joseph, of course, for his mind was filled with what had just happened. He turned back with a frown to see Zero behind him but he couldn''t do anything about it. He had tried once to get Zero to walk beside him (by asking him to walk faster or by him slowing down) but Zero would not budge from that position.


    He was their driver-slash-bodyguard for a couple of months, and he was always serious about it.


    Joseph wondered just what his sister was thinking when she had requested for Zero to be with them. Although he had to admit, Zero did appear softer a bit around his sister. His mask was not as cold.


    Once they reached the car, Joseph noted Lianne was busy on her phone, as usual.


    "Everything ok?" she asked, not glancing up from the phone.


    "Yeah," Joseph replied with a sigh, "Luckily Zero was there."


    "What? You got mobbed, is it?" Lianne asked in disbelief.


    "No ¡­" Joseph said with a sigh, "Just a more determined person who confessed."


    ''Huh'' Lianne thought, ''Apple doesn''t fall far from the tree then''


    She thought about how her mother, as Kyle, got into all sorts of trouble with the ex-es. Just recently, some random woman popped up with their ''son''. To think her mother was such a player ¡­ well, even though it had been for some mission.


    Lianne had been kept ab.r.e.a.s.t of everything that happened to Kyle. Partly because she knew him as her mother, and partly because they have always shared things. Their relationship was more like friends, though there were times that her mother would act ''mother'' and tell her what needs to be done.


    However, most of the time, it would be discussions. What Lianne loved best was that her mother always talked *to* her rather than talking down to her. She actually would listen to what was her, Lianne''s, views and thoughts, and then explain her own reasoning.


    Still, no matter how open-minded Lianne was, to find out her mother had been involved in such activities made her world-view expand even more and have her look at her mother in a completely different manner.


    So naturally, her view and impression of her brother also changed.


    For some reason, when he told her that he had yet another confession to go and reject, she asked Zero to keep an eye on him. If their mother could get into all sorts of trouble from her female fans, what more her oblivious brother?


    Then again, her mother was just as oblivious.


    Having an ex come back with a surprise son, and current girlfriend being pregnant ¡­ Lianne shook her head.


    Her mother and brother are both completely hopeless.


    Seeing how things are between them, and how she saw all guys her age (and much older, actually) to be really immature, the idea of falling in love and getting into a relationship was something Lianne vowed not to get involved in right now. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or even much later in the future.


    More trouble than its worth.


    She glanced at Zero, who was being as quiet and steady as usual.


    It''s much better to just sit and admire the guys around at a distance. Far safer.


    She liked her simple life and will be under the radar as much as possible.


    Get married?


    Pah.


    Not for her. More trouble than its worth.


    Lianne looked out the window for a brief moment, thinking about the possibility of ever finding someone who could truly understand her - and one that didn''t annoy her - was really slim. Since she didn''t think that such a person actually exist, she never placed much hope in that.


    With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the game.


    2D guys are just so much better, she thought. They are predictable and can never hurt you in any way.


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    After that incident with Laura, Joseph became firmer when dealing with girls confessing to him.


    Initially, he felt he had to meet the girls personally in order to show some respect to them gathering the courage to confess. Thus, even though there was the risk of his father finding out, he took it.


    However, now, if it meant seeing someone after school, he would politely refuse when asked and gave the reason that he had to go back and couldn''t let the person who picked him up to wait.


    At first, he thought people would start talking bad about him for doing so, but strangely enough, no one said a thing. What he did not know was that the rather embarrassing and awkward situation with Laura helped him in this aspect.


    Word got around that Joseph had been ''attacked'' by an overly-amorous girl that he got slightly traumatised by it. People had seen how disheveled he had been the other day, while his bodyguard had saved and protected his chastity.


    However, Joseph being the nice and kind guy that he was, didn''t say a thing. Instead of blaming his attacker, he made simply made up the excuse of not wanting to let his father wait.


    This action simply sealed the deal for his fans.


    Instead of him being made fun of for being ''afraid'' of his father (less manly, so to speak), he was admired for not putting down the person who had ''attacked'' him.


    Laura was already receiving a lot of criticisms for her action, for she had ''defiled'' the innocent Prince. His gentlemanly behaviour towards only sealed the deal for them about the school Prince.


    While this was going on, the school Prince, Joseph, was completely oblivious. He didn''t think him telling the truth would make his position as school prince soar.

 Chapter 821 - Home

    Chapter 821 - Home While Joseph was going through one phase in his life, Kay was as well.


    Well, more like coming to terms with having to sit by the sidelines as she stalked him.


    This was something she was going to have to deal with for the next three years, at least. Actually, no. Scratch that. It would be five years. He was only 15 right now.


    Even if Joseph had reached the legal age of 18 (taking into account Country M''s age of majority rather than Country Tz''s, which is at 16), she was sure that he and his friends would view her as ''old''.


    After all, didn''t teens always view those who were 20 years old and above as old?


    However, her heart was not settled.


    Joseph is 15 right now. Prime of his life, so to speak and hormones raging like crazy. When she had seen him get kissed like that ¡­ she almost flung her phone away.


    It took a lot of effort for her to just sit there and continue watching, rather than having her go straight to her computer and find out who the little tramp was.


    She was *not* going to go down that route. No.


    At that moment as well, Kay suddenly felt she could understand Sarah''s feelings for her brother. How she could not seem to let him go then. Was it like this? Stalking him and admiring him from afar?


    Still, Kay was rational enough to know that she wasn''t quite as crazy as Sarah for she didn''t entertain the idea that Joseph liked her in any way. Well, other than as a friend.


    Like how he was to all the girls that seemed to surround him.


    Kay bit her lower lips as she saw him get up from the ground after being tackled, and zooming in, seeing that slight cut on his lip. When he licked that spot, Kay had to smack herself on the head with the phone.


    Damn.


    She was really starting to feel like a pedophile right now.


    Even though he was just one year away from being legal ¡­ she still felt guilty about it.


    Feeling utterly frustrated, she flung her phone on the bed and stomped towards the kitchen. Times like this, there was only one solution.


    Opening the freezer, she took out a tub of ice-cream. Rocky-road flavour. Grabbing the bottle of chocolate syrup and a spoon, she turned to head back to her bedroom. Only to be greeted by the sleepy-head Lance standing there at the kitchen doorway.


    "Heart breaking?" he said, glancing at the ice-cream, while he raised his eyebrows in surprise, "What sort of secrets have you been keeping from me? Hmmmm?"


    "It''s not a heartbreak," Kay scoffed, denying it.


    After all, one can only have a heart break when one was with someone and it didn''t pan out, right? It never even started, so how can she claim to have her heart broken?


    Even if it was feeling pain at that moment.


    Lance took the tub of ice-cream and the spoon, saying, "Girl, you can lie better than that. Come on, let''s get fat together."


    Kay slumped her shoulders then relented, "Okay. But ¡­ I''m not ready to talk about him yet."


    Lance hit the top of her head with the back of the spoon and said, "You know me. I''m just here to listen if you need but I won''t pry. What you do need right now, though, is company and this ice-cream is screaming both our names."


    Kay smiled and nodded.


    "You know, it really would make life easier if I fell in love with you," Kay said to him.


    Lance gasped melodramatically and put his hand on his heart, saying, "My dear girl, I was thinking the same thing! But alas. Life has more in store for us so we just have to be satisfied with being best friends for life instead." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay smiled, "Aye, I can live with that. Best friends for life."


    "So can I, sweetheart, so can I," Lance replied, "So now, scoot. Get another spoon and let''s just make sure this ice-cream doesn''t have time to melt!"


    And so, they spent the rest of the night eating and laughing, with Kay crying occasionally. She did talk about Joseph but she never gave names or his age. Simply that she had a huge crush on a younger boy, who didn''t know she existed (that was a lie, but close enough) and was very popular in school.


    "I can''t believe it," Lance said as he stuffed another spoonful of ice-cream into his mouth, "Our little Kay fell for a little boy. You devil you."


    "LANCE!" Kay wailed, "You see, this is exactly why I don''t talk about it."


    She pouted, stuffing more spoonfuls into her mouth with a vengeance.


    Lance rolled his eyes and said, "Oh come on. You know I''m teasing you. And anyway, you should know by now - if you dare do the deed, you should be prepared to hear the speech."


    "I didn''t do anything," Kay mumbled.


    "No, you just stalk him all day long, get upset when girls slobber all over him, vow to just let it be but in the end, you repeat the whole process all over again the next day," Lance summarised everything.


    "Shut up," Kay said, "Oh mister who silently watches his beloved who is oblivious to his feelings get it on with someone else."


    "Touch¨¦," Lance said raising his spoon.


    Kay raised her spoon and they clicked it together before digging in again.


    "There isn''t much left," Kay complained as she scooped up another spoonful.


    "That''s because some greedy woman kept stuffing herself," Lance replied.


    "MY ice-cream," Kay huffed, taking the tub and stuffing the rest of the ice-cream into her mouth.


    Lance looked at her and said, "You''re lucky I love you, woman. Wars have been fought for less, you know."


    "I know," Kay said with a grin, "And I love you too, so that is why I had to finish it to save you from all the calories."


    "Oh, I''m *so* touched," Lance replied while rolling his eyes. He took the empty tub of ice-cream and her spoon.


    "Go," Lance said, "Do what you need to do to appease your heart. What you''re doing is harmless."


    Kay hugged Lance and whispered, "Thank you."


    With that, he went to clean the utensils while Kay went to her bedroom. Talking to Lance made her guilt lessen, and her heart was back at peace.


    That didn''t mean she didn''t think the girl wasn''t a vixen. So young and already so bold. At least Zero had been there to save the situation.


    Kay made a mental note to tell Kyle to give Zero a bonus.


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    There were a lot of things that went through Beatrice''s mind since the incident.


    Although it had been a harrowing experience, she was grateful for it for it made her realise the depth of her feelings for the twins. Most of all, she got to know their dark side - one that they had been trying to hide from her.


    She knew why they did and she did not blame them.


    In fact, she wouldn''t have minded not knowing but now that she knew, she felt even closer to them. It made their relationship deeper and richer, for the shadow of fear that had always been in their hearts was now gone.


    Another thing Beatrice had to come to terms with was the fact that the twins stayed over at her apartment every night now. Simply to cuddle and help her sleep at night.


    The problem was that now that she felt completely okay, she couldn''t quite manage to kick them out though admittedly, a part of her didn''t really want to. It was a dilemma for she was beginning to ¡­ weaken.


    The boys were very disciplined as all they did was just hold her in-between them and slept. She didn''t doubt that they did d.e.s.i.r.e her for more often than not, she had *felt* their rather physical reaction to her.


    Yet, they never crossed the line.


    Beatrice looked at their faces beside her, deeply asleep.


    She had woken up in the middle of the night, feeling a bit thirsty, but she didn''t have the heart to move. The twins had been very busy the past few weeks and had come home rather late.


    Most of the time, she was already asleep when they arrived. They were so silent that she never woke up when they slipped into bed and slept with her. So, right now, she didn''t want to wake them up either.


    Seeing their faces that were illuminated slightly by the moonlight that streamed through the windows, she noticed for the first time that they had such long eyelashes.


    She reached out and touched Yuri''s cheek, then she gasped slightly when his eyes suddenly opened.


    He smiled sweetly at her, reached out and placed her hair behind her ear as he asked softly, "Can''t sleep?"


    "Sorry that I woke you," Beatrice whispered back, not answering his question.


    She then felt Zack tighten his hold on her as he buried his head at the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath, "You didn''t."


    "We''re just light sleepers," Yuri said, "So we''re aware of every movement you make."


    Beatrice was aghast.


    "Does that mean you''ve not been having proper sleep?" she asked.


    She knew she wasn''t one of those who simply stayed in one position when asleep, so did it mean that they woke up each time she moved?


    Zack kissed her neck while Yuri kissed her forehead, "Of course we have been sleeping well."


    They didn''t really need long hours of sleep. A couple of hours of deep sleep was more than enough to energize them, what more when they had their beloved in their arms?


    They''ve never had such good sleep before.


    Beatrice didn''t really believe them, however. She thought they were only trying to make her feel better.


    "This won''t do," she said, "You need your sleep! From tomorrow, you should go back home and sleep there."


    They frowned, "This IS?our home."

 Chapter 822 - Both? (R18)

    Chapter 822 - Both? (R18) Beatrice''s heart did flip flops at that serious and sudden declaration.


    The words she wanted to say about making them go back to their own house got stuck in her throat.


    Zack snuggled tighter behind her while Yuri stroked her cheek as he looked at her tenderly.


    "You know what I mean," Beatrice said weakly, unable to tear her eyes away from his face.


    "Wherever you are, that is where our heart is," Yuri said.


    "And where our heart is, is where our home is," Zack continued.


    "That may be," Beatrice replied, "But you know this is not about that, so don''t change the subject. The fact that you don''t get enough sleep makes me worry."


    Yuri gave half a smile and shook his head, saying, "Trust us. We get enough sleep. Just having you with us makes us sleep better."


    Until now, Beatrice couldn''t believe how lucky she was to have the love of these two incredible men. Sometimes, she thinks that it is all a dream and that one day, she''ll wake up and they''ll not be there.


    Yet, time and time again, they''ve stood by her and loved her with sincerity and whole-heartedly.


    "How did I get so lucky?" Beatrice wondered, not realising she said it out loud.


    "We''re the lucky ones," Zack and Yuri said together as they continued to hug her.


    Well, Zack was the one that was plastered behind her while Yuri kept his distance a bit because he was the one facing her. Squishing her was not an option.


    Feeling them beside her, Beatrice was suddenly aware of them ... and of the fact that she d.e.s.i.r.ed them right now.


    Though shocked, she also felt that it was utterly right.


    Without even thinking about it any longer, she reached over and started playing with Yuri''s hair. She felt him react to that, as his body stiffened.


    She smiled to herself, knowing that his reaction was more to the fact that he was holding himself back as he closed his eyes while she continued running her fingers through his hair.


    Beatrice has no idea where she got the courage to do what she did, and it was most likely because Yuri was simply letting her take control that it made her bolder.


    She hooked her hand at the back of his neck and kissed him.


    She ran her tongue on his lips, causing him to hiss before she slipped her tongue inside his mouth. She gripped his hair as she wantonly let herself loose, giving and taking as much as she wanted.


    At the same time, she was rubbing herself on Zack who was behind her and he, too, hissed through his teeth as he felt that round softness upon his crotch. He was only wearing cotton shorts, while she was in thin pajamas. The two thin pieces of clothing between them hardly mattered as he felt her clearly.


    He didn''t dare move as he wasn''t quite sure just what it was that she was allowing him to do.


    But it was getting to be damn hard to hold himself back.


    He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as her *ss slid up and down his hardened length and he subconsciously gripped her waist tighter. When he felt her take his hand, he gulped, thinking that she was going to push him away but instead, to his utter delight, she led his hand towards her navel. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was she really allowing him to ¡­?


    After placing Zack''s hand just below her bellybutton, with his fingers just tantalizingly above her core, Beatrice took Yuri''s hand and placed it just below the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t.


    Zack couldn''t stand it anymore and he asked her, his voice hoarse with d.e.s.i.r.e as his fingers were gently stroking right above her core "Beatrice, may I?"


    Beatrice broke the kiss from Yuri, both of them breathing heavily as Beatrice answered, "Yes."


    With that permission, Zack slid his hands underneath her pajama pants and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r, touching her bud directly. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d deep in his throat as he kissed her neck, l.i.c.k.i.n.g at s.u.c.k.i.n.g her tender skin while his fingers danced.


    "Are you sure?" Yuri asked Beatrice softly, his eyes dark with d.e.s.i.r.e as his hand cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t, his thumb on her n.i.p.p.l.e, stroking it.


    "Be gentle," Beatrice replied.


    "Always," Yuri promised, kissing her deeply.


    Beatrice felt completely overwhelmed.


    It felt like every single erogenous zone was being stimulated at the same time. Zack was kissing her neck, Yuri was kissing her mouth with their tongue entangled, her core being played with while her b.r.e.a.s.t was c.a.r.e.s.sed.


    Yuri broke the kiss and pushed her slightly to have her lay on her back while Zack moved away so she could do so.


    With gentle and slow hands, Yuri began unbuttoning her shirt and taking it off while Zack pulled down her pants and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r.


    Without a shred of clothing, Beatrice didn''t even have time to feel shy about it as both Yuri and Zack started kissing her neck - Yuri on the right while Zack was on the left. They did exactly the same thing together, on each of her sides.


    They kissed her neck, marking her with lots of little love bites.


    They ran their tongue on her skin down to her b.r.e.a.s.t and took one n.i.p.p.l.e into their mouth. Zack''s hand went down to touch her bud, stroking it while Yuri''s finger went down towards the opening of her cave, slipping it in.


    Beatrice gasped, her head shaking left and right as the sensations that they were invoking within her was too much. Too new, too raw and she felt an unfamiliar sensation building up within her.


    Yuri''s fingers went in and out of her slick cave and she could even hear the squishy sounds as it did so. Zack''s finger was stroking her bud and inner lips, causing her juices to flow even more.


    They bit her n.i.p.p.l.es gently and s.u.c.k.e.d, twirling their tongue around and basically, sending electric shocks of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e throughout her body.


    The sensation that was building up within her reached the climax and she shouted, gasping for air as she felt like she was seeing stars as wave after wave kept crashing into her.


    It didn''t help that the twins didn''t stop their finger f*cking and she had to tell them to stop. Her core was feeling utterly s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e right now that even the slightest touch made her twitch.


    The twins did, and she watched with wide eyes as they placed their fingers into their mouths. The same fingers that had been wreaking havoc within her.


    Somehow, though, seeing them do so made her throat dry.


    Zack gave a slow smile as he bent down and kissed her. Before she could fathom what was going on, she felt another pair of lips on her lower lips below. Then, Zack''s hands went to her b.r.e.a.s.ts and starting fondling it, while tweaking her n.i.p.p.l.es.


    And so, began another round of mind-boggling play by the twins on all her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spots began. Rather, they explored gently, every single piece of her body to find her weak spots.


    Each m.o.a.n, gasp and shouts that came from their beloved''s lips turned them on even more, though they never went beyond heavy petting and oral stimulations.


    After her God-knows-how-many o.r.g.a.s.m, Beatrice lay weak on the bed, panting and looked at the twins in a daze. Completely spent.


    She hardly had time for any other thought or notion for they kept their meticulous loving touches on her continuously.


    Looking at them through dazed eyes, she touched their cheeks and said in puzzlement, "Why ..?"


    Before she could even voice her question, Yuri placed a finger on her lips then kissed her cheek. Zack got up from the bed after kissing her forehead.


    "Shhh," Yuri said gently, stroking her hair, "Just sleep."


    "But -"


    Yuri shook his head, kissing her softly on the lips.


    Zack came then with two pieces a cloth that was soaked in warm water. He gave one to Yuri and both of them proceeded to wipe Beatrice clean off the sticky sweat and other *cough* bodily fluids.


    "We are satisfied," Zack said to her gently with a smile.


    "This is your first time, after all," Yuri said, "We will take it slow. For now, this is more than enough for us."


    "After all, having s.e.x for the first time is already daunting," Yuri continued, "What more with two. While we''d love to have a threesome all the time, it may not be what you would like."


    Zack nodded, agreeing, "Whether you''d like to only have us one at a time, or have us take turns at the same time ¡­"


    "Or have both of us at the same time ¡­" Yuri continued, "You decide. We will only do what you are comfortable with."


    Beatrice''s mind went blank.


    ''Both at the same time??!''


    Feeling her shock, the twins just covered her with the blanket and said, "Sleep."


    They then went to the bathroom to relieve themselves.

 Chapter 823 - Storm

    Chapter 823 - Storm Xing Han lay on his side, admiring his Cookie that was sleeping soundly.


    Even until now, he couldn''t believe that such a man was his.


    Xing Han looked at his chiseled square jaw that had some slight stubbles on it. Sometimes Cookie didn''t shave a bit just to rub himself on him.


    His nose was slightly crooked, a result of it been broken once when he was young. His normally frowning and stern face was relaxed as he slept, those thick eyebrows of his in a relaxed position.


    Xing Han couldn''t help but run his fingertips on those eyebrows, which would normally crease together whenever his Cookie was displeased or thinking hard. Which was most of the time, actually, although not when they were together.


    His eyes roamed over his beloved''s body, always marveling over how such a fine specimen was his.


    Xing Han looked at his own body and sighed.


    No matter how hard he tried, there was no way he would be able to get the sort of physique that his Cookie had. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tilted his head and touched the tattoo that was on his Cookie.


    It was some sort of tribal design, that covered his Cookie''s left side of the body. It was on his shoulder, running down the entire length of his left arm, until the wrist. It also filled the left side of his Cookie''s c.h.e.s.t, covering the left pecs until just below the mermaid line.


    Nitocris always slept in the nude, and right now, Xing Han''s eyes landed on his Cookie''s ''little'' member. His lips twitched when he remembered the first time he had seen and touched it.


    At that time, he had been so enthralled by his Cookie and all that he was making him feel that he didn''t quite look at it. Of course, he had got a full view and experienced it again when they went to the shower.


    Xing Han thought about the ''coming of age'' initiation the Elite Five had had so long ago. He had been quite ''obsessed'' about comparing simply because he felt amongst the lot of them, he was the smallest.


    Worse, Kyle was the biggest. Having that to be the benchmark since he was the first to reach puberty didn''t help.


    Of course, compared to his Cookie, all paled in comparison.


    Truth be told, he wasn''t really *that* concerned about it but right now, he couldn''t help but wonder.


    His Cookie was perfect in every way. From his handsome face, to his buff body and impressive pacakge and his gentle care and loving ¡­ all of it.


    While he?


    Xing Han gave a deep sigh.


    He trailed his fingers on the lines of the tribal tattoo on Nitocris, wondering what they represented. At first glance, there didn''t seem to be any pattern to it. Some were round, there were swirls like blades and some sharp points.


    He never did ask, but now he was curious.


    Xing Han was so engrossed in his thoughts and admiring his Cookie''s body that he didn''t realise that Nitocris''s eyes had opened.


    He kept quiet, watching with interest as his little puppy was looking at his tattoo in absolute fascination. His fingertips tracing the lines on his shoulder down his arm, then back up. Running on his c.h.e.s.t and down below.


    Xing Han twirled his fingers down and his eyes popped wide open when he saw his Cookie''s rather impressive packaging rise up.


    He looked up, only to see his beloved gazing at him intensely.


    "I''m sorry," Xing Han said, "I didn''t mean to wake you."


    Nitocris took Xing Han''s hand in his and kissed it, asking, "Can''t sleep?"


    Xing Han shook his head, "No. I mean, yes, I can but I just wanted to look at you."


    He gingerly touched Nitocris'' tattoo, that was on his pecs and asked, "What does this mean?"


    Nitocris smiled as he looked at how his puppy continued to touch him and then look at him with those wide, innocent clear eyes of his. The same eyes that made him fall in love with him so long ago.


    Those eyes that saw him, for him and never judged him. Even after finding out who he really was, even after knowing about the blood on his hands ¡­ those innocent, clear eyes looked at him with absolute love and trust.


    One of Nitocris''s greatest fear was losing this puppy of his.


    He was just too good and too bright, one that people would certainly covet for. How could anyone resist such a lovely person? Nitocris couldn''t believe that this sweet soul loved him and he would go to the ends of the world for him.


    "It represents the storm," Nitocris explained softly.


    Xing Han tilted his head and studied the tattoo intently and realised he could see what Nitocris meant. The swirls were like wind? Some were like waves?


    "Growing up under my father," Nitocris began, "is like being in the middle of a powerful storm. Turbulent, out of control, powerful, insane ¡­ all rolled into one."


    "Yet, despite it all, I survived," Nitocris continued, "I let the storm surround me, pelt me and I persevered. The tattoos represent that part of my life ¡­ which is still a part of my life now. As the King of the Underworld, it''s something that I can never escape from."


    "These," Nitocris said, bringing Xing Han''s hands on some parts that seemed to resemble blades, "represent me cutting through the storm, becoming one with it. I overcome the storm because I am the storm."


    "A force to be reckoned with," Xing Han said in awe.


    Nitocris smiled, loving the fact that his puppy understood him so well.


    He leaned over and then started kissing his puppy. As usual, Nitocris went in for the kill immediately, as he hungrily tasted his puppy to his heart''s d.e.s.i.r.e. Xing Han placed a hand on Nitocris'' c.h.e.s.t, his eyes closed as he returned the kiss.


    Soon, neither of them were interested in sleeping anymore.


    Not the normal ''sleep'', that is.


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    Sam held on possessively onto his wife, who was completely oblivious to all the looks that were going their way. She was excitedly oohing and aaah-ing over everything that she was looking at, her eyes sparkling as she took in the sights.


    Betty was really easy to please, for she found p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in almost everything. She appreciated things and she still hadn''t lost the bundle of energy that made her, her.


    His.


    His bunny.


    He didn''t quite like the thoughts he had sometimes, so he held himself back a few times from saying what was really on his mind.


    Like right now.


    She as in a bikini, showing off that gorgeous figure of hers. The way her smooth skin glistened in the sun, the way her full b.r.e.a.s.ts were just held back by this flimsy piece of cloth and how the forbidden zone was just tantalising him.


    He gritted his teeth when he thought of how excited she was as she twirled about in that itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini and asked him whether it looked nice.


    If it was up to him, she would be dressed up in a burkha!


    While Sam was caught up in his thoughts, Betty was also pouting a bit.


    Who knew, that underneath those stuffy shirts that he always wore, he had this sort of lean physique?


    Now that they were at the beach, he was shirtless. His well-toned abdominal muscles were in plain sight for everyone to see, and Betty could see that people were looking.


    Luckily, he did not seem to care and was paying attention to her only. She was glad she got this bikini, for Sam hadn''t stopped sticking himself to her the entire time.


    She snuggled up to him even more, hugging him tight happily as she admired the beautiful scenery around her. The sun was just about to set and it bathed the sky in a beautiful shade of orange and red.


    They were just walking along the beach, having had their fun in the ocean earlier. Right now, it was just about them walking together and spending time. There were a lot of rocks and little coves that they passed by and soon enough, there was hardly anyone else around.


    Suddenly, Sam took her hand and started walking quickly towards a rather secluded cove. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he had pushed her against the boulder and started kissing her deeply, his hands roaming all over her.


    As usual, Betty turned into a pile of mush.


    "Sam," she said breathlessly as he started kissing her neck, "We''re in public!"


    "No one is going to pass by here," Sam said hoarsely, his hands cupping her b.r.e.a.s.ts, as he continued to rain kisses all along her collarbone.


    Betty m.o.a.n.e.d softly, putting a hand over her mouth, "Sam ¡­"


    "Bunbun," Sam said gently, "I have been holding back for so long. Seeing you in this bikini, I just can''t .."


    Betty felt his arousal clearly and she blushed.


    "Can I ..?" Sam asked, his voice low in her ear.


    Betty shivered in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, her core already dripping wet as she nodded shyly.


    Sam kissed her again, while lifting her leg and held her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and once he had her securely held, he slowly pushed inside of her while grunting in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e before he began moving.


    Soon, both were caught up in their passion for each other to really bother about their surroundings anymore.

 Chapter 824 - Acceptance

    Chapter 824 - Acceptance The months then seemed to breeze by.


    Kay got a much better handle on her growing feelings for Joseph, thanks to her talk with Nitocris and having a heart-to-heart girl talk with Sayuri. The guilt she had been washed away and the longing she had for him became a bearable pain.


    If Big Bro Nic could wait for Xing Han, she could wait for Joseph.


    The only thing she didn''t know was whether she had the strength to let him go should he end up with someone else before she could even ''make her move''.


    That was something she pushed to the back of her mind so that she could handle each day as it came.


    As for Joseph, he went down another route.


    Having felt like he was not good enough for Kay, or that he would ever be able to reach her heights and provide for her the way she is used to ¡­ he started to write.


    The blog that he had started became his starting point and he used the pen name ''Rose'' to start writing. He opened up an entirely new account with that pen name at the online reading platform he had been using for the past year.


    There was this ''writing prompt'' contest that would reward the winner with some cash, the online currency that is used to ''unlock'' chapters, and an online banner advertising the novel for a month.


    In order to win, the readers would have to vote on it. After a month of voting, the top 3 novels would go through a judging process by a publishing company. All three would be offered publishing deals, but only the best would win the competition.


    There was no ''second'' or ''third'' place - though perhaps, the fact that they would get offered a publishing contract was a prize in itself.


    It wasn''t that Joseph though he would win - although it would be a lie to say that he didn''t have some hope. It was more of the fact that the writing contest seemed to call out to him, for its theme was ''forbidden romance''.


    Forbidden in the sense like ''Romeo and Juliet'' whereby the two lovers were from families that were at ''war'' with each other. Not forbidden in the sense like in Shakespeare''s Hamlet, where the son had an Oedipus Complex - that is, the sone was in love with the mother (though some argued and disagreed of such an interpretation).


    Joseph felt that the best way to deal with his feelings and to settle it, was to write about it. However, he would be in control of what happened and what the ending would be like. He had the entire structure in his head, which included all the fantasies and hopes he had, mixed with the reality of the situation.


    He was going to use the novel to release the pent-up frustrations and, perhaps come to terms with the turmoil that invaded his soul.


    He used the pen name ''Rose'' because he didn''t want people to know that he, a guy, would be writing a romance story. Worse, it would really be a pure romance story that had no action scenes or anything of the sort.


    Just thinking that people he knew would read his jottings sent him in a panic so he kept the secret close to his heart. He didn''t even tell his sister, who would most likely make fun of him anyway.


    He didn''t have much hope in it gaining any readers for he was writing just to get the stuffiness out of his c.h.e.s.t.


    So he began writing, entering the competition. His angle?


    A young boy falling in love with his older ''sister'' - not blood related, but a sister he gained when their parents got married. He adjusted a bit so that it wasn''t too close to his own life, but close enough that he could be more realistic with what happened.


    To his surprise, his novel not only gained readers, but it also became extremely popular. So popular that a month later, he was informed that he had won the competition.


    He was so shocked, yet happy.


    Despite the fact that he was a minor, it didn''t mean that he couldn''t form the publishing contract as a minor is allowed to work in Country Tz (and most countries around the world, in fact).


    Thus, he was spared the hassle of informing his father to sign the contract.


    With the contract, he was assured with a steady supply of income for a year, as that would be the time he was given to continue the novel on the online platform. Once it was completed, the novel would be printed in book form for anyone who wished to obtain a physical copy.


    Little did Joseph know, that his little act of penning down his feelings then would become his career in the future. For now, though it was just a hobby still.


    A hobby that paid.


    Thus, at that point, Kay and Joseph had accepted their fate and continued their lives in a new routine.


    However, that routine was rudely shattered one day for Kay.


    It had started as a normal day, when she was hit by this huge wave of fear and worry from her twin.


    She clutched her c.h.e.s.t, feeling agitated, and she had trouble breathing. She didn''t call out to Kyle, knowing that he would not be in any state of mind to talk.


    She was deathly worried, however, as to what had happened.


    While her mind was fuzzy with all of this, her phone rang. She saw that it was Beatrice and her heart thumped within her as she picked it up. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sayuri''s injured and is at Trinity Hospital," Beatrice told her succinctly.


    "Got it," Kay replied hoarsely, her heart in her throat, "Please call my parents and inform them as well."


    "They are the next on the list for me to call," Beatrice replied, "As well as the other Elite Five."


    "Thank you," Kay said as she was already on her way down. Putting in her earpiece, she contacted Zero, knowing that he was the one that was on duty today to pick up Sayuri.


    Her apartment was close by and although she reached the hospital quickly, she had taken time to park her car. When she rushed to the emergency room, she saw Kyle standing outside the operating room theater doors, looking lost.


    He turned towards her, his face pale.


    She went over and hugged him, holding him tight as he held her tightly back. No words were said, be it openly or mentally.


    He was too broken.


    Kay pulled him down, making him sit and they held hands while they waited. Not long after, Delilah and Patrick arrived.


    "Oh, Kyle, my baby," she said, tears in her eyes. She rushed over and hugged him, while Patrick sat down beside Kay.


    "How is she?" he asked.


    "We don''t know. She''s in the operating room," Kay said.


    "What happened?" Delilah asked softly.


    Kyle clenched his hands so tightly together that it was pale, he said, "She was attacked."


    "WHAT?!" gasped Delilah and Patrick.


    Kyle didn''t intend to hide the truth from them although he wasn''t going to give them the whole picture either. The fact that Sayuri had been attacked couldn''t be hidden anyway, as the injuries she sustained were too severe for it to be just an accident.


    Also, Kyle wanted the whole world to know.


    Right now, he was too worried about Sayuri to bother or care about Sarah. It was enough that she was caught. He knew the Team would not kill her, and that was enough.


    He didn''t care what they did to her in the meantime as well.


    Kay watched her brother suffering and she said with a few changes to the story, "When Zero went to pick up Sayuri, he saw her being pushed down the stairs."


    Delilah gasped, putting her hand in her mouth, "But what was she doing at the stairs?! She''s so heavily pregnant ¡­"


    "Delilah," Patrick said softly, "I don''t think blaming anyone at this point will do anyone any good."


    She looked at him aggrieved, for that was not what she was doing. However, upon seeing how her son was so ''out of it'', she didn''t say anything. It wasn''t the time nor the place for an argument.


    Instead, she calmed down and said, "I am not blaming her. I was just surprised because Sayuri is normally very sensible."


    Patrick nodded, realising he had been too hasty. Then again, if he had felt Delilah was blaming Sayuri, he was sure Kyle had felt the same as well.


    "Let''s just let the police handle it," Kay said. Their parents agreed, thinking that it''s best to just keep quiet and not agitate Kyle even more. He was worried enough as it is.


    The Elite Five arrived and they sat there quietly, offering support while waiting for Sayuri''s operation to end.


    Several hours later, Dr. He came out.

 Chapter 825 - New Position

    Chapter 825 - New Position She listened as Dr. He told them about Sayuri being in a coma and that the twin babies were in NICU. He told them to be prepared for the worst.


    The words were like a death toll.


    Kay held onto Kyle to give him support, trying hard to calm him down by projecting warm feelings. Unfortunately, his pain was too great that it was useless. In fact, she was the one affected by his pain even though she could tell that he was trying to block it.


    She felt utterly helpless.


    All she could do, was just stay by his side, as he cried and tried hard not to break down. When Kyle left to stay with his children in NICU, everyone else waited in Sayuri''s room.


    The mood was sombre.


    Kay took charge immediately.


    "Sam, I''ll take over Kyle''s position until he''s ready to come back. Please get all the files sorted and brief me tomorrow," Kay said as she turned to Sam.


    He nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose, "Not a problem. Do you need Beatrice back?"


    Kay shook her head, "No, unless she wants to help."


    She then turned to her parents, "Mum, Dad, I''m sure Kyle will want to stay here to take care of Sayuri. Could you ask Butler Kim to prepare clothes for Kyle each day?"


    They nodded, thinking it was a good idea. As Kay continued giving out orders-slash-request to Sam, while laying out her thoughts and plans to cover Kyle''s absence at the company to ensure that Kyle would be able to stay at the hospital, Delilah couldn''t help but think that Kay was really suited for this.


    Patrick was also observing his daughter and thought that she was a perfect partner for Kyle. Partner, in the sense of working partner. Though Kyle had been the one groomed for the CEO position, it was apparent that Kay was also extremely capable.


    Perhaps, not at the level of Kyle, but capable nonetheless.


    Perhaps there should be a new position at Smith Industries.


    Everyone could see that the company was getting to be better and starting to soar up even more since Kyle took over. Perhaps, just having one person to helm the ship is too much - there ought to be someone else by his side to help ease the burden.


    The structure of an organisation at the Smith Industries was a bit unique as compared to other companies. This was mainly due to the manner in which the CEO is appointed i.e. the Smith Heir test.


    It had not only served to appoint the best, it also eliminated internal strife. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, this did not mean that it was smooth sailing, as what was indicative of what had happened when they tried to oust Patrick from the CEO post and eliminate Kyle''s position. However, by the fact that Kyle had spectacularly defended his position only showed that the Smith Heir Test was impeccable.


    Thus, there was only the CEO, or chief executive officer as the top-ranking executive. It was akin to a dictatorship, whereby the CEO had the final say and was the top. There was no president or official deputy.


    Patrick was thinking that it was high-time the Smith Industries did have one. Something similar to a chief operating officer (COO) but would have almost the same power as the CEO. Whenever the CEO was not present, the COO would be the top and act as the CEO.


    However, for now, it was just a thought. Kyle would not be in any condition to think about it so Patrick shelved the idea for now. It was a huge decision and it would have a big impact on the Smith Industries, so it couldn''t be taken lightly nor rushed.


    The more he observed his daughter, however, the more he was convinced that it would be a good thing.


    While Patrick was deep in thought and Kay continuing to make plans with Sam, Xing Han whispered to Nitocris, "Cookie, any word?"


    Nitocris leaned close and replied, "Kyle''s Team has it settled. We don''t need to do anything."


    Xing Han nodded in understanding, though he wished he could do something more. But he knew that it was best Kyle handled it himself for he was the one that has the most rights. Still, for the first time, Xing Han saw Kyle being human.


    He had always been the perfect guy that could do anything he set his mind to. He had never seen Kyle cry nor look so broken. It tore up at him.


    Nitocris, sensing his puppy''s sombre mood, rubbed his puppy''s head. He then held him close, letting him lean on him. Seeing his puppy cry just now made his heart ache. An irrational part of him wanted to tear apart the one responsible for making his puppy cry - and that included Kyle!


    Though it wasn''t his fault.


    Nitocris sighed deeply.


    He knew he could be irrational whenever his puppy was involved but he couldn''t help it. However, at least, he would not act on it and still managed to stop himself from acting stupidly.


    Humans feel, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, what makes it not right is when one acts improperly due to those feelings.


    Nitocris hugged Xing Han tighter, loving his fluffy puppy. He was just so wonderful to hug and cuddle to.


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    Kay stood outside Kyle''s apartment door, steeling herself for having to be the bearer of bad news. Using the key that Kyle had given her so long ago, she entered with a heavy heart.


    Dian already knew the news, but they had not informed Junior yet.


    Somehow, telling him over the phone seemed bad.


    When she went in, she saw that Junior was in the living room, doing his homework on the coffee table under Dian''s supervision. Kyle didn''t mind where he did his work, so long as he did it - hence, the living room rather than his own bedroom.


    Some studies showed that it was better to have their study separate from the bedroom as well, for this would promote better sleep. The bedroom would be just for rest and sleep, and the brain would not be associating ''work'' with it (which would, in turn, disturb sleep).


    Of course, not everyone has such luxury to be able to have a study room other than the bedroom. In fact, for most, the bedroom is the quietest place to study as it is their own private space.


    As for Junior?


    He did prefer the living room as it allowed him to see his foster parents more. With Dian monitoring him, he was more disciplined (and couldn''t sneak watching television or always be ''resting'').


    Junior looked up expectantly but upon seeing Kay, his face fell a bit. He tried to hide it though, for he still gave her a smile.


    Kay took a deep breath and came over. Dian told Junior to stop work for a while and he sat there, looking up at Kay curiously.


    "Junior," Kay began after clearing her throat. She took his hand and held it firmly, while looking at him in the eye, "I have some bad news for you."


    Junior''s eyes widened and his lips quivered.


    Immediately, he thought the worst. That his foster parents didn''t want him anymore. Strangely enough, he never thought his mother could be the bad news - probably because he was confident of her love for him.


    His foster parents, however? He still doubted. Even though he felt their love and care, he worried. In fact, the more they cared, the more worried he became of losing it.


    "Sayuri was in an accident," Kay said slowly, then quickly added after seeing how affected he was, "She is through the worst, but will need to be in the hospital. Kyle will be there to take care of her."


    "I am here to take you with me to Grandma Delilah and Grandpa Patrick''s house. Kyle can''t leave Sayuri alone and he is worried about you. He wants you to be taken care of by our parents who he trusts the most. Okay?"


    Junior''s c.h.e.s.t heaved a bit and he asked softly, "He still wants me? I am not a bother?"


    "Oh Junior," Kay said, bringing him close and hugging him, "Of course he still wants you. He always will."


    Junior began crying, partly from relief and partly from shame.


    Kyle had been nothing but good to him but he was just too scared to trust fully. Finding out Kyle wasn''t his father had been such a severe disappointment to him that he could not quite get over it.


    "Go and pack," Kay instructed after giving him one last hug.


    "Okay," Junior replied and Dian went with him to help.


    Kay leaned back on the sofa, sighing.


    The hurt he experienced still hadn''t healed and it would take time. Hopefully, not too long.


    At least, Samantha was getting better.

 Chapter 826 - Visiting

    Chapter 826 - Visiting It was all over the news the next day.


    It was a huge deal: the CEO''s pregnant wife had been attacked by some crazed stalker. The manhunt was on for the alleged attacker, identified as one Sarah Tan. Kyle had set up a reward for anyone who could provide information about her whereabouts.


    Kyle was the idol of Country Tz even though he was not involved in the entertainment industry - save for that one blockbuster hit, John Wick 4. Thus, when the news broke out about his wife, that had been a total shock to everyone.


    Other than those in the Smith Industries, no one had known he had gotten married. Now, not only was he married, his wife had been pregnant. Now, both the mother and children''s lives were uncertain.


    The school was abuzz with the news and Lianne''s face paled upon finding out. She hardly watched the news and thus, had been completely unaware of it until everyone started talking about it.


    She was worried about her mother, for this was surely a blow to her. Having her partner be so severely injured, and then the babies are in danger - how would she not be devastated?


    Lianne also felt a kinship to the babies, even though they weren''t her siblings. She looked upon them as her ''spiritual siblings'' and she wanted to be there for her mother as well. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, she knew she can''t.


    During lunch break, she sneaked to a secluded corner away from the crowd and called up Zero.


    "Zero," Lianne said immediately after he picked up the phone, "How''s Kyle? Sayuri? The babies? And is she caught yet?"


    Zero''s face flickered with a slight frown upon getting the questions that were fired at him rapidly without a breath, then replied, "Sad. Coma. NICU. Dungeon."


    "Well, duh," Lianne said in exasperation, "I know he''s sad. But how is he coping? Is everything fine? He''s not depressed is he?"


    Zero''s face softened a bit as he answered, "Don''t worry, Sir is as okay as can be. He is handling it well."


    "Thank you, Zero," Lianne replied, "Please let me know if it gets too bad. I can''t be there for him all the time because my Dad won''t let me, but at least I can go when Kyle needs me. And I know he''ll never say it to me, so I have to rely on you."


    "Okay," Zero said, a ghost of a smile forming on his face when he heard the genuine care and love in Lianne''s voice for his Boss.


    A distance away, Akira leaned close to Lucka and said, "Do you see what I see?"


    Lucka blinked, rubbed his eyes, opened them again, and nodded, "I do. I do. It''s a miracle."


    Akira sighed, and got back to work, "Only Ms. Lianne can crack that face of his."


    When Zero put down the phone after talking a bit more to reassure Lianne, he headed out. As he passed by Akira, he knocked on the back of Akira''s head. Caught completely by surprise, Akira rubbed the sore spot, staring at the direction Zero had disappeared to while complaining.


    After the call to Zero, Lianne felt a little bit better.


    She wanted to call her mother at first but figured that her mother was probably busy taking care of Sayuri. Also, she didn''t have much time to spare since she still had to have her lunch, so the best person to call to get the information was Zero.


    When Stephan picked them up, he said to them after they had settled down and wore their seatbelts, "We''re going to Trinity Hospital. I''m sure you know what happened to Kyle."


    Lianne didn''t say anything but nodded while Joseph replied, "Yes."


    "But remember, we can''t stay too long as we should not be too burdensome," Stephan said, "Visiting is good as we want to show our support and care but at the same time, we don''t want to tire them out. From what I''ve heard, Sayuri is in a coma so we won''t be tiring her out but I am sure Kyle needs his rest as well."


    "Okay, Papa," Joseph and Lianne replied together.


    Lianne was glad that her father was s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to this.


    People who are at the hospital would surely like people visiting them but at the same time, not every patient is the same. If it was one or two people visiting, it''s not so bad but when you have lots of people coming in?


    Depending on what the patient is in the hospital for, such prolonged and continuous visits can tax the patient. Their sleep at night isn''t undisturbed either as the doctors and nurses tend to come in at regular intervals to check on them.


    Not only the patient, but upon the carer as well.


    That was also the reason why Lianne hadn''t called up Kyle during lunch break. When they meet, though, she could ask him directly and she knew that her mother would tell her the truth for she could handle it.


    If her mother didn''t want her to call, then she won''t. If her mother felt it was okay at a certain time, then she can. Some people tended to be s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e and get hurt if they were told ''don''t call often'', thinking that they weren''t wanted.


    For Lianne, she preferred to be told straight-up about the situation. She wouldn''t get hurt for she knew her mother as well. She always would think of other people before herself and she always tried to be fair when she raised them.


    Thus, Lianne knew that if her mother said ''don''t call often'', it wasn''t because she didn''t like her and was avoiding her. It''s because she really wasn''t up to any calls then.


    This was the sort of thing that Lianne liked. A life without drama or having to ''read other people''s mind'' would be so relaxing. Unfortunately, most people don''t dare to truly say what''s on their mind and heart, and Lianne found it to be so taxing.


    People were just too tiring.


    Which was why she liked Zero so much.


    Not only was he the epitome of ''pretty boy'' that she really liked, but he also wasn''t the type to beat around the bush or talk nonsense. She didn''t have to think he meant one thing when he said another.


    If only there were more people like him.


    When they reached the ward, they saw that Junior and Dian were also there.


    Kyle smiled upon seeing them, though Lianne could see the worry and sadness still on his face.


    Unfortunately, because there were other people here, Lianne couldn''t go and hug her mother or say the words she wanted to say. The only thing she could do was just stand close by quietly.


    She was the one that rarely talked in public so if she was suddenly to go talkative now, it might make her father wary. She had to let the ''a.d.u.l.ts'' talk, even though Kyle was younger than her father.


    Despite the young age, Kyle was her father''s boss. Top boss, in fact, so Stephan was being very formal and courteous. Lianne watched silently as her father talked to Kyle, getting the basic information which, undoubtedly, Kyle had talked about countless of times.


    "Do you want to see the babies?" Kyle asked Lianne.


    Lianne nodded.


    Kyle took out his phone and showed her several pictures. Out of curiosity, Joseph was there as well.


    "Alexander Belvior Smith," Kyle said, showing one picture then swiping it, "Aurora Misty Smith."


    They were both together in an incubator, so the pictures were basically showing Alex and Rory from different angles. The last picture was of them together.


    "It''s just been one day, but the doctors have said there has been some improvement," Kyle said as he looked at the pictures before putting it back on the bedside table.


    "That''s a good thing," Stephan said, "They''re strong."


    Kyle smiled wistfully while looking at Sayuri, "Yes they are because their mother is strong."


    Junior came over and gave Kyle a hug, saying, "Is Auntie Sayuri going to sleep for long?"


    Kyle ruffled his hair and said, "Hopefully not, but no matter how long it takes, I will wait."


    Junior nodded, looking at Sayuri on the bed.


    When Dian told him that they were heading to the hospital after school, Junior was happy even though he didn''t like hospitals. He had been worried that he would not be able to see Kyle much.


    "Is it really okay for me to come everyday after school?" Junior asked Kyle hesitatingly.


    "Of course," Kyle said, "But you need to do your homework before going back. Deal?"


    "Deal," Junior replied, content.


    Slowly, but surely, the shadow in his heart was lessening.


    "If my Dad is okay with it, can I come for a visit sometimes by hitching a ride with Junior?" Lianne piped up suddenly.


    Stephan stiffened at that question.


    Lianne had plucked up the courage to ask.


    It was a very risky move.


    Her father was the type that did not like to be sideswiped like this. The normal procedure would be to ask him first, then ask Kyle.


    By asking publically like this, she was essentially taking control away from her father. It was as if he couldn''t say that he was not okay with it. She took the choice out of his hands.


    Lianne turned to her father and said, "I won''t without your permission, Papa. I asked Kyle first because I wanted to know if I would be a bother or not."


    Stephan was appeased.

 Chapter 827 - Future

    Chapter 827 - Future Kyle gave a smile and then looked at Stephan, telling him, "I am fine with it. As long as you are okay, Lianne and Joseph are welcomed at any time. It would give Junior some company as well."


    Kyle knew his spouse well.


    You have to respect his position as the head of the household and be gentle. Stepping back would make him much more receptive to whatever was being asked.


    Kyle found that men generally had these huge egos. They couldn''t ''lose face'' in the sense that they need to be the one that makes the decision. His spouse wasn''t so bad as he did discuss things, but at the end of the day, if he made a decision, that''s it. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No budging.


    Kyle got his way most of the time by using the soft approach and it looks like Lianne learned it well. You do not go head-on against Stephan, but cajole him or let him think (and feel) that he was the one making the decision.


    He knew as well that Stephan doesn''t like bothering people. In fact, he would have viewed Lianne coming to the hospital for a visit as something that would be a bother to Kyle and that Kyle would not reject her out of politeness.


    Thus, Kyle gave him reasons as to why Lianne would not be a bother, and that she could also be of some help if needed. After that, he lay the decision in Stephan''s hands and that his role (Kyle, that is) is simply to assure him that Lianne is welcomed.


    Stephan looked at Kyle, the person he initially resented for what he perceived as his move to ''steal'' his kids away from him. The way he took over and handled the kids'' grief and his highhanded manner of shipping them off to Country Tz.


    However, ever since they moved to Country Tz, Kyle hadn''t done anything else. He had essentially let go and only been there as a friend.


    Well, not counting the help in getting the house, school and all that was required to migrate ¡­ and giving a lifetime scholarship for his children''s studies. Although Stephan earned more than before, it wasn''t that he was wallowing in wealth.


    He would still need to work hard and save a lot over the years to put both of them through college. The scholarship eased the burden tremendously.


    Plus, the scholarship was unique and personal.


    It was a scholarship that would finance them all the way until they graduated from University. There was no conditions or restrictions as to what course they would take, or where they would want to take it. The only requirement was getting an offer letter.


    With such a golden opportunity, Stephan wasn''t stupid to reject it nor was his ego so big that he would refuse for the sake of ''saving face''. He had thought that with the scholarship, Kyle would have some sort of control over his kids but surprisingly, he didn''t.


    Thus, he was much more receptive now to allowing his kids more contact with Kyle. Although he noticed that it was generally Lianne who would do so while Joseph mixed more with his friends.


    Stephan looked at his daughter, who was waiting patiently for his answer.


    He could see the hope in her eyes but there was no ''desperation'' or something. It was as if this was something she would like, but she wouldn''t insist on it.


    That she would respect him for whatever decision he makes.


    With that thought, Stephan nodded, "Yes, you may Lianne but, you can''t come so often."


    Lianne smiled widely, "Thank you, Papa!"


    Kyle then added, "Thank you as well, Stephan. I will also make sure she gets home safely. Just call me if you''d like her back earlier."


    Stephan hesitated for a while then nodded, "Thank you."


    He had hesitated initially for he didn''t want to bother Kyle in having to send Lianne back. He would rather pick her up but after thinking about it, he thought it would be better that whenever Lianne came, he would have a father-to-son bonding time with Joseph.


    Stephan may be lost when it comes to dealing with Lianne, but he had to make sure that Joseph grew up properly. He would have to take care of his sister, and also be the head of the household whenever Stephan wasn''t around.


    He observed his son, thinking that time really did pass by so fast. Soon, he would be an a.d.u.l.t. Did he even know what he was going to be doing after graduating from high school?


    Although it may be too early to ask, Stephan thought that it was the best time to test the waters. Without their mother around, it fell onto him to make sure that their education path was smooth.


    Joseph didn''t appear to be the type that knew what he wanted to do yet. Still rather happy-go-lucky and viewing the future as something too far ahead.


    It was good to get him to think about it now, though. He didn''t need to make a decision but at least, he should know what path he was going to take.


    Stephan made a mental note to have more heart-to-heart talks with his son. He needed to connect.


    He then looked at his daughter, who was talking to Kyle.


    Although he didn''t like the fact that his daughter seemed to be closer to Kyle than him, a little part of him was a bit grateful as well as at least, Lianne had a person to talk to.


    He would rather it be him, but for now, what was more important was that she did talk to someone. Stephan felt rather helpless when it came to his daughter.


    He just didn''t know how to talk to her.


    Stephan sighed, his heart in pain as he suddenly felt the emptiness in his heart.


    ''I miss you, sayang'' Stephan thought to himself while holding back tears. He looked dazedly into the distance, not really seeing anything, ''I hope I can raise our children well.''


    Kyle turned away from looking at Stephan.


    That was his past, even though the expression on Stephan''s face triggered some emotions within him. He could tell from the sudden anguish that he was most likely missing his wife.


    Kyle understood that pain well. Even though the one who had ''died'' had been him, the result was that he had lost his entire family upon being reborn. They were alive, but out of reach and his spouse was forever out of his reach.


    It had taken him several years to get over losing his spouse, so Kyle figured Stephan would take just as long. He hoped it wouldn''t be too long though.


    Stephan deserved a new life.


    Kyle took a deep breath to calm himself and then he lay his gaze upon Sayuri.


    She was his future now.


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    Joseph cringed inwardly.


    Today, Lianne had gone over to visit Kyle at the hospital.


    His father knew he wasn''t really close to Kyle and had never followed Lianne when she dropped by the company to see him, so it wasn''t as if he could suddenly want to do so, right?


    It wasn''t that he didn''t love his father, or that he didn''t get along ¡­ but he was always on tenterhooks whenever they were alone like this.


    He had no idea when his jovial father would suddenly turn round and become firm and sometimes, irrational. Joseph found that extremely frustrating and he would cover up his nervousness or uncomfortableness by being extra chirpy and sociable.


    They would joke, they would laugh yet at the same time, Joseph never let his guard down.


    A part of him did resent his father.


    Resent him tremendously, really.


    He felt like his father was unfair and expected too much of him.


    Yet, it wasn''t as if he could refute his father now, could he?


    "So have you decided yet what you want to do in the future? Stephan asked suddenly.


    Joseph managed to keep his face expressionless though he was screaming inside, ''There. I told you.''


    "No, not yet," Joseph admitted.


    "You should," Stephan continued, "There is only you and your sister now. If anything happens to me, you''re the one that has to be the one to take care of her. Even after she is married. Make sure she doesn''t get bullied."


    "I know, Papa," Joseph said.


    "So how can you do that if you don''t even have a goal now? Drifting along like this isn''t good. You should also stop your TokTik if it is distracting you," he said.


    Joseph was in horror.


    No.


    That TokTik helped him release stress and his father wanted to take it away from him? He had to think of a reason, quick!


    "It doesn''t, Papa," Joseph replied, "I may go into sports science since I like working out. The TokTik made me realise that."


    Stephan nodded.

 Chapter 828 - Just Advise

    Chapter 828 - Just Advise If it was as Joseph said, then it was fine that he continued with his TokTik thing. Stephan figured he would get tired of it sooner or later, like he always did for whatever thing that he was crazy for.


    It was as if, for that moment, it was "the best" and "must have it" but the interest would die after a while and replaced by something else.


    "So, do you have a girlfriend?"


    "Papa!" Joseph couldn''t help but exclaim, aghast.


    He got sideswiped but still managed to answer firmly to convince his father, "No, I don''t."


    "Really?" Stephan asked in disbelief. His son was the really open and sociable type so he figured, with all those girls that were constantly surrounding him, he would have fallen for someone.


    "Really," Joseph replied equally firmly.


    "What about your sister? Is there a boyfriend?"


    "No," Joseph said confidently.


    "You sure about that?"


    "Of course," Joseph said, "She thinks all the guys in school are so immature."


    Stephan didn''t say anything and he wondered.


    His daughter was too quiet and kept a lot of things to herself. She only talked to her mother and whenever he tried to ask her anything, he could see how annoyed she was. It was in her tone of voice, and it did rub him the wrong way.


    It took a lot out of him to lash out for her disrespect, but it wasn''t easy. In the end, he decided it would be better not to ask her directly.


    Her brother should know better, right? After all, they were together more and in the same school.


    Joseph sneaked a peek at his father. The last thing his sister would need is a paranoid father breathing down her neck.


    Even though she was a bit annoying, he would protect her. Big Bro Code.


    He was satisfied to see that his father believed him. If he doubted even for a minute, Lianne may find herself being restricted more than normal.


    "Keep an eye out on your sister," Stephan said, "If there is any guy showing interest, let me know."


    Joseph gulped and answered while crossing his fingers, "Okay."


    Well, he would tell his father if the guy actually managed to woo his sister but the possibility of that was really slim. Why subject the guy to his father''s interrogation?


    Of course, unknown to Joseph, Stephan wasn''t the only obstacle that any guy who would want to woo Lianne, would have to cross.


    There was another who was far more terrifying simply because of the power he held in his hands.


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    "Really? Kyle said with a small smirk.


    "Oh gosh, please Mama," Lianne complained, rolling her eyes, "I can do without the drama."


    Kyle ruffled her hair, while she glared at him and smoothened it down with her hand. She wasn''t really angry but she didn''t quite like it either.


    "Remember to tell me the moment you have a guy you like," Kyle said, "I would need to do a background check on him."


    Lianne gave her mother ''the look'' and said, "Seriously? Please don''t." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Any man after my princess must be worthy," Kyle said seriously.


    "What worthy? Be rich enough?" Lianne snorted, while waving her hands around the ward, "Compared to you, is anyone rich enough? That would make no one worthy of me."


    Kyle tilted his head and looked at her intently, "Seriously? You think that''s my yardstick?"


    Lianne shifted uncomfortably in her seat, then she sighed loudly, putting her head in her hands, "No. Sorry."


    Kyle patted her shoulder gently, rubbing her back, "It''s okay."


    He got up and went over to the sleeping Sayuri, and slowly moved her position on the bed. Initially, she had been lying down on her back so now, Kyle moved her so that she was on her side a bit.


    Sayuri would need to be moved once every two hours so as to avoid bedsores. Normally, the nurses would do it but during visiting hours, Kyle would do it instead. Having nurses come in when there were friends and family made it seem a bit disruptive.


    It was hard for Kyle to explain, as he didn''t view the nurses as being strangers or unwelcomed. However, having them in the room and doing all those things when caring for Sayuri just made it seem so impersonal.


    Kyle wasn''t crazy enough to take over completely as he had work as well. Plus, the nurses worked in shifts so it wasn''t like the task fell only on one person. Kyle did want to care for his wife, but it didn''t mean he would push himself that he, as the carer, would be burned out.


    He said as he was slowly adjusting Sayuri, "People may want to get to you, in order to get to me. There are all sorts of people out there who would take advantage of your sweetness, you know."


    Kyle took a bottle of body lotion and squeezed some into his hands. He began slowly massaging Sayuri''s arms and legs, while continuing to explain, "At the very least, I need to make sure his background his clean.???


    He looked up at Lianne, "All I want for you is a guy that will love you, for you. Who can take care of you well."


    It went without saying that Lianne needed a guy that would truly be patient with her and understand her condition. Though her Aspergers wasn''t severe, she wasn''t quite the same as other people.


    A man who would truly love her, would be able to treat her well. Kyle had to make sure whoever it was that wanted to woo her, had better pass his test first.


    "It''s the same for your brother as well," Kyle said as he walked back after finishing massaging Sayuri.


    "Though in his case, what I''m worried about is that ¡­ well, he needs someone who can really take care of him since he''s really clueless about a lot of things," Kyle said with a sigh.


    Joseph was a truly sweet child but the flip side to his cheerful and outgoing personality is that he doesn''t take things seriously. Also, he reacts emotionally - just like his father. He was a mix of him and his spouse, really.


    He was sociable and quick to emotional outbursts like his father, and he was s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e like his mother. Thus, his father''s ''heavy handed'' type of parenting didn''t quite suit him. Funny thing was, his mother''s gentle caring type of parenting didn''t suit him either.


    The former type made Joseph defensive and resentful while the latter type had him take things for granted. There were a lot of times Kylie had been ready to pull her hair out for failing to get Joseph to do something or understand a point.


    It was so much easier with Lianne, who was more logical (though she was also emotional) and could understand easily.


    It wasn''t that Joseph was bad. On the contrary, he has a heart of gold.


    But what woman would be willing to actually take care of him when he practically has to be told what to do all the time? Girls want to be pampered - and he would certainly do that yet at the same time, you actually need to tell him or show him what to do.


    Kyle sighed deeply when he thought about his children of his former life. He had no say whatsoever about their life choices and decisions, so anything he wanted to do, he would have to do covertly.


    At least, Lianne knew the truth so he could still ''interfere'' but Joseph?


    He hoped that whoever Joseph ended up with, would be someone worthy. It would suck to have to step in and do something to break them up.


    "Well, Mama," Lianne said, "I understand but the most you can do is just advice us, you know."


    Kyle raised an eyebrow and gave her the ''really'' expression.


    Lianne gave a dramatic sigh then replied, "Sometimes, we just have to learn after being hurt."


    Kyle pursed his lips.


    "If the person is really a douchebag, then, by all means, get rid of them," Lianne said, "But if he, or she, is someone you just feel is not good enough, then no. Nobody''s perfect, you know. Even one who may look so perfect may not be and vice versa."


    "I mean, you''re the best example," Lianne said.


    "Me?"


    "Of course. You''re filthy rich, handsome, a body to die for apparently and intelligent. Perfect, right? But no. I mean, come on. You only realised now that you''re in love with Sayuri?"


    "Maybe the better title isn''t Grumpy-Pants CEO. Emotionally stunted CEO? Blind CEO? No, that''s would be an insult to the visually impaired. Love Idiot CEO?"


    "Are you quite done yet?" Kyle hissed.


    Lianne blinked innocently then shrugged, "No, not really but you get the drift."


    "Fine, I will only advise," Kyle said with a huff.

 Chapter 829 - Walls

    Chapter 829 - Walls "Hmph," Kyle mumbled, "Only 13 and already thinking she knows the world, huh? Since when have you been so brutal to your own mother, huh?"


    "When my own mother is rather oblivious to certain obvious things," Lianne replied, her face no showing any emotion, "You''ve never been like that before."


    Kyle ran his hand through his hair and leaned back on the chair. He didn''t answer immediately but seemed to be lost in thought.


    "Sometimes, it''s easier to see from the outside looking in," Kyle said after a while, "You have phenomenal observation skills to notice how I felt about Sayuri even before I did, but if you''re anything like me, then you may be blind to your own feelings as well."


    He turned and looked at her seriously and admitted, "I was hurt badly by your father and had some unfinished business before my death. I was disillusioned about love. Then, I got my heart torn out by the first person I really fell in love with, making me close myself off from anything else."


    "You''re a bit like that, you know," Kyle said softly, "You see all the guys around you as bumbling fools and you''re easily irritated by them."


    "I don''t blame you honestly because well, guys are generally immature and you''re far more mature than an ordinary girl. So, naturally, you''d see them as kids even though you''re still a kid yourself."


    "I mean, look at me. I regarded everyone around me as little kids because heck, my soul is 40 years older than any of them. So, the feelings I had for Sari kind of threw me for a loop. I was too emotional then."


    "And with Sayuri, I was too logical."


    "All I''m saying is, don''t close your heart," Kyle continued, his eyes on Sayuri, "I wouldn''t want you to find out your true feelings the way I did."


    He leaned forward, his arms on his knees as he said in a barely audible voice, "At a time when it may be too late."


    Lianne pursed her lips, thinking that there was no way any guy would interest her. However, her mother had a point.


    "Fine," she said begrudgingly, "I will try not to dismiss guys too much and give them a chance."


    Kyle smiled at that, and he tilted his head as he looked at his daughter from his previous life, "That''s all I ask, really."


    Then he turned to look back at Sayuri.


    Little did Kyle know that their conversation today was the turning point for Lianne.


    Previously, she had built up this wall around herself - and her heart - because she just couldn''t believe any guy would be able to capture her interest. Those that she did find interesting, it was merely on a superficial level.


    She never considered them as anything more than ''objects of interest'' and would dismiss them from her mind completely.


    Now, however, she began to wonder if it really was just an ''appreciation of beauty'' or whether she had some other feelings slowly developing.


    Because of this, it helped her allow some sort of feelings and be clearer in her mind about her feelings. It also made her much more self-aware of the people around her and how she felt about them.


    This, in turn, gave a certain someone in the future a chance. It made his efforts to woo her go slightly easier for she didn''t push him away or block him from her mind (and heart).


    Well, okay, she did but the walls that she built weren''t that high or sturdy.


    Just then, Junior returned to the ward. Dian had taken him for a meal and that had allowed Kyle to talk to Lianne without worry.


    Junior hesitatingly came over to Kyle and without a word, he picked Junior up and let him sit on his l.a.p. Although Junior was not a little boy, Kyle knew that the boy needed some assurance.


    After all, Dian had taken him out for a meal. Even if the reason was logical, he would not think that way. He was too young and would only feel what he feels - which would be, he wasn''t wanted in the ward at that time.


    "Did you enjoy your dinner?" Kyle asked, starting the conversation.


    Lianne kept quiet and let the two talk.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay lay on her stomach on the bed, scrolling through the various reading platforms. Lance had been bugging her to try out this app called ''Webnov'' because there was this book that she just *had* to read.


    He had been asking her almost everyday whether she had read it yet or not.


    So, today, she thought of checking it out just to get him off her back. He was sure that she would like it, and he wanted to know her opinion about it.


    There were so many out there and she had wanted to check some of them out first to see if the novels there were to her taste. She was thinking of telling Lance she was checking out another site if that was so, and he would not bug her anymore.


    Unfortunately, however, none really ''popped'' out for her and most of the novels in all of the sites were the same.


    Thus, in the end, she figured, ''Why not?''.


    It would be something that would pass the time.


    But the moment it was a drop-dead gorgeous young CEO guy that dotes on a stupidly naive girl that had her entire family scheming against her, she would drop the novel like a hot potato.


    "Let''s see ¡­" Kay mumbled to herself, "Lance said it was the contest winner. Ah there it is."


    ''My Secret, My Love, My Guilt''


    Lance hadn''t told her much other than, ''Girl, go read it. You''ll love it.'' Knowing his taste, she doubted it but she still read the synopsis.


    Her eyebrow went up a notch.


    Younger stepbrother falling for the sister?


    Might as well give it a try ¡­ just a few chapters. She had work tomorrow.


    ? Several hours later ?


    "Nooooo!!" Kay shouted at her phone.


    That was it? That was the last chapter? How could this be? She had to wait another day for a new chapter?! She had joined the ranks of those who now had the story in their mind, wondering what is next?


    Worse, it was a cliffhanger!


    Authors who put cliffhangers should be strung up!! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The best way to deal with such Authors?! Stockpile! She won''t read for a month and let the chapters collect.


    Yes.


    That is what she will do.


    She is *totally* not interested to know whether or not Ben ended up sending that letter to Kara.


    Kay flung the phone onto the bed and g.r.o.a.n.e.d upon seeing the time. This was all Lance''s fault! Kay set the alarm and made a mental note not to binge read again. Putting down her phone, she lay her head on the pillow while yawning widely.


    One hour power nap was better than nothing. It was a good thing there weren''t any meetings in the morning. Yawning again, Kay went to sleep.


    The next morning, Joseph''s eyes bulged wide upon at the notification he got on his Webnov app. As an author, he would receive notifications whenever someone commented on the novel - whether it was a comment at the end of the chapter, or a comment at a paragraph.


    There were over 200 comments in total and when he went through them, it was mainly from this new reader ''kemsey''. He smiled upon reading all of the comments made.


    It always made him happy when there were readers who liked his jottings, and from the looks of it, this kemsey person was really into it. Kensey would give thoughts and opinions on some scenes like ''I feel you, I feel you. It''s hard keeping quiet'', or would have ''reaction'' type comments like ''Kyaaaaa! That is so cute!'' that showed how a particular scene went.


    Everything that kemsey did was just so cute.


    He replied to some of them whilst thinking how nice that it was to have a new reader that was so into the novel.


    Joseph smiled, thinking that his choice in writing on this Webnov platform had been a good one. Even his readers from his blog came over when he told them about this. They came to support him and they stayed.


    So, he now had his ''old'' readers and ''new'' readers.


    Some came and left, some had commented a lot in the beginning and then disappeared. Joseph thought, ''let''s see which category kemsey falls under''. Hopefully, kemsey will stay.


    Whatever it was, he was grateful to anyone who supported his novel. Having people who enjoyed his writing made him happy and in turn, he could write more. Never did he think, that writing to get his feelings out, would have this sort of effect.


    With that thought, he began writing that day''s chapter.

 Chapter 830 - Beatrices Parents

    Chapter 830 - Beatrice''s Parents Beatrice sat in the car nervously, as they headed towards her home.


    Today, the Dante Twins were going to her house to meet her parents for the first time.


    The reason why she''s so nervous is because she had only told them that she was dating and that they could meet tonight.


    She had said, "You can meet who I am dating tonight."


    Yup.


    She never told them that there were two of them


    And that they were not just here to eat dinner, but also to express their d.e.s.i.r.e to marry her.


    Call her a coward but the words just stuck in her throat for some reason. Just mentioning to her parents that she was dating made her mother go all teary-eyed and hopeful.


    If that was a shock, what would the other news be?


    She wasn''t prepared to see her mother faint or something.


    Or have the two million questions that were bound to pop up.


    So, it''s best to deal with everything in one shot.


    They can see them and see for themselves how serious the Dante Twins were. Beatrice was convinced that the sincerity and love that they had for her would be clearly seen by her parents, thereby removing any doubt that they may have.


    She still remembered how her mother had thought Sam would be the one for her and how disappointed she was when it wasn''t. Simply because she was so excited. Beatrice secretly thought her mother was always trying to marry her off or something.


    Well, she wasn''t that far off but it was more to the fact that most parents'' want their child to find ''the one'', because they do not want their child to be alone. They envision that their child would be happier with someone by their side, and have children, so as to have company till their old age.


    One may not feel it when one is still young, as the ''shackles'' of marriage seem to stifle one''s freedom. But what about when you''re really advanced in age? What then? When you''re no longer working or have ''girlfriends'' to go out with ¡­ you''re all alone at home?


    Getting married when you''re much older is even harder as you are already set in your ways. But you do get lonely ¡­


    That, at least, is the belief of most parents. A belief that most children do not agree with.


    Thus, when Beatrice told them about her dating, her mother had been more than happy. She had started cooking quite early, anticipating eagerly on meeting a potential son-in-law (though in her mind, it was already a done deal).


    So now that they had reached her house, Beatrice was nervous.


    The twins turned around to look at Beatrice and asked, "Ready?"


    She took a deep breath and nodded, "Ready."


    While Beatrice was gathering her courage inside the car, her parents were gathering courage inside the house.


    Well, perhaps it wasn''t really ''courage'' for the latter. It was a mixture of nervousness, anticipation - and for Beatrice''s father, and additional burden. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a guy, naturally, he would need to test this boyfriend of his daughter.


    Was he good enough?


    Was he going to take care of his little princess well?


    Will he be loyal?


    Will he be true?


    "Do you see them?" Melanie, Beatrice''s mother asked anxiously as she peered through the window.


    "Well, they have certainly arrived," harumped Kevin, Beatrice''s father.


    "Come on, let''s open the door now," Melanie said, urging her husband as she walked to the door.


    "No!" Kevin quickly shouted, "We need to assert our dominance! Let that little boy know who is in charge!"


    Melanie smiled and came over to her husband who was bristling, "Come on, dear. Be nice. This is the first time Beatrice is bringing a boy to the house."


    "No she''s not," grumbled Kevin, "Sam was the first."


    "You know he doesn''t count," Melanie replied, "And he married Betty. He''s part of the family now so don''t bring him up now."


    Kevin didn''t look happy, "Sam was a good boy."


    Melanie laughed, "He still is, dear. He still is. He''s just not our daughter''s. The one she is bringing home though, is."


    "Hah. Only if I approve!" Kevin said, puffing his c.h.e.s.t out.


    "Now now, don''t make it hard on Beatrice," Melanie said, "What''s taking them so long to come out?"


    The reason?


    At that moment, in the car, Beatrice told them, "I didn''t tell them about you."


    Seeing the puzzled faces of the Dante twins, she explained, "That there are two of you."


    "Ah," Zack said, smiling while being amused, "Too much for them to handle after telling them you were dating?"


    "Understandable," Yuri replied, "It''s not common, even in Country Tz where it is allowed."


    "Don''t worry, Beatrice," Zack said with a huge smile, "This is just our first battle. There are many more to come."


    "Battle?!" Beatrice said while glaring at him.


    "Of course," Zack said, "Although, most of it will be on the bed ¡­"


    Beatrice''s face flushed red while Yuri gave a rather sly smile as he continued, ".. and bathroom, kitchen, living room ¡­"


    "So many places, so little time," Zack replied, nodding his head, "But we''ll figure a way."


    "You guys!" Beatrice, her face now red with annoyance.


    The twins smiled widely, their eyes sparkling, "Are you okay now? Not nervous anymore?"


    "Why should I be nervous? You''re the ones who have to meet with my parents!" huffed Beatrice.


    Though she sounded annoyed, in reality, she wasn''t. She realised the twins were teasing her to get her to be less nervous and she appreciated that.


    Of course, she didn''t find out until much later that the twins weren''t exactly joking ¡­


    Yuri and Zack got out of the car then, while Beatrice checked herself to make her clothes weren''t too creased. She had been so nervous that she had been gripping her skirt, so she now patted it down.


    Once Yuri opened the door, she stepped out.


    "Oh! Look! They''re finally coming out!" Melanie said excitedly as she watched from inside the house, " ¡­ Wait. Why are there two guys? Which one is her boyfriend?"


    "Identical twins?" Kevin said with a frown, studying the two figures "How the heck is she going to tell who is who? Is that why she brought both then?"


    Melanie hit her husband on the shoulder, "Stop talking nonsense. Oh look! He must be the one. He opened the door for Beatrice."


    Melanie smiled while Kevin nodded approvingly.


    "At least he is a gentleman," Kevin said, "Come, let''s greet them now."


    Just as Beatrice reached the door, it flung open. She expected it, too.


    Neither Yuri nor Zack was beside her. In fact, they were walking side by side behind her as the path leading to the house was narrow. Since both couldn''t be beside her, then both would not stand beside her.


    "Beatrice, honey!" Melanie said, greeting her daughter.


    "Mother," Beatrice replied, as Melanie came and hugged her.


    "You don''t come home often enough," Melanie complained, then looked at the two boys behind Beatrice.


    "Come in, come in," she greeted them politely, "Make yourself at home."


    "Thank you, Mrs. Chin," the twins replied together.


    As they walked through the doorway, Kevin stood straight and observed them sternly.


    He looked at them from the top of their heads to their feet, his eyes stern.


    "Mr. Chin," they greeted him warmly, unperturbed by his gaze. To them, it was like a soft breeze.


    After all, they dealt with the sour-faced Nitocris who''s piercing glare was enough to make normal people cry - not to mention Ice that always looked like he would kill you if you even sneezed.


    "Yuri Dante," Yuri said, offering his hand for a handshake, which Kevin took.


    Firm grip. Kevin approved. So Beatrice''s boyfriend''s name was Yuri, huh? Kevin had been keeping an eye on Yuri from the moment he had opened the door for Beatrice, as he did not want to mix the two boys up.


    He had to test the right boyfriend after all.


    "Zacharias Dante, but you can call me Zack," Zack said, shaking Kevin''s hand as well.


    "Kevin," Beatrice''s father replied, "Welcome."


    "Thank you," Zack replied, "It''s good to be here."


    Kevin led them to the living room and they all followed obediently. Melanie grabbed Beatrice''s arm and herded her to the kitchen, saying, "You boys talk first while we get the drinks."


    Beatrice looked at the twins, who didn''t look nervous at all. She followed her mother to the kitchen, thinking that ... well, since they''re the right and left hand of the King of the Underworld, dealing with her father would be easy, right?


    In the living room, Kevin sat in his single-seater sofa, and gestured to the twins to sit on the couch across of him.


    "So, Yuri," Kevin began, "What''s your intention towards my daughter?"


    "We''re dating her with the intention of marriage," Yuri replied, getting straight to the point.


    "We?!" Kevin croaked, his eyes wide, "Both of you?!"

 Chapter 831 - Interrogation

    Chapter 831 - Interrogation Kevin got up and roared at them, "How dare you! How dare you!!"


    The twins sat on the couch, a bit perplexed at the reaction Beatrice''s father was giving, based on what Yuri had said.


    They wanted to marry Beatrice, so what was with the ''how dare you'' statement?


    Of course they dared! Who wouldn''t want Beatrice??


    Melanie, who had been in the kitchen, rushed out quickly. She saw her husband, pointing his finger at the two boys ¡­ well, first at one, then the other, then back ¡­ it looked like he was waving.


    "Dear, what''s wrong?" Melanie asked anxiously.


    Her husband looked so agitated, with his fair face a bit red as he was glaring at the two boys. The two boys, on the other hand, were simply sitting there without any expression. No anger or confusion to give a hint as to what they were feeling.


    Kevin huffed, pulling down his shirt even though it wasn''t crumpled or had riden up somehow.


    When he saw Beatrice coming over, he demanded while pointing towards the boys, "Did you know that the boys have been switching? That you''ve been dating both boys?"


    Beatrice was confused for a while. What was her father saying?


    "I don''t understand, Father. What do you mean?"


    "You''re dating Yuri, right?" Kevin asked.


    "Yes, and -" Beatrice started, thinking it''s best to tell him now, but she was cut off.


    "Did you know that sometimes it''s Zack instead?!" Kevin bellowed, "These boys said they''re dating you with the intention of marrying you. Imagine! BOTH! They are just playing you!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Looks like her father jumped to conclusions based on one sentence. He thought that the twins were both trying to win her favour with the ''winner'' being able to marry her?


    Then again, it wasn''t that far a jump to what she had initially thought as well when the twins were chasing after her.


    Beatrice slumped her shoulders down and gave a big sigh.


    "Father ¡­" she began, but the twins stopped her this time.


    "Beatrice, let me," Zack said, getting up, followed by Yuri.


    "Mr. Chin," Zack said, "This is a misunderstanding."


    "Is Yuri dating Beatrice?" Kevin asked, cutting him off.


    Dominance! Show dominance! He must not let the boys take over and talk. The two young men had this rather intimidating aura around them and truth be told, Kevin''s knees were shaking a bit.


    But this was his daughter they were talking about!


    No way would he show fear in the face of evil!


    "Yes," Zack replied patiently.


    "Did you go out on a date with Beatrice even though she''s dating your brother?" Kevin snarled through clenched teeth (which he had to do to stop it from chattering).


    "Yes," Zack answered, causing Melanie to gasp.


    Kevin emboldened, roared angrily at him, "See?! SEE!"


    "And you!!" Kevin said, pointing at Yuri, "You knew this and you let him take your place and date your girlfriend?!"


    "HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH MY PRINCESS!!" Kevin spouted, gasping.


    Melanie snapped out of her stupor and rubbed Kevin''s back, "Dear, calm down. Calm down."


    "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN ¡­"


    "We''re not playing with Beatrice," Yuri said calmly, his melodious voice slicing through the angry roar in front of him, "Our love for Beatrice is true and we love her deeply. Naturally, we would like to marry her."


    ''With, or without your blessings'' the twins said in their hearts. They weren''t bold enough to actually say it out loud as it would put Beatrice in a spot.


    She would most likely punish them for being so insolent towards her parents, too. That was far scarier.


    "You keep saying ''we we we'' all the time," Kevin said, "Don''t you have your own identities? Not only are your features identical, you''re both wearing the same thing! You deliberately did this to confuse people, right? Confuse my princess?!"


    "Yes, we have our own identities," Zack said, "And yes, we dress the same so that people can''t tell us apart. It helps us in our job."


    "And Beatrice isn''t confused by us," Yuri said, "She knows us well."


    "So you are telling me that she can tell you apart?" Kevin said, a bit sidetracked.


    "Yes," the twins answered.


    "I don''t believe this," Kevin muttered.


    He told the twins to follow him then said to his wife and daughter, "Sit on the couch."


    He walked out towards the opening of the living room and made the twins to stand hidden behind the wall while he stood at the living room opening.


    "You said she can tell you apart, right?"


    "Yes," Yuri answered.


    "Fine. Let''s put this to a test," Kevin said.


    He turned towards Beatrice and said, "Tell me, who is this?"


    Kevin reached out and grabbed Yuri''s arm, bringing him out into the open. Beatrice answered, "Yuri???


    "And this?" Kevin asked, as he pushed Yuri back behind the wall. He moved his hands about dramatically then pulled Yuri out again.


    "Yuri."


    Not convinced, Kevin put Yuri ''back'' and this time, pulled out Zack.


    "Zack."


    "Zack."


    "Yuri."


    "Zack."


    "Yuri."


    "Yuri."


    "Zack."


    "That''s enough!!" Melanie said, finally not being able to stand it any longer, "Just how long are you going to keep doing that?!"


    Kevin shook his head, seemingly snapping out of a daze. He looked at his daughter and said, "You really are able to tell them apart."


    "Yes, Father," Beatrice said in relief, "What is this about?"


    "So you knew the whole time whenever Zack pretended to be Yuri to go out with you?"


    Beatrice frowned, "He never pretended to be Yuri."


    "So you were cheating on Yuri with Zack?!" gasped Melanie, grasping what the conversation was about, her hand on her c.h.e.s.t. She looked at Yuri (or who she thought was Yuri) in pity.


    "Mother!" Beatrice said in dismay as she looked at her mother.


    "I''m so sorry, Yuri, that you had to find out this way," Melanie said, appalled at her own daughter''s behaviour. She thought she had taught Beatrice better than this.


    "And you, Zack. How could you do this to your own brother? Your own twin?!" Melanie scolded Zack.


    The twins watched the scene in amus.e.m.e.nt.


    From the way the father jumped to conclusions and fiercely defended his daughter - to the way the mother was so soft-hearted that she actually sided with the ''wronged'' one, made them see why Beatrice was the way she was.


    Fiery and kind.


    Fierce and soft.


    The best of both parents were inherited by her.


    "Please, this is all a misunderstanding," Zack said.


    Yuri smiled, a dazzling smile that stunned Melanie for a while, "Yes, there''s been no cheating. I have not been cuckold."


    Then, they stood straight as they looked at Beatrice''s parents seriously.


    Yuri said, "We are deeply in love with your daughter and seek your permission to marry her."


    "We, as in, both of us, to Beatrice," Zack added for good measure.


    Melanie looked at them with their mouth open, then slowly looked towards her husband that seemed to be frozen solid like a statute.


    Then, both of them turned to look at Beatrice, who looked at them sheepishly and said, "Two for the price of one?"


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ? sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where do you work?" Kevin started the interrogation.


    After the initial shock, Kevin made them sit down at the couch again. Beatrice was forbidden to talk and had to sit a bit further away behind Kevin.


    "We are the Nitoxing''s Chief Operating Officers," answered Yuri.


    "Oh? What''s your salary?"


    "$800,000," answered Zack.


    "Not bad. That would be over a million annually then," Kevin mused. At least his daughter would be living comfortably. One with that salary was good enough, but two?


    Zack blinked then shook his head, "I''m sorry, Mr. Chin. I meant $800,000 a month, not a year."


    "And that is before the bonus, too," Yuri added on, "Typically, it''s at least $1 million."


    Kevin''s hands trembled as he took a glass of water to drink.


    This was way beyond what he expected. He studied the two boys intently.


    They answered each and every question of his patiently. They did not appear exasperated or treat this like it was beneath them. Despite the fact that they earned more in a month than he did in a year, Kevin felt that the two men were rather humble.


    Not pretentious or snobbish.


    Maybe they weren''t so bad after all.


    Meanwhile, Melanie''s mind was still reeling over the fact that Beatrice had just brought back home two boyfriends. She studied them intently. They were very good looking, even if they seemed rather stand-offish a bit.


    They had dark hair which was short and neat, with some bangs that occasionally fell over their eyes. Their oval-shaped face had eyes that seemed to be a mixture of blue and green, and they had rather full bottom lips.


    Melanie looked at her daughter, then them. Images of very cute grandkids popped up. Melanie started grinning.

 Chapter 832 - Love More than One?

    Chapter 832 - Love More than One? Melanie was also the type that believed how a person''s personality could be seen by said person''s physical characteristics. So while her husband was interrogating the twins and their background, she was busy observing them.


    It was their eye colour that got to her.


    After looking at it more, it seemed to be green rather than blue. They really had beautiful eyes, but it wasn''t just for the fact that they had a rare eye colour, but they seemed to be twinkling?


    She knew that was just her imagination, but she couldn''t describe it in any other way. Bright and innocent-looking?


    Whatever it was, their eyes were beautiful and the colour?


    One who has green eyes are said to be curious about nature, be very passionate in their relationsh.i.p.s, have large amounts of love, and possess a positive and creative outlook on life.


    That made Melanie feel that the boys were obviously sincere about their feelings for her daughter. Plus, they didn''t seem to be fighting each other for her? They seemed to be two peas in a pod, two yet one. It was so strange.


    The downside of green eyes is that they get jealous easily.


    Some would say that when there is jealousy in the relationship, it is good for it shows how much one cares. Yet, if it is too much, it can be stifling or even controlling.


    Which one would the twins fall under? And could Beatrice really handle two boys like that?


    She sat quietly while continuing to listen to her husband questioning the two boys. They were really taking this seriously as well, and that was a plus point for them.


    Kevin leaned back on his sofa.


    He kept his face impassive, even though his heart was beating rapidly inside his c.h.e.s.t. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the day when a boy came over to take his baby princess away.


    He had been both dreading it and anticipating it.


    Having his baby princess finding someone, like how he has his beloved wife, was something he wanted for her more than anything. However, he was worried that she might end up with someone not worthy.


    Beatrice had always been the odd-one out when she was younger. Things got better in secondary school when she was in the Student Council and Sage Class. It was a time that he and his wife referred to as "S.C".


    Before S.C., she was in her own world and cut off from society. During S.C, she opened up more and had a lot of good friends. However, after S.C. (i.e. graduation), she seemed to be back into that shell of hers.


    It wasn''t as bad as it had been before S.C., but it was not as good as it had been during S.C. She didn''t really make new friends, though perhaps, that may have been asking for too much since she doesn''t trust easily.


    So, now, THE day had come.


    Never in his wildest dream, though, did he think he would need to question *two* of them.


    What was his baby princess thinking?! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And your parents are fine with both of you marrying the same girl?" Kevin asked.


    Marriage isn''t just between two people. It''s between two families.


    If their family does not approve nor like this union, then Kevin wouldn''t want to push his daughter into that minefield. They would have to pave the path for her first and not expect her to struggle and fit in.


    "Our grandfather loves Beatrice," Zack said with a smile, "And he can''t wait, actually."


    Yuri gave Zack a side glance and Zack cleared his throat, reigning in his enthusiasm. Their role was to simply answer Kevin''s questions and let him lead, and not take over the whole thing.


    They were well aware of how nervous Beatrice''s father was. They could tell from the way he sat and glared at them. In their line of work, reading body language and asserting their dominance was their forte.


    Weakness was not an option.


    Showing weakness was never in the cards.


    Even now, they weren''t submitting but allowing Kevin to take charge - though he didn''t know it. He felt it, which was why his hands still trembled and all that, but he was really putting up a fight.


    The twins couldn''t help it though. It wasn''t in their nature to back down, and this was the best that they could do. The last thing they wanted was to scare Beatrice''s father to death.


    Their eyes went to Beatrice.


    The only person they would willingly submit themselves to, however, was her. She was the only one that they trusted completely.


    No one else.


    "Our father passed on when we were younger, while our mother has Alzheimer''s disease and doesn''t recognise us anymore," Yuri told him, "So only our grandfather is, to all intents and purposes, the only family that would be affected by our decision."


    Beatrice had known already about the twins'' mother, though she had not met her yet. They told her that they would go visit when things were settled with her parents and she was fine with that.


    It actually took a lot out of the twins whenever they visited their mother. To see their beloved mother not recognise them ate up inside of them each time.


    That was also part of the reason why they hardly visited. As long as their mother was comfortable and taken good care of, it was enough.


    The moment Beatrice saw the pain that flashed through their eyes, she wanted to go over there and comfort them. She glanced at her father, seeing him narrowing his eyes as he thought of more things to ask.


    Would he be annoyed if she stepped in and interrupted them?


    She hesitated only for a few seconds and resolutely walked over to the twins. Kevin was flabbergasted to see his normally obedient daughter walking past him and sitting inbetween the twins, taking their hands hers. They had immediately given her space on the couch for her to do so.


    Beatrice looked at both of them and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"


    They smiled identical smiles that had a tinge of sadness within them and squeezed her hand.


    "We have you now," Zack replied.


    "You give us strength," Yuri said and both of them kissed the back of their hand.


    "WHAT do you think you''re doing?!" Kevin roared, standing up.


    Melanie rolled her eyes and held her husband''s hand, pulling him down.


    "Don''t you see?" she said to him gently, while rubbing his arm, "Your question earlier made them sad. Beatrice is comforting them."


    "They don''t have to kiss her in return for that!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    What would her father say if he knew they had kissed more than just the back of her hand?


    "We''re sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Chin," Yuri said, "Sometimes, we forget ourselves. We just love your daughter too much."


    "She''s really very special and we''re truly lucky that she loves us as well," Zack said.


    "Father, please," Beatrice said, "They are good men, and I am in love with them."


    With those words, Kevin seem to be deflated. His shoulders slumped down and he gazed at his daughter.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, Father, I am," Beatrice said with confidence. If you had asked her this several months ago, she would still have some doubts. Not about her feelings but about the future.


    About them.


    Since they saved her, however, the doubts - and fears - were slowly dissipating until it finally cleared away.


    "But what about when you have children?" Kevin asked, "Only one is the real father, would the other feel left out?"


    Yuri and Zack looked at Kevin and answered immediately, "No."


    "It doesn''t matter who''s s.p.e.r.m it was that fertilized the egg," Yuri said with a straight face, "The result is the same."


    "The child is ours," Zack said, "He, or she, will have a wonderful mother and two fathers who will love him, or her, to death."


    "We share one wife, so there''s no jealousy or competition at all," Zack continued.


    "Anyway, even biologically ¡­ well, we''re identical twins," Yuri said calmly, "Even if we did a DNA test with the child, we would get the same results. That we are the father."


    Kevin was getting a headache at hearing all of this.


    Although he could see that the two boys cared for his daughter, and that she loved them, he was worried. Yes, you can love more than one person but could that love truly be equal?


    Not to put down anyone, but isn''t that just human nature?


    Can a person truly love more than one and treat them the same?


    In truth, it is possible. It just required a lot of trust, absolute honesty, and to never hide your feelings. Always be fair.


    It goes without saying that the twins were like that. To have found Beatrice who did as well?


    Beyond priceless.

 Chapter 833 - Deep Love

    Chapter 833 - Deep Love Kevin was still not that happy at Beatrice''s choice.


    After all, it would not be an easy thing to do: maintaining a marriage, by itself, is already a lot of work and she had to consider two husbands.


    And as for the husbands?


    Could they really be satisfied with just one?


    Sharing one?


    Forever?


    Sure, they love her now, but for how long?


    To him, his baby princess was priceless and anyone would love her till the end of time but he had a natural suspicion towards any guy that claims to be able to share one girl. He, as a man, finds that very hard to believe.


    As a father, though, he thought his baby princess would be loved by more than two! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kevin stared at the two men and with the utmost reluctance in his heart, he said to his daughter gently, "Fine, Beatrice. If that is your choice."


    "But!!" he roared, as he stared back at the two men, "If you dare hurt my baby princess in any way, I will shoot you with my gun!!"


    "You don''t have a gun, dear," Melanie interjected.


    Kevin, visibly fl.u.s.tered, turned to his wife and said with a huff, "Then I will get one!!"


    How could his wife expose him like that?! Has she accepted and approved of them already?!


    This cannot be!


    Looks like he''s the only rational one here.


    "Thank you, Mr. Chin," Yuri said, standing up. Zack did the same.


    Putting their hands on their heart, Zack said, "We shall take care of Beatrice like the princess that she is."


    "We shall love her and never make her cry, unless it is tears of joy," Yuri declared solemnly.


    "This, we promise you," they said together.


    Melanie put a hand over her heart, blinking back tears. Oh, the boys were just so sweet. No wonder her daughter could be in love with them so.


    Kevin only harumphed and muttered, "We shall see. I will get that gun, mark my words."


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    After dinner, they spent a bit more time talking with Beatrice''s parents before they finally had to say their goodbyes. At the door, Beatrice gave her mother a warm hug and nodded respectfully to her father.


    The boys now took their positions in front, and behind, Beatrice.


    One was in front to make sure that there was no danger (though Beatrice didn''t think there would be any) and one behind, to protect her back. It seemed like they were escorting her, which, honestly, they were.


    Seeing this, Kevin nodded approvingly.


    "Well, at least they have a conscience!" he huffed as he entered the house.


    Melanie took slightly longer, watching her daughter leaving.


    "Are you coming in or not?" Kevin asked from inside, his voice clearly showing his disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    Melanie shook her head but smiled, knowing her husband''s bark was worse than his bite.


    "Coming, dear," she answered patiently, like she always did.


    When they reached the car, Zack tapped the roof and said, "Don''t go in the car yet. Give me a minute as I need to get something from the store."


    Beatrice''s house was along the main road and across it was actually a row of shops. Mostly small, family-owned shops. They watched Zack enter a convenience store, curious as to what he was up to.


    "What do you think he is getting?" Beatrice asked Yuri, as she leaned against the car.


    "It could be anything," Yuri said, "Before you, I would have said c.o.n.d.o.ms or cigarettes. Now? Who knows?"


    Beatrice blushed and was glad for the cover of darkness.


    "So you used to go through a lot of boxes, huh?" Beatrice asked wryly.


    Although it was in the past, and it was way before they became serious with her, it didn''t mean that Beatrice was completely unaffected at the thought of their numerous escapades.


    Yuri shrugged, unable to deny it. He was leaning on the car beside her and he looked up at the sky, noting how the stars could be seen.


    This was a good area, without much pollution, so one could appreciate the clear sky. The vast open sky, clear, reflecting the peace in his heart.


    "They meant nothing. It was a mutual exchange of gratification of the body," Yuri said.


    "I know," Beatrice replied with a sigh, "I do know but there''s still a part of me that feels slightly perturbed by it. I''m not angry nor do I blame you in any way, but just the thought of some other woman, and you, n.a.k.e.d ¡­"


    Beatrice rubbed her arms, "I don''t doubt your love, or your loyalty, but I cannot lie and say that I am not affected at all."


    Yuri smiled and turned, placing his arms beside Beatrice. He rubbed his nose on hers, and kissed it, and then her forehead.


    A forehead kiss is said to be more intimate and has a deeper type of connection. It is regarded as the only sincere way of saying ''I love you'' without actually saying the words.


    There is a connection unlike any other, for it is meaningful and sweet. There is a sense of protectiveness from the guy, and deep love can be felt from that simple kiss.


    "I cannot erase the past, but Zack and I will be spending the rest of our lives to shower you with the love that you deserve," Yuri said softly.


    "I know," Beatrice replied, then hugged him, breathing in his scent.


    Yuri hugged her back, welcoming the warmth within those arms.


    This was just one of those moments that made Yuri love her more than ever before. Beatrice never hid her feelings from them. She would tell them how she felt, and there was no need to second guess her or try and figure out what is on her mind.


    Beatrice loved hugging the twins. There was just something special in a hug, you know?


    The way his strong arms encircled her, holding her tight. The fact that


    It was just the way Beatrice was. Everything was logical. She had also learned from her heartbreak with Sam that she should not hide her feelings. If she had any doubts, she needed to express them.


    There was no point in trying to think about it, or wonder about it. If there was something she wanted to know - and needed to know, she will ask. The best thing was, the twins would answer.


    And she knew they would be honest and forthright.


    Like right now.


    Even though she didn''t like hearing about it, and that Yuri knew she didn''t like it, he didn''t hide any facts from her.


    What man would actually do that?


    Then again, what she didn''t realise was, what woman would actually be so open and willing to accept whatever they told her?


    It was a mutual thing.


    "My gosh, look at that. Shameless."


    Yuri immediately turned towards the voice, effectively shutting the person up. She staggered a bit, her steps going back upon being hit full force by the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e on Yuri''s face.


    However, when she saw who it was that was in Yuri''s arms, she gathered a bit of courage as her eyes went wide open, "Beatrice? Beatrice Chin?! Is that you?!"


    Beatrice''s eye twitched.


    Still, she didn''t get out of Yuri''s embrace and simply answered, "Yes. Good evening, Mrs. Foo."


    "What would your parents think? Look at how you''re acting! Out in the open!"


    "They''d think it was very natural, Mrs. Foo. What is wrong with hugging my man?" Beatrice said with a smile, while squeezing Yuri closer, rubbing her cheek on his c.h.e.s.t.


    "It''s in public!"


    "It''s a hug," Beatrice said, "Not s.e.x."


    Mrs. Foo''s eyes bulged even wider, something Beatrice thought idly was amazing. It looked like her eyes could even pop out.


    "Yuri, this is Mrs. Foo, our neighbour down the road," Beatrice said, "Mrs Foo, this is Yuri, my fianc¨¦."


    Mrs. Foo''s mouth was opening and closing, like a fish gasping for air out of water. Probably thinking of what to say as her mind was still reeling over the ''s.e.x'' statement.


    Yuri didn''t say a word, but just smiled as he enjoyed snuggling up to his beloved.


    He was ready to punch her, really, and it was Beatrice holding him back. How dare this uncouth woman be so foul-mouthed, making something as innocent as a hug to be something more.


    "What''s going on?" Zack asked as he reached them, carrying a bag of soemthing.


    "Nothing," Beatrice said, running her hand on his arm, "Just someone unable to handle me hugging Yuri."


    "You ¡­ you ¡­" stammered Mrs Foo, seeing the intimate gesture Beatrice was doing on the new guy that came along.


    How could she be so brazen in front of her fianc¨¦? And why was her fianc¨¦ not bothered by it?


    When she saw the guy''s face, however, her mind went blank again. The same face?!


    "What did you get?" Beatrice asked curiously.


    He opened the bag, showing her the variety of her favourite snacks.


    "I noticed it was running low at home," Zack said. Beatrice smiled at him, touching his cheek, her eyes full of love.


    "Let''s go home, Zack,?? Beatrice said, kissing Zack''s cheek.


    "Okay," Zack replied, kissing her forehead.


    Yuri let her go reluctantly while Zack opened the back door for her and she entered gracefully.


    Just as they were about to drive off, Beatrice wound down the window and said, "Oh, and Zack is also my fianc¨¦."


    She was quite satisfied with leaving the frozen Mrs. Foo behind. Her expression was priceless.

 Chapter 834 - COO

    Chapter 834 - COO Kay couldn''t help but be completely amazed at the babies that were sleeping peacefully in their cot.


    Sayuri had been discharged and naturally, they were staying at the Smith Mansion. Sayuri and the babies were in Kyle''s bedroom, which had been expanded to include the room that had been beside it before.


    Kyle had this done while Sayuri was in a coma.


    He had already been planning such a thing, to bring Sayuri home even if she never woke up. Luckily, she did.


    All of her clothes and other necessities were already in his bedroom and at first glance, it appeared as if they had been husband and wife for a long time. The twins were in their cot which was placed beside the bed.


    Kyle was the type that didn''t believe of having the babies in a different room.


    They were still babies, and they had their own cot, so there was no reason to have them so far away. This way, when they needed feeding, Sayuri wouldn''t need to get up and walk all the way there.


    Plus, Kyle didn''t care nor minded the babies crying (and thereby, disturbing his sleep). Children grew up too fast anyway, and their baby years would be gone in an instant. Also, since they have twins, it wouldn''t be fair to have Sayuri take care of them all the time, right?


    Though the twins did have their own au pairs, Kyle wasn''t the type to leave everything to them. He was more of the ''hands-on'' sort of parent. Since the au pairs would basically be taking care of his babies during the day, it was only right that they took over at night.


    Otherwise, where would the bonding begin?


    Right now, though, the babies'' parents weren''t around. They were busy handling one loose end, by the name of Sarah.


    "You''re going to get playmates soon," Kay told the twins, "Auntie Sofiya is already just waiting for the day, you know. It''s past her due date, in fact. I guess her baby is not ready yet to meet the world."


    But at least, the baby was healthy.


    Ali had taken such good care of Sofiya, while Sofiya herself was much more careful with everything. She had been in the hospital for a week now, just resting in order to minimise any premature labour.


    Betty, too, was ready to pop.


    Fortunately for her, her pregnancy was one of the normal ones. Sam and Betty were expecting a girl, while Ali was having a boy.


    "It looks like it''s going to be an even distribution in this first round," Kay said with a laugh, "I hope the four of you will grow up to be the best of friends, just like the parents are."


    "Even though we don''t get to meet so often now, the bond is still there," Kay continued, as she reminisced about old times, "We were the Elite Five. I wonder what you''ll be known as? The Fantastic Four?"


    She smiled, just thinking about it.


    "It''s time for their feeding, Ms. Smith," Wendy, one of the twin''s au pair said as she came into the room.


    Since Kyle and Sayuri were out on their mission, the babies were placed in the nursery that was connected to Kyle''s bedroom. The partition between the nursery and Kyle''s bedroom was closed this time, of course, since Kyle and Sayuri weren''t at home.


    Kay got up and nodded.


    It''s not like she had to leave, but Kay was feeling a bit ¡­ well, she''s not as decisive as Kyle and Sayuri are.


    Yes, she knew that Sarah had crossed the line but ¡­ a part of her still did miss her friend.


    Her first friend.


    Kay walked back to her room and flopped onto her bed and as usual, she opened up the Webnov app and started reading. There weren''t any new chapters today, as it hadn''t been released yet, so she merely re-read some of her favourite chapters.


    With a disgruntled sigh, Kay closed teh app and closed her eyes.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t work.


    Well, it did for a while but not enough to stop the thoughts from churning in her mind.


    "This MIB thing is definitely not for me," Kay sighed, thinking to herself, "Well, not this part at least. My heart is just too soft."


    Sure, she had killed before but it had always been in self-defence.


    What Kyle and Sayuri were doing?


    It was revenge.


    Retribution?


    Whatever it was, even though Sarah did deserve it as she had tried to kill Sayuri and the twins ¡­ Kay still couldn''t have made that call. The most she would have done was send her to prison.


    She didn''t blame Kyle or Sayuri, and neither was she of the impression that they were doing the wrong thing.


    In fact, it was more like, ''this is not what I would do'' personally but it didn''t mean she disagreed with it.


    It was either Sarah was prosecuted by the law, or executed by the victims.


    Either way, it was to achieve justice.


    Well, it was a good thing that she fell for someone completely normal then, albeit, a bit young. Kay didn''t think Joseph would be the type that would go down the route Kyle did. A nice, normal person.


    It was then that Kay got an inkling of her ''path'', so to speak.


    What made her different from Kyle, and what sort of journey she would take.


    Kyle had Sayuri, and they were like two peas in a pod.


    Undoubtedly, they would continue their ''ninja-type'' missions or do things along those lines. When she thought about it, Kyle wouldn''t be able to keep still and just be a CEO.


    But her?


    She would be quite happy just working at the company.


    Just then, there was a knock on her bedroom door. She tilted her head, curious as she looked at her door.


    People hardly came to ''visit'' her, really, so she wondered who it could be. She went to open the door, although she had thought about just saying "Come in!". She didn''t know why but she had the inkling it would be better if she opened the door instead.


    When she did, her mouth hung wide open for a while.


    "Mum?!" Kay said in surprise. Why was she here? Was something wrong? No, that wasn''t the surprsing thing.


    Her father was here, too!


    What''s going on?


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    Kay looked at her parents in disbelief.


    "What? Really?" she asked for the umpteenth time.


    "Kay, if you keep asking for confirmation for every sentence I make, this is going to take a very long time," Patrick said very patiently. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, you can''t really blame me," Kay defended herself, "You''re proposing a change in something that has been set in stone since time immemorial. How do the other Smiths feel about it?"


    "They''re actually quite keen. Now, they are going to formulate the proper test like what the Smith Heir goes through. Minus the actions to trigger the Smith Anger though."


    "That''s good," Kay said, "From what Kyle told me about that, it''s really a horrible thing to do, you know."


    "But it is the most effective," Parick countered.


    "New position, huh?" Kay said, bringing the conversation back to the topic.


    "The test for the COO is simple, really," Patrick said, "The COO''s role is to work together with the CEO like a well-oiled machine. You would need to be able to know what he wants, anticipate his needs, and fulfill them hand-in-hand."


    "You know, you should watch what you''re saying, really," Kay said with a smile, "That sounds more like a wife than a COO."


    "Same difference," Patrick said, "The question is, are you on board? Do you want a permanent position, which is basically Kyle''s right hand man."


    Kay smiled, "It sounds perfect. I accept."


    When her parents left the room after getting her acceptance, Kay rolled about her bed.


    It was like, instant gratification.


    She was just thinking about how she''d miss the office and all the inner politics going on in there. Kyle didn''t tolerate it, but Kay felt it spiced things up.


    Nothing was going to really change, actually.


    She was still the acting CEO right now, and once the COO title goes through the official channels and she is confirmed as the COO - well, she would be doing what she had been doing all this while. No change other than, she would be the ''COO'' and no longer in Kyle''s shadow as the ''Acting CEO''.


    Kay smiled to herself, quite pleased with how things were developing.


    Even without the holiday with Lance in order to ''find herself'', the path was opening up to her. Stepping on this path made her feel lighter and that it was ''the right thing'', so she was at peace.


    With that thought, Kay opened up her laptop and started on her daily ''observation'' of a certain young boy''s day.

 Chapter 835 - The Births

    Chapter 835 - The Births Ali sat by the bed, looking at his tired but glowing wife.


    It had been hard on her the past few months, especially in the last trimester. The closer it got to the date, the bigger her fear. It was as if what it was just there, barely out of reach.


    So near, yet so far.


    She was afraid to hope, but the yearning was very strong.


    Ali was the calm one, or to be more accurate, the calmer one.


    He had to be, for he could see how worried Sofiya was.


    Ali leaned forward and kissed her gently, "You''re such a strong woman, my love."


    Sofiya smiled, holding his hand and touching her bulging stomach at the same time.


    "He''s a strong one," she whispered.


    "Like his mother," Ali agreed.


    "Will it really be okay, Ali?" Sofiya asked.


    Ali took a deep breath.


    What should he tell her? Say the nice, comforting words that may not be true? Till now, there is always a risk. Yet, does one really want to hear the truth?


    For him, however, it was best to be prepared for the worst though he always prayed for the best.


    "All we can do, my love, is leave it to the hands of God," Ali said finally, "And the capable hands of the doctors. We have done all that we can."


    Sofiya couldn''t help but feel extremely worried and she voiced out what she had been thinking of all this time, "Am I bad, Ali? Is this my punishment?"


    "If I lose our baby, is it because I have sinned too much?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, God, no, my love," Ali said in horror, "How could you think that? God is the Most Merciful, and God does not punish you with the life of another. If our baby doesn''t make it, it''s only because it''s for the best."


    "It may not feel that way, but that is the way it is," Ali said, putting hand over her heart, "This. God knows what is in your heart. What will be, will be."


    Sofiya bit her lower lips.


    She looked up at him and sighed.


    How could he be so rational about this? Did he not want this baby as much as she did? Would he not feel the pain?


    Sofiya didn''t truly understand Ali''s stance and point of view.


    Of course, it was a difficult thing to comprehend. It wasn''t that Ali didn''t feel worried, or that he didn''t care. He wanted this child more than anything. He would be devastated if anything happened to their baby, and to his wife.


    However, he also knew worrying about it would not change anything.


    Thinking about it, wondering on the ''what ifs'', and ''if only'' would only drive a person insane. Or give them sleepless nights.


    The calm acceptance wasn''t indifference, but rather, a coping mechanism that helped him face whatever came his way.


    His state of mind wasn''t something that he was born with, but cultivated over the years. It was in the teachings of his religion and he had the first taste of it when Sofiya had left him all those years ago.


    During the entire time, he had felt like he had gone through Hell, and back - several times. He had turned to his Faith and eventually found some semblance of peace. He hadn''t protested over the marriage and lo, behold, he was rewarded with the greatest gift of all.


    Sofiya.


    True, Kyle was the one that arranged everything but Ali believed it was through the ''inner workings'' of God that it could happen. It wasn''t that Ali felt Kyle had not contributed at all, but rather, Kyle achieved it by the help of God.


    Most people did not understand that when one thanked God after a particular incident was successful like, say, a surgery. One was not belittling the efforts of the doctor, but one can''t deny the guidance of God.


    It''s akin to the situation when you need to go from Point A to Point B.


    If you don''t actually get up and move, there is no way you would arrive at Point B. However, you having the energy to get up and move, is by the Grace of God.


    Fact that they had the best doctor at hand, Dr. He and a capable surgeon on standby, were all things Ali had sought for and found but he wouldn''t have been able to find them if not for the grace of God.


    This belief, and outlook on life, isn''t something that could be taught but rather, had to be felt. It was so easily misunderstood. Thus, Ali didn''t explain further.


    "Ali," Sofiya said, her face pale.


    Immediately concerned, Ali asked, "What? What''s wrong?"


    "My water broke," she said.


    Ali gulped, and quickly called for the nurse.


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    Sam, looking a bit worse for wear, arrived at his in-laws house.


    As Betty was in her final trimester, he had her move back into her parents'' house. He was at work all day and he was worried about her. Knowing her, she wouldn''t stop moving about, doing things.


    Of course, he could have hired some help but Betty would most likely still keep on doing stuff on her own. At least, her parents would be able to stop her from being too active.


    He did hire professional housekeepers, who would come everyday. They would arrive in the morning and leave by late evening.


    They would be in charge of light cleaning needed for the upkeep of homes such as replace bedding, clean rooms, halls and bathrooms, vacuum, sweep, mop, replace toiletries, and make beds.


    In addition, they would also prepare lunch and dinner.


    Thus, Betty''s parents'' were well taken care of while they took care of Betty.


    As he stepped through the door, he was greeted by a smiling Betty, who reached out to take his briefcase. He brought it away from her reach and instead, took that hand and brought her closer, hugging her.


    "You''re not supposed to carry anything heavy," Sam said.


    "It''s just a briefcase! It''s not heavy," Betty said with a pout.


    "Be good," Sam said, taking her by the hand, "Have you eaten?"


    "Of course," Betty said.


    She didn''t dare not to. It wasn''t that she didn''t eat, but rather, she liked to wait for Sam to come home first and eat with him. He had scolded her for that, telling her that their baby needed to be fed.


    He didn''t really raise his voice or anything, but Sam hardly reprimanded her for anything. Thus, Betty took his words to heart and would eat first, then accompany him as he ate dinner.


    As Sam walked towards the kitchen, he missed the slight grimace on Betty''s face. She sat down at the dining table, then took note of the time. Sam came out with a bowl of rice and a couple of dishes that had been reheating on the stovetop.


    Betty wasn''t allowed into the kitchen so she had to obediently wait for Sam, who served himself. She felt bad about that, but Sam was very firm on the matter.


    She smiled and watched him eat, not caring about the silence or the occasional pain from her stomach. After the meal, Sam washed up and they headed to the bedroom.


    "Um, Sam?" Betty said hesitatingly as he was unbuttoning his shirt.


    "Yes, Bunbun?"


    "I think we should go to the hospital now," Betty said, rubbing her stomach.


    Sam''s fingers stilled on his shirt. He turned to face Betty, who was now breathing rapidly through her lips.


    "Hospital?" Sam repeated blankly.


    "Yes," Betty replied after the pain subsided, "The overnight bag is there."


    Sam looked in the area Betty pointed and saw the suitcase.


    "Overnight bag," Sam repeated, still not moving.


    "Sam!" Betty called out to him, seeing that he was in a daze.


    What happened to her stoic, efficient husband? He looked shell shocked at the moment.


    "Button up your shirt, take the bag," Betty instructed, "Get the car keys and drive me to the hospital."


    Sam quickly did as he was told, "Yes, yes! Bag. Keys"


    Betty couldn''t help but laugh at Sam''s antics but her laugh was cut short when another contraction hit.


    Sam, seeing this, panicked even more.


    He dropped the bag, and rushed to her, but she hit his hand away.


    "I''m fine. Take the bag and let''s go."


    Betty went to her parents'' bedroom and knocked, while saying, "Mum! Dad! We''re going to the hospital now."


    A flurry of activity was heard in the room, and the door flung open.


    "It''s time?!"


    "We''ll go first. You can catch up later," Betty told her parents before turning to Sam, "Sam. Start the car."


    Nodding like a chicken pecking for rice, Sam ran.


    Daniel, Betty''s father, asked worriedly, "Is he going to be okay?"


    "Don''t worry," Betty said, "He''s fine. He just needs instructions."


    A fl.u.s.tered Sam was a funny Sam.

 Chapter 836 - New Generation

    Chapter 836 - New Generation That night, while one life was slowly ebbing away in the distant woods, two lives were being born.


    Two more Elite Five members became a young parent.


    The first of the new generation of the Elite Five.


    Coincidentally, all four were born in the same year, and each pair had the same birthday.


    Kyle''s twins, then Ali and Sam''s children. They became so close that people often mistook them as quadruplets.


    The next day, everyone congregated in Sofiya''s VIP ward.


    This was the best time for them to meet before the new mothers went home, as they would be in confinement for about 40 days. Both Ali and Sam already had hired the confinement women for their respective wives.


    During this time, too, visitors are discouraged from coming as the newborns would still be susceptible to germs and viruses.


    Kyle''s twins were already in the ''safe'' period and thus, could be brought out - although he wouldn''t do so unnecessarily. This, however, was a special occasion.


    The birth of a new life is always important. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sofiya had to undergo a Cesarean section, which was essentially an operation to deliver the baby through an incision on her abdomen and uterus. As such, she would have to be warded longer (at least three days) while Betty could go back within a day.


    Kyle was carrying Rory, while Sayuri was holding Alex. Betty was in a wheelchair while Sam was carrying his daughter. Ali''s son was in a bassinet beside Sofiya''s bed.


    They were busy introducing their kids to each other.


    "Everyone, meet Aurora Misty Smith," Kyle said, as he held his daughter higher up in his arms.


    "And Alexander Belvior Smith," Sayuri replied, standing beside Kyle.


    Although everyone had seen the babies before, this was the first time they have seen them since they were discharged. The twins looked like normal babies now, instead of small premature babies that tended to look very thin.


    They had bright eyes and rosy cheeks, making everyone ooh and ahh at the babies.


    "And this," Sam said, unable to stop looking at his newborn daughter, his face full of awe, "Is Fleur Johnson."


    "Our son, Muhammad Ziaudin," Ali said softly, stroking his newborn son''s head, "which means brilliance of the faith."


    "What does Fleur mean?" Xing Han asked curiously.


    "Nothing fancy, really," Sam said with a smile, "It just means flower. She is our delicate flower, our angel."


    Kay watched this scene, feeling a little bittersweet.


    It was as if she was left out from this momentous occasion.


    Their lives had now passed another level, reached another threshold that she had yet to touch.


    Before, they were all at the same level, in the sense that they were going through their ''milestones'' together. School. College. Work.


    But now, their paths were slowly diverging. It''s so easy for friends to lose touch, mainly because they were caught up in their own lives. Their own families.


    Three of them were married, one was going to be soon while she would still take a few more years - if things went well. In the meantime, the others may have more kids as well.


    So, only she and Xing Han wouldn''t be a part of this ''journey'' for now.


    She turned to look at Xing Han and noticed that he was not affected at all.


    "I''m an Uncle to so many kiddies!" he was exclaiming excitedly in happiness.


    "You''ll be a great Uncle," Kyle said with a smile, "And a better Godfather."


    "Godfather? Me? Really?!" Xing Han said.


    "If you and Big Bro Nic accept, that is," Kyle said.


    "We accept! We accept! Why wouldn''t we?!" Xing Han shouted, jumping up excitedly.


    "Do you want to hold her?" Kyle asked.


    "Can I?" Xing Han asked worriedly.


    Kyle smiled, "Of course."


    "You aren''t scared I''ll drop her?" Xing Han asked as he wrung his hands.


    Kyle''s smile was gentle as he said, "You''re my BFF, aren''t you? You''ll be extra careful, right? I trust you."


    Xing Han nodded, but he was so nervous.


    Rory was so small.


    Sure, she was still bigger than the newborns but still!


    "Sit down," Kyle said.


    For someone as nervous as Xing Han, sitting down is better as he would be in a more comfortable position. Kyle guided him on how to position his hands, in order to be able to hold Rory.


    Kyle then placed her in the crook of Xing Han''s arm.


    Xing Han stared down at the baby, and she stared up at him.


    She then flashed him the biggest smile ever, laughing.


    She couldn''t help it.


    The expression on Xing Han''s face was funny to her. He was holding her so stiffly, not daring to move while his face had a look of both wonder and fear at the same time.


    This friend of her father had the kindest face she had ever seen. If he was Father''s BFF, then he must be just as how he appeared. Nice.


    Aurora liked him already and wanted to let that person always smile. He looked best when he was smiling and laughing.


    She laughed again, liking his shocked face.


    Hearing her laugh and seeing her adorable face, Xing Han fell hard.


    He melted completely.


    "Auw, she is so adorbs!" Xing Han said, in awe and lovingly, "When you grow up, I will bring you and show you all the fun things, okay? I have soooo many things to show you! You and your brother, of course. And then ¡­"


    Kyle, upon seeing this, shook his head helplessly as Xing Han prattled on, oblivious to the world. He was so focused on all the plans he was making in his mind, completely mesmerized by the intense gaze Rory was giving him.


    Kyle couldn''t help but wonder if he had lost his BFF to his daughter ¡­


    Alex, snuggling in his mother''s arms, couldn''t help but frown listening to that guy drone on while Rory was gurgling and laughing. Leave her alone and she starts charming all these guys around her.


    Alex couldn''t help but wonder if he has a long road ahead of him in keeping her away from pests.


    Thus, the two men in Rory''s life were visibly affected by this turn of events.


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    Later, all the babies were asleep.


    The hospital brought a couple of bassinets over, so the twins slept in one while Fleur slept in the other.


    "I notice a new ring, Sayuri," teased Xing Han, pointing at her finger.


    "Yes, Kyle proposed last night," Sayuri answer with a smile.


    "Proposed? Huh? But you''re already married," Xing Han said in confusion.


    "Yeah, but I never asked her," Kyle said, "I believe every woman would like to be be asked, don''t you think?"


    "So does this mean you''re going to have a wedding ceremony?"


    Kyle looked at Sayuri, seeking her opinion, "That depends entirely on Sayuri. Whatever she wants, it''s hers."


    To him, the wedding ceremony itself was a drag.


    Even in his past life, he found it rather tedious. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to get married, but the only real ceremony was the actual solemnization itself.


    That was small and intimate, with the closest family members.


    The reception, or the wedding ceremony, seemed more to be a declaration to other people that they were married. It was just a party whereby the bride and bridegroom dress up (some even had several changes of clothes), feed the people who came, get presents and wave them bye-bye.


    It was different if their wedding ceremony was where they became legal husband and wife during the ceremony itself.


    It wasn''t here.


    Sayuri tilted her head, seriously considering this.


    On the one hand, didn''t every girl want that fairy tale wedding?


    She looked down at Alex.


    "I''m not sure, honestly," Sayuri admitted, "I''m already a mother, and after the incident, everyone knows we''re married. So having a wedding ceremony seems a bit redundant. Yet, I do wish to wear a wedding gown. Am I being silly?"


    Kyle came over and knelt down beside her as she was sitting down on a chair at this time, "No. You''re never silly. If that''s what you want, then we shall have one. For the simple reason that you want one."


    "How about when the kids are older? Like, say, four? Or five? Then Rory and Fleur can be your flower girl and Alex with Ziaudin can be the page boys and ring bearer," suggested Kay.


    "Sounds like a good idea," Kyle said, "What do you think, Sayuri?"


    Sayuri thought about it, "What if I''m pregnant again at that time?"


    The others laughed at that, especially at the sheepish look Kyle had.


    "I''ll behave," Kyle said then smiled slyly as he wriggled his eyebrows, "Then we can go on our honeymoon as well."


    "True, we didn''t have that either," Sayuri said, "You have a lot to make up for."


    Kyle smiled, "I just have the rest of my life to."

 Chapter 837 - Two Years Later

    Chapter 837 - Two Years Later Alex frowned noticeably.


    Kyle ignored the frown.


    He stood there nonchalantly, facing his son, who was staring at him in great disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    With a slight smirk and a raise of an eyebrow, Kyle shrugged and pointed at the beam that was beside him on the grassy field. The beam was only two inches above the ground, and just wide enough for one to walk on in a single file.


    "Nevermind," Kyle said, "I guess it is too hard for you to do."


    "Daddy! Daddy! I wanna try!! Can I?" came the sweetest voice ever beside the frowning boy.


    "Of course, my darling princess," Kyle gushed, picking her up immediately and swinging her around.


    Rory giggled, putting her fair, plump little hands over her precious pink lips. Rory wasn''t fat, but she had the normal baby ''fat'' around her cheeks that Kyle loved to smoosh.


    He stood with the beam inbetween his legs, facing the front and placed Rory on it while still holding her hands.


    "Okay, for the first time, I''ll guide you, okay? Light hold on the hands so if you feel like falling, just grip my had," Kyle said gently.


    Rory nodded, looking down with a fierce concentration on her face. Her lips pouted a bit as she slowly balanced herself and walked on the beam. Kyle moved backwards, his gaze on his daughter, not looking back at all.


    Alex kept chanting in his mind, ''trip and fall, trip and fall''.


    He wasn''t worried about his sister getting hurt, for he knew that his father would use his own body to shield her from any pain. He would give his father that much credit - but he was still unimpressed.


    His father was merely making up to their mother anyway, so it''s the least he could do, right?


    Unfortunately, despite the mad, fierce chanting in his mind, his father didn''t stumble at all and was smoothly walking backwards as if he had eyes at the back of his head.


    The beam wasn''t in a straight line, and it zig zagged at some points, yet Kyle still managed to turn at the right moment.


    Alex gnashed his teeth.


    When Rory reached the end, Kyle cheered for her, lifted her up, and gave her many pecks on the cheek. Rory giggled again, and placed her hands on his face, "Papa, I did good?"


    "Yes, you did very well," Kyle said, "When you can do this without help, we will slowly raise it higher."


    Just as Kyle was about to bring her back, he noticed Alex was on the beam, his face resolute. Kyle kept quiet, watching his stubborn son slowly taking the steps on the beam.


    He didn''t offer to help, for he knew that his son would refuse him. Earlier, Alex had already scoffed at him and said that what Kyle wanted them to do was stupid and he had better things to do.


    Thus, Kyle had purposely said those words to goad him.


    Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn''t.


    It depended on his son''s mood, really. If he felt like it was beneath him, no amount of goading would work. If he felt that it truly was a hit to his ego, he would be the first to refute it.


    However, Rory''s actions completely took that choice away from him.


    If his sister would do it, wouldn''t that make him look bad? Petty?


    So there he was, on the beam, taking one firm step at a time.


    Kyle was teaching his kids the basic ninjutsu, while making it fun as well. It was a basic blend of how he had guided Kay before, and what Master Shifu taught him. When he had been reborn, his knowledge had been sparse on the martial arts, so he couldn''t really learn properly.


    It was different now.


    However, it was far easier to guide Kay than his own kids.


    Namely because Kay was eager to help him and would throw herself whole-heartedly into whatever routine he had set up. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His kids?


    Not so much.


    In fact, Alex made it a point to go against him every which turn he could, and he was only two! True, people said it was the worst stage of a toddler''s life, but Alex''s ''Terrible Two'' was more like ''Tantrum Two??.


    His tantrums were not the type that had him throwing a fit, but actually giving him the silent treatment while going against him whenever he could.


    Kyle wondered what he had ever done to his son to have to face such disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Still, if that''s how it is, it wasn''t like Kyle was going to back down. Like he told his son when he was still a baby, he, Kyle, is still the father.


    Alex thinks he knows better?


    Kyle shook his head in exasperation. Wasn''t this something he would expect when his son became a teen? The rebellious stage?


    Why is he doing so now?


    Still, the important thing was to get Alex to actually learn all of this. One can''t be forced, and Kyle wasn''t the type to give threats. He may be Ice and unfeeling, but that was not the way with his kids.


    So, Kyle would utilise whatever he could to get his son to learn and practise. If goading him would get him to gain the skills needed, then goad him Kyle will. At the end of the day, what he needed was to have these skills.


    Kyle found that being a father was so much more difficult than being a mother, really.


    As a mother, his children naturally clung to him and bonded with him easily and quickly. As a father, he found that it wasn''t necessarily so. Aurora did, but not Alexander.


    Kyle sighed as he observed his son resolutely going on the beam.


    He may be stubborn, but he did have that innate skill. He could balance well.


    Alex fell.


    "Posture, Alex," Kyle told him.


    "The most important thing is to lower your centre of gravity to the beam," Kyle continued advising his son, "but not by leaning forward as you tend to do. You can bend your knees a bit."


    "I know what I am doing," hissed Alex as he got back on the beam and started again.


    "Balance your body by positioning your centre of mass directly over your base of support. In this case, your legs," Kyle continued to patiently explain, "In this case, you shift most of your weight over your legs and not focus on your waist. Straight back."


    Again, Alex fell.


    "Stop distracting me!" Alex said as he got back on.


    This time, he managed to get to the end and he turned to face Kyle, looking smug.


    "That may work for now," Kyle said, "But not when you need to go faster, or are higher. Or on a tightrope."


    Alex gave a soft snort.


    "Daddy, can you really run across that?" Aurora asked, pointing at a rope that was tied between two trees.


    "Of course, sweetheart," Kyle said, "So can your Mum. Do you want to see me show you?"


    "Yes! Yes!" Aurora answered, clapping her hands excitedly.


    The rope that Aurora pointed to was two feet off the ground. Alex scoffed and said under his breath, just loud enough for his sister to hear, "That''s hardly a challenge."


    Kyle walked over to the tree, then, to their amazement, he scaled up the guava tree that was about 20 feet high. Only after looking up did they realise there was another tightrope there.


    Kyle stood on it, then walked across. When he turned back, he ran. Then, he did some somersaults before falling down.


    Rory screamed until she saw how her father was using the various branches to break his fall until he landed on the ground, crouching a bit.


    He stood up, wiped his hands, and smiled at his princess.


    "I''m sorry, did I scare you when I came down?" Kyle said as he reached close to Aurora.


    She nodded, her eyes wide. Kyle picked her up and rubbed his nose to hers, making her giggle.


    Alex stared at his father''s back, then back up at the tightrope above.


    Okay, fine.


    That was impressive.


    Not that he was going to admit it, however.


    He thought back on what his father had said about balancing. Posture. Lower center of gravity.


    He pursed his lips. He''ll practice in the room.


    "Can I do that one day, Daddy?" Aurora asked, her eyes fixed on the rope above.


    "You can do anything you set your heart and mind to, sweetheart," Kyle said, "But if you find later on, that you don''t like it, it''s fine as well."


    Aurora nodded.


    "Are you done?"


    Everyone turned towards the voice.


    "Mummy!" the twins shouted excitedly.


    Kyle put down Aurora and she ran towards her mother. Alex, trying to be cool, just walked a bit faster. They hugged her legs and looked up at her, smiling.


    Kyle came over and kissed Sayuri deeply.


    Alex glared in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    Kyle smirked.

 Chapter 838 - Anne

    Chapter 838 - Anne Sayuri saw this ''interesting'' interaction her husband had with her son and she shook her head.


    This sort ''friendly'' competition or action had been going on for as long as she could remember. Alex not being happy with his father for some reason whenever Kyle was showing his love for her, and Kyle upping up the public display of affection even more just to spite him.


    She didn''t admonish Kyle too much for it, though, for even she could see that Alex was being a bit too stubborn at times. Also, who would complain when one was the happy recipient of Kyle''s attention?


    In fact, his care and love for her had not diminished over the years. If any, it was better as the feelings were more intense and deeper. His meticulous care for her made her feel the years she had spent waiting for him was more than worth it.


    Their s.e.x life hadn''t gotten any less either even with kids around, even though she had often been told to be more patient as ''it was only natural'' that it would be less as taking care of children would sap them of time and energy.


    Kyle was just very careful about that.


    The fact that she could still easily turn him on gave her a feeling that could not be described. She felt loved, and precious, because he was so open and sincere about his acceptance and love for her.


    Thus, even though she found it exasperating at times at the way the two boys in her life seemed to be at odds with each other, she chose not to interfere. It was something that they had to deal with - and after all, Kyle does not go overboard - even if some of the things he did were rather childish at times.


    In fact, thinking that the cool CEO and cold Ice could act like that made her laugh at times.


    "Mummy! Mummy!! Daddy was so cool up there!" Aurora shouted happily, breaking Sayuri out of her thoughts.


    Sayuri smiled, rubbing the top of Aurora''s head, "Yes, Rory, he is cool."


    Alex pouted a bit, though he looked down in order not to show it.


    Sayuri rubbed the top of Alex''s head then, and said, "One day, you will be able to do that as well - and perhaps, even be better."


    Kyle snorted softly, "He can try, at least."


    Alex''s head whipped up to stare at his father, his eyes narrowing, while he said in his heart, ''I will. Do, or do not. There is no try."


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "You''re not Yoda. Yoda was at least cute."


    "Kyle!!" admonished Sayuri, hitting him on the shoulder, "That is your son!"


    "I know," Kyle said, "He may have the genes to be good looking but a fact is a fact. He''s always so grumpy around me. Not cute."


    "I''m not grumpy," Alex denied it, "You''re just cranky."


    Sayuri rolled her eyes, took her kids by the hand, and said, "It''s just about six now, so come on, it''s dinnertime."


    Alex held on to his mother''s hand tightly and looked at his father smugly. With them holding onto each of their mother''s hand, his father could not.


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    In the distance, a lone girl was sitting at the bleachers, lost in her own world.


    Her shoulder-length hair, barely touching her shoulders, was short at the back but she had long sides. It fell over her face like a curtain, as she was busy sketching. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she gazed about, her fingers dashing across the paper like a boat swaying on the surface of the water.


    There were not many people around as it was after school, and those that were here, were practising for the sports day. There were various shouts, music blasting, and people talking on the field. The sounds were mixed yet harmonious at the same time.


    Lianne looked up, seeing her brother barking orders at the bunch of first years.


    He was the march past captain this year, and when he was on the field, he was fierce.


    Despite that - and the fact that most people would rather die than participate in march past - they actually had to reject some who wanted to join. Lianne scoffed, knowing the reason for Red House''s popularity.


    Joseph shot up during the past two years, making him even taller than before. His wavy hair was cut short, but he had a hairstyle akin to ''James Dean'' of old. In fact, when Lianne looked at him, he appeared to be somewhat similar to that actor.


    Lianne sighed and continued drawing.


    Joseph had done pretty well for his Year 3 exams, even though he did come in quite late. He wasn''t the top but he wasn''t the bottom either. Now, being in Year 5, it was his final year.


    Hence, people flocked to be by his side.


    He was as popular as ever, and his TokTik was generating the views. He obtained sponsorship deals, and he advertised. Stephan handled all the money, of course, for Joseph was utterly clueless about it.


    All he cared about, was having fun.


    The income he obtained from his activities with TokTik was handled directly by his father. Joseph still got pocket money and all, but his finances were strictly controlled. Joseph didn''t care about that, really.


    Because what Stephan didn''t know was that Joseph had another source of income: his writings. It wasn''t like he was a bestseller, but the amount he earned monthly was good enough for him to indulge himself once in a while.


    He spent it mostly on food, though. The other would be electronics like a phone and camera. He felt he had the best of both worlds. His father handled his savings, and he could spend his earnings from Webnov to whatever his heart d.e.s.i.r.ed.


    "YOU!" barked Joseph, "Just what do you think you''re doing?!"


    Someone had broken formation.


    "It''s left, right, right, left!!" Joseph said in a loud voice, "Don''t you even know what is your left? Or right?!"


    "I swear, such simple instructions.." Joseph mumbled under his breath.


    While Joseph was mumbling, everyone was observing his face intently ¡­ and their hearts dropped. He wasn''t going to let this go. They looked in horror as he took out that dreaded tissue box.


    It didn''t have tissues in it anymore but pieces of paper.


    Paper that held various types of punishments.


    "Since you''re the one that went out of formation, you choose the punishment for the team," Joseph said.


    He ruled the team through military style - that is, all for one, and one for all. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If one person made a mistake, then the entire team would be punished. This way, there wouldn''t be any that would slack. They would not dare to make a mistake as they would get double punishment.


    One, from Joseph and two, from the rest of the team.


    Some felt his methods were too strict but when you had first years that were generally playful, it was quite an effective method. The punishment wasn''t severe - it was just the basic things like push-ups, sit-ups, and planking.


    Enough to be painful but not enough to make them so tired that they couldn''t continue.


    Lianne watched this and shook her head.


    "Zero again?" came a voice beside Lianne.


    "He''s a good subject, Anna," Lianne replied, nonplussed.


    Contrary to what people believed, Lianne wasn''t drawing the scene in front of her. She actually had her phone on the sketchpad, and it was a random picture of Zero. She was drawing him as human fox; that is, features and physique of a human but he had a fox tail and ears.


    She was currently drawing a familiar that looked like a hybrid between a fox and a dragon.


    "If I didn''t know you any better, I would think you''re a stalker," Anne said, sitting down next to her, noting the picture in the phone.


    "And if I didn''t know you any better, I would think you''re a normal high school student," Lianne countered.


    "Oh come on," Anne said, waving her hand in front of her, "You caught on within two weeks."


    Lianne frowned, "Yeah, two weeks. I was too careless."


    "It was a bloody two weeks! I have been undercover for months for a mission and no one noticed!" Anne hissed, "I''ve always wondered. How did you know?"


    "You were too good," Lianne said, not looking up.


    "Huh?"


    "You''re supposed to be a normal 13-year-old student, newly transferred," Lianne explained, "Yet, you were too aware of your surroundings. You were especially vigilant around me and would assess each person that came close."


    Anne blinked rapidly at Lianne.


    "How the heck does one be able to tell when another is ''assessing others''?" Anne said in exasperation.


    Lianne finally looked up from her sketch.


    "Simple. You were looking at them as if you were in love with them, but you weren''t."

 Chapter 839 - Gold Group

    Chapter 839 - Gold Group "What does that even mean?!" Anne asked, her eyebrows raised.


    "No one really looks at the people they talk to unless they are interested in the person," Lianne explained patiently, "You had that sort of intensity that was beyond normal, yet you did not show any interest towards the person."


    "If you''re not interested yet taking such interest in the person can only mean that you were sizing the person up for some other reason than a romantic interest," Lianne said.


    Anne didn''t answer, taking what Lianne said to heart.


    This had been a question that had been bugging her for the past two years but she never did gather the courage to ask her until now. Her 13-year-old self was rather proud, to be honest, and it felt bad to be asking someone she was tasked to protect, find her out.


    She, who had been trained since she was 9, and she got discovered?


    By someone who as normal?


    However, after being by Lianne''s side these past two years made Anne realise that she was anything but normal.


    Rather, her thinking and observational skills were not normal.


    Untrained, too.


    Anne sighed.


    "And you don''t consider going into MIB?"


    Lianne frowned then turned to look at her, "Whatever for?"


    "I mean ¡­ you have the potential," Anne said, "The way you see things."


    "Too troublesome," Lianne answered simply, then added softly, "I like a simple life. Low-key, by myself, doing what I like."


    Anne looked at Lianne, thinking that what she wished for, she may not actually get. Life was funny that way.


    A simple life? Low-key?


    For some reason, she was close friends with the idol of Country Tz. She managed to thaw out that stone-faced, unemotional Zero and to date, has been the only one so far. She has a brother that was the mini idol of the school, not to mention the darling of TokTIk.


    Even if she, herself, kept a low profile it wasn''t like she could be out of the limelight.


    Anne leaned back on the seat at the bleachers, keeping constant vigilance.


    There were three others in the Team assigned to Lianne. Her, Gilbert, and Diana. She was especially happy that Diana was with her, as Diana was her bosom friend from before - even before entering MIB.


    They were from the same orphanage, thus, their bond was closer than most. Gilbert was okay, though he could be annoying at times. If it wasn''t for Diana, she would probably be suffering from being in this Team.


    When she had been picked to be part of the Team assigned to Lianne, Anne had thought it was really a weird thing. Other than being the recipients of Sir''s scholarship, what made her - and Joseph - special enough to warrant their own Team?!


    That question is still unanswered but like any member of MIB, no one questioned the decision or order. It was just done. All of the members in the Gold Group were as such and only those in the Gold Group would be given highly s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e missions.


    There were basically four levels of MIB: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Copper.


    It wasn''t their skill that determined which level that a person was put in, but rather, loyalty. This was something only the Gold Group knew whereas the others were under the impression that it was purely on their efficiency and/or skills.


    The fact that every member in the Gold Group was highly efficient and skilled only solidified their impression of it. What they did not realise was that the more loyal one was to the organisation, the more one would put the effort into it.


    The Gold Group were highly dedicated, fiercely loyal, and skilled. They were also the only Group that knew who the true founders of MIB were.


    Zero, Lucka, Edward, Akira, and Yume were the only ones in the Diamond Group for they were the original. The ones that had been honed, trained, and tested specifically for the founders.


    The first ''Gold'' Group.


    They were in a league of their own.


    A new batch of the Diamond Group was being trained at the moment. They had been screened and chosen from the moment Kyle knew he was going to have kids. The Team would be dispatched to the twins on the latter''s fifth birthday.


    They will bond for about two years before the twins are ''released'' into the public as they attend school.


    What Anne didn''t know was the reason for this timing. Kyle planned it as such as the twins would still be in the ''innocent'' and trusting stage and they would (or should) bond with their Team.


    The connection was important.


    He was worried about Alex, though, for he seemed to be adamant at being independent. To do things by himself, for himself, and take the role of protector over his sister.


    He was just too young to do it properly, so the Team was not just to protect his kids but also Alex from being overconfident. Although Kyle knew that making mistakes was part of life, and one would learn from it, the sort of trouble or danger his kids would be in if certain mistakes were made - was just too high a cost.


    Kyle learned that the hard way and there was no way he would *ever* put his kids into that sort of danger or situation.


    What Kyle didn''t realise was that these were the *exact* same thoughts and worries Patrick had concerning him. The more independent Kyle was, the more stern Patrick became.


    Just like Kyle and Alex.


    It would take Kyle a bit longer to realise this, though.


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    Joseph g.r.o.a.n.e.d as he flopped on the bed, exhausted after an entire day of activities. School then, march past practice. Worse, he hadn''t finished his chapter for the day yet. He knew his readers would not blame him if he took a day - or two - off, but he didn''t want to make it a habit.


    He would only take that route if he really, really couldn''t do it.


    For now, he just needed to rest a bit before going back to writing.


    It was his second novel, his first having just finished. For some reason, it took far longer than he thought to actually end it. Something that he thought would only be 100 chapters, became more after he was the contest winner.


    After that, when readers asked him how many chapters was he planning to write, he honestly told them that he had no idea. However, he was confident that it would be less than 1000 chapters.


    He just could not imagine it *ever* going that long. Wouldn''t it just bore his readers?


    However, the novel seemed to have garnered a life of its own and he found his estimations were always wrong.


    He thought it would end in 8 months.


    He was wrong.


    Then, a year. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wrong again.


    In the end, it was nearly two years when he finally ended it, and it was just barely over 1000 chapters.


    Now, he was on the second which was a sort-off spin-off, based on one of the other characters in the novel.


    Still, the first novel was extra special to him.


    It also was a reflection of what he hoped to be, but even now, he felt it was just a pipe dream. In these two years, he had never met with Kay ever again as he wanted to ''cut cold turkey''.


    Just seeing her would make his heart palpitate and his palms sweat. He would have that infamous ''butterflies in the stomach'' thing. Because of that, he made the resolute decision never to see her again.


    Joseph felt that his emotions were playing with him.


    He felt that he was just too caught up with what he envisioned Kay to be, that he imagined himself in love with her. The only way to cure himself was to cut her out of his life.


    He even stopped following her on the news, or in the gossip magazines.


    Now, finally, after two years, he could say that he was over her.


    He had that pang in his heart sometimes, but he attributed it to just those ''wishful thinking'' sort of thing. Like a beautiful memory but no more than that.


    He had his readers.


    One of them turned out to be quite a regular and she was one of his favourites. Okay, she was the most special to him but he would never let her, or the others know.


    All his readers were important to him, but he couldn''t quite explain why kemsey was different from the rest.


    He sighed. After resting sufficiently, he went to his desk and opened his laptop. Soon, the room was filled with sounds of the clacking of the keyboard.


    The next day, the worst thing happened.


    He bumped into Kay.


    All the feelings he thought he didn''t have anymore, came crashing down on him.

 Chapter 840 - Re-establishing Contact

    Chapter 840 - Re-establishing Contact Joseph couldn''t believe it.


    ''Of all the bookstores in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine,'' Joseph thought to himself, adapting the quote from the Casablanca movie.


    That''s what it felt like right now.


    The fact that she actually lived in this part of the world didn''t matter. The context of the quote was.


    He had managed to avoid her for two years.


    He had been at the bookshelf, casually looking for a book for revision, when something just made him look up. For no reason. Look up towards the entrance when something seemed to be at his peripheral vision.


    It was pure curiosity and instinct.


    He regretted it.


    Regretted it utterly.


    She walked through that open door to enter into the bookstore.


    His breath caught in his throat.


    She brought sunshine into the warm bookstore, lighting it up even more. Her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, like some soft curtain swaying in the light breeze, the tips of her hair just above her c.h.e.s.t. She had gotten rid of her bangs, while the sides of her hair being slightly shorter and framed her oval face.


    Her sparkling blue eyes, her perfectly arched eyebrows, button nose, and lips that weren''t too full nor too thin was lifted up in a slight smile and was graced with a light trace of pink gloss just made it so much more kissable.


    She was dressed simply but yet, she still looked so elegant. It was a white turtleneck sweater with a black pleated mini skirt that was mid-t.h.i.g.h. Her long, shapely legs were covered with black stockings and she wore dark beige ankle boots.


    In her hand, she was carrying a small black handbag casually.


    Joseph gulped, his adam''s apple bobbing up and down as he looked at the vision of loveliness that he had naively thought he had gotten over.


    Just seeing her right now, made all of those pent-up feelings he had resolutely buried and pushed aside came crashing down upon him. Worse, the feelings were far stronger than it had been two years ago.


    How was that possible?!


    Joseph quickly turned away, lest she noticed him. Before she realised he had seen her, and before she knew that he was here. He could somehow still run away, right?


    He gripped the book hard as he pushed it back onto the bookshelf, his heart in pain and he felt like there was this huge lump in his throat. He closed his eyes briefly, taking deep breaths and he felt his heart beating so hard and fast in his c.h.e.s.t.


    Kay''s eyes fell upon that person she had been pining for, for the past two years.


    Watching him through the lenses of the camera was hardly the same as seeing him in the flesh. She was both so excited and so scared that the soft smile on her face almost faltered.


    She had taken absolutely ages in choosing this outfit.


    She wanted to appear fresh and young, but not like she was trying to look like a teenager - but not ''old'' like a working woman that she is. She bit her lower lips subconsciously, her nervousness at its peak.


    She had seen him looking up as she walked in and to her dismay, he looked rather indifferent and unaffected, before turning back to his book like she was just another person in the crowd.


    Did he not recognise her?


    They hadn''t met for two years because she had wanted to leave him alone.


    She had wanted him to explore and experience his life as a normal teen, and to meet other girls.


    Still, showing up now, was something that she herself acknowledged to be too soon. How could a teen boy have had enough of ''sowing his oats'', so to speak? Though she knew very well that he wouldn''t be that wild like most guys.


    He had always been respectful towards girls, which made her love him even more. Despite his popularity, he never used it to get girls or anything of that sort. He was still the pure, helpful and kind Joseph that she knew.


    Kay''s original plan was to wait until he was in his 20s, at least; but she could not wait any longer. These two years had been torture and now that he''s reached the legal age of maturity in Country Tz, Kay felt she should make her first move.


    Establish contact.


    No, to be more accurate, to re-establish contact.


    If she waited until he was 20, anything could happen.


    He would have graduated from high school and meet other women. Not girls, but young women that would be more open than the high school girls. Worse ¡­ they would be young a.d.u.l.ts and things, well, could happen.


    Rather than staying out of the picture while all of this happened, Kay surmised that it''s best she put herself in the picture. This way, she would be able to have a healthy competition. This was far better than suddenly dropping out of the blue while he may be establishing a relationship with someone else.


    Kay wanted Joseph to consider her as one of those ''potential relationship'' goals.


    Even if she was older.


    If she kept away, there is no way he would even put her into his eyes. At least, this way, he might.


    Re-establish contact, make herself a part of his routine somehow and see how it goes.


    She was going to be the typical ''best friend who secretly stabs you in the back'' sort of thing. Something like a ''childhood sweetheart'' (minus the sweetheart) that all of his potential girlfriends would be wary of - and should be, because she would get rid of them.


    Kay sighed.


    Of course, all of that was wishful thinking.


    It wasn''t as if she was actually going to stab his back or ruin his relationsh.i.p.s. However, she did want to be the one that was closest to him. Be his best friend, or someone he is always with.


    She wouldn''t do things blatantly, but certainly, she wanted to be a part of his life.


    This was the first step but it was such a hard, first step.


    The moment she saw him, she got fl.u.s.tered.


    The all too familiar face, that posture, that figure.


    Not sparing her any interest.


    It hurt.


    Still, she pretended not to have noticed him seeing her and she walked over to him.


    "Joseph? Is that you?"


    She saw that he was about to turn and walk away, so had hurriedly walked over (while pretending not to have done so).


    Joseph turned and tiled this head, "Oh! Kay! Hi." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wow, it really is you," Kay said, smiling warmly, "How long has it been? Two years?"


    ''Two years, 1 month and 25 days,'' Joseph said in his mind, ''but who''s counting?''


    "About that, I guess," Joseph replied nonchalantly, looking utterly uninterested when in truth, he was trying hard not to look like he was too mesmerized by her.


    It would be too embarrassing to be lumped together with the tons of admirers that surround her all the time.


    Like, right now.


    It was obvious how much attention she attracted and he could feel the jealous stares of people on him. She, the Goddess, had come to him, the nobody kid.


    Well, tough.


    Be jealous!


    That thought made him smile, completely catching Kay unawares.


    Oh, my kokoro!


    It took a lot out of her not to put her hand over her heart, but darn, was his smile lethal.


    He could charm just about anyone with that smile.


    So why hadn''t he gotten hooked up yet? Kay was puzzled about that.


    "Are you done?" Kay asked, seemingly curious, "Want to grab lunch?"


    "Huh?" Joseph reacted, "Aren''t you here to get a book or something?"


    Oh, crap!


    Kay was ready to hit herself. She had been too eager to spend time with him that she had forgotten completely about her cover storey. Now what?


    Her mind whirling in full speed, she couldn''t think up of any excuse, so she decided to tell him the truth.


    Well, semi-truth.


    If she took too long to respond, Joseph would clearly think she was thinking up of lies to tell him.


    Of course, what Kay didn''t know is that Joseph wouldn''t have thought that at all. He was too caught up in trying hard not to be caught staring at her with hearts in his eyes.


    [If Lianne had been around, she would have just rolled her eyes and feel that Kay was so unlike what she portrayed herself to be, for she put too much credit about Joseph''s intelligence or rather, his simple thought process.]


    "OH RIGHT," Kay said, snapping her fingers, "I was so excited at seeing you that I totally forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me."


    Joseph''s heart nearly burst at those words. Although he knew that she meant ''meeting a person she had known'', he couldn''t stop his wishful thinking for it to have a deeper meaning.

 Chapter 841 - New Beginning

    Chapter 841 - New Beginning Kay gave him oh, the sweetest of smiles and said, "Wait for me, okay? I won''t be long. I''ll quickly get my stuff then we can go."


    Joseph nodded, not daring to speak as he was too emotional at that point. He was sure his voice would crack and that would be too embarrassing. He watched as she headed towards another section of the bookstore and he was itching to follow.


    But he did not.


    Instead, he forced himself to get back to choosing the books that he came here for. It was the only way to distract himself, and from the nervous beating of his heart.


    Later, they were going to have lunch together. Just the two of them.


    Suddenly, his hands stilled upon the spines of the book his fingers were trailing upon.


    Wait.


    Can he view this as a date?!


    He broke into a grin.


    To heck with it.


    He *was* going to treat this as a date!


    He chose his book excitedly and went to pay, then waited for Kay.


    Kay, in the meantime, had randomly gone to the fiction section and just took one book that had an interesting cover. She didn''t even see what it was about and went to pay.


    She saw Joseph was already there, casually flipping through a magazine that was beside the cashier''s counter. Her heart skipped a beat, and Kay thought this was going to be something she would be experiencing quite a lot with him around.


    She had to be strong and carry forth with her plans to get herself into his life without being too obvious about it. She had spent the last two years compiling lots of plans and ways in order to do so.


    This was something she learned while growing up with Kyle.


    Make the plans properly. Do and re-do, always have several back-ups. Change accordingly based on what new information they had learned or gathered.


    Thus, Kay had chosen this moment to come up and invite Joseph out for a meal. He''s always the happy-go-lucky type, and would not see too much into this. She would use this opportunity to get to know him better and create more opportunities to meet up again.


    Kay walked up to him and said, "I''m done. Thanks for waiting."


    Joseph gave her a smile, his eyes twinkling.


    "Not a problem," he said, "Where do you want to go?"


    Kay tilted her head, as if thinking hard (when in actual fact she already had the place in mind), "How about Souls?"


    "Souls?" Joseph repeated, a bit hesitatingly, "It''s a bit out of the way. How about Akai''s instead?"


    Kay smiled, hardly believing that it worked. It looks like she did manage to pick up some skills after watching Kyle all these years manipulate people to act or do things he wanted.


    Kay had mentioned Souls because it was similar to Akai, in terms of food, though it was a bit of the ''high class'' type of establishment with much more variety. Kay felt that if she had mentioned Akai, Joseph would have found it suspicious since it is not a place that she, Kay, would be expected to go to.


    Plus, Akai served the type of food that Joseph liked: fried chicken, ala Country K''s style. It had other types of dishes as well, but its fried chicken was the main part of the whole restaurant. It was neither a high-end establishment nor was it of the ''fast-food'' variety; but certainly, a good place for a date.


    Yes, the purpose of this whole thing *was* to go on a date with Joseph, although she disguised it as just ''two friends catching up''.


    The location was important for their first date. It could not be at a place that screamed ''too casual'' (like a fast-food joint) for Joseph may regard her as just another ''buddy to hang out with''.


    She wanted, from the start, for him to view her as something more than ''just a friend'' and this was the first step.


    "Akai''s?" Kay repeated, looking suitably confused, "Sure, why not? I have never been there before."


    "Oh, it''s a great place!" Joseph said enthusiastically, "Papa brought us there once, and it has the best fried chicken ever!"


    Kay smiled, pleased with herself, "Sounds great. Let''s go. Lead the way, kind sir."


    Joseph laughed, feeling utterly happy and content.


    Let him indulge himself in the fantasy of having a wonderful date with his dream girl. It was a good thing, too, that he had the cash to treat her. Being a secret Author had its rewards.


    While Joseph and Kay were going on their first date (and a new beginning), Kay''s best friend was, as well. A new beginning, that is.


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    Lance sat in the coffee shop, lost in thought.


    Today was the day that Kay said she was finally going to be making her move on her all-time crush.


    No, not crush.


    Love.


    For her to be able to hold on to those feelings for two years meant that it was more than just a crush.


    Lance envied Kay for her dedication and steadfastness for the little one, and how she remained positive throughout the years. While Kay was busy making plans to woo her little one, he had spent the past two years trying to forget that particular someone.


    It had not been easy, but now, he could say that the pain has lessened. It would never go away, really, for he had been holding on to that feeling for such a long time.


    Turns out Mark did end up with that girl after all. She truly was ''the one'' for him. It was a good thing he had Kay, for she helped him get over the pain of seeing Mark making plans to propose.


    Kay never scolded him for his feelings for Mark, but she did scold him for hanging on like that. She told him that he needed to let go and heal, and find someone else, rather than wasting his time on someone that would never return his feelings.


    She had some hope, he did not.


    So why was he hanging on so much?


    Lance knew he shouldn''t but how could he explain to Kay that even though he knew he shouldn''t, he couldn''t quite let go? Mark had become such an integral part of him that he could not imagine a life without him by his side.


    Lance''s hands were wrapped around the huge mug of latte, feeling its warmth in his hands and he wished it could seep into his heart. He found himself feeling rather empty, and dead inside. He truly did not believe that he would ever be able to find someone to fill in the hole in his heart.


    "I''m sorry, but is this seat taken?"


    Lance broke out of his thoughts and he looked towards the source of the voice.


    An elegant man, in a business suit, was standing there politely, waiting for an answer. When he saw Lance look up at him, he was struck by those rather dead eyes. There seemed to be an unfathomable sadness within them even though his face had a wisp of a smile.


    The man was intrigued.


    "There isn''t an empty seat around and I really need my java fix," the man patiently explained.


    Lance looked about and it was true. Every single table was full and his was the only one that only had him taking up a table that could seat two. Although Lance would have preferred his solitude, he couldn''t deny the guy''s request.


    He noted the tiredness on that stranger''s face, and he didn''t have the heart to say no.


    "Sure, help yourself to a seat," Lance said, "I''m alone."


    Saying those two words struck Lance harder than he thought. Yes, he''s alone.


    Forever alone.


    The guy sat down in relief, "Thank you. You''re a lifesaver."


    Lance laughed a bit at that, "That''s a bit exaggerated, don''t you think?"


    "Not at all," the guy said earnestly, "You wouldn''t believe the sort of day I''ve had today and it''s not even over yet! Without this coffee, I''ll be like the walking dead, believe you me."


    The man raised his hand and a waiter came over.


    He made his order and then glanced at Lance, "Do you like sweets?"


    "Sweets?" Lance asked, puzzled.


    "You know, cakes, ice-cream, that sort of thing," the guy asked.


    Lance hesitated. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Guys do not normally like eating such stuff and he didn''t want to ''give it away'' that he did have quite a bit of a sweet tooth. The guy in front of him was a stranger. Would he think that he, Lance, was weird for liking it?


    Wait. That shouldn''t be the question here


    Why did he even want to know?


    As if sensing the question, the guy said, "I just have this craving for this slide of cake, but I don''t think I can finish it. I was wondering if you don''t mind sharing."


    Lance raised an eyebrow, "I find that hard to believe."


    "What? That I like cake?"


    "No, that you can''t finish it," Lance said with a gentle laugh, "It''s hardly a big slice."


    The guy pursed his lips, "You got me. It''s not a slice. There''s three here that looks absolutely divine and I can''t choose but I don''t have the heart to waste it either."


    Lance shook his head as he looked in disbelief at the rather pleading look on the stranger''s face. Yet, somehow, he wasn''t annoyed by it.


    He smiled, "Fine. We can share."


    The stranger was ecstatic.


    "You''re a life-saver!" the guy said, happily making his order and handing the menu back to the waiter.


    "I''m here for a business trip so I may not be able to come back and try out the cake here," the guy explained, "So I just had to get them but I hate wasting. Thanks again."


    "Not a problem," Lance replied, "I like cakes."


    "Where are my manners! Sorry, I''m Gareth. Nice to meet you."


    "Lance."


    They shook hands, and a spark seemed to pass between them.

 Chapter 842 - Truly, Madly, Deeply

    Chapter 842 - Truly, Madly, Deeply Lance''s eyes bulged wide open upon feeling that sensation and quickly jerked his hand away.


    "Oh gosh, I''m sorry! Static," Lance mumbled, settling himself down again while looking at his hand. He shook head slightly, thinking?that it was really strange.


    Gareth, on the other hand, was stupified.


    Static?


    Static??


    Lance felt it too?


    And he called it static??


    When their hands touched, Gareth felt like a part of him that had been missing, was filled. It sounded utterly ridiculous but that was what he felt.


    A connection.


    With a total stranger?? Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gareth had already felt something towards that lone figure sitting in the cafe, nursing that cup of coffee like his life depended on it. There was this air of melancholy about him as if he was separated from the rest of the world.


    It was that image that struck Gareth, which made him want to know the young man.


    Who would have thought, from the little interaction that they had, Gareth was feeling more and more intrigued. When he was ordering, he had the d.e.s.i.r.e to cheer up this fellow.


    What better way to do that than to feed him, right?


    It was surely a wonderful thing to be able to make someone happy.


    However, unfortunately, this place only had desserts. Gareth was hesitant about that, and wasn''t sure if the young man would be willing. Yet, surprisingly, the young man liked sweets too, just like him.


    It was really an additional bonus and it made him think that his initial interest would introduce him to a bosom buddy. It was hard to find someone who he not only could feel comfortable with, but also one that would enjoy sweets like him.


    Yet, who would have thought, that life would offer him something even more surprising.


    That slight touch of theirs made him feel something he never thought possible.


    Gareth began looking at Lance with even more interest now.


    The only thing Gareth wasn''t sure of 100% was whether Lance swung his way. If he was straight, then Gareth wouldn''t do anything more than just be friends.


    As they waited for the cakes, Gareth couldn''t help but study Lance more.


    He surmised that Lance was in his early to mid-twenties. He had this sort of ''fresh'' look like a college student. He was a brunette and Gareth could tell that his hair was fine.


    Thus, the hairstyle that Lance adopted was the classic comb-over; which was essentially a hairstyle that had him have a long section of hair on top of the head parted to one side and combed towards the other.


    The cut would help make the hair appear full, hence it is often popular with guys with fine hair. Gareth had to admit, it suited Lance very well.


    Gareth had an itch to run his hair over that comb-over, to feel the texture in between his fingers. It looked so soft and fine, and Gareth had a bit of a fetish for it.


    No, not fetish because people often associated that with ''s.e.x.u.a.l fetishes''.


    No, to him, it was more like something that he really, really liked and appreciated. It didn''t have to be linked with any s.e.x.u.a.l fantasies of any kind, but rather, an innocent feeling of "I really like this".


    At first, Gareth had put down his initial interest in Lance because of that but now, he knew it was much more. And he didn''t even know him that well yet.


    Suddenly, he felt the work trip wasn''t going to be as boring as he thought it would be.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    That night, Joseph was wide awake, despite the late hour.


    He just couldn''t sleep.


    The entire day kept playing and replaying in his mind.


    He hugged his pillow and rolled about on the bed in absolute joy.


    Going out for lunch with Kay had already been a dream come true, but a movie after that? It was beyond expected and utterly unbelievable.


    Yet, that''s what they did.


    A meal and a movie.


    Just like a real date.


    It had been so surreal and even now, the adrenalin hasn''t quite settled down yet.


    Joseph had a really stupid grin on his face and he sighed.


    Today, he learned a lot of things


    First, he was not over Kay. He never had been.


    That realisation made him feel rather helpless at first, until he found that there was absolutely no awkwardness between them. Despite not seeing each other for two years, right after they ''got back together'', so to speak, it was as if the years didn''t matter.


    It melted away and that invisible bond that he felt with her only strengthened itself.


    Thus, he was hit with the second thing.


    He was never going to get over Kay.


    This was not a mere crush.


    He was in love with her.


    Truly, madly, deeply.


    Suddenly, the lyrics to the song by Savage Garden filled his mind and it gave him a sense of what he really felt.


    I''ll be your dream, I''ll be your wish, I''ll be your fantasy.


    I''ll be your hope, I''ll be your love, be everything that you need.


    I love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do


    It was true.


    He not only loved her, but his feelings for her were growing deeper with every breath that he took. He had initially thought those lyrics were a lot of hogwash or at the very least, severely exaggerated.


    However, he now knew that it wasn''t.


    It was exactly how he was feeling right now.


    Perhaps it''s because he had suppressed his feelings for her for so long. He had been in denial for so long. He had made so many excuses about his feelings for so long that the moment he finally admitted to himself that he was in love with her ¡­


    It just exploded.


    The feelings, that is.


    With this, he made a final resolution.


    The heck with this age gap, and the fact that she was far above him. If he was never going to try, he would never know, right? Even though it seems like ''fat chance'' situation, he was going to go for it.


    Otherwise, he was going to regret this forever.


    While Joseph was thinking all of this, Kay was going through something similar as well.


    She had this silly grin on her face, cherishing the entire day''s experience.


    It had gone far better than she thought it would.


    The meal itself was warm, sweet, and everything she expected it t be. They talked, they laughed and they shared the same jokes as before. She never felt like this in all the blind dates that she had gone on.


    With Joseph, she could be herself.


    Well, she was herself on the other blind dates as well but she could tell that it wasn''t the same. The guys seemed to have this pre-conceived notion of what she was like, or what she should be like, that she never truly felt ''herself''.


    Or rather, that they could see her, for her.


    With Joseph, he took all of what she was, and is, and rolled with it. He accepted her wholeheartedly, no judgment.


    That was the first thing that made her warm to him all those years ago and it didn''t change now.


    In fact, it was stronger than before.


    The fact that all her other blind dates could not even compare to Joseph made her even more convinced that this feeling she had for him was not just a passing phase.


    [A/N Heck, I would think those years of stalking him would have told you that .. *cough]


    Her feelings for him were true.


    She was in love with him.


    Truly, madly, deeply.


    It had been such a perfect day today. She managed to ask him out to watch a movie after the meal, after hinting about the latest blockbuster in the cinema that seemed interesting. He had immediately picked it up and asked her if she wanted to see it.


    Well, duh, of course she did.


    As long as it was with him.


    They had popcorn, they laughed, and they made a promise that they would always watch movies together. That if there was a movie that they wanted to watch, they must call the other first.


    After all, they enjoyed each other''s company and Kay didn''t have that many people who liked the same movies she did. Her circle of friends was limited, after all. It was because of that she did not manage to watch a lot of the movies she wished she could.


    Kay sent a silent apology to Lance when she had told Joseph this after the movie. And true to Joseph''s kind nature, he immediately offered himself to accompany her for any movie she wanted to watch, any time.


    Kay smiled.


    The day would have been even more perfect if they had held hands and ... kissed.


    Kay blushed just thinking about it.

 Chapter 843 - Beautiful Little Angel (R18)

    Chapter 843 - Beautiful Little Angel (R18) Beatrice looked at the clock on the wall and noted that it was just past 9pm. Normally, at this time, she would be in the bedroom and getting ready to go to bed. Winding down, so to speak.


    Yet, she found that she didn''t really want to do so and didn''t have the d.e.s.i.r.e to do so.


    The twins were working late this night and this would be the first time since they got married that the twins not only did not have dinner at home, they would be home late.


    It felt a bit weird, to be honest.


    It was also amazing how her different lifestyle seemed all so natural now that when there was a change in the normal routine, she was a bit listless about it.


    It had been only six months since their wedding.


    She now lived with the twins at their house, though it had been renovated slightly in order to welcome her to their home.


    The lower floor had basically remained untouched, and it was only the upper floor that had gone through the major changes.


    First, Zack and Yuri no longer had their own rooms but instead, combined it to become the Master Bedroom. Her closet was the biggest, and it was a walk-in closet. The bathroom had already been enlarged to include a jacuzzi bathtub and a shower.


    The jacuzzi was just big enough for one person and when Beatrice asked why, they had said it was mainly for her to use. To ease her sore muscles and relax at the end of the workday. For them, the shower was more practical.


    It made sense and she found it to be truly relaxing indeed.


    At this moment, Beatrice was in the living room, watching television to pass the time.


    "You''re not going to bed yet, bellissimo angioletto?" Grandpa Anton asked Beatrice when he saw her still in the living room.


    "Not yet, Grandpa," Beatrice replied with a smile.


    Even until now, she couldn''t quite get used to Grandpa Anton calling her ''beautiful little angel'' in his mother tongue. It was quite a mouthful and she was hardly that, but he insisted.


    Wasn''t ''Beatrice'' much simpler to say? She gave up though because there was nothing that could change his mind.


    She was his beautiful little angel, because she married his two wonderful boys. Only an angel would do that, apparently. To accept them as they were.


    Grandpa Anton gently stroked the back of her head and said, "Don''t stay up too late. The boys wouldn''t like that."


    "I know, Grandpa," Beatrice replied, "I''ll go up soon."


    "Good girl," Grandpa nodded in satisfaction and went to his room with Chen''s help. After settling Anton, Chen went to his own room.


    Still, even though that was what Beatrice had told Grandpa Anton, she still couldn''t find it within herself to go up. Without the twins, the room felt very empty and cold. The bed was unusually big and she actually felt lonely without them sleeping with her.


    Beatrice sighed.


    They''re so much a part of her life right now that she felt incomplete without them beside her. She lay down on the sofa, not really watching the drama that was on the television.


    ''Just a few more minutes, Beatrice thought to herself, ''Then I''ll go up.''


    At around 2am, the front door slowly opened.


    Zack frowned slightly, "Why are the living room lights still on?"


    They could see the light streaming through the archway. Their front door didn''t open up to the living room immediately, but into a small waiting room. The living room was to the right of the waiting room, and there was a small archway about the size of two doors.


    "It''s not a big deal," Yuri replied tiredly, "Just switch it off on the way up."


    "I hope Beatrice is sleeping well," Zack said with a slight yawn, taking off his shoes.


    Then, seeing that Yuri not moving at the archway, he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    With a sigh, Yuri stepped aside and Zack saw what he saw.


    At the side of the sofa, there was the all to familiar dark tresses slightly flowing down the side. The twins walked over and sure enough, they saw their wife sleeping soundly.


    "She must have fallen asleep while watching television," Yuri surmised.


    The television was switched off already at that point, for it would automatically do so when there is no signal. Beatrice must have had it on the ''normal'' channel that would end its run at 1am and start again at 6am.


    Zack went over to the front of the sofa and gently took Beatrice into his arms. Beatrice opened her eyes at the slight movement, but they could see that she wasn''t quite awake.


    It was so dazed but she did manage to mumble, "You''re late."


    Zack kissed her forehead, "Sorry, we''re home now."


    Beatrice snuggled deep into Zack''s arms and fell back asleep immediately.


    When Beatrice awoke the next day, she was a bit disoriented, but upon realising the familiar warmth beside her, she opened her eyes in contentment.


    Sure enough, Yuri''s face was right in front of her while Zack was holding on to her tightly from behind.


    She remembered vaguely that she had been in the living room. She must have fallen asleep then and the twins brought her up.


    The fact that she didn''t wake up at all when she was carried up just proved how tired she was - and how comfortable she was with them. She was reluctant to get up and disturb them, for they must have come home rather late and they needed their sleep.


    So they should sleep a little bit longer before they needed to get up.


    "Morning," mumbled a low voice from behind her.


    Beatrice turned and whispered, "Why are you awake? Sleep. You still have time."


    Zack shook his head, "Dun wanna."


    Beatrice kissed his cheek, "Be good. Sleep."


    "Not sleepy," he insisted, looking at her in the eyes.


    "Yuri''s asleep," she said, "so be quiet. Don''t disturb him."


    "I won''t," Zack replied, before coming forward to kiss her.


    Beatrice put her hand inbetween their lips, shaking her head, "No. I stink."


    It wasn''t bad really, but she didn''t feel that comfortable to be kissing when she hadn''t brushed her teeth yet. Knowing Zack, it wouldn''t be a peck on the lips too.


    Zack took her hand in his, then kissed it before claiming her lips swiftly. After one brief kiss, he said, "I don''t mind" before kissing her again, this time, pushing his tongue in.


    Beatrice didn''t resist this time and turned her body fully to face him as she returned his kisses. Zack reciprocated by bringing his body closer to hers, so they were practically almost glued together.


    When his hands started wandering around, Beatrice broke the kiss and told him again, "We can''t disturb Yuri."


    "We won''t," Zack replied, kissing her collarbone while c.a.r.e.s.sing her *ss.


    Beatrice''s breathing was getting more laboured by now, as Zack''s hands and lips were touching all of her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spots.


    "We will," hissed Beatrice breathlessly.


    Zack c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheeks as he smiled, "No, we won''t."


    It took Beatrice a moment to realise that the hands which were on her *ss hadn''t stopped at all even though Zack was touching her cheek now.


    "We won''t be disturbing someone who''s already awake," Zack replied before kissing her again.


    Yuri slowly took off her pants while Zack slipped his hands into her pajama top, fondling her b.r.e.a.s.t and pinching her n.i.p.p.l.es. When Yuri''s hand went forward to start touching Beatrice''s bud, Zack moved back a bit to allow him easier access.


    Zack started kissing her neck, and Beatrice couldn''t help the m.o.a.n that escaped her lips. She could feel her core throbbing and getting very wet. Yuri spooned her from behind while Zack brought her knees up a bit, allowing Yuri to slowly penetrate her from behind.


    Beatrice gasped as she felt him enter her, and with her legs closed and slightly bent, it felt like Yuri was bigger than usual. Zack started devouring her b.r.e.a.s.ts, as he licked, s.u.c.k.e.d and bit her n.i.p.p.l.es.


    Yuri held on to her waist tightly as he started thrusting, slowly at first before picking up the pace. Beatrice started m.o.a.ning and panting, which turned on the twins'' even more.


    Zack started playing with her bud as Yuri kept on thrusting hard, making Beatrice''s head spin like crazy. She gripped Zack''s shoulders, her fingernails raking upon his skin as she was reaching her o.r.g.a.s.m.


    Soon, both of them reached their peak, with Beatrice shouting out in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e while Yuri just grunted as his warm seed filled her up inside. Zack kissed her deeply as Yuri pulled himself out of her, while lifting her leg up at the same time.


    Zack positioned his c*ck right at her entrance and pushed himself in, taking hold of Beatrice''s leg and began thrusting fast and hard immediately. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And so, another round began.

 Chapter 844 - Pampered

    Chapter 844 - Pampered As usual, the lovemaking sessions with her husbands left Beatrice completely spent. The sensations and multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms were beyond anything she could have ever imagined.


    Nothing in her research and reading had prepared her for this.


    The twins were highly skilled, most likely the result of their past. It also made Beatrice realise that they hadn''t just used the women to get s.e.x.u.a.l gratification, but they also took the time and effort to give those women p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    After all, she was now the recipient of those moves and skills.


    What Beatrice didn''t realise was that she was half correct.


    Yes, although the twins did learn a thing or two from the women they had slept with, they never did take the time or effort on them.


    With her, it was different.


    They were patient and they took note of all her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spots. They had started from that first time she allowed them to touch her, and the twins often shared what they''d learn and would discuss what they''d like to do.


    Everything they did, it had to have her consent first.


    She was fine with a threesome with them taking turns. Although hesitant at first, she is now very, very good at giving head, which made things more interesting as to what they could do together.


    She wasn''t keen on an*l s.e.x though, so they didn''t bring it up again.


    The only thing left was ¡­ well, there were still the gifts Grandpa Anton had given her when they were just courting her, right? They lay unused in the closet ¡­ for now.


    Right now, after the intense early morning session, Yuri picked up Beatrice in a princess carry and lay her in the jacuzzi that Zack had already prepared. He gently stroked her head and kissed her forehead before entering the shower with Zack.


    Beatrice sighed as she lay her head on the headrest, feeling the bliss as the aches slowly ebbed away. She really needed to get fitter. Even though her husbands did most of the work, it wasn''t fair on them either.


    She wanted to be more pro-active in their lovemaking sessions, for she felt she was getting more than she was giving.


    Beatrice reached over and took her soft sponge, and slowly rubbed herself clean. The smell of cocoa butter from the bubble bath filled her nostrils and she smiled. The twins truly pampered her so.


    Bubble baths could be used in a jacuzzi, so long as not too much was placed in so that the bubbles do not overflow. This particular brand had oil in its bubble bath mixture, which was important to ensure that it did not dry out her skin.


    With the jets turned on, Beatrice was also getting a hydrotherapy massage and the effects were truly very soothing. After making sure she was thoroughly cleaned, Beatrice placed the sponge back in place and lay back, enjoying the massage.


    It was so soothing that she actually fell asleep.


    "She fell asleep again," Zack said with a sigh as they stepped out of the shower.


    They took their towel and dried themselves first before wrapping it around their waist.


    "Let her sleep," Yuri said, reaching down to pick her up while Zack drained the jacuzzi, "We were rather intense today."


    Beatrice''s face scrunched up a bit at the sudden cold upon being lifted, when Zack immediately dried her while she was still in Yuri''s arms. He then placed a dry towel on top of her, then below, and Yuri handed her to him.


    She was warmly snug in the towel now and Zack brought her out, while saying, "We should put a heater in the bathroom."


    Yuri shook his head, "No, it can have a drying effect. We''ll just have to be faster or let the steam out from the shower to warm out the bathroom first."


    "That sounds like a good idea," Zack agreed, "We don''t switch off the hot water when we''re done, and leave the door open."


    "It''s a good thing our wife sleeps like a log," Yuri said with a smile as Zack lay her on the bed. Yuri pulled the blanket up and covered her, tucking her in.


    "I''ll apply for half-day leave for her," Zack said as he picked up the phone.


    "Make it a day," Yuri replied, going to his closet, "She''s been rather tired lately. She needs her rest, too."


    "Er ¡­ but don''t you think she''ll blow her top at us?" Zack asked hesitatingly. After all, the last time they did this, she had really given it to them for she had a lot of work.


    She also didn''t want anyone to doubt her professionalism, and have her personal life interfere with her work. She knew they meant well, but this was her career and reputation.


    "I''m willing to take that risk," Yuri said, putting on his pants, "Aren''t you? You''ve noticed it as well, haven''t you? She''s sleeping a lot, and that can only mean she''s overworked."


    Zack let out his breath, "True."


    He looked at their wife and made the call. Yuri patted Zack''s shoulder and said, "You stay."


    Zack nodded.


    If Beatrice was to wake up and think she overslept, she would be rushing to work immediately - and even if they left a note to say that they had taken the day off for her, she would most likely still go to work and cancel her leave.


    As Yuri had some matters to attend to, he had to go to work.


    Yuri gave Beatrice a peck on the forehead and headed out. Zack changed and then sat down at the desk to do some work. Just because he didn''t go to the office didn''t mean he was going to be lax.


    Two hours later, Beatrice finally opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds to suddenly sit upright in bed, gasping. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What time is it?!


    She grabbed her phone that was on the bedside table and was aghast to see the time.


    How could the twins not wake her up?


    The fact that they didn''t meant that they had gone and took leave for her again. She thought, from the last incident, they wouldn''t have dared. Looks like she was going to have another talk with her husbands again.


    Just as she reached her closet, the bedroom door opened.


    Beatrice twirled in shock, and breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was Zack. Then, her anger took over, "How could you ¡­"


    Zack was beside her immediately, putting his hand on her lips and the other slipped behind her waist, to hold her close, "Ssssh. I know, I know. We''re not supposed to have taken leave for you again. But we''re worried."


    Beatrice looked up at him in shock.


    Worried?


    Worried about what?


    "You''ve been rather tired lately," Zack explained, seeing the confusion in her eyes, "At first, we just took it as you needing to catch up on your sleep but this morning just seemed too unusual."


    Beatrice pouted and Zack took his hand away, "How are you feeling? Still tired?"


    "Yes, but isn''t that normal after waking up from a long sleep?" Beatrice asked as she left his embrace, "Too much sleep and all that."


    Beatrice turned towards her closet once more. She needed to get some clothes on! Just having his hands on her n.a.k.e.d back was enough for her to get slightly turned on.


    She didn''t think she was this perverted, and she was the one that was n.a.k.e.d, not him!


    Zack, in the meantime, was doing his best not to hug her from behind and rub himself on her. That plump *ss of hers was just too inviting, darn it!


    Clearing his throat, he turned away from the tempting sight and said, "Let''s go for a check-up. You probably need some vitamin pills or something. It''s better to be safe than sorry."


    Beatrice sighed but felt it wouldn''t hurt.


    Her husbands were worried about her and though she felt fine, going to the doctor wouldn''t be detrimental at all, right?


    If there was something wrong, then it''s best to know now rather than have it drag on undetected until it may be too late.


    "Okay," Beatrice agreed as she put on a blouse and pants.


    "Great," Zack replied, "Breakfast first, then we''ll head on over."


    "I''m not hungry," Beatrice said. She didn''t have any appetite to eat really.


    "No," Zack said firmly, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You need to eat, and not just a cup of coffee either."


    Just as Beatrice was about to protest, Zack said, "You need the fuel for energy."


    Beatrice''s shoulders slumped down. She lost again. To his words and those sad yet resolute eyes.


    Breakfast was torture. She washed down the dry toast that she had forced herself to eat, then they headed over to the hospital.


    As they reached, Beatrice thought this was a good idea after all. She was starting to feel rather quesy.

 Chapter 845 - Unexpected Harvest

    Chapter 845 - Unexpected Harvest The toast and coffee that she had for breakfast earlier seemed to be gurgling in her stomach. She made several nervous swallows, feeling as if there was bile in her throat, making her want to throw up.


    Luckily, her quick action managed to quell the sensation, but her mouth felt rather sour, as if she had vomited a bit and swallowed it back.


    It was not a nice feeling or taste.


    Beatrice rubbed her temples and Zack immediately hovered over her, "What''s wrong?"


    He noted with worry her rather pale face and that there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.


    "Nothing," Beatrice said with a slight smile, "Come on, we''re seeing the doctor anyway for a check-up, right? So don''t worry so."


    Zack placed his arm around her waist and she leaned on him a bit although not enough to give the impression that she needed his help to walk. She just wanted the comfort that the warmth of his body gave.


    Zack''s heart ached at this and he held her tighter.


    It was a good thing that they decided to have her to go to see the doctor today. Otherwise, how long would their wife ignore her own health while working? If they hadn''t been married, what would have happened to her then?


    It didn''t take long before it was Beatrice''s turn, and Zack resolutely entered the doctor''s room with Beatrice. Although Beatrice insisted that she was fine, Zack couldn''t bear to wait outside in the waiting room.


    With a sigh, Beatrice had to allow Zack to accompany her inside.


    Although the doctor did raise his eyebrow slightly upon seeing Zack following behind Beatrice, he didn''t say a word. It wasn''t normal for a grown woman to have someone accompany her into the doctor''s room, but it wasn''t unusual either.


    Beatrice embarrassingly told the doctor, "There''s nothing really wrong with me, actually, but my husbands insisted that I come and have a check-up."


    The doctor heard her mentioning ''husbands'' but thought she had just misspoke, "Well, let''s see what''s up then.


    The doctor did the basics ie blood pressure, heart rate, temperature.


    "What made your husband feel like you needed a check-up?" the doctor asked, noting that things were generally fine.


    "I''ve just been rather tired lately, but that''s basically because I''ve a lot of work," Beatrice explained.


    "Are your sleep patterns different?"


    Beatrice thought about it, "No, not really. I''ve been busy like this before."


    The doctor asked a few more questions and then decided to take some blood for some testing.


    "We would want to eliminate a few factors, like thyroid disorder and your kidney function," the doctor explained as he handed the blood samples to the nurse.


    "Do the normal tests, like sugar level and the likes, and include thyroid," the doctor instructed the nurse, "Tell me the results for the first one first." She nodded and took the blood samples away.


    After that, the doctor turned to Beatrice and asked her about her diet and of anything that she may have done differently the past few weeks that may have been the reason for the change.


    A few minutes had passed when the nurse came back in and handed the doctor a slip of paper. He looked at it and then at Beatrice, then Zack.


    "What''s wrong?" Zack asked hurriedly, leaning forward on the desk.


    The doctor put down the slip of paper and looked at them seriously, "Congratulations. You''re pregnant."


    Beatrice blinked.


    Zack froze.


    "No, I can''t be," Beatrice denied, "I just had my period last month ¡­"


    Zack turned to her, realisation slowly dawning on him, "No ¡­ no you didn''t ¡­"


    "I didn''t?"


    Beatrice thought back. No, Zack was wrong.


    She remembered it distinctively, "I did, Zack. It was during the visit to my parents'' house, remember?"


    "That was two months ago, Beatrice," Zack said.


    Beatrice''s head whirled.


    She had lost track of time.


    It really had been two months ago.


    He gulped and excitedly touched her stomach, "We''re going to have a baby. OMG. I have to tell Yuri. He''ll be so excited!"


    "Wait, but you never took any urine sample," Beatrice said to the doctor, perplexed, "How did you know?"


    "I did a quantitative blood test, which can measure the exact amount of hCG in your blood," the doctor explained.


    HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, aka the pregnancy hormone, is produced by cells that are surrounding a growing embryo. The ''take-home'' test kits would detect this in the urine but it may not be so accurate in the early stages.


    A blood test, however, would be as it would even find tiny amounts of hCG, making it very accurate.


    Zack was too excited to listen to the doctor as he hurriedly called Yuri.


    Yuri, who was in an important meeting, immediately grabbed the phone upon seeing that it was Zack calling. Everyone in the room kept silent, not daring to speak nor move, lest it disturbed Yuri.


    They saw Yuri''s concerned face turn into shock, and he stood up, shouting, "WHAT?!"


    Everyone shuddered.


    Was that a good what? Or a bad what? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They couldn''t tell!


    All they knew was that the normally calm and collected Yuri had exploded.


    Suddenly, a huge grin emerged from Yuri''s face, making everyone stare dumbfoundedly at him.


    This was the first time, EVER, that they have seen Yuri smile.


    Just then, Yuri put down the phone, looked at everyone, and declared, "I''m going to be a father."


    People were shocked but they knew he had gotten married. Words of congratulations went about the room and Yuri''s smile lasted for another 30 seconds before he then stared at them.


    "On account of that, I will be giving you ONE more chance to get this right," Yuri said, his eyes cold and sharp, "Get it done by tomorrow. Otherwise, I''ll be taking action personally."


    They gulped.


    If Yuri took action personally, it meant heads would roll.


    Literally.


    They quickly got up and practically ran out of the room to get things done.


    Once the room was emptied, Yuri leaned back and smiled again.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Lianne''s face was scrunched up as she bit the bottom of her pencil.


    A bad habit, she knew, but this was something she subconsciously did whenever she was concentrating hard on something.


    Right now, she was looking at the latest sketch she had and she was not happy about it. There was just something about it that was rather off. She just couldn''t seem to pinpoint what it was exactly.


    All she knew, was that she didn''t like it.


    With a sigh, she closed her sketchbook and leaned back on the chair, stretching. Perhaps another round of the game would unblock this mental block of hers and give her a fresh perspective when she looks at it again.


    Or maybe she just needed to see the person in the flesh again, just for inspiration.


    One can only get so much from a picture, after all.


    The only problem was, how was she going to get around her father for this?


    Only one person could solve this for her. Lianne reached for her phone.


    "Mama?" Lianne called out the moment Kyle picked up the phone.


    "Yes, sweetheart, what is it?" Kyle asked, putting the phone on his shoulder as he signed the doc.u.ments in front of him.


    "Am I disturbing you?" she asked hesitatingly.


    "No," Kyle answered, "Don''t worry."


    He grabbed another pile of doc.u.ments on the table, flipping through it and focusing on the edits he had pointed out before. Sam had marked each edit clearly by placing an arrow sticky note beside it.


    Lianne could hear the paper being flipped through the phone and she knew her mother was busy even though she didn''t admit it. Suddenly, she felt that what she wanted was rather silly.


    It wasn''t as if she had some earth-shattering problem, or that she was working on a school project or something. This was just something she enjoyed doing and both her mother and Zero would be busy.


    "It''s nothing, really," Lianne said, quickly thinking up of an excuse, "But I was wondering if I could have a credit card of my own so that I can buy something online. I just need the card. I can pay for the purchases."


    Kyle understood. It wasn''t that Stephan wouldn''t give Lianne a?supplementary card if she asked for it. However, Kyle also knew that Stephan often viewed Lianne''s art purchases as a ''waste'' and she would get the third degree for it.


    "Sure. Sam will get it done," Kyle said, "I''ll sponsor you one art supply item each month. Anything more, you''ll have to pay."


    "Thank you Mama!" Lianne said happily. Though this was not the reason she called, the request had been genuine. She really needed the card.


    "I''ll get Zero to send it over to you during lunch break tomorrow," Kyle said.


    What an unexpected harvest.

 Chapter 846 - Its you, isnt it?

    Chapter 846 - It''s you, isn''t it? The next day, Lianne couldn''t wait for lunchtime to arrive.


    Anne noticed her excitement ¨C or rather, the fact that she kept looking at the clock and mumbling, ''hurry up hurry up''.


    Even a noob would know she was excitedly waiting for something, let alone someone who was trained like her.


    Lianne completely ignored Anne ¨C not in a bad way, mind you. It wasn''t as if Lianne could contain her excitement, but she wasn''t really willing to share with Anne.


    Well, not yet anyway.


    Let her stew for a while.


    If Anne was to ask, Lianne would tell her but since she didn''t, why should she satisfy the former''s curiosity?


    Finally, as the last class before lunch ended, Anne turned to Lianne and said under her breath, "Just what is it that is making you all excited?"


    Lianne''s lips curled up to a smile, as she tilted her head a bit to look at Anne, "Finally couldn''t hold it in, huh?"


    "Oooohh," Anne said, hitting herself on the forehead, "You''re so mean, you know that?"


    Lianne looked at her innocently then laughed, "It''s nothing, really. Don''t think so much into it. Zero''s coming later ¡­"


    Anne squealed out loud, then put her hand over her mouth.


    Lianne''s eyes went wide open, completely taken aback at this reaction from Anne. During this entire time she had known Anne, this was the first time Anne actually acted like a normal teen.


    Albeit, a ¡­ lovesick teen?


    No, that''s not right.


    "You," Lianne began, shook her head then said, "Why are you acting like ¡­ like you''re going to be meeting an idol or something?"


    Anne grabbed Lianne by the arm, saying, "This is Zero we''re talking about, right? THE Zero? Part of the Diamond Group? Lucka? Edward? Yume? Akira? That group?"


    "Ye-es," Lianne replied, raising one eyebrow.


    Wasn''t this reaction of Anne a little bit exaggerated?


    It wasn''t as if Lianne had never talked about Zero but there had been no indication at all that this was the sort of position Zero and the group had at MIB. Sure, Lianne knew that they were highly respected and admired but this was like ¡­


    Idol style admiration?


    "You may not know this," Anne said after collecting herself, appearing a bit more calm, "But the Diamond Group members are like, legends in MIB. They''re untouchable. No one has come close to the skills they have and everyone strives to be them."


    "Oh come on," Lianne said as she started packing up, "I know they''re good but I find it hard to believe that no one has been able to surpass them at all in these ¡­ what? 17 years?"


    Lianne remembered from the file she had read in Kyle''s room the first time she came toCountry Tz about how the First Team had been formed.


    Her mother had arranged for everything through Oreo, and how Zero and the others had been picked and trained. That was at a time when resources were low and her mother didn''t have the skill as yet.


    Now, MIB was huge with all the resources that they could possibly want, and numerous people with their expertise training them.


    "Yes, no one has," Anne said resolutely and with conviction, "The unique thing about them is that they''re an all-rounder. If you are to pit each of their skills with someone, they may not necessarily win - but even if they lose, it won''t be by much."


    "However, there isn''t anyone who can be both an asset to MIB and Smith Industries. Each of them has their skill like Lucka is a great hacker, but he is also skilled in martial arts and able to aid Sir in the business world," Anne explained.


    Lianne was enlightened.


    It wasn''t that there wasn''t a better hacker, like Anne said. But there was no hacker that could also fight well or be able to be one of the main pillars in helping her mother in running Smith Industries.


    Conversely, there would be someone who could help her mother in the business better than them, but they would not be able to do any MIB business.


    And ¡­


    There was no one as fiercely loyal to the Smiths as the Diamond Group were and there was no one else that her mother trusted more (other than the Elite Five). .


    "We rarely get to see them anymore," Anne said with a sigh, "They''re not at HQ and have their own base. They work in the shadows though you do see them in the distance. What I mean is, we don''t get to interact with them so much anymore." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Zero? Interact?"


    "Oh, you know what I mean! They used to be at HQ once in a while but now, no. More so because they''re training the Team for the Smith Babies," Anne said with a sigh, "If only I was younger."


    "Waaaaaay younger," Lianne said with a slight laugh. After all, the twins were only two years old. Which meant that the current team that were being trained would be at least 4 years old. Perhaps 5?


    After putting her things into her desk, Lianne told Anne, "Don''t wait up for me. I don''t know how long I''ll be."


    "Okay, sure," Anne replied in slight disappointment. She was hoping that she could tag along, but she guessed that this would be for the best.


    If both of them disappeared during lunchtime, people would think that they had found a secret spot or something to have their meals. Or maybe she was overthinking it.


    After all, she wasn''t Joseph with his group of friends and gaggle of girls always keeping an eye out for him. At least she could move about easily. The only time she had trouble was in the first year when Byron was frantically looking for his ''Cinderella''.


    That incident lasted for a few months before he finally gave up.


    He figured that the girl was not a student of the school, and that was why he couldn''t find her. After all, who wouldn''t want to acknowledge him, right?


    Lianne took her sketchpad and quickly hurried out.


    Unfortunately, she met with a little accident that caused a certain annoying fly to start buzzing again.


    It occurred when Lianne was heading out.


    As she turned the corner, she met with a solid wall.


    It was so unexpected, and that wall was so hard that she had tears in her eyes because of the impact. She had smashed her nose right on her sketchpad, that she had held right in front of her.


    She stumbled from the impact, her head snapping back while her hands dropped the sketchpad she was holding onto the floor. She felt her waist being held, steading her, as the solid wall talked, "Hey, be careful."


    Those who saw this scene, would swear that it was right out of manga.


    Girl smashing into boy. Girl about to fall when said boy catches her. Girl looks up at him, guy looks down at her and when their eyes met, sparks fly.


    In this case, however, the girl was holding her nose while the guy was staring at the girl, seemingly dazed.


    "I''m sorry," Lianne said, as she blinked the tears away. She steadied herself and quickly looked for her sketchpad.


    To her horror, the pages were open and one could see the sketches of Zero in it. Some loose pages had scattered about as well and Lianne quickly gathered them up. She stuffed them back into the sketchpad, thinking that she should have kept the loose sheets away long ago.


    Without even looking at the face of that solid c.h.e.s.t, Lianne thanked him and quickly headed out.


    Lianne could feel as if her back was being stared at, but she ignored it.


    After all, she knew that the person she had bumped into, was probably shocked she had not turned into some rabid fangirl instead.


    That was the typical reaction girls would have around him.


    Byron, the baseball ace pitcher.


    The last thing she needed was to have him think she had engineered that whole thing as an attempt to get him to notice her. Hence, she acted as if she didn''t recognise him and wasn''t interested at all.


    She headed out through the door, looking about and was happy to see that Zero had already arrived.


    However, she was completely shocked to see that he was dressed in casual clothes.


    Not the suit that he always wore, but in T-shirt and jeans!


    Zero actually looked like some young college student, just having graduated from high school, instead of the young a.d.u.l.t he was. Seeing him like this, inspiration hit Lianne and she got all sorts of ideas.


    A casual dressed Zero was a feast to the eyes indeed.


    However, before she could take another step, her elbow was grasped from behind and she was pulled back and twirled around. She gasped as two strong arms held her arms and desperate eyes bore into her.


    "It''s you, isn''t it?!" Byron asked desperately.

 Chapter 847 - Sister

    Chapter 847 - Sister Seeing Byron''s face that close, and having him grab her arms like that made Lianne angry beyond belief. Instead of answering his question, she lifted up her knee and hit him where it hurts.


    Byron shouted in pain and let her go as he fell down to his knees, clutching his family jewels with one hand. Despite the intense pain that didn''t allow him to stand nor think properly, he was still able to grip Lianne''s sleeve.


    Lianne looked at that hand of his that was holding onto her sleeve in a vice grip and frowned. Her sleeve was getting wrinkled badly. On the plus side, he hadn''t grabbed her wrist - she shuddered to think what her wrist would look like if he did.


    She tried to free her sleeve from his death grip, but to no avail. Her sleeve was caught in his tightly clenched fist and she couldn''t get free.


    Then, she saw a hand covering that fist, and another hand held Byron''s wrist. In one smooth motion like opening a jar, Zero pressed the wrist hard, causing Byron to instinctively let go due to the pain.


    Zero flung that offending hand away and gently pushed Lianne to stand behind him as crouched down and poked Byron on the forehead.


    "Never," he said in a low, menacing voice, "Touch her again."


    Zero placed his hand on Byron''s shoulder, his thumb just above the collarbone. To those watching, it looked like Zero was merely placing his hand there but in reality, Zero was pressing down on that s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot with his thumb.


    The pain left Byron gasping and he looked at Zero''s cold eyes.


    Zero smiled, but there was no warmth in it as he continued, "Ever. Or I will make you feel far more pain than what you''re going through right now."


    Zero patted his shoulder, got up and turned towards Lianne, "Are you alright?"


    Lianne nodded, while looking at her wrinkled sleeve in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    Zero, seeing this, smoothened it with his hand. He gently held her by the wrist and ran his other hand up and down the sleeve.


    It didn''t really do anything (he wasn''t an iron after all) and seeing this, he said sheepishly, trying to appease her, said, "It doesn''t look too bad."


    Lianne took Zero''s hand that was trying vainly to smoothen the badly wrinkled sleeve and pulled him away, "I know. It''s okay. Come on. I don''t have much time for lunch."


    Zero let himself be led away by Lianne, but not before he turned to glare at Byron one last time for a final warning. Byron, who managed to get up by now, faltered a bit upon receiving that glare and watched helplessly as the girl left with that scary guy.


    Byron ignored the sniggers from people around him as he hobbled back into the school. He, himself, did not know why he was fixated at finding his Cinderella. It had been two years now but it was as if she was unfinished business.


    He had managed to settle his thoughts by accepting the fact that she wasn''t in this school but just now, for the first time, that thought was blown out. He had caught glimpses of the sketches the girl had dropped.


    Most were of some guy but there were a few landscape ones. He didn''t manage to catch much before she grabbed them all up but it was enough to start that suspicion in his mind.


    Plus, she had curly hair!


    He had basically ignored that fact since he gave up some time ago but now, here she was. What made it even more aggravating to him was that this girl did not give him any glance at all.


    He''s used to girls being fl.u.s.tered all over him, or giving him the googly-eyes but this was the first time that the girl wouldn''t give him any time of day at all. That piqued his interest immediately.


    So, with all three factors pulled in: indifference, curly hair, artist.


    It was his Cinderella.


    He was sure of it.


    He clenched his legs.


    Damn, but his Cinderella was vicious.


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    Once they were away from the building, Lianne let go of Zero''s hand and wiped her forehead, "Damn, that Byron is annoying."


    "Want me to get rid of him?" Zero asked.


    "What? NO!" Lianne gasped, hitting him on the c.h.e.s.t, "Stop taking things so seriously. He''s just a kid."


    "He dared to grab you," Zero hissed, "Just where is Anne?!"


    "Stop it. Don''t blame her for this," Lianne said, putting her hands on her waist and glaring at him, "I told her to stay behind to avoid any unnecessary talks going about with both of us missing in the canteen today. Anyway, I was meeting up with you, right?"


    Zero grumbled incoherently.


    "No," Lianne told him, pointing at his nose. Fact that he was much taller didn''t deter her as she pushed his nose.


    "Leave Anne alone. Promise me," Lianne said firmly, looking at him in the eye. He looked away from her, not wanting to make that promise when she pinched his cheeks.


    "Zero!"


    "Fine, fine. Okay! I promise!" Zero said, taking her hands in his and putting it down.


    He rubbed his slightly sore cheeks, and complained, "You''re so unreasonable."


    Lianne rolled her eyes, "You''re unreasonable! Your brothers are unreasonable! Your whole Diamond Group is unreasonable!"


    Lianne modified the usual curse, replacing ''mother'' with brothers (meaning, Lucka, Edward, Yume, and Akira), and ''family'' with Diamond?Group. After all, Zero was an orphan and his family consisted of his Team of brothers and the group as a family.


    Zero rubbed her head with a soft smile, making Lianne even more agitated.


    "Not my head!" Lianne growled, smacking his hand away.


    Zero''s heart warmed.


    He had always wanted a sister, especially seeing how close Sir was to Ms. Kay. He had his brothers, but it wasn''t the same as a sister.


    With Lianne, she filled that gap in his heart and he would pamper her and protect her as if she was his blood sister. He had never harboured any romantic feelings for her and only those in the Diamond Group knew this clearly.


    He had heard rumours about them in MIB but he ignored them. As long as Sir and his brothers knew the truth, it was enough. Everyone else can say and think whatever they wanted, he didn''t care.


    It didn''t matter to him at all.


    Most importantly, he also knew that Lianne didn''t see him in that light as well. She was the first to make it clear to him that she only saw him as eye-candy and her muse. She lay the ground rules pretty clear and early, so as to ease his worry or discomfort.


    His brothers also treated her as their sister due to Zero''s association with her, but that was about it. Only Zero truly viewed her as his sister in his heart. He smiled, seeing how she tried to smooth her hair down.


    "You better make it up to me," Lianne said, pointing at her head.


    "Oh? How?" Zero asked.


    She grinned widely, "Pose for me."


    "Okay," he replied simply.


    If Anne was to see this side of Zero, she''d probably have her mouth wide open before fainting. Zero, the one that talked the least, the one that always blended in the background and not wanting to mix around, preferring to hole himself up in his room?¡­


    Was not only talking normally to someone, he even agreed to posing for pictures.


    In fact, even if his brothers were to see this, they would be hitting each other to make sure they were awake.


    This was a side of Zero that only Lianne saw. That only Lianne was able to bring out. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Birds of a feather, flock together - that sort of thing.


    The reason why they formed such a close bond so easily was because their thoughts and personalities were so similar. The awkwardness in crowds, the uncomfortableness with socialising and yet, being forced to be and act ''normal'' in a crowd.


    When you find someone similar to yourself, you naturally get close.


    "Before that, here," Zero said, handing Lianne a credit card.


    Her eyebrow rose up, seeing the black card, "Really, Zero? What is Kyle thinking, giving me this sort of card?"


    Zero shrugged, "Sir said he trusts you. It is ''just in case'' there was something that you really needed."


    Lianne rolled her eyes and sighed. She knew her mother trusted her, but in what way would she ever even touch the max limit of a normal card, let alone this black card?? Spoiling her much?


    After keeping the card, she gave Zero a huge grin while rubbing her hands together.


    "Okay, now ... let''s take a few pictures!"


    Zero soon learned that Lianne''s concept of ''a few'' pictures was drastically different from what he thought was a few.


    A LOT different.

 Chapter 848 - Poses

    Chapter 848 - Poses At first, it was just normal poses and Zero had no issues with that.


    Leaning against the tree, sitting down, facing away, looking down. Simple things.


    Then, Lianne started asking for slightly more complicated poses like a side-kick, some stabbing motions, and holding a ''gun'' up in the air.


    Lianne wasn''t quite satisfied with the poses he made, however.


    "Zero ..." Lianne said to him sweetly while blinking her eyes at him.


    "I don''t know what you want," Zero said helplessly, his hands up in the air.


    Ask him to kick, he can. Ask him to sit down, he can.


    But what is this looking to the side with the head tilted thing?!


    Lianne came over to him and pursed her lips, tapping her chin. Looks like she really was asking too much from this block of wood.


    Wait.


    Block of wood, like her miniature wooden mannequin that she uses when she''s visualising poses.


    Zero looked warily at her, "What''s with that look in your eyes?"


    She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling, "Just let me do the poses for you, okay?"


    Zero had a bad feeling in his heart about this, but he just nodded dumbly.


    "Okay, pretend you''re holding your gun," Lianne said.


    "I don''t use a gun," Zero countered.


    "Pish, ignore the minor details. You know how to use a gun, so put your hand in that position," Lianne instructed, rolling her eyes at him.


    She then bent his elbow, made him turn so that he was facing slightly to the right. Then, she held his chin and tilted his head a bit to face upwards. She took a step back to look at him and crouched. She made him move his feet in a certain position then clapped her hands.


    "Perfect," she said to the frozen Zero.


    "Now, without moving your head, look at me," Lianne said as she started cl.i.c.k.i.n.g her phone. She took from the front, side and back.


    "Okay, now pretend you''re holding a sword," Lianne said, "Swing it down. Stop!"


    She quickly went to him and started adjusting his feet position and the other hand to be facing outwards. She tilted his head down a bit.


    "Perfect!" she said gleefully and started taking pictures from all angles again.


    This went on for a few more poses and it exhausted Zero far more than all the training Sir had ever put him through.


    "It''s almost time," Zero warned her after looking at his watch.


    Lianne pursed her lips, thinking hard then said, "I need two more."


    "What?! Haven''t that hundreds, if not thousands of pictures you took enough?!" Zero asked, his eyes wide.


    Lianne grinned, and put up two fingers like in a peace sign, "That was for my sketches. This is to get rid of Byron."


    Zero scratched his head, "Fine. Two. No more."


    "Don''t worry, it''s really the final two," Lianne assured him, "I have more than enough to last me for a long time, too."


    Zero looked at her and sighed. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That didn''t mean she wouldn''t be asking for more in the future ¡­ just that not for now. Still, he knew he wouldn''t deny her taking those pictures. It really couldn''t be any worse than it was today, right?


    *cough*


    Lianne had Zero lie down on the grassy slope and she lay on his shoulder. She gave a smile and a peace sign then took a picture of them together.


    In the first picture, Zero was looking up and one could only see the side profile. She took another picture and this time, it was a close-up with their cheeks smooshed together.


    Zero had to bend down for that one.


    In order to give the illusion of it being pictures taken at different times, Lianne had messed up Zero''s hair in the second picture so that he had bangs covering part of his eyes as he looked at the camera phone. Lianne simply tied her hair back, which showed her baby pinchable cheeks even more.


    She deliberately did not show their clothes in the second pic, giving more to the illusion that it was taken at different times.


    Lianne looked through the two pictures and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Thank you!" she said happily to Zero, who had a long suffering face.


    She patted his c.h.e.s.t and showed him her sketchpad, saying, "You can choose two out of there, if you want."


    "What? Really?" Zero asked in amazement.


    He knew how possessive - or, protective - she was over her sketches. She didn''t like anyone looking at it, partly because it was very personal to her and partly because she was not confident in her drawing.


    The fact that she allowed him not only to look at them, but to also choose two of the pictures?


    Zero felt a lump in his throat.


    This was a move that showed her absolute trust in him that moved him beyond what words could say.


    He gingerly opened the sketchbook like it was some precious treasure - which, to him, it was.


    Each and every single sketch in there was of him. They were all black and white sketches, and although ''he'' was the main focal point, some sketches had him doing something with some background of buildings or nature, while some just had a sketch of him without a background but a frame of some kind.


    Like a portrait.


    He also saw some loose sheets of paper with sketches of landscapes and buildings, most likely her practising it.


    The details on all the sketches were amazing.


    Zero''s eyes couldn''t get enough of all of them.


    He finally chose two, and Lianne carefully cut them out of the sketchbook, then placed them in an A4 size clear folder. The sketches were placed back to back so that you could see the sketches through the file, no matter what angle it was.


    "Here, my present for you for being such a good sport today," Lianne said with a smile, "Really, Zero. Thank you. I truly appreciate it."


    Lianne knew very well that Zero went out of his comfort zone for her, and this was the least that she could do for him. She waved at him and quickly ran off, as the end of lunch was going to ring.


    Zero held on that precious clear folder, watching that figure disappearing into the school before he finally turned around to get back to work.


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    After the last class, Lianne saw with a groan that Byron was already outside her classroom.


    It didn''t take a genius to figure out that he''d be able to find out who she was due to her actions at the school entrance. It wasn''t exactly low-key but she wasn''t going to allow him to grab onto her like that just to remain low key.


    Lianne had already briefed Anne about Byron and the incident at the school entrance, so Anne had a rough idea of the situation.


    "How do you want to do this?" Anne asked Lianne under her breath as they started packing up.


    Lianne had already warned her that Byron would most likely show up and try to be an irritating fly, and Anne had learned long ago to accept that what Lianne deduced would normally come true.


    Okay, it''s always come true, but Anne always hoped that Lianne would be wrong once.


    She thought she would be wrong this time, since Byron was the typical egotistical type of person. Why would he lower himself to come and find the girl that not only had ignored him, but also nearly maimed him?


    Maybe it was for revenge?


    Was he here to make sure she apologized or something?


    Lianne zipped her bag shut and looked indifferently at Anne, "Nothing."


    "Huh?"


    "Just ignore him," Lianne replied, "He''s not here to make any trouble. I''ll handle him."


    "Huh?"


    Lianne looked at Anne in exasperation, "Is it that incredible that he is here to try and woo me rather than beat me?"


    "Er ¡­" Anne began, thinking whatever answer she gave would indirectly be insulting Lianne.


    "He''s fixated with the image he has in his mind," Lianne said, "Once he sees the boring and uninteresting old me, he''ll back off."


    "Lianne!" Anne now said in worry, grabbing her arm, "That''s not what I thought at all."


    Lianne tilted her head a bit, gave a wisp of a smile, and patted Anne''s shoulder, "It''s fine. I know."


    Yes, she did know.


    Anne didn''t mean anything by it, but it was a fact that Lianne was not the sort of girl that Byron would be attracted to. She didn''t like social events (hence, boring) and she preferred to be alone (hence, uninteresting).


    In fact, Byron and Lianne have had their paths crossed many times before, but he had never even looked at her. She was never someone that he would ever be interested in.


    She was just a passing fad.


    Unfortunately ... she soon found out how wrong she was.

 Chapter 849 - Age is but a Number

    Chapter 849 - Age is but a Number Anne followed behind Lianne as she walked out of the classroom. The moment Lianne stepped out of the door, Byron reached out to grab her arm.


    Lianne swiftly dodged it by stepping to the side and gave him a glare before saying, "Leave me alone."


    Byron''s hand dropped down and seeing the obvious disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e on her face, he decided to take a step back (figuratively).


    "I''m sorry," Byron said, "Can we talk?"


    As much as Lianne wanted to say ''no'', she knew that it was best to get this over and done with. Avoiding him or ignoring him without making the line clear wouldn''t solve anything.


    "Not right now," Lianne said, "My Dad is already here to pick me up."


    "Tomorrow then? Before class?"


    "Sure," Lianne replied, then twirled on her feet and left immediately. Byron watched her go helplessly - yet again - and briefly wondered whether her back walking away from him was a sight that he would be often looking at.


    It was something he did not want to see often, that''s for sure.


    Byron clenched his hands into a fist.


    Before, he had been interested in finding that elusive Cinderalla of his. It started as something interesting, then ... an obsession of sorts.


    Now, he didn''t know what to call it.


    All he knew, was that he didn''t want to let her go so easily.


    It didn''t quite occur to him that she was never his in the first place to ''let go''.


    In his mind, she was already his. It was just a matter of her admitting to it.


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    That night, Lianne knocked on Joseph''s door and entered after he said ''Come in''.


    Joseph looked up and was surprised to see that it was his sister.


    He closed his laptop, and twirled around in his seat to face her, "What''s up?"


    She closed the door and stood there, looking at her brother before saying, "I''m using Zero as a shield against Byron."


    "Wait, what?" Joseph said, not comprehending as he looked at her dumbfoundedly, "Since when has Byron been in the picture?"


    "Remember two years ago, when he was looking for his so-called Cinderella?" Lianne asked. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph''s face broke into a grin then he started laughing, "Oh yes, I remember that. It was epic indeed. That Byron was like a headless chicken, going about looking for the girl that did not exist. He ¡­."


    Joseph stopped as he saw how she was looking at him.


    "Wait ¡­" Joseph faltered, "Why are you asking about her ¡­ are you ... "


    Suddenly, he remembered the details. Girl. Curly hair. Draws.


    No. Way.


    No. Freaking. Way.


    "What? YOU''RE that Cinderella?"


    "Wow, about time you figured that out," Lianne muttered, "It''s been like, what? Only two years."


    "You''ve never shown any indication whatsoever!" protested Joseph.


    "That''s because I had no interest whatsoever," explained Lianne patiently, "So why should I bother?"


    "But now, he knows it''s you? How did that come about? And what is this using Zero bit?"


    "How he knows? I don''t know," Lianne admitted. It was a far stretch to say that he recognised her because he never did all this while.


    Was it simply because he had seen her sketches?


    That''s all?


    It was hard to believe.


    Then again, never underestimate the mind of a fool. They could make the most illogical conclusion based on the most ridiculous facts and somehow, by sheer luck, be right.


    "As for Zero, why not? Who else and what else can I do?" Lianne said.


    "You could just say no," Joseph replied.


    Lianne looked at her brother and asked, "Really. You''re really saying that. This is Byron, remember. The person who kept on looking for that Cinderella for months?"


    Joseph pursed his lips.


    She had a point.


    "The best and fastest way to stop someone from having any interest is to have a boyfriend, right," Lianne said.


    Actually, it wasn''t necessarily the best. Lianne knew that. If a guy was stubborn or dense enough, he would ignore that fact and just feel that he was a better candidate. In short, steal the girl away.


    With Byron''s personality, it was hard to tell.


    He had a big ego but that could go both ways.


    Feel that he''s too good for you so give up (the good way that Lianne was hoping for) or, feel he''s better and chase after you simply for the conquest. He may not necessarily want to be with you, but it strokes his ego that he could ''have'' you even though you had a boyfriend.


    Lianne hoped Byron wasn''t in the second category.


    Either way, Zero is the best shot because if Byron happened to fall into the second category, Zero was scary enough to shoo him away.


    Zero definitely would not be a passive shield.


    Of course, Lianne wasn''t going to tell Joseph that. If he had thought she was in any danger, then he''d tell their father. She wouldn''t blame him for it either.


    "Zero is a good friend, and wouldn''t misunderstand," Lianne said, "So he fits the bill to a T."


    "Okay, I will grant you that," Joseph said, "But is Zero alright with that?"


    "Yeah, he''s fine. I just had to tell you so that you''re prepared and most importantly ..."


    "Don''t tell Papa, I know," Joseph said, putting up his hand, "Papa would kill you after he deals with Zero."


    Lianne snorted, "As if he could even touch a hair on Zero''s head."


    "Zero would let him, you know," Joseph pointed out.


    Lianne looked at Joseph, and thought, that her brother wasn''t that dense after all.


    "But isn''t Zero just too old for you? I''m sure Byron wouldn''t believe that you guys are a couple because of it, so how would that work?"


    "Please. You''re giving Byron too much credit," Lianne scoffed, "First, Zero doesn''t look like he''s in his 30s. He looks more like Kay''s age."


    Joseph shook his head, saying, "I can''t believe anyone that old can look that young. Well, at least he doesn''t look like he is in his teens. Now, that is something completely ridiculous. I mean, can you imagine? A 30-year-old looking like a 15-year-old."


    Lianne had to bite her tongue on that one.


    Little did her brother know, the person who was by his side at school was exactly that.


    While Lianne knew about the existence of her Team, Joseph did not.


    The last thing their mother wanted to do was disrupt his life. He was to remain in the dark about MIB and the danger that they could possibly be in due to their association with the Smiths. Joseph would probably not be able to act naturally either.


    Well, Joseph didn''t really have a team. It''s more like, Lianne''s team also kept an eye out on Joseph, but he did have one personal shadow bodyguard.


    Akikai.


    The first time Lianne saw him, her first thought was that he must have gone under the knife but nope. How anyone could look that young was beyond her.


    "Secondly, so what?" Lianne continued, putting her mind back to what they were talking about, "Age doesn''t matter at all. Whether the guy is 10 years older, or 5 years older ... or even if it''s the girl who is older, does it matter? If two people love each other and are compatible, what''s wrong with that?"


    Joseph stared at his sister, "You really think that?"


    "Of course I do," Lianne replied, "Just look at the president of Country F. He''s only 39 years old yet his wife, who is his political advisor, is 64 years old. That''s a difference of 25 years, okay!"


    Joseph nearly fell down from his chair.


    "They met when he was 15, and she was his high school literature teacher," Lianne went on to patiently explain, "A married woman with three children. Yet, despite all odds, he managed to win her heart and they are happily married until today. She said his persistence, patience, and commitment won her over."


    "I truly believe that as long as your love is true, anything is possible," Lianne said, "Age is but a number. Having the courage to love is the secret."


    Joseph felt like his mind was reeling.


    He had already gone down the road of fantasizing his life with Kay and pretending that all of their movie outings were dates between couples.


    He thought that it was enough.


    Now, though, he began wanting more. Could his fantasy really come true?


    Does he dare to take that step in order to make their current good friendship into a relationship?


    He decided he''s going to read up on this President and take a leaf out of his book.


    Lianne, seeing the sudden seriousness and determination in her brother, gave out a breath of relief.


    Okay, that was the push he needed.


    Now, she had to work on Kay.


    The way these two were going at it, it would take forever for them to get together.

 Chapter 850 - Take Responsibility

    Chapter 850 - Take Responsibility Gareth sat in his hotel room, drumming his fingers on the table.


    Things were not good.


    Not good indeed. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He thought it was just a passing fancy.


    Something that caught his interest for the day.


    That, he would soon forget all about that handsome, charismatic young man the other day.


    He was just good eye-candy.


    That he had fun with.


    Gareth started rubbing his head vigorously, totally messing up his normally immaculately styled hair.


    This could *not* be happening.


    He liked girls, damnit.


    Girls!


    Though he did find certain type of guys interesting ¡­ but it was just that!


    Simple interest.


    You know, like buddy-buddy, comrade, drinking friend - that sort of thing.


    Gareth gritted his teeth and started gnashing them.


    But why did it feel like this Lance person was more than that? More than just a simple interest?


    Why hasn''t he been able to get this Lance person out of his system yet?


    Why ¡­


    Why did he often think of him?


    Dream of him?


    Gareth got up agitatedly and started pacing in his hotel room.


    Maybe it was because Lance looked so alone? That it tugged at his heartstrings? That he, Gareth, was just a softie and started imagining such a sad story behind Lance that he just couldn''t let go?


    Maybe it was all in his imagination?


    Maybe he needs to meet up with Lance just one more time to make sure?


    See what is it about the guy that made him feel so ¡­ so protective?


    Garethe felt his heart ache each time he thought of those eyes. How his face smiled but his eyes held such deep sadness that Gareth couldn''t help but want to take him into his arms and hold him tight.


    Like, he wanted to protect him from all the pain in the world and take care of him, never let him have that sort of expression again ¡­


    NO.


    Gareth shook his head.


    He was like this just because he hadn''t had a woman for so long.


    Ever since his break-up with his childhood sweetheart a few years ago, Gareth found that his heart seemed to have died in some way.


    It wasn''t that he was so hung-up over her, but he just found that no woman had ever sparked any interest in him whatsoever. He went on many dates, he had seen many women and he even had some great one-night stands.


    But, that''s all it was.


    Nothing moved him.


    No one attracted him.


    And the first person that stirred his heart, was a guy???


    It wasn''t that he was homophobic but ¡­ it was just that ¡­ he never thought he would be attracted to a guy.


    Gareth clenched his fists.


    Perhaps, he really DID need to meet up with Lance one final time before he went back. In fact, he should have been back days ago but for some reason, he just lingered about.


    The fact that he would drop by the cafe often was not because he was hoping to bump into Lance again - it was just that he liked the cakes there. The coffee was good, too.


    But Lance never did stop by again.


    Gareth didn''t even have his number.


    He didn''t take it because it would have been strange for him to ask and Gareth honestly thought he wouldn''t be interested in actually keeping in touch.


    Oh, how wrong he was.


    He regretted it.


    He regretted it so much.


    Taking a deep breath and leaning his forehead on the window, Gareth looked dejectedly at the people walking below. They looked so small, like ants, bustling about.


    Tomorrow.


    He''ll go to the cafe again tomorrow.


    If they don''t bump into each other again, then it wasn''t meant to be. He''ll give up and go home.


    All of this nonsense in his head was just him being someone who couldn''t stand seeing another person in pain.


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    Gareth stared at his cup of coffee, which had long gone cold, his heart heavy.


    He looked outside the large bay windows and sighed for the umpteenth time.


    He then looked around in the cafe, putting it into his memory. He was sitting at the same table where he had met Lance for the first time, on the same seat Lance had been sitting.


    Right now, Gareth felt he couldn''t deny what he was feeling any longer.


    The thought of never seeing Lance again gave him such a sense of loss that it finally made him open his eyes to what he was truly feeling.


    He, the great Gareth Hades, had fallen in love with a complete stranger.


    Love at first sight.


    What utter nonsense.


    Love at first sight with a guy.


    Even more nonsense.


    Gareth gripped the cup tightly, his throat constricting and his heart breaking.


    Having a heartbreak over a guy that he wasn''t even in a relationship with.


    The most ridiculous nonsense of all.


    Gareth got up abruptly, nearly causing the chair he was on to fall. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He smoothened his suit, pushed the chair back into position, placed several bills under the coffee cup, and resolutely walked out.


    ''Goodbye, Lance'' Gareth thought to himself.


    The moment he passed through the door, he froze.


    It was Lance.


    Without thinking, Gareth grabbed Lance''s hand and pulled him along with him.


    Lance, who was still in a state of shock, allowed himself to be pulled by Gareth. They had gone quite a distance before Lance finally pulled himself together and stopped. But Gareth didn''t stop and continued pulling, his pace getting quicker.


    "Gareth!" Lance shouted out in exasperation, his feet stumbling as he tried to keep up. What was wrong with this dude?!


    Gareth finally stopped, but he didn''t look at Lance, his body facing forward.


    Lance tried to get his hand out of Gareth''s grip but Gareth only held him tighter.


    "Gareth, what the hell is going on?!" Lance shouted, getting angry at this point.


    Lance was utterly confused over what was going on. He had had a good impression of Gareth the first time they met but right now, he was acting like some lunatic.


    Yet, he had not been angry at first when Gareth started pulling him because he had seen that look of surprise, followed by happiness then quickly by confusion?


    Lance felt Gareth had some sort of issue and wanted to talk somewhere private, so even though this was the second time they met, Lance didn''t feel any danger.


    But now, he was getting rather annoyed.


    Just pulling him along like he was some dog? Without a word? Without a hi? What?


    What was wrong with him?


    However, the further words of rebuke died in his throat when Gareth turned to face him. There was this sort of anguish in his eyes and some sort of internal struggle in his tense body.


    Immediately, Lance got worried.


    "Gareth, what''s wrong?" he asked, his voice softer.


    "Lance, I''m sorry," Gareth said as he got closer.


    "For what?" Lance asked, perplexed.


    "For this," Gareth said.


    He pulled Lance closer, and grabbed the back of his neck, placing his lips on his.


    Once again, Lance froze.


    Wait.


    What?


    What was happening?!


    Lance''s eyes were wide open as Gareth was kissing him, and he just stood there, dumbfoundedly as his gaze landed on Gareth''s face.


    Or rather, just his eyes. That was closed. He had such thick, long eyelashes ..


    Lance felt Gareth giving him some light kisses at first, as if he was scared. Or testing him. First, it was just a peck then more light kisses. Soon, it became much more firmer but still gentle as Gareth moved his lips gingerly over Lance''s.


    Lance found himself softening ¡­ and melting ¡­


    Even though Gareth held his head tightly so that he couldn''t move (not that he was really trying to escape), he was gentle. Kind.


    Lance slowly closed his eyes and found himself returning the kisses, which made Gareth bolder. He s.u.c.k.e.d, licked, and bit on Lance''s lips, and Lance did the same. Their kisses became more heated and Lance leaned closer to Gareth''s firm c.h.e.s.t.


    Gareth found that he couldn''t get enough of these lips.


    Seeing Lance right after he realised his feelings, made him lose his mind. He had wanted to take Lance away with him, to a more secluded spot, so that they could talk. But he couldn''t see a spot.


    Then he decided to take him back to the hotel room.


    Just to talk.


    But when he turned to look at Lance, he just lost it.


    He needed to know.


    And now, he knew.


    This felt right.


    Gareth slipped his tongue in and soon forgot about everything else and anyone else. All that mattered was that this man, in his arms, was what he wanted.


    When they finally broke the kiss, Gareth leaned his forehead on Lance, both breathing hard.


    He said, "Now take responsibility for making me fall in love with you."

 Chapter 851 - Broken Man

    Chapter 851 - Broken Man Take responsibility?! For making him fall in love??


    Lance was startled.


    "What??" Lance shouted, putting his hand on Gareth''s c.h.e.s.t to push him away.


    However, Gareth didn''t budge, and held onto Lance''s arms.


    He looked at Lance seriously, asking, "I don''t disgust you, did I? You actually returned my kisses, didn''t you?"


    "This, and what you said earlier are two separate things!" Lance protested, "We''re practically strangers! This is only our second time meeting so what is with this love business?!"


    "You tell me!" Gareth said in exasperation, "What kind of spell did you put me under? Are you some sort of warlock?!"


    Lance looked at him incredulously, and saw that he was actually serious!


    "What nonsense are you spouting!" Lance shouted, "Do you even hear yourself?"


    "I can''t help it!" Gareth practically wailed, "I''ve never felt this way before. Well, no, that''s not true. I did fall in love before but it was nothing like this. You just hit me out of the blue. And you''re a guy!"


    Lance looked offended and he managed to smack Gareth''s hands away, "Yes, I am a guy. So what?! I''m not the one that kissed you!"


    Gareth, with his face pleading, reached out for him again but Lance avoided it.


    "That''s not what I meant! This is all new to me. I ¡­ I ¡­"?Gareth started, his arms hanging down by his side.


    Gareth sighed loudly, as he looked away. Gathering his thoughts, he looked back at Lance seriously, "I have never been attracted to a guy before. I have had just one serious girlfriend that I loved with all my heart, so you can imagine my surprise to find that I ¡­ I just can''t forget about you."


    Gareth took one small step towards Lance, his eyes serious and sincere, "I tried forgetting you but I couldn''t. Just the thought of not seeing you again tore me apart. It was even worse then when I broke up with my girlfriend then."


    Lance stood there in shock.


    Hearing such a heartfelt love confession from this man hit him deeply.


    Who wouldn''t feel touched?


    Lance could see the internal struggle Gareth had been under, discovering that he was attracted to someone of the same gender. He, who had probably been ignoring or denying that part of him.


    If Gareth had been gay from the start, like him, this confession wouldn''t have been as powerful as it was. Finding out, or realising that you''re attracted to the same gender really affects a person.


    Despite the fact that Country Tz is rather open and allows same-s.e.x marriages, it''s not completely perfect. There is still that social stigma, or fear.


    For someone who just discovered this part of his s.e.x.u.a.lity, and for him to still go forth and embrace it, couldn''t have been easy.


    Lance was moved.


    Moved very deeply.


    He couldn''t deny that he felt comfortable with Gareth.


    And heck, this man could kiss very well.


    "Gareth, I''m honoured, really I am," Lance began, "But I don''t think .."


    "NO!" Gareth shouted suddenly, putting his hand on Lance''s mouth, "Don''t say it. Please, don''t say it. Just answer my questions, okay?"


    Lance blinked and nodded dumbly.


    Why couldn''t he just ignore this man?


    Why couldn''t he just push him away and walk away?


    Perhaps it was due to this man''s sincere actions, that Lance didn''t have the heart to be heartless.


    "Do you hate me?" Gareth asked, taking his hand off Lance''s luscious lips.


    "No," Lance replied honestly.


    Gareth let out a breath of relief.


    "Does the thought of me, a man, liking you, disgust you?" Gareth asked softly, his eyes sad.


    "No!" Lance nearly shouted, appalled. Did Gareth not know that he, Lance, was gay? Did he think that he was disgusted with Gareth for liking a man?


    Without thinking, Lance put his hand on Gareth''s cheek, saying softly, "There''s nothing wrong with you at all. Your feelings are pure and true. That is never wrong."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really," Lance said, "Anyway, I''m gay. Don''t I disgust you?"


    Gareth looked horrified then he realised what he said could be taken both ways as well. Then, he was happy because one of the things he was worried about was Lance being straight ¡­ then again, didn''t Lance return his kisses?


    He was a damn good kisser, too ¡­


    Gareth thought about what they had shared earlier and the tips of his ears got red.


    He had never been so bold before and right now, he just couldn''t believe he had done what he did.


    In public, too!


    "So, if you don''t hate me and I don''t disgust you, why .." Gareth began hesitatingly.


    "Because my heart is still healing," Lance said, answering the unspoken question, "I don''t feel I could do you justice to your sincere feelings. I don''t want to lead you on."


    Gareth grabbed him again, "It doesn''t matter. I''ll take the risk!"


    "No, Gareth," Lance said, "It wouldn''t be fair on you."


    "Yes it would!" Gareth said, "How is it not fair on me? Look, like I said, all of this is new to me. But I know that your reason is not a reason at all. It''s just an excuse! The best way to get over a broken heart is to be in another relationship."


    "That''s a rebound!" Lance hissed, "That''s a horrible way to start a relationship!"


    "Not if we''re both aware of it!" Gareth insisted, "A rebound is not as bad as some make it out to be, you know. It all depends on the people in the relationship."


    Lance frowned, "What do you mean?"


    "Look, if you''re alone, you''re going to be just thinking about him, right?" Gareth said.


    Lance nodded.


    It was true. His thoughts were on Mark almost 24/7. All the what-ifs, and if-only were on his mind. Their past interactions, their memories, the things they did together. All so bittersweet.


    "Let me fill that gap in your heart," Gareth said, "Let me show you how much I love you, even though we''ve only just met."


    "How does that help? How can that be fair to you?" Lance wailed.


    "The fact that you are thinking of me already makes me happy," Gareth said with a smile, coming even closer, "That I do have some sort of importance to you, in some small way. Perhaps, I can become even more important than your ex."


    Lance gulped.


    It was true again.


    He couldn''t deny that he did keep thinking fondly about Gareth from that one interaction. And Mark wasn''t even an ex. Just some wishful thinking.


    Gareth, on the other hand, was real.


    "If you find that you can''t forget your ex after being with me, then we break it off," Gareth said, "But, if you find that you can have feelings for me, then ¡­"


    Gareth trailed off, not finishing the sentence but Lance understood.


    Should he take the plunge?


    "You really don''t mind that I have another guy in my heart and mind?"


    "Of course I mind!" Gareth said, "But not in the way you mean. I mind because he''s the one that causes your eyes to be in so much pain and sadness. Those eyes should be sparkling with joy, not tears."


    Lance was startled.


    "You ¡­ you could see that?"


    Gareth placed his fingertips near Lance''s eyes, "How can I not? They''re so expressive. It pulls me in."


    "Are you sure about this? Do you really want such a broken man like me?"


    Gareth gave him a smile, "I''m sure."


    Lance pressed his lips together then made his decision. Many years in the future, when he thought of this moment, he thanked God that he wasn''t being stupidly stubborn as to reject Gareth.


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    As Lance lay on the bed, looking up at Gareth towering over him and he asked, "Don''t you think this is going a bit too fast?"


    Gareth, who was unbuttoning Lance''s shirt, blinked and said, "Ordinarily, I would say so but somehow, with you ¡­"


    He reached down and kissed Lance, "It somehow seems just perfect."


    "Smooth talker," Lance said, taking off Gareth''s shirt.


    "You really have such smooth skin," Gareth said, trailing kisses down from Lance''s cheeks to his neck, "What do you do? Are you a model?"


    Lance laughed, "Hardly. With this face, how can I be a model?"


    Gareth frowned and looked at him.


    Was there something wrong with Lance''s eyes?


    Lance had an oblong face shape, whereby his forehead and lower face was the same shape with long sides. He had a slight cleft in his chin and lower lip, making Gareth want to kiss and suck on those lips. More so because Lance''s lower lips were fuller than his upper lip, which made it even better to kiss.


    Lance had a thin, sharp nose with a subtle upward slope at the tip. To Gareth, Lance''s best feature was his eyes. They were so light that it looked gray but it was the most innocent and expressive eyes that he had ever seen.


    "You are the blindest man I have ever seen," Gareth said, laughing, "But it''s a good thing. If you became a model and everyone could see you, I don''t think I can take it." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lance raised an eyebrow, "Possessive much?"


    "Mhmm," Gareth mumbled, pulling aside Lance''s shirt and stopped.


    What was with this body?!


    He just looked lean, but he actually had this sort of abs hidden underneath?!


    Gareth ran his hands on those muscles and said, "Did I tell you I truly am in awe and appreciate this sort of abs?"


    Lance laughed, a low, soft laugh that enticed Gareth even more, "It''s a good thing I have them then."


    Lance ran his hands over Gareth''s arms and said, "While I like strong, muscular arms like these."


    He could feel the biceps and triceps underneath the skin, something that wasn''t visibly seen on the outside. He didn''t really like a muscular type body but Gareth''s physique was really to his taste.


    You can''t see it, but you can feel it.


    Gareth smirked, "Then it''s a good thing I have them then."


    Lance looked up at Gareth and thought to himself, ''Such a handsome man.''


    Gareth had a square-shaped face, that is, his face is as wide as it is long, but it was more angular shape than a round face. His eyebrows were rather straight with a slight angle at the end, and his nose was straight, its bridge free of any humps or curves. His lips were full and wide, making them look like the most kissable lips ever.


    Maybe that was why Lance didn''t resist the first time Gareth kissed him.


    Which he was doing again.


    Soon, both of them were too busy to think of anything else.

 Chapter 852 - Bind Him

    Chapter 852 - Bind Him Whilst Lance was braving himself to enter into a serious relationship, his BFF was thinking of her next move.


    Joseph''s birthday was coming near and she thought of doing something extra special. Give him a hint or something.


    It was a momentous occasion after all.


    He would become a legal a.d.u.l.t.


    From what she had observed in the past two years, their family didn''t really celebrate birthdays. The most was just a family dinner and a small birthday cake. Nothing fancy.


    As she was thinking of this, her phone rang.


    Looking at the caller ID, Kay was surprised.


    Lianne?


    "Hey, Lianne," Kay said cheerfully as she picked up the phone.


    "Hi, Kay," Lianne replied, "You''re planning something for Joseph''s birthday, right?"


    Kay got caught in a coughing fit for a while, "Wha-"


    "Yes, or not?" Lianne asked.


    "Ye-ess¡­" Kay began.


    "Take him out the next day," Lianne said, "Because if you do it before his birthday, he won''t be able to keep a straight face or contain his excitement in front of Papa."


    Kay blinked and then looked at the phone, then put the phone back on her ear.


    "Lianne, why are you -"


    "Look, Kay, if you want to get together with my blockhead brother, you have to be straightforward with him," Lianne said, not beating around the bush.


    "What .. what do you mean?" Kay asked, aghast.


    Was it so obvious?


    Lianne gave a sigh and then said gently, "Kay, you know you have a huge hurdle to overcome. Not only must you handle my brother who is as dense as concrete, you''re going to have to tell my mother about it sooner or later."


    Kay gulped.


    "First step is to get together with my brother, and that is the easy one. But seriously Kay. You''re just doing it all wrong," Lianne said.


    "I am?" Kay squeaked.


    She couldn''t believe she was being told off by someone far younger than her, but she couldn''t deny that Lianne had been stating facts that couldn''t be denied.


    "Remember this. Joseph is dense," Lianne said, "If you are wishy-washy, or drop hints, or just be all round nice to him ¡­ he won''t get it."


    "Since he''ll be legal this year, then you''d better make sure that on his birthday, you confess," Lianne told her, "Otherwise, you can be playing this ''going out'' game forever and not even get into first base."


    "Confess?!"


    "In fact, don''t just tell him how you feel, show him," Lianne said, "Kiss him. If you just tell him, he might be too shocked and think he''s dreaming. But if you kiss him ¡­"


    "Lianne!" Kay gasped, putting her hand on her c.h.e.s.t.


    "What? I just said kiss," Lianne said, her voice in a slight huff, "I didn''t say sleep with him, did I? Of course, if you did, it would probably be better ..."


    "LIANNE!" Kay couldn''t help but shout this time. Is this what a 15-year-old should be saying? Even encouraging?!


    "Kay," Lianne said gently, "My brother is in love with you but he thinks he''s not good enough for you. If you can''t convince him that your feelings for him are just as strong, he''ll resist. He''ll be happy at first, but he would probably think that he''s just a passing fad. He''ll start being insecure."


    "He''s stupid that way," Lianne said, "He wants to be with you more than anything, but he''s always afraid to take that step. I have pushed him already, so he''s ripe for the picking but you have to hit him hard and fast."


    "If you want him, grab him and don''t let him go," Lianne said, "Otherwise, the moment Kyle finds out and starts protesting, Joseph might very well be so stupidly noble and ''sacrifice himself to make you happy''."


    Kay was silent, listening intently.


    "Was it so obvious?" Kay asked softly.


    "No," Lianne replied, "If it was, don''t you think my mother would have said something by now?"


    "You have a point," Kay replied, relieved.


    "Mum may be blind about her own feelings, but she''s pretty sharp about others," Lianne said, "Sooner or later, she''ll notice so you better get together with Joseph before that happens."


    "You ¡­ you don''t think it''s weird? Me and Joseph?" Kay asked.


    "Why should I think it''s weird? Because of the age gap? Or the fact that Joseph is Kyle''s son from a former life?"


    "Both," Kay said.


    "Like I told Joseph. Age is just a number," Lianne said, "As for the son from another life? Puh-lease. That should never even be an issue. You''re not biologically related and Kyle has never raised Joseph so you don''t have any connection whatsoever to Joseph. This is just something my mother has to overcome herself."


    "Now, if I was to end up with Kyle - *THAT* would be twisted indeed," Lianne pointed out, "But you and Joseph? Nothing wrong at all. People may talk about the age gap thing, and that your backgrounds are so different and not compatible. Kyle may find it hard to accept but that''s his struggle, not yours."


    "Kay, if you truly love my brother then please, go to him and grab him," Lianne said, "If you don''t think you can handle the hurdles in the future, then you should just stop seeing him."


    "You''ll not only be facing Kyle, you''ll have to face my father," Lianne said.


    She was silent for a while then asked, "Do you really want to be with my brother?"


    "Yes," Kay replied resolutely.


    "Then go forth and bind him to you," Lianne replied, "My brother may be insecure, he may be wishy-washy but once he decides on something, he will hang on for dear life. You are the one who has to take that first step and convince him."


    "I''m counting on you. Confess and kiss him senseless, okay? Don''t chicken out on me now, you hear?"


    Lianne put down the phone then, and rubbed her forehead.


    Damn, giving love advice was truly draining.


    Kay, on the other hand, was still in a daze.


    The last sentence by Lianne was totally unexpected ¡­ and shocking. Because Kay really was thinking that just confessing would be enough. Even that was difficult.


    Why the heck does Lianne want her to kiss her brother so much? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, she got a message.


    It was from Lianne.


    <If you don''t at least kiss him, you''ll never get him in time. My mother will start to notice and you''ll lose your chance with Joseph>


    <Do you really want that?>


    Kay threw the phone on the bed.


    Could she read minds?!


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    Today ¡­


    Today was the day.


    Kay was nervous.


    She didn''t let Joseph know that today''s outing was going to be special and to celebrate his birthday (albeit, a few days later so that it would be the weekend), so things were pretty normal. They did the things that they usually did when meeting up.


    A movie, then a meal.


    The movie was the same.


    The meal, however, was different.


    Joseph looked at the restaurant that Kay took him to, "Er, Kay? Why are we here?"


    Kay gave him a smile, and said, "I thought today should be slightly special."


    "Why?" Joseph asked curiously.


    "Didn''t you just turn 17?" Kay said with a smile. She turned to the concierge and said, "Reservation for Kay Smith please."


    "Ah yes, Ms. Smith. Right this way, please," the lady said politely.


    Joseph was surprised, "Oh, you knew?"


    "Of course I did," Kay replied. I know a lot of things about you. She was absolutely nervous but she didn''t let it show.


    They were led to a private room on the third floor that had a large bay window to watch the scenery outside. The windows were tinted, so people inside could see out but not the other way around.


    "This .." Joseph said, looking at the rather intimate setting, "Kay, I really appreciate this but this is too much just for me."


    "Why would you say that?" Kay asked, "Are you telling me that you''re not worth it?"


    "Well ¡­" Joseph began, looking rather nervously around him, "It''s not that but .. well, I guess? It''s hard to explain, really."


    The last words were said rather softly, like he was thinking of something else. At this moment, Kay suddenly realised the truth of Lianne''s words.


    Joseph was insecure.


    But did he really love her like what Lianne said?


    If she can''t convince him, he will most likely run away but if he was sure, he would stay and be steady as a rock. That''s what Lianne said.


    So far, Lianne had been spot on about Joseph''s insecurities so perhaps, she was right as well about his feelings for her?


    Kay felt the meal was dragging on. She was utterly nervous but the more she observed Joseph, the more she was convinced of Lianne''s directions.


    It was just too scary to do.


    How the heck does one gather the courage to confess??

 Chapter 853 - I Love You

    Chapter 853 - I Love You The question floated in Kay''s mind endlessly throughout the meal.


    When would be the best time?


    After dinner? If so, how to bring it up?


    What about the words?


    Does she just say "I like you" or is that too vague? Lianne did say that Joseph was a block of wood.


    So would she have to say "I am in love with you" ??


    Just thinking about it made her throat constrict.


    And ¡­


    Her face flushed just thinking about what Lianne had said.


    Kiss him senseless?!


    Just ¡­ just the thought of kissing him made her hands tremble.


    She had never kissed anyone before and she was already over 20 years old!


    First kiss?


    And she had to be the one to initiate it?


    She gulped, finding the food difficult to swallow.


    Why did this feel worse than her first mission with Kyle? She had been nervous, yes, and it was to meet up with Kazuya, Nitocris''s demented father ¡­ but even then, she wasn''t as nervous as she was right now.


    She down right terrified.


    "Waiter!" Kay suddenly called out.


    Joseph was surprised at her sudden call - more to the fact that she looked rather agitated.


    Then, hearing what she ordered, he was even more surprised.


    Wine?


    Kay looked at him and smiled a bit, saying, "Well, you can drink now, right? Don''t worry, there''s not much alcohol in this. I wouldn''t want you to go home drunk and all."


    Joseph blinked, curious.


    It would be a lie to say that he wasn''t scared to death about the thought of his father finding out that he drank, but he truly did want to try some.


    That, and the fact that he was feeling really nervous for some reason.


    They said that alcohol would give one a false sense of bravery?


    It''s just that this whole thing seemed really like a date.


    And Lianne''s words were playing in his mind.


    Age gap does not matter.


    He wanted to confess ¡­ and somehow, didn''t this seem like a good time to do so?


    But undoubtedly, he was scared.


    What if she rejected him?


    Then it meant that he would have placed them in an awkward position and he would never see her again.


    But he also felt like he couldn''t keep on dragging this.


    But then again, he wasn''t sure if he could handle not seeing her at all.


    It was this constant see-sawing of thoughts and emotions that prevented Joseph from really taking that first step. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, with Kay ordering some alcohol, perhaps he could borrow some courage from that and take the plunge?


    And thus, that bottle of wine played a very important role in bringing two scaredy-cats together.


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    Kay stared at her empty glass of wine.


    It was only supposed to be one glass.


    But it soon became a few.


    It was as if her nervousness couldn''t be dissipated with just one glass.


    She poured herself another glass.


    She looked up at Joseph and saw how flushed his face was as well.


    Somewhere at the back of her mind, she knew that Joseph would probably get into trouble with his father if he went home like that. Yet, seeing him right now, with his fair face all red like that, Kay thought he was the cutest guy ever.


    She reached over and touched his face, freezing him completely, "You''re so red."


    Joseph gulped, feeling her soft hands on his cheek, then on his jawline then chin, her thumb lightly brushing against his lips. As in unintentionally.


    When she put her hand down, Joseph licked his lips, feeling it being so dry suddenly.


    Kay''s eyes narrowed upon seeing that, her lips parting a bit as she stared at his lips.


    Joseph naturally saw her reaction and he, too, gulped.


    Both of them quickly downed the wine that was in their glass and immediately, Kay regretted it.


    This was wine, not water, darn it!


    She licked her lips and quickly got up, turning to face the bay window and look out. She needed to get her thoughts together. She rubbed her arms, deep in thought.


    When she realised that Joseph was beside her, she noted that he didn''t say a word. Instead, he just stood by her side, silently as he looked out as well.


    The corner of her mouth went up a bit.


    He was always like this.


    He didn''t push, but he was there.


    Standing by her side, silently and patiently waiting for her to say what was on her mind.


    This was one of the things that she loved about him.


    His quiet strength.


    He may be dense like what Lianne said, but he was dependable.


    She turned to face him and he, knowing this, turned to face her as well.


    Using the courage and the timing, she said to him, "Joseph, I like you."


    Joseph''s face broke into a grin and he said, "I like you too, Kay."


    Kay blinked, happy beyond belief until he continued, "You''re a very good friend and I cherish it greatly."


    Her eyes narrowed.


    This was not being dense.


    This was being beyond dense!


    Suddenly, Kay felt angry.


    No wonder Lianne told her that she ought to kiss him senseless.


    Kay put her hands on her h.i.p.s and she glared at him, making Joseph take a step back, his eyes wide open in shock.


    Just what happened?


    Earlier, she said that she liked him and his heart skipped a beat. He was beyond happy but the rational mind of his kicked in and he knew, she just meant she liked him as a friend.


    Thus, even though the words of confession he wanted to say was at the tip of his tongue, he swallowed it.


    He couldn''t ruin this special ''bonding of friends'' moment now, could he?


    He would confess another time.


    Yet, she looked angry?


    Why?


    "Wha..what''s wrong?" Joseph stammered, seeing the fire in her eyes.


    She took a step forward and pressed her finger on his forehead, "Joseph Yang. Are you serious? Did you not understand what I was saying?!"


    Joseph blinked rapidly, and took that finger that was poking his forehead into his hands, and he said, "I understood."


    "No you do not!" Kay said in exasperation. If he did understand, what sort of statement did he make just now?


    Like her too? As a friend?


    What f-king nonsense.


    She took another step forward, their bodies almost touching as she looked up at him. And she was suddenly struck with the realisation that she had to look *up* at him. Just when did he suddenly grow so tall? He had been shorter than her two years ago and during their ''dates'', they weren''t really close like this.


    She was distracted for a bit, and Joseph, seeing her in a daze, bent down lower in concern, "Kay, what''s wrong?"


    Kay looked at him, her mouth gaping wide open, then suddenly, she kissed him lightly on the lips.


    Joseph froze.


    The kiss had been very brief, and the touch had been so light, that he would have thought he had imagined it if it wasn''t for the fact that he felt completely electrified when their lips had touched.


    "Joseph Yang, I am in love with you," Kay said, "You blockhead."


    Now, Joseph truly felt like he was imagining it.


    "You ¡­ you ¡­ what?" Joseph said, his mind whirling, "Did you say you are in love with me?"


    Kay pouted and stomped her feet.


    "Stupid Joseph. Stupid stupid Joseph!" she suddenly shouted, "It''s bad enough that I have to tell you twice, but you can''t even believe it? Even after I kissed you?!"


    Joseph looked at that flushed face, anger and embarrassment evident upon her face and his heart just felt so full.


    She loved him.


    She truly loved him.


    Kay, the Angel that he had in his heart for so long, loved him.


    Joseph reached over and grabbed her, holding her tight to him as he had a silly grin on his face, "You call that a kiss?"


    Kay pouted even more and Joseph found that so adorable.


    Kay, the normally matured and confident woman, was acting so coquettishly right now but it didn''t seem cloying. It was actually so cute.


    She hit him on the c.h.e.s.t repeatedly, "Stupid Joseph. It was my first kiss. You know how hard it was ¡­ and ¡­ and ¡­ you! What are you doing?!"


    It was only then that Kay realised how tightly he was holding her and how he was just looking at her so lovingly. He c.a.r.e.s.sed her face gently and said, "I love you too."


    "You do?"


    "I do," Joseph replied, then claimed her lips with his own.


    Unlike her quickie kiss that couldn''t be counted as a kiss, Joseph was more decisive. After all, he had been dreaming of kissing his Angel for so long and now that he could, he wasn''t going to let go of this opportunity.


    This may not have been his first kiss as that had already been stolen long ago, but this was certainly the first kiss that he initiated.


    One that he was more than willing to explore and indulge himself in.


    He may be inexperienced, but who needs experience when you''re with someone you love? He wanted to feel her and taste her, and everything he did was out of instinct.


    He kept kissing her lips, finding them so soft and sweet, s.u.c.k.i.n.g and biting, feeling like it was not enough. His hold on her got tighter and he felt her soft body pressed against him, making him even more eager to feel everything about her.


    Perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was all his pent-up d.e.s.i.r.es and fantasies, or perhaps it was just everything that came crashing down on them at that moment - whatever it was, the kisses did not stop.


    When Joseph managed to enter her sweet mouth, tasting her, he found that it ignited something deep and primal within him and his hands started exploring the softness in his arms.


    Just as his hands reached under her shirt, a knock on the door startled them. They broke apart immediately, both breathing hard.

 Chapter 854 - No Title but ... (R16)

    Chapter 854 - No Title but ... (R16) Before they could step away from each other, the door opened.


    Kay frowned, as they hadn''t said anything but stopped when she saw who it was.


    Zero.


    He entered quickly and closed the door behind him, bowing a bit in apology.


    "I''m sorry, Ms. Kay," Zero said, "But you can be seen clearly from outside."


    Kay turned and only then did her muddled mind seemed to remember where they were.


    And where Joseph''s hands had been.


    Her already red face became even redder.


    Joseph, however, did not relinquish his hold on Kay as he held on to her possessively. His arms that were around her waist tightened even more and he brought her closer to his own body.


    "So what? She''s mine and I''m hers," Joseph announced boldly, "Let everyone know that."


    Zero hardly gave him a glance, not perturbed at all over his sudden loud declaration, "Joseph can''t go home in this condition, Ms. Kay."


    Kay nodded, rubbing the space inbetween her eyebrows.


    She had miscalculated badly. If Joseph was to return home like this, she may never be able to see him again. He would surely be grounded and when Stephan found out it was because of her ¡­


    Would he approve of them at all?


    This was difficult.


    "We already have a man in position at the house," Zero said, "I will take him to a hotel room for tonight."


    "Yes, yes," Kay mumbled, "That is for the best."


    Though she was really feeling very lightheaded, it didn''t mean that she was not rational at all. She just had trouble thinking straight but she could understand what Zero was saying.


    Joseph hugged Kay tighter, his arms just below the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t as he snuggled onto her tightly, "Mine."


    Oh dear Lord, Kay thought to herself. Turns out that a drunk Joseph was a clingy Joseph. He seemed fine a moment ago, so why was he like this right now?


    Did the alcohol just kick in?


    That sounded so weird. Is that even possible??


    Zero came over to try and take Joseph, but he couldn''t pry Joseph away from Kay without hurting him.


    That wasn''t a problem.


    All he needed to do was knock Joseph unconscious but just as he was about to make his move, Kay stopped him.


    "No, don''t hurt him," Kay said, "I''ll take him to the room."


    Zero hesitated and Kay glared at him.


    He stepped back and nodded, "This way, Ms. Kay."


    The bill for the meal and room had already been settled and Zero walked in front as Kay and Joseph followed behind. Joseph walked with Kay, his arms around her waist as he kept sniffing her hair and smiling goofily while saying sweet nothings under his breath.


    Kay, on the other hand, couldn''t help the shy smile on her face either as she felt his warmth and listened to his honeyed words. Both were in their own world, though they managed to follow Zero.


    Who was walking in front while rolling his eyes constantly.


    He was glad that Lianne had told him about this date of Joseph, and that he should be prepared for the worst. Akikai had been the one who had to follow him in the shadows and when he reported about the making out session, Zero knew he had to step in.


    When he arrived, Zero didn''t say much other than, "Become Joseph."


    Zero handed him a bag and Akikai opened it with a heavy heart. He saw some clothes, a make-up kit, and a mask in a special silicone casing.


    Akikai g.r.o.a.n.e.d then quickly pressed his lips together. Zero was glaring at him.


    "I''m going, I''m going," Akikai said quickly, rushing off whilst cursing in his heart. As Joseph''s shadow guard, Akikai also served the purpose of being Joseph''s body double should such a time arise.


    Hence, he was well acquainted with how Joseph acted and talked. He knew everything about Joseph, inside and out.


    However, as Akikai infiltrated the house easily, he was complaining bitterly in his heart.


    He hated having to wear the human skin mask. He didn''t like how it felt on his face and he wished he could take it off. Unfortunately, he was stuck with this until the next day and he didn''t dare to take it off even when asleep.


    Unlike the name, the human skin mask wasn''t that the mask was made out of human skin but it certainly was realistic enough to look like one. The one he had in his hand was of a human face, specifically, Joseph''s face.


    Although MIB had made human skin masks before, it was not as good as it is now. The previous masks would not have passed the test of close scrutiny, but now, it was practically impossible to tell.


    This was all due to the secret formula Sayuri had provided. She didn''t actually give the formula but had only given them the substance that was used to make it.


    As such, the production of such masks was strictly controlled. It not only had to go through some intense red tape, it needed to be made two days in advance.


    Zero didn''t think that his action of having Joseph''s mask being made would actually have been a good move. Lianne had told him to do it ''just in case'' and that if they actually used it, he wouldn''t have to worry about getting into trouble for it.


    Whilst Zero had no idea what Lianne was talking about, he still did as she instructed as he trusted her completely. With him making the request, the rest didn''t question him either and they had the mask made without anyone the wiser. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zero turned to look at the drunk couple and now understood why he would not get into trouble for making the mask.


    If the second-in-command approved of it, who would say anything, right?


    Kyle didn''t meddle in the internal workings of MIB anymore, thus he wouldn''t find out unless someone told him. Zero was sure Kay would intercept any information about it so he was safe.


    Zero shook his head.


    He should try and convince Lianne to join MIB.


    This sort of thinking would be such a boon to the organisation.


    When Zero left the hotel, he stood at the entrance and sighed. Then, taking out his phone, he called Lianne.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay looked at the smiling boy ¡­ no, man ¡­ that was lying down on the bed.


    She couldn''t bear to leave him alone lest he wakes up and feels disoriented and lost. Although Zero would have stayed, Kay found that she couldn''t leave the room.


    Hence, she ordered Zero to go back and she would handle it for the night.


    She brushed his hair off his face and smiled.


    He looked so innocent and yet, s.e.xy at the same time.


    She leaned down to kiss his forehead when his eyes suddenly popped open.


    Before she could react, he had already reached out and pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. She lay sprawled on his c.h.e.s.t as he squeezed her tight.


    "Joseph," she called out, trying to get up when she felt him running his hands on her back.


    He turned over, pinning her underneath him as he looked at her flushed face.


    "You''re so beautiful," Joseph said breathlessly before kissing her fiercely.


    At the back of her mind, Kay was telling herself that she should not let him do this, for he was drunk. Yet for some reason, she didn''t stop him.


    She knew this was not right but that''s about it. It was as if she was thinking of it in an objective way but did not strive to do anything about it.


    In fact, instead of pushing him away, she returned his kisses just as passionately.


    Joseph''s hand cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t, feeling the softness through the cloth and he broke the kiss, taking a deep breath. He looked at her, his eyes full of l.u.s.t as he asked hoarsely, "Are you my birthday present?"


    He kissed her cheek, trailing kisses down to her neck.


    "Can I unwrap my present now?" Joseph asked, kissing her collarbone then down to the middle of her c.h.e.s.t.


    Kay m.o.a.n.e.d softly, feeling him pinch her n.i.p.p.l.e through the shirt, "Yes, Joseph. Yes ¡­"


    He stopped kissing her and went up to her face again.


    "This is the best birthday present ever," Joseph said, his hands unbuttoning her shirt while his eyes never leaving her face.


    "Oh God, I love you so much Kay," Joseph said, kissing her again.


    Kay ran her fingers through his hair as they kissed, pulling at it occasionally which caused him to be more turned on. Their tongues danced a dance that was frantic and clumsy at the same time and their hands were impatiently tearing at each other''s clothes.


    Soon, clothes were flung out and the room was filled with the sounds of m.o.a.ning and flesh hitting flesh.

 Chapter 855 - The Morning After (R18)

    Chapter 855 - The Morning After (R18) Kyle was flipping through the doc.u.ments in the study room when he was struck with a sudden and intense feeling of l.u.s.t and d.e.s.i.r.e.


    His body got so aroused that Kyle Jr rose up rather quickly.


    Damn.


    He closed his eyes as he focused on blocking out the onslaught of emotions that Kay was letting out freely.


    He gritted his teeth as he thought of what his beloved sister was doing right now but he couldn''t do anything about it.


    She was, after all, an a.d.u.l.t and he had no right or reason to interfere.


    It''s just that ¡­ this was completely unexpected. Plus, the fact that she didn''t even block him meant that this was something unprepared for her. Just like that time when he had gotten a blowjob from Randall.


    Kyle smiled ruefully.


    Guess this was payback?


    But damn, was the feeling really strong.


    Was it like this for her back then? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was even with the guys at that time.


    It must have been so uncomfortable - what more, a v.i.r.g.i.n getting hit by such intense feelings.


    He, himself, wasn''t an innocent and even then, he was getting really heated up and uncomfortable. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to strip down and gain some release.


    Kyle got up from the study room and quickly headed to the bedroom.


    Unlike Kay''s unfortunate experience so long ago, he, at least, had another way to release all of this without using his best friend (aka the right hand).


    Not that he really needed an excuse to do what he wanted to do, though.


    Sayuri was at the closet, putting away some clothes when the door suddenly banged open, slammed shut, and she was rammed into the walk-in closet.


    Even with her skills and instinct, she had barely managed to register everything and react before she was pinned to the dresser, her mouth being devoured and clothes being torn open.


    "K-kyle?!" gasped Sayuri as he started l.i.c.k.i.n.g and s.u.c.k.i.n.g her earlobes while his hands were squeezing her b.r.e.a.s.ts hard.


    "I''m so horny," Kyle said breathlessly into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.


    Sayuri had always liked it rough and it had been a very long time since Kyle was this intense. It wasn''t that their s.e.x life had not been satisfying, but she couldn''t deny she didn''t miss the intensity they had in the earlier years.


    The passion, the various positions, and most of all, the unrestrained curses Sayuri was so famous for.


    Probably due to their children being in the same house, both became more subdued in their lovemaking. Having the twins knocking on their door while they were having s.e.x was also a damper, so they didn''t have their infamous long sessions anymore.


    Kyle bit her neck, grinding himself on her, and Sayuri m.o.a.n.e.d as he pinched and pulled on her n.i.p.p.l.es. She grabbed Kyle''s head, gripping his hair in her fingers as she brought his face up and kissed him.


    She stuck her tongue in and s.u.c.k.e.d hard on his tongue while she turned him around, slamming his back to the dresser instead. Kyle''s hands were frantically pulling down her pajama bottoms while hers were unbuckling his pants.


    They broke the kiss for a few seconds to impatiently take off their clothes, before plastering themselves on each other again. Kyle placed his hand under her right knee, lifting up her leg and she placed it on his shoulder.


    He held on to her *ss and she lifted up her other leg, putting it on the other side of his shoulder while her hands went around to the back of his head for stability. All this while, he held on her *ss tightly.[1]


    With a groan and without any further foreplay, Kyle plunged himself deep into her core that was waiting for him.


    She was already so wet and tight, that both hissed as they connected.


    "Your flexibility is so f-cking amazing," Kyle said, relishing the sensation of being inside of her.


    Sayuri and Kyle kissed deeply while he continued thrusting into her, and she couldn''t curse as much because of it.


    It didn''t matter though, because she was being pounded on hard by Kyle and she loved every second of it. Unfortunately, such stimulation also caused them to reach their o.r.g.a.s.m quickly and she g.r.o.a.n.e.d as the wave ended.


    Kyle smirked hearing that, and he wriggled his eyebrows.


    Normally, they would stop after one session but this time, Kyle wasn''t intending to.


    Sayuri caught that expression and her eyes widened.


    He pulled out, got her off of him, and turned her around. He held onto her waist and she found herself facing forward and downwards. Sayuri reached out and placed her hands on the floor while her legs were wrapped behind his waist. [2]


    "Time for Round 2," Kyle said breathlessly as he entered her once again.


    In this position, her insides were squeezing him so tightly that it felt so amazing. While for her, he felt larger than normal and he had hit her G-spot as he entered. Once he started moving his h.i.p.s, that spot got pounded on easily, causing Sayuri''s head to spin.


    This time, her curses went out freely.


    And so, that night, the Smith Twins [senior, that is] were having mind-blowing s.e.x throughout the night.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Joseph slowly woke up, his head pounding and his mouth dry.


    "Urgh," he g.r.o.a.n.e.d, as he brought his hand up to rub his temples.


    But then, something felt wrong.


    What was this soft thing his hand was on?


    He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light that was in the room. He blinked several times, trying to focus when the lovely face of his Angel appeared.


    He closed his eyes tightly and opened it again.


    The vision was still there.


    He gulped, reaching out to touch her face when he realised ¡­ she was n.a.k.e.d.


    She was facing him, on her side, and her b.r.e.a.s.ts were right there. Out in the open. For him to see.


    And worse, it was full of love bites.


    Joseph looked at himself, flipping the blanket off and gasped.


    He was n.a.k.e.d, too.


    Just ¡­ just what happened last night?


    No, wait.


    Why was he even asking that question when it was obvious what had happened?!


    His eyes landed on certain bloodstains on the bedsheets and his gaze went to Kay''s legs. There were some remnants of dried blood on her inner t.h.i.g.hs.


    Joseph gulped.


    He ¡­ he ¡­ and Kay ¡­


    But he didn''t remember any of it?!!


    He lay on the bed, cursing himself and hitting himself on the forehead.


    The best moment of his life, and he can''t remember a single thing?!


    He''s never going to take another drop of alcohol ever again.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Joseph turned to look at his Angel and saw the concern in her eyes.


    "I''m sorry," Joseph said hoarsely, touching her face, "I ¡­ I''ll take responsibility."


    Kay laughed a bit at that, shaking her head, "What are you talking about?"


    "This .. we ¡­" Joseph stammered, blushing hard.


    Kay put her hand on his c.h.e.s.t, saying, "What happened, happened. I don''t regret it."


    "I do," Joseph said before he could stop himself.


    Kay''s eyes went wide open in shock and Joseph quickly explained, "I mean, I regret it because I can''t remember it!"


    Kay smiled at that and ran circles on his c.h.e.s.t, "There''s an easy solution to that."


    "Oh?"


    Kay came closer, her hand reaching down to his obvious erection, "Encore."


    Kay was in a better position than Joseph for she could remember bits and pieces of it. She had been drunk but not so bad that last night was a blank. Instead, it was just blurry.


    But Joseph was right.


    She did regret it as well as the memory of their first time was clouded in mystery.


    Joseph m.o.a.n.e.d as Kay''s delicate hands wrapped itself on his c*ck and his eyes darkened.


    "Encore it is," he said breathlessly as he kissed her and turned to lay on top of her.


    This was his Angel. His dream lover. His love.


    He was a normal teen boy, having seen lots of p.o.r.nographic videos so the concept of s.e.x was not new to him. Still, nothing could prepare him for the real thing that was in front of him.


    In his arms.


    Under him.


    Her soft skin, her low m.o.a.ns as he kissed and touched her, just made him so eager and impatient. He wanted nothing more than to f*ck her senseless but he endured.


    Her lips were perfect. Her skin was perfect. Her full b.r.e.a.s.ts were perfect.


    He stared at those perfect orbs, the fullness ... the n.i.p.p.l.es. Touching it, it felt so soft and he couldn''t help himself but continue groping them.


    Everything was perfect. He wanted to touch, kiss, and lick every perfect spot.


    And so he did.


    Whatever he felt like doing, he did.


    "Joseph, Joseph," Kay gasped as he s.u.c.k.e.d and nibbled on her n.i.p.p.l.es, "I want you inside of me, please Joseph. Give it to me."


    How could Joseph hang on with such a plea?


    With those words, he immediately positioned himself, placing his c*ck at her entrance. Just feeling her wetness on the tip of his c*ck almost made him c.u.m.


    Damn, was he so weak?


    Once he entered her, there was no holding back.


    It felt so good being inside of her.


    Kay reached out and grabbed him by the head, bringing him down to kiss him while he continued thrusting hard into her.


    Everything was perfect.

 Chapter 856 - The Choices

    Chapter 856 - The Choices But like anything perfect, it would still come to an end.


    After their memorable lovemaking session, Kay went to the bathroom to wash up.


    [Had a lot of fun last night, huh?]


    Kay stumbled and nearly fell in the bathroom.


    [B-b-brother¡­]


    [Ah yes, you still remember your little old brother, huh]


    Kay was horrified.


    She had completely forgotten about their bond.


    It had been so long since either of them had lost control, to cause the other to be hit with such intense emotion. Then again, she had been so drunk last night that all the defences she had up would have fallen.


    [Congratulations on losing your V-card]


    [No no Kyle, it isn''t what you think] Kay said desperately, thinking of a way out.


    [What do you mean?] Kyle asked, his face in a frown all the way home.


    [I .. oh gosh, this is embarrassing] Kay said, gritting her teeth [I''m sorry for losing control last night. I ¡­ um ¡­ I had a little too much to drink]


    [What? So you slept with someone while drunk?!]


    [Let me finish] Kay said firmly, glad that he can''t detect the nervousness in her voice through mind-speech [I ¡­ well ¡­ um ¡­ there wasn''t anyone]


    Silence.


    [Oh] Kyle said eventually.


    Kyle rubbed his temple, seemingly feeling the embarrassment his sister must be in.


    [I''m sorry. I was just celebrating last night and indulged a little bit too much in drinking. And, um, well, let''s just say I had a lot of fun by myself]


    [Okay. Enough. I get it. I thought it was strange. After all, you''ve never told me about any guy that you were seeing]


    [That''s because there never was any guy before] Kay said ambiguously.


    Yeah, there wasn''t any before.


    There is now.


    Still, she had lied to her brother.


    For the first time, she had actually lied.


    She felt bad about it but she knew that he couldn''t find out about Joseph like this. He would go ballistic.


    She didn''t know which was worse. The fact that she lost her v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y and did not share it with Kyle, or that she was the one that took Joseph''s v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y.


    Either way, Kyle wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    She needed to plan on how to bring it up to Kyle.


    Did she just dig a hole for herself?


    When she eventually told him, would he remember this day when she lied to him?


    Kay bit her bottom lips.


    This was not going well.


    She truly feared for the future.


    Her future with Joseph.


    There was so much to go through.


    No wonder Lianne had told her that she would need to be strong in order to face them. Kay looked at her face in the mirror, telling herself that she can do this.


    She loved him and she wanted to be with him.


    Nothing - not even her own brother - can stop this. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She saw her body that was littered with so many love bites and she couldn''t help but smile while blushing a bit.


    For someone with zero experience, he certainly knew how to do it, what to do and how to bring a lot of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to her.


    It wasn''t f*cking. It was m.a.k.i.n.g. .l.o.v.e.


    Kay hit her cheeks, taking deep breaths when she remembered what had happened. Joseph''s face. Joseph''s touches. Joseph''s ¡­


    She could get addicted to this.


    No wonder Kyle was like a rabbit.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    "What?" Akikai couldn''t help but ask finally.


    Lianne smirked, resting her chin on her hand as she stared at her ''brother''.


    "Nothing," she said, "You do it so well."


    Although it was a Saturday, Stephan had gone to the office. He worked every 1st and 3rd Saturday, so they were left alone in the house.


    Akikai grunted.


    "It won''t be long now, don''t worry," Lianne said, "You can take off the mask if it makes you that uncomfortable."


    "I''m a professional," Akikai mumbled, wondering why he would feel fl.u.s.tered with her intense gaze.


    He knew she knew, but it still made him feel like she was really seeing *him* and not Joseph. He prided himself about his skills, and that even when one knew he was in disguise, they would see the person he was pretending to be - not him.


    He was a professional, damnit.


    She was just 15 years old. Half his age!


    So why did she manage to make him feel so?


    Urgh.


    He buried his nose in the book, trying to distract himself.


    ? Back at the Hotel ?


    Kay and Joseph had their breakfast in the room, both too self-conscious to go out for it - and partly also because they didn''t want to part just yet. It all still seemed like a dream, really.


    Right now, they were sitting on the sofa, not really watching the television in front of them. The room that Zero had gotten was a Junior Suite, thus had a sitting area ie akin to a living room.


    Kay was leaning on Joseph, who had his arm around her shoulders and one hand holding hers.


    "It''s almost time for you to go back," Kay said softly, looking at their joined hands.


    "Mmm," Joseph responded, reluctant to go.


    "You have to go back before your father comes home from work," Kay reminded him.


    "Mmmm," Joseph replied non-commitingly, and Kay hit his hand.


    "Joseph! This is serious," Kay said, looking at him with a frown.


    "I know," Joseph replied, looking at her.


    Then, he couldn''t help it but kiss her instead of saying anything more. He just couldn''t get enough of this. The way her lips felt and how perfect she was in his arms.


    "You kiss so well," Joseph mumbled in-between kisses, "I''m surprised I''m your first kiss."


    "Mmm," Kay said non-commitingly.


    In truth, Joseph wasn''t her first kiss, but he was the first guy she kissed - and more importantly, the first person she kissed that she was in love with. She didn''t count the kisses she shared with Raine, for that was a one-off thing.


    Kissing someone when you''re exploring yourself, and kissing the one that you love were two completely different things.


    The nervousness was different. The sensation was different.


    So to her, her kiss with Joseph was her true ''first kiss''.


    It didn''t take long before their kisses became more passionate and Kay was soon sprawled down on the sofa, with Joseph on top of her, c.a.r.e.s.sing her body.


    A knock on the door made Joseph groan inwardly, but he still broke the kiss and got off of her. He helped her up, and took several deep breaths while closing his eyes.


    "That must be Zero," Kay said breathlessly.


    "Figures," Joseph said under his breath before getting up to open the door.


    Sure enough, the stoic face of Zero was revealed as he opened the door.


    He gave a slight nod to Joseph before walking in, "Ms Kay, this is for you."


    He handed Kay an envelope and she looked at him in puzzlement.


    Zero didn''t say anything else and she opened it, she found the words written underneath the flap to say, "You have two choices. Choice A is a complicated and longer path. Choice B is the harder path but guarantees position."


    Inside the envelope were two smaller envelopes labeled "A" and "B".


    "What is this?" Kay asked Zero again.


    Zero kept mum and just shrugged.


    "What is it?" Joseph asked as he sat down next to her.


    Lookin at the items in her hands, he was just as puzzled as she was.


    Not getting an answer from Zero, Kay opened the two small envelopes.


    In A, it was a pill and in B, two wedding bands.


    "What the-?!" Joseph exclaimed, perplexed at seeing the items.


    Kay''s mind was reeling.


    She looked up at Zero, who then handed her a phone.


    Putting her ear on it, she heard, "Just listen. Don''t speak except with a ''yes'' or ''no'' so that my brother doesn''t know it''s me. Do you understand?"


    "Yes," Kay replied, completely puzzled at what Lianne was going to say and what she was up to.


    "You have two choices right now. Mama most likely knows that you''ve gone and done the deed last night but you most likely covered it up, correct?"


    "Yes," Kay whispered, highly embarrassed.


    "So you have two choices. Take the pill and hide the relationship until you find the best time to tell my mother or get married. If you''re pregnant and married, my mother can''t protest anymore. My father would also have to agree to it. The deed is done after all."


    "But-"


    "No. Listen to me. There is no ''but'' to this," Lianne said.


    "You lied to my mother about what happened last night," Lianne said, "So you''ve basically shot yourself in the foot. You probably think you''re now stuck and that it will take even longer to get together."


    "I am here to show you that there is still another path open for you."

 Chapter 857 - The Decision

    Chapter 857 - The Decision "Choice B is the harder path because you''re going to have to do everything in secret. You''ll be married, but you can''t live as a married couple openly," Lianne said, "However, the advantage of this choice is that no one can separate you anymore. My mother certainly would not do so and neither would my father."


    "They would have to swallow the bitter pill and allow it," Lianne said, "Also ¡­ "


    "Yes?" Kay said, encouraging Lianne to continue.


    "Well, you were stupid not to have used protection last night," Lianne said, "Of course, you have the morning-after pill to correct it. However, just think about it. If you take that pill, you''re indirectly telling Joseph that you don''t want kids with him right now. That it isn''t the right time. That he''s too young."


    "Any reason you give him, will hit him hard. He may not understand it, though he will try to be understanding," Lianne said softly, "But it will make him insecure. Worried. More so if you can''t be open about the relationship."


    Lianne stopped there and let Kay think about it. She should understand that taking choice A may kill Joseph''s confidence slowly inside.


    How long will it take for Kay to get the courage to tell Kyle, especially since she had lied to him in the first place? Joseph may be willing to wait forever, but no matter how much you love a person and is willing to wait - it would still affect the person.


    Not being able to openly express your love.


    Fearing rejection by the family.


    Would Kay be forced to choose between her family, and her love?


    These are not choices that anyone would want. Romantic novels always give clear black and white situations. Evil family is greedy and scheming, hating the nice female lead but the male lead is doting and protective.


    They never show a good family not agreeing to the choice of partner. Even if the reason may be unreasonable, the family itself is generally not ''evil''. In such circ.u.mstances, what do you do?


    You expect your family to love you unconditionally and accept whoever you choose but that doesn''t happen all the time. What if they don''t?


    Do you choose to ignore their feelings about it and carry on ''because it is your life''? Because you feel that they have no right over your choices. Are you angry over them not respecting your choice? Do you set aside their years of caring, of being taken care of, just because you found ''the one''?


    They say blood is thicker than water ¡­ but how far is that true when they don''t approve of your choice of partner?


    Is it that they are being unreasonable, or is it that you are being selfish?


    Being caught in the middle is not an easy thing.


    Kay''s bond with her brother is beyond ordinary, but she is also deeply in love with Joseph.


    How can she give up either one?


    After giving Kay some time to think about it, Lianne went for the final move.


    "If you choose A, I believe you will eventually get the courage to tell my mother about it. It will just take time and a lot of work on your part to constantly convince Joseph that you love him and he''s good enough for you."


    "If you choose B, it will be difficult and unfair because you can''t be open about the relationship until you are ready and able to reveal it, but on the other hand, Joseph is officially yours."


    Lianne knew she was indirectly pushing Kay for Choice B, but the fact of the matter is, she truly felt that was the best solution for now.


    It would have been better if Kay had told Kyle the truth.


    Kyle may have exploded and there could have been World War III, but he would have eventually calmed down. Lianne also believed that once her mother calmed down, she would have been the pillar of support to eventually persuade Stephan.


    As it is, Kay took the wrong step.


    It showed that she was still unable to face her brother yet about this truly delicate situation.


    If left to their own devices, Lianne believed that it would create such a strain in the newly formed relationship that it may never be fixed properly.


    Joseph was also the type that wore his heart on his sleeve. Just how long would he be able to hide from their father about his love? How long would it be before their father found out about the identity of his beloved?


    Once you throw their father into the mix, the whole thing may get messier than ever.


    Falling in love is great and all, but reality can come in and break people up.


    Lianne truly felt love was more trouble than its worth but she wasn''t one to knock it. Just because she felt it was too troublesome didn''t mean she dismissed it or would discourage it.


    Hence, she was working extra hard to get the two important people in her life together.


    "You have 72 hours to decide," Lianne finished before putting down the phone.


    72 hours because that was the time frame when taking the morning-after pill. After 72 hours, it would have no effect anymore.


    Despite its name, one did not need to take it the morning after, though the best time would be to take it right after unprotected s.e.x or within 24 hours. Also, it is not a contraceptive so if one continued to have unprotected s.e.x after taking it, one could still get pregnant.


    Kay sat there in a daze, then at the two items in her hands. She looked at Joseph, who was looking at her in concern.


    It was as if what Lianne told her made her see things clearly.


    Guess the views of someone from the outside looking in was better than the one who was actually going through it.


    Joseph took her hand in his and asked worriedly, seeing the look on Kay''s face, "What''s wrong?"


    "Joseph Yang," Kay said, "Will you marry me?"


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    Joseph looked at the marriage certificate in his hands, in a daze.


    What did he just do?


    No, he did not regret agreeing to Kay''s proposal - but he was just in a daze as to how fast it all happened.


    As he was now a legal a.d.u.l.t, he did not need his father''s approval to get married. All he needed to do was show his identity card and whallah. Sign the contract and they were married.


    After Kay''s sudden proposal, he had been totally shocked though he agreed immediately. They talked about it before taking this step, however.


    Joseph held on Kay''s hand tightly, looking at her lovingly.


    They may have to keep this marriage a secret, but he himself knew it was for the best. He didn''t mind that it couldn''t be told to anyone yet, for the most important thing right now - was that Kay was his. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay smiled at her new husband, not feeling guilty at all for having ''taken'' him at such a young age. She didn''t think of it as her stifling his growth at all, for marriage shouldn''t be seen as a shackle.


    Since they were sure about each other, why wait?


    Kay understood now why Sam chose to get married so young. Even Ali. Even though their circ.u.mstances were different - in the sense that Sam and Ali were independent men that were already earning an income, Kay didn''t see Joseph lacking in any way.


    She had faith that he would be able to make a mark on his own.


    "I''ll keep the marriage certificate," Kay said, taking it from his hands.


    Joseph nodded, knowing that it would be wiser for her to keep both copies. He also had a ''marriage card'' that was akin to an identity card, but it was actually a card stating that they were husband and wife.


    Since the marriage card was small (the size of a credit card), Joseph kept that and hid it in his wallet. From a distance, even if someone caught a glimpse of it, they would think it would be a game card or maybe even a driving licence. No one would think it was his marriage card.


    Joseph gingerly touched the edge of the precious card, regarding it as the most important item he has ever owned. He placed his wedding band on a silver chain and wore it like a necklace, hidden under his clothes.


    Kay wore hers openly, thinking that the best place to hide it, was in plain sight. One would probably regard her as just wearing a ring as an accessory. Joseph was extremely pleased to see the ring on her finger.


    He rubbed his thumb on the ring, then looked at her, saying, "I love you, Mrs. Yang."


    "And I, you, Mr. Yang," Kay replied.


    Most memorable birthday ever.

 Chapter 858 - Byrons Moves

    Chapter 858 - Byron''s Moves Lianne looked at her watch and sighed.


    She turned to face Akikai, who was staring at her and said, "He should be back soon. You''ll probably be required to stay here every weekend from now on. If you have any personal stuff, I can keep them in my room during the weekdays."


    Akikai didn''t say a word but continued to stare at her.


    Lianne couldn''t be bothered, really, and got up to go back to her room.


    Staying out here with that staring doofus was utterly draining, but it was far better to have him hear everything than having to explain everything to him all over again. He was bright enough to know what was happening though it was unexpected that he would be so affected by it that he couldn''t even open his mouth to ask anything.


    Since he wasn''t going to ask her anything, she wasn''t going to volunteer any information. Let Zero handle that bit.


    Akikai watched her get up, and without sparing him another look, go to her room. Before she left, she said, "You should leave before Joseph comes back. If he was to see you, he''d get a shock of his life and have too many questions."


    Akikai barely nodded, as he just sat there, still in shock over everything.


    What was happening?


    Or rather, what just happened?


    He had been there, listening to everything, but nothing seemed to make sense.


    No, that wasn''t it.


    It was more to the fact that he couldn''t believe how firm this little girl was, how she just seemed to shoot down while talking to Ms. Kay like it was nothing ¡­ hearing such personal issues made his head spin as well.


    The 2nd-in-command was with Joseph?!


    The Boss wouldn''t be happy about it?!


    She told the 2nd-in-command to get married to avoid the bullets?!


    Akikai leaned into the sofa more, leaning his head back and placed the book to cover his face.


    Can he opt out of the mission now?


    Can he resign from being Joseph''s shadow guard?


    Akikai shuddered at the thought if he ever brought it up.


    When he was first presented with this mission, he had been ecstatic. Though it was just being?the shadow guard of someone that wasn''t of the Smith Line, the mission utilised his skills to the utmost.


    To infiltrate the school. Become a student and good friend of Joseph. Always be vigilant. If he did a good job, he may even be entrusted with the future kids of the Smiths? Or something along those lines.


    He knew how important these two kids were to Sir, though he had no idea why. He didn''t care about that. He just cared that they were high on the list of ''important people''. The fact that they actually had people protecting them was a testament to that.


    But this ¡­?


    This was beyond what he signed up for.


    Being the one who would be used to cover up for the 2nd-in-command against the Big Boss himself.


    He felt like he was caught in the middle of two sharp knives.


    He took several more minutes to calm himself down. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter what, his duty was to obey whatever orders that were given to him. After all, Ms. Kay was still his Boss. Thus, there was no issue of betrayal. If it had been an order from anyone else, he wouldn''t hesitate to reject and report it.


    His gaze landed on Lianne''s bedroom door.


    She was scary.


    Impressive, but scary.


    He should get out now. Lianne had already warned him, after all. After what he had seen, he wasn''t going to second guess her words and just do it. Trying to figure it all out is just confusing.


    Throughout Akikai''s years with the Yangs, he found that his decision today to just go with the flow certainly did make things much easier for him. Getting constant heart attacks over things Lianne did and said was not fun.


    In her room, Lianne felt rather stressed out, to be honest.


    She was tired and starting to feel rather depressed, though she couldn''t quite put her finger on the reason for her feelings. There were times when she was just tired out and feeling rather low.


    She didn''t know whether her feelings arose from her tiredness, or her tiredness caused her low feelings.


    Whatever it was, it had been going on for a bit of time, and slowly, she noticed that her ''low moments'' were getting to be more frequent.


    Now that Kay and Joseph''s issues were more or less settled, the ''low feelings'' did not dissipate. Lianne had placed it upon her being stressed out about the progress (or lack of it) that caused her to feel so down but now that it was over?


    So why was she still feeling so low?


    Lianne brushed it aside, thinking that she just needed some time to unwind and relax. Joseph was coming home soon and things will be back to normal again.


    Well, the ''new'' normal, that is.


    Her brother is married yet they aren''t living together as a married couple and would only be together during weekends that their father would be working. This would minimise the risk of exposure.


    Joseph would have to tone down his goofy happiness lest their father figured it out, so she would need to guide him on what to say when it happened. Lianne had no doubt that their father would ask, sooner or later.


    Joseph''s marriage was something akin to what is known as "nikah gantung", which, if literally translated, was ''hanging marriage''. That didn''t make sense but it was quite prevalent back in Country M.


    Being a more conservative country, society frowned upon an ''impure'' relationship. Thus, when young couples are sure yet too young or not financially stable enough to get married, they would get married but still stay with their parents.


    Thus, any social interactions would be legal and accepted. The responsibilities of husband and wife would be lessened (and in most cases, none exist). Of course, during this stage, getting pregnant wouldn''t be encouraged but it wouldn''t be a ''sin''.


    Lianne also knew that Joseph would, eventually, be burdened by thoughts of guilt as to what had occurred between him and Kay. Though he was much more open-minded now, he was still raised in a certain way back in Country M.


    The marriage was the best thing to happen so that these unnecessary thoughts and worries would not be an additional hurdle or become his inner demons.


    All he needed to do now was to grow up more. In the sense of being more matured and responsible.


    Lianne knew, once the euphoria of this newly formed relationship faded, he would start getting to be very worried about his future with Kay.


    Lianne lamented over the amount of work that still needed to be done.


    Perhaps that is why she was feeling rather low at the moment.


    She punched the pillow on her bed, adamant at wanting to just sleep. She was tired and wanted to take a nap, yet somehow, she still had difficulty falling asleep. Nearly an hour later, she finally managed to close her eyes to fall into a fitful sleep.


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    The days passed by quickly and the new normal became a comfortable routine.


    Luckily, Joseph did manage to hide it so far so it wasn''t so stressful at home. He would face-time his beloved wife every night and text throughout the day. Lianne was truly glad that he was adapting well.


    The only thing that was left was to ease her mother into all of this.


    Lianne had her plans already but as it turned out, Life gave her a curveball.


    Well, it all began with Byron.


    Lianne never did meet up with Byron on that day. She had arrived late to school and couldn''t see him. After that, she made up excuses in order to escape from his questions and presence.


    She was just not in the mood to deal with him and he didn''t push it.


    After all, she was in the school and Byron finally realised that she should be approached gently. The fact that she never revealed herself to him despite his rather high profile method of looking for her before meant she wasn''t interested.


    Well, he''d make her interested!


    He didn''t approach her but was always wherever she walked.


    She went to the library, he was in the corridor talking with his friends. He didn''t turn his head nor talk to her when she passed.


    But she noticed his eyes following her movement.


    During break time at the cafeteria, he is with his group of friends nearby, eating and laughing. He never stopped to stare, or point at her, while he was eating.


    But she noticed how he would glance her way whenever he threw his head back to laugh.


    Dear Lord, Lianne prayed, please give her strength.

 Chapter 859 - Liannes Countermoves

    Chapter 859 - Lianne''s Countermoves After a few weeks of this, Byron finally moved to the next step.


    Talking to her.


    Well, okay.


    More like "Eh, hi! Lianne!" and a nod or two.


    Lianne couldn''t be rude and not respond, so she would respond appropriately, with either a "hi" or a nod.


    She didn''t smile.


    So not to give him any ideas.


    Not that it mattered for, to him, even having her look at him was enough to send him smiling the whole day.


    His friends felt he was a lost cause but still rallied together to help him ''capture'' his elusive Cinderella.


    Then, the third stage came.


    Instead of "coincidentally" meeting in the corridor, he would be "coincidentally" going to the same area. He would use this opportunity to walk beside her and talk to her.


    Though 98% of the time, it was Anne who would be talking to him.


    It didn''t matter.


    Sometimes, he would invite her over to join him and his friends. Sometimes, it would be that they were waiting for their ride home, or lining up for food.


    Finally, when he figured he had gained enough presence and momentum, he was going to the final stage.


    Asking her out.


    He knew her father was strict, and thus, the likelihood of a ''yes'' would be very low. He had thought long and hard of the perfect excuse to ask her out - or rather, have a quiet meal together.


    It was during the sports day practice.


    Her brother was involved in it, and naturally, she would stay behind as well and their father would pick them up later.


    Today was one of those days.


    Byron had planned it all out.


    She''s always in the bleachers, drawing. Anne would normally be with her, that lamppost. Well, he would casually ''drop by'' and then, ask her out.


    Well, technically, it wasn''t asking her out but rather, invite her for a meal. Maybe play the sympathy card i.e. he needed company. He wasn''t sure if that would work, so he would play by ear.


    It was harmless, right?


    Just a nice meal at the cafeteria while her brother was doing the exercises with the march past. Anne would most likely follow as well, but that was probably for the best. If he was to ask Lianne alone, she may reject him but if he got Anne to come along as well ¡­


    Byron was excited just thinking about it.


    However, if he had known what was going to happen, he would have turned around and tried another day.


    He had been so excited and pumped, that when that happened, he just ¡­ his mind went blank.


    Never, did he consider for a minute, that Lianne already had a boyfriend.


    The plan started off so well, too.


    He didn''t go to the bleachers immediately, but waited for 10 minutes before doing so. This way, he wouldn''t seem desperate and she would already be quite comfortably seated in the bleachers.


    He had a good feeling about this.


    When Byron stepped onto the field, his eyes sparkled upon seeing Lianne exactly where he thought she would be.


    It was a good thing she did things like clockwork. Or rather, her routine was basically the same.


    Then again, they were students so what sort of drastic change would she do at school?


    So there he was, foolishly heading towards the bleachers. He gave her a huge smile when she lifted her head to see who had walked by.


    "Hi, Lianne," Byron said, thinking he did pretty well.


    Not too friendly and desperate, but not too aloof.


    "Hi," Lianne replied, not returning his smile and getting back to her sketch pad.


    Byron didn''t feel awkward at all but sat down next to her, facing the field, "Your brother is pretty good at leading the team."


    "Mmm," Lianne replied absent-mindedly.


    "Where''s Anne?" Byron asked, curious though glad that she wasn''t around.


    "Oh, she just went to the ladies for a while," Lianne said, "She''ll be back soon."


    "Oh," Byron said then horror hit him. Would she think he had asked because he was interested in Anne?


    He had better dispel that thought from her mind immediately!


    "I notice that she''s always with you," Byron said, keeping his voice even, "Your best friend?"


    "No," Lianne replied.


    "No?" Byron repeated, surprised.


    "No," Lianne repeated, not bothering to look up.


    "I''m surprised ¡­" Byron said, still not believing it.


    "Why?"


    "Er .. because she''s always with you?"


    "So?"


    Byron scratched his head, not knowing what to say to that.


    "We hang out," Lianne said, "But a best friend would be someone that you confide in and trust."


    Anne is someone she trusts, of course - but only trust to keep her safe. Not trust in the sense of baring her soul sort of trust. Only two people fit that bill and her mother was one of them.


    As for the other ¡­


    "Sorry to keep you waiting," came a soft voice from beside Byron. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Byron stiffened.


    That voice.


    He would never forget that voice.


    What was he doing here.


    Wait.


    How could he forget the existence of his being?


    No, it wasn''t that he forgot but rather, he just ¡­ pushed it out of his mind ¡­


    Okay. Fine.


    He forgot.


    The guy had never turned up again and there was no mention of the guy at all so Byron naturally blocked him from his mind completely.


    Thinking back, why did he do so?


    Then, Byron saw something that hit him even harder.


    Lianne actually looked up from her sketching ¡­ with ¡­ a ¡­ great, big smile.


    Well, heck, a smile.


    It was a genuine, happy smile, too.


    The guy stood in front of Lianne, at the level below the row that they were in and he leaned forward, "Hungry?"


    Lianne nodded.


    Byron sat there, aghast.


    His golden opportunity!


    "Really? That''s great!" Byron said suddenly, "I''m hungry, too. Let''s go to the cafeteria and eat!"


    The moment Byron said that, he felt the chills. He looked at the guy who came, who had ignored him completely ¡­ until now.


    "I wasn''t asking you," the guy said coldly, his light blue eyes piercing him through before he turned towards Lianne, "Come on. Joseph will take another hour at least."


    He took the sketch pad from Lianne''s hands and placed it under his armpit, then took her hand in his.


    Lianne turned towards Byron and said, "Bye."


    With the guy''s help, Lianne stepped onto the level below and headed out, leaving an open-mouthed Byron.


    What happened?


    He jerked when he felt a hand patting his shoulder.


    "Burned, bro. Big burn, indeed."


    Byron turned indignantly to look at who said those offending words and saw that it was Anne.


    "Who is that guy?" Byron hissed under his breath, watching as Lianne was walking hand-in-hand with the tall, silver-haired dude.


    What sort of hair is silver anyway?!


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Anne said, laughing.


    Byron gritted his teeth.


    "Boyfriend, huh?" Byron said under his breath. He was not happy about this. Making up his mind, he ran after them.


    Anne pursed her lips as she watched him go, not worried. It was Zero after all. Since he''s here, she could go back. However, seeing?*that* sort of Zero was truly shocking.


    She had to slap herself several times and rub her eyes.


    That was a side of him that no one had never seen before.


    A gentle look.


    Okay, so *any* sort of look that had emotions on his face was already something no one had seen before. Yet, when he looked at Lianne, one could see how much she meant to him.


    All the rumours about them were true?!


    Lianne did tell her that she was only using Zero as a shield but seeing them together like that.


    No way would she believe that it was only as a cover.


    Not that she was going to blab anyway but still ¡­


    Anne shook her head.


    This was really unbelievable indeed.


    While Anne was coming to grips with it, another person watched the whole ''Zero-Lianne'' interaction with wide eyes as well.


    Even until now, his mouth was still wide open.


    Despite the evidence right in front of him, he couldn''t believe it still.


    Despite the fact that he had heard how Lianne bossed Zero around, and how Zero had done everything as according to her instructions - even getting the morning-after pill and the wedding bands ¡­


    Yet, he still couldn''t believe it.


    Lianne and Zero.


    Akikai felt he was getting to know too many secrets.


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    "Are you okay?" Zero asked worriedly, looking at Lianne as they walked out of school.


    "Yeah," Lianne replied, "Just tired."


    "You''ve been tired a lot lately," Zero observed, "Let''s go for a check-up."


    "Oh come on, Zero," Lianne protested, "Stop being so melodramatic. I just haven''t had enough sleep."


    Zero stopped, took her face in his hands, and stared intently at her.


    "Please? For me at least?"


    Byron, seeing this, felt his heart break.

 Chapter 860 - An Unexpected Discovery

    Chapter 860 - An Unexpected Discovery Lianne glared at him.


    "That''s not playing fair," she grumbled, her lips in a tight line of disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    Instead of looking displeased or annoyed, Zero laughed a bit and patted her cheek slightly before letting go. Grabbing her hand so that she can''t run away, he said, "I learned from the best."


    Lianne sighed loudly and let herself be led


    It was just a check-up, right? If it would appease the worry in Zero''s heart, then why not? The doctor would just prescribe some vitamins and give her some sort of meal plan.


    Truly, he was such a worry-wort.


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    Zero sat there, looking at the doctor in total shock.


    His mind was trying to grasp what the doctor had said and he couldn''t quite stop the rapid beating of his heart. Sure, he thought Lianne had looked rather listless and easy to get tired but ¡­


    This was beyond what he had imagined.


    The doctor''s room suddenly felt so big and so empty at the same time.


    Lianne had gone with the nurse to get her blood drawn for some testing and the doctor took the opportunity to talk to Zero.


    After all, Lianne was a minor while Zero was the a.d.u.l.t.


    The doctor actually had used the blood test as an excuse to be able to talk to Zero privately, and had also instructed the nurse to take slightly longer than needed. Lianne was also required to give some urine samples so that gave him more time.


    "Are you sure about this?" Zero asked, as he stared at the doctor.


    "Yes, and no," the doctor replied, "Which is why she needs to go and see a specialist about this. I am sure that there is something wrong, but to what extent - that can only be determined after the necessary tests."


    Zero was now in a dilemma.


    He knew the doctor talked to him first, which meant that he didn''t want to tell Lianne and make her worried. After all, Lianne was still a minor and would not be able to take the news.


    Of course, Zero knew full well that Lianne wasn''t a normal girl and she was more matured than anyone he knew.


    Still, he didn''t feel like he should tell her this right now.


    She had so much on her plate and letting her know this might tip her over the edge. He felt ill-equipped to be the one to tell her, and he felt that this should be handled by someone else.


    But who?


    Her father? No way. She had a strained relationship with her father and he may not be able to handle it properly.


    Her brother? Another no, because although he was older and even married now, it didn''t detract from the fact that Lianne was the ''older'' one in their relationship.


    Him?


    He was only her brother by association and one that he, himself, felt but even then, he didn''t think he should usurp her real family''s position.


    He really didn''t know what was the best course of action.


    "I understand," Zero said, slumping a bit in his chair.


    There was only one person he can ask right now.


    Surely Sir would know what would be the best thing to do.


    Lianne then came in then, her face showing her obvious disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e at having to go through the whole process.


    "I hate needles," she grumbled, holding up her arm while pressing on the spot that the blood was drawn.


    Zero gave her a smile, and said, "It''s not that bad, right?"


    "It''s horrible!" Lianne hissed.


    "When will the blood test and urine test results be out?" Zero turned to ask the doctor, covering up his nervousness.


    "Within a day or two," the doctor replied.


    "Okay," Zero said, "Just give me a call when it''s done and I''ll come and pick up the report."


    "For now, just take these vitamins and make sure that you do not overexert yourself," the doctor said firmly, writing a prescription for Lianne.


    "Okay," Lianne replied obediently.


    When they exited the doctor''s office, Lianne looked at Zero triumphally.


    "See? I told you it was nothing. Just need some vitamins and proper sleep," Lianne said smugly.


    Zero smiled gently at her and rubbed her head.


    "HEY! ZERO!!" Lianne shouted angrily at him, "Stop that!!"


    He just laughed, hiding the fear and worry in his heart. He hoped she didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary and it seemed like he had managed to do so. He didn''t know how long he could do it though, so he antagonised her on purpose.


    She grumbled, while fixing her hair and walked off.


    Zero watched her back, the fear in his heart growing.


    The whole ''seeing the doctor'' trip didn''t take long and Zero managed to easily send Lianne back to the school before Joseph finished practise. He sat on the motorbike and watched her go into the school and he knew that once Lianne found out the truth, she would turn on him like a banshee.


    Once Lianne went through the doors, Zero put back his helmet and revved up the motorbike. He had to settle this quickly.


    Lianne stopped once she walked through the door and turned, observing Zero who was staring at the closed door. He wouldn''t be able to see her inside, looking out through the windows on the door.


    Her heart felt unsettled.


    Zero was not his usual self, but she couldn''t quite get the truth out of him. He just told her that he was worried for her and he was also thinking about some things at work, so he was rather distracted at that time.


    Lianne didn''t quite believe him but yet, at the same time, she didn''t want *not* to believe him.


    Was he hiding something from her?


    Obviously.


    The only thing she wasn''t sure was, whether it was something to do with his work ¡­ or her. She shook her head and walked to the field.


    Whatever it was, Lianne had faith that Zero would tell her sooner or later. If he didn''t, it meant it was something that she wasn''t privy to. She felt that he needed some time to gather his thoughts about what to tell her, so she didn''t resent him for it.


    She also didn''t feel upset that Zero wasn''t willing to tell her everything because Zero''s life and job was at the highest security level - it''s not like she needed to know everything about him. There were aspects to his life that she wasn''t privy to and that was okay.


    Still, she couldn''t quite get her heart to feel calm. She hoped he was okay.


    Lianne touched the bottle of vitamins in her pocket, feeling reassured.


    Well, at least she knew that it had nothing to do with her health. The doctor just gave her these vitamins and nothing else.


    ? Smith Industries HQ ?


    The people in the ground floor of Smith Industries HQ were gawking.


    Yes, they were gawking.


    At an exceptionally handsome silver-haired young man that was walking by.


    It wasn''t because he was such eye candy (well, okay, part of it was), but by the fact that they knew who that person was.


    Zero.


    Yet, instead of the usual suit and stiff expression he normally wore, he was actually dressed very casually.


    Like a college student.


    His hair was styled with a 4/6 parting, his bangs just barely above his eyebrows. With his slim blue jeans, white T-shirt and leather jacket, one wouldn''t have thought that this was Zero, the cold one from CEO Kyle''s Elite Team.


    If the normal Zero was ice-cold hot, this Zero was scorching. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole ensemble made his normally stoic face just look indifferent and thus, more approachable.


    Many were, in fact, so enthralled that they almost went up to him to try and chat him up - if it wasn''t for the fact that he just breezed through and headed straight to the VIP lift.


    As Zero reached the top floor, he went straight to Sam and asked, "Is Sir in?"


    Sam looked at him, noting the serious expression and said, "Yes. Let me buzz you in."


    Zero nodded and quickly went inside the moment he heard the ''Send him in''.


    Kyle stopped his work and looked at Zero who walked in.


    The fact that Zero came unannounced meant it was something serious. Yet, he couldn''t remember anything that may cause this. He wasn''t in any active mission that was of a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nature or dangerous.


    What could it be?


    "Sir," Zero said as he rushed to the desk and placed a doc.u.ment on it.


    Kyle looked at Zero curiously, then at the paper. A medical report? Lianne?


    As he read on, he couldn''t believe it. He had to re-read it several times, his hands nearly ripping the paper. Anguish assailed him and his eyes tearing up.


    "Thank you, Zero," Kyle said softly, dismissing Zero.


    How could this be?? Congenital heart defect??!

 Chapter 861 - An Unexpected Revelation

    Chapter 861 - An Unexpected Revelation Kyle took some time to gather his thought and get his emotions under control.


    He looked at the medical report again.


    There wasn''t much on it, really, as it was just an evaluation of Lianne''s condition. There was also a referral letter attached to it for the pediatric cardiologist, as to the initial findings.


    The GP (general practitioner) had noticed a murmur when listening to her heartbeat. Nothing else was added to that, but as it was then directed to the pediatric cardiologist, it can only mean that there is something wrong with her heart, and it was something she was born with.


    But there had never been any indication whatsoever of her having anything wrong. If there was something wrong with her heart from birth, why now?


    Suddenly, he thought of how Lianne had been born.


    It was something completely unexpected, really.


    He had gone for the routine check-up and had told the doctor that she (Kylie) noticed that the movements of the baby weren''t as vigorous as before. Due to that, they had monitored her heartbeat and noticed that it was rather weak.


    Hence, a normal check-up ended Kylie being warded and the fetus''s heartbeat was monitored. After 6 hours, it was decided to induce birth, and Lianne was born prematurely.


    However, there didn''t seem to be anything wrong with her then and she wasn''t even placed in the ICU. Four days later, they were discharged, and though smaller than usual, Lianne was fine.


    Lianne did have jaundice, which is a rather common occurrence even in healthy newborns (whatmore for a baby that was born prematurely). This occurred because their kidney function was still rather weak and underdeveloped, thus they are not mature enough to get rid of enough bilirubin.


    Her jaundice, however, wasn''t serious and did not even require phototherapy, which was a treatment where the baby is placed in a cot with a light shining on them. This was a special type of light that would lower the bilirubin levels in the newborn through a process called photo-oxidation (which adds oxygen to the bilirubin so it dissolves easily in water).


    Lianne had been subjected to the home remedies which had worked very well.


    First, it was the old ''bathe in the morning sunlight'' routine whereby just at sunrise, and while the dew was still fresh on the leaves, Lianne would be sunbathing for 10-15 minutes before it got hot.


    Secondly, she was b.r.e.a.s.tfed more frequently. Kyle had been careful of his diet to ensure that the milk supply wasn''t just plentiful but also nutritious.


    Whatever it was, Lianne hadn''t needed any intervention. Every week, she had to go for a bilirubin blood test to check the health of her liver and monitor her jaundice. Each week, the heel of her foot would be pricked. Each week, the results showed she was recovering well.


    Within a month, she was all cleared of jaundice and no other health issue ever arose.


    Why wasn''t it caught then?


    Perhaps that weak fetal heartbeat was a sign?


    Yet, despite repeated visits to the hospital - for jaundice and immunization shots - it was never discovered?


    Lianne was also able to participate in the normal school sports activities such as cross-country runs and there had never been an issue?


    Why now?


    All these questions swirled in Kyle''s mind. After some time had passed, his mind settled down.


    No matter what, one thing was clear.


    Something *was* wrong.


    Rather than get lost in the past and getting upset or worried over things that you have no control over, it''s best to look at the present and work towards the future.


    Even though it wasn''t discovered then, it is discovered now.


    That is what is important.


    For that, Kyle is deeply grateful that Zero found out. Why he even had Lianne gone for a check-up, did not matter. What''s important was that Zero found out and had come to him about it.


    Kyle was happy about this. Zero and Lianne have a bond that would serve her better in the future. Kyle had always been worried about this part: who could Lianne confide in.


    Other than her mother.


    As close as she is to Lianne, there are surely things Lianne would not be able to talk to her about. Now that Lianne has Zero, Kyle felt calmer.


    So now, how to handle this issue?


    [Kay] Kyle called out to his sister.


    [Yes, brother?]


    [I need to take some time off for personal issues. Can you handle everything for a week?]


    [Of course I can] Kay said [But what''s wrong?]


    [Lianne ¡­ ] Kyle began and he suddenly found his throat constricting and his eyes tearing up. Even though he didn''t need a vocal chord to mindspeak with his sister, he still needed to be calm to do so.


    He choked.


    His emotions stirred up within.


    Thinking of it was one thing. Having to say it out loud was hard. It hit him harder than he thought. It was completely unexpected.


    Kay felt his despair at that point and she panicked. Pushing down the erratic feelings, she projected calm ones instead.


    [It''s suspected that Lianne has something wrong with her heart] Kyle said softly, slowly while taking deep breaths.


    [What?!] gasped Kay.


    [I need time to break this to her and get her for testing] Kyle told Kay.


    [Take all the time you need, Kyle] Kay said [But what about Stephan?]


    Kyle looked out the window, his mind swirling still when he came to a decision.


    [That, too. That''s why I need at least a week]


    Kay was silent, understanding what her brother was intending to do.


    [Good luck, brother] Kay said [I''m here for you]


    [As I, you] Kyle said.


    Instead of feeling appeased, however, Kay felt guilty.


    As they broke their mind-speech, Kay looked out the window as well, thinking hard while playing with her wedding band.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Stephan stood still, staring intently at Kyle in front of him.


    It was a sudden shock to have the CEO call him up but remembering the ties he had with him besides work, Stephan calmed down.


    Then, got even more shocked when Kyle told him that they needed to talk, and asked to talk at Stephan''s house.


    Despite the shock, however, Stephan complied and drove them back to his home. Even though it was still office hours, who would ask or say anything when it was the CEO himself that took him out?


    So now, here they were.


    In his home.


    This was the first time Kyle was here since he came, and he wondered just what was it that he had to see him about. It surely wasn''t about work, for he would have been called to the CEO office for that.


    Kyle looked about in the apartment. There wasn''t much furniture, really, but just enough for a family of three. The basic necessities.


    Stephan had always been like that.


    Never one to buy unnecessary things.


    "You haven''t changed," Kyle said, looking around, "The apartment is furnished only with practical things and not decorated as a home."


    Stephan''s eyes narrowed, feeling a bit miffed, "How I decorate my house is my business."


    "Oh, I know," Kyle said with a smile, "Don''t mind me. I was just making a casual observation." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His eyes went to the wall and tv cabinet, then said, "But a few pictures would be nice. Family photo on the wall, some floral table coverings for the tv cabinet. Nothing too much but enough to make the house, into a home."


    Stephan''s heart made a sudden jerk.


    The words Kyle used seemed to repeat in his mind, and in his memories, the exact same words were said.


    But it was his late wife who had said them.


    "Sometimes, the simplest of things can transform a cold living room into a warm loving home," Kyle continued, then turned to look at him.


    "Transform," Kyle repeated, bringing his hands together, the tips of his fingers touching each other before he spread them out.


    The words. That gesture.


    Stephan''s face paled.


    It was one thing to say similar words but that extent? Then making that motion?!


    "Who are you?" he asked, his eyes wide.


    Kyle didn''t answer at first, letting Stephan come to his own conclusion.


    He could tell that Stephan was struggling with it, so after a couple of minutes, Kyle said, "I know we don''t know each other well but if you give me a chance, I promise you that I will make you happy."


    When Kyle said the words Stephan had said to the woman that he eventually married, Stephan fell down to the floor on his knees.


    His face was deathly pale, his c.h.e.s.t was heaving while his face was streaked with tears, "No, it can''t be. No, no ... it''s ... it''s not possible."


    Kyle sighed and he tilted his head a bit, saying, "Why? Why is it not possible?"


    "Open your mind and think, Stephan. Why do I know the words?"


    Stephan was still shaking his head.


    "I, as Kyle, have never met your wife, yet I know everything that she has ever said when you got your first house. And even what you said to her when you proposed," Kyle continued.


    "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," Kyle said, "Isn''t that your favourite quote from Sherlock Holmes?"


    "Kylie?" Stephan managed to gasp out, not able to deny it any longer.


    Kyle gave a wry smile, "Hello Stephan."


    Stephan''s eyes rolled back and he promptly fainted.

 Chapter 862 - Now Can We Talk?

    Chapter 862 - Now Can We Talk? Kyle sighed upon seeing his ex-spouse lying on the ground, dead to the world.


    Well, perhaps the revelation really was a bit too much for him to handle at one shot.


    However, Kyle had no choice.


    If he wanted a more active role and to be by Lianne''s side, Stephan needed to be told. Kyle could not stand by the side and Lianne would definitely need her mother with her as emotional support.


    Kyle had never thought he would be telling Stephan at all.


    He had planned everything and had steeled his heart to just be ''on the outside, looking in'' with regards to the children from his former life. Stephan is their father, and the one that would decide everything about them and raise them.


    Kyle could only be in the background and just watch over them like a guardian angel.


    He had been prepared for that.


    He had done everything that he possibly could to give his children the best while not really interfering in their lives, yet at the same time, allowing Stephan to be the main person in the family.


    And now, with his own children in this life, he could not neglect them and he was focusing on them. He had to actively put his past-life children out of his mind lest he got too entangled with them and their lives.


    He had, essentially, ''let go'' as all parents would have to do when their kids were grown up.


    That was the sort of mentality that Kyle had put himself under.


    Now, of course, all of that went out the window for his eldest daughter needed him. No matter what, he would be there for her and not just on the fringes.


    Stephan was ill-equipped to deal with this and Kyle wasn''t referring to the financial aspect.


    Lianne needed the emotional support more.


    Kyle first checked Stephan''s pulse and found it to be normal.


    He didn''t bother lifting Stephan up from the floor, but he did place a folded towel under his head. This was because the floor was rather hard but his head couldn''t be elevated too much.


    Kyle took his legs and placed them on the chair, making sure the knees were right at the edge of the chair so that it would be stable. Ideally, Kyle should hold up his legs but there was no way he was going to sit there and watch his former spouse as he recovered from his dead faint.


    That, and the fact that Stephan would panic and such an intimate gesture, even though it was to help him recover. Kyle then loosened the top button of Stephan''s shirt and unbuttoned his pants, pulling down the zip a little bit.


    More than that, and Stephan would think weird stuff.


    Having a traditionally-minded man who was slightly homophobic meant Kyle had to be careful as to what he could do to help Stephan.


    Stephan suffered a vasovagal syncope, which is basically passing out due to a sudden drop in blood pressure that had been triggered by a sudden shock. His heart slowed down for a short time, thus, the brain did not get enough oxygen-rich blood and caused Stephan to faint.


    Putting up his legs would encourage the blood flow to the brain, and Stephan should wake up in a few minutes. Kyle just sat on the nearby sofa, waiting.


    When he saw Stephan''s eyelids fluttering, he said, "Don''t get up just yet. You just fainted. Lie down until the dizziness pass."


    Stephan heard him but didn''t open his eyes.


    He was still rather disoriented and he wasn''t quite ready to face the man ¡­ that used to be his wife.


    After observing Stephan for a few minutes, Kyle said, "You know, avoiding the subject wouldn''t make it go away."


    Stephan put his arms over his eyes, knowing what Kyle said was true.


    But he still couldn''t open his eyes and face Kyle.


    Kyle, however, didn''t intend to let him be.


    As Kylie, he would have just gone to his room and let Stephan be alone to sort out his thoughts. Once he did, they''d just get back to normal without ever raising the issue again.


    In this case, however, there was no choice in the matter.


    "I never intended to tell you," Kyle said.


    "So why did you?!" Stephan couldn''t help but shout, "Couldn''t you just let me be? How am I supposed to deal with this?!"


    "Nothing has changed," Kyle said, "It''s not like we can get back together and I''m even married now."


    "Stop, just stop," Stephan said, feeling dizzy again.


    "Look, this is the last thing I wanted to spring on you," Kyle began when Stephan interrupted him again.


    "Then don''t! It''s too late!!" Stephen shouted, louder, "Why tell me?!!"


    Kyle got up, incensed, and kicked the chair that Stephan''s legs were on, completely smashing it.


    "Will you shut the f*ck up?!" Kyle roared, "You keep asking why but you''re not willing to listen!!"


    "Get over this. Quickly. We have more serious issues to handle," Kyle hissed, releasing his killer aura.


    Stephan froze yet his eyes snapped open.


    Initially, he had been startled, then his anger rose but the moment he felt that icy glare (even though his eyes were closed) and the sudden chill ¡­ all thoughts about Kyle being Kylie flew out the window.


    This ¡­


    No matter what, this was not his wife.


    At first, when Kyle had revealed who he had been, images of his wife overlapped with Kyle. Memories and visions of his wife blurred with Kyle. Did this mean he was supposed to get back with his wife, who is now a guy?!


    It was just too much for him to handle. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, I used to be Kylie," Kyle said, "But I am Kyle now. 100% male and happily married to the s.e.xiest woman alive. Believe me, I have no intention of rekindling old feelings."


    Kyle said firmly, staring at Stephan and was relieved to see Stephan slowly getting rational again.


    "Now can we talk about Lianne?"


    "Huh? Lianne?" Stephan asked, puzzled.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Zero frowned.


    When Sir exited the office, he had told him to pick up Lianne and her brother as Stephan would be busy.


    So here he was, back at the school.


    But Anne was no where to be seen.


    Did she go back, thinking that he was taking care of her?


    This was a serious derelict of duties!


    Zero became even more upset over this.


    The girls who were admiring him from a distance got chills over it.


    Lianne, who was just packing up to go, realised something and turned.


    Surprised to see Zero, she quickly headed over.


    Byron was watching from a distance, unable to go home even though he knew that he didn''t have a chance.


    It''s just that ¡­ all that he had seen and accidentally heard made him feel rather agitated inside.


    They went to the doctors.


    She was feeling tired all the time.


    Her boyfriend was a college guy.


    All of it fit.


    As much as he felt he couldn''t believe it, but the truth was staring at him right in his face.


    If you''re a guy who had such a delicate and innocent beauty like Lianne ¡­ well, no one would truly believe it was a platonic relationship now, right?


    Byron bit his fingernails, a very bad habit he got when he''s really, really agitated.


    This is r.a.p.e!


    Lianne is still a minor!!


    If he reported it, and get that darn fool out of the way, would he stand a chance?


    But if she really was pregnant, would he be willing to raise another man''s child?


    But she''s still so young.


    Would her father really let her keep it?


    All of these (ridiculous) thoughts swirled in Byron''s mind. He was thinking so hard about what the future would be and how he would handle it.


    Does he really want ''used goods''?


    When he looked at Lianne, he couldn''t help but feel that ¡­ well, why not? He could set her back on the right path right?


    If Lianne was to know of it, she would have turned on him like a vengeful demon.


    Well, okay.


    She would have sicked Zero on him because she didn''t have the skills to fight him.


    If there was anything left, Kyle would have a few "words" to say as well.


    As Byron was lost in his fantasies and made up stories, Lianne reached Zero.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked worriedly, touching him on the arm.


    Zero gave her a smile, "Nothing. Your father is busy at the moment, so I''m here to pick you and Joseph up."


    "Ah," Lianne said, nodding.


    "He''ll be a while, so we''ll have dinner first," Zero said, taking her stuff and carrying it, "Kay will be joining us as well."


    "Joey would certainly be happy about that," Lianne said with a smile.


    "Yes, I believe he would," Zero said with a slight smile.

 Chapter 863 - Closure

    Chapter 863 - Closure Kyle left Stephan lying down on the ground, thinking that it''s best that he settled down before they started talking about Lianne.


    "What happened to Lianne?" Stephan asked quietly from the ground.


    "Come on, get up first," Kyle said, "Unless you''re still feeling dizzy?"


    "No," Stephan replied, slowly sitting up and then going on the sofa. He faced Kyle, who looked rather grim and serious.


    Kyle handed him the short medical report that Zero had passed to him.


    "What?" Stephan read the report, his reaction nearly identical to Kyle''s.


    "How .. how can this be?" Stephan asked.


    "I don''t know," Kyle replied, "But the first thing we need to do is get her tested. I can give her the best, you know that."


    "And it''s not your fault," Kyle said, "I was just born into a family that is filthy rich. It has nothing to do about your capabilities, or lack of it, so get that thought out of your mind."


    "Is this why you told me?" Stephan said, "Because you can afford to give her the best when I can''t?"


    "Partly," Kyle said, "Mostly because I am closer to her than you. Closer, because I''m her mother."


    Stephan stared at him, not comprehending at first.


    "Wait ¡­ are you saying ..?"


    "Yes, she knows who I am," Kyle replied.


    "You told her?!" Stephan said, "For what purpose?! Does Joseph know as well?!"


    "No, I didn''t tell her," Kyle said, "She figured it out on her own. And no, Joseph doesn''t know and I don''t intend on telling him."


    "Look, Stephan," Kyle continued, "As much as I love Lianne and Joseph, I am very well aware that my life as Kylie ended when she died. As you can see, Kylie died only a few years ago but I am already over 20 years old. Not only was I reincarnated, I was reincarnated in the past."


    Kyle could see Stephan''s eyes going wild again, so he said quickly, "Don''t try and figure it out. Don''t try to make sense of all of this. It can never happen. Just know, it did happen and I am living proof of it."


    "What IS important right now is dealing with Lianne," Kyle continued, "I do not intend to take over anything for she is your daughter. I told you about myself because I wanted the freedom to be by her side."


    Kyle looked at Stephan in the eye and said, "You''re a wonderful father, Stephan but you know as well as I do that you''ve never understood her. The only reason she managed to recover from ''my'' death was because I wasn''t dead to her."


    Stephan hung his head low.


    He felt useless.


    It was as Kyle had said.


    He couldn''t be there for his own daughter, no matter how hard he tried. He could see how she shied away from him though she never rejected him.


    They just never got along properly.


    He couldn''t control his temper so much although he had been trying very hard. He couldn''t fully understand her thoughts and his style of raising his kids couldn''t really be changed.


    It was how he is.


    Just like she is how she is.


    "It''s not your fault, Stephan," Kyle said softly, "You are doing your best. I know that. She knows that. But it cannot be denied that you won''t be able to offer her the sort of comfort that she needs when we break this news to her."


    "We?"


    "Of course, we," Kyle said, "You''re her father, aren''t you? I told you I''m not here to take over. Of course, if you''re not around, I would definitely put them under my wing but as it is, I cannot in this form now, can I?"


    Stephan looked at Kyle seriously, for the first time since the big revelation.


    "Are you happy?"


    Kyle gave him a bright smile, "I''m happy. I''m sad that I can''t be with Lianne and Joseph like I used to, but I am so happy that I can finally see them whenever I want. It''s been a long, hard and lonely life even though I was surrounded by so much love and wealth."


    Stephan nodded, "Without them, our lives are empty. But why aren''t you telling Joseph?"


    Kyle gave a wry smile.


    "Joseph wouldn''t be able to handle it," Kyle explained, "You already have such a hard time grasping this - it would be worse for Joseph. And there''s absolutely no reason for me to tell him."


    "He has moved on, and so, let him be," Kyle said, "Unsettling him right now wouldn''t do him any good."


    "I suppose," Stephan said. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, truth be told," Kyle said,?tilting his head, "You''re taking this much better than I thought. Albeit, minus the fainting part earlier."


    Stephan snorted, shaking his head, "I''m still not quite grasping this, really. But I find it easier to take when I''m not questioning it at all."


    "I''m glad," Kyle responded, leaning back on the chair.


    "There is one thing though," Stephan said, wringing his hands and feeling nervous all of the sudden.


    "What?"


    "MIB? Donnie?"


    Kyle gave him a cold smile, "Did you think I would pass the opportunity to take advantage of the wealth the parents this life has given me, in order to take revenge on those who killed me?"


    "Did you¡­?"


    "I did," Kyle answered.


    Stephan thought back of all the things that had happened back in Country M. The threats, the things Kyle had done. Seeing them again with the knowledge that Kyle, is Kylie, made everything so different.


    He looked at his ''wife''.


    Well, ex-wife.


    No, his mind still couldn''t accept what his eyes was seeing but if he just listened to the words, it was easier to handle.


    "Who else knows?" Stephan couldn''t help but ask.


    "My sister, Kay," Kyle said, "And my wife."


    Stephan was surprised.


    "Your wife? She knows?"


    "Yes," Kyle said, "I have an advantage, I suppose."


    Stephan was confused.


    "What do you mean?" Stephan asked. Wasn''t it obvious that Kyle had an advantage? Well, several advantages? Handsome, rich, smart?


    "As a former woman, I know what a woman really wants," Kyle explained, completely brushing over the fact that it took him several years to realise his feelings and get together with Sayuri.


    "And being open and completely honest in a relationship is the most important thing," Kyle said softly, his voice trailing off.


    He saw the sudden hurt in Stephan''s eyes and he sighed, "I know that''s not your style and though I was often frustrated by your lack of communication when we were married, I accepted it. It was a part of you that you can''t change so I didn''t blame you in any way."


    Blame? No, never. But anger? Frustration and utter hopelessness? Yes.


    However, Stephan didn''t need to know that, right?


    Stephan understood.


    "You really should find someone and remarry," Kyle told him, "You''re the type of person that needs someone by his side, and be taken care of. I may have not been able to do a good job, so ¡­"


    "No," Stephan said, shaking his head, "Kylie was a good wife, and more than that, she was a fantastic mother. I was the one that failed her."


    "No, you didn''t," Kyle said, knowing full well that he was the one that had failed him. After all, he had that one-night stand with Chris.


    "I''ve never thought that way. For what it''s worth, Kylie was content," Kyle said.


    Stephan was silent, then found that with Kyle''s words, the deep knot in his heart, and the guilt he had always carried, seemed to have been cleared. The knot became untangled and the guilt was washed away.


    Closure.


    Stephan, in being able to obtain the closure that many would not get from the sudden death of a loved one, became much more relaxed.


    This made the subsequent talks go back much smoother.


    Kyle and Stephan spent a long time talking things through. Now that Stephan knew that Kyle is Kylie, he didn''t object to Kyle spending more time with Lianne.


    With the biggest hurdle out of the way, Kyle''s next step is to approach Lianne, and wth Stephan, tell her.


    Kyle prayed for strength.


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    "They do look happy, don''t they?" Lianne whispered to Zero as they watched Kay and Joseph banter and laugh.


    "Yes," Zero said.


    "So when are you getting hitched?" Lianne asked, "No women you''re interested in yet?"


    "No," Zero answered curtly.


    "Or is it that you prefer men?"


    "NO," Zero answered through gritted teeth.


    Lianne tsked at him and rolled her eyes, "Not many 30-year-old v.i.r.g.i.ns left in the world, you know."


    "Lianne!" Zero hissed.


    "What? Are you telling me that you''re not a v.i.r.g.i.n?"


    "That isn''t the issue here!"


    "Oh come on, Zero," Lianne said sweetly, leaning forward, "I can''t wait to see Little Zero. He would be so cute!!"


    Suddenly, an all too-familiar-stupid voice shouted, "I knew it! You''re pregnant!!"

 Chapter 864 - Settling Byron

    Chapter 864 - Settling Byron As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Byron suddenly found himself face down on the table, his head being pressed on it while his arm was being twisted around his back.


    From his position, he could see an extremely annoyed Lianne, who was glaring at him while crossing her arms across her c.h.e.s.t.


    "I can sue you for slander," Lianne said.


    Kay came up beside her and took out her phone, "I''ll get you the best lawyer."


    Joseph just looked at Byron in pity, shaking his head.


    "Sue?" Zero said from above Byron, "Why go through that hassle? I can just ¡­"


    Zero looked around, and noticed people were watching them, "... bring him home and give him to his parents."


    Then, under his breath so that only Byron could hear, "after teaching him a lesson or two."


    As he said that, Zero twisted his arm a bit more and pressed down on his head more, though those actions could not be seen.


    His expression also didn''t change.


    "Seeing this kind of reminded me of Kyle so long ago," Kay mused, watching Zero nonchalantly holding Byron down.


    "Oh?" Joseph said, raising an eyebrow then came over, putting his arm around her waist, "Do tell."


    Kay smiled as she recalled the time they were in school, and had gone to the food trucks for dinner after Kyle had done the school council interview, "It was when we were still schooling, actually. It was during dinner. Kyle and the others had gone to get the food when some goons appeared trying to hit on me."


    Joseph pulled Kay closer to him, his face frowning. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His wife really was a magnet for men, even then.


    "Kyle broke the leader''s arm, after knocking him unconscious by hitting his head on the table," Kay said, "After that, everyone else just ran away."


    "So, Zero to Lianne, is like Kyle is to you," Joseph said, understanding as he watched Zero protect his sister.


    A part of him was rather peeved, though, because he was not capable of doing what Zero was doing. He was Lianne''s brother, yet someone else was standing up for her instead of him.


    Another part of him was glad that Zero was here to do so, for Byron''s shout had made everyone turn towards them. Even if Country Tz was much more liberal than Country M, it did not mean saying such personal things out loud, was appropriate.


    Even if Lianne was pregnant (which he knew, she was not), his words had crossed the line.


    Zero was in his ''bad mood'' mode, and Joseph wisely did not interfere at all.


    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!" Byron was begging, "I wasn''t thinking!"


    "Yes, you weren''t," Lianne said, not showing any pity, "The sort of nonsense that comes out of that mouth can only come from an idiot with a pea-size brain like you. The brain needs to be used, you know. Otherwise it would shrivel up ¡­ like yours obviously did."


    Zero gave a smirk.


    He exerts the physical pain, Lianne dishes out the mental pain.


    He could feel Byron wince at Lianne''s words. Who wouldn''t feel it when the object of their crush insults them like that?


    "Or perhaps, you did a brain transplant with a monkey," Lianne said, tilting her head while putting her finger on her chin, "And now, that monkey is a f*cking idiot."


    Kay and Joseph hissed under their breath.


    "She''s only getting started," Joseph said, bringing his mouth to Kay''s ear to whisper to her. Kay couldn''t help but shiver a bit upon feeling his body so close to her, and his breath right at her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e ears.


    Joseph, noticing her reaction, smiled slightly and blew a little bit into her ear.


    "Joseph!!" Kay screeched, putting her hand on her ear and pushing him on the c.h.e.s.t.


    That shout of hers made people now look at her and she huffed, turning away from Joseph.


    Joseph couldn''t help but laugh a little bit upon seeing her act so cute.


    Byron, on the other hand, was now looking at the couple with wide eyes.


    From their closeness and interaction, it was quite obvious that they were a couple. Such a gorgeous woman, and she was with Joseph?!


    What was with this Yang blood?


    Not only were their partners people with such outstanding features, they were of a higher level. He couldn''t quite pinpoint what it was, but to him, they seemed to be people ''out of their reach''.


    Yet, the Yang siblings were with them??


    [Kay, can I ask for a favour?]


    Kay''s facial expression didn''t change upon her brother''s sudden connection.


    [Of course, brother. You don''t even have to ask]


    [Stephan and I need to talk with Lianne, but we don''t want Joseph to know yet] Kyle said slowly to Kay as he was in the kitchen, making a drink.


    [Okay, so what can I do to help?]


    [Let him stay with you for tonight?] Kyle said [I don''t know how long the talks would be, or whether I would need to take Lianne out for a more mother-daughter talk. So it''s best that Joseph is out of the picture right now]


    [When are you planning to tell Joseph?]


    [When we have more information] Kyle told her [Telling him these vague things would not do anything other than make him worry. Once we have all the information, we''ll tell him]


    [Make sense. How did Stephan take the big reveal?]


    Kyle looked at his former spouse, drinking the coffee that Kyle had made [Better than I thought. Things are ok at this end]


    [That''s good. And don''t worry, Kyle. I''ll take care of Joseph today. In fact, why not just let him stay with me for the week? I am sure you''re going to send Lianne for testing over the weekend?]


    Kyle was silent for a while. It was still the middle of weekday, but perhaps it was the better option. He doubted that Lianne would be in a proper state of mind to think about school or even want to be with people after breaking the news to her.


    But to have Joseph stay with Kay the entire time?


    That would certainly make him suspicious and wonder why, right?


    And what about Stephan?


    If Kyle was to take Lianne and handle all the medical issues, and Joseph wasn''t home because he was with Kay, Stephan would be left all alone.


    [I''ll get back to you on that] Kyle said after thinking for a bit [Tonight is definitely needed but for the rest, it will be up to Stephan]


    [True. Okay, just let me know]


    Kay had been too excited over having Joseph over that she neglected Stephan. Being able to have Joseph over for several days was great so she leaned over and whispered to him while taking the opportunity to land a kiss on his ear, "Guess what?"


    The tip of Joseph''s ear immediately went red but he managed to keep his face straight, "What?"


    "Just talked to Kyle," she said, "He''s got a few things he needs to do. Long story short, he''s asked if I could put you up for the night."


    Joseph was so happy at the sudden news that he didn''t even care about the why or the hows of it, "Really?!"


    "Yes, really," Kay replied with a smile.


    "Lianne?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about her," Kay said, "It''s just you and me tonight."


    Joseph squeezed her waist more, then ran his fingers gently along the side, just barely touching the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t, while saying, "That''s good."


    "Let''s stop by the shops before going home," Kay said, "We really should have some of your things besides just the toiletries."


    Joseph smiled.


    Home.


    His home, with Kay.


    "What about Lianne?" Joseph asked.


    "Zero will be with her," Kay said, "And I believe they need to settle this boy issue first."


    "True," Joseph said, "Let''s leave them to it then."


    He couldn''t wait to go and buy things with Kay. Making their home more comfortable.


    Kay walked over and tapped Zero on the shoulder, "We''ll be making a move now. Be careful not to break his arm or leave any visible marks."


    Byron''s eyes went wide open at those words.


    Zero didn''t say a word but merely nodded.


    "Lianne, see you later," Kay said with a smile, walking out hand-in-hand with Joseph.


    Lianne looked at her watch and noted that it was still rather early. She didn''t think much about Joseph following Kay at the moment, for she knew that Kay would bring Joseph back in time to avoid suspicion.


    Of course, she didn''t know that her parents were waiting anxiously at home in order to break the news to her.


    For now, her mind was on Byron.


    "What now, Lianne?" Zero asked, pointing at Byron with his chin.


    "Well, I believe your plan to bring him home is good," Lianne said, "We need to settle this Byron once and for all."


    Byron gulped.

 Chapter 865 - Talking to Byron

    Chapter 865 - Talking to Byron "Wha ¡­ wha ¡­ what are you ¡­ going to do to me?" Byron asked fearfully.


    Zero grabbed the back of Byron''s neck while simultaneously letting go of the arm. Pulling Byron off the table, he literally had Byron in his hands as his fingers pressed upon the side of Byron''s neck.


    "Why are you here?" Lianne asked, her face not showing any emotions.


    Right now, the expression on Lianne''s face and Zero''s face was identical - making those who were still watching the ''show'' feel like they were the perfect couple.


    "I - I was just passing by," Byron mumbled, "And I saw you inside. So I wanted to say hi."


    "Just. Passing. By?" Lianne scoffed, "Alone?"


    Zero pressed harder on Byron''s neck when he hesitated in answering, "Yes."


    Lianne frowned.


    "What about your parents?" she asked, not believing for a second that he was here alone.


    Byron shrugged instinctively, then found that he couldn''t do it so he said, "Work."


    Lianne looked at Zero, and Zero looked at Lianne.


    He basically did sound rather pitiful right now.


    Byron had always been the happy-go-lucky guy in school, seemingly without any problems. He had tons of people around him but yet, right now, he was all alone?


    Lianne never paid any attention to him other than the sort of image and persona he gave in school but now, perhaps things were not as simple as it seemed.


    They were not exactly in a place that people would come to. Not that it was a bad place, but it''s not a popular hang-out for those within their age group. That was the reason why they decided to eat here.


    Something occurred to Lianne.


    "How did you get here?" she asked. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Byron didn''t answer.


    "You live around here, don''t you?" Lianne pressed on.


    When he didn''t answer, Lianne then said, "Or were you following me? Stalking me?"


    "NO!" Byron said quickly.


    Lianne nodded.


    She didn''t think he did, but he wasn''t really willing to open up so she said the words to goad him. From what she could tell from his past actions in wooing her, he had been very careful not to step over the line.


    Hence, the act of him following her would never be within his plans at all.


    It truly was a coincidence then.


    But for him to be out here, and seeing them here, meant that he was wandering alone outside. Though it wasn''t late, it was still dark and his parents weren''t around? No one stopped him from going out?


    Sure, he was a guy and some parents tend to take it for granted that they would be safe. That only girls would be in danger if they were to wander about like this.


    But still, Lianne felt there was something more to this.


    "Come on, Zero," Lianne said, her voice gentler and her gaze on Byron not as harsh, "This is not the place to talk."


    "Your house," Zero said to Byron, pushing him forward a bit, "Empty?"


    "Y-Y-yes," Byron replied, walking ahead.


    "Go," Zero ordered, and Byron quickly led them to his home without further thought. He was just too scared, fully believing that Zero would give him a beating otherwise.


    [Of course, he was right about that ¡­ ]


    Lianne walked side-by-side with Zero, and was whispering to him her observations of Byron.


    She basically wanted Zero to calm down and not jump on him at the moment. She could feel his anger at Byron and when he was like this, there was a danger of him turning full?''Volcano'' mode.


    He wouldn''t kill Byron, of course, but a few months in the hospital would definitely be in the cards.


    "Stand down, Zero, you hear me?" Lianne said to Zero, grabbing the sleeve of his jacket.


    "I have already warned him," hissed Zero, "And he actually dared to malign you like that?!"


    "He wasn''t thinking," Lianne said, trying to pacify Zero.


    "That''s not an excuse!"


    "He''s an idiot, yes, but a harmless one," Lianne replied, trying to convince Zero.


    Zero snorted.


    Sarah had been a ''harmless'' one, too at first. Look how *that* turned out.


    No way would they ever let anything like that happen again. Any sort of threat to the Smith Line, and to those connected to them, would be eliminated.


    This was something they, the Diamond Group, had decided.


    Lianne pinched Zero''s arm and he let out a snarl.


    Not at her, but Byron who was now fumbling at the door, trying to unlock it.


    "With you keeping an eye on him, you''ll make sure he won''t cross the line, right?" Lianne said, "I think he can be saved. He''s still young."


    Zero snorted again.


    Byron, in the meantime, was sweating buckets.


    This boyfriend of Lianne was damn scary.


    Not only was he so merciless in dishing out pain, he hardly talked. Snarls? Grunts? Snorts?


    The only time he ever said full sentences was to threaten him.


    That made it worse.


    If words were so valuable to him, the fact that he took such great effort to get his point across when threatening him meant a lot.


    "Come in," Byron said weakly, inviting them in even though he was petrified.


    "See?" Lianne whispered to Zero softly, "He still has some manners."


    Byron saw the rather intimate way Lianne interacted with Zero, the scary guy. How could they be a couple? Lianne was so sweet. So warm and that ¡­ that thing was not.


    Lianne looked inside the house, seeing the minimalist decor. It was cold and rather devoid of warmth. With its dark furniture, lack of lighting and even dreary curtains, it was small wonder Byron the sunshine boy would prefer to wander about outside.


    There was nothing in here that would be able to house such a person.


    Byron was a pretty good host, too.


    He went to the kitchen to make some drinks after telling them to sit down in the living room. He came out with a tray of milk tea and some biscuits.


    "We don''t have much," he said as an apology as he put the tray down, his hands shaking a bit.


    "This is fine," Lianne replied, "But we''re really here to talk."


    "Talk?" Byron repeated stupidly.


    "What? You didn''t think we asked you to bring us here so that Zero could beat you up without anyone witnessing it, is it?" Lianne asked with a wry smile.


    Zero leaned back on the chair, glaring at Byron.


    "It wasn''t?" Byron asked in surprise.


    "It was," Zero said, upon which Lianne hit him squarely on the c.h.e.s.t.


    "Stop it, Zero. You''re scaring him," Lianne said, pursing her lips.


    "No, I am not," Zero replied with a slight smile.


    To Byron, it wasn''t a smile at all but it had the ''you know it'' sort of evil vibe. The sort of ''come, give me an excuse'' sort of thing.


    Perhaps it was because Byron had too much of an active imagination but he had visions of Zero just waiting for him to fumble just so he could punch him. Now that they weren''t in public, could Lianne truly keep him down?


    "Do you know what you did wrong?" Lianne asked Byron.


    Byron nodded vigorously.


    Lianne stared at him.


    Byron shook his head slowly.


    Lianne sighed, Zero''s glare got more menacing.


    Byron nodded again.


    Lianne looked at Byron, then at Zero and rubbed her forehead.


    This was going to take a bit of time but time was not something they had. She would have to be heading home soon.


    As such, trying to get Byron to think upon his actions would not work. Lianned had to be blunt.


    She normally would be, but this time, seeing Byron''s family condition, she felt she couldn''t. She would be direct, but would frame her words better. Softer, in a way.


    Byron was simply a socially inept fool. He was, to her estimation, just someone that spoke before he thought it out properly - and even then, he would not have the proper thought process.


    Lianne had thought her actions of avoiding Byron would have been obvious enough to him of her disinterest and normally, that would work.


    For a normal person.


    Byron''s thought process, on the other hand, probably just took it as that she was truly busy. Not avoiding him.


    "Byron," Lianne said firmly, "First, shouting out my personal issues in public is bad. Secondly, you didn''t even get the facts right before making such an accusation. Do you know how rumours can get out of hand? If there was someone from school who heard you, how do you think that would be for me? Did you ever think about me at all? For someone who claims to care, you''re really dense and dishing out hurt."


    "You mean you''re not pregnant?" Byron said with a gasp.


    "NO," Lianne replied, putting a hand on Zero''s c.h.e.s.t to stop him from leaping up and punching Byron.


    "Let me ..." Zero hissed.


    "No," Lianne said.


    "Just a little?" Zero asked, looking at her pitifully.

 Chapter 866 - Breaking the News

    Chapter 866 - Breaking the News "My goodness, Lianne!" exclaimed Byron, "You really have him trained well. He''s like a loyal l.a.p - aaarrrggghhh!"


    Lianne ignored the screams of pain as Zero lunged over and started hitting Byron. She calmly picked up a teacup and started drinking the tea, thinking that it was good tea.


    Soon, the shouts became whimpers as Zero sat back down next to her, and Lianne handed him his cup of tea, "It''s good." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zero nodded, flipped his hair so that the bangs over his eyes were cleared and he started drinking.


    Byron was curled up on the ground, gasping and groaning.


    "You really should learn to think before you speak," Lianne advised him, "You may get away with it in school as people just take it that you''re a joker. Outside of school, however, you can get into serious trouble."


    She didn''t hold back Zero this time because Byron really needed to learn to not shoot his mouth off. That, and because he had insulted Zero.


    Zero, on the other hand, hadn''t been bothered at all about what Byron had said about him. He was just happy that Lianne had taken her hand off his c.h.e.s.t, indicating he could do what he wanted.


    He had been very careful with his beating. He had avoided the face and all areas that had a bone - which meant the area he could hit was small. Still, Zero landed his hits on those areas easily and cleanly, and with the palm of his hand rather than a fist.


    This meant that he had distributed the force of the blow over a larger surface area, thereby avoiding leaving any marks.


    In short, Byron got beaten up but there was no injury that could be seen as evidence of it. The pain, however, was real.


    "That''s only a taste of what sort of trouble you would be getting into, you know," Lianne said and put down the empty cup of tea, "Thank you for the tea."


    She got up and Zero followed her, and just barely managed to refrain himself from giving Byron one last kick as they left.


    "Oh, one more thing, Byron," Lianne said as she stood at the door, ready to exit, "For the record, thank you for the interest but no thanks. I already have Zero here. So please. Stop."


    Byron quickly got up, ignoring the pain.


    "I get it, really. I do," Byron said, clenching his teeth as he bore with the pain, "And I''m sorry. I ¡­ I ¡­ but we can be friends, right?"


    Lianne looked at Zero, who just glared at Byron.


    "What makes you think I would let you?" Zero said in a menacing voice.


    Byron shivered but he managed to put his head up, "You can''t control her. She has the right to decide."


    Lianne smiled, turning her head away to hide it and she patted Zero on the back.


    Well, perhaps Byron can be taught after all.


    "At least you have *some* brains," Zero muttered.


    "Fine," Lianne said, "Acquaintances."


    "Huh?" Byron repeated, not understanding.


    "You," Lianne said, pointing at Byron, "are not a friend. A friend is a person with whom I share a strong bond with, like Zero here. In fact, he''s more than a friend."


    Of course, Zero was her soulmate - but of the platonic kind.


    "You, at the best, is an acquaintance as you''re just someone I know," Lianne clarified.


    "How long before I can be a friend?"


    "Don''t push it," Zero said, his eyes narrowing.


    "It''s not a matter of how long," Lianne said.


    "So what does it matter on?" Byron asked.


    Lianne just gave him a smile, turned and he heard her voice as she walked away, "If you can''t even figure that out, then what''s the point?"


    Byron stood there, just frozen, as he stared at her back.


    He clenched his fist, closed the door and limped to his bedroom.


    Damn, that Zero was vicious.


    But it really was a lesson he learned well. Everytime he was going to say something on the spur of the moment, he would stop and think about it. It certainly shaped him to a better person in the future.


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    Kyle appeared calm while looking at his former spouse, who appeared agitated.


    Lianne was on the way home, as per what Zero had reported. He gave Kyle a missed call in order not to alert Lianne as to what he was doing. With that warning, Kyle and Stephan sat and waited.


    When Lianne walked through the door, she was immediately worried as she saw her father at home. It was obvious from the shoes in the corridor that Joseph had not returned home yet.


    Worse, her mother was here as well?!


    She panicked for a second before Zero told her, "It''s okay. They know Joseph will be back later."


    Lianne let out a breath of relief, but not much.


    Because an ominous feeling arose in her heart.


    She grabbed Zero''s sleeve and whispered urgently, "Zero. What''s going on??"


    Zero looked aggrieved, the guilt eating up at him and he patted her on the back, encouraging her to enter, "I''m sorry. Sir and your father will explain."


    Lianne took a deep breath, nodded and walked in. Her heart was beating fast, in nervousness although she didn''t show it on her face. In actual fact, her face had an expression that usually triggered her father - to him, it looked like she was defiant.


    Rebellious.


    This time, however, Stephan was too upset and worried about her reaction to the news to be affected by that look.


    Kyle, however, knew that expression better.


    She was being guarded and nervous.


    He cursed.


    She suspected something.


    This would make breaking the news worse.


    Zero closed the door with a heavy heart. He leaned his forehead on the door on the outside, wishing he could be there for her. But he couldn''t.


    He placed his palm on the door, whispering words of encouragement and apologies, even though she couldn''t hear him. After that, he left.


    Meanwhile, inside, Lianne sat on the sofa, facing her parents.


    "Lianne, I .. " Kyle began, hesitated?then held her hand, telling her, "There is something we need to tell you."


    Lianne kept quiet, waiting.


    "At your last medical check, the doctor discovered something when he listened to your heartbeat," Kyle began slowly, "They would like you to go for further testing."


    Lianne didn''t say a word, listening to what her mother was saying. She just sat there, staring at Kyle.


    "Lianne? Are you okay?"


    "I .." Lianne finally opened her mouth, "I ¡­ I don''t know what to say. Or feel. This is just too sudden a news."


    "If you''re up to it, we''ll go to see the cardiologist tomorrow and do the necessary tests," Kyle said.


    "We?" Lianne repeated, looking at her father.


    Somehow, she didn''t want him there, but could she stop him from coming? After all, he was her father while Kyle wasn''t connected to her in any way in this life - other than her benefactor.


    "Yes, you and me," Kyle told her.


    This was something Stephan had discussed with Kyle.


    He actually wouldn''t be able to handle hearing any news about his daughter. He was really a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e person and thus, he was worried his reaction of concern would not be taken well by his daughter.


    Stephan didn''t want to show his weakness in front of his daughter and he knew that he wouldn''t be able to make the proper judgment either. As such, he was truly glad that Kyle did reveal who he really was to Lianne.


    Stephan managed to keep his emotions hidden, not wanting his daughter to get more worried.


    "You should have your mother with you," Stephan said, tilting his chin towards Kyle.


    Lianne''s eyes went wide open, "You know?"


    "I told him," Kyle said softly, letting go of Lianne''s hands.


    Lianne should have known, really, because Kyle was so open with his feelings for her. Holding her hand and all that in front of her father.


    However, she had been so focused and worried about what her mother was going to tell her that she missed that point.


    "Thank you," Lianne said, knowing that her mother did this in order to be by her side, "I''m going in now."


    She had to process this and did not want to be with anyone right now. All sorts of scenarios went through her mind and she had to stop herself from thinking of all the possible scenarios.


    "Will she be alright?" Stephan asked worriedly.


    "Only time will tell," Kyle said, "The most important thing right now is to let her be. She needs to come to terms with this first."


    Stephan nodded and took several deep breaths.


    While Lianne was in her room contemplating her life, Joseph was doing the same.


    He kissed his beloved wife''s forehead, and she stirred in her sleep then snuggled deeper into his arms.


    Why must they be apart?

 Chapter 867 - Kays Worries

    Chapter 867 - Kay''s Worries The next day, Kay sent Joseph to school. As much as he wanted to give her a kiss as he got down, he knew he couldn''t as they were in public.


    Kay watched him go with a heavy heart, for she knew that he was reluctant to leave - just as she was loathed to have him leave. However, she had to be the stronger one here, right?


    After all ¡­ wasn''t it her fault that they had to have a hidden marriage?


    Lianne didn''t go to school today as she was being brought by Kyle to the hospital. Kyle, too, wouldn''t be around so Kay had to pick up the slack.


    Throughout the entire day, however, she couldn''t quite concentrate as she pondered upon the dilemma that she was in.


    Kyle had already told Stephan his biggest secret, in order to be there for his daughter.


    What about her?


    How long was she going to keep this from Kyle?


    The longer she waited, the harder it was.


    The more Kay thought about it, the more she realised how right Lianne had been to push her towards getting married to Joseph. If she didn''t, she would have taken even longer to make a decision.


    Even now, it was hard but just thinking about Joseph and their marriage made her feel more anxious about their status. The more time she spent with Joseph, the more she wanted to be by his side all the time.


    Even though he was still in school, it didn''t seem wrong. However, perhaps, it would not be good if it was revealed while he was still in high school?


    She needed to have her sounding board.


    Naturally, this meant Lance.


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    Lance couldn''t believe what his best friend was telling him. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He put a finger in his ear, wriggled it a bit for effect, and sat up straight, looking at Kay straight in the eye.


    "Okay, say that again?"


    Kay rolled her eyes, drank some wine, and started cutting the steak in front of her, "You heard me the first time."


    Lance looked at the ring on her finger.


    He shook his head and sighed, picking up his fork and continued eating, "Well, whatever makes you happy."


    "It does, but at the same time, it doesn''t," Kay admitted with a sigh.


    "Well, duh," Lance replied, waving his fork about, "You got your man but you can''t be with him. What sort of arrangement is that?!"


    Kay stabbed her steak with her fork, and brought it to her mouth, chewing on it angrily. The steak was good, and soft, and didn''t really deserve the force she put into chewing it but it made her feel a bit better.


    If she had a hobby like Kyle, perhaps she would have a better outlet for her frustration. As it is, she could only ''torture'' the steak.


    Lance went on nagging, "Your brother is your closest confidant. The other half of you, even if you do have Joseph. And you''re too afraid to tell him? Just what is going on, Kay? You know how hurt he would be with you doing this?"


    "You think he can''t accept Joseph because he''s not good enough for you?"


    "Perhaps that is your subconscious thinking then, and you, yourself, feel that Joseph isn''t quite up to par so you''re embarrassed to reveal your relationship?"


    "Or maybe ¡­"


    "Enough!" Kay hissed, "It''s not any of that. It''s ¡­ complicated."


    "Honey," Lance said, giving her a look as if Kay had said the most ridiculous thing ever, "It''s only complicated because you made it complicated."


    "At the end of the day, you don''t trust Kyle enough to accept your choice," Lance said, "And the fact that you''re only worried about his thoughts rather than your parents says a lot, you know."


    "What do you mean by that?" Kay asked, perplexed.


    "It means ¡­ even if your parents objected to Joseph, you wouldn''t care. Yet, your brother''s opinion means a lot to you," Lance said, "But even then, you still went on to form a relationship and even married him."


    "So it''s rather confusing, you know," Lance continued, his face in a frown, "There is obviously something here that you''re not telling me and please."


    Lance said, putting up his hand to stop Kay from speaking when she opened her mouth at his last sentence, "I don''t want to know what it is. It must be some huge secret as it actually made you unable to talk to your brother about it."


    "A secret that is personal to you, should be kept within you," Lance said, "but if that said secret can cause a rift or make you do something you would not normally do ¡­ then something is wrong. Seriously wrong."


    "This is Kyle we''re talking about, not some stranger," Lance continued on mercilessly.


    Kay couldn''t say a word to refute him.


    Yes, she was scared.


    Scared that Kyle would not be able to accept her being with Joseph.


    To him, she is his sister and Joseph is his son. Basically, his son would be marrying his aunt. Biologically, they were not related at all so legally, this would be allowed.


    In some countries, like Country Aus, an aunt (or uncle) is allowed to marry her nephew (or niece).


    In Country UK, this was not permitted.


    In Country Tz? It was not allowed between biological aunt and nephew, but it was allowed if they were not related by blood, such as, being aunt and nephew by marriage or either one is adopted.


    Kay was well aware that although Joseph is not his biological son in this life, but in his heart and mind, Joseph was.


    Would he be able to accept this union?


    Kay was too terrified to hear Kyle say "no" because once he does, she would not be able to stay with Joseph even if she wanted to. She would feel too guilty. She would not be able to do that to him.


    Or ¡­


    She would choose Joseph and leave Kyle.


    Either choice was not a choice she wanted to make. She didn''t want to give up on either of them. So, she did the cowards way out.


    She was not proud of it, but fear - and being in love - can cause you to make stupid decisions.


    Just as Lance finished his rant, he was satisfied to see Kay thinking about it hard. Sometimes, one has to be harsh to make the other see things. He could see it better as he was the one outside, looking in.


    He didn''t know what sort of pressure, or fears, Kay had, so he could only tell her the facts as he saw them. He hoped Kay would find it within herself to face this problem.


    Avoiding it, and hiding, is not a solution.


    It may be fine now, but it definitely would not in the future.


    Just then, he was suddenly hugged from behind and Lance nearly threw the food in his fork towards Kay.


    Lance turned angrily towards the person who dared to do so when his lips were captured fiercely.


    Lance was stunned.


    He had managed to see that it was Gareth, thus, he did not resist but he wondered what was wrong with him.


    The kiss was rather aggressive and Lance let him be. Whatever was bothering him, he was venting it out right now from this kiss.


    As if he was staking his claim.


    When Gareth finally broke the kiss, Lance looked at him worriedly, "What''s the matter?"


    Gareth just said, "Nothing."


    But his eyes darted to Kay.


    Lance caught that and laughed.


    Gareth looked aggrieved.


    Lance kissed him softly on the lips and told him to sit down.


    The table that Kay and Lance were at, was actually a table for four as all the tables for two were taken. So Gareth sat on the chair next to Lance and brought his chair even closer.


    Lance just shook his head but found his behaviour cute.


    "Gareth, this is Kay, my best friend and Kay, this is Gareth, my boyfriend," Lance said, introducing the two of them.


    "Oh?" Kay said in surprise, "You ¡­ and he ..?"


    "YES," Gareth said firmly, taking Lance''s hand and stroking the back of it.


    "Stop it, Gareth," Lance said with a smile, "Nothing to be jealous about."


    "I am not jealous," Gareth denied, "Why would I be jealous? Just because I see you here, having an intimate dinner with such a beautiful woman? I''m not that petty."


    Lance laughed even more, causing Gareth to look highly aggrieved.


    "Gareth, darling," Lance said, "She really is my best friend and nothing more. I''m not attracted to women at all and she''s even married."


    "Oh," Gareth said, looking sheepish but refusing to back down, "I know that. You didn''t tell her about me?"


    Before Lance could explain, a soft, female voice was heard,?"Gareth? Is that you?"


    "Le Xuan?!" Gareth gasped, upon seeing the woman.

 Chapter 868 - Dog Food

    Chapter 868 - Dog Food Gareth quickly took his hand off Lance, and Lance narrowed his eyes at that action. Kay, too, saw this and raised her eyebrows, looking at Lance but he was focused on Gareth.


    Kay then looked at the girl that appeared out of nowhere.


    The girl wasn''t bad looking, but she wasn''t pretty either. She had a slightly round face, perfectly drawn eyebrows, double-eyelids that were drawn in, and bright red lipstick over thin lips.


    She knew how to use make-up to cover her perceived flaws, and Kay idly wondered what she really looked like underneath all that make-up.


    Gareth got up, running his hand through his hair and coughed nervously, "What are you doing here, Le Xuan?"


    Seeing the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e that flashed across her face, Gareth quickly corrected himself, "Sorry. Claris."


    Le Xuan wanted an English name and refused to be called by her chinese name ever since she got together with her current boyfriend. Since Le Xuan meant ''happy'' and ''bright'', she had thought of various English names to reflect that.


    Claris is of Latin origin, which carries the meaning of ''fame, most bright, most famous. Naturally, that appealed to her vanity and since it fit within the meaning of her Chinese name, even her parents couldn''t object.


    Much, that is.


    Gareth didn''t know what to feel upon seeing his ex.


    It was sudden and unexpected.


    He had been hurt very badly when she dumped him and for a while, he had even harboured hopes of getting back together with her. When it became obvious that it would never happen, Gareth had felt his heart grow cold.


    Until Lance.


    It was then that he realised he had abruptly let go of Lance''s hand upon Claris''s arrival. Aghast, he turned towards Lance who looked rather sad and Gareth felt eternal regret.


    Completely ignoring Claris, Gareth sat back down and grabbed Lance''s hand in his, then gripped his chin to force Lance to look at him.


    "I''m sorry," Gareth said, his eyes pleading, begging him to understand.


    Lance just sighed and shrugged.


    "I''m serious," Gareth told him, looking at Lance who was avoiding his eyes.


    "Whatever," Lance replied.


    Gareth knew about this knot in Lance''s heart.


    Of how he had been ''in the closet'' and had fallen in love with his best friend in college - who was straight. He had been hurt badly like Gareth had been but his hurt was different.


    It was being heartbroken over a guy that he could never have, and the intense fear of rejection and repulsion he felt would be placed upon him if it was ever known that he was gay.


    And now, Gareth had apparently rejected him in front of a friend.


    All the insecurities and the fear must have hit him hard. After all, until he met Lance, Gareth had been ''straight''.


    There was only one way to atone his sins.


    Gareth grabbed Lance by the back of the neck and brought his face closer, sealing his lips and proceeded to thoroughly kiss him deeply and passionately.


    Lance resisted at first, wanting to pull away, but Gareth held on to his neck tightly. He kept on kissing Lance until he felt Lance reciprocate.


    After that ¡­


    Well, let''s just say that he kinda forgot he was in public.


    "Gareth!!"


    It was only upon that shout that Gareth seemed to break out of his trance. Even after stopping the kiss, he didn''t pull away immediately and instead, placed his forehead on Lance, saying again, "I''m sorry."


    Lance looked at him and c.a.r.e.s.sed his cheek, "It''s fine."


    Gareth gave him a smile, then raised an eyebrow, "Huh."


    "Really," Lance insisted, giving him a smile.


    Kay, upon watching the two interact, couldn''t help but smile. At first, she was ready to give Gareth a severe talking to but realised later that Gareth had made up for it.


    She sighed.


    Gareth, like her, had made a mistake when he had seemingly rejected Lance, but he didn''t shy away. He immediately stepped up on the plate and delivered.


    What about her?


    Kay sipped on her wine more, thinking about this.


    She had to tell Kyle.


    The only question is - tell him by herself? Or should Joseph also be there? And when?


    Okay, that was more than one question.


    Before she got caught up in her thoughts, the drama in front of her hadn''t finished yet.


    "Gareth, is this ¡­ ?"


    "Oh, sorry. Claris, this is my boyfriend, Lance. Lance, Claris is ¡­," Gareth began, then wasn''t sure how to address her.


    Ex-girlfriend? Childhood lovers? Friend?


    "Someone from my past," Gareth finally said.


    Claris, upon hearing this, was rather indignant.


    Was this the Gareth that she knew? That she had grown up with? Before, he had been so clingy on her that she felt suffocated. It had been good at first, but after a while, she felt like it was too much.


    She had said some rather harsh words to him when she dumped him, as she had been at the height of her frustrations. She knew she had hurt him badly, but she didn''t care.


    When she thought of how Gareth had treated her, and how her current boyfriend was, it was poles apart. She had taken his care for granted but it was only now that she realised how good he had been.


    In fact, the guy she was with right now wasn''t even the guy she had hooked up with when she dumped Gareth. She had been so dissatisfied with the other guy that she left him quite fast and moved on to the next. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, however, seeing him being all so lovey-dovey with another person didn''t make her feel nice. Seeing the sort of care, and gentleness that he had showered her with, being given to another was rubbing her the wrong way.


    Worse, it was a guy!


    What is wrong with him?!


    "Huh, someone from your past? Is that all I am now, Gareth?" Claris said, putting on a hurt face, "After all that we shared? Gareth, I thought I meant more to you than this."


    "Is it because of ¡­ him? Since when were you ¡­ did you ¡­ I never thought ¡­ do your parents know? You should think of them more, you know. You''re the only son after all. Uncle and Auntie would be so disappointed."


    The more Claris talked, the darker Gareth''s expression became.


    What was she saying?


    Why was she saying all this?


    Was she always like this?


    He remembered the words she had spoken to him before, when she broke up with him. It was as if it was yesterday. Those words had haunted him for so long that he could remember every single word, the way she said them and most of all, her expression.


    <Gareth, you''re stifling me. You are so clingy and needy! You''re like a baby!! No woman will like you! Just leave me alone!!>


    Seeing her now, made him feel relieved.


    Just how blind had he been?


    If it wasn''t for Lance, would he have been burdened by that shadow in his heart forever?


    Gareth didn''t answer her, seemingly in a daze.


    In truth, he was just flabbergasted at her behaviour.


    Now, she was suddenly so concerned about his parents? The fact that she practically dumped him just as his parents were going to see her parents about their engagement? She figuratively slapped them in the face!


    Lance, seeing how quiet Gareth was, decided that enough was enough.


    "Girl, if you don''t shut up, I''ll make you shut up," Lance said, putting his chin on the palm of his hand while his elbow was placed on the table.


    His other hand was flung on Gareth''s shoulder and he said, "No matter what you were to him before, you are the past while I am the present and his future."


    Gareth''s heart warmed.


    No one had ever defended him like this before. Not even when he was with Claris. He had always been the one giving, but not receiving.


    Being with Lance made him experience what being in a relationship was like.


    It was a two-way street.


    Giving and taking.


    "Oh please," Claris said, "You''ll get fed up of him soon. He talks too much."


    Lance smirked, "On the contrary. You may not know how to appreciate him, but I do."


    Lance looked at Gareth, putting his fingertips on Gareth''s lips and said, "Whenever you speak, it reminds me that everyday without you around is torture. Your voice brightens up my day."


    "You sweet talker you," Gareth said, seemingly complaining but there was a huge grin on his face as he adoringly looked at Lance.


    "Gosh, your eyes are so beautiful," Lance said breathlessly, bringing his face closer, as if studying them intensely, "Why do your eyes mesmerize me so when more than 90% of the people on this planet have brown eyes like yours?"


    His lips brushed against Gareth, as he said in a daze, "Like chocolate quicksand that sucks me in."


    Kay rolled her eyes.


    So much dog food.

 Chapter 869 - The Diagnosis

    Chapter 869 - The Diagnosis "Brown eyes? Chocolate quicksand?!" screeched Claris, "What brown eyes?! Are you blind?! Gareth has green eyes! GREEN!! How could you not even know that?!"


    Gareth and Lance turned to finally face Claris, and she was taken aback. Why was Gareth''s eyes brown??


    "He was literally looking at you just now, and you didn''t even realise?" Lance said, with a scoff.


    "Why-why-" Claris stammered, unable to comprehend this turn of events.


    Gareth gave a smirk and said, "Lance doesn''t like it. Says it gets too much attention."


    Then he turned towards Lance again, "But you seem to like brown eyes more?"


    "It''s not that I like brown eyes more," Lance said, "It''s because it''s you. No matter whether it''s brown, green, blue ¡­ I get so lost in them."


    "Without the contacts, looking into your eyes makes me feel like I''m lost in the deep forest," Lance said, stroking Gareth''s cheeks, "With the leaves enveloping me and burying me deep in your love."


    "Oh, you," Gareth said, taking Lances hands and kissing his fingers, "If you were spotify, I''d leave you on repeat 24/7."


    "Oooh, good one," Lance replied.


    "I have to keep up with you," Gareth said with a grin.


    "Oh my God, guys, please," Kay said, finally not able to take it any longer, "Can you keep your cringey moments for the bedroom? Or in private? I am still eating, you know."


    "Auw, Gareth honey, she says we''re being cringey," Lance said, looking at Gareth innocently.


    Gareth shrugged and kissed his nose, saying, "We''re not cringey. She''s just jealous."


    Kay rolled her eyes, while muttering, "Shameless."


    Lance laughed.


    No one noticed that Claris was no longer there.


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    Kyle felt like his whole world was crumbling.


    Bringing Lianne to the hospital, and having to watch the doctors hovering around her and making comments amongst themselves was torture.


    He knew he couldn''t be impatient.


    He knew that they needed to consult each other.


    But damn it.


    It was *not* easy to just stand at the side while numerous doctors listened to her heart and they did not say anything.


    He knew that they would not say anything rash and needed to get some test results back first before they could tell him anything ¡­


    Knowing, and accepting it, were two completely different things.


    The worse thing of all is that he had to look cool, and calm because as hard as it was for him - it was worse for Lianne.


    She just sat there, her face not showing any sort of emotion. She was just taking everything into her stride and let them be.


    "We need to do two tests," the head doctor told Kyle, "An ECG and Echo."


    Kyle nodded, waiting for more explanation but as none was forthcoming, he asked, "What is the purpose of these tests?"


    "To have a better picture of her heart," the doctor said evasively.


    Kyle frowned.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that he respected doctors, and the amount of work that they were under, he would have likely smacked him on the head.


    He took deep breaths and calmed himself down.


    Sam stepped up and went with the doctor to do all the necessary procedures and payments with regards to the tests. Kyle stayed with Lianne, who was just sitting on the bed and playing with her phone.


    Her ''avoiding the world'' tactic.


    Kyle left her alone, choosing to sit down nearby so that she knew he was there. He didn''t say a word but used his phone to check up on certain things.


    Lianne''s uneasiness settled upon knowing her mother was there.


    More importantly, she wasn''t talking nor doing anything other than just being there.


    Which was all that Lianne needed.


    She continued playing her game, letting it fill her mind so that she need not think of anything else.


    As for Kyle, what he wanted was information.


    He needed to know, so that he could mentally prepare himself.


    The two tests.


    ECG, or electrocardiogram, is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart through small electrode patches that are attached to the skin of the c.h.e.s.t, arms and legs.


    One doesn''t feel the electrical activity through the electrode patches.


    What is produced are several lines on a chart, which was basically like a maths exercise book that had those small boxes. The lines were similar looking to how you would see on a heart rate monitor from the doctor or hospital dramas.


    While the heart rate monitor showed a fluorescent green cursor that went in a straight line and up, then down to reflect the heart beat (and a totally flat line meant the person had died), the ECG chart had the said lines in permanent form.


    In short, it was as if the heart rate monitor printed out what the green cursor was doing.


    The purpose of the test is to check the heart rhythm, so Kyle figured this test was to check on Lianne''s heart rhythm. It must be abnormal in some way, hence, the test. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other test was the Echocardiogram (echo) tests.


    This test uses sound waves to study the structure of the heart and how the heart and valves are working. One would lie down on the bed and a probe (similar to what is used to check the fetus while in the w.o.m.b) would be going over the heart. It would produce a moving image of the heart on a computer screen.


    Kyle gritted his teeth.


    Damn these tests.


    Not because Lianne had to do them, but because he could not accompany her at all while she was undergoing the tests.


    After all, they would be putting the electrodes for the ECG, and the probe for the Echo, on her c.h.e.s.t. As a guy, he couldn''t be in the same room, right?


    It was at this point that Kyle felt being male was not good.


    Kyle felt frustrated.


    Still, Kyle was determined to be there for Lianne.


    In the end, Kyle really did manage to accompany Lianne throughout the two tests.


    When she went for the ECG, he would simply stand with his back to her while the electrodes were placed.


    When she went for the Echo, Kyle had to be more creative. The tests were done in a room that could hold two of the machines. Thus, each area was cordoned off by a curtain that surrounded the machine and the bed.


    Kyle simply had the bed that Lianne would be lying on really close to the curtains and where the opening was. After she had taken off her bra and shirt, then wore the hospital top (that was basically a jacket that had ties to close the openings), she lay on the bed.


    She reached out her hand and grabbed on Kyle''s sleeve. He was sitting down on a chair and only his arm was inside.


    It was enough for Lianne.


    Though people were looking at this whole thing weirdly, no one dared to say a word.


    After all, Sam had already given them a warning about any gossip being spread. Plus, this was a private hospital where keeping quiet was the norm. Ordinarily, such warnings by Sam should not be needed.


    But Sam wasn''t going to leave it to chance.


    Kyle could hear the weird muffled sounds of Lianne''s heartbeat, and the instructions of the sonographer, that is, the person who performed the test. As Lianne was female, the sonographer was female as well.


    The sonographe would use a transducer to probe her c.h.e.s.t. It was placed on various locations on the c.h.e.s.t and upper abdomen, constantly moving and probing as it tried to get the best image of her heart.


    Lianne endured the pain as the transducer had to be pressed down quite hard in order to get a good image.


    She was glad that her mother somehow managed to arrange it so that she could still be there. Everything was so new, so unfamiliar ¡­ and yes, scary.


    It took a lot out of her to focus on other things, so that she wouldn''t overthink or get worried over something that she had no idea about. Seeing that blurry image on the computer screen didn''t give her any enlightenment and it all just looked like a mess of things all scrunched together.


    Lianne gripped Kyle''s sleeve harder.


    After what seemed like an eternity, the tests were finally done.


    Kyle and Lianne waited in the private room. It wasn''t long before the cardiologist (heart doctor) entered and had a slightly grim expression.


    "Doctor, what''s the diagnosis?" Kyle asked politely.


    The cardiologist showed Lianne''s Echo results and said, "From these tests, it can be seen that Lianne has a hole in her heart."


    "Actually, there are two. Here, and here."


    Naturally, Kyle couldn''t see a thing. Only the barest of the outline of a heart. As to the holes? Nothing.


    "Does this mean she needs surgery?" Kyle asked straight up.


    "Yes."

 Chapter 870 - Discussion

    Chapter 870 - Discussion "Explain," Kyle ordered.


    He was tired of this run-around and showing images of things that he couldn''t understand. Show him an ultrasound, and he could see the fetus. But this? It was as if one was looking through a badly taken photograph.


    What he wanted .. what they wanted ¡­ was information. The facts.


    The cardiologist took a piece of paper from a notepad and began drawing a simple heart. An oval shape which he then drew a cross within it.


    "The heart basically has four chambers," he stated, "The purpose of the heart is to take blood from the body, oxygenate it and bring it back out."


    "This is done through the valve. And here," he said, drawing a circle on one side of the heart drawing, right at the line between the top and bottom, "Is a hole."


    He then pointed at the computer screen and said, "If you look here, you will notice this burst. This is where the leak is happening. It means, the proper amount of oxygenated blood is?not getting into the chamber that it should. It makes the heart work harder in order to make sure it does."


    He then went back to the drawing and circled another part, which is right in the middle, "Here is another hole, but it is much smaller. The issue is more the hole at the valve."


    "So what needs to be done? What is the best case scenario and the worst case scenario?" Kyle asked.


    He had glanced at Lianne, who was just sitting there and listening to everything. She would not ask but he knew that she needed to know.


    Lianne caught that glance and was truly glad that her mother was here. Only she could get the information that she desperately wanted to know but could not find the voice to ask.


    Her mind was rather numb, and she was still in a bit of a shock, but nonetheless, she wanted to know.


    Even if the news was bad, Lianne she had to know.


    It was the only way to be able to deal with the matter. She did not like to be kept in the dark and only with knowledge can she be prepared.


    "We cannot truly see or know the condition of the heart until the actual surgery," the cardiologist admitted, "Lianne is rather small, and that makes getting a proper image rather difficult."


    "The fact that she has not shown any symptoms of abnormal fatigue is a good sign," the doctor said, "So the surgery is not urgent but it still needs to be done eventually."


    "How long can she wait?" Kyle asked.


    "She should do the surgery within one or two years," the doctor said.


    Kyle turned his head to look at Lianne and asked softly, "What do you think?"


    Lianne shook her head, "I do not know."


    "Okay," Kyle said, turning to the doctor, "Please schedule the surgery as soon as possible then."


    If it was up to Kyle, he would have her go for the surgery immediately but he knew that was not possible.


    The thing he was well aware of was that the longer the surgery was pushed back, the more Lianne would have this over her head. He wanted it over as soon as possible but he first had to make sure what was her feelings about it.


    Thus, he had asked her first but since she was hesitant, he basically made the decision for her.


    Even if the doctor said it wasn''t urgent, he was not going to delay it.


    The doctor nodded and said, "I can''t give you an exact date yet, for I would need to contact a cardiothoracic surgeon first. He will handle the surgery while I will be handling the treatment."


    "What sort of surgery would she need?" Kyle asked.


    "The surgeon would be the best person to explain it to you," the doctor replied and Kyle nodded. It would be best if he did hear the entire process properly.


    "Would you like the surgeon to be from here, or would you be more comfortable at the Hearts'' Institute?" asked the doctor.


    "It depends," Kyle said.


    "Oh? Depends on what?"


    "Whether the best surgeon who can do the surgery is there, or here," Kyle replied.


    The cardiologist was surprised.


    Usually, anyone with a heart condition would automatically go to the Hearts'' Institute without thinking about it.


    After all, that hospital specialised in the matters of the heart.


    However, it did not necessarily mean that it housed all the experts.


    Furthermore, the hospital they were in at the moment was a teaching hospital as well. Thus, it nurtured the next generation.


    It wasn''t that Kyle was willing to gamble Lianne''s life, but he was also aware of the fact that in order to create more experts, there needs to be hospitals like this.


    If the best was there, he would go there.


    If the best was here, he would stay.


    It was as simple as?that.


    "I can''t say who is the best," the cardiologist said carefully, "but we do have surgeons here who can do the operation on Lianne here."


    Kyle blinked and mentally scolded himself.


    That''s right.


    In terms of medical expertise, what actually denotes ''best''? Age? Experience? Skill?


    He, himself, was the direct opposite of what a CEO should be, yet, he was good at the job. Nothing to do with age or experience.


    It was skill.


    "Give me the names of the surgeons capable of doing the surgery," Kyle said, making a choice.


    The doctor nodded and said, "Okay, give me a few moments."


    He then got up and left the room, exiting through the ''back'' door, so to speak. There were two doors to the consultation room. One, which patients entered and the other, that connected to a corridor that only the staff would be walking through.


    Kyle turned to Lianne.


    "You okay with that?" Kyle asked her.


    She nodded.


    "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just a lot to take in," she said with a soft smile.


    "I decided on doing the surgery quickly," Kyle said, "Are you fine with that?"


    Lianne nodded.


    "Okay, that''s settled then," Kyle said.


    The doctor then came back and handed Kyle a list.


    After getting the list, he told the doctor, "Thank you very much. I will keep in contact about our decision."


    Kyle would get Sam to do a background check on the surgeons before making a choice. Right now, the important thing was Lianne.


    After exiting the room, Kyle asked, "Do you want to go home, or do you want to stay with me for a while?"


    Lianne looked at him, her eyes having a bit more life now at that question, "Can I stay with you?"


    "Of course, Li," Kyle replied, and proceeded to inform Stephan. He also told him about Lianne''s condition and what the doctor had said, making Stephan very quiet on the other end.


    "She''s strong," Kyle assured Stephan.


    "Yes, she is strong," Stephan agreed, and in his heart, he was crying. Lianne is strong, but not him. He had lost his wife and now, he was faced with the possibility of losing his daughter.


    He didn''t say anything else other than a "thank you" and put down the phone.


    As for Lianne, she put the matters about her heart out of her mind.


    There as nothing she could do about it, and thinking about it would only cause her to go crazy. Right now, all she wanted to do was just pretend nothing is happening and take one day at a time.


    The best thing was that now that her father knew the truth about Kyle, she could stay over as many times as she liked.


    She missed Kitty.


    "Oh, there is one thing though," Kyle said to Lianne as he handed the list of the surgeons to Sam.


    "What?" Lianned asked, curiously.


    "Kitty has a boyfriend," Kyle announced.


    "What?! REALLY?!" Lianne shoued in glee.


    "Yes," Kyle said, "Rory found him and somehow, Kitty hit if off with him."


    "That''s good," Lianne said.


    "What''s his name?"


    "Aki," Kyle replied, "Rory named him."


    Lianne smiled.


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    Back home, Sayuri hugged Kyle and asked him, "You okay?"


    Kyle held Sayuri tightly, cherishing her warmth and smell, "Yeah."


    Sayuri already knew about Lianne''s need for surgery, as Kyle had called her up right after telling Stephan.


    They held each other as they watched Lianne play with Kitty and Aki, who seemed to gravitate towards her like she was the Pied Piper.


    Her face was glowing as she carried Kitty around, while Aki was following right at her feet. Rory and Alex were looking on enviously, for the cats had abandoned them completely the moment Lianne turned up.


    "She needed the cats," Kyle said, hugging Sayuri tightly.


    "I know what you need," Sayuri said to him, wriggling her eyebrows.


    "Oh?"


    "Yup. A date," Sayuri said, "Ice with Fyre."

 Chapter 871 - The Date

    Chapter 871 - The Date "A date?" Kyle said, a smile spreading on his face. He turned, and kissed his beloved wife deeply, "A date it is."


    Kyle and Sayuri left the house after the kids fell asleep.


    Well, Ice and Fyre did.


    As usual, Ice was wearing a black singlet that clung to his body like a second skin, tucked into his black pants. The dragon tattoo that was sn.a.k.e.d around his arm now had a red dragon tattoo, intertwined with the black tattoo.


    The tails were tightly curled up together, then the head of the red dragon was also curved and nearly touching the lips of the black dragon. From a distance, the two heads appeared to be the top part of a heart.


    "Getting you prepared nowadays is so tedious," Sayuri complained, referring to his fake tattoos.


    Kyle gave a slow, s.e.xy smile and licked her lips, as he held her tightly to him, "But it''s worth it, isn''t it?"


    "Oh, I don''t know," Sayuri replied, rubbing her c.h.e.s.t on him, "What do you think?"


    Kyle''s eyes went down to look at the cleavage that she was showing off. Right on the swell of the right b.r.e.a.s.t, was the exact same dragon tattoos that he had. A smaller version, of course.


    The head was just poking out from under her shirt, so the ''heart'' shape was more apparent.


    Unlike his, hers was permanent.


    Kyle growled when he saw it.


    To him, it looked like it was ''inviting'' one to view the whole tattoo, whereas only he had the right to.


    He started kissing her neck, and his kisses trailed down to the tattoo, giving a noticeable love bite right beside it.


    "There," Kyle said in satisfaction, "Mine."


    Sayuri laughed.


    "Jealous much?" she asked him teasingly, pressing her c.h.e.s.t on him even more. It only made her ample assets more noticeable and Kyle g.r.o.a.n.e.d.


    "We haven''t even reached our target yet and you''re already distracting me," he complained as he ran his hands all over her, slipping his hand under her pants behind - his fingertips just touching the crack between her plump *ss.


    Sayuri was dressed just like Kyle, except her top was much more revealing than his. While he wore a skin-tight singlet, she wore a black spaghetti strap crop top which not only showed off her cleavage but also her tight stomach and abs.


    It was a *lot* of skin showing.


    Sayuri smiled s.e.xily, tilting her head to one side, and her red hair (a wig, of course) that barely touched her shoulders, swayed with the motion. She raised her impeccably drawn red eyebrows and licked her ruby red lips.


    "Am I?" she asked innocently, this time moving her waist a bit and thus, rubbing his crotch with her front.


    Kyle''s breathing became slightly more uneven when she laughed, slipped out of his arms, and said, "Come on, let''s play."


    Kyle clenched his jaw, as he watched her walk in front, and he thought of the many, many things he was going to do later to that little vixen after the mission was over.


    Better get this done quickly, then he would have more time to indulge himself later.


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    "Hey! That was mine!!" Fyre shouted, glaring at Ice, who was bent over one guy, his hand under the chin while a thin red streak was at the neck.


    "He was staring at you," Ice replied nonchalantly, getting up and kicking the guy''s back.


    "So?" Fyre said, stomping up to him while pulling a guy by the hair behind her.


    Putting her face right up to Ice''s, she hissed, "I didn''t say much when *that* girl was staring at you now, did I?"


    In agitation, she shook the guy she was holding, and continued, "And I certainly didn''t take your kill!"


    "You have him!" Ice said, pointing at the man who was shaken so badly that you could see the whites of his eyes, "I was saving time."


    Fyre looked down at the man in her hands, pulled his head up to look at his face, and rolled her eyes, "Fainted already?!"


    She threw him aside.


    "Oh, you''re so hot when you''re angry," Ice said, putting one arm around her waist and kissing her deeply.


    Just when everyone thought that those two were distracted, some started making a move towards them. However, just as the brave (aka stupid) ones took two steps towards the couple that was making out, they all fell down, dead.


    All of them had either a star-shaped item embedded either on their forehead or the jugular, or a thin blade right where their heart was.


    Those that had been a step too late from making a move froze, their eyes darting to the couple that were *still* making out. They had seen it, but they still couldn''t believe it. Just seconds before, both of them had their hands darting out swiftly to the side and in front before resuming their hold on each other.


    Just those seemingly random movements were actually the couple throwing those weapons all around them, each complimenting the other, catching the people all around them.


    "You missed one," Fyre said to Ice, as she pointed towards one with her chin.


    "I didn''t," Ice said, kissing her nose, "I left him for you since I took the other one" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, you''re so sweet!" Fyre said with a smile and gave him a quick peck.


    The person that Fyre had pointed out was lying face down on the ground, pretending to be dead. When he heard what the two had been saying, he held his breath, convinced (or praying hard, really) that it wasn''t him that they were talking about.


    He had thought he had been really lucky to have that weapon whizz past his face and hit the guy right behind him. He had been quick on his feet and immediately fell forward.


    Was he discovered?


    He tried listening for any movements towards him, but he heard none. This made him feel extremely relieved, thinking that it really was someone else that they were talking about.


    That is, until he suddenly felt his head jerk up and then, feeling like there was something warm coming down and soaking him with it. It took him a few seconds to realise that his throat had been slit and it was his own blood pouring down his c.h.e.s.t.


    After that, he was dead.


    Ice came over and hugged Fyre from behind, saying in her ear, "You do that so well. Not a single drop of blood landed on you."


    "Practice makes perfect," Fyre said, turning around and kissing him.


    This time, no one dared to make a move.


    They were also feeling so tortured.


    It was bad enough that they were snuffing out lives like it was nothing, they did it while blatantly showing such public displays of affection. Each. F*cking. Time.


    When they heard that Ice got a woman, people were shocked.


    Then, they became happy because they thought ¡­ well, now they have found a weak spot. His Achilles heel. If they wanted to get to Ice, they would get his woman.


    It didn''t take long before that idea flew out the window.


    How could they think that the person Ice ended up with, would be a weak or mild woman?


    The first time the couple came out together, people were mesmerized by the red-haired beauty.


    Then they found out that she was just as vicious as Ice.


    While Ice was cold and decisive, she was hot and firm.


    Fyre and Ice.


    Such a lethal combination.


    "OH COME ON NOW," came a voice from a distance.


    Ice and Fyre turned to look at the exasperated Zack. Ice, with his indifferent expression and Fyre, with her soft smile.


    "I sent you guys here to clean house, not make out," Zack complained, stepping into the light.


    His gaze swept over the area and blew a bubble from his chewing gum. Popping it, he then asked, "Are you guys done?"


    "Almost," Ice replied, leaning over and kissing Fyre on the neck.


    Fyre giggled, then threw a USB flash drive towards Zack, who caught it cleanly.


    "The information you want is in there," she said, her hands playing in Ice''s hair as he continued giving her hickeys.


    "The masterminds?" Zack asked, putting the USB flash drive in his pocket.


    "The ones with the shuriken in their foreheads," Fyre replied.


    Right after she said that, Ice turned away from Fyre''s neck, twisted his own neck a bit to get the kinks out, and then flung out his hand. One shuriken embedded into a guy''s shoulder and a few at his ankles.


    "I left that one alive," Ice said, "Severed his tendons, so he can''t move now."


    Kyle noticed that he was the most cautious among the lot and had been keeping low. Hence, Kyle figured he had the most information.


    "Good job," Zack praised.


    "Naturally," Ice and Fyre replied.

 Chapter 872 - The Date II (R18)

    Chapter 872 - The Date II (R18) "Time to go home," Kyle said to Sayuri while Zack cleaned the place up.


    She looked up at the sky and said, "It''s still early. The kids will be fine since you have so many protecting them."


    "So what do you want to do?" Kyle asked as they walked off, hand in hand.


    "Play catch," Sayuri said, suddenly letting go and speeding off.


    Kyle''s mouth twitched as he watched his wife disappear into the night. Looks like Date Night has just begun.


    Kyle caught up with Sayuri pretty easily - partly because she wasn''t really trying to lose him.


    She had headed towards the park and was lying in wait on top of a tree, hiding amongst its branches and leaves.


    Kyle sneaked up behind her, and reached out.


    Just as his hands was about to land, she moved to avoid him. He had anticipated that move, knowing full well that she was aware of his presence even though she pretended she didn''t.


    Thus, he had made a feint to the left to grab here when he was actually targeting her right.


    He slammed her back against the tree trunk, pressing himself on her while one leg was inbetween hers, preventing her from moving while his hands captured her arms above her head.


    Both of them were breathing hard from the sudden excursion and Kyle''s eyes were fixed on her heaving bosom. There was a slight sheen of sweat on it, making it glisten and more enticing.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell you," Sayuri said breathlessly, seeing where his eyes landed briefly.


    "Tell me what?" Kyle asked, as he leaned forward and took her earlobe in his lips.


    Sayuri m.o.a.n.e.d a bit as she felt those soft lips upon her ear, then the way his tongue captured her earlobes into his mouth, s.u.c.k.i.n.g on it softly.


    "I''m not wearing any u.n.d.e.r.g.a.r.m.e.n.ts," Sayuri said breathlessly.


    Kyle jerked his head back and stared at her c.h.e.s.t. He pulled on the top''s neckline and sure enough, her b.r.e.a.s.ts were free and unfettered. How did he not notice that? He then looked and felt the material that would have been on her n.i.p.p.l.es.


    He then looked at her, his eyes narrowed, and she grinned.


    She wore black, and it was night, thus it made it a bit harder to notice the fact that she was braless. Plus, there was an extra (but light) padding that covered that part of her b.r.e.a.s.t.


    No wonder it was slightly more ''bouncy'' when she made some moves today.


    He had been so focused on his surroundings and feeling like gorging out the eyes of anyone who stared at his wife too long, to realise the little details like this.


    Kyle''s eyes narrowed even more, his possessiveness making him think about how many of those men had seen that. He did notice how some were rather captivated by his s.e.xy wife, but didn''t think it could be attributed to this additional ''feature''. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You, really ¡­" Kyle began and she put a finger on his lips.


    "The exercise," Sayuri said, referring to their earlier mission, "wasn''t that strenuous and I don''t like wearing bras when fighting."


    "And .." she said, lowering her voice and making it more sultry, "such extra clothing is such a bother to do what we want to do."


    Kyle''s eyes darkened, "We''re in a tree."


    "So?" she said, raising an eyebrow, "We''re ninjas. It''s not like it would be a difficult thing to do."


    Kyle released her arms and cupped her b.r.e.a.s.ts, releasing them from the confines of the crop shirt, "Are you telling me that they''ve always been free like this? Every time we went out as Ice and Fyre?"


    Sayuri pursed her lips, giving him an innocent look but not answering his question.


    She liked seeing him jealous.


    She intentionally did not tell him before, so that he would start thinking back of all those times they had gone out together. Whenever he was jealous, his lovemaking was much more aggressive.


    Kyle''s eyes darkened further as he reached out and grabbed her by the waist to pull her close. He placed his lips over one n.i.p.p.l.e while his other hand steadied himself on the trunk behind them.


    Sayuri bit her lower lips, balancing herself on the tree as she felt her legs go slightly weak from the way Kyle''s tongue darted all around her n.i.p.p.l.e before biting it softly, then s.u.c.k.i.n.g hard.


    She grabbed his head, gripping his hair in her fingers as she m.o.a.n.e.d while he continued l.i.c.k.i.n.g, s.u.c.k.i.n.g and biting her b.r.e.a.s.ts, leaving a trail of lovebites all over. Sayuri unbuckled his pants and slipped her hand inside, touching the hot and hard rod in her hands.


    She stroked it, using the prec.u.m to lubricate Kyle''s c*ck and run her hand all over it. When Kyle lifted his head from her b.r.e.a.s.ts, she slid down and placed a knee on the branch they were on and the other leg stretched out behind her for stability.


    As she came down, she also pulled his pants down and swiftly took his c*ck into her mouth.


    Kyle hissed as he closed his eyes and leaned forward, feeling that wicked mouth taking him deep inside. The way her tongue swirled along its length, the way she s.u.c.k.e.d hard as she moved her head, taking him all the way in.


    The way she would also use her hands to stroke his b*lls and grip his *ss.


    All of it.


    The sensation was incredible.


    She treated his c*ck like it was the most delicious thing ever, and that turned him on so much that he couldn''t last long.


    Sayuri took everything he gave easily and even licked him clean before standing up to face her husband.


    Kyle c.a.r.e.s.sed her face lovingly then kissed her.


    "I love you," Kyle said, hugging her close.


    "I love you too," Sayuri replied, hugging him back.


    "You pamper me so much," Kyle said, "And you understand me so well. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have you in my life."


    His hands were roaming all over her body right now.


    "Everything about you is perfect," he said, his voice getting softer as he kept giving her kisses, "But most of all ¡­"


    He turned her around and rammed himself into her from behind in one swift motion, "Your p*ssy is made for my c*ck."


    Sayuri''s hands were on the tree trunk and she m.o.a.n.e.d, loving the rough way he entered her. He always knew what she wanted and what turned her on the most.


    Right now, she just wanted him to take her roughly, and she told him so, "Oh yes, Kyle, yes! That''s it! Harder! More!"


    It wasn''t easy to balance on the tree and yet, still be able to thrust as fast and as hard as Sayuri wanted, but Kyle managed to do so. He even managed to reach over in front and play with her bud as he pounded her hard from behind.


    Suffice to say, Sayuri''s m.o.a.ns and screams echoed in the night causing some unsuspecting people who heard it to believe the place was haunted.


    After all, no one could see them going at it like crazy high above in the tree. All they could hear were the screams and occasionally, a name. They all prayed for that poor soul, probably the object of the ghost''s unfinished business.


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    The next morning, Alex was staring at his father angrily.


    He had known his parents slipped out the night before, as he had gone to their bedroom to disturb them. He had found it highly amusing when he did this, for there were times his father would be opening the door looking rather disheveled and in a bad mood.


    He had no idea why, but it was fun.


    However, last night did not go as it usually did.


    There had been no answer at all.


    Even when he knocked for some time, even his mother didn''t respond - which was highly unusual.?Thus, he when he discovered that the door was unlocked, he opened it. Only to find an empty bedroom.


    Alex was upset at that.


    So he waited for them to come home.


    Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t keep himself awake and before he knew it, it was morning. His parents were at the breakfast table like nothing was wrong.


    How could his father take his mother out so late at night?


    All sorts of grievances were in Alex''s mind, but he kept them to himself. After all, they had a guest.


    While Alex was busy cursing his father in his mind, Lianne dropped a bombshell, "Kyle, I think Kitty is pregnant."


    Kyle stopped eating, the fork half way to his mouth.


    "That''s impossible. Kitty has been spayed," Kyle replied.


    Lianne propped up Kitty, showing a visibly round tummy and that the n.i.p.p.l.es were slightly more pronounced.


    "Damn," Kyle cursed.

 Chapter 873 - Life

    Chapter 873 - Life Kyle turned to Sayuri and said, "This is your fault."


    "What?! How is it my fault?!" Sayuri asked in indignation.


    "Kitty is supposed to be spayed, yet she is pregnant. Sounds like someone I know," Kyle replied.


    "Huh," Sayuri snorted, "Unlike someone who''s method is not 100%, Kitty''s method is supposed to be a done deal. Sounds like someone didn''t do a good job."


    "I did too ¡­." Kyle''s voice trailed out when he remembered.


    He had asked Sari, his girlfriend then, to actually send Kitty for spaying. She had also taken care of Kitty during the post-op period, and thus, Kyle did not notice anything out of the ordinary.


    Otherwise, he would have known if Kitty had not undergone the operation. She would have been shaved and the stitches would be visible for a few days while healing.


    Did she lie to him and not have it done?


    After all, there were some who felt spaying and neutering their pets to be "going against Nature / God" and one who had done so were cruel and evil. One viewed such acts as "going against God" sort of thing.


    In reality, it was further from the truth.


    There were many reasons why spaying and neutering would be good.


    It would be?due to health reasons, or, simply to ensure quality of life. Though Kyle was not lacking money, not spaying his pets would mean they would be having a new batch of cats each year. Those cats will have cats and so forth.


    Could anyone really afford to raise so many cats?


    No.


    It wasn''t just the financial aspect of feeding them, but also in ensuring that they were always played with, healthy (more money spent to go to the vets) and so forth. Most people just threw away the newborn kittens, or killed them outright. Some threw them away at restaurants etc as it would be "survival of the fittest" and if they were meant to live, they will. This was more humane?


    That was supposed to be better and less evil as compared to one who cut off their reproductive capabilities?


    Kyle found that laughable.


    Snuffing out an innocent life. Throwing them out and shirking all responsibilities and pretending that was fine. See how they would feel if they were kicked out of their home, away from the comfort and warmth, no love and never knowing when the next meal will come from. Having to fight just to eat.


    Kyle''s thoughts went back to the present and looked at Kitty, who blinked at him innocently.


    Then he looked at Aki, a pure-white cat who also looked at him innocently.


    He sighed.


    Finishing his breakfast quickly, Kyle went and examined Kitty. He had not been playing with Kitty much ever since his kids were born; mainly because she now spent time with his kids instead.


    He was fine with that as Kitty was rather clingy, and he could enjoy more ''me'' time with Sayuri. Thus, he didn''t notice any changes she had gone through.


    The only thing she still kept on doing was stealing his u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r once in a while.


    Come to think of it, it was happening more frequently now. It must be because she is nesting, indicating that her due date is anytime soon.


    "And all this time, I just thought you were getting fat," Kyle said.


    Kitty''s pregnancy bump was not noticeable when she sits down as she likes to sit on her stomach rather than on the side. Even during those rare moments she is lying on her side, Aki would be lying right next to her, snuggling close and effectively hiding the bump.


    "Kitty is going to have babies?" Rory asked excitedly as she came up to her father.


    "Yes, my princess," Kyle replied, picking her up and putting her on his l.a.p, then placed Kitty on her l.a.p.


    She stroked Kitty''s head lovingly and Kitty purred. She then got up on her hind legs, putting her paws on Rory''s shoulder.


    Rory smiled until Kitty used Rory as a stepping stone to climb onto Kyle''s shoulders and head.


    "Looks like Kitty missed you," Sayuri said with a laugh, seeing that.


    Rory pouted and Alex rolled his eyes, "Kitty has bad taste."


    Kyle gently picked up Kitty from his head and placed her on Rory''s l.a.p again, "Be good, Kitty. You can''t be climbing high places anymore, okay?"


    "Why does Kitty love you so much, Daddy?" asked Rory.


    "I don''t know," Kyle said, "Cats are like that. They choose their Masters, not the other way around."


    "Like how Aki chooses Mummy?"


    "Yes, just like that," Kyle said, "This does not mean they don''t love you. They just ¡­ have a favourite."


    "Do you have a favourite, Daddy? Am I your favourite?" Rory asked, looking up at her father expectantly.


    "What are you saying?" Kyle said, hugging her tightly, "I love all of my children. Even if Alex treats me like I''m his enemy, he is still my son and I love him. I may show my love in different ways, and I may treat you differently - but that is because even if you are my children, you are yourself as well. But my love is the same. Do you understand?"


    Kyle deliberately said "all" his children, to include Lianne.


    Lianne knew this and she smiled to herself. They may not be able to acknowledge their mother-daughter relationship openly, but it was enough that those that mattered, knew.


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    Things passed by pretty quickly after that.


    Life was like a blur.


    There was both life, and uncertainties of life.


    Life, as Kitty gave birth to a healthy batch of kittens. Four kittens, to be exact. One black like the mother, one white like the father and two were black and white.


    Their names? To be fair, each kitten could be named by one member of the family.


    Thief - a black and white kitten that was mostly black. The area around his nose, and to the lower jaw was white, however. The pattern made him look like he was wearing a mask. Something like Zorro. Alex was thinking Zorro was a good name until his father suggested it.


    So, Thief, he was named.


    Socks - another black and white kitten, that was mostly white but had some patches of black, especially on its four paws, making him look like he was wearing socks. Naturally, Socks was its name. Named by Rory.


    Onyx - the pure black kitten, named by Kyle.


    Izumi - the pure white kitten, named by Lianne. Sayuri had said that she didn''t have any ideas and had given the task of naming the white kitten to Lianne. She could tell how Lianne seemed to be quite enthralled by the white kitten.


    Kyle was grateful to Sayuri for this gesture. He had wanted to do so initially but he was worried that his current kids might misunderstand and be jealous. After all, he was basically taking care of Lianne and rather close to her.


    With Sayuri showing silent support like this, Lianne''s integration into the family was natural.


    If only he could do the same for Joseph but Kyle figured he should not be too greedy.


    As for Lianne''s diagnosis?


    The surgeon explained in more detail as to the procedures that were needed.


    Honestly, Kyle didn''t know what to think but was resolute in thinking of the best. The surgeon had told them that from the looks of the test results, there were a few possibilities.


    The best-case scenario was to fix the valve, that is, doing an Annylopasty. This basically meant that a special ring would be placed around the leaking valve to make it close tight.


    If repairing is not feasible, then they would have to replace the valve itself.


    By this, it meant that they would remove the heart valve and replace it with either a mechanical valve or a biological tissue valve (basically, a valve made from cow, pig, or human heart tissue). Due to Lianne''s age, a mechanical heart valve is recommended as it can last longer.


    However, there would be an increased risk of blood clots, thus she would have to be taking blood thinners for the rest of her life.


    When Kyle heard this, his mind was in a whirl.


    His little girl was going to go through so much?


    When he listened to everything that the surgeon told him, there was one question in his mind which he never asked.


    What was the success rate?


    The heart surgery was a major thing in itself, and knowing the rate of success - or failure - would not do any good. He knew that the surgeon would do his best, and that is all that is needed. The rest, as they say, is up to God.


    Knowing the rate, in his mind, was not useful.


    This is because there is no such thing as a 100% success rate for surgeries. Even if there is a 99% success rate, and you expect everything is okay?- but it just happens that you''re within the 1% that is not?


    It would be devastating.


    Kyle would rather hope for the best but expect the worst. He did not want to be fooled by statistics.


    In this context, Kyle and Lianne were of the same mind. She didn''t ask either.


    As for how she was feeling? Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everything felt unreal, really.


    She felt fine but listening to the surgeon talk, it did not look like she was fine. Inside, her heart was a mess.


    Literally.


    She sighed. Life can be so uncertain.

 Chapter 874 - Innermost Feelings

    Chapter 874 - Innermost Feelings In the end, Lianne chose the mechanical valve.


    Although it meant taking medication for life, it was far better than to have to go through another surgery just to replace it. Just the thought of having to go through another open-heart surgery was something that Lianne could not bear.


    The possibility of surgery is far better than the certainty of one.


    If all goes well, the mechanical valve would serve her well until she passes on. If not, then she would have to go through some repairs. At least, she could ''ignore'' it.


    After more discussion, it was decided that the surgery would be done just after the finals. The surgery would be done right after and she could use the end-of-the-year school holidays to recuperate.


    It would take about a month or two before she could go back to school.


    The only thing left was to inform Joseph of Lianne''s condition.


    Kyle sighed.


    For this was something he could not do since Joseph did not know of his past life. It fell on Stephan''s shoulders to do so. The plus point of that was Stephan would learn to interact with his children and Joseph was more like him than in temperament.


    Though he did ''inherit'' Kylie''s s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nature and Stephan''s sociable and adaptive personality, Joseph was not as ''tough'' as the father. To be more accurate, Joseph was incapable of hiding his true feelings or ''conform to the norm'' as required.


    Stephan did work hard to try and understand his son, but he was also of the firm belief that his son must follow the unwritten rules of society. He didn''t think his son was strong enough to face the judgment of society.


    No one can truly say who is right, or wrong, in this regard.


    Though one would say ''let the child grow'', which parent is able to see their child suffer? A parent can only do the best that he, or she, can and pray they didn''t f*ck up the job.


    Joseph took the news surprisingly well.


    When he first heard it, he was devastated.


    Then, Stephan kept downplaying the seriousness of the situation, as he wanted Joseph not to be too stressed out over it. He was, after all, still young. All Joseph needed to know was that his sister was not well and would be undergoing surgery, and that everything would be all right.


    Stephan was also saying it to convince himself.


    And so, each person handled the situation in their own way.


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    Joseph kept his thoughts to himself.


    On the outside, he appeared the same.


    It did not look like he was affected much by all that was happening around him.


    In reality, that was a lie.


    He was beginning to feel the pressure of it all coming down upon him.


    He had so much building within him and he had no outlet.


    He was feeling frustrated over a lot of things.


    Things that he had absolutely no control over.


    Though his relationship with his father had improved, he didn''t dare relax his guard. For now, Joseph knew his father was extremely worried over Lianne but was trying to pretend that everything was all right.


    Joseph knew better, though.


    However, since his father was downplaying it, then he, too, should just pretend that he wasn''t aware of what was truly happening. If that helped his father cope, it was the least he could do, right?


    And his sister.


    Lianne.


    Someone he loved dearly yet didn''t completely understand.


    But that didn''t matter.


    What mattered was the he knew his sister loved him, and he loved her. That was enough.


    He, as the older brother, would protect her as best as he could - even though Zero was doing a far better job in that sense than him.


    Did he resent the closeness Lianne had with Zero?


    Yes, and no.


    He was glad Lianne had Zero but he can''t deny that he wished he did have some sort of connection with her.


    All of his grievances, he poured into his writing.


    It was what gave his writing, a bit of ''soul''.


    Or that is what he believed.


    The current arc in his novel was that the lead managed to get the girl, but had to keep the relationship a secret.


    He never told Kay about his growing frustrations at this, because he knew that she had her own problems.


    So he poured out his true feelings in the novel.


    ~ My Secret, My Love, My Guilt ~


    Ben was not happy.


    It had been a few months now and he wondered why he had ever agreed to the ridiculous proposal by Kara.


    To keep their relationship secret.


    At first, it had been like a dream come true.


    She was finally his.


    Yet, now?


    Ben punched the wall repeatedly to get the agitation in his heart out but all he got was just more pain. Physical pain at his knuckles and pain in his heart.


    The punching did help ¡­ a bit ¡­ but the problem was still there.


    It did not go away.


    Kara noticed the change in Ben and she hesitatingly asked him, "What''s wrong, Ben?"


    Ben looked away, not able to tell her the truth.


    "Nothing," he said, flashing her a big smile.


    Kara smiled, believing him and that made him both happy, and sad at the same time.


    Ben sighed inwardly to himself and hugged her close to him.


    He told himself, at least, he was good enough an actor that she never knew how he truly felt.


    Still, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart at the same time.


    But he still kept silent.


    ~ end of chapter ~ sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kay bit her lower lips so hard that it started bleeding.


    Today''s chapter of her favourite novel echoed within her so much that she felt like the author was prophetic. She had been captivated by this novel because it mirrored her current situation, but never did she expect it to be *this* close.


    She re-read the chapter several times and couldn''t help but wonder.


    Did Joseph feel like this?


    The frustration over having their marriage being a secret?


    He never showed it, however, and was always so loving and attentive whenever they meet.


    Then again, due to the fact that they hardly could see each other, their meetings would end up in bed. Not that she was complaining, though and it seemed like a natural thing to do.


    They were husband and wife, after all.


    But now, with this chapter ¡­ she began thinking ¡­ had she been blind to how he truly felt?


    The guilt piled up even more.


    She said that she was going to tell him.


    She had used the excuse of him being caught up with Lianne''s situation as a reason to postpone it.


    Then, to wait until the surgery was over.


    Wasn''t she just delaying the inevitable?


    Joseph had been patient all this while and she wasn''t being fair on him.


    She decided that it was time to tell him.


    So that weekend, Kay told Joseph of her intentions.


    "What? Really?!" Joseph asked in surprise, his eyes wide, "Are you sure? This won''t be a problem for you?"


    For the first time, Kay saw the hope and happiness in his eyes, amidst the worry.


    Previously, it was only the worry that she saw and she used that to further make excuses to herself.


    Kay''s heart twisted.


    She had been so unfair to him.


    She touched his cheek gingerly, saying, "I''m sure. I''m sorry you had to wait so long, Joseph."


    He grabbed her hand and looked at her earnestly, "Let''s do it together."


    "What?!" Kay gasped.


    "Look, Kay," Joseph said, staring at her seriously, "I can''t let you face him alone. What sort of man am I then? I am your other half, to be by your side and be your pillar of support."


    "But, Joseph, he might lose it with you there," Kay said, "I know he wouldn''t do anything to you but at least, if it''s just me, he might be calmer."


    "I don''t care!" Joseph said, "I am your husband! Your burden is my burden. We share them. You will NOT go alone."


    "Oh Joseph," Kay said softly, "I love you so."


    Joseph kissed her and said softly, his breath on her lips, "I love you too. We shall do this together. It will be all right."


    "Okay," Kay agreed.


    Joseph kissed her again, holding her close. His slipped his tongue in and explored within the depths happily, while c.a.r.e.s.sing the soft figure in his arms. Despite the fact that Joseph truly wanted to have his wife right now, there was one thing he wanted more.


    Thus, Joseph broke the kiss, both of them breathing hard and said, "Let''s go and tell him now."


    "Now?" squeaked Kay.


    "You don''t want to?"


    Kay mentally kicked herself upon hearing his concern.


    "Let''s go," Kay agreed, taking his hand.

 Chapter 875 - The Big Reveal

    Chapter 875 - The Big Reveal <Kyle, are you busy?>


    <No. What''s up?>


    <I need to talk to you. Can you come over?>


    Kyle got worried.


    What was it that she needed to see him about that they couldn''t communicate via mind speech?


    He got up immediately, causing Sayuri to look at him in puzzlement. He bent down and kissed her softly, telling her, "Kay called. I''m heading over to her apartment."


    "Is everything okay?" she asked worried, getting up to walk with Kyle to the door.


    "I hope so," Kyle replied.


    Sayuri hugged him close and kissed him briefly on the lips, "You''ll be fine. Whatever it is, just be there for her."


    Kyle gave her a look, "Do you know what this is about?"


    "Of course not!" Sayuri replied, hitting him on the shoulder, "If she asked you to head over, it must be something serious, that she has to tell you face-to-face. So don''t make it hard on her and let her tell you."


    Kyle still gave Sayuri the side glance but she looked at him without any guile or guilt in her eyes.


    "Okay," Kyle said, "I will be patient."


    Sayuri gave him one final kiss, a deep one this time, before he left.


    After the door closed, she pursed her lips and gave out a breath of relief.


    ''Good luck, Kay'' she thought to herself.


    Of course Sayuri knew about Kay''s marriage to Joseph. Keeping it from Kyle had not been easy, but that was a secret that she, Sayuri, could not reveal. Although Sayuri didn''t know whether this was why Kay called Kyle over, it was most likely the reason.


    Managing to fool Kyle was also not easy.


    She may not be at par with him in terms of fighting skill, but she definitely was above his skill in espionage. Faking innocence and acting blur was the basics; but with Kyle, she had to utilise it to the max.


    If she could fool him, she could fool anyone.


    Luckily, she did manage to pull it off.


    She wasn''t worried that Kyle would be angry with her for hiding it from him. Sure, he may be upset at first but he wouldn''t blame her in any way. That''s one of the great things being married to Kyle.


    He knew, and accepted, that there would be things that she didn''t share with him (and vice versa); and that whatever was not shared, was simply one that could not be shared. It was nothing personal and it wasn''t meant to ''hide'' things.


    Kay''s sudden act of marrying Kyle''s ''son'' was something that only Kay could tell him. Anyone else, and it would be disastrous.


    Sayuri prayed that the Smith Anger didn''t come into play at this point.


    For Kyle wasn''t the only one that was a Smith.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kay was waiting for Kyle worriedly in her apartment. Joseph was holding her close, not saying anything but just held her tight.


    He knew how important Kyle was to her, but he couldn''t understand why it was so difficult for her to tell her own brother about them. Was it really just about the age difference?


    If she hadn''t married him, he would have really felt her feelings for him were either fake or temporary - or perhaps, deep down, she actually feels he was not good enough for her.


    All of these fears, feelings and thoughts were things that Lianne had managed to figure out and help. However, her thoughts had been filled with her own problems that she didn''t ''follow up'' on this.


    Otherwise, she would have pushed Kay to confess to Kyle (before Joseph got to be too agitated) while dropping hints to Kyle on accepting Joseph''s actions. She knew that Kyle just needed time to wrap his mind around it, so he had to be subconsciously be prepared for it.


    When Kyle arrived and walked through the door, he was surprised to see Joseph there.


    His eyes narrowed immediately.


    His mind worked in quick succession and he stared at Kay in disbelief.


    Yet, Sayuri''s words echoed in his mind then, reminding him to be calm and let Kay talk.


    So he clenched his jaw and without a word, just sat down.


    He didn''t even mind speak with her.


    This was her battle, and his was to keep calm.


    Keep.


    Calm.


    Akikai was going to get it though.


    If Joseph was here and Stephan didn''t raise a fuss, it meant Akikai was covering for him.


    He did *not* place Akikai as Joseph''s shadow guard in order to have him cover up for Joseph. Then again, Kyle knew that Akikai wouldn''t dare do it unless he had back-up.


    Looks like there was going to be an internal purge later on.


    As the thoughts swirled in, and he felt his anger rising, Kyle took several deep breaths.


    One thing at a time.


    Keep.


    Calm.


    "Kyle, I ¡­" Kay began then hesitated, taking a deep breath.


    Joseph couldn''t stand it any more and he took Kay''s hand in his, saying while lookign at Kyle firmly in the eyes, "Kyle, I am in love with Kay. We''re a couple."


    "Joseph!" Kay said softly, gripping his hand.


    He ignored her, patting the back of her hand, as if telling her to let him handle it.


    Kyle raised an eyebrow, and asked slowly while looking at Kay, "Oh? Really now?"


    He didn''t say anything else after that, but just stared at her.


    "Yes," she said softly, not daring to look at him in the eye.


    "You''ve slept with him?" Kyle asked bluntly, thinking about that day when he had felt her l.u.s.t and d.e.s.i.r.e.


    Had it really been just her ''having fun by herself'', so to speak?


    "That is none of your business!" Joseph replied indignantly.


    "You. Shut up," Kyle hissed, "I''m talking to my sister right now. Not you."


    "I will not!" Joseph said, standing up, "She''s my wife and .."


    "WHAT?!" Kyle shouted, standing up as well, "YOUR WIFE?!"


    Kyle slammed his hands onto the table, "What the bloody hell are you talking about?!"


    Kay grabbed Joseph''s arm, pulling him down to make him sit.


    This was *not* how it was supposed to go.


    Unfortunately, she underestimated the male hormones.


    Still, she felt rather proud of Joseph, being able to stand up against Kyle even though he was starting to lose it.


    He had released his killer aura, probably the Smith Anger clouding his judgement right then due to the sudden shock.


    "YOU!" Kyle said, pointing at Joseph, "It''s bad enough that you''re still just a snot-faced boy that has yet to grow up, what makes you think you''re actually old enough to get married?!"


    Then he turned to Kay, "And you! How could you just do this? It''s bad enough you hook up with him without telling me, you lied to me about f*cking him and now, this?!"


    Joseph stood in front of Kay, his legs trembling but he was firm in protecting Kay that looked like she was ready to cry, "It''s not her fault! Stop shouting at her!!"


    "I can''t believe this," Kyle ranted on, "I thought we had a good bond, Kay. Why couldn''t you tell me? Was it so hard?"


    Kyle felt both sad and angry at that.


    Sure, it was pretty strange for his own sister to get together with his son, but did she really think he would reject it if she had come to him about it? Was he really that unreasonable?


    Why couldn''t she have trusted him?


    The disappointment that he felt was so strong that it turned to anger instead.


    "Am I that bad that you felt you had to lie to me?!" Kyle went on relentlessly, his voice getting higher as he got more and more upset.


    Kay was devastated.


    Every word that Kyle said, pierced through her heart.


    Just why did she hide it from him?


    She, herself, did not know.


    She just knew that the moment the first lie happened, it became nigh impossible for her to actually tell him.


    Perhaps, deep down, she knew that he would be upset with her for the lie.


    Kay felt so bad that she started crying and Joseph''s heart went out to her.


    "STOP IT!" Joseph shouted at Kyle, hugging Kay tightly, "You''ve made her cry!"


    "And don''t get me started on you, Joseph Yang," Kyle said, "You''re always like this. Doing things without thinking of the consequences. Always thinking you''re old enough, know better, and all that." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joseph stared at Kyle uncomprehendingly. Just what was going on? Why was Kyle talking as if he knew him so well?


    "No matter what we tell you, you go ahead and do it, thinking that you know better," Kyle ranted on, "No, Joey, don''t do that. But do you listen? Nooooo. Just because you get away with it once, you think it will never happen. Then BAM! It happens."


    Joseph just stared at Kyle.


    What. The. Actual. F*ck?!

 Chapter 876 - The Big Reveal II

    Chapter 876 - The Big Reveal II Joseph heard the words but it didn''t seem to make any sense.


    While his befuddled mind was trying to make sense of what Kyle was saying, Kyle was still ranting on, "If I told you once, I told you a million times. Why can''t you get it? It''s not that we''re trying to control you or dictate what you do, but you tend to do things without thinking."


    "You always are trying so hard to show that you''re an a.d.u.l.t, that you can do it, but you have yet to prove it," Kyle stated in frustration, "Your thoughts and actions are still so immature. Can''t you understand that?"


    "You always feel passionately about something, but most of the time, you don''t carry it through! Like badminton. Wanting the best racket, and playing like crazy. Injuring yourself and all that but after a year? Done."


    "Same with guitar. Playing PubG. Whatever!"


    "And getting married is a prime example! Doing it without telling your parents? Hiding it? What''s going on in that mind of yours?! Do you think getting married is just about being with the one you love?! How naive is that?!"


    "Or what? You just want to be able to f*ck legally? No guilt whatsoever, is that it?!"


    "KYLE REXINGTON SMITH!" Kay screamed, wanting to rush at Kyle but was held back by Joseph.


    "Shut up! Just shut up!!" Kay said, tears streaming down her face but her expression was livid, "I admit, it was wrong for me to keep it from you but you are crossing the line here!"


    "In what way am I crossing the line?" hissed Kyle, glaring at her, his eyes cold, "Joseph is eighteen. EIGHTEEN, Kay."


    "SO?! Ali was 18 when he got married. So was Sam," Kay said, shivering a bit upon being hit by that cold eyes but she didn''t back down.


    "That''s different!" Kyle roared, his killer aura being released relentlessly, causing Joseph to be completely frozen.


    "Why is it different?! WHY?!" Kay roared back, challenging him despite the shaking of her knees.


    Her Smith Anger was in play, helping her fight the intensity of his aura against them, "You may be my brother, Kyle, but you do NOT control my life! Neither do you control his!"


    "Control? CONTROL?! Is that how you have seen it? Great, juuuuust great," Kyle growled, his eyes seeing red by now, "Get married and suddenly, I''m a pain, is it? You know what? You can just -"


    Before he could finish his sentence, a dainty hand covered it and another hand held his shoulder, holding him down.


    Kyle''s head whipped to the side to growl angrily at his wife.


    "Ssssh," Sayuri said gently, "You wouldn''t want to say something you can never take back."


    He pushed her hand away and hissed, "Stay out of this."


    "No," she said quietly, and firmly, unperturbed nor angry at his ice-cold gaze or intense aura.


    Kyle''s voice lowered dangerously, his eyes narrowing as he said, "Sayuri, I am warning you ¡­"


    Kay and Joseph shivered.


    She had never seen this part of Kyle, and definitely, never heard him talk like this before.


    He was like the devil''s incarnate.


    Was this how he was like as Ice, Kay wondered.


    For the first time, she felt fear.


    No, not fear that Kyle would lose it and hurt them in any way. However, he was still scary as hell like this.


    She was used to the indulging, loving brother. Not this.


    Sayuri, on the other hand, didn''t seem affected at all.


    Instead, she just looked at him with such confidence and love ¡­ and then ¡­ to Kay''s absolute shock, saw her putting her hands on Kyle''s cheeks and staring at him.


    "God, you''re so hot when you''re like this," Sayuri said breathlessly, before kissing him deeply.


    Kyle was frozen like a statute, just standing there while Sayuri plastered herself on him. Kay and Joseph, on the other hand, were just staring at the couple in amazement, too shocked to move or say anything.


    Their minds were blank.


    They didn''t even know when Sayuri entered.


    Or how she entered.


    She didn''t make a sound and suddenly, she was there.


    And now, she was kissing Kyle like nothing was wrong, as if he wasn''t standing there like some Hades on Earth.


    Sayuri broke the kiss, flung her hand around Kyle''s shoulder and looked at the couple with a small smile, "Excuse us for a minute while I talk to my husband. I apologize in advance for the noise later on."


    Grabbing Kyle by the collar of his shirt, she pulled him along. Surprisingly, he followed her without protest, and they entered the guest bedroom.


    The door slammed shut.


    First, there were some muffled shouts, then some loud noises as things seemed to be thrown about, followed by some intense banging sounds like something was hitting the wall repeatedly.


    Joseph ignored the strange sounds, and was focused on Kay completely.


    He wiped her tears with the handkerchief he always carried out of habit (courtesy of Stephan), "I''m sorry."


    Kay looked up at him in surprise, "Why are you apologizing? I am the one who is sorry."


    "I failed to protect you," Joseph said softly, "I let him make you cry."


    He felt so horrible.


    He didn''t know why, but when Kyle had gone on that tirade of his, his mind just went blank. His body was frozen. He couldn''t think, he couldn''t move.


    What sort of man was he?


    What sort of failed husband was he?


    He couldn''t even hold up against his brother-in-law?


    Even when he wanted to refute him, he found he couldn''t.


    All those things Kyle had said, were things he had done. If he was to say that he was serious about Kay, hadn''t he always said that about other things? What could he do, or show, to prove that unlike the other things, he would never change his mind about Kay?


    Or change how he feels?


    Nothing.


    Joseph felt completely useless.


    Joseph was so upset over that, that he failed to even wonder or think about why Kyle knew all those things about him. He simply accepted them without question.


    As for Kay? She, too, didn''t think about the way in which Kyle had been exposing himself like that, for she was just feeling too upset. She, too, felt helpless and useless about the whole situation.


    If Sayuri hadn''t come and stopped Kyle, she, too, would have said things that she would have regretted.


    She already did when she screamed her resentment at him for trying to dictate what she could, and could not do. Even though she knew he wasn''t doing that.


    He never did force her into anything and had always thought of her in everything that he did for her, or had her do.


    Still, all of that went out the window when she was angry.


    Words, once spoken, can never be taken back. You can apologize, but the hurt will be there. One can never truly be the same. Just like when you crumple a piece of paper and later smoothen it out. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter how hard you try, that piece of paper will contain the marks when it was crumpled.


    "No, this is inevitable," Kay said with a sigh and went to the kitchen to wash her face, cooling it down as well.


    She turned and hugged Joseph, who was waiting behind her patiently. She buried her face in his c.h.e.s.t and then, finally, looked up at him.


    "Do you regret it?"


    He frowned.


    "Regret what? Marrying you? Never," Joseph said firmly, holding her close, "No matter what, this is the one thing in my Life that I actually did right."


    He kissed her forehead, "No matter what lies ahead of us, I will never back down on this. We still have my father and your parents to tell as well."


    Kay sighed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Twenty minutes later, Kyle came out of the room with Sayuri, appearing much calmer. Kay and Joseph were, as well.


    The moment Kyle came out and his eyes met with Kay, it was as if a huge weight was lifted off their shoulders. Kyle looked at her apologetically, as did Kay.


    Without a word, she rushed to him and they hugged.


    "I''m sorry," both of them said at the same time.


    Kyle looked at his sister in the eyes.


    <I ¡­ I truly do understand why you couldn''t tell me at first, Kay>


    Kay bit her lower lips, her eyes getting watery again.


    <Are you really okay with me being with him, Kyle? It isn''t awkward for you?>


    <Give me time> Kyle admitted, then he laughed a bit <To be honest, I really want to punch him because I feel no man is good enough for you, yet at the same time, I feel relieved that it''s you because he needs someone like you>


    <I really do love him so much, Kyle>


    Kyle sighed.

 Chapter 877 - Decisions

    Chapter 877 - Decisions While hugging Kay, Kyle looked at his son and felt like a headache was coming.


    If Sayuri hadn''t calmed him down, things would have gone downhill pretty fast. Thinking about the state of the guest bedroom, Kyle winced a bit.


    <Er ¡­> Kyle began and Kay looked at him in puzzlement.


    <I''ll get someone to clean up the room and also replace the broken furniture in your room later> Kyle said sheepishly.


    Kay looked at him, then at Sayuri and rolled her eyes.


    "It''s not my fault you bought such a flimsy table," Kyle mumbled.


    "Is the wall at least intact?" Kay asked with a straight face.


    "About that ¡­" Kyle said, "You really shouldn''t decorate a guest bedroom with so many unnecessary stuff. Walls should be b.a.r.e."


    <Twenty minutes and you did that much damage?>


    Kyle grinned, showing off his pearly white teeth.


    Kyle let go of Kay and reached out for his wife, holding her tight. Looking at Kay and Joseph, he said, "We need to talk this out."


    And so, they talked into the night. It had them brainstorming how to reveal this to each respective parents (parent, in Joseph''s case) and what were the plans of the newly wedded couple for the future.


    It was decided that they would break it to both families together and Kyle would, naturally, be the mediator. Their marriage would not be hidden after he graduates from high school but neither would they make any official announcements.


    Almost similar to Kyle''s situation.


    Kay did want a wedding ceremony, but a small and intimate one with only the closest family members. Although she wasn''t ashamed of Joseph, nor was she bothered what other people thought about this strange union - but she didn''t want the world to judge them either.


    This was their life, after all, and she only wanted to share it with those important to her.


    With the main things settled, Kyle and Sayuri went home.


    After they left, Kay turned to Joseph and asked him, "Are you alright with all of this?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be?" Joseph asked in puzzlement.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean what we had been discussing earlier with Kyle, but ¡­ well, he did go on rather strong earlier," Kay explained.


    She was worried whether Joseph harboured any ill-will or resentment towards Kyle. It would certainly make things awkward.


    "No, not at all," Joseph said, "Kyle said things that made me think, really."


    He gave a small laugh, "I even felt like I was listening to my mother, the way he talked. Can you imagine that?"


    "Oh, really?" Kay asked, prodding him.


    "Yeah," Joseph said, then reached out to hug her, "I must be missing my mum so much to be thinking that a guy like Kyle could sound like my mother."


    Kay pursed her lips, not knowing whether this was a good thing, or a bad thing.


    <Guess what, brother?> Kay reached out to her brother as she snuggled with Joseph on the couch, watching television.


    <What?>


    <Joseph thought you sounded like his mother when you scolded him>


    <And?>


    <That''s it. He didn''t think anything more beyond that>


    <Figures> Kyle replied with a slight shake of his head. Joseph had a one-track mind, or rather, he saw things through a narrow viewpoint. He would never consider the possibility of him being his mother, no matter what hints were dropped.


    Unlike Lianne, who was much more open to the infinite and weird possibilities.


    <He''s your husband> Kyle said <You chose him>


    <Yeah. He may be dense in some areas but he''s pure hearted> Kay said with a smile, hugging her husband tighter.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Akikai jerked awake, but he didn''t move.


    There was someone in the room, he was sure of it. He kept his breathing even, as if asleep and he tried to figure out where that person was.


    Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t sense the person.


    Or rather, where the person was.


    Did he imagine it?


    Akikai slowly turned, only to jump up in shock, with his back pressed against the wall.


    "S-S-sir¡­" Akikai managed to squeak out.


    Kyle was at the edge of the bed, and had positioned his face directly where Akikai''s head was, so that the moment Akikai turned to look into the room, he would have seen Kyle''s face inches away from his.


    Kyle smirked, seeing Akikai''s exaggerated reaction.


    He got up slowly, not taking his eyes off Akikai.


    "Not making any excuses?" Kyle asked.


    Akikai got down from the bed, standing straight, "None, Sir."


    "Good," Kyle replied, patting him on the shoulder, "Keep up the good work."


    Kyle nodded. If Akikai had tried to explain the situation by saying he was ordered to do so, Kyle would not have let it go.


    Akikai blinked.


    That''s it?


    He wasn''t in any trouble?


    Really?


    Kyle headed out to the window.


    "Oh, by the way. Since you are doing such a good job, you''re assigned to him for another 5 years."


    Akikai g.r.o.a.n.e.d.


    Well, at least he''s still in one piece. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as Kyle was about to disappear, he said, "And cover for him this entire week."


    Akikai slumped on the bed.


    Okay, he knew that had been too easy.


    Sayuri was waiting for Kyle as he scaled down the building.


    "Don''t you think you were too harsh on the poor boy?" she asked him as he landed on the ground.


    "What? Nah," Kyle said, dismissing the statement with a wave of his hand.


    "You know he wasn''t disobeying orders," Sayuri said to him with a purse of her lips.


    "Of course," Kyle said with a grin, "And since he was juuuust following orders, he might as well follow it through until the end, right?"


    Sayuri smiled and pinched his cheeks, "Why don''t you just admit that you''re letting Kay have her honeymoon week with Joseph?"


    Kyle shuddered.


    "Please. I''m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that not only is my sister being s.e.x.u.a.lly active, so is my son."


    Sayuri raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Poor little Kyle cannot let go of his babies? Imagine when it''s Lianne''s turn¡­"


    Kyle kissed her suddenly, sealing her lips from making any more noise. He slammed her against the building wall as he thoroughly explored the inner cave of her mouth while his hands roamed all over her body.


    When he finally broke the kiss, he said, "Enough. Stop trying to rile me up."


    Sayuri grinned and licked his lips, asking in a sultry voice, "Oh, you noticed?"


    "How could I not?" Kyle asked, staring at her, "Is it really necessary?"


    "You must admit, that was really some mind-blowing s.e.x we had," Sayuri replied.


    "I''d rather do without the Smith Wrath, thank you very much," Kyle snorted, while paying very close attention to her ear.


    "Oh please," Sayuri said, wrapping her hands around his neck, "As if those little things I said would trigger the Smith Wrath."


    Then she ran her hands down his back, and squeezed his *ss, "But it would certainly trigger something."


    "What? Just now wasn''t enough?" Kyle asked, looking at her.


    "It''s with you. When is it ever enough?"

 Chapter 878 - The Surgery (I)

    Chapter 878 - The Surgery (I) The date for Lianne''s surgery was settled.


    As per her request, no one other than the family and the Diamond Group knew about it. The latter was primarily due to Zero, of course.


    Lianne was the type that did not want to talk about it because in doing so, it made the situation ''real''. It wasn''t to say that she avoided facing it, but rather, she did not want to have to constantly answer people''s questions, or have them give her advice and concern.


    She wanted everyone to act normally, and thus, she could handle the day-to-day things.


    Kyle was still worried, however.


    He was caught inbetween and not sure whether he would step over the line.


    On the one hand, as her mother, he wanted to be there for her. If he could, he would take her pain for her. He wanted her to talk to him, but he also knew that these were things that he wanted.


    Not her.


    Having to step back was hard.


    One thing for sure, however.


    He was grateful that Lianne was the straight-forward kind of person.


    Kyle did not have to second-guess his actions or his decisions.


    He simply told her frankly that he wanted to be there for her, but didn''t know how. That he was always there for her, that she could call him at anytime - and if she couldn''t, she could always text him.


    However, throughout the entire time until the surgery, Lianne never did open up.


    Kyle didn''t even dare ask her if she was all right, for fear that it might trigger her.


    No matter what he was going through, however, Kyle never let his fear and worry show. Lianne was holding on strongly by herself.


    Of course, Lianne is not superhuman.


    She wasn''t doing it all by herself but she couldn''t bring herself to confide in her mother either.


    She knew how much Kyle was worried about her, and thus, why add on to the burden?


    In the end, she turned to her online friends.


    Friends that she had never met but were close to. The screen provided a layer of protection and anonymity, even if there was that closeness and bond. If she felt overwhelmed, she wouldn''t login.


    If she needed support, she would connect.


    Unlike ''real-life'' whereby, you can''t control when you need to meet and interact. It''s not like she could hole herself in the room, right?


    Hence, her daily life let her be anchored while her online friends helped her be sane.


    <I am terrified> Lianne confessed one day <I may not survive this. It''s an open heart surgery>


    <Death is inevitable, Life is unpredictable> Kohai responded <Look at me. I''ve gone through so many surgeries and I am still alive>


    <How do you do it? How do you face it?> Lianne asked <It''s getting harder and harder to think positively>


    <Then don''t>


    <What do you mean?>


    <Take one day at a time. If writing a will makes you feel calmer, do it. If ignoring it makes you feel better, ignore it. You don''t have to constantly try to pick yourself up>


    Lianne sighed.


    <Just fill your days with things you like> Kohai advised <Ignoring it helps me cope. There is nothing wrong with that>


    <I guess> Lianne said.


    <You''re lucky> Kohai said softly <You have support around you>


    Lianne couldn''t refute that.


    Unlike her, Kohai''s parents didn''t quite understand him. He was a sickly child, and also suffered from depression. He felt like he burdened his parents and they, too, showed it.


    Perhaps it wasn''t their fault as they were only saying things that were true such as how expensive the surgeries were, or how tired they were ¡­ but it didn''t mean that he didn''t feel guilty because of it. They never blamed him outright, but he felt it.


    Whilst it was true that Kyle could afford it and thus, the issue of expenses never cropped up - it was not that which Kohai was referring to. The fact that he would always ask how she felt about things, how he included her in the decisions ¡­ all of that were important.


    It meant that *she* was important.


    She wasn''t just a sickly patient but a person.


    <I know> Lianne said, feeling bad for Kohai.


    Kohai was someone that she met online and they bonded through time. There were a group of them, and he was the youngest. Hence, everyone just called him kohai which meant ''a junior member in Country J''s arts''.


    Since they got together due to their interest and love in Country J''s arts, it was rather apt.


    <Good luck for tomorrow> Kohai said finally, before logging off.


    Lianne stared at the now dead phone. Dead, not because it had run out of battery but ''dead'' as it was now silent.


    Being strong was hard.


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    Lianne had to be warded a couple of days before the actual surgery as she would have to go through all the necessary tests prior to surgery. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, Lianne was placed in the VIP ward and Kyle was the one that would be spending the night with her at the ward.


    No one said anything about that, though Joseph found it strange.


    "Why is Kyle the one who is spending the night with Lianne?" Joseph whispered to Kay, as he watched Kyle arranging everything while his own father was standing awkwardly at one side.


    Joseph now lived together with Kay, their marriage out in the open, so he didn''t have to fear staying away from her now.


    With Kyle''s help, the ''explosion'' wasn''t as bad as what Joseph would have thought. The most surprising thing was his father, Stephan, that seemed to take it all in his stride.


    Kay''s parents were just surprised, but accepted him quite quickly. With his parents-in-law being supportive, Stephan didn''t say much. After all, it was his son that ''took'' their daughter without permission.


    In truth, Stephan didn''t make much of a fuss due to two reasons. One, because Kyle had already broached the subject to him about their son''s antics. Stephan had been angry, of course, but like Kyle rightly pointed out - what''s done is done.


    Getting angry over spilt milk was useless.


    Secondly, Stephan was embarrassed. He had to face his in-laws and apologize to them for his son''s actions, yet they were the ones that were apologizing to him for their daughter ''stealing from the cradle''.


    By some tacit agreement, both parties decided to let the children be without raising too much of a fuss.


    Hence, the dinner went by in uncomfortable silence but Joseph was happy.


    Stephan had to have a heart-to-heart talk with his son as well.


    Stephan couldn''t quite see Joseph as being matured enough to be a husband to Kay, so he had to make sure his son didn''t fail her in this. The last thing he wanted was Kay seeing Joseph as a ''son'' to take care of, rather than having a husband who is her partner.


    These things, however, were things that Joseph would have to learn, and face, in the marriage. But that is a story for another day.


    After all, marriage isn''t like the fairy tales where one lived ''happily ever after'' once the ring is put on the finger. The journey has just begun.


    Kay answered, "Who else is close to your sister? Kyle is like a second parent to her, despite his age, right?"


    "Also, Zero would have stayed but he''s single, thus inappropriate," Kay said.


    Joseph thought about it and felt Kay was right.


    It wasn''t so weird to have Kyle stay the night as well, since they were all now tied via marriage. Previously, he was just their sponsor. Now, he was much more than that; even though the ''true'' tie via marriage was through Joseph.


    Lianne appeared rather small on the hospital bed. She had Leon with her, though she really wanted to bring Koga as well.


    Leon was her husky soft toy, that Kyle had made so long ago to replace the one that she had lost in the fire. It was only 12" wide while Koga was the bigger version that served as a bolster as well. These two were her favourites, and she sought comfort from them.


    "I guess you''re right," Joseph said, resisting the urge to hug Kay. With his father here, he was more reserved in his PDA, even though Kay was his wife.


    <It''s a good thing your husband is easy to fool> Kyle said.


    <That''s your son that you''re making fun of> Kay pointed out.


    <It''s because he''s my son that I can make fun of him> Kyle snorted <I love him but I''m not blind to his faults. It''s usually the wife that is blind.>


    <He''s perfect as he is> Kay said.


    Kyle snorted.


    <The kids are okay with you being here?>


    <They''ll learn. It''s being compassionate> Kyle said, praying it to be so.

 Chapter 879 - The Surgery (II)

    Chapter 879 - The Surgery (II) Well, that was what Kyle hoped.


    However, could young children truly understand?


    Even if they were sympathetic towards Lianne, it didn''t mean that they didn''t feel something.


    After all, Kyle was *their* father, not Lianne''s.


    Sayuri held onto Rory, who was pouting while hiding her face in her c.h.e.s.t, while Alex just glared at his father. Kyle noticed this, but ignored them for the time being. He had already explained it to them and right now, the situation wasn''t suitable for him to comfort them.


    The doctors were there for a consultation, and Lianne was just lying on her bed while listening to it all. Kyle and Stephan were paying close attention as the surgery was the next day.


    The tests had been done, but later on, there was going to be a briefing as to the protocols in the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit). After the surgery, she would be under observation in CICU before she could be returned to the normal wards.


    Lianne was rather listless listening to that.


    She only managed to keep calm because her mother was here, but in the CICU, her mother would not be able to stay with her. That thought terrified her and she listened impassively as Kyle tried to get some concession.


    While the discussion was going on, Rory watched it all with a sad face.


    Why was her father being so attentive to Big Sis?


    "Mummy, does this mean Daddy doesn''t love us anymore?" Rory asked her mother mournfully, "Do I have to get sick like Big Sis for Daddy to


    "What are you talking about?" Sayuri asked in surprise, "Of course not! It''s not that Daddy doesn''t love you or that he doesn''t want to pay any attention to you, but right now, Big Sis needs Daddy more."


    "But he''s my Daddy, not hers," Rory mumbled, gripping Sayuri''s shirt as she carried Rory.


    Sayuri gave a slight sigh and felt rather helpless.


    This was not something she could truly explain to Rory or Alex. Even if Lianne really was their sibling, Sayuri was sure the twins would feel slightly jealous. After all, Kyle had been rather busy the past couple of days.


    Times like this, the kids didn''t think about all that Kyle had done before, or how he had always put them first. They were only concerned with the here and now, and how they felt now.


    It was as if this moment was the most crucial moment and all that Kyle had done before were long forgotten.


    Kids were like that.


    They were very expressive and felt what they felt at the moment, and they were too young.


    Sayuri held onto Rory tighter and tried her best to explain, "To your father, Lianne is not more important than both of you. After all, you are his children. Imagine this, Rory."


    Sayuri paused and looked at Rory, "You love Socks, right?"


    Rory nodded. Socks was her favourite and she loved Socks to death.


    Sayuri looked at Alex, who was listening as well.


    "Socks has you, and the rest of the siblings. Not to mention he has both of his parents, Kitty and Aki, right?"


    Rory nodded again, not understanding where this was going.


    "What if you find a lone kitten, who is hurt? And that kitten meows pitifully at you? Feels safe with you? Would you ignore it?"


    "Of course not," Rory said with a huff, "Poor kitty."


    "Yes, poor kitty," Sayuri said, "Does taking care of that kitty mean you don''t love Socks anymore?"


    "Of course I do!" Rory said, her eyes wide.


    "Socks can run and jump, play with everyone but the little kitty is scared and sick," Sayuri said, "Would you pay more attention to Socks, or the little kitty?"


    "Little kitty!" Rory said, "She is sick, so she needs to be taken care of."


    "Right," Sayuri said, "And when you''re sick, don''t you feel like you want more attention?"


    Rory nodded.


    Slowly, her eyes began to show some understanding. Still, she didn''t like it. She pouted.


    "I suppose Big Sis does need Daddy," Rory said, "But but ¡­"


    Just then, Kyle came over and scooped her up from Sayuri''s arms and rained her face with kisses, "How is my little Princess?"


    Then, he looked surprised, "What is this? What is making you look so sad?"


    Rory pressed her lips together, not wanting to say anything. Instead, she wrapped her hands around Kyle''s neck and sniffled.


    Kyle''s heart was rather torn at this.


    "You''re such a strong little girl, you know that?" Kyle whispered in her ear, "Thank you for sharing me with Big Sis Lianne."


    Kyle carried her and taking Alex''s hand, he walked over to the window. He then crouched, putting Rory on his knee while still holding onto Alex''s hand.


    "I know this is difficult for you," Kyle said, "And I want you to know that I appreciate it that you are letting me take care of Big Sis Lianne. You know that both of you are my world and I would do anything for you guys."


    He hugged Rory, "I love both of you so much, you know that. I''ll always. Always. Be there for you."


    This was the best that Kyle could do.


    He could tell them, but at the end of the day, it''s his actions that would prove it to them. And that, however, would take time.


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    "I''m sorry," Lianne said softly to Kyle after everyone had gone back home.


    Kyle gave her a small smile, and resisted the urge to ruffle her hair, "There isn''t anything to say sorry for. I''m just glad I can be here for you."


    The day of the surgery was one of the hardest things Kyle had to go through.


    He had thought his death day was bad, but this ¡­ for some reason, it felt worse.


    Seeing how Lianne was just taking it in her stride, Kyle did his best to look as if it didn''t bother him at all. Watching as she lay on the wheeled stretcher made his heart lurch. She looked so small on it.


    Everyone was there in the ward to send her off, so to speak. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sayuri and the kids, Stephan, Joseph and Kay, and finally, Zero.


    The twins watched with eyes wide as Lianne was wheeled off. Just as Kyle followed behind, he gave a quick kiss to Sayuri on the lips, several butterfly kisses on Rory and patted Alex on the back. He gave a brief nod to Stephan and quickly walked beside Lianne.


    He followed her all the way to the surgery doors, where he had to change his shoes into the slippers provided and wear a surgical gown and cap. Lianne was wheeled into a room whereby they started to insert the lines needed.


    Despite Lianne''s age, she was given some EMLA cream, which is basically a numbing cream on the area where the lines would be inserted. EMLA was normally given to young children in order to minimise the pain, but in this case, Lianne had extreme fear of needles and would get an anxiety attack whenever she had to have her shots.


    Thus, Lianne was an exception.


    As it would take about an hour for the cream to take effect, the cream had been administered before she was wheeled out of her ward. Kyle held her hand throughout, as they worked around him to place the necessary lines.


    When it was time, Kyle was allowed to follow Lianne straight into the surgery room. He watched as the anesthetist started administering the anesthesia and she was asked to count backwards.


    After they made sure she was under, Kyle left.


    Kyle had to take several deep breaths as he slowly walked out, and together with Stephan, Joseph and Zero, they waited in the corridors. The ladies were waiting in the ward, waiting with the kids.


    The operation was supposed to be two hours.


    However, even after three hours had passed, she had yet to come out.


    Finally, just as the fourth hour passed, Lianne was wheeled out.


    She looked so pale and small on the wheeled stretcher. There was such a large breathing tube inserted in her mouth, and some wires sticking out of her neck. As much as he wanted to follow her, he could not.


    She was unconscious anyway, and right now, the surgeon was right outside the surgery room, waiting to talk to them.


    So they waited, while Lianne was wheeled into the CICU which was right opposite the surgery room.


    "The surgery was a success," he said, facing the three men, "The valve could be repaired, and didn''t need to be replaced."


    Kyle, as well as everyone else, was relieved.


    "However, her heart was already enlarged," the surgeon said, "Indicating that it was already over-exerting itself. Thus, it was really good that the surgery was done early."


    Again, another miracle and disaster missed. They had earlier been told it wasn''t an urgent surgery, but as it turns out, one could never know until one is ''opened up''. The enlarged heart was not seen through the various tests that they had done.


    "That''s good," Kyle said in relief, "But why did the surgery take longer than expected?"


    More so since it was a valve repair, and not a replacement.


    The surgeon looked at them seriously, and said, "Though the surgery was a success, her heart rate was rather low throughout. Thus, we had to stimulate the heart a few times."


    Kyle paled.


    Lianne almost died on the surgery table?!

 Chapter 880 - New Boss?

    Chapter 880 - New Boss? Kyle and Stephan entered CICU, while Joseph updated the others on Lianne''s condition. Lianne was still unconscious, and both of them were in a daze at what the surgeon had told them.


    She had so many wires attached and the monitor beside the bed was beeping, while it showed her heart rate and heart beat.


    "She''s strong," Stephan said softly, his voice breaking.


    "She is," Kyle agreed, "But what about you? Are you okay?"


    "No," Stephan admitted, "I feel like everything is crumbling around me, honestly. Nothing is within my control."


    Kyle didn''t look at him as they continued looking at their daughter, "You''ve always been such a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e soul, Stephan. Lianne gets that from you. It''s okay to feel weak. It doesn''t mean you are weak."


    Stephan snorted a bit.


    "Coming from you, that''s rich," Stephan said, laughing a bit, "For someone that is at the top, in all aspects, saying such a thing is hardly inspiring."


    "People only see the result," Kyle said "But not what was put into it. If I didn''t have the support of my sister, and now, my wife, I wouldn''t be where I am right now."


    "Yes, I had a good start but if I hadn''t had the right mindset and foundation, nothing would have happened," Kyle said, "I would have been a spoilt, rich boy that probably wasted his family''s money."


    Kyle turned to Stephan, "Lianne will be okay. We raised her well. You raised her well. You, too, should move on. Start going out. Meet someone. Live again."


    "Perhaps," Stephan said.


    "I hear Lydia from Sales is rather pretty," Kyle said with a smirk, "And a rather nice girl, too. Still single."


    Stephan looked at him in surprise, "You-you¡­"


    He looked at Stephan innocently, "What? I would still need to know who''s going to be my kids'' stepmother now wouldn''t I?"


    Stephan didn''t answer but just stared at his daughter.


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    For the next two days, Lianne was kept under strict observation. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was one cranky patient, though. The worst thing for her was the breathing tube, causing her to feel like she was gagging. After one day, it was decided that her breathing tube would be removed.


    She was not being cooperative at all.


    Kyle and Zero were outside the curtains that covered her bed as the nurses and doctors were busy taking it out. It was visiting hours, and thus, both of them were allowed in.


    The nurses also chose this moment to take the tubes out for the presence of the two men who had a calming effect on Lianne. It didn''t take long for the nurses to figure that out.


    The fact that the two men that were constantly by Lianne''s side happened to be strikingly handsome were an added bonus for them. They really were soothing eye-candy - even if one of them had a rather ''stone'' face.


    When he was with Lianne, however, the gentle expression on his face made all the nurses just swoon. Lianne, too, would have a gentle smile on her face whenever the two were around her.


    So, naturally, having them around while they had to take out the breathing tube was a no-brainer.


    Despite the fact that she was rather vocal with her disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e at that moment.


    Curses and shouts were heard and Kyle winced.


    Zero, on the other hand, was looking highly worried and rather agitated.


    "She will be fine," Kyle told Zero softly, "Calm down."


    "She''s in pain, Sir," Zero said, his voice breaking a bit.


    "It''s unavoidable," Kyle said, "But she''s fine enough. If you can''t hear her curse, then that is when you should be worried."


    Lianne was the type that would be very patient and take things in her stride. However, she had a low threshold for pain. Kyle didn''t think that there was anything wrong with that, for she was strong in other areas.


    Right now, her mouth was rather unfiltered as she was cranky and scolding everyone around her. It wasn''t that she was deliberately trying to be rude, but she couldn''t stand people just telling her to ''suck it up''.


    Once it was all over, the medical personnel left and Kyle thanked them, dazzling them with his Million-Dollar Watt smile. Fl.u.s.tered, and completely won over, the nurses left with a smile.


    They turned to look at Lianne, who looked rather put-off and had a bit of tears in her eyes. Kyle wiped them, asking gently, "Feeling better now?"


    Lianne pursed her lips.


    "Do you want the beef porridge from the food truck below?" Zero asked.


    Lianne loved porridge, and it so happened that there was a food truck which sold really delicious porridge just opposite the emergency center doors.


    "I just had a f*cking large tube pulled out from my throat," Lianne said hoarsely, "I don''t want to eat."


    Kyle''s mouth twitched.


    Zero didn''t look disturbed at all, "Ice-cream then? Jelly?"


    Kyle stepped back a bit, watching as Zero approached Lianne and asked her gently. Lianne shook her head.


    "Later, maybe," she said softly, "I don''t know."


    "It''s okay," Zero said, patting her hand, "When you do know, let me know."


    "When can I get out?" Lianne asked Kyle.


    "We''ll see what the doctor says first," Kyle replied.


    Each time they came to check-up on Lianne, they would be observing the heartbeat monitor, or ECG/EKG machine beside her bed. Kyle also knew that they would be making their second round right now, which is the reason why he''s also staying slightly longer in order to meet them.


    It didn''t take long, and Kyle basically was rather quiet as he continued to observe the way Lianne and Zero interacted.


    He had known that they were close, but this was still beyond what he had thought it would be. Having been the one that recruited Zero and watched him grow, Kyle did have a special sort of feeling for him - as well as the rest of the Diamond Team.


    No matter how MIB grew, they were amongst the first.


    Now that everything was settled with his past life, the original purpose of the team no longer exist. Of course, Kyle had already thought about their future but right now, for the first time, he began thinking of letting them go.


    Their roles and responsibilities have changed over time, and they were still deathly loyal to him. That was his blessing and it wasn''t that he was complaining, but he felt he was also holding them back.


    None of them seemed to have their own private life, as they dedicated their lives to him. He, on the other hand, was already married with kids.


    "Lianne," Kyle called out suddenly.


    "Yes?" Lianne answered, turning to face her mother while her face was still smiling brightly over something Zero had said.


    "You once asked if you could have Zero," Kyle said.


    Lianne blinked rapidly. Where was this going? Why did her mother suddenly bring this up?


    "Ye-es¡­" Lianne said, turning slightly red as the words she had uttered before sounding so misleading now.


    Zero''s shoulders began moving, a sign he was holding back his laughter though he didn''t make a sound. His lips were twitching, though and his eyes were sparkling.


    "Zero, what do you think? Do you want to move over to her side?" Kyle asked.


    Zero stopped laughing.


    "Sir," he said, suddenly getting up, looking a bit agitated.


    Kyle put up his hand and said with a smile, "No, I am not asking because I want to get rid of you. Neither am I disbanding Diamond Team."


    "Sir? I don''t understand," Zero said, puzzled.


    Lianne looked at her mother in horror.


    "No," she said, shaking her head vigorously.


    "Why not?" Kyle asked, tilting his head.


    "I''m only fifteen, you know," she said.


    "So says the person that got her own brother married off," Kyle snorted, "Plus, arranging everything and getting Akikai to cover for him - and Zero following your orders like it was nothing."


    Zero looked away at that point while Lianne pouted.


    "Since you''re already doing it, why not make it official?" Kyle asked, "Seriously, they''re already self-sufficient, and work by themselves. However, they can be yours for certain things you deem fit."


    "So, essentially, I can use them?" Lianne said, "For whatever purpose?"


    Kyle smiled, "It''s you, Lianne. You wouldn''t abuse the position but I have a feeling you may actually be able to do great things with them if they are at your disposal."


    "Wait wait wait," Lianne said, rubbing the space between her eyebrows, "Let me get this straight. So, essentially, they don''t need me to be their boss but I can boss them around?"


    "Yup," Kyle said, "In a nutshell."


    "What''s the point?" Lianne said, "I don''t think I would ever need to use them in the manner you say anymore. Joseph''s issue is settled."


    "Oh, you never know," Kyle said, "Anything''s possible."


    Oh, how true those words are.

 Chapter 881 - The End

    Chapter 881 - The End "And Zero," Kyle said, turning to face Zero, "I''m letting you know first. The Diamond Team will be in charge of the logistics in MIB."


    "Know this," Kyle said, "You and the Team are indispensable to me but all of you have done your job perfectly. I''m already stable and in position, so it''s basically just monitoring everything. That''s all that Diamond Team needs to do."


    "Sir?" Zero asked, perplexed.


    "He means Diamond Team is the boss. You will delegate. Send others for missions, but you guys just sit tight," Lianne said, rolling her eyes.


    "But, Sir ..." Zero started when Kyle put up his hand.


    "You guys should rest. Live your life. Get a life," Kyle said, "That doesn''t revolve around the Smith Twins. You''re still the backbone but you don''t have to be the one who does everything anymore. Let others do it."


    "Yeah, Zero," Lianne said, "You guys are old now. You should get out there and find a girl before your seeds shrivel up."


    "Lianne!" Kyle said, shocked.


    "Oops?" Lianne said, putting a hand over her mouth, "Sorry, that''s wrong. Guys don''t have that problem."


    At that moment, their talk ended when a team of doctors turned up.


    The surgeon and cardiologist were present, along with a few other faces which they didn''t know.


    They checked Lianne, observed the monitor, and finally, after some discussions, the surgeon turned to Kyle, "Her heart rate is improving but it''s really still quite low."


    "So, what does this mean?" Kyle asked.


    "There is always a chance that it will steadily grow stronger and she will be fine," the surgeon said, "We will know for sure in two weeks to a month."


    "But?" Kyle prodded.


    "If it doesn''t improve, then she will need to be fixed with a pacemaker," he said.


    "What is your recommendation?" Kyle then asked.


    The surgeon hesitated, "I can''t say. All I can say is that there is a risk of her needing a pacemaker in the future. If that is the case, then she will have to go through all of this again."


    Lianne paled.


    "What about putting the pacemaker now?" Kyle asked.


    "The lines are already in, so we will not need to put them in again," the surgeon explained, "I will also use the same opening, not having to make another incision later on."


    "What if she doesn''t need the pacemaker in the future? Wouldn''t it mean having it put in now, is a waste?"


    "No," the surgeon said, "Even if it was determined that she needs a pacemaker in the future, it doesn''t mean that she will be dependent on it forever. She is still young and her heart may actually not need it in the future after that."


    "So if she doesn''t need it anymore, she has to go through surgery to take it out?" Kyle asked.


    "No," the surgeon replied, "It won''t be an obstruction at all. She will need to go for regular check-ups, to check her heart and even change the battery. That won''t be any major surgery either. It''s like cutting open a pocket and changing it. It''ll be a day surgery."


    "Do I need the breathing tube again?" Lianne asked, her voice shaking.


    "Yes," the doctor replied, "But we will put it - and remove it - while you''re under anesthesia."


    Lianne looked visibly relieved at that.


    Kyle looked at Lianne and then said decisively to the surgeon, "Then, doctor, let''s have the pacemaker installed now. I don''t want her to go through two weeks of uncertainty and then having to do this all over again."


    Kyle didn''t bother asking Lianne about this for he knew that there are times one has to be firm. He turned to Lianne and said gently, "I hope you understand."


    Lianne nodded. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In truth, she was glad her mother made the choice.


    A part of her did not want to, but a part of her wanted to. Having the decision taken out of her hands made her then focus on the next step. Let''s just get this over and done with in one shot.


    "Let''s do this," Lianne said.


    Zero held her hand and she tentatively smiled at him. At least, she would be unconscious when they put those tubes in her all over again.


    Think on the positives and things will be well.


    Kohai was right.


    This time, the surgery went by smoothly and according to the time. Lianne stayed in CICU for another day before being sent back to the ''normal'' ward. The VIP ward, of course.


    This time, it was Zero who accompanied her throughout.


    Stephan had been indignant at first, until Kyle assured him that Zero was a gentleman and there would not be any incidents. To make him even more assured, Kyle hired a female nurse as Lianne''s personal nurse.


    Zero was there to keep Lianne company while the personal nurse was not only to take care of Lianne (who didn''t really need care) but also ensure that things were ''appropriate''.


    For the first two days, Lianne was rather listless and in constant pain but slowly, she recovered. By the third day, she felt more human and was even given a clean bill of health and could return home the next day.


    Kyle couldn''t believe that it was that fast, but he was assured that there was nothing wrong. Just to be sure, he had the personal nurse stay for another month to just be on ''stand-by''.


    Just in case.


    Surprisingly ¡­


    That nurse became the rock for Stephan instead of Lianne.


    Lianne could see the growing attraction between the two and, naturally, she pushed them together. She felt the nurse was perfect for her father, for she was the homely type and very caring.


    She had to admit, she had ulterior motives for getting them together.


    With them going out on date and such, she was basically left alone and her father wasn''t constantly trying to take care of her. It wasn''t that she didn''t appreciate his efforts but he was just really so awkward about it all.


    Lydia from Sales was forgotten, and it was Nurse Hannah that her father ended up dating seriously. Though it was still too early to tell, Lianne could see that at least, for now, it seemed to be going in the right direction.


    Lianne''s life didn''t change much.


    Other than the check-ups she needed to do every six months, her life was as per normal. She was never physically active anyway, thus, the ban on contact sports didn''t faze her at all.


    She was never a fan of roller-coasters as well, so not going to theme parks was fine by her.


    She felt her life was pretty good, really.


    After the whole scare about the surgery, things settled very well for her.


    Joseph was living with Kay, and they were still going through the honeymoon period.


    Her father was looking happier with Nurse Hannah, and becoming more mellow. He was less prone to anger and less temperamental. Nurse Hannah knew how to handle her father, and that was the best.


    As for her mother?


    Well, it was obvious that her mother did find the love of her life in this life. Lianne was happy for her and hoped that they would live a long, blissful and fulfilling life till the end. With everyone around her having found ''the one'', Lianne didn''t feel left out at all.


    In fact, she thought it was perfect.


    She could live her life as she wished, without worry about other people or having to have a guy bothering her. She couldn''t wait to be a legal a.d.u.l.t and move out, to live by herself in an apartment.


    That would be bliss indeed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Kyle lay in bed, hugging his wife while deeply inhaling her sweet scent. They had just finished a rather vigorous nightime exercise, and they hadn''t washed up yet. Kyle wasn''t really the type to immediately get up and bathe because he liked to cuddle after it.


    Sometimes, they fell asleep without even washing up, and would only do so the next morning ¡­ usually, after a round of morning s.e.x, too. Though some may find this icky, or unhygienic, in reality, it is fine to sleep in the natural, post-s.e.x state.


    It all depends on the individual, of course.


    As long as one does clean up, it is fine to do so the next day (this is on the premis that there it is ''normal'' s.e.x and individual preference). Not cleaning up, however, is a no-no. One should always clean oneself, as this would protect men and women from infections like urinary tract (UTIs).


    For now, Kyle and Sayuri had wiped the main areas with a wet towel and found it to be more than enough. Sayuri started playing with Kyle''s c.h.e.s.t, running her fingers around it.


    Kyle looked down at her and laughed softly, "What are you doing?"


    "What does it look like?"


    Kyle took her hand and brought it lower, saying, "It should be here, you know."


    "Shameless," Sayuri responded with a laugh as she touched his c*ck. Obviously, it didn''t take long for Round 2 to begin.


    ? New year ?


    There was a new tradition for New Years at the Smith Mansion.


    It used to be that the kids would spend New Year''s eve with their Elite Five Group, and the celebration would last till the next day. However, this time, it was family time.


    Delilah and Patrick watched from a distance as Kyle lit some fireworks. Joseph stood behind Kyle, holding on to some fireworks while closing his ears. He would hand the fireworks to Kyle after he lit them up and they were laughing together.


    Sayuri was sitting with her kids on a mat that was spread on the ground, watching the fireworks with her kids beside her. Kay was on another mat nearby while Stephan and Hannah were sitting beside Delilah and Patrick. Lianne was also sitting with them though she wasn''t really hanging out with them.


    It was as if she was on the outside, looking in. Part of the group, yet, not.


    She didn''t mind, really, and she didn''t feel out of place but she did wish Zero was here. He would have enjoyed the fireworks as well.


    After the fireworks were finished, Kyle went over to his family. He sat behind Sayuri and hugged her from behind, putting his hand lovingly on her tummy that was starting to show. Joseph sat beside his wife and they hugged as they watched Rory and Alex play with some sparklers.


    He noticed Kay looking at Kyle and Sayuri and he held her hand.


    "Do you want children?" he asked softly.


    Kay looked at her young husband, who just reached 19 years old. He had entered college and surprisingly, was doing English. That was already a surprise. What shocked her more was the fact that he decided to do English because he wanted to improve his writing. What made her utterly flabbergasted was finding out that the author of her favourite novel was her own husband.


    "I do," Kay replied, "But ¡­"


    "No buts," Joseph said, "I know we decided to not have children yet because I''m still young and schooling. I thank you for that, but I think we can do it."


    Joseph hugged her tighter, "I can see the longing in your eyes. I know raising children isn''t easy, but I believe as long as we have each other and back each other up, we can do it. Together. So let''s just stop using protection and let nature take its course."


    Kay smiled.


    "Okay," she agreed, leaning back on him. Just thinking of having children with Joseph made her smile. They would certainly have beautiful children.


    Just then, Thief came out of the house, carrying something in its mouth.


    "Thief!!" Alex shouted, seeing this and running after the little cat, "What did you steal this time?"


    Thief certainly lived up to his name.


    While his mother, Kitty, liked to steal Kyle''s u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r, Thief just liked to collect anything small. It could be paper, pen, matches.


    Anything.


    Right now, it was a long white thing that looked like a pen. But it was a bit flat rather than round like a pen.


    Alex chased after Thief who didn''t want to give up his treasure. When he finally caught up with Thief, he held Thief down firmly and tried to get the item out.


    Thief growled, refusing to let go of the item.


    Kyle, seeing this, took some of the firework wrappers and crumpled it. He threw it towards Thief, effectively diverting its attention. Thief opened his mouth and Alex quickly grabbed the item.


    He looked at it, unable to figure out what it is and went to his mother, "Mummy, what is this?"


    Kyle''s eyes went wide open upon seeing it.


    "This ¡­" Sayuri hesitated.


    It was a pregnancy test kit. With two blue lines.


    Kyle took it and looked at Kay. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head. They turned to look at their parents.


    Delilah coughed, "Kyle, Kay ... you''re going to have a sibling."


    ~ THE END ~

 Chapter 882 - Epilogue: Kitty Gang

    Chapter 882 - Epilogue: Kitty Gang Kitty was grooming herself.


    She sat on top of her treasure, happy that she had a nice bundle to snuggle in. Things were really good for her right now and she was very content with her life.


    Ever since Aki came, she didn''t have to do a lot of work. Aki would always be trying to please her, so he would be the one that got her treasures for her. He would bring her the treasures almost everyday, and she would reward him for each treasure.


    She continued grooming while waiting patiently. The best thing was, not only did she no longer need to look for them, she didn''t have to run while trying to take her treasures.


    "AKI!!"


    Kitty raised her head for a second, hearing the familiar roar, then continued grooming herself. Looks like Aki wasn''t so lucky today. Still, she wasn''t worried.


    "NO! Socks! Not you too! ¡­. Thief, get back here ¡­ argh! I swear, Onyx if I get a hold of you. Et tu, Izumi??"


    Joyous laughter was heard.


    "Go go go! You can do it!!" piped a happy voice.


    "Alex, you are not helping," Kyle growled, only to have his own son laugh even more.


    "Just give up, Daddy," Rory said sweetly from the sofa.


    "If it was one, I can ignore it," Kyle hissed between his teeth, "But now there''s four of them!"


    "I thought you were the all great Kyle Smith," scoffed Alex, "Can''t even handle four cats? Pathetic."


    Kyle stopped running after the cats that were going all over the place in different directions, and stared at his son, saying, "Oh, there''s not a problem if all I needed to do was kill them. Or injure them. Is that what you''re asking me to do?"


    "Kyle Rexington Smith!" shouted Sayuri, who then proceeded to twist his ear.


    "Ow ow ow!" Kyle shouted, wincing, "Hey, that''s not fair!"


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t avoid her, but he didn''t because she was heavily pregnant with their daughter. If he had stepped aside, she would have turned to catch him and that sudden movement would not be good.


    "You should not be talking about killing the kids'' pets, thank you very much," Sayuri told him.


    "He started it," mumbled Kyle, pointing at Alex.


    "You''re not seriously arguing with a four year old now, are you?"


    "Am not," Kyle replied, "I''m just pointing out the facts."


    "Arguing with a four year old," repeated Sayuri, putting her hands on her waist.


    Kyle gave her a slow smile, sauntered over and gave her a quick peck on the lips, "You shouldn''t be angry or get too emotional. It''s not good for the baby."


    "Then stop fighting with your kids," Sayuri said with a pout.


    Kyle hugged her, being careful of her pregnancy bump, saying, "It''s not my kids, just my son."


    Sayuri rolled her eyes then turned to face Alex, "And you. How long are you going to have this war with your own father? You''re going to be a big brother soon. What sort of example will you be giving her?"


    Alex pouted, crossed his arms across his c.h.e.s.t and sat on the sofa.


    He felt very upset.


    How could his own mother scold him for this? He felt that it wasn''t fair. He looked back at his mother, who was being placated by his father.


    Not.


    Fair.


    While everyone was distracted, Aki and his kids stealthily made their way over to Kitty.


    As they reached her hiding spot, Kitty could not be seen.


    But they knew better.


    Aki stood to the side and jerked his head to the pile. Socks went first.


    As he reached the front, Socks dropped his item on the ground. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One wet and chewed up boxer.


    The pile in front of them suddenly moved slowly and a black nose peeked through. Soon, a face emerged and Aki nudged Socks, who then pushed the item towards the peeking nose.


    Kitty''s face emerged and she meowed once.


    Socks sat down happily.


    Aki came and picked Socks up by the neck and placed him to sit beside him.


    Next, was Onyx.


    Onyx was the smallest of the lot and she dragged the item along with her. Occasionally, she would stumble.


    One would think that Kyle could have caught Onyx easily, but the fact of the matter is, Aki was always there to distract Kyle. Onyx was the slow and steady type, stumbling about. In fact, her treasure was given to her by Aki, and she was merely pulling it along.


    Also, if it wasn''t for the fact that Alex was constantly sabotaging Kyle and distracting him as well, Onyx would have long lost the fight.


    Onyx sat down and meowed pitifully, upon which Kitty came out and started l.i.c.k.i.n.g Onyx. Being the runt of the litter, Kitty paid extra care and attention to her. Onyx purred as she received her mother''s care, trying hard to stand still but finally stumbling backwards.


    Onyx looked about in a daze and slowly trudged back to sit beside Aki.


    Kitty looked at them briefly then bent down to pick up the two items to place it on her treasure pile.


    Izumi sat dejectedly on the side, looking down and at her empty hands. She had the item earlier but dropped in in her panic to run away. She was almost caught and now, she had nothing to show.


    Aki gave a small meow and Izumi walked over. He gave her a thorough wash and she started to feel better. While Izumi was being pampered by her father, Thief came into view.


    He went up to his mother proudly, carrying the item happily.


    She gave a low growl and snorted, turning around and burying herself deep into the pile again.


    Thief was undaunted and happily turned around. He went to his own secret stash place. He carefully placed the item amongst the many trinkets there and purred as he looked at them.


    His treasure.


    His latest pick was some used tissue he found in the wastepaper basket. It was crumpled and smelled a bit like chicken. Later, he would spend a long time to open up the tissue and slowly tear it apart.


    For now, it''s enough that he could look at it.


    Aki shook his head and went forward, carrying the last item to Kitty.


    Kitty''s head was poking out, looking at Aki eagerly.


    When Aki dropped the item, she leaped happily out of her hidey-hole and started l.i.c.k.i.n.g Aki''s face. Aki just sat there, taking the loving care without a word.


    It was always like this.


    Satisfied, Kitty then took Kyle''s jockstrap and placed it on top of Aki''s head. She then went back to her pile and took a few more, slowly putting it on Aki. Then, she looked at her work. She felt satisfied, then placed her head on Aki before sleeping.


    Aki took a deep breath, having a rather resigned look on his face before he licked Kitty''s forehead. He closed his eyes while the kids started playing with each other around them.


    Except for Thief.


    He was happily hugging all his items to his little c.h.e.s.t, dreaming while his legs were kicking in the air.

 Chapter 883 - Epilogue: Beatrice

    Chapter 883 - Epilogue: Beatrice Beatrice was as big as a whale.


    She could now truly understand what Sayuri had been feeling.


    Just like Sayuri, Beatrice was pregnant with twins. The boys, of course, were over the moon. They were most likely fraternal twins and were both girls.


    When the gender reveal was done, the twins had been there.


    That had been a really funny day.


    Even now, Beatrice would laugh when she thought of it.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Beatrice was waiting in the house for the twins to arrive, in order to go to the doctor for her regular check-ups. This would actually be the first time that both of them would be accompanying her, for it had always been either one of them.


    However, since today would be the day the doctor would be doing the scan to find out the gender of the babies, the twins could not just do work now, could they? They even waited extra weeks for this big day.


    Although one could already determine the gender of the baby in the 18 - 20th week, the twins waited until it was the 28th week. This was because they didn''t want there to be any mistakes (rare, but it could happen) and also because they were too busy earlier.


    Both wanted to be there for the big day.


    Wait while the other called with the news?


    Fat chance!


    So they quickly did all the work that was needed. With the major things dealt with, they could take leave for three days just for this. One day before to prepare and one day after, to celebrate.


    The funny thing was, even though they weren''t working, they weren''t at home either.


    So where are they, you might ask?


    First, they had gotten Beatrice''s favourite things for breakfast. They all had breakfast together happily. Right after, the twins left to get a few things before the appointment. They weren''t worried about leaving Beatrice alone, for she wasn''t.


    They had hired Nurse Lin, who would be responsible for Beatrice during the last trimester. She just started work and was quite efficient, making the twins feel much more confident with her by Beatrice''s side.


    At the moment, the twins were at a convenience store, getting snacks.


    "Don''t get too much of that, Zack," Yuri was telling his brother with a frown.


    "But she likes this the most!" Zack pleaded, holding up potato ch.i.p.s.


    "Too much junk food is not good for her, or the babies," Yuri insisted, taking two canisters and putting it back on the shelf.


    "If she starts her cravings, then you''re the one who has to go out and get them," Zack huffed.


    "She doesn''t get the cravings for these badly," Yuri countered, "It''s the food that you cook that she likes."


    "You cook just as well," Zack said.


    Yuri smiled, "I know. But she likes YOUR cooking and my massages."


    Though it may sound like they were complaining, it was far from the truth. Both were more than happy to be able to help their wife, and pampering her was the least they could do.


    They were happier by the fact that she would ask them for help for most of the time, she kept quiet. They were the pro-active ones who would think ahead so when she actually voiced out what she wanted ¡­ well, suffice to say that they were quite willing to be at her beck and call.


    The closer she got to her due date, the more clingy she became as well.


    The twins loved this part of her so much that they were even entertaining the thought of keeping her pregnant most of the time.


    Of course, it was merely a fleeting thought.


    It was just a whimsical idea and not feasible at all for it would take a toll on her body (that, and the fact that they had to be extra careful whenever they were intimate). So they had to figure out ways to make her be more vocal with her needs and wants.


    They spent the next 15 minutes getting items ¡­


    Okay, to be more accurate. Zack spent the time getting the items while Yuri kept putting the excess back on the shelf.


    Their original intention was to get some tidbits and drinks for Beatrice while she was waiting in the waiting room, but it ended up basically getting whatever snacks they thought was needed even for home, and also more ingredients for Zack to cook.


    "Let''s have hot pot tonight," Zack said with a smile, "It''ll be a cause for celebration, right?"


    "Indeed," Yuri replied, smiling wide.


    They couldn''t wait to find out if they were going to have sons, or daughters, or both. Although it didn''t really matter what gender the babies were, it couldn''t be denied that a part of them did have a slight preference.


    It isn''t to say that they wouldn''t accept the babies if the gender was the opposite of what they wished for, or that they would love the babies any less, but it''s just human nature. Of course, some do put too much stock in what the gender should be that they do reject if it was otherwise - that couldn''t be denied either. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the Dante Twins?


    They truly wished to have girls.


    Princesses like their wife.


    To pamper. To dress up.


    Just thinking about holding mini Beatrice''s in their arms made the twins giggle amongst themselves.


    Of course, if the babies were boys, it just meant that there would be more who would take the role of taking care of their mother.


    The boys would still be pampered but not in the same way as they would for girls. The boys wouldn''t like it anyway.


    By the time the twins got back, they had a whole lot of groceries to unload. Beatrice just looked at their happy faces and shook her head. She couldn''t scold them for being late, not when they were obviously so enthusiastic and happy about their little haul now, could she?


    Once the twins kept everything, they headed off.


    When it was her turn to go in, the doctor did a double-take to see carbon copies walk in behind Beatrice. He wasn''t sure why the other twin felt the need to be there for the gender reveal, but then put it down to it being something twins just had to share.


    Though it was getting harder and harder to keep a straight face.


    From the start, the two of them were hovering over Beatrice. The doctor already had a hard time figuring out which one was the father of the babies, and their actions made it worse.


    Now, it was time for the gender reveal.


    BOTH were there, holding her hand while looking at the monitor so excitedly.


    Wasn''t this a bit too much?


    Still, the doctor ignored them as best as he could.


    He knew that they were here to know the gender of the babies. In reality, he already knew the gender. How could he not? He''s been conducting the scan each time. He just didn''t tell them because that was their wish.


    The scan that would be done today, in the 28th week, had other more pressing issues.


    The first aim of the scan is to determine the position of the placenta. The second aim was to check on the fetuses'' growth pattern. The third aim is to check the adequacy of the fluid in the uterus (aka amniotic fluid). Lastly, to check the position of the fetus.


    Having twins made this scan even more important.


    After he had done all the necessary scans, he now focused on revealing the gender.


    "Here," the doctor said, going through Beatrice''s swollen stomach carefully, "You''re very lucky. The positioning is perfect to see things clearly."


    "So? So?" Zack asked excitedly, "What are we having?"


    "Girls," the doctor replied, "Congratulations."


    Zack shouted with a loud "YES" and did a fist pump while Yuri just smiled broadly.


    "Are you saying that if it was a boy, you''d be unhappy?!" Beatrice hissed.


    "No no no!" Zack immediately shouted, "I''d be happy no matter what we''re going to have."


    "But we were kinda looking forward to pampering our girls," Yuri admitted, "It doesn''t mean we would have loved our sons any less."


    Beatrice smiled and patted both their cheeks, "I know. I''m just glad you''re honest about it."


    "You''re not angry?" Zack asked, amazed.


    "Why would I be?" Beatrice asked curiously.


    "You''re the best," Yuri said, then kissed her on the lips.


    "Naturally," Zack replied, kissing Beatrice right after.


    The kisses given weren''t just pecks on the lips. Even though they were short kisses, it was obvious it was of the tongue tango type.


    The doctor, seeing this, was frozen.


    Beatrice got up then, and Yuri helped her up while Zack carefully wiped the ultrasound gel off her stomach. She turned to thank the doctor and saw his rather shocked face.


    His open mouth was funny.

 Chapter 884 - Epilogue: Beatrice (II)

    Chapter 884 - Epilogue: Beatrice (II) "What''s wrong, doctor?" Zack asked, suddenly realising the abnormal expression on the doctor.


    "No-nothing," he stammered, putting the machine back in order.


    He was just the doctor. Whatever they did in their personal life, was not his business. All he needed to do was make sure his patient was well. He was not here to judge them.


    He was just shocked, that''s all.


    Twins being close was not unheard of, but to allow the twin to kiss his wife? S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was beyond what he would be used to.


    "Both of you will be great fathers," Beatrice said to them as she gingerly got down from the table.


    "We will have lots and lots of children!" Zack said excitedly, and Yuri smacked the back of his head.


    "You have to ask our wife first, you dolt," Yuri chastised him, "She''s the one who will be carrying the babies, not you."


    Zack rubbed the back of his head and looked apologetically at Beatrice, "Sorry, honey. I was just too excited. Just thinking of our daughters made me want more."


    "She hasn''t even given birth to our first batch, and you''re already thinking of the future batches?" Yuri said with a shake of his head.


    They walked slowly back to the doctor''s office and only when they reached there did they realise ¡­ they had left the doctor behind.


    He was still looking at them with his mouth open.


    Didn''t he close it earlier?


    "Doctor?" Beatrice called out tentatively.


    He snapped out of it, shaking his head.


    The words that were spoken by the couple ¡­ no, couples? What do you call this? Threesome?


    After a while, the pieces fell into place and he finally understood.


    Initially, he thought they were just talking collectively - that is, they saw each other as one entity. So even though they said ''our son'' or ''our daughter'', his mind did not make the connection yet.


    Now, though ¡­


    As close as they were, saying ''our'' wife?


    It wasn''t that one twin was sharing his wife with his twin ¡­ the twins were sharing one wife. It sounded the same, but was completely different.


    He had completely forgotten Country Tz allowed polyandry.


    This was the first time he had met such a family, however.


    And they didn''t even seem like they were fighting, or uneasy. Everything seemed so natural.


    This was such great research material!


    He excitedly went back to the office, and was wondering if they would be willing to help him in the research. If he combined forces with the social sciences, the paper they would come up with would be phenomenal.


    He would be doing the science while the other one would be looking at it from the sociological perspective. How could they accept children while not knowing who was the true father? What about jealousy? Favouritism?


    However, in his excited state, he completely forgot his professionalism. How could he possibly ask this from his patients when he didn''t even know them that well yet? He should ease into the subject, test the waters and then ask after determining whether they would be comfortable with such a study.


    Suffice to say, he learned his lesson pretty quickly.


    The moment he posed the question to them, the husbands turned their heads to face him in a synchronised motion, their disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e evident on their faces.


    It wasn''t just disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    It was unmasked, unbridled anger.


    The doctor froze (yet again), though this time in absolute fear.


    It was as if his life was in danger.


    Beatrice patted the back of the hands of her husband and said, "Stop it. You''re scaring the poor doctor."


    She then turned to face the doctor, and smiled kindly to him, "No, we aren''t interested at all. Our lives are very private."


    "But it will all be confidential," the doctor said softly, trying to persuade her even though the death glares by her husbands were making him quake and nearly peed in his pants.


    "First of all," Beatrice said, "What you''ve said is pretty laughable. Just how many women out there are married to two men? It won''t be difficult to figure it out. At the very least, our friends and families would know it''s about us."


    "Secondly, even in the insane possibility that it really won''t be found out," Beatrice continued, "We still won''t agree. We do not talk about our private lives. At all."


    The doctor looked visibly disappointed but at the same time, relief. The latter due to the fact that her husbands stopped staring daggers at him.


    The doctor felt rather bad about his faux pas that he actually walked them to the door. As he watched the family go, he sighed at the lost opportunity.


    His nurse came to hand him the folder for the next patient and seeing where he was looking, commented, "That couple really is sweet. Her husband never missed an appointment with her and he was always so attentive. Didn''t know there were two of them!"


    She giggled and said, "Is the other twin single, doctor? Do you know? I wouldn''t mind such a hot and caring guy for myself."


    The doctor looked at her, sighed loudly and shook his head.


    "What? What?" his nurse demanded, "Are you thinking I have absolutely no chance? You haven''t seen me make any moves yet!"


    "You''ve lost even before you started, my dear," the doctor replied, "She''s married to both of them."


    The nurse looked at him in shock, her mouth wide open.


    He felt rather satisfied with that expression, since he was the one that had it as well earlier.


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    "What are you thinking about?" Yuri asked Beatrice.


    He saw how she was smiling and giggling, her thoughts obviously elsewhere.


    "Oh, nothing much," Beatrice replied, "Just remembering the doctor''s shocked face when he realised I had two husbands."


    Yuri just shook his head and continued to massage Beatrice''s legs. Just as he got to the t.h.i.g.h, Beatrice gripped his head.


    "What?" he asked gently, "I wasn''t going to do anything."


    "No, it isn''t that," Beatrice said, "It''s time."


    "Time for what?"


    "Time for you to meet your daughters," Beatrice replied.


    His hands, which were still massaging her, stilled.


    "Now??" he asked.


    "Well, no, not now now," Beatrice said, slowly getting up from the sofa, "Depends when they''re actually getting through but they''re knocking at the door right now."


    "Nurse Lin!" Yuri shouted as he helped Beatrice up, "My babies are coming! My babies are coming!"


    Nurse Lin came quickly and Grandpa Anton also ran out of his room with Chen.


    "Really? Really Really?!" Grandpa Anton was saying excitedly and grabbed Chen by the arm, "I''m going to be a grandpa!"


    "You''re already a grandpa," Chen pointed out.


    "Oh yeah," Grandpa Anton said, "I''m going to be a great-grandpa! Wait, that just sounds like I''m going to be a great grandpa, when I mean I am going to be a great-grandpa."


    "Wait ¡­" Grandpa Anton started to stammer.


    "It''s okay, Grandpa Anton. We get it," Chen said, "You stay at home, okay? The labour can take hours.?You can go and visit once the babies are born, okay?"


    "No!" pouted Grandpa Anton, "I wanna go too!"


    He started stamping his foot on the ground, "My bellissimo angioletto is going to give birth! I have to be there!!"


    Chen was trying to placate him but the old man was throwing a tantrum and getting agitated.


    Beatrice, who was waddling over to the exit, turned to face Grandpa Anton and said, "Grandpa Anton, be good. You need your rest. The babies need you to be well rested to see them, okay?"


    "Okay!" Grandpa Anton replied, smiling widely.


    He turned to Chen and said, "Come on, you heard her. I have to rest now."


    "Yes, Grandpa Anton," Chen said patiently. As he led Anton to his bedroom, Chen looked at the figure of Beatrice heading out and sent a silent prayer that everything would be okay.


    She truly brightened up the house and with the babies coming, the house would be filled with more joy and laughter.


    It was a good change.


    ? Five hours later ?


    Beatrice was in the delivery room, huffing and puffing while her husbands held her hands. Beatrice''s face was full of sweat, her hair plastered on her head as she screamed again when the contractions hit.


    "Yes, that''s it! Push!" the doctor was saying as he sat in between her legs, looking to welcome the new life.


    Zack and Yuri were rather pale at that moment, their own foreheads full of sweat as they watched their beloved be in so much pain.


    Maybe having children wasn''t a good idea.


    Just hearing her scream and seeing her being in so much pain made their hearts twist.


    It wasn''t as if they weren''t used to hearing blood-curdling screams, but when it came from their beloved?


    Heartwrenching beyond description.


    Soon, the room was filled with a loud cry.


    Their daughter was born.

 Chapter 885 - Epilogue: Beatrice (III)

    Chapter 885 - Epilogue: Beatrice (III) Tears streaked down the Dante Twins'' eyes as they watched the doctor carefully lift their baby, cut the cord, and have the nurse take the baby away to be cleaned and weighed.


    They turned towards Beatrice, who was breathing heavily.


    Gently wiping her face, Yuri kissed her forehead while Zack was busy wiping his eyes.


    The nurse brought the first twin over and Yuri took her gingerly.


    Zack''s eyes looked like it was full of hearts while Beatrice smiled tiredly. Yuri brought their firstborn over to Beatrice and she kissed her small cheek. Zack was right behind Yuri, c.a.r.e.s.sing Beatrice''s head while having his arm around Yuri''s waist.


    "She''s so beautiful," Zack said, sniffling again.


    "Yes, yes she is," Yuri agreed as their daughter yawned.


    The family were in their own world, and wasn''t paying attention to the medical personnel who were checking up on Beatrice.


    "Okay, we still have Number 2 to welcome to the world," the doctor said, after checking the scans. Luckily, everything seemed fine, so the second birth could proceed as normal.


    Everyone was ready for any sort of complication, and they were truly relieved to find that nothing seemed out of the ordinary.


    The nurse took the baby from Yuri''s arms and they continued to give support to their wife as the second phase began.


    The second birth was much easier, as the first twin had already ''made a passage'', so to speak - and, Beatrice now knew how to ''push''. The muscles used to push the baby out is the same ones you use when doing a #2.


    To put it crudely, you are pooping your baby out.


    Which is why it is not uncommon to have certain accidents in the labour room, or why some women feel like they are actually pooping when they''re not. It is also normal to be going to the loo often before birth, as the pressure has begun.


    This is why there are also incidences of babies being born when the mother goes to the bathroom to do ''her business'', only to give birth.


    Even though it was easier the second time round, it did not mean the screams were any less. 15 minutes later that their second daughter came crying out, her cries just as strong.


    Beatrice lay completely exhausted on the bed, while the doctor stitched her up.


    Due to the pressure from the babies heads pushing through, Beatrice suffered a slight tear in the area between her v*gina and an*s. Known as the v.a.g.i.n.a.l tear, it is quite common (about half of women experience it) and only requires a few stitches on the 2cm tear (about 1").


    It would take about 7 - 10 days to heal, though the pain would take slightly longer to go away.


    The doctor was explaining this to Beatrice as he did the stitches, telling her, "You have to take it easy and be careful. If you experience any unnatural pain or unusual discharge, you must come and get it checked out."


    The twins, each carrying a baby, got even more worried.


    "Honey, I think two daughters is more than enough," Zack said, his head spinning.


    As much as he wanted more children, he just couldn''t handle the things Beatrice had to go through just to gift them with these special lives. Zack felt the same way.


    Never in their wildest dream did they think it was something as huge as this.


    Beatrice gave them a tired smile, saying, "We''ll see how it goes."


    Though it had been a painful and scary experience, seeing her babies in her husbands'' arms made all the effort worth it. All the uncomfortableness of the pregnancy, the pain of giving birth ¡­ none of that mattered.


    She would be lying to say that the birth had been easy. During that time, she had the same thoughts as the twins.


    Never again.


    Now, however, after it was all over?


    She knew, no matter what - if she could have more children, she would.


    The pain was worth it.


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    Grandpa Anton was smiling widely while also having his face wet with tears.


    "These are tears of joy," he said, sniffling then bawling again, "Joy, I tell you. Joy."


    Chen patted Anton''s back, smiling softly as Anton continued to blubber and wiping his eyes. He just couldn''t help it. Seeing the babies in their cot, his grandsons smiling beside their wife ¡­


    To be able to be alive long enough to see his beloved grandsons with a family of their own was beyond precious.


    Grandpa Anton was sitting beside the cot, just dripping his snot and tears all over it.


    "They have my nose," Grandpa Anton said in wonderment.


    He poked their nose and then giggled.


    "My nose," Grandpa Anton said softly.


    Chen reached over and wiped Anton''s face gently with a wet face towel. Anton would swipe at Chen once in a while because the towel obstructed his view of his great-granddaughters, but Chen ignored his actions completely.


    Beatrice was resting now, after having fed her babies. Now, it was the twins that were hovering over her and Zack was still wiping his face once in a while.


    "Thank you, Beatrice. Thank you so much," Zack sniffed, "Our daughters are so beautiful but I don''t think I can handle seeing you do that again."


    "What are you saying?" Beatrice said gently, wiping his face.


    "No more kids," Zack said, "I''ll go for a vasectomy. I ¡­"


    "What nonsense is this?" Beatrice said, slapping him on the c.h.e.s.t, "How can you make such a decision without consulting me? And Yuri? Did you ask him?"


    Zack pressed his lips tightly together, "He''ll do it if I tell him to."


    Beatrice looked at Yuri, "You would?"


    "Only if you wanted me to," Yuri replied.


    "See?" Beatrice said, poking Zack''s forehead.


    "Giving birth and pain is normal, you know," Beatrice said.


    She took Zack''s face in her hands and looked at him lovingly, straight in the eyes, "I would do it all over again. With both of you by my side, why wouldn''t I want more children? "


    She looked at Grandpa Anton who was still cooing over her daughters in the cot, "They are worth all the pain in the world." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zack sniffed, and nodded, "Okay."


    "Good," Beatrice replied with a smile, "No more nonsense about having a vasectomy."


    "Okay," Zack repeated.


    "Have you decided, Grandpa?" Beatrice called out.


    Grandpa Anton nodded, smiling, "They shall be Gabriella and Isabella Dante."


    He looked back at the babies, "Gaby and Bella, children of God."

 Chapter 886 - Epilogue: Ali

    Chapter 886 - Epilogue: Ali The house was in a flurry of activity.


    There was going to be a playdate at the house.


    Sofiya was not too pressured as it wasn''t unknown families coming over, but the very own Elite Five.


    Everything truly felt like a dream.


    It was as if it was just yesterday that she, Sofiya, had been on a journey to discover herself.


    Now, she was the wife of the man she loved with all her heart, and she was blessed with good in-laws and a beautiful son.


    "Mama," came a soft voice behind her.


    "Yes, Ziauddin?" Sofiya answered, turning with a smile on her face.


    Her son was a carbon copy of Ali, with his dark hair and dark eyes, thick eyebrows that were lush and curved. His skin was fairer than Ali''s, but not as fair as Sofiya so he looked like he had a slight tan.


    He had got his father''s eyes, which were so expressive and beautiful that it took your breath away. Ziauddin, Sofiya was convinced, would grow up to break many girls'' hearts.


    At the tender age of four, Ziauddin''s personality could already be discerned. He wasn''t as serious as his father, and he was rather expressive and sociable. People just gravitated towards him for this.


    He was a happy, confident child. This could be due to the fact that he was well protected and loved in the family, having mixed with the Elite Five children since birth.


    Thus, unlike Ali, Ziauddin had been exposed to various cultures and children, being children, were never discriminatory. They learn from their parents and their surroundings. Right now, Sofiya wasn''t even worried when her son went to school, for he would have the other three around him.


    Just like the Elite Five, her son enjoyed the close bond of the other children: Alex, Rory, and Fleur. Xing Han had jokingly called them the Fantastic Four and somehow, the name stuck.


    They were FF for short, though.


    Sofiya hoped they, too, would stand the test of time and be as close as friends as the Elite Five are.


    "What time is it? Are they arriving soon?" he asked, looking up at her with his wide sparkling eyes.


    "Soon, my Tifl, soon," Sofiya said, calling her child ''baby'' in Ali''s language.


    Although Sofiya never quite mastered Ali''s native tongue, she was proficient enough to be able to understand the words. She was just unable to actually pronounce it properly and had caused numerous misunderstandings because of it.


    In the end, she didn''t speak it but continued to study it in order not to be left out during family conversations. Her son, however, had no such problems since he was taught the language from young.


    In fact, the other FFs also learned from him and it was a sight to behold to hear them speaking in his language just to practice whenever they came by. Truly a remarkable bond indeed.


    Ziauddin sighed loudly and pursed his lips.


    Yet, he didn''t say a word of complaint and walked back out. Sofiya smiled seeing that.


    Though it was called a playdate, it wasn''t truly one.


    The intention was to get the kids together and play, but the a.d.u.l.ts usually didn''t leave either. It would probably be more accurate to call it just a social gathering but they were there for the kids, and the a.d.u.l.ts were just an ''added benefit''.


    Just then, she heard her son shout out in excitement.


    The first one must have arrived already.


    Wiping her hands, Sofiya went out of the kitchen and headed to the front door. Ali came down the stairs at that moment, too, and he quickly stood beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.


    "Figures, it''s Kyle first," Sofiya said.


    "With Rory being hyper, I am sure she pushed them quite fast to come," Ali said with a laugh.


    Rory was especially close to their son, probably because she was utterly fascinated by the whole different culture they had. The first time she had come to the house, she was starstruck by all the decorations.


    She made Ziauddin show her around and tell her everything. The poor boy didn''t know either so he made a mess of things but soon, because of that, he did learn. Just so that he could tell her all about it.


    Having such a rapt audience also warmed Ziauddin''s heart and he would make even more effort to please her.


    They watched as Rory came running out excitedly, waving her hands as she shouted, "Ziad! Ziad!"


    Ziad smiled widely but he didn''t run like her. Instead, he positioned himself well before Rory launched herself onto him.


    "She glomps Ziad like how Xing Han glomped Kyle before," Ali said in amus.e.m.e.nt.


    "He learned pretty quickly to just stand still. The first time she did it, they fell tumbling to the ground," Sofiya said.


    "Yes, which is why he started taking his martial arts training very seriously since then," Ali mused. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She''s a good influence on him," Sofiya said.


    "Yes, but they''ll have to learn they can''t be so touchy-feely once they reach puberty," Ali said.


    "Let them be for now," Sofiya admonished him, "It''s still fine because they''re still young. Just teach him and guide him. Rory, too, so that she doesn''t misunderstand later on."


    Ali nodded.


    "But it''s not just Rory that needs guidance," Ali said softly, looking in front of him.


    "What do you mean?" Sofiya asked, puzzled.


    Ali jerked his head towards Kyle and Alex. Sofiya saw that Alex seemed to be saying something to Kyle, who was not looking pleased. Still, Kyle didn''t say or do anything, but simply ignored him and walked away.


    Seeing Sofiya and Ali at the door, Kyle grinned and said, "I bring my spawns for you."


    "Sayuri not around?" Sofiya asked, craning her head to look.


    Kyle shook his head, "This time, I''m just dropping them off. She''s not feeling too good so she''s resting at home."


    "Is that why Alex is looking rather grumpy?" Ali asked.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "Alex just being Alex. He thinks I didn''t take care of his mother well enough, and that is why she''s sick. She''s not sick, though. Just tired."


    "She is due to pop at any moment," Sofiya said in understanding.


    "Yeah, even though it''s not twins this time, seems our daughter is rather big," Kyle said with a grin.


    Alex came by then, saying some polite greetings to Sofiya and Ali, ignoring Kyle and heading towards Rory and Ziad, the latter being utterly attentive to Rory''s chatterings.


    Ali frowned at that.


    Kyle didn''t look perturbed at all and said, "Well, I''m off. Without me around, that sourpuss won''t spoil the playdate."


    "Sure, leave him to me," Ali said.


    Kyle was about to leave when he heard Ali''s words. He turned, raised his eyebrows and said, "If you can get through that kid''s head, I''ll be eternally grateful."


    Ali smiled, "In sha Allah."


    Kyle nodded.


    "Rory! Alex! I''m leaving now. Be good, ya hear?" Kyle shouted to the kids.


    Rory ran to Kyle, raised her hands up for a lift. Kyle did so and she gave him several kisses on the face and said, "Bye-bye Daddy. Take care of Mummy for me."


    "I will, my Princess," Kyle replied, returning the kisses to her. She giggled, and after being put down, ran back to Ziad.


    As Kyle entered the car, he prayed Ali to be successful in talking to Alex. At the very least, understand where the animosity seemed to come from. It wasn''t as if Kyle hadn''t tried, but Alex was just too prickly.


    Both hard and soft approaches didn''t work. Kyle sighed. If this fails, then seeing a psychiatrist would be the next step.


    This situation just couldn''t go on.

 Chapter 887 - Epilogue: Ali (II)

    Chapter 887 - Epilogue: Ali (II) Fleur came soon after Kyle left.


    The little princess took after Sam in terms of mannerisms but had Betty''s features. Thus, she was a rather serious looking princess.


    Quite a contrast indeed.


    Still, though her expression may be serious, her looks were not.


    Betty''s daughter had a mass of curly hair on her head, almost as if she had springs in them. The soft, brown curls reached up to her shoulders though when wet, it would be halfway down her back. At the moment, those soft curls were tied up in two cute ponytails, with pink ribbons tied around it.


    She was wearing a pink frilly dress, which wasn''t too fancy but it wasn''t casual either. She liked dressing up in such dresses, feeling really special and pretty. She loved dressing up, and would follow her mother everywhere.


    Fleur came out first, going over to the other kids as she demanded of Alex, "Do I look pretty?"


    Alex, having learned his lesson the last time, answered, "Yes, very pretty."


    Fleur''s face brightened up and she nodded, "You have good taste."


    With the four of them together, they went off on their own, playing as kids do.


    In the meantime, Sam had a big sling bag over his back. It was full of diapers, spare baby clothes, and formula. Betty was carrying their newborn son, and she came out carefully.


    Sam opened the back car door and peered inside, "Are you coming out or not, Jared?"


    The little boy of 1 and a half years old looked up at his father, then he looked back down. Jared was a very shy boy and found difficulty mixing around. Sam hoped the playdate would bring him out of his shell but unfortunately, the bond between the FF ostracised him.


    It wasn''t that they ignored him, but Jared, himself, felt left out. They were much older than him (to him at the current moment, that is) and he couldn''t keep up with them.


    Betty went to the back as well, giving him a bright smile and held out her hand, "Come on, Jared. Let''s meet Uncle Ali and Auntie Sofiya, okay?"


    He didn''t say a word but he scooted over and took her hand.


    Sam sighed inwardly at his son.


    He was a mixture of both Sam and Betty. He had Sam''s hair and eyes, but Betty''s curls and chubby cheeks. His lips were naturally red as well, making it look like he was wearing cherry lipstick.


    Anyone who saw him couldn''t help but touch his hair and pinch his cheeks.


    Causing him to be even more withdrawn.


    Earlier, his sister tried to get him to come out with her but he refused. Fleur, being impatient and excited at meeting her friends, didn''t insist and ran out the moment they had stopped the car.


    Ali and Sofiya smiled as Betty and Sam reached them.


    Truly, a bunny couple indeed.


    They have three children now, one child every two years.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that it wasn''t good for the body, Sam would not have minded having one child every year. Being an only child, he had always dreamed of a big family.


    Seeing them coming, Ali asked softly, "Are you okay, Habibi?"


    Sofiya smiled, leaning onto Ali, replying, "I''m okay, my love."


    Habibi meant ''my love'' as well, but Sofiya wasn''t used to the term so for her, saying ''my love'' was more meaningful. Which was not to say that she didn''t go all soft inside when Ali said it to her.


    It was apparent how much the term meant to him for she could feel his love within those words, in the way he said it and the way he looked at her as he said it. As she could not invoke that same feeling by saying it in his language, she would use her language. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The words didn''t matter.


    The heart did.


    They have tried to have more children after Ziad, but it always ended up in miscarriages. In the end, Ali couldn''t handle the pain it gave to Sofiya so he decided that they should not tax her any longer.


    It took a long time for Sofiya to agree to it, but in the end, she felt he was right.


    Ali''s love for her never waned and she knew that a marriage was not dependent on having children. It was based on their love for each other, commitment and understanding. It took her a long time to be able to share things with Ali, but the more she did, the stronger the bond.


    "Though I may not be able to have more children, I am already so truly blessed with Ziad," Sofiya replied and then added, "And I also have the other Elite Five children that I''m the godmother to."


    Ali smiled, content.


    Yes, they didn''t just have Ziad. They had the other Elite Five children. Being part of the Elite Five was truly a wondrous thing indeed.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    While the kids were playing in the garden, Jared was playing by himself on the patio, sitting beside his baby brother, Quill. Quill was swaddled tightly and asleep, with two tiny bolsters beside him.


    Betty and Sofiya were talking up a storm, as what women would do, when they got together. Sam was busy at his laptop doing his work (as usual) though he would occasionally glance up to look at his wife.


    Ali watched Alex carefully from the patio. From his experience, approaching Alex to talk about Kyle would not do any good. The kid would just shut down, refusing to listen.


    Alex may still be young, but that did not excuse his behaviour. Things learned at this age shaped the person''s character. Before Alex became too set in his ways, Ali had to have him see the light.


    He prayed for guidance; that he would be able to say the right words and that Alex would listen.

 Chapter 888 - Epilogue: Ali (III)

    Chapter 888 - Epilogue: Ali (III) While Ali was wondering on what would be the best method to approach the subject, he saw Fleur looking in rapt amazement at a butterfly that was fluttering by. She ran after it excitedly, only to have it out of her reach every time.


    Alex and Ziad tried to help and were running around the garden with Fleur, trying vainly to catch the butterfly. As they became breathless from all the running, the butterfly flew lower and landed on Rory''s shoulder.


    Rory, the only one who didn''t run after the butterfly but was watching from the sidelines.


    Everyone just stood still, looking at that butterfly that seemed to stand on its hind legs, it''s front legs up in the air a bit while its wing was half folded. As if waving to Rory, it then spread its wings and flew off again.


    No one moved this time, just looking at the butterfly that slowly disappeared.


    "Why didn''t the butterfly want me?" pouted Fleur.


    Ali came by then, and smiled as he went on one knee to talk to Fleur, "Why do you think?"


    She thought hard, her pretty face frowning as she said, "But I''m prettier than Rory."


    Ali held back his laughter as he tilted his head, "So you feel the butterfly would only go to someone who is pretty?"


    "The butterfly is pretty, so of course it would only like pretty things," Fleur said with confidence.


    "What do you think, Alex? Ziad?" Ali asked, turning to look at them.


    "It is as Fleur said," Alex replied, "Butterflies will go to what is pretty."


    Ziad didn''t answer immediately, looking at Rory''s sullen face and then at Alex, "I do not know. Rory is pretty, and so is Fleur. But I don''t know what the butterfly thinks."


    "Rory?" Ali asked.


    "It probably was just flying and running away from you," Rory said, "I just happened to be standing still."


    "So what is the answer?" asked Alex, impatiently.


    Ali just smiled, stood up and looked at the distance, "How am I supposed to know?"


    All four of them just stood there, shocked, their mouths wide open.


    Wasn''t he supposed to know? He was an a.d.u.l.t, right? He asked all those questions and he didn''t know the answer himself?


    "Ziad pointed out an important point," Ali said after a minute of silence, letting them stew over what had happened, "I do not know what the butterfly thinks."


    He turned to them, saying, "I am not a lepidopterist, that is, one who studies moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies. So how can I say anything or make any conclusion?"


    "I can only give guesses, and even then, those guesses will be based on what I believe," Ali continued.


    "Fleur," Ali said, "You''re a lovely girl who appreciates beauty. Your eyes see the wonder and excitement of all the beauty around you. Your thoughts are pure and simple. Pretty things go for other pretty things. After all, a butterfly is only seen around flowers."


    "You know a butterfly goes towards flowers, so your thinking is based on what you see. And what you see is based on what you think," Ali said.


    The kids looked so confused that Ali laughed.


    "Let me give you an example," Ali said, "There are many rules in my religion. So much so that people who are non-Muslims, see it as being a controlling religion. Heck, even Muslims can feel that way as well."


    "You can''t do this, you can''t do that ¡­ does it even allow you to breathe?" Ali said, mimicking something he had heard so long ago.


    "People who do not understand, will see it based on what they are like," Ali continued, "For a person who is independent and used to making their own choice, they see the rules as being restrictive."


    "But for a person who appreciates such rules, they see it as being a welcome structure to follow."


    "What you see, or your perception, is based on your thinking," Ali repeated, "And your thinking, is based on how you are raised or rather, what you see."


    "Or what you choose to see," Ali said softly.


    "What do you mean, Papa?" Ziad asked curiously.


    "There are many things that even I, your father, do not understand about the rules in our religion," Ali admitted, "And at first glance, it can look like it''s horrible and bad." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For example, it is forbidden to have two men getting married in Islam. People then see the religion as being inhuman, and not accepting pure love between two people. They just want to love each other, so why is that wrong? Also, God made them like people of the same gender, so why should they be punished for it?"


    The four nodded vigorously. They all knew Uncle Xing Han and Uncle Nitocris. Everyone could see how much they are in love. Why is that wrong?


    Ali smiled, "I do not know."


    Again, they were shocked.


    "But what I do know, is that God is All-Loving, All-Compassionate, All-Fairness. How then, can God make such a rule? There must be something to it, that has nothing to do with it being a bad thing, or unfair. At the end of the day, it must be because it is, ultimately, for our own good - whether we know it or not."


    "Because I believe God to be so, I don''t see any of His rules to be restrictive, or unfair. I only see it as me, being ignorant and not wise enough to understand fully. That, is my faith and that, is how I view things," Ali said.


    "Is that why you and Uncle Xing Han can still be good friends even though he is gay?" Ziad asked innocently.


    "Uncle Xing Han is not a Muslim, so he is not sinning," Ali replied, "And even if he was a Muslim, that is between him, and God. Not me and him. It is not my place to judge him for this is his path. Even if he was Muslim, all you can do is be there for him and guide him if he asks but never, ever, try to preach."


    "You do not know what anyone is going through, and you do not know what it''s like. Each person has their own path and their own tests."


    "Remember, Ziad. Our religion never taught us to hate. It taught us to be tolerant, loving, and understanding. It is also never about force."


    "Even our Prophet, peace be upon him, had an uncle who was always there by his side, protecting him and loved him sincerely. Yet, he never embraced Islam. The Prophet never spoke badly of him and supported him as well."


    Ali looked at Ziad seriously, "Our religion is perhaps one that is most misunderstood and has the worst reputation. Movies always paint Muslims are terrorists - yet, they do not go deeper to the roots to find out why such people became that way. Some Muslims are also just too fanatical and create a bad image of the religion."


    "Which is why, as I was growing up, I was ostracised, bullied, and grew up miserable."


    "Until I met your father, Rory," Ali said with a wistful smile, "He was the first person that reached out to me, with a kind hand and a kind heart. With his actions, he set the pace and made people see me, for me."


    "His eyes were the purest and brightest one of all, for he saw what is true," Ali continued, "He never let his own emotions cloud his judgment. Something not easy with the Smith Anger in his blood."


    "You''re just prejudiced because he''s always been nice to you," Alex scoffed, though he felt rather uncomfortable at the moment.


    A part of him felt what he was saying was rather petty, but he couldn''t help thinking about how his mother had suffered because of his father. How can such a person be so good?


    But another part of him ¡­ upon listening to Uncle Ali ¡­ was feeling that ¡­ maybe ¡­ he''s wrong?


    No.


    His father was bad.


    Ali laughed so loud at Alex''s statement that Alex was perplexed. Was what he said so funny?


    "Nice?" Ali said, "Amongst the Elite Five, I was always the last to know about anything. He had done so many things that I could punch him for. Your father is not perfect."


    "But he is a good man. At the end of the day, he would bend over backwards and lay his life on the line for me, my family and any of the Elite Five. Just like how we would for him."


    Ali looked at Alex, c.o.c.ked his head a bit and shook his head, "When you let your eyes be clouded by hatred, or misunderstandings, you will never see the person for what they truly are. You will always judge them based on what you feel, making you blind to what it really is."


    "I am NOT blind!" Alex shouted, "Only I can see what he''s really like."


    "What is he like?" Ali prodded.


    The others were quiet, looking at Alex with wide eyes.


    "He only acts nice because he feels guilty. Guilty for not protecting my mother when she had us," Alex declared, puffing up his c.h.e.s.t, "He wasn''t around and she got hurt."


    Ali didn''t say anything, but was rather surprised the hatred came from something so long ago.


    Alex, seeing Ali not saying a word, didn''t feel right. Something felt wrong.


    Uncle Ali was silent but his demeanour didn''t look like he was hiding something like covering up for his father, but rather, like he looked at him in pity.


    Like, he was wrong ..


    What?


    He was not wrong, darn it!


    Ali just shook his head and repeated, "You see what you want to see, and no one can tell you otherwise. Only if you want to hear, can you truly see."


    "Can you stop talking in riddles, Uncle Ali?!" said Alex in exasperation.


    "How could you possibly know what happened that day?" Ali said, looking at him in the eyes, "Do you know what your father went through? Your mother? Did you bother asking them? Or did you make the conclusion yourself, based on what you believed, and no one else knows better?"


    Ali looked towards the direction the butterfly had gone, "Just like what you said about the butterfly. You did not know it, you do not know its thoughts or feelings - but you decided on it based on what you felt. But until you actually learn to listen to it, you will never know if what you said, is true."


    "In these past four years, Alex, think of all that your father has done for you. For your mother and your sister," Ali said softly, "All because he felt guilty? Ask yourself. Really ask yourself."


    Ali looked at Alex squarely in the eyes again, "Do you really believe in what you said?"


    "I do!" Alex said stubbornly, his face stern and his stance clear.


    Ali shrugged.


    "Come on, children," Ali said with a smile to everyone, "Time to eat."


    Like breaking out of a stupor, the other three silently followed Ali.


    Rory walked up to Alex, her face showing her intense disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    Alex already expected this, for Rory has always been the Princess. Daddy''s little girl. He wouldn''t take what she said seriously.


    Well, normally.


    This time, Rory looked different.


    She actually looked at him in disdain.


    "Uncle Ali is right. You blame Daddy for not being there for Mummy but from what I see, Daddy has always been there for Mummy. Even now, Daddy took leave to take care of Mummy. He''s always pampering her. But you never see that. You always say he is acting. Really, Alex? You never considered that you may be wrong about Daddy."


    "You may be my brother and I love you to death, but Alex ... you''re a jerk."


    Rory left in a huff, leaving behind a stunned Alex.

 Chapter 889 - Epilogue: Alex

    Chapter 889 - Epilogue: Alex Alex was in a daze.


    This was the first time that Rory had ever talked to him like that. No matter what he had ever said about their father, no matter what he had ever done to their father, Rory never stopped him nor refuted him.


    He, too, never chastised her for being so close to their father and defending him. He never resented her for always making their father like he was some kind of hero.


    It was like they had a silent agreement.


    Neither bothered the other about their opinion of their father.


    But now, Rory had not only scolded him, she called him a jerk?


    Alex kicked a pebble that was on the ground, looking up as he watched everyone following Uncle Ali back towards the house.


    It wasn''t fair.


    Alex and Aurora may have gained consciousness and awareness when young, and as such, highly intelligent children - but at the end of the day, they were still just that.


    Children.


    Unlike Kyle, who had been reborn.


    Thus, Alex acted purely based on his own childish perceptions and feelings of righteousness ¡­ but Ali''s words did strike a chord in him.


    He didn''t fully understand what Ali had said, but he got an idea.


    Was he only seeing what he wanted to see?


    That he would twist everything that his father did, based on his own twisted views?


    The thought made him very uncomfortable.


    For someone that had always thought he was in the right ¡­ to suddenly be struck with the idea that he may actually be wrong ¡­


    It was a horrible feeling.


    A.d.u.l.ts would already feel bad, what more, a child.


    Alex turned and walked away, his thoughts and emotions in a turmoil.


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    Sofiya found Alex huddled in-between some bushes, hugging his knees and crying. Her heart went out to him and he looked up as she approached.


    He turned, sniffed, and wiped his eyes vigorously.


    Sofiya sat down next to him, finding some way to squeeze in and gave him a hug. Alex stiffened, but did not push her away. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you going to tell me I''m a bad boy too?" Alex sniffed.


    This was a side of Alex that Sofiya had never seen.


    Perhaps, no one had.


    He was always trying to be an a.d.u.l.t, and he held himself up as one. Whether he realised it or not, he was imitating Kyle, the father he seemed to have a grudge against.


    "What do you want me to say?" Sofiya asked, "The words that would make you feel better, or the words that are the truth?"


    "So even you think I''m a bad boy," Alex mumbled.


    "No, you are not a bad boy, Alexander," Sofiya said, holding him tight, "But what you have been doing isn''t good either."


    "Then you are saying I''m a bad boy," Alex insisted.


    "No, I am not," Sofiya replied, "Just because you did something that isn''t right, does not make you bad. It just means that you did something bad."


    Sofiya patted his c.h.e.s.t, "What matters is here, your heart."


    Then she rubbed his head, "And here, your mind."


    "You, Alex, have a heart of gold," Sofiya said softly, "Anyone can see that. In the way you care for your mother, and your sister. The way you treat others like Ziad and Fleur. In fact, you even pamper Fleur, letting her have her way just so that she isn''t hurt."


    "But it doesn''t mean I am blind to the wrongs that you do, either," Sofiya said.


    "A good person can make mistakes and do bad things. A bad person can have a heart and do good things," Sofiya replied, "What truly makes a person bad, or good, lies in the heart and mind."


    "So I say it again, Alex," Sofiya continued, "You are a good boy but you have done bad things. How you treat your father is not right."


    She sighed softly, "Try and think back on all the things you have said and done to your father."


    Sofiya was silent, letting him do so. She watched quietly as his facial expression showed his intense concentration.


    "Then think, if some one did all of that to you, how would you react? How would you feel?"


    She rubbed his back.


    "Then think of how your father has been treating you," Sofiya continued.


    "It is only because he loves you so deeply, that he would be that way," Sofiya said, "On the day you and Rory were born, was the best - and worst - day of your father''s life."


    "I have known him for a long time, Alex, but that was the first time I had seen him so devastated and so devoid of life. You blame your father for what happened to your mother and in a way, he probably was at fault."


    Alex puffed up his c.h.e.s.t, feeling vindicated.


    See? He wasn''t wrong.


    "But that does not mean it was his fault," Sofiya said.


    "Huh?" Alex couldn''t help but stammer out in confusion..


    Sofiya laughed softly.


    "Do you know what happened that day?"


    "No," Alex admitted.


    "Do you want to know?"


    Alex slowly nodded.


    "But if I am to tell you, let me ask you," Sofiya said, "Is your mind open or closed?"


    "Huh?" Alex stammered again.


    Alex felt really stupid today.


    Why are the a.d.u.l.ts not making sense today?


    "Are you willing to listen to know what happend, or are you going to just hear the story with the intention of blaming your father?"


    Alex still looked confused.


    "In order to get to the bottom of things, you need to be able to be objective," Sofiya told him, "If you want to know the truth, then listen. Don''t just hear the words, but truly listen. Only then can you understand."


    "Are you willing to try?"


    Alex nodded and Sofiya began.


    By the time Sofiya finished, Alex''s face was awash with tears again.


    "Ho-h-how c-c-could a..any.." Alex sobbed, unable to continue.


    Sofiya took Alex into her arms and hugged him tightly to her c.h.e.s.t, letting him cry, "There are many types of people in this world, Alex. Your father blames himself for not seeing her true self, but it''s not his fault. No one could have thought she could have been so jealous of your mother that she wanted to kill her, and both of you, just so that she could have your father."


    "He also had all those people to protect your mother, but she still got hurt," Sofiya said softly, "Sometimes, no matter what you do, bad things can happen. Your father''s world crashed when your mother was in a coma. It was not known if she would ever wake up."


    "You, too. You and Rory were so tiny that no one knew if both of you would survive," Sofiya said softly, "Your father lived his life like a zombie the entire time."


    Alex felt horrible.


    Does his father hate him now?


    He had been so mean.


    Sofiya hugged him tighter, answering his unspoken question, "Your father loves you. Always have, always will."


    "Now is the time to get to know your father."


    Alex nodded.


    It was.

 Chapter 890 - Epilogue: Lance (R16)

    Chapter 890 - Epilogue: Lance (R16) Lance was busy cleaning the apartment, shaking his head at all the clothes strewn about. Gareth was a slob, really.


    No, that was not accurate and not being fair on him.


    Lance was just a neat freak.


    Everything had to be in its place. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gareth, on the other hand, was the extremely laid-back type of guy that seemed to do things without thinking. He didn''t hang his clothes on the rack but placed it at the back of his chair.


    He didn''t really bother to make his bed ¡­ well, not properly anyway, as the corners were not tucked in properly or the pillows were not fluffed.


    It wasn''t messy, but it wasn''t neat.


    Gareth was also the type that - despite his sharp mind at work, was like an empty vessel at home.


    He would also say the first thing that comes to his mind, or do things without rhyme or reason.


    Like right now, for instance.


    He was showering in the bathroom but he had his phone with him.


    Efficiency, he said.


    He would be using one hand to hold the phone out of the reach of the water from showerhead, look at his work emails and notifications while brushing his teeth then soaping himself.


    The first time Lance saw him do this, he had been utterly flabbergasted.


    Just how clean could you really get like that?


    "Come on," Gareth said with a smile, "I have been doing this for years. Look, I soap like this with one hand and ¡­"


    Gareth went on to show exactly how he did it and Lance couldn''t refute the fact that despite how it sounds, Gareth was meticulous in bathing.


    Lance did try to stop him from bringing his phone in, at least, but it was to no avail. It was as if that phone was a part of his limb. Without it, he was really lost.


    In the end, Lance gave up.


    Lance had his back to the bathroom as he was folding the blanket when he felt himself being hugged from behind. Gareth hugged him tight, leaning his head on Lance''s shoulder.


    There were still some droplets of water on his body, and Lance could feel the back of his shirt getting wet. Worse, Gareth''s hair was still dripping wet and he could feel the water dripping down his neck.


    "Gareth," hissed Lance, "I swear to all that is good and holy, you''re really like a kid."


    Gareth hugged him tighter and said, "No, I''m not."


    "You''re so needy," Lance admonished him, but there was no real disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in his voice. There was even a ghost of smile on his face as he put his hands on Gareth''s hands, that were holding him tightly.


    "Am not," Gareth refuted, as he started kissing the back of Lance''s neck.


    "Stop it," Lance scolded him, hitting the back of Gareth''s hands as he felt his knees getting weak.


    "Dry yourself properly. You''ll catch a cold like this," Lance told him as he tried to evade Gareth''s lips.


    Of course, he couldn''t and Gareth started taking small bites on Lance''s neck while his hand slipped down into Lance''s pants.


    "Gareth!" Lance hissed, "I''m serious!"


    "So am I," Gareth said softly, turning Lance around and started to kiss him. He had one hand behind Lance''s neck while the other was holding Lance''s hands, intertwining his fingers with Lance''s.


    Lance struggled as he tried to resist that offending tongue entering his mouth but to no avail. Gareth f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y pushed through, devouring the insides of Lance''s mouth swiftly and thoroughly.


    As he continued his assault, Gareth pushed forward, causing Lance to step back. The back of his leg hit the bed and he fell backwards, Gareth on top of him. Just as Gareth was beginning to get more aggressive, he suddenly found himself being flipped and now, it was Lance above.


    In fact, Lance was straddling him and was now the one who was in control of the kiss.


    When they broke the kiss, both of them were breathing hard. Lance stared at Gareth, sitting on top of him and Gareth showed a pitiful face, "Oh come on, Lance."


    Lance raised an eyebrow and smirked, "It was a nice attempt, but no."


    "What da ya mean -" Gareth began before his lips were claimed again by Lance. He felt the towel around his waist being unravelled and cold air hit his inner t.h.i.g.h.


    He heard the unbuckling of a belt and he g.r.o.a.n.e.d inwardly as he felt his hard c*ck being held gently, with the tip being c.a.r.e.s.sed softly.


    Lance stopped kissing him for a while, looking at Gareth in the eye as he continued to stroke his c*ck, saying, "Now, be a good boy and listen to me next time."


    Gareth gulped and Lance kissed him again before entering.


    Soon, the bed was creaking.


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    Gareth was sulking.


    He had his back to Lance, while hugging his bolster.


    He shivered when he felt Lance touch his back, but he refused to give in.


    No, he won''t.


    Not this time.


    "It was my turn," Gareth mumbled, as he felt Lance touch his b.u.t.t.


    "Yes, but you know the rules," Lance said, as he ran his hands all over Gareth''s *ss and then up his waist, "If you don''t listen, then it doesn''t count."


    Gareth turned to protest, only to have his lips sealed. He put his hand on Lance''s n.a.k.e.d c.h.e.s.t, intending to push him away but as usual, he found he couldn''t.


    It wasn''t that Gareth was physically weaker than Lance, but he always found himself unable to do so. Each time he tried to be the more dominant one, he found that the normally soft, docile Lance became completely different.


    And he always succ.u.mbed to that.


    It was as if their roles became reversed in bed.


    Out of it, Gareth was the more dominant one in the relationship but once it became physically intimate, Gareth lost.


    Each and every time.


    Of course, while they were caught in the throes of passion, Gareth was more than willing. There was just something so irresistible in such a dominant and aggressive Lance, that Gareth was like putty in his hands.


    Yet, once it was all over, Gareth would always sulk a bit.


    After all, he could lord over everyone at work, and in public, he could with Lance.?Behind closed doors, however, it''s as a different matter altogether.


    As Lance broke the kiss, Gareth huffed, "Fine. But next time, I''m on top."


    "Sure," Lance agreed with a smile.

 Chapter 891 - Epilogue: Lance (II)

    Chapter 891 - Epilogue: Lance (II) Lance was truly happy being with Gareth.


    There were so many layers to Gareth that appealed to Lance at the deepest level. He was just so adorable and cute that Lance couldn''t help but tease him all the time.


    Like, how Gareth said he hated being bottom yet, at the same time, was more passionate whenever Lance took over. Didn''t mean that when Gareth was on top, it wasn''t good but ¡­


    Their relationship had been going strong for the past few years despite the long-distance relationship. Though it really wasn''t *that* much of a distance as Gareth was only a few towns away, it still meant that they didn''t see each other every day.


    This weekend, Lance was over at Gareth''s place and he was seriously contemplating moving.


    He was tired of being apart and neither of them really brought up the subject. It was as if both of them were simply enjoying the moment without thinking about the future.


    But how long could that last?


    Lance looked upon the face of his sleeping lover, and gently brushed his hair aside. Perhaps both of them were a bit scared that it might not work out so they never quite took that last step.


    Real commitment.


    Living together, at least.


    Lance sighed and turned, looking out the window.


    It was still dark and suddenly, Lance felt the place was too stuffy. He had to go out. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, silently, Lance got off the bed and decided to go out for a jog. It was 5am, and the area was pretty safe so Lance didn''t think twice about it.


    Putting on sweatpants and a hoodie, Lance went out silently, after leaving a note on the bedside table beside Gareth.


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    As Lance jogged in the park, he felt that this was a good move.


    The cold air hitting his face, the pumping of the heart, the lovely scenery.


    All of it.


    Lance used the time to think about what he would do. Would Gareth be receptive to him moving in? He had already looked for a job here and there were several possibilities. He had sent his resume already and was just waiting whether he would be successful in obtaining a job interview.


    He sighed.


    As he ran, he saw a figure in the distance that looked kinda of familiar.


    Lance laughed to himself when the name popped up in his head.


    It couldn''t be.


    Despite how close they had been in college, they slowly drifted apart after he got a steady girlfriend. Partly because he had been busy being in love, partly because Lance had been distancing himself to avoid the pain.


    Slowly, but surely, they lost contact.


    Sometimes, Lance did wonder what happened to him but he never got the courage to find out.


    Some things were best left behind.


    Lance slowed down and decided to stop. He did a few cooling down exercises and sat down on the park bench.


    The sun would rise soon, so he should be making a move back but he found he couldn''t. Gareth wouldn''t wake up so early anyway, so there was no point in rushing back to a sleeping Gareth.


    "Lance?"


    Lance stiffened.


    "Is that you?"


    Lance gulped and his heart started beating fast.


    It had been so long and he could still have some sort of reaction to that all-too familiar voice?


    What was wrong with him?


    Did this mean that his feelings for Gareth were superficial?


    Lance felt terrible at that, thinking that he was being completely unfair to Gareth.


    Was first love so hard to forget?


    Lance turned slowly, to see an out-of-breath Mark staring at him.


    "Hi Mark," Lance said with a tilt of his head.


    "Bloody hell," Mark cursed, lunging at him.


    Lance didn''t avoid the punch, but he did roll a bit with it so that the force wasn''t that strong. Still, he didn''t defend himself nor fight back.


    "Why''d you disappear like that?!" Mark hollered at him, grabbing him by his shirt.


    Mark''s face was so close to his that Lance could imagine spit hitting his face.


    Lance shrugged, "I didn''t disappear."


    "You moved, you change jobs and your phone number," Mark hissed, "How is that not disappearing?!"


    Lance snorted and looked at him cooly, "Disappearing means one goes poof! Suddenly. Yes, I changed jobs. But I didn''t move until a month later and my number only changed a month after that."


    Mark stilled.


    "You were so caught up with your beloved that you had your hands full," Lance said ruefully, "I didn''t want to disturb you."


    "You could have still called," Mark replied, less aggressively.


    Lance grabbed Mark''s hands, intending to get him to loosen his grip when he heard, "What the hell is going on?!"


    Lance turned, to see a fuming Gareth.


    Then he looked at Mark, who was looking at Gareth in confusion. Then, at how they must appear.


    Mark was basically almost on top of him, leaning forward with his hands on his c.h.e.s.t while Lance was holding onto his arms.


    "What?!" Mark shouted, not liking this total stranger disturbing his reunion with his best friend.


    Gareth''s eyes narrowed and he stomped over, grabbing Mark from the back of his neck and flung him off Lance.


    "You!" he growled at Lance and pointed at Mark, "Who is he?!"


    "An old friend," Lance replied, brushing his shirt to smoothen it, "Mark, meet Gareth. Gareth, meet Mark."


    Gareth stiffened.


    "Mark? Mark?!" Gareth hissed, "You mean THAT Mark?!"


    Lance rolled his eyes, "Yes, that Mark."


    "Lance?" Mark called out, perplexed.


    He was confused at what he was seeing.


    Obviously, the stranger was someone Lance knew but why did it look like this guy was acting all jealous?


    "Yes, Mark?" Lance answered, looking at him.


    "Is he ...?" Mark wanted to ask, but hesitated.


    "I am his boyfriend," Gareth hissed, upset that Lance hadn''t introduced him as such to Mark. He had done so when they had bumped into his ex, but why didn''t Lance?


    This was something he had always been scared of.


    Gareth knew, from the start, that Lance had Mark in his heart.


    It was a shadow that was deep within and he had thought, after being together for so long, he had managed to push that shadow aside.


    He was too afraid to ask, however.


    Which was why he never pushed Lance to move in with him because he wanted Lance to make that move himself.


    Gareth didn''t want to pressure Lance nor push him away, so he took each day as it came. Without thought of the future.


    Now, however, he knew that he had probably just been his own wishful thinking.


    Lance was still in love with Mark.


    He was just someone to warm his bed and fill the hole, but never to replace him.


    "Boyfriend?!" screeched Mark, looking at Gareth then Lance.


    "How..? How .." Mark stuttered, his mind unable to take this.


    He had known Lance for so long, and had been his best friend for so long ... yet, he had not known that he was gay?


    Was their friendship just a joke to him then?


    "Yes, boyfriend," Lance replied, getting up.


    Lance went to Gareth, and took Gareth''s face in his hands. He saw the anguish in them and the pain, and his heart felt the pain Gareth was showing.


    "I''m sorry," Lance said softly, putting his forehead on Gareth''s. He gave a quick peck on Gareth''s lips and forced Gareth to look at him.


    "There''s nothing going on between Mark and me," Lance said.


    "I know that," Gareth hissed, "Mark''s straight. You''re the one who had been holding a torch for him all this while. Am I just a .."


    Lance kissed him then, shutting him up.


    Gareth didn''t respond at first, as the pain was too raw. Lance didn''t give up and continued to kiss him, just the way he liked it, occasionally breaking the kiss to say repeatedly, "I''m sorry" and "I love you."


    Tears fell down Lance''s eyes, mixing with their kiss and Gareth, feeling that, couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Wrapping his arms around Lance, he returned the kiss. He didn''t need to say it, but Lance knew from his actions that he was forgiven.


    It was only then that Lance''s erratic heart started calming down.


    It had been a harmless thing.


    Nothing had happened between him and Mark, but he had failed to reassure Gareth. Worse, he had not even made it clear to Mark who Gareth was to him.


    He had hurt Gareth so deeply, albeit unintentionally without thinking. Lance felt so bad about that. When he had seen the hurt in Gareth''s eyes, all thoughts of Mark flew out the window.


    At that moment, Lance knew, without a doubt, that he was deeply and madly in love with Gareth. Mark was nothing. Mark was the past.


    Mark, in the meantime, was just standing there, watching them with his mouth hanging open.

 Chapter 892 - Epilogue: Lance (III) R16

    Chapter 892 - Epilogue: Lance (III) R16 When Lance finally let go of Gareth, Gareth looked at him lovingly and wiped his eyes with his thumb.


    "Why are you crying now, huh?" he asked gently.


    Lance just gave him a smile, one of relief and love as he replied, "I was feeling so bad at hurting you so."


    Gareth gave a small smile of his own and kissed Lance''s eyes, saying, "It''s okay."


    "No, it''s not okay," Lance said vehemently.


    Grabbing Gareth''s hands in his, he said, "Gareth, let''s get married."


    Gareth jerked his head back at this sudden declaration, "What? Why so sudden?"


    "It''s not sudden," Lance said, "We''ve been dating for several years now."


    "Well, yeah, I know that," Gareth said, holding Lance by the waist, "But you''ve never shown any interest before ¡­"


    Lance put his hands on Gareth''s lips, saying, "Let me finish."


    Gareth nodded, and Lance brushed his thumb on Gareth''s lips as he said, "I realise that I??ve been unfair to you. Seeing Mark today made me realise that I no longer have him in my heart. It''s you."


    "If I lost you, I would lose half of my soul," Lance said softly, "So Gareth, will you marry me?"


    "What? No ring?" Gareth teased.


    Lance rolled his eyes and Gareth kissed him in response, holding him tightly..


    "No take-backs," Gareth whispered after he broke the kiss, "You''re mine now."


    Lance laughed, "Well, technically, I''m not since it''s just a proposal."


    With a grim face, Gareth pinched both of Lance''s cheeks.


    He turned towards the still open-mouthed Mark and asked, "Will you be our witness?"


    Mark shook his head, and he looked at Gareth in confusion. His mind still hadn''t processed what he had been looking at and the words that he heard earlier.


    Been in his heart?


    Did that mean what he thought he meant?


    And now ¡­ witness?


    "Witness? Witness to what?," Mark asked, "More dog food?!"


    Lance burst out laughing while Gareth looked at him with wide eyes before turning towards Lance, "That was whom you had been in love with before? He''s pretty dense."


    Lance was still laughing, poking Gareth in the ribs, "Look who''s talking, Mr-what-is-this"


    "Hey," Gareth protested, "In my defence, I''ve never seen one before." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lance raised an eyebrow, "Really? You''re going to be using that as an excuse?"


    Gareth pursed his lips, shook his head and grabbed Lance''s hand while saying gruffly, "Stap."


    Lance started laughing softly and pecked his lips, "Fine, fine, I''ll stop."


    "Yes, please, stap," Mark w.h.i.n.ed from beside them, "I''m getting diabetes right now."


    Gareth and Lance laughed together. Gareth placed his arm around Lance''s shoulder and then turned to Mark, "Let me introduce myself again. Hi, Mark. I''m Gareth, Lance''s husband-to-be."


    Mark was still in a daze, looking at the both of them.


    This was really, really huge news to him and he didn''t know what to feel. He was just too shocked.


    Lance saw the hesitation Mark was having, but he didn''t say a thing. Then, he saw Mark slowly raise his hand, catching Gareth''s hand in a firm handshake, "Hi, Gareth. Nice to meet you. I''m Mark, Lance''s ex-best friend."


    Lance reached out to Mark then, then stopped halfway, his hand raised slightly before he put it down. He wasn''t sure how Mark would feel, so he didn''t dare be like he used to, lest it made Mark misunderstand - and Gareth jealous.


    "What do you mean, ex? A best friend is a friend for life, Mark," Lance said, "I just had issues. None of it was your fault."


    Mark had seen Lance reach out to him but stop, and a part of him was a bit conflicted about that.


    He stuffed his hands into his pocket and he leaned more to one side, "Was your disappearance because you had feelings for me?"


    Lance gave a soft smile while Gareth stiffened.


    Mark had always been straight-forward, which was one of the reasons why he had been Lance''s good friend. He had been Lance''s best guy friend, while Kay is his best girl friend.


    Both were brutally honest with him, which was what he cherished.


    "Yeah," Lance admitted, "I didn''t want to spoil whatever memories we shared as friends, so it''s best that I stepped aside. It wasn''t as if you missed me much anyway."


    Lance couldn''t help that bitterness in his voice though.


    Even though he had wanted to step aside, he hadn''t just dropped off the face of the Earth. He may have not been the one to take the initiative to call Mark, but he didn''t reject him either.


    Mark was the one that didn''t pursue their friendship either. It was only after two months of non-communication that Lance took the resolute decision to change his number without informing him.


    He didn''t let Kay tell him either, though Mark never did call Kay to ask.


    Mark shrugged, "That''s not true but yeah, it was partly my fault, too."


    He sighed, "Dominique was pretty jealous, actually. She resented my closeness to you so I had to distance myself. It was only meant to be temporary so as to give her some sense of stability, but it soon turned to be several months."


    Gareth snorted, "If your girlfriend can''t accept your friends, what sort of girlfriend is that?"


    Mark looked abashed, "You''re right. That''s why we broke up last year."


    Lance was surprised, "What?"


    "Yeah," Mark said, "It was gradual, the way she got control over me and my life. By the time I realised something was wrong, it was too late. I lost a lot of friends along the way and I fought with my parents a lot."


    Mark looked at Lance seriously, "But the one person I missed the most was you. I never thought I''d see you again, though I prayed I would."


    He looked at Gareth, then back at Lance, "This is all new to me so give me some time. Why didn''t you ever tell me?"


    Lance looked down, unable to explain.


    Gareth took over, hugging Lance, "How could he? You were the only friend he had and he was afraid of losing you. No one knew about his s.e.x.u.a.l orientation and it was only a few years back did Lance come out."


    Mark bit his lower lips.


    Lance had always been there for him, but he, Mark, could not be there for him during Lance''s darkest moments. He had truly failed as a friend.


    "I''m sorry," Mark said with a sigh.


    "Don''t be," Lance replied, "Like I said, it was not your fault at all. We all have our own lives to live."


    Mark took a deep breath and let it out, "Can we start over?"


    Lance smiled, "I''d like that."


    They shook hands.


    "Now that we have that out of the way," Gareth said, pulling Lance away from Mark, "Will you be our witness?"


    Seeing the still dazed look on Mark''s face, Gareth rolled his eyes and said, "For our wedding."


    Gareth looked at his watch, "The Civil Bureau will be open soon."


    "What? Now?!" both Lance and Mark shouted simultaneously.


    "Hell yes, now," Gareth said, looking at Lance, "You think I''m going to let you change your mind?! Fat chance."


    All governmental offices in Country Tz opened at 7.30am, and the sun had just risen. If they left the park now, they would just arrive at the Civil Bureau just as it opened its doors.


    Lance smiled, "Fine, let''s do it."


    They looked at Mark, who shrugged, "Lead the way then."


    And so, Lance got married to Gareth on a fine Saturday morning.


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    "Are you sure about this?" Gareth asked Lance hoarsely, touching his smooth c.h.e.s.t and hard abs.


    Lance looked at him lovingly, saying, "It''s our honeymoon, dear husband. This is my gift to you."


    Gareth''s breath got heavier as he c.a.r.e.s.sed Lance''s perfect skin.


    "I trust you," Lance said as he watched the wonderment in Gareth''s eyes.


    Seeing how Lance submitted himself to him completely, without fear, made Gareth''s heart burst. He kissed Lance deeply, unreservedly as if he was afraid of Lance getting away from him.


    "It won''t bruise your skin?" Gareth asked.


    "No," Lance said, putting his wrists together towards Gareth, "Go ahead."


    With that, Gareth took out the handcuffs.


    Well, they weren''t exactly handcuffs like what policemen use but instead, wrist-cuffs with faux fur at the inner layer. There was a slightly longish chain so that it allowed more movement than an ordinary handcuff.


    He then brought Lance''s cuffed hands above the head and hung it on the bedframe.


    He looked down at Lance, who was basically at his mercy and his c*ck just throbbed at the thought of all the things he could do to Lance.


    "Dear Lord," Gareth said breathlessly before kissing him aggressively, "I love you so, Lance."


    Soon, the bed was creaking, the rooms were filled with lots of flesh smacking and m.o.a.ns which lasted till past lunchtime.

 Chapter 893 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex)

    Chapter 893 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex) It had been over a week since the playdate at Ali''s house, and Kyle noticed the difference with Alex.


    He wasn''t as aggressive.


    It wasn''t to say that Alex had suddenly become nice and warmed up to him, but rather, he was not as antagonistic as usual.


    Ali had told him what happened, and it caused Kyle to feel completely surprised.


    When he thought of the intelligence and awareness he had noticed in his son''s eyes when he just born, Kyle had known then that his son was different.


    That both of his children were.


    However, at that time, from Kyle''s perspective, Alex had more intelligence as compared to Rory. That was due to his behaviour which was more mature and his reactions, which appeared sharper.


    Now, however, Kyle realised that it wasn''t because Alex was cleverer, but that he had some sort of grudge with him. As such, his responses were different.


    Rory, on the other hand, was more innocent and had no grudge. Thus, she gave the impression of being a ''normal'' baby despite picking up on things quite fast. Just a highly intelligent baby, but not at the same level as Alex.


    Kyle was grateful to Ali for being able to get through to his son, and to Sofiya for managing to calm his inner turmoil.


    Kyle smiled to himself.


    It was a good start.


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    Alex stared at his father.


    He pursed his lips.


    Despite learning a lot about himself, it was not an easy step when dealing with his father. It was his natural reaction to just lash out at him and it took a lot out of him to hold himself back.


    Sometimes, he failed.


    Sometimes, he succeeded.


    However, Alex did notice that no matter what he did, his father did not berate him. He was firm, and he did tell him off, but somehow ¡­


    It did not feel as if his father was lashing out at him.


    Previously, Alex always felt his father was looking down on him. That he, Alex, was never good enough. Every single thing that his father pointed out to him, Alex felt it was a personal attack.


    Even now, he still felt that way a bit ¡­


    But it was more a conditioned reaction rather than real anger or dissatisfaction.


    When Alex cooled down a bit, he began to see that when he followed what his father said, he did better.


    And ¡­


    Alex frowned.


    He even got praised.


    He had never been praised before.


    "That''s because you never deserved it before," Rory said to him, breaking him out of his thoughts.


    Alex''s head whipped over to face her, about to retort when she put up her hand and said, "Yes, you have done well before but you were always rude to Daddy. You would either talk back at him when you did it right, or you''d use it as an opportunity to insult him." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alex blinked.


    Rory answered his unspoken question, "Yes, you were that bad."


    Just then, they heard Kyle call out, "Alex!"


    Rory and Alex were both surprised.


    They were in the living room while their father was calling out for Alex at the doorway.


    "Yes?" Alex replied, coming up to him.


    He looked at his father, who was dressed casually, all in black. Black jeans, black T-shirt inside a black jacket. He was wearing dark glasses that hid his eyes and his hair was styled differently.


    "Come on," Kyle said, handing him a bag.


    "What''s this?" Alex asked, taking the bag but not opening it.


    "You''ll see," Kyle said, pointing to the car, "Change there."


    Alex was going to refuse out of habit when he closed his mouth, pressing his lips together. He neither said ''yes'' or ''not'', but tacitly agreed by doing as Kyle told him.


    Kyle turned to Rory and bent down, giving her a hug, "I''ve got to talk to your brother, so I can''t be taking you with me this time."


    Rory clung to his neck, hugging him tightly.


    After getting her fill, she gave his face several kisses like normal and replied, "Okay."


    Sayuri came then, and Rory looked at her mother, with their baby sister in her arms.


    "Kyle .." she began hesitatingly when Kyle shook his head.


    She took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded, "Be careful."


    "Always," Kyle replied, going forward and kissing her, "We''ll be back before midnight."


    Kyle picked up Rory and told her while facing Sayuri, "You take care of your mother and sister, okay?"


    Rory nodded.


    "Daddy, can I ask you something?"


    "What is it, my Princess?" Kyle asked.


    "Did you name her Ariel because she''s a princess, too?" Rory asked, pouting a little.


    Since her sister was born, she was starting to feel a bit left out. Before, she was the only Princess but now, there''s her sister. Rory felt she was named after Sleeping Beauty while her sister was the Little Mermaid.


    Both were Disney Princesses, and in a way, she was her father''s Princess.


    But not anymore.


    "If you mean, a Disney Princess, it''s a coincidence," Kyle said, knowing Rory must have thought she had been named after a Disney Princess, "We named you Aurora because you''re like the Dawn. The start of a brand new day. The daughter that we thought may not have lived."


    "Whereas for Ariel, it means ''Lion of God'' in Hebrew," Kyle explained, "Now, don''t misunderstand. We''re not saying she is a Lion or whatnot, but it''s more of a symbolic gesture. A lion is strong, majestic and King of the Jungle. Imagine, a Lion of God would be doubly so."


    "And ¡­" Kyle said, giving her several kisses on the face, "No matter how many more siblings you get, you will always be my Princess."


    Kyle knew what was the real purpose of her asking.


    "Love doesn''t get less, my Princess," Kyle said, "It only gets more. I love you, for you and I love Ariel, because she''s Ariel. As the big sister, you need to take care of her and guide her, okay?"


    Rory nodded then said softly, "Well, at least my middle name is easier to pronounce."


    Kyle laughed, "All of your middle names are from renowned figures that we have been fortunate to come across in our life. It''s a reminder to us as well to always be grateful and never take things for granted."


    "Ariel Michicotan Smith is still a mouthful though," Rory mumbled.


    "Come on," Sayuri said with a smile, "Let your father and brother bond."


    Rory sighed and Kyle put her down.


    He then entered the car and looked at his son.


    "Why must we dress alike?" complained Alex.


    "Well, I think you look dashing," Kyle said with a smile, "Of course, I could be biassed since you''re my son but you do have powerful genes in your favour."


    Alex snorted a bit.


    "Where are we going?" Alex asked.


    "To see someone," Kyle said, "And what happens next depends on what happens there."


    Alex was puzzled, "You mean, I have a test?"


    "Yes," Kyle said, stopping the car.


    "From here, it''s on foot," Kyle explained.


    Alex looked out, "On foot?!"

 Chapter 894 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex) II

    Chapter 894 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex) II His eyes looked at the vast nothingness in front of him.


    Well, it wasn''t really ''nothing'' as in, that it was empty but rather, there was no civilisation. They were at the start of some highway. All Alex could see was a straight road and trees at the sides. It was as if the road cut through a forest.


    His father had parked the car by the side of the road, putting on its blinkers and was waiting at the guard rail for him. He had taken off his jacket, and Alex frowned.


    Without the jacket, Alex saw that his father''s shirt was sleeveless and it showed his tattoo.


    Or rather, tattooes in this case.


    When did his father have that red and blue intertwining dragon tattoo?


    Wait.


    Where was his other tattoo?


    That phoenix thing?


    While Alex was wondering this, he slowly came out from the car.


    "Pull up your turtleneck and cover your mouth and nose," Kyle told him, "Concealing your identity is the most important thing right now."


    Alex pulled at his turtleneck and did what he was told.


    So that was why this was the only difference he had with his father''s outfit. While his father''s shirt was like a black singlet, his was a short sleeved turtleneck shirt.


    The material wasn''t wool, but something soft and cooling. He found that he had no trouble breathing through it, and it was not uncomfortable.


    "What about you?" Alex asked, his voice slightly muffled.


    Kyle shrugged, "My identity as Ice is already well-known. No one really associates Ice with Kyle Smith."


    "That''s stupid," Alex said, "What? Are you like Superman? Take off your glasses and no one can recognise you?"


    Kyle laughed, not perturbed at all.


    Though it sounded like Alex was making fun of him, there was no malice or disdain in his voice towards Kyle like before. There was, however, disdain and disbelief about the fact that he was never recognised as Kyle.


    "In the beginning, I did have some slight disguise," Kyle told him, "Even went out in a mask like you. Later on, a disguise but just to make myself look older. As time went by, Ice''s reputation got such that no one really had the guts to look at me in the face. Something about being cursed to death if they did. In the end, I was like the boogey-man to them so they saw what they wanted to see."


    Kyle showed off his fake tattoos, "My identity is more connected to this, and any image captured on camera is taken care of by Auntie Kay."


    Kyle didn''t mention that 99.99% of the time, his face was never captured on camera either. That would be something to be revealed later on ¡­ if Alex joined him on this path.


    The little bit that Kyle was revealing now was just the tip of the iceberg and it was to test the waters. So far, Alex was taking it well - just as Kyle thought he would.


    Locking the door, Kyle crouched and told Alex, "Climb on my back. I''ll carry you to where we are going."


    Again, Alex was going to retort that he could do it when he literally had to bite his tongue to stop himself from doing so.


    His rational mind told him he would be crazy to try and walk the distance since there was nothing that could be seen for miles.


    His instinct to reject his father, however, came naturally and a part of him was still struggling to accept the fact that he could not do this without his father''s help.


    Gritting his teeth, he stomped slowly towards Kyle and climbed on.


    "Hold on tight now," Kyle warned him.


    Alex had barely wrapped his hands around Kyle''s neck when Kyle ran off, full speed.


    Alex barely managed to hold on, his mind screaming that what his father was doing was impossible.


    The speed was already something insane, but then, his father jumped off the side of the road.


    The road was elevated, while the sides appeared to be several feet lower. Hence, when Kyle jumped to the side, he was also jumping down to the forest below.


    Alex screamed, closing his eyes and held on for dear life. He felt his father land on something, jump, and then cold wind, before landing and the cycle repeated. When Alex finally had the courage to open his eyes, he found that his father was jumping through the trees like he was some monkey.


    It was only then did Alex feel that his father''s back was sturdy and strong.


    As Kyle?''flew'' through the air, the fear in Alex''s heart dissipated as he trusted his father fully. He even started laughing.


    It really felt like they were flying!


    Finally, after what seemed like ages, they reached a small clearing.


    Kyle jumped down, landing noiselessly on the ground despite the dry leaves about and the additional weight that Alex gave him.


    Alex noted this, and the admiration in his heart grew.


    He knew his father was skilled, but not this skilled.


    All the moves his father had been teaching him and Rory just seemed like exaggerated martial arts but now, seeing them being used to its fullest, he knew that it was something more.


    Would he be able to do what his father did?


    He could balance on a tightrope well now but to jump from tree to tree, fall down without getting hurt or make a sound ¡­ now, that was really like from the movies.


    Alex got down from his father''s back and went to a little marker on the ground.


    He didn''t ask anything, but stared at it while Kyle brushed away some leaves from the small marker. Crouching, Kyle looked at Alex and said, "This is the grave of the person that tried to kill your mother, you, and Rory."


    Immediately, Alex saw red.


    He wanted to smash the marker. He wanted to kick and stomp on the ground. Why was his father being so polite and even respectful to the grave of such a person?


    Alex glared at his father, his breathing heavy as he gritted his teeth.


    Kyle ignored his glare, and he talked to the marker, "Sarah, this is my son, Alexander. The same one you tried to kill before."


    A small breeze flew about then, and Alex imagined it was the spirit of Sarah acknowledging Kyle''s words.


    Preposterous, but it was truly coincidental for it to happen.


    "Alex, what do you want to say to her?" Kyle turned to his son, "Imagine that she is in front of you. What would you say?"


    "No words," Alex said, fuming, "I have no words."


    Kyle smiled.


    "Then what do you want to do?"


    "I want to stomp on her. I want to kick her. I want her to feel 10x the pain she put Mummy through," Alex hissed.


    "So much bloodthirst for someone so young," Kyle said, "Are you really able to do what you say you want to do?"


    Alex growled low, staring at his father, "YES!"


    "Really?" Kyle asked again.


    "YES!" Alex roared, feeling like his father''s eyes were bluer than normal. He was so angry that he hardly noticed that his surroundings had become dark and all that he saw were those blue eyes, and then ¡­


    Alex fainted.


    Kyle caught him deftly.


    Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Kyle placed Alex tenderly on his l.a.p and hugged him close.


    "Good luck, my son," he whispered.


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    Alex felt like he was falling.


    There was nothing in front of him and nothing below. Everything was dark.


    Alex panicked. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Where was he?


    What happened?


    Where was his father???


    Then he felt his fall slowing down until he was floating, and his surroundings were slowly lighting up. He felt his feet touched the ground as a soft voice said, "I heard you wanted to see me."


    Alex head whipped up, trying to find the source of that voice.


    A blurry image formed until eventually, a female figure was seen. She was not solid at all, for Alex could see through her, but she appeared to be solid.


    "Hello, Alex," the figure said, "My name is Sarah."


    Seeing the shocked expression on Alex''s face, ''Sarah'' nodded, "Yes, I am that Sarah. Your attempted murderer."


    Alex clenched his fists tightly.

 Chapter 895 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex) III

    Chapter 895 - Epilogue: Kyle (& Alex) III Alex could not believe his eyes.


    This could not be happening.


    He felt his fingernails dig into his palm and he felt the pain.


    That proved he was not asleep and that this was not a dream.


    He hissed, "Why?"


    Although he had told his father that he did not have words to say to her, when push comes to shove, he did.


    More so because right now, the person in front of him ¡­ was not a person.


    What could he do to her now?


    Even if she was actually there in front of him, as a kid, he was too small to cause any sort of harm on her.


    So, as much as he wanted to hit her and punch her, he was too powerless to do so. The things he learned from his father so far were not useful when it comes to fighting people bigger than him.


    It was frustrating.


    "Why?"


    The apparition gave a gentle smile and replied, "Why not?"


    "That''s not an answer," Alex said.


    "Would my answer appease you? Stop the hate in your heart? Quell the anger?"


    Alex shook his head.


    "Then why bother asking?"


    Alex was stunned.


    She was right.


    His mind was going into overdrive at the moment.


    The only reason he asked the question was because he couldn''t release his anger in a physical form. In the end, he wanted to know the reason but what was the purpose?


    Curiosity?


    What would knowing the answer result in?


    Peace of mind?


    No ¡­ that hadn''t been in his mind at all.


    So ¡­ why? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why did he feel the need to know?


    Alex was stumped.


    He didn''t know what to say, nor what to think.


    As he stood there, thinking hard, the apparition didn''t ask further nor prod but just waited.


    Finally, Alex raised his head and said, "I want to understand."


    Alex was thinking of what Uncle Ali had said.


    Why did the butterfly land on Rory?


    To know why, one must learn about the butterfly. Know its thoughts. Only then can one make judgment.


    What Sarah had done was horrible and unforgivable ¡­ at first glance. But was it as simple as that?


    Perhaps he should know more, understand more, before he could make a conclusion.


    So, he wanted to know.


    It was then that the apparition began to speak and told Alex of her obsession with Kyle. How she began to believe that she was the only one for Kyle and no one should take the spot.


    She went on to talk all about her ''logic'' which resulted in her actions.


    Alex, listening to it all, found it ¡­ surprisingly easy to understand her train of thoughts. Even though it was illogical, even though it was stupid ¡­ he understood.


    Because he, himself, had been acting illogically as well when it came to his father.


    Despite knowing it, however, it didn''t mean that he had forgiven her.


    He merely understood her thoughts, and her actions.


    It did not absolve her from guilt.


    It did not make what she did, right.


    "So now, you know," she said, "What now?"


    Alex laughed softly, shaking his head.


    "Nothing," Alex said in disappointment, clenching his fists, "You''re already dead. You got what you deserved. What else can I do?"


    Alex seemed to look in the distance, not seeing Sarah anymore, and saying softly, as if to himself,?"I ¡­"


    He blinked.


    The more he thought about it, the surer he was.


    Soon, he smiled.


    He looked at the apparition and said, "I can let go."


    The apparition smiled back and everything went black.


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    Alex slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he realised was that he was feeling safe and warm.


    His mind was still reeling over what he had seen and experienced before, so it took him a while to gather that he was being held tightly by strong arms. His rapidly beating heart was calming down and he felt at peace.


    "Welcome back," came the all too familiar voice above his head.


    Alex quickly got up from within his father''s embrace, his face flushing red.


    He had felt so comfortable that he had actually not wanted to get down from that hug.


    He had actually forgotten where he was!


    Alex stood there awkwardly, while Kyle looked at his son with a smile on his face.


    That had been the first time he had ever held his son in his arms and he had cherished it greatly. He didn''t know when he would ever be able to do it again and from the looks of it, it may be never.


    Alex was too ''manly'' for that.


    Kyle laughed ruefully to himself at that, for that had been what he was like with his own father before. Everything was coming back at him tenfold.


    He got up, brushing the leaves off his pants and said, "Congratulations, you passed."


    "Huh?" Alex said, surprised.


    That had been a?test?


    A test of what?


    And what had happened, exactly?


    Kyle patted him on the shoulder and explained, "I had hypnotised you, using an ancient secret art called the Kato Art. You saw your greatest d.e.s.i.r.e: to talk to the one who had caused you so much pain long ago."


    Alex blinked.


    "So all of that wasn''t real?" Alex asked.


    "It felt so real," he mumbled.


    "Oh ¡­ let''s just say that ¡­ it was real. In a way," Kyle said, "What''s important is that you passed the test."


    "What test?"


    "To deem whether you''re worthy of learning the Kato Art," Kyle said.


    "Your mother and I are part of a secret society of ninjas," Kyle explained, "Where our skills are taught and passed down from generation to generation - but only to those who are worthy."


    Kyle looked at his son.


    "When I started teaching you and Rory martial arts, it was also to gauge whether the both of you had the discipline and aptitude for it," Kyle went on to tell him, "Only if you had the potential would you be further tested."


    "You, Alex, is more suitable for my clan''s arts but your heart was too rigid," Kyle said, "The skills are deadly in the hands of those who would abuse it. You were too emotional. Too stubborn. Those were not good traits."


    "After your talk with Uncle Ali, however, your mother and I noticed the change in you," Kyle said, "If your foundation is weak, you can be easily tempted to do what is wrong."


    "Your test was to see if you were still going to follow your emotions blindly, or whether you would think it through," Kyle explained.


    "You are still young, so one would think what you''re doing and thinking, is normal. But in order to learn the Clan''s Art, you have to be extraordinary. If you had failed, I would have not said anything and continue to teach you normal martial arts."


    "That would have been enough," Kyle told him.


    "But by passing the test, it shows your heart, and foundation, is good. You can continue to learn. To grow," Kyle said, "So, Alexander Belvior Smith. Do you want to learn? If you don''t, it is fine and we can forget about this."


    What Kyle didn''t tell him was that Kyle would erase his memory of this conversation and what happened today. It was a Secret Society, after all.


    Alex thought about it hard.


    "Does the art include doing what you did earlier? Flying through the air?" Alex asked his father.


    Kyle smiled, "Yes."


    Alex thought about it hard again.


    After a long time, Alex finally raised his head and told his father, "I do."


    "Excellent," Kyle replied and crouched, "Let''s go."


    "Go where?" Alex asked.


    "The world needs to be introduced to Ice''s kid," Kyle replied.


    "Why?" Alex asked curiously.


    "For training purposes," Kyle answered, "Learning the moves is useless if you don''t get practical training. Not the stupid sparring things where there are rules and such. But real, street-fights."


    Alex trembled a bit.


    "Oh, we''re not doing the training now. I just want to show you off first. Introduce you and get your feet a bit wet," Kyle said, "Then we are to meet my Master to welcome you to the Clan before going home."


    And so, a brand new life began for Alex henceforth.


    One that Alex found completely fulfilling and fun.

 Chapter 896 - Epilogue: Sam

    Chapter 896 - Epilogue: Sam Sam was at work, doing something he should not be doing.


    Yet, he could not stop himself from doing so.


    He glanced about and noting that all was clear, he continued watching the live stream of his daughter, Fleur and his wife.


    To think that his child would be a mini celebrity just from this contraption was something he had not thought would happen.


    When Betty had started the cooking show many years ago, it had been a simple hobby. She loved to cook and whatever she learned from friends, family and classes, she would want to share in her Y-tube channel.


    It had a modest following and Betty didn''t do anything to promote it.


    It was simply that: a genuine hobby and sharing of her love, and joy, of cooking.


    Thus, Sam didn''t think it was anything bad.


    Then, after having Fleur, she would have Fleur in the background while she cooked and baked.


    As Fleur got older, she was a curious child and wanted to join her mother, so she did. She was barely two years old when Fleur made her ''debut''.


    Who couldn''t resist this cute, adorable princess of his?


    Her unbridled joy, pure laughter and cuteness while she mimicked her mother? She was also observant and picked up the skills.


    Betty had even gotten real kitchen utensils for Fleur to use. Fleur had her own set of pink kitchen tools and a cute pink apron.


    Betty then changed her cooking channel slightly.


    It was still a cooking channel, but now, it was catered to recipes that young children would be able to do (with help) and Betty also used it as a means to teach Fleur things.


    Names of vegetables, the use of it and so forth.


    It started off simple as well.


    When Fleur first started, Betty would be baking a lot as it allowed Fleur the chance to play with the dough.


    As Fleur got older, the recipes became more diverse and Fleur''s involvement in the actual preparation increased. From scooping ingredients into the mixing bowl and washing vegetables, to mashing potatoes and decorating a cake.


    Sam was impressed and proud of his daughter who seemed to be a natural at cooking. Whether it was due to her innate talent, or Betty''s natural flair for teaching, there was no doubt that Fleur became really adept at it.


    Unfortunately ¡­


    People started noticing it.


    At first, it had been a small cooking channel that was lost in the millions of other similar cooking channels.


    Without publicity, it simply got lost within vast cyberspace.


    That was why Sam wasn''t particularly concerned or worried when Betty first started the channel.


    However, once Fleur started, it became slightly more popular.


    At first, it was just one share by a regular, obscure fan of Betty to her friend.


    Then, more and more people became interested.


    Before Sam knew it, the channel had exploded.


    Fleur was the internet darling baby chef.


    The worst thing was, it was too late for Sam to cause a fuss now.


    Fleur loved cooking.


    Fleur loved the attention.


    How could he, Sam, be the evil father to take that all away from her just because he couldn''t stand how people were now aware of how adorable his wife and daughter were?!


    Especially when he saw comments saying things like they''ll be their forever fans - even going so far as matchmaking Fleur with their younger sibling. Worse, even opely firting with his wife!


    Preposterous!


    The only time Sam was happy was when Betty was pregnant and it showcased to the world that she, Betty, was a happily married woman.


    Humph.


    But that wasn''t why they had so many children.


    Nope.


    No indeed.


    They had one child every two years - though if it was up to Sam, it would have been every year. But that is not good on Betty''s health and even though Betty was a homemaker, it did not mean she could handle everything.


    Sam had hired a housekeeper who would keep the house clean and also cook the meals, so Betty could focus on other things.


    Like her cooking channel. Her kids. Herself.


    Betty would still insist on cooking dinner, though, because Sam would be home and she did not want him to eat anyone else''s cooking but hers.


    "Playing hooky now, are we?" came a low voice right in his ear.


    Sam barely held back his shriek and in his surprise, the phone he had been staring into intently flew up. Kyle caught it deftly in his hand before Sam could, and Sam glared at his old-time friend and Boss.


    "Did you have to do that?"


    "Yes, yes I did," Kyle replied with a grin.


    Sam stood up and snatched the phone back from Kyle. He smoothened his shirt and sat back down.


    Kyle was the only one that could sneak up on him like that.


    The training he had done under Kyle so long ago never stopped. He knew how important his position was, and more so now with his own family.


    With his daughter being in the limelight as well, he was even more cautious (or paranoid, whichever way you want to look at it). Since she was part of the Fantastic Four, though, Sam wasn''t too worried about her development - and whether she would be used to get at Kyle.


    However, it didn''t mean that there wouldn''t be any attempts.


    More so since he had a lot of children ¡­ and planned to have more.


    Sam had calculated it already.


    They were married at 18 and had their first daughter then. With one child every two years, and one is encouraged to stop at 40 ¡­


    With his investments and his pay as Kyle''s PA, he had more than enough to raise them.


    However, it wasn''t just about money now, was it?


    Betty was a pure, innocent woman and she would raise their children well.


    He was sure of that.


    He just had to make sure they are well-protected while they were growing up and at the same time, teach them to be independent as well.


    Being a young father wasn''t easy but the way Sam would plan things to the last detail made things much easier.


    "You really should relax more, Sam," Kyle advised him as he sat on Sam''s desk, "The way your face was scrunched up, one would think you''re ready to go into the channel and hit all those people commenting."


    Sam gritted his teeth, sighed then leaned back in his chair.


    "Just how do you do it?" Sam asked him. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kyle looked at him, pursed his lips and said simply with a shrug, "By f*cking my wife whenever I feel like it."


    Sam stared at him, Kyle looked back innocently.


    Kyle grinned, stood up, and said as a parting shot as he entered the office, "You know Betty is devoted to you and sees only you. Just go on a date with your wife more often. Do things together."


    After all, marriage was just the beginning.?The wooing, dating, and such did not stop.


    Sam thought about it and sighed.


    He knew he had a problem with his possessiveness.


    A date with his wife would be nice.

 Chapter 897 - Epilogue: Sam (II)

    Chapter 897 - Epilogue: Sam (II) At 5pm, Kyle had stuck his head out of the door and ordered Sam to get out.


    Sam had sat there, blinking in confusion at his Boss.


    "I told you to take your wife out on a date, right?" Kyle said with a smirk, "So I booked a table at X Palace. 7pm. You just have enough time to spruce yourself up then go home and take Betty out."


    Sam still sat there stupidly.


    Just enough time to spruce himself up?


    Go home?


    Shouldn''t it be go home and spruce himself up?


    Why was the order all wrong?


    And why should it take him two hours to get ready??


    Kyle looked at his watch, "Oh, you also have the Presidential Suite for the night. The change of clothes for you is in there. Kay has taken Betty out for a makeover, while the kids are at my house."


    Seeing Sam still being stupefied on the chair, Kyle flicked a small, round bead towards Sam''s forehead. Kyle had all sorts of hidden weapons on himself at all times, and the force of the throw wasn''t hard.


    Just enough to cause a slight redness on Sam''s forehead.


    "Git," Kyle ordered, closing the door.


    Sam rubbed his sore forehead and did as he was told


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ?


    Sam stood nervously at the door of his own house.


    He looked at himself and smoothened the already smooth shirt, brushed the non-existent lint from his already clean pants, and took a deep breath.


    His mind had been in a whirl from the moment Kyle told him of all that he had done in order for him to have this date night with Betty.


    When he thought about it, it had been an extremely long time since he had taken his wife out.


    Just the two of them.


    Everything they did, it was always as a family.


    Going out meant choosing a place that was family friendly, a place to b.r.e.a.s.t-feed, and so forth. So they never really did dress up for it.


    When the door flung open, Sam stood there, frozen.


    [Yes, a frozen Sam seems to be the norm for him today]


    Betty stood?there, her normally pony-tailed hair set up elegantly upon her head. Ringlets of curls adorned her beautifully cute fate, that had light make-up but accentuated all the highlights of her perfect face.


    She wore a simple red dress that clung to her curves, the skirt billowing below and showing off her shapely calves. She didn''t adorn herself in jewelry, wearing only a simple black choker with a red ruby in the middle.


    Sam gulped.


    His wife was so beautiful.


    When was the last time he had seen her dress up?


    Betty stood there shyly, wondering why her husband was more silent than normal. It had been an exciting day when Kay and Sayuri came. Like a tornado, Sayuri grabbed her kids and brought them home with her while Kay dragged Betty to a salon.


    First, it was a pampering spa.?Then, a shopping spree followed by a make-over.


    By the time it was over, Betty felt refreshed and like a princess.


    She had been a homemaker for so long that being in comfortable, casual clothes was part of her routine.


    Don''t get her wrong.


    She never regretted her decision to be a stay-at-home mum.


    Being able to stay with her kids, raise them, and teach them patiently gave her fulfillment. It gave her joy. It wasn''t to say that being a stay-at-home mum was all beds and roses. Like any other job, it had its ups and downs.


    The most important thing was, that she enjoyed it.


    But which woman didn''t enjoy dressing up?


    Just the thought of going out on a date with her husband, without the kids, was a novelty. At first, she felt guilty about it until Kay rapped her head about it.


    "You are a wonderful mother, Betty," Kay told her when they were having their body massage at the spa, "And a fantastic wife. But you also need ''you'' time. And ''hubby'' time. No kids."


    "If you don''t take care of yourself, how are you going to take care of the kids?" Kay told her, "You put yourself out for them and Sam all the time that you tend to forget the most important person in the house, is you. So enjoy this time with Sam. And have many more date nights, okay?"


    "You know you have us sisters to take care of the kids for you," Kay told her, "If you ever want to just have ''me'' time - without the kids, without Sam. You deserve it, you know."


    The more Betty thought about it, the more she thought Kay was right.


    It wasn''t as if she was abandoning them, or that she was spending money that they didn''t really have on herself. Perhaps she would have more time when the kids were in school ¡­ S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Betty shook her head.


    That would be at least another 6 years since Quill is not even a year old.


    "Find time for yourself, Betty," Kay said.


    Thus, this night, Betty found herself feeling like a school-girl again.


    Come to think of it, it wasn''t as if she was old either. Barely in her 20s and with three kids already. Just as one passed the infancy stage, she would be pregnant with another. Her body really was fertile.


    That, or Sam was just insatiable.


    Betty blushed.


    Despite being married for so long, he still made her heart beat fast and her face red. So going out on a date with him right now made her giddy.


    Seeing him all dressed up, and being so dashing, made her heart stop. She beat her rapidly red cheeks, wondering what she had done in her past life to get such a man for herself.


    When he didn''t say a word though, she got worried, "Sam?"


    She called out tentatively.


    Did she look bad?


    She looked down at herself and saw that her dress was fine. There was no stain and she had seen herself in the mirror earlier. She didn''t look weird.


    When she looked back up at him, he was till just staring at her, so she hesitantly asked, "Do I look weird?"


    That seemed to snap him out of his dream-like state. He stepped forward, taking her hand and said in a daze, "You are breathtaking. I forgot myself."


    Betty''s face went beet red.


    Sam smiled, and gave her a gentle kiss.


    Her reactions were still so honest and pure, it made his heart full.


    "Come on," he said softly, "Let''s go on our date."


    The night passed by like a dream for both of them. They talked freely, they laughed, and they flirted. Without the kids around, they could give undivided attention to each other.


    They could talk without worrying about the topic not being suitable for kids to hear. They could flirt without having to be embarrassed by their kids either making fun of them or disturbing them.


    That night, as Betty lay underneath Sam, he c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheek lovingly.


    He never realised how much he had missed just being with his wife.


    As Betty had gotten pregnant so soon after their marriage, their married life was basically them with kids. It became something natural and common for them. It wasn''t that they were living in a rut, but it was true that he had neglected his wife.


    He may have provided for her financially, and given her the comforts of life - and it wasn''t that he treated her badly. He pampered her when he''s home ¡­ but this date made him realise that he had not been giving her his full attention since they became parents.


    "Betty, do you regret marrying me?" Sam asked suddenly.


    "What? No!" Betty quickly answered, taking his face in her hands, "Why would you even ask such a question?"


    "It''s just that ¡­" Sam began, sighed then rolled off her as he lay on his side, looking at her.


    "I suddenly feel today that you sacrificed a lot for me and the family. I never did ask you how many kids you wanted either," Sam said, now feeling a bit ashamed about that, "I just assumed you wanted as many as I did."


    Betty looked at him, "Just ¡­ how many were you thinking?"


    "Erm, one every two years until you''re forty?"


    Betty''s eyes bulged wide open, "SAM!"


    He raised his hands up in surrender, "I know, I know! I wasn''t thinking straight."


    He continued softly, "It''s just that when I see our kids, I just feel like having more."


    Betty smiled, and put her hands on his lips, "I love our kids as well, but I think 6 should be enough."


    "Six?" Sam asked, "Six ¡­ I can do with six."


    Betty smacked him on the shoulder, "It''s not like you''re the one having them!! What if I couldn''t have children? Or can''t get pregnant anymore after Quill?"


    Just thinking about Sofiya''s condition, and the fact that Kay also didn''t have any kids yet made her feel she was truly lucky indeed.


    Sam kissed her deeply in response, "I married you because I love you, and not because you could bear children."


    Sam began kissing her all over, "We''ll stop at six then."


    "Making them, though ¡­" Sam said hoarsely, ripping open the c.o.n.d.o.m packet and sliding it on his hardened length, "Doesn''t stop once we have six."


    "Oh? Maybe when you''re too old then?" Betty teased him.


    Sam stared at her, "Is that a challenge?"


    Eeep!

 Chapter 898 - Epilogue: Xing Han

    Chapter 898 - Epilogue: Xing Han Xing Han sighed.


    Sighed very loudly.


    But, unlike normal, there was no one to come and comfort him, asking him what was wrong.


    Xing Han lay his head on his desk and stared at the desk across from him.


    The desk that was devoid of its Master.


    His gaze rested on the display case that was behind the said desk.


    At one time, it had been the place where Nitocris had hung an entire human skin on it. However, he had then moved it to the torture chamber below. It would serve to be an additional psychological push to those who had betrayed the organisation.


    That, and the fact that his Cookie did not want him to have his eyes tainted by such a sight. Granted, he had been shocked upon seeing it, even though he had been warned but he wasn''t repulsed negatively by it.


    He didn''t have nightmares and the such, that is.


    How could he, when he would always be hugged to sleep? Being in his Cookie''s arms gave him a sense of security and peace that could not be explained, so anything that happened during the day was washed away by the night.


    Right now though, his Cookie was not here.


    He was out with Zack on some business trip.


    It had been three days already, and it would be another two days before his Cookie comes home.


    It was hard.


    The bed was so empty and cold without him.


    Xing Han sighed loudly again, putting his forehead on the desk.


    Nitocris had become such a part of his life that without him, he felt so empty. Xing Han wondered how he had ever survived before him.


    His hand reached out for his phone and he pressed the speed-dial.


    He couldn''t call his Cookie because his Cookie was in a meeting. It wasn''t as if he wouldn''t pick up the phone but the last thing Xing Han wanted to do, was disturb his Cookie at work.


    His bff, however ¡­. Was another story altogether.


    At the fourth ring, Kyle finally picked up the phone, "That bad?"


    "Mhmmm," Xing Han mumbled, his lips brushing on the desk while the phone was on speaker.


    "Why don''t you go over then?"


    "Msh dfdfffsd dsdfjeld sdfmmmmm,"


    Kyle shook his head, while putting up a finger. The rest of the people in the meeting pressed their lips together, knowing that their Boss wanted them to give him a minute while he handled the call.


    And they could not make a single sound.


    "Xing Han, talk properly," Kyle said firmly, his voice low but still clear.


    "I can''t disturb himmmmm," Xing Han repeated anguishly, "He''s doing his other job. I would only be in the way."


    The last sentence was said softly.


    Kyle sighed.


    He gave a glance at Sam, who was sitting straight and saw Kyle mouth ''Yuri''. He nodded, and got out of the office to make the call.


    "Just go to him," Kyle said, "He won''t mind. He just didn''t want to trouble you. I''m sure he''s missing you, too."


    "You really think so?" Xing Han asked hopefully before he sighed again, "No, I can''t do that. I can''t risk it. I know he misses me but ¡­ "


    "Little Boss," Yuri called out immediately upon entering the room without knocking.


    "Yuri''s there. Listen to him, okay?" Kyle said, putting down the phone.


    Sam had come back in by then, and Kyle put his ''game face'' back on.


    "Continue," Kyle said to the guy who was still standing, not daring to move as he had been in the middle of a presentation.


    He took a deep breath and continued.


    Meanwhile, back at Xing Han/Nitocris''s office, Yuri was just standing there, looking down at the dejected Xing Han.


    This was a sight that Nitocris would never have seen.


    Xing Han was always the bubbly one, the one that was smiling and brought a smile to everyone''s faces.


    This Xing Han, however, was the exact opposite.


    He looked so listless, like the life had been s.u.c.k.e.d out of him. He couldn''t even smile properly. Well, he did smile but it was more like a sad sort of smile that made people want to go over and hug him to comfort him.


    It was only because they feared Nitocris that no one dared to do so.


    Hence, everyone at the office was becoming more and more dejected as well.


    He was like their mascot, bringing sunshine to the whole organisation.


    But now, their sunshine was dark and cloudy.


    Who could handle that?


    "I can''t go," Xing Han was saying stubbornly, "I won''t."


    "Little Boss," Yuri said, his face serious as usual, "I''m afraid you have no choice."


    Xing Han ignored him, "I always have a choice. What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Yuri placed a report on the file, right next to Xing Han''s head.


    Xing Han turned his head a bit, seeing it and asked, "What is this?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The productivity report for the past three days," Yuri said calmly.


    Xing Han finally got up from lying down on the desk and flipped through the file. His eyes narrowed, "This can''t be right, can it?"


    "It is," Yuri said, "I triple-checked the figures."


    "How can this be? What could have possibly happened in three days to make such a plunge?" Xing Han said, frowning. If this continued, his Cookie would be busier than ever upon returning, to get to the bottom of this.


    Was it a rival company?


    A rival gang?


    Were they being undermined?


    "You," Yuri said.


    Xing Han stopped studying the file, then looked up at Yuri in total shock, "What?"


    "Everyone is just so demotivated at work, seeing how down you are," Yuri explained, "Even our debt collectors can''t get into the mood to pick up payments because they see your face whenever the sad stories come out."


    "I ¡­ I ¡­" Xing Han couldn''t say anything, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.


    Then he looked even worse, putting his head in his hands as he wailed, "I knew I would be bringing Cookie down."


    "When you''re happy, productivity goes up. When you''re down, like right now, things take a fall," Yuri carried on relentlessly, each word piercing Xing Han right where it hurts.


    Well, Xing Han was already feeling so down, so he didn''t hear the first part, as the second part drowned it all.


    "So I should just leave then," Xing Han mumbled, "I don''t want to make anyone down. Most of all, make it difficult for Cookie."


    Yuri managed to keep a straight face, despite the sudden drop of ''Cookie''. No matter how many times he hears it, it never fails to cause shivers down his spine.


    Boss. Cookie.


    Hell Boss. Cookie.


    Heckl, no.


    "No," Yuri said, "If you did that, no one would feel any better. In fact, they''d feel worse. Thinking you''re all alone at home and all."


    Xing Han''s face crumbled.


    "Then what should I do?"


    "Go to Boss," Yuri said, "Zack said the main parts are over now, so it''s fine."


    Xing Han''s eyes brightened, "REALLY?!"


    ???Yes, really," Yuri replied.


    Xing Han got up quickly, his fist pumped in the air, "YES!"


    He quickly tidied up his desk, in a rush to get out.


    "I''ve already booked the tickets, and Randy is waiting downstairs for you. He''ll send you home to pack and then to the airport," Yuri told him.


    "Oh, Yuri. I could kiss you right now," Xing Han said happily.


    "Please don''t," Yuri replied, "I still want to live."


    Xing Han laughed and ran out.


    Once the door slammed shut behind the excited Xing Han, Yuri smiled a bit. He picked up the ''report'' and shredded it. As if productivity would go down because Xing Han was down.


    True, everyone were feeling down. Xing Han was deeply loved by everyone here. However, if they had let that interfere with their work, Yuri would have personally shown them the meaning of ''being down''.


    They were the Underworld, for goodness sake.


    They could not show weakness in any form. If anyone outside of the organisation knew how valuable Xing Han was, his life would never be at peace.


    Xing Han was Nitocris - and the Black Dragon''s - Achilles Heel.


    He would be a constant target, to be used as leverage against the King of the Underworld.


    Thus, Xing Han was the best well-kept secret in the Underworld.


    People only knew him as Nitocris''s spouse, and thus, would not be disturbed out of respect.


    However, they viewed him like any other Underworld spouse: disposable.


    If he died, he would just be replaced. Simple.


    They would have to face the repercussion of causing the death but nothing major like total annihilation. After all, it was just disrespecting the other party, right?


    And so, the bright star of Black Dragons lived a peaceful life with the King of the Underworld. That very same sunshine that ran through the company in his eagerness to get back to his beloved''s side.

 Chapter 899 - Epilogue: Xing Han (II)

    Chapter 899 - Epilogue: Xing Han (II) Xing Han arrived at the hotel that Nitocris and Zack were staying. He was met at the airport by someone Yuri had arranged, and was immediately sent to Nitocris''s room. Xing Han couldn''t call Nitocris before he left because his phone was out of battery and when he arrived, his phone didn''t have roaming, but Yuri assured him that he would get it done soon.


    It didn''t bother Xing Han, really.


    All he knew was that Nitocris was busy at a meeting, so he wouldn''t disturb him but would be back by evening. He would be seeing his Cookie again. That was the most important thing.


    He took it for granted that Nitocris would know he was here, since Yuri arranged everything. But now, he had several hours to kill before his Cookie came back.


    Thinking about this, Xing Han looked out the window. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had never been to this part of the world, even though it wasn''t that far from Country Tz. Only a 2 hour journey by plane. Thinking of the number of hours he had before he could get hold of Cookie, he felt that the best thing right now was to go exploring.


    He made sure his phone was fully charged before he left the hotel room.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.novel. ?


    Nitocris was frowning.


    Well, frowning more than usual.


    He kept looking at his phone and would make sure it was actually working.


    It was.


    He frowned more.


    He hated these business trips.


    He knew his little puppy had trouble sleeping at night, and he had almost not come. But seeing how agitated Xing Han had been when he felt he was holding him back, Nitocris reluctantly agreed.


    He would video-call his puppy every night and talk to him until he fell asleep. Only when he saw that Xing Han had fallen asleep would Nitocris be assured. Still, he didn''t hang up the call until the next morning.


    Just in case Xing Han woke up in the middle of the night.


    The phone bill was nothing compared to making sure his puppy was alright.


    The problem was, he could see how listless his puppy was every morning just as he would hang up. Yet, he couldn''t show how worried or upset he was, lest it made his puppy even more worried about him.


    So right now, Nitocris was upset that it had been several hours since he had been in contact with Xing Han. He knew very well that Xing Han wouldn''t call, as Xing Han knew he would be in a meeting ¡­ but couldn''t he at least send a message?


    The other people in the meeting room were getting more and more nervous.


    They had heard of this Underworld King, who was expressionless and easily triggered. Do not do anything that he does not like, and you''ll be fine. Step over the line, then you won''t even have time to breathe before you''re beheaded ¡­ maybe not literally since it makes such a mess, but no stones were left unturned and one''s life had no meaning any more after that.


    Right now, they didn''t even know what they did wrong.


    They didn''t think that they had broken any rules.


    Yet, he was sitting there, looking extremely displeased.


    Was it the report that was unsatisfactory?


    Were the results below par?


    What?


    What?


    It was as if everyone was waiting for the axe to fall, and they could see the damn huge-ass sword above their heads - just waiting for it to drop. One twitch and it''s over.


    Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Nitocris raised his eyes to look at everyone.


    Everyone held their breaths.


    Was this it?


    Was this where they would breathe their last?


    Nitocris blinked, looking disinterested yet one could feel the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e oozing out of his pores.


    They started sweating.


    "Fine," Nitocris said, getting up, "Zack, wrap it up."


    Now it was Zack''s turn to sweat.


    This was more Yuri''s domain.


    He was only supposed to be the back-up slash bodyguard, with minimum PA work. Yet, because the Boss was too worried about his spouse, he tended to hand over the finalisation details to him.


    It''s not that he couldn''t do it.


    He just didn''t like it.


    Watching that strong back leave the room, Zack grinned.


    How excited would the Boss be to find his little present waiting in the room?


    Zack then turned to everyone else, his grin getting wider.


    "Now, shall we begin?"


    ? ? ? ?


    Xing Han was having the time of his life.


    Well, relatively speaking.


    Everything looked so new.


    So fresh!


    He rarely travelled and the last time he did, it was so long ago. He smiled when he thought of the trip he had done with the rest of the Elite Five, in following Kyle on his movie promotion thing.


    That had been fun.


    The Randall bit though, not so.


    Oh.


    And Kyle eventually going off for two years ¡­


    Okay, so maybe it hadn''t been that much fun after all.


    Still, life was like that, right?


    Your memories will depend on you, yourself. Since Xing Han was the type who always looked at the positive side, he had forgotten all about the negative aspects of the trip - until he really thought about it.


    Still, that didn''t dampen his enthusiasm with all that was around him.


    He was thinking of getting a gift for Nitocris.


    Even though it was only three days, it felt like a lifetime since they had met up. It''s not like his Cookie wanted something or needed it but did it really matter?


    His Cookie liked whatever he got him anyway.


    His eyes lit up when he saw a store selling men''s clothes. There was a gorgeous suit right at the display window and Xing Han could imagine his Cookie in it.


    He would look so awesome!


    Then again, he looks awesome in anything.


    Actually ... his Cookie?looks the best when he''s actually not wearing anything ...


    Xing Han shook his head.


    FOCUS!! FOCUS!!


    Xing Han entered the shop excitedly, his face bright like the sun.


    As he passed through the door, one sales employee looked at Xing Han with interest.


    He raised his eyebrow, studying Xing Han with an intensity that his colleague recognised.


    "A new target?"


    "You betcha," the guy answered, l.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips, "Don''t you find that freshness so enticing? To have that face writhing under you as you ¡­"


    His friend closed his ears, saying, "I do NOT need details, thank you very much."


    The guy laughed, "Leave this one to me. Just watch the Master reel him in."


    "One of these days, you''ll get more than you can chew," his friend warned.


    "Oh please," the guy scoffed, "Just look at him. Easy pickings."


    The guy adjusted his crotch, feeling that even just thinking about it made him excited. His pants were starting to feel rather tight and he had to be careful to keep it down. Still, just thinking of that face, so fair, being red as he pounded himself inside ¡­ gah, that would be so hot.


    He had to calm himself down again as he headed over to his target.


    "Hi, my name is Chris. Can I help you?"

 Chapter 900 - Epilogue: Xing Han (R18) III

    Chapter 900 - Epilogue: Xing Han (R18) III Xing Han looked up, to see a rather friendly looking white man coming up to him. The guy was smiling, and his eyes seemed to sparkle as he came next to Xing Han.


    Xing Han nodded, as he pointed to the suit at the window display, "Do you have that in size XX?"


    Chris looked surprised as he blatantly looked at Xing Han, from top to bottom. Xing Han frowned a bit at that look. Even though the guy didn''t appear like he had any bad intentions, being stared at like that made him a bit uncomfortable.


    As if noticing Xing Han''s mood, Chris gave an apologetic smile as he said, "I''m sorry. I was just surprised as you seem to be size Xx? Is this a gift for someone?"


    Xing Han nodded, smiling again as he thought of his Cookie.


    "Yes," Xing Han replied even though he had already nodded.


    "Ah, I can tell that he''s a special person to you," Chris said, noting the gentleness on the face.


    "He is," Xing Han replied, "So do you have the size?"


    "One moment," Chris answered as he went through the rack, "Hmmm ¡­ there does not seem to be any here. Perhaps there is a size at the back. Would you like to see?"


    "Back? Back where?" Xing Han asked.


    "The storeroom. We also have some colours that aren''t on display because it''s not very popular. Maybe you might like it though?" Chris told him.


    "Really?" Xing Han asked, his eyes wide, "Can''t you just bring it out to show me?"


    Chris looked like he was in a fix, "Well ¡­"


    He looked really troubled, then he eventually said, "It''s not allowed. My boss said if it was brought out, and people saw it, the shop might get a bad rep. The colours aren''t really that great but with your skin tone, it would do well."


    "Oh, he''s not as fair as me," Xing Han said, "He has this really beautiful olive-like skin."


    Chris pursed his lips. The more he listened to this guy, the more he wanted to just get him. The more unattainable the person is, the more exciting it was. To have this guy when he had a beloved would be truly wonderful.


    "Even better," Chris said, "The really rare ones are more suitable for such skin tone. But most of the people here are fair, so it?¡­ no ¡­ sorry. Forget I said anything. If my boss finds out, I''ll be in trouble."


    Now Xing Han got more curious.


    If the one in the window display looked good, then what about the one behind? Xing Han looked about the store and there were people there, including other employees. It couldn''t be bad, right? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then, he didn''t want to get the guy into trouble.


    Xing Han then sighed and nodded, "I understand. Just the one in the window display in his size, please."


    Chris blinked.


    Oh, dear.


    He had underestimated this guy''s goodness. He had hammed it up too much on the ''this would get me into trouble'', causing the other guy to back off.


    He was such an idiot.


    He saw his fellow colleague laughing and he rolled his eyes.


    He stepped closer to Xing Han, putting the suit he took out from the rack against Xing Han.


    "What about you, though? This would look good on you," Chris said, flattening the clothes against Xing Han. As his hands brushed the material, it also ''accidentally'' touched Xing Han''s crotch.


    "Oh my," Chris said, putting a hand over his mouth, "I''m so sorry. I didn''t mean to."


    Xing Han, with a slightly red face, waved it off, "It''s fine. Please, just get me the suit."


    Chris went closer then, his face very near Xing Han''s as he looked at the suit that he had placed on Xing Han''s front.


    Putting his lips near Xing Han''s ear, he said as seductively as he could, "You would really look good in this. Are you sure you don''t want to try it out?"


    Xing Han stepped back, tilting his head away.


    "I changed my mind," Xing Han said, rubbing his hand nervously on his side. He couldn''t quite pinpoint the reason, but this Chris guy was making him feel slightly uncomfortable.


    The touch had been accidental and the guy had already apologized.


    He hadn''t really touched him anymore, but the way he said those words ¡­ perhaps he was missing Cookie too much. Or perhaps, it''s because ever since he got together with Cookie, he had never been this close to another person before.


    Except for Kyle, of course.


    But Kyle didn''t count.


    Chris started to look worried, and put his hand on Xing Han''s arm, rubbing it ''for comfort'', "What''s wrong?"


    Xing Han looked at that hand and reached out to grab it, intending to take it off him when another hand reached out to do so.


    Xing Han''s unhappy face split into a huge grin when he saw who it was, "COOKIE!"


    Chris screamed in pain as Nitocris casually broke his hand, then said with a ''non-apologetic look'', "Oh, I''m sorry. I don''t know my strength sometimes."


    Xing Han ignored the wailing guy while he glomped on Nitocris, "You''re done? I thought you''d only be done later this evening."


    Nitocris looked down at his beloved, the agitation in his heart dissipating with that adorable, worshipping look on his face. Without a word, Nitocris kissed him.


    Xing Han clutched on Nitocris''s shirt, the world shutting out around him as he returned his beloved''s kiss. Nitocris had his hand behind Xing Han''s head and the other around his waist as he continued to kiss his puppy deeply. Partly to show off his claim and partly because he missed his puppy so much.


    When they finally broke apart, Xing Han''s lips were moist and his eyes glazed over.


    "Come on," Nitocris said to him, smiling, "Let''s go back."


    Xing Han nodded dumbly, grinning widely.


    After they left, the writhing in pain-on-the-floor Chris saw his colleague looking down on him from above, "I warned you."


    Helping him up, "Come on, let''s go to the hospital."


    No one even considered calling the cops. The moment that guy walked in, everyone was so scared that they couldn''t move. Luckily, the only thing he did was break Chris''s hand.


    Chris was lucky.


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    "You''ve been a very naughty boy," Nitocris growled the moment they entered the room.


    "Huh? What? Why?" Xing Han asked, perplexed.


    He didn''t get his answer, though, as Nitocris sealed his lips and started taking off Xing Han''s clothes. Once Xing Han was fully n.a.k.e.d, Nitocris easily carried him to the bed, never breaking off the intense kiss.


    "Cookie," Xing Han gasped out as Nitocris started l.i.c.k.i.n.g and biting his neck, "It''s not fair ¡­"


    "What''s not fair?" Nitocris asked, looking at him while his hand went down to stroke Xing han''s c*ck.


    "T-th..that¡­" Xing Han tried to talk but instead, started m.o.a.ning when Nitocris gripped his c*ck harder, then slid a finger down and pressed on his perineum - which was, the skin between the scrotum and the an*s.


    It was one of Xing Han''s extremely s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e spot, as it is highly sensitized with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e nerve endings.


    Nitocris grinned, seeing how easily Xing Han just succ.u.mbed to his administrations as he gently stroked the spot.


    First, he had been completely surprised to see that all-too-familiar figure through the store window. Then, upon seeing the guy being so close to his puppy, Nitocris saw red. He had wanted nothing more than to rush in there and smash everything.


    He had always known his puppy was a magnet for other men.


    Seeing his beloved below him, m.o.a.ning, writhing and panting, made Nitocris extremely impatient. He wanted nothing more than to just bury himself deep inside his puppy but there was no way he could do so without some lubricant.


    And he had none.


    Nitocris let out a curse.


    "Cookie," Xing Han managed to gasp out since Nitocris stopped for a while.


    "Do you have the jelly?" Nitocris asked his puppy.


    Xing Han blinked.


    Damn, he knew he forgot something. He had been so excited that he just grabbed a couple of clothes and toiletries. Seeing that look, Nitocris knew the answer already.


    But Nitocris didn''t want to leave right now just to get it, nor did he want to stop to call Zack to buy it either.


    "Cookie," Xing Han said, touching his beloved''s face, "Let me."


    He pushed Nitocris down and went below, slowly taking off Nitocris''s pants and u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. Once he flung it aside, Xing Han took Nitocris''s c*ck in his hand, stroking the base until the tip before kissed it.


    Before he could take the length into his mouth, however, Nitocris stopped him.


    Xing Han was confused until Nitocris said hoarsely while going to lie down on his side, "Come here."


    Xing Han did as he was told, lying down on his side and facing Nitocris. Then, Nitocris said, "Stay."


    He then turned 180 degrees and took Xing Han''s c*ck in his mouth while his c*ck was near Xing Han''s mouth.


    In short, it was the 69 position, but they were on their sides rather than on top of each other. This way, they had better access to what they wanted and one did not have to bear the other''s weight.


    The sensation was incredible.


    As his own c*ck was being s.u.c.k.e.d, the excitement he felt made him suck on his beloved''s c*ck even more. They stimulated each other and Xing Han found himself gripping his beloved''s t.h.i.g.h and vice versa.


    It certainly did not take them long to climax, and as much as he wanted to swallow everything, he couldn''t. Not when he himself was climaxing and causing him to shout. Thus, they basically covered each other''s faces.


    Both went on their backs then, facing the ceiling while breathing hard, faces and c.h.e.s.t all smeared. In Nitocris''s case, his shirt was now stained.


    It was worth it.


    Nitocris looked up as Xing Han looked down.


    "Shower?" invited Nitocris.


    When they went in, they saw a small bottle of baby oil. They looked at each other, then at the bottle.


    Nitocris took the bottle with a smile, took off his shirt, and said, "Shower time."


    After they entered, Nitocris made sure the water was at the right temperature before letting Xing Han go under with him. After washing off the mess, Nitocris gave a slow smile as he whispered in Xing Han''s ear, "Ready?"


    Xing Han shivered, kissed him, and answered, "Always."


    Nitocris lathered his c*ck with the baby oil and with a satisfied grunt, slid inside slowly.


    Oh, he missed his puppy so.

 Chapter 901 - Epilogue: Kayla

    Chapter 901 - Epilogue: Kayla Kay sighed upon feeling the familiar cramps.


    Still, she prayed that perhaps, it was just that - cramps. Maybe she had something earlier that didn''t agree with her stomach.


    However, the trip to the bathroom just caused her hopes to be dashed. Sure enough, she just got her period.


    Kay laughed to herself as she got her pads.


    To think that she''d prefer to have gotten diarrhea was kind of funny.


    Each month, when her period came, she would be filled with bitter disappointment. It had been almost a couple of years since they had stopped using protection but she still did not get pregnant.


    Even Stephan already had kids with his new wife.


    Kay laughed a bit about that.


    When her mother, Delilah, had announced that she was pregnant, Kay had been in total shock. Whilst it was true that her mother was rather old to have children at 49, it wasn''t unheard of.


    In fact, nowadays, more and more women were having their first child after the age of 40. Even Janet Jackson had her first baby at 50 - though the one that broke the record was Erramatti at 74 years old.


    In Delilah''s case, it was a double miracle.


    For normal people, conceiving naturally after the age of 40 would be rare. In Delilah''s case, it was doubly so since she had trouble conceiving in the first place. After all, Kyle and Kayla were the results of fertility treatments - specifically, in-vitro fertilization.


    They had taken Delilah''s eggs and fertilized with Patrick''s s.p.e.r.m before it was returned to her (so to speak). Delilah was one of those that had unexplained fertility as the normal tests didn''t show anything.


    So, Kay was thinking she was the same as her mother.


    She had yet to go to see the specialist about it, however. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fact that her mother could get pregnant so late in life perhaps meant Kay could, as well? Not being pregnant at that stage, but getting pregnant.


    Still, this was something she would need to discuss with Joseph.


    Perhaps it was better that they didn''t have kids yet.


    Joseph was in college still after all and concentrating on his studies. She was also busy at work and didn''t think she would be able to divide herself to work and take care of the baby.


    Hiring a nanny and au-pair seems to be the way but she was rather hesitant about that. She wished she could be like Betty - be a housewife but that life wasn''t for her. She''d probably drive her kids insane, too.


    Be like Sayuri?


    Sayuri would take six-months maternity leave and for the next two years, would not be so active at the office. After having the kids, Sayuri made a drastic move and change in her life.


    Perhaps it was because of the fact that she nearly lost her life, and her kids, that she decided she wanted to be with Kyle. The company that she worked so hard to be in? The one that she thought she would take over?


    She gave it up.


    Kay didn''t think she could do that.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t cherish having a family but she felt so alive at the company. Her Dad''s move to make her #2 in it after Kyle gave her a sense of fulfillment and achievement that she didn''t think possible.


    Was she being selfish?


    Was this why, perhaps, she had yet to get pregnant?


    Was there a part of her that was worried that having kids would take away her freedom and make it hard for her to have a family?


    So many worries.


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    Joseph came home after a whole day of class, to find his wife, curled up on the sofa.


    He recognised that pose.


    Putting his backpack on the table, he went over and hugged her.


    "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.


    Kay looked at him, her mind full of all the questions and doubts that arose earlier.


    "Do you think I''ll be a good mum?" she asked.


    "Of course I do," Joseph answered without hesitation, "Just by you asking means you would."


    Kay leaned onto Joseph, "But sometimes I''m so busy at work. I don''t want to neglect our kids but I ¡­ I don''t think I can ¡­"


    She stopped, then looked at Joseph, "Does that make me bad?"


    Joseph kissed her forehead, stroking her hair, "No, it makes you, you. This is who you are, and I can see how happy you are at Smith Industries."


    Kay smiled, hugging her husband tightly.


    He always made her feel good about herself, and she loved that about him.


    Initially, she felt that his impression of her was just too high. She wasn''t a perfect woman and she had her faults, yet, he didn''t seem to see them. Or care.


    She was worried that he had made this mental image of a Goddess of some sort and after being with her for a while, he would see the fallacy in that. That he would wake up from this dream and realise that she was just a normal woman.


    Yet, as the months passed by, Joseph never once showed any dissatisfaction or disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e with her for anything she did. His treatment of her did not change and he still made her feel like she was perfect.


    Eventually, she did ask him and he just looked at her weirdly, saying, "You are perfect."


    She had been exasperated at that, and she pointed out all her flaws to him - to which, he just laughed.


    "Being perfect doesn''t mean you don''t have flaws," Joseph said, "It means I accept those flaws because I love you."


    She had been struck dumb by that statement.


    No wonder her husband was an Author.


    "If you''re up to it, we can see the doctor about it," Joseph said carefully, "For all you know, it could be a problem with me."


    That was possible.


    Unlike the olden days when a woman would always be blamed for not having children, people now knew that it could be the fault of the guy as well.


    "Did you know that my father had ED?" Joseph asked suddenly.


    Kay was surprised.


    "He did?"


    "Yeah," Joseph replied, hugging her close, "I guess it''s because I''m married now that he opened up to me. That, and because Auntie Hannah managed to get through that thick skull of his to get it treated."


    "Your stepmom really understands your Dad," Kay observed.


    "Yeah, she can get him to do things he normally wouldn''t," Joseph agreed.


    Stephan had changed a lot after Lianne''s surgery. Joseph put it down to it being that the incident had been such a life-changing event that his father took stock of his life.


    What Joseph didn''t know was that Lianne''s surgery was only the tip of the iceberg. What truly pushed Stephan to change himself was finding out his dead wife was now his boss.


    It made him rethink a lot about his life. His past, his actions, and so forth. He also had a heart-to-heart talk and found that talking to a guy made it easier to open up.


    After all, one talks a lot when one is out drinking.


    "It''s ironic, really. Both of us have siblings now," Joseph mused, "Our family gatherings at the Smith''s are going to be so twisted."


    Kay laughed, her earlier dissatisfaction over getting her period being washed away.


    "Yeah, my younger brother and niece are of the same age as your younger brother," Kay replied, "When we have kids, they''re going to be so confused."


    Joseph smiled.


    "So, shall we go and see the doctor about it? I am fine either way, you know. We''ll only go if you want to and are comfortable with it," Joseph told her.


    "And ¡­" he began, stopping a while.


    "And?"


    "If it shows that we can''t have kids, we can always adopt," Joseph answered, "Or if I can''t give you kids, then we can do IVF with donor s.p.e.r.m. There are so many ways to have children."


    "If we are fortunate enough to be able to have our own children, then I will take care of them," Joseph told her, "I plan to do my writing full-time, so I can be a stay-at-home Dad. You go out and earn the bacon in the office. I''ll hold the fort at home."


    Kay looked at her husband in surprise.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, of course, really," Joseph replied, "I find I enjoy writing. I use a pen name so I don''t feel the pressure of people knowing and I intend to keep it that way. The money I earn from writing is enough ¡­ "


    Joseph coughed a bit at that.


    Actually, Kay was earning more than enough for both of them but he never felt inadequate because of it. Even though there were some people that would talk and whisper behind his back about it. It didn''t bother him so long as she didn''t care.


    This was the modern time, after all.


    Who said that when the woman earns more, the guy was leeching off her? Or that he wasn''t good enough to provide for her? Each person had their strengths and weaknesses, and in any marriage, it is a collaboration and cooperation.


    Joseph didn''t feel any less of a man just because his wife was earning 10x more than what he ever could. He didn''t feel any less accomplished because he had his books. He knew his worth.


    Kay, in the meantime, was content.


    Her husband was perfect.

 Chapter 902 - Finale

    Chapter 902 - Finale Sayuri stood in front of the full length mirror, turning left and right as she admired herself.


    Kay came up from behind her, putting her hands on Sayuri''s shoulder, saying, "You look beautiful."


    Sayuri smiled.


    Today was her big day.


    The wedding ceremony that Kyle had promised her so long ago.


    7 years, to be exact.


    "Yes, Mummy! You look beautiful!" pipped Rory, coming to stand beside her.


    She looked in awe at her mother, who looked like she was a fairy.


    The top part of the gown clung to her hourglass figure like a second skin while the skirt billowed below like a gentle breeze.


    She was in white, even though she wasn''t a ''v.i.r.g.i.n'' bride but who cares about that? Kyle had been her first, her one and only, and thus, Sayuri felt white was fine and no one would think any less.


    They wouldn''t dare anyway.


    It was a modified A-line wedding dress with lace appliques, over silk charmeuse fabric. Charmeuse refers to a specific type of weave that creates a wonderfully weighted silk fabric with a beautiful sheen.


    Using this traditional style weave, silk charmeuse has a l.u.s.trous and reflective finish on its front, while the back has a matte. As it was silk, it made the flow of the dress soft and magical.


    The top part was filled with lace appliques, covering the bodice with a pattern that looked like flowers and leaves, with some light vines ''coming out'' of the A-line neckline. It was a long sleeve, but the entire sleeve and upper part (from the bust onwards) was lace applique on Gossamer silk fabric (which was see-through).


    Hence, it appeared as if there were flower and leave motifs on her arms. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a lowback dress and she had a veil made of the same material and design as the upper bodice, and reached just at her waist.


    Sayuri was the type that did not like long trains, thus the dress and veil would not be in the way of her walking.


    The lace applique also flowed down to the dress, but was sparse, making the bottom flair more ''clean'' of design.


    A simple, fairy-tale like dress.


    As always, the neckline showcased her cleavage, with the lace appliques covering her tattoo very well.


    Ariel came in then and stood next to her mother.


    She was s.u.c.k.i.n.g her thumb while touching the dress, liking the feel of the smooth fabric. Benedict, or Ben, gently took that thumb out of her mouth.


    She pouted as she looked at him and he said, "You can''t do that today. It''s your mum and dad''s special day."


    Sayuri smiled and patted Ariel''s head, stroking her hair, "Today, you and Ben have a huge role to play. Can you do it?"


    Ariel grinned and nodded, "Ben will help me."


    Kay held back a smile. Both Ben and Ariel were of the same age, yet Ariel kept thinking like Ben was older.


    "Big Sis," Ben said as he looked at Kay, "Where are the others?"


    ''The others'' here referred to the FF''s: Alex, Rory, Ziad, and Fleur. They were going to be the flower girls and page boys while Ariel and Ben were the ring bearers.


    One would think that two year olds were too young to be ring bearers but these were the Smith Line. They were raised differently and given responsibilities from young, so being ring bearers was not difficult.


    It was merely walking in a straight line to the end while carrying the rings. Ben would be carrying the ring for his brother Kyle to give Sayuri, while Ariel would be carrying the ring for her mother Sayuri to give Kyle.


    Despite the extremely confusing family ties, they got along pretty well. The kids adapted well to the notion that their uncle was so young, and he acted more like the Big Brother to Ariel than an uncle.


    He also would listen to the older FFs and did not stress on the fact that in the family hierarchy, he was - technically - the elder. That was why none of them called him Uncle Ben.


    It made the transition and acceptance easier, and there was no awkwardness.


    That was the important thing.


    "Oh, they''re exploring outside, checking out the guests," Kay replied, "Don''t worry. They''ll be here before the ceremony starts."


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    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration that the wedding of Kyle and Sayuri was the highlight of the Century.


    Kyle was, after all, the Idol of Country Tz and everyone had thought it was a pity that there was never a wedding ceremony. Thus, it was a total and complete surprise to find out that they were going to hold one after all.


    Who didn''t know about the romantic love story that nearly turned tragic?


    Everyone wanted an invitation but it was futile.


    The wedding was a very private affair and only family and friends were invited. However, to appease the masses, it was going to be streamed live.


    Only the most reputable news agency was given the exclusive right to attend the wedding and cover it in the news while the whole live streaming was handled by the well-renowned Entertainment Giant Company, Magical Imp Biznez or ''MIB'' for short.


    Yes, it goes without saying that the reporter that was covering the event was an MIB agent and the Entertainment Giant Company was an MIB subsidiary.


    Everything was being handled by the MIB and its subsidiary, from the catering to the security. Thus, Kyle was assured that his wedding would not have any mishaps.


    The Diamond Team had been the one in charge overall although they were not allowed to actually be involved in any of the matter. Lianne ordered them that they were to be the guests at the wedding, so while they could oversee the planning, they were to let others handle it.


    No way was she going to allow them not to enjoy the wedding.


    The wedding venue was on a private island that, naturally, Kyle had bought long ago. All the guests were placed in a chalet on the island, while the ceremony was going to be held on the beach during sunset.


    The theme was ''sunset'', thus all the decorations were a softer shade of the colours of sunset: essentially, yellow, orange, and red. However, this was not to say that everything was of those colours for it would have been too glaring.


    The ''sunset'' colours were only for the flowers, candles, napkins, and borders of the menu. The rest, such as tablecloths, were off-white.


    Fleur was looking at everything with her eyes shining bright.


    As the flower girl, the princess dress she was wearing was so pretty. It was very simple, really. Just a white silk charmeuse fabric dress, with a blend of yellow, orange, and red for the border at the waist and hem of the skirt.


    It was comfortable, and each movement made the dress sway beautifully. They had floral headbands and the girls would be carrying a basket with petals of the theme colours.


    Right now, they were exploring the place, observing people who were around.


    Fleur, in her excitement, however, was laughing happily as she ran ahead of everyone else. She liked the way her dress moved as she ran, so she was running to get it moving while looking at it. Hence, she didn''t look where she was going and bumped into someone who just came out to the patio before the beach.


    "Whoa there little one," came a deep voice as he steadied Fleur who was about to fall.


    The other three rushed over just then. And gasped.


    "Keanu?!" gasped Rory, "It''s Keanu! It''s Keanu!!"


    Keanu Reeves smiled, his eyes twinkling as he stood up.

 Chapter 903 - Finale (II)

    Chapter 903 - Finale (II) "Oh? I''m surprised you would know me," Keanu said with a smile.


    After all, these were children while Keanu had not acted in any kids shows. Although he did act as Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4, it was an animated show. Thus, there was no way these kids would have recognised him just by his voice (that did sound completely different in the movie as well).


    "Of course we do!" gushed Rory, "You''re Keanu Reaves! You acted with my Daddy. You were ok."


    Keanu laughed, "So you are Aurora. I have heard of you. You must be Alex?"


    Alex stepped forward, nodding and put out his hand for a handshake, "Hello. Nice to meet you."


    Keanu smiled and shook Alex''s hand, noting the serious demeanour of the boy. Truly, Kyle''s children indeed.


    Alex then introduced Ziad and Fleur to Keanu, while Keanu introduced his girlfriend, Alexandra.


    "Wow, you''re Alex, too?" Fleur asked, her eyes wide, then turned to Alex, "Did Uncle Kyle name you after her?"


    Alexandra smiled, saying, "A coincidence, I am sure."


    "Keanu!!" shouted Kyle from afar, and rushed over with a big grin. The two of them gave hearty thumps on the back like cavemen.


    "Kyle," Keanu said, "Congratulations. You spruced up well."


    Kyle laughed, "I see you''ve met my kids and their friends."


    "Daddy! Daddy! Don''t I look like a princess?" Rory asked, twirling around.


    Kyle reached down and picked her up, rubbing his nose on hers, saying, "Of course, Rory. Always."


    Rory giggled and gave her father a big, wet kiss on his cheek, "You can put me down now, Daddy. I''m a big girl now."


    "Ah," Kyle said, hitting himself on the forehead, "I forget sometimes. Forgive me?"


    He looked at her with sad, doeful eyes and Rory giggled again, "Always."


    Kyle gave her one kiss on the forehead and put her down. She grabbed Ziad''s hand and pulled, saying, "Come on, Mummy said there''s a chocolate fountain.??


    "No eating, okay Rory? We don''t want to mess up your dress before the ceremony," Kyle warned.


    "We''ll just look, I promise," Rory replied.


    Alex turned to Keanu and Alexandra, saying before leaving, "Nice to meet you."


    "Likewise," Keanu replied.


    Fleur waved at them and followed Rory and Ziad slowly this time, as she didn''t want to run into another person again. Alex matched his pace with hers so that she would not be alone.


    The three a.d.u.l.ts watched them go, "You''re very lucky."


    Kyle smiled, "Yes I am. I am very blessed."


    He turned to face them, "You know, the chalet I gave you to stay in is a bit further from everyone else for a reason. You can stay there as long as you like to recuperate."


    "No, but thank you," Keanu said.


    "The internet here is secure," Kyle told him, ignoring the refusal as he then looked at Alexandra, "You can access anything online but no one can trace it back to you here. Not that she''ll be able to anyway. The phone lines are also monitored so any unregistered number will not get through."


    Keanu looked at Kyle, slightly shocked.


    Not just because of the set-up, but the fact that Kyle said it as if it was soemthing he knew they would appreciate it.


    And they would.


    For the past few months, Alexandra had been harassed online (and offline) by his stalker. The stalker was someone that was quite obsessed with him but it never really bothered him. However, the moment his relationship with Alexandra got out, his stalker started harassing her.


    It got so bad that Alexandra just got a restraining order on her.


    "You don''t have to worry about anything," Kyle said, "You can order whatever food you want a day before and there is a staff here at all times. I have even arranged for a steward to be at your beck-and-call 24/7."


    The offer was tempting but Keanu felt like he would be taking advantage of Kyle. This was far beyond what he would expect from anyone.


    "Trust me," Kyle said, "It''s nothing much as this is just the sort of things I place for myself and my family as well."


    Kyle knew Keanu didn''t like to bother people, so he wanted to assure him that the set-up here was just the basic run-of-the-mill for him. He never let his guard down and take things for granted.


    He was just offering Keanu a little piece of peace, if he was willing to take it.


    Alexandra put her hand on Keanu''s arm, seeing him hesitate.


    "What do you think?" he asked her.


    "I think it''s a good idea," Alexandra replied, "A break would be nice."


    She looked about, "And the place is beautiful."


    It appealed to her artistic soul.


    "Then I thank you," Keanu said to Kyle.


    "Meh, small matter," Kyle replied, playing it down, "I''m already getting all the publicity I need just by having you here."


    Keanu shook his head and laughed at that.


    He knew Kyle was joking.


    What could he possibly give to Kyle? In terms of newsworthiness, that is. He was only an international movie star and an internet darling while Kyle?


    Kyle was the golden boy of an entire country, and one that was highly respected worldwide. Rich, handsome, and have a beautiful family.


    Kyle had to leave then, to entertain the other guests and Keanu watched him go.


    Unlike other people who would pester him with questions about his private life, or even the dreaded question, ''when are you guys getting married'', Kyle instead offered help without being asked.


    "I can see why you''re so attached to him," Alexandra said, "He has a pure soul."


    "That, he does," Keanu replied.


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    Kyle was really busy going around from one person to another.


    Each and every person that was here had very close ties with him and he could not neglect them. There was still an hour before the ceremony would begin and he was itching to have it start. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was truly strange to be getting married - and being the groom instead of the bride.


    Though he had transitioned into his ''guy'' mode seamlessly, it didn''t mean that there were times he didn''t have ''flashbacks'' as a woman.


    More like, experiencing the same thing, but from the perspective of the other side.


    One thing was for sure.


    He may have loved being a woman and having kids, but he also loved being a man with Sayuri as his spouse. If one was to ask him right now, which gender he preferred, he would not be able to tell them.


    All of that didn''t matter.


    His eyes lit up upon seeing another group that he hadn''t seen for a long time.


    "Hey guys!" Kyle came up to them, "I''m glad you could make it."


    "What? Miss this?" Rylen replied with a wriggle of his eyebrows, "No way."


    "Yeah," Rxel agreed, "We had to see the people who stole you and Kay from us."


    Kyle smiled at the twins, who were now older but still looking as mischievous as they ever were when they had been bouldering together.


    Kyle rolled his eyes, "You never even tried."


    Both Rylen and Rxel sighed dramatically, saying together, "We should have ¡­ OW!."


    Both rubbed their sore heads, courtesy of being hit there by their respective wife.


    "Honey, we''re joking!"


    "Yeah," Kyle told them, "There''s no way Kay and I would have been interested in this pair. They were too easy."


    "Hey!" Rxel shouted, "That''s not fair! You guys were just ... way too good."


    They remembered the ''seducing'' bet they had. Even now, they couldn''t believe how easily they had fallen. The Smith twins were evil.


    "What?" Kyle said, "At least you kept your chastity."


    Evil indeed.

 Chapter 904 - Finale (III)

    Chapter 904 - Finale (III) "I''m really glad all of you could make it," Kyle said as he looked at the rest of them.


    It may have been years ago when he had participated in the rock-climbing competition, and he had never gone back to Rock 5 Gym since then, they had kept in touch. He had invited them partly because he wanted to personally see how they were faring - especially Cathy, after getting involved due to the Kazuya incident.


    He felt like he also owed them, a bit.


    Cole, the leader of the group and owner of Rock 5 Gym, was there with his wife Sharon and their daughter, Cathy. With her, was her fianc¨¦, Ken.


    "Looks like you managed to catch her after all, huh Ken?" Kyle teased him.


    Back in those days, Ken had been jealous of Cathy''s interest in Kyle. He had initially tried to cause trouble with him, only to be given several face-slaps (not literal, of course) in the end.


    Ken looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck, then simply replied, "Yeah." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had taken him a really, really long time to finally catch Cathy.


    After the rock-climbing competition, and after finally stopping his animosity towards Kyle, he started wooing Cathy. However, she wasn''t interested and he couldn''t quite understand her obsession with her album of good-looking guys.


    In frustration, he left to study and decided to just find another. After dating a few other girls and ''growing up'', he found that his feelings for Cathy never did stop when he met her again.


    As such, he tried to understand her better and now, they were finally together.


    Cathy''s eyes were glowing as she looked around, seeing the many guests.


    She wondered if he was here.


    Her saviour.


    If she could see him one last time, she would be content.


    The whole incident had truly caused a bit of a trauma with her, but whenever she thought of him, she calmed down.


    She owed a lot to him but she had no way of thanking him.


    So it had always been a regret in her life. When they got this invitation to Kyle''s wedding, she was over the moon. Since he was part of Kyle''s secret team, he would surely be here, right?


    Ken noticed Cathy''s distraction with her interest with looking at all the guests, and unlike before, it didn''t bother him. He knew, she only liked to look but he was the one that ended up with her.


    So, he just placed his hand on her waist and let her be.


    Kyle talked to them for a bit longer before heading out to mingle again.


    As he just bid his good-bye, he felt his leg being hugged. He reached down and picked the little girl up, asking, "Yanna, you shouldn''t run off like that, okay?"


    Kyle looked towards the couple that came their way and nodded at them, "Samantha."


    "Kyle," she replied, "Congratulations."


    Her husband, who was beside her, shook Kyle''s hand before taking his daughter from Kyle''s hands, "Sorry about that. She just seems to have a radar when it comes to you."


    Kyle laughed.


    Samantha''s husband was the doctor who had treated her with her delusions. He was the perfect fit for her, really, for only he understood her obsession with Kyle and not resent Kyle for it.


    It had taken a long time, and only after she was cured did he woo her.


    Luckily for him, she had also fallen in love with him.


    It had been a very difficult journey, however, for he was seen to have abused his position and power to subdue Samantha. He had even been called up to the ethics board for his behaviour.


    It took some time for them to be convinced that Samantha had not been ''brainwashed'' by the doctor, and that she was not ''replacing'' her feelings for Kyle with him.


    Kyle had helped in this regard, in getting expert opinion to evaluate the whole case. With that added testimony, Samantha could finally be free to love and be with the man that understood her deeply.


    "Where''s Kyle?" Kyle asked.


    "He''s with Dahlia, talking to the other kids," Samantha replied, pointing towards the area where the chocolate fountain was.


    "Puppy love," scoffed Samantha''s husband.


    "Let them be," Samantha replied with a smile.


    After Kay''s marriage to Joseph was made known, more and more people were beginning to accept couples where the girl was older. It could be said that Kay had started a change in society''s perception and acceptance for such a pairing.


    "They''re still too young," protested her husband.


    Samantha smiled and hugged her husband''s arm. Samantha was truly glad that her husband accepted her son as his own, and never shortchanged him.


    "There''s nothing wrong with it as long as we''re there to guide them," Samantha argued, "And anyway, I doubt they would actually end up together. Like you said, they''re too young. But if we stop them, they might get resentful."


    Kyle didn''t say a word, though he agreed with them.


    One could never truly know when it comes to relationsh.i.p.s, and love. To say that one was too young to know love may be true in most cases, but it''s not necessarily so. Childhood sweethearts can end up together and be the strongest couple ever, or they could break up and be the worst enemies ever.


    They talked, they laughed and Kyle went to mingle again.


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    "You know, Sayuri," Kay said as Sayuri sat at the dresser while the hairstylist was making the final touches to her hair, "I have always wondered one thing."


    "What is it?"


    "Why do you like to show off your cleavage so much?" Kay asked.


    Well, it wasn''t that Sayuri was always wearing outfits that did so (unlike Jennifer Love-Hewitt who is well known for that, besides her acting), but when she did, it was rather eye-catching.


    Even after having children, those twin peaks of hers were still firm and the cleavage was natural. It did not need a bra that was specially designed to lift up the b.r.e.a.s.t and bring it closer together to create that valley of death.


    The hairstylist, upon hearing this, nearly choked and pulled the hair too tight.


    Sayuri looked down at the points Kay was referring to and then she looked at Kay via the reflection in the mirror while replying with a smirk, "To get Kyle in the mood."


    Kay snorted, "My brother? Kyle? Needing to get in the mood when it''s you?"


    "It''s fun, seeing him stare and unable to touch ¡­ yet," Sayuri replied, "It sets the mood and well, interesting things can happen."


    Like, having an impromptu romp in the most interesting and unlikely places.


    "You''re evil," Kay hissed, "I like. Make him suffer more."


    The hairstylist, having finished, excused herself. The conversation was getting too heated, even for her. She couldn''t imagine the idol of Country Tz was that ¡­ she fanned herself. She would come back later for the finishing touches but for now, she needed to get somewhere safe.


    Sayuri admired the handiwork of the hairstylist, liking the way her hair fell over her shoulders in little ringlets.


    Kay looked around and since no one was in the room anymore, she said, "You know, considering he was a woman before, he''s awfully taken in by your b.o.o.b.s. He''s worse than some men I know."


    Sayuri laughed, "I asked him about that. Did the male hormones affect his preference that much? You know what was his answer?"


    "What?"


    "He always liked b.o.o.b.s even then, but he couldn''t show it," Sayuri said, "Country M being as conservative as it was, a woman openly admiring another woman''s boob would create havok."


    Kay pursed her lips, "True. He is bis.e.x.u.a.l after all, even then. He just couldn''t explore the other side of his likes."


    "Exactly," Sayuri replied, "One''s s.e.x.u.a.l preference isn''t due to gender or physical attributes, after all. His soul remained the same."


    She smiled, "I''m just glad he ended up with me and not Xing Han or another guy."


    Kay replied, "Well, it isn''t the gender, Sayuri. It''s the person."


    "Well, then I''m glad that I''m that person," Sayuri whispered.


    "So am I, Sayuri," Kay replied, standing up and going behind Sayuri, "Thank you for loving my brother, marrying him and completing him."

 Chapter 905 - Finale (IV)

    Chapter 905 - Finale (IV) Xing Han watched silently as his best friend was going around, greeting and talking to people. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you want a wedding as well?" asked Nitocris softly beside him.


    Xing Han looked up at his beloved, smiled and shook his head.


    "No, there is no need to," he replied.


    He reached out and held Nitocris''s hand, then placed his hand on top of his, so that their ring fingers were side-by-side.


    "I have these to declare that you''re mine," Xing han said with a soft smile, looking at the simple platinum wedding bands, with their names engraved on the inner ring. There was no stone on it as Xing Han felt it would not fit Nitocris''s image as the Underworld King.


    He wasn''t particular either, and he liked the way it glistened in the sun, like right now. The glow of the sun that was slowly setting made the sight even more appealing to him.


    Nitocris looked down upon his little puppy, his normally stern face gone all soft upon seeing how happy and content Xing Han was. They had gotten married a month ago, in a small ceremony at the Civil Affair Bureau.


    The Elite Five had been there and most importantly ¡­ Xing Han''s father, Zh¨¨nl¨ªn, was there, too.


    After years of ignoring his son, he had finally softened and accepted it. He had mellowed with age, and part of his acceptance was due to his daughters marrying well and giving him grandkids.


    That, and the fact that he could see that despite the many years that passed, Xing Han was happy. The company also flourished under his daughters while Xing Han was doing well with Nitocris''s company as well.


    Although Zh¨¨nl¨ªn wasn''t warm (he never was, anyway), his acceptance meant the world to his puppy. For that, Nitocris was willing to let it slide.


    "And have you decided yet?" Nitocris asked again, taking this opportunity since the atmosphere was right.


    "But Cookie," pouted Xing Han, "I still think we should have two, one from each of us."


    Nitocris reached out and took Xing Han''s chin in his hands, forcing him to look up at him, "Puppy, we''ve talked about this. I do not want the blood of my father to have another generation. Let it stop with me."


    "But you''re ¡­" Xing Han wanted to protest, feeling that his Cookie was just being stubborn and blind to his own merits. Just because Kazuya had been a total whacko, it didn''t mean their son - or daughter - would be.


    Nitocris didn''t allow him to finish the sentence, swooping down and kissing him deeply, while holding him tight for he knew his kisses made Xing Han weak in the knees.


    "Please, Puppy," Nitocris said softly against his lips, "I know you love me but me, having children? Never. I want our children to only be from you. I want a whole horde of sweet, sunshine kids. Okay?"


    With each sentence, Nitocris would give him light, butterfly kisses on the lips.


    While still hugging Xing Han, he turned them towards the kids at the chocolate fountain, "Look at them. Imagine our kids being part of that. They will have a normal childhood. Whether or not they''ll take over my mantle is not important. Children should be innocent while growing up."


    He kissed his puppy again, "Please?"


    Xing Han gulped.


    His Cookie never pleaded before.


    For him to even do so meant that this was really, really, important to him. How could he, Xing Han, be selfish then?


    He truly wanted another mini Nitocris to hold and hug whenever Nitocris was not around but if it meant it would be painful for him ¡­ His Cookie always indulged him, and had always given him anything he wanted or asked for.


    So how could he deny him this?


    Sighing, Xing Han touched Nitocris''s cheek and nodded, "Okay, you win. I understand."


    Nitocris smiled widely, a rare event that made Xing Han feel even worse for having made his Cookie feel so bad.


    "Let''s contact her now," Xing Han said, "And we can start the IVF immediately.???


    Nitocris nodded and did the call.


    Xing Han sighed in contentment.


    His Cookie had already all the procedures and arrangements done. Even the women who would be the surrogate mother to their children had been meticulously chosen. It had to be women who needed the money, and was clear of any disease.


    They would be handsomely paid for their services, and the only condition that they had was to completely abandon the baby. The woman, after all, was only the carrier. The s.p.e.r.m would be from Xing Han while the egg was donated from a trusted source.


    Who the woman was, Xing Han did not know but Nitocris assured him that it was purely voluntary and the woman wanted to help. She just did not want to be known. Xing Han was okay with that.


    Thus, the moment Xing Han approved, Nitocris merely needed to give a call to have three women who had been ''prepped and waiting'', to continue with the procedure.


    Unlike what most people think, being a surrogate mother was not failproof. The surrogate mother would need to go through multiple fertility treatments, medication and other hormones to help regulate the cycle and prepare the body for IVF. Xing Han''s s.p.e.r.m would be fertilized with the donor egg in the laboratory and the fertilized embryo would be transferred into the surrogate mother''s uterus for implantation.


    There were so many things that could go wrong, such as a failed transfer, or a miscarriage. As such, Nitocris wanted three women to do the procedure at once.


    If they were lucky, they''d have three children at once. If not, none.


    Nitocris prayed for the best case scenario, though.


    Xing Han was busy staring at the FFs and all the kids that were there. Imagining their children with them made Xing Han smile widely.


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    "You grew up well," the distinguished man said, looking at Kyle with a smile.


    "I had a good foundation, Principle Godric," Kyle replied.


    "Please, I''m no longer a Principal," Godric said with a sigh.


    "You''ll always be my Principal, Sir," Kyle replied politely.


    Sakura Academy truly grew under Principal Godric''s programme. It got bigger and its plans were slowly being used in other schools as well. Unfortunately, it did not mean that it could be implemented nationwide as there were just too little resources and expertise to help.


    "And furthermore, you are continuing your work," Kyle said.


    After Principal Godric retired, he was hired to lead a group to spread the programme throughout Country Tz. For any school that showed an interest and made an application, then Godric would go out and help.


    It was tiring, but he found it fulfilling.


    "A lot of the plans then were actually your work as well," Godric said, "Why did you not allow me to give you any credit for it?"


    Kyle had, before he left, given the Principal some of the more meticulous plans he and MIB had come up with but he had made the Principal swear never to reveal the source before he actually gave it.


    Kyle shrugged.


    "I''m an entrepreneur, not an academician nor an educator," Kyle said, "I only gave you some feedback based on my experience as a student under your guidance. It was only fitting you expanded on it."


    Godric sighed.


    "You''re always like this," he mused, "Never changed, have you?"


    Kyle looked at him seriously, then said, "You made my teenage life fun. I''m only repaying that favour. No more, no less."


    Kyle gave him a hearty slap on the back and said, "The true hero is one who carries on the fight."


    He left with those words, leaving a man who thought otherwise.


    He looked at the strong back of a man that had grown so much more than he ever thought possible.


    No, to him, a true hero is one that leaves his mark unnoticed.


    The silent fighters, the ones who get the job done, or the one who gets the job the push it needs. Kyle did what he did without fanfare, not caring whether people knew or not. He didn''t tweet about how clever and good he was. He did it because he wanted to, and he could - not for the acknowledgment.


    A true (silent) hero indeed.

 Chapter 906 - Finale (V)

    Chapter 906 - Finale (V) It was time.


    The guests were sitting on the chairs, basking in the light of the setting sun. Patrick, who would be officiating the wedding, was standing and awaiting at the end of the ''line''. Kyle was standing on the right of Patrick, grinning away with Xing Han beside him as his best man (naturally).


    When the wedding march sounded, Kyle stopped fooling around with Xing Han and focused at the area where Sayuri would emerge.


    He had no idea what she would look like, for Sayuri had insisted on him being kept in the dark. He wasn''t even allowed to choose his own suit. He went for the fitting, of course, though there hadn''t been much that needed to be done.


    First, Ben and Ariel appeared, holding hands.


    On both of Ben''s and Ariel''s wrists was something that looked like a watch, but if one was to look closely, it was actually the rings. It was in a small, round glass casing, that was strapped on their little wrists.


    On Ariel, the strap had lace appliques while Ben''s strap was pure leather but had shadings of sunset theme colours.


    They took steady steps down the aisle.


    Next, Fleur and Aurora emerged, holding flower baskets in their hands and huge smiles on their faces. Immediately after, Ziad and Alex came into view, and went to stand beside Fleur and Aurora respectively. Ziad on Fleura''s right, while Alex was on Aurora''s left.


    Thus, the flower girls were in the middle of the aisle and they started walking slowly behind Ben and Ariel. They would sprinkle the petals of the sunset theme behind them.


    It was then that Sayuri emerged, holding onto the arms of her uncle.


    Kyle''s breath got stuck in his throat.


    God, she was breathtaking.


    She was looking straight at him, and he couldn''t take his eyes off her. It was as if everything around them had disappeared and it was only the two of them in their own world.


    Behind Sayuri, Kay and Betty followed as matron-of-honour and the sole bridesmaid. Sam was amongst the guests, taking care of their kids and he watched his wife pass by with a smile.


    Sayuri stopped a few feet away from Kyle and gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek before he let her go and sat down in the front row on the right side. The FFs were in the front row on the left side, sitting down after having done their duties.


    Kay and Betty went to the right, opposite of Xing Han and stood behind Ariel. Ben was standing in front of Xing Han.


    Sayuri looked at her handsome husband, who was holding out his hand to her. She took his hand and as she came up, Kyle whispered under his breath to her, "You''re so beautiful."


    "You''re not bad yourself," Sayuri replied softly.


    Naturally, Kyle''s eyes dropped to the valley of death and gave his wife ''the look''. She just smiled at him.


    "And a temptress," Kyle said as they turned to face Patrick.


    Patrick was standing there, grinning away.


    Since Kyle and Sayuri were already legally married, Patrick wasn''t really officiating the wedding. It was merely a symbolic gesture. This was more of a renewal of vows, so to speak, than an actual wedding.


    Patrick cleared his throat.


    "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to share with Kyle and Sayuri''s very special day."


    "Many people believe that entering into marriage is the final step in a romantic relationship. A couple meets, get to know one another and fall in love, decide they want to spend their lives together, and then take the final step¡ªmarriage."


    "Happily ever after, like in any fairy tale."


    "But no. Marriage is hardly the final step in a couple''s relationship, rather it is the beginning of a grand adventure!"


    "Kyle and Sayuri, you have shared the joys, blessings and challenges of married life for seven years. Today you want to reconfirm your love and commitment to each other."


    "May this renewing of the vows you took to become husband and wife remind you that despite the stresses inevitable in every life, your love, respect, trust and understanding of each other will continue to increase your contentment and heighten your joy in living and deepen your love for each other."


    "Please join hands. Oh, sorry. You already are. Then face each other please, and not stare at my handsome face too much."


    There was slight laughter amongst the guests.


    Patrick turned to face Kyle and asked, "Kyle Rexington Smith, will you continue to have Sayuri as your wife and continue to live in this marriage?"


    "Always and forever," Kyle replied as he looked lovingly at his wife.


    "Do you reaffirm your love to her, and will you love, honor and cherish her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"


    "Naturally, with every breath that I take," Kyle replied.


    Patrick turned to Sayuri and asked, "Sayuri Hinata, will you continue to have my worthless and troublesome son, Kyle, as your husband and continue to live in this marriage?"


    Sayuri giggled a bit and replied, "Always and forever."


    "Do you reaffirm your love for him, and will you love, honor and cherish him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?" Patrick asked.


    "I do," Sayuri replied, gazing at her husband with all the love in her heart showing on her face. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rings, besides showing that you own the person, serve as a reminder of your vows to each other, and your commitment to live in unity, love and happiness. At this time, reconfirm your stake on your husband through the meaning of the rings you wear."


    Kyle looked at his father, who looked back at him innocently.


    Ben and Ariel were now beside Kyle and Sayuri.


    Patrick looked up at and addressed the audience, "Both Kyle and Sayuri have their own vows prepared, so I shall leave it to them at this point."


    Kyle turned towards Ben, who held out his wrist to him. Carefully opening the casing, he took out the ring that was nestled inside. Taking his wife''s hand in his, he looked at her in the eyes and said, "Sayuri, my love, with this ring, I am reaffirming my love for you. You are my heart, my soul and the reason for living. I pledge my heart, and life, to always love and protect you for as long as I may live."


    Kyle slipped the ring into his wife''s finger, and she smiled.


    Sayuri turned towards Ariel, who was s.u.c.k.i.n.g her thumb. She quickly put her thumb out and looked at her mother sheepishly. Ben reached out and carefully opened the casing, and gave the ring to Sayuri.


    She took the ring and holding Kyle''s hand, slipped the ring on as she said, "Kyle, my husband, with this ring, I am staking my claim on you and declaring that you are mine and mine alone. You are my heart, my soul and the reason for living. I love you then, and I love you more now, and I will love you forever more. I pledge my heart, and my life, to be by your side until my last breath."


    Patrick sniffed loudly and said, "Kyle and Sayuri, today you have renewed the vows you made to each other. You have symbolized the renewal of your union by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by the wearing of your?rings."


    "Please celebrate this renewal of vows with a kiss!"


    Kyle grinned and said, "As if I needed to be directed."


    "Well, just kiss her then so that we can end this and eat!" Patrick replied.


    Everyone laughed as Kyle bent forward and placed his lips on his beautiful wife''s lips. With his hand that was still holding hers, he pulled her closer and placed his hand on her waist and another behind her neck.


    Once he had her firmly in his grasp, Kyle sn.a.k.e.d his tongue in and deepened the kiss, taking his time to explore within and capture the elusive treasure.


    After a few minutes of this, Patrick finally interrupted him, "AHEM. Kyle, could you end this now so that we can go and eat?"


    Kyle broke the kiss and laughed, along with the guests. He gave Sayuri a final peck on the lips before he turned to face everyone.


    "Everyone, thank you for being here with us on our very special day. We never did have a wedding ceremony before and we got married under really unique circ.u.mstances. So I am glad to be able to renew my vows with my beloved, and give her the ceremony I owed her so long ago," Kyle said, "Let''s eat!"


    With that, they headed towards the dining area.

 Chapter 907 - Finale (VI)

    Chapter 907 - Finale (VI) The meal went by pleasantly and everything was informal. As the sun had set and the fairy lights were on, the entire dining area had a rather soft, romantic vibe to it.


    As they were having their dessert, Xing Han had to give his ''best man'' speech.


    He had the hands-free mic on as he stood in front, just beside Kyle and Sayuri. He cleared his throat into the mic, and everyone settled down, before Xing Han began.


    "It is everyone''s fortune in life to meet that special someone that touches your heart, and soul, and the ties that are formed, are made forever. Kyle found that 21 years ago," Xing Han said, which made everyone puzzled a bit until he continued.


    "Me," Xing Han said with a flourish, "Each and everyone of you are dear to our Kyle, but I need to tell you right now ¡­ Only I, Tan Xing Han, is Kyle''s BFF forever and ever and ever. Me, okay? Not you."


    Kyle grinned at him.


    That part hasn''t changed at all, no matter how many times have passed. Everyone laughed.


    "Now that we have that out of the way, I won''t take much of your time. We have our lovely Sayuri. Let me tell you, I may love my BFF, but boy, is he a dense one. It took him forever to realise the treasure next to him," Xing Han said, exposing Kyle completely, "Luckily for him, Sayuri is a tough one."


    Xing Han faced Sayuri, put a hand over his heart and bowed, "Thank you for sticking on and being so patient to my special kind of stupid friend. We, the Elite Five, owe you big for that."


    Kyle rolled his eyes, but nonetheless, he reached out and pulled Sayuri close to him - chair and all. She leaned closer, snuggling to him as they continued listening to Xing Han.


    "Normally, the speech is supposed to be about his life and so forth but nah," Xing Han replied, "Those are for newly weds and for guests that do not know them. But we do. We''ve been a part of his life, in one way or another, so there is no point in such redundant stories."


    "Kyle and Sayuri, every single person here can see that the love you have for each other is still going on strong. You have a beautiful family, and may you have a long, fulfilling life till the ends of time."


    Xing Han raised his glass, as everyone did. Kyle reciprocated and they downed the glass.


    Just then, the music started playing.


    Everyone could recognise the starting music and the deep voice of Ed Sheeran filling the area.


    "I found a love for me


    Darling, just dive right in


    And follow my lead


    Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet


    I never knew you were the someone waiting for me"


    Kyle got up, pulling his wife with him and they went to the empty space in the middle of the dining area. Everyone watched as the couple clung to each other, swaying and dancing gently to the music.


    Cheek-to-cheek, Kyle sang along softly with Ed Sheeran into Sayuri''s ear, changing a bit on some of the lyrics, "I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know, She shares my dreams ¡­ and now we share a home ¡­ I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets, To carry love, to carry children of our own."


    Sayuri could hear the emotions in his voice and it brought tears to her eyes.


    They did their slow dance, just swaying softly to the music.


    It looked innocent but Kyle could feel what Sayuri was doing to him. She pressed her ample c.h.e.s.t on him, and he could feel the soft plumpness through the jacket and shirt - and even how her n.i.p.p.l.es had hardened.


    Just looking down to see those orbs and not being able to do anything right now made Kyle look at his wife. He hissed a bit when he felt her brush against his crotch, rubbing it as she smiled at him.


    Kyle looked at her, gently c.a.r.e.s.sing her face as she leaned on his hand. It was at the end of the song, and he sang softly as he looked at her in the eyes, "Now I know I have met an angel in person, And she looks perfect, No, I don''t deserve this. You look perfect tonight."


    Kyle then kissed her deeply, not moving, as the song slowly ended.


    No one said a word, no one clapped, and let the couple just be immersed in their own little world.


    They thought the wedding vows were already bad enough, but this ¡­ just seeing them do their dance and being completely oblivious to everyone else felt like it was all a dream.


    How could anyone not see the way the couple looked at each other?


    The gentle, loving gaze.


    The soft, sweet smile.


    The kiss.


    All of it was like a fairy-tale love.


    Just then, the atmosphere was broken when the rapid strumming of a guitar came on. Kyle grinned, while Kay came and pulled Sayuri away.


    "What''s happening?" Sayuri asked as she was being led away from her husband.


    Kyle, in the meantime, took off his jacket and bow, flinging both to one side. He unbuttoned the collar and a few buttons of his shirt, then started folding up his sleeves a bit.


    Kay made Sayuri sit on a chair, directly in front of Kyle as the beat of the music went on.


    Everyone could recognise the music - it was from the song by Jonas Brothers, "What A Man Gotta Do."


    What they did NOT expect was that suddenly, Xing Han slid beside Kyle, grinned, and started singing.


    "Caught my heart about one, two times


    Don''t need to question the reason I''m yours, I''m yours


    I''d move the earth or lose a fight just to see you smile


    ''Cause you got no flaws, no flaws"


    Xing han was looking at Kyle, then at Nitocris that was in the crowd. Just as the chorus came on, Ali, Sam and Joseph slid into the group. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Basically, Xing Han was the lead singer while they danced.


    When the chorus came on the second time, Kyle sauntered over to Sayuri, dancing around her like some male stripper ¡­ without taking off the clothes (a pity), of course. It also wasn''t too over-the-top because there were kids (so there was no butt-shaking, unfortunately).


    He would just go close, almost kissing and touching a lot. What most didn''t see, however, was that he would occasionally brush against her b.r.e.a.s.t, and blowing into her s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e areas like the ear. Since she tempted him earlier, he used this opportunity to get back at her.


    Sayuri didn''t say a word, but just gave a sultry smile that gave a hint of many good things in the future. Kyle wriggled his eyebrows as he joined back to the others on their group moves.


    Everyone clapped loudly at the end of it and Kyle grabbed Sayuri by the waist, bringing her up. Kyle gave her a quick kiss before Kay handed Sayuri back her bouquet.


    "Are you ready??" Sayuri asked, grinning.


    Soon, all the single women gathered in front of Sayuri. She turned, climbed on the chair and tossed her bouquet over her head and there were some small screams as they rushed to grab it. The lucky girl that got it was jumping up and down, smiling happily.


    Sayuri then sat back down on the chair as she faced Kyle. Kyle went down on one knee and she placed her foot on his leg. With a smirk, he slid his hands under her gown and c.a.r.e.s.sed her skin all the way up to where the garter was.


    Sayuri didn''t flinch, and she just gazed at him as he slowly slid the gown up to showcase the leg that had the garter on, but the other leg was still covered. The garter was mid-t.h.i.g.h, and with one hand on her ankle and the other under her t.h.i.g.h, Kyle reached forward and bit the garter with his teeth.


    He slid the garter down slowly, making sure to touch her all the way down to the ankle. Sayuri put down her leg and covered it back with her gown, grinning at her husband that gave her one look in the eye before turning to face the crowd.


    This time, it was the single men that were crowded around and Kyle did a long toss of the garter. The guys jumped, roared, but the garter flew over their heads and one unsuspecting guy that wasn''t even in the group caught it.


    Zero had instinctively reached out to grab the item that he saw at the corner of his eye coming at him. When he realised what it was, his face flushed red while the other Diamond Team members were laughing out loud.


    "You''re next!"


    Zero just growled at them.


    During the commotion, the stars went missing.

 Chapter 908 - Finale (VII) R18

    Chapter 908 - Finale (VII) R18 "You''re really such an evil seductress," Kyle said as he kissed Sayuri deeply, his hands roaming all over her.


    Sayuri m.o.a.n.e.d deep in her throat when she felt his hands kneading her b.u.t.t, and she pressed herself onto him even more.


    "Couldn''t you wait until after the ceremony?" gasped Sayuri as Kyle pushed the top of the dress down and started s.u.c.k.i.n.g and l.i.c.k.i.n.g her n.i.p.p.l.e while pinching the other one with his hand.


    "Sure I could," Kyle said, "But where''s the fun in that?"


    "And you know very well what you did," Kyle said in between the s.u.c.k.i.n.g and biting. He then faced her and kissed her again, plunging his tongue in as his hands touched her core through her skirt.


    Sayuri held on to the roving hands, pushing it away and saying, "Don''t, you''ll stain my dress."


    Kyle grinned at that and stopped, but then moved down and flipped her gown, he went under it.


    "Kyle!" Sayuri hissed as she then felt him push aside her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r and placed his lips on her core.


    She put her fist into her mouth, muffling her m.o.a.ns as he ran his tongue up and down her c.l.i.t while s.u.c.k.i.n.g the core. Her legs became weak and he helped support her up by holding onto her t.h.i.g.hs, then placing the back of her knees on his shoulder.


    Once she was secure, he continued his onslaught as he licked, s.u.c.k.e.d and lapped everything up. Sayuri leaned against the wall, bracing herself and holding her m.o.a.ns down but it was getting more and more difficult to keep it down.


    She could hear the muffled sounds of the people outside doing their work, and the thought of people coming in and catching them added a thrill to everything.


    Kyle just knew where to touch and what to do, and Sayuri wished she could just grip Kyle''s hair and pull it hard. As it was, he was too well hidden under her skirt and grabbing a mound of dress wasn''t the same.


    She then felt him insert a finger into her cave and she jerked, feeling that appendage do its magic within. Having both his finger inside and his tongue on her core made Sayuri writhe with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    It was both mind-boggling and frustrating because now, she wanted nothing more than his hard c*ck to be within her, ravaging her insides and be damned with everything else.


    When she climaxed, she could feel that Kyle did not stop his mouth movements but he did pull his finger out and held her tightly as the spasms filled her entire being. Once the wave passed by, Sayuri wrapped her legs around Kyle''s neck and with a push against the wall behind her, made him tumble backwards.


    In one swift motion, she got off his face and slid down all the way to his crotch. Her hand was already there, having completely unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Kyle''s c*ck was firmly in her grip as she pulled it out.


    She stroked slowly, taking the pre-c.u.m to lubricate his c*ck and at the same time, rubbing her extremely wet cave upon it as she looked at him, "Your?turn ¡­ or is it mine? Either way ¡­"


    She slid down his shaft, m.o.a.ning as he entered her and quickly moved, "Just f.u.c.k me hard, Kyle".


    Kyle gritted his teeth and held her *ss, helping her move up and down as she rammed herself hard each time she went down.?She then leaned forward to kiss him, constantly moving, and feeling him hit another part of her that made her feel that she was going to reach her climax again.


    And so, the room was filled with their intense lovemaking while everyone outside, was completely oblivious as to what was happening in the storeroom.


    ? Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o,v.e.l. ? S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just where are they?" muttered Xing Han, tapping his foot.


    "Oh, they''ll be back soon," Kay replied, "They''re changing outfits at the moment. Relax, Xing Han."


    Xing Han snorted.


    "You''d think he would be able to hold off for a while, right? I mean, they''re only going for their honeymoon later," Xing Han said sarcastically.


    Kay laughed.


    They looked at each other and said together, "It''s Kyle."


    "What about me?" Kyle asked, sneaking up behind them.


    "GAH!" Xing Han screamed, and Nitocris glared at Kyle.


    Kyle shrugged, unperturbed by the King of the Underworld''s death stare, "For old time''s sake."


    Kyle and Sayuri were now changed out of their wedding outfits into a casual outfit. They had slipped out of the storeroom after their impromptu romp and headed to their room stealthily.


    Why didn''t they just go to their room, you might ask?


    Well, why not?


    The helicopter was ready to take them to the airport, whereby they would be going for their one week honeymoon.


    "Mummy, you''ll be back soon right?" Ariel asked, tugging at the hem of her skirt.


    Sayuri smiled, and patted Ariel''s head, "Of course, honey. Daddy and I are just going off for a bit. You be a good girl with Grandpa and Grandma, okay?"


    Ariel nodded.


    "Don''t worry, Sayuri," Kay said, "Ariel''s a big girl now, right?"


    Ariel nodded, then started to suck her thumb.


    Kyle hugged Sayuri, saying, "They''ll be fine. It''s only a week."


    Like any mother, leaving behind her children was hard, but she knew that she would need to have ''time off'' with Kyle as well. Luckily, the kids had their own ''clique'' so they didn''t feel it so much about being left behind.


    After saying their goodbyes to their children, they then headed off. The guests cheered and waved as the couple headed into the helicopter and it flew away.


    Kyle and Sayuri watched as the scene island became smaller as they went further away. Kyle brought Sayuri''s hand to his and kissed her fingers, saying, "To another lifetime together."


    Sayuri smiled, kissed him, and agreed, "To a lifetime together."


    - THE END (AGAIN) -